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Personnel "kaleidoscope" in "turbo mode". What is Zelenskyy plotting?
It appears the president has decided to carry out major personnel reshuffles in "turbo mode" in the new year, describing them as "internal changes in Ukraine." The first high-profile move was the appointment of Kyrylo Budanov as head of the Office of the President. Zelenskyy explained the decision as a need to strengthen Ukraine’s team for peace talks. For the same reason, he appointed diplomat Serhii Kyslytsia, who has already taken part in the negotiation process, as first deputy to the newly appointed head of the presidential office. 5 80818 Staff changes
Yermak’s shadow or snap elections: what is being said about president’s latest personnel shake-up
On January 2, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched a dramatic political changes. Kyrylo Budanov was appointed as the new head of the Office of the President, while Mykhailo Fedorov was announced as the new defense minister. Denys Shmyhal, meanwhile, is set to become the new energy minister and deputy prime minister. The early-year mystery is whether Vasyl Maliuk will remain at the helm of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). 10 61129 Staff changes
CODE 9.2 Regiment: foreign legions to get second wind in army
The 1st International Legion has become part of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, CODE 9.2. What do the regiment’s commanders and legion service members who have received a new status say about the merger, and does it amount to disbanding units made up largely of foreigners? 5 5582
Command post in Huliaipole: 17 of our fighters against three Russians
Censor.NET warned back in early December that the city was under threat. And, unfortunately, it was right. As of now, the enemy has already entered Lyman. Soon, there could be so many enemy troops there that it would be difficult to dislodge them. 29 31125 Fighting in Huliaipillia direction False reports on the frontline situation Capture of Ukrainian cities
"You can’t keep piss in people’s faces"
"You can’t keep piss in people’s faces," I yelled at Zelenskyy today in my dream. "People aren’t ready to die and fight for a country that disrespects them and hypocritically deceives them." 37 757191 Peace negotiations
War of drones and war of budgets: Who will win in 2026?
The rapid development of unmanned technologies in Ukraine has reshaped the logic of funding and procurement so that the innovative solutions the country needs in wartime reach the battlefield as quickly as possible. 600 Drone Industry
Battles for Kupiansk
On Christmas, we were operating in Kupiansk. Ukrainian soldiers are clearing the area house by house despite fierce enemy resistance. 13 40035 Fighting in the Kupіansk direction
Here we go again with referendum. Why Trump and Zelenskyy are tossing ball back and forth
The latest meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States, held as part of the peace talks, left ordinary Ukrainians with optimism, pessimism and a thick fog of uncertainty in roughly equal measure. 5 44924 Peace negotiations Zelenskyy-Trump meeting
Cover account. How bank cardholders are recruited to launder money
Lawmakers want to tighten oversight of payment and banking transactions amid a rise in cases where they are used in shadow schemes, and to create a registry of so-called drops. This refers to situations where people hand over their payment details to third parties, who then use them for illegal activity. 10 30320
93rd Brigade soldier Anton Samarin: "Railway station workers in Okhtyrka refused to unload our equipment on morning of February 24 because they were… changing shifts. And cars carrying FSB officers in civilian clothes and column of Russian military vehicles were already moving through city."
At the start of the full-scale invasion, this officer was a company commander and was the first to engage the enemy in Okhtyrka, in the Sumy region. He was also the first to enter the liberated town of Trostianets. Now he serves as a battalion commander in his home 9th Brigade, which is fighting in the Donbas. 22 60826 Fight for Bakhmut Fightings near the border of the Sumy region
For Trump, or for ourselves? What Ukraine needs to take care of when preparing for first post-war elections
A specter is haunting Ukraine — the specter of presidential (and Verhovna Rada) elections. The possibility of holding such elections as early as next year, in 2026, is being discussed by the president himself, the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada, members of parliament and financiers, television and radio hosts, and a wide range of experts. 4 42221 Elections in Ukraine post-war elections
Call sign Teacher: "I feel sorry for draft dodgers. They’re ones who will never understand they are men."
