The Under Reported War Issue 37
Zebra camouflage /Shahed launch site attacked / Ukrainian drones put on a show for Putin's guests / Russia's catastrophic transport losses continue / Russian info war drives fear of immigrants
Welcome to a weekly roundup of news from the war in Ukraine you probably did not hear about.
All reports are linked to their sources so you can read the original if you’d like to. If you have any questions, detect errors and omissions, or need more detail, just let me know.
ON THIS DAY
On this day in 1944, forces from Britain, Canada, France, and America landed on Normandy beaches to drive fascism from Europe. By the way, today is Day 1,564 of Putin’s 3-Day Special Military Operation.
Here are some of the things you probably did not hear about for the week covering Sunday 31st May to Saturday 6th June 2026.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Two weeks ago, Russia fired two Oreshnik ballistic missiles, AKA Putin’s kinetic superweapon, at Kyiv. One missile demolished some garages in Bila Tserkva, a long way south of the capital. The second flew even further off-target. Its ground zero was on the wrong side of the frontline. It landed inside Russian-occupied Donetsk. (See the bonus issue: ORESHNIK SPECIAL - A parable of Russia’s military and technical incompetence.)
This week, Putin tried to spin this fiasco as a success:
““We struck places where it was convenient to assess the results. That applies both to Bila Tserkva and, even more so, to the area of the so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’. Afterward, our drones flew in – to the shed that had been hit – and simply examined how the warheads had landed.”
As Peter Pomeranstev pointed out two decades ago: in Russia nothing is true and everything is possible.
FOUR HEADLINES THAT NEVER WERE
(BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN)
As ever, welcome to The Under Reported War
DESPERATE RUSSIA TRIES DAZZLE PAINT
Dazzle camouflage is an idea borrowed from World War One. To spoil the aim of U-boat commanders, the ships in a convoy were painted in black-and-white stripes. Their overlapping patterns made it very hard to pick out a single target through a periscope lens. That’s the hope here: that the machine recognition algorithm in a drone will not be able to pick out a truck. I can’t help thinking it won’t end very well for the driver of this truck.
It might work. But it probably won’t because recognition software looks for the shape of a target, not its colour scheme.
Facing Ukrainian AI Drones, Russia Experiments with WWI Dazzle Camouflage
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“In what may be a desperate search for protection against Ukrainian drones equipped with machine-vision systems, Russian forces have turned to a century-old camouflage concept from World War I. More of these zebra-striped KamAZ trucks may soon begin appearing near the front line.”
UKRAINE BOMBARDS WAR CRIMINALS
Videos of notorious war criminals getting their comeuppance should be catnip for news editors. Shame they’re not cats then, just lazy, disinterested, and not very good at their jobs.
Russian brigade that committed war crimes in Bucha hit by Ukrainian drone strike
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“[“Drones] struck the positions of Russia’s 64th Separate Motorized Rifle brigade, one of the units responsible for the massacre of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha during the early days of the full-scale invasion.
MORE MISSILE DEFENCE ARRIVES IN UKRAINE
In the aftermath of the huge Russian drone and missile attack this week, you would think the continuing flow of anti-missile batteries into Ukraine might get a mention. Apparently not. These are not the desperately needed Patriot missiles, but IRIS-T is an important part of Ukraine’s integrated air defence.
Ukraine Receives Tenth IRIS-T Air Defense Battery From Germany
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“An IRIS-T SLM air defense battery consists of three launchers, one TRML-4D radar, and one command post…
…It is expected that by the end of the year, Ukraine will receive two more [batteries]. In addition, work is underway on a project to modernize previously delivered IRIS-T SLM air defense batteries, as well as those scheduled for delivery in the near future.”
THREE HUNDRED DE-MINERS
Surpassing three hundred de-mining vehicles in Ukraine is a celebration both of the international community’s support and of Ukrainian industry. You wouldn’t have to go too near the frontline to report on this. You can even film or photograph these dramatic machines at work from a safe distance. How could any self-respecting journalist resist a story like this? Turns out every single western reporter in Ukraine can.
Ukraine’s de-mining vehicle fleet exceeds 300 machines
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“Most are foreign systems, including GCS, DOK-ING and Bozena, while Ukrainian-made GERMINA, Hart 5100, Zmiy and others are also clearing liberated areas.”
