The Under Reported War 07 - 6th April 2025

Today is 1138 days into Putin’s 3-Day Special Military Operation

A weekly roundup of news from Ukraine you probably did not hear. All reports will be linked to their sources so you can read the original if you’d like to. If you have any questions or need more detail I’ll be happy to try to give you answers.

____________________________________________________________________________

Sunday March 30th - Saturday April 5th 2025

The Russian M-30 howitzer is a museum exhibit. It entered service in 1939. Today, it is being sent to the war in Ukraine. / Open-source photo

____________________________________________________________________________

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

It is amazing how many people I encounter think ceasefires are in force when none have been agreed. Both sides do look the other way when civilian shipping is detected, but that is not a ceasefire either. Sigh... it’s not their fault, it is just bad reporting.

Welcome to The Under Reported War.

General Christopher Cavoli gives evidence to the US Senate / Screengrab

Whilst the uproar over AI-generated tariffs dominated the news this week, there was pushback against the Russian talking point that they are winning the war with superior numbers and weapons. General Cavoli, NATO’s American Supreme Commander in Europe (for how much longer, I wonder?) kicked it off:

• “Christopher Cavoli states it's hard to imagine a major Ukrainian counteroffensive reclaiming every inch of land, but equally hard to imagine Ukraine losing the conflict. Ukraine's defeat is not inevitable.”
  https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3lly3hem2yk2t

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in Washington published a detailed analysis of claims that the Kremlin is planning three new offensives following Ukraine’s withdrawal from Kursk:

• “It is unlikely that the Russian military is capable of conducting three significant offensive efforts against major Ukrainian cities even after conducting such redeployments, as Russia has suffered significant armored vehicle and personnel losses over the last three years of fighting and has not demonstrated the ability to conduct complex operations involving multiple simultaneous axes of advance since Winter 2022.“
  https://www.iswresearch.org/2025/03/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment_29.html

Instead, the ISW suggests there is evidence Russia has a political objective of conquering the last few parts of Luhansk oblast:

• “Russian forces can leverage their expanded bridgehead northeast of Lyman to support the seizure of Borova or Lyman in the coming months… to seize the remaining one percent of Luhansk Oblast under Ukrainian control and complete Russia's long-standing goal of seizing the entirety of Luhansk Oblast.”
  https://www.iswresearch.org/2025/04/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment.html

This would not be militarily significant, but would allow Russia to claim a major victory (even though it is not). The reality is that the war is in a stalemate and, aside from some currently unforeseen event, will only be decided when one combatant outlasts the other.

• Ukraine conflict in stalemate, says War Studies expert
  https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/ukraine-conflict-in-stalemate-says-war-studies-expert/
  “Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman has challenged assumptions that Russia is making decisive gains in Ukraine, telling MPs that despite a renewed offensive launched in late 2023, Moscow’s progress has been minimal and its political objectives remain far out of reach.”

Sadly, almost all of this went unreported. I bet you didn’t hear that Russia only captured five square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in March either. At that rate it would take Russia more than eight thousand years to conquer the remainder of Ukraine. Eight thousand years! Of course, as the ground dries and weather improves, that will change but, for now, it’s still a valid number.

• The UK Defense Intelligence: Russia’s Advance in Ukraine Drops Sharply, Seeing Limited Gains in March
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/the_uk_defense_intelligence_russias_advance_in_ukraine_drops_sharply_march_sees_limited_gains-14083.html
  “In March 2025, daily advancement of Russian forces in Ukraine dropped to less than 5 sq km in a stark contrast to their prior momentum.”

And there’s also been pushback against claims that North Korean casualties were minimal:

• The UK Defense Intelligence: Severe Casualty Rates Cast Doubt on North Korea’s Ability to Sustain its Deployment
  https://en.defence-ua.com/analysis/the_uk_defense_intelligence_severe_casualty_rates_cast_doubt_on_north_koreas_ability_to_sustain_its_deployment-13996.html
  “As of March 2025, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) forces had highly likely sustained over 5,000 casualties in offensive combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Kursk region, with approximately a third of the casualties killed in action, according to the UK Defense Intelligence.”

____________________________________________________________________________

NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

Russian turtle tank explodes after FPV drone strike / Screen capture NOELREPORTS

With Russia running desperately short of modern vehicles and weapons, this section is mostly about Drones v Motorbikes / Ancient Trucks / Foot Soldiers with the inevitable results.

