Ukraine’s AI-Assisted Gun Turrets Shoot Down Russian Jet Drones

Good news! Drone countermeasures are making progress!

"... Speaking on Ukrainian state broadcast television, Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said the systems had successfully intercepted jet-powered unmanned aircraft, including the Geran-5. He credited artificial intelligence and machine vision with helping the turrets engage the targets. ..."

‘I Was a Skeptic’: Ukraine’s AI-Assisted Gun Turrets Shoot Down Russian Jet Drones "In brief: Ukraine says robotic machine-gun turrets using AI and machine vision have downed Russian jet-powered drones, including the Geran-5, as Kyiv expands deployments despite the systems’ limited range."

Ukraine about to sign a landmark drone defense deal with the US and the Iran war

Good news!

"... U.S., which has already used Kyiv’s interceptor technology to protect American bases in the Iran war."

"Over the past year, the Department of Defense and its Ukrainian counterpart have developed a framework that would allow the two countries' militaries to expand testing and production of Ukrainian defense technology in the U.S. 

The importance of expanding partnerships with Ukraine's defense industry has become increasingly clear to the U.S. and its allies throughout the war with Iran. During the first days of the war, Iran began targeting American military installations across the Middle East with Shahed one-way attack drones — the same type of drones Russia has used to attack Ukraine's cities. As the U.S. and the Gulf states initially lacked cost-effective means to intercept the drones, Kyiv sent drone interceptors and pilots to help.

Ukraine has since signed defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries. The agreements match foreign financing with Ukraine's burgeoning defense manufacturing industry. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine aims to make 10 million drones this year. By comparison, the U.S. Army acquired roughly 50,000 in 2025, according to former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.    ..."

Thursday, September 24, 2026 - Join The Flyover

Ukraine ready to sign landmark drone defense deal with U.S., sources say, amid new details on Kyiv's role in Iran war

Russo-Ukraine War Disrupts Global Wheat Supplies since 2022

This is serious and much underreported stuff! The Ukraine is one the bread baskets of the world!

(257) Black Sea War Disrupts Global Wheat Supplies | World DNA - YouTube

How Russia Is Trying to Paralyze and terrorize Kyiv Without Occupying It

Kyiv is under siege! To terrorize the civilian population of a city is very well  another war crime committed by Putin the Terrible!

"... Attacks are spread across the entire day ...

Every alert carries an economic cost. Beyond physical destruction, the sirens mean delayed workers, interrupted production, closed stores, suspended deliveries, and disrupted public transport. Schools move children into shelters, while medical and emergency crews must continue operating under the threat of additional strikes.

Russia is also targeting the logistics that keep Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities supplied. ...

A modern siege logic ...

Beyond psychological warfare

Civilian exhaustion is only one effect of the campaign. Continuous drone waves also force Ukrainian air-defense crews to work extended shifts, leaving less time to rest, relocate, and repair equipment. ..."

Analysis: How Russia Is Trying to Paralyze Kyiv Without Occupying It "In brief: Russia has shifted from concentrated nighttime barrages to near-continuous strikes using faster jet-powered drones. The campaign is designed to exhaust air defenses, disrupt work and transit, damage commercial logistics, and exert sustained psychological pressure on a capital Moscow failed to capture."

71% of Ukrainians Say They Are Happy Despite Russia’s War, Poll Shows

Positive news from a country under siege since 2022 by Putin the Terrible! 

If they are happy, then I am happy too! 😊

"... according to a survey released by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). ...

The latest figure also matches the level recorded in December 2021, two months before Russia launched its full-scale invasion, when 71% of respondents considered themselves happy. ...

KIIS surveyed 2,007 Ukrainian adults by telephone between May 7 and June 3. Respondents lived in areas controlled by the Ukrainian government, although the sample included internally displaced people who had left Russian-occupied territories.

Residents of occupied areas and Ukrainians who moved abroad after Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, were not included. ..."

