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David Kirichenko

@kirichenko.bsky.social
2.3K followers 1.2K following 131 posts

Ukrainian-American freelance journalist | Associate Research Fellow, Henry Jackson Society youtu.be/Rz5tYcQDzuE

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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 26/09/2026
Thousands of Ukrainians are trapped in “hellish conditions” by the Russian occupation forces. They must be saved. @kirichenko.bsky.social cepa.org/article/russ...
cepa.org
Russia Makes Hostages of Kherson Civilians
Thousands of Ukrainians are trapped in Kherson with “hellish conditions” by the Russian occupation forces. They must be saved.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 17/09/2026
Ukraine Advances: The Tank Isn’t Finished Yet | "The death of the tank and its armored companions has been overstated. Ukraine is demonstrating they still have a part to play." David Kirichenko cepa.org/article/ukraine-advances-t…
cepa.org
Ukraine Advances: The Tank Isn't Finished Yet
The death of the tank and its armored companions has been overstated. Ukraine is demonstrating they still have a part to play.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 17/08/2026
Russia Makes Hostages of Kherson Civilians | "Thousands of Ukrainians are trapped in Kherson with 'hellish conditions' by the Russian occupation forces. They must be saved." @kirichenko.bsky.social
cepa.org
Russia Makes Hostages of Kherson Civilians
Thousands of Ukrainians are trapped in Kherson with “hellish conditions” by the Russian occupation forces. They must be saved.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
"Russische eenheden proberen voertuigen te verbergen in bomen, struiken en onder camouflage, maar AI kan doelen identificeren die menselijke operators over het hoofd zien." Door @kirichenko.bsky.social
forbes.com
Inside Ukraine's Race To Build Autonomous Strike Capabilities
Ukraine is racing to scale its fleet of AI-enabled strike drones, improving battlefield effectiveness while pushing the drone war toward greater autonomy.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
My report covering Ukraine’s effort to build autonomous systems. www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
Inside Ukraine's Race To Build Autonomous Strike Capabilities
Ukraine is racing to scale its fleet of AI-enabled strike drones, improving battlefield effectiveness while pushing the drone war toward greater autonomy.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
My firsthand account from inside the kill zone on Ukraine's frontline. Out there, it feels like the world's end. Drones are everywhere, always hunting. war.huri.harvard.edu/2026/07/21/i...
war.huri.harvard.edu
Inside Ukraine’s Kill Zone, Where Drones Hunt Everything That Moves
Ukrainian-American journalist David Kirichenko reports from the frontlines of Ukraine, where he was embedded with various military units.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Indrukwekkend verslag vanuit de kill zone, door @kirichenko.bsky.social. "Om de paar minuten deden explosies de grond schudden. Naast me, op een klein scherm, zag ik de laatste momenten van Russische soldaten die zich door de rook bewogen." "Een voor een verdwenen ze toen de drones toesloegen."
war.huri.harvard.edu
Inside Ukraine’s Kill Zone, Where Drones Hunt Everything That Moves
Ukrainian-American journalist David Kirichenko reports from the frontlines of Ukraine, where he was embedded with various military units.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
SupFellas @supfellas.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
@kirichenko.bsky.social offers us a view from the frontlines. war.huri.harvard.edu/2026/07/21/i...
war.huri.harvard.edu
Inside Ukraine’s Kill Zone, Where Drones Hunt Everything That Moves
Ukrainian-American journalist David Kirichenko reports from the frontlines of Ukraine, where he was embedded with various military units.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
I volunteered with Alina’s Team for 10 days in March 2026. She is based in Dnipro. We delivered food bags to families and seniors near the frontline. And we supplied military units too. Alina is a hero. @kirichenko.bsky.social www.kyivpost.com/post/80005
kyivpost.com
At Ukraine’s Front, Women Take On Increasingly Dangerous Humanitarian Work
More than four years into the war, women in Ukraine are increasingly leading civilian evacuations and delivering humanitarian aid in frontline areas as the pool of male volunteers shrinks.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
My report on how Ukraine is using drones / cheap tech to flex its military might against Russia around the world. cepa.org/article/ukra...