Don’t let anyone tell you Russia has overwhelming numbers of the latest armoured vehicles. The opposite is true. Russians have taken to ‘Lada storming’ the Ukrainian lines. They use old civilian cars, e-scooters, buggies, bathtub-sidecar motorbikes, bicycles, turtle tanks, log tanks, and now trucks from the 1950s in near-suicidal assaults.

• Russia’s Latest Combat Vehicle Is A Truck From 1952
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/29/russias-latest-combat-vehicle-is-a-truck-from-1952/
  “GAZ-69s appear along the front line… The GAZ-69 was one of the earliest Soviet off-road vehicles. The first example of the 3,500-pound, four-wheel-drive truck rolled off the assembly line at the Molotov plant in Moscow in 1952. The last was completed in 1972.”

An up-armoured GAZ-69 / Via SPECIAL KHERSON CAT

The assault described in the next two accounts demonstrates Russia’s problem. It features a bright turquoise open-top truck only a few years younger than the GAZ-69, and an awful lot of motorbikes. It ended badly for the Russians.

• Russian Troops Attacked Ukrainian Lines In A Bright Turquoise Light Truck With An Open Top
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/31/russian-troops-attacked-ukrainian-lines-in-a-bright-turquoise-light-truck-with-an-open-top/
  “One recent Russian assault was notable for how many unprotected vehicles it involved: four ATVs, 10 heavier vehicles, including at least one open-topped LuAZ-1302 and a startling 31 motorcycles.”

• 31 Russian Motorcycle Troops Got Massacred By Drones. What Hope Does A Solitary Bike Have?
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/04/01/one-russian-drone-teams-warhorse-is-a-pink-motorcycle-with-a-handmade-sidecar/
  “The riders carry smoke grenades to hide them from Ukrainian drones.
  
  The ongoing de-mechanization of the Russian military—from one of the world’s leading users of heavy armored vehicles to a force that routinely sends troops into battle in compact cars—is one of the major factors in the slowing pace of Russian advances on the most important battlefields in eastern Ukraine.”

The following two stories are also linked. They show what happens even when Russia manages to mass a dozen armoured vehicles, including its latest tank, the T-90, to attempt an assault. To rub salt into Russia’s wounds, Ukraine then used a battlefield robot drone to encase the abandoned tank in razorwire. Most likely, the Ukrinians will attempt to recover it for themselves.

• An Assault Group Attacked Pokrovsk While Flying A Giant Russian Flag—And Got Destroyed
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/30/an-assault-group-attacked-pokrovsk-while-flying-a-giant-russian-flag-and-got-destroyed/
  “It’s tempting fate to roll into a battle in Ukraine while flying a giant flag from your armored vehicle.”

• A Dying Russian Tank Wrecked Ukraine’s Razor Wire Defenses. A Robot Rode To The Rescue
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/30/a-damaged-russian-tank-wrecked-ukraines-razor-wire-defenses-so-the-ukrainians-sent-in-robots/
  “Unmanned ground vehicles can handle engineering tasks that are too dangerous for people. An overconfident, flag-waving Russian assault outside Pokrovsk on Thursday left behind ruined Russian vehicles and at least one smoldering corpse. It also wrecked a razor-wire barrier Ukrainian forces had erected to slow down Russian attacks.”

Stupid is, as stupid does as Forrest Gump would say.

• Whatever You Do, Don’t Drive Your Compact Car Into Battle With An Anti-Tank Mine In The Back
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/31/whatever-you-do-dont-drive-your-compact-car-into-battle-with-an-anti-tank-mine-in-the-back/
  “Russian troops learned the hard way that a Lada plus a mine equals ‘atomization’ when struck.”

The Lada with a mine in the back / Via MOKLASEN

In other stories, Ukraine claims a record amount of artillery destroyed in one day. Plus Russia is now fielding WWII-era weapons, and Ukraine destroys more highly expensive Russian electronic warfare equipment.

