Glossary

The 1st Corps of Ukraine's National Guard “Azov,” an operational-tactical formation established in 2025 around the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov.

The corps provides centralized command for several National Guard combat formations, including the Azov, Bureviy, Chervona Kalyna, Kara Dag, Harmash, Lubart, and Pilum units. It is commanded by Brigadier General Denys Prokopenko.

A compact Russian air-launched cruise missile, designated S8000 and developed by the Kronstadt defence company.

The missile is primarily launched from the Orion UAV, although integration with Mi-28N attack helicopters has also been reported. Ukraine's Defence Intelligence says it can carry a warhead of up to 150 kilograms and travel up to 500 kilometres.

Russia's name for the Shahed-136, an Iranian-designed one-way attack UAV, and for Russian-produced derivatives of that design.

Geran-2 drones are propeller-driven, delta-wing weapons used for long-range strikes. The related Geran-1 designation refers to the smaller Shahed-131, an earlier model in the same Iranian-designed family.

A Russian-assembled multipurpose UAV that imitates the Shahed-136/Geran-2 and is often used as a lower-cost decoy to help overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.

Gerbera drones can serve as false targets, conduct reconnaissance, or carry a warhead for attack missions. Ukraine's Defence Intelligence says Russia assembles them in Yelabuga from a Chinese-derived design using lightweight materials and imported components.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency within the Ministry of Defence, officially called the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine in English.

HUR transliterates the Ukrainian abbreviation ГУР. GUR is another transliteration commonly used in English-language reporting, while DIU reflects the agency's official English name. Its work includes gathering and analysing intelligence and identifying external threats to Ukraine's national security.

A Ukrainian and Russian abbreviation for a guided aerial bomb, often described in English-language reporting as a glide bomb.

KAB is a broad label rather than one specific weapon model. These air-launched bombs use guidance and aerodynamic control surfaces to improve accuracy and, in many variants, let the bomb glide toward a target after release.

The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelia,” a Ukrainian Ground Forces unit specializing in assault operations and breaking through defended positions.

The unit was formed in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion. It began as a volunteer mobile fire group, later operated as a separate reconnaissance battalion, and subsequently expanded into an assault regiment.

Unmanned aerial vehicle: an aircraft that flies without a human pilot aboard, commonly called a drone.

A UAV may be remotely controlled or follow an automated flight plan. UAV refers to the aircraft itself; UAS (unmanned aircraft system) is the broader term that also includes control stations, communications links, and supporting equipment.