Russia

The most emblematic trucks in the US are multiplying in Russia. And they are using them to bomb Ukraine

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Last week, a documentary broadcast on the television channel of the Russian Army, Zvezda, revealed the Greater Russian Drones Factory fighting. In the images not only We saw hundreds of drones Geran-2 black finished, all in a row within the secret installation. We also saw that the factory had its own test field where the devices were mounted on trucks that serve as a shuttle. The model was surprising. Made in USA trucks. A Kyiv Independent Research He has revealed a mechanism for evasion of sanctions that allows Russia to have American pickup trucks, specifically the successful RAM 1500 models TRXdespite the prohibition of exporting them after the large -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The finding is particularly alarming because after the Zvezda documentary It has been verified that Kamikaze drones They are launched from these modified RAM 1500 models. According to the mediumalthough Ukraine points out that fixed catapults are more reliable for takeoff, the simple appearance of these vehicles in official propaganda demonstrates the use of western goods in Russian military machinery. Evasion of sanctions. After the imposition of sanctions, Stellantis (owner of the RAM brand) interrupted in 2022 All export to Russia. However, since then At least 130 RAM 1500 They have entered the country through indirect routes. Here are several companies based in the Arab Emirates, such as Automax Motors Fze, Fine Cars Eaeu-Fze or Mehrzad Post & Shipping, who have acted as intermediariesre -exporting dozens of vehicles to private Russian companies in San Petersburg and Moscow. This technique of “Transhipment”It is a classic evasion method, where goods first travel to a non -sanctioning country before being sent to Russia. In social networkssome of these firms have openly presumed shipments for Russia, which shows the laxity of control in certain Gulf markets. The direct route from the USA. But there is something more serious. It was discovered that Arivir Corpa company based in Virginia, sold at least eight RAM 1500 TRX manufactured in 2023 directly to the Russian subsidiary Arivir Rus, owned by a Russian citizen. According to filtered customs documents, the procedure It was systematic: The American company acquired vehicles in concessionaires, reluctant their Russian counterpart and managed shipping. No doubt, this trade clearly violates US export restrictions unless there was A special licensewhich is almost impossible to obtain in this context. Neither Arivir Corp nor the other firms contacted responded to research consultations. Instead, the Stellantis group has given explanations. The group remember that “has stopped all sales of vehicles in Russia and suspended its manufacturing operations in that country” from 2022. And he adds that “contractually prohibits all distribution channels sending vehicles to Russia.” Strategic implications. The experts consulted By ki they underline That any export of this type without a license constitutes a violation of the export controls of the United States, regardless of the location of the intermediary. In addition, the companies involved could face to secondary sanctions that would affect their ability to operate in the international market. For Ukraine, the situation reveals both the insufficiency of sanctions compliance mechanisms and the need for Western manufacturers to reinforce YOUR CONTROL SYSTEMS of customers and distributors. What are apparently simple trucks becomes a war resource capable of integrating into the Attack infrastructure Russian, adding another layer of complexity to the international effort to weaken Moscow’s military capacity. Image | Zvezda In Xataka | We already know what Russia’s trick is to multiply its drones: it is called “cooling units” and comes direct from China In Xataka | The Russian threat has activated the “Nordic model” in Germany. The Plan: Recruit 40,000 adolescents a year in the Army

An American military seemed like a cybercrime genius. He was given his own searches on how to desert Russia

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Cameron John Wagenius had no criminal record or a dark past. He had a military uniform, 21 years and a career ahead in the United States Army. But in his spare time, from his bedroom in Texas, It connected as “Kiberphant0m” to telegram groups and forums where stolen credentials are purchased and databases for thousands of dollars are sold. I knew how to move, how to enter without being seen and how to extort technological companies from the shadow. According to the Department of Justicefor more than a year he directed a campaign that affected at least ten organizations. It was made with private credentials, accessed protected networks and much more. He did it as he continued charging the army and fulfilled functions as an active soldier. Until everything fell apart, not by a filtration, or by a technical error. For himself. The soldier who moved as a professional cybercrime Wagenius and his accomplices were coordinated through encrypted chats. They shared passwords, discussed vulnerabilities and talked openly about their next objectives. They used Tools like SSH Brutea brute force solution to enter protected systems, and acted quickly to move stolen data in some of the best known cybercrime forums of the moment. Once they got access, they launched threats. Sometimes privately, sometimes publicly. They threatened to publish the stolen information if they did not receive money in return. In some cases, they came to sell the data directly. In others, they used that information to launch attacks from Sim Swapping and supplant identities. The goal was always the same: money. The Department of Justice estimates that they tried to extort at least 1 million dollars to the victims. But while all that happened, Wagenius did something that FBI agents did not expect to find so easily: I left trace. According to judicial documentsin October 2024, in full swing of its operation, it began to search Google how to escape from the country. Literally. These are some of the searches he made from his personal account: • “Where you can desert an US military without being extradited” • “US military personnel deserting Russia” • “Russia Embassy – Washington DC” • How to get a fast passport “ In parallel, I wrote to his contacts with phrases such as: “The fun is that if they ever discover me, They can’t immediately arrest me by military law. That gives me time to disappear. ” The reality was another. Not only did he not escape. All this activity was recovered, documented and used as proof to demonstrate not only its crimes, but its intention to escape. Wagenius was arrested and declared himself guilty of several serious positions: conspiracy to commit electronic fraud, extortion in relation to computer crimes and aggravated identity. He had already admitted before, in another case linked, his involvement in the illicit transfer of confidential telephone records. His conviction, which will be read on October 6, could add up to 27 years in prison. The charges have different weight: electronic fraud can cost up to 20 years; Computer extortion, up to five; and the theft of aggravated identity entails a mandatory penalty of two additional years that cannot be combined with the previous ones. Wagenius had knowledge. I knew how to move around the network and how to hide behind proxies, vpns and Tools that in theory had to protect it. But something in his strategy went wrong. Now he is paying the consequences. Images | Xataka with Gemini Flash 2.5 | Kevin Ku In Xataka | Sam Altman believes that a serious crisis is coming with the AI fraud. The problem is that it has strong interests in the solution