Until late 2023, Russian artillery dominated the battlefield. The major city of Severodonetsk and the smaller city of Bakhmut both fell because of the unceasing and intense concentration of artillery fire directed at their defenders. But day-by-day Ukraine hunted down Russia’s artillery pieces. Now, like their trucks and tanks, the Kremlin has to draw on ever older, less sophisticated guns as replacements for their catastrophic losses. Slower to operate and shorter range, these are easier for Ukraine’s reconnaissance drones and counter-battery radars to target. They now fall well within the range of FPV drones which target their barrels: the most important and expensive part of an artillery gun. Russia only has a limited supply of spare barrels.

You probably won’t have heard this on your news, but Russian artillery is falling quiet.

• Ukraine Destroys Record 122 Russian Artillery Pieces In One Day
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2025/04/01/ukraine-destroys-record-122-russian-artillery-pieces-in-one-day/
  “Ukraine is destroying record amounts of Russian artillery by deploying increasingly effective systems to locate and target big guns. In the last few weeks the action has shifted up a gear, with Ukraine claiming a staggering 122 artillery pieces on 28th March, the highest daily total ever.
  
  Ukraine reportedly destroyed some 1,644 guns in March, about triple the rate from 18 months ago. For comparison, the U.S. has about 3,000 artillery pieces, the British Army has 200 total.”

• M-30 Howitzers Fought in WW2, So Why [Are] Russians Actively Bringing Them Back to Service?
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/m_30_howitzers_fought_in_ww2_so_why_russians_actively_bring_them_back_to_service-14080.html
  “Reasons behind restoring these old articles of World War II-era equipment might extend beyond simple availability.”

Speaking of satellite guidance jamming. The Russians do it too. It came as a shock to the Americans how easily their GPS-guided bombs and missiles were forced off-target by jamming in the first two years of this war. These days, those weapons are hardened against electronic warfare. However, the best way to deal with a jammer is to blow it up.

• Ukrainian Forces Target Rare Russian Tirada-2 Electronic Warfare System (Video)
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_forces_target_rare_russian_tirada_2_electronic_warfare_system_video-14074.html
  “Ukrainian forces successfully struck a rare Russian electronic warfare system, known as the Tirada-2, marking a significant operational achievement.

The Tirada-2 GPS satellite jammer couldn’t protect itself from drone reconnaissance and a loitering munition / Screenshot from video

____________________________________________________________________________

WAR CRIMES

This was the hardest story of the week to read. NSFW.

• ‘We did what we were supposed to’: Russian soldier confesses to Bucha war crimes — Slidstvo.Info investigation
  https://english.nv.ua/russian-war/russian-soldier-confesses-to-bucha-murder-says-he-wants-to-return-to-war-and-take-revenge-50502578.html
  “Ukrainian investigative outlet Slidstvo.Info has obtained exclusive footage, including interrogation records and video from crime scene reenactments, along with an interview with a Russian soldier who killed a civilian in Bucha and witnessed his fellow servicemen torturing and raping Ukrainians.”

____________________________________________________________________________

THE DRONE WAR (LATEST BATTLEFIELD INNOVATIONS)

There are two journalists in particular who do stellar work reporting on drone innovations: David Hambling of Forbes Magazine and Sofiia Syngaivska at Defence Express. They’ve been very busy these last few weeks.

• Valuable Pros and Unexpected Cons of Ukraine's First Fiber-Optic UGVs [Unmanned Ground Vehicles]
  https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/valuable_pros_and_unexpected_cons_of_ukraines_first_fiber_optic_ugvs-14048.html
  “Ukrainian engineers took out for trials their aerial FPV drones operated via fiber-optic cables and, more interestingly, first ground combat robots based on the same principle.”
  
  https://www.twz.com/land/unmanned-ground-vehicles-controlled-via-fiber-optic-cables-being-tested-by-ukraine
  “The move is inspired by the success of fiber optic cables on first-person view (FPV) aerial drones used by both sides.”

There are many stories like the one below. Every week new, longer range, jamming-resistant, and faster Ukrainian drones either go into production or arrive on the battlefield.

• New Amaga-10 UAV Brings Speed and Precision to Ukrainian Military
  https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/new_amaga_10_uav_brings_speed_and_precision_to_ukrainian_military_defense_ministry-14075.html
  “Named after the Sarmatian warrior queen Amaga, the system honors a historic figure, symbolizing resilience and strength in Ukraine’s ongoing defense efforts.”

Cyber-warfare is also used against Russian drones. The next report highlights a particularly clever move because it now makes the Russians distrust the undamaged Ukrainian drones they find and then re-use. If one is infected, its malware can spread to other drones.

