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☆ Ukraine says it shot down a key Russian spy plane — and Russia's latest moves suggest it's worried
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewUkraine's military said this week that its air force shot down a key Russian spy plane — and Moscow's latest moves suggest that it is panicked about losing yet another valuable aircraft. Kyiv said that on Sunday, it destroyed a prized Russian A-50 radar early-warning plane, along with an Ilyushin Il-22 airborne command post, amid Moscow's grinding nearly two-year war with Ukraine. Advertisement"They have very few aircraft, and they have a very important role for Russian air operations on that southern front, the Zaporizhzhia front. They are important because they can look over the normal horizon that a normal air defense radar can see. They give warning to Russian fighter bomber patrols when they are approached by Ukrainian fighters," Gressel said of the A-50.

Persons: —, Gustav Gressel, Gressel Organizations: Service, Business, Ilyushin, UK's Ministry of Defense, Russian Air Force, European Council, Foreign Relations Locations: Russian, Ukraine, British, Azov, Krasnodar, Russia, Moscow, Ukrainian

☆ Drug-abusing Russian soldiers get sent to fight with Storm Z assault forces as punishment, intel says, putting them on the front lines with convicts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

UK intelligence said Russian commanders are likely punishing drug-abusing soldiers. The commanders are apparently tossing the soldiers in so-called "Storm Z assault detachments." A Russian news outlet previously reported that soldiers were getting hard drugs delivered to them on the front lines. One unnamed soldier told the independent Russian outlet at the time: "It's like in Las Vegas." The units these drug-using soldiers fight in are mostly made up of convicts and are thrown onto the frontlines, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War.

Persons: —, Verstka Organizations: Service, UK's Ministry of Defense, Institute for Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Las Vegas

☆ Protesting the Ukraine war is banned in Russia, so young people are sabotaging trains and railroad tracks instead: UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Activists against Russia's war with Ukraine have been sabotaging railways, UK intel said. As protesting is criminalized in Russia, sabotage is appealing for young people, UK intel said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "Russia's military logistics, including supplying the war in Ukraine, remain reliant" on the country's more than 20,000 miles of railway line, the UK intelligence group said. Some of the railroad sabotage cases involved damage to tracks and arson, according to Mediazona.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin Organizations: intel, UK intel, Service, UK's Ministry of Defense, Russian Locations: Ukraine, Russia, UK

☆ Russia is putting its entire economy at risk to fuel its war 'above all else,' UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is putting its economy at risk to fuel its grinding war with Ukraine, UK intelligence said. The Russian economy "is likely at risk of overheating," said UK's Ministry of Defense. Higher inflation could "increase the costs of funding Russia's war in Ukraine," the agency said. "Higher inflation is almost certain to increase the costs of funding Russia's war in Ukraine," British intelligence said. This further illustrates the reorientation of Russia's economy to fuel the war above all else," British intelligence said.

Persons: — Organizations: UK's Ministry of Defense, Service Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian

☆ After losing 200 armored vehicles, Russia is now likely forcing its troops to advance on foot in its effort to take Avdiivka, Ukraine, UK says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia has likely lost about 200 armored vehicles in the last three weeks, the UK said Saturday. According to the UK, Russia is now likely forcing its troops to advance on foot. According to the UK, Russia may have no other choice. "Over the past three weeks, Russia has likely lost around 200 armored vehicles during its assaults on the Donbas town of Avdiivka," the UK said in its regular defense intelligence assessment of the fighting in Ukraine. That compares to Ukraine losing about 200 vehicles in over four months of fighting in Zaporizhzhia, ISW military analyst George Barros told Insider.

Persons: —, George Barros Organizations: Service, UK's Ministry of Defense, Kremlin, Institute for, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Avdiivka, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Donbas, Ukraine, Washington, Russian, Zaporizhzhia

☆ Misbehaving Russian troops were tossed in 'pits' at military training grounds for up to a week at a time, a deserted soldier says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

So-called "torture pits" were dug at Russian military training grounds to punish troops, a report said. A former soldier told Important Stories and the Conflict Intelligence Team that misbehaving troops were put in pits for up to a week. The investigative report, published on Tuesday, cites ex-trainees at the Prudboy military training camp in the Volgograd Oblast and the Totsky military training ground in the Orenburg Oblast. The former soldier told IStories and CIT that one recruit died at the training ground after he was put in a pit. The report said that Sergei not only left the Prudboy training ground, but also the country.

