Weekly Exclusives
Weekly Exclusives - a newsletter that contains author publications, interviews, exclusive comments, photos and videos.
Report
A “kamikaze predator,” remotely controlled at distances of up to 20,000 km, carries a payload of up to 300 kg of explosives.
The barracuda—also known as sphyrna or sea pike—is a genus of large predatory fish renowned for its speed, aggression, and exceptional eyesight. It can even prey on pufferfish, whose toxins are potent enough to kill up to 30 people. These same principles—speed, precision, and lethality—underpin the design of Ukrainian-made unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
Interview
Colonel Linas Idzelis, head of Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union
Europe’s plan should be to bury all Russian invaders
Lithuania is home to a unique paramilitary organization, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, also referred to as Šauliai, which is supported by the national government. Established in 1919, it is aimed to train citizens in peacetime for armed and civil resistance, as well as to support state institutions with volunteers during national emergencies. During martial law, its armed formations fall under the direct command of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The LRU enrolls its youngest members from the age of 11 years before offering them to take oath at 18 years of age. The current commander of the LRU, Colonel Linas Idzelis, a professional soldier who had been in service since 1992, got the post in 2023 after being nominated by the country’s prime minister.
Ukrinform spoke with Colonel Idzelis as Russian aggression against Ukraine and the latest geopolitical shifts that force Europe to take up more responsibility for its own defense put Lithuania, along with the other Baltic States, in a challenging situation, having Russia as their immediate neighbor. The conversation touched upon EU defense readiness, transatlantic relations, the perception of threats by civilians in Europe, lessons to be learned from Ukraine to make Europe stronger and more resilient, as well as the history of the organization Colonel Idzelis leads.
Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, defense industry expert and head of an arms manufacturing company
Ukraine’s Return to the Global Arms Market: What It Can Offer in 2026
Even before the United States and Israel escalated the war in Iran in early February, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine would begin exporting weapons in 2026. What does this signal? What is Ukraine prepared to bring to the global arms market? How strong is the demand for our products—and can they return Ukraine to a leading position among the world’s arms exporters?
Between 2009 and 2014, Ukraine ranked among the top ten global arms exporters. Today, however, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Ukraine is the world’s largest importer of weapons. The war has forced the country into the role of the biggest buyer and recipient of arms.
At the same time, the pace of wartime innovation has been extraordinary. Ukraine has advanced so rapidly that it now possesses entirely new products—solutions that, in some cases, have no direct equivalents on the global market. And it is precisely these capabilities that Kyiv is preparing to export.
Fatih Ceylan, former Permanent Representative of Türkiye to NATO
Europe will need to seriously consider developing its own nuclear deterrence in the long term
Today’s geopolitical developments point to a period of profound transformation in the international security system. We are facing serious risks of protracted and expanding conflicts and wars, alongside an ongoing reassessment and redefinition of the roles of the United States and NATO as guarantors of global stability.
At the same time, new technologies are reshaping the nature of modern warfare, fueling a new arms race, while Europe is increasingly confronted with the need to ensure its own defense independently.
Escalation in the Middle East must not divert attention from Russia’s war against Ukraine, which remains the central challenge to European security. In this context, Kyiv and Ankara can play an important role in shaping a new security architecture on the continent and in seeking pathways to peace.
Fatih Ceylan, Turkish Ambassador (R), former Permanent Representative of Türkiye to NATO, President of Ankara Policy Center and the Turkish Atlantic Association, discussed these and other pressing issues in an interview with Ukrinform.
Nataliia Butyrska, Senior Analyst at the New Europe Center
North Korea Provides Up to 15 Million Shells to Fuel Russia’s War Effort
The North Korea issue today extends far beyond the confines of regional security. Once viewed as an isolated and relatively predictable “anomalous” state, Pyongyang is now emerging as an increasingly active player in global affairs.
Not only has Kim Jong Un’s regime demonstrated resilience under sustained sanctions pressure but has also capitalized on shifting geopolitical dynamics to strengthen its positioning. Deepening cooperation with Russia, expanding military capabilities, and accumulating combat experience are elevating North Korea to a qualitatively new level of influence—creating risks not only for Asia, but for Europe as well.
At the same time, North Korea remains one of the most closed societies in the world. This combination of internal isolation and outward assertiveness makes it an especially dangerous actor in contemporary international politics.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Nataliia Butyrska—Associate Senior Analyst at the New Europe Center and an expert on the Asia-Pacific—discusses how Kim Jong Un has turned isolation into a strategic asset, assesses the real risk of renewed conflict on the Korean Peninsula, explains why the North Korean leader conceals his age, and examines what it means that his 13-year-old daughter has been tasked with overseeing the missile program.
Oleh Apostol — Hero of Ukraine, Commander of the Air Assault Forces, Major General
Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces have been fighting the enemy since 2014 and, since the start of the full-scale invasion, have operated across all sectors of the front, systematically degrading Russian forces. On the Oleksandrivka axis alone, paratroopers, together with attached assault units, have liberated 11 settlements.
The Commander of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces, Hero of Ukraine Major General Oleh Apostol, attributes this effectiveness to rigorous training and continuous adaptation to the evolving dynamics of modern warfare.
