[Werthead]

Recent analyses of Ukrainian offensive drone operations shows a systemic, almost platform-wide improvement on targeting and battlefield effectiveness.

Russian S-300 and S-400 launchers have been hit repeatedly, but in many cases the drones have ignored the actual missiles to destroy the radar control systems. Less flashy, but immensely more expensive and complicated to replace. It disables the SAM system more effectively than destroying the missiles (Russia can produce new missiles easily) or even the launchers, turning them into useless pieces of metal. Ukraine has also prioritised mid-range AA platforms for the first time, destroying dozens across Crimea, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. This, combined with platform enhancements, has allowed the re-emergence of Ukrainian-Turkish Bayraktar drones.

Russian radar systems 48Ya6-K1 Podlyot and 55Zh6M Nebo-M radar systems have also been destroyed in Crimea.

A Ukrainian drone unit was being hunted down by Russian forces, to the point that they ran out of drones and ordered ballistic missile strikes on the suspected position instead. After watching Russia waste $12 million on four ballistic missile strikes in bemusement, the drone unit returned to base.

Four Ukrainian soldiers were trapped behind Russian lines in the summer of 2022. They evaded capture, but have finally managed to cross the lines and return home.

Slovakia seems to have agreed to back Ukraine's EU accession path. Orban remains opposed, despite Putin saying he has no objection.

The OSINT community has worked out that there are around 2,577 Ukrainian POWs being held by Russia. There are a further 680 individuals, including 91 civilians, whose status is uncertain.

On the Donetsk front, a Russian BM-21 Grad has been destroyed after it got too close to the front to target Ukrainian positions. More and more Russian heavy equipment has been lost in recent weeks after being pushed to take greater risks.

Ukraine has revealed that in August they carried out a special naval operation that destroyed a BL-680 boat, Harpoon-B radar and Groza EW system, with multiple Russians killed.

A huge 39N6 Kasta-2E2 radar station in Anapa, Krasnodar Krai was hit by Ukrainian drones. Damage assessment unclear, but the radar was covering a large part of southern Russia.