Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's former spokesperson urged him Sunday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin face-to-face in Moscow, arguing that his past business and political connections in the Russian capital from years back could help him negotiate a peace deal there.

Iuliia Mendel, who served as Zelenskyy's spokesperson from 2019 to 2021, told Fox News Digital that the former comedian had also made his first millions in Russia and should perhaps leverage those ties to pursue lasting peace.

"When Zelenskyy was an entertainer, he often performed in Moscow," Mendel said, adding that the Ukrainian president "knows a lot of people from Putin's elite."

"He actually professionally grew in Moscow and earned his first millions in Moscow, and today he pretends that he has nothing in common with them," Mendel said.

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"He needs to go to Moscow and needs to agree on compromises that are acceptable," she said, before adding that Zelenskyy "doesn't need to play his maximalist games and to play this noble actor."

Mendel's criticism came as Ukraine, Russia and the United States prepared for another round of technical-level peace talks, potentially in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland, in November.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have helped lay the groundwork for renewed negotiations that officials hope could finally lead to direct talks between the two leaders.

Before entering politics, Zelenskyy had built a successful entertainment career. Beginning in the late 1990s, he performed with the comedy troupe Kvartal 95, competed on the Russian-language comedy program KVN and later worked as an actor, writer and producer in television and movies. 

From the late 1990s, he performed on Russian stages and at private parties and appeared in movies shown across former Soviet republics, Mendel claimed. 

She said that after Russia annexed Crimea and launched its war in Donbas in early 2014, Zelenskyy traveled to Russia to work on the comedy film "Eight New Dates" which was released in Russian theaters in 2015.

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According to a report by Business Insider, many of Zelenskyy's movies were also in Russian and were marketed to a Russian audience, David Dodson, an American movie editor who worked with Zelenskyy told the outlet.

"He was a well-loved comic, actor and performer in Russia, but after [the 2013-14] Maidan [Revolution], everything changed," Dodson said.

"People need to realize that Volodya’s movies were very big in Russia. Most of his market was in Russia. He’s always been a popular comedy star in Russia," Dobson also clarified to GQ when asked if he directed the former actor in "Eight First Dates" in Russia, released in 2012.

In 2013, the movie received the Russian National Movie Awards as the Best Russian Comedy of the Year.

In 2019, Zelenskyy also promised to relinquish ownership of a Cyprus-registered company operating a film studio in Russia after investigative journalists revealed that he and his business partners still owned three Russian companies, according to the Kyiv Post.

Zelenskyy's entertainment career made him a household name in Ukraine and other former Soviet republics before he entered politics and won Ukraine's 2019 presidential election with roughly 73% of the runoff vote on promises to fight corruption and pursue peace in eastern Ukraine.

Mendel argued that Zelenskyy's promise to bring peace at the time stands in stark contrast to the devastating war that has crippled the country and defined much of his presidency.

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"Zelenskyy became the president with 73% record support," Mendel said. "Because he promised to bring peace to Ukraine."

"And now he has been presiding for almost five years (over) the largest war in Europe since World War II. This shows a lot."

"When his country is bleeding, he needs to make a peace deal for his people," she said before adding that the leader "needs to put the interests of his people first, just for Ukraine to exist as an independent state."

Whether Zelenskyy should travel to Moscow has, in fact, become a flashpoint in efforts to arrange direct peace talks.

In 2025, Putin offered to host Zelenskyy for talks in Moscow, but the Ukrainian president rejected the invitation as Russian forces continued attacking Ukraine.

"He can come to Kyiv," Zelenskyy told ABC News at the time, saying he could not visit Moscow while Ukraine remained under Russian missile attacks.

In September, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Russian journalists pressed Zelenskyy on when he would visit Moscow. He replied, "On a missile."

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Mendel, however, argued that personal animosity between the two leaders has become the main obstacle to diplomacy.

"Today there are diplomatic efforts to try to stop this brutal and bloody war that Russia started," she said.

