Samuel Bendett

Ukraine’s Shablia K2 robotic combat system, developed by the Roboneers team, represents a new phase in ground warfare where remote-controlled firepower replaces exposed soldiers on the front line. Building on earlier turret designs, the K2 integrates a stabilized machine-gun module with improved targeting, remote operation, and battlefield survivability, allowing operators to engage enemy infantry and light vehicles from protected positions. Crucially, it is designed for the realities of trench warfare—easy to deploy, relatively low-cost, and adaptable—making it effective in Ukraine’s attritional battlefield where minimizing human exposure is key. read more from @DefenderMediaUA: thedefender.media/en/2026/03/sha… UnderFire.News

Gulf nations ‘trying to reach out’ for Ukrainian counter-drone capability breakingdefense.com/2026/03/gulf-n…

CONFIRMED Down goes another Ka-52 'Alligator'! Operators from the 'Predators of the Heights' Battalion (59th USF Assault Brigade) nailed it with an FPV drone in the Donetsk region. That makes two helis added to the 59th's tally. Outstanding work, fellas! 🦾

Logistics on the front line is a constant struggle, where even the road itself can turn into an enemy. "Yurich", a soldier of the ground robotic system battalion Alter Ego, explains how it looks in practice: «After rain and mud, heavy vehicles tear up the tracks, and ground robotic systems can flip over on the way. Sometimes the little tracked vehicles just can’t handle the terrain. In those cases, we can contact the nearest positions, and the guys will flip it back over. The vehicle keeps moving». But the key thing, "Yurich" says, is that the cargo still gets through no matter what. Packages are tightly secured and strapped down, knowing the conditions on the route. Because if the load falls off, no one is going to risk going out to collect it under FPV drones.

Forbes Russia says Russia's Internet censor is running out of resources in its attempt to block Telegram, randomly lifting Russia's bans on access to services like WhatsApp and YouTube. The "technical counter‑threat tools" installed at telecoms just ain't enough. forbes.ru/tekhnologii/55…

Lyman Update: Ukraine Starts Taking Ground Back On the Lyman axis, Ukrainian forces are reporting local advances — driven not by large-scale assaults, but by a deliberate shift in tactics. According to Olena, planning officer of the UAV battalion Mara (66th Mechanized Brigade), Ukrainian units changed their focus months ago: “We stopped focusing only on enemy infantry and began destroying their drone positions, logistics routes, and shelters. As a result, assaults decreased — and we started taking back our land.” Instead of engaging waves of Russian troops directly, Ukrainian forces are now systematically targeting: - drone operators and UAV infrastructure - artillery positions - logistics routes and supply chains - bunkers and staging areas This approach is producing measurable effects: - fewer Russian assault attempts - reduced ability to resupply and reinforce - gradual Ukrainian advances on previously occupied ground Ukrainian forces emphasise a key reality of this war: Russia has manpower it is willing to expend — but it protects equipment, logistics, and trained specialists. “If you only fight infantry, you’re hitting what Russia doesn’t value. But if you deny them logistics and equipment — you start seeing results,” Olena explained. In broader terms, this reflects a fundamental shift in modern warfare: Victory is no longer about attrition alone — it’s about disrupting systems that make the enemy capable of fighting. Ukraine is applying this logic in real time — turning precision, drones, and logistics disruption into tangible gains on the ground. #Ukraine #UkraineWar #Lyman #ModernWarfare #DroneWar #StandWithUkraine

“Russia retains the capability to selectively challenge U.S. interests globally by military and nonmilitary means. Its robust, advanced conventional and nuclear forces are an enduring threat to the Homeland, U.S. allies and partners, and U.S. forces abroad. The most dangerous threat posed by Russia to the U.S. is an escalatory spiral in an ongoing conflict such as Ukraine or a new conflict that led to direct hostilities, including nuclear exchanges. Russia has also cultivated partnerships with China, Iran, and North Korea to further its own interests, and makes use of an array of tools that fall into the gray zone of geopolitical competition below the level of direct armed conflict. At the same time, Russia’s aspirations for multipolarity could allow for selective collaboration with the U.S. if Moscow’s threat perceptions regarding Washington were to diminish. • Even with wartime attrition, Russia’s ground forces have grown, and its air and naval forces are intact and arguably more capable than before the full-scale invasion. Russia has advanced systems, including counterspace weapons, hypersonic missiles, and undersea capabilities designed to negate U.S. military advantages. Russia is also building novel nuclear weapons platforms to supplement its already formidable nuclear air, land, and sea-based triad, complicating U.S. nuclear deterrence calculus. • Russia is likely to remain resilient against Western sanctions and export controls, although at the cost of expanding budget deficits and underinvestment in the civilian economy that increase the risk of long-term economic stagnation and deepening dependence on China. Moscow relies on its partnerships with other U.S. adversaries to evade sanctions. It also is attempting to evade sanctions by setting up alternate payment systems. • Russia’s gray zone tools include cyber attacks, disinformation and influence operations, energy market manipulation, military intimidation, and sabotage. Russia often hides and denies its role, complicating U.S. efforts to counter it.”array of tools that fall into the gray zone of geopolitical competition below the level of direct armed conflict. At the same time, Russia’s aspirations for multipolarity could allow for selective collaboration with the U.S. if Moscow’s threat perceptions regarding Washington were to diminish. • Even with wartime attrition, Russia’s ground forces have grown, and its air and naval forces are intact and arguably more capable than before the full-scale invasion. Russia has advanced systems, including counterspace weapons, hypersonic missiles, and undersea capabilities designed to negate U.S. military advantages. Russia is also building novel nuclear weapons platforms to supplement its already formidable nuclear air, land, and sea-based triad, complicating U.S. nuclear deterrence calculus. • Russia is likely to remain resilient against Western sanctions and export controls, although at the cost of expanding budget deficits and underinvestment in the civilian economy that increase the risk of long-term economic stagnation and deepening dependence on China. Moscow relies on its partnerships with other U.S. adversaries to evade sanctions. It also is attempting to evade sanctions by setting up alternate payment systems. • Russia’s gray zone tools include cyber attacks, disinformation and influence operations, energy market manipulation, military intimidation, and sabotage. Russia often hides and denies its role, complicating U.S. efforts to counter it.