71% of Ukrainians Say They Are Happy Despite Russia’s War, Poll Shows "In brief: A KIIS survey found that 71% of Ukrainians living in government-controlled territory consider themselves happy, up from 58% in December 2024. Sixteen percent said they were unhappy."

Who Was Eva Reuter? Ukrainian Artist-Turned-Medic Killed Rescuing Strike Victims at 25 engaged to an American serviceman

R.I.P heroine!

"... Born on Oct. 4, 2000, Eva was known as the woman who set aside brushes for tourniquets, paint for blood. ..."

Who Was Eva Reuter? Ukrainian Artist-Turned-Medic Killed Rescuing Strike Victims at 25 "In brief: Eva Reuter, a 25-year-old artist-turned-combat medic with Ukraine's Hospitallers battalion, was killed rescuing victims of a Russian strike when attackers hit the scene again in a "double tap."

Mourners gathered at Kyiv's St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral before processing to Maidan Nezalezhnosti, where her fiancé, an American serviceman known as "Exile," delivered an emotional tribute to her courage and sacrifice."

A photo of Eva Reuter, brought by mourners to St. Michael’s Golden Domed Cathedral on Sept. 3, 2026, to honor Reuter, who was killed in a Russian double-tap strike on Kyiv.

Ukraine is considering legalizing its porn industry to fund its defense budget

Headline of the day! Necessity is the mother of invention.

"Ukrainian authorities have been unable to curtail a vast and lucrative pornography industry, which officials say operates with the protection of corrupt police. In a push to legalize porn in Ukraine, one lawmaker argues that doing so wouldn’t only help the fight against corruption, but would also raise up to $25 million a year in tax revenue—enough to pay for 30,000 drones for the war with Russia."

The Wall Street Journal What's news

Ukraine Considers Legalizing Porn Industry to Fund Its War Chest (behind paywall) "Lawmakers say taxing the country’s thousands of OnlyFans models could collect $25 million a year"

Former Defense Minister Fedorov Receives Military mobilization Deferment while working for a charitable NGO

A case of rules for thee, but not for me?

"... Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, has obtained a legal deferment from military mobilization via work with the charitable group “Eastern Europe Foundation.”

Under Ukrainian law, Ukrainian men aged 25 to 60 must serve in the military unless they obtain a legal deferment for reasons ranging from critical infrastructure employment to medical reasons. Fedorov, aged 35, is eligible to serve without a government post. ..."

Former Defense Minister Fedorov Receives Military Deferment Via NGO "In brief: Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, received a deferment from mobilization via work with an NGO – but some lawmakers cast doubt on its legitimacy as the government hinted at upcoming plans to mobilize 30,000 troops per month to fend off a rumored 400,000-strong mobilization drive from Moscow."

Mykhailo Fedorov

Ukraine President Zelensky Awards Elon Musk with Ukraine’s Order of Freedom (in absentia)

Good news! Congratulations!

Zelensky Awards Elon Musk Ukraine’s Order of Freedom "In brief: President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Elon Musk Ukraine’s Order of Freedom by decree on Aug. 26, citing the American entrepreneur’s personal contributions to protecting human life and freedom and developing relations between the Ukrainian and American peoples."

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Ukraine to hand over UK blueprints to make long-range missiles

Good news! Good move by the new UK Prime Minister to choose the Ukraine for his first foreign visit!

(390) Andy Burnham in Ukraine to hand over UK blueprints to make long-range missiles | BBC News - YouTube

Sacked Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for presidential election

That's a way to start a come back! Is he thereby helping to undermine the so far very successful defense effort by the Ukraine against Putin the Terrible?

Is war time, a good time for democratic elections? What historical examples for that do we have? The UK, for example, did apparently not hold major elections during WW II (Google AI). "Yes, the United States held both presidential and congressional elections on schedule during World War II." (Google AI) However, except for Hawaii, the mainland of the US was not under direct attack by the so called Axis Powers (Spain, Italy, Germany nor by Japan.

