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.
Today is Day 1,585 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 21st to Saturday 27th June 2026:
HEADLINES THAT NEVER WERE
(BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN)
As ever, welcome to The Under Reported War
RUSSIAN STRATEGIC OIL RESERVE DEVASTATION WORSE THAN FIRST REPORTED
It was initially reported last week that just three of the sixty-one oil storage tanks at Rosrezerv’s Rybinsk depot were destroyed. Satellite images now reveal it fifteen. Rosrezerv has other oil depots too but if Ukraine can keep hitting this, the one nearest Moscow, then it will make a big dent in the Kremlin’s war plans.
Attack on Rybinsk Oil Depot Destroys 15 Oil Tanks
link
“In addition to the 15 tanks that were burned out, several other storage tanks sustained damage. The targeted Temp facility is part of the structure of the Federal Agency for State Reserves (Rosrezerv).
The primary purpose of such facilities is the long-term storage of the state’s strategic reserves, including petroleum products.”
MOSCOW REFINERY KNOCKED OUT UNTIL 2027
A lot of reporters fell for the Russian lie that the Moscow Refinery would soon be back in operation. Reuters talked to a few industry insiders and got to the truth. I’ve covered this many times already. AVT distillation towers are complex pieces of engineering. There are no ready-made spare towers to be ordered online and installed the next day. Ukraine deliberately targets these fractionation towers. So many have been damaged at so many refineries across Russia in the last twelve months that the cumulative effect will be to slow repairs even more.
Moscow Refinery Unlikely To Resume Operations After Drone Strikes Until 2027
link
“The Kapotnya refinery is one of the ten largest in Russia and provides about 40% of the Moscow region’s fuel demand… The plant’s capacity is 11 million tons of oil per year. It produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, bitumen, sulfur, and various polymers.
“It will take at least half a year to repair,” one source said of the damage to the Moscow refinery.
Faced with a fuel crunch, Russia is considering a diesel export ban, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday. The Vedomosti newspaper, meanwhile, reported that fuel imports were being considered to tackle shortages”
TREASON CHARGE THREAT AT RUSSIAN CEMETERIES
Families of Russian military killed on Ukraine are aware of the vast size of this war’s butcher’s bill (see ISSUE 31). The authorities don’t like them talking about it. Nor do they like private investigators hired by families whose sons are ‘missing’ attempting to find out where they are buried.
Russian authorities threaten to charge people who photograph military cemeteries with treason
link
“It highlights how the Kremlin has become sensitive to cemeteries representing a potent symbol of Russia’s huge losses in Ukriane.
‘Mobilization News’ says that the measures are due to an “alleged increase in cases of photographing military graves for money, under the influence of perpetrators...” It notes that “photographing graves is one way journalists and volunteers maintain lists of the dead while the authorities and the Ministry of Defence remain silent about the losses. Sometimes, this also helps relatives find the grave of a missing person.” “
BELARUS BACKS DOWN
Belarus is caught between a rock and a hard place. Putin’s support keeps dictator, Alexander Lukashenko, in power, but demands a price for that: basing there troops, aircraft, and missiles for the invasion (all mostly withdrawn) and, more recently, installing navigation relay stations that increase the accuracy of Shahed kamikaze drones. However, Lukashenko also fears Ukraine could easily topple him from power. It looks like fear won. After Zelensky threatened to destroy those towers, they have been switched off. There is no confirmation they have been removed.
Belarus Disables Repeaters Used to Control Russian Strike Drones — Zelensky
link
“Russia’s use of Belarusian territory to control Shahed-type strike drones during attacks on Ukraine first became publicly known in January 2026.”
UPGRADED DRONES RANGE FARTHER
In recent weeks (ISSUES 38 & 39), you’ve seen reports about Ukraine’s kamikaze drones getting new, lighter wings with more fuel storage that has boosted their range enormously. Also about how detachable wings on FPV drones turns them from short-range quadcopters into a Middle Strike threat. Two pieces of news this week show the immediate effect of these modifications.
Ukrainian drones attack Tyumen oil refinery, roughly 2,000 km from Ukraine
link
“Ukrainian drones reached the Tyumen oil refinery, roughly 2,000 km from the Ukrainian border. Local authorities confirmed the attack and said debris fell on the facility, while Russian media reported a major fire. Plant personnel were evacuated.”
A Month Ago It Cost Ukraine $6,000 To Drone A Russian Cargo Truck. Now It Costs $500.
link
“How, all of the sudden, are Ukrainian first-person-view drones ranging 50-100 kilometres to strike Russian trucks along the near edge [and into the middle] of the [deep] logistical zone stretching behind the disputed gray zone?
The answer, it seems, is startling simple. They’ve apparently got wings. And that’s unlocking a whole new cost-benefit space for Ukrainian drone units. Now medium-range strikes are nearly as cheap as short-range strikes.”
CRIMEAN MOPEDS CONFUSE DEFENDERS
Russian-held Crimea curbs the use of motorcycles, saying they sound like drones
link
“Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, has banned the use of motorised vehicles such as scooters, quad bikes and motorcycles at nighttime, saying they sound like drone attacks.
Sergei Aksyonov, the peninsula’s Russian-installed governor, said the ban, which he called a temporary measure to guard military and other important facilities, would be in place between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Wednesday onwards.
