Berlin and Kiev to jointly develop ‘deep strike’ capabilities – German defense minister
Published 11 May, 2026 20:42 | Updated 12 May, 2026 05:50
Germany and Ukraine will jointly develop long-range drones, German Defense Minister Boris Pistiorius has said during an unannounced visit to Kiev. The Ukrainian military has routinely used unmanned aerial vehicles for attacks deep inside Russia that target civilians and critical infrastructure.
Moscow has accused Kiev of “terrorism” over the strikes. Last week, one attack killed five civilians in Crimea.
Berlin has emerged as Kiev’s largest single military donor after the US switched from donating weapons directly to Ukraine to selling it to Kiev’s other NATO backers which hand them over. Germany spent around €20 billion ($23.5 billion) on weapons for Ukraine from January 2022 to February 2026, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
On Monday, Pistorius claimed that further military cooperation with Kiev would be advantageous for Berlin since it has also launched its own military buildup, citing the alleged ‘Russian threat’.
Of course, there is no real threat of a Russian attack on Europe, but Berlin seems determined to give them a reason to. The stupidity in Germany is astonishing!
“Germany and Ukraine are strategic partners who both benefit from the cooperation. This gives rise to numerous new projects,” the minister told dpa news agency. “The focus is on the joint development of advanced unmanned systems of all ranges, especially in the area of deep strike.”
According to Pistiorius, the ‘Brave Germany’ program he signed off on, along with Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Federov, on Monday will focus on supporting startups capable of demonstrating “promising innovations.”
Switching to a 'war-based' economy may seem smart in the short-term, but is a long term disaster.
Ukraine’s most prominent drone manufacturer, Fire Point, recently found itself at the center of a corruption scandal when leaks exposed its close ties to Timur Mindich, a former business partner and longtime associate of Vladimir Zelensky. Mindich stands accused of orchestrating a $100 million graft scheme. One of the company’s top figures and its co-owner were also reportedly recorded saying that peace is “bad for business.” Prior to the scandal, the company was touted globally by Zelensky himself.
Moscow has stated that it harbors no aggressive intent toward any NATO nation and dismissed the speculation as “nonsense.” It also warned that the current German and EU leadership is transforming the bloc into “a Fourth Reich.”
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Another NATO state urges Ukraine to control its drones
Published 10 May, 2026 13:39
Ukraine should not be using Estonian airspace for drone attacks on Russia, the Baltic nation’s defense minister, Hanno Pevkur, has said.
Over the past few weeks, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland have reported several cases of Ukrainian UAVs crashing in their territory. Moscow previously accused NATO members of quietly permitting Ukraine to target Russian territory, particularly energy facilities in northwestern Leningrad Region.
And therefore, generating more reasons for Moscow to attack NATO countries. Again, the level of stupidity here is astonishing!
Earlier this week, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that he told Vladimir Zelensky that Helsinki deems Ukrainian aircraft entering its airspace “unacceptable.”
Speaking about incursions by Kiev’s UAVs on Sunday, Pevkur said that the Estonian authorities “will start dealing with this very quickly now.” Kiev would have to explain “what exactly it means and what they themselves had in mind by it,” he added.
They should use them for target practice.
“Certainly, the easiest way for the Ukrainians to keep their drones away from our territory is to control their activities better,” the defense minister said, as cited by ERR website.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said earlier this week that Kiev has every right to carry out attacks inside Russia, but added that Tallinn is concerned about the possibility of more serious incidents involving UAVs.
“Russia could take control of Ukrainian drones and send them toward us,” Tsahkna claimed.
Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds previously declined to criticize Ukraine, insisting that it “has every right to defend itself.” Breaches of Riga’s airspace by foreign aircraft will continue as long as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains unresolved, Spruds claimed, blaming Moscow for the incursions.
Kiev is considering sending Ukrainian expert teams “to help directly strengthen the airspace” of the four countries, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga wrote on X on Friday.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said in April that either Western air defenses are proving ineffective against Ukrainian UAVs or the Baltic States and Finland “deliberately provide their airspace, thereby becoming open accomplices in aggression against Russia.”
In the latter case, Moscow has the right to self-defense in response to an “armed attack” under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Shoigu warned.
Ukrainian draft enforcers open fire at Roma residents – media
Published 10 May, 2026 08:29
Ukrainian enlistment officers have reportedly opened fire at members of the Roma community who were attempting to storm a recruitment center in Transcarpathia, western Ukraine.
The incident occurred in the village of Mezhgorye on Saturday after a press gang seized a local man, according to Ukrainian journalist Vitaly Glagola. Around 30 people reportedly gathered outside the enlistment office and tried to force their way inside by hurling objects and breaking down doors.
The journalist claimed that several shots were fired using a pistol and a Kalashnikov rifle. He added that officials initially denied the shooting, saying that only two blank rounds had been fired, which contradicted footage in which “at least four shots” could be heard.
“Now even the testimony of the TCC employees themselves does not match,” Glagola wrote on Telegram.
The confrontation was later confirmed by the Regional Territorial Recruitment Center and Social Support office, which acknowledged that a group had attempted to storm the military facility, “ignoring the lawful demands of military personnel.”
The “threat was localized, and the attack was repelled,” the office added in a statement on social media.
Faced with mounting losses, widespread desertion, and a shortage of willing recruits in the conflict with Russia, Ukrainian recruitment squads have increasingly resorted to coercion and brute force to fill the ranks.
The practice, commonly known as “busification,” involves military-age men being seized on the streets, at workplaces, and in residential areas before being taken to enlistment centers against their will and reportedly dispatched to the front after only cursory training.
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