Russian

The largest Russian nuclear cruise has returned to the sea after 28 years. What is not clear is how modern its technology

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Russia has returned to the sea to its largest nuclear cruise For the first time since 1997. The Admiral Nakhimov began the trials on August 18, 2025 at the White Sea, the first concrete sign for a program that has been prolonged for decades. According to Tassthe two nuclear reactors were reactivated in early 2025 and the ship moves again by their own means. However, the return of this 28,000 tons ship It raises the background question: To what extent has modernization fulfilled what is announced by Moscow? Its recent history is marked by a sequence of breeding deadlines. Although modernization was raised more than two decades ago, The War Zone pointsthe works did not really begin until 2014. Since then, the dates were postponed: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 … The exit to the sea is a tangible advance, but also the end of a stage full of dilated promises that must now translate into real capabilities. What has really modernized and what follows in the air The return occurs in a context where information about the ship does not abound and, as we see, there are many questions. At the moment, says the aforementioned medium, it can be said that the ship has received at least A new radar systemas well as a new main Caño AK-192m. Modernization aspired to place it as the ship with the most vertical pitchers in the world: 174 cells in total, of them 78 for attack missiles (Kalibr, Oniks, Zircon) and 96 for S-300FM air defense. Today, the only unequivocal is the new main cannon; The rest must demonstrate in evidence and, eventually, in official images and documents. His return to service is not only technical, also symbolic. Everything indicates that he will assume the role of flagship of the northern fleet when Complete trials And be accepted by the Navy, in relief of the Pyotr Velikiy, also a nuclear propulsion cruise. The difference? It began to be built in the Soviet era and was thrown in 1996, but has received minor modernizations. In parallel, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov Keep on the wire. In statements collected by Reutersthe president of the State Naval Construction Corporation came to affirm that it is most likely to sell or tear it, which would further raise the weight of the cruise on the Russian surface. The admiral Nakhimov still has a lot to prove. That it has navigate again does not imply that modernization is complete or fully operational. The real state of sensors, combat systems, data links and integration with other naval units remains unconfirmed. Beyond the official story, what happens in the sea will say if this return to the activity is a change of cycle or a maneuver without real impact. Images | RSS_40 In Xataka | Ukraine has entered a phase so deranged with the drones that his drones are knocking themselves to themselves

In 1980 Europe manufactured 700 aircraft to fumigate crops. Now they carry guided air-air missiles to “fumigate” Russian drones

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After more than three years since the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the war has transformed many of the conceptions that had modern battles. We do not speak just about technological advanceswhere The drones and the AI They have become fundamental pieces that the rest of the powers will apply to their defenses, but also from that artillery mixture of the past where The ingenuity (Due to lack of resources) it has been equally key. The latestfarm planes. Another improvised defense. Yes, Ukraine has incorporated a new piece into its arsenal of improvised solutions against drones: an agricultural plane ZLIN Z-137 AGRO TURBO MODIFIED To carry missiles Aire-Aire R-73one under each wing. This apparatus, normally used for crop fumigation, retains its civil aircraft silhouette, but It has been repainted With a military gray scheme and white stripes in the rear fuselage to reduce the risk of friendly fire. The video which shows its flush flight over a Ukrainian cornless does not require date or place, but confirms that the country continues to take advantage of resources available to reinforce its air defense. Designed in Czechoslovakia as a turboproproproprobous evolution of the Z-37 čmelák, the Z-137 entered into service in the 1980s and were manufactured More than 700 unitswidely used in the eastern block. The exact amount that could be available for Ukraine is uncertain, as well as the operational state of this armed specimen. The R-73 missile and its role in hybrid systems. He R-73called AA-11 Archer by NATO, is a short-range missile with high maneuverability infrared search engine and ability to hook whites up to 75 ° outside the front axle with the help of hull viewers. His Maximum range It is about 30 km against front and 14 km targets against whites in pursuit. Ukraine has reused him in multiple improvised platforms known Like Frankensamincluding land systems such as The serioushawkvehicles Osa antiacera Modified and Naval Drones Be dragon. The integration in the Z-137 seems to use APU-73, although no external sensors are observed, which suggests that the pilot would have to maneuver to place the objective within the field of vision of the missile, or that the installation of a flir system for day and night operations is contemplated. The connection of the plane to the National Surveillance Network, with radars, observers and acoustic sensors, would allow to receive Radio or Digital Link data For interception. Additional loads and future adaptations. In addition to missiles, the device shows cylindrical deposits or containers In internal supports whose function is not clear. They could be remains of their agricultural function, supplementary fuel tanks, weapons pods or auxiliary equipment. Its structure could adapt to other missiles already delivered to Ukraine, such as British Asraam, Sidewinder Americans or even AIM-9X latest generation. This versatility makes it a test bench to integrate weapons into platforms not originally designed for air combat, maintaining a low cost and a quick deployment. Tactical function and limitations. A plane of this type, although much slower than a hunt or an attack helicopter, could serve as “air picket” In specific areas, patrolling sectors where drone activity is foreseen and reacting to low -cost incursions for the enemy. Its limited speed reduces the ability to intercept multiple objectives at a great distance, but in delimited areas its presence It could be decisive. Operations of this type would be complemented with other media, from mobile equipment with machine guns and spotlights to complexes Patriot systemsusing each resource according to the threat detected. Strategic context and value in the wear war. Plus: the adaptation of Z-137 reflects the constant pressure that Ukraine suffers to defend against a high volume of Russian drones, especially The Shahedand the need to allocate the most advanced anti -aircraft systems to threats of greater entity. Faced with the shortage of modern batteries, these improvised solutions serve as a containment force, maintaining a balance between cost and effectiveness. The ability to build civil platforms with military missiles demonstrates a high degree of operational and technical flexibility, and emphasizes that in a prolonged war the war Inventiveness and speed of adaptation can be as decisive as technological sophistication. International precedents and parallels. Finally, we must remember that the use of agricultural aircraft for military functions is not exclusive to Ukraine. The United States Air Force recently introduced The OA-1K Skyraider IIa militarized version of Air Tractor at-802although with a different role and even in definition. Both in this case and in the Z-137 Ukrainianthe central idea is to take advantage of simple and resistant platforms as armament vectors, something that Russia has also tested with rudimentary solutions such as fixed weapons under slow aircraft wings. A trend that reflects A global pattern: In a scenario where drone threats proliferate, even aircraft designed for agricultural tasks can become armed hunters. Image | X, VITALY V. KUZMIN In Xataka | Russia has had an idea to make your kamikaze drones more lethal: launch them on Ukraine at 500 km/h In Xataka | Russia’s most advanced nuclear submarine was a secret. Until Ukraine has revealed everything, even his failures

