NATO launches a new “combat wallet” for Ukraine. Washington and Brussels are creating a new weapons supply mechanism for Ukraine that will accelerate support amid rising civilian casualties, Reuters reports.

This setup bypasses complex US procedures and enables faster delivery of air defense systems, missiles, artillery, and other critical weapons. This is a voluntary initiative coordinated by NATO, says a senior Alliance official.

How the new aid mechanism works

Under the plan, NATO will create a special account where member states will contribute funds. These funds will then be used to procure or transfer US weapons to Ukraine. 

Ukraine will submit lists of priority weaponry (PURL) worth about $500 million per tranche, and allies will determine who contributes to what. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will coordinate the distribution.

Trump steps up pressure on Moscow and allies

President Donald Trump, initially cautious in his rhetoric, has adopted a tougher stance on the war. According to sources, he condemned Russia’s growing civilian death toll and gave the Kremlin a deadline — show progress in ending the war by 8 August, or face new US tariffs. 

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia does not plan to stop the war against Ukraine. His statements came on 1 August, the day after Russian missiles killed 31 civilians in Kyiv. Putin claimed Russia is ready to wait until Ukraine agrees to its conditions to end the war, which mean de-facte the capitulation of Kyiv. 

US lawmakers seek to formalize the scheme in law

Congress has introduced the PEACE Act, a bill that would create a dedicated fund within the US Treasury to collect European contributions and replenish US weapons stockpiles sent to Ukraine. Negotiations on the first tranche are ongoing, but the exact timeline and aid volumes remain unclear.

The Russian military has been throwing troops at the Toretsk direction for over six months, but each time they are crushed by Ukrainian defenses. Russians have lost about 50,000 soldiers on this front, with more than 20,000 irreversible casualties, Army TV reports.

“50,000 people — that’s a good-sized European stadium filled to the brim. But the Kremlin regime didn’t bring these people for football. It brought them to die near Toretsk,” Major Serhii Khominsky, Ukrainian press officer of the 100th Separate Mechanized Brigade, says.

A fortress holding out for over a year

Khominsky stresses that the 100th Brigade has held this crucial front line for over a year. Despite repeated Russian attempts to break through from Horlivka toward Kostyantynivka, they have only reached the outskirts of Toretsk and failed to advance further.

“This is one of the front sectors where the enemy has made the least progress. It frustrates them, but they can’t change anything — thanks to the heroism of our fighters,” he emphasizes.

Ukrainian defenders have faced nearly every form of Russian tactics here: from massive armored assaults to nighttime infantry storm attacks.

“You could say the only things we haven’t seen are battle kangaroos and penguins. Everything else has been tried,” Khominsky adds with bitter irony.

Russia deploys robots in battle

The officer also reveals that Russia has started using ground robotic combat systems. However, these machines proved nearly powerless in the devastated urban environment.

“High-rise buildings turned into thousands of tons of rubble. These ruins are hard to pass even for a human, let alone a robotic system,” Khominsky explains.

Trump allies have fixated on a purported message about Hillary Clinton and Russia. John H. Durham, the special counsel, found evidence that it was likely a fake assembled by Russian spies.

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Only three out of eight Russian Iskander-K cruise missiles launched at Ukraine on the night of 31 July were shot down. This raised questions about why Ukraine’s air defense, usually effective against Kalibr and Kh-101 missiles, failed to destroy most of them, Defense Express reports.

Explosions in Kyiv and a major air raid alert

The key reason is the element of surprise, say the military experts from Defense Express.

“Today’s launches of ‘Iskander-K’ were carried out from Russia’s Kursk Oblasy, practically right at the border, so there was very little time to react and deploy countermeasures,” the analysis states.

The land-based Iskander launchers are harder to detect than ships launching Kalibr missiles or bombers carrying Kh-101s, since those require more flight time and are detected by intelligence before launch.

“He will risk everything in Ukraine”: Putin may be preparing for even harsher war in Ukraine after Trump’s ultimatum

What is known about these missiles? 

Iskander-K is a general term for cruise missiles launched from the Iskander tactical missile system. These include the 9M728 (R-500) with a range up to 500 km and the 9M729 with a range up to 1,500 km. Both have a 480 kg warhead and fly at speeds up to 900 km/h.

This year, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate announced Russia’s approximate missile production rates. Currently, Russia can produce about 300 cruise missiles per month, including 20-30 Iskander-K. 

Raytheon Technologies Corp. has been awarded a $3.5 billion contract by the U.S. Department of Defense for the production of Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). Ukraine is among the foreign recipients listed in the agreement.

Germany’s Bundeswehr is set to deliver additional Patriot air defense launchers to Ukraine in the coming days.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, for over three hours, rescued a man trapped in the rubble of a house hit by a Russian missile on 31 July. The rescuers maintained voice contact with him all that time. He had fallen from the second floor to the first and was pinned by structural debris.

Reaching the injured man was difficult: rescuers broke a hole in the wall of a neighboring apartment and formed a sort of tunnel.

Special stabilizers were attached to the man to avoid causing further harm during the rescue.

Search and rescue operations are continuing at two Kyiv locations, and emergency recovery efforts are underway at six. At the strike sites, all available equipment and specialists have been deployed to save lives. Nearly 2,000 tons of rubble were removed from the strike site. 

Meanwhile, the number of victims continues to rise. Among the victims are a two-year-old and a six-year-old. The number may rise as emergency workers dig through the debris.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko announced yesterday that 1 August was declared a day of mourning in the city. Flags were lowered on municipal buildings, and all entertainment events were canceled. Both state and private institutions were asked to lower their flags as well.

A few minutes to strike 

During the night of 31 July, Russian forces attacked Kyiv with drones and later with Iskander-K missiles. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Moscow used a total of 309 attack drones and eight Iskander-K cruise missiles in the assault on Ukraine, three of which were intercepted.

The Iskander-K missiles were launched from Russia’s Kursk Oblast, practically right on the border, leaving very little time to respond or deploy appropriate countermeasures. Moreover, Iskander ground-based launchers are harder to detect than carriers of Kalibr or Kh-101 missiles, as the latter must first head out to sea, and their flight time is significantly longer, Defense Express reports. 

Ukraine’s intelligence agency has reported that Russia is capable of producing up to 300 cruise missiles per month, including 20–30 Iskander-K missiles. 

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Czech aid to Ukraine is set to grow after new commitments from Prague that include fresh military packages and a firm response to Russia’s attempt to intimidate Czech leaders. The plans were announced following meetings between Denys Shmyhal and Czech officials, as Moscow placed the Czech foreign minister on its so-called “Russophobe” list.

Czech aid to Ukraine focuses on anti-air and ammunition

On 30 July, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Tomáš Pojar, an adviser to the Czech prime minister, to discuss urgent needs for Ukraine’s armed forces. Shmyhal said their talks centered on air defense, electronic warfare and long-range capabilities. He explained that particular focus was on ammunition supply, as the Czech initiative to secure artillery shells of key calibers has become an important source for Ukraine.

According to Shmyhal, the discussions covered specific schedules and plans for supplies for the rest of this year and 2026. They also reviewed cooperation between defense industries. He said that joint enterprises are already working and some projects are underway. These include the production of shells and Bren 2 rifles in Ukraine.

The Czech delegation and Ukrainian officials also analyzed possibilities for new projects in Czechia that would involve leading Ukrainian companies. These projects are intended to support Ukraine’s defense forces in the face of Russia’s ongoing war.

Moscow’s blacklist sparks Czech response

Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský responded after the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added him to a published list of so-called “Russophobic” politicians.

In his comments to ČTK, Lipavský said he does not use hate speech against Russia but stands firmly against the imperial policies of Vladimir Putin. He added that his criticism targets Putin, his ideology, the Kremlin’s aggression against Ukraine, and sabotage acts even in Czechia.

Lipavský emphasized that his stance on Putin’s aggression would not change and that his plans for a future holiday in Crimea remain unaffected. He repeated that “Crimea is Ukraine” and that the Kremlin’s ban on his entry to Russia has no effect on him. This hints on the future liberation of the Crimean Peninsula, occupied by the Russians since 2014.

 

Estonia’s permanent representative to NATO, Ambassador Jüri Luik, said on 28 July 2025, on Vikerraadio — Estonian Public Broadcasting’s main radio channel — that Europe cannot realistically mount a credible defense against Russia without Ukraine’s involvement, highlighting Ukraine’s indispensable role in sustaining European security architecture.

“If Europe manages to achieve some kind of peace or truce [in Ukraine — EMP], or if we talk about Europe being able to defend itself against Russia, it is very difficult to imagine such a defense without Ukraine,” Luik said.

European and NATO intelligence agencies have increasingly warned of a growing hybrid and conventional threat from Russia, particularly toward NATO member states. Moscow appears to be preparing a multifaceted campaign — including sabotage of critical infrastructure, disinformation operations, and electronic warfare — aimed at projecting pressure beyond Ukraine’s borders. In the Baltic region, disruptions to undersea cables and power infrastructure — including the Estlink cable between Estonia and Finland — have raised alarms over possible sabotage by the so-called Russian “shadow fleet.”

Luik emphasized in the interview that Ukraine’s large and battle-hardened ground forces are essential not only for defending its own territory but also for enabling a cohesive European defense posture — one that can operate independently of US military dominance and deter potential Russian aggression.

Estonia and Ukraine have deepened bilateral cooperation since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, including joint military training, intelligence sharing, cyber defense collaboration, and political coordination within NATO and EU frameworks. Estonia now allocates more than 4% of its GDP to defense spending and has emerged as one of Ukraine’s strongest advocates in both Brussels and NATO, underscoring a shared strategic view of Moscow’s threat.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal spoke with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius to review the outcomes of the latest Ramstein-format meeting.