A video game is recruiting the brightest minds of Russia for war. The problem is that they still go to school

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Russia gave a blow this week revealing a video of a few minutes. In it, the interior of what they have called as “the largest secret factory of combat drones on the planet”, located at some point in Alabuga, in the Tartaristan region, was prisoned. The piece showed us a huge army of drones with their workers assembling the pieces. However, there was something else: most were not adults, They were teenagers. A video game and a war. History is part of an investigation and exclusive to Russian media in exile The Insider. Apparently, since the summer of 2022, under the appearance of an educational and entertainment platform called Berloga (“Bear Dirridge”), Russia has been recruiting hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren in a progressive technical-military training system focused on the development and use of drones, camouflaged after video gamescompetitions and programs with academic incentives. The game, approved Personally by Putin And symbolically presented in the busy city of Sebastopol, introduces children into a children’s narrative in which “smart bears” They defend The vital resource of “bees” insects, a barely concealed allegory where bears are Russia and Ukrainian bees. From the first levels of the game to participation in face -to -face competitions and the physical assembly of drones, children are guided along a route designed to transform them In technicians and operators useful for the Russian military complex, all while assures them that “they should not say that it is for war.” From command to the welder. Berloga is not an isolated initiative, but the entrance door to a broader educational network built by the so -called agency for Kremlin strategic initiatives, in which They converge NTI Technology Clubs, the TALANT student achievement monitoring platform and the national archipelago intensive. These programs are connected to each other through competitions As great challengesin which thousands of students work in solutions to “technological” problems (which often have undercover military purposes) proposed by companies associated with the Russian State. Screen capture of the concept of a superpesado launch vehicle with a water -based launch system from the “Large Challenges” program Privileged minds to war. He counted the medium That the students who stand out are rewarded with extra points in the national exam, presidential scholarships and direct entries in companies in the defense sector, such as Geoscan, Yakovlev or Almaz-Agent. The tasks presented to them range from the Improvement of the navigationN from UAVS to the design of unmanned vehicles launched from floating platforms, through automated drone detection systems and laser loaders for tactical use. Although J is requiredUstify the projects As if they were for civil use, the students themselves admit That it is a formality: the real objective is military. Children engineers. Adolescents who participate in these training skills and networks not only program or design prototypes, but some (related to research for themselves) They train soldiersthey set up FPV drones and work to undercover military laboratories in exchange for contracts by work with the consent of their parents. The components they use in the contests are the same as they then use in the operational versions of their creations. In other words, knowledge flows directly to the front. Dual technology. In one of the cases, a young man named Stas developed a kamikaze drone low cost to replace current models of the Russian army whose price exceeds $ 10,000 per unit. Another, Vladislav, collaborated with a state company for Test war teams electronics about its own air platform. Companies, Like Geoscan or Yakovlev, segment their operations between civil and military branches, a common practice that allows maintaining the legality facade against international sanctions. This structure of “dual technologies” is held by officials such as Vice Minister of Commerce Vasili Shpak, who argues that there is no longer a clear distinction Between the civil and the military. The official narrative line points to a future in which all technological innovation will be automatically usable for the war conflict. A photo of the Official Telegram Channel of Zarnitssa 2.0 Child Military Training Child involvement in these programs goes beyond technical learning. Here it seems Intensive archipelagowhich in its beginnings covered various sectors, and has been reconverted in an almost exclusively drone course. Includes exercises like Recognition, electronic evasion, drone launch from land stations or search for objectives with thermal cameras. In parallel, Berloga allied in 2024 with Zarnitssa 2.0the modern version of a Soviet military game. The program, financed with millions From rubles of the state budget, he has trained tens of thousands of schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 21 In the use of weapons Compressed air, Wannera-47 rifles massers, drones flight and choice of military specialties such as Zapador, UAV operator or political instructor. Discrepancies. Some schools are They have complained that both students and teachers have been forced to participate. Zarnitsa It is managed For the Yunarmiya Youth Movement (Young Army), linked to the Ministry of Defense and that in 2025 will receive More than one billion of rubles in subsidies. For the Russian authorities, the objective It seems clear: Detect military talent from an early age and channel it to the defense industry. War pedagogy. There is much more, since research emphasizes that this mass and silent recruitment of minors for war purposes is being institutionalized with Explicit support of the Kremlin. Putin has ordered drone competitions for children since the age of 7, and new school subjects Centering national security include training with UAVs. The official goal is to achieve “technological sovereignty” by 2030, and today’s adolescents are expected to become the military operators of tomorrow. Officials such as the Deputy Minister of Education Dmitry Afanasyev defend The formation of children in military technology under the pretext that “there are no purely civil applications.” In His wordseven a agricultural drone operator You must have combat competitions, as in China. Thus, Russia is institutionalizing a war pedagogy where the child ceases to be a citizen in training and becomes an anticipated military resource. Rights of the … Read more

If the question is what China is giving Russia in the Ukraine War, we have news: a complete army

