Editor's Note: June 15: This article has been updated to include confirmation of the attack from Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine allegedly launched drones at Russia’s Tatarstan region, killing one and injuring 13, regional governor Rustam Minnikhanov reported on June 15.

The Ukrainian drones were reportedly shot down, but the debris fell on a plant in the town of Yelabuga, where Russian Shahed-type attack drones are manufactured, causing a fire.

According to Minnikhanov, it was an automobile plant, but some Telegram channels, including Astra, speculate that the well-known drone factory was the target.

Ukraine's General Staff subsequently confirmed details of the strike, including that it was directed at Shahed-style drone production in Yelabuga.

“Despite the attempt to sow fear and panic, all enterprises and life support facilities in the republic are operating stably. Emergency services are on constant alert,” said Minnikhanov.

A video of the attack was shared on Telegram, showing smoke billowing over the town, which lies some 1,500 kilometers from Kyiv.  There has been no official statement from Kyiv on the alleged strike, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

The so-called Alabuga Special Economic Zone hosts a factory producing Shahed-type long-range attack drones as well as other reconnaissance drones, and has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian forces since its launch in 2022.

The factory aims to produce 6,000 Shahed-type drones a year, with each one estimated to cost as little as $20,000.

Last year, Ukraine confirmed attacking military facilities in Tatarstan at least twice with long-distance drone strikes. Most recently, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck the plant on May 25.

Facing a workforce problem, the factory began recruiting African women under false pretences via a work-study program. As a result, Interpol began an investigation into the company in April for human trafficking.

Russian strike hit Boeing office in Kyiv in deliberate attack on US business, FT reports

“This is not just an attack against Ukraine, but also an attack where American business is being hit,” said Andy Hunder, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

French automaker Renault will begin manufacturing drones in Ukraine, France Info reported, marking a significant collaboration between the automotive and defense sectors. Renault will partner with a small French defense company to equip production lines on Ukrainian territory, with the drones expected to serve both Ukrainian and French military forces.

While the French Defense Ministry declined to comment on Renault specifically, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed on June 6 that a major French car manufacturer would join forces with a defense SME to launch drone production in Ukraine. Speaking to Le Monde, Lecornu did not name the automaker, but praised the project as an "unprecedented partnership."

When contacted by France Info, Renault confirmed that it has been contacted by the government, but added that "no decision has been taken at this stage."

The production will take place away from front-line areas, although the exact locations were not disclosed. Lecornu emphasized that the assembly would be handled by Ukrainians, citing their strong expertise in drone development and combat deployment strategies.

Lecornu also said there is "no need" to send French citizens to work on the production line, since it will be set up in Ukraine, where Ukrainians "are better than us at designing drones and especially at developing the strategies that accompany them."

This move underscores France’s growing support for Ukraine’s defense industry and comes as Ukraine continues to expand its own drone manufacturing capabilities.

Presidential advisor Oleksandr Kamyshin said in March that Ukrainian producers have the capacity to make over 5 million FPV drones annually.

Drone warfare has become a central component of the ongoing war, with both Ukraine and Russia increasingly relying on unmanned systems for reconnaissance and strikes.

Renault, the French automotive giant, has been identified as the company set to produce drones in Ukraine. France Info says production lines could be located “a few dozen or hundred kilometers from the front line.”

Renault to build drones in Ukraine near frontline zones

France Info reported on 8 June that Renault plans to enter the defense sector by partnering with a French SME specializing in defense technology to produce drones in Ukraine. 

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, initially disclosed on 6 June that a “major French car manufacturer” would produce drones in Ukraine, without naming the company. 

Renault confirmed to France Info that it had been contacted by the French government about the drone production project, but added that “no decision has been made at this stage.”

Lecornu earlier noted that there is no current need for French workers to staff the production facilities in Ukraine. He emphasized Ukrainian expertise, stating that Ukrainians are “better than us at imagining drones and especially at developing the doctrine around them.”

Drones for Ukraine and France

The drones are intended for use by both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the French military. France lags behind in drone capabilities and sees this partnership as an opportunity to benefit from Ukraine’s battlefield innovation and experience.

Militarnyi says that the project will begin with Renault joining small and medium-sized French defense businesses, followed by the establishment of production capacities on Ukrainian territory.

On 6 June, Lecornu also noted that other companies connected to France’s defense industry are already operating in Ukraine.