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota activated the National Guard to help the city of St. Paul address a cyberattack that was detected last Friday.

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Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, the former head of both the National Security Agency and Cyber Command, gave his first interview since he was fired.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Belarusian KGB agent detained in Volyn for spying on Ukrainian military. Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered an attempt by Belarusian intelligence services to obtain reconnaissance data on the defense of Ukraine’s northern border.

A spy working for the KGB

Counterintelligence of the SBU detained a local resident in Volyn who was transmitting information to Belarusian intelligence services. According to the agency, the 24-year-old unemployed man was looking for easy money in Telegram channels and made contact with representatives of the Belarusian KGB.

He agreed to spy on checkpoints, defense fortifications, and military trains in northern Ukraine.

“To collect intelligence, the agent scouted local areas, recorded the Defense Forces’ fortifications, and marked their geolocations on Google Maps,” the SBU reports. 

Detention and charge of treason

During a search, a phone was seized from the detainee containing an anonymous messenger chat used to communicate with his KGB handler. The identity of the Belarusian intelligence officer has already been established.

The agent has been officially charged under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which is high treason during martial law. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Europe can’t keep up with Russia in producing anti-missiles for Ukraine. Therefore, the time has come to shift from defense to counterattacks, Defense Express reports.

Europe’s defense lags behind

Russia’s military industry is currently capable of producing up to 1,020 ballistic missiles annually, including Iskander and Kinzhal types. European countries only have the capacity to intercept around 300 such missiles per year. These figures come from researcher Fabian Hoffmann, cited by the German outlet Hartpunkt. This imbalance means European industry is being outpaced by Russia, which continues to ramp up missile production. According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, Russia increased its Iskander production by 15–40% in the first half of 2025 alone. Europe is failing to match that surge with equivalent growth in its missile interception capabilities.

From defense to counterstrikes

As Defense Express explains, the traditional “anti-access/area denial” approach, which envisions saturating Ukraine with air defense systems, doesn’t work when the adversary has a numerical advantage. This method focuses on preventing missiles from entering Ukrainian airspace. In contrast, a more “offensive” strategy targets the factories, workshops, and logistics hubs where those missiles are made. It’s about eliminating the source of the threat, not just shielding against its consequences. And that, analysts argue, is exactly what Ukraine needs now. This shift in the support paradigm Europe must adopt to help Ukraine repel Russian strikes is timely and necessary.

“But ultimately it depends on what strike capabilities European partners are actually willing to supply, a particularly pressing issue amid speculation about Germany’s secret strike option, if not Taurus,” the experts write.

What Europe might provide

On 24 July, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Kyiv forces would receive secret weapons to “influence” Russia’s territory. Meanwhile, the deliveries of Taurus long-range missiles were ruled out. Wadephul emphasized that European partners were working intensively on the weapons delivery for Ukraine. The issue was not about finances but about the defense industry’s production capacity. In July, Germany announced it would deliver five Patriot systems to Ukraine, which are the only systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed the agreement with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth. Berlin is also sending over 200,000 shells for its Gepard anti-drone systems and financing the production of long-range Ukrainian drones for deep strikes inside Russia.

US-German software company Auterion will send 33,000 AI-powered drone “strike kits” to Ukraine before the end of the year under a new Pentagon contract, the Financial Times reports.

The announcement comes as peace talks remain stalled and Russia steps up its aerial campaign, modernizing its Shahed drones to cause as much damage as possible and scaling up their production. Ukraine has been scrambling to find an answer as these massed swarms increasingly breach air defences.

Auterion’s Chief executive Lorenz Meier said the new commitment was “10 times in scale” compared to previous deliveries:

“So we’ve shipped thousands and we’re now shipping tens of thousands,” Meier told the FT, describing the expansion as “unprecedented.”

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How the Skynode “strike kits” work

Auterion’s Skynode miniature computers — which come with a camera and radio — can transform manually controlled drones into “AI-powered weapons systems” that cannot be jammed.
These systems can track a moving target from as far as 1km, according to Meier.

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Part of Pentagon security assistance

The new $50 million contract with the Pentagon is part of US security assistance to Ukraine, Meier said.
It is not part of a separate “mega-deal” that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is discussing with US President Donald Trump.

Meier highlighted Auterion’s co-operation with Ukrainian drone production:

“It’s basically acknowledging that the battle-hardening that has happened in Ukraine of drone products is relevant. That it’s a way to support Ukraine, but it’s also technology that … NATO countries want to get their hands on.”

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Escalating Russian drone strikes

Russia’s air campaign has intensified in recent weeks, with Ukrainian officials reporting that swarm attacks now breach defenses more often. Strikes are hitting targets at roughly three times the usual rate.

Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian companies producing interceptor drones are struggling to expand production:

“So far, they have only manufactured individual units, and they lack the money for this,” adding that the total cost of scaling up domestic drone production stands at $6 billion.

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Future of AI-driven warfare

Auterion, which has offices in Virginia and Munich, sees Ukraine as a testing ground for next-generation drone technology.

“What we are providing is leapfrogging what’s on the battlefield right now, which is to go to AI-based targeting and swarming,” Meier said, adding that humans would always select the targets.

The Ukrainian government will spend $172 million buying vehicles, parts, training, maintenance and  other services for the Ukrainian air force’s US-made Hawk air-defense batteries. 

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the ability of Ukraine to provide for its own defense,” the State Department noted.

The Hawk is becoming one of the most important air-defense weapons in Ukraine’s arsenal. Not because it’s particularly new: the Homing All the Way Killer missile dates from the late 1950s, making it a full generation older than Ukraine’s best air-defenses, its US-made Patriots.

No, the Hawk best attributes are its simplicity, reliability and—most importantly—abundance. A new facility in the US state of Oklahoma has been refurbishing thousands of the Hawk system’s 5-m missiles. 

The Hawk is a medium-range surface-to-air missile. Each missile, fired by a three-round launcher, ranges around 48 km. The missile homes in on energy from a ground-based radar reflecting from the airborne target. The Ukrainian air force cited “experts” claiming the Hawk is 85% accurate, which is consistent with much newer missiles.

As a bonus, newer versions of the Hawk could be compatible with another, more modern missile system that Ukraine also uses: the US-Norwegian National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS. 

Norwegian firm Kongsberg—builder of the NASAMS—has developed a new digital command post for Hawk batteries that borrows its main components from NASAMS. That raises the possibility that the Ukrainian air force might, with some effort, be able to combine its NASAMS and Hawk batteries into a single force using the same radars and command posts.

Medium-range stalwart

The Hawk was NATO’s standard medium-range SAM for decades until the advent—in the 1980s—of the Patriot, which ranges three times as far and boasts a much more sophisticated seeker. Raytheon manufactured many thousands of Hawk missiles. Decades later, many of those missiles are still sitting around in various military warehouses all over the world.

Given the dire shortage of Patriot missiles—Lockheed Martin produces no more than 600 a year for all the dozens of countries that use them—those old Hawk missiles have become a priceless commodity. So far, Spain, The Netherlands and the United States, possibly with a little help from Taiwan, have donated enough radars and launchers for Ukraine to deploy maybe four batteries, each with multiple radars and launchers.

But a new US Army facility in Oklahoma, officially opened in February, is gathering up, reconditioning and possibly upgrading thousands of old missiles for those four batteries. 

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The Army had already inspected 2,751 missiles from US stockpiles by the time the new Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility opened, “a monumental achievement that underscores the scale of the operation,” according to the ground combat branch.

Hundreds more missiles were inbound from Ukraine’s foreign allies. “In addition to servicing missiles from the US, the new facility has also received 825 missiles and other equipment donations from six countries, further demonstrating the global importance of the Hawk system in air defense,” the Army stated.

It’s possible, even likely, that most of those missiles have made their way to Ukraine. The recent US sale of Hawk equipment to Ukraine is just the latest in a series of US-Ukrainian deals associated with the missile system.

Of all the many diverse American and European air-defense systems Ukraine uses to defend its cities, the Hawk batteries might have the most ammunition. How many more missiles the Oklahoma facility can find for Ukrainian batteries is unclear. But it’s worth noting Raytheon built 40,000 of the missiles—and only a few countries have ever used them in anger. Ukraine being the latest.

Ukraine receives Patriot air defense systems, and it’s just the beginning. The US and its allies have provided the systems under a new scheme in which European nations foot the bill for American weapons supplied to Kyiv, The Washington Post reports. 

Two more is on the way

Germany has already delivered three Patriots. One more is under discussion with the US, while Berlin has pledged to help provide a total of five.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed this during a meeting of Ukraine’s allies, without going into further detail.

Ukraine aims for ten systems

Kyiv is aiming to receive ten Patriots under the new arrangement. Some batteries could even come from outside NATO. For instance, Switzerland has agreed to redirect five systems it had previously ordered to Ukraine, and will receive its own later.

Under the new scheme, Ukraine will also receive advanced radars, electronic warfare systems, drone interceptors, and artillery platforms, according to two informed officials.

Long-range missiles? Germany says no, the US still weighing options

Meanwhile, the issue of long-range weapons remains unresolved. Germany has already ruled out supplying Taurus cruise missiles. The US has not provided a clear signal. NATO officials are not ready to confirm that such transfers will not happen in the future, despite US President Donald Trump’s refusal.

The world has grown accustomed to drone warfare as scattered strikes — the occasional Shahed hitting a Ukrainian city, maybe a dozen drones in a night, perhaps fifty during a major assault.

