**Estonian Company to Test AI-Guided Anti-Aircraft Missiles in Ukraine**
A company called Frankenburg Technologies from Estonia plans to test its new anti-drone missiles in Ukraine starting next year. The tests will begin with a few dozen units and will later increase to hundreds by the third quarter of 2025.
The missiles are designed to intercept Iranian Shahed drones at altitudes of up to two kilometers. A key feature of the system is its artificial intelligence capability for autonomous targeting.
Frankenburg Technologies’ CEO, Kusti Salm, said that the technology is promising and will be tested in Ukraine next year. The tests aim to confirm the system’s effectiveness under real combat conditions.
**Russia’s Use of Drones Against Ukraine**
The need for anti-drone missiles is highlighted by Russia’s increasing use of Shahed-type kamikaze drones against Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Moscow deployed 2,576 drones in November, up from 2,023 in October.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to boost drone production nearly tenfold, signaling continued nightly assaults on Ukraine.
**Other Developments**
Meanwhile, Russian forces launched 53 Shahed-type drones overnight on Dec. 6. To address its budget shortfall, Russia has begun selling off gold reserves from the National Welfare Fund.
The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) expressed concerns over Elon Musk’s contacts with Russia and the alleged use of his Starlink system by Russian forces in Ukraine.
The U.S. will send Kyiv hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles before mid-January. The U.S. also offered to train soldiers at sites beyond Ukrainian territory.
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