Russia

If something did not need the Ukraine War it was to enliven the conflict in an occupied nuclear power plant. Russia thinks different

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The paradox of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe is that it has been closed for three years and everyone wants to “open.” Without going far, the United States was the last nation to hint that it would be delighted to restart her. The problem is that it is in Ukraine, although Taken by Russiaand in the middle of a war whose end does not stick. Moscow knows that he has an energy pressure tool, but some satellite images have revealed much more. The space betrays. The story took this week The New York Times. Through new satellite images analyzed by Greenpeace and verified by the American environment, it has been revealed that Russia is building more than 80 kilometers of electric lines in the south busy of Ukraine with the aim of connecting the Zaporiyia nuclear plant to its own energy network. Covert reopening. This maneuver, until now without Russian official confirmation, represents the clearest signal until the intention of Moscow’s intention to reactivate and exploit the largest central in Europe, forcibly in the first bars of the invasion. Although its six reactors were gradually turned off (the last in 2023) for security reasons and due to nearby fightingRussia seems determined to return it to operationchallenging the warnings of international experts that consider that operating it under these conditions would be a nuclear risk first order. The Russian Plan seeks surround the current damage In the old 750 kilowol lines that connected the central with the Ukrainian network, two of which are going through areas under Kyiv control, and two others that have been useless or deteriorated by the war. Unprecedented use. If specified, this would be the First time in history in that a power at war restarts and uses an occupied nuclear plant for its own energy benefit. Russia, through the state Rosatom, has openly shown Your ambition: its general director He said recently that the dream of reactivating Zaporiyia is still alive and that there is already a technical plan to return the plant to full capacity. The Russian intention does not seem to maintain territorial control of the complex, but to integrate it directly into the national electricity network, possibly and According to the Timesconnecting it with the Russian region of Rostov, which would require even more infrastructure. As we said at the beginning, the United States proposed a peace plan that included the return of the plant to Ukraine under international management (specifically American), In an attempt to avoid its use as a geopolitical tool. Russia He rejected sharply said option. Various risks. No doubt, we don’t talk about simply pressing the “ignition” button. In fact, the possibility of reactivating the central has awakened alarms Among nuclear experts. Since his shot, much of the Ukrainian technical staff has fled, leaving the plant No qualified operators. In addition, the Kajovka dam hole months ago (widely attributed to Russia), it eliminated the main source of water from the reactor refrigeration system and spent fuel, raising thermal and fusion risks in case of a failure. For its part, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine He warned that any Russian unilateral attempt to restart reactors could have unpredictable consequences. To all this is added The possibility of sabotage, military attacks or operational failures in a plant already located in an active combat zone. The consequences of a nuclear escape would not be limited to the region: the impact on the environment, human health and the energy stability of Europe would be unpredictable (and possibly devastating). A high voltage piece. As we have coming countingthe status of the Zaporiyia plant has become a power sheet in the peace negotiations. While Russia progresses (slowly) in her Technical reconnectionThe United States and its allies press to include their status in the terms of any future solution. The satellite images Recent, which reveal transmission lines advancing near the town of Shevchenko and towards a key substation linked to the complex, confirm that Moscow not only wants to retain control, but to turn the plant into a Active source of energy for your network. If you want also, snapshots from space reveal a deeper strategy: to consolidate the economic and energy control of the territories occupied as part of a Possible post -stroke. However, any attempt by Moscow to reactivate the plant without international consensus not only defies the rules of war law, but also brings us an unpublished threshold of nuclear insecurity. Image | Planet Labs, Via Greenpeace In Xataka | The largest nuclear power plant in Europe has been closed by the war in Ukraine. Now the United States wants to reopen 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

Russia has made its combat drones fly higher. Ukraine has found the solution in North Korea: balloons