“The moped noise hampers the work of defence systems. Their engines sound similar (to drones),” Oleg Kryuchkov, Aksyonov’s advisor, said separately on Telegram on Tuesday. “The enemy is recruiting your children for nighttime rides.”“
This is an amusing story for three reasons. Russia does not have an audio detection system for drones, so what’s the point? The peninsula’s radars (Crimea had, until Ukraine enforced a reduction, one of the densest concentrations in the world) clearly cannot track attacking drones. Third, does this mean that the vodka-sodden mobile gun teams, Russia’s last and most useless line of defence, have been shooting at motorbikes, mopeds, and scooters? I fear the answer is, yes.
NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE
BLASTING DRONES WITH SHOTGUNS NOW TOO DANGEROUS
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Both sides equip their mobile drone defence teams with shotguns. Special rounds have been developed to take out First Person View (FPV) quadcopters. Unfortunately, as both sides also develop more sophisticated warheads, their blast radius is larger than the effective range of a shotgun. Ukraine is adapting to this new threat. No word yet from Russia.
Shotguns Ineffective Against 15-Inch FPV Drones Due to the Risk of a Powerful Warhead Detonating at Close Range
link
“Overly high expectations regarding the use of shotguns on the front lines are already leading to casualties among Ukrainian Defense Forces personnel.
Russian invaders have started deploying large 15-inch fiber-optic FPV drones in certain sectors of the front. These drones carry a powerful high-explosive warhead.
There have been documented instances where Russian operators guided these UAVs through openings in protective netting and directed them directly over roads…
…A distance of 10–15 meters is life-threatening for a soldier. The high inertia and significant energy of the explosive leave the shooter with no chance of survival if the UAV detonates nearby.
In the presence of large drones, military personnel are advised to fire exclusively from standard automatic rifled weapons while remaining in cover.”
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TOUGH ROBOT SURVIVES RUSSIAN DRONE HIT
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The Protector is Ukraine’s largest ground robot. Also one of its fastest, eve off-road. And clearly one of its toughest.
Rare Footage Shows Protector UGV Surviving FPV Drone Strike and Delivering Cargo [video]
link
“During one mission, the Protector was damaged by fragments from an enemy FPV drone. Despite the hit, it successfully delivered its cargo to the designated position.”
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BOOM OF THE WEEK
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What is notable about this video is how clear the image is, both from the surveillance drone and even more so from the RAM-2X loitering munition as it closes in. A year ago, there would almost certainly have been intense electronic jamming which made it challenging to fly and target accurately. Now the video feed is crystal clear. There is no effective jamming.
RAM-2X loitering munition strike on Russian BTR-82 (video)
link
“”
Btw, what is that giant underground entrance that the BTR drove out?
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HOW TO WIN WARS, PART 2.559
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Before this war, Russia was confident it could electronically blind any opponent. Then it decided to pick on Ukraine. Big mistake.
Ukraine’s Himera first developed a secure digital handset that Russia could not eavesdrop. Then frequency-hopping transmitters for battlefield drones to avoid jamming. Next, it mesh networked those transmitters so they could work in even the most intense jamming. With their Canadian partner, Quantropi they now have double layer encryption available for their mesh networks.
In the world’s most jammed battlefield, a Kyiv company keeps the signal alive
link
“Light, enduring mesh [radio] networks enables complex operations in… pervasive electronics warfare (EW) and difficult terrain.”
RUSSIA’S ‘INVINCIBLE’ WAR MACHINE
More tales of incompetence, poor training, Nazis, and corruption.
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FRONTLINE FIRST AID NOW “TERRA INCOGNITA”
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Russian medical specialists say there is a shortage of field medical expertise
link
“Wounded Russian soldiers are having to wait for anything from 48 hours to a remarkable 90 days for evacuation from the battlefields of Ukraine.
The author highlights the report’s lack of coverage of the crucial pre-hospital stage, when first aid is meant to be administered to stabilise a casualty: “[T]he prehospital stage is terra incognita. It’s largely absent. The law of “first come, first served” applies.””
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THE FOLLY OF RUSSIA’S FINGER-POINTING
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Russian commanders failing to ensure their soldiers do not wear neo-Nazi and far-right insignia
link
“Throughout the war in Ukraine, Russian soldiers have been photographed wearing unofficial patches representing extremist ideologies, such as death’s-head insignia, Nazi runes, and the “black sun” Sonnenrad symbol.
…There is an entire neo-Nazi paramilitary group ‘Rusich’, fighting alongside the Russian regular forces.”
Russia has had just a many overt Nazis in its army’s ranks as Ukraine. If not more. Let’s not forget that the infamous Russian mercenary outfit, the Wagner Group, was named after its founder’s call-sign. Here’s an extract from ISSUE 27:
“Wagner was so-named because it was the call sign of [its] co-founder, ex-GRU special forces Colonel Dmitry Utkin. An open neo-Nazi, with SS flashes tattooed on the skin of his collar bones, this Hitler fan-boy used to salute his men with the Nazi ‘Heil’. Richard Wagner was Hitler’s favourite composer.”
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SO MANY LEVELS OF WRONG
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Military police officers who stole 2 million rubles from a mentally disabled recruit sent to assault unit [but blow legs off]
link
“However, illustrating the current state of morale on the front lines, he and three comrades reportedly blew their own legs off to avoid going to fight.”