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he has been through the hottest sections of the front line and knows what war looks like without any gloss. Yevhenii Yeremenko, call sign Teacher, now serves as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Kraken 1654 Unmanned Systems Regiment of the 3rd Army Corps. 135 146215
Combat simulators developer Ihor Bielov: we’re moving toward single digital environment where all branches can train without crowding training areas
On December 10, 2025, Ukrainian developer Simtech Solutions unveiled Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator (UFDS), a realistic combat FPV drone simulator now available on Steam. It is a professional training platform built on real combat operations, and it is now available not only to military personnel but also to civilian users. 630 Drone industry
Era of Ukrainian drones that reshaped war. How UAVs evolved on battlefield
On December 15, details emerged of a new brazen operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that can be ranked alongside the now-legendary "Spiderweb". This time, using Sub Sea Baby underwater drones, the SBU blew up an enemy Varshavyanka-class submarine in the port of Novorossiysk, estimated to be worth $400 million. It was the first time anything like this had happened in history. 720 Drone Industry
We’ve learned to watch. But we still haven’t learned to act
When I had just signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine after serving in a volunteer battalion, it was a cool, rainy autumn in 2015, we came to Pokrovsk to pick up our army payroll cards at PrivatBank. To a city that was still called Krasnoarmiisk back then, Krasik. To a city that has now, for all practical purposes, been wiped off the face of the earth. 5 8787 aid to veterans
Underestimating work of Mavics is one of key factors that enables enemy to carry out infantry infiltration
Some time ago, at one sector of the front, I established coordination with UAV units of one brigade where the enemy managed to breach our defenses and penetrate to a significant depth. In the view of some commanders, the reason for the breakthrough was that the infantry was weak and did not engage in combat. 5 89315
Who staged provocation against Shabunin?
A dirty provocation against Vitalii Shabunin was carried out by as-yet unidentified law enforcement officers. Or was it, in fact, law enforcers?! 12 26941
Stas Stovban, call sign Waltz: "In first year without my leg, I wore three prostheses. I broke first one when I jumped out of APC, another one was shot off"
In 2015, this paratrooper took part in fierce battles at Donetsk Airport, but even after losing his leg, he did not leave the army and continued to defend his country. 6 9166
Elections for Trump, plans to merge President’s Office and NSDC, and how Prosecutor General Kravchenko is taking over Yermak’s niche
From the question of who will replace Yermak, Ukrainians, thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump, have been forced to shift to another one: whether we are about to be sent to elections. But in fact, the answers to both the first and the second are equally murky. 6 3687 Elections during war Yermak’s dismissal
Ukrainian Armor CEO Vladyslav Belbas: Excessive bureaucratization of procurement process in defense industry market adversely affects army supplies
Ukraine’s defense industry is currently at its peak, accounting for a third of domestic GDP growth. However, the sector faces enormous challenges, primarily linked to a lack of funding. 430 Drone Industry
Yurii Butusov on current events at front: Kupiansk, Siversk, Pokrovsk, Zaporizhzhia
The situation in Kupiansk, the enemy’s advance on Lyman and Siversk. 7 4586 Butusov Plus
Butterfly effect: How Mindich case could put end to Ministry of Defence’s procurement
Ukrainians are still waiting for the release of recordings from Timur Mindich’s apartment on defence. However, this case has already had a butterfly effect, where a random fact causes chaos and destructive changes, negatively affecting the effectiveness of the Ministry of Defence’s work. 9 8324
How to extract trillion from "shadow"? Major interview with Director of the ESBU, Oleksandr Tsyvinskyi, about beneficiaries of schemes, cash limits, and new tools for investigations
The recent high-profile successes of NABU and SAP in the "Mindichgate" case have not only boosted the standing of these agencies in the eyes of Ukrainian society but also increased the pressure on other law enforcement bodies and institutions tasked with fighting corruption and shadow schemes, where the state loses while individuals enrich themselves. 11 37521 Tsyvinskyi appointed as new director of BES
What happened in Kupiansk? Successful counterattack by "Khartiia" group
I have been working in Kupiansk for two months as part of the "Khartiia" search and strike group, and now I can give a detailed report on the operation in which I am directly involved. 15 36415
"Nord Stream" explosion: are Russians conducting court proceedings through "hands" of Germans?
