Ukraine’s wartime tech edge: Ukraine’s defense industry is compressing the gap between battlefield feedback and factory upgrades, with companies describing testing and fixes in weeks—not months—so gear stays relevant as tactics shift. EU defense coordination: The EU launched five large joint defense projects to reduce fragmented spending, with Ukraine included and priorities spanning drones, anti-drone systems, maritime security, space assets, air combat, and missile shields. Drone-driven pressure on Russia: Ukraine’s strikes are reported to have knocked out 42.74% of Russia’s oil refining capacity, with major downtime across multiple refineries and mounting fuel disruption. Kyiv energy planning gap: Deputy PM Oleksiy Kuleba says Kyiv still has 600+ MW of thermal generation capacity without clear replacement plans, despite funding—blaming missing city-level schedules. Local reconstruction tech ties: A UK-backed scheme is rebuilding Kyiv bridges using imported steel, showing how recovery supply chains keep moving even during war. NATO politics: Italy is pushing to soften language on a 2027 end-date for NATO military aid to Ukraine, arguing rigid timelines could complicate future diplomacy. Russia’s internal strain: A new IKAR survey says support in Russia for ending the war immediately has hit a record high, while confidence in achieving military goals is slipping.