Browse Category

Ukraine News 14 June 2025 - 18 August 2025

Kyiv’s Drone Law Crackdown: 2025 Guide to Permits, No‑Fly Zones & Wartime Rules

Kyiv’s Drone Law Crackdown: 2025 Guide to Permits, No‑Fly Zones & Wartime Rules

Recreational drones weighing 20 kg or less are exempt from state registration and do not require a pilot license in Ukraine. Commercial drones, regardless of weight, must be entered in the State Register of Civil Aircraft and require an operator certificate and a certificate of airworthiness. There is no dedicated drone pilot license or exam for civilian UAV operators in Ukraine. Ukraine currently has no Remote ID requirement for drones. The general maximum altitude is 120 meters above ground, but 50 meters in controlled or sensitive airspace near airports or special zones. Drones must be kept in visual line of
18 August 2025
 ·  ·  ·  · 
Ukraine’s Sky Guardians: From MiG-29s to F-16s – Every Fighter Jet Defending Ukraine’s Skies

Ukraine’s Sky Guardians: From MiG-29s to F-16s – Every Fighter Jet Defending Ukraine’s Skies

The MiG-29 Fulcrum is described as agile, capable of speeds over Mach 2.25, with a roughly 700 km internal range, six external hardpoints, and a typical loadout of up to 4 R-73 and 2 R-27R missiles, plus the notable HARMs SEAD capability. The Su-27 Flanker serves as Ukraine’s heavyweight air superiority fighter with speeds over Mach 2.3, ferry range over 3,500 km, a combat radius around 1,500 km, 10 hardpoints, and has been observed carrying HARMs and conducting long-range strikes. The Su-24 Fencer is a swing-wing bomber capable of Mach 1.35–1.6, ferry range 2,700–3,000 km, combat radius ~600 km, eight
25 July 2025
From Battlefields to Space: How Ukraine’s Satellite Program Skyrocketed in 2024-2025

From Battlefields to Space: How Ukraine’s Satellite Program Skyrocketed in 2024-2025

In March 2025 Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense created a Space Policy Directorate to coordinate military space efforts. The crowdfunded ICEYE SAR satellite nicknamed the “People’s Satellite” remained Ukraine’s only satellite under national control, since 2022. Deputy Defense Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko outlined a 2030 roadmap to deploy Ukrainian defense satellites and an air-launch early-warning system. In June 2025 the European Space Agency council reinforced collaboration with Ukraine’s SSAU, providing technical assistance on Earth observation, space weather, and exploration. In April 2025 the EU Commission and Ukraine signed an agreement enabling participation in the EU Space Programme with access to Copernicus data
16 July 2025
Ukraine’s Tech Triumphs Amid Turmoil: Startups, Cyber Warriors, and a Digital Revolution (2024–2025)

Ukraine’s Tech Triumphs Amid Turmoil: Startups, Cyber Warriors, and a Digital Revolution (2024–2025)

In 2024 Ukrainian startups attracted about $462 million in funding, a 120% YoY rise, with defense-tech startups pulling at least $59 million and the Brave1 fund granting $40 million in grants. Creatio, a Kyiv-founded enterprise software startup, became Ukraine’s unicorn in 2024 after raising $200 million at a $1.2 billion valuation, joining six Ukrainian-founded unicorns. IT sector export revenues reached $6.45 billion in 2024, down 4% from 2023, with over 300,000 tech specialists (about 238,000 in Ukraine) and up to 668,000 total jobs supported. Diia.City grew to 1,396 resident companies by the end of 2024, roughly one-third of which are
16 July 2025
Ukraine’s Telecom Revolution Amid War: 5G Launches, Rebuilt Networks & Cyber Battles (2024–2025)

Ukraine’s Telecom Revolution Amid War: 5G Launches, Rebuilt Networks & Cyber Battles (2024–2025)

In late 2024 Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced a two-year 5G pilot in three cities—Lviv first, with Kyiv and Odesa testing through 2025—as a step toward a full 5G rollout by 2030. In November 2024 Ukraine auctioned spectrum in the 2100, 2300, and 2600 MHz bands, raising ₴2.8 billion (~$67.7 million) and awarding five lots to Kyivstar, Vodafone Ukraine, and lifecell with licenses requiring 1,500 new base stations in two years and 500 in the first year, plus six months to restore service in liberated areas. The three major operators scrapped domestic roaming charges, enabling free roaming on each
16 July 2025
 ·  ·  ·  · 
Drone Warfare and Developments in Ukraine (2024–2025)

Drone Warfare and Developments in Ukraine (2024–2025)

By 2025, Ukraine had around 500 drone manufacturers operating domestically. Ukraine aims to produce four million drones annually, with FPV drone output rising from about 20,000 per month in 2024 to 200,000 per month in 2025. Operation Spiderweb on June 1, 2025, deployed 117 FPV drones from inside Russia, damaged 41 aircraft across four airbases, and Zelensky claimed about 34% of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet was hit in one night. In 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted about 130 long-range drone operations, striking 377 targets inside Russia including airbases, depots, and energy facilities. Analysts estimate drones account for roughly 70%
16 July 2025
Elon Musk’s ‘Space Phone’ Revolution: How Ukraine Beat the Rest of Europe to Starlink Mobile—and What Happens Next

