Illia Kabachynskyi

The Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, has become a problem for Russia. Accurate drone strikes on logistics by Ukraine have caused this territory, once a springboard for offensive operations, to lose value for Moscow.

Every night, Russia launches new waves of missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. To stop them, Ukraine relies on a shrinking number of air defense systems, and one of the most effective is NASAMS, the Norwegian-American weapon that has become a cornerstone of the country’s air shield.

VNIIR-Progress is a bottleneck in Russia’s production of military strike systems, manufacturing anti-jamming navigation components that help missiles and drones resist electronic warfare. That makes the facility a high-priority Ukrainian target, reportedly struck with a long-range Flamingo missile.

Molniya drones can fly up to 30 kilometers, putting most of the front line’s kill zone within reach. Cheap enough to be launched in under 50,000 every day, they have become a relentless presence over the battlefield. Few outside the front notice them, yet no military has ever faced such a constant drone threat at this scale.

Ukraine’s ambitious plan to acquire up to 150 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden could soon become a three-country project. While Stockholm would supply the aircraft, Canada may play a critical role by assembling Gripens for Ukraine, creating a defense partnership that stretches from Scandinavia to North America.

Russia’s spring offensive campaign has been derailed. Despite suffering more than 100,000 casualties, Moscow has captured little territory, while Ukrainian strikes continue to degrade its logistics networks. Putin has responded by bombarding Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles, destroying residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.