cepa.org
Ukraine's Explosive Global Reach
Drone and communications technology and audacious intelligence operations have allowed Kyiv to attack Russia beyond major battlefields.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
The Russian military fighting today isn’t the force that invaded Ukraine in 2022. After 4+ years of war, it has become better at recognizing battlefield change, absorbing lessons and institutionalizing successful drone tactics. www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
How Russia Learned To Adapt To Drone Warfare
The Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly defined by institutional learning, as organizations like Rubicon seek to spread battlefield innovations across the force.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
"Rusland combineert FPV-drones, artillerie, glijbommen en op afstand afgeleverde antipersoneelsmijnen in een gecoördineerde poging om gemeenschappen aan de frontlinie onbewoonbaar te maken." Door @kirichenko.bsky.social
forbes.com
Russia's Drone Siege Is Emptying Ukraine's Frontline Cities
Russian FPV drones are increasingly targeting transport, emergency services and civilians. New reporting shows how tactics from Kherson are spreading across Ukraine.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
My report on how Russian human safari tactics are spreading across the front. www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
Russia's Drone Siege Is Emptying Ukraine's Frontline Cities
Russian FPV drones are increasingly targeting transport, emergency services and civilians. New reporting shows how tactics from Kherson are spreading across Ukraine.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
My report on how Russia is attempting to recruit women for the meatgrinder offensive. nationalinterest.org/feature/why-...
nationalinterest.org
Why Russia Is Mobilizing Its Women for War
Russia’s heavy losses in Ukraine are forcing the Kremlin to attract women into the military.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
“Known as the Cyber Partisans, the group has spent the past five years targeting the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka and, more recently, Russia itself.” @kirichenko.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
Belarus's Cyber Partisans Are Taking The Fight To Russia
Cyber Partisans from Belarus helped disrupt Russian troop movements in 2022. Now the anti-Lukashenka hacker group is increasingly targeting Russia itself.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
My report on the deep cooperation between the CIA and Ukraine’s intelligence services. www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
How The CIA Helped Build Ukraine's Intelligence Advantage
After Russia seized Crimea, Ukrainian intelligence embarked on a decade-long transformation aided by the CIA. The results are now visible across the war.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Moscow is vulnerable. @kirichenko.bsky.social www.indavemedia.com/on-the-battl...
indavemedia.com
On the Battlefield, Ukraine Leads the Drone War — Russia Is Scrambling to Catch Up
By late December 2025, Russia appeared to have the upper hand in the drone war. Its forces were increasingly striking
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
“The longer the war in Ukraine continues, the more dependent Russia becomes on China economically, technologically and strategically.” @kirichenko.bsky.social thehill.com/opinion/nati...
thehill.com
Putin wanted an empire — instead, he became China’s vassal
Putin may ultimately be remembered as the man who exhausted Russia in Ukraine while surrendering much of his country’s strategic independence to China.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Maria Popova @popovaprof.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
On the special relationship between Ukraine and the Nordics, by @kirichenko.bsky.social w a comment from me: "In resisting Russia’s invasion, Ukrainians have rejected the Russian governance model defined by repression and lawlessness. Instead,.. nationalinterest.org/feature/how-...
nationalinterest.org
How Russia’s Invasion Is Pulling Ukraine Northward
The nations of Scandinavia have proved to be some of Ukraine’s most steadfast supporters in Europe.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 03/06/2026
Russia's Threadbare Air Defenses | "For a country that has built its foreign policy on the notion of encirclement, Russia is surprisingly bad at defending itself." @kirichenko.bsky.social
cepa.org
Russia’s Threadbare Air Defenses
Despite Russia building its foreign policy on the notion of encirclement, it is a country that is bad at defending against drone attacks.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Naast aanvallen op vrachtwagens en andere logistiek leggen Oekraïense drones nu ook mijnen op snelwegen in bezet 🇺🇦 gebied. Doel is niet langer alleen het vernietigen van individuele voertuigen, maar het verstoren van de aanvoer van voorraden naar het front, schrijft @kirichenko.bsky.social.