NEWS FROM THE DRONE WALL
RUSSIAN SPRING-SUMMER OFFENSIVE GOES INTO REVERSE
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Ukrainian Troops Counterattack Near Lyman - But Don’t Get Excited
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“The goal: to cut across a Russian salient pointed at Sloviansk”
It was a very local counter-attack and Russian drones took a heavy toll. However, the news has inspired gloom in some of the Russian milblogger community.
“Russia may be forced back to its 1991 borders.”
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“As far as I can tell from my understanding of the situation on the battlefields of the Special Military Operation, we’ve already lost sight of the option of freezing the line of contact.”
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ROBOT WARS ROUNDUP
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Inside the Effort to Build Ukraine’s Ground Robot Arsenal
UGVs Lead the Assault in Kharkiv Region Clearing Operation (Video)
Ukrainian ground robot brought down Russian position without exposing infantry to mined approach across debris (VIDEO)
Ukrainian Volya-E UGV Converted Into Combat Platform
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UNJAMMABLE DRONES
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Meet the Sussex man who runs Ukraine drone factory
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“He has since established the country’s largest volunteer-run drone factory, which he said has destroyed more than 100 million dollars (£79 million) worth of Russian equipment in the last year…
“The Russians can jam all they want, our babies just laugh and keep flying like they run on renewables…..We’re about to delete A LOT of Russian logistics.””
Ukraine’s Jam-Proof Bomber Drones Are Hunting The Jammers
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“Ukrainian drone-maker Skyfall has upgraded its iconic Vampire bomber drone to fly right through Russian electronic warfare. Now the hexacopters attack the jammers themselves.”
RUSSIA’S ‘INVINCIBLE’ WAR MACHINE
SCRAPYARD NEWS
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Russia is already using trucks built in WWII, so I’m not sure if this is fresh news, but it is great that the OSINT guys have started counting how many are in storage.
Russia is losing so many trucks it’s now eyeing Cold War scrap
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“The number of old Cold War cargo vehicles in storage in Russia [is] 40,000-50,000. That’s more trucks than most armies have in their entire inventories, but it’s also just 100 days’ worth of trucks at the current rate of loss across the logistical zone.
Worse for Russian logisticians, most of the stored trucks have been parked “for decades without proper maintenance,” according to Jompy. “Most are junk.”
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HOW NOT TO EVADE DRONES
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This is possibly the dumbest news of the week.
Russian soldiers unhappy that health and safety inspectors ordered them to put up bright red fire safety equipment
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“A commission from Moscow visited some of our units’ temporary deployment locations. They ordered us to remove camouflage nets, as they violate fire safety regulations, and to hang up red signs.”
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NOT-SO-SUPER-WEAPON RENAMED AFTER PUTIN’S GRANDFATHER
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These machine are not very common on the battlefield. Why? Because they are very expensive and don’t work very well.
The ‘Terminator’ is no more
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“Russia’s BMPT Terminator, famed for its wobbly autocannons, is to be renamed the ‘Spirodon’ has attracted criticism from Russian warbloggers. Perhaps not coincidentally, Spirodon also was the first name of Vladimir Putin’s paternal grandfather.
RUSSIA’S NEXT MOBILISATION
MASS MOBILISATION PREPARATION CONTINUES
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Russia Steps Up Mobilization Orders Under the Guise of “Data Verification”
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“In early 2026, Russians increasingly started receiving mobilization orders during visits to military enlistment offices, where they were summoned under the pretext of updating personal data…”
[An} analysis of online search trends [shows]… Since late March, Google has recorded a sharp rise in searches for the term “mobilization order,” with search activity peaking in early April… Some of the most popular searches included: “received a mobilization order,” “how long is a mobilization order valid,” and “red mobilization order.”
A shaken Russian man after receiving mobilization papers at the military office (Video)
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“Officials told him “better sign a contract than get mobilized later,” calling it an “exciting, worrying situation” as recruitment ramps up.”
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ENDING THE ‘HOT PHASE’ BEFORE WINTER
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Whist Putin’s characteristically vacillates over initialising a full mobilisation, apparently Ukraine sees a chance to end the war. It sounds over-optimistic but it is significant that this is being talked about openly.