No wonder he was sacked?

"Ukraine's popular ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for wartime elections, in what is widely seen as the biggest challenge to Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency since Russia's full-scale invasion four and a half years ago.

"Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia," said Fedorov, 35, in a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, adding that Ukraine is fighting "precisely because we want to remain a free European state". ..."

"... Fedorov made the remarks in a video address posted to his YouTube channel, saying Ukraine needs a “legal, safe, and realistic mechanism” for holding elections during a prolonged conflict, while also safeguarding voting rights for soldiers, Ukrainians living abroad, and residents of frontline regions. ..."

Sacked Ukrainian defence minister calls for presidential election

Fedorov Calls for Wartime Elections, Says Putin Shouldn’t Set the Timeline "In brief: Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for Ukraine to develop a mechanism to hold elections during the war, arguing Russia should not be able to dictate when Ukrainian citizens vote. His remarks came hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky nominated a permanent replacement for the post on Aug, 18."

Mykhailo Fedorov (Source?)

Ships Not Entering Odesa Ports: What This Means for Ukraine’s Grain Exports

Serious stuff! The Russo-Ukrainian War since 2022 has also seriously affected the grain export of the Ukraine (aka the bread basket of the world).

Putin the Terrible is committing war crimes in many ways, this is one of them, i.e. starving the rest of the world! When will we finally see an international war crimes tribunal (a la Nuremberg) against Putin the Terrible!

"Ukraine is called a breadbasket of the world because over half of its land is rich, dark chernozem (black soil) ideal for farming. Before the war, it grew enough food to feed 400 million people, supplying a huge share of the world's wheat, corn, barley, and sunflower oil." (Google Search/AI)

"Since the beginning of 2026, USPA [Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority] has recorded 160 attacks on port infrastructure, 87 attacks on civilian ships in ports, and 68 attacks on ships in the maritime corridor. The attacks became especially intense this summer. Since July 1, Russia has combined large-scale drone attacks with jet-powered Shahed drones, air strikes, and ballistic missiles. By August 11, USPA had recorded 88 attacks on port infrastructure, 48 on ships in ports, and 39 in the corridor. ..."

Ships Not Entering Odesa Ports: What This Means for Ukraine’s Grain Exports "In brief: Ship traffic to Greater Odesa collapsed after Russian drone and missile attacks intensified, with just seven vessels entering in the first 11 days of August against 169 in July. USPA blames the drop on rising attack risk, while UCAB estimates Ukraine is losing $450-500 million in export revenue monthly as wheat and barley sell below production cost."

Bomb Hidden in Trash Bin Kills Russian/Ukrainian Officer Who Defected From Ukraine in Russian-occupied Sevastopol, Crimea

Is the Ukraine copying from the Israeli Mossad playbook?

I blogged here earlier about a recent bomb attack on Russian military officers in a restaurant in Moscow.

"... A Russian military officer was killed on Thursday when an explosive device detonated near a residential area in Russian-occupied Sevastopol. ..."

 

Bomb Hidden in Trash Bin Kills Russian Officer Who Defected From Ukraine "In brief: Russian reports identified the victim as Robert Shageev, a former Ukrainian naval officer who joined Russia after its 2014 occupation of Crimea."

U.S. Army troops were defeated by Ukrainian drone operators at a military exercise in Germany earlier this year.

Bad news! Maybe like the knights in shining armor, the time for human army soldiers is over too in the very near future.

It is only a matter of time unitil terrorists will use drones for their attacks.

"During the exercise, Ukrainian drone units easily spotted and took down U.S. troops and armored vehicles on rotation from Fort Hood in Texas, according to people familiar with the events. The exercise, coupled with U.S. casualties in Iran, shows American vulnerabilities to uncrewed systems—years after the U.S. made them an essential part of warfare."