While corruption and political scandals are raging inside Ukraine and attempts to diplomatically bring the war to an end are ongoing on the international arena, a process related to the "Nord Stream" explosion is moving forward in Europe. 8 77220
"Khartiia" for Kharkiv, but Terekhov is against it? How city council is doing self-promotion and blocking placement of advertising for brigade holding front line
In May 2024, Russia launched a new offensive in Kharkiv region. Since then, the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine has taken up defensive positions north of Kharkiv, stopping the new offensive by the occupiers and pushing them back from the regional capital. Like other brigades, Khartiia is interested in placing advertisements in the city – primarily to support mobilization efforts and replenish its ranks. There are no problems with ad placement in any other city or town in Ukraine. However, in Kharkiv, the brigade that is holding the enemy back on a strategically important section of the front is not only being denied access to social (free) advertising, but advertising companies are also being pressured not to cooperate with the Khartiia charitable foundation on the sale of advertising space in the city. 13 15110
FPV pilot with call sign IIID: "Russians’ UAVs are mostly identical: power up and fly. It makes their work easier"
Stage, rehearsals, performances – Dmytro Tretiak, an actor and musician from Kharkiv, lived for his art and plans for the future. But when Russia launched its war in Donbas in 2014, he did not stay on the sidelines: he supported the front and performed for Ukrainian troops. After the full-scale invasion, he returned to volunteer work but later decided it was time to join the army himself. 13 4945
How much Ukraine spends on protecting its energy system and why it is (not) working
Ukraine is spending tens of billions of hryvnias to protect critical energy infrastructure from massive Russian attacks. Yet three years after those attacks began, some structures remain unfinished, and in some cases, the process has been delayed by corruption. 890 Power outages Mindichgate
In Spartan conditions, I even managed to cook borshch in bucket. For some, it turned out to be last borshch of their lives – infantryman Vitalii Dzhumyha
The combat path of a soldier from Chornomorsk, Vitalii Dzhumyha (Dzhyma), is a striking example of a serviceman who spent several years trying to transfer from a rear unit to the front line. He eventually took part in the fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, where he lost a leg. 12 38920 War
Same is happening in Myrnohrad as in Pokrovsk month ago
Another town where the same developments are unfolding and should have been dealt with a month ago is Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region 14 17460
Week without Yermak: Nature has cleaned up to 2019 levels but that’s not for sure
On Friday, it will be a week since the most significant resignation of this five-year term. After searches conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in the Mindich case, Andriy Yermak was finally dismissed by the president from the post of Head of the Office of the President. 89 90943 Yermak’s influence Yermak’s dismissal
Viktor Pavlov: "UGV is expensive hardware, but compared to human life, it costs pennies"
This is not just an interview, but a full-fledged tour of the UGV school based at the Third Assault Brigade, which Viktor Pavlov and his comrades have been developing since January 2025. Demand for training among service members is so high that the waiting list is booked eight months ahead. Unmanned ground vehicles are becoming increasingly widespread at the front, but there are not enough people who can train qualified operators. The state welcomes the initiative but does not yet fund it, so the team has to look for resources for their activities on their own. 630 Drone Industry
Is government failing on mobilization?
