A Ukrainian marine commander has been charged with high treason for allegedly leaking his unit's coordinates to Russian forces and guiding airstrikes against Ukrainian positions, the Security Service of Ukraine announced yesterday. The officer, a platoon leader in a drone unit, is accused of collaborating with Russian intelligence, which reportedly recruited him through family members in occupied Luhansk Oblast. He faces life imprisonment with asset forfeiture. The Security Service of Ukraine stated that the officer also attempted to recruit other Ukrainian soldiers for Russia's spy network and reported his progress to an FSB handler. The investigation revealed he leaked coordinates that led to airstrikes against Ukrainian ammunition warehouses and command posts. In other developments, Ukraine is reportedly aiming to produce seven Flamingo long-range heavyweight cruise missiles per day by October, according to Fire Point's head of production. The Flamingo's warhead appears to be a modified FAB-1000 general-purpose bomb, and its airframe is described as carbon composite, with Ukrainian factories estimated to have tens of thousands of leftover Soviet-era bombs. Meanwhile, calls for closing Ukrainian skies persist, with one proponent stating, "If we had closed the skies over Ukraine in 2022, Russia‘s war wouldn’t have lasted a year. It’s never too late to do the right thing. Start with #SkyShieldNow." Additionally, Ukraine is reportedly increasing its use of MZP "Putanka" wire barriers, which do not feature barbed wire but are designed to entrap soldiers, with some instances also incorporating concertina wire and being employed alongside landmines to stop motorcycle assaults. Separately, former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz proposed offering NATO membership to Russia.
