Necessity and innovation in wartime Ukraine

June 4, 2026

A drone being downed over the Black Sea in Ukraine

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

More than four years into Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, battlefield pressures are driving rapid technological change and transforming Ukraine into a military power, from which countries including the United States can learn crucial lessons.

While Ukraine has largely halted Russia’s advance on the battlefield so far this year — and even recaptured territory at times — pain and suffering are still evident around the country, particularly in frontline regions, as well as in cities that get pounded by Russian missiles and drones on a regular basis. Over the past month, as CalCoastNews has visited Ukraine, civilians have been killed in ways ranging from direct missile impact on apartment blocks to targeted drone strikes on pedestrians and vehicles, the latter being part of an ongoing “human safari” in the southeastern city of Kherson.

A mall destroyed during Russian bombardment of Kyiv in May 2026

In the aftermath of Russia’s Feb. 2022 invasion, the Ukrainian military relied heavily on Soviet-made weaponry and arms received from the United States, such as Javelin anti-tank missiles. Now, domestically manufactured aerial drones, sea drones and land drones, also known as unmanned ground vehicles, all play a part in Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. 

Recently, Ukraine has carried out an increasing number of medium and long-range strikes in both Russian-occupied territories and within the territory of Russia. The strikes have disrupted Russian logistics and supply lines; brought oil refineries offline; interrupted or altered political events in Russia; and given Russians a sense that the war is no longer solely being fought in a far-off location.

“There’s a saying necessity is the mother of invention, and we’re seeing this play out today in Ukraine,” U.S. Congressman Jim Himes said during a panel discussion last week at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa. “When you have to innovate you innovate.”

Himes, a representative for Connecticut and the ranking member of the House intelligence committee, was one of multiple members of Congress in attendance at the defense conference held near Ukraine’s Black Sea coast. 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, also from Connecticut, participated in the event alongside Himes. Blumenthal, who was one of three senators at the Black Sea Security Forum, said Ukraine has revolutionized warfare through creativity and ingenuity.

Erik Prince speaking at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa, Ukraine

Erik Prince, who founded the private military contractor Blackwater, said during a brief speech at the forum that he was heading to Kyiv to find companies and entrepreneurs to partner with on bringing Ukrainian military technology to the West. Prince said the United States must learn from Ukraine’s decentralized procurement system.

“Allowing procurement decisions to be made down to a brigade or even lower level is extraordinary,” Prince said. “When this war started, Ukraine was really left with a Soviet-era decision making process, command structure and organization of how they went to war.

“And by necessity, by pain and by blood, that has truly transformed into being the most world class, innovative system in the world, where you go from concept to prototype to battle-proven in a matter of weeks or months, not years or decades as we still see in the West.”

Prince, a former Navy SEAL, called for the United States to allow military commanders and ship captains to make decisions on implementing weapons systems. He also said Americans need to accept that many expensive weapons systems are becoming obsolete.

“Allowing that decision making down to the lowest level allows a lot of people to try a lot of things and to throw out bad ideas sooner, instead of investing tens of billions of dollars on them,” Prince said. “We also have to get away from an acquisition mentality that we’re going to buy a system that’s going to last for decades and instead accept the fact that at the rate of technological progression that system can’t cost so much because it might only last for months or years.”

Prince currently serves as chairman of Swarmer, the first Ukrainian defense company listed on the Nasdaq. He was one of many defense industry professionals and investors at the conference.

A soldier from a Ukrainian naval brigade told CalCoastNews that some participants at the conference were just there to make money off the war. But, that indirectly helps the Ukrainian military, he said. The soldier said his unit needs to acquire an AI-powered, automated-firing weapons system to down drones.

Unlike in years past, Ukraine now deploys many interceptor drones to combat Russian drones. However, there are still Ukrainian soldiers using machine guns and rifles to fire at drones. 

Some speakers said the United States could have learned lessons from Ukraine, particularly in combating Iranian drones, prior to going to war with Iran. Speakers argued that U.S. military deaths could have been prevented and Middle Eastern bases could have been better protected had the United States been up to speed with the modern warfare happening in Ukraine.

Ken Harbaugh, a former U.S. Navy pilot who recently produced a documentary on drone warfare in Kherson, commented on the illogic of the U.S. military reportedly firing a $2 million interceptor missile at a $20,000 drone. 

“The Iranians don’t even need to reach the target to win the engagement,” Harbaugh said. “If they just soak up a $2 million interceptor, or two $2 million interceptors, with a $20,000 drone, they are winning with every launch. The fact that our Pentagon cannot figure that out, or hasn’t yet, is mind-blowing and infuriating.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine is said to be producing interceptor drones at a cost of as low as $1,000 per drone.

Kyiv has used the 2026 Iran War to position itself as a defense exporter, as well as a sought-after source of military intelligence and expertise on combating the threat of drones. Russia has used “Shahed” drones since the early stages of its large-scale invasion, first obtaining the drones from Iran and later using the technology to create their own.

While Ukrainian forces manage to shoot down the majority of drones Russia deploys, the high volume of unmanned aerial vehicles coupled with innovative Russian maneuvers lead to many drones still striking targets in Ukraine, or at least resulting in damage and destruction. Russian drones frequently hit apartment blocks in a variety of Ukrainian cities, often causing casualties.

Ukraine also severely lacks interceptor missiles, such as U.S.-made Patriots. Russian missiles frequently penetrate Ukraine’s air defense systems, wreaking havoc. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this week, though, that a deal has been agreed upon for Ukraine to receive new Patriot missiles.

One rideshare driver in Kyiv told CalCoastNews he needed to move in with his parents because a Russian missile directly struck his apartment building, leaving all of the units uninhabitable. Multiple apartment blocks have also been struck near his parents’ home, with at least one of the strikes occurring this week.

The remains of part of an apartment block in Kharkiv — surprisingly, residents are still living in the other side of the building.

Over the last month, a CalCoastNews reporter heard numerous overnight explosions in Ukrainian cities. During a stay in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, which is situated only 20 miles away from the Russian border, explosions could be heard during the day, in addition to at night.

Odesa remained quiet over the four-day span in which the Black Sea Security Forum took place. Many Ukrainians say Russia is known to withhold from carrying out large-scale aerial bombardment of Ukraine when high-ranking American officials are present. 

Hours after the conference concluded, on Sunday night, drones could be heard buzzing in Odesa’s sky, along with counter-drone fire and explosions. 

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