French military-industrial strategy shifts

This development aligns with earlier announcements in February about France planning to adapt its civilian industry to respond to large-scale military demands. Militarnyi reported that one representative of the French auto industry had already been approached to help launch drone production, particularly for kamikaze-type drones similar to those used in Ukraine. The Ministry of Armed Forces and the French defense procurement agency reportely aim to reach production speeds of several thousand drones within a few months.

French automotive and defence companies will establish drone production facilities on Ukrainian soil, Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on 6 June, describing the arrangement as a “win-win” partnership with Kyiv.

“We are launching a completely unprecedented partnership where a major French car manufacturing company – I won’t give the name because it’s up to them to announce it – will ally with a French defence SME to arm production lines in Ukraine to be capable of producing drones,” Lecornu told LCI television channel.

The minister did not specify the type of drones to be manufactured but confirmed they will serve Ukrainian forces while also benefiting French military units “to have permanent tactical, operational training that matches the reality” of the Ukraine war. Ukrainian forces will provide feedback on battlefield drone usage in return.

According to Lecornu, French citizens will not be required to work on the Ukrainian production line. He credited Ukrainian expertise, saying that Ukrainians “are better than us in the capacity to imagine drones and especially to develop the doctrine that goes around them.”

Ukraine plans to deploy over 4.5 million drones in 2025, with drones accounting for 70% of Russian equipment destruction at the front, Le Monde reports. The French military, which operates several thousand drones, seeks to close its capability gap in this domain.

The announcement follows discussions between Ukrainian and French defence ministers in Brussels on 5 June regarding joint weapons production for Ukrainian defence needs. At the 28th Ramstein meeting at NATO headquarters, Ukraine and partner states agreed to establish a defence production mechanism.

 Several European partners have recently invested in Ukraine’s drone production

Finland established a drone manufacturing factory in cooperation with Ukrainian partners to produce drones for both Ukraine and the EU, with mass production starting in early 2025. The Netherlands announced a €700 million ($798 mn) investment focused on advancing drone technology and supporting Ukraine’s defense industry. The UK is also investing hundreds of millions of dollars to scale up drone production for Ukraine in 2025. Norway has redirected funds to support Ukrainian-made drone production. 

Moscow ramps up production of millions of drones — not without help from China, which officially “knows nothing” about the cooperation, writes Politico. 

Moscow has gained an advantage in the drone war in Ukraine due to its vast financial resources, production lines located far from the front lines, and especially assistance from Beijing.

Oleh Aleksandrov, a representative of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, says Chinese manufacturers supply Russia with equipment, electronics, navigation, optical, and telemetry systems, engines, microchips, processor modules, antenna systems, and control boards.

“They use so-called shell companies, change names, do everything to avoid being subject to export control and avoid sanctions for their activities,” he explains. 

Officially, China claims to comply with all regulations. But only officially, Aleksandrov adds.

According to him, Russia increased its production of long-range drones from 15,000 in 2024 to over 30,000 this year and aims to produce up to 2 million small tactical drones. 

“They aim to produce about 30,000 long-range drones of those types plus 30,000 false target drones they use to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses in 2025,” he continues. 

As for FPV drones, the Russians intend to manufacture as many as 2 million of them in 2025.

Russia is also increasing its use of fiber-optic drones, which are immune to electronic warfare. Ukrainian forces previously could detect ordinary Russian drones as soon as they took off, but this is much harder with fiber-optic ones.

“So we have to use different acoustic and other means to trace those drones,” said Andrii, the army commander.

Moreover, according to him, the Russians are ramping up not only drone production but also electronic warfare systems. 

Radio frequencies change on his section of the front every two weeks. As a result, when Ukraine supplies drones, only about 20% of them are usable. Constant adjustments cost extra time and money.

Russia plans to produce 2 million first-person-view (FPV) drones and 30,000 long-range and decoy drones in 2025 for its war against Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) spokesperson Oleh Aleksandrov told Politico on June 5.

The ramp-up marks a critical expansion of Moscow's drone warfare program, as both Ukraine and Russia increasingly rely on unmanned systems for reconnaissance and front-line attacks.

According to Aleksandrov, Russia's drone production is heavily dependent on Chinese components. Despite Beijing's public denials, Chinese manufacturers continue to supply Russia with key electronics and technologies.

"They use so-called shell companies, change names, do everything to avoid being subject to export control and avoid sanctions for their activities," Aleksandrov said.

The intelligence official warned that this industrial support allows Moscow to narrow Ukraine's early advantage in drone innovation.

