Russian military

Budget documents obtained by Reuters show Russia plans to increase its military spending by 27% in 2027. The figures point to a continued major commitment to defence funding despite the war in Ukraine and pressure on the Russian economy. The report is likely to fuel debate about Moscow's long-term war footing and defence production plans.

Russian forces carried out large strikes on Kyiv, with claims that targets included hubs used by 'NATO specialists' and Ukrainian military infrastructure. The reports come from Russian and pro-Russian outlets, which regularly describe foreign personnel as operating alongside Ukrainian forces. Ukraine and NATO have not confirmed any such casualties, and previous similar claims have often been unverifiable. The strikes fit the ongoing pattern of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital's military and energy facilities.

Attention is turning to the real scale of Russian military deaths in the war in Ukraine. Official Kremlin figures are widely believed to understate casualties, and analysts, journalists and independent researchers continue to estimate losses based on battlefield reporting, leaked documents and cemetery data. The true toll remains one of the war's most contested questions.

Ukraine has carried out what is being described as its largest attack to date on Moscow, prompting reaction from military experts assessing the scale and implications of the strike. The assault on the Russian capital marks a significant escalation in the war, drawing widespread attention as analysts weigh Ukraine's growing long-range strike capabilities and Russia's response.

Ukraine reports the first known case of one unmanned surface vessel destroying another in combat, with a Ukrainian naval drone sinking a Russian kamikaze drone boat at sea. The clash highlights how the Black Sea has become a testing ground for autonomous weapon systems, with both sides increasingly deploying uncrewed vessels to attack ships and each other's drones.

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi has reversed Russian gains, with robots carrying out combat airdrops and clearing mines, Ars Technica reports. The operation reportedly defeated a Russian pincer movement, highlighting how uncrewed ground systems are taking on dangerous logistics and engineering tasks on the front line as battlefield automation expands in the war.

Russian budget documents show military spending is set to rise by 27% in 2027, according to The Moscow Times. The increase points to a continued prioritization of defense outlays in the Kremlin's long-term fiscal planning, despite economic pressures. Observers are weighing what the higher allocations mean for Russia's war effort in Ukraine, the sustainability of its budget, and signals about Moscow's longer-term intentions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree, effective immediately, raising the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel. The decree replaces all previous staffing decrees and marks the seventh increase in Russia's military strength since the invasion of Ukraine, continuing a steady pattern of force expansion.

Ukraine's military reports that a new interceptor drone has shot down a Russian Geran-5 attack drone that was flying at 425 km/h. The claim, highlighted by UNITED24 Media, suggests Ukrainian air defenses are now able to counter faster loitering munitions used by Russia in its strikes. If confirmed, it would mark a step forward in Ukraine's drone-on-drone interception efforts, which have become a key layer of air defense against nightly Russian attacks.

The UK government is bringing together leaders of major defense companies for a private briefing on Russian security threats. The closed-door session signals Whitehall's effort to align industry with national security priorities, likely covering intelligence assessments and defense production readiness. The move comes amid heightened concern over Russia's actions and Europe's push to scale up military manufacturing and preparedness.

Russia is placing the remains of Orthodox saints and medieval princes, such as Alexander Nevsky, into military contexts as the war in Ukraine continues. Reports describe the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church intertwining religious symbolism with the war effort, framing the conflict as a sacred struggle and using relics to bolster patriotic fervour among soldiers and the public.