1/ The commander of Ukrainian's unmanned air forces, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, has announced a set of reforms to improve the effectiveness and logistical supply of drones in the Ukrainian armed forces. They are to be implemented over the next three months. ⬇️
2/ As described by the 'Cuckoo's Nest' Telegram channel:
🔺 Immediate implementation of existing collective experience.
3/🔺 Transparent results: 6-7 units of the Unmanned Systems Line of Drones will be included in the TOP-10 according to the existing rating of the effectiveness of the UAV units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
4/ 🔺 Unified SYSTEM: all units of the Unmanned Systems Line of Drones performing combat missions at the front will operate in a single electronic system of planning, analysis, coordination, management, and online reporting with automatic verification of all results (June–July 2025).
5/ 🔺 12 layers of SBS influence on the strip in tactical and operational depth: immediate step-by-step launch or reinforcement in SBS units of the drone line of all 12 layers of influence on the assigned strip (following the example of the use of the 414th Separate Brigade,…
6/ …including SIGINT, EW, radar, enemy UAV fighters, remote mining, echeloned use of anti-Shahid means, anti-pilot action groups, etc.), immediate launch of retraining of the armed forces, competent provision of means, technologies and control systems (June–September 2025)
7/ 🔺 Building up our own existing ammunition production for competent and timely provision, and not according to the final principle of "we fight with what we have left." Ammunition is waiting for pilots, and not vice versa.
8/ 🔺 Single composition of critical components. Creation of a single supply warehouse and timely provision of units with a package of 50 critical means and components (such as StarLink, additional batteries for drones, mobile electronic warfare systems, FPV and bomber customization components, peripherals, power banks, pickups, etc.).
9/ 🔺 Ground robotic complexes - as the main means of logistics of warheads, drones and peripherals to pilots in positions, etc.
10/ 🔺 A single recruiting campaign for the SBS and basic + professional at the same time (analogous to the already introduced training system in the Drone Line), its own network of FPV schools, bombers, wings, electronic warfare, radio-electronic warfare, radars, fighters, NRK, etc.
11/ 🔺 PILOTS FLY, EVERYONE ELSE WORKS TO SUPPORT THE PROCESS. Revision and optimization of the combat and emergency response forces of the SBS, retraining and prompt training of inexperienced or incompetent crews,…
12/ … reprofiling by types of flight activities, revision of dead souls, guest workers, draft dodgers in military uniform, the tired and the dodgy.
13/ 🔺 COUNT-PLAN-RECEIVE-FIGHT. Unified analysis of the capabilities and fact of use, results in the context of drone / ammunition models for the implementation of accurate planning and implementation of support.
14/ 🔺 Separate section - the use of UAVs at strategic depth.
15/🔺 R & D (center for innovation and implementation of developments). Transformation of the current center from the brigade level to the level of support of the branch of the armed forces and more (15 models of already implemented projects and means).
1/ An announcement by the US Army that it is creating a new career pathway for officers to specialise in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) has prompted Russian concern that it may leapfrog their own military AI/LM capabilities. ⬇️
2/ A new paper in the journal International Organization gives a good explanation of Trump's organising principle, which the authors call "neo-royalism" (analogous to roughly 16th century Europe):
3/ "The neo-royalist order centers on an international system structured by a small group of hyper elites, which we term cliques.
1/ The firing of an "odious" Russian general who is notorious for having caused huge casualties by ordering 'banzai charges' is being celebrated by Russian warbloggers. They warn, however, that he is unlikely to be punished for his failures as he is "protected" by his patrons. ⬇️
2/ Sukhrab Sultanovich Akhmedov, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for Coastal and Ground Forces, is widely reported to have been dismissed in the last few days after several disastrous attacks which produced heavy Russian casualties.
3/ 'Varangian' says that the dismissal – Akhmedov's second during the war so far – is "due to the poorly organised column offensive on Dobropillya on 22 December 2025, which resulted in unnecessary and ineffective losses".
1/ Russian convicts are refusing en masse to join the army, even to serve as officers, according to Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin. He says that nobody believes the Russian Ministry of Defence's promises any more and recruiters are unable to persuade men to go to their deaths. ⬇️
2/ Girkin, a former FSB officer who is currently imprisoned for 'extremism' (i.e. criticising the war effort for being insufficient), writes:
"Today, the military came by to recruit volunteers for the "assault" for officer positions."
3/ "They spoke with me, but again, they simply shrugged their shoulders: recruiting those with "extremist" charges is prohibited. And no one else (except me) has expressed any interest in joining for a long time.
1/ Russian men are reportedly being drugged, trafficked to the army, and married without their knowledge to 'black widows' who get their 'coffin money' compensation payments when they are killed. A story from Samara illustrates what is said to be a growing nationwide racket. ⬇️
2/ Russian warblogger Anastasia Kashevarova highlights what she calls "a black market for trafficking men to the front". She says that the Samara region is a centre for this activity: "People are already being brought in from other regions; this is a whole criminal network."
3/ Kashevarova recounts the story of Ilnar Gabbasov from Bashkiria, who she says became a victim of traffickers while visiting old acquaintances in a Bashkir village. His mother died suddenly during the visit on 16 February 2025.
1/ Ukrainians are said to be funding their war effort by systematically fleecing billions from Russian citizens and businesses through online and phone scams. It's a hidden front of a hybrid war that employs both kinetic means on the battlefield and hacking on the home front. ⬇️
2/ The Russian Telegram channel 'Veterans' Notes' comments that "a full-scale, quiet, and extremely profitable campaign for the enemy has unfolded in the [Russian] rear."
3/ "The scale of financial losses to citizens and the economy from fraudsters has reached the level of a serious threat to national security in the context of the Special Military Operation. This is no longer an epidemic; it is now a way of life.