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The war in Ukraine has raised drones as Great actors of the contest, and the nation itself as one of the Referents in the industry. However, Russia has not stayed to the saga. In fact, the air conflict has entered into a new critical phase marked by the technical evolution of Moscow’s attack drones. Ukraine’s response to support his unmanned army has found it in a simple tactic that has used North Korea With its “neighbors”, and vice versa: hot air balloons. The new threat. As we said, the air battle is being reinforced on the Russian side with the use of drones that fly faster and higher That ever, which makes them more and more difficult to intercept with the current resources of Ukrainian defensive units. Oleksiy, subcomandante of a mobile air defense unit of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine, revealed over the weekend In Insider that traditional trucks equipped with mounted machine guns are no longer effective against these objectives, especially when drones fly more than 2,400 meters altitude, outside the reach of .50 caliber as The m2 browning They usually use these missions. Evolution of Shad-136. Already We have spoken previously of this model. The main weapon in the Russian aerial offensive is still The Shahed-136a Kamikaze drone of Iranian origin that Moscow manufactures locally. Originally designed to fly more than 185 km/h with an explosive load of about 40 kg, the models represented a cheaper weapon than cruise missiles, which allowed Russia to display them in mass attacks. However, Moscow has begun to use A modified version of the Shahed, an equipped with a more powerful engine capable of reaching speeds greater than 290 km/h, and also carries an explosive load more than double the initial. According to Oleksiythis improvement in speed and destructive capacity complicates defense work, and although conventional models are still used, their threat has increased significantly. Decoys and saturation. Another tactic that is making a dent is the systematic use of Drones Lego Without explosive load, whose objective is not to damage directly, but exhaust resources Ukrainian air defense. These devices accurately imitate armed drones and force defensive units to spend ammunition or missiles in false whites. In addition, they can carry out long -distance recognition missions, expanding Russian intelligence capacity. The result is a Systems overload of surveillance and a decrease in interception rates, since mobile units can only observe and report, without effective means of immediate response to drones to great altitude. The challenge of altitude. Drones used to fly at low level to avoid radars, but now they do it at heights that exceed the response capacity of mobile machine guns, becoming unattainable objectives. According to Oleksiythe solution involves reinforcing these units with portable air defense systems, acquaintances Like manpads (Man-supply Air Defense Systems), such as FIM-92 Stinger Americans or the old 9k38 Igla Soviet, designed to intercept low altitude aircraft, but effective against drones in certain circumstances. The problem, however, It is double: There is a shortage of these systems and not all operators have been trained to use them efficiently. Balloons appear. And suddenly, Ukraine has begun to use A tactic that We have been Seeing in The “Korea”: The use of hot air balloons, although in this case with a variable. In an increasingly defined conflict by aerial domain and intensive use of drones, the Ukrainian nation is betting on that ingenious low -cost solution and high efficiency to overcome the communication challenges posed by the modern battlefield: captive balloons full of helium, but equipped With radio repeaters. This unexpected tool comes from Aerobavovnaa Ukrainian startup founded in 2024 that has managed to significantly reinforce the operational capacity of drones (both terrestrial and aerial) extend your scope and keep the signals stable in saturated environments by interferences and topographic obstacles. How they work and what they solve. The system is so simple as revolutionary: Balloons anchored to the ground, made of light polymers and capable of rising up to a kilometer high, carry antennas and repeaters that act as aerial bridges for communication between operators and drones. This allows to overcome one of the most common problems of the use of drones in mountainous or urban areas: the loss of direct vision linethat interrupts the signal and returns useless to the device. According to The founder explained to Insider From Aerobavvna, Yuriy Vysooven, the problem is especially critical for terrestrial drones, whose point -to -point signal does not exceed the first hill. With balloons, operators can maintain control even in hostile environments, expanding the effectiveness of recognition, attack and surveillance missions. Agile display and evolution. Although the use of aerostatos is not new, Aerobavovna has redesigned its application military for the demands of the Ukrainian front. Its current models can be deployed in just five minutes (twenty -five in adverse conditions) and remain in the air up to seven consecutive days, with a payload of up to 25 kg. This capacity allows not only to transmit control signals for FPV drones, but also operate from A high position no need for towers or fixed infrastructure. The company has even developed an advanced version that can transport up to 30 kg of load, which opens the door to the use of more powerful electronic war systems from the air, without compromising mobility or speed of deployment. The challenges: precision and stability. No doubt, despite its success in the field, Aerobavovna It faces important technical difficulties, mainly related to aerostate stability in suction conditions. The accuracy in the orientation of the antennas is critical for the transmission of FPV signals, and any un controlled movement can compromise the entire operation. Air turbulence negatively affects the exact positioning of repeaters, which must be kept motionless and perfectly aligned so that the signal does not degrade or lose. This converts system stability into A priority challengeespecially when capabilities with heavier loads are extended. The production problem. It is the last great “but” of the invention. Currently, Aerobavvna produces … Read more

Russia opened her prisons to fight in Ukraine. The problem is that they are returning free … and they were convicted murderers

