Valentyn Badrak: The Ukrainian Armed Forces have successfully tested a new ballistic missile<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nValentyn Badrak, Director of the Centre for Army Research, announced on Espreso TV that in mid-May, Ukrainian forces conducted a successful combat test of a new ballistic missile, which destroyed a Russian command post at a distance of approximately 300 km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/l5eo8x6u8neh6kirjki7.webp\")
Valentyn Badrak, photo by Espreso<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAccording to Badrak, the missile’s warhead weighs over 400 kg. Following the successful test, plans are in place to launch serial production of Ukrainian ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BBC: On the shortage of drones in Ukraine\u2019s military<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe BBC spoke with dozens of Ukrainian Armed Forces officers about the supply of FPV drones. All confirmed that the Defence Forces are indeed experiencing a shortage of kamikaze drones, which are critical for holding the front line. The article supports growing expert concerns that this spring marked the first time Ukraine fell behind Russia in terms of both the quantity and quality of drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eb881ff0-413e-11f0-8a46-a5d782130fea.jpg.webp\")
Photo from Serhii Varakin Facebook page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAn even bigger problem, according to military personnel, is the quality of the FPV drones provided by the government. Serhii Varakin, commander of the drone systems battalion of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, said he receives \u201ca great many\u201d subpar drones. His unit\u2019s fighters are forced to spend their own money to buy components so that the drones can operate in their sector of the front. Read the full article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nPolitico: On the drone standoff between Ukraine and Russia<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nPolitico journalists also explored the alarming trends in the drone arms race. Spokesperson for Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Aleksandrov, told the outlet that Russia is catching up with Ukraine in drone production thanks to greater financial resources, facilities deep in the rear, and above all, assistance from China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChinese manufacturers supply them with equipment, electronics, navigation systems, optical and telemetry units, engines, microchips, processor modules, antenna array systems, and control boards. They use so-called front companies, change their names, and do everything possible to evade export controls and avoid sanctions,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mind on M-Fly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe publication\u00a0Mind<\/em>\u00a0ran a feature on the Ukrainian defence startup M-Fly, which recently raised $1.3 million in investment. The project is developing a laser guidance system that enables drones to strike targets even under heavy electronic warfare interference. In the article, the founders share how the idea was born, what the team is working on, the engineering challenges they\u2019ve faced, who invested in the product, and what the company envisions for its future after victory. Full article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/innarjllvgmqewtcchi6.webp\")
Image from M-Fly website<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nUkraine will not receive US APKWS air defence missiles<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe US has redirected 20,000 APKWS laser-guided air defence missiles\u2014originally intended for Ukraine\u2014to its Air Force units in the Middle East. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported<\/a> this in an interview with ABC News. According to Zelensky, the missiles were intended to be used against Shaheds.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMore on Shaheds<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nIn addition to the speculation about potential Shahed attack volumes and the subsequent Air Force denials, several more in-depth pieces appeared in Ukrainian media. The publication\u00a0Oboronka<\/em>\u00a0released a long-read<\/a> analysing the growth of Russian drone production, changes in their manufacturing processes and deployment tactics, and the origins of the components used in these kamikaze drones\u2014which continue to pose a major challenge to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Badrak, the missile’s warhead weighs over 400 kg. Following the successful test, plans are in place to launch serial production of Ukrainian ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BBC: On the shortage of drones in Ukraine\u2019s military<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe BBC spoke with dozens of Ukrainian Armed Forces officers about the supply of FPV drones. All confirmed that the Defence Forces are indeed experiencing a shortage of kamikaze drones, which are critical for holding the front line. The article supports growing expert concerns that this spring marked the first time Ukraine fell behind Russia in terms of both the quantity and quality of drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto from Serhii Varakin Facebook page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAn even bigger problem, according to military personnel, is the quality of the FPV drones provided by the government. Serhii Varakin, commander of the drone systems battalion of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, said he receives \u201ca great many\u201d subpar drones. His unit\u2019s fighters are forced to spend their own money to buy components