Ukraine's scientists have been drafted into the country's war machine to develop ever-more sophisticated drones and new approaches to battlefield medicine.
The Ukraine war has revolutionized drone combat, with both sides fielding a stunning variety of unmanned land, sea, and air vehicles. In 2025, Ukraine alone plans to make or purchase 5 million drones for reconnaissance missions, attacks, and other purposes. It is also in an arms race with Russia to develop electronic warfare technologies for disrupting navigation systems of enemy drones. This project looks at the critical role Ukraine's scientific community is playing in shaping the technological landscape of this and future wars.
As casualties mount on both sides, Ukraine has become ground zero for another invasion: bacteria that can withstand the world’s most potent antibiotics. The rise of these nasty strains that wounded soldiers acquire in triage centers is ringing alarm bells across Europe, and in response European and U.S. health agencies have rallied to Ukraine's side to try to prevent the resistant microbes from spilling over its borders. This project goes behind the scenes of an all-hands-on-deck effort to equip Ukraine with diagnostic instruments and more powerful antibiotics, to train hospital staff in infection prevention, and rush in experimental treatments o fight extremely drug-resistant strains and save lives.
The Pulitzer Center's support for this reporting was made possible through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