"But what we see now is a personal opposition between Zelenskyy and Putin that continues to grow into constant escalation in which people suffer tremendously, Ukraine's infrastructure, energy grid, and businesses are in ruins, and refugees are fleeing."

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More than four years later, peace negotiations are deadlocked over territory, security guarantees and the terms of a lasting ceasefire.

Moscow has demanded territorial concessions from Ukraine, including areas Russian forces do not fully control.

Kyiv has rejected ceding sovereign territory and insists that any agreement include enforceable security guarantees against another Russian attack.

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Mendel went on to praise President Donald Trump's efforts to break the diplomatic deadlock, calling him the first Western leader to "challenge the status quo" and consistently push for an end to the war.

"For this reason, many Ukrainians place great hope in his ability to bring peace," she said.

"A sustainable peace deal cannot be reached solely between Zelensky and Putin; it requires the involvement and initiative of a strong third party to halt the ongoing devastation."

On Friday, the White House announced that first lady Melania Trump had helped broker a temporary ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in southern Ukraine's Kherson region, to allow humanitarian aid deliveries, demining operations and civilian evacuations.

An estimated 1,700 to 2,000 people remain in the devastated front-line town, many of them facing severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials.

The White House said the ceasefire would begin Oct. 29, although Ukrainian and Russian officials have indicated that operations could begin Oct. 27.

Pope Leo also reportedly spoke with Zelenskyy and Putin about the humanitarian crisis, according to Vatican News.

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"Melania Trump has become synonymous with the words of a saver and a hero, since she has brokered the deal for Oleshky," Mendel said. "This is something that is going to save around 2,000 people and that neither Ukraine nor Russia could have solved for months and months."

"That is why, you know, what Melania Trump has done is actually a case to show that where two men are fighting, a woman can actually save lives," she added.

"And this is the new approach that would show that peace really should focus on human lives, not on maps and territories."

Mendel also criticized the influence of Zelenskyy's longtime ally Andriy Yermak on his diplomatic approach, arguing that the Ukrainian president has favored confrontation over compromise.

"Mr. Yermak was teaching Zelenskiy to be a strong man in diplomacy. And what today we see is actually diplomacy that doesn't exist," she said.

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"It's a diplomacy of humiliation, diplomacy of constant threats, diplomacy of demands," Mendel added.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk says that if Ukraine fires through Starlink, Russia would be entitled to shoot the network down. That is why Starlink must remain a civilian operation and cannot be used for outright offensive strikes that would put its very existence at risk.

The warning lands in the middle of a fight over Musk’s own hand on that network. Weeks ago, his company unexpectedly throttled the service Ukraine’s drones depend on amid US President Donald Trump diesel deal with Russia, which led to the disruption of a few operations on the front.

The US Treasury authorized the sale, delivery, offloading, and import of Russian-origin diesel fuel, effectively suspending sanctions on that trade until 7 April 2027, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said on its website on 9 October.

The diesel deal combining intelligence halt and military Starlink, with pressure on Ukraine to make a quick peace deal, has angered both Democrats and Republicans ahead of the US elections on 3 November, where Democrats could win.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian official interprets Musk's talk of strikes as an attempt to build an alibi before a possible investigation into that decision.

A civilian network, or a target

Musk was responding to a post warning that if Starlink shifted from a civilian network into a military system, Russia could treat it as a target for retaliation, and that destroying satellites in orbit could scatter enough debris to make space unusable for years or centuries.

“An adversary blowing up Starlink satellites would create a domino effect of destruction that would generate a vast field of debris, making space unusable," he writes.

When the shield and the warnings failed together

Overnight into 14 October, SpaceX quietly capped the speed of Starshield, the military version Ukraine’s drones run on, without telling Kyiv. Ukrainian units said the limit broke a series of missions, with connections dropping mid-flight and leaving drones hard to control.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine relies on the network for air defense, not attack, to intercept the Russian drones Moscow sends to its cities, and that once the speed was cut, his forces could no longer stop some of them as effectively as before.

