The Bulava unit is part of Ukraine’s Presidential Brigade, which also performs ceremonial guard duties in Kyiv but mostly became a regular combat brigade after the 2022 invasion. Ignatukha and his men saw the war changing and got into drone technology, using their own salaries to buy equipment and build their skills.

Stefan Gady says that, while morale is strong among Ukrainian fighters, “the armed forces are really struggling now.”

The U.K. chaired a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting to discuss rapid transfer of arms including Patriot missiles, as the Britain responds to President Donald Trump's 50-day ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A Russian airborne assault on the Ukrainian capital killed at least one person and injured 9 while Ukraine hit back, sending drones deep into Russian territory.

The U.K. and Germany are leading a NATO meeting Monday to discuss sending weapons to Ukraine. British and German defense officials are hosting the virtual talks, joined by U.S. and NATO leaders.

On the face of it, the US involvement in Ukraine bears little similarity to the 20-year Afghanistan war, not least because there are no American boots on the ground in Europe.