"They aim to produce about 30,000 long-range drones of those types plus 30,000 false target drones they use to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses in 2025," he added. "As for the FPV drones, Russians are aiming to produce a whopping 2 million of them in 2025."

FPV drones, small and agile devices often equipped with explosive payloads, have proven highly effective in damaging tanks, artillery, and other high-value targets at low cost.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this year that Moscow is working to manufacture up to 500 long-range drones per day, Suspilne reported.

The Kremlin's nightly drone attacks — frequently involving Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones — have strained Ukraine's air defenses and inflicted heavy damage on cities and infrastructure.

Ukraine, for its part, has dramatically scaled up domestic drone production in response.

The Strategic Industries Ministry reported that Ukraine more than doubled its long-range drone output in 2024 compared to 2023 — a 22-fold increase over 2022.

Putin rejects Zelensky’s call for peace talks, accuses Ukraine of deadly bridge attack in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 accused Ukraine of being governed by a terrorist regime that deliberately targets civilians and claimed it is continuing to lose the war. He rejected the possibility of holding talks.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Russia’s production of Shahed drones and their imitators reached approximately 170 units per day as of May 2025, Ukrainska Pravda reported on 4 June, citing Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR).

The country plans to increase this output to 190 drones daily by the end of the year, according to the GUR.

The intelligence agency said that drone technology has evolved significantly since 2022. “The configurations of the Shahed in 2022 and 2025 differ substantially,” GUR reported, highlighting several key modifications introduced over the past year alone.

Russia has substantially modified the drones’ warheads beyond standard high-explosive and fragmentation variants. Shaheds now carry combined cumulative-fragmentation-high-explosive warheads, as well as cumulative-fragmentation-high-explosive-incendiary versions, according to GUR. The intelligence directorate explains that different warhead types are selected for specific targets to maximize damage.

The explosive payload has increased from 50 to 90 kilograms, according to GUR. Some drones now feature Starlink terminals, enabling real-time control of the aircraft.

Foreign journalists recently reported possible connections between Shaheds and Ukrainian mobile networks. The Economist claimed that Russian drones operate through Telegram bots using Ukrainian SIM cards. However, Ukrainian military radio technology specialist Serhiy Flash later refuted this information.

Russia has upgraded its electronic warfare resistance technology on Shaheds, according to GUR. The country began protecting signal receivers with specialized CRPA antennas capable of ignoring false satellite signals.

Russia received its first hundreds of Shaheds from Iran in 2022. By summer 2023, the country began independent production of these drones at a facility located 1,200 kilometers from the front line in the Alabuga special economic zone in Yelabuga city. The plant produces a localized version of the Iranian drone under the designation Geran-2.

Drones play a crucial role in the Russo-Ukraine war by providing real-time intelligence, conducting precision strikes, disrupting logistics, and supporting frontline troops, with Ukraine leveraging mass-produced, low-cost drones to inflict significant damage on Russian forces and infrastructure. Both sides employ a wide variety of drones for reconnaissance, attack, electronic warfare, and supply missions, fundamentally reshaping the battlefield and warfare tactics.

Last year, Ukrainian military intelligence did what sounds like science fiction: they fed thousands of images of Russian jets into artificial intelligence systems, training machines to hunt and dive-bomb strategic bombers meant to launch nuclear annihilation.

On 1 June, those AI-trained killing machines proved they learned their lessons perfectly.

Ukrainian forces loaded homegrown drones into ordinary trucks, smuggled them deep into Russia’s rear, and unleashed mechanical predators that struck four airbases from the Arctic to Siberia — wiping out a $7 billion of Russia’s elite air force in a single day.

With 41 aircraft reduced to wreckage — the largest single-day funeral for Russian aircraft since WWII — Putin’s elite “red lines” air threat that kept the West cowering for years would take decades to restore — if sanctions ever allow it.

Behind this massacre lies Ukraine’s domestic drone empire that has exploded from desperate start-ups into a $2.8 billion war machine in just three years — and it just launched the AI arms race that will haunt every future battlefield.

From garage tinkering to 4.5 million killer drones

The devastating attack, dubbed the operation “Spiderweb,” resulted from three years of rapid drone evolution — a transformation that turned Ukraine’s drone warfare from a desperate improvisation to a high‑volume, precision‑strike ecosystem Russia often struggles to match.

In the early days of full-scale war, Ukraine’s defense ministry purchased thousands of drones, still relying heavily on ad hoc production, crowdfunding, and volunteer ingenuity. Yet, it took just two years to leap from garage builds to global leadership, pioneering drone technology.