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At the beginning of July Bloomberg he took Some documents They showed how a little known firm based in Khabarovsk, at the eastern end of Russia, had emerged as one of the main drone manufacturers of the country. I did it thanks to a dense cooperation network Covering with Chinese companies. Now, Ukraine’s intelligence has shown something much bigger: Beijing is giving Moscow a 100% Made in China complete army. A new generation. The Ukraine Defense Intelligence Directorate (Gur) He has revealed The existence of a new type of Russian decoy drone manufactured entirely With Chinese componentsa disturbing milestone that shows the growing implication of Beijing in the Kremlin war machine. Although for years it is has documented the use of foreign pieces (including Chinese) in Russian arsenalthis would be the first time that an unmanned aerial system used in the Ukrainian front is completely built with technology from a single country: China. Chinese shahed. The drone, of the delta and reduced size, reminds superficially to the Shahed-136 Iranianbut it works mainly as a decoy to saturate Ukrainian aerial defenses, although it can also incorporate an explosive load of up to 15 kilos. The existence of this platform confirms that Russia has not only perfected its saturation tactics With drones, but has also consolidated new technological supply chains that avoid international sanctions. All the components and blocks of the drone are of Chinese origin Commercial components. Of the two drones recovered by the Gur, one of them contained exclusively Chinese pieceswhile the other included two still unidentified components. According to The investigationalmost half of the pieces of the first came from a single company: Cuav Technology Co., a Chinese firm based in Guangdong that It specializes in open source created systems. The components were flight controllers with autopilot functions, navigation modules, antennae and air speed sensors. The most notable is that this company, which in 2022 had publicly announced restrictions on the sale of products both to Russia and Ukraine to avoid its military use, has ended up starring in The technical nucleus of a new Russian weapon. The paradox. The contradiction is even more striking to know that Russia had previously presented a supposedly native vertical take -off drone that turned out to be a direct adaptation of a Cuav acquired product acquired Through Aliexpress. The fundamental difference with the new lure does not lies in the origin of its parts, but that it is now a Russian endogenous production based completely on Chinese technology, not a simple direct purchase. Some of the Chinese components found in a new Russian decoy drone AI and tactical expansion. Chinese involvement is not limited to passive electronics. Ukraine has documented The use of artificial intelligence in Russian drones as the V2Uwhich uses algorithms to Identify and select Objectives autonomously. This drone used a Chinese Leetop A203 minicomputer and a central processor with Jetson Orin de Nvidia module, which reveals a combination of Western and Chinese hardwareused by Russia to incorporate AI capacities in its operations. In addition, Beijing has contributed to the development of fiber optic drones long journey, allowing Russia to extend the scope of these platforms up to 50 kilometers. This technology offers immunity against electronic interference and signal blockages, in addition to overcoming geographical obstacles that limit control via radio frequency. Thus, Beijin has endowed Kremlin with key tools to maintain Your tactical advantageespecially in an increasingly conditioned conflict for The electronic war and the saturation of enemy sensor. Foreign pieces war. We had gone counting In the previous months. Actually, the drone lure manufactured in China is only one more piece within the vast Russian war gear assembled with foreign components. The Gur has recovered multiple Russian arms systems (such as Shahed-136 drones, cruise missiles S-8000 flagcommand vehicles with Radar 9S932-1attack helicopters KA-52 and missiles KH-101) that They contained pieces Native of the United StatesIran, Taiwan, Switzerland, Japan or South Korea. In all cases, the parties escaped the export controls and ended Integrated in armament deployed on Ukraine. Even complete systems have been detected, Like a laser of Chinese origin designed for Brink Ukrainian droneswhose presence in Russia was confirmed after circulating videos on social networks. This transfer, identical to systems already provided By China to Iranreinforces the hypothesis of an active and sustained collaboration between both authoritarian regimes in the development of sophisticated weapons. China and implications. Although Beijing claims to maintain a neutral position before the war in Ukraine, its behavior seems the opposite. Filtered statements This month in CNN they revealed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi confessed to a meeting with the EU Foreign Policy Head of Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, which Beijing “cannot accept a Russian defeat” because it would allow the United States to focus their attention on containing China. In private, admitted that a prolonged war could benefit Beijing by distracting Washington from their strategic interests in Asia. This geopolitical calculation does not seem trivial: it reflects that for China, Ukraine is not a secondary issue, but A key piece on the global power board. His strategy seems to focus on keeping Russia sufficiently strong to erode Western influence, without compromising enough to become target of direct sanctions. The axis and the transformation of the conflict. Plus: unlike North Korea support (focused on Artillery, missiles and troops), the Chinese contribution It aims to silently mold the technological architecture of the conflict. The supply of microelectronics, complete platforms, AI tools and critical components has allowed Russia reconfigure your economy In war code and adapt your military industry to resist in the long term. A pattern that suggests that the flow of Chinese technology will not only continue, but will probably intensify, extending, perhaps, throughout the Russian arsenal. With Moscow Diplomatically isolated and financially pressedthe convenience alliance with Beijing is emerging as one of the most decisive variables in the future of war. Image | Gur In Xataka | It is not that the war is asymmetric, is that Russia is attacking with … Read more

A huge secret factory is tilting the balance in the Ukraine War. Russia is multiplying a relentless army

