We encourage you to read our review of the past week in Central and Eastern European countries:
Romania to strengthen internal security with SAFE
The Romanian Ministry of the Interior has approved a list of expenditures totalling approximately EUR 3 billion, planned for implementation between 2026 and 2030. Contracts for unmanned aerial vehicles, personal weaponry, mobility, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection are to be financed with funds obtained from the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme.
Funds from the SAFE programme are primarily intended to accelerate the armament of EU member states, but from Moscow’s perspective, the boundaries between a state of crisis and war are fluid. In this context, the role of broadly understood state resilience and the functions performed by interior ministries is growing. Allocating part of the SAFE funds to internal security purposes will make it possible to more effectively counter Russian operations below the threshold of conventional warfare.
Slovakia ends production of Zuzana self-propelled howitzers
The Slovak company Konstrukta is ending production of 155 mm Zuzana wheeled self-propelled howitzers. In light of the experience of the conflict in Ukraine, it was decided to terminate the project early, mainly due to the relatively low level of safety for the crew, some of whom remained in the turret, in close proximity to ammunition and the firing system. Frequent attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles significantly reduced the crew’s chances of survival. After production ends in 2026, the new Eva M2 platform will become the Slovak company’s new flagship artillery product.
The decision taken by Konstrukta is a positive example of flexible management, taking into account careful observation of the evolution of the modern battlefield and the ability to manage change in the production process relatively quickly (given the conditions of heavy platform production).
New Gripen fighter jet for the Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Armed Forces have officially received the first of the JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets ordered from Swedish industry. This is an important step for Sweden in enhancing its airspace defence capabilities and defence potential.
20 October this year was the long-awaited day of the introduction of the modern fighter jet into the Swedish Air Force. Compared to previous generations, the JAS 39 Gripen E has a more efficient engine, better electronic warfare systems, increased flight range and the ability to land at improvised airfields, e.g. on motorways, which significantly increases the fighter’s operational capabilities in conflict situations.
Engines for the F-35 will be manufactured in Finland
The Finnish-Norwegian Patria Group will manufacture engines for F-35 fighter jets in Linnavuori, Finland. This is a huge opportunity for further development of the defence industry and national security of supply for the F-35 programme. Patria is now ready to assemble the F135 engine and provide a full cycle of maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
The newly completed investment was made possible by the state-owned Defence Properties Finland. This institution is responsible for all Finnish military infrastructure, including airports dedicated to these fighter jets. The engines are to be built gradually starting in 2026, and the origins of this contract date back to the agreement signed between Lockheed Martin and the Finnish company Patria on 19 June 2023. It is worth noting that Finland has contracted for 64 F-35 fighter jets to replace its outdated Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft.
Data on ‘shadow fleet’ ships disclosed by Ukrainian Military Intelligence
The Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR) has published information on the ‘War Sanctions’ website (war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua) about ships subject to international sanctions due to suspected involvement in the trade of Russian and Iranian oil and natural gas. The disclosed data is publicly available and currently concerns 139 ships and 142 captains involved in the illegal transport of fuel and stolen Ukrainian grain from Russian-occupied territories.
The release of the database on the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ makes it easier to verify events and incidents involving these ships in the future. An innovative solution is the inclusion of personal information about ship captains, including their photographs and dates of birth. Combined with further findings by analysts, this tool can contribute significantly to more effective combating of illegal practices. Referring to the drone operations at airports in Denmark in September this year, the database tool will enable the verification of data on ships suspected of supporting such operations in the future.
Increased credit limit for the defence industry for civil production
The Russian Federation government has announced a significant expansion of its financial support programme for the arms industry in the field of civil production. The annual limit for state subsidies for preferential loans has increased almost sixfold, from 0.6 to 3.5 billion roubles. The decision is intended to accelerate the launch of projects in the aviation, space, automotive and environmental engineering sectors. The Deputy Prime Ministers emphasised that the funds will allow new plants to be opened in regions such as Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod and Chelyabinsk. Loans granted by VEB.RF cover projects from 500 million roubles at an interest rate of 5% per annum and require an investment of at least 1 billion roubles.
The decision is part of a long-term strategy to diversify the defence-industrial complex, aimed on the one hand at maintaining mobilisation production capacity and on the other at increasing the share of civil production in GDP and export segments of industry.
The modernisation of the Severnaya Verf shipyard may cost RUB 600 billion
The United Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK) has announced the completion of a feasibility study for the modernisation of the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg by November 2025. According to sources at Vedomosti, the volume of investment may double compared to initial estimates and reach 600 billion roubles. In practice, the project will involve the construction of a new plant, while retaining one historic slipway building from 1945. The modernisation involves a complete transformation of the infrastructure on an area of approximately 100 hectares and the implementation of modern production lines by 2031. OSK’s goal is to enable the construction of large-tonnage ships and increase Russia’s shipbuilding capacity.
The scale of the investment, comparable to the project for a new shipyard in the Far East, demonstrates the reorientation of the Russian maritime industry towards strategic production in the country and reducing dependence on foreign technology suppliers.
News from the Eastern Flank Institute (EFI):
- We encourage you to read the new article by General Valery Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2021-24, currently Ukraine’s ambassador to London. The article was written especially for the Eastern Flank Institute.
- Last week, we published an analysis by Lt. Col. (ret.) Maciej Korowaj, who outlined the assumptions of the Russian concept of ‘sustainable warfare’ and pointed out its implications for Polish-Russian relations.
- The Chairman of the IWF Programme Council, MEP Michał Dworczyk, took part in a SuperExpress debate on the restoration of compulsory military service in Poland. During the discussion, there were numerous references to the concept of Universal State Service, proposed in our Institute’s June report.
- On 22 October 2025, the 2nd Ideas for Poland Forum, organised by the Sobieski Institute, will be held in Warsaw. During the event, a new report on private sector involvement in security issues, co-authored by IWF experts, will be presented. The report will be presented by Michał Dworczyk, Chairman of the IWF Programme Council. Piotr Woyke, Director of the IWF, will also take part in the discussion panel on the arms industry.
