DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ukraine has taken 17,000 Russians off the battlefield without firing a shot, US Army special-ops general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia has taken hundreds of thousands of casualties since attacking Ukraine last year. Thanks to its information operations, Kyiv has helped take 17,000 Russians off the battlefield without even firing a shot, according to the head of US Army Special Operations Command. "Messaging has played a huge role just in the tactical and operational sense" in Ukraine, Braga said at the Association of the US Army's annual conference in October. During the Cold War, the KGB used information operations as part of a larger "active measures" campaign to subvert the West and undermine NATO. In the US special-operations community, the Army's Psychological Operations Groups and the Civil Affairs Brigade do most of the work when it comes to information operations and shaping the narrative.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Valya, Jonathan Braga, Braga, We've, You've, Arkady Budnitsky, " Braga, it's, Kyiv's Organizations: Service, Russian, US Army Special Operations Command, Navy, Getty, Association of, Anadolu Agency, Kremlin, NATO, Keyboard, US Army, Psychological, Groups, Civil Affairs Brigade, Army Special Forces Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Europe, Kyiv, St . Petersburg, Rostov, Mackall, North Carolina, China

☆ Opinion: Israel ground attack on Gaza would be a long, deadly ordeal, say urban warfare experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

That’s the way two leading experts on urban warfare described the prospect of a ground attack by Israel on Hamas’ base in the streets and tunnels of Gaza. It’s in a body of knowledge on how to do this big of an urban operation as fast and effectively as possible. Israel continues to deploy soldiers and armored vehicles along the Gaza border in Zikim kibbutz of Ashkelon, Israel on October 14. In the concrete jungle of urban warfare, most of your weapons may not even penetrate the building the enemy is in. BERGEN: Doesn’t this have some implications for the “mass” involved when you launch a military operation in Gaza?

Persons: Peter Bergen, ”, Liam Collins, John Spencer, ” Collins, Spencer, ” PETER BERGEN, JOHN SPENCER, LIAM COLLINS, SPENCER, Mostafa Alkharouf, You’re, Liam Collins SPENCER, COLLINS, It’s, Nir Oz, David Kilcullen, you’ve, BERGEN, There’s, Yoav Gallant, Ronen Zvulun, We’re, Let’s, Liam, John Spencer BERGEN, Ukraine that’s Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Hamas ’, Warfare, Madison Policy, New America, US Army Special Forces, Modern, US Military Academy, West, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Getty, IDF, Israel's, ISIS, Twitter, Facebook Locations: New America, Israel, Gaza, US, Madison, Afghanistan, Iraq, United States, Jerusalem, BERGEN, Gaza . Israel, Zikim, Ashkelon, Anadolu, COLLINS, Palestinian, Hamas, Israel's, Mosul, That’s, Ukraine, Russia, Let’s, Berlin, SPENCER

☆ Ukraine's military is overcoming Russia's dense minefields and its counteroffensive is poised to 'gain pace,' Zelenskyy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's counteroffensive was poised to "gain pace." Russia's dense minefields have slowed Ukraine's counteroffensive, Ukrainian officials said. OLEKSII FILIPPOV/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite the mine threat, Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine's counteroffensive was about to "gain pace." But it is not clear how much of Ukraine's forces have so far joined the counteroffensive efforts. Multiple Ukrainian officials recently said that the bulk of Ukraine's forces had not yet been dispatched to the frontline.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, OLEKSII FILIPPOV, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Analysts, Service, Aspen Security, Financial Times, CNN, Russian, US Army Special Forces, Ukraine, Washington Post, State Emergency Service, Getty, US National Security Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Florida, Brovary, Kyiv, AFP

☆ Russia built fake trenches along the front lines to lure Ukrainian soldiers into deadly explosive traps, researchers found
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Among them are fake trenches designed to lure Ukrainians into a death trap, researchers found on a recent Ukraine trip. And while many of the trenches are actual Russian combat positions, others have been traps, researchers learned from front-line Ukrainian forces. They have mine trenches," Kofman said, explaining that they attempt to "lure Ukrainian forces into trenches that have been mined" with remote-activated mines "and then blow up the mines." The possibility that the trench Ukrainian infantry are rushing into might be an explosive trap makes things immensely more difficult. Hendrickson said they have come across extremely complex minefields in which anti-tank mines are protected by anti-personnel mines and other explosives surrounded by booby traps.