so that the drones can operate in their sector of the front. Read the full article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nPolitico: On the drone standoff between Ukraine and Russia<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nPolitico journalists also explored the alarming trends in the drone arms race. Spokesperson for Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Aleksandrov, told the outlet that Russia is catching up with Ukraine in drone production thanks to greater financial resources, facilities deep in the rear, and above all, assistance from China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChinese manufacturers supply them with equipment, electronics, navigation systems, optical and telemetry units, engines, microchips, processor modules, antenna array systems, and control boards. They use so-called front companies, change their names, and do everything possible to evade export controls and avoid sanctions,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mind on M-Fly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe publication\u00a0Mind<\/em>\u00a0ran a feature on the Ukrainian defence startup M-Fly, which recently raised $1.3 million in investment. The project is developing a laser guidance system that enables drones to strike targets even under heavy electronic warfare interference. In the article, the founders share how the idea was born, what the team is working on, the engineering challenges they\u2019ve faced, who invested in the product, and what the company envisions for its future after victory. Full article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nImage from M-Fly website<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nUkraine will not receive US APKWS air defence missiles<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe US has redirected 20,000 APKWS laser-guided air defence missiles\u2014originally intended for Ukraine\u2014to its Air Force units in the Middle East. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported<\/a> this in an interview with ABC News. According to Zelensky, the missiles were intended to be used against Shaheds.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMore on Shaheds<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nIn addition to the speculation about potential Shahed attack volumes and the subsequent Air Force denials, several more in-depth pieces appeared in Ukrainian media. The publication\u00a0Oboronka<\/em>\u00a0released a long-read<\/a> analysing the growth of Russian drone production, changes in their manufacturing processes and deployment tactics, and the origins of the components used in these kamikaze drones\u2014which continue to pose a major challenge to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An even bigger problem, according to military personnel, is the quality of the FPV drones provided by the government. Serhii Varakin, commander of the drone systems battalion of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, said he receives \u201ca great many\u201d subpar drones. His unit\u2019s fighters are forced to spend their own money to buy components so that the drones can operate in their sector of the front. Read the full article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Politico journalists also explored the alarming trends in the drone arms race. Spokesperson for Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Aleksandrov, told the outlet that Russia is catching up with Ukraine in drone production thanks to greater financial resources, facilities deep in the rear, and above all, assistance from China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChinese manufacturers supply them with equipment, electronics, navigation systems, optical and telemetry units, engines, microchips, processor modules, antenna array systems, and control boards. They use so-called front companies, change their names, and do everything possible to evade export controls and avoid sanctions,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The publication\u00a0Mind<\/em>\u00a0ran a feature on the Ukrainian defence startup M-Fly, which recently raised $1.3 million in investment. The project is developing a laser guidance system that enables drones to strike targets even under heavy electronic warfare interference. In the article, the founders share how the idea was born, what the team is working on, the engineering challenges they\u2019ve faced, who invested in the product, and what the company envisions for its future after victory. Full article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The US has redirected 20,000 APKWS laser-guided air defence missiles\u2014originally intended for Ukraine\u2014to its Air Force units in the Middle East. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported<\/a> this in an interview with ABC News. According to Zelensky, the missiles were intended to be used against Shaheds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the speculation about potential Shahed attack volumes and the subsequent Air Force denials, several more in-depth pieces appeared in Ukrainian media. The publication\u00a0Oboronka<\/em>\u00a0released a long-read<\/a> analysing the growth of Russian drone production, changes in their manufacturing processes and deployment tactics, and the origins of the components used in these kamikaze drones\u2014which continue to pose a major challenge to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPolitico: On the drone standoff between Ukraine and Russia<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Mind on M-Fly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ukraine will not receive US APKWS air defence missiles<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
More on Shaheds<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n