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The war in Ukraine has entered a stage of tactical saturation where volume, rather than sophistication, has become The decisive weapon. Russia It has increased And much the use of Shahed drone swarms in Russian territory under the Geran denominationmanaging to pierce Ukrainian defenses at an unprecedented rate. How much? A video has revealed what is about to happen. Swarm war. I remembered The Financial Times that, according to official data, between April and June 2025, the percentage of drones that managed to impact their objectives reached 15%tripling the success rate of the previous three months. It We count: On the night of July 9, he marked a record when Russia launched 728 Drones and Shahed, along with Kinzhal and Iskander Balistic missiles, in a clear attempt to saturate and overflow the Ukrainian aerial defenses. This tactic demonstrates that the massive use of cheap platforms can overcome expensive and sophisticated defense systems, exposing a critical point: the imbalance between cost and effectiveness in modern combat. Gera-3 and a lethal machine. The technical improvements introduced by Moscow in their drones have raised their effectiveness notably. Among them stands out The Geran-3a vturbocharged arizing capable of reaching speeds of up to 800 km/h in chopped, which makes it almost invulnerable to the traditional anti -aircraft weapons mounted in trucks, such as heavy machine guns. In addition, current shahed can fly to greater altitudeavoiding the optimal impact areas of terrestrial defenses. This change, rather than reflecting Ukrainian weakening, shows the Russian capacity to quickly adapt its attack doctrine and exploit the weaknesses of the adversary. The Night wavespersistent and combined with more sophisticated missiles, they seek to wear not only the technical defenses of Ukraine, but also the moral of their population and force political concessions through exhaustion. A horror factory. And this is where Russia’s last announcement appears. Moscow He has revealed to the world which describes as its greatest and more Secret drone plant: Alabuga’s industrial complex, in the Tartaristan region, where Geran suicide drones are assembled. The plant, located in the Yelabuga Industrial Park and officially launched in 2023, appears In a video of the Russian military channel Zvezda, who does not spare to show adolescents operating work stations and manipulating technological pieces in assembly lines. According to Timur ShagivalievExecutive Director of the Special Economic Zone of Alabuga, the installation has multiplied by nine its planned production, reaching a monthly rate of 5,200 units Between attack drones and lure models, which converts it, he says, “the largest plant of its kind in the world.” The scene, no doubt, is disturbing: teenagers building weapons designed to kill a great distance, while the Kremlin presumes a relentless manufacturing capacity. Geran-2, cheaper. If the third version is the most advanced, its predecessor, the direct version of the Shahed-136 Iranian, is the drone Factory Key. We talked about a 3.5 -meter device with a 50 kg eye, a cruise speed of 300 km/Hy a range of 1,800 km. Its estimated cost of between $ 35,000 and $ 49,000 makes it an affordable massive destruction tool, ideal to saturate enemy defensive systems. Compared to western interceptors such as Patriot missile (valued at several million dollars per unit) The Geran-2 embodies an asymmetric disruption: cheap, resistant, easy to manufacture in mass and with a devastating psychological effect. New strategic threshold. To the Russian drone industry, with that Alabuga factory At the head, news has been added that has put Ukraine alert. Russia prepares to achieve unprecedented attack capacity: the simultaneous launch of 2,000 drones against kyivaccording to the German general Christian FreudingHead of the Working Group for Ukraine of the Ministry of Defense of Germany. This figure, which completely redefines the scale of the unmanned war 2 million FPV and 30,000 long -range drones or lure, According to reports of Ukrainian external intelligence (Szru). Overwhelmed defense. Ukraine, meanwhile, has responded to all this machinara with a combination of classic techniques In interceptor drones. In fact, Zelenski recently announced a according to Eric Schmidtformer executive director of Google and current leader of Swift Beat, for the co -production of hundreds of thousands of drones, including interceptors. According to the Ukrainian president, these devices are already Broving dozens of Shaheds In each attack and begin to demonstrate good results, with hundreds of confirmed eliminations in just one week. In any case, to be effective against the new flight profile of Russian drones, these interceptors must reach speeds of at least 200 km/hy altitudes of up to 6 km, capacities that allow to counteract saturation attacks that easily overflow the Ukrainian mobile units armed with technology from the mid -twentieth century. Adaptation without truce. The scenario is part of a dynamic of continuous evolution Between offensive and defensive: A cycle of innovation and counter-innovation that accelerates exponentially. Andrew Turner, former Air Marshal of the Royal Air Force and current director of Saibre Capital, summed up in the Times This dynamic as a “persistent staircase and countermeasures that in Ukraine is renewed every 14 days.” Thus, the conflict has become an accelerated laboratory of unmanned air war, where the decisive factor is no longer the number of fighters or tanks, but the ability to produce and adapt swarms of autonomous machines at a faster pace that the enemy can respond. A single color. In short, the drone war In Ukraine it has reached a new level of complexity. On the one hand, Russia has managed to integrate successfully volume, speed and saturation to create a constant threat that escapes traditional air defense schemes. On the other, Ukraine, with foreign aid, begins to build a defensive layer equally decentralized and reactive based on interceptor drones. In this confrontation of swarms, the balance does not lean simply by the number of weapons, but by the speed with which each side Learn, adapt and scale Your production. The aerial battlefield has become an industrial and algorithmic competition, where software, distributed manufacturing and AI are replacing cannons and missiles as decisive tools of … Read more

It is not that the war is asymmetric, is that Russia is attacking with thermobárica and Ukraine with pellet shaheds with pellets