The Wall Street Journal What's news

U.S. and Ukrainian Forces Went Head-to-Head in an Exercise. Ukraine’s Drones Won. (behind paywall) "Battlefield drill shows Pentagon hasn’t fully absorbed lessons of Russia’s war"

How Ukraine tries to intercept Russian drones more effectively — and affordably

The Ukraine may not need as much expensive Patriot or other missile defense systems as has been repeatedly reported in the news media!

Another media hoax is the depletion of critical ammunitions/missiles of the US military (see e.g. my blog post here).

"From new fighter jet tactics to arming up other aircraft, Ukraine has altered its strategies to make intercepting Russian drones and missiles more affordable and better suited to record wartime attacks launched by Moscow in recent months, according to a new analysis. ..."

How Ukraine tries to intercept Russian drones more effectively — and affordably - Breaking Defense "Since last year, Kyiv has turned to Western fighter jets to shoot down aerial threats, but also rely on dispersed air defense teams and other modified aircraft."

Four Years On: An Update on the Air War Over Ukraine "An established Ukrainian F-16 Fighter Wing and the overstretch of fighters and air defences on both sides by sustained long-range strike campaigns have changed the nature of the air war."

Ukraine’s Entry Into the Iran War Changes Everything | Is Caspian Sea a New Warzone?

Very recommendable! Lot's of background! How close are to World War III?

(1982) Ukraine’s Entry Into the Iran War Changes Everything | Is Caspian Sea the New Warzone? | The Link - YouTube

How Ukraine Is Stopping 90% of Russia's Drones

Recommendable! Drone warfare up close!

(257) How Ukraine Is Stopping 90% of Russia's Drones | WSJ - YouTube

Just dismissed Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov Turns Down Zelensky’s Offer to Become ‘Deputy PM for Military Innovations’

If Mykhailo Fedorov (age 35,  Minister of Defence of Ukraine from January 2026 to July 2026) was the right man for the job, Zelensky ought to bring him back as defense minister.

"... Fedorov became the defense minister in January after his previous role as digital transformation minister, with his brief, six-month tenure at the defense ministry coinciding with the removal of Starlink for Russian troops and Kyiv’s intensified drone campaign against Russian oil and logistics.

In early July, Ukraine’s General Staff estimated that 43% of Russian oil refining capacity was crippled by Ukrainian strikes. ..."

Fedorov Turns Down Zelensky’s Offer to Become ‘Deputy PM for Military Innovations’ "In brief: The former defense minister wrote in a written response that he would accept no other position than his former post, saying it’s the only way for him to fulfill his plans to reform the military and contribute to Ukraine’s victory against Russia’s invasion."

Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reacts during a joint press conference with Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (unseen) in Kyiv on May 11, 2026

Withering, Relentless Ukraine Drone Strike Campaign Hits Crimea Hard

Good news!

Any eventual peace agreement between the Ukraine and Russia must include a full and immediate return of occupied Crimea to Ukraine.

"In brief: Ukraine’s drone forces have spent the past two weeks hammering Russian logistics networks supporting occupied Crimea, targeting fuel tankers, cargo ships, ferries, power infrastructure, rail hubs, bridges, and freight traffic. The operation is aimed at isolating Crimea from mainland Russia and degrading its value as a military base. ..."

Withering, Relentless Ukraine Drone Strike Campaign Hits Crimea Hard

EU, Ukraine sign drone deal to fast-track unmanned systems production

Good news!

"... Under the drone deal, joint ventures will be established between selected Ukrainian and European defense companies to fast-track the development and manufacturing of unmanned technologies. ...

While most of the listed companies focus on aerial drones, two in particular — Fincantieri and UForce — will leverage their expertise in naval drones and serve as systems integrators in the maritime domain. ...

In addition, the Commission has pledged to spend €1 billion ($1.14 billion) to support Kyiv’s drone capabilities as part of the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan."

EU, Ukraine sign drone deal to fast-track unmanned systems production - Breaking Defense "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the country is currently producing 10 million drones per year and envisions this number rising to 20 million annually with the help of partners."