That was just the prologue.

Russia is now a step away from the capacity to launch thousands of drones simultaneously — not spread across weeks, but in a single coordinated strike that can overwhelm Ukraine’s entire air defense network.

In just three years, what began as a manageable threat has evolved into a relentless campaign that threatens to fundamentally change modern warfare.

Russia is building toward 2,000-drone simultaneous strikes

According to Christina Harward, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, Moscow now produces approximately 2,700 Shahed drones per month, alongside 2,500 decoy drones. This production capacity means Russia can already launch over 300 or even 400 drones in a single night.

Additionally, the Kremlin is actively building new facilities and will soon be capable of launching between 1,000 and 2,000 drones simultaneously. Ukraine now faces an unprecedented drone war that dwarfs anything seen in previous conflicts.

The evidence for this escalation sits in last year’s attack data. In 2024, Russia launched 11,162 long-range drones against Ukrainian cities, critical infrastructure, defense industries, and increasingly, military positions. Ukraine’s air defenses performed admirably — neutralizing 90.2% of incoming drones. However, approximately 1,100 drones still reached their targets.

The missile campaign hit even harder. Russia fired 3,063 missiles of various types throughout 2024. Of these missiles, 58.5% (1,792 missiles) successfully reached their targets.

These success rates expose critical gaps in Ukraine’s air defense network. While Ukrainian forces managed to down 67% of cruise missiles like the Kalibr Kh-555/101, and R-500, they only intercepted only:

• 33% of Zircon missiles
• 25% of the Kinzhal missiles
• 22% of all Kh-59s, Kh-35s, and Kh-31s
• 4,5% of all Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles
• 0,63% of S-300/400
• 0.55% of the Kh-22s and Kh-32s.

Each missile that gets through translates directly into destroyed infrastructure and civilian casualties, carrying a bill that stretches far beyond the initial explosion.

The $524-billion destruction bill that will outlast the war

A United Nations Development Programme report estimates that $524 billion will be required for Ukraine’s reconstruction over the next decade — a sum that represents multiple years of the country’s pre-war GDP.

The physical destruction shows why that number is so staggering. By November 2024, Russian attacks had damaged or destroyed 236,000 residential buildings, over 4,000 educational institutions, 1,554 medical facilities, and nearly 500 large and medium-sized enterprises. Entire neighborhoods in major cities have been reduced to rubble.

Ukraine’s energy sector became a particular target. After 13 massive coordinated attacks throughout 2024, the country can only generate 15 gigawatts of power — 3-4 GW less than peak demand. That gap means millions of people lose heating during sub-zero winters, hospitals operate on backup generators, and factories shut down production lines that supply global markets.

2025 forecast: 78,000 drone strikes replacing missile terror

However, the current crisis seems to be just the warm-up for what Russia has planned for 2025.

From the beginning of the year, Russia has already launched 32 large-scale drone and missile strikes — 16 of them have already became the war’s largest. As of July 24, Russia launched more than 27,780 Shahed drones and decoys, with the monthly numbers increasing by approximately 1,000 since April.

If the monthly increase continues, Ukraine faces 78,000 drone strikes — seven times more than in 2024. That’s equivalent to about 2,800-3,000 tons of high explosives.

Russia’s missile strategy tells a different story. During the first half of 2025, Russia launched over 700 missiles at Ukraine. If the trend persists, Russia is expected to launch around 2,100 missiles in total in 2025 – compared to 3,063 last year.

The shift is strategic: while Russian missile strikes might drop by 32% compared to 2024, drone strikes are likely to increase by 700%. Russia is trading expensive, limited missiles for cheap, mass-produced drones that achieve the same destructive goals. And the strategy is working — Ukraine is presently intercepting fewer drones (85%) than last year.

Two factors explain this declining success rate: changing Russian tactics and reduced Western air defense supplies.

Ukraine’s next challenge: 12,000 drones that can breach defenses

Russian drones now fly higher and faster, putting them out of range of Ukrainian mobile air defense groups. They feature onboard cameras and artificial intelligence, indicating a shift from autonomous navigation to potential remote control, making interception much harder. Strike packages increasingly focus on one or two cities, synchronizing massive attacks from multiple directions and altitudes to overwhelm air defenses.

Russia also deploys stealthy drones as scouts and decoys to pinpoint Ukrainian air defense positions.

Meanwhile, the inflow of air defense systems, missiles, and ammunition has been inadequate since the war began — not from lack of Western commitment, but from lack of available weapons and ammunition in the West.

The US has also paused defense aid on at least four occasions since October 2023. On 4 June, the Trump administration diverted 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally meant for Ukraine to American forces in the Middle East.

Unless Ukraine’s air defense is significantly strengthened in 2025, up to 1,300 Russian missiles and 12,000 drones might breach air defenses and strike their targets.

Since Ukraine’s defense industrial base remains a primary target, continued escalation could force Ukrainian forces into supply shortages that determine the war’s outcome.

Ukraine’s three-part response: domestic production, offensive strikes, defensive networks

The only way to end the missile and drone strikes is to end the war. All other measures will at best reduce the scale and scope of the strikes — but not stop them.

Russia shows no intention of ending the war before achieving its strategic objectives. As international efforts to force Moscow’s compliance have failed, the number of Russian attacks will continue rising.

Yet, Russian missiles and drones can still be countered. Several options remain available to Ukraine — starting with going on the offensive.

As Kyiv faces growing challenges securing weapons and ammunition from its partners, the development of its own industrial base remains critical. More than 40% of the weapons used at the front line are now produced domestically, with a goal of 50% within six months. In the long term, Ukraine aims to become largely self-sufficient.

Over 95% of its drones are Ukrainian-produced, though many are financed by international partners. Ukraine’s total drone production has increased by 900% over the past year, with monthly UAV output reaching over 200,000. In 2025, it aims to produce 4 million tactical and 30,000 long-range strike drones. Overall, its drone industry has the capacity to produce up to 10 million UAVs annually but lacks funding.

Likewise, Ukrainian cruise missile production increased by 800% in 2024. Ukraine aims to produce approximately 3,000 cruise missiles and missile drones in 2025, matching Russia’s predicted output. Ukraine will be the first European country since the Cold War to produce a conventional ballistic missile.

In this light, Ukraine will focus on targeting the Russian defense industry, command and control facilities, bases, depots, and logistical hubs — actively undercutting Russia’s ability to wage war.

But offense alone cannot stop the drone swarms. Ukraine must also strengthen its defenses, and here international support becomes crucial.

From six Patriots to homegrown systems: Ukraine’s air defense dilemma

Supported by Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Ukraine continues developing its missile and drone defense network. The backbone of this defense network remains long-range missile systems, particularly Patriots.

Having sustained losses, Ukraine is believed to have only six functioning Patriot batteries – two from the US, with the rest provided by the European states.

On 14 July, President Trump announced a new arrangement: Washington will sell Patriot missile defense systems and other weaponry to NATO members and its allies, who will then donate them to Ukraine. European countries have expressed willingness to purchase weapons from the US and transfer them to Ukraine.

The arrangement generates $10 billion in Foreign Military Sales for the US and insists that the Patriots must be delivered by anyone but the US. This depletes Europe’s already vulnerable air defense network at a time when war is raging on the continent.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is developing its own surface-to-air missile systems for shooting down Russian missiles. The domestically produced system aims to match Patriot capabilities while reducing dependence on US supplies.

At the same time, Kyiv is also trying to acquire other air defence systems, such as the Italian-French SAMP/T, the Norwegian NASAMS, and the German IRIS-T, to expand its air defence network.

Norway has signed an agreement to develop and deliver low-cost, high-volume air defense missiles in Ukraine. The UK has agreed to supply more than 5,000 air defense missiles from Thales. In January, Ukraine received a new container-sized air defense system called Gravehawk, jointly funded by the UK and Denmark.

But even with these systems, Ukraine faces a fundamental math problem: traditional missile-based air defenses are too expensive to use against cheap Russian drones.

The solution lies in gun-based systems. Ukraine needs more German-made Gepard anti-aircraft guns and Skynex systems. These use programmable ammunition that’s significantly cheaper than missiles and can’t be jammed by electronic countermeasures. Battlefield performance has proven their effectiveness against drones and cruise missiles.

Trump’s decision to sell weapons to Europe and Canada could accelerate the delivery of both systems and Stinger missiles to counter Russian drone attacks.

Ukraine’s $2.8-billion bet: Drones that hunt drones

Ukraine, in the meantime, is developing its own solution: interceptor drones that hunt enemy drones in flight.

Medio May, the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that Ukrainian forces had begun systematically downing Russian Shahed/Gerans UAVs with the help of interceptor drones. Fighters from the Darknode unit from the 412th Nemesis Regiment had successfully destroyed 100 long-range drones.

The Kyiv “Clear Sky” initiative demonstrates how this works. The program uses domestically produced interceptor drones to protect the city’s airspace, including specialized training centers and mobile rapid-response units. During its pilot phase, the project intercepted nearly 650 enemy drones with only 12 active crews — a network that has already expanded outside of Kyiv with plans to roll it out across the country.

The success of programs like Clear Sky has driven national-scale procurement. Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency has contracted tens of thousands of domestically produced interceptor drones worth $2.8 billion — more than a third of its total 2025 budget.

Ukraine is also purchasing interceptor drones from international partners, including a strategic agreement with the American company Swift Beat to supply hundreds of thousands of drones by the end of 2025. One of its AI-enhanced models is currently the most effective drone interceptor on the battlefield: the company’s drones have downed about 90% of all Shaheds downed by drones until now. 

