Defence Forward Podcast

Strike drones are going jet-powered. Above 200 km/h, no human can fly them. And when both sides have the same technology, the side that decides faster wins. "Marine", commander of a Ukrainian unmanned systems regiment, on the robot war that’s already here.Before the full-scale invasion he ran his own company with 60 employees and was training for an Ironman. He joined the army on day one, spent a year and a half in the trenches, served three years with the Marines, and now leads his regiment in the National Guard’s 2nd Corps.His unit runs less like a military formation and more like a tech company: in-house labs, 3D printing, its own electronics, and ideas that can go from the workshop to the test range at night and onto the battlefield the next day.We talk about:→ Why his unit builds and upgrades its own systems, and how a plug-and-play control box cut UGV preparation from three or four days to one.→ What a mid-strike mission looks like from planning to impact, including simulators that replicate the real terrain, and the trick to hitting a fast-moving target: slow it down first.→ Why speed is changing everything, and why autonomy is no longer optional.→ How fibre-optic drones ended the era when jamming plus armour kept you safe, and what Ukraine should expect from Russia in 2027: jet engines, Starlink jamming, their own satellite alternative, and mass mobilisation.→ Why decision dominance matters when both sides share the same technology, and how AI has cut his reporting from a week to ten minutes.→ The tempo gap between Ukraine and Europe. As he puts it: “On Monday it’s like for us the whole month.”Thanks to Marine for taking the time and, as always, to my co-host Dan Kucherenko from Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation for a great discussion. And to our colleague and producer, David Hoskin, for making it all come together.Remember to like and subscribe – and help to support our podcast!And please, make even a small contribution to Ukraine’s war effort at Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation!#DefenceForward #Ukraine #UnmannedSystems #DefenceTech #EuropeanSecurity

Jackie, a former US Army scout who now instructs corps personnel in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps, returns to Defence Forward to explain why two cities in Donetsk oblast may decide how this war ends, and how Ukraine lives with the outcome.

Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the "fortress belt", are the last major piece of the Kremlin's stated objectives in Donetsk. Whoever holds them controls the routes beyond. Jackie explains why the ground war has become the most important part of the fight right now, and why it gets so little attention outside Ukraine.

In this episode:

• Why the fortress belt matters, and what a Russian victory claim would mean with or without it
• Loss ratio, not territory, as the measure that matters for an outnumbered army
• Drones as common as rifles at squad level
• "Blue army" mission command versus "red army" Soviet-style command
• What Afghanistan, Vietnam and the US Civil War teach about post-war narrative and veterans
• What Jackie plans to do when the war ends

Guest: Jackie (his callsign), 3rd Army Corps, ArmedForces of Ukraine. Former US Army scout with service in Iraq and Afghanistan;International Legion veteran of Kyiv, Kupiansk and Bakhmut.

Hosts: Jonathan Winch (Cylindr Defence, Copenhagen) and Dan Kucherenko (SerhiyPrytula Charity Foundation, Kyiv)
Producer: David Hoskin (Cylindr Defence, Copenhagen)

Like and subscribe for more conversations on battlefield technology, operational realities and the people fighting Russia's war against Ukraine.

#DefenceForward #Ukraine #MilitaryStrategy

An American assault instructor in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps says the NATO bases he has visited would be finished in the first eight hours. Jackie — a callsign, not a name — explains why the wedge formation is dead, why every Ukrainian infantryman now carries signals kit, and why Ukraine's doctrine has abolished the ground force commander.More: "They're so abysmally unprepared that I'm afraid for them." That is an American professional soldier describing NATO bases he has trained on, on a podcast whose audience largely works for NATO countries.Jackie is a callsign. He spent eight years in the US Army as a scout, deployed seven times, and crossed into Ukraine at Medyka in March 2022 to join the International Legion. He was badly wounded in Kyiv inside three weeks, went back to fight at Kupiansk and Bakhmut, and now instructs corps staff in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps.He is precise about what four years changed. Direct-fire security sectors are irrelevant against an enemy with permanent fire superiority, so the wedge formation is gone and everything moves in files. Concealment, not firepower, is the organising principle at every echelon — in his phrase, every Ukrainian infantryman is half a sniper. Signals-intelligence receivers are carried by ordinary riflemen rather than by specialists. And the ground force commander, a position American doctrine treats as indispensable, no longer exists in his corps: jamming would leave that man mute for the whole battle, so the decision sits with a battle captain at a networked command post instead.The hardest reform, he argues, is not tactical at all. It is getting soldiers to tell their commanders the truth.More about Defence Forward Podcast