Simultaneously, Ukraine's other American lifeline also went dark: for about three days, the US stopped passing the intelligence that warns of Russian ballistic launches. On 12 October, Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv before the air-raid alert reached people, with no advance data from partners. In a strike during that window, three people were killed in the capital, the sirens sounding only after the blasts.

A Ukrainian official sees alibi-building

Meanwhile, Andrii Kovalenko, the ex-head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, read Musk’s statement as self-protection rather than physics

“Musk, having taken responsibility for the restrictions on Starlink and Starshield for Ukraine, is now trying to build himself an alibi before a possible investigation into that decision,” he wrote.

He said that regardless of who was behind the idea of restricting Starlink and Starshield access for Ukraine, it represents a strategic setback for the US in the long run, as it risks portraying the country as an unreliable partner that may fail to honor its commitments.

"Europe purchases around 60% of its imported weapons from the US. Trust in the US as a security guarantor directly supports sales for American defense companies. Moves like this only undermine that trust and encourage European countries to develop their own systems," he said.

The US has sent a message that its guarantees may not be reliable and that even paid-for services can be subject to political decisions, Kovalenko stressed.

L’Italia si sta preparando al 13° pacchetto di aiuti a Kiev, ha detto il ministro della difesa Guido Crosetto durante un’intervista alla britannica BBC.

Segue nostro Telegram.

“Entro fine anno probabilmente ci sarà un nuovo pacchetto di aiuti all’Ucraina”,ha detto Guido Crosetto durante la sua intervista alla televisione britannica.

Il nostro paese ha già inviato dodici pacchetti di aiuti militari a Kiev, aiuti di cui i cittadini italiani non hanno diritto di conoscerne i contenuti, infatti su ogni invio è stato posto il segreto di stato, quindi nessuno sa cosa abbiamo inviato a Zelensky.

Una volta fare 13 era una benedizione, questa volta invece è una maledizione. Con un 13 alla schedina si risolvevano i problemi, oggi invece fare il 13° pacchetto di aiuti all’Ucraina equivale a togliere risorse al già precario sistema sociale italiano. La schedina pare l’abbiano vinta Zelensky e i suoi soci, non noi.

Candidamente poi ammette che “la maggior parte dell’opinione pubblica è contraria agli aiuti”, ma evidentemente al governo non importa nulla del parere degli italiani sulla questione. Ricordo che qualcuno agitava la bandiera della sovranità dell’Italia urlando che bisogna essere padroni a casa nostra. Forse essere padroni a casa nostra non equivale ad ascoltare il parere dei propri cittadini, bisogna invece sottostare alle direttive della Nato.

Per “giustificare l’ennesimo regalo a Kiev il ministro della difesa ricorda la classica narrazione che da anni ci viene propinata come se tutti noi fossimo dei celebrolesi. Ha detto che “Putin non si ferma all’Ucraina. E Nato e Unione Europea si preparano. Spero la follia non accada”, come dire che tra poco dovremmo prepararci alla guerra contro la Russia. Vedremo se i suoi figli saranno i primi a partire.

Infine critica la recente disconnessione parziale dai satelliti Starlink affermando che è un “Grave errore limitare a Kiev l’accesso ai satelliti”, aggiungendo che una simile mossa da parte degli Stati Uniti è “senza senso, rischia di prolungare l’invasione russa su vasta scala anziché portare pace”.

Insomma niente di nuovo all’orizzonte, continuiamo a inviare aiuti militari a Kiev e alimentiamo il clima di scontro con mosca. Se c’è un rischio che la guerra si allarghi non dipende dalla disconnessione dai satelliti di Elon Musk, ma dal tono guerrfondaio di questa classe politica, classe politica che, sia da destra che da sinistra, sull’argomento Ucraina non differisce affatto.