The path ahead

Ukraine faces a fast-escalating Russian strike campaign targeting its defense manufacturing — increasingly crucial as Western aid falters. Most pledged air defense systems won’t arrive until 2026-2028. Ukrainian interceptor drones remain the only immediate solution to the escalating drone war.

The stakes extend beyond military hardware. Ukraine’s resilience rests on interlinking strengths: military adaptation, economic transformation, societal unity, and institutional innovation. These pillars enabled Ukraine not just to survive, but to evolve under immense pressure. Massive Russian strikes threaten to undermine them all.

Russia’s ability to continue to escalate drone terror remains unimpeded unless the West revises its present strategy. Supported by China and Iran, Russia will scale up drone production while the weapons evolve — flying higher, faster, becoming stealthier and more resistant to electronic warfare.

It is time to take off the gloves. Ukraine needs long-range strike capability to target the Russian defense industry without restrictions. Europe must provide combat aircraft and ground-based air defense to bolster Ukraine’s network.

Most importantly, Europe must abandon wishful thinking. A coalition of like-minded countries must mobilize their own defense industries to deliver the capabilities needed to protect Europe — alongside Ukraine.

Europe’s first line of defence starts, after all, in Ukraine.

Editor’s note. The opinions expressed in our Opinion section belong to their authors. Euromaidan Press’ editorial team may or may not share them.

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Russia has started using a new drone tactic in Ukraine. Russian Shahed kamikaze drones have begun performing complex maneuvers mid-flight in an apparent attempt to evade Ukrainian interceptor drones, according to electronic warfare expert Serhii Beskrestnov, also known as Flash. 

“Shaheds have started executing a set of complex in-flight maneuvers aimed at reducing the effectiveness of our aerial interceptor drones,”  explains Beskrestnov. 

According to him, the Russian military has long been preparing to counter Ukrainian interceptors, and this new drone approach is only the beginning.

Ukraine prepares to strike back

Despite the new threat, the expert assures that Ukraine is actively improving its own interception technology.

In the first half of 2025, 6,754 civilians in Ukraine were killed or injured, the highest number for a six-month period since 2022, the UN reports. In July alone, Russia launched at least 5,183 long-range munitions at Ukraine, including a record 728 drones on 9 July. Kyiv and the port city of Odesa have been hit hardest in recent weeks.

“We will keep working on countering their tech with ours. You didn’t really think the enemy would abandon its most widespread weapon so easily, did you?” the expert says. 

A technological fight unfolds

Shaheds remain one of the main threats to Ukraine’s rear, making the development of interceptor drones a key component of defense. As the situation shows, the air war is entering a new phase, the one where each side upgrades its unmanned systems in real time.

German company Hensoldt AG says it has received an order worth € 340 million to supply Ukraine’s air defense forces with TRML-4D and SPEXER 2000 3D MkIII radar systems. These radar systems have already been in use in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

“Our high-performance radars are urgently needed by Ukrainian air defence,” says Hensoldt CEO Oliver Dörre, emphasizing that the company is proud to supply systems that are “critically important for protecting civilians.”

What is TRML-4D?

TRML-4D radars are based on advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array technology. They can simultaneously detect and track up to 1,500 targets within a radius of up to 250 km, including drones, aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles.

Their fast response time and ability to operate under complex conditions make TRML-4D systems essential in providing precise countermeasures against Russian aerial attacks.

SPEXER 2000 is the “eyes” of Skyranger guns

SPEXER 2000 3D MkIII systems are designed for the automatic detection and classification of ground, maritime, and low-flying aerial targets. They are integrated into the Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 air defense gun system, which provides close-range and very short-range protection.

The system is based on the wheeled armored Boxer vehicle, equipped with a combat module featuring a 30mm Swiss Oerlikon KCA gun firing 1,200 rounds per minute. Optionally, it can be fitted with a launcher for two FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral missiles, according to Militarnyi. 

The gun’s ammunition includes a wide range of shells, including airburst rounds with radio fuses. The total ammunition load consists of 252 30mm shells. The vehicle is equipped with five antennas, providing full 360-degree coverage.

It also features the Rheinmetall FIRST passive target acquisition system, which excels at detecting small targets. Since it emits no radar signal, the system can operate without being detected by enemy electronic intelligence.

The system is a part of Germany’s NNbS program, a new short-range air defense “umbrella” for the Bundeswehr, meaning Ukraine is receiving the best from NATO’s arsenal.

On 25 July, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi met with the newly appointed Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Alexis Grinkevich, in Kyiv. 

Major General Andrii Hnatov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Curtis Buzzard, Head of NATO’s Security Assistance Mission, also joined the comprehensive discussion. 

Russia throws everything it has, but Ukraine braces for the counterstrike

During the talks, Syrskyi emphasized that Russia has already mobilized the maximum of its human and material resources in an attempt to break through. However, despite the pressure, Ukraine retains conventional capabilities to destroy offensive groupings.

“Our allies fully understand the scale and complexity of the tasks facing the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” he said.

Patriots incoming: NATO sends weapons — Europe pays

The parties discussed the expedited transfer of new air defense systems purchased for Ukraine by European allies.

“We are grateful to President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for the swift delivery of these systems. They are already on their way,” Syrskyi stressed.

The systems in question are Patriots, a key Ukrainian defense against ballistic missile strikes. As of now, Kyiv has eight batteries, six of which were operational in May. The new deliveries could increase the total to 13.

The deliveries were announced by US President Donald Trump after Russia began launching massive attacks on Ukraine, right after any conversations he or US representatives had with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

Trump also revealed a new aid model: the US will produce weapons for NATO and Ukraine, while European partners will foot the bill. Ukraine will receive modern missiles and military equipment, critically needed at this stage of the war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine has secured funding to acquire three U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems: two financed by Germany and one by Norway. However, Ukraine ultimately needs ten such systems to meet its defense needs.

Ukraine has secured commitments for three Patriot air defense systems but requires 10 to adequately protect its airspace, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a meeting with journalists on 24 July

“Officially I received confirmation from Germany for two systems, Norway — one. Now we are working with Dutch partners,” Zelenskyy said, according to hromadske.

The announcement comes after German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius recently reported that Germany and the United States had agreed to transfer five additional Patriot systems to Ukraine.

According to Telegraph, Germany will provide funding for two systems under these arrangements, while Norway has promised to pay for the third. The replacement systems are expected to come through orders once promised to Switzerland.

Telegraph reported that one Patriot system and a batch of PAC-3 interceptor missiles have already arrived in Ukraine, though Ukrainian authorities have not officially confirmed this delivery.

Zelenskyy revealed Ukraine’s broader air defense requirements during the briefing.

“We are now working with partners to secure these 10. We are working on the missile issue, we have missiles. We are still fighting for a production license. It’s important that a production facility is appearing in Germany. Not yet with us, but with Europeans with whom we have good relations,” he said.

The Patriot commitments are part of expanding defense cooperation between Ukraine and its allies. Zelenskyy announced on 24 July that the United States had agreed to purchase Ukrainian-made drones, with potential contracts worth $10-30 billion under discussion.

“I really want America to help us protect our sky. This is very important,” Zelenskyy said, linking the drone deal to Ukraine’s air defense needs.

The systems are urgently needed to counter Moscow’s escalating long-range strikes. The US has already sent three systems and is involved in ongoing discussions to provide up to 17 systems in total.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that he has reached an agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States will purchase drones from Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that USD 6 billion is needed to fund the production of interceptor drones, while the total annual requirement for producing missiles, various types of drones, and electronic warfare systems (EW) is USD 25 billion.

Finnish volunteer Tapani left behind a peaceful life to resist Russian aggression. He believes Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty need to be protected for peace in Europe. 

Before the start of Russia’s all-out war, Tapani ran his own business in Finland, working in real estate and forestry consulting. After five years studying silviculture and working in France, he chose to leave it all behind as soon as his contract ended at home.

“If we don’t stop this war, it will come to Europe in five years at most,” he warns.

Despite joining the unit recently, Tapani has already served in tough parts of the front in Kharkiv Oblast.

“One drone dropped 200 meters from us. We had just left the building when it struck nearby,” he recalls.

Despite language barriers and frontline danger, he remains undeterred: “It’s not hard for me here, I have no problems. There’s always a way.”

Tapani’s greatest wish is peace: “I hope the war ends and I can go home. And that Ukraine remains independent and sovereign, that’s what matters!”

Earlier, Pavel Slavinsky, Chief of Staff of the 2nd International Legion, said that many Western veterans join Ukrainian Army to end unfinished wars from Afghanistan and Iraq. 

He did not disclose the exact number of volunteers in the Legion, saying “that such information is classified.” 

Western veterans join Ukrainian Army to end unfinished wars from Afghanistan and Iraq, chief of staff of International Legion reveals

As Russia ramps up missile and drone attacks, Ukraine is set to strengthen its air defenses with new Western support: five Patriot missile systems and 220,000 rounds for Gepard anti-aircraft guns.

Announced during the latest Ramstein-format meeting, the pledge marks a significant upgrade to Ukraine’s layered air defense network.

BBC explores how these deliveries could shift the balance—and why speed and supply will be key.

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Patriots: Expanding missile shield, but time matters

The US-made Patriot system is Ukraine’s main defense against ballistic and cruise missiles. According to New York Times reports, Ukraine currently has eight Patriot batteries, though only six were operational as of May 2025. The new systems could increase that number to 13.

