Defence Forward Podcast

An American assault instructor in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps says the NATO bases he has visited would be finished in the first eight hours. Jackie — a callsign, not a name — explains why the wedge formation is dead, why every Ukrainian infantryman now carries signals kit, and why Ukraine's doctrine has abolished the ground force commander.More: "They're so abysmally unprepared that I'm afraid for them." That is an American professional soldier describing NATO bases he has trained on, on a podcast whose audience largely works for NATO countries.Jackie is a callsign. He spent eight years in the US Army as a scout, deployed seven times, and crossed into Ukraine at Medyka in March 2022 to join the International Legion. He was badly wounded in Kyiv inside three weeks, went back to fight at Kupiansk and Bakhmut, and now instructs corps staff in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps.He is precise about what four years changed. Direct-fire security sectors are irrelevant against an enemy with permanent fire superiority, so the wedge formation is gone and everything moves in files. Concealment, not firepower, is the organising principle at every echelon — in his phrase, every Ukrainian infantryman is half a sniper. Signals-intelligence receivers are carried by ordinary riflemen rather than by specialists. And the ground force commander, a position American doctrine treats as indispensable, no longer exists in his corps: jamming would leave that man mute for the whole battle, so the decision sits with a battle captain at a networked command post instead.The hardest reform, he argues, is not tactical at all. It is getting soldiers to tell their commanders the truth.More about Defence Forward Podcast

Jonathan Winch interviews his co-host Dan Kucherenko about the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation — one of Ukraine's largest wartime organisations, funded entirely by ordinary people.The Foundation does something charities elsewhere in Europe do not do. It has no engineers, but it does have a military department in daily contact with soldiers at the front. Using that data, it worked with a Ukrainian manufacturer on a drone built to intercept Russian reconnaissance UAVs — advising on the speed and altitude it needed to match, and on communications that would still work in a GPS-denied environment. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence went on to rate the result the most effective drone of its kind in 2025.Dan also explains how military equipment is actually procured in Ukraine. There are three routes: centralised Ministry of Defence contracts, decentralised purchasing where individual units buy direct from manufacturers, and donations through organisations like his own. He explains why the third route is usually where new technology gets proved first — and how the Foundation came to buy Ukraine a satellite. Dan Kucherenko leads international partnerships at the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation in Kyiv — one of Ukraine's largest wartime organisations, with 120+ staff across five legal entities, working with more than 800 military units. He co-hosts Defence Forward.► Support Ukraine with the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation

In this episode, Yehor Molochkov of the 69th Separate Special Electronic Support Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shares insights into the evolving role of electronic warfare (EW) in Ukraine's defence strategy, the technological challenges faced, and the innovative solutions being developed to counter modern threats like drones and mesh networks.Key topics:- The role of EW in modern warfare and Ukraine's strategic approach- Technological challenges in countering drones and mesh networks- Innovative software and hardware solutions developed by Ukraine- Coordination and integration of EW units across Ukrainian defense forces- The evolution of EW capabilities from 2022 to present- The importance of automation and AI in EW operations- Challenges with equipment interoperability and manufacturer collaboration- The impact of EW on battlefield tactics and civilian safety► Learn more about Ukraine's Electronic Warfare Forces ()► Contact Electronic Warfare Forces, [email protected]► Support Ukraine through the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation⁠ ► Production thanks to ⁠⁠⁠cylindr Defence⁠⁠⁠ 📡 Discover more about Defence Forward Podcast

In this episode, we dive into Mykyta Puz’s journey fromcivilian tech entrepreneur to military technology scout and Azov battalion member. He shares how innovation, grassroots fundraising, and volunteer logistics are helping strengthen Ukraine’s defence efforts amid the ongoing conflict.Main Topics:- Mykyta Puz’s transition from civilian tech to military service- Innovative fundraising and logistics for Ukraine’s military- The role of bottom-up decision-making in Azov- Personal stories of Ukrainian resilience and adaptation- The impact of civilian initiatives on military support- How technology and volunteer efforts are shaping defence efforts- Creative fundraising approaches, including the Maserati raffle- The importance of individual initiative in wartime support► ⁠AZOV One⁠► ⁠Follow Defence Forward Podcast⁠► Support Ukraine through the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation⁠► Production thanks to ⁠⁠⁠cylindr Defence⁠⁠⁠ #DefenceTech #DroneWarfare #UkraineWar #MilitaryTechnology #UnmannedSystems #ModernWarfare #warinukraine2026

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Anton Sukach, Ukrainian defence veteran and business developer at Global Mark, who shares raw experiences from the front lines, insights into modern warfare tech, and the resilience of Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict. Discover how innovative defence solutions like FPV (first-person view) drones, electronic warfare systems, and autonomous underwater vehicles are shaping the future of warfare.In this episode:Anton discusses the emotional toll and realities of war from a soldier’s perspective Insights into friendly fire incidents and the psychological impacts of battlefield decisions The evolution of drone technology and the role of FPV and fiberoptic drones in Ukraine’s defence The development and testing of autonomous underwater vehicles with ranges up to 1000 km Ukraine’s resilience and the importance of international support and technology adaptation amid ongoing conflict The strategic role of electronic warfare, AI, and new defence innovations against Russian advances Anton shares his personal journey from civilian to soldier and experience working with Ukrainian military projects The challenges in defence procurement and the rapid pace of innovation in Ukraine compared to NATO standards Special thanks for the ongoing bravery and innovation from the Ukrainian forces and their defenders.Stay tuned for more stories of courage, technology, and resilience.Learn more about Global Mark. Follow Anton on LinkedIn.Follow Defence Forward Podcast.