Persons: we've, Michael Kofman, Kofman, Laurent van der, Ryan Hendrickson, Hendrickson, Franz, Stefan Gady Organizations: Service, Center for Naval, 81st Airmobile Battalion, Le Monde, US Army Special Forces Engineer, Toronto Television, Paratroopers, Center for New American Security, Ukrainian Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Seversk, Russian, Afghanistan

☆ Former Special Forces engineer says Russian minefields are unlike anything he has ever seen and battling these hidden death traps is 'exhausting'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The former US Special Forces engineer says the overwhelming numbers of land mines is wildly different from anything he saw in Afghanistan. "There are millions and millions of mines in Ukraine," many put down by the Ukrainians, but significantly more by the Russians. The Russians have "the capability to lay millions and millions of land mines, and they do," he said, stressing that "the biggest shaping factor of this war is land mines." "Any movement, offense, or counteroffense, assaults, or anything like that, the commander has to take into account land mines," Hendrickson said. "The casualties that the Ukrainians are suffering on this offensive," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff US Army Gen. Mark Milley said this week, "they're from minefields — minefields that are covered with direct fire from anti-tank hunter-killer teams, that sort of thing."

Persons: Ryan Hendrickson, Hendrickson, Ercin, Getty Images Hendrickson, Valery Zaluzhny, Mark Milley Organizations: US Special Forces, Ukrainian YouTube, Service, US Army Special Forces, Green Berets, Ukrainian Toronto Television, 35th Marine Brigade, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Rights, Toronto Television, Group, Getty Images, Washington Post, Joint Chiefs, Staff US Locations: Ukraine, Afghanistan, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Donetsk, Laos, Cambodia

☆ A US Green Beret drill with fake guerrilla fighters shows how Sweden has been preparing for an 'unconventional' clash with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In May and June, US Army Green Berets conducted unconventional warfare training in Sweden. In the US military, unconventional warfare is the bread and butter of the Green Berets of US Army Special Forces. Winning wars unconventionallyUS Army Green Berets demonstrate detainment procedures during training in Kalix, Sweden on May 29. Unconventional warfare can still play an important role in that kind of war, but it would be a supporting role. Cadets talk to role-players during West Point Irregular Warfare Group's Unconventional Warfare Exercise in April 2019.

Persons: Anthony Bryant, Patrik Orcutt, Anthony Bryant Sweden, refocusing, Erwin Rommel, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: US Army Green Berets, Service, NATO, US Green Berets, Swedish Home Guard, US Army, Staff, Green Berets, US Army Special Forces, US Army Special Operations Command, Green, US Special Forces, 10th Special Forces Group, Sweden's, Guard, Home Guard, Operations Command, Green Beret, US Army Green, EU, Army Green Berets, Pentagon, Al, Delta Force, US Military, British Special Air Service, Commonwealth, Group, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Sweden, Soviet Union, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kalix, Europe, Soviet, Swedish, Stockholm, Al Qaeda, China, North Africa, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Johns

CNN —A former Afghan interpreter who immigrated with his family to America in 2021 was shot and killed early Monday in Washington, DC, while on an extra shift as a Lyft driver, and police now are searching for suspects, authorities and a charity said. Four people ran away from the scene shortly after he was shot, video released by police shows. Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest, the release said. Ahmad Yar brought his family to the US in 2021 after the Afghan government collapsed, the crowdfunding site says. “Our hearts are with Mr. Nasrat’s loved ones as they confront this unspeakable tragedy,” a Lyft spokesperson told CNN in a statement.

Persons: CNN —, Nasrat Ahmad Yar, Ahmad Yar, Nasrat’s, ” Organizations: CNN, US Army Special Forces, Police, ” CNN, Army Special Forces Locations: America, Washington ,, Afghanistan, Alexandria , Virginia

☆ US Green Berets are looking to troops from NATO's newest member as 'mentors' for harsh winter combat
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In March, US Green Berets trained in the Arctic with "mentors" from Finland's Utti Jaeger Regiment. The Utti Jaeger RegimentUtti Jaeger Regiment soldiers during training in May 2019. The Utti Jaeger Regiment takes part in about 40 "executive assistance tasks," which likely includes training and real-world missions, each year. But Finnish forces live in those conditions, and the Special Forces soldiers looked up to them because of it. US Green Berets and Utti Jaeger Regiment troops at a helicopter landing zone in Lapland on March 12.

