Nine critical technology gaps hindering Ukraine's war effort Defence Blog warns

A prominent Ukrainian defence adviser has issued one of the starkest public assessments yet of the country's battlefield challenges, warning that technological shortcomings—from the lack of protection against Russian glide bombs to lagging electronic warfare capabilities—are creating growing risks across the front line and undermining Ukraine's ability to counter evolving Russian tactics.

Serhii Beskrestnov, known by his call sign "Flash" and serving as an adviser to Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, has outlined nine major technological deficiencies that he says are affecting Ukraine's military operations, according to an analysis published by Defence Blog.

Beskrestnov, one of Ukraine's most closely followed open-source intelligence figures on electronic warfare, argues that the country's technological development is failing to keep pace with rapidly evolving Russian capabilities. His assessment has drawn attention because he is regarded as a well-connected practitioner operating within the Ministry of Defence rather than an outside commentator.

"I am looking at things with absolute sobriety," Beskrestnov wrote. "And I see that, in addition to positive news about the war with Russia, there are also a huge number of technological problems."

At the top of his list is the absence of a serial, mass-production solution capable of countering Russian glide bombs. Russia's KAB-series guided aerial bombs, fitted with UMPK glide kits, allow aircraft to strike from standoff distances of up to 70 kilometres. Beskrestnov argues that Ukraine currently lacks a reliable means of intercepting these weapons at scale, largely because doing so would require either air superiority to destroy launch aircraft before release or a dense network of tactical radars and interceptors capable of tracking the bombs after launch.

Electronic warfare is another area where Beskrestnov believes Ukraine is falling behind. He points to the growing use of MESH networking technology in Russian Shahed-136 and Gerber drones, allowing them to relay data between aircraft rather than relying on direct communication with ground operators. This architecture complicates conventional jamming efforts and requires new countermeasures that Ukraine has yet to develop and deploy effectively.

Beskrestnov also highlights the growing drone threat facing Ukrainian cities near the front line, including Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy. He calls for improved early warning systems and "systemic actions" to build a coordinated counter-drone defence rather than relying on fragmented measures.

Another concern is the insufficient density of tactical radar coverage. Beskrestnov argues that interceptor drones cannot engage threats they cannot detect, making expanded radar coverage essential for countering incoming glide bombs, Shahed drones and first-person-view attack drones.

Among the most widely discussed points in his assessment is Ukraine's lack of indigenous ballistic missiles. Beskrestnov describes the capability as one that would "radically change the course of the war," arguing that high-speed ballistic weapons could strike Russian command centres, logistics hubs and production facilities more effectively than slower cruise missiles or drones.

He also warns that Russia currently holds an advantage in electronic warfare systems designed to disrupt drone video feeds, a capability he says is critical for protecting near-front areas from drone attacks.

Additional shortcomings include the lack of proven methods to shield Ukrainian strike drones from Russian anti-aircraft drones, the absence of a systematic approach to detecting and destroying Russian tactical radar systems, and insufficient alternatives to satellite navigation for long-range strikes in GPS- or GLONASS-denied environments.

By Sabina Mammadli