Jonathan Winch interviews his co-host Dan Kucherenko about the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation — one of Ukraine's largest wartime organisations, funded entirely by ordinary people.

The Foundation does something charities elsewhere in Europe do not do. It has no engineers, but it does have a military department in daily contact with soldiers at the front. Using that data, it worked with a Ukrainian manufacturer on a drone built to intercept Russian reconnaissance UAVs — advising on the speed and altitude it needed to match, and on communications that would still work in a GPS-denied environment. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence went on to rate the result the most effective drone of its kind in 2025.

Dan also explains how military equipment is actually procured in Ukraine. There are three routes: centralised Ministry of Defence contracts, decentralised purchasing where individual units buy direct from manufacturers, and donations through organisations like his own. He explains why the third route is usually where new technology gets proved first — and how the Foundation came to buy Ukraine a satellite.

Dan Kucherenko leads international partnerships at the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation in Kyiv — one of Ukraine's largest wartime organisations, with 120+ staff across five legal entities, working with more than 800 military units. He co-hosts Defence Forward.► Support Ukraine with the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation

In this episode, Yehor Molochkov of the 69th Separate Special Electronic Support Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shares insights into the evolving role of electronic warfare (EW) in Ukraine's defence strategy, the technological challenges faced, and the innovative solutions being developed to counter modern threats like drones and mesh networks.

Key topics:

- The role of EW in modern warfare and Ukraine's strategic approach

- Technological challenges in countering drones and mesh networks

- Innovative software and hardware solutions developed by Ukraine

- Coordination and integration of EW units across Ukrainian defense forces

- The evolution of EW capabilities from 2022 to present

- The importance of automation and AI in EW operations

- Challenges with equipment interoperability and manufacturer collaboration

- The impact of EW on battlefield tactics and civilian safety

► Learn more about Ukraine's Electronic Warfare Forces ()

► Contact Electronic Warfare Forces, [email protected]

► Support Ukraine through the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation⁠

► Production thanks to ⁠⁠⁠cylindr Defence⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode, we dive into Mykyta Puz’s journey fromcivilian tech entrepreneur to military technology scout and Azov battalion member. He shares how innovation, grassroots fundraising, and volunteer logistics are helping strengthen Ukraine’s defence efforts amid the ongoing conflict.

Main Topics:

- Mykyta Puz’s transition from civilian tech to military service

- Innovative fundraising and logistics for Ukraine’s military

- The role of bottom-up decision-making in Azov

- Personal stories of Ukrainian resilience and adaptation- The impact of civilian initiatives on military support

- How technology and volunteer efforts are shaping defence efforts

- Creative fundraising approaches, including the Maserati raffle

- The importance of individual initiative in wartime support

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► ⁠Follow Defence Forward Podcast⁠

► Support Ukraine through the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation⁠

► Production thanks to ⁠⁠⁠cylindr Defence⁠⁠⁠

#DefenceTech #DroneWarfare #UkraineWar #MilitaryTechnology #UnmannedSystems #ModernWarfare #warinukraine2026

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Anton Sukach, Ukrainian defence veteran and business developer at Global Mark, who shares raw experiences from the front lines, insights into modern warfare tech, and the resilience of Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict. Discover how innovative defence solutions like FPV (first-person view) drones, electronic warfare systems, and autonomous underwater vehicles are shaping the future of warfare.