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In the month of January several data and figures of the war in Ukraine were known through the Institute for the Study of War. We already knew that among the many paradoxes that the conflict threw, one of them had to do with The economic “value” that he had a Russian soldier in his native country. However, then another reality was also revealed: Moscow’s casualties on the front led the Kremlin to implement drastic strategies to fill their ranks, opening the door of their prisons To recruit criminals of all fur. The problem has arrived months later, when many of those soldiers are returning home. Return murderers. I told it a few days ago in Exclusive Washington Post. As we said, the war in Ukraine opened a Unusual and disturbing door: convict criminals, even murderers and rapists, could obtain forgiveness of the State If they agreed to fight in the front. This macabre pact has now resulted in a new wave of violence in the interior of the country, fed by veterans and former inmates who, after surviving the war, return home as free men and, in many cases, returning to crime. Real examples. In The report There were tremendous stories like Yekaterina Polyanskayamurdered with a knife by its ex -husband in an Achinsk park, Siberia. Shortly before, the man had also killed his new partner. This was only one of the numerous cases that have shaken communities that fear to see how their worst executioners escape from punishment under a war medal. In a dystopian turn of events, his aggressor, Kirill Cheplygin, currently arrested, has requested Go back to the forehead To avoid their conviction, and the neighbors, terrified, have started a campaign to prevent their possible return. It is not an isolated case: other criminals have followed that way, some so monstrous like Nikolai Ogolobyakconvicted By cannibalism and murderor Viktor Savvinov, who, after being pardoned by fighting, killed brutally to two more peopleincluding a decorated teacher. The pattern is repeated: atrocious crimes, a brief step by prison, armed redemption in the front and, for many, definitive impunity. Between war heroes and predators. In the background, a story that We already count in the month of January and that the New York Times published Exclusive: Russian authorities promoted this policy with patriotic rhetoric and institutional fatalism. According to Kremlin, shedding blood on the battlefield can even redeem the cruelest of criminals. In fact, They counted the reports that the official press portrays them as a new heroic elite, and the Censorship Law prevents openly criticizing to those who have fought in the so -called “special military operation”. However, in the streets, especially in rural or peripheral communities, imposes fear. Families of victims live knowing that the murderers of their daughters, mothers or neighbors could Return armedproud and without control. Cases like Oksana Pekhtelevawhose daughter was murdered with sadism by her ex -boyfriend and tortured for hours without the police intervened, she learned by the press that the man had been released and sent to the front. Today he doesn’t know where he is, or if he will return. An arbitrariness that breaks any possibility of justice. Plus: citizen protests run into a wall of Institutional indifferencewhile the crimes accumulate in those margins of the heroism officialized. Brutality and abandonment. Within the Russian army itself, violence is not only against the enemy. According to The reports With which the post has been made, there are dozens of documents that describe commanders who “cancel” their own soldiers by sending them to suicidal missions, punishing them in cages, burying them alive or hitting them. In total psychological support, structural brutality has transformed thousands of men In human bombs ready to explode. To all this we must add another “bad” of wars: Alcoholism has shotwith record figures for consumption after the invasion of Ukraine, and the crime rates They have reached levels not seen for a decade. He Washington Post counted Cases such as Danil Akhipov, who fled from the country after flying their hand and defecting, which describe a front where superiors treat soldiers as cannon flesh and human life is not worth much. AkHipov explained to the environment that, of every fifteen men in his assault unit, Only three survived to each operation. The result: a dehumanized army, full of combatants With posttraumatic stressaccustomed to killing and now reintegrated into society without supervision or purpose. No exit for victims. Meanwhile, the Legal and political framework Russia seems to reinforce this spiral of impunity. The law, as we said, consecrates forgiveness as a reward for combat, without evaluating the risk of freeing certain individuals. Neither multiple sexual crimes nor particularly sadistic murders prevent access to this kind of “war pardon.” Ukraine too approved a law A year ago, it allows “minor” criminals to fight, but those convicted of murders, sexual crimes or violations of national security laws are prohibited from doing so. In addition, the victims and their relatives are not informed in Russia, nor do they have access to legal resources to oppose, and in many cases they do not even know that their aggressors were released until It’s too late. The political elite, armored by institutional machinery, ignores citizens’ requests. For many, to live in the same city or town that who killed his mother or daughter is a daily hell. And yet there is no legal tools To protect them. Trauma mirror without justice. The documents and the experiences collected For the Times and The post They reflect a reality that has surely been repeated in all wars and conflicts of the last centuries. In the case of Russia it is not only a consequence of the armed conflict, but the consolidation of a model that sacrifices justice, security and truth in favor of a warmongering rhetoric that makes criminals patriots. Because of its proximity, the parallels with the return of traumatized veterans after Afghanistan in the 80s serve as warning, but the difference is that today impunity … Read more

A power in nuclear energy is emerging as the best alternative to Russia and China for the West: South Korea

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Russia and China are indisputably two powers in nuclear energy. So are USA, France and other western alignment countries. Although these states have a bulky nuclear plant park which really places them at the forefront is Your ability to develop new technologiesand in this area the most promising reactors are The fourth generation. Russia and China already have at least A reactor of this type in operationand the US, France, India, Canada or Japan are some of the countries that plan to have them in the future. However, there is a power in nuclear energy that often goes unnoticed. We all know that South Korea has a lot of weight in semiconductor industries, consumer electron Nuclear energy as a strategic pillar Not only within its mix of electricity generation, but also as an engine of innovation and export. South Korea is the most consistent alternative to China and Russia Currently South Korea has 26 Nuclear reactors in operation with an approximate total capacity of 25.7 GWE. This infrastructure contributes to its Mix with 30% of electricity, although the commitment of this Asian country for nuclear energy does not end here. And it is that between 2026 and 2033 the construction of four more reactors will conclude that will have a power of 1,340 MWE each of them, so the total installed power in this country within less than a decade will exceed 30 GWE. Its APR-1400 reactors incorporate passive security systems that allow them to compete from you with the machines exported by Russia, China or the USA In any case, as I have anticipated a few lines above, which has placed South Korea to the avant -garde and has positioned this country as One of the largest exporters in the nuclear sector It is your ability to develop your own technologies. Their APR-1400 reactors incorporate passive security systems that allow them to compete from you with the machines exported by Russia, China or the US. In fact, South Korea has already exported this reactor to the United Arab Emirates and is negotiating with the Czech Republic and Poland to sell their technology. On the other hand, this Asian country has also opted for fourth generation nuclear fission. Your smart reactor (System-Integrad Modular Advanced Reactor), what is An SMR type design (Compact modular reactor) is in the process of certification to be used in desalination and electricity generation facilities. It also prepares fourth generation reactors refrigerated by sodium, such as the machine outlined in the Kalimer project, although it is not yet clear when the first South Korean commercial reactor endorsed by this technology will come into operation. South Korea has a very ambitious plan: wants to capture at least Ten international contracts until 2030. His first project abroad has been Barakah’s nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, and It has been a success. As I mentioned a few lines above, Czech Republic and Poland are presumably will bet on South Korean reactors, but South Korea nuclear energy companies are also trying to take contracts in Egypt, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey and even in the United Kingdom. If only some of them get to fruition this Asian country will become a full competitor in the international market of China, Russia, France or the US. Image | Wikierati More information | Bloomberg In Xataka | Spanish nuclear have been criticized for their role in the blackout. This was what they did before, during and after collapse