Why Ukraine is talking about ending ‘hot phase’ of Russia’s war before winter
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“The biggest obstacle remains Russia’s maximalist demands….[and]…Ukraine maintains that freezing the current front line represents the most realistic basis for a ceasefire.”
FWIW, my take is that Putin wants to believe he is winning and will never compromise.
NEWS OF THE MIDDLE STRIKE
THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING
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This week’s total of wrecked trucks, vans, and wagons is just short of three thousand. Don’t forget that this time last year, Russia had multiple offensives underway and supply routes then would have been very busy, which puts this week’s huge totals in startling context.
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LAST WEEK’S PREDICTION CAME TRUE
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Last week, a Russian milblogger suggested queues at border checkpoints would make good hunting grounds for Ukrainian drones (ISSUE 36). How right he was. In the video below, at 0:53 seconds, a Ukrainian drone swings by the Izvaryne border crossing in Luhansk.
Drones Cruise Over Occupied Luhansk Unharmed (Video)
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“Operators of the 3rd Assault Brigade’s Unmanned Systems Battalion struck Russian logistics targets in Luhansk Oblast, reaching as far as the Izvaryne border checkpoint.”
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SHIPPING & RAILWAY MIDDLE STRIKE NEWS
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Now that Middle Strike drones have made life difficult for trucks, Russia is looking to the alternatives to keep supplies flowing. So Ukraine is stopping them there too.
Zozulia UAVs struck ammunition ship in Berdyansk port
Five vessels attacked overnight in Mariupol, Berdyansk and coastal waters
Tanker and two cargo ships struck in Taganrog Bay
Ukrainian Drones Strike Two Russian Locomotives on Key Crimean Rail Line (Video)
Ukraine’s Rocket Drones Aim To Blow Up Entire Russian Fuel Trains
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SHAHED LAUNCH BASE BLASTED
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Donetsk Airport was on the frontline for many years after the war started in 2014. It has now been converted to a large scale Shahed/Geran launch site.
Donetsk Airport has been converted into a launch base for Russian kamikaze drones
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“Hardened concrete shelters are erected on the runways, aprons, and taxiways to protect Shahed drones from attack. More than 130 shelters have been built, along with 4 concrete warehouses and 4 launch pads.”
Two days after this satellite image was taken on June 4th, Ukraine attacked:
Ukrainian Drones Put Donetsk Airport Under Fire Control (video)
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“Russia’s use of the temporarily occupied Donetsk Airport as a logistics and drone-launch hub has come under increasing pressure after Ukrainian drone operators established what they describe as “fire control” over the facility…
The video shows operators using FP-2 strike drones to destroy launcher systems and military vehicles, as well as target their crews directly on the airport’s runway.”
In the video on link1 you can see how the drone pilots struggled for fine control of their drones in what must have been a challenging crosswind. It’s worth remembering that we usually only see the hits and not the misses on these videos.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF OPERATIONAL SECURITY
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First, we had this news:
Ukrainian Forces Launch Big Boom Drones From Big Rig Trucks
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“The Ukrainians launch at least some of the FP-1s and FP-2s from modified civilian-style tractor trailers that presumably travel along Ukraine’s highways. The trailers open along the side, revealing at least three FP-1/2s on cradles. New nighttime imagery depicts the trailers.”
But, as reporter David Axe pointed out, the images gave away too many details of the launch truck’s appearance and shape. The inevitable then happened:
Ukraine Revealed Its Truck Drone Launcher. Russia Promptly Blew It Up
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“Four days later on June 3, Russian forces released daytime imagery of a drone strike on one of these Ukrainian truck launchers. The Russian drone scored a direct hit. The Ukrainian truck burned.”
It may not have been as a direct consequence of the video footage, but why give your enemy an even break?
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OTHER MIDDLE STRIKE NEWS
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Ukraine scared Russian insurers into blocking all civilian-hauled oil supplies to Crimea
“Total drone terror” is now taking place across the entire occupied region
Morrigan Strike Drone Debuts( Video)
Why Ukraine Drones Mine Russian Supply Routes
Ukraine’s New Winged FPVs Hit Targets Sixty Miles Behind Russian Lines
GHOST FLEET NEWS
FRENCH SEIZE GHOST TANKER IN ATLANTIC
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French forces seized the sanctioned tanker Tagor in the Atlantic
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“Macron said the operation was carried out in open waters with several partners, including the UK. Macron said ships evading sanctions help finance Russia’s war against Ukraine. “
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FAKE ID FOR THE GHOST FLEET
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San Marino is famous for its Formula One grand prix race and, er, that’s it. I bet you didn’t know this minuscule land-locked nation embedded in Italy’s mountains registers a fleet of ghost tankers? So does Botswana, a rather larger African nation so far from the sea that its largest river terminates in a huge swamp instead of flowing to the coast.
