We encourage you to read our review of the past week in Central and Eastern Europe:
Bulgarian dispute over maximum age of soldiers
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has vetoed provisions in a new defense bill concerning raising the maximum permissible age of soldiers. According to the proposed act, compulsory retirement for generals would occur at the age of 67. The legislative change would allow the current Chief of the General Staff, Admiral Emil Eftimov, to complete his term of office. The president noted that extending active service could have a demotivating effect on younger officers.
Disputes within the Bulgarian executive regarding the proposed provisions are related to current differences of opinion concerning the filling of key officer positions in the local armed forces. On a broader scale, however, they reflect increasingly frequent discussions in the countries of the region concerning acceptable time limits for military service, related, for example, to deteriorating demographic conditions.
Romania considers acquiring German tanks
The Romanian Ministry of Defense is considering the acquisition of 216 KF51 Panther tanks manufactured by the German Rheinmetall Group. The purchases would supplement the previously contracted American Abrams tanks and would be financed by a low-interest loan under the EU’s SAFE program. Part of the proposed package would be based on the KF51 Evo version, developed for a Hungarian customer, equipped with a new cannon, circular ammunition kits, and new solutions for combating unmanned aerial vehicles.
A potential contract for Rheinmetall would be another sign that the German group is one of the main beneficiaries of SAFE funds, with Central European markets being one of its main areas of expansion. It would also be another success for Rheinmetall in Romania itself, which recently decided to build an artillery ammunition production plant in cooperation with the German company.
Czech fundraiser for the Flaming missile
The organizers of a fundraiser in the Czech Republic to finance the Flamingo maneuvering missile for the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to raise the desired amount of approximately $600,000. The missile manufacturer, Fire Point, has declared that it will add a second missile at its own expense. The additional funds raised (approximately $160,000) will be used to help Ukraine, in accordance with the results of an online vote.
Fire Point has recently been in the spotlight due to doubts about the operational capabilities of Flamingo missiles and a corruption scandal involving oligarch Timur Mindych, a close associate of President Zelensky. The businessman is said to be one of the people with an ownership stake in the company. However, communication regarding Flaming has been effective in recent months, as evidenced by the successful fundraising campaign for the missile in the Czech Republic.
Norway publishes systemic report on the failure of its military mission in Afghanistan
On November 6, 2025, more than a year after the establishment of a special commission by royal decree, a report entitled “Nederlaget – Norge i Afghanistan 2015–2021” was published on Norway’s activities in the military mission in Afghanistan in 2015-2021. The comprehensive document provides a detailed analysis of the course of the mission and the processes that led to the decision to participate in the stabilization mission. From today’s perspective, the report presents it as a serious failure and reveals a number of errors in strategic planning based on incorrect forecasts and assumptions.
The report’s findings may significantly influence the revision of Norway’s approach to future foreign missions. Despite acknowledging the achievement of the goals of good cooperation with allies—especially the US—and the fight against international terrorism, the document points to analytical errors and wishful thinking regarding the possibility of building a democratic Afghan state, which was one of the alliance’s fundamental goals. The report contains many recommendations on a strategic approach to security policy, as well as necessary reforms conditioning participation in future military missions. Experts emphasize the need for greater independence for Norway in decision-making and close cooperation between various state bodies in building consistent risk assessments and ensuring effective information exchange.
Norway invests in hybrid threat recognition systems
Norway has decided to allocate approximately NOK 140 million (approximately EUR 12 million) to twelve research projects aimed at improving crisis management and supporting the recognition of hybrid threats, i.e., incidents and actions below the so-called war threshold. As a result of the decision by the Norwegian Research Council (nor. Forskningsrådet) , reconnaissance capabilities in the Arctic region will be expanded, a comprehensive warning system for threats to underwater infrastructure (power cables, fiber optic cables, and pipelines) will be created, and a system to increase citizen involvement in responding to incidents will be developed. The funds come from the budgets of nine ministries, including defense, transport, and justice.
Hybrid incidents in Europe, identified by various services and institutions, are prompting the Norwegian authorities to seek more effective technical and organizational solutions that can strengthen protection against such threats. The Arctic and Baltic Sea regions are of key importance, as the country has strategic interests there and is seeking to increase security for its activities in those areas. An integrated approach to investing in security, in an era of increasing sabotage and diversionary incidents, could serve as a good model for Poland.