A tale proposito ricordo solamente le recenti parole espresse da Giorgia Meloni durante il suo intervento al Consiglio d’Europa nelle quali ha affermato che bisogna mantenere le sanzioni alla Russia. Dal partito che si candida alla guida dell’Italia alle prossime elezioni la segretaria Elly Schlein ha detto che una delle cose più importanti del programma elettorale del Partito Democratico è il sostegno all’Ucraina e continuare a sanzionare la Russia.

Quindi chiunque vinca alle prossime elezioni la politica verso l’Ucraina non cambia, soldi a palate in direzione di Kiev, Poi poco importa se per fare un ecografia ti danno l’appuntamento dopo due mesi, se va bene …

Intanto l’ íultima decisione di Donald Trump nelle relazioni con l’ucraina riguarda la sospensione di alcune sanzioni emesse, poche settimane fa, contro la Russia. Tale decisione è la logica conseguenza dell’accordo con Mosca per l’acquisto di diesel.

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti ha emesso un ordine esecutivo che esenta dall’applicazione di alcune sanzioni e tariffe nei confronti della Russia approvate poche settimane fa.

“Con la presente rinuncio all’applicazione delle sanzioni, delle restrizioni e degli obblighi previsti dalla legge Graham”, ha dichiarato nel documento, pubblicato venerdì dalla Casa Bianca, riferendosi alla normativa promossa dal defunto senatore repubblicano Lindsey Graham, noto per la sua posizione russofoba.

Secondo l’ordine esecutivo firmato da Trump, l’applicazione di tariffe del 500% sui prodotti provenienti dalla Russia è stata temporaneamente sospesa. Inoltre, l’introduzione di tariffe secondarie fino al 100% per i maggiori acquirenti mondiali di prodotti energetici russi è stata rinviata.

Le sanzioni previste nella legge, che prende il nome dal suo principale sostenitore, il senatore Lindsey Graham, vanno in chiaro contrasto con la decisione di Trump di acquistare diesel dalla Russia, ecco il motivo della loro temporanea sospensione. Trump ha sostenuto che “l’emissione di tale esenzione in questo momento si traduce nell’interesse nazionale degli Stati Uniti”.

Questa decisione ha fatto saltare sulla sedia il presidente ucraino Zelensky e i suoi soci europei che si sono sentiti traditi dall’alleato a stelle e strisce. Ma le tensioni con Kiev non si fermano qui. Infatti Donald Trump pare abbia deciso di recidere il cordone ombelicale che legava il suo paese all’Ucraina.

Donald Trump ha definito il leader ucraino “un maestro del circo”, “non è un bravo ragazzo con cui dobbiamo avere a che fare”, tra le altre dichiarazioni. Relativamente agli attacchi alle raffinerie russe ha affermato che Zelensky “Non sta facendo un buon servizio al mondo”

Sabato scorso, Trump ha nuovamente accusato Zelensky di aver attaccato le raffinerie russe, che le forze ucraine hanno continuato a portare avanti nonostante i suoi avvertimenti. “Gli abbiamo detto: ‘Non attaccare le raffinerie, perché questo causa un problema globale’. Ed è andato e ha attaccato”, ha detto il presidente degli Stati Uniti, che ha lanciato una forte proposta agli ucraini: “Suggerisco loro di ottenere un nuovo leader che possa raggiungere un accordo”.

Insomma, questa volta, la rottura tra il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump e il capo del regime di Kiev Vladimir Zelensky sembra essere reale, ma sarà davvero così o è una semplice mossa pre elettorale?

Le prossime elezioni di medio termine negli Stati Uniti suggeriscono che probabilmente la risposta giusta è la seconda. Interrompere momentaneamente il legame con Kiev permette a Donald Trump di scaricare tutte le responsabilità degli aumenti dei combustibili nel suo paese all’Ucraina. Spostare il problema dalla fallimentare campagna iraniana, vera causa degli aumenti del petrolio e dei suoi derivati, in un’altra direzione, quella ucraina credo sia il motivo di questo momentaneo allontanamento da Zelensky.

