The economics are hard to ignore. Shooting down a drone with AeroVironment's LOCUST laser system costs less than $10, using just two to five seconds of laser energy. Compare that to the interceptor missiles currently used against Iranian drone swarms, which cost orders of magnitude more and are in short supply across allied arsenals.
We've got no shortage of munitions. Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons allow us to sustain this campaign as long as we need. Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation.
German media reported that transistors made by the German company Infineon Technologies were found in a Geran-5, along with other foreign-made components. The information had been published on a web portal called War and Sanctions, which is run by Ukraine's military intelligence service HUR. It includes a detailed list of all foreign components found to date in Russian military equipment.
With the fight evolving quickly, arms companies in Ukraine and Europe say that they can't afford to start from scratch and completely redesign entire systems each time conditions shift. Instead, companies making aerial drones and ground robots told Business Insider that their focus is now on creating weapons that can be upgraded by simply changing parts or software rather than overhauling the whole system. Designs are modular, like Lego pieces, with parts being easily swapped out as new mission demands arise.
North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia are still causing problems for Ukrainian forces more than a year after they were first deployed in support of Moscow's war. The North Korean soldiers who were deployed to Russia's Kursk region to thwart a Ukrainian incursion were initially tasked with brutal infantry assaults that resulted in high casualties. Their role has since shifted to drone reconnaissance and artillery operations.
Sometimes you want to speak frankly, but the situation does not allow it. For example, until this morning we had several air defense systems without missiles. Today I can say this openly, because today I have these missiles. Continuous missile packages are needed. Today, thank God, early this morning we received a serious package. It is now in Ukraine, and I can talk about it.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy says Russia is focusing on attacking "primarily railway infrastructure." Meanwhile, the Kremlin has said talks with Ukraine will continue in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. DW has more. Ukraine has reported several attacks on railway in recent days [FILE: January 27, 2026]Image: Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP Photo/picture alliance Skip next section What you need to know Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported new Russian attacks on Ukrainian transport routes German authorities have arrested five over allegedly exporting goods to Russian defense companies Russia has confirmed trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi will continue on Wednesday Keep reading for the latest updates from Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday, February 2: Skip next section
