#Ukrainian Armed Forces

A group of men draped in blue and yellow flags steps off the bus into a crowd. “Welcome back! Thank you, guys!” echoes from all sides. Moments later, a woman runs in to embrace one of them. This is one of the places Ukraine’s former prisoners of war are brought after exchanges, with more defenders returning from Russian captivity on June 19.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has entered a new phase of drone warfare. Using fiber-optic lines for control, Moscow is now deploying FPV drones that can hide for hours or days before launching sudden attacks. This article explores how these “sleeper drones” work, why they’re hard to stop, and what challenges they pose for Ukrainian defenses.

As Russia ramps up its military machine and European leaders issue dire warnings, the continent faces a critical question: Can it mobilize fast enough to defend itself?