• Russians Capture Ukrainian Drones Which Infect Their Systems With Malware
  https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/1jn1eue/russian_complaining_that_ukrainian_fpv_combat/?rdt=37776
  “Russian complaining that Ukrainian FPV combat drones are often infected with computer viruses. Variants include burning out the USB port, preventing reflashing, or hijacking the repurposed FPV and revealing the operator location.”

Drone, mines, and artillery dominate this war. Reconnaissance drones work with artillery to target Russian armour and positions. Now drones are also equipped as highly efficient mine-carriers, laying individual mines behind Russian lines to explode when a vehicle passes.

• Mine Craft: Ukrainian Drones Add A New Dimension To Mine Warfare
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2025/04/03/mine-craft-ukrainian-drones-add-a-new-dimension-to-mine-warfare/
  “Surveillance drones spy out movements behind enemy lines, then drone mine layers leave explosives where they will do the most damage. Mines have changed up from being random hazards, to efficient precision weapons, as the Russians have discovered.
  
  The Ukrainians started mining with existing munitions, but rapid evolution has produced more capable mines which are now being made locally at scale. Drone mining puts mines exactly where they are needed and can be used to block an opponent’s advance or retreat, or cut their supply lines. Drones may quickly ring any static opponent with mines, penning them in.”

Russian map showing locations of mines laid by drones on logistics routes around Krynky / Russian Telegram via Roy

____________________________________________________________________________

THE DRONE WAR (THE LONG-RANGE WAR)

The Optikovolokonnye Sistemy fibre optic cable plant in Saransk hit by kamikaze drones / Screenshot

Ukraine’s ‘Upstream of the Boom’ drone and missile campaign against Russia’s weapon supplies continues. The idea is that more damage is done and more lives saved by attacking the industries that keep the Russian military going.

This week’s big news (again captured on video but not seen any Western news source) is the only Russian factory that manufactures fibre-optic cable (four million kilometres of it annually) was targeted. As many of you will now know, fibre-optic drones now dominate the battlefield. Drones also attacked an industrial plant in Chapayevsk. There are few details but it was most likely either the Promsintez JSC which manufactures 30,000 tons of explosives a year, or the Polimer plant explosive plant.

• Ukrainian Drones Strike Unique Optical Fiber Plant After Traveling Up To 1,500 km Inside Russia
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_drones_strike_unique_optical_fiber_plant_after_traveling_up_to_1500_km_inside_russia-14079.html
  “Among the primary targets was the Optikovolokonnye Sistemy plant, Russia’s sole manufacturer of fiber-optic cables used in drones and other applications.”

Russia tosses ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities several times a week. Meanwhile, Ukraine is building its own, and also restoring ancient Tochka-U missiles left behind when the Soviet Union collapsed.

• Ukraine’s 2-Ton Strike Missiles Are Back In Action
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/04/01/ukraines-2-ton-ballistic-missiles-are-back-in-action/
  “A fresh batch of Tochka-Us reached the front line around January.”

Reloading a Tochka-U launcher / Ukrainian Ministry of Defence

____________________________________________________________________________

THE DRONE WAR (THE WAR AT SEA)

You would think Russia would not be foolish enough to put any vessels within range of Ukraine mini-carrier drone ships. Apparently not.

• Ukrainian Drones Destroy Russian BK-16 Landing Craft and Raptor Vessel Near Crimea (Video)
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_drones_destroy_russian_bk_16_landing_craft_and_raptor_vessel_near_crimea_video-14039.html
  “The unit’s drones skilfully evaded Russian air defense missiles and successfully struck two significant targets: a BK-16 landing craft and a Raptor [patrol ship]. In addition to these attacks, the drones also targeted a Russian Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile system”

____________________________________________________________________________

GRIMLY HILARIOUS MOMENTS OF THE WEEK

In a week where President Trump placed tariffs on ten thousand King Penguins; the sole occupants of the Heard and McDonald Islands, and also used AI-generated gibberish to calculate the size of those global tariffs, I thought it would be hard to find anything as funny but simultaneously grim. I was wrong.

• UK Defence Journal Tricks Russian State Media
  https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-defence-journal-tricks-russian-state-media/
  “Russian state media outlet RT has published a story claiming that the United Kingdom is preparing to build a third Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier — this one supposedly named HMS Prince Andrew — citing the UK Defence Journal as its source.
  