“Taiga Shield 25” military exercises in Finland
At the turn of November and December 2025, the largest military exercises since Finland joined NATO in 2023 will be conducted along a 1,000-kilometer section of the Finnish border. Approximately 15,000 allied troops are expected to participate. A particularly important objective of the exercise is to test Finland’s mobilization and combat readiness and, as is usually the case with allied exercises, to test the ability of the forces to cooperate with each other and the relevant response procedures.
The exercise is a test for NATO’s new regional command located in Mikkeli, about 140 km from the Russian border. In addition to the planned live-fire artillery exercises, an important element of the maneuvers will be testing the ability to move equipment and troops along designated “logistical corridors” along the border with Russia. More than 2,000 reservists and several thousand conscripts will also take part in the exercise.
Russia modifies its tactics in Ukraine: drones, missiles, and hunting down operators
In recent weeks, Russia has made visible changes in the way it conducts warfare in Ukraine. The use of kamikaze drones (Shahed-136/Герань) and ballistic missiles (Iskander-M, Kinzhal, KN-23) has intensified, with these increasingly targeting key energy infrastructure points such as engine rooms, transformer stations, and logistics bridges. At the same time, specialized units such as “Рубикон” have been created to track Ukrainian drone operators. The Russian command is also introducing tactics of complex, synchronized combined attacks, combining waves of drones and missiles to overload air defense systems. Strikes on logistics infrastructure indicate an attempt to weaken the rotation capabilities and morale of Ukrainian forces.
These changes suggest that Russia is transitioning to a phase of technological and adaptive offensive, focused on the precise destruction of infrastructure and the elimination of the enemy’s operational capabilities.
Russia completes the formation of Unmanned Systems Forces – a new type of armed forces
On November 12, 2025, the process of creating Unmanned Systems Forces (ВБС) in the Russian army was officially completed. Deputy Commander, Colonel and Hero of Russia Sergei Ištuganov confirmed the full formation of the command structure – from the central to the field level. The new type of forces already has full-time regiments operating according to a unified plan and in close integration with other frontline groups. The training system includes military academies, civilian centers, and drone manufacturers, and the first ВБС university is in preparation. On November 17, new registration specialties in the field of UAVs were also approved. The creation of ВБС is a response to the experience of the war in Ukraine and formalizes the Russian army’s priority in the field of drone warfare.
The creation of the Unmanned Systems Forces is a sign of the permanent institutionalization of drone warfare – Moscow has recognized this domain as key to future combat operations.
Baltic Fleet Spetsnaz trains in landing and capturing prisoners in the Kaliningrad region
On November 13, 2025, subunits of the Baltic Fleet Spetsnaz conducted intensive exercises in the Kaliningrad region involving parachute landings and reconnaissance and combat tactics. The soldiers landed from Mi-8 helicopters using modern Malva and Arbalet parachute systems. The jumps were performed in groups of 20 people from a height of about 800 meters, in full combat gear and with additional sets of special equipment. After landing, they practiced taking prisoners, forming reconnaissance patrols, and disrupting enemy communications. Night vision devices and drones were widely used during the exercises, indicating the development of night special operations capabilities and the combination of classic Spetsnaz techniques with new reconnaissance methods.
The maneuvers in the Kaliningrad region confirm the readiness of Russian special forces to conduct complex infiltration and sabotage operations in frontline and border conditions.
New garrisons and expansion of military infrastructure in northwestern Russia
In the Leningrad Military District, work is underway to develop military infrastructure in the Murmansk and Karelia regions. In the Lupche-Sawino garrison near Kandalaksha, facilities are being built for a new artillery brigade and part of an engineering brigade. According to local authorities, several buildings have been completed and intensive earthworks are underway; there are plans to build ten more facilities as part of the 2024-2026 military town modernization program, worth approximately €460 million. On the Karelian Isthmus, in the Sapiernoje garrison, satellite images reveal a massive deployment of equipment and increased military activity. In Petrozavodsk, meanwhile, a large armored equipment storage base is being expanded and a railway brigade is being formed.
Russia is intensifying the development of military facilities in regions bordering NATO, creating infrastructure for a long-term military presence and mobilization in the north-west.
News from the Eastern Flank Institute (EFI):
- On November 12, the EFI organized a meeting with Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The meeting was attended by nearly forty leading experts and journalists specializing in security, foreign affairs, and Eastern policy.
- IWF Program Council member Ambassador Bartosz Cichocki gave interviews to Puls Biznesu and RMF24 (in Polish), during which he commented on the current political situation in Ukraine, including the impact of the corruption scandal on the prospects for geopolitical developments. The ambassador also gave an interview to Ukrainian television station Espreso TV, where he outlined the modernization program for the Polish Armed Forces.
