The Ukrainian spy who fooled Moscow & interview with a frontline drone unit commander

Key Concepts

• Picrossp (Pokrovsk): A city in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, currently a focal point of intense fighting.
• FPV Drone: First-Person View drone, often used for precision strikes.
• Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF): A multinational rapid-response force comprising 10 nations, described as NATO's first responders.
• HKE (Kharkiv Oblast): A region in Ukraine where a war crimes investigation has been opened.
• HUR (Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine): Ukraine's military intelligence agency.
• Doria (Dovhenke): A town in the Donetsk region where Russia previously claimed a "breakthrough."
• KAS (Killed in Action): A military term for deceased soldiers.
• MI5: The United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency.
• FSB (Federal Security Service of Russia): Russia's principal security agency.
• GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation): Russia's military intelligence agency.
• Jiggers Paw: A charity founded by Dimmco Schlukenko to provide technology to Ukrainian defenders.
• ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance): Military activities focused on gathering information.
• BMP: Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
• Budapest Memorandum: A 1994 memorandum on security assurances in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Military Updates and the Situation in Picrossp

Reports indicate that Russian forces have established a presence in almost all parts of Picrossp (Pokrovsk), a city in the Donetsk region. Geolocated footage shows Russian advances in the northwestern, northern, and northeastern sectors. While the exact numbers and capabilities of these forces are unknown, the presence suggests either an encirclement or a significant foothold within the city. Ukrainian drone pilots are reportedly hesitant to enter the city due to reduced situational awareness caused by their masks and the unclear positioning of enemy and friendly forces. Russian military bloggers claim further advances beyond geolocated reports, though they acknowledge Russia has not yet fully seized the city. Fighting is reported to be ongoing across the entire town, particularly in the north and east.

President Zelenskyy stated on Monday that there are 300 Russian soldiers in Picrossp and that 30% of all fighting in Ukraine is currently concentrated in this area. If accurate, this highlights the relative strength of Russian forces in the city and along the entire contact line. The scale of this push, if it involves only a few hundred soldiers, suggests significant pressure on Russian manpower and difficulties with troop movement.

Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) confirmed they are still in the city and are attempting to establish a ground corridor for reinforcements. They are specifically targeting Russian drone operators who are positioned to attack both Ukrainian defenders and any incoming reinforcements or withdrawal routes.

Ukrainian counterattacks are continuing not only within Picrossp but also in the surrounding areas, including near Doria (Dovhenke). This town, approximately 10 km north of Picrossp, was the site of a claimed Russian "breakthrough" a few weeks ago, where Russian forces pushed a salient north for a few kilometers. This salient has now been entirely reduced. These Ukrainian attacks aim to regain ground and relieve pressure on Picrossp's defenders by diverting Russian combat power and cutting off resupply lines.

A Ukrainian drone unit commander, interviewed for the podcast, described the intense fighting in the Doria sector during the alleged Russian breakthrough. He noted that Ukrainian forces are trying to draw Russian combat power away from Picrossp by launching wider counterattacks.

Alleged War Crime in HKE

Prosecutors in HKE (Kharkiv Oblast) have opened a pre-trial war crimes investigation following the emergence of footage showing an alleged Russian FPV drone strike on two civilians and their dog. The incident occurred near the village of Krka, about 20 km south of Kubansk, an area now under Russian control. The video appears to show the two individuals walking along a road, clearly carrying a white flag, a symbol of civilian non-combatant status. Both were killed instantly by drone strikes, one after the other. The footage, reportedly released by Ukraine after originating from Russian Telegram channels, has been condemned by the prosecutor's office as a "cynical crime" and a "systematic disregard for international humanitarian law." Nobel Peace Prize winner Alexandra Matviichuk stated that civilians are the main target of the Russians and that war crimes are a deliberate policy, used to inflict pain and break resistance.

Russian Drone Attacks and Ukrainian Counter-Strikes

Across Ukraine, Russia launched 80 drones, with 71 being shot down. Meanwhile, the Russian city of Oryol, approximately 250 km north of HKE, experienced multiple explosions. This follows a Ukrainian Navy claim of hitting the Oryol thermal power plant with Neptune cruise missiles a week prior. Energy infrastructure near the Russian city of Vladimir, east of Moscow, was also targeted. The governor of Yaroslavl region, north of Moscow, reported a drone attack on energy infrastructure, causing minor damage to oil refineries. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims 40 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across various oblasts.

German Military Support for Ukraine

Germany plans to increase its military support for Ukraine by €3 billion in 2026. This additional funding will cover artillery shells, armed vehicles, drones, and Patriot missiles. The German Finance Minister and Defense Minister are expected to propose this increase during the parliamentary process for next year's budget. Currently, Germany's budget includes €8.5 billion in military aid for Ukraine for the upcoming year, making the additional €3 billion a significant sum.

Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Meeting in Norway

Defense ministers from the 10-nation Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) are meeting in Bodo, Norway. The JEF, described as NATO's first responders, includes Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK, with the UK as the lead nation. Ukraine's Defense Minister, Dennis, is also attending.

UK Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized the signing of an "enhanced partnership" with Ukraine, stating it will reinforce European security and the JEF's ability to act. He highlighted that this is a declaration to act, focusing on "hard power," joint training, learning from Ukraine's battlefield experience, and innovation in training and partnerships. The JEF was formed in 2014 in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Healey also reiterated the JEF's role as "NATO's first responders," a statement that raises questions about the JEF's specific role and its relationship with NATO's broader capabilities and strategic assets. The podcast host questions whether this declaration might inadvertently signal a closer integration with NATO, potentially removing the advantage of plausible deniability regarding deployments.