Why Are So Many Tankers Suddenly Flying African Flags? Follow Russia’s Oil Money
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“The West imposed the largest sanctions regime in modern history on Russia. Moscow responded by building a parallel maritime system stretching from the UAE to Africa, where weak maritime registries became cover for its shadow fleet…”
Russia re-registered so many ships after sanctions were introduced that their new host nations are easily identified.
At least 19 fully fraudulent registries have been identified in Africa, including those tied to Angola, Benin, Eswatini, Malawi, and Mozambique. These involve fake websites issuing flag registrations without the knowledge of the respective states. At the same time, 91% of vessels using such registries were already under Western sanctions.”
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STOLEN UKRAINIAN GRAIN
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Swedish court seizes the CAFFA vessel
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“[“It was] accused of systematically exporting Ukrainian products from occupied territories. Ukrainian prosecutors said it is the first foreign court-approved ship arrest at Kyiv’s request
Ukraine has accused Russia of systematically exporting grain from occupied territories, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha saying more than 850,000 metric tons were shipped from occupied Ukrainian regions between January and April 2026.”
UKRAINE’S LONG-RANGE WAR
Apart from a gunpowder factory and an aviation and missile control plant, most of this week’s big drone attacks were focused on oil refining and distribution. However, the headline act was undoubtedly Putin’s annual economic get-together being pooped in St.Petersburg when Ukrainian drones struck both at an oil export terminal and at Russia’s iconic Kronstadt naval base, setting ablaze a corvette from the Baltic Fleet.
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UKRAINIAN FIREWORKS UPSTAGE PUTIN SHOWCASE
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At no stage were any air defences used save for a few ineffective automatic weapons fired by private guards at the oil depot. Kronstadt is a vital naval base for Russia. It appears to have no air defences at all.
Strike drones targeted St. Petersburg on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum
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“A large-scale fire broke out in Saint Petersburg following a strike by Ukrainian drones. The target was the Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of Russia’s largest oil infrastructure facilities on the Baltic Sea..
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 [is] Russia’s flagship annual event aimed at showcasing the country’s economy and attracting foreign investment.”
Drone Attack on Baltic Fleet Corvette in Kronstadt Dry dock
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“Particularly notable is that the strike was carried out using guided strike drones controlled in real time 900 km from Ukraine..’
In recent years, Boykiy has been frequently associated with escort missions involving Russia’s shadow fleet, alongside its regular duties with the Baltic Fleet.”
The Boikiy was in dry-dock. The drones aimed straight for the superstructure where all the most expensive radars and electronics are inbstalled. The corvette is worth abut $400m but is so badly damaged, it may not be worth repairing. The attacking drone cost approximately $55K.
Dockside Footage of the Strike on the corvette Boykiy (VIDEO)
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“One crew member was killed in the attack.”
Fire hoses seen on satellite image of Steregushchiy-class corvette Boykiy
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“Russian firefighting crews can be seen attempting to extinguish the fire aboard the vessel after the strike.”
You have to ask, as ever, why this spectacular double attack was not shown on mainstream news around the world? Putin, of course, had a hot take as demented as those of his milblogger fan-boys:
Kronstadt drone attack - Putin claims only consequence was a coal fire
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“Commenting on the recent Ukrainian drone attack on St. Petersburg, Putin claimed that the only consequence was a coal fire. “Kyiv achieved some noise and smoke at the Coal Harbor when the coal caught fire. They achieved only a media effect.”“
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REFINERY STRIKE ROUNDUP
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Ukrainian Drone Commander: Attacking Russian Oil Refineries Has Been Surprisingly Easy - Interview
Russia Restricting Exports - Claims of Nearly 9,000 Drones Shot Down in May Failed to Save Oil Refining
Volgograd Oil Refinery Halts Operations Following Ukrainian Drone Attack
Saratov Refinery Ablaze - Damage to Key Processing Units Reported
Neptune Missiles Knock Out Two Units at Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery
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ANOTHER KEY OIL PIPELINE NODE ATTACKED
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Ukrainian drones hit the Lazarevo pipeline station in Kirov region
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“[This LPDS was] built to transit Siberian oil to central Russia and the Baltic port of Primorsk. The governor confirmed the strike and banned locals from sharing any detail…
The Lazarevo Linear Production and Dispatch Station is located 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) from Ukraine’s border and is linked to the Druzhba main pipeline system, enabling the Kremlin to rapidly transfer oil between two of the largest pipeline networks in the European part of Russia.”