In an interview with Ukrinform, he outlined the situation on the Oleksandrivka axis, explained how paratrooper training has changed, addressed the need for new personnel, and cautioned against unrealistic expectations of negotiations or a swift victory. Read more
Ivana Živković, UNDP Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia
Every Ukrainian won’t forget this winter, when the power outage was overshadowed by the problem of cold homes after the Russian shelling. It is getting warmer outside now, but the state machine has no right to take a break. Ukraine and its partners are already preparing for the new heating season and the next Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, while at the same time repairing old damage.
The United Nations Development Program is one of those partners that is not sitting idly by. Last week, Ivana Živković, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Regional Director of the United Nations Development Program for Europe and Central Asia, visited Ukraine.
The purpose of the visit was to ensure the operation of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. In an interview with Ukrinform, Ms. Živković spoke about how the UNDP is helping to modernise Ukraine’s energy sector and whether financial donors are still committed after five years of the war. Read more
Publications
Blind Empire: Inside Ukraine’s Campaign to Degrade Russia’s Air Defense Architecture
The systematic destruction of enemy radars and air defense systems is eroding the protection of Russia’s strategic rear—reshaping the operational landscape and accelerating the degradation of the occupiers’ warfighting capacity.
Spring 2026 has marked a decisive inflection point in the Russia–Ukraine war. For the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has surpassed Russia in both the intensity and total number of strike drones deployed. Verified data published daily throughout March by the AFU Air Force, alongside reports from the Russian defense ministry, reveal a stark shift in operational dynamics. According to these figures, Ukraine’s Defense Forces forced Russia to acknowledge more than 7,347 “downed” drones—the highest level of strikes on its rear areas ever publicly admitted by Moscow.
By way of comparison, during the same period Russia launched 6,462 strike UAVs against Ukraine, of which approximately 90% (5,833 drones) were neutralized. Read more
Kyiv’s Middle Eastern Gambit: Ukraine Steps In as a Security Provider
Zelensky’s Gulf Tour Boosts Ukraine’s Global Standing, Triggers Unease in Washington
Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Ukraine has unexpectedly stepped into a role that until recently would have seemed improbable—that of a provider of security solutions. Volodymyr Zelensky’s visits from March 27–30 to Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Amman, along with his talks with the region’s political leaders, signal a broader shift: the world is entering a phase in which combat experience and technological adaptability are emerging as decisive assets. Kyiv, notably, has already learned how to convert both into strategic capital.
Together with experts, Ukrinform assesses the outcomes.. Read more
Fact Checks
Russian propaganda spreading fake claims about alleged preparations for mass mobilization of women in Ukraine
Russian propaganda manipulates facts and takes statements by Ukrainian politicians out of context.
Russian media, Telegram channels, and anonymous Facebook accounts are circulating a video from the Kyiv Metro. The clip shows advertising banners at one of the metro stations. According to propagandists’ posts accompanying the video, the banners allegedly promote the recruitment of women, and that Ukraine is supposedly preparing for their mass mobilization into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This is a fake. The video was indeed filmed at one of the Kyiv Metro stations. The footage shows posters dedicated to female servicemembers from various units – “Predator,” “Shooter of Shaheds,” “Robot Master,” and “Amazon.” However, these posters do not contain any calls to join military service. They were created as part of the charity campaign “Women Can Do Anything,” dedicated to women’s struggle for their rights. Read more
Andriy Olenin
Russia fabricates story claiming pensioners in Kherson were given pig heads and hooves as ‘humanitarian aid’
Russian Telegram channels are circulating screenshots purportedly taken from the official social media account of the Kherson City Military Administration. The images show local residents allegedly receiving "soup kits" consisting of pig heads and hooves. The accompanying text claims that local authorities distributed such aid to support residents.
This is fake. The images were manipulated using graphic editing software. In the original photos, Kherson residents are receiving humanitarian aid from international charitable organizations. Moreover, the photos were taken in November 2025, while propagandists first began spreading them on March 30, 2026.
Russian propaganda spreading fakes about ‘Ukrainian woman marrying Colombian’ and ‘woman robbed by soldier’
Russian Telegram channels are circulating a screenshot of a post alleging a wedding between a Ukrainian woman and a Colombian man who is supposedly a serviceman of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade Magura. It is claimed that a resident of Rivne entered into a fictitious marriage with a foreigner to receive financial benefits, as, according to propagandists, Colombian volunteers are allegedly suffering heavy losses.
This is fake. The wedding did take place, and the man in the photo indeed serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but he is not from Colombia – he is from Spain. The outlet Rivne Media, citing a Facebook post by the relevant local civil registry office, reported the recent registration of a marriage between a woman from Rivne and a citizen of the Kingdom of Spain. Apparently, propagandists linked the fabricated story about a “Colombian groom” to the fact that volunteers from Colombia do serve in the 47th brigade.
News:
War
Budanov urges public to “grow up” in sharp remarks on draft evaders and anti-TRC sentiment
Russians use “cannon fodder attacks” to hide problems from command, says paratrooper
Russian military training at low level, says Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces commander
Politics
Diplomat: U.S. support won’t guarantee Orbán gains in election
Economy
EU membership by 2027 ‘unrealistic’ for Ukraine – MP Klympush-Tsintsadze
Deputy PM Kachka identifies promising sectors for expanding Ukraine–Netherlands economic cooperation
Global oil crisis opens ‘window of opportunity’ for renewable energy – expert
Society
Ombudswoman: Schools avoid publicizing bullying cases involving students and teachers
See you next Friday!