Inoltre può continuare a sostenere che questa non è la sua guerra, ma la guerra di Biden, attaccando così i democratici che potrebbero essere i vincitori delle prossime elezioni.

Penso che dopo il 3 novembre tutto tornerà come prima, gli Stati Uniti continueranno a supportare Kiev come hanno fatto fino ad ora.

Articolo originale:  farodiroma.it

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• Russian strikes destroyed targets in the Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Odesa, Rivne, Ternopil, Chernihiv regions, and the DPR;
• According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 153 strike UAVs;
• Russian forces struck the Epicentr logistics centre, a distribution centre, and the Vasishchevo logistics terminal in the Kharkiv region;
• Russian forces struck a dry cargo ship in the port of Chornomorsk;
• Ukrainian losses amounted to approximately 1,145 personnel over the past 24 hours.

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• Russian forces advanced in the southern part of Belozerskoye;
• Russian forces took control of Veseloye Pole and Bokovoye;
• Russian forces advanced near Mirovoe.

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• Russian forces advanced in the eastern part of Kondratovka;
• Russian forces advanced in the area of Raiskoye.

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• During the past night, Russian air defenses destroyed 532 Ukrainian drones in the rear regions;
• Russian air defenses intercepted UAVs in the following regions: Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh, Tula, Oryol, Lipetsk, Kaluga, Ryazan, Rostov, Saratov, Samara, Penza, Volgograd, and Ulyanovsk; in the Moscow region; in Perm Krai and Krasnodar Krai; in the Republics of Tatarstan, Adygea, Mari El, Crimea, and Udmurtia; and over the Sea of Azov;
• Ukrainian strikes killed one civilian and injured 14 others in Belgorod. Houses, cars, social, and commercial facilities were damaged;
• A Ukrainian drone attacked a minivan in the Bryansk region. Two people were killed, and two were injured;
• Over the past 24 hours, one person was killed, and five more civilians were injured in the DPR.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

• Russia Hits Ukrainian Logistics and Rail, Ukraine Strikes Russian Industry and Southern Power Grid
• Russian Army Shatters Ukrainian Defenses In Zaporozhye
• FSB Detains German Mercenary Who Fled Ukraine’s Armed Forces Over Unpaid Wages

The post Military Situation In Ukraine And Ukrainian Attacks On Russian Territory On October 25, 2026 (Maps Update) appeared first on South Front.

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Russian Strikes on Ukraine

Kharkiv Region

• Epicenter logistics center in Kharkiv. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the facility was used to store dual-use products intended to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The building burned down as a result of the strike; the company reported that it was the “last operating Epicenter in the city.”

• Distribution center in Kharkiv. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the facility stored and distributed military cargo and dual-use goods for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

• Vasyshcheve logistics terminal. Used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to store military property and dual-use products.

• Kharkiv energy infrastructure. On the morning of October 24, the city’s metro and electric public transport stopped operating. Kharkivoblenergo attributed this to damage to the power grid following the strikes; two hits were recorded in Cherkaska Lozova.

Poltava Region

• Main control panel of the 330 kV Poltava substation. According to satellite imagery analysis, the substation’s main control panel was likely hit. The facility distributes electricity across the region.

• Epicenter shopping center in Poltava. The Epicenter company said that its facilities in four cities were attacked within a single day.

Odesa Region

• Port of Chornomorsk, unmanned boat production shop. This target is directly linked to the maritime unmanned platforms used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against ships and coastal infrastructure.

• Cargo ship bound for Chornomorsk. A maritime vessel that, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, was delivering cargo for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

• Cargo ship bound for Odesa. A second vessel struck during the day on October 25.

Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia Regions

• Locomotives in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and near Pyatykhatky. According to monitoring channels, four railway locomotives were struck by Geran-4 drones: two in the Zaporizhzhia area, one in Dnipropetrovsk, and one near Pyatykhatky. Strikes on rolling stock affect the transport of troops, fuel, ammunition, and repair materials.

• Epicenter shopping center in Zaporizhzhia. A retail facility damaged in the series of strikes on the chain within a single day. The company reported a fire following the attack.

Vinnytsia Region

• Epicenter shopping center in Vinnytsia. Another facility in the chain attacked on October 25.

Reports also indicated strikes on facilities in Rivne, Volyn, Zhytomyr, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy Regions.

Strikes on Russia

Omsk Region

• Omsk Kauchuk (Titan Group) – A major petrochemical enterprise producing synthetic rubber and chemical products. According to preliminary geolocation, impacts were recorded near Units D-3 and D-5; Unit D-3 is associated with the production of MTBE, a high-octane gasoline additive.

• Ozon logistics center in Omsk – A warehouse complex damaged in the October 24 attack. Ozon confirmed a fire. The facility is located more than 2,500 kilometers from the combat zone.

Lipetsk Region

• Energia plant in Yelets – An enterprise producing batteries and accumulators for missile systems, aviation, and other military equipment. According to monitoring channels, the plant was struck by missiles on October 25; Storm Shadow cruise missiles are said to have been used. Civilian infrastructure was also damaged.

Perm Krai

• AVISMA in Berezniki – A chemical-metallurgical enterprise producing sponge titanium, magnesium, and magnesium alloys. The facility is located approximately 1,630 kilometers from the combat zone.

Belgorod Region

• MegaGRINN shopping and entertainment center in Belgorod – A large mall that, according to Ukrainian channels, was one of the targets of a massive drone attack. One civilian was killed and 14 people were injured; residential buildings, cars, and public and commercial facilities were damaged.

Bryansk Region

• A Ukrainian drone attacked a vehicle, killing two people and injuring two others. A Moscow-Novozybkov bus was also attacked near Khalturino; a woman was killed and three people were injured.

Oryol Region

• Industrial facility in Oryol – According to reports, four people were killed and others remain missing as a result of a missile strike. The specific enterprise was not named in the available information.

Crimea and Krasnodar Krai

• 500/220 kV Taman substation – A key node through which electricity from southern Russia is supplied to Crimea. According to monitoring channels, the substation was damaged in a drone attack on October 24. Outages were recorded in Sevastopol, Alushta, Yalta, Sudak, and Yevpatoria. Power was later restored.

• Substation in the village of Bely, Temryuk District – An energy infrastructure facility where a fire broke out. Three settlements were left without electricity.

• Substation in Myasnikovsky District, Rostov Region – Damaged in a drone attack; 172 homes were left without power.

Samara Region

• Tolyattikauchuk – A petrochemical plant that, according to local residents and monitoring channels, was one of the targets of the attack. Footage of a large fire circulated online.

Thus, on October 24–25, the Russian side concentrated its efforts in three areas: logistics, maritime shipping, and rail transport. At the same time, strikes were carried out on energy infrastructure, including the Poltava substation and Kharkiv’s power grid. The Ukrainian side, in turn, focused its strikes on petrochemical enterprises deep inside Russia, as well as on energy infrastructure in the south, leading to a brief blackout in Crimea. According to monitoring channels, Ukraine used Storm Shadow missiles and carried out large-scale drone attacks, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure in Russia.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

• Russian Army Shatters Ukrainian Defenses In Zaporozhye
• FSB Detains German Mercenary Who Fled Ukraine’s Armed Forces Over Unpaid Wages
• Military Situation In Ukraine And Ukrainian Attacks On Russian Territory On October 24, 2026 (Maps Update)

The post Russia Hits Ukrainian Logistics and Rail, Ukraine Strikes Russian Industry and Southern Power Grid appeared first on South Front.

This weekly update from the Kyiv Independent aims to shed light on the situation facing Ukrainians living under Russian occupation and the ever-tightening control of information imposed by the Kremlin.

Key news as of Oct. 25:

• Oleshky native warns residents may not survive winter as evacuation hopes rise
• Russian-occupied Crimea

• A Ukrainian drone maker was surprised by how much explosive weight soldiers loaded onto one of its drones.
• A drone's payload is limited by the weight of its battery, camera, and other equipment.
• Drone makers push technical limits, but Ukrainian soldiers often go even further.