Persons: —, Sergei, IStories, Viktor Organizations: Conflict Intelligence, Service, Conflict Intelligence Team, CIT, UK's Ministry of Defense Locations: Volgograd Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Russian, Prudboy

☆ Russia's Kinzhal ballistic missile performs poorly, despite Putin's hype they're unstoppable, says UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Putin recently said Russia will begin patrolling the Black Sea using jets carrying Kinzhal missiles. Russia has much hyped the Kinzhal missile, but experts have said its capabilities are exaggerated. Ukraine said it shot down a Kinzhal missile with a US-made Patriot interceptor in May. Days later, it claimed it shot down an unprecedented six Russian Kinzhal missiles over Kyiv. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe destruction of the Kinzhal missiles was seen as a psychological blow for Russia.

Persons: Putin, —, Vladimir Putin, Kinzhal, Sergey Shoigu, Ryan Pickrell Organizations: MoD, Service, UK's Ministry of Defense, UK Ministry of Defense, Russian Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian

☆ New video shows off Ukraine's $433,000 underwater drone that could make life hell for Russia's Black Sea Fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A new video shows the testing of Ukraine's new $433,000 underwater drone. AdvertisementAdvertisementA new video shows Ukraine's $433,000 underwater drone that could make life hell for Russia's Black Sea Fleet. That's long enough for one-way trips from areas under Ukrainian control to almost any location in the Black Sea. The drone could give Ukraine a new dimension to its attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, based in the occupied Crimean Peninsula. In the last few weeks, Ukraine's military has beefed up its attacks against The Black Sea Fleet, causing more destruction than ever, the UK's Ministry of Defense said in a daily intelligence update on Tuesday.

Persons: —, ia6QGNMw01 Organizations: Service, Fleet, Ammo, Ammo Ukraine, Black, UK's Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Crimean, Sevastopol

☆ Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet have been causing more damage than ever and Moscow's fleet is likely losing its ability to defend itself: UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's attacks against Russia's Black Sea Fleet have been causing more damage than ever, UK intel said. The UK's Ministry of Defense said the Russian fleet is likely losing its ability to defend its assets. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine's military has beefed up its attacks against Russia's Black Sea Fleet, causing more destruction than ever, British intelligence said on Tuesday. The physical damage done to Russia's Black Sea Fleet was described by British intelligence as "almost certainly severe but localized." AdvertisementAdvertisement"A dynamic, deep strike battle is underway in the Black Sea," the UK intelligence group said.

Persons: Russia's, —, Vladimir Putin's, Viktor Sokolov, Sokolov Organizations: intel, UK's Ministry of Defense, Service, Russian Ministry of Defense Locations: Russian, Crimean, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Both Ukraine and Russia are sending troops to fight over a bunch of small islands. It's a way to distract from the front lines, UK intel says.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian and Russian forces are battling each other for islands in the Dnipro River, UK intel said. Both sides have "launched raids with teams in small boats," said the UK's Ministry of Defense. The troops are using the opportunity to distract from combat on the front lines, the intel said. Ukrainian and Russian troops have "launched raids with teams in small boats against the islands and against the opposite riverbanks," the UK's Ministry of Defense said. In June, Ukraine launched its counteroffensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory in the east and south of the country, but it's been largely slow-moving.

Persons: it's Organizations: UK intel, UK's Ministry of Defense, intel, Service, Kyiv Locations: Dnipro, UK, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine's Kherson Oblast, Zaporishshia, Donetsk, Ukraine

☆ Moscow has been surrounded by air defenses for a century, but they were never designed to stop the drones Ukraine is using now
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( David Hambling | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In recent months, Moscow has seen high-profile drone attacks thought to be launched by Ukraine. Moscow has had air defenses for a century, but they haven't been designed for what Ukraine is doing. This is actually the inner defensive ring: The A135 system originally had an outer ring of 51T6 Gorgon missiles with megaton-class warheads. STR/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesAs far back as this January, Russian planners realized that Moscow was wide open to drone attacks. AP PhotoThe first drones hit Moscow in May, with waves of subsequent attacks continuing through July, August and September.