Each battery includes:

• Missile launchers
• Radar
• Command unit
• PAC-3 interceptors, capable of downing advanced ballistic threats

But timelines remain uncertain. Germany’s Spiegel reports the first new system may not arrive before March 2026. President Zelenskyy has said 25 Patriots are needed to secure the country—meaning even after this delivery, Ukraine remains far from that goal.

There’s also a shortage of PAC-3 missiles, raising concerns about sustaining the new systems once deployed.

---

Gepards reloaded: Short-range defense gets ammo

Ukraine’s Gepard anti-aircraft guns have proven essential for shooting down Shahed drones and low-flying missiles. The country operates about 100 Gepards, each armed with twin 35mm cannons and radar.

The new shipment of 220,000 rounds will allow for three full reloads across the fleet.

Ammo had become a bottleneck after Switzerland blocked re-exports, citing neutrality. Germany’s Rheinmetall stepped in, restarting production to fill the gap.

Military analysts estimate a single Shahed can often be downed with just 7–30 rounds, meaning this batch could neutralize thousands of drones—a crucial upgrade as Russia continues near-nightly drone assaults.

---

A layered strategy for a shifting threat

Russia’s aerial tactics are evolving. Drones now fly extremely low or at high altitudes to avoid detection, testing Ukraine’s defenses.

Kyiv is responding with a layered air defense approach:

• Patriots for long-range missiles
• Gepards for drones and close-range threats
• Mobile air defense and electronic warfare to fill the gaps

Even with 13 Patriot systems, Ukraine cannot cover its entire airspace. But together, these tools help protect cities, infrastructure, and military sites more effectively.

---

BBC verdict: A critical step, not a final answer

This package—five Patriots and 220,000 Gepard shells—is one of the most impactful pledges yet. But delays in delivery and limited missile stocks could slow its effect.

Ukraine has the plan. The tools are arriving. But the outcome will depend on how fast systems are delivered, how well they’re supplied—and whether support continues as the threat evolves.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius discussed the most urgent needs of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

The company said state-backed hacking groups were breaching systems through flaws in SharePoint, which is used by the U.S. government and companies around the world.

© Tingshu Wang/Reuters

Russia’s drone strike tactics now pierce Ukrainian defenses at triple the previous rate, FT reports. With new swarming methods and high-altitude maneuvers, Russia’s Shahed drones are overwhelming Ukraine’s air defenses across key cities.

Drone swarms adapt to bypass Ukraine’s defenses

According to official Ukrainian air force data cited by FT on 21 July, the proportion of Shahed drones hitting targets rose from 5% to 15% between January–March and April–June. This sharp rise reflects a shift in Russia’s drone strike tactics—not a decline in Ukraine’s capabilities.

Moscow has retooled its drone operations, modifying Iranian-designed Shaheds—now manufactured in Russia under the Geran designation—to fly faster and at higher altitudes. These adaptations make them harder to intercept by truck-mounted machine guns and standard mobile fire units typically used by Ukrainian forces.

Yasir Atalan of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told FT the improvement “is not [because] the Ukraine air defence is getting worse,” but due to Russia’s new swarming methods and drones flying “in higher altitude, [which] makes them more effective.”

Record-breaking drone and missile assaults

Ukraine’s Air Force reported yesterday that Russia launched 426 Shahed-type attack drones in a single wave. On 9 July, Russian forces fired a record 728 units—combining drones, decoys, and cruise and ballistic missiles—in a coordinated saturation strike.

FT notes that by overwhelming the defense layers with sheer volume, Russia raises the strike success rate. According to Atalan, the increased scale of launches “saturates the defense systems which increases the hit rate.”

Domestic production fuels Russia’s drone blitz

Russia’s ability to domestically produce Shaheds in large numbers has given it a logistical edge. The Geran-3 variant—equipped with a turbo engine and capable of diving at speeds up to 800km/h—has reportedly been used against Kyiv in recent weeks, FT reports.

Ukraine’s defenses include jamming drone GPS guidance systems using electronic warfare, as well as employing machine guns and advanced anti-aircraft systems like Germany’s Oerlikon Skynex. Despite this, the average hit rate for drones remains around 15%, FT says.

Ukraine ramps up interceptor drone efforts

In response, Ukraine has increased efforts to counter the Shahed threat with domestically developed interceptor drones. On 10 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were already “shooting down dozens of Shaheds” in each wave using these homegrown interceptors.

Earlier this month, Zelenskyy announced a partnership with Eric Schmidt, CEO of the US-based Swift Beat, to co-produce “hundreds of thousands” of drones for Ukraine’s defense, including those designed to intercept enemy drones.

Last week, Zelenskyy emphasized the success of these new systems, noting they “are achieving good results” and that “hundreds of Russian-Iranian Shaheds” had been destroyed in a single week.

 

Russia launched over 400 drones on 21 July. The same day, Ukrainian allies announced 200,000 shells for the Gepard air defense system at the 29th meeting in the Ramstein format. 

In addition, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who took office on 17 July, stated that the US has initiated a new mechanism with NATO, allowing European countries to purchase American weapons specifically for Kyiv.

During the meeting, Germany announced it would contribute five Patriot systems, which will be delivered to Ukraine “soon.” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed he had agreed with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on supplying them, RBC-Ukraine reports. The Patriots are the only assets Ukraine has capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. 

Berlin is also supplying over 200,000 shells for the Gepard system and will fund the procurement of Ukrainian long-range drones. 

“The parties will coordinate actions to achieve this goal in the coming days,” Pistorius added.

Other aid from allies:

• Canada: 20 million CAD for the maintenance of Ukrainian tanks + support via the Danish model.
• The Netherlands: €200 million for interceptor drones, €125 million for F-16 maintenance.
• Norway: €1 billion for drones in 2025, including €400 million for Ukrainian manufacturers.
• Sweden: Preparing a new package with air defense, artillery, and equipment.

This meeting was co-organized by the defense ministers of the United Kingdom and Germany, John Healey and Boris Pistorius. Representatives from 52 countries and international organizations participated in it.

Key guests included: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher G. Cavoli, and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.

According to Denys Shmyhal, the meeting was “more technical and coordination-focused,” concentrating on the procurement of American weapons for Ukraine.

He paid special attention to financial support: “Ukraine needs $6 billion to cover this year’s procurement deficit. This will enable us to create more FPV drones, more interceptor drones to counter ‘Shahed’ drones, and additional long-range weapons.”

Ukraine needs $6 billion to cover this year’s procurement deficit. During the latest online meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format on 21 July, new Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal addressed partners and called for continued support.

This was the first meeting following Shmyhal’s appointment as Defense Minister, replacing Rustem Umerov. The UK and Germany co-chaired the meeting. Participants included US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and NATO’s new commander in Europe, Alexus Grynkievich.

According to Denys Shmyhal, the meeting was “more technical and coordination-focused,” concentrating on the procurement of American weapons for Ukraine. At the call, he emphasized that Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles are “critically important for protecting Ukrainian cities” as Russia escalated its attacks on civilians. 

He paid special attention to financial support: “Ukraine needs $6 billion to cover this year’s procurement deficit. This will enable us to create more FPV drones, more interceptor drones to counter ‘Shahed’ drones, and additional long-range weapons.”

Previously, US President Donald Trump announced that he would impose strict secondary tariffs on Russia and its allies if a peace agreement on Ukraine is not reached within the next 50 days. However, a recent Russian attack serves as an indicator that Moscow is just using this time to kill more Ukrainians. 

The Ukrainian defense minister also stated the need for sustained support in 2026 and for Ukraine’s inclusion in the European SAFE credit program, a “critically important source of funding for next year.”

Although Ukraine is not a formal member of the initiative, in 2025, the EU granted it associate partner status, recognizing Ukraine’s security as integral to that of Europe. This allows Kyiv to participate in joint defense projects and access funding from SAFE’s credit facility, which totals up to €150 billion. 

The Russians are ready to sacrifice tens of thousands of their soldiers for a political goal. Donetsk Oblast remains one of the hottest regions of Ukraine, where the Russians try almost daily to break through to the city of Pokrovsk, says Andrii, the commander of the battalion of the 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, Suspilne reports.

“Pokrovsk is located at one of the transport hubs. Accordingly, for them, this is a standard target — to partially cut off our logistics. This is a political goal,” the commander explains.

Russian troops use all possible forces and tricks to break through the Ukrainian defense, but unsuccessfully. According to the commander, they are even ready to “sacrifice tens of thousands of their soldiers just to occupy or capture something.”

Recently, the President of Ukraine and the Commander-in-Chief reported the destruction of sabotage groups in this direction. As Andrii notes, Russia’s tactics of using small sabotage groups of 2–3 people are not new. They try to “sneak past the positions of the Armed Forces units” to weaken the Ukrainian defense.

On 14 July, Dmytro Zhmailo, a Ukrainian expert and the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, said Kyiv troops managed to stop the first wave of the Russian summer offensive. Currently, Moscow is trying to fulfill its main objective, which is the complete capture of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Russia masses 100,000 troops to crush Ukraine’s defenders in Donetsk’s crucial battle

About 100,000 troops from the overall 700,000-strong Russian grouping are concentrated near the Kostiantynivka settlement in Donetsk Oblast. The Russians are receiving reinforcements for the start of the second wave of the offensive.

Seven months after an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Kazakhstan, killing 38 people, President Ilham Aliyev has had enough of Russia’s stonewalling.

Azerbaijan is preparing legal documents for international courts, targeting Russia over what Baku calls the deliberate downing of its civilian aircraft. The move escalates a diplomatic crisis that has simmered since 25 December, when flight J2-8243 was went down near Aktau.

