The grim harvest continues. As rescue workers in Dnipro painstakingly sift through concrete and twisted steel, the death toll has climbed to 18. The latest wave of Russian missile attacks has once again turned residential blocks into tombs. But beyond the immediate horror lies a deeper question: What is the next chapter in this war, and how should Britain respond?
We are living through a paradigm shift in warfare. The conflict in Ukraine is not merely a territorial dispute; it is a vivid demonstration of how technology can be weaponised against civilians. Precision-guided munitions, drones that loiter before striking, and cyber attacks that disable critical infrastructure have all been deployed with impunity. The 'Black Mirror' scenario is no longer speculative; it is playing out in real time.
As Technology & Innovation Lead, I see a fraying digital sovereignty. Russia’s use of electronic warfare to jam GPS signals and disrupt communications is a direct assault on the informational architecture we depend on. Ukraine’s resilience is partly due to its ingenious use of Starlink, satellite imagery, and civilian-driven drone production. Yet this asymmetric digital defence cannot hold forever without sustained support.
Here, Britain can step up. We have a rich history of cryptographic innovation, from Bletchley Park to the modern cyber commands. Now is the moment to pool our resources with European allies to create a digital shield for Ukraine. I am not talking about sending more missiles alone, though that is urgent. I mean a concerted push in artificial intelligence to enhance early warning systems, quantum-secured communications to protect command networks, and resilient power grids that can withstand cyber assaults.
The user experience of modern warfare is terrifyingly fluid. On the ground, Ukrainian soldiers use tablets and apps to coordinate strikes. Civilians receive alerts on their phones minutes before a missile hits. This real-time intelligence is a lifeline, but it also creates a dependency. If we do not help maintain these systems, the asymmetry will flip against Ukraine.
Moreover, Britain must lead in the ethical governance of autonomous weapons. The world is sleepwalking towards a future where machines decide who lives and dies. The Kremlin has already shown willingness to use uncrewed aerial vehicles that target without clear human oversight. The UK, with its proud tradition of just war theory, should be drafting international protocols for algorithmic warfare. Not later. Now.
The death toll in Dnipro is a stark reminder that abstract debates about digital ethics have concrete human costs. Each body pulled from the rubble is a failure of our collective imagination to prevent such horror. But technology is not inherently evil; it is a tool. We can choose to use it for protection, for resilience, for justice.
Britain’s role should be twofold. First, immediate practical aid: fund Ukrainian drone production, provide mobile 5G units to replace destroyed infrastructure, and expand cyber defence training. Second, strategic vision: invest in a joint European task force for digital resilience, forge alliances with tech companies to guarantee data sovereignty, and champion a new charter for the ethics of autonomous systems.
This is not just about Ukraine. It is about the world we want to live in. Every algorithm we code today is a foundation for tomorrow. Britain can either be a passive observer or an active architect of a safer, more humane digital order. The rubble in Dnipro calls for more than sympathy. It calls for innovation with a conscience.
As we dig through the debris, let us also dig into our own potential. The future is not written in the stars; it is coded in our choices. Let Britain choose wisely.
