From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Wallace White

Artificial intelligence-powered drones are making their first appearances on the battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine war as warfare creeps closer to full automation.

In bombardments on Russian targets in the past year, Ukrainian drones acting in concert were able to independently determine where to strike without human input.

It’s the first battlefield use of AI “swarm” technology in a real-world environment, a senior Ukrainian official and Swarmer, the company who makes the software, told the Wall Street Journal in a Tuesday report. While drones have increasingly defined modern battlefields, swarms until now had been confined to testing rather than combat.

“You set the target and the drones do the rest,” Swarmer Chief Executive Serhii Kupriienko told the WSJ. “They work together, they adapt.”

So far, the Swarmer technology has been used hundreds of times to target Russia assets, but was first used a year ago to lay mines on the front, the Ukrainian official told the WSJ. The software has been tested with up to 25 drones at once, but is usually utilized with only three.

Kupriienko told the WSJ that he was preparing to test up to 100 drones at once with the linking software.

A common arrangement used on the battlefield includes one reconnaissance drone to scout out the target and two explosive drones delivering the payload on target, the official told the WSJ.

While Western nations such as the U.S., France and the United Kingdom are also pursuing drone swarm technology, they have not deployed swarm technology on the battlefield the way Ukraine has, according to the WSJ. Currently, autonomous weapons are not regulated by any international authority or binding agreement, but ethical concerns around the technology has led many to call for increased regulation of weapons like the Swarmer system.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Mark Carney says Canada will recognize a Palestinian state at the UN in September. Families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas condemned the move as a “shameful” reward for terrorism.

Key Details:

• Prime Minister Carney said Canada would join France and the UK in recognizing a Palestinian state, calling it part of a commitment to a “two-state solution.”
• The Hostages and Missing Families Forum blasted the move, arguing that recognizing statehood before the hostages are released rewards Hamas for war crimes and undermines international law.
• The White House reiterated its stance against premature state recognition, with President Trump calling it a “reward for Hamas” during remarks on Tuesday.

Diving Deeper:

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared in a letter Wednesday that Canada intends to back Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly this September — aligning with similar moves from France and the United Kingdom. Carney framed the decision as consistent with Canada’s support for a two-state solution, writing that he supports “an independent, viable, and sovereign Palestinian state living side by side with the State of Israel in peace and security.”

But with no functioning government in Gaza beyond Hamas — a designated terrorist organization — and with no defined borders or governing authority for a Palestinian state, critics questioned what exactly Carney was recognizing. The announcement drew immediate backlash from the families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, as well as from U.S. leaders.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum — representing the majority of families with loved ones still in Hamas captivity — released a statement calling the move “a blatant violation of international law.” The group stated, “Recognition of a Palestinian state while Hamas holds 50 hostages isn’t just a step away from peace, it is a blatant violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political violation that bestows legitimacy to horrifying war crimes.”

At least 20 of the 50 hostages are believed to still be alive. The Forum urged world leaders to reject any talk of statehood recognition until those captives are freed. “The international community — if it wants peace — must join the efforts of the US and demand, before all else, the release of the hostages and then the end of the fighting,” the group said.

The Forum continues to advocate for a negotiated resolution that would see all hostages released in exchange for an end to the war and the release of Palestinian security prisoners.

The White House also reiterated its opposition to unilateral statehood declarations, warning that such a move would serve only to legitimize Hamas. President Donald Trump echoed those concerns on Tuesday, calling it a “reward for Hamas” and warning that it would undermine long-term peace and security in the region.

While several European countries have signaled their intent to push forward with recognition of a Palestinian state, critics argue the timing is dangerous — especially as Hamas remains entrenched in Gaza and further diplomatic efforts to free hostages have yet to succeed.