Ukraine continues to expand international military-technical cooperation and develop its own defense potential. The focus of attention today is on new statements regarding long-range drones, joint production of drones with the US, and the prospects for localizing the production of Patriot systems. At the same time, the United States is strengthening the protection of scientific developments, introducing new restrictions on Russian, Chinese, and Iranian institutions.
Ukraine plans to create drones with a flight range of up to 10 thousand kilometers
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated, that this year Ukrainian strike drones will have a flight range of up to 4 thousand kilometers, and next year it is planned to create drones with a range of 5 to 10 thousand kilometers. The head of state said this in an interview with American blogger Laura Loomer. According to him, Ukraine is actively developing cooperation with the United States in the field of unmanned technologies and seeks to conclude a large-scale bilateral agreement as soon as possible. Zelensky stressed that the Ukrainian side is already transferring individual samples of naval, air, long-range and medium-range unmanned aerial vehicles to American partners for testing and training.
The President noted that he could not disclose the details of the use of Ukrainian drones by the American military, but emphasized that the cooperation is carried out on a partnership basis and is mutually beneficial for both states. According to him, the United States has gained access to exclusive Ukrainian technologies, while Ukraine can take advantage of American technological capabilities. Zelensky reported that the agreement on unmanned aerial vehicles is almost ready for signing, and he seeks to conclude it with US President Donald Trump as soon as possible. He also noted that currently both Ukraine and the Russian Federation already have unmanned aerial vehicles with a flight range of over 3 thousand kilometers, but Ukrainian capabilities continue to grow rapidly.
Russia is preparing to transfer another 30 thousand troops from the DPRK for the war against Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated, that the Russian Federation plans to involve another 30 thousand North Korean servicemen in the war against Ukraine. He announced this in his evening video address, noting that preparations for their reception have been ongoing since June in the Voronezh region. According to the head of state, cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang continues to deepen and reaches a new level. Zelensky recalled that in accordance with the mutual defense treaty, the DPRK has already sent about 14 thousand troops to the Kursk region in 2024 to help the Russian Federation repel the offensive of Ukrainian forces.
In addition to personnel, according to the president, North Korea is also preparing to transfer new launchers for ballistic missiles to Russia. Zelensky stressed that such cooperation poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to the entire Asian region, since the Russian Federation helps the DPRK gain real combat experience, improve its weapons and practice their use in the conditions of modern warfare.
“This is a threat not only to Ukraine. Russia helps North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons and gain real combat experience in its use,” Zelensky said. He also assured that Ukraine would respond to these challenges and take into account new threats that arise as a result of military cooperation between the Russian Federation and the DPRK.
Ukraine and the United States are moving towards joint production of drones
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv and Washington continue to work on creating a joint production of drones in the United States using Ukrainian technology. He said this in an interview with American blogger Laura Loomer, Reutersreports. According to the president, Ukraine seeks to develop the initial agreement on cooperation in the field of drones as soon as possible, and Ukrainian technologies have already proven their effectiveness during the war. Zelensky also noted that Ukrainian drones are already capable of operating at a distance of more than 3 thousand kilometers, and their capabilities continue to grow.
The head of state emphasized that the upcoming agreement is mutually beneficial for both countries, since Ukraine possesses unique technologies, and the United States has a powerful production base. According to Reuters, the parties are still agreeing on the details of the document before the planned meeting of Zelensky with US President Donald Trump. Earlier, the agency reported that Ukraine agreed to export drones to the United States to participate in the Pentagon's Drone Dominance program, and six Ukrainian companies have already received permission to export approximately 100 drones each. Ukrainian media also reported that the parties signed a declaration of intent, which creates the basis for future joint production.
Pentagon adds 130 academic institutions from Russia, China and Iran to list of threats to US national security
The US Department of Defense has added 130 academic and research organizations from the Russian Federation, China, and Iran to a list of institutions whose activities pose a threat to the country's national security. The Pentagon announced, that these organizations are engaged in activities that increase the risk of misuse of American funds allocated for scientific research and development. According to the Pentagon, this creates opportunities for interference by hostile states in US affairs.
The list includes more than 30 Russian universities and research institutes, including the Kurchatov Institute, the Russian University of Technology, the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kazan National Research Technical University, the Naval Academy, the Nizhny Novgorod State University, and the Tomsk Polytechnic University. After being listed, the Pentagon is prohibited from cooperating with these institutions and their employees in the field of research. In addition, the US Department of Defense cannot use their developments or finance their activities from the federal budget. The restrictions are aimed at strengthening the protection of American technologies and scientific research.
Ukraine is counting on Japan's help in creating its own production of Patriot systems
Ukraine is counting on Japan's support in creating its own production of Patriot air defense systems under an American license. This was stated in an interview with Kyodo News by the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Serhiy Kyslytsia. According to him, Kyiv is conducting a political dialogue with the Japanese side, since Japan is one of the few countries that has received a US license to produce these anti-aircraft missile systems. Ukraine hopes to use Japanese experience to develop its own defense capabilities.
Kyslytsia emphasized that the Patriot systems have an exclusively defensive purpose, therefore, in his opinion, the pacifist Constitution of Japan should not create legislative obstacles to such cooperation. At the same time, he refrained from commenting on possible negotiations with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which is the main manufacturer of licensed Patriot interceptor missiles for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The representative of the President's Office did not specify at what stage the consultations between the parties are. He only noted that Ukraine continues to seek opportunities to expand international cooperation in the field of production of modern air defense systems.
Photo: REUTERS/Alina Smutko
Author: Danylo Pievchev