Fascinating insights from Pavlo Yelizarov, Deputy Commander of Ukraine's Air Force:

Russia currently has sufficient access to components and resources for its military production, including through domestic capacity and supply chains connected to China. 1/15 As a result, external assistance is not necessarily critical for sustaining certain areas of production. One of Russia’s main strengths in small UAV development is its systematic approach. 2/15

Russia is running short of air defense resources needed to protect its strategic sites, said Gert Kaju, Head of the Defence Readiness Department at Estonia’s Ministry of Defence. 1/11 The rate at which Russia is expending air-defense missiles exceeds its production capacity, meaning the available systems are insufficient to provide an equal level of protection for all strategic facilities. 2/11

Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service:

Russia is facing a shortage of optical fiber, and its existing stockpiles are running out. 1/9 Russia’s only optical fiber manufacturing plant - the Optic Fiber Systems in Saransk - has been out of operation since May 2025. 2/9

Ukraine Reaches a Milestone: Making China-Free Drones.

Two companies in Ukraine that have built “China-free” drones were picked to compete for contracts in a Pentagon “drone dominance program” under which the United States plans to buy thousands of low-cost attack drones. 1/11 Ukraine Defense Drones makes most of its own components, and European suppliers fill most of the gaps. 2/11

Moscow has a vested interest in prolonging the Iran war for several reasons.

First, as the conflict drags on or expands, the Trump administration’s diplomatic, political, and military attention will increasingly shift away from the Russia–Ukraine war. 1/12 This could mean even less pressure on Moscow than we have seen so far. Negotiations are already stalled due to the war.
Second, by providing targeting intelligence to Tehran, Russia raises the cost of the U.S. campaign while contributing to broader economic disruption. 2/12

A Saudi Arabian arms company has signed a deal to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor missiles.

Riyadh and Kyiv are negotiating a separate "huge deal" for arms that could be finalized this week. 1/6 Two sources within Ukraine's defense industry who asked to remain anonymous to discuss non-public negotiations told the Kyiv Independent that major contracts were up for discussion between the governments of Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. 2/6

Nearly 7 months ago, Ukrainian officials tried to sell the U.S. their battle-proven technology for downing Iranian-made attack drones.
The Trump administration dismissed the Ukrainians, only to reverse course last week because of more-than-expected drone strikes from Iran. 1/10 At a closed-door White House meeting on Aug. 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered the interceptor drones to President Trump as a way to strengthen ties and, according to one official, show his thanks for U.S. support in the face of Russian aggression. 2/10

The confirmed FP-5 Flamingo strikes include the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant in Udmurtia, the Kapustin Yar test range in the Astrakhan region, and an FSB facility in Armyansk, temporarily occupied Crimea. 1/9 The sky was carefully watched and patrolled; any Russian surveillance drone within a 20-kilometer radius was to be shot down. Even the threat of detection could jeopardize the entire mission. 2/9

A few thoughts on the Iranian drone strike on Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan:

Tehran has not provided an explanation for the incident so far, but the apparent rationale may be to sow additional chaos and further escalate the crisis. 1/9 The attack marks the first time the ongoing Iran war has spilled into the South Caucasus.
The Iranian regime is in survival mode. Striking civilian targets across the region may be an attempt to widen the crisis and increase pressure on Washington. 2/9

President Zelenskyy:

We've regained 460 square kilometers since the beginning of the year.

We are not losing and Russia is not satisfied. They are losing a huge number of men, up to 35,000 a month. That is a gigantic number. 1/12 Now Putin is about to mobilize 400,000 new soldiers, but his army has stopped growing: losses equal new recruits, they are immobilized, close to crisis. Serious negotiations will begin when his army starts shrinking. 2/12

Interesting remarks by President Zelenskyy:

The Middle East has close economic relations, ties with Russia , and they have influence. If they send a signal to Russia about a ceasefire, for example, for some period 1-2 months then we could send our specialists. 1/9 It is very important that everyone can see that even with the amount of air defense that exists in the Middle East, you still see Shaheds getting through. I think now absolutely all partners will understand how high the level of our specialists and our military is. 2/9

Very interesting points by General Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of Ukraine’s National Guard:

All wars eventually come to an end. And this war will end as well — but it will end through a political decision. 1/ 8 There must be a balance between politicians and the military, so that politicians do not interfere too deeply in military matters, and the military, in turn, does not overstep into politics. 2/8

Very interesting remarks by General Budanov:

When there is war - and this is not something specific to Ukraine - everything can ultimately be achieved only in one of two ways once a conflict has reached the stage of war: either by military means or by diplomatic means. 1/10 There is no third option. It simply does not exist. However skeptically many may look at peace negotiations, I hope we will achieve success — because that, too, will be our victory. 2/10

General Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office:

The Kremlin has not changed its objectives in this war; its goal is not specific regions but all of Ukraine. 1/10 It would be naïve to believe that Moscow, after taking control of certain areas without fighting, would abandon its expansionist ambitions. 2/10

General Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of Zelenskyy’s Office:

Ukrainians, both military and civilian, have demonstrated the ability to sustain a long struggle. Four years of full scale war is an unprecedented challenge for any state. 1/12 Yet Ukrainian forces are not only holding the line, they are adapting, learning, changing tactics, and maintaining the initiative. 2/12

General Zaluzhnyi, Ambassador to the UK, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

Right now no country has enough military power to somehow stop [Russia-Ukraine] war. 1/10 Given Russia’s failure to achieve its political goals and Ukraine’s refusal to capitulate, Russia increases the intensity of attacks on infrastructure, energy systems, transport hubs, and other key elements of governance and life support. 2/10

General Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office:

Putin views Ukraine merely as a pathway to restoring the spheres of influence of the Russian Empire and the former USSR in Europe, Asia, Africa, and even on the American continent and in the Arctic. 1/9 The Russian Federation has been waging it against Ukraine for a long time because an independent Ukraine is a sentence against Russian imperialism and Great Russian chauvinism. Without Ukraine, the restoration of empire is impossible and they understand this perfectly well. 2/9

General Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of Ukraine’s National Guard:

We can continue fighting for several more years — 100%. 1/8 By numbers alone, even if we kill more and more Russians, this will not end the war. Pressure must also be applied “economically.” 2/8

Recruiters and propagandists who previously worked for Russia’s Wagner Group have emerged as a main conduit for Kremlin-organized sabotage attacks in Europe, according to western intelligence officials. 1/9 Wagner recruiters who specialised in persuading young men from Russia’s hinterland to fight in Ukraine have been given a new task — recruiting economically vulnerable Europeans to carry out violence on Nato soil. 2/9

Colonel Ants Kiviselg, Estonian Military Intelligence Chief:

There are no signs that Russia seeks peace. 1/10 At the political level, Russia continues to maintain rhetoric rejecting Western security guarantees for Ukraine and persists in its aim to annex what it calls “historical Russian lands.” 2/10

Important observations by Oleh Shyriaiev, Commander of Ukraine's 225th Separate Assault Regiment:

Systematically targeting Russian tactical-level commanders and their drone units — disrupting the entire drone operator network — would yield a far greater battlefield impact. 1/9 Eliminating the commander of a Russian field army would not significantly alter the situation on the battlefield. Wars are driven at the tactical level — by battalion and company commanders, by those directly commanding forces on the ground. 2/9