RUSSIA’S LONG-RANGE WAR
This 700+ Shahed, cruise and ballistic missles attack got the big headlines around the world, so I won’t cover that. Instead, here’s some news about how Ukraine goes about shooting down 90-95% of them.
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APPROACHING JET AIRCRAFT SPEEDS
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This video is worth watching, if only because you can see just how fast interceptor drones might soon be flying.
Quantum Systems Chases 700 km/h Drone Speed Record With an Interceptor Drone as Real Goal (Video)
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“German сompany Quantum Systems сlose Ukraine partner is building racing drone to break world speed record, with lessons feeding into an interceptor drone.”
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“CLEAN SKY” SKY SENTINELS BRING DOWN NEARLY 100 DRONES IN ONE NIGHT
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Sky Sentinels Deployed to Protect Kyiv
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“Ukraine [deployed its] newest automated remote-controlled turrets in Kyiv Oblast during Russia’s 729-weapon overnight attack on June1-2.
The “Clean Sky” project teams shot down nearly 100 Russian drones on the oblast’s perimeters during the latest strike alone… The Sky Sentinel costs one-hundredth the price of comparable US systems.
Meanwhile, the UK is also delivering more than 20 remotely guided counter-drone turrets, acquired from Estonia, to Ukraine in 2026 as part of a £600 million air-defense package, the UK government announced in November 2025.
The [plan] is to build automated cannon-and-radar systems as a sustainable layer beneath the missile-based Patriot, SAMP/T, and IRIS-T systems that handle ballistic and cruise [missile] threats.”
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AND THEN THERE’S SKYNEX TOO
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Ukraine already has some of Rheinmetall’s Skynex remote control turrets (essentially the Skyranger turret installed in a static position). The German manufacturer has developed new rounds which are programmed at the instant of firing to hit the target. They rarely miss.
[The] Engineering Behind Rheinmetall’s AHEAD Round Explains Both Its Lethality [and] Its Price Tag
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“Rheinmetall’s 35mm AHEAD round is packed with tungsten submunitions and detonates with microsecond precision, making it highly effective but far from cheap.”
The article points out that AHEAD rounds are very expensive, and drones are cheap. But you also have to factor in the cost in human life and infrastructure damaged when Shahed drones are not shot down.
Skynex turrets are modular and be fitted to a variety of vehicles. Demand in Europe is high as NATO gears up for drone defence.
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SHOTGUN MISSILE
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Ukraine to Joint Manufacture 100,000 [Anti-drone] Rockets Annually
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“Ukraine will begin production of the Belgian 70-mm FZ275 LGR guided missiles, equipped with warheads filled with thousands of steel pellets designed to shoot down [kamikaze] drones..
Thanks to financial support from the European Union, Thales developed the finished product in record time — just 12 months before its first deployment on the battlefield… Part of a large-scale batch of 100,000 missiles, which the company plans to produce annually starting in 2028, will be assembled directly at Ukrainian facilities.
[The rocket] contains between 6,500 and 7,000 small steel pellets. When the nearly one-kilogram explosive charge detonates near the target, the shrapnel scatters in all directions, guaranteed to destroy the aerial target.”
RUSSIAN INFOWARS & ACTIVE MEASURES
RUSSIAN INFO WAR ESCALATES
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Russian information warfare has developed over the last century to the point where it is subtly manipulative. It often mixes one lie into a welter of truths, so that the whole feels ‘true’ but the talking point people remember and are influenced by s the lie. The Baltics have been a target since the 1920s.
