Putin Reportedly Planning False Flag Attack Using Captured Drones

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB): Hybrid warfare escalation. Russia has captured large numbers of Ukrainian drones and may be planning to use them against NATO or to stage a false flag attack, Polish defense minister said, adding to earlier warnings of a potential escalation.

This comes after more than a month of unusual public warnings by several Eastern European countries that Russia was planning some form of provocation or hybrid attack, with officials citing numerous pieces of intelligence.

Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have been among the countries raising the alarm, some citing U.S. intelligence that had been shared with them.

The latest information, shared by Poland’s defense minister, outlines concrete threat for what was previously a more general warning of Russian malicious intent. Threat appears to be taken seriously by Eastern European capitals. In addition to drone incursions, GPS jamming, and various acts of sabotage may be on the table.

NATO countries surrounding Baltic Sea have been affected by Russian GPS interference since early days of the war, sometimes leading to airport closures and navigation problems. Sabotage, too, has featured, including disabling of rail line in eastern Poland last year.

Government officials also noted cyber warfare as a possible avenue for Russian actions against NATO countries.

In late June, Latvian intelligence told Fox News they had detected Russian preparations for hybrid attack that would fall short of threshold for open war. Attack might include “missiles, drones or other actions designed to send a signal: stop supporting Ukraine, or you will have your own problems.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s the latest defense news from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

THE PDB – Not the President’s Daily Briefing, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF:    

AIR FORCE ONE

Boeing says it remains on track to deliver two new Air Force One jets in 2028 but meeting that target will require additional spending. Program is already years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget.

NATIONAL SECURITY

Pentagon’s 2027 budget is not strategy driven. It is budget driven. President Trump and his team make it very clear that this budget was driven by a budget target, an arbitrary level based on 5% percent of last year’s GDP and then told Pentagon to come up with request that gets you to this $1.5 trillion number.

HOMELAND SECURITY

This year’s iteration of Cyber Shield, a massive annual National Guard-led exercise, is focused on honing skills in defending power sector and associated operational technology from digital attacks.

DEFENSE POLITICS

How startups are reshaping Pentagon’s drone industry. Last month, it wrapped up another round of Drone Dominance competition, a $1.1 billion program aimed at strengthening the domestic drone industry to supply commercially developed drones to military.

US POWER OVERSEAS

For decades, the assumption was: supplies would arrive. Fuel, ammunition, and reinforcements moved through ports, sea lanes and rail corridors that were largely secure. U.S. forces fought at range, with time to build infrastructure and accumulate supplies, against adversaries who could not seriously threaten lines that fed the fight. Logistics was complicated. It was not contested. Times have changed.

IRAN WAR

Cost of Iran war rises to $37.5 billion, War Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators during hearing to request $67.1 billion more emergency funding for ongoing conflict.

5 takeaways from Hegseth, Caine hearing on emergency Iran funding. America’s top uniformed and civilian military leaders made their case in Senate for emergency funding package of nearly $80 billion to help replenish stockpiles spent during Iran war and fund other Trump team priorities

In first test of U.S.-brokered deal, Lebanese army troops began deploying in southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the formerly Hezbollah-controlled area.

CHINA THREAT

U.S. Intelligence community needs to devote more resources to protecting U.S. AI companies from foreign espionage, former officials told House Intelligence Committee, arguing China will use range of intelligence-gathering techniques to steal proprietary AI technology to advance its own military and economic goals.

Just days after accusing China of executing “the largest compromise of election data in history,” Trump downplays China’s election meddling. ‘We do things to them, too.’

RUSSIA THREAT/UKRAINE WAR

Zelenskyy ousts Ukraine’s top military commander as major shake-up continues. Dismissal came days after Ukrainian president fired his Defense Minister.

How dismissal of Ukraine’s popular defense minister backfired for Zelenskyy.

How Ukraine’s front line became a laboratory for drone innovation.

Ukraine’s expanding use of drones at all ranges has changed war’s momentum. Kyiv is reaching deeper into Russian territory, disrupting operations and logistics as well as energy infrastructure. How is Russia adapting (or not)? Can these strikes produce lasting advantages on the battlefield? Will this force Russia to escalate?

EUROPEAN DEFENSE

Swedish aerospace startup Nordic Air Defense (NAD) has unveiled the Kreuger drone interceptor system, a low-cost mini-missile designed to counter swarms of UAVs.

Britain’s new government and PM secured an early defense win as Canada joined delayed GCAP fighter jet program, part of wider push by European allies to reduce their reliance on U.S. weapons and military technology.

Germany will study offer by French President Emmanuel Macron to cooperate on French/Italian SAMP/T air defense system.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

President Trump approved agreement with Saudi Arabia that could provide the kingdom with uranium enrichment capability without safeguards necessary to stop materials being used in nuclear weapons programs.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman warned Bulgaria against allowing U.S. to use its territory for military operations against Iran.

US MILITARY

Navy two years behind in efforts to modernize destroyers that will first carry service’s hypersonic missiles, lag that has pushed back at-sea flight testing until 2027 for the fearsome weapons already fielded by China and Russia.

Hanwha Philly Shipyard has been tapped to build two Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (missile tracking) ships for Pentagon for $2 billion.

Marine Corps turns to AI-powered Bullfrog weapon as drone threats expand.

Navy awarded $2.2 billion contract for its new medium landing ships, designed to move Marines, equipment and supplies across Indo-Pacific using faster, commercial-style shipbuilding.

Solid rocket motor manufacturer X-Bow Systems is launching effort to field a sub-$100,000 drone interceptor in what company hopes will be much-needed remedy to ongoing conundrum of combating cheap drones with multimillion-dollar interceptors.

Army celebrates groundbreaking of new artillery production facility. Army’s new Future Artillery Complex at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, aimed at expanding and modernizing artillery production.

FOR MORE DETAILED, UNCENSORED, INTELLIGENCE, AND ANALYSIS FROM PAUL CRESPO, SUBSCRIBE TO HIS SUBSTACK.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

END of PDB

READ NEXT: Pro-Gun Champion Sues To Overturn Federal Gun Ban On Those With Old Minor Drug Charges