Now we know everything that the new North Korea resort offers for 2,000 dollars. There is only one rule: be Russian

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The first time we listened to the idea there was talk of setting up a Benidorm species North Korean version. That first outline mutated until woning already North Korea in a holiday place. The doubt since then, and more after Its inaugurationIt was knowing what attractions this resort had in one of the most isolated enclaves in the world, and what guests would go to the call. All that and something else has just known. Exclusivity and Russians. I told this week The journal wallstreet through a trip that has lasted seven days. The coastal complex by Wonsan Kalmaone of Kim Jong’s emblematic projects to exhibit an image of modernity and prosperity in North Korea, opened its doors to foreign visitors for the first timealthough very selectively: Russian citizens could only access. Conceived in 2018 and announced by the leader himself in his New Year speechthe project was inspired by leisure destinations Like Benidormwith plans for hotels of high height, casino, shopping centers and an aquatic park. According to the Official propagandait is a sample of the “policy centered in the people” and the large investments of the regime in social welfare, although satellite images show that a good part remains unfinished. Pompa and reopening. The partial reopening of borders In Februaryafter the total closure by the pandemic, it has served at the same time to strengthen cooperation political and military With Moscow, in a context in which Kim has promised Unconditional support to the Russian war against Ukraine. The Journal told that the inaugural visit of 13 Russian tourists It coincided With the arrival of Foreign Minister Serguéi Lavrov, housed in the best hotel and personally received by Kim on his private yacht. Experiences. The group of the first visitors, composed of experienced travelers and High purchasing powerhe started his tour with three days in Pyongyang before moving to Wonsan. Although the initial plan was to fly, they were redirected on a 10 -hour train trip to cover the 120 kilometers to the eastern coast, a change attributed to preparations for the preparations for the Arrival of Lavrov. Once at the resort, they met deserted beachesan extremely attentive service and disposal of the staff to satisfy any request, from preparing custom breakfasts to deliver chairs and speakers in the sand. And more. The beaches, apparently, They are segregated For premises and foreigners, the aquatic park remains closed to the latter and payments are made with recharged electronic bracelets only in dollars, euros or yuan. Prices ranged from 60 cents of a beer and the $ 465 of a model of a HWASong-17 missilewhile some activities, such as the use of aquatic motorcycles or quads, were free due to the absence of fixed rates. The visitors claimed to have enjoyed an unusual freedom to take photographs, documenting curiosities such as imported Heineken beer, war toys and buses with propaganda slogans. Of inside doors. The Arrival of Lavrov It altered the routine of the complex, which was filled with North Korean visitors apparently belonging to the elite, identifiable by its careful clothing and latest generation mobiles, something uncommon in the country. More. The hotel staff apparently showed behaviors that They surprised to tourists, such as ignoring “not disturbing” posters or reducing the temperature of hot water without consent. In a striking episode, the medium that dozens of North Koreans were equipped with swimsuits And they threw themselves into the sea next to the Russian visitors, including the group’s own guide, who did not know how to swim and spent hours clinging to one of them. Objectives and projection. What’s doubt, Wonsan Kalma It is not only an leisure center, but a propaganda instrument that the regime uses to demonstrate that it can offer luxury and recreation despite international sanctions and internal precariousness. In the domestic sphere, access to North Koreans is expected to be used as Loyalty Award Politics, reinforcing the official narrative of prosperity under the direction of Kim. The initial restriction of Russian visitors underlines the narrow tune strategic with Moscow and adds an element of exclusivity that enhances its symbolic value. In this way, experts point out that attracting international tourism in volume It will be difficultsince most travelers interested in North Korea seek their capital, their ideological monuments and military enclaves, Not a vacation on its beaches. It does not seem to import much in Pyongyang, where the regime plans to receive a second group of Russian tourists shortly, using Wonsan as a showcase of his political alliance and as an outgoing exterior. A place where the hospitality and the staging reinforce the message that, even under sanctions, North Korea can offer experiences that it intends to present as exclusive and luxurious. Image | Clay Gilliland, Heute In Xataka | North Korea has built a resort so great that it now faces another problem: find tourists to fill it In Xataka | After years with its closed borders, North Korea has opened to foreign tourism. The price: more than $ 600

