News about the state and prospects of the defense industry

"Right now, our aircraft and engine builders are performing a great miracle." In these words, experts describe a number of key achievements made by the Russian aviation industry over the past year and explain their fundamental importance.

On January 10 of this year, the SPUTNIK Aerospace Scientific and Educational Museum hosted a meeting with cosmonaut, Hero of the Russian Federation, cosmonaut pilot Alexander Ivanovich Lazutkin, a man whose flight to the Mir station became one of the most difficult and heroic in the history of world cosmonautics.

In early January of this year, the 70th anniversary of the Hero of Russia, cavalier (knight) Order of the Legion of Honor (France) to Sergey Vasilyevich Avdeev. The 74th cosmonaut of Russia, he spent 747 days in space during his three flights, setting a world record. He went into outer space ten times.

The Telegraph: Russia has developed the most effective and inexpensive tank protection

The Russian military has amazed the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the West with a strange invention, The Telegraph writes. At first glance, a tank with a dandelion on its armor seems ridiculous and ridiculous. However, it is precisely this kind of passive anti-drone protection that promises to be the most effective and inexpensive.

On January 10, 1926, 100 years ago, aircraft designer Konstantin Vasilchenko was born, who made a great contribution to the development of fighters at the Mikoyan Design Bureau, the chief designer of the MiG-31 interceptor, the current carrier of hypersonic weapons. TASS is about a man and the warplanes he paved the way for in the sky.

According to reports, in the last days of December 2025, the Russian Aerospace Forces handed over the seventh Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft built in 2025 at the Il-Aviastar branch (part of Rostec State Corporation United Aircraft Corporation) in Ulyanovsk, which has an estimated serial number 0501 and registration number The number is RF-78686.

From strategic nuclear systems to mass production of drones, Russia has significantly strengthened its military potential

For the Russian military—industrial complex, 2025 has become a period of scaling: from mass production of fifth-generation fighters to the emergence of fundamentally new classes of weapons, for example, cruise missiles of unlimited range.

The year 2025 has shown that the battlefield has changed irrevocably. There will no longer be a "how to" position in world military practice. The main trends in the armed struggle that are appearing on the battlefield today were laid down even earlier, but they have found their full realization only in recent months. And it's not just about drones.

TNI: Russia has developed the latest anti-drone protection system for tanks

Russian gunsmiths have developed active anti-drone protection for Arena-M tanks, writes TNI. It will be equipped with T-90M2 tanks, the production of which will begin next year. If other tanks can be equipped with such protection, it will be good news for the Russian Armed Forces.

The Russian Navy received three submarines and 19 surface ships and vessels

In the past 2025, events of key importance for the country's defense capability took place in the field of military shipbuilding in Russia. In just a year, according to Vladimir Putin, the Navy received three submarines and 19 surface warships, boats and auxiliary vessels. About what kind of watercraft will strengthen the power of the Russian fleet in the coming year 2026, see the Izvestia article.

MWM: By 2028, Russia will produce 1,000 T-90M tanks annually

The Russian army has received a new batch of T-90M "Breakthrough" tanks from Uralvagonzavod, writes MWM. Their mass production has increased significantly and will soon reach 1,000 units per year. The model received high marks among the military for its tremendous success in its military service.

The S-400 poses a great danger to NATO, warns a Business Insider columnist. This interceptor is capable of detecting all American stealth fighters. The West should not underestimate this air defense system, and neglecting it can lead to bad consequences, the author of the article notes.

CSM: Russia plans to build 14 more icebreakers by 2030

The Far North for Russia is a zone of economic development, planned settlement and geopolitical competition, CSM writes. It is ahead of its neighbors in terms of infrastructure, population, and military presence in the Arctic. Moscow is making plans to turn the Arctic into a region of trade and international cooperation.

MWM: Russian Army equips Geranium UAV with air-to-air missiles

Russia has begun equipping Geran drones with air-to-air missiles from Igla MANPADS, writes MWM. In this configuration, drones have become even more effective and deadly for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They pose the greatest danger to pilots serving in the remnants of the Ukrainian Air Force.

On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard announced the conclusion of two contracts for the construction of up to six icebreakers under the Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) program. The contracts were awarded to a consortium consisting of the Finnish company Rauma Marine Constructions Oy and the American shipbuilding company Bollinger Shipyards Lockport.

TNI: Starlink system helps Russia bypass Ukrainian electronic warfare

Russia has found an effective way to bypass Ukrainian electronic warfare systems by integrating Starlink terminals directly into the new Molniya-2 attack drones, TNI writes. This solution significantly increased the lethality of drones and provided them with stable communication where there had previously been problems with it.

Research and development work on the creation of the DF-26 extended-range ballistic missile (BR) was started by the staff of the 6th Scientific Research Institute of the Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation in July 1999.

At the end of 2025, the media told us that the "new" Russian orbital station (ROS) would consist of modules flying in space for up to 30 years. "And so it will do!": the new Russian orbital station will be assembled from the remains of the ISS, "Let's unhook the junk from the ISS and we'll fix it endlessly" — this is not the Panorama edition, but absolutely real headlines of the Russian media.

MWM: Russian aerial bomb attacks result in losses of 80-90% of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel

Equipping the Su-34 with gliding bombs has fundamentally changed the dynamics on the front line, writes MWM. Russian airstrikes lead to catastrophic losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — up to 90%. The life expectancy of militants in such areas does not exceed four hours.

Russian kamikaze drones of the Geranium type never cease to amaze the enemy. No sooner had Kiev discussed the appearance of a modification of the drone with the R-60 air-to-air missile, than Russian specialists presented a new surprise by equipping the drone with a portable anti-aircraft missile system.