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The Ukraine War has been a pioneer in the massive drone usebut over the months the devices have had updates that have made them machines increasingly lethal. One of them was recently counted on the use of the double impact After the arrival of the Shahed. Now Russia has multiplied the scope of its deadliest weapon, and Ukraine can barely answer. Thermobaric load. The war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous phase with the growing use by Russia of Unidirectional Attack drones equipped with thermobárica ojas. These devices, commonly known Cempty pumpsthey disperse a cloud of aerosol fuel before detonating, generating an explosion that reaches temperatures greater than 2,000 ºC and that, in addition to razing structures, consumes the oxygen of the environment and causes devastating effects on human bodies. According to testimonies collected in Ukraine, such as that of Commander Oleksiy of the Territorial Defense Forces, the explosive burdens that were previously around 40 kg have reached 90 kgduplicating its destructive capacity. Although his unit has not yet managed to reduce these larger drones, their appearance in military reports since end of last year Point out a significant change in the danger scale. These systems can not only destroy several -story houses and buildings, but they are particularly lethal in closed spaces, where the expansive wave and vacuum caused have devastating effects. Russian adaptation. The use of thermobaric ammunition is not new in Russian military doctrine. They were already denounced in previous conflicts as in Afghanistan and Chehenia, and more recently in the first bars of the large -scale invasion of Ukraine with systems such as the RuncoCohetes TOS-1A. However, the novelty now lies in the delivery medium: Russia has begun to integrate this type of weapons into Shahed-136 dronescapable of “loungeing” about an objective before impacting. This tactical transformation allows Moscow Expand the number of high -power attacks without depending on larger and more vulnerable platforms to radars. According to Kateryna Stepanenko, from the War Study Institute, this adaptation has allowed Russia to intensify the bombings to civil infrastructureas recently happened In Járkovalready military positions in the front. The most disturbing thing is that these weapons, being integrated into modest but precise platforms, allow much greater and, of course, more difficult to intercept than conventional systems. Limited responses. In response to this growing threat, Ukraine has intensified its efforts to neutralize production centers of these explosives. In early July, the Ukrainian army attacked a Russian factory dedicated to the manufacture of Thermobárica ojivas for Shahedin an attempt to stop the supply in origin. In this way, the magnitude of the challenge does nothing but grow. Moscow has begun to launch massive attacks combining hundreds of missiles, explosive drones and lure systems designed to exhaust Kyiv’s anti -aircraft defense reserves. In a single day, the Ukrainian Air Force reported a Attack with almost 270 drones and artifact lure, of which they managed to demolish approximately two thirds. Although these interception percentages are high, the constant saturation of these attacks puts in tension defensive capabilities of Ukraine, which cannot replace its air defense systems with the same speed with which Russia can manufacture its kamikaze drones. A new solution: pellets. They counted in Insider that the Ukrainian defense is forming a new type of rifle ammunition. Unlike traditional projectiles, these bullets Anti -Didstock 5.56 mm They contain a load that, after traveling a certain distance, is fragmented into multiple pellets, increasing the probability of impacting small aerial targets. Developed by The Brave1 programpart of the Ukrainian military innovation ecosystem, these ammunition seek to replace the current tactics of demolishing drones with 12 caliber shotguns, a method that requires units transporting additional weapons and dangerously approaching the target. With these ammunition, the infantry soldier will be able to use his standard weapon to face aerial threats more quickly, safely and efficiently, which represents a key adaptation in the tactical evolution of the conflict. New ammunition. The new Ukrainian design, which has not been in detail, is described as a personalized design eye dispersed dense fragments at high speed, allowing the shooter to cover a larger volume with a single shot. This type of ammunition transforms the conventional rifle into a portable anti -aircraft defense tool, compact and available for any infant, without the need for specialized resentment or additional logistics. The declared objective is that each soldier in the front can carry this type of cartridges and react quickly to sudden aerial threats. Artisanal solution Interestingly, the idea of Anti -Didron bullets is not exclusive to Ukraine. Russia too has experienced with improvised versions, with cartridges of 5.45 mm modified for AK Rifles. The ammunition carries a thermoretractile tube that contains four pellets, designed to disperse after the shot. In fact, several videos They show Russian soldiers manually manufacturing these projectiles, cutting tips and assembling the tubes in impromptu tables. The initiative reflects the same urgency for counteracting drones without depending on sophisticated, expensive or scarce systems. The future and ethical dilemma. Regarding the integration of Thermobaric ammunition In drones, not only expands the scale of the conflict, but also raises new legal and moral dilemmas. These weapons, for their ability to cause indiscriminate damage and extreme suffering, have been Controversy object in human rights organizations. Its systematic use in urban areas could be considered a war crime if the deliberate intention of attacking civilians is demonstrated. However, beyond the legal aspect, what is manifested is a dangerous technical evolution: Russia has managed to combine three key elements (lethality, low cost and high availability) in a formula that can redefine conventional war. While Ukraine and Western Allies They seek to counteract This threat through preventive attacks, improvements in detection systems and the development of new countermeasures, the technological career between attacker and defender is accelerating alarmingly, and increasingly asymmetric. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian cities and their population continue to pay the highest price, exposed to a type of offensive that combines Surgical precision with a level of destruction comparable … Read more