We had been talking about the most lethal Russian weapon that seemed like Ukraine fallen asleep. His answer is called Liutyi

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If drones have become The protagonists From the Ukraine War, the model that has marked Russia’s offensive offers no doubts: The Shaheds of Iranian origin, then converted into different versions assembled in MoscowThey are the basis of Russia’s offensives. And in Ukraine? There they also have been perfecting a device that has become key to attacks on critical objectives of the enemy. The strategic weapon of Ukraine. Yes, kyiv, aware of its lower industrial and resources capacity, has opted for a different approach: Use surgical attacks with drones of own manufacture against strategic objectives deeply located in Russian territory. The jewel of this strategy is the AN-196 Liutyia lodging ammunition system designed to achieve precision Critical facilities of military logistics, oil refineries, air bases and essential industrial centers for the Russian war effort. Development and technical characteristics. Dron Liutyi began to develop In 2022 by Antonov in collaboration with Ukroboronpromconceived as a long -range unidirectional attack vehicle. The first version weighed between 250 and 300 kilosmeasured 4.4 meters long with a wingspan of 6.7, and was promoted with a gasoline engine that moved a rear propeller. It incorporated a V -tail design to improve stability and aerodynamics, and initially carried 50 kilos of explosives at a range of 1,000 km. The most recent versions have practically doubled their benefits: increased load capacity to 75 kilos and a range of up to 2,000 km, for an estimated unit cost In 200,000 dollarsfigure greater than that of the Shahed but still much lower than that of a cruise missile. And more. Your navigation combines inertial and satellite systems In the initial phase, while in the final approach it resorts to artificial vision to execute evasive trajectories, dodge defenses and hit with precision. First operational deployments. The use of Liutyi was made visible in 2024 With deep attacks in Russian territory. In January, an attack against An oil tank In St. Petersburg, he was attributed to drone, as was the March attack against the Ryazan refinery that caused a great fire. In June, the Mozdok Air Basein Norte Osetia, which houses bombers Tu-22m3 and fighters MIG-31it was also beaten. These incidents showed that Ukraine was in a position to project power hundreds of kilometers from the front line. Expansion of your role. The improved Liutyi versions began to be used massively this year. On March 13, an attack reached a Gas pipeline control center In Sátov, affecting the Russian energy sector. In April, several waves of Liutyi impacted the base of the 112.ª missile brigade in Shuya, destroying facilities of command and barracks. In July, two Liutyi penetrated 1,400 kilometers to Izhevsk, where They hit the Kupol plantproducer of anti -aircraft Tor-m and Harpiya drones, causing significant damage. That same month, different videos They documented attacks against objectives in the Leningrad region, in the city of Pensa and at the Sochi airport, where a fuel tank was reached. These blows have had a double effect: disorganizing Russian logistics and forcing Kremlin to allocate resources to the defense of the rear. International response. Despite his successes, Ukraine faces the disadvantage of not being able to manufacture Liutyi in quantities comparable to Shahed’s mass production by Russia. External support is, therefore, crucial: Germany has committed investments to produce 500 additional unitswhich will allow the pace of operations. Thus, the Ukrainian strategy will continue based on the selective use of these drones, with emphasis on precision attacks and not saturation. To maintain its effectiveness, Liutyi must adapt continuously, incorporating advances in artificial intelligence, computer vision and electronic countermeasures resistance. Strategic role in war. In short, although less known than The ShahedLiutyi has become a symbol of Ukrainian capacity to innovate and hit in depth, eroding the perception of security in the interior of Russia. Their attacks have affected energy facilities, refineries, industrial plants and air bases, weakening critical infrastructures and forcing Moscow to disperse their defenses. In this way, the drone not only compensates (in part) the Ukrainian material inferiority in front of the Russian military industry, but also opens a new psychological and strategic front by demonstrating that no Russian area is out of reach. Thus, everything indicates that its role will continue to expand in the coming months, consolidating itself as one of the key weapons in the Strategy of Resistance and Counteroffensive of Ukraine. Image | Open Source In Xataka | Not that war in Ukraine has become a laboratory of the future, is that there are drones saving lives with bicycles In Xataka | If you want to learn to handle a combat drone, the best school is Ukraine. And there have been infiltrated Mexican narcos

The last Russian tactic are not kamikaze drones. His soldiers carry a helmet with antennas that is surprising Ukraine