By 2024, the government had scaled up procurement to over 1.5 million drones, with 96% of contracts awarded to domestic manufacturers. In 2025, Ukraine tripled its investment, allocating more than $2.6 billion – one-fifth of Ukraine’s total defense procurement – toward drones, including plans to deliver 4.5 million FPV models to the battlefield.

With factories now producing millions of drones and some operators flying up to 15 missions a day, Ukraine’s domestic drone industry has evolved from battlefield improvisation to full-scale industrialization — delivering lethal, low-cost systems at speed, with growing flexibility and automation.

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These drones have become central to Ukraine’s battlefield strategy — pinpointing, punishing, and relentlessly pushing back Russian forces. As The New York Times put it, “It feels as if there are a thousand snipers in the sky.” Still, Ukraine’s technological edge is under pressure, with questions mounting over how long it can maintain dominance.

In contrast, Russian troops are often starved for drones, with some battalions receiving just 10 to 15 FPV (First-person view) drones per week.

“We know where they are flying from, but there is nothing to kill with,” lamented one Russian operator.

Regulatory bottlenecks have made matters worse. “Heavy drones now require state approval,” wrote a Russian blogger, noting that units have begun constructing their own drones to fill the gap left by a struggling domestic industry, increasingly strained by the relentless race to modernize.

The bomb witch that haunts Russians armed with sticks

While Russia faces production setbacks, Ukraine is pushing forward with increasingly advanced systems. Among the most distinctive innovations is the “Baba Yaga” — a heavy multirotor drone named after the mythical Slavic witch.

Unlike smaller FPV drones, the Baba Yaga can carry 45-pound payloads like aerial bombs, mortar shells, anti-tank mines, and even guided bombs, making it ideal for hitting bunkers and supply depots. In response, Russian troops have resorted to crude countermeasures — attaching long sticks to knock Ukraine’s bulky bombers out of the sky.

However, Baba Yaga is just one part of Ukraine’s evolving drone arsenal. While new platforms continue to emerge, older systems are also being upgraded to stay deadly. Mavic drones, for instance, pioneered light bombing tactics early in the war, serving as surprisingly lethal anti-personnel systems despite their commercial origins

Since then, FPVs have taken over the role, offering greater payload capacity and flexibility. Some FPV drones now carry up to six VOG grenades – compared to the two typically deployed by Mavics – allowing for more impactful strikes with greater reach and frequency.

This drive for greater range, precision, and coordination has led to Ukraine’s next leap in drone warfare.

Putin’s next nightmare: Ukraine’s mothership drones

Among Ukraine’s latest innovations is mothership drones — large UAVs capable of carrying and launching multiple FPV drones mid-flight. Designed for long-range missions, these platforms allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep behind enemy lines, overwhelming Russian defenses with coordinated, multi-drone assaults.

FPV drones have become Ukraine’s key interceptors, targeting Russian reconnaissance drones, while Russian units use theirs to hunt down Ukraine’s Baba Yagas.

“FPV drones are about tactical dominance. They bring chaos, fear, and uncertainty to close combat,” a Russian commentator wrote. “They are cheap, massive and deadly effective – and their potential grows with each passing day…These are no longer makeshift weapons, but new close-combat artillery.”

And in Ukrainian hands, they’ve become a relentless force — now fired more often than many large-caliber artillery shells.

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Much of Ukraine’s drone warfare success comes from specialized units. The Birds of Magyar, one of the country’s most prolific teams, carried out over 11,600 sorties in March 2025 alone — striking more than 5,300 targets, or one every eight minutes.

The majority of these hits came from FPV drones (67%) and heavy bombers (31%). While FPV strike footage tends to dominate social media, it’s the less flashy “Baba Yaga” night bombers that may be doing most of the actual damage on the ground.

These UAVs specialize in destroying infrastructure and personnel shelters, not just enemy armor. In March alone, they carried out 1,701 strikes on Russian infantry, with 1,002 confirmed kills and dozens of bunker-busting missions. By April, Ukrainian drone brigades reported hitting 83,000 targets — a 5% increase in just one month.

Russian milblogger “Vault 8” noted that Ukrainian FPV and reconnaissance drones now dominate up to 25 kilometers behind the front line — making road travel perilous and turning rear areas into a “highway of death,” where even vehicles far from combat zones are frequently destroyed. Both sides are being forced to adapt to this new reality — and the consequences are already visible on the battlefield.

Now, Ukraine is using these drones to construct a “drone wall” along the front line — extending the no-man’s land by dozens of kilometers and deterring Russian advances through constant aerial threat.