Russia is expanding up to five secret nuclear bases

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At the end of May some satellite images discovered which were Russia’s intentions on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Now, in the midst of nuclear tensions in the wake of the war in Ukraine, new images from space have revealed an alarming pattern of expansion and renewal in five Russian nuclear bases that until now operated largely outside the international scrutiny. Secret, or almost. I told it in an extensive INSIDER REPORT Through the images captured by the American company Planet Labs and analyzed by experts in strategic armament. The photographs show a series of new structures, reinforced roads, buried bunkers and multiple security perimeters that point to a systematic and stealthy investment in Russian nuclear infrastructure. Although part of these improvements could be considered ordinary maintenance, the scale, the rhythm and nature of the constructions reveal something deeper: a reaffirmation of Russian nuclear power as deterrence toolinfluence and survival before the decline of their conventional forces. Asipovichy base Asipovichy: The new nuclear enclave. The berous base of Asipovichywho has gained notoriety since Putin and Lukashenko They announced What Belarusia could house Russian nuclear weapons, now presents triple fence, camouflaged inputs, covered ramps for eye discharge and a hidden bunker between trees. Although there are still no indications of active presence of eyelets, the infrastructure is ready to receive them from major deposits, such as Briansk’s. A large platform and a new road suggest that rail transport It would be the chosen logistics medium, in coherence with Russian standard procedures. In addition, a Second complex In the same city shows mobile pitchers from Iskander missilescapable of carrying nuclear heads, housed in recently enlarged hangars, which reinforces the idea of a fully functional tactical node. Gadzhiyevo base Gadzhiyevo: Intercontinental missile hiding place. To the north, in the naval base of Gadzhiyevonear the Arctic, the images show an intense activity in the mountainous complex where nuclear weapons are stored For strategic submarines. Previous photographs had already captured the raid of eyelets next to specialized cranes, and the new constructions seem to be hangars or workshops for missiles not yet armed. A few kilometers, the Russian nuclear ballistic submarines of the northern fleet They expect cargoes In specially equipped springs, remembering that from this enclave attacks capable of devastating entire cities in minutes can be launched. Kaliningrad base Kaliningrad: The undercover arsenal. In the Russian enclave of Kaliningradbetween Poland and Lithuania, a deposit with multiple levels of fence has aroused for years the Analysts’ suspicions as potential tactical nuclear weapons center. The last Images confirm reforms in buried bunkers and the appearance of new structures, such as a small building identical to another in Asipovichywhose function is still not clarified. A few kilometers, a nuclear maintenance unit Inherited from the Soviet era, it gives even more weight to the hypothesis of an active storage of nuclear weapons, reinforcing the latent threat in one of the most sensitive areas of the NATO eastern flank. Kamchatka base Kamchatka: Latent threat to Alaska. On the other side of Eurasia, the remote Kamchatka Peninsulain front of Alaska, hosts facilities for the deployment of the Poseidon nuclear torpedoa weapon propelled for atomic energy capable of traveling thousands of kilometers under the sea before detonating. Although it is not clear if it is operational, the Recent constructions In this base (among them Two new buildings possibly used as ojas stores) indicate a sustained advance in their preparation. The architectural similarity with other nuclear bases and the presence of triple fences in some structures reinforce the idea that atomic weapons or their launch systems are also housed here. Novaya Zemlya: Risen test base. Finally, in the Arctic Archipelago of Novaya Zemlyahistorical Nuclear Test Center of the Soviet Union and scenario of the detonation of The TSAR pumpthe images capture a remarkable Base expansion Severny support. New buildings and tunnels excavated in the mountain, along with old sealed accesses, suggest a revitalization of the complex as Experimentation Center Subcritic or as a platform ready for an eventual resumption of nuclear tests. Although Moscow and Washington maintain a similar policy of keeping these places operational without rehearsing high -performance weapons, the intensification of work in Novaya Zemlya fems fears about the possible return of active essays. The rebirth of a career. The simultaneous modernization of These five basessome completely new (distributed between the Baltic, the Arctic, the heart of Belarus and the Pacific Coast), illustrates how Moscow is reconstructing its strategic position under the pressure of A prolonged war In Ukraine and deterioration of its power conventional. With an estimated active arsenal in 4,300 eyeletsthe major in the world, Russia is more and more relied on in its nuclear heritage as a shield and sword before NATO and the United States. While and how We have countedWashington continues with its own program of renewal of the nuclear tripod, and China increases discreetly his Atomic capacitythus configuring a global scenario where nuclear balance becomes the axis of deterrence, threat and strategic survival. Image | Google Earth, Planet Labs In Xataka | The largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine. But Russia has taken it, and space has revealed its intentions In Xataka | We already know a hole that Russia has left in Ukraine: the Chernobil shield is still open and there is no money to close it

His name is KH-101, he multiplied in the air and Russia has thrown him against civilians