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Once it has become clear that The drones They are the offensive on which They are sustained The offensives in Ukraine, has begun a face B: the search for tactics that counteract the armies of swarms. Ukraine, for example, had achieved a Unexpected shield: the Fishing networks of a town in Denmark. For their part, Russian soldiers have revealed the last tactic against kyiv’s drones. Boom drones. The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered a phase marked by the hegemony of droneswhich have gone from being tactical weapons against armored to transform into executioners of individual soldiers. In devastated cities Like Chasiv Yar or in the nearby plains To Kupiansk and JárkovFPV drone swarms have Back omnipresentturning any movement of troops into an immediate target. This new reality has imposed a stagnation scenario: any offensive advance is detected, tracked and destroyed in minutes. The strategic consequence is clear: the side that achieves shield their soldiers in front of drones will acquire a decisive advantage In the front. Aware of this, Russia has presented An unpublished system of portable electronic war designed specifically for each combatant, one more step in the miniaturization of anti drone defense. Design of the new system. In A video Disseminated in networks, a Russian soldier has shown a compact device integrated into his team. The system consists of a module with two antennas coupled to the helmet, a connection harness, A mounted screen In the forearm and a power battery. The process is simple in appearance, but complex in execution: the device Detect passively The drone radio signal intercepts the video signal transmitted to the operator and reproduces it on the soldier’s screen. From there you can order the directed interference, blinding the enemy pilot. Innovation lies that this mechanism does not seek to cut the control or navigation link (the usual objective of traditional inhibitors) but directly attack video transmissiona channel that operates with greater power and is more noise resistant. This precise targeting reduces the need to emit large levels of energy, decreases the risk of interfering with Russian communications themselves and maintains the electromagnetic footprint of the system, making it difficult to detect and destruction by Ukraine. The set screen for each soldier Tactical value. The method offers several advantages over conventional suppression systems. First, avoid activating the security protocols of the latest Ukrainian drones, which usually enter into Autonomous or return mode When navigation or control is interrupted. By maintaining those intact channels and limiting yourself to blinding the operator, confusion is immediate: the pilot loses the vision of the target, but no automatic defense is activated. Secondly, portability allows each soldier to have A protection bubble Minimum against hostile drones, instead of depending exclusively on systems mounted on vehicles or on fixed platforms. This is especially relevant in urban or wooded environments, where clashes are decentralized and scattered. Limitations and vulnerabilities. Despite its ingenuity, the Russian system is not exempt from weaknesses. For example, it is ineffective against fiber optic dronesthat transmit their images by physical wiring and, therefore, are immune to the radio block. In addition, it would not be surprising that the evolution of Ukrainian tactics ends neutralizing it, or with the adoption of safer video channelsreinforced encryption or even the implementation of emergency modes by losing visual signal could reduce its effectiveness in a matter of months. Likewise, depending on continuous technical updates to follow the rhythm of the adversary will imply A logistics cost and significant production. Strategic consequences. That said, if Russia manages to display this large -scale technology, even with partial efficiency, it could Transform balance in key front sectors. Neutralize drones, even temporarily, opens the possibility of offensive maneuvers that today are suicidal under the constant look of The enemy FPV. The ability to advance hundreds of meters without being immediately detected can mean the difference between conserving the initiative or being trapped in a wear war endless. And, if we expand the focus, the trend reflects the transition of high -range anti drone systems and Mounted on vehicles toward portable solutionsindividual and adapted to the war of proximity. In this technological career, each innovation determines not only the survival of isolated soldiers, but the viability of entire offensive operations. EVOLUTION OF THE ELECTRONIC WAR. The appearance of this portable inhibitor confirms a deep doctrinal change: the Electronic Warin the past mastery of mass stations and strategic air platforms, now descends to the soldier level. What was previously deployed in long -range radars and powerful antennas is concentrated today on an coupled device to a helmet. If generalized, modern combat will be even more linked to the capacity of engineers to miniaturize electronic defenses and adapt them to the individual soldier. Russia has taken a significant step in that direction, and if its bet is viable in combat, it could inaugurate a new era in which each carrying combatant, next to its rifle, an invisible shield against drones that dominate the 21st century. Image | Reddit In Xataka | Russia has reminded the US that has a last button: it is called Dead Hand and is operated in case of Russian annihilation In Xataka | Not that war in Ukraine has become a laboratory of the future, is that there are drones saving lives with bicycles