Russian Conscription Reforms and Espionage

Putin has signed a law allowing military conscription to occur year-round, rather than solely in spring and autumn. While new conscripts will still be drafted during the traditional windows, draft boards and medical commissions will operate continuously. Analysts question the stated reason of easing pressure on military commissariats, suggesting it may be groundwork for future conscription drives. This reform comes after the 2022 mobilization, which led to protests and significant emigration from Russia. The Kremlin has since relied on financial incentives and recruitment campaigns for contract soldiers to avoid further destabilizing risks. The new law takes effect on January 1, 2026.

The podcast discusses the evolving state of espionage by both Russia and Ukraine. A Ukrainian double agent, Andre, was tasked by Russia's FSB to carry out bombing missions. He built a bomb filled with flour and left it at a secret location, leading to the capture of an FSB agent by Ukraine's SBU. Andre was recruited through social media job adverts offering sabotage work, with payments as high as $5,000 for arson attacks. His role is to thwart attacks and gather intelligence. Russia also uses propaganda efforts, such as leaving graffiti and leaflets, to influence public opinion.

A Russian GRU agent's alias became so well-known before the full-scale invasion that he was forced to adopt it permanently, symbolizing Russia's hybrid warfare tactics where "fakes always replace the originals and truth is strictly optional." The GRU's reliance on operatives under false identities in Europe has diminished due to investigative journalism and Western security services, forcing them to recruit disposable amateurs.

Six men in Britain have been jailed for their roles in a Russian-ordered arson attack on a London warehouse providing aid to Ukraine. The ringleader, recruited by the Wagner Group, was sentenced to 17 years in prison. The attack caused £1.3 million in damage. The warehouse had been used to send goods, including Starlink satellite terminals, to Ukraine. The podcast suggests that the recent wave of drone sightings around Western airports is another example of Moscow utilizing local talent to sow disruption, aiming to divert European countries' attention from supporting Ukraine.

Interview with Dimmco Schlukenko, Commander of a Ukrainian Drone Unit

Dimmco Schlukenko, commander of a Ukrainian drone unit, discusses his transition from an IT job to military service. He founded "Jiggers Paw," a charity that raised millions to provide technology to Ukrainian defenders. He then enlisted in the Ukrainian armed forces, undergoing basic infantry boot camp before joining the 413th Battalion of Unmanned Systems Forces.

His unit uses drones for various purposes, including identifying and neutralizing targets from zero to 300 km away. They have gathered unique experience in this field. Dimmco's role involves commanding a drone group and piloting drones to identify targets for artillery, aviation, and strike drones.

He describes serving in the Donetsk region, specifically near Picrossp and Doria. The fighting in Doria was particularly intense during the alleged Russian breakthrough. His unit's role was to mitigate this issue by conducting reconnaissance and live-streaming Russian movements to artillery and other strike assets. They observed hundreds of Russian soldiers moving through a village, which was then targeted by artillery.

A typical mission involves starting at 1:00 AM, driving to a position, and beginning drone reconnaissance at 5:00 AM. Drones can fly up to 50 km from their starting point to investigate villages, forests, and roads, identifying Russian movement patterns and logistics. Their primary objective in the Doria sector was to destroy personnel. They provide critical intelligence for artillery adjustments, as targets are constantly moving. Reconnaissance missions can last until dark, with limited sleep between operations.

Dimmco acknowledges that Ukraine lacks sufficient infantry, making small Russian infiltration groups successful. His unit's goal is to eliminate as many Russian soldiers as possible before they reach the front lines, ideally 50-100 km away, or even further in the future.

He has personally controlled drones that have targeted individual Russian soldiers. While he finds the loss of life tragic and horrifying, he believes it is necessary for Ukraine's defense and future. He experiences empathy for the soldiers he observes, even though they have voluntarily joined the conflict.

Dimmco discusses the psychological toll of this type of warfare, comparing it to snipers. He notes that many young drone operators, often with gaming backgrounds, treat it as a job and do not deeply contemplate the loss of life. This desensitization to violence has become normalized in Ukraine due to the ongoing war.

Regarding the future of drone technology, Dimmco believes drones will complement, not replace, artillery. He sees Ukraine as an "open test field" for war technologies, with both Ukraine and Russia being advanced in drone warfare. He anticipates more solutions with AI, increased autonomy, and improved visual navigation, especially in electronic warfare-saturated environments. He also foresees more end-to-end solutions with unmanned ground vehicles and drone swarms. He emphasizes that other nations should learn from Ukraine's battlefield experience, particularly the Ukrainian armed forces' experience in a full-scale conventional war with extensive drone deployment.

He speculates that drone technology might eventually make human deployment on the battlefield too risky, potentially changing the nature of warfare. However, he likens it to the introduction of tanks and rifles, suggesting it will change tactics rather than eliminate human involvement entirely. He notes that drones have already shifted Russian tactics from mechanized assaults to small infiltration groups, as mechanized assaults are now too vulnerable to cheap FPV drones. He observes that Russia views human resources as expendable, a stark contrast to Ukraine's perspective.

Conclusion and Listener Engagement

The podcast concludes with a discussion of upcoming newsletter topics, including questions from listeners about Ukrainian propaganda towards Russian soldiers, the fate of parents of children taken by Russian occupiers, and the possibility of offering nuclear weapons as a security guarantee for Ukraine. The hosts also mention book recommendations on Napoleon. They encourage listeners to subscribe to the Telegraph and their weekly newsletter for exclusive analysis and insights. They also highlight their live Xpaces sessions and encourage listener feedback via email and X.