OSINT Update for 16 June 2025

🇪🇺 EU & Crypto Regulation

* MiCA licences: Malta greenlit Gemini, OKX, Crypto.com; Luxembourg set to approve Coinbase—sparking regulatory discord over inconsistency across national authorities.

* Regulatory compliance: Over half of EU blockchain startups now MiCA-registered; smaller firms face licence deadline pressures.

*Draft AI rules: Finalising biometric data protections and facial recognition limits; encryption ban proposals gaining parliamentary traction.

🇷🇺 Russia

* Cyber: Russian APTs ramping up targeted strikes against Ukraine-critical infrastructure; coordinated DDoS efforts increase.

* Drones: Laser-based drone-defence tests continue; Unmanned Systems Regiment staffing progressing.

* Economics: BRICS alliance deepens de-dollarisation; new capital control measures signal further economic isolationism.

🇺🇦 Ukraine

* Drone capabilities: AI upgrade trials underway—several “mother drones” with autonomy tested, but still limited deployment. Domestic VTOL production (e.g. ANT’s MERCURY) progressing. Planned production increase of +40% in 2025.

* Industrial partnerships: Renault invited to build drones in Ukraine—a first for automotive industry in defence space.

* OSINT intelligence: Persistent battlefield drone coverage; Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces expanding with new heavy-attack units.

🇺🇸 USA & Cyber Policy

* Cyber threats: FBI warns of Middle Eastern and Russian threat actors targeting U.S. bases and infrastructure. Trump EO rolls back Biden cyber measures but retains encryption mandates.

* Drone market: Pentagon signals consolidation; fewer but higher-performance small UAV contracts expected.

#OSINT #nostrintel