Get mobilized even for a rear-area position. The state guarantees you decent pay that is below the national average wage, lower than that of a security guard or a loader, even if you are a professional with many years of experience in your field. 16 15693
Call sign Tykhyi: "We are eliminating Russkies on industrial scale"
Serhii does not like noise or fuss, so he chose a matching call sign – Tykhyi ("Quiet"). His work is always focused and precise, with no unnecessary words or movements. He is an external pilot with the Khortytsia Ghost unmanned systems battalion of the 15th Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. 9 6341
From eggs at 17 to Fire Point: why high-profile resignations alone do not solve corruption problem
Andriy Yermak’s resignation following searches in the Mindych-gate case has probably brought a tidy profit to champagne sellers. However, in itself it in no way protects us from a new Mindich emerging tomorrow, nor from once again hunting for corrupt money or corrupt officials in some new Fire Point. 6 33436 Fighting corruption in Ukraine Scandals with procurement for AFU Mindichgate Yermak’s dismissal
From Avdiivka dugouts to European gold: how grandmaster Ihor Kovalenko, after years on front line, helped Ukraine’s national team become champions
...A month ago, the world’s media were full of praise for him: a Ukrainian serviceman who has been on the front line since the start of the war not only went to the European Championship with Ukraine’s national team, but also made a key contribution to the team’s gold, scoring 6.5 points out of 8 on board four! 5 6763
Reboot of President’s Office
An event of major significance for Ukraine’s leadership and for what is happening to Ukraine in the world and in this war. 9 43823 Butusov Plus Yermak’s dismissal
Yermak can prove his "honesty and integrity" on front line, where he himself sent other honest and decent people
Andrii Yermak stated that he is "an honest and decent person" and intends to "go to the front." 19 21279 Yermak’s dismissal
Open-air therapy: how new rehabilitation format works for service members and war veterans
New approaches to rehabilitation for service members and war veterans are emerging in Ukraine. These are programs that combine physical recovery, psychotherapy and work with the environment. One such area is therapeutic horticulture, which has been used effectively around the world for many years. 5 93510
28 points: peace that reeks of defeat
"Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice: either a loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner; either a complex 28-point plan or an extremely hard winter," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his address to the nation on 21 November. This is his response to a draft peace plan put forward by the United States. 5 59917 Peace negotiations Peace plan
Is rise of machines near? What drone synergy is and how it affects war
A vivid example of drone synergy is the sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva. The decisive blow to the ship was delivered by two Neptune missiles, but at the time a Bayraktar TB2 UAV could have been drawing the cruiser’s air defences onto itself, or identifying the target, pinpointing its coordinates and cueing the coastal missile system. Thanks to drone synergy, the effectiveness of different types of weapons increases many times over, making it possible to achieve results that once seemed impossible. 740 Drone Industry
On brink of defence exports: how not to hang yet another set of bars on window of opportunity for Ukrainian arms manufacturers
Will foreign arms export missions become new bureaucratic barriers and corruption feeding troughs? 2 6573 Production of weapons Ukrainian arms exports
"List 527": how Mindichgate spawned spinoff in which law enforcement feeds mafia files on anti-corruption campaigners
The anti-corruption serial dubbed "Mindichgate" never lets the audience get bored: from one episode to the next, not only the people and the amounts change, but the very genre of the story as well. 13 78622 Mindichgate
Ihor Lutsenko: "No one is running this country! There is no one who controls the processes or has any kind of strategic vision"
After NABU released the "tapes" of conversations involving figures in the Midas operation close to the president, the country’s political landscape shuddered. The story, already dubbed "Mindich-gate", is rapidly accumulating new, shocking details. Tensions in the political class are off the charts, and society is closely following developments. 18 88499
How will politics affect battlefield?
Yurii Butusov, a platoon commander with the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine’s "Khartiia," is analyzing live the "peace plan" proposed by the United States to Ukraine to end the war with Russia. How will politics affect the battlefield? 6 62812 Trump peace plan Peace plan Butusov Plus
About "Fire Point and Mindich"
Fire Point designer Denys Shtilerman has, in recent days, been so adamant in denying that Mindich has any ties to the company that is absorbing the lion’s share of Ukraine’s entire drone budget that he went as far as re-registering the firm in his own name. And along the way, he said so much that it only made things worse. 12 12647 Mindichgate