Why the dramatic step? Russia’s investigation has produced nothing but bureaucratic delays, according to President Aliyev.

“Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General keeps writing to Russia’s Investigative Committee,” Aliyev told reporters, as reported by AZERTAC. “The response is always the same: ‘the investigation continues.'”

But Azerbaijan isn’t buying it. “For us, everything is clear. We know what happened, and we can prove it. And we know that Russian officials also know what happened,” Aliyev said bluntly.

Russian air defense most likely led to plane crash

Flight J2-8243 left Baku bound for Grozny, Russia’s republic of Chechnya, that December morning. It never arrived.

Instead, after multiple course changes, the plane crashed hundreds of miles off course near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people aboard.

Russian authorities quickly blamed bird strikes and bad weather—fog had closed Grozny airport, they said, forcing the reroute.

The explanation unraveled under scrutiny. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the plane’s GPS signal had been jammed near Grozny. More damaging: social media photos revealed puncture marks across the aircraft’s tail section that looked suspiciously like shrapnel damage.

OSINT analysts compared the damage patterns to known effects of Pantsir air defense missiles. The same morning, Grozny airport had implemented “Carpet” protocols—emergency closures during Ukrainian drone attacks.

Earlier, Azerbaijan’s President already stated that the aircraft was damaged by external fire, caused by electronic warfare systems that rendered the plane uncontrollable, and ground fire that severely damaged its tail. 

Aliyev emphasized that the plane was shot down accidentally by Russian air defenses responding to threats in the area, and he condemned the poor coordination and failure to close Russian airspace.

The Azerbaijani president also dismissed Russian explanations that a Ukrainian drone was responsible. “There were two attacks on the aircraft. So imagine: a Ukrainian drone flies in, targets the Azerbaijani aircraft, hits it, falls, and then attacks again. This is a kindergarten story,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov stated flatly that a Russian missile caused the crash, likely fired during anti-drone operations around Grozny.

Azerbaijan ready to wait for years to get justice

Baku has outlined four non-negotiable demands:

• Russia must admit responsibility
• punish those who fired the missile
• compensate victims’ families
• reimburse Azerbaijan Airlines for the lost aircraft.

Russia’s response? More delays.

Aliyev referenced the decade-long legal battle over Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, which Russia shot down over Ukraine in 2014.

“We are ready to wait ten years, but justice must prevail,” he said.

Only in 2025, after more than ten years, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a historic ruling holding Russia responsible for the downing of MH17, recognizing Russia’s effective control over separatist territories.

In February 2025, Azerbaijan also officially expelled Rossotrudnichestvo, the main Kremlin propaganda and soft power agency, from its territory, citing the protection of national interests and refusal to tolerate external interference. Azerbaijani authorities took control of the agency’s headquarters in Baku, the so-called Russian House, after discovering it operated without proper registration.

Rossotrudnichestvo, known for orchestrating pro-Russian rallies and suspected intelligence activities, was seen as an instrument of Kremlin influence and disinformation.

Azerbaijan expressed growing tensions and openly criticized Russia, including suspending cultural events linked to Russia and detaining Russian journalists suspected of intelligence activities, so their relations have sharply deteriorated.

German Major General Christian Freuding urged Ukraine to develop more efficient air defense systems, warning that Russia aims to launch 2,000 drones simultaneously in future attacks.

So far, the largest single drone assault by Russia on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion involved 728 Shahed-type and decoy drones, alongside 13 missiles, and occurred on 9 July.

Speaking on the Bundeswehr program “Nachgefragt,” General Freuding highlighted the economic disparity in current defense methods. The former chief military coordinator of German aid to Ukraine noted that using Patriot missiles costing over 5 million euros to intercept Shahed drones worth 30,000 to 50,000 euros represents an unsustainable approach.

“We must consider intelligent countermeasures,” Freuding stated, advocating for defensive systems priced between 2,000 and 4,000 euros per unit.

The general also suggested preemptive strikes targeting Russian aircraft, airfields, and military-industrial facilities as an alternative strategy. Ukraine has already demonstrated this approach works.

In response, Ukraine is rapidly accelerating the development and deployment of low-cost interceptor drones to counter increasingly frequent Russian drone attacks, especially the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze UAVs.

They’re capable of shooting down about 70% of incoming threats, nearly doubling the success rate of traditional mobile fire teams.

President Zelenskyy emphasized that while the technology is proven, Ukraine urgently needs international financial support to mass-produce and deploy these interceptors to defend against the escalating drone assaults.

In June, Ukraine received a significant $4 billion boost from the G7 summit to accelerate the mass production of these advanced drone interceptors. Four Ukrainian companies are engaged in developing these interceptors, two showing notable success, with large-scale production agreements secured with Germany and Canada. 

The top Ukrainian UAV commander Robert Brovdi (aka Madiar) stated earlier that the war with Russia will continue beyond 2025, as Russian forces still send more infantry than Ukraine can destroy, while Ukraine faces shortages in mobilization resources and numerical inferiority.

He emphasized that “everyone who wanted to fight is already fighting,” so Ukraine’s strategy is shifting towards replacing infantry with unmanned ground-based drones and constructing a massive, multi-layered “drone wall” to intercept incoming Russian attacks. His Drone Line project aims to create a 10-15 kilometer “kill zone” to prevent enemy advances and includes boosting domestic production of drone munitions.

On the night of 20 July, drones targeted multiple Russian regions, including Moscow, in what officials described as the most significant drone assault on the capital since early May.

Russian air defenses shot down 19 drones over the Moscow Oblast during the overnight assault, with debris igniting vehicles and striking the upper floors of a residential building in the suburb of Zelenograd, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

In total, 98 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across eight regions during the 20 July attack.

According to Russian news agency Agentstvo, Telegram channels linked to Russian security forces shared video footage of the burning cars and building damage. However, it remains unclear where the drones were heading exactly before their fragments hit civilian areas.

Moscow faced one of the heaviest drone attacks since May.

Russia claims:
98 drones intercepted in total across 8 regions.
19 shot down over the Moscow Oblast

Debris from the intercepted aircraft struck the upper floors of a residential building and ignited cars in the… pic.twitter.com/v4z6Jk6Wq8

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 20, 2025

“There were no serious damages or casualties,” Moscow Mayor Sobyanin stated, according to reports from Russian media outlets.

However, the attack significantly disrupted air traffic across the region, with authorities implementing flight restrictions at four major airports: Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky. Additional restrictions affected airports in Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod and Kaluga. Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia reported that 134 flights were diverted to alternative airfields due to these safety measures.

According to Russian Telegram channel Astra, passenger crowds formed at Sheremetyevo airport, though Rosaviatsia’s press service disputed claims of significant passenger accumulations at Vnukovo airport.

This marks the ninth day Moscow has faced drone attacks since early July, representing a significant escalation in Ukraine’s aerial campaign against the Russian capital.

Meanwhile, Russian forces launched widespread drone attacks across several Ukrainian regions on the night of 20 July, using 57 Shahed drones and decoy aircraft, resulting in at least one civilian death and several injuries while causing extensive damage to residential areas.

The deadliest incidents occurred in Sumy Oblast, where a 78-year-old woman died and three homes were destroyed, and rescue efforts were hampered by follow-up Russian strikes targeting first responders.

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Ukrainian factories building drones to down Russian aircraft are changing the face of modern air defense — one low-cost interceptor at a time. On 18 July, the New York Post published a reportage about its journalists visiting two drone production facilities in Kyiv. The publication got an inside look at how Ukraine is confronting drone warfare with ingenuity and affordability.

Kyiv engineers race to scale drone interceptors

The New York Post says Nomad Drones and a second, anonymous company are leading a new surge in Ukrainian factories building drones. These interceptors are crafted specifically to neutralize Russian-launched Shaheds, which cost around $50,000 apiece. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s new models are dramatically cheaper — priced between $3,000 and $7,000, depending on type and size.

Nomad Drones co-founder and CEO Andrii Fedorov explained the concept to the NYP.

“In Ukraine, there is a phrase people have been using — that ‘quantity’ becomes ‘quality,’” he said.

According to Fedorov, deploying a $1 million missile to destroy a $50,000 drone makes no economic sense.

“If you have 20 drones, then the capacity costs you, say, $40,000 to shoot it down.”

Cost-effective jamming-proof drones

Nomad’s aircraft are designed for cost-effective lethality. Equipped with fiber-optic cables, they avoid jamming and reach enemy drones undetected by radars. Each unit carries explosives and can be detonated remotely on approach. That ability is critical against fast-moving targets like Shaheds, often launched in swarms across Ukrainian airspace.

A second firm — unnamed in the report due to repeated Russian strikes on its facility — builds a meter-long missile-style interceptors. That company continues operating despite multiple attacks.

“It’s all about cost-effectiveness,” an employee said. “Western technologies are so cool and modern — they are expensive at the same time.”

Built for war, priced for survival

The strategy centers on affordability, speed, and scalable output. Nomad Drones and others now produce tens of thousands of interceptors monthly. These low-cost systems are not meant to endure — they’re made to fly once, explode midair, and protect civilian lives.

Tis model contrasts sharply with existing Western air defense systems, which rely heavily on expensive precision strikes. With Russia launching over 700 drones in a single night last week, Ukrainian engineers have prioritized high-volume production as the only viable path forward.

Democrats denounced a report issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as politically motivated and error-ridden.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

Exclusive

“A completely new kind of war lies ahead” so Ukraine must outhink Russia by 2027, says Zaluzhnyi. Ukraine’s survival depends on revolutionary strategy, not traditional firepower, Valerii Zaluzhnyi writes

Ukraine’s MaxxPro trucks drop troops in 20 seconds—because drones don’t need more. Just reaching the front in Ukraine is now as deadly as holding it—thanks to drones that strike in seconds. Ground robots could be part of the answer.