His name is Dead Hand and is activated in case of Russian annihilation

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The verbal escalation between Washington and Moscow He intensified After the statements of Dmitri Medvedev, former Russian president and current vice president of the Security Council, by reacting hard to the ultimatum launched by the United States: stop the offensive in Ukraine within ten days or face new sanctions. Medvedev described The threat as “a step towards war”, and then remembered a cold war system. The diplomatic trigger. Yes, because the leader He replied with allusions to the known Russian nuclear system Like Dead Handdesigned to guarantee reprisals even if Kremlin’s leadership was eliminated. Far from softening the tone, Trump replied that the Russian had to “monitor his words”, warning that he entered “a very dangerous territory.” It was in this context that the US president ordered the repositioning of two nuclear submarines In “appropriate regions”, an unusually public gesture that sought to convey firmness against what he described as “incendiary” comments. The nuclear background. The announcement recounted an important symbolic burden, since the movements of American ballistic submarines are rarely made public. Analysts Like James Actonfrom Carnegie Endowment, they recalled that the United States nuclear deterrence already maintains constant capacity in the Atlantic and the Pacific, which suggests that the deployment has more A political character than a real change in military position. The MEDYDEV mention To Dead Hand underlines the growing centrality of Russian nuclear discourse since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Far from his image as a reformist leader between 2008 and 2012, Medvedev has embraced a incendiary tone In social networks, repeatedly referring to atomic Arsenal as a letter of intimidation, which raises tension at a time of military and diplomatic stagnation. The origin of an apocalyptic weapon. The idea of a Final Judgment Devicean automatic mechanism that guarantees nuclear retaliation even when a country has been devastated and its eliminated leaders seemed for decades a science fiction fantasy. However, the Soviet Union materialized in 1985 under the name of Perimetr systembetter known in the West as Dead Hand. The principle was simple in its logic and terrifying in its consequence: even if the enemy launched a perfect first attack, annihilating Moscow’s political and military command, a Autonomous system He would ensure the nuclear response, also condemning the aggressor. In other words, it was the incarnation of the insured mutual destructionbrought to an automatic level in which no human decision could stop the sequence once activated. The strategic motivation of Moscow. The development of the system responded to the growing Soviet vulnerability in the 1980s. The improvement in the accuracy of the American missiles launched from submarines reduced the half -hour warning time just three minuteswhich made it impossible to organize a counterattack before destruction. In that scenario, the classical deterrence of the cold war was threatened, because Washington could consider feasible a first disabling blow. To restore balance, Kremlin designed the Perimetrthat when activated in times of tension would remain latent, evaluating with seismic, radiological and atmospheric pressure sensors if the territory had been attacked. Only then, and after verifying the loss of contact with the General Staff, the system granted launch authority to the crew buried in A armored bunkereliminating the need for intact command chains. The mechanism. The system’s core was a unique missile: 15P011not armed with a nuclear head, but with a radio transmitter hardened against radiation. When taking off from a protected silo, this projectile flew over the country issuing launch orders to the ICBM silos, to the strategic submarines and the bombers, replacing the communications infrastructure that was presumed destroyed. This guaranteed mass retaliation against Preprogrammed objectives. The decision chain was reduced to a Sequence of conditional: If an attack was detected, if there was no communication with the high command, and if after a prudential time the signals were not restored, then the revenge was assured. A single operator, locked in Your underground positioncould trigger the complete arsenal of the Soviet Union. Between the secret and the paradox. Paradoxically, the real utility of Perimetr did not reside so much to intimidate the United States with its existence, because for years it remained in the strictest secret, revealed to the world in 1993. Rather it worked like a Psychological insurance For Soviet leaders themselves. Knowing that the system would automatically respond to them not to rush before ambiguous signals and gain time to analyze whether an alleged attack was not, in reality, a radar error or a flock of geese confused with missiles. Instead of accelerating nuclear button, Dead Hand reduced risk of a catastrophic error by excessive reaction, providing a strange respite in a climate marked by permanent fear of Armageddon. Validity. Although the exact details remain classified, It is believed than perimetr Follow operational in current Russia, modernized after the dissolution of the USSR. Its only existence remembers the thin line between strategic stability and global destruction: a device that, in theory, converts nuclear war into a absolute nonsensebut at the same time contains the power to erase civilization without human intervention. The unusual thing is that, far from being the irrational monster by Dr. StrangeloveDead Hand may have been the more rational invention In the logic of terror balance: a mechanism created to calm those who could destroy the world with an impulsive order. In that disturbing paradox, its legacy is supported: the only real device of assured destruction that, by guaranteeing retaliation, reduced temptation of error and, somehow, the nuclear vertigo of the cold war made more habitable. Today, the episode Between Trump and Medvedev It emphasizes once again the fragility of the nuclear balance between both powers: on the one hand, the tacit dissuasion of the United States, whose underwater force Always remain ready No need for ads. On the other, Kremlin’s constant resource to atomic rhetoric as an instrument of psychological pressure. Image | Włodi In Xataka | The good news for Russia is that the earthquake occurred in a remote area. The bad is that he concentrated his nuclear submarines … Read more

Europe has realized that the rearme must start on the roads. A Russian invasion would unleash a fatal congestion