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The Spiderweb Operation On Russian air bases he revealed that Moscow’s bombers were ready and armed with KH-101 cruise missiles For an imminent offensive. We talk about an intercontinental gun, which allows them to attack objectives throughout the Ukrainian territory without abandoning Russian airspace. Empharged with pools, electronic countermeasures and 400 kilos, these missiles have become one of the pillars of the Russian offensive. Moscow ended them “vitamin” and has signed up directly to civilians. Cluster head. He Russian attack of July 11 against the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi has confirmed the operational use of a variant of the KH-101 cruise missile equipped with A cluster headmarking a dangerous evolution in the use of Russian strategic armament. In the images filmed From an apartment During the attack, a missile is observed descending at acute angle followed by multiple successive explosions, typical characteristics of a submunition load. The impact left two deadfourteen injured and considerable damage in civil infrastructure, including residential and administrative buildings, as well as vehicles. The most alarming thing is that the target was at scarce kilometers from RomaniaNATO Member State, which underlines the growing closeness of Russian attacks to the borders of the Atlantic Alliance. KH-101: Now more expansive. He KH-101known by NATO as AS-23a Kodiak, is a cruise missile launched from the air, developed by Russia for long-range attack missions with low detection profile. In service since the early 2010 and tested previously in Syriahas a range that can exceed 4,000 kilometers. Launched from Strategic bombers TU-95ms or TU-160, has been used extensively Since the beginning of large -scale invasion in 2022, mainly against energy infrastructures and Ukrainian military objectives. The recently used version, equipped with a cluster head, represents a significant change in The operational doctrinenow oriented towards attacks on urban areas or distributed whites, such as aerial defenses, landing tracks, deposits or vehicle groups. The KH-101 Submunitions and implications. The cluster ammunition They disperse dozens or even hundreds of small pumps or “bombings” over a wide area, increasing the surface of destruction, but also the long -term risk. Many of these submunitions do not detonate when impacting and remain active, representing a Mortal threat for years for the civilian population. Although the use of these weapons It is prohibited by the Convention on Munitions in Racimoneither Russia nor Ukraine have signed the treaty, which allows their employment No legal consequences direct, although in open contradiction with international humanitarian law. The use of a version of the KH-101 with these characteristics about a densely populated city confirms a deliberate will to increase the psychological and human impact of bombings. Adaptations and technical evolution. It is not the first time that modifications are observed in the KH-101 during the war. I know They had documented versions with double explosive load, combining a conventional eye with a fragmentation, as well as equipped variants With infrared flares and electronic countermeasures designed to evade aerial defense. Some of these configurations reduce the range of the missile due to the greater weight or lower fuel capacity, although this factor is not relevant when whites are within Ukraine. The Appearance in 2024 of remains of a modified war head had already suggested the use of this version with submunitions, and its existence was subsequently confirmed by Russian military sources and specialized channels linked to the Kremlin, which highlighted its usefulness against distributed objectives that until then were difficult to achieve effectively. KH-101 missiles under the wings of a TUPOLEV TU-95 Chernivtsi: The symbolic border of the conflict. The fact that the missile was used against Chernivtsia city of the West of Ukraine located just 30 kilometers from Romania raises the strategic dimension of the incident. Not only is it the use of a long -range weapon and high cost against a civil objective, but also the implicit message that Russia launches when we place these attacks next to the NATO borders. No doubt: although the KH-101 has been used frequently during the war, its adaptation to carry submunitions and its use in areas so close to allied territory constitutes a form of Psychological pressure and geopolitics difficult to ignore. Mass production It is the last leg to analyze: the Russian capacity to sustain and even increase the production of KH-101 despite international sanctions. In the beginning, about 56 units were manufactured a year, however, in 2024 Russia has managed to climb production 50 missiles per monthwith plans to exceed 600 in 2025. This increase has been achieved through the use of components Imported from China and a network of screen companies to avoid the technological restrictions imposed by the West. In other words, Kremlin not only maintains its strategic offensive capacity, but also expands it, incorporating new technological improvements and variants adapted to the theater of operations. Growing threat. In short, the appearance of KH-101 with cluster head in the Ukrainian conflict indicates a doctrinal evolution in the way Russia uses its precision arsenal. Although before They were reserved These missiles to attack critical infrastructure, their use against residential areas and with a type of prohibited load For much of the international community, it suggests an oriented strategy to brutal deterrenceterror and saturation of defenses. The precedent also opens the door to future similar attacks, and highlights the urgency of strengthening air defense systems in western Ukraine and in border areas with NATO countries. The KH-101 is no longer just a precision missile: now it is A versatile platformadapted for multiple functions, and whose presence represents a direct, even symbolic threat, for the stability of the European eastern flank. Image | UKRAINIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, VSLV, Dmitry Terekhov In Xataka | Russian Shahed drones were the deadliest weapon in Ukraine. Now they are the anticipation of something much worse: the double impact In Xataka | Machines capturing and prisoners were the preserve of science fiction. Until the war in Ukraine arrived

Russia has a truck with a hunting turboreactor to clean its tanks

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The Soviet Union is fertile terrain for science fiction dystopias. Both the Communist architecture that hugged brutalism Like your weapons They keep calling attention. The Cold war It was a time when the USSR was characterized by Develop revolutionary armament and for creating huge vehicles such as the Ekranoplan (that China wants to rescue) or the rocket transport. And what they could take advantage of, took advantage of it. The best example was a monstrous truck to which they hit a hunting turboreactor and that allocated to the chemical war. The best? Now Russia uses it to wash its tanks and ships. Recycling. Striking combat fighters there are lots, but one that attracts attention is the MIG-17. The reason is that it seems that Morro is missing, which gives a very curious presence to hunting. Another of its differentiating aspects was the TURBOJET KILMOV VK-1a derivative of the British engine Rolls-Royce Nene that allowed the MIG-17 to reach Mach 1 speeds. He made his first flight in January 1950, but for the 60s, the Soviet development had advanced with the MIG-19 and the mythical MIG-21. These new fighters did not assemble the VK-1 turbojet, which was used exclusively in the MIG-15MIG-17 and in the IL-28 bomberwhich left the Soviets with a lot of engines for scrapping. “Nothing is thrown here,” they had to think, and they were devised to create something quite crazy. TMS-65U. Although modern chemical weapons began to be used in large quantities during the First and Second World Warin the Cold War they lived A terrifying expansion. As these weapons were developed, countermeasures were investigated to decontaminate. And that’s when Soviet engineers were lit the bulb. They took a Ural 375 6×6a huge military truck with six wheels that can circulate on any land and that has great resistance and load capacity, and set up a 900-liter deposit in the rear, as well as a turret in which they embedded one of the VK-1 turboreactors. The photos of the result are of science fiction and could have left the Videogame ‘Red Alert’ perfectly. Your name? TMS-65U. That is: look at the size of that thing Decontaminant. And the idea was not bad. The reaction engine can generate a good stream of both heat and air, but by modifying to expel vaporized liquid, a very potent gauge of gas is achieved at a large temperature. And its operation was simple: turbojet generates that burst of hot air and a nozzle throws that decontaminating fluid. The huge engine power spray that liquid and the turret allows the operator to point directly wherever. In the context of the Cold War, it had all the meaning to decontaminate other vehicles such as tanks, transport, airplanes or ships, since the reach of the turret is considerable, but the funny thing is that it continues to be used today. Turbokarker. That jet at hot air and decontaminating agent is a great mixture because detoxifies while decontamin (thanks to heat) Chemical and biological agents that may be attached to the surface of the vehicles, being a faster and more efficient way than manual scrubbing for this type of tasks. Is Like a karcherbut vitamin, which can also be used to decontaminate areas. The problem is that it consumes a lot of fuel and, if you do not sign up, you can disperse vaporized chemical contaminants in the area. In this video you can see working: Turbomultiusos. Now, it would be a waste to use a turboreactor just to clean and, as we have already said, the Soviet era takes advantage (although the Ukraine War that arsenal is being carried ahead inherited). And the TMS-65U serves much more than to decontaminate vehicles. A example It is its function on the battlefield deploying dense smoke curtains to allow moving allied units without the enemy being able to see them. Here is deploying a smoke curtain Long life to VK-1. And apart from the uses of TMS-65U, which is worth mentioning is the very long life that VK-1 turbojets are having. For example, they are used to Clean debris On the aircraft carrier track such as the Kuznetsov, as if it were a huge blower, but also to clean the snow that affects the takeoff of commercial airplanes. And, well, for reuse the turbojets … we can also mention the train that I went to 250 km/h in the 70 thanks to them. It is evident that it is very exaggerated to mount a turboreactor in a truck to be a giant blower, but it is also clear that, although this creation is 60 years after its back (plus the more than 80 that has the own engine on which it is based), if something works, do not touch it. Images | VITALY V. KUZMIN, A thousand.ru In Xataka | Russian Shahed drones were the deadliest weapon in Ukraine. Now they are the anticipation of something much worse: the double impact