In this episode:

Anton discusses the emotional toll and realities of war from a soldier’s perspective

Insights into friendly fire incidents and the psychological impacts of battlefield decisions

The evolution of drone technology and the role of FPV and fiberoptic drones in Ukraine’s defence

The development and testing of autonomous underwater vehicles with ranges up to 1000 km

Ukraine’s resilience and the importance of international support and technology adaptation amid ongoing conflict

The strategic role of electronic warfare, AI, and new defence innovations against Russian advances

Anton shares his personal journey from civilian to soldier and experience working with Ukrainian military projects

The challenges in defence procurement and the rapid pace of innovation in Ukraine compared to NATO standards

Special thanks for the ongoing bravery and innovation from the Ukrainian forces and their defenders.

Stay tuned for more stories of courage, technology, and resilience.

Learn more about Global Mark.

Follow Anton on LinkedIn.

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In this episode, we explore the critical role of drone warfare in Ukraine's ongoing defense efforts, featuring an interview with Lito, a commanding officer of an FPV drone platoon within the National Guard. Discover how Ukraine trains civilian pilots, the evolution of drone tactics, and the significance of operations like those in the Serebryansky Forest. We also delve into technological breakthroughs such as fiber optic drones and the importance of interoperability, shedding light on the frontline realities of modern warfare.

Main Topics:

• The role and operational scope of Ukraine’s UAV units across the front lines
• Transition from civilian to military drone pilot: skills, challenges, and training processes
• Key battles and training ground: the strategic importance of the Serebryansky Forest
• Innovations in drone technology: fiber optics, digital systems, and future prospects like drone swarms
• Coordinating drone operations within a broader combined arms strategy
• The underestimated impact of drone warfare on battlefield outcomes and Western responses
• Lessons learned and future improvements for Ukraine’s drone capabilities

This episode offers an authentic frontline perspective that underscores the importance of innovation, adaptability, and resilience in Ukraine’s ongoing defense. The insights presented are vital for understanding modern drone warfare’s strategic and operational dimensions.

More about Defence Forward Podcast: https://linktr.ee/defenceforwardpodcast

Most people think defence innovation is all about high-tech weapons and futuristic gadgets. But what if the real game-changer lies in connecting battlefield realities with Europe's slowing ecosystem? Benjamin Wolba, co-founder of the European Defence Tech Hub, pulls back the curtain on how hackathons, startups, and soldier feedback are revolutionizing battlefield tech and why Europe must accelerate this movement now.

In this episode, discover how Ukraine is becoming an R&D laboratory for Europe, where frontline soldiers directly influence the next-generation tech that saves lives. Benjamin shares stories from over 30 hackathons across Europe and Ukraine, revealing the secret sauce behind successful defence startups that go from idea to battlefield deployment. You’ll learn why understanding tactics and operational realities — from drone detection to lightweight equipment — is crucial for real impact.

We break down: how hackathons turn brave soldiers into tech testers, the importance of battle-proven solutions, and why European defence innovation still struggles with bureaucratic hurdles that slow progress.Benjamin exposes the paradox of rapid tactical needs versus long-term strategic development, offering a blueprint for how startups, military units, and governments can close the innovation gap. You'll discover how cross-border collaboration, fast testing, and a relentless mindset are building the future of defence, before the next conflict surprises us.

Whether you're an engineer, a founder or simply passionate about Ukraine's resilience and Europe's security, this episode offers a compelling vision for a more agile, connected defence ecosystem. It’s not just about tech; it’s about saving lives, enabling sovereignty and shaping a safer future.

Benjamin Wolba, based in Berlin, is a thought leader in defence innovation, known for bridging Ukraine and Europe through hackathons, networks and initiatives that turn ideas into operational assets. His work is driving a new wave of civilian-led defence startups that challenge antiquated procurement and military paradigms.

If you're curious about how to support Ukraine’s war effort through innovation, or how startups can influence battlefield strategies, listen to this episode. We talk about how everyone can make a difference. Defence is no longer just for soldiers. It’s for anyone committed to resilience, progress and peace.

► About Defence Forward Podcast

► ⁠Learn about European Defence Tech Hub

► Support Ukraine through⁠ ⁠Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation⁠⁠

► Production thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠cylindr Defence⁠⁠⁠⁠