Persons: Yuriy Shipilov, Sefa, David Hambling Organizations: Ukraine, Service, UK's Ministry of Defense, Central Press, Kremlin, Ballistic, US Safeguard, Sprint, Spartan, Anadolu Agency, Getty, 1st Air Defense Army, National Security, Russian Federation, Aerospace Defense, Ministry of Defense, SA, Defense Ministry, Arsenal, Fatherland, Moscow Investigators, AP, Aviation, Forbes, The, New, Popular Mechanics, WIRED Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Filatov Lug, Lug, American, North Dakota, Soviet, Crimea, Syria, Libya, Russian, London

☆ Russia is piling tires on top of its prized bombers, images show — a possible crude attempt to trick Ukraine's missiles
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Black coverings resembling tires have appeared on planes at a Russian air base. It may be an attempt to confuse Ukraine's newly-adapted R-360 Neptune cruise missiles. The tires were seen partially covering the fuselages and some of the wings on Tu-95 bombers and Tu-160 heavy bombers, the outlet reported. It's unclear if the measure will work, but it coincides with Ukraine's announcement that it has modified its R-360 Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles to strike targets on land. AdvertisementAdvertisementPer the Drive, the tire covering could be intended to break up the planes' infrared signature, which is used by cruise missiles to recognize targets.

Organizations: Service, UK's Ministry of Defense Locations: Russian, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Saratov, Ukraine, Crimea

☆ Russia's tough defenses are getting a boost from regrowing plants that hide them from Ukraine's soldiers, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's strong defensive lines in Ukraine are getting some help thanks to regrowing weeds. British intelligence said the regrowth of weeds and shrubs are providing extra cover for troops. It "helps camouflage Russian defensive positions and makes mine fields harder to clear," UK intel said. Russia's tough defenses along a 600-mile front line include mazes of extensive trenches, barbed wire, land mines, and anti-tank ditches. Retired Australian general Mick Ryan recently described the defensive lines that Russia had built in Ukraine as "much more complex and deadly than anything experienced by any military in nearly 80 years."

Persons: Ukraine's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mick Ryan Organizations: intel, Service, UK's Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Australian

☆ Russia is withholding meds, including insulin, from Ukrainians in occupied territories if they refuse to get a Russian passport
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainians in occupied Zaporizhzhia are unable to get basic subsidized meds without a Russian passport, Ukraine says. This follows the alleged blocking of medical care in several other occupied towns. Last June, Russian passports were handed out in Melitopol and Kherson, which were among the first cities to be captured in Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the move "a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." This was followed by a widely-condemned series of referenda on Russianizing the occupied regions, leading up to Putin's declaration, last September, that there were "four new regions of Russia."

Persons: Putin, Hanna Maliar Organizations: Service, Russian, National Resistance Center, Russia's Ministry of Defense, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UK's Ministry of Defense, Geneva Convention Locations: Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukrainian, Melitopol, Kherson, Russia's, Ukraine's, Russian, Geneva

☆ The Wagner boss is rejecting Putin's push for mercenaries to sign contracts with the Russian army, calling it 'the path of shame'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Wagner Group head Yevgeny Priogzhin rejected Vladimir Putin's push to have mercenaries sign contracts with the Russian army. Priogzhin has been a harsh critic of the Russian Military of Defense and Putin's handling of the war in Ukraine. That is why they will not sign the contracts," Priogzhin said, according to the UK's Ministry of Defense. On June 10, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that "volunteer formations" like Wagner Group fighters must sign official contracts with the Russian Army, the UK intel sources said. One expert described the relationship between the Russian army and the Wagner Group as "dysfunctional."

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Priogzhin, Vladimir Putin's, Priogzhin, —, Putin Organizations: Russian Military of Defense, Service, Group, Russian Army, UK's Ministry of Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense, Wagner Group, intel, — Ministry of Defence Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Ukraine has a network of sabotage agents in Russia and is sending them drone for attacks, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US officials believe Ukraine is fostering a network of anti-Putin rebels in Russia, CNN reported. They also believe that such groups were behind the drone explosion over the Kremlin in May. Ukraine has not claimed any connection to such groups, but is reaping the military benefits. Several unnamed US officials believe the May 3 drone incident above the Kremlin was among several attacks carried out by such agents, the outlet reported. But, CNN reported, some US officials believe that pro-Ukraine partisans could have launched the drone from within Russia, bypassing such defenses.