Data Show Russia Has Sharply Escalated Information Attacks Against the Baltic States
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“Russia’s official communication toward the Baltic States has become noticeably more intense, more systematic, and more threatening in recent years. These are not isolated diplomatic statements or random propagandistic reactions. They form a pattern whose dynamics point toward escalation.”
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WEAPONISING FEARS OF IMMIGRANTS IN UKRAINE
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Excellent piece from the Kyiv Independent:
Russia is flooding Ukraine with fake migrant stories — and it’s working
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“Claims of an alleged migrant “influx” have become increasingly common in Ukraine in recent months, in what experts describe as a coordinated disinformation operation.
The central theme in these claims is that foreign labor migrants are allegedly arriving in Ukraine to replace the country’s population while Ukrainian men continue fighting at the front.
Although Ukrainian media outlets and government agencies have repeatedly debunked claims of mass migration, the wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric has continued growing, even fueling two small protests.”
A video, widely shared in May, showed a supposedly Indian man speaking in English, inviting his compatriots to Ukraine, promising work and good pay as “all men went to war,” adding, “there are many beautiful boys and girls here.”
The video appears to be an AI-modified version of content originally posted in April by Pakistan-based TikTok account Zohaib Atta. In the original, the man does not speak English and makes no mention of Ukraine.”
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THE DIM-BUT-POWERFUL AT WORK
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I can’t prove it, but news like this is often the consequence of years of subtle information warfare that manipulates dim-but-powerful people. Why else would a nation with the most powerful military the world has ever seen be fearful of a declining power like Russia?
Pentagon likely to cancel missile deal with Germany over fears of Russia
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“The decision is part of a broader American retrenchment from the NATO alliance…
U.S. officials fear Moscow will retaliate if the Trump administration follows through on the effort to deploy precision missiles in the middle of the continent.”
Btw, nuclear-tipped Tomahawk cruise missiles were first deployed to Europe in the early 1980s at the height of the Soviet Union’s power. So they are not a new presence. The ones Germany wants to buy have conventional warheads. Why has America become so timid?
FOREIGN AID & INVESTMENT IN UKRAINE
HUNGARY LIFTS OPPOSITON TO UKRAINIAN ARMS LOAN
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Hungary Ends Two-Year Block on EU Arms Loans
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“Hungary has lifted its long-standing veto on EU arms reimbursements for Ukraine, unlocking €6.6 billion under the European Peace Facility after a two-year blockade.
The move marks a shift in Budapest’s policy under new leadership and eases tensions within the EU over delayed military support. It also paves the way for further funding, potential accession progress for Ukraine, and a broader reset in Hungary’s relations with Brussels and Kyiv.”
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JAPANESE PATRIOT MISSILES FOR UKRAINE?
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As pointed out last week, Japan is one of Ukraine’s biggest backers, but it dos it very quietly. The constitution was amended recently to allow the sale of arms to other nations. Hopes are rising that, with America unwilling, Japan can supply the interceptor missiles Kyiv needs so desperately to fend of Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Japanese Parliamentarians Call for Patriot Missile Deliveries to Ukraine
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“Japanese lawmakers have urged the government to provide Ukraine with Patriot air-defense missiles amid ongoing Russian attacks.
Japan is one of the countries licensed to manufacture PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot missile system, which are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a key company in the global supply chain for Patriot missile components, carries out production of the interceptor missiles.”
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BRITAIN TRAINS NEW UKRAINIAN HELICOPTER INSTRUCTORS
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Britain Trains First Group of Ukrainian Helicopter Flight Instructors
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“Ukrainian pilots have completed the UK’s first helicopter instructor training with more trainees arriving soon as part of a long‑term plan to help Ukraine build its own pilot training system.”
EUROPE & CANADA REARM
GERMANY PLANS MILITARY AIRLIFT FLEET EXPANSION
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Germany Eyes Up to 20 More A400Ms, Potentially Building World’s Dominant Military Airlift Fleet
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“Germany already operates the world’s largest A400M transport fleet, with 53 aircraft. It is not stopping there, however, negotiations are underway with Airbus over a possible purchase of additional airframes, though the deal does not necessarily imply a net increase in numbers.”
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UK STOCKPILES DRONE-KILLER MISSILE
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Britain Signs £36M Missile Stockpile Deal
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“United Kingdom has previously ordered thousands of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) for Ukraine to counter drone threats. Over recent months it has also signed several contracts to replenish its own military stockpiles, including for operations in the Middle East.”
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GERMANY ORDERS NEW ARMOURED RECOVERY VEHICLES (ARVs)
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Armoured recovery vehicles phave layed a vital role in mechanised warfare since WWI. ARVs drag damaged vehicles off the battlefield for repair.
Germany to Order 23 New Bergepanzer 3 A2s to Replace Vehicles Transferred to Ukraine
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“The total cost of purchasing 23 vehicles, along with a set of spare parts and auxiliary equipment, is estimated at approximately €360 million.”
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US CONTINUES TO WITHDRAW FROM EUROPE
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USA Cuts Number of Fighters, Drones, and Ships Assigned to NATO Rapid-Response Forces
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“The number of available fighter jets will be significantly reduced: from 153 aircraft — 99 F-16s and 54 F-15Es — to 99 aircraft, including 63 F-16s and 36 F-15Es. One of the two bomber wings will be decommissioned.
In addition, the US plans to remove all long-range reconnaissance drones from its plans and reduce the number of MQ-9 reconnaissance and strike drones by nearly half.
One of the two carrier strike groups is to be withdrawn, as well as nearly half of the cruiser and destroyer units. Attack submarines are also being completely removed from the plan, and the number of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be reduced from 26 to 15.”
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CZECHS GO DRONE-HUNTING
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NATO’s Eastern Flank Gets Czech Attack Helicopters Specifically to Hunt Shaheds
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“Armed With APKWS missiles… Czech Armed Forces are deploying AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters on a foreign operation for the first time in Poland.”
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ONE YEAR ON FROM 2025 FIASCO
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A year ago, less than a dozen Ukrainian drone pilots defeated a joint Estonian-British mechanised force in the annual Spring Storm NATO exercise. It appears Estonia learnt the lesson.
Ukrainian Drone Operators Reassess Estonian Defence Forces for Second Time and Notice Remarkable Changes
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“The Spring Storm 2026 exercises demonstrated a much higher level of readiness compared to last year’s Hedgehog maneuver. Analysis of last year’s mistakes showed that the main causes of the simulated defeat were moving vehicles in large columns, insufficient camouflage, and weak reactions by personnel to the appearance of drones.
Just one year later, the situation changed. According to a Ukrainian serviceman with the call sign ‘Nick,’ who took part in the Estonian exercises for the second time, infantry now responds quickly to drones, and the overall coordination of troops has improved significantly…. One of the key areas of development has been the introduction of unified digital combat management systems.”
There are no reports yet of how the British contingent fared.
UK [Deploy] Challenger 2 Tanks to Repel a Simulated Russian Invasion of Estonia
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“Approximately 1,500 British troops from the 4th Brigade were deployed to Estonia to participate in the annual large-scale Spring Storm exercises.”
You have to wonder about what has been learnt. Drones made tanks obsolete on the frontline in Ukraine. They have reduced Russia’s iconic tank armies to merely providing foot-slogging fodder for its self-imposed meat grinder. If you want to repel the Russians, it is best to do it with drones. Providing large, easy-to-hit targets for its drones will only lead to defeat.
Challenger 2s have proved to be the most drone-resistant of all the modern tanks supplied to Ukraine, but they are still drone magnets and can be knocked out of action.
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THE ESTONIAN WILL TO FIGHT
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Estonia suffered aggression from Russia as recently as the 2007 cyberattacks that crippled much of the nation’s digital infrastructure. So it’s not surprising that Estonian determination to resist is so strong.
Survey: 81% of Estonians Ready to Support Armed Resistance in Case of Attack
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“The survey found that 81% of respondents believe Estonia should resist an attack with armed force. Additionally, 62% said they would personally participate in defending the country, using their skills and abilities.
These numbers have remained stable over the past two years. Among ethnic Estonians, 69% are willing to join in the defense, compared to 48% of people from other nationalities.”
That’s all for now. See you next week.
Good reading !
As Doug says, good reading! But I have to go further: the WWI dazzle paint? Yes, I can see that the awful camouflage used before definitely had to go out of style, making it easier to tell where we shouldn’t be aiming! OH! And the red fire equipment signs? Definitely wouldn’t be able to aim anything THAT! Yes, Martin, definitely a good read!