Important article by @MassDara

Russian video featuring a nightmarish scenario of the Russian government as a bureaucrat that shows up whenever someone tries to find a way to bypass the Telegram ban: “You should realize by now that you have nowhere to run. What do you have against the Max app?” t.me/romanov_92/516…

🇺🇦 Ukraine’s plan to cut off Russia’s front-line troops is working Inside Kyiv’s drone campaign ⬇️ telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

Telegram fights back in Russia: "Telegram proxies are currently launching a counter-attack against Roskomnadzor’s (RKN) censorship infrastructure, flooding its filters with junk data and overloading them to a critical state. As a result, not only is Telegram suffering, but so is a host of other services—including those the authorities had intended to leave alone. Consequently, service disruptions are being observed nationwide, even affecting platforms that were never targeted for blocking—such as websites on RKN’s "whitelist," certain government services, and occasionally even VKontakte. An interesting side effect has emerged: in several regions, WhatsApp (specifically voice and video calls) has suddenly sprung back to life. This occurred because the TSPU (Technical Means of Countering Threats) system temporarily "eased up" on certain filters in an attempt to cope—however imperfectly—with the massive primary load generated by Telegram. This is currently one of the most widely discussed instances of "technical trolling" directed at RKN in recent years. I have a feeling that Durov’s team is going to make life very difficult for RKN in the future—especially when comparing the skill levels and salaries of Durov’s programmers against those of RKN’s mediocre coders, who are scraping by on peanuts. (After all, the truly talented programmers have either emigrated or are working for private companies.) t.me/borisenkoD/336…

UGV is one of the areas that is currently developing rapidly right before our eyes. These systems are constantly being improved and tested in real-world conditions. The military provides feedback to manufacturers, and sometimes they find new solutions themselves in unit workshops. Development is ongoing to ensure UGVs operate reliably under any conditions. Photo: 59th Separate Assault Brigade of USF “Steppe Predators.”

⚡ Ukraine is developing next-gen naval drones for open ocean missions. Officials say the new systems are designed to operate beyond the Black Sea, expanding Ukraine’s unmanned maritime capabilities into broader ocean environments. 🔗 united24media.com/latest-news/uk…

In tiny Estonia, drones lead booming defense expansion breakingdefense.com/2026/03/in-tin…

As Aleksey Chadaev, one of Russia's pre-eminent tech volunteers who backs Rus military in Ukraine, put it: "I am organically incapable of becoming disillusioned with our system - simply because I was never enchanted by it in the first place...." t.me/chadayevru/4598

I have proof that the evolution of security can be fast – and cheaper than old defense systems. This is an iPad with software that lets us control our security in real time. It’s true. We have these iPads – I have one, my Prime Minister has one, our Minister of Defense, and our top military commanders – they have it. It lets us see the front line in Ukraine, and even every enemy killed – with video proof. Right now, 90% of Russian losses on the front are caused by our drones. That’s why it’s so important to know who has the advantage in drones – and to be fast and strong in defending against them. The iPad also shows every strike in our skies, our sea area, and our long-range strikes against Russia. It gives us real-time control over people’s safety, and our infrastructure and energy sector. And I believe the evolution of security will make it possible for every leader, every defense minister – and even ordinary people – to have tools like this, and with them, a high level of protection of life. Leaders and ministers work for people. And if the leaders have power, it is only because people trust them with their security. With tools like this, people will not only trust – they will be able to see for themselves what is being done for their security. In real time. From my address to the Parliament of the United Kingdom (3/7)

We started with simple kamikaze sea drones. Then we built drones with turrets that can shoot down helicopters. Now we have drones that can shoot down Russian fighter jets from the sea. We have developed boats that carry other drones. We also have boats that strike targets on land from the sea. And we are developing more stable drones that can operate longer and more effectively at sea. Soon – and not in the distant future – we will have systems that can operate even in ocean conditions. We are also actively working on underwater systems. So, facing threats in the Black Sea, we are finding the right security solutions. These solutions can be used in your matters as well – including in complex situations like the Strait of Hormuz today. Drones can solve problems that even a fleet sometimes cannot. From my address to the Parliament of the United Kingdom (6/7)

1. Many people have reacted strongly to a video showing production of Shahed-136 (Geran-2) drones by a Chinese company. However, focussing on this one company misses the more important aspects.

Concerning dynamics: Russian Forces use more and more cheap, easy to manufacture Molniya UAVs for ISR purposes, instead of Orlan, Zala. Basically, they want to find the right price for ISR capability - by using one-way expendable Molniya ISR version. The war of scale.

Posts like these highlight a digital chasm that existed in Russia until recently, with Moscow and a handful of other largest cities operating world-class digital services and internet, while the rest of the country was roughly 15-20 years behind...