I think we all know why this attempt to avoid the frontline meat grinder will fail. Cue photo of ‘Crutch Battalion’ soldiers:
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CRACKS ARE STARTING TO APPEAR
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Russian soldier threatens Putin with an army mutiny
link
“Russian soldier Alexander Lunin published a video address to Vladimir Putin on Instagram on June 25, threatening a military mutiny if he was not allowed to meet with the Russian president on live television to tell him “the whole truth about what is happening in our country right now.”
In [this] video, he said thousands of soldiers were being held in pits and tortured “for refusing to carry out stupid, suicidal orders” and for refusing to hand over money to their commanders.”
Such direct language would have been, until this moment, unthinkable. Similar thoughts have been expressed before, but always in very oblique coded phrases. In less than a day, the veteran’s instagram video received eleven million views. Regardless of the inevitable consequences Lunin now faces, those eleven million people have heard some truth spoken at last. That is a very rare event in Russia.
NEWS OF THE MIDDLE STRIKE
This week, the video-confirmed tally of trucks and tankers damaged or destroyed passed three thousand. The total is 3,292. It’s a big leap forward from last week and may indicate the impact the widespread deployment of winged FPV drones is having (see HEADLINES).
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THE ‘LOW AIR’ OFFENSIVE ON CRIMEA
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The number of drone and missile attacks on Crimea has increased dramatically. I’m listing fully those I found so that you can get an idea of the range and scale of this aerial onslaught. In particular, the air defences around the Kerch Bridge have been pounded. As has any ferry from the Russian mainland, even ships under construction.
You do not have to be a genius to work out that Ukraine is planning a major attempt to bring down the Kerch road and rail bridges. If it’s a bluff, it’s still a win:win for Ukraine because Russia has to rush in new air defence from elsewhere else, exposing other sites to attack. Too much of Putin’s reputation and self-image is bound up with the existence of the Kerch Strait bridge to permit its destruction.
Crimea: S-300/S-400 Air Defense Sites and Military Base Area Ablaze
link
“NASA’s FIRMS fire-monitoring system detected a blaze at an S-300/S-400 air defense site on Cape Zyuk near the village of Kurortne on the Sea of Azov coast of the Kerch Peninsula. Another fire was recorded on the grounds of a military unit in Kerch.”
Ukraine attacked out three coastal radars in Crimea [video]
link
“Drones “targeted coastal radars at Myrne (MR-231), Morske (Neva-B), and Zaozerne (Neva-B).”
Drones Strike Ferry ‘Panagia’ Used to Transport Equipment in Kerch Strait
link
“Russia has increasingly relied on the ferry because of strict restrictions on traffic across the Crimean Bridge. Trucks, cargo vans, electric vehicles, and hybrid cars are currently banned from using the bridge, making the ferry an important route for transporting supplies and equipment to the peninsula.”
Ukrainian Defense Forces Hit Three Russian Ferries Near Port Kavkaz
link
link2 [video]
“[Video} footage shows at least three ferries engulfed in flames. In total, about seven vehicle and rail ferries of this type were used on the Kerch ferry crossing.
The vessels were a critical part of Crimea’s supply network, as heavy trucks are banned from crossing the Crimean Bridge and must instead use the Kerch ferry crossing.”
Ukrainian Drones Hit Cargo Ferry and Two [Cable-Laying] Ships Under Construction and Another S-400 System Near Kerch Strait
link
“Ukraine’s Security Service says its drones struck the Volga and Vyatka Project 15310 vessels, the [new] Petropavlovsk [cargo] ferry, and elements of a S-400 air defense system during a coordinated operation in Kerch.
[The] Petropavlovsk cargo-passenger ferry was reportedly 96 percent complete at the time of the attack. The strikes triggered large fires aboard the vessels.”
Kerch oil depot and marine terminal ablaze [video]
link
“A view of the burning Kerch oil depot and marine terminal, as well as a huge traffic jam on the way out of Crimea across the bridge.”
Overnight strikes on Kerch
link [video]
“Overnight Ukrainian strikes hit oil transport infrastructure on both sides of the Kerch Strait, a fuel depot in occupied Kerch, Russian military logistics assets, four S-400 radars and two Pantsir-S1.”
Two Pantsir air-defense systems deployed directly on Crimean Bridge were among the targets
link
“Russia is now experiencing the same interceptor scarcity that has long plagued Ukraine.”
Ukrainian Defense Forces Hit Three Key Railway Bridges Supporting Russian Logistics in the South and Crimea
link
“Russian forces rely on the Chonhar corridor to move fuel, artillery ammunition, and military equipment. The route is also used to rotate troops and reinforce units operating in the area.
The crossing remains a critical weak point in Russia’s logistics network, with few viable alternative routes available.”
Drones Destroyed a Railroad Bridge and a Repair Train in Crimea
link
“The [bridge] was located near the village of Rozdolne and spanned the North Crimean Canal… Drones launched several strikes on the bridge structure.
Following the explosions, the railroad tracks sustained critical damage, which completely halted train traffic on that section. In addition to damage to the rails, the precision strike caused one of the structure’s massive spans to collapse.”
Sevastopol Suspends Fuel Sales for Two Days and Imposes Restrictions on Business Operations
link
“The occupation administration of Sevastopol has imposed a temporary ban on fuel sales, restricted the operation of shops and food service establishments, and canceled all large public gatherings.”
Occupied Crimea has introduced rolling power cuts after grid failure
link
“Some areas face 3-hour outage cycles, while water supply was also disrupted by pumping stations losing power.”
