Louis Beaudemont

In a war defined by drones, satellites, and electronic warfare, videos of Russian soldiers on horseback in occupied Ukraine are a symptom of exhaustion—an army running out of fuel but rich in imperial myths.

Vadym Adamov, a 21-year-old filmmaker who enlisted at 18 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now serves as a drone operator. Between rotations at the front, he tours campuses and countries to show how drones reshaped the war—and why Europe must rethink its approach.

At 16, Yurii launched a start-up to design anti-drone ammunition. Now 18, he balances school, prototypes, and a call to defend Ukraine’s skies.

“If swarms of Shaheds are heading toward France, Sweden, the Baltic States—what do we do?” As Russia’s drones batter Ukraine’s skies, experts warn that Europe’s air defenses may be unprepared for such mass drone and missile attacks. 

Despite Russia being excluded from most international festivals since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian flag reappeared on the roof of the Palazzo del Cinema on the Venice Film Festival’s opening day—reviving questions about Moscow’s political, economic, and cultural influence at major international events.