10 Key Military and Defense Developments (December 2–7, 2025)

The week was shaped by a huge Russian strike on Ukraine’s energy grid, a parallel Ukrainian drone campaign against Russian ports, and intense U.S.–brokered peace diplomacy.

At the same time, Europe moved ahead with a long-range missile shield and looser export rules, while Washington pushed allies to take over more of NATO’s conventional defence.

Further afield, China deepened security ties with Russia and pushed its military presence further into the Pacific, prompting sharper reactions from Australia and Japan.

New fighter and submarine projects in Europe and the Middle East signalled how defence industries are re-wiring for long, contested rivalries.

1. Russia launches massive drone-and-missile barrage on Ukraine (Dec 5–6)

On the night of December 5–6, Russia fired more than 650 drones and 51 missiles at targets across at least eight Ukrainian regions, hitting power plants, rail hubs and other infrastructure.

Blackouts and heating cuts spread in cities such as Odesa and Kremenchuk, and the attack forced nuclear plants to reduce output as operators switched to emergency procedures. Polish jets were scrambled as a precaution, highlighting spillover risks along NATO’s eastern flank.

Summary: The strike shows Russia is still ready to spend large stockpiles of missiles and drones to pressure Ukraine’s civilians and energy system while talks continue.

2. Peace talks and bombardment move in parallel over Ukraine (Dec 2–7)

As the barrage hit, U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg said a peace deal with Russia was “really close,” after several days of talks in Miami and follow-up contacts in Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported “constructive” calls with U.S. negotiators, but European leaders prepared their own summit in London to push back against any settlement that trades Ukrainian territory for vague guarantees.

Kyiv’s message remained that a “bad peace” could invite a larger war later.

Summary: Diplomacy is accelerating, but the combination of heavy Russian strikes and deep territorial questions makes any deal politically explosive for Ukraine and its allies.

3. Ukraine steps up drone pressure on Russian ports and energy sites (Dec 5–6)

In the early hours of December 5, Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Azov Sea port of Temryuk, triggering fires at facilities that handle oil products, liquefied gas and other commodities.

The same night, separate strikes hit an oil refinery in Syzran, deep inside Russia, causing further blazes and disruptions. Moscow said its air defences shot down dozens of drones but confirmed damage at both sites.

Summary: The attacks show Ukraine can now reach deeper into Russia’s energy and logistics infrastructure, raising costs for Moscow far from the front line.

4. China and Russia hold joint anti-missile drills on Russian soil (early Dec)

China’s defence ministry confirmed in early December that Chinese and Russian forces carried out their third joint anti-missile exercise on Russian territory.

The drills focused on missile defence and were officially described as not aimed at any third country, but they follow earlier joint activities in the Sea of Japan and a “no-limits” partnership agreement signed before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Both capitals link this cooperation to concerns over U.S. plans for a global missile shield and potential renewed nuclear testing.

Summary: Regular joint anti-missile drills underline how Beijing and Moscow are slowly knitting together elements of their strategic defence against U.S. missile and nuclear policies.

5. U.S. sets 2027 deadline for Europe to lead NATO’s conventional defence (Dec 5)

Pentagon officials told European counterparts that by 2027 they expect European allies to provide most of NATO’s conventional capabilities, from ground forces to key missile and intelligence assets.

If that benchmark is not met, Washington may scale back its role in some NATO coordination mechanisms, though details remain vague.

European officials accept the need to spend more but question whether industrial capacity and politics will allow them to hit such an ambitious date.

Summary: The deadline raises pressure on Europe to turn defence promises into hard capabilities or risk a thinner U.S. security umbrella in the next few years.

6. Germany activates Arrow 3 long-range missile shield (Dec 3)

On December 3, Germany put the first Arrow 3 battery on duty at a base south of Berlin, becoming the first country outside Israel to deploy the system.

The exo-atmospheric interceptor is designed to stop long-range ballistic missiles at very high altitude and will form a key pillar of Europe’s emerging missile shield alongside Patriot and IRIS-T.

Berlin plans to expand Arrow 3 to several sites and integrate it into NATO’s wider air-and-missile-defence network.

Summary: Arrow 3 gives Germany and its neighbours a new layer of protection against long-range missiles, signalling that Europe is treating this threat as structural, not temporary.

7. Switzerland relaxes long-standing arms-export restrictions (Dec 3–4)

The Swiss parliament approved changes to the War Materials Act that will make it easier for domestic firms to export weapons and components to a group of mainly Western countries.

The new rules also loosen some re-export restrictions that had blocked allies from passing Swiss-made ammunition and parts to Ukraine.

Supporters argue the shift is needed to keep Swiss defence companies competitive, while critics say it erodes the country’s traditional neutrality.

Summary: Switzerland is edging away from its strictest neutrality practices in order to keep its defence industry alive in a more militarised Europe.

8. Russia begins building Su-35 fighters for Iran under multi-billion-dollar deal (reported Dec 2)

Leaked Russian defence correspondence and follow-up reporting indicated that Russian factories have started producing the first 16 Su-35 multirole fighters for Iran under a deal worth well over $6 billion.

The documents point to deliveries running through 2027 and suggest additional batches could follow, potentially giving Tehran dozens of advanced jets after years of relying on aging aircraft.

Analysts warn the move could shift air-power balances across the Gulf and eastern Mediterranean.

Summary: Concrete progress on the Su-35 deal turns Russia–Iran military cooperation into a long-term structural factor in Middle Eastern air warfare.

9. China’s Pacific reach prompts warnings from Australia and radar incidents with Japan (Dec 2–6)

In a December 2 speech, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong warned that China is projecting military power “further and more frequently” into the Pacific without the transparency neighbours expect.

Days later, Japan protested after Chinese carrier-borne jets allegedly locked fire-control radar on Japanese aircraft near Okinawa, an incident Tokyo called dangerous and unprecedented.

Canberra and Tokyo both stressed the need for calm but also pledged to deepen security cooperation.

Summary: Expanded Chinese presence from the Pacific Islands to waters near Okinawa is pushing U.S. allies to tighten their own defence ties and prepare for more frequent close encounters.

10. Turkey starts building its first indigenous submarine and lands new export deal (Dec 4)

Turkey’s defence ministry announced that construction has begun on the country’s first fully indigenous submarine, known as MILDEN, at the Gölcük shipyard.

Ankara also confirmed its first sale of a domestically produced corvette to a NATO ally, Romania, marking a milestone for its shipbuilding industry.

Both moves are part of a wider push to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and position Turkey as a competitive naval exporter.

Summary: Indigenous submarine work and new export contracts show Turkey turning naval modernisation into a tool for strategic autonomy and defence-industry growth.