Persons: —, Vasyl Malyuk, Cotton, Malyuk, Russia's, Kyrylo, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Putin, CNN, Kremlin, Service, Liberty of Russia Legion, UK's Ministry of Defense, coy, for Locations: Ukraine, Russia, May, Belgorod, Putin Russian, Russia's, Ukrainian, Zelenskyy, Moscow

☆ Putin claimed the UK is ramping up nuclear tensions by sending Ukraine depleted uranium armor-piercing shells. The UK says that's nonsense.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The component: depleted uranium armor-piercing shells, which have no role in nuclear weaponry. Depleted uranium, a by-product of the nuclear enrichment process, is used in making penetrating tank shells because it is extremely dense. "There is no way that you could create a nuclear reaction or a nuclear explosion with depleted uranium." The UK MOD also cited research that it says shows the health risk of depleted uranium munitions is "likely to be low." Depleted uranium is much less radioactive than the original fuel.

☆ Russia has stopped using its Iranian suicide drones because they don't work in the cold, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has stopped using Iranian-made suicide drones due to cold weather, a Ukrainian official said. Russia started to use the Iranian drones in October, as part of a new playbook that targeted power distribution and other critical infrastructure from afar. A composite image showing an Iranian drone in the sky and the aftermath of a strike on Kyiv on October 17, 2022. And it reported that Iran and Russia had reached an agreement for Russia to start producing the drones itself. Multiple reports have also said that Iran has been training Russia on how to use the drones and other weapons.

☆ Ukrainian special forces commander says Russia doesn't like waging war at night, so his troops need gear to fight in the dark
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian forces don't like waging their war against Ukraine at night, said a Ukrainian commander. The commander said on a podcast that Ukrainian troops need gear to fight in the dark. Gen. Viktor Khorenko said his troops need gear while appearing on an episode of the "War on the Rocks" podcast published on Monday. But Khorenko said that Ukrainian troops could use advanced technology like night vision devices from the West to increase their night fighting capabilities. "Night vision capability is a precious commodity, further exacerbating the unwillingness to fight at night," British intelligence noted.

☆ Russia's military leadership has only become 'increasingly dysfunctional,' UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"There is almost certainly a worsening shortage of capable Russian junior officers to organize" drafted reservists, UK intel said. The UK's Ministry of Defense added, "Poor lower-level leadership is likely worsening the low morale." "Their replacements have so far done little to improve Russia's battlefield performance," the UK's Ministry of Defense said. The UK intelligence group explained that the "lack of command continuity" will be even more disruptive to Russia compared to a Western military because Russia's commanders personally plan troop movements instead of coordinating across the staff. "Poor lower-level leadership is likely worsening the low morale and poor unit cohesion in many parts of the Russian force," said the UK's Ministry of Defense.

☆ Zelenskyy says Russia used Shahed 'suicide drones' it got from Iran in its barrage of attacks on Ukrainian cities
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine said Russia used Iran-supplied drones in a blitz of attacks on cities on Monday. He said that the number of missiles used was in the "dozens." A screenshot from a video of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, uploaded October 10 2022, after multiple cities in Ukraine were attacked. Iran has supplied Russia with several Shahed-series drones, colloquially known as "suicide" or "kamikaze" drones that have a payload of around 5-30 kg. Russia first took delivery of Shahed drones, as well as the larger Mojaher-6, from Iran in August, as The Washington Post reported.

☆ Putin's big military mobilization moves won't have any effect on his fight in Ukraine for months, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Partial military mobilization won't have any effect on the war for months, a think tank said. Putin's order to call up to 300,000 reservist troops to wage war in Ukraine "will not generate significant usable Russian combat power for months," the think tank said. Putin's mobilization order, ISW said, "may suffice to sustain the current levels of Russian military manpower in 2023 by offsetting Russian casualties, although even that is not yet clear." Additionally, Hardie explained, Putin's call for a mobilization of troops "carries serious political risks and was not made lightly." In the wake of Putin's mobilization announcement, many Russians attempted to flee the country while others took to the streets in cities across the country to protest the war.

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