Ukraine Working To Use AI To Guide Drones Remotely Far From Battlefield

As drone operators have become the most important and sought-after targets on the battlefield due to their impact on the war, Ukraine is working to build enhanced AI so that drones can be directed from anywhere in the country - and far away from the front - which will reduce the danger to drone pilots and potentially increase their effectiveness because they will not have to spend so much time worrying about concealing themselves. 

AI is already being used to identify targets, interpret images, assess damage and provide guidance. Remote piloting is a next phase in that evolution. JL

New Voice of Ukraine reports:

AI will eventually allow drone operators to be completely removed from the battlefield. "That’s the next phase of warfare. The objective is to let an operator control a drone from anywhere in the country. Our goal is to ensure maximum remote control and implement full autonomy." Russia has formed a unit actively hunting down Ukrainian drone operators, so the issue is one of safety and effectiveness. "Right now, AI is used for decoding images, identifying targets, real-time stream analysis, and AI-based guidance is being used on FPV drones,"

Trump Encouraged Ukraine To Strike Moscow "To Ramp Up Pressure On Putin"

Multiple sources are reporting that Donald Trump questioned Ukrainian President Zelensky about why Ukraine had not attacked Moscow and St Petersburg more frequently and harshly, then urged him to do so in order to increase the pressure on Putin to come to the negotiating table. 

The US may consider sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine to help them fulfill that task, though prudent observers believe the leak of this conversation is meant to send a message to Putin without actually giving Ukraine the weapons needed to make such an attack. JL

Arpan Rai and Alex Croft report in The Independent:

Donald Trump privately discussed striking Moscow with Volodymyr Zelensky. The US president encouraged Kyiv to step up strikes deep in Russian territory. In a recent phone call, Mr Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart why he had not struck Moscow to ramp up the pressure on the Kremlin. “We can, if you give us the weapons," Mr Zelensky responded. The US may considering sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, one of the weapons used by the US in its strikes on Iran last month

Nvidia Can Sell China Its AI Chips After Convincing Trump It's A Win For Him

According to the White House, China is the greatest enemy the US faces and no effort should be spared to win the race against it. Except, perhaps, when there's money to be made? Or at least that is how cynics are viewing the news that Nvidia has received White House permission to resume selling its AI chips to the greatest enemy. 

There has long been a belief among informed economic observers that the US posturing towards China was more of a negotiating position than a principled stand - and this decision appears to support that. JL

Bruce Gil reports in Gizmodo:

It’s been a very busy week for Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. After meeting with President Trump and senior officials in Beijing in recent days, Huang has secured a major victory for his AI-chip empire. On Monday, Nvidia announced that the U.S. government will allow it to resume sales of its H20 AI chips in China. It appears Huang managed to convince Trump that selling to China is a win for America - that if the future is AI, it’s better that it runs on American hardware. During Huang’s meeting with Trump, he reaffirmed “NVIDIA’s support for the Administration’s effort to create jobs, strengthen domestic AI manufacturing, and ensure that America leads in AI.”

After Drone Raid, Russia's Bombers Fled 3,700 East - Too Far To Hit Ukraine

91% of Russia's strategic bombers are now parked at an airfield in the country's far east, 3,700 miles from Ukraine - too far to attack and, the Russians fervently hope, too far away to be hit by Ukrainian drones or saboteurs. 

The result has been a noticeable decline in the use of such bombers to hurl missiles that are far more powerful than drones at Ukrainian civilian targets. Which means that the surprise Ukrainian drone attack in June accomplished its goal. JL

David Axe reports in Trench Art:

The Russian Tupulev Bear bombers that survived the Ukrainian drone raid last month have fled east, away from Ukraine—and now appear to be flying less often and firing fewer missiles at Ukrainian cities. The Ukrainian raid destroyed 11 Russian air force Tupolev bombers—seven propeller-driven Tu-95s and four jet-propelled Tu-22Ms— meaning the Russian air force might have only 44 flyable Tu-95MS Bears remaining. In other words, the Ukrainian raid achieved its strategic goal. 

Ukraine's New Anti-Drone Bullet Is Disrupting Russia's 2025 Offensive

As its stocks of armor and artillery are depleted, Russia has been forced to play catch-up to Ukraine in the war for drone supremacy. As a practical matter this summer, that has meant that Russia is relying more on drones - which has created a new vulnerability. 

Ukraine has now developed a NATO-standard rifle round that provides the same effect as a shotgun - but without having to issue troops with a second weapon. All they have to do is switch magazines and the Russian drones are brought down by the shotgun-like spread of destructive pellets. The result has contributed to the failure of Russia's summer offensive in Sumy, Pokrovsk and elsewhere because Russian troops are often forced to attack without reconnaissance or bombing support. JL

Vikram Mittal reports in Forbes:

Ukraine is producing counter-drone rounds fired from standard assault rifles. After being fired, the round breaks apart into five fast-moving pellets. When multiple rounds are fired in rapid succession, they produce a shotgun-like spread that hit drones up to 50 meters. Ukraine is providing each soldier with a magazine of these rounds. When a drone is near, they can switch to that magazine, giving each a shotgun capability without a second weapon. Current Russian tactics rely on small drones to locate and target defensive positions ahead of a ground assault. (But) it is difficult for Russian drones to evade or survive these rounds. Assaults without drone support result in high Russian casualties with minimal success, creating significant challenges for the Russian offensive. 

Moscow Stock Market Rises After Latest Trump Threat "TACO" Delay

Moscow's stock market rose significantly after Trump's threat of severe anticipated sanctions and resumption of military aid to Ukraine underwhelmed global financial observers. 

This appeared to many to be another of his 'TACO" trades, in which he threatens to reign terror on foreign countries, only to back off. His frustration with Putin not acquiescing to his Ukraine peace ideas seems to have been less than his ongoing desire for Putin's approval. The question now is how much, if any, new weaponry Ukraine will actually receive from the US. JL

The Telegraph reports:

The Russian stock market grew by 2.7 per cent after Donald Trump warned he would impose “very severe tariffs” on Russia if no deal to end the Ukraine war is made within 50 days. “Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track,” adding that “Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines”. The EU's top diplomat called Trump’s 50 day Russia ultimatum ‘a very long time’

Ukraine Ground Robot Assaults Russian Lines For 2nd Time In Weeks

For the second time in two weeks, Ukrainian ground drones have again attacked an entrenched Russian position, killing Russian soldiers and helping capture the position. 

The growing successful use of these weapon systems suggest their presence on the front will continue to grow. JL 

Tim Zadorozhnyy reports in the Kyiv Independent:

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) is expanding the use of ground-based robotic systems in active combat, releasing footage of the Liut (Fury) robotic platform in action in Sumy Oblast. The robot advances on Russian positions and opens fire with a mounted heavy machine gun. The Liut system, equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun, has passed combat testing in real battle. It can identify and engage targets day and night, and its quiet electric motor and rugged build allow it to operate across challenging terrain and in harsh weather. "Having reached enemy positions, it destroyed the Russians with dense machine gun fire."