With FPV drones now functioning as the new artillery of modern warfare, mobility has become critical. For months, Russian forces have used motorcycles to lead high-risk assaults, a tactic born out of necessity due to mounting losses of armored vehicles to Ukrainian drones. In response, Ukraine’s 425th Skala Assault Regiment has established its own motorcycle assault company — aiming to match speed with survivability on a battlefield shaped by drones.

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Beyond direct strikes, the unit also lays mines, conducts aerial reconnaissance, and has carried out over 10,000 missions to date — including tests of jamming-resistant drones. As national production ramps up to 200,000 drones a month, the Birds of Magyar have seen their kill rate skyrocket: from fewer than 300 confirmed targets a year ago to over 5,000 today, eliminating one Russian soldier every 6.5 minutes.

Even Ukraine’s logistics have taken to the skies. Vampire drones are now being used to deliver food and ammunition to frontline units, flying at low altitudes to evade detection. Smaller FPV drones, typically 10 to 15 inches in size, are also employed — their crews far more mobile and adaptable.

While larger bombers must release payloads from higher altitudes to avoid small arms fire, FPVs can dive straight into targets as small as a single meter across, offering unmatched precision.

“FPVs are more effective against pinpoint targets, where the scale of damage doesn’t matter, but accuracy does,” says Danylo, a drone pilot from the 108th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade.

FPVs hunt by day, bombers mine by night

However, larger drones like the Vampire come with trade-offs. They require vehicle transport, limiting mobility, and must either launch close to the front — risking exposure — or fly long distances, increasing the chance of detection.

“At long range, it’s very visible in thermal cameras and can be intercepted, even shot down by another FPV, before it even crosses the line of contact,” says Oleksii, a drone unit commander from the same brigade.

Even Russian volunteers admit it: Ukraine’s heavy Vampire drones — built to hunt down artillery crews, tanks, and command posts — are giving Kyiv a strategic edge, thanks to their disciplined rollout and battlefield precision. And the arms race isn’t slowing down. Ukraine recently logged its first confirmed kill with a drone-mounted grenade launcher, pushing the boundaries of what flying machines can do in combat.

“Ukrainian ‘Vampire’ type heavy drones have a complementary role to FPVs,” explained Roy Gardiner, an open source weapons researcher and former Canadian officer. “While FPVs attack Russian logistics vehicles during the day, heavy drones attack the same vehicles at night by precision mining Russian roads.”

In some cases, however, FPVs outperform larger drones. Russian vehicles often stay far from the frontline — beyond the effective range of many Vampires, but still within reach of nimble FPVs. FPVs also handle Russian jamming more effectively, thanks to their ability to switch control frequencies mid-flight — an edge bulkier drones lack.

“FPVs, even with an effectiveness rate of 30–40%, cause more damage than the Vampire,” said Andrii of the 59th Brigade.

Ukraine teaches NATO to hunt Russia’s Frankenstein drones

Russia, meanwhile, is still playing catch-up — with no counterpart to the Baba Yaga and a drone fleet that trails badly in both design and deployment.

“Ukraine invested in its fleet of larger, long-range drones as a response to Russia’s investment in Shahed/Geran drones,” observed Samuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

He adds that Russia seems content with the performance of its Geran drones, having produced them by the thousands and prioritized their low cost and mass deployment — although points out that these systems serve a different purpose.

Gardiner notes that Moscow has talked up its plans for a homegrown drone industry, yet it failed to deliver.

“There have been indications that Russian drone units have been forbidden to make direct purchases without permission from above,” he adds.

In the meantime, Russian units have resorted to bizarre improvisations, including the “Vobla,” a jerry-rigged drone with four quadcopters connected to a single flight controller.

Ukraine’s latest export: combat expertise the Pentagon wants to buy

While Russia leans on improvised workarounds, Ukraine’s drone innovation is drawing international attention, with Kyiv marketing itself as Europe’s future defense hub.

According to Branislav Slantchev, a political science professor at UC San Diego, Ukrainian specialists are now training NATO personnel in Poland and the UK. They have even consulted the Pentagon on how to use American weapons more effectively in combat — a testament to how far Ukraine’s defense innovation has advanced.

“Ukraine’s defense industry will be massive as well. It was a critical hub in Soviet production and will now be part of Europe’s,” he says.

In this dynamics, Ukraine’s growing defense industry is part of a larger shift — one that positions the country not just as a supplier, but as a cornerstone of Europe’s security architecture.