Ukraine has turned drones into armed soldiers against Russia. It is no longer necessary to “sacrifice them” because they carry launched

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That the war in Ukraine has become the largest field of technologies and war artillery. out of any doubt. However, if you had to name a single protagonist, that would be the use of drones as “animals” of Combat for everything. The Ukrainian country, in fact, has become one of the Great industries of the planet in the sector developing many of the most advanced (and important, economic) prototypes to date. The latest: turn drones into authentic soldiers of the future holding launched in flight. Aerreo launches. As we said, Ukraine has reached a new mile With a launchersuch and As he revealed The Ukrainian company Wild Hornets, specialized in military technology. The images, disseminated by the company itself in Your telegram channelThey show what they describe as the “exclusive death” of a Russian soldier reached by one of these devices on the Novopavlivka front. The attack was carried out by the Bulava Unit of the separate presidential brigade, and they did it by adapting their drone “Queen of Hornets”(A heavy model usually designed for bombings) to carry and shoot a precision grooved from the air. The operation, in addition to having tactical success, served as proof of concept and exhibition of the modified design, whose stability when triggering resolved one of the main technical obstacles: the recoil. Mortal precision. After the videos and the exclusive, Diego RodríguezRecognition drone operator in the body of unmanned systems, He expressed his astonishment Because this technology has not been implemented before, underlining its technical superiority against Kamikaze drones. In the expert’s opinion, the throws from drones allow faster, accurate and silent attacks, since Granada rounds fly faster and more reaching, reducing the enemy’s reaction margin and exposure to electronic countermeasures. The reason? The drone can shoot, retreat and recharge, multiplying its usefulness Without losing unity In the attack. Faced with the traditional explosive drones that emit noise and give the enemy time to protect themselves, the granades projected from the air arrive almost instantaneously, making them impossible to dodge them. Without anticipation. Another expert, in this case Vadym Feshchenkoex grenadier converted in drone operator, stressed that this innovation completely alters the defensive habits of the enemy. Russian troops have learned to observe the movements of drones to anticipate when they will release their explosive load, but a drone that shoots in full flight eliminates that reaction window. Feshchenko also highlighted the weapons versatility employee, pointing out that some modern launch projectiles have the capacity to drill up to seven centimeters of armorwhich expands its applicability against fortified vehicles and positions. As these systems multiply, it is likely that the simple sound of a drone forces enemy soldiers to retire or hide, increasing the psychological and tactical impact of the device, also as a deterrence In full fray. From standard prototype. That said, what we see is an evolution. In September 2024 already Videos circulated of tests where Ukrainian FPV drones carried RPG-18 launches. While then rudimentary prototypes were considered, their possibilities were already evident. As counted in Ukrainian media, a collateral advantage of this system is Risk decrease For technicians and engineers who must manually assemble kamikaze drones, exposing themselves to injuries that are rarely made public. In this regard, the partial automation that allows an armed and reusable drone represents a step forward in terms of operational security. Adaptive Engineering They remembered in Insider That although the first use in combat has been attributed to Ukraine, the idea of ​​mounting launched in drones had already been proposed in 2021 through the Display Belarusian Design Cabinet during a Russian military exhibition. The most complex technical challenge was drone stability When shooting, since most quadcopters are too light to support the backward. However, The “Queen of Hornets”due to its size and reinforced design, it seems to have resolved this obstacle: in the Video widespreadno instability is observed after the shot. In parallel, Ukrainian engineers have managed to convert even agricultural drones such as the DJI AGRAS T30 (originally designed for fumigation) on attack platforms, equipping them with PKM machine guns and launched Bullspike-Atcapable of attacking tanks, self -propelled artillery and fortified positions. A radical transformation. As we told at the beginning, the war in Ukraine is changing many of the war concepts that were in the battles of the past. But above any other actor, the introduction Drone successnow even shooting grenades from airmarks a before and after in the development of the technological war. While traditional artillery and heavy weapons continue to play an important role, the miniaturization of fire power and its integration into reusable and precise drones represents a strategic advance that combines efficiency, lethality and operational economy. The question now is not whether this technology will be extended, but rather how fast Ukraine can produce it in mass and how Russia will respond to a threat that becomes increasingly silent, unpredictable and difficult to stop. Image | Army Inform In Xataka | The last and surprising tactic of Ukraine to avoid the Russian drones: hide their tanks and artillery underground In Xataka | The last tactic of Ukraine is a drone that seeks to catch him. When Russia opens it displays its threat: a virus

Ukraine has captured the new cruise missile of Russia. His surprise has been capitalized when he opened it: the “allies” did so

