A look at the Defence news 26 May – 1 June
The last Dutch F-16s destined for Ukraine left the Netherlands last week. The aircraft are now being prepared for delivery in Belgium.
In total, the Netherlands has donated 24 fighter aircraft to Ukraine.
Unknown Russian group responsible for hacking Dutch targets
A previously unknown Russian cyber group is behind the hacking of several Dutch organisations, including the national police organisation where work-related contact details were stolen in September 2024. An investigation carried out by the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and the Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) was unable to establish whether any other data had been stolen.
The Netherlands continues to invest in drones, also for Ukraine
“Drones have fundamentally changed modern warfare; right now, they are the most important innovation in the defence domain,” said Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans during the Drone Summit in the Latvian capital Riga last week. The minister added that drones can literally mean the difference between life and death. He also called for continued support for the Drone Capability Coalition, an international coalition that is developing drones for Ukraine.