Ukraine Defence Forces

Russia's Ministry of Defence says its forces downed hundreds of Ukrainian drones overnight, including 330 in one night and 873 over 24 hours across Saratov region and other areas. It also reported fighting to capture villages in Ukraine's Kharkiv region and a strike on a data centre in Mykolaiv. The claims come from the ministry itself and have not been independently confirmed.

The Netherlands is discussing additional F-16 support for Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasising the aircraft's role in shooting down Iranian-designed Shahed drones used in Russian attacks. The Dutch have been among the leading suppliers of F-16 jets and training to Ukraine's air force.

A recent RAND study warns that Europe's shortfalls in conventional military capabilities could push a future conflict toward nuclear escalation. The argument is that if NATO's European members cannot credibly deter or halt a conventional attack with conventional forces, escalation to nuclear weapons becomes more likely. The finding has drawn attention amid ongoing debates over European defence spending and deterrence posture.

The Ukrainian Air Force has released cockpit footage from a MiG-29 fighter jet showing the aircraft shooting down a Russian jet-powered attack drone with an R-60M air-to-air missile. The clip offers a rare first-person view of Ukraine's air defence operations against the Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones Russia regularly launches at Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Ukraine's Air Force says its air defences destroyed 114 Russian drones launched during an overnight attack, according to the Italian news agency Agenzia Nova. The report highlights the continued scale of Russian drone strikes on Ukraine, which have become a near-nightly feature of the war and a growing strain on Ukrainian air defence resources.

Germany has included counter-drone interceptor systems in a new air defence package for Ukraine. The delivery is aimed at helping Ukrainian forces counter the growing threat from Russian drones and unmanned aircraft. The move adds to Berlin's extensive military support for Kyiv since the start of the full-scale war.

German defence company HENSOLDT is to supply additional radar systems to Ukraine, according to a report by Unmanned Airspace. The new deliveries would add to the surveillance and sensor equipment the company has already provided to Ukrainian forces since Russia's full-scale invasion began. The news highlights Germany's ongoing role in arming Ukraine and the growing demand for European defence manufacturers' equipment amid the prolonged war.

Poland will strengthen its border with Ukraine by stationing new forces in the Lublin region. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said a new motorised brigade, a drone systems brigade, and a battalion with an additional Patriot air-defence unit will be deployed there. The move aims to bolster security along NATO's eastern flank amid the ongoing war.

Cockpit footage from a Ukrainian MiG-29 captures the interception of a Russian jet-powered drone with an R-60M air-to-air missile. The recording shows the missile launching from the fighter jet before striking the drone. The clip is drawing attention as Russia continues to field faster, harder-to-stop drones, forcing Ukrainian pilots to spend costly air-to-air missiles on them.

Ukraine's automated robotic gun turrets have shot down Russian jet-powered attack drones, including the Geran-5, according to Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat. He said the turrets use machine vision and artificial intelligence to track and engage fast-moving targets that conventional air defences struggle to intercept, marking a shift toward autonomous systems in drone defence.

Ukraine's National Guard has signed a contract with German partners for the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles and ground control stations. The agreement adds to the growing defence cooperation between Ukraine and Germany as Kyiv continues to secure Western equipment for its armed forces. Details on the number of drones, the suppliers, and the delivery timeline have not yet been made public.

A spokesman for Ukraine's Air Force said anti-aircraft gun turrets have already shot down jet-powered UAVs. The claim highlights the growing role of gun-based air defences against faster drones in the war, as Ukraine faces a rising number of sophisticated unmanned aerial threats that are harder to intercept with missiles alone.

Russia's defence ministry said on Monday its forces struck two Ukrainian cargo vessels in the Black Sea, targeting fuel storage facilities at the port of Chornomorsk. The announcement adds to ongoing strikes on Ukrainian port and shipping infrastructure, which Kyiv and its partners say threaten civilian shipping and grain exports in the region. Ukraine has not confirmed the details as reported by Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian pilots will soon begin training on French Rafale fighter jets, following a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. The move signals deepening Franco-Ukrainian defence cooperation as Ukraine continues seeking advanced Western aircraft to strengthen its air force against Russian attacks.

Ukraine's Air Force reports its air defence forces destroyed 172 Russian drones launched in an overnight attack on the country. It is one of the larger single-night drone barrages of the war, part of Russia's sustained campaign of nightly drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Further details on damage or casualties were not immediately given.

Reports describe a race by analysts and armed forces to understand the technology behind a Russian jet-powered attack drone being used in the war against Ukraine. Interest centres on its speed, range and design, with implications for air defences and for what the weapon reveals about Russian military capability.

Ukraine's General Staff reports that Ukrainian forces carried out strikes on a Russian Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system and a drone launch site. The announcement, carried by Ukrainian media, highlights Kyiv's ongoing campaign against Russian air defences and drone infrastructure, though no independent confirmation or details on damage have been provided so far.

Ukraine reports that its air defence forces intercepted more than 91% of the drones launched by Russia during a large overnight attack. German-language Ukraine news outlets are carrying the figure, highlighting the scale of the nightly drone bombardments and the performance of Ukraine's interception systems in repelling most of them.

A claim circulating in Finnish and European political discussion argues that people must seriously consider what will be one of Europe's strongest future security guarantees, and contends that it is the Ukrainian army — described as the most modern military force. The argument frames Ukraine's battle-hardened forces as central to European defence thinking amid ongoing concern over Russia, prompting debate about Europe's reliance on Ukrainian military experience and capability.

Russian forces struck a bridge in Kyiv as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was visiting the Ukrainian capital, during which he pledged continued German aid to Ukraine. The attack underlined the ongoing Russian strikes on Kyiv's infrastructure and came at a symbolic moment, with a senior European leader in the city reaffirming support for Ukraine's defence.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) is calling on Ukrainians not to film or share photos and videos of enemy attacks, particularly footage of strikes on military targets and critical infrastructure, as well as air defence operations. The SBU warns such recordings can be used not only by Russian propagandists but also by enemy military forces to assess damage and adjust future strikes.

Patrick Bolder, a former Dutch air force lieutenant colonel, says Russia is reducing its use of ballistic missiles and instead attacking Ukraine with jet-powered drones, aiming to stockpile ballistic weapons for large-scale winter strikes. The assessment suggests Moscow is conserving its missile arsenal while sustaining pressure on Ukrainian air defences through cheaper drone attacks.

Ukrainian defence forces struck the Khanskaya military airfield in the Russian republic of Adygea, and a fire broke out at the site, according to reports circulating on social media. The airfield, located deep inside Russian territory, has been a repeated target of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes during the war.