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November 2024. The Ukrainian forces “hunted” a Russian non -manned plane from the rest, a lure drone prepared to deceive and saturate enemy anti -aircraft defenses simulating radar signals. That day, the surprise was not so much to have captured an “specimen” of the called Parody. The true surprise was given when opening and discovering Who had built That “Russian” machine. Interestingly, the same thing has happened now with the last missile in the conflict. Moscow did not do it, the United States and a group of allies did. The “Russian” Banderol missile. Ukraine has recently revealed the operation of the S8000 Bnderola new Russian cruise missile developed by the Krnstadt company (known for its drones) that has already been deployed in combat and represents a significant evolution in the Kremlin’s long -range attack strategy. According to the Ukrainian military intelligence (Gur), this missile is launched from non -traditional platforms such as Orion drones (similar in size to MQ-1 Predator American) and its adaptation to attack helicopters is expected Mi-28n. Bnderol is driven by a small reaction engineit has retractable wings, it reaches speeds of 500 km/Hy can cover a distance of up to 500 kilometers with A 110 kilos eye. Its superior maneuverability suggests that it has been designed to evade anti -aircraft defenses, which makes it a weapon of great tactical value. Made in Allies. The interesting thing is that the Gur has achieved Examine several Banderol missiles in good condition after being demolished or recovered their remains. His technical analysis revealed a pattern that is increasingly common: the Russian total dependence on foreign componentseven for its most recent developments. In other words, missile dissection reveals an amalgam of components of supposedly allied countries (and not so much) of Ukraine. Dissection of the missile. Namely: The SW800PRO engine (manufactured by the Chinese company Swiwin and accessible on platforms Like Aliexpress) drives the missile, while the RFD900X telemetry module points to Australia. To this are added batteries of Murata (Japan), Servomecanismos Dynamixel MX-64ar of Robotis (South Korea) and an inertial navigation system of possible Chinese origin. Also key, in each missile there are, according to the report, about twenty microchips manufactured mainly in the United Statesbut also in Switzerland, Japan, South Korea and China, many acquired through The chip and dipone of the largest electronics distributors in Russia, currently sanctioned. Infographic prepared by the GUR that shows the Banderol cruise missile and some of its components of foreign origin Evasion of sanctions. As we said at the beginning, the massive presence of western pieces in Russian weapons It is not new: similar components have already been found in drones such as S-70 okhotnik-bin planning bombs, and even in armament supplied By Iran and North Korea. In spite Recycled microelectronicsespecially with epicenter In China. Many of these components come from civil productswhich hinders your tracking. They counted Twz analysts That the Russian industry has been perfecting these evasion mechanisms, and the association of the semiconductor industry (SIA) already warned that, despite the efforts, there are “certain” actors that continue to obtain access to sensitive technology through deception maneuvers. Low cost and high range missile. As for the flag, it is not a high -end missile like the KH-69 (Which waves of up to 300 kilos), but represents a low cost solution, sufficient precision and medium reach, optimized for the current context of the conflict. The combination of its own motor, guided by inertial navigation and satellite correction, and systems against electronic interference They make it a key tool for saturation attacks or against sensitive objectives beyond the front line. Although it is not yet known if it can be reprogrammed in flight (it would be a valuable capacity for mobile or opportunity targets), its only existence already worries Ukraine, which has suffered great damage to the planning pumps UMPK and UMPBalthough the latter lack their own propulsion. Russia and alternative platforms. The fact that the flag is conceived to launch from drones or helicopters is an operational innovation in Russian doctrine. Not depending exclusively on strategic bombers or tactical fighters (frequent target of the Ukrainian air defense), Moscow can diversify your attack vectorsreduce risks and extend your ability to project remote force. This allows traditional aviation to be released for other roles while multiplying platforms capable of carrying out precision attacks. Plus: The concept is aligned with an emerging trend also in the United States: The fusion between Light cruise missiles and effects of effects released from the air, cheaper, modular and adaptable to various missions. Strategic implications. In short, the appearance of the flag is significant not only for what it represents on the military plane, but also for what it reveals in terms of Technological dependencevulnerability of sanctions and tactical evolution systems. According to the Gurmore than 4,000 foreign components have been identified in 150 Russian weapons analyzed, which highlights a structural failure in international export controls. In other words: the war in Ukraine is molding the global arms industry and evidencing that modern conflicts are not only freed with tanks and airplanes, but also with microchips, algorithms and hidden parts in the heart of civil devices. Also something that has been sensed for centuries: in war, there are no “friends.” Image | Ukraine Intelligence, Gur In Xataka | The last and surprising tactic of Ukraine to avoid the Russian drones: hide their tanks and artillery underground In Xataka | The last tactic of Ukraine is a drone that seeks to catch him. When Russia opens it displays its threat: a virus

Now we know what the US Army did in Finland. Russia is expanding its troops on its border with Europe