“Europe needs Ukraine as a shield. We have the biggest army on the continent. We are the only ones with an army that knows how to contain Russia.” Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief, said. “The only one with an army that knows how to wage modern, high-tech warfare.”

The 1,000-drone barrage that could tip the war

However, Ukraine’s technological edge won’t last unchallenged. Russia is rapidly catching up — and in some areas, pulling ahead, such as with fiber optic drones.

Russian strike drones are now reaching deep into Ukraine’s rear — including the Kramatorsk–Dobropillia highway, a key supply route located more than 30 kilometers (about 19 miles) behind the front line. These attacks are being carried out with fixed-wing “Molniya” drones and the smaller “Tyuvik,” a modified version of the Iranian-made Shahed drone.

A Russian kamikaze drone was also reportedly using AI and machine learning to enhance targeting, scanning highways for military vehicles, and recently adapting to evade interceptor drones.

Amid these developments, some Ukrainian experts are sounding the alarm. Maria Berlinska, head of the Air Intelligence Support Center, warned that Russia may soon be capable of launching over 1,000 Shahed-type strike drones per day.

“By the end of May 2025, we are starting to fall further and further behind in the technological race,” she says. “In a number of areas, parity still exists, but in general, the Russians are increasingly ahead.”

She attributs this shift to something more structural than battlefield improvisation.

“We lasted for more than three years. But these solutions are increasingly being surpassed by systemic, monumental scientific projects from joint Russian-Iranian-Chinese engineering teams,” Berlinska says.

These warnings underscore a growing anxiety within Ukraine’s defense tech community: the innovation gap is narrowing. Oleksandr Yakovenko, who leads one of Ukraine’s leading drone companies, warned that while Ukraine previously was two steps ahead of the Russians, now they’re only “one step ahead of them.”

That concern extends far beyond the present battlefield. Tatarigami, a former Ukrainian officer and open-source intelligence analyst, warned that unless Russia suffers a major defeat or economic collapse, it could use the coming years to build and stockpile equipment.

“If Russia spends several years building and stockpiling equipment while leveraging Chinese industry and Western parts, its future military will be more modern and technologically advanced than during the 2022 invasion,” he wrote.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said China has stopped selling drones to Ukraine and Western countries while continuing to supply them to Russia, Bloomberg reported on May 29.

"Chinese Mavic is open for Russians but is closed for Ukrainians," Zelensky told reporters, referring to the popular quadcopter drone manufactured by China's DJI.

"There are production lines on Russian territory where there are Chinese representatives," he added, according to Bloomberg.

The Mavic, typically a civilian drone used for aerial photography, has been adapted by both Ukrainian and Russian forces for battlefield surveillance and as a weapon platform capable of carrying explosives.

Drones have played a decisive role in the war, with both sides using them for reconnaissance and precision attacks.

On April 7, Zelensky announced that Ukraine would scale up production of unmanned systems "to the maximum," including long-range, ground-based, and fiber-optic drones, which are resistant to electronic warfare.

Zelensky's recent remarks reportedly align with assessments from European officials. One official told Bloomberg that China has not only restricted drone exports to Ukraine and other Western buyers, but has also reduced shipments of drone components, including motor magnets, while ramping up deliveries to Russia.

"When someone is asking whether China is helping Russia, how shall we assess these steps?" Zelensky said.

Beijing has repeatedly denied aiding either side with military goods. On May 27, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also rejected claims made by Ukrainian intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko, who alleged that Beijing provided special chemicals, gunpowder, and other defense-related materials to at least 20 Russian military-industrial facilities.

Ivashchenko also said that as of early 2025, 80% of critical electronic components in Russian drones were of Chinese origin. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated that China has "never provided lethal weapons" and "strictly controls dual-use items."  

Despite its claims of neutrality, Beijing has deepened economic and strategic ties with Moscow, prompting Western concerns and NATO's designation of China as a “decisive enabler” of Russian aggression.

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Ukraine faces a difficult balancing act — sanctioning more Chinese firms for aiding Russia’s war machine without alienating Beijing, which could be key to ending Russia’s invasion. Kyiv is currently considering imposing new sanctions against Chinese firms providing raw materials to Russia’s defense sector, a source close to

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Ukraine has deployed a new artificial intelligence-powered "mother drone" for the first time, marking a major step in the country's expanding use of autonomous battlefield technology, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on May 29.