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In 2022 there was already talk of this: having a better army does not help much if it cannot be launched. That year was the beginning of many meetings in Europe with the Russian Ukraine Invasion as a fuse. Then there was talk of rearmebut attention also focused on something that Europe has just elevated in the priority list: the need to prepare roads, railways, ports and airports for the rapid movement of troops and tanks. Background: Russia. European military vulnerability. Had three years ago The political environment that the debate on the real capacity of Europe to resist an eventual Russian attack had put a fundamental aspect that usually is hidden behind rearmament ads: it is not enough to have more tanks or soldiers if the necessary infrastructure To move them quickly. Roads, railroads, ports and airports of the European Union show serious limitations when it comes to supporting the weight and volume of modern armored ones, or absorbing an intense military traffic in times of crisis. The east. As He warned then The American Lieutenant retired Ben Hodges, excommanting of the United States Army in Europe, the problem is aggravated the more advances east: bridges unable to support German, British or American combat cars and mountainous routes that hinder access to key countries such as Romania. In case of emergency, bottlenecks could delay the deployment of allied forces just at the points where they would be needed more urgently, such as the passage of Suwałki between Poland and Lithuania or the routes towards the Black Sea. The first mechanism. To deal with these shortcomings, The EU launched The mechanism connect Europe (CEF), an infrastructure fund that also covers military mobility. However, the budget for this mission was drastically reduced: of the 6,500 million euros initially proposed only 1.7 billionand that money, the commission ended up assigning 340 million to 22 projectsthe majority of small scale and focused on central Europe. Among them They highlighted the improvement of rail links between Antwerp and Germany, the modernization of two airports in Poland and the connection of the Military Tapa base in Estonia. Modest support were also included to large strategic projects Like Rail Balticathe railway corridor of 5.8 billion euros that will connect the Baltic countries with Poland, or Via Baltica, the road that crosses the region, which it received just 60 million of community support. The new warning. Back to the present, he counted this week The Financial Times That the European Transport Commissioner, Apostols Tzitzikostas, has re -launched a warning that shook the foundations of the European defense: the continent It is not prepared For a large -scale war against Russia because its roads, bridges and rail networks are inappropriate for rapid transfer of troops and armored. According to explainedmany bridges are Too closetoo old or directly non -existent, which would prevent the transit of tanks from, for example, 70 tons thought to operate in a matter of hours. In practice, moving military forces from west to east of Europe would take weeks or even months, an unacceptable lag in case of a sudden Russian offensive. The strategy. Solution? To correct this structural weakness, Brussels now work on a 17,000 million plan of euros that provides for the modernization of 500 critical projects along four major military corridors that will cross the continent. It is a design made in coordination with NATO and its military controls, whose details remain classified for security reasons. The idea is that troops and heavy equipment can move in a matter of hoursfar reducing the reaction time to an aggression. In addition to reinforcing bridges and adapting roads, it will be sought Eliminate bureaucratic obstacles To prevent military convoys from being held on European borders by customs protocols that, in times of war, would be a fatal ballast. The context of rearme and Russia. The new plan is enrolled in a broader effort of rearme Continental that We have been counting. The European Union studies a package of up to 800,000 million euros to reinforce its defensive autonomyin part in response to the pressures of Washington and the possibility of a substantial reduction of the US military presence in Europe. To this is added The warning The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who in June warned that Moscow could attack a member of the Alliance before 2030. The message of Tzitzikostas fits this urgency logic: without the ability to move troops agilely, any European defense plan would be on wet paper in front of Russian military machinery. The budget struggle. Although the European Commission has included military mobility in its proposal for the 2028-2034 budget, diplomats warn that the initial figure of 17,000 million It could be diluted In negotiations. This budget fragility is seen as a dangerous contradiction: While considering the expense in defense 5% of GDP (With 1.5% specifically intended for military infrastructure), some Member States (Spain at the head) They resist to assume the costs of such vast modernization. Tzitzikostas, meanwhile, insists in which Europe cannot afford to continue depending on others or be disarmed by its own bureaucratic slowness. The modernization of bridges, tunnels and railways is not just a matter of civil transport: it has become the backbone of the future European defense. One thing is clear for curator: an invasion would not wait for forms to be resolved or to reinforce a bridge. Image | 7th Army Training, US Army Europe, European Roads In Xataka | If Europe rearma we will find a problem that will affect us all: cars and trains In Xataka | The “rearme” in Europe has encountered an obstacle that neither US imagined: Spain

This motorcycle looks like a vespa, the motor roars like a tractor and the change is of a snow motorcycle. It’s Russian, of course

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One of the most fascinating subcultures is that of ‘Dieselpunk‘. It is a Retrofuturist vision of the period between the First and Second World War which has the combustion engine at the center of all its technology. Films like ‘Sky Captain and the world of tomorrow‘They recreate aesthetics perfectly. In video games, we could talk about ‘Wolfenstein The New Order‘. And, in real life, there are those who have determined to create a Dieselpunk scooter that sounds like a tractor and shoots the Vespa design, but With Soviet influences. And its creator is Russian, of course. Dieselpunk Scooter. The creation of homemade vehicles is an art. On the one hand, we have the so -called ‘restomods’. These are projects that allow a classic car on the outside, but with current mechanics and electronics. One of the most used cars in these ‘mixtures’ is the Tesla Model 3which allows to give life to models such as This beautiful Mercedes-Benz 300sl. On the other hand, we have those who pull inventive to create something new. Russia is prolific in this work, this being Lada Vaz-2110 with a V16 engine based on chainsaws An example. But also the ‘scooter dieselpunk’ that crowns this article and that is Work of the Saint Peter’s Builds Workshop. They are enthusiasts who modify vehicles in artisanal projects and upload their work to networks. One of them was this Honda Super Cubbut with the Dieselpunk they promise to overcome. Soviet engine. The motor of the motorcycle is a 1,200 cc V4 diesel engine taken from a Zaz 968. This was a compact car that intended to become The “town car”, like Volkswagenbut in the Soviet Union. The engine was located in the back, getting a peculiar distribution of weights and, with a power of 50 hp, is chosen for dieselpunk. The original box was four marches, but to facilitate things on the motorcycle, from Saint Peter’s Builds they have decided to go further with Frankenstein’s monster: a CVT system (or continuous variable transmission change) that uses a pulley system instead of gear and that have taken out of a snow motorcycle. To connect the change to the engine, they have used combinations of axles and chains. The most incredible thing is that, after some failed tests, the engine is already snoring. Well, “snore” for saying something, since it sounds like a tractor: Vespa retrofuturista. The engine is the most complicated piece of this vehicle, but although it is an achievement that works as they want, there is a long way forward. In the video we can see the design, which is half Vespa of the rear to the handlebar, half tractor throughout the front. The engine appears on the sides, with the cylinders appearing as a couple on the sides and an artisanal escape. It is that elongated nose, the engine cylinders acting as fins and, above all, the decorative lines throughout the side what gives the motorcycle that Retrofuturist airas just taken from ‘Fallout‘. Anxious for the future. At the moment, as its creators claim, the first steps have already taken themselves and we will have to be attentive to see how they model the outside, on which chassis they mount everything and, above all, if one day they will end up finishing the project to delight us with another video in which we see them take a walk. What seems obvious is that this front of the engine and, above all, the nose, will imply a complex mass distribution that will affect both stability and the passage through curve. But well, the last thing to wait is to see this on the road on a day -to -day basis. Although who knows, it is Russia … In Xataka | The Chinese brands promised them very happy plagiarizing the design of the Vespa. They ran into a problem: it’s “art”