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In April there was a paradox that we count. While Finland again became the “happier” nation From the planet, a United States army had reached its borders to prepare for “the worst.” Thus began a simulation where Finland’s defense forces and a Washington operation were trained together for a eventual invasion. If there was any questions about who the enemy was, Russia has just cleared it. Remove silent. I told it in Exclusive the Wall Street Journal supported by the satellite data that he had achieved. While much of international attention is still focused on war in Ukraine, Europe begins to worry to a series of strategic movements of the Russian army that, without making almost noise, are redefining the military balance of the continent. In the Russian city of Petrozavodsk, about 160 kilometers from the border with Finland, military engineers work on the expansion of bases and the creation of a new headquarters that will house tens of thousands of soldiers in the coming years, many of which today fight in Ukraine. These troops, according to Intelligence sources Western, they are not designed for the current war, but for future confrontations with NATO. Moscow has intensified recruitment, modernized rail infrastructure in border areas and duplicated its military budget, already exceeds 6% of GDP. President Putin has ordered that the size of the Russian armed forces increase until 1.5 million troopsand although publicly denies expansionist aspirations, its government continues to give contradictory signs, including official statements that affirm the need to prepare for a possible confrontation With the Atlantic Alliance. Rejuvenate the army. It is one of the consequences. The rebound of military spending has promoted an unprecedented acceleration in weapons production. Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia manufactured around 40 T-90m tanks a year. Now produce almost 300although many are not sent to the front, but are reserved in national territory. Artillery and ammunition production has also increased, and Russian drones have won in quality and volume. Thus, the Moscow army, far from collapse, is being reconfigured faster than most analysts had planned, with new units, equipment and a constant rotation of troops that allows to maintain pressure in Ukraine while other formations are prepared on Russian soil. In fact, some European intelligence services alert A “B” scenario: If a fire is achieved in Ukraine, Russia could be in a position to launch a large -scale war in Europe within five years, or even before if you perceive weakness in NATO cohesion. Tensions on the eastern flank. No doubt, Russian military strengthening has unleashed immediate reactions in Baltic and Poland countries, which have already Started to reinforce Its borders with ditches, antipersonnel mines and anti -tanks, the acquaintances as “dragon teeth”. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have abandoned international treaties on mines, and several governments consider plausible that Russia seeks to test the solidity of NATO through a limited incursion in a member state with Russian population, as Estonia. To this is added the concern caused by covert operations attributed to the Russian Intelligence Servicessuch as sabotage attempts and murders in Western Europe. Hence, many analysts warn that the Kremlin could bet on a lower provocation that fractures consensus within the alliance, especially if you perceive internal divisions or lack of coordinated response. Territorial strategy For its part, The Journal remembered that Putin has resorted to the historical legacy of the Russian military force (which beat Napoleon and Hitler) to justify the war in Ukraine and his ambition to recover influence on former allies who have leaned towards the West. The Russian government has reorganized its internal military structure creating new districts Around Moscow and St. Petersburg, and has increased logistics cooperation with Belarus, its main ally and basis of operations in the current war. In the Leningrad Military District, which borders Estonia, Latvia and Finland, medium -sized brigades are being transformed into divisions of up to 10,000 troopsand barracks, hospitals, warehouses and new railway routes are being built that connect with Norway, Finland and the south of St. Petersburg. Finland, who historically has tried to avoid tensions with Russia but is now part of NATO, Observe carefully The renewal of ancient border steps and the construction of railway headers that would allow the passage of mechanized forces, with direct implications for their national security. New social elite. Explained the medium that one of the pillars of this military reconstruction is the huge Increased recruitmentpowered by Financial incentives that in some cases exceed $ 20,000 to sign a contract. These sums far exceed Average annual income In many Russian regions, and have allowed a constant flow of new soldiers (between 30,000 and 40,000 per month According to estimates) that allows Russia to maintain its presence in Ukraine without exhausting its strategic reserve. Not just that. In addition, the medium exposed another measure that we have already counted a few weeks ago: veterans are receiving Extended benefitsas positions in local governments and seats in Parliament, consolidating the military estate as a New National Elite. The new recruits will be mostly intended for the units that are deployed at the border with NATO, and for them the new armament is reserved, while the Ukrainian front continues to receive reconditioned Soviet material. Russia’s next strategic military exercises, called Zapadthey will focus on these border regions, and they are expected to serve as a demonstration of force addressed to both NATO and internal public opinion. New power architecture. In summary, Russia is betting very strongly that her military resurgence, combined with a possible Western fatigue before the Ukrainian conflict, returns her back A seat in the table where new security rules in Europe are defined. Although figures like Trump They discard the possibility that Russia has ambitions beyond Ukraine, the facts Described in the Journal On land and warnings of multiple European intelligence agencies suggest otherwise. If you want also, Moscow seems to trust that an NATO divided, uncoordinated or weakened by internal conflicts will be forced to negotiate from a disadvantage … Read more

Russia plans to manufacture its own 28 Nm chips in 2030. It will continue to be light years from the US and its allies

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The relationship sustaining USA and Russia is disturbing. The interests of the administration led by Joe Biden They seemed hardly reconcilable with those of the Government of Vladimir Putin, but Donald Trump’s return to the White House The rules of the game have changed. It had been many years that the interests of Russia and the US were not as aligned as they seem to be now. At this situation it would not be strange for Trump -led administration to Advanced lithography equipment. At the moment it is only an elucubration, but in the current circumstances it is not a far -fetched possibility. Anyway Russia has a plan to reinforce your semiconductor industry and reduce their dependence on foreign technologies. In October 2024 the Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced that it will invest 2,540 million dollars until 2030 in the development of own photolithography machines that allow it to become independent of foreign powers. Within the framework of the Russian economy it is an important expense that in the medium term seeks to develop the ability to make chips of 28 nm. Russia says you are already making chips with its first UVE lithography team At the end of May Vasily Shpak, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Russian Federation, advertisement During the conference “Industrial Russia Digital Industry” that your country already has prepared its first team of extreme ultraviolet photolithography (UVE). In addition, Shpak confirmed that its construction is entirely Russian, and, more importantly, it also anticipated that this first UVE machine is capable of manufacturing integrated circuits of 350 nm. In 2026 Russia should have a prototype of UVE equipment capable of manufacturing 130 nm chips The really important thing is that Russia apparently already has the necessary technology to tuning these photolithography machines. From here their engineers and physicists can gradually refine their technology to make possible the production of more advanced integrated circuits. In fact, it is fair What the Russian government plans to do. And its itinerary establishes that in 2026 Russia should have a prototype of UVE lithography equipment capable of manufacturing 130 nm chips. And in 2028 another similar one trained to produce integrated 7 nm circuits. However, it is important that we do not overlook that this itinerary does not describe the moment in which Russia will acquire the ability to manufacture these large -scale integrated circuits. This will be the really relevant milestone. Whatever the Russian medium COMNEWS He has collected statements from Konstantin Trushkin, the deputy director of development of the MCST CPU Design Company, in which this engineer argues that Russia will have plants capable of producing large -scale integrated circuits of 28 Nm between 2028 and 2030. This purpose is credible, but by then presumably TSMC, Intel and Samsung will already have the capacity to manufacture in a massive way 1 Nm semiconductor. More information | COMNEWS In Xataka | China needs to develop a new type of immune chips to US sanctions. And their scientists have just achieved it