Russian Forces Hold Cadet Graduation in Underground Balaclava Museum Amid Drone and Missile Fears
link
“The official reason given by the occupation administration for holding the graduation ceremony on June 20 at Facility 825 GTS is its “historical significance,” although it is evident that the real reason was a series of successful strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on enemy targets in occupied Sevastopol.
Facility 825 was built during the Cold War between 1953 and 1961. It was designed to shelter, repair, and service submarines of Projects 613 and 633, as well as to store ammunition intended for these submarines.”
Yes, this is the same Balaclava as the Battle of… the one that featured the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854.
Drones struck the 330/110 kV Western Crimea substation
link
“The facility is a key transmission node serving central and western parts of the peninsula.”
Quadcopter drones carried by uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) hunt down and destroy Russian anti-drone teams in Crimea
link
“Ukraine is using quadcopter drones carried by USVs to hunt down and destroy Russian anti-drone teams in occupied Crimea, according to a Russian source.
“Regarding mobile task forces (MOGs) on the peninsula, the enemy has begun actively hunting them. There have already been numerous cases of MOG crews coming under fire from Ukrainian drones and suffering losses. These attacks were carried out on the coast using FPV drones. “”
In Crimea, Russia now can’t even move its political prisoners
link
“Russia has stopped moving political prisoners out of occupied Crimea. For a week, no one convicted by the peninsula’s Russian-controlled courts has been transferred off Crimea.”
Water Shortages in the Temporarily Occupied Territories
link
“The Crimea peninsula, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk depend on water from the Dnieper [Dnipro] for almost all their agriculture and much of their drinking water. “
UKRAINE’S LONG-RANGE WAR
Ukraine launched perhaps its largest long-range drone attacks of the war last week. Hundreds of drones were launched almost every night. Hard-hitting Storm Shadows and Flamingo cruise missiles also inflicted lasting damage to Russia’s missile industry. As ever, the main priority was Russian oil and refining infrastructure as far away as the West Siberian steppes. However, those attacks on the semiconductor plants might eventually cripple Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine’s cities. I
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REFINERY ROUNDUP
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Ukrainian drones reached the Tyumen oil refinery, roughly 2,000 km away.
Russia’s fuel rationing reaches Siberia as occupied Crimea runs dry.
Drones Strike Gas Processing Plant in Russia’s Orenburg Region
Ukrainian drones struck the Ufa oil refining cluster, located around 1,300 km from the front line.
Drones attacked the Poltavskaya oil depot in Krasnodar region, about 300 km from the front, for the second time this month.
Fuel shortages and supply problems now affect 78 Russian regions.
Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod NORSI refinery, its fourth-largest and second-biggest gasoline producer, halted operations after a Ukrainian drone attack. The AVT-5 primary processing tower was damaged.
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MYSTERY OF THE POLISH-BUILT LONG-RANGE ATTACK DRONE
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Ukraine many different long range attack drones and cruise missiles in the recent attack on the Moscow Refinery. All were identified, save one mystery Shahed-style drone. This week, it was announced that Ukraine has flown tests of Poland’s new Striker drone. It bears an uncanny likeness to Moscow’s mystery drone.
1,000 km Range: Polish Striker Drone Tested Near Kyiv
link
“[Made by Poland’s FlyFocus] the drone was tested at a training ground near Kyiv, and it received positive feedback from Ukrainian operators.
The drone can carry a 40- or 60-kg warhead—either high-explosive fragmentation or thermobaric.”
It may just be a poor translation but why was it “tested near Kyiv” when Poland has plenty of open spaces it could use for that? Could this be the mysterious delta-winged drone with unusual wingtips seen flying over Moscow two weeks ago? Its warhead would certainly have been useful in the refinery attack. It has the range too.
The only other contender—Ukraine’s Behemoth drone—has not been filmed on video yet, but it has already been used to take out bridges into Crimea. However, its range is reported to be 300km which, if true, would rule it out of involvement in the Moscow attack.
Above: The new Polish Striker attack drone with its upturned wingtips
and prominent motor looks familiar / Source: milmag.pl
Below: Could it be this fast-moving drone with identical wingtips and
silhouette videoed from a high-rise apartment during
the attack on Moscow? / Source: video screengrab
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RUSSIAN SATELLITE COMMS TARGETED
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Ukraine Strikes Dubna Space Communications Centre Near Moscow
link1
link2
“Ukrainian drone-maker Fire Point has tweaked its iconic FP-1 drone to travel three times as far as before.
The Dubna Satellite Communications Centre is a large ground-based satellite communications complex, which is effectively one of the key hubs for providing satellite communication channels.”
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CRITICAL SEMICONDUCTOR PLANT BADLY DAMAGED
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Missiles Hit Voronezh Semiconductor Device Plant
link1
link2 [video shows the missile strikes]
“The [VZPP-S semiconductor plant] is part of Russia’s military-industrial complex and produces electronic components for several types of weapon systems, including the Iskander-K ballistic missile, the Pantsir surface-to-air missile and gun system, and the Kh-101 cruise missile.
Close-up footage indicates that the strike caused the collapse of two floors of a production building, while a substantial portion of the structure was also destroyed. The Storm Shadow, which carries a 450-kg BROACH tandem penetrator-blast fragmentation warhead [is] fully capable of inflicting this kind of structural damage.”
None of Ukraine’s other cruise missiles can carry this kind of warhead, and Voronezh is well within range of the reported 300km range of the export version of Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG donated by Britain and France.