The war enters the field of science fiction. Ukraine has captured Russian soldiers without humans: the robots did it

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In the last hours two unpublished facts have been known in the Ukraine War. The first of all occurred a few hours after Trump announced the Partial resumption of sending weapons to kyiv and criticize hard To Putin. Then Russia launched The biggest attack with long -range drones from the beginning of the war. The second goes directly to History booksbecause Ukraine has stopped Russian troops only through machines. Drones and robots on the front line. In an unparalleled event in modern military history, the 3rd separate assault brigade of Ukraine managed to capture Russian soldiers Without using infantry human, using exclusively aerial drones and terrestrial robotic platforms. The operation, announced on July 9 by official Ukrainian sources, represents a unprecedented milestone In the evolution of automated combat, marking the first time enemy soldiers surrender directly to unmanned systems. According to The statement of the brigade, the terrestrial drones were the immediate receptors of the surrender, an event that until now belonged to the science fiction and that has now materialized in the context of the war in Ukraine. Asymmetric technology and war. The operation took place in the Járkov region, northeast of the country, an area high intensity on the front from the beginning of the large -scale invasion by Russia. The Ukrainian unit deployed FPV drones and robotic platforms Kamikaze -type terrestrial to assault Russian fortifications that had resisted previous attacks from other units. These tools, developed as part of a national strategy to reduce human casualties and adapt to a saturated artillery and surveillance war theater, allowed Ukrainian forces to execute an offensive Without exposing directly to your soldiers. According to Brigade’s storythe drones destroyed several Russian positions, and as a terrestrial robot approached a partially damaged shelter, the Russian soldiers entrenched there chose to surrender, without there being human presence in the immediate vicinity. An automated capture. After the surrender, the prisoners were guided outside the fighting zone by The same drones Ukrainians, in a sequence more typical of fantastic literature that demonstrates not only the offensive capacity of these systems, but also their effectiveness to operate complex tasks such as custody and remote control of enemy movements rendered. Subsequently, the Russian soldiers were taken in custody by Ukrainian forces. The success of this maneuver, they tell, not only allowed capture without direct physical contact, but also facilitated the taking of the fortifications previously defended, as well as the control of a adjacent forest line of considerable tactical value. New military paradigm. No doubt, the episode not only shows the degree of sophistication achieved in Ukraine in the matter of Automated warbut also raises fundamental questions about the future of land combat. The Rendary against drones Terrestres is a radical turn in the psychological dynamics of the battlefield: the soldiers, in this case Russians, did not face visible, human enemies, but to silent machines that approached relentlessly, having destroyed all previous defenses. This type of deployment, which mixes destructive capacity with occupation and control functions, anticipates a new paradigm where direct human interaction could become exceptional even in capture operations. Russia attack in Ukraine An unprecedented offensive. But as we said, if the capture of Russian soldiers was a historical fact of modern wars, Russia’s attack It is not precedents From the beginning of the invasion. On one night that could redefine the limits of the unmanned air war, Russia unleashed the greatest drone attack, launching 728 Shahed drones (including lures) and 13 missiles, including feared Kinzhalagainst 741 objectives throughout the country. The epicenter of the attack was the city of Lutsk, in the Ukrainian northwest, a few kilometers From the border with Polandwhich caused the Polish and NATO Air Forces to be deployed in maximum alert. According to kyivmost of the projectiles were intercepted, especially thanks to electronic warfare systems, although hypersonic missiles managed to cause unspecified damage. War in the front and in court. While the sky becomes a network of autonomous swarms, the situation on land remains marked by intense fighting No significant advances. Russian troops They continue to press In Sumy, Járkov, Luhansk and Donetsk, although reports indicate that Ukraine has contained attacks on most of those fronts. In parallel, a Russian soldier belonging to a criminal battalion He denounced publicly Inhuman conditions and the lack of gunner support, describing suicidal assaults in improvised vehicles and without air backup. On the legal level, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia has systematically violated human rights Since 2014including extrajudicial executions, torture, forced deportation of children and forced labor. The Kremlin, on the other hand, dismissed the ruling as “null and without effect.” Plans. They counted the Twz analysts that kyiv, anticipating a large -scale response, would be preparing a thousand drones long range against Russian objectives, including areas near Moscow. In addition, the Ukrainian Secret Service arrested Two Chinese citizens accused of trying to spy technologies of the Neptune missileused in the Moskva’s sinking and now adapted for long -range terrestrial attacks. On land, the proliferation of unmanned land vehicles, such as New UGV “Snail” Or improvised models with wheels made of mines, shows that automation not only dominates the heavens, but also advances on the mud and steel of the front. The war in Ukraine, ultimately, thus enters a phase every time More hybrid and technological of the traditional forms of combat. The contest, that already It had been a pioneer In use massive drones Of recognition and attack, another threshold has crossed, this time historical and unimaginable does not so much: the surrender of soldiers against machines. Image | Arx Robotics, Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, Emergency Service of Ukraine In Xataka | The production of Russian drones was so huge that Ukraine has opened them looking for clues. The surprise is China In Xataka | We were accustomed to seeing strange things in Ukraine, but this is different: ships and bombers with no one behind the wheel