In 1914 Russia decided to prohibit vodka to stop alcoholism. It was a disastrous decision

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Exists A legend (not confirmed) that said that, when the final surrender of Nazi Germany was known in World War II, the jubilation with which it was held in the Soviet Union is counted as one of the drunkenness more epic in the history of ethyl celebrations. The myth did not stay there, since the story said the Victory Day It led to the closest to a “national alcoholic blackout”, leaving the nation Without vodka in just 24 hours. The truth is that, whether or not, it makes all the meaning of the world. They came from a prohibition that had resulted. An ancestral relationship. Counted in an extensive Report The Atlantic that the Russian inclination towards alcohol has religious and political roots. In 988, the Prince Vladimir chose orthodox Christianity in part for not prohibiting Alcohol consumption, unlike Islam. During the 16th century, Ivan the terrible established the first state taverns (the calls Kabaks) that they became Fiscal monopolies. In less than a century, a third of Russian men I was indebted With these drink houses. Already in the 18th century, Pedro the Great consolidated that institutional dependence: not only tolerated the alcoholism of his subjects, but punished wives They tried to get their husbands out of the taverns, and recruited ethyl debtors for the army. Arrived at the nineteenth century, the State obtained almost half of its income from the sale of vodka. Far from being an externality of the system, alcohol would be said that it became its collection engine. In this context, the Tsar was going to make a decision of Ajundia. Imperial abstinence. According to Timethe history of the Russian prohibition not only precedes the famous Dry American Lawbut it constitutes one of the most transcendental (and fatal) decisions of the Tsar Nicolás II. It happened in September 1914, when a few days after the death in combat of his cousin, the prince Oleg Romanovthe Tsar sent a telegram to his uncle Konstantin Konstantinovich announcing the definitive suppression of the state sale of vodka in Russia. That gesture, which apparently responded to a moral conviction and a personal loss, dismantled one of the pillars Economics of the Empire: For centuries, the State had maintained a lucrative monopoly on alcohol, generating up to a third of its income thanks to sales to the peasantry. When renouncing that source of financing just at the threshold of World War I, Nicolás not only unleashed a deep fiscal crisis, but also fragile social contract between the throne and its people. Nicolás II Catastrophic consequences. The problem was not only economic. The measure was adopted at a time when the empire tried Revict your prestige After the defeat in the Russian-Japanese war of 1905, where alcoholism among soldiers was indicated as a decisive factor of military collapse. Collective drunkenness during mobilizations and the front had been so notorious that even the Káiser Guillermo II He came to declare that in the next conflict he would win the nation that he least drank. Under that impulse, the ban seemed a strategic decision, aimed at disciplining the army and facilitating mobilization. And, indeed, Russia initially deploy troops quickly and obtain some early victories. However, the price was elevated: by suddenly depriving millions of people of their usual consumption in full war and without social compensation mechanisms, a deep resentment Between peasants, workers and soldiers, amplifying the distance between imperial power and masses. Logistic collapse The Tsar appointed the reformist Peter Bark as Minister of Finance with the difficult task of disconnecting the treasury of alcohol, but the budget vacuum became unsustainable. Given the loss of hundreds of millions of rubles, the solution was the most precarious: Print moneyaccelerating hyperinflation and eroding even more the economy of war. The fiction that national productivity had improved without vodka was sustained with falsified reports and grandiloquent statements, while citizens suffered the consequences of shortage and monetary depreciation. At the logistics level, chaos was equally shocking: the wagons that had to transport grain and supplies to the front were occupied by Aristocratic distillators That, prevented from selling within the country, tried to export their vodka to France, Japan or any port available, saturating the already weak Russian rail networks. From Tsarism to Bolshevism. Paradoxically, the prohibitionist policyborn within the Tsarist conservative regime, was one of the few who survived the tumultuous change of governments that Russia shook Between 1917 and 1924. Neither the provisional government nor Lenin’s Bolsheviks revoked the measure. The communist leader, in fact, defended it as a Ethical and ideological principlewarning that a socialism based on the sale of alcohol was a betrayal of the revolutionary ideal. During the civil war, discipline, sobriety and consumption control were seen as essential components of the new order. Of course, after Lenin’s deaththe logic of state benefit imposed once again: Stalin The monopoly reestablished of vodka (now decorated with the Hoz and the hammer), restoring the practices of the old empire under a new clothing ideological. In terms of fiscal consumption and profitability, the prohibitionist stage It was erased almost completely. Moral experiment. That’s how it ended A movement That did not go as expected, much less. Beyond its symbolism, the Russian prohibition embodies a singular case where a moral decision, taken from power, precipitated the collapse of a regime whole. Time told That, in the context of a devastating war, a broken economy and a desperate population, the elimination of one of the few social exhaust valves ended up exacerbating all the latent tensions of the system. The Zar tried to save the soul of the Russian people removing alcohol, but ended up losing the throne. Thus, the vodka veto not only marked the start of the end of The Romanovbut left a enduring lesson about the risks of moralizing governance in times of crisis. Now, that legend of the end of World War II and the greater ethyl celebration It charges all the meaning of the world, because, sometimes, drunkenness can be more … Read more

