Illia Kabachynskyi

Ukraine’s skies face relentless Russian attacks by drones and missiles, making every layer of air defense critical. Now, partner countries have reinforced that shield with additional Crotale systems—French air defense systems capable of neutralizing some of Russia’s aerial threats.

Ukraine is continuing a series of strikes on Russian facilities involved in producing various types of missiles, seeking to degrade the offensive capabilities of Russia’s air forces.

Lightweight and affordable fixed-wing drones are turning Russian supply routes in occupied territory into a liability. Now Kyiv needs to scale what worked in Crimea: Ukrainian drones equipped with Starlink should be able to fly into Russian regions bordering Ukraine, helping cripple the Kremlin’s rear-area logistics.

Since July 18, Ukrainian drones have systematically struck warehouses and sorting centers belonging to Wildberries—often dubbed “Russia’s Amazon.” More than a quarter of the company’s logistics network, including at least 14 warehouses covering 1.5 million square meters, has been hit. The campaign has already triggered a sharp drop in sales of military equipment.

Ukrainian intelligence has detected signs that Russia is preparing a new wave of mobilization immediately after the staged State Duma elections on September 21, 2026, likely in the first days of October. The campaign could involve between 300,000 and 500,000 new recruits. 

For 40 consecutive days, Ukraine waged one of its largest long-range strike campaigns since the start of the full-scale invasion. Thousands of drones and missiles targeted Russian air bases, oil refineries, military industries, and logistics hubs in an effort to raise the cost of the war and pressure the Kremlin toward negotiations. By the end of the campaign, more than 100 strategic facilities had reportedly been struck—including every one of Russia’s 11 largest oil refineries.