forbes.com
Why Ukraine Is Mining Russian Supply Routes With Drones
Russian sources say Ukraine is now mining roads in the land corridor to Crimea with drones.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
www.forbes.com/sites/davidk... @kirichenko.bsky.social
forbes.com
Why Ukraine Is Mining Russian Supply Routes With Drones
Russian sources say Ukraine is now mining roads in the land corridor to Crimea with drones.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
But that also means Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’s illegitimate president (often described as Europe’s “last dictator”), is progressively running out of wiggle room. @kirichenko.bsky.social nationalinterest.org/feature/will...
nationalinterest.org
Will Belarus Join Russia in the Ukraine War?
Despite close relations with Russia, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is wary about joining the war in Ukraine.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 28/05/2026
Russia's Land Bridge Becomes a Highway to Hell | "The Kremlin’s supply lines in occupied Ukraine are being hammered, the result of Kyiv’s current superiority in drone technology." @kirichenko.bsky.social cepa.org/article/russias-land-bridg…
cepa.org
Russia’s Land Bridge Becomes a Highway to Hell
The Kremlin’s supply lines in occupied Ukraine are being hammered, the result of Kyiv’s current superiority in drone technology.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
"Voor Rusland zijn de gevolgen grimmig: de landverbinding naar de Krim verandert in een steeds gevaarlijker gebied voor militaire logistiek. Voertuigen branden langs de snelweg Donetsk-Marioepol, die zwaar onder vuur wordt genomen tijdens de campagne." Door @kirichenko.bsky.social
cepa.org
Russia’s Land Bridge Becomes a Highway to Hell
The Kremlin’s supply lines in occupied Ukraine are being hammered, the result of Kyiv’s current superiority in drone technology.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Russia’s land bridge in occupied Ukraine: Welcome to the highway to hell, courtesy of Ukrainian drones. My report for the Center for European Policy Analysis. cepa.org/article/russ...
cepa.org
Russia’s Land Bridge Becomes a Highway to Hell
The Kremlin’s supply lines in occupied Ukraine are being hammered, the result of Kyiv’s current superiority in drone technology.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
“Ukraine's drone war is moving deeper into Russia's rear, and the land bridge to Crimea is becoming a dangerous place to drive.” @kirichenko.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
Ukrainian AI Drones Are Tearing Into Russian Logistics
AI-enabled drones are disrupting Russian supply routes linking occupied southern Ukraine with Crimea.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
floating platforms able to release first-person-view drones, fire thermobaric rockets and strike targets along the coast." @kirichenko.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
Ukraine’s Drone Boats Are Now Launching FPVs And Thermobaric Rockets
Floating drone carriers armed with FPVs and thermobaric rockets may give Kyiv a new way to strike Russian positions from the Dnipro River to the Black Sea.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
The kill zone that emerged as drones came to dominate the battlefield was initially around 5 to 10 km in depth, but it has continued to expand." @kirichenko.bsky.social www.aspistrategist.org.au/beyond-the-f...
aspistrategist.org.au
Beyond the front line: Ukraine is deepening its drone wall | The Strategist
Long-range Ukrainian strikes have dominated recent headlines, and for good reason: they are causing lasting damage. In April, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, said strikes on Russian m...
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
My report for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, expanding on my series about Ukraine’s drone wall. The layers continue to deepen beyond the initial kill zone. www.aspistrategist.org.au/beyond-the-f...
aspistrategist.org.au
Beyond the front line: Ukraine is deepening its drone wall | The Strategist
Long-range Ukrainian strikes have dominated recent headlines, and for good reason: they are causing lasting damage. In April, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, said strikes on Russian m...
