Exclusives
| Ukraine's kamikaze drones can now attack and return. There's a tendency for single-use Ukrainian drones to become reusable. Now the Fire Point FP-1/2 has joined the reusable club. |
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Russia starved Pokrovsk into submission. Kostiantynivka's robots are blocking the encore.. Ukraine's growing legion of resupply robots can prolong the defense of Konstyantynivka. But human soldiers are still necessary. |
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Václav Havel laureate: Russia is counting on you to look away. I spent two years in a Russian penal colony watching what Russia wants for the rest of us. |
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ISW: Russia's grand territorial ambitions are divorced from battlefield reality. The think tank noted that Russian forces first infiltrated Kostiantynivka in October 2025 and have made no significant tactical gains in six months, even as Peskov restated Moscow's withdrawal demand on four oblasts. |
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First real crash test for Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions. The key question surrounding Ukraine's anti-corruption reforms was simple: could the system investigate people from the very top of political power? |
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Ukraine just placed one of its highest-ranking corruption suspects under court-ordered custody. An anti-corruption court placed ex-presidential chief of staff Yermak in 60-day custody. The case alleges he helped launder $11 million through an elite housing project. |
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Hungary's new government summons Russian envoy after strike on Zakarpattia. Russia hit the Hungarian-bordering Ukrainian region with drones, days after Magyar's government took office. |
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Nicolas Tenzer: stop talking about peace, the question is victory. French geopolitical expert on his book Our War, Putin's nihilist regime, and the strategic autonomy Europe must build with or without Washington. |
Military
ISW: Russia's grand territorial ambitions are divorced from battlefield reality. The think tank noted that Russian forces first infiltrated Kostiantynivka in October 2025 and have made no significant tactical gains in six months, even as Peskov restated Moscow's withdrawal demand on four oblasts.
As rescuers clear rubble of Kyiv apartment building, Russia's security council secretary lists same 2022 demands for ending war. Same demands as Russia's failed 2022 Istanbul talks were issued from Bishkek hours after Russia's biggest two-day strike on Kyiv.
Intelligence and technology
Ukraine's kamikaze drones can now attack and return. There's a tendency for single-use Ukrainian drones to become reusable. Now the Fire Point FP-1/2 has joined the reusable club.
Russia starved Pokrovsk into submission. Kostiantynivka's robots are blocking the encore. Ukraine's growing legion of resupply robots can prolong the defense of Konstyantynivka. But human soldiers are still necessary.
Ukraine's drone commander proposes "Standard-10" for every strike crew in country. Ukrainian drone crews average 3 confirmed kills a month. Madiar's own 414th Brigade averages 30.6.
Skyeton makes Raybird reconnaissance drone Ukraine has used since 2018. Russia just destroyed its Kyiv office. "We knew sooner or later Skyeton would become a target," the company said.
Russia starts ninth project 22350 frigate in St. Petersburg built for Mach-8 hypersonic anti-ship missiles that have already hit Ukraine. Project 22350 frigates are 135-meter open-ocean warships built for anti-ship, anti-submarine, and escort operations.
Russia's 1500-drone strike on Ukraine was timed to Trump's arrival in Beijing — Ukrainian Colonel explains why. Russia used the Victory Day lull to redeploy air defenses around Moscow and stockpile drones for a strike timed to Trump's Beijing arrival, Colonel Dmytro Kashchenko says.
Russia is building 168,000-strong drone force by year-end through stealing Kyiv UAV model, says Ukraine's drone commander Madiar. An average Ukrainian brigade is now intercepting up to 60 Russian "Molniya" strike drones per day because Russia has centralized production.
Lithuania signs full Drone Deal, Latvia receives Ukrainian air defense experts. The agreement covers joint production of long-range strike, naval, interceptor and bomber drones, with technology transfer between Ukrainian and Lithuanian companies. Latvia is hosting Ukrainian air defense specialists under a separate proposed deal.
If this were real life, they would already be dead: Ukrainian drone pilots force NATO drills on Gotland to stop three times. During the pause, the opposing forces had time to think about how to act better against the enemy.
International
Václav Havel laureate: Russia is counting on you to look away. I spent two years in a Russian penal colony watching what Russia wants for the rest of us.
Hungary's new government summons Russian envoy after strike on Zakarpattia. Russia hit the Hungarian-bordering Ukrainian region with drones, days after Magyar's government took office.
Nicolas Tenzer: stop talking about peace, the question is victory. French geopolitical expert on his book Our War, Putin's nihilist regime, and the strategic autonomy Europe must build with or without Washington.
US House discharge petition reaches 218 signatures, forcing vote on Ukraine aid, bypassing Speaker Johnson. The bill authorizes $1.3 billion in military assistance and up to $8 billion more in direct loans.
Humanitarian and social impact
Russian Kh-101 missile that killed 12 in Kyiv was manufactured this quarter — after 21 EU sanctions packages. The same missile type killed 31 in a Ternopil apartment six months ago. The production line is still running.
Russia destroyed a section of a 9-story Kyiv apartment block overnight, killing 8 civilians in one of the war's largest combined attacks (updated). Across Ukraine, the same assault wounded seven more civilians near Kyiv, knocked out power for 31,000 near Chernihiv, hit Odesa's port, and struck Kharkiv.
Russia strikes Kramatorsk daily. The city is putting its monuments out of harm's way. The Donetsk Oblast city dismantled its monuments to prominent Ukrainians and sculptures, and shipped them outside the oblast for safekeeping.
Political and legal developments
First real crash test for Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions. The key question surrounding Ukraine's anti-corruption reforms was simple: could the system investigate people from the very top of political power?
Ukraine just placed one of its highest-ranking corruption suspects under court-ordered custody. An anti-corruption court placed ex-presidential chief of staff Yermak in 60-day custody. The case alleges he helped launder $11 million through an elite housing project.
Read our earlier daily review here.