Russia is using a tactic that clashes with war codes. It is called a double impact, and after the drones the worst comes

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In 2025 we have seen changes and adaptations in the offensives of Moscow. Shahed drones have continued to be The spearhead of the invasion, but to them have joined other tactics that from kyiv have been denounced as “implacable”, such as that undetectable sabotage bomb through the mobiles of LUkrainian teenagers. The latest: “double impact” offensives. Calculated terror. In recent months, Ukraine has witnessed the intensification of A Russian tactic particularly brutal: the calls “Double-Tap” attacks or double impact, a strategy that consists in attacking a certain area (frequently a civil objective) and hitting the same place after the arrival of emergency equipment, volunteers and medical staff. This technique, described by the United Nations as “Ruthless”, or ruthlessis being observed on multiple fronts by Air Defenders and Ukrainian lifeguards, who relate How drones are initially used to inflict damage, and minutes later, cruise missiles fall on the same objective when there are already rescue personnel in the place. Relentless. The result not only multiplies the victims, but also seeks to break the morals and paralyze the response capacity of the Ukrainian authorities. According to testimoniesthis form of attack has been used near Kyiv, Bila Tserkva, Járkiv and Jersón, with registered impacts on recreational, residential or strategic infrastructure. Adaptation to the stage. The doctrine behind these attacks It is not new. Russia already She was accused to use the same technique during his Intervention in Syriain support of the Bashar Al-Vasad regime. What makes the difference in Ukraine is the combination of drones and missileswhere the former act as baits or advanced that attract lifeguards, and the latter ensure total devastation. Oleksiy, subcomandante of a Ukrainian mobile air defense unit, He describes it as an intentional use of multiple weapons “to intimidate the population” and neutralize any immediate response capacity. While some cases have involved only drones, others have combined the two vectors with lethal efficacy, as evidenced in a Attack on a complex Recreational near Kyiv in June, where the second explosion hit just when emergency teams tried to contain the fire. Moscow’s silence. For its part, Russia has not responded to requests for information on these incidents, and their Ministry of Defense He has sent to general statements of the exterior spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova. Meanwhile, surveillance images and testimonies on the ground seem to confirm the existence of a recurring pattern. An example provides it A shared recording From the outskirts of Kyiv, where the buzz of a drone is heard followed by an explosion, just when rescue personnel were in the area. Although the total frequency of this type of attacks is still difficult to estimate, the accumulation of cases suggests that they are not accidental, but part of a systematic strategy. Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War They have affirmed that the Russian forces “are most likely pointing intentionally against Ukrainian civilians and lifeguards”, in an effort for demoralize and paralyze The institutional response. Defensive situation. This trend coincides with a General deterioration of the Ukrainian defensive panorama, aggravated by the Temporary suspension of critical armament deliveries by of the United Statesincluding anti -aircraft ammunition and other essential equipment. The decision, adopted within the framework of the policy of containment of American strategic reserves under the presidency of Trump, could have serious consequences for Ukraine’s ability to defend its cities and positions on the front before the Russian offensive. Last week, Moscow launched about 550 ammunition In a single night against Ukrainian territory, a reflection of an increasingly intense air campaign. The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine He has warned That any delay in western support will only be emboldened to Kremlin, while experts warn that lack of backup will accelerate advances Russians on the ground. Under fire resilience. It We have counted: In this context of vulnerability, Ukrainian President Zelenski has held conversations with his American counterpart to try to restore air defense shipments, declaring that both countries “will work together to reinforce the protection of our skies.” However, uncertainty persists, and every day without elevation The risks of collapse defensive in certain regions. Meanwhile, the international community observes with concern the use of prohibited tactics or morally reprehensible by Russia, including attacks on civil areas seconded by A second lethal blow. Beyond the battlefield, these methods question the commitment of the international order to humanitarian law, and demand an answer before the exceptional becomes a norm. Image | Picryl In Xataka | Machines capturing and prisoners were the preserve of science fiction. Until the war in Ukraine arrived In Xataka | We were accustomed to seeing strange things in Ukraine, but this is different: ships and bombers with no one behind the wheel

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