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
My piece for the Atlantic Council www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrain...
atlanticcouncil.org
From Moscow to Crimea, Ukraine is winning the drone war against Russia
As Russia’s full-scale invasion enters a fifth summer, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the tide in the drone war has turned in Ukraine’s favor, writes David Kirichenko.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
My piece for the conservative outlet The American Spectator, co-written with Professor Motyl spectator.org/while-washin...
spectator.org
While Washington Looks Elsewhere, Ukraine Finds Leverage – The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
For much of Vladimir Putin’s genocidal war, the conventional wisdom was that Ukraine couldn’t possibly defeat mighty Russia. That wisdom is changing. Volodymyr Zelensky, once accused of having no card...
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
This Is Not A Drill @thisisnotadrillpod.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Putin thought Ukraine would quickly fold under a massively superior Russian onslaught. Instead, the War has seen Ukraine reinventing itself as a world expert in drone warfare. @ozkaterji.bsky.social and @kirichenko.bsky.social discuss how Ukraine reinvented warfare ➡️ linktr.ee/drillpod
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
"For Ukraine, that means not simply mobilizing enough people to hold the line, but building an army capable of sustaining a long war without exhausting the society behind it." @kirichenko.bsky.social www.indavemedia.com/ukraine-s-ar...
indavemedia.com
Ukraine’s Army Reforms Aim to Fix Its Biggest Vulnerability
More than four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, officials say Kyiv has one challenge that outpaces all others
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
@kirichenko.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
podcasts.apple.com
Drone masters – How Ukraine reinvented modern warfare
Podcast Episode · This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler · May 14 · 33m
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
“Ukraine’s mid-range strike capacity is growing and smashing Russian supply lines, with autonomous systems taking the lead.” @kirichenko.bsky.social cepa.org/article/ukra...
cepa.org
Ukraine’s Robot Warriors and a Behind-the-Lines Blitz
Ukraine’s mid-range strike capacity is growing and smashing Russian supply lines, with autonomous drone systems taking the lead.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
"Kyiv is forcing Moscow to choose whether to devote air defense resources to defending the Russian homeland or occupied Crimea." @kirichenko.bsky.social nationalinterest.org/feature/how-...
nationalinterest.org
How Ukraine Is Taking the Fight Back to Russia in Crimea
Kyiv is forcing Moscow to choose whether to devote air defense resources to defending the Russian homeland or occupied Crimea.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Ukrainian ground robots blowing up Russian soldiers. www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
A Ukrainian Ground Robot Drove Into A Russian-Held Building And Blew It Up
The robotic assault may preview how dangerous urban combat in Ukraine is changing.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 12/05/2026
Ukraine’s Robot Warriors and a Behind-the-Lines Blitz | "Ukraine’s mid-range strike capacity is growing and smashing Russian supply lines, with autonomous systems taking the lead." @kirichenko.bsky.social
cepa.org
Ukraine’s Robot Warriors and a Behind-the-Lines Blitz
Ukraine’s mid-range strike capacity is growing and smashing Russian supply lines, with autonomous drone systems taking the lead.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
My report on Ukrainian drones hunting Russian supply lines in the rear. cepa.org/article/ukra...
cepa.org
Ukraine’s Robot Warriors and a Behind-the-Lines Blitz
Ukraine’s mid-range strike capacity is growing and smashing Russian supply lines, with autonomous drone systems taking the lead.
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David Kirichenko @kirichenko.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
My piece from Feb 25: “Trump now faces a choice: Recognize Ukraine’s battlefield successes as leverage to tighten pressure on Putin, or continue appeasing the Kremlin. Ukraine’s drones are delivering a clear message: Peace will be dictated by UA strength” www.19fortyfive.com/2025/02/trum...
19fortyfive.com
Trump’s Russia Strategy Tested as Ukraine’s Drone War Escalates
Ukraine is ramping up drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, exposing critical vulnerabilities in Moscow’s economy. As Trump signals softer diplomacy, Kyiv is sending a message: strength, not conces...
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Maria Popova @popovaprof.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
The always insightful @kirichenko.bsky.social “Ukraine’s drone war is reaching Moscow. That is a problem for Vladimir Putin. In recent months, Ukrainian drones have struck deep inside Russia, hitting areas once considered untouchable and moving closer to the country’s political center.”
forbes.com
Ukraine’s Drone Strikes Reach Moscow, Threaten Putin’s Victory Day Parade
As Ukrainian drones push toward Moscow, Victory Day risks becoming less a show of strength than a test of Russia’s defenses.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
"Hoe langer Oekraïne zich verzet, hoe meer schade het toebrengt, niet alleen aan het Russische leger, maar ook aan het imperialistische ideaal dat centraal staat in de Russische staat." Door @kirichenko.bsky.social
lbc.co.uk
Ukraine’s resistance is killing the Russian empire, even if Moscow won’t admit it | LBC
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western officials and analysts have repeatedly forecast Kyiv’s collapse. Grim assessments have appeared with predictable regularity, warning that Ukraine...
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Maria Popova @popovaprof.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
“the longer Ukraine resists, the more damage it does not just to Russia’s army, but to the imperial idea at the center of the Russian state.” A new, important article by David Kirichenko. This context/framing is crucial to a realistic and accurate understanding of Ru’s war against Ukraine:
lbc.co.uk
Ukraine’s resistance is killing the Russian empire, even if Moscow won’t admit it | LBC
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western officials and analysts have repeatedly forecast Kyiv’s collapse. Grim assessments have appeared with predictable regularity, warning that Ukraine...
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Rusland heeft het aantal luchtaanvallen op Oekraïne enorm opgevoerd en is overgestapt naar een cyclus van 24 uur per dag, zeven dagen per week. Desondanks daalt het aantal 🇷🇺 treffers. Dat wijst op steeds betere 🇺🇦 onderscheppingscapaciteiten, schrijft @kirichenko.bsky.social:
cepa.org
Ukraine’s Air Defenses — World Class, and Improving
No wonder European and Arab states are beating a path to Ukraine’s door. While others have serious air defense questions, Kyiv has answers.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Ukraine Defense Support @ukrainedefensesupport.org · 15/04/2026
Another great piece by @kirichenko.bsky.social: "Russia has enormously⬆️the volume of attacks &has now moved...to a 24-hr-a-day,7-day-a-wk cycle. But as the Inst for Science & Intl Security detailed in an April 7 report: “Despite record launch volumes,[Russian]hit rates⬇️..." cepa.org/article/ukra...
cepa.org
Ukraine’s Air Defenses — World Class, and Improving
No wonder European and Arab states are beating a path to Ukraine’s door. While others have serious air defense questions, Kyiv has answers.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
"De Oekraïense defensie-industrie zich ontwikkelt naar een productieschaal die aan het begin van de invasie onmogelijk leek." Door @kirichenko.bsky.social 🔗 cepa.org/article/ukra...
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Center for European Policy Analysis @cepa.org · 06/04/2026
Ukraine’s Technology Shield Gets Better and Better | Innovation from four years of war has given Ukraine a layered defensive system centered around technology. @kirichenko.bsky.social
cepa.org
Ukraine’s Technology Shield Gets Better and Better
Explore how Ukraine's innovative defense strategies, including drones, are evolving to counter challenges on the battlefield.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Oekraïne Vandaag @oekrainevandaag.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Oekraïne maakt steeds vaker gebruik van onbemande grondvoertuigen om voorraden te vervoeren, gewonden te evacueren en, in sommige gevallen, voor offensieve acties. De opmars van grond-drones heeft ook invloed op de vormgeving van loopgraven. Via @kirichenko.bsky.social
lowyinstitute.org
In Ukraine, ground robots are increasingly going on the offensive
The drone war has moved to the ground, and the results are already reshaping frontline tactics.
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Reposted by David Kirichenko
Todd Kolod💙 @toddkolod.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Glory to the volunteers! @mariainkharkiv.bsky.social @dim0kq.bsky.social @kirichenko.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/davidk...
forbes.com
How Ukraine’s Volunteers Help Scale Battlefield Innovation
Ukraine’s nonprofits are doing more than filling supply gaps. They are helping soldiers turn frontline improvisations into scalable military technology.
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