The drone system, developed by Ukraine's defense tech cluster Brave1, can deliver two AI-guided FPV (first-person view) strike drones up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) behind enemy lines, according to Fedorov. Once released, the smaller drones can autonomously locate and hit high-value targets, including aircraft, air defense systems, and critical infrastructure — all without using GPS.

"The system uses visual-inertial navigation with cameras and LiDAR to guide the drones, while AI independently identifies and selects targets," Fedorov said.

The system, called SmartPilot, allows the carrier drone to return and be reused for missions within a 100-kilometer range. Each operation costs around $10,000 — hundreds of times cheaper than a conventional missile strike, Fedorov said.

The development comes as Ukraine continues to ramp up domestic drone production. On April 7, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the country would scale up production of unmanned systems "to the maximum," including long-range, ground-based, and fiber-optic drones, which are resistant to electronic warfare.

Ukraine has leaned heavily on technological innovation to offset its disadvantages in manpower and firepower since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. The use of drones, aerial, naval, and ground-based, has become a central feature of both sides' strategies in the war.

Fedorov said Ukraine will continue investing in Ukrainian systems that "change the rules of the game in technological warfare."

Turkey and Belgium are set to join the international Drone Coalition supporting Ukraine, Latvia's Defense Minister Andris Spruds announced on May 28 during the Drone Summit in Riga.

The coalition, co-led by Latvia and the United Kingdom, is expected to allocate 2.75 billion euros ($3.1 billion) in 2025 to support Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression.

"The international Drone Coalition is becoming increasingly stronger — we will be able to deliver more drones to Ukraine while simultaneously strengthening the defense industries of Latvia, the EU, and NATO countries," Spruds said. "Our strength lies in unity."

With the addition of Belgium and Turkey, the Drone Coalition will grow to 20 member states. The coalition, officially launched in February 2024, includes countries such as the U.K., Germany, Canada, France, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine, among others. Each new member must be approved by existing coalition states, according to the memorandum of understanding.

Since its inception, the coalition has committed a total of 4.5 billion euros ($5 billion) in aid to Ukraine over two years, including 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) in 2024 and the planned 2.75 billion euros ($3.1 billion) for 2025.

The Drone Coalition plays crucial role in supporting Ukraine's use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have become key in targeting Russian military infrastructure, including airfields, oil depots, and logistics hubs deep inside Russian territory.

In March, the coalition allocated 20 million euros ($22.5 million) from a joint fund to procure tactical reconnaissance drones for Ukraine, following an urgent request from Kyiv.

The coalition complements Ukraine's domestic initiatives such as the "Drone Line," launched in February, which aims to accelerate battlefield drone deployment.

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The Kyiv IndependentLucy Pakhnyuk

Russia seeks to produce up to 500 drones per day, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on May 27 during a press briefing, Suspilne reported.

Moscow has significantly increased the production of various drones over the past year, which it launches almost every night to attack Ukrainian cities and front-line positions.

The Russian production surge is facilitated by imports of components from China and the recruitment of low-skilled labor, including local teenagers and workers from Africa.

"They (Russian manufacturers) are preparing to produce 300-350 drones per day. This is their real situation. They were tasked with having 500 per day," Zelensky said.

Zelensky expressed doubt that Russia could launch 1,000 drones in a single attack, but acknowledged it could become possible in the future if Russia amasses enough drones over time.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine is already capable of launching up to 100 long-range drones daily, and with the support of partners, it can catch up with Russia by producing 300-350 drones every day.

"We are very close to it. The issue is not production capacity. It is a financial issue," the president added.

Zelensky also recalled a recent successful operation by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which used 400 small drones simultaneously and destroyed 40 pieces of Russian military hardware.

"We will show them much more than this operation," Zelensky said. Ukraine has been rapidly developing its domestic arms industry since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Ukraine more than doubled its production of long-range drones in 2024 compared to the previous year, which is a 22-fold increase compared to 2022. In total, 324 new types of weapons were developed in Ukraine by the end of 2024, according to Ukraine's Strategic Industries Ministry.

Ukraine has also turned to local production to address battlefield shortages and reduce dependency on foreign supplies, including new domestic artillery contracts.

If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem

A statement from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on May 26 about long-range strikes inside Russia resurrected a long-held hope in Ukraine — that Berlin is finally about to send Kyiv its Taurus missiles. “There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine — neither by the U.

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Russia is expanding its missile reserves, increasing drone production, and modifying drone technologies as part of a long-term military strategy to achieve its war objectives in Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on 26 May. These developments signal Russia’s full commitment to securing victory through military means in a protracted conflict, according to the think tank.

