 Pentagon warns Russian drones may fly to Europe. Russia could have stripped Ukraine of its independence in 2022 and sent drones from its territory to Europe. Assistance to Kiev from the United States thwarted this, according to Celeste Volander, Deputy Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Volander said that those UAVs that the Russians are sending from Crimea over Ukrainian cities could have attacked European capitals. The cruise missiles that the Russians use against Ukraine's critically important energy infrastructure would have threatened US allies in NATO. According to her, Americans in Europe from military personnel, businessmen and ordinary citizens to American students studying in Europe would have been in danger. All of this was prevented by American support for Ukraine and, above all, the courage and skills of the Ukrainians, Volander emphasised. And the threat to Europe is still relevant in light of delays in the US Congress' vote on aid to Ukraine, Volander said. Volander said that Ukrainians have learned to fight and are holding back the Russians, disrupting their operations in the Black Sea and have resumed grain exports, providing the global south with what it needs. But since there's not enough ammunition, air defense systems, spare parts needed on the front lines, it could very well return to the scenario of 2022 and the threat of shelling Europe. She reported that the United States ranks 16th in the world in terms of the ratio of GDP to aid provided to Ukraine.