  RT’s report lifted lines from the April 1st article and presented them as genuine analysis, omitting all context that marked the piece as parody. It quoted: “Brian Robertson, a senior analyst at the DMCS [Daily Mail Comment Section] think tank, called the decision to expand the fleet ‘a waste of money and lives.’ He stressed that one strike would turn the carrier into ‘a pile of scrap metal.’”

Doh! / UK Defence Journal

____________________________________________________________________________

AIR WAR

Ukraine is suddenly bombing heavily-defended key Russian positions behind the frontline. It might be no coincidence that F-16s equipped with powerful electronic warfare counter-measures are now flying close to the frontline (see last week’s bulletin). For the last three years, to do so was an extremely dangerous option, one Ukraine rarely took.

This video is extraordinary. You can see the bunker entrance in the lower centre-right of the image. Ukraine flew a smart bomb through it.

• Russian Commanders Ducked Into A Buried Bunker. A Ukrainian MiG Hurled A Precision Bomb Right Through The Door
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/31/russian-commanders-ducked-into-a-buried-bunker-a-ukrainian-mig-hurled-a-precision-bomb-right-through-the-door/
  “To Russian commanders in Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine, a defunct air defense command bunker—once associated with a Ukrainian air force S-300 missile battery—may have seemed like a safe location for a field headquarters… On or just before Monday, one of [Ukraine’s] supersonic MiGs hurled a GBU-62 glide bomb, seemingly sending the winged munition right through the bunker’s door.”

Neutralising Russian air defences and reconnaissance drones is still clearly a high priority.

• Ukrainian UAV Forces Continue Successful Hunt for Russian Air Defenses, Destroy 2 Modified Buk and One Tor SAM Systems (Video)
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_uav_forces_continue_successful_hunt_for_russian_air_defenses_destroy_2_modified_buk_and_one_tor_sam_systems_video-14053.html
  Russian air defense suffers multimillion-dollar losses in Donetsk

• Ukrainian Forces Successfully Target Russian Albatros M5 Drone for the First Time (Video)
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_forces_successfully_target_russian_albatros_m5_drone_for_the_first_time_video-14052.html
  “Rare Albatros M5 drone, equipped with AI-driven surveillance capabilities, is neutralized in combat.”

Russia destroyed one of its own dams.

• A Russian Jet Just Blew Up A Russian Dam With A Thermobaric Bomb
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/04/02/a-russian-jet-just-bombed-a-russian-dam-with-a-thermobaric-munition/
  “Ukrainian positions near the dam were the apparent target for the new fuel-air bomb, which would be an odd choice for destroying earthworks.”

A lot of Russia’s air losses in this war have been due to crashes. This is where sanctions have hit hard. Replacement engines and electronics are scarce and the strategic bomber force is particularly vulnerable.

• One Of Russia’s 60 Swing-Wing Tu-22M Bombers Just Crashed
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/04/02/one-of-russias-swing-wing-tu-22m-bombers-just-crashed-its-the-fifth-loss-since-2022/
  “It’s the fifth Tu-22M loss since 2022. Two crashed, two were struck by drones and one was shot down. But Russia has plenty more bombers—and can keep striking Ukrainian cities.”

____________________________________________________________________________

RUSSIAN INFORMATION WARFARE

If Dante were alive today, there would be a new circle of hell for these guys / screengrab

“Russian propagandists gathered in a circle to share the "golden standards" of Russian wartime propaganda. They discuss why the truth must be avoided and argue that a true propagandist should genuinely believe the lies they spread.”

https://bsky.app/profile/wartranslated.bsky.social/post/3llykuamxn22v

____________________________________________________________________________

FOREIGN AID & INVESTMENT IN UKRAINE

A Helsing HF-1 plywood loitering munition hidden in a highway underpass is prepared for a sortie / Julian Röpcke

More sophisticated, but quick-to-build drones have been delivered.

• Smart Plywood Drone Helsing HF-1 Makes Difference in Ukraine: Quantities and Operational Details Revealed
  https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/smart_plywood_drone_helsing_hf_1_makes_difference_in_ukraine_quantities_and_operational_details_revealed-14090.html
  “With four thousand already delivered, German company Helsing is to supply Ukrainian forces with 10,000 of these loitering munitions, which, despite their crude design, prove their worth by destroying Russian logistics and air defense equipment hidden behind enemy lines.”