ISW stated that Russia’s growing stockpile of ballistic missiles, rising drone output, and ongoing drone adaptations demonstrate a sustained effort to strengthen its strike capabilities. The Economist, citing Ukrainian government sources on 25 May, reported that Russia has accumulated around 500 ballistic missiles. At the same time, Moscow is reportedly producing about 100 Shahed explosive drones per day — roughly four to five times the daily output estimated in late 2024.

Ukrainian military intelligence told The Economist that Russia intends to increase this drone production to 500 units per day, although no specific deadline was mentioned. Engineers in Ukraine noted that Russian forces are actively modifying Shahed drones to overcome Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. These upgrades include the use of artificial intelligence and integration with Ukrainian internet and mobile networks for improved navigation.

Following a record 355-drone attack, Russia launches 60 drones—Ukraine intercepts most

New Shahed tactics

A Ukrainian officer interviewed by The Economist stated that Russian drones are flying at altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 meters, beyond the effective range of small arms and shoulder-fired missiles used by Ukrainian mobile air defense units. On 25 May, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, Head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, reported that Russian forces had set a new altitude record with a Shahed drone flight reaching 4,900 meters.

Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force, confirmed on 26 May that Russia is producing both Shahed and decoy drones in higher numbers and deploying them at higher altitudes. Ihnat also noted that Russian forces resumed the use of Kh-22 cruise missiles after a period of reduced deployment. According to ISW, the resurgence of large-scale missile and drone strike packages aligns with Russia’s broader strategy of enhancing its domestic weapons production and long-term war preparations.

ISW: Russia ramps up missile strikes and propaganda in bid to crush Ukrainian morale and Western will

Russia’s goals unchanged, but it economy struggles 

Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service Chief Oleh Ivashchenko said in a 26 May Ukrinform interview that Russia’s goal of full control over Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts remains unchanged. He warned that Russia is also preparing for a future conflict with NATO, in line with ISW’s assessments.

“ISW also continues to assess that the Russian government and military are preparing for a possible future conflict with NATO. Russian authorities recently renewed their years-long narrative rejecting the legality of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, likely to set conditions for Russia to deny the independence and sovereignty of other former Soviet states in the future,” the think tank wrote.

WP: Trump softens on Putin as Russian battlefield edge declines

Ivashchenko noted Russia’s economic struggles, with its sovereign wealth fund reduced to $38 billion from $150 billion pre-invasion, and highlighted reliance on Soviet-era equipment. He stated that foreign aid from North Korea, China, and Belarus is playing a growing role in Russia’s defense industry.

“Russia’s efforts to increase domestic drone and missile production and ongoing adaptations of these strike packages are likely part of a broader Russian effort to prepare for a protracted war in Ukraine and possibly a future war with NATO,” ISW wrote.

Ukraine will increase interceptor drone and ballistic missile funding amid increased Russian drone and missile attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address on May 26.

"I instructed a significant increase in the production of our interceptor drones, and we will be engaging more funding from our partners to support this," Zelensky said.

"I also ordered dedicated funding for Ukraine’s ballistic missile program to accelerate missile production," he added.

Russia has intensified aerial attacks against Ukraine in recent days. On May 26, Russia launched its third large-scale aerial and drone assault against Ukraine in three nights, killing at least six people and injuring 24 across the country.

The attack marked the most extensive drone strike against Ukraine during the full-scale war, topping the previous record of 298 drones just a day earlier on May 25.

Russia launched over 900 strike drones over the last three days, in addition to cruise and ballistic missiles, Zelensky said.

"Over 900 attack drones launched against Ukraine in just three days, along with ballistic and cruise missiles. There is no military logic in this, but it is a clear political choice — the choice of Putin, the choice of Russia — the choice to keep waging war and destroying lives."

Ukraine and Russia held peace talks in Istanbul on May 16, where both sides agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.

The peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were largely inconclusive, with Moscow reiterating maximalist demands and sending a delegation of lower-level officials.

Despite the peace talks in Turkey, Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks against Ukraine.

Russia launched nine Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bomber planes and a record number of 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys overnight, Ukraine's Air Force reported on May 26.

Ukraine war latest: West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany’s Merz says

Key developments on May 26: * West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany’s Merz says * Russia launches record 355 drones at Ukraine; 6 killed, 24 injured over past 24 hours * Russian drone production site, chemical plant targeted in alleged Ukrainian drone strike * Netherlands to send last of

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk