Sky News report from General Cherry production<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nLast week, British publication Sky News published<\/a> a high-profile piece on the drone war between Russia and Ukraine. At the heart of the article is a report from the drone factory of the company General Cherry.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe factory\u2019s location is strictly guarded and frequently changed, as Russia constantly attempts to target production facilities. Sky News journalists observed how drones are assembled and packed by the thousands in an ordinary office space\u2014they are handmade and individually configured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arsen Zhumadilov \u2013 how the DOT-Chain Defence marketplace works<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nArsen Zhumadilov, Director of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA), wrote a column for Ukrainska Pravda, sharing initial results from the DOT-Chain Defence<\/a> weapons marketplace and plans to scale the platform. Its main goal, Zhumadilov explains, is to enable the military to quickly and conveniently acquire the drones they need, precisely when and where they need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHe noted that 12 combat brigades participated in the DOT-Chain Defence pilot, operating across the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kharkiv fronts. Brigades order drones directly via the marketplace, and deliveries go straight from manufacturer to unit. Each brigade has a set limit; within that limit, the unit places orders, while the DPA handles everything else, including payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe results speak for themselves: over 3,000 drones on the frontlines within the first weeks, the fastest order took just five days from placement to delivery to the combat unit,\u201d Zhumadilov writes. \u201cOn average, FPVs arrive in 7\u201310 days, bombers in two weeks. That\u2019s more than five times faster than the standard procurement procedure, before UAVs even reach logistics warehouses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nR<\/strong>ead more: Orders through the \u201cArmy of Drones\u201d bonus programme have already exceeded 1 billion UAH<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nZhumadilov emphasises that DOT-Chain Defence changes the logic of supply. Units form their own requests, select the models they need, and receive them as quickly as possible. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about speed\u2014it\u2019s about putting the military at the centre of the process,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis approach also impacts the market. When the military dictates demand, manufacturers are incentivised to provide high-quality, relevant products\u2014or they simply won\u2019t be ordered. The better your product and customer support, the larger and more predictable your sales, and consequently, your production. DOT-Chain Defence not only makes supply flexible and modern but also stimulates development in the corresponding segment of the defence technology market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interview with Trypillian co-founder Bob Seely<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nBob Seely is a British politician and military veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, worked as a correspondent for The Times in former Soviet countries, led the Ukrainian group in the UK Parliament, and was among the first in the West to consistently warn of the Russian threat. He is also the Chief Strategy Officer of the British-Ukrainian defence startup Trypillian, which develops deep-strike systems and other defence technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nD<\/strong>on’t miss: How Trypillian will spend $5M and what its first three products will be<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThis week, the portal DOU published<\/a> an interview with Seely. He discussed how Ukraine is changing the rules of modern warfare, why the Western defence model requires radical reform, and what the future of war will look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Man](\"http:\/\/stage.thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/aahdmamttvkb7iuvadtw-1024x682.webp\")
Trypillian co-founder Bob Seely \/ Photo: DOU<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFlamingo: The Economist article, Kyiv Independent investigation, and combat launch videos<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nJournalists at The Economist believe<\/a> that at least part of the production process of the FP-5 Flamingo<\/a> cruise missile takes place outside Ukraine. The publication also learned the cost per missile \u2013 just under \u20ac1 million. The Economist argues this price may be too high, given the volumes Ukraine needs, as well as doubts about the missile\u2019s actual effectiveness. \u201cThe missile is bulky and sharply ascends at launch, making it more visible to enemy radar. Therefore, it is assumed that a significant portion will be detected and intercepted,\u201d the article notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Kyiv Independent, citing its sources, reports<\/a> that Ukraine\u2019s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating Fire Point, the manufacturer of Flamingo and the FP-1 deep-strike UAV. The company is suspected of inflating component costs for its UAVs. On social media, the NABU has already denied an investigation regarding \u201cFlamingo,\u201d though nothing was said about the drones in its public statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The factory\u2019s location is strictly guarded and frequently changed, as Russia constantly attempts to target production facilities. Sky News journalists observed how drones are assembled and packed by the thousands in an ordinary office space\u2014they are handmade and individually configured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arsen Zhumadilov \u2013 how the DOT-Chain Defence marketplace works<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nArsen Zhumadilov, Director of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA), wrote a column for Ukrainska Pravda, sharing initial results from the DOT-Chain Defence<\/a> weapons marketplace and plans to scale the platform. Its main goal, Zhumadilov explains, is to enable the military to quickly and conveniently acquire the drones they need, precisely when and where they need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHe noted that 12 combat brigades participated in the DOT-Chain Defence pilot, operating across the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kharkiv fronts. Brigades order drones directly via the marketplace, and deliveries go straight from manufacturer to unit. Each brigade has a set limit; within that limit, the unit places orders, while the DPA handles everything else, including payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe results speak for themselves: over 3,000 drones on the frontlines within the first weeks, the fastest order took just five days from placement to delivery to the combat unit,\u201d Zhumadilov writes. \u201cOn average, FPVs arrive in 7\u201310 days, bombers in two weeks. That\u2019s more than five times faster than the standard procurement procedure, before UAVs even reach logistics warehouses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nR<\/strong>ead more: Orders through the \u201cArmy of Drones\u201d bonus programme have already exceeded 1 billion UAH<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nZhumadilov emphasises that DOT-Chain Defence changes the logic of supply. Units form their own requests, select the models they need, and receive them as quickly as possible. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about speed\u2014it\u2019s about putting the military at the centre of the process,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis approach also impacts the market. When the military dictates demand, manufacturers are incentivised to provide high-quality, relevant products\u2014or they simply won\u2019t be ordered. The better your product and customer support, the larger and more predictable your sales, and consequently, your production. DOT-Chain Defence not only makes supply flexible and modern but also stimulates development in the corresponding segment of the defence technology market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interview with Trypillian co-founder Bob Seely<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nBob Seely is a British politician and military veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, worked as a correspondent for The Times in former Soviet countries, led the Ukrainian group in the UK Parliament, and was among the first in the West to consistently warn of the Russian threat. He is also the Chief Strategy Officer of the British-Ukrainian defence startup Trypillian, which develops deep-strike systems and other defence technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nD<\/strong>on’t miss: How Trypillian will spend $5M and what its first three products will be<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThis week, the portal DOU published<\/a> an interview with Seely. He discussed how Ukraine is changing the rules of modern warfare, why the Western defence model requires radical reform, and what the future of war will look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTrypillian co-founder Bob Seely \/ Photo: DOU<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFlamingo: The Economist article, Kyiv Independent investigation, and combat launch videos<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nJournalists at The Economist believe<\/a> that at least part of the production process of the FP-5 Flamingo<\/a> cruise missile takes place outside Ukraine. The publication also learned the cost per missile \u2013 just under \u20ac1 million. The Economist argues this price may be too high, given the volumes Ukraine needs, as well as doubts about the missile\u2019s actual effectiveness. \u201cThe missile is bulky and sharply ascends at launch, making it more visible to enemy radar. Therefore, it is assumed that a significant portion will be detected and intercepted,\u201d the article notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Kyiv Independent, citing its sources, reports<\/a> that Ukraine\u2019s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating Fire Point, the manufacturer of Flamingo and the FP-1 deep-strike UAV. The company is suspected of inflating component costs for its UAVs. On social media, the NABU has already denied an investigation regarding \u201cFlamingo,\u201d though nothing was said about the drones in its public statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that 12 combat brigades participated in the DOT-Chain Defence pilot, operating across the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kharkiv fronts. Brigades order drones directly via the marketplace, and deliveries go straight from manufacturer to unit. Each brigade has a set limit; within that limit, the unit places orders, while the DPA handles everything else, including payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe results speak for themselves: over 3,000 drones on the frontlines within the first weeks, the fastest order took just five days from placement to delivery to the combat unit,\u201d Zhumadilov writes. \u201cOn average, FPVs arrive in 7\u201310 days, bombers in two weeks. That\u2019s more than five times faster than the standard procurement procedure, before UAVs even reach logistics warehouses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zhumadilov emphasises that DOT-Chain Defence changes the logic of supply. Units form their own requests, select the models they need, and receive them as quickly as possible. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about speed\u2014it\u2019s about putting the military at the centre of the process,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis approach also impacts the market. When the military dictates demand, manufacturers are incentivised to provide high-quality, relevant products\u2014or they simply won\u2019t be ordered. The better your product and customer support, the larger and more predictable your sales, and consequently, your production. DOT-Chain Defence not only makes supply flexible and modern but also stimulates development in the corresponding segment of the defence technology market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interview with Trypillian co-founder Bob Seely<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nBob Seely is a British politician and military veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, worked as a correspondent for The Times in former Soviet countries, led the Ukrainian group in the UK Parliament, and was among the first in the West to consistently warn of the Russian threat. He is also the Chief Strategy Officer of the British-Ukrainian defence startup Trypillian, which develops deep-strike systems and other defence technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nD<\/strong>on’t miss: How Trypillian will spend $5M and what its first three products will be<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThis week, the portal DOU published<\/a> an interview with Seely. He discussed how Ukraine is changing the rules of modern warfare, why the Western defence model requires radical reform, and what the future of war will look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTrypillian co-founder Bob Seely \/ Photo: DOU<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFlamingo: The Economist article, Kyiv Independent investigation, and combat launch videos<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nJournalists at The Economist believe<\/a> that at least part of the production process of the FP-5 Flamingo<\/a> cruise missile takes place outside Ukraine. The publication also learned the cost per missile \u2013 just under \u20ac1 million. The Economist argues this price may be too high, given the volumes Ukraine needs, as well as doubts about the missile\u2019s actual effectiveness. \u201cThe missile is bulky and sharply ascends at launch, making it more visible to enemy radar. Therefore, it is assumed that a significant portion will be detected and intercepted,\u201d the article notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Kyiv Independent, citing its sources, reports<\/a> that Ukraine\u2019s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating Fire Point, the manufacturer of Flamingo and the FP-1 deep-strike UAV. The company is suspected of inflating component costs for its UAVs. On social media, the NABU has already denied an investigation regarding \u201cFlamingo,\u201d though nothing was said about the drones in its public statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This week, the portal DOU published<\/a> an interview with Seely. He discussed how Ukraine is changing the rules of modern warfare, why the Western defence model requires radical reform, and what the future of war will look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Journalists at The Economist believe<\/a> that at least part of the production process of the FP-5 Flamingo<\/a> cruise missile takes place outside Ukraine. The publication also learned the cost per missile \u2013 just under \u20ac1 million. The Economist argues this price may be too high, given the volumes Ukraine needs, as well as doubts about the missile\u2019s actual effectiveness. \u201cThe missile is bulky and sharply ascends at launch, making it more visible to enemy radar. Therefore, it is assumed that a significant portion will be detected and intercepted,\u201d the article notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Kyiv Independent, citing its sources, reports<\/a> that Ukraine\u2019s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating Fire Point, the manufacturer of Flamingo and the FP-1 deep-strike UAV. The company is suspected of inflating component costs for its UAVs. On social media, the NABU has already denied an investigation regarding \u201cFlamingo,\u201d though nothing was said about the drones in its public statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFlamingo: The Economist article, Kyiv Independent investigation, and combat launch videos<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n