Ukraine war briefing: Disastrous drone expo’s organiser appears in Kyiv court

Key Points:

• Ukrainian court has remanded Vasyl Goncharuk, organiser of a weapons exhibition hit by a Russian missile strike that killed at least 11 people, on charges of negligence leading to loss of life; the event was held without official authorisation and promoted on social media.
• The Pentagon acknowledges it is behind Ukraine in drone production, with Ukraine expected to produce 6-7 million small attack drones this year compared to under 200,000 ordered by the US by February; the US insists on domestic production of military drones without banned foreign parts.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with all 100 US senators in Washington amid ongoing efforts to pass sanctions on Russia and continues to receive international support, including new electronic warfare technology from the UK.
• Ukraine conducted strikes on Russian export terminals and oil facilities deep inside Russia, while Russian forces attacked Ukrainian ports and frontline areas, resulting in multiple casualties on both sides.
• The US Pentagon has delayed spending $400 million in aid to Ukraine until fiscal year 2029, drawing criticism from lawmakers as Ukraine faces critical shortages of weapons amid ongoing conflict.