An US Army has reached the happiest country in the world. His immense border with Russia has changed the panorama of Finland

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Finland lives A paradox. The nation became for the eighth consecutive year in the happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report 2025 of the University of Oxford and the United Nations. However, and no matter how happy the lives of its citizens are, its geography has changed the geopolitical situation. While the country was crowned with such virtue, an United States army had come to prepare for “the worst.” Happiness. With an average score 7,736 out of 10the Nordic country maintained its leadership in a ranking based on the evaluation that people make of their own lives, through surveys that cover three years and measure subjective perception, social ties and trust. They accompany him in the top positions other nations of the North European Like Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, consolidating a pattern that highlights the virtues of strong social systems, access to nature, community cohesion and collective well -being as pillars of a satisfactory life. Harvard said that Finland’s persistent success was not noisy, nor depended on advertising campaigns, nor a national identity built on exceptionality. Rather, rather, on a Silent and robust balance between nature, social protection, free time, daily civism and an extended perception of security and mutual trust. Almost the same could be said of the rest of the “north” nations, the same whose geography could change the status quo. A new front. Almost along with New York Times counted A scene that had occurred in another area of ​​the nation. In mid -February, an emergency fictional message sent by Finland’s defense forces activated a large -scale military exercise: an enemy invasion required immediate assistance. Dozens of American soldiers, members of the newly created Arctic Division of the American Armythey left from Fairbanks, Alaska, and crossed the northern pole to land in Rovaniemi, north of Finland. Equipped with M-4 rifles, machine guns and rocket launchers, they were deployed in snowy forests, dresses with special white uniforms and steam waterproof boots. Although It was a drillthe geopolitical and climatic background endowed it with the most disturbing gravity: with the melting of the Arctic ice, this inaccessible region is inaccessible has now returned strategiccausing powers such as Russia, China, the United States and various European nations They actively train for a possible conflict in extreme conditions. The new Arctic centrality. According to Canadian General Robert McBridethe world’s armies have left behind the era of the “war on terror” to focus Your attention in the Arctica territory that, like We have been countinghas acquired prominence for its strategic value, natural resources and emerging transport routes. In that context, cooperation between Finland and the United States It has intensifiedespecially since Finland joined NATObecoming the country of the alliance with the most extensive border with Russia: 1,340 kilometers. The historical past (Finland He fought against The Soviet Union in World War II) reinforces the defensive nature of this relationship. “Russia will take everything that is not nailed to the wall,” recalled a said Finn -cited by Janne Kuusela, defense official, to the Times. Despite recent political changes and Trump’s verbal approach to Moscowin the icy field, cooperation between the two countries seems solid and determined. The United States Army displaced to the area Ice war. What’s doubt, put on the worst stage, the Arctic War It presents unique challenges. “It’s like operating in space. No one will come to help you. And the environment can kill you,” summarized the American colonel Christopher Brawley. The cardinal rule: stay dry. Finnish soldiers must pass An extreme test It consists of throwing themselves, with all the equipment on, in an open hole on an icy river, going quickly and changing clothes before suffering freezing, what they should do with the help of their classmates, since their hands stop responding in seconds. Jackson Crites Videman, a conscript of dual Finnish and American nationality, lived at 36 degrees below zero. We remember that Finland is one of the few democratic countries with conscriptionand before the latent threat of the east, ha Increased your budget In defense. Although the war in Ukraine has significantly reduced the Russian presence in the border region, the Finns calculate that it will only take between five and ten years to establish a tangible danger again. Preparations: Winter war. The designation in 2022 of the 11th Airborne Division of Alaska as the first and unique Arctic Division of the United States marked A doctrinal change. The US army tested new uniforms, combat skis and vehicles with caterpillars capable of climbing frost pending. During the drill in Finland, they showed a New transport model that climbs on the snow efficiently. Plus: Special rations For cold weather, with high caloric content, they reflected in the tests the amount of energy that simply demands to stay hot in that environment. And if winter imposes its rules, summer also does not offer relief in the enclave: with perpetual sun and without night, disappears The advantage of glasses Night vision, and when ice melts, the earth becomes an impassable lodazal of dense forests, rivers, lakes and marshes. No name, but with coordinates. Had the New York Times That, during the maneuvers, the troops took advantage of frozen rivers as improvised highways. With their rifles behind the back, they slipped quickly on the ice, in an environment that demands physical resistance and strategic clarity. Result? The exercise was finally considered a success For the commanders. Before the question of whether the proximity in recent times between Trump and Russia was a reason for concern, Finnish General Sami-Antti Takamaa was blunt to the middle: “It doesn’t worry me at all. The American airborne division has just arrived from Alaska. That is what matters to me.” Finland and NATO. Thus, and while the global geopolitical balance seems to stagger between tense alliances and resurgent threats, Finland, the happiest country in the world For eighth time With its 5.6 million inhabitants and an extreme geography, it emerges as one of the Defensive bastions more strategic in Europe. … Read more

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