Elon Musk’s ‘Space Phone’ Revolution: How Ukraine Beat the Rest of Europe to Starlink Mobile—and What Happens Next

Kyivstar is Europe’s pilot market for Starlink Direct-to-Cell (D2C), beating larger EU operators by at least 12 months in field tests. The rollout is two-phase: OTT messaging and SMS by end-2025, followed by full mobile broadband with voice by Q2 2026. The system is designed to keep phones alive during blackouts and grid outages, providing a tower-free fallback if towers are destroyed. Ukraine’s National Commission for Electronic Communications (NCEC) granted experimental licenses in June 2025, enabling on-orbit texting trials this summer. U.S. lab tests confirmed that a stock Kyivstar SIM can authenticate on the Starlink satellite cell without any firmware
10 July 2025
Satellite-Related Tenders in Ukraine – Overview and Key Examples (14.06.2025)

Satellite-Related Tenders in Ukraine – Overview and Key Examples (14.06.2025)

The largest satellite-related tender is the State Space Agency of Ukraine’s Development of the state GNSS station network, valued at UAH 167,130,500 (~$4.5 million), announced on 6 June 2025 and open for bidding in mid-June 2025. The GNSS project aims to build a nationwide GNSS station network to improve coordinate-time and navigation services for civilian, surveying, and military use. In January 2023 Poltavateploenergo tendered for Starlink satellite communications equipment, comprising 44 Starlink terminal kits with a total value of UAH 2,200,000. In 2023 the Kremenchuk City Executive Committee procured Starlink equipment for about UAH 166,000. In 2024 Kyiv National Police
14 June 2025
Satellite-Related Tenders in Ukraine – Overview and Analysis (2016–2025)

Satellite-Related Tenders in Ukraine – Overview and Analysis (2016–2025)

Military Unit K1412 (Lviv) issued a Oct 2024 tender for Skywer MR2 multi-channel signal receiver systems, with two lots of 12 and 8 units (20 total) totaling 29.6 million UAH (~$720,000) and awarded 24 Oct 2024 to ATIKA-IT LLC, plus a 2025 mini-tender for 3 more units (~5.03 million UAH). Foreign Intelligence Service SZR purchased 9 Skywer MR2 satellite signal intercept stations in 2024 for 12.3 million UAH (~$295,000), with a tender announced 30 Apr 2024 and contract completed 11 Jun 2024. SZR conducted a classified procurement for 4 high-end signal receivers (Prиймач сигналів) at 10,824,000 UAH (~$260,000) in late
14 June 2025
Ukraine’s Mega 2025 Tenders Revealed: Multi‑Billion Projects Shaping Energy, Defense & More

Ukraine’s Mega 2025 Tenders Revealed: Multi‑Billion Projects Shaping Energy, Defense & More

The Dniester PSP Hydro Plant Expansion (Phase) by Ukrhydroenergo had a contract awarded in 2024 worth over UA,h 4 billion to expand the Dniester Pumped Storage Power Plant and boost hydroelectric capacity with multi-year construction. Tyligulska Wind Farm – Phase II Expansion, led by DTEK, involves €450 million announced in January 2025 to purchase 64 Vestas wind turbines adding about 384 MW, with ~60 MW online by winter 2025 and 500 MW by 2026. Ukrenergo High-Voltage Line & Substations, funded at roughly €84 million (loan+grant) agreed in May 2025, plans a new 330 kV transmission line and rebuild of substations
14 June 2025
War-Fueled E-Commerce Boom: Inside Ukraine’s Online Shopping Surge in 2025

War-Fueled E-Commerce Boom: Inside Ukraine’s Online Shopping Surge in 2025

In 2024 Ukraine’s online retail sales totaled about ₴239 billion (≈$6–6.5 billion), roughly one-third higher than 2023. About 11 million Ukrainians were online shoppers in 2024, with online purchases comprising about 16% of total spending and roughly 30 million adults as “active online consumers.” Rozetka generated about ₴45 billion in revenue in 2023 and commanded an estimated 45–50% share of the online retail market, hosting more than 12 million products and 20,000 active marketplace sellers. OLX is Ukraine’s most visited e-commerce site by traffic. Zakaz.ua fulfilled over 1 million orders in 2023, with an approximate ₴5 billion turnover. In 2025,
14 June 2025
How Satellite Technologies Are Transforming Ukraine: From Warzones to Wheat Fields

How Satellite Technologies Are Transforming Ukraine: From Warzones to Wheat Fields

In August 2022, a Ukrainian charity crowdfunded access to an ICEYE SAR satellite, providing 24/7 all-weather imaging from one satellite and access to ICEYE’s full constellation for over a year. Commercial high-resolution imagery from Maxar, Planet Labs, and BlackSky documented battlefield events such as Russian troop buildups and missile strikes. Analysts have described the Russia-Ukraine war as the most documented conflict in history thanks to the avalanche of satellite data. After the 2022 invasion, SpaceX shipped thousands of Starlink user terminals to Ukraine, and by 2024 Starlink was a reliable frontline communications partner. In February 2022, commercial satellites captured a
Go toTop