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TITAN-BARRIKADY TARGETED BY FLAMINGOS
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The Barrikady munitions plant was famously the site of intense fighting during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. Rebuilt, it now makes mobile launchers for ballistic missiles and the mounts for self-propelled artillery. Last week, it was attacked for the first time by Flamingo cruise missiles (see also the photograph at top of this issue).
FP-5 Flamingo missiles struck Titan-Barrikady plant in Volgograd
link
“The industrial complex produces artillery systems and special military equipment. [It is] a key manufacturer of launchers for Iskander, Yars, Topol-M and other missile systems used against Ukraine.”
Astounding short video compilation of the attack on Titan-Barrikady
link [video]
“Video shows FP-5 Flamingo missile launch, Flamingos on approach to the target, and a FP-5 detonating as it struck the Titan-Barrikady plant.”
RUSSIA’S LONG-RANGE WAR
HOW RUSSIA TARGETS CITIES
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Well-researched in-depth article from The Kyiv Independent on Russia’s increasingly heavy missile attacks.
‘They attack with everything at once’ — How Russia exploits Ukraine’s vulnerability to ballistic missiles
link
“The Kremlin may be refining a new model of strikes on Ukrainian cities, relying on concentrated salvos of ballistic and hypersonic missiles to inflict maximum damage as Ukraine faces a growing shortage of Patriot interceptors.”
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WATCH TWO PATRIOTS DESTROY TWO BALLISTIC MISSILES
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On Thursday, Kyiv was forced to fire two of its increasingly scarce Patriot interceptors at two in-bound ballistic missiles. Impressively, they both hit their targets.
Patriot interceptors engaging Russian ballistic missiles over Kyiv [video]
link
“Ukraine’s Air Force released official footage showing a Patriot PAC-3 system intercepting two Russian Iskander-M ballistic missiles during yesterday’s attack on Kyiv.”
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THE WEAPONS ESCALATION SPIRAL TAKES ANOTHER TURN
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Interceptor drones have a short flight time. This makes it difficult to overtake and destroy Russia’s latest iteration of the Shahed/Geran kamikaze drone. It’s all about speed and vectors.
Jet-Powered Shahed Drones Remain a Challenge for Interceptor Drones
link
“The key challenge is the high speed of jet-powered drones – more than 300 km/h (186 mph). To effectively catch a target, an interceptor drone needs to be roughly 25% faster than the drone it is pursuing.
“Successful interceptions depend on a combination of luck, operator skill, and experience.”
Ukraine is already developing new systems expected to enter service soon and capable of reliably intercepting high-speed UAVs.”
THE PARANOID WORLD OF RUSSIA’S MILBLOGGERS
Russian military bloggers are ultra-nationalist, blinkered, and prone to paranoid delusions, yet they reach and influence a large home audience. Here’s a few choice complaints from some of the least-likeable people in the world.
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THEY DON’T LIKE IT UP ‘EM
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Russian warbloggers complain that readers are insufficiently enthusiastic about disastrous war
link
“”Be vigilant! Social media has been a living hell since yesterday… A coordinated campaign against our peace of mind is underway.
…bots are amplifying the popularity of these posts, and they’re popping up everywhere.””
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APPARENTLY THIS WAR IS ALL LONDON’S FAULT
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This is a surprisingly common theme. Most weeks, multiple calls to nuke London are made.
London Must Be Nuked
link
”Heavy missiles (it’s not yet clear what type; the Russian warbloggers assume a UK/French Storm Shadow or SCALP/ER) have caused heavy damage and raging fires at the Voronezh Semiconductor Devices Plant, a vital element of Russia’s missile production chain… London should become a glass city.”
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FEEDING FRENZY
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If one milblogger makes a mistake, the rest turn on him. And this was not even a mistake, this guy merely pointed out the obvious: some fuel will still get through to Crimea. It is absurd to think that Ukraine only targeted fuel tankers because of one post by an enemy blogger, but then that is the paranoid world they live in.
‘Fighterbomber’, a retired Russian air force pilot, blamed by other warbloggers for disclosing a fuel delivery to Crimea
link
“On 17 June, in an apparent attempt to refute widespread accounts of fuel shortages in Crimea, ‘Fighterbomber’ wrote on his Telegram channel: “The audience is saying that fuel has arrived in Crimea. Lots of it. There’s more coming. 😍“
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IF IN DOUBT BLAME THOSE LEAST LIKELY TO RETALIATE
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Russia’s air defence teams manned by “homeless people, alcoholics, deserters, disabled people, idiots”
link
“In the face of continued failures to stop Ukrainian drone attacks, urgent investment in robotic defence systems is advocated.”
SHADOW FLEET NEWS
SHADOW FLEET CARGO TO BE SOLD FOR UKRAINE
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UK may turn a captured Russian tanker’s cargo into cash for Ukraine’s troops
link1
link2
“The crude came off a shadow-fleet tanker that Royal Marines boarded in the English Channel.
The UK is considering selling 98,000 tons of Russian crude seized from the shadow tanker Smyrtos to fund Ukraine, The Telegraph reported. The cargo, valued at about £35m, was taken after Royal Marines stopped the sanctions-breaching vessel in the Channel on June 14.”
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ANOTHER TANKER SEIZED
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French Navy intercepts Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker ‘Deliver’ off Sicily
link1
link2
“The Cameroon-flagged tanker was sailing from Primorsk, Russia, to Singapore and is suspected of being part of Russia’s shadow fleet used to circumvent Western oil sanctions.
Since September, France has boarded four other ships believed to belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
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IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS
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Once again, The Intercept came up with some brilliant reporting this week.
At least 11 Russian “shadow fleet” ships passed through the English Channel after Britain detained the ‘Smyrtos’ ghost vessel, including UK-sanctioned vessels
link
“At least 11 tankers classified by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency as being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” have passed through the English Channel since June 14, when the UK seized first-ever suspected “shadow fleet” ship and directed it to anchorage off the coast of Weymouth.
Three more tankers are now heading toward the Channel. Most “shadow fleet” tankers, however, are still choosing to avoid the route entirely, according to data from the ship tracking platform Starboard Maritime Intelligence analyzed by The Insider.”
The Insider focused on the UK not intercepting these ships. It did not talk about the bottleneck at the Skagerrak that the tankers cannot avoid. Yet a quick look at the routes the tankers follow on the map above reveals all the nations friendly to Ukraine that could intercept these vessels. They are all NATO members with navies:
Finland
Sweden
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Norway
Denmark
Germany
Belgium
The Netherlands
France
The UK
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Greece
Turkey
That only France has intercepted a tanker this week is maybe evidence that it is much harder to do so than it looks when you glance at a map. The sea is a very big place and there is a lot of shipping out there. What is needed is a unified NATO operation to track and intercept tankers in the Baltic, Mediterranean, and North Seas. It’s just the kind of collaborative operation that European navies could excel at. And a lot better than running annual exercises or sending warships to the Persian Gulf.
Oh well, some day it will happen. Maybe.
GRIMLY HILARIOUS MOMENT OF THE WEEK
NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING… EVER
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A Russian in Krasnodar Krai wanted to show off that gas stations still have fuel and no queues [video]
link
“It didn’t quite go as planned..”
Either this influencer guy deserves credit for having the ability to laugh at himself, or he’s such an irredeemable social media addict that he posted this humiliating video regardless. I suspect it may even be both.
USEFUL IDIOTS, ESPIONAGE & ACTIVE MEASURES
EUROPE TIRES OF RUSSIAN ACTIVE MEASURES AND SABOTAGE
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Russia intensifies shadow war to undermine support for Ukraine
link
“The arson attacks targeting the UK PM are just one recent example of Russia’s hybrid warfare that is currently underway across the West. This escalating shadow war being waged by the Kremlin includes attacks on undersea cables, sabotage operations, drone incursions, election interference, weaponized migration, and disinformation campaigns supercharged by artificial intelligence….
Much of this is being done via proxies, with Russian operatives targeting and recruiting vulnerable young people online.
There is mounting evidence that European governments are beginning to take the threat more seriously. Polish officials have openly called out Moscow’s hybrid warfare tactics, stating that Russia is testing NATO without firing a shot.
Britain has released a policy paper pledging to scale up cooperation with European partners on hybrid threats. Plans are also in place to develop deeper bilateral coordination with France, Germany, Poland, and Brussels.
Meanwhile, Sweden is establishing a new civilian foreign intelligence agency dedicated to countering threats from abroad that is set to launch in January 2027.”
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THE MAGA INFLUENCER AND HER FSB SPESNATZ BOYFRIEND
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‘The Insider’ is having a good week for investigations.
Not so strange bedfellows
link
“An aspiring MAGA influencer’s Russian boyfriend turns out to be an FSB officer with ties to the Wagner Group... Elizabeth Lane (real name Iza Bendianishvili), who has called America “the cancer of the world,” was virtually unknown just a year ago. However, she has rapidly gained popularity thanks in large part to Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens.
Dmitry Valentinovich Grizdak, [is] a Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) operative who, The Insider has discovered, also works for Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, a successor agency to the Soviet KGB.”
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ECHOES OF UKRAINE IN JANUARY 2022?
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Such is the nature of active measures, it’s hard to know beforehand what their consequences will be. This week, the Poles warned of a ‘false flag’ operation aimed at justifying a wider war in Europe.
Polish Foreign Minister: Russia Could Stage False Flag Attack On Itself To Justify New Aggression
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“According to the Polish minister, recent Kremlin statements suggest they are laying the informational groundwork for possible future operations by Russian intelligence services.”
Considering Russia is stretched to its limits fighting, and losing, a war in Ukraine, it stretches credibility that it wants a wider war in Europe. As even Greenpeace pointed out (ISSUE 36), Russia would suffer the most almighty tonking if it did. However, I suppose there is always the danger of believing your own disinformation. It has happened to Russia before.
FOREIGN AID & INVESTMENT IN UKRAINE
CO-PRODUCTION DEALS OF THE WEEK
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Ukrainian Unmanned Technologies and France’s Haulotte are launching co-production of Ravlyk ground robots.
TAF Industries and PGZ to Establish joint drone factory in Poland.
KNDS France will collaborate with Ukrainian Unmanned Technologies (UUT) in the industrial manufacture of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for European armies.
Ukraine and Poland to cooperate on production of engines for missiles and UAVs.
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NIGHTFALL DELAYED
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The British-built Nightfall ballistic missiles is intended to strike high-value targets in Russia. It is meant to be cheap, mass-produced, and ready by the of 2026. Its delivery date may slip to 2028-29. It turns out building a modern ballistic missile from scratch that ticks all those boxes in not easy.
UK’s Nightfall Ballistic Missile for Ukraine Delayed
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“Range cut From 600km to 500km, warhead from 300kg to 200kg, Price from £500K to £800K.
Ultimately [the] Nightfall project is currently [the] only known operational-tactical class ballistic missile creation project in European NATO segment. It also once again underlines how complex this task is.”
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BUT THREE MORE UK MISSILES ARE ON TARGET
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However, Project Brakestop, Britain’s other missile programme for Ukraine, is on target. As you will have read last week, the three cruise missile designs selected have started live testing. It turns out (who knew?) that cruise missiles are easier to design and build than ballistic missiles.
Britain tests long-range [cruise] missiles to help Ukraine bomb Moscow
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“[Britain is testing three] long-range strike weapons that can fly at more than 370mph, cost about £400,000 each and can be built at a pace of 20 a month.
[The] experimental systems, each carrying a 250kg warhead, could potentially reach Russian capital from Kyiv.”
MBDA Conducted Successful Launch Tests of CROSSBOW Missile Developed for Ukraine
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“Although the missile was tested between December 2025 and February 2026, the results have only now been disclosed. This indicates that only nine months elapsed from the start of development to the first flight tests.
The company stated it is capable of beginning and rapidly scaling up production of the new missile as early as 2026.
The CROSSBOW missile is 5.3 meters long with a 3-meter wingspan. It will carry a warhead or other payload weighing about 300 kg. The missile is designed to fly at high subsonic speed and can strike stationary targets at ranges exceeding 800 km deep behind enemy lines.”
Wave of New UK Cruise Missiles Arriving: [Skylance], TigerShark, and Crossobow
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“TigerShark TigerShark, developed by [Britain’s] MGI Engineering, also carries a 300-kg warhead and can reportedly strike targets at ranges of up to 1,000 km. At the same time, its cost remains relatively low, at slightly more than half a million dollars per missile.
The third UK system involved in the project is the SkyLance developed by Rotron Aerospace. It has the longest stated range among the three systems, reaching up to 1,200 km, while carrying a payload of up to 300 kg. “
It’s important to note that the all of these missiles have to built without using any American components.
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DANISH NEWS
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Military aid to Ukraine has long been defined as, wherever possible, giving Ukraine precisely what it asks for. Ukraine finally has plenty of standard artillery rounds. It has now requested for more expensive specialist long-range shells.Norway chipped in with extended-range shells last week. This week, Denmark followed suit.
Denmark will transfer 15,000 long-range artillery rounds to Ukraine
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“Denmark will transfer 15,000 long-range artillery rounds to Ukraine after responding to Kyiv’s proposal for partners to supply longer-range munitions instead of short-range ammunition. Part of the shipment has already arrived in Ukraine.”
Denmark says its military will deploy battalion in Latvia
link
“ Denmark’s military will deploy a battalion of 850 troops to NATO member Latvia in the autumn, taking over from a Swedish contingent that was stationed in the region, Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Wednesday.”
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DUTCH NEWS
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Powered by an Ukrainian turbojet engine, this Dutch designed and built, jamming resistant precision cruise missile will soon be available to Ukraine. Pretty soon, instead of bombarding Ukraine’s civilians without consequence, Russia is going to be on the receiving end of massed attacks by both drones and cruise missiles. Next year, it seems ballistic missiles will join in too.
The Netherlands is buying 700 Ruta Block 2 cruise missiles for Ukraine in a €250 million package
link
“The AI-guided weapons carry a 250 kg warhead, fly at low altitude and have a range exceeding 700 km, allowing strikes beyond Moscow.”
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THIRTY-THIRD AID PACKAGE FROM FINLAND
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Finlands strategy has been not to announce big donations, but to tailor, as already mentioned, its aid to Ukraine’s immediate needs.
Finland to Allocate 40 Million Euros for US-Made Weapons for Ukraine
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“The Finnish government has already provided a total of 33 military aid packages to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
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“GIFT FOR PUTIN”
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Half of Ukraine’s new trainer aircraft were bought by Czech charity. Fund is called “Gift for Putin”
link
“Ukraine has received 10 [Czech] ALTO NG light trainers. [These single-prop aircraft] let Ukraine train future fighter pilots at home and slash the cost of every flight hour.
Five of the planes were [donated by] the Czech public. The crowdfunding initiative Dárek pro Putina (”A Gift for Putin”) raised the money. The same group has bought Ukraine six D-30 howitzers, a Black Hawk helicopter, 1,000 anti-tank launchers, and 10 tons of explosives.”
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NEW FACTORY OPENS IN AUGUST AS INTERCEPTOR DEMAND GROWS
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German Interceptor Drone Manufacturer Tytan to Launch New Factory
link
“Tytan Technologies, a Munich-based manufacturer of drone countermeasure systems, is preparing to launch a new plant in Germany amid growing demand for its interceptor drones. The Ukrainian Armed Forces employ [Tytan Interceptors] as a cost-effective, efficient, and easy-to-use solution for countering aerial threats.
Production at the plant—which will have a capacity of 3,000 autonomous interceptors per month — is set to begin in August of this year.
EUROPE & CANADA REARM
FRANCE PLANS DRONE SWARM MOTHERSHIP
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Launching drones and missiles at high altitude gives them an enormous range boost. It’s an idea Airbus Industries has already began testing in collaboration with Germany.
France Plans to Convert 20 A400M Transport Aircraft Into Improvised Cruise Missile, Drone Carriers
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“[The] French military wants to transform [Airbus A400M transports] into improvised cruise missile, drone and aviation bomb carriers with flight range up to 9,000 kilometers.”