“Just 16 people”: Ukraine’s new wartime cabinet is now smaller than many startups. Parliament approved a downsized government lineup on Wednesday, streamlining wartime leadership without altering the political balance of power.

Military

Russia’s “human safari” drone smashes into rabbi’s vehicle — family in car survives direct hit

. A Russian FPV attack failed to kill its target, as Kherson’s Jewish leader escapes harm.

Russia kills Ukrainian railway worker with Shahed drone in scaled-down attack. From 400 drones on 16 July to just 35 launched last night—but impacts across three oblasts still hurt civilians and caused damage.

As of 18 July 2025, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• Personnel: 1039830 (+1180)
• Tanks: 11032 (+3)
• APV: 23005 (+9)
• Artillery systems: 30485 (+47)
• MLRS: 1441 (+1)
• Anti-aircraft systems: 1197
• Aircraft: 421
• Helicopters: 340
• UAV: 46549 (+135)
• Cruise missiles: 3491
• Warships/boats: 28
• Submarines: 1
• Vehicles and fuel tanks: 55494 (+111)

Intelligence and technology

New Ukrainian PM Svyrydenko: Kyiv, Washington to launch joint drone deal under Trump-Zelenskyy mega pact. The deal aims to pair American weapons deliveries with Ukrainian UAV exports.

Digital occupation: Russia deploys AI army of bots on Telegram for promoting Kremlin’s propaganda narratives

. They sound human and post nonstop.

Russia’s drones now target civilians with napalm firebombs that burn through sand and cannot be extinguished. Modified drones are designed for maximum civilian terror and violate all rules of urban warfare, says a Ukrainian military expert.

Romania wants to build drones with Ukraine—but can’t fund it before 2026. The country’s defense ministry confirms talks, but the production start hinges entirely on next year’s military budget.

France to train more Ukrainian pilots on Mirage fighter jets, capable of carrying missiles that destroy Russian command posts. Armed with 2,900-pound SCALP-EGs, Ukraine aims to shatter Russia’s coordination hubs deep behind the frontlines, due to expanded Franco-Ukrainian air cooperation.

Ukraine to get Patriot missiles “very shortly,” Merz says. The Chancellor confirms Germany’s air-defense transfer will happen within weeks as NATO works out logistics.

International

London also slashes price cap on Russian oil to $47.60 per barrel after EU’s sanctions adoption

. Western allies have escalated economic pressure on Russia by dropping the crude oil price cap.

UK forms second “NATO” inside Alliance amid fears of 2027 global conflict with Russia and China. In just one week, Britain has sealed two landmark defense deals with France and Germany, forming a new trilateral military bloc.

From adrenaline seekers to war veterans: New book of British journalist shows diverse faces of Ukraine’s International Legion. Volunteers worldwide joined the fight against Russian aggression, risking everything to defend Ukraine. Some have never returned home.

International Fencing Federation seeks to reinstate Russian thletes — even those who support killing of Ukrainians. The organization says move promotes “unity,” but critics call it a whitewash for Putin’s military machine.

EU agrees on new Russia sanctions package targeting energy and finance. Ambassadors greenlight the 18th sanctions round ahead of formal Council approval: Malta and Slovakia dropped their vetoes after receiving key guarantees.

Political and legal developments

UK hits Russian intel unit involved in killings of 600 Ukrainian civilians in Mariupol, with historic sanctions

. Many of them were children.

Kremlin’s mouthpiece calls Europeans “imbeciles,” says strikes on Kyiv will intesify after EU imposed new sanctions against Putin’s war machine. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev unleashed a grotesque tirade against Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, mocking her medical background.

Zelenskyy installs ex-defense minister Umierov to run Security Council. The man once in charge of defense now oversees war tech, arms deals, and talks.

ISW: Russia is “burning the candle at both ends”—bankers quietly brace for bailouts. Russia’s top financial execs reportedly fear a growing debt crisis despite Central Bank claims of stability.

Read our earlier daily review here.

The UK is forming a new military alliance that mirrors NATO’s Article 5. Within a single week, London signed two defense agreements with key players, Germany and France, reports Defense Express.

Experts are already calling this the emergence of a trilateral military bloc that could either supplement NATO or act as its insurance policy.

The UK-Germany agreement outlines deep mutual defense commitments, including military assistance in case of an attack. Meanwhile, the declaration with France explicitly states that while the nuclear forces of both countries remain independent, they can be coordinated in case of an extraordinary threat.

“It’s clear that the UK is effectively creating an additional trilateral defense arrangement centered around itself,” notes Defense Express.

This is happening despite all three nations already being bound by obligations within NATO. Analysts believe such an initiative signals a “need to reaffirm mutual commitments.”

The core of the signed documents essentially duplicates NATO’s famous Article 5, a collective response to aggression. Across Europe, there is growing concern that relying solely on NATO in the event of a large-scale crisis may no longer be sufficient.

Russian Shaheds now carry napalm and break through Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. Moscow continues to upgrade its Shahed attack drones, enhancing their warheads, engines, and protection, says Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a military expert, in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

 

“Recently, we discovered a fluid in a Shahed’s warhead that resembled napalm. It not only spreads but keeps burning even in sand. This is terrorism, when drones attack residential areas with incendiary mixtures that cannot be extinguished,” explains Beskrestnov.

According to him, such weapons are absolutely inappropriate for warfare in large cities. Russia is also using at least 4–5 different types of warheads on Shahed drones, expanding their operational roles, from striking industrial targets to deliberate terror against civilians.

Flash reports that Russian engineers have upgraded Shahed engines, allowing them to reach speeds of up to 220 km/h in favorable weather conditions. However, the expert notes that this speed increase is not a decisive advantage: “Globally, whether it’s 180 or 200 km/h. It doesn’t change much.”

The most serious threat now comes from the improved Shahed defense systems against Ukrainian electronic warfare.

“We are increasingly seeing the same target being hit repeatedly. This indicates electronic warfare’s failure to disrupt navigation,” says Beskrestnov.

According to him, Chinese reinforced antennas have been found among the drone wreckage, successfully breaking through Ukrainian electronic warfare defenses.

“Our electronic warfare systems simply aren’t designed to handle such a number of elements. That’s why urgent modernization is needed,” the expert emphasizes.

Beskrestnov separately emphasized that electronic warfare systems do not physically destroy drones but only help protect targets and give air defense systems time to strike them.

Ukrainian pilots to gain greater chances in the sky due to Paris’s support. After an hour-long meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on 18 July, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that France is ready to continue training Mirage fighter jet pilots on its own territory.

“I want to specifically highlight our agreement on Mirage pilot training: France is ready to accept additional pilots for training on additional aircraft,” said Zelenskyy.

Among other key issues was the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense system. The two leaders discussed the supply of missiles for modern SAMP/T systems and the launch of a joint project to fund interceptor drones. Zelenskyy noted that relevant decisions will be prepared at the level of both countries’ defense ministries.

The Ukrainian president also thanked France for its active role in promoting the EU’s 18th package of sanctions and confirmed that Kyiv and Washington are working together so that “Russia feels truly global pressure.”

The EU agreed on a new package after the bloc’s ambassadors reached consensus on restrictions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy. Malta and Slovakia reportedly lifted their vetoes after receiving critical assurances. 

The new Russia sanctions package will include a formal ban on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said the bloc would also reduce the oil price cap as part of efforts to cut the Kremlin’s war revenues.

Germany will deliver Patriot missiles to Ukraine “very shortly,” following US President Donald Trump’s NATO agreement to increase weapons aid. The delivery, part of a Europe-funded supply plan, could make the system operational in Ukraine within weeks, according to Germany’s leader.

Germany finalizing Patriot missile transfer with NATO

According to Politico, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed during a 17 July press conference in the UK that Ukraine will receive Patriot air-defense systems “very shortly, very soon.” He stressed that Kyiv urgently needs deep strike capability and that additional support is on the way. According to Merz, defense ministers are now finalizing logistics to fulfill the delivery.

Politico reports that the announcement followed Trump’s new NATO deal earlier this week. The plan allows European countries to send weapons to Ukraine now and buy replacements from the US.

NATO and Germany already preparing transfer

Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Allied Air Command leader, said on 17 July that preparations for the Patriot transfer were already under way.

Trump stated on 14 July that part of the Patriot system would arrive “within days,” though others have raised questions about the exact timeline. Merz later clarified that the capability could be active in Ukraine within weeks.

 

The Swiss Ministry of Defense reports that the US is delaying deliveries of Patriot air defense systems ordered by Switzerland due to priority support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

In 2022, Switzerland ordered five Patriot systems, which were planned for delivery between 2026 and 2028. However, on 16 July 2025, the US officially announced a revision of delivery priorities due to the urgent need to replenish armaments for countries supplying weapons to Ukraine.

According to Defense Express, the contract included the delivery of 17 launchers and a stock of 70 GEM-T surface-to-air missiles, five AN/MPQ-65 radars, six MIDS-LVT data distribution systems, and five AN/MSQ-132 command posts.

Additionally, in November 2022, the US State Department approved the supply of 72 PAC-3 MSE missiles and related equipment to Switzerland worth $700 million.

Switzerland will receive the systems from later production batches, resulting in delivery delays. Meanwhile, Germany has increased its aid to Ukraine by transferring an additional two Patriot systems.

