The Brief – Russia growls at European drone makers

The Russian defence ministry issued a thinly veiled threat to Ukrainian drone manufacturers via a Telegram post on Wednesday, publishing the addresses of multiple drone manufacturers in Europe that are aiding Ukraine.

It comes amid a flurry of defence pacts between Ukraine and European leaders, including a German €4 billion military aid package focusing on air defence and drones and ongoing talks between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Giorgia Meloni over a possible joint drone production project.

Russia’s defence ministry denounced these ventures as a “sharp escalation of the military and political situation”, turning countries into strategic props for Ukraine. Ukraine’s defence industry has been lobbying European partners to co-produce drones and defence equipment to keep up with its massive deployment of around 9,000 drones daily since the end of 2025, according to a senior Ukrainian official.

Russia’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev, translated this message more bluntly,…