A major drone maker said Ukrainian soldiers surprised it by packing one of its drones with more explosives than the company ever thought it could carry.

When loading up an attack drone with explosives, combat units are limited by how much weight it can carry and still fly. Batteries, cameras, and other essential equipment also take up some of that capacity. That doesn't stop soldiers from pushing the equipment to its limit.

"One of the most surprising videos I've seen recently is that one of the units has managed to put the huge explosive part on our drone," Oleg, an executive at TechEx, told Business Insider.

The drone was carrying "something like five or seven kilos, and they managed to fly into the building and put it completely to the ground with one single FPV."

"I was like, 'How do you literally put this amount of explosives on one single FPV?' But it managed to carry this on and did the mission," the TechEx exec said, speaking on the condition that he be identified only by his first name for security reasons.

TechEx lists a maximum payload of two kilograms for three of its NATO-codified fiber-optic drones: the Stalker XO-10 China-Free, Stalker XO-15 MAX PRO, and Stalker XO-13.

Weight is a major constraint for Ukraine's drone makers, who are constantly trying to accommodate more firepower and bigger batteries, as well as heavier weapons and cameras. It's a constant trade-off, with every gram mattering.

Soldiers fighting for survival often push beyond advertised limits. Last year, a sergeant major in a heavy bomber company told Army Inform, Ukraine's defense ministry media, that while a Bat drone can fly up 8 kilometers and carry up to 12 kilograms, his unit pushed it to fly a little farther and carry a little more.

Weight is an important consideration for TechEx drone development. The company advertises its "ultralight fiber optic reel" as one of its product advantages. Last year, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense characterized TechEx's Stalker series as having a "record-low spool weight among Ukrainian fiber-optic drones."

The struggle with weight is particularly acute for fiber-optic drones because, in addition to gear like batteries, they have to carry the spool containing the fiber-optic cable that trails behind them, maintaining a connection with the drone operator. The cable makes them resistant to enemy jamming, but the added weight limits how many explosives they can carry. The cable spool can weigh several kilograms on some drones.

Olha, a TechEx representative, told Business Insider that the company developed its own technology to reduce spool weight, making "tiny tweaks and changes" to how the spool is assembled and the fiber is wound into it. Those adjustments allow the company to keep the spool lightweight while maintaining a stable connection and minimizing the risk of the cable breaking during flight.

The company needs the "perfect balance" to make sure it stays reliable and durable, as not all drone pilots have a wealth of flying experience, Oleg said.

The company faces trade-off decisions. Extending the range of its fiber-optic drones, for instance, would require larger cable spools, potentially leaving less room for explosives, Olha said. But not every drone needs a heavy payload. For some, speed and agility matter more.

Ukraine's soldiers often surprise the manufacturers of their weapons with how they use and adapt their gear, with troops sometimes repairing and modifying equipment near the front lines and experimenting with new tactics.

Kuldar Väärsi, the founder and CEO of Estonian ground robot maker Milrem Robotics, previously told Business Insider that Ukrainian soldiers used the company's technology in ways it was not expecting, including adding and attaching things to the robots. "Ukrainian troops are really creative, and they really find very simple ways how to get even more out of the equipment," he said.

How gear is used in the field often informs how Ukraine's defense companies update and modify their products. Soldiers give feedback to firms like TechEx every day, and companies send their own employees close to the fight to gather feedback and make changes.

Oleg said that TechEx receives direct feedback from soldiers constantly, resulting in weekly changes to its products. Without changes, a product in Ukraine "within three months, it will be outdated, and nobody will use it, because the industry is moving extremely fast," he said.

TechEx encourages soldier experimentation, including by making its drones with parts that are interchangeable. Soldiers can swap components to repair damaged drones or combine parts to create configurations the company never designed.

"Part of what I think TechEx is really great at is the ability to customize," Olha said.