The big push to launch joint ventures with Ukraine continues. Denmark announced another weapons package bought from Ukrainian manufacturers. Denmark really is the best ally. It’s all part of what Ursula von der Leyen calls turning Ukraine into a ‘Steel Porcupine”.

• Deputy Defense Ministers of Ukraine Met with Rheinmetall’s CEO to Expand Local Production
  https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/deputy_defense_ministers_of_ukraine_met_with_rheinmetalls_ceo_to_expand_local_production-14082.html
  “Localization, repair capacity, and specialist training dominate agenda during key defense industry talks.”

• How Nearly $1 Billion From Denmark’s New Aid Package for Ukraine Will Be Spent
  https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/how_nearly_1_billion_from_denmarks_new_aid_package_for_ukraine_will_be_spent-14062.html
  “The Danish government has announced its 25th aid package for Ukraine, totalling 6.7 billion Danish kroner (approximately $970 million). These funds will be used to procure new weapons, including through the so-called "Danish model," where weapons for Ukraine are purchased from Ukrainian manufacturers. This involves long-term contracts, as the implementation period, according to the official statement, spans from 2025 to 2027.”

Sweden continues its stealthy preparations for arming Ukraine with Gripen jet fighters. This time it’s equipment for an airfield.

• Sweden to Supply Ukraine with Weapons in a $1.6 Billion Aid Package, with an Unexpected Hint at Gripen or Saab 340 AEW&C
  https://en.defence-ua.com/news/sweden_to_supply_ukraine_with_weapons_in_a_16_billion_aid_package_with_an_unexpected_hint_at_gripen_or_saab_340_aewc-14035.html
  “Sweden provides Ukraine with the largest aid package, which, in addition to armored vehicles and air defense systems, includes equipment and machinery for an airbase.”

Putin Really is a Genius Part 786: The Russia’s invasion kick-started Europe’s defence industries into expansion, giving it a three year lead-up to Trump’s foolishness.

• Real Results of Europe's Post-Invasion $5.5-Billion Investments in Defense Industry Boost
  https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/real_results_of_europes_55_billion_investments_in_defense_industry_boost-14059.html
  “From 2021 to the end of 2024, European defense companies have invested at least $5.5 billion in expanding their production capacities for weapons, ammunition, and equipment.”

Finally, the results of a NATO competition to come up with solutions to Russia’s glide bombs have been announced. Sensibly, Ukrainians were on the jury.

• NATO Has Identified Effective Countermeasures Against Russian Glide Bombs, With Strong Support From Ukraine, and Launched a New Innovation Challenge
  https://en.defence-ua.com/events/nato_has_identified_effective_countermeasures_against_russian_glide_bombs_with_strong_support_from_ukraine_and_launched_a_new_innovation_challenge-14049.html
  “The three selected solutions received high praise from Ukraine, as Ukrainian military personnel were part of the NATO Innovation Challenge jury.”

Russian glide bombs (FAB with UMPK) / Russian Defence Ministry

____________________________________________________________________________

EUROPE REARMS

Even Greece, long-time sick man of Europe, is re-arming. And America struggles to understand why no one wants to buy weapons from them, even though, in the short term, most European nations will have to.

• Greece announces ‘drastic’ €25B transformation of defense strategy
  https://www.politico.eu/article/greece-defense-strategy-armed-forces-donald-trump-nato/
  “The country is splashing the cash on its military after years of austerity.”

• Washington Hits Europe With Tariffs, Threatens Forceful Annexation, and Then Demands to Buy American weapons
  https://en.defence-ua.com/analysis/washington_hits_europe_with_tariffs_threatens_forceful_annexation_and_then_demands_to_buy_american_weapons-14081.html
  “EU countries have been the largest buyers of American weapons in the world, providing 64% of all U.S. defense sales, but Trumpists' actions might change it all too quickly. Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, Marco Rubio, warned his European colleagues that excluding American companies from defense tenders would be "seen negatively by Washington" during a meeting with the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia on March 25.”

___________________

Gratuitous photo of King Penguins on Heard Island. Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on this uninhabited island near Antarctica / Source: Matt Curnock/Australian Antarctic Division