Security guarantees for Ukraine revealed in Paris

Twenty-seven countries meeting in Paris on Jan. 6 have drafted a declaration calling on the United States to commit to supporting European forces if Ukraine is attacked again, Radio Liberty reported. The proposal lays out a post-ceasefire security framework that would include a U.S.-led system to monitor and verify the truce, sustained military and financial support for Ukraine, and the deployment of European-led multinational forces at Kyiv’s request.

While these forces would be led by Europe, the draft stresses the need for U.S. involvement through intelligence, logistics, and a pledge to back them in the event of an attack. Details on how the coalition would respond to renewed Russian aggression are still under negotiation.

Russia sends children from occupied Ukrainian territories to a summer camp in North Korea

Russia has been sending schoolchildren from occupied Ukrainian territories to a summer camp in North Korea, where they are exposed to ideological indoctrination, according to an investigation by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne.

One of the children, 12-year-old Mykhailo from Russian-occupied Makiivka in Donetsk Oblast, attended the Sondowon summer camp on the Sea of Japan, a facility dating back to 1960 and often compared to the Soviet-era Artek camp. While presented as a “holiday,” daily life at the camp reportedly includes cleaning monuments to North Korean leaders, listening to anti-U.S. propaganda about fighting “American imperialism,” and playing computer games that simulate attacks on the White House.

Russian authorities resumed sending children to the camp in 2024 after a COVID-related pause, organizing competitions that required essays praising Russia’s global role or expressing interest in North Korea. In 2025, a second group of children, including those from long-occupied Ukrainian regions, was sent to Sondowon, with most costs covered by North Korea’s Socialist Patriotic Youth League.

Russia is modifying its Shahed long-range strike drones to target Ukrainian aircraft

Russia is modifying its Shahed long-range strike drones to target Ukrainian aircraft, signaling another step in its ongoing effort to expand drone capabilities. Ukrainian electronic warfare expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov reported on Jan. 4 that Russian forces had for the first time deployed Shahed drones equipped with a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS), likely a Verba system. Footage shows the launcher mounted on top of the drone, with a camera, radio modem, and remote-control antenna allowing an operator to guide the drone in flight and potentially fire at Ukrainian fighter jets or helicopters. The Verba has an effective range of up to six kilometers and can reach targets at altitudes of about 4.5 kilometers. A

nalysts note that while this adaptation aims to degrade Ukraine’s air defenses, the front-facing configuration leaves the drones vulnerable to Ukrainian interceptor drones attacking from behind. The development underscores the ongoing technological arms race, highlighting Ukraine’s need for a flexible, layered air defense system, including expanded use of interceptor drones.