The production of Russian drones was so huge that Ukraine has opened them looking for clues. The surprise is China

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The situation It is not new In Ukraine. In the past they have opened Russian Shahed and other intercepted models to find out what was behind the device. Thus they found some paradoxes of the war, such as the fact that Moscow drones carried a wide variety of components of the United States or of kyiv’s allies. However, from a while to this part, Russian production was so immense that suspicions began. Someone else should be behind, and a document has just revealed it. Made in China. First it was Intelligence of Ukraine. Russia is managing to maintain and expand its weapons production despite Western sanctions, and is achieving it thanks to the constant supply of electronic components and materials from Chinaaccording to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukrainian commissioner for sanctions, in a context of intensification of Russian attacks with missiles and drones. The recent appearance of Manufactured parts In China in Shahed-136/Geran-2 drones recovered in Kyiv, added to previous reports on the involvement of Chinese companies in the Russian military supply chain, it reinforced what Ukraine qualifies as a Alcanza trend In Chinese technological support to Moscow. Vlasiuk warned that Beijing is not only expanding its logistics role, but already replicates US technologies, which increases its ability to support the Russian military complex. The document that certifies it. From the first bars of the large -scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has urgently sought forms of strengthen your arsenal of drones, key in the new paradigm of asymmetric war that is fought both in the front and in the sky. An essential part of that answer It has been Aero-Hita little known firm based in Khabarovsk, at the eastern end of Russia, which has emerged as one of the main drone manufacturers of the country thanks to a dense network of covert cooperation with Chinese companies. That is precisely what has been revealed thanks to documents obtained by Bloomberg. The medium counted a few hours ago how, despite Western sanctions, Russia has managed to channel components, technical knowledge and sensitive technologies From China Through intermediary companies, agreements in special customs areas and personal relationships with actors linked to both the industry and the Russian state apparatus. One of the Russian drones pieces shared by Ukrainian intelligence Strategic link. Aero-Hit’s production focuses on The Veles modela low -cost and high precision FPV drone that has already been deployed in military operations in zones Like sweaters. The United States Treasury Department itself sanctioned the company For the use of these drones against Ukrainian objectives, confirming their role in the Russian war machinery. The development of Veles has been reinforced by collaborations with Autel Roboticsa Chinese drone manufacturer that officially denies any link with Russia since 2022, but whose technology is repeatedly mentioned in the internal correspondence of Aero-Hit and in joint investment plans for more than 90 million dollars. A letter. According to a June 2025 letter published By Bloombergboth parties had restored technical contacts and negotiated the localized production of the model AUTEL EVO MAX 4Tan initially civil drone that has demonstrated high efficacy in combat thanks to its resistance to electronic interference. This process would not only imply integration into Russian systems, but also direct transfer Firmware, purification methods and repair capabilities, which reinforces the strategic value of the agreement. Khabarovsk: Moscow-Pekín axis pole. The epicenter of this operation is The city of Khabarovska few 30 kilometers from the Chinese border. There, since 2022, agreements have been woven between the Komax company (Property of the exagent of the KGB and occupation senator in Jersón Konstantin Basyuk) and representatives of the Chinese government, including officials in the Harbin Free Zone and the prestigious Harbin Technology Institute (HIT), a university linked to the Popular Liberation Army and sanctioned by the United States for developing advanced weapons. Between 2022 and 2023 They formalized plans To create an assembly plant with customs tax advantages, including sending 100 drone kits From China and official visits to Factories from Shenzhen, including the headquarters of Autel Robotics. The initiative received high-level political support, with meetings between Russian officials and Chinese executives during the Chinese-Russia Business Forum of 2024, and was cataloged as “priority” By Yury Trutnev, special envoy of the Kremlin for the Far East. Intermediaries and camouflage network. Bloomberg underlined that Aero-Hit, officially registered after these contacts, has undercover its relationship with China through a intermediary networkwhich includes fictitious or camouflaged signatures under other activities (such as air catering companies, seafood distribution or real estate logistics) that serve to manage orders, billing and transport. More: Documents of March and August 2024 show Drones deliveries to units deployed in Jersón and official requests from the Russian Defense Ministry to acquire thousands of Veles units, together with antennas and accessories. Companies such as Renewsio-Invest and Shenzhen Huasheng Industry (both sanctioned by the United States) have been key in the supply of pieces and electronics from China, even after the new commercial restrictions imposed by Beijing in 2023. Although some Chinese firms retired from the project for fear of sanctions, others They occupied their placeguaranteeing the continuity of the supply chain. Ukrainian forces after intercepting a Russian shahed Official ambiguity and mutual benefit. Autel Robotics has insisted on deny any link With Russia or Aero-Hit since February 2022, claiming that it is a civil company without military licenses and with strict compliance policies. However, the Documents obtained They suggest that links could be mediating through individual engineers, subsidiaries or intermediary vendors. Beijing, meanwhile, argues that he has never delivered lethal weapons to no side in war and strictly controls two -use goods exports such as drones, although the real depth of Chinese government knowledge about these transfers continues without clarifying. The persistence of technological flow from China to Russia raises uncomfortable questions about the effectiveness of the sanctions regime global and about the nature of the declared neutrality By the Government of Xi Jinping, at a time when the diplomatic pressure on Beijing intensifies. Prolonged war perspectives. Meanwhile, the Aero-Hit … Read more

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