The delay currently has no specific timeline, and it is unclear whether it will affect deliveries of the PAC-3 MSE guided missiles, which the US promised to provide Ukraine earlier than Switzerland last year.

The Czech Ministry of Defense has announced a significant increase in artillery ammunition deliveries to Ukraine in 2025 under its weapon initiative. It combines NATO countries’ donations with direct ammunition sales through a government-led program that has earned the confidence of international partners, Reuters reports. 

Czechia formed a special team for Ukraine, which together with private companies, scours global markets for surplus ammunition stockpiles and new production lines. Ammunition batches are offered to donor countries, which decide individually what to finance.

Director Ales Vytecka of the Czech Defense Ministry’s AMOS international cooperation agency says 850,000 shells have already been delivered in 2025 to Ukraine, including 320,000 of NATO-standard 155 mm rounds. These figures are approaching last year’s total of 1.5 million shells, 500,000 of which were 155 mm.

Despite the opposition party’s threats to shut the program down after elections, Vytecka stresses that transparency is maintained to the extent allowed by security considerations. He added that the 29% increase in donor contributions compared to 2024 is a clear vote of confidence in the program’s effectiveness.

Donor nations, including Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark, choose which deliveries to fund, and all procurement offers are subject to audit in their respective jurisdictions.

As Taiwan is conducting its massive Han Kuang exercises, China has deployed a record number of warplanes and ships toward the island, UkrInform reports. In the past 24 hours, China has sent 58 military aircraft and 10 naval and coast guard vessels toward Taiwan.

Of those 58 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, drones, and helicopters, 45 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s air defense zones in the north, center, southwest, and east. The heaviest activity was recorded in the central and southwestern zones, home to key Taiwanese Air Force and Navy bases.

There have been no official intrusions into Taiwan’s airspace or territorial waters, but the situation is described as extremely tense. Taiwanese forces continue combat simulations as part of the extended 10-day exercises, the longest ever, involving a record 22,000 reservists this year.

Earlier, Taiwan unveiled a new naval drone, the Endeavor Manta, inspired by Ukraine’s SeaBaby and Magura drones. At 8.6 meters long, it can carry over a ton of explosives or lightweight torpedoes, another sign the island is preparing for a potential maritime attack.

Ukraine is deploying a new generation of air-defense drones—fast, lightweight, and highly maneuverable—designed specifically to intercept and destroy Russia’s Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones.

With peace negotiations stalled and Russian aerial attacks intensifying, Kyiv is turning to homegrown technology to fill a critical defense gap. Massive waves of Shahed drones have made traditional missile systems economically unsustainable, prompting the rapid deployment of tens of thousands of compact, low-cost interceptors.

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What these interceptor drones are

According to Forbes tech correspondent David Hambling, Ukraine’s interceptors mark a technical leap in drone warfare, prioritizing speed, scalability, and affordability:

• Lightweight and aerodynamic: Designs include bullet-shaped quadcopters (like Wild Hornets’ Sting) and delta-wing drones, built for high-speed, high-altitude engagement.
• Vertical engagement capability: These drones can climb to intercept Shaheds flying at over 10,000 feet (≈3 kilometers)—well above the reach of ground-based machine guns.
• Radar and visual guidance: Integrated into a nationwide sensor and command system, they are coordinated to track and strike slow-moving aerial threats.
• Low cost: Priced at just $1,000 to $5,000 per unit, they’re dramatically cheaper than the $3.3 million US Patriot missiles used to counter other threats.

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What Russia is saying

Even figures within Russia’s defense-industrial elite have acknowledged the growing impact of Ukraine’s interceptor efforts. Alexey Rogozin—former CEO of Ilyushin and a senior figure in Russia’s military aviation sector—wrote on Telegram that Ukraine had effectively constructed a local anti-drone network over Kyiv:

“In fact, we are talking about an urban anti-drone dome built on the mass use of small-sized interceptors,” he said, referring to the Clear Sky initiative.

Rogozin claimed that more than 500 Shaheds had been intercepted under this system. While he maintained that large drone waves could still overwhelm defenses, he conceded that the cost dynamic has shifted:

“Now it is more expensive to attack than to defend.”

However, the system is not foolproof. Despite the deployment of interceptors, Kyiv continues to experience Shahed strikes, and explosions remain a frequent occurrence. Interception rates have reportedly improved, but with systems still scaling up, real-world effectiveness remains incomplete.

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Why Ukraine is using them

Russia’s Shahed drones are slow, cheap, and launched in overwhelming numbers. In June alone, Russia launched over 5,000 Shahed-type drones, including as many as 728 in a single night—far more than traditional systems like Patriots can handle.

Ukraine’s interceptors offer a cost-effective, scalable response to this flood of threats. Small, fast, and increasingly numerous, they are designed to match Russia’s production tempo.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently praised the system, stating that “hundreds of Russian-Iranian Shahed drones have been shot down this week” alone. Officials say interception rates, which had dropped due to higher-altitude attacks, are now back above 86%.

Moment a Russian Shahed drone is shot down over Odesa on Sunday morning. Some reports suggest it was intercepted by another drone. pic.twitter.com/qF5dYySMVC

— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) July 11, 2025

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How many are coming

According to Arsen Zhumadilov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency, the country has already signed contracts for tens of thousands of interceptor drones.

“This is what we have already contracted and will continue to contract,” Zhumadilov said in a 14 July interview with Babel. “We will definitely contract everything that the state budget can afford.”

He added that if domestic production capacity exceeds state funding, allied nations may help finance additional units to expand coverage.

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Strategic impact

Ukraine’s interceptor drone program is emerging as a flexible, affordable answer to Russia’s drone warfare campaign—and potentially a model for other nations facing similar threats.

“Ukraine is massively scaling up its production of low-cost interceptor drones to stop Russia’s growing barrages of Shahed attack drones,” wrote David Hambling.

At the recent G7 summit, Zelenskyy emphasized that this technology could serve as a global solution for defending against mass drone attacks—an increasingly relevant challenge in modern warfare.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is launching a project to ensure technological superiority on the battlefield. With support from the German Federal Ministry of Defense and the Office of Effective Regulation (BRDO), Kyiv has announced a program to develop defense startups focused on artificial intelligence technology.

The launch of K4 Startup Studio promises a new format of cooperation between the state, developers, military experts, and global mentors.

Participating teams will compete to solve four key military challenges and can also submit their own ideas. Selected startups will undergo combat testing and receive mentoring support.

After a four-month intensive program, teams will have the opportunity to attract investments or sign government contracts. The four best startups will receive grants of $250,000 each.

“We are not just adapting — we are setting trends,” emphasizes Deputy Defense Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko.

Applications are open on k4.mod.gov.ua until 15 August 2025. Developers and investors interested in battlefield-proven technologies, both Ukrainian and international, are invited to apply.

US President Donald Trump promised Patriot missile systems for Ukraine—but it is Europe that must now provide them, Reuters reports. NATO allies are scrambling to decide who will donate the weapons and how soon they can be delivered.

Allies caught off guard by Trump’s Patriot deal

Trump announced on 14 July that some Patriot missile systems for Ukraine should arrive “within days.” But while Kyiv prepares to receive them, European governments are facing unexpected pressure to give up their own systems, Reuters says. Meanwhile, Trump claimed that the first Patriots allegedly already were “on the way” to Ukraine.

During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump claimed that Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada had agreed to participate. However, high-ranking officials in at least two of those countries told Reuters they only learned of the plan when Trump made it public.

“It is my clear sense that nobody has been briefed about the exact details in advance,” one European ambassador said.

NATO to coordinate shipments under US-led framework

A NATO official said the alliance will oversee deliveries through its Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine mission in Germany. The official listed Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Finland as committed to the effort. But the exact numbers and timeline remain under discussion.

Europe pays for Trump’s pledge

While Trump takes credit for the deal, European leaders are voicing frustration.

“If we pay for these weapons, it’s our support,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. “If you promise to give the weapons, but say somebody else is going to pay for it, it’s not really given by you, is it?”

Germany’s defense minister said no Patriot system would arrive in Kyiv before the summer ends. Other countries—including Greece and Spain—have previously refused to part with their Patriots, calling them essential for national defense.

Logistics unclear

A US official said the Trump administration is now reviewing NATO inventories to identify potential trades. In some cases, allies might give up Patriots in exchange for earlier deliveries of other weapons or cancel pending orders under the Foreign Military Sales program.

 

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that it should not be Europe, but Russia itself, using its frozen assets, that pays for American weapons for Ukraine. He made this comment in response to the new US and NATO initiative to rearm Kyiv, PAP reports.

“I asked my fellow foreign ministers: Who should pay for American equipment? Should it be European taxpayers, or, in my opinion, should the aggressor pay for it using its frozen funds?” Sikorski said following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. 

He voiced support for Trump’s new plan with a 50-day deadline: if Russia does not end the war within this period, the US will impose tough sanctions on Moscow and its partners.

“We hope that this 50-day window before potential US sanctions is a time to increase pressure on the Russian Federation so that it finally comes to its senses,” the Polish foreign minister emphasized.

Sikorski also noted his approval of Washington’s new stance on the war, adding that he is pleased the US president has now reached the same conclusions that EU countries had drawn earlier.

Earlier, Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief, said that the timeline of a 50-day ultimatum to Putin for Ukraine peace talks is too long, as civilians die daily.

Also, Trump did not clarify what would happen if Russia refuses to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the deadline coincides with the timeframe reportedly shared by Putin during a recent conversation, in which he stated that Moscow plans to escalate military operations in eastern Ukraine. This effectively gives Putin 1,5 months to continue killing Ukrainian civilians.