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EUROPEAN CONSORTIUM LAUNCHES EIGHT WEAPONS PROJECTS
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Six European Countries to Jointly Launch Eight Long-Range Weapons Related Projects
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“On June 18, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom signed an agreement to continue the work. After agreeing on the next steps in several areas, the countries are ready to deepen their cooperation.
The eight EIGs will cover work in the areas of airborne early warning, long-range anti-radar missiles, long-range air-to-ground missiles, and European multiple launch rocket systems.
The countries will also work on developing surface-to-surface missiles with ranges of 300–500 km, 500–2,000 km, and over 2,000 km, as well as low-cost long-range strike weapons with a range of over 500 km.”
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SWEDEN’S ‘COMBAT WAGON’ GETS AN UPGRADE
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KNDS’s Stridsvagn (‘Combat wagon’) 123-A is Sweden’s latest version of the Leopard 2 main battle tank. It has now entered service in Sweden.
Sweden Receives First Upgraded Stridsvagn 123 Tank
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“The modernization program includes enhanced combat capabilities, greater protection, digitalization measures, and a comprehensive logistics support package.”
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CALL FOR BRITISH ARMY TO MODERNISE PREPAREDNESS
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Chief of British General Staff: British Army Must Be Prepared to Launch Rapid Strike Against Russia
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“The British Army [must] be prepared to launch strikes against Russia within minutes in the event of a threat to NATO’s eastern flank.
Currently, the United Kingdom already has a military contingent in Estonia. General Walker emphasized that the country must be prepared to sacrifice the lives of its soldiers to protect national interests.”
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ESTONIA GETS ITS FIRST IRIS-T SLM BATTERY
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As ever with complex weapons systems, it takes time to build, deliver , and train crews. This week Estonia began the establishment of its integrated air defence network with the arrival of its first IRIS-T SLM missile system.
Estonia Spends Record Sum on First IRIS-T SLM Air Defense System
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“The acquisition of the system marks the beginning of Estonia’s comprehensive air defense development.
However, the system will not yet be operational because, as Riivo Valge, commander of the Estonian Air Force, officially stated, “it will take months to ensure the necessary training of the system’s operators and achieve combat readiness.”“
Germany has donated significant numbers of the short to medium range IRIS-Ts to Ukraine, either as missile batteries or on the tracked NOMADS launcher (see last week’s issue).They have been very successful.
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CANADA BREAKS AUSTRALIAN ARMS SALE RECORD
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Canada buys from anywhere but America these days. With Trump and his ship of fools in office, who can blame it?
Australia Sells JORN Over-the-Horizon Radar to Canada
link
“The governments of Australia and Canada have signed an agreement under which Ottawa will purchase the Jindalee Over-the-Horizon Radar (JORN) OTHR radar system for $1.75 billion — the largest defense export deal in Canberra’s history.”
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LATVIA’S MARK ONE MISSILE FACTORY ON TARGET
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Factory for Manufacturing Mark I Air Defense Missiles Built in Latvia in One Year
link
“Construction of the Riga plant took one year, and its production capacity is expected to reach 100 missiles per day by the end of the year, in conjunction with the planned final assembly plant in the Latvian city of Adazi.
The cost of intercepting drones using the Mark I system is expected to decrease by more than a factor of ten, enabling the mass production of guided anti-aircraft missiles for supply to Europe and other allies.”
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GERMANY CHANGES NAVAL PRIORITIES
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The ‘cheaper and quicker’ ethos now appears to extend to expensive naval vessels.
Germany Cancels Six Frigates, Buys Eight Anti-Sub Frigates
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“Germany’s Ministry of Defense has decided not to proceed with the procurement of six F126 frigates for €18 billion, and instead plans to order eight new [MEKO A-200 class] anti-submarine warfare [frigates] for an estimated cost of €11.6 billion.
It said the move was prompted by major delays in the F126 program, rising costs, and increased risks associated with a change in the project’s main contractor.,”
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NEW EARLY WARNING RADAR UNVEILED
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Thales Unveiled New DeepFinder Radar With a Range of 1,500 km
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“The DeepFinder series of ultra-high-frequency (UHF) radars [is] designed to provide Europe with an independent early-warning solution against missile threats.
The political implications of the DeepFinder are hard to ignore. Early warning in Europe today relies heavily on American sensors and satellites.”
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REALISTIC DRONE WARFARE TRAINING
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How do you prepare a military for drone warfare it has never experienced? The French Navy may have the answer.
French Navy Trains Crews to Repel Mass Drone Attacks in Dome Simulator
link
“Learning From Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Losses, French sailors train on a 360-degree projection dome with Minigun, M2 Browning and 20mm cannons drills simultaneous multi-drone panic scenarios as France copies USV-interception FPV tactics.“
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RACE TO DEPLOY NAVAL LASER WEAPON
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UK Racing to Shrink DragonFire Laser for Type 45 Destroyer by End-2027
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“However, laser weapons development is [no] trivial task, and [the] range of countries engaged in this direction for quite long already, Israel or U.S. for example, spent dozens of years to obtain [a] genuinely working prototype.”
That’s all for now. See you next week.
Ukraine is doing magnificently! Russia still hasn’t learned that what goes around, comes around. Keep it up!
Russia isn't alone in falling victim to its own misinfo, parts of current U. S. leadership appear to be doing same... thanks for this comprehensive report