Olena Tregub

A Russian Geran-2 attack drone and samples of Western-made microelectronics recovered from downed Russian drones were among the exhibits presented by NAKO (Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission) at this year’s Warsaw Security Forum, with support from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was an unusual display for an event of this kind.

A few years ago, sanctions and export control specialists mostly dealt with the criminal underworld: drug cartel transactions, terrorist financing networks, and money laundering schemes. Today, it is ordinary young people recruited online to trade signatures and shell companies for cash.

As war fuels innovation, Ukraine is turning battlefield breakthroughs into exportable firepower, pushing to become a major player in the global arms trade while walking a tightrope of transparency, oversight, and national security.

First, Russian drones violated NATO airspace. Now, those same drones—captured and intact—are on public display in the EU, shocking visitors with their size, low cost, and Western-made components. 

Strikes on drone factories alone won’t stop the Russia-Iran war machine. What global strategy can?

On April 13, the center of Sumy, Ukraine, was struck by two ballistic missiles launched from the Voronezh and Kursk regions of Russia. The attack killed over 30 civilians and injured more than 100, including children. Preliminary reports indicate the attack was carried out using Iskander-M/KN-23 missiles. Both missiles reportedly contain numerous components originating from Ukraine’s allied countries.