Persons: Finland's Utti, —, Utti Jaeger, Utti, Lance Cpl, Scott Jenkins, Anthony Bryant, Izabella Workman, I'm, Jaeger, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Green Berets, Finland's Utti Jaeger, Service, NATO, Utti, Utti Jaeger, US Marine Corps, Utti Jaeger Regiment, US Army, Staff, US Army Special Forces, Green, Special Forces, Special Forces Group, US, Warfare, Finns, 10th Special Forces Group, US Air Force, Utti Jaeger Regiment Helicopter Battalion, Tech, Special Jaeger Battalion, Army, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Finland, Ukraine, Russia, Lapland, Finland's, Fort Carson, Colorado, Alaska, Europe, Swedish, Johns

☆ US special operators are tinkering with a low-tech kind of aircraft to overcome high-tech threats in future wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

For US special operators, who may have to operate far from friendly forces in those wars, one new effort is the use of a low-tech kind of aircraft to overcome high-tech threats. A special-operations gliderUS Army special operations soldiers load a GD-2000 glider into a C-27J airplane at Yuma Proving Grounds in February. Thoman JohnsonIn February, a US Army Special Forces team tested a prototype aircraft that could ease the logistical challenges faced by special-operations units in contested areas. That long glide distance is equal to what special operators can cover during a High Altitude, High Opening free-fall jump. David Bathgate/Corbis via Getty ImagesDuring the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the US military's resupply operations have been largely uncontested.

Persons: —, Thoman Johnson, Yates Electrospace, David Bathgate, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Special Forces, Service, US Army, US Army Special Forces, Troops, Green Beret, Getty, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: China, Ukraine, Russian, Yuma, Arizona, Afghanistan, Corbis, Iraq, Syria, Russia, Johns

☆ A secretive SEAL-like unit is leading Ukraine's shadowy battle against Russia in a vital corner of the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations appears to be leading the effort for Ukraine. For Ukraine, the 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations, a secretive SEAL-like unit, is leading the shadowy battle against Russia. Therese PratsThe 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations was based on the Soviet-era 17th Naval Special Purpose Brigade. The 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations could play a significant role in future large-scale fighting. Roxana DavidovitsLike the 73rd Naval Center of Special Operations, most of the Ukrainian military emerged from the Soviet military.

☆ Ukraine's special operators have been 'taking it to the Russians,' the head of US Special Operations Command says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ukrainian special operators have been putting their US-provided training to use against Russia. Ukrainian special-operations forces will also have a key role in the outcome of those battles. Ukrainian commandos on the jobRomanian, Ukrainian, and US Army Green Berets train in Romania in May 2021. Roxana DavidovitsAs Russian forces poured into the country at the start of the war, Ukrainian special operators went hunting. SOCOM had also incorporated a focus on unconventional warfare, a specialty of US Army Special Forces, into its training.

☆ Russia's struggles in Ukraine are showing US special operators that they'll need to fight without their 'tethers' to win future wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For US special operators, the war is a reminder that such a network won't always be available. Ukraine thwarted Russia's initial attack and, with extensive Western support, has driven Russia's forces back. Logistics and special operatorsRomanian, Ukrainian, and US Army Green Berets conduct close quarters battle training in Romania in May 2021. We are trained and mentally prepared to fight without much logistical support," said the Green Beret, who was granted anonymity to discuss potential future operations. "Again, depending on the unit and the mission, we will require some sort of logistical support eventually.

☆ US special operators borrowed a unique part of Army Green Beret training to prepare Ukrainians to fight Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As part of that, US trainers set up a version of US Army Special Forces' "Q course" for Ukraine. "Q course" assesses Green Beret candidates and teaches them the basics of their profession. Ukraine's 'Q' courseCandidates during US Army Special Forces Assessment and Selection at Camp Mackall in North Carolina in March 2020. Gaelle Girbes/Getty ImagesThe "Q course," officially called the US Army Special Forces Qualification Course, assesses and teaches Green Beret candidates the basics of their profession. Edwards acknowledged that some NATO militaries still have special operators in Ukraine, though strictly in an advisory role, and that US special operators "rely heavily on them" to understand the situation on the ground.

☆ With tension rising in the Pacific, US special operators have a new goal: Creating 'multiple dilemmas' for China
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US special operators are aiming to create "multiple dilemmas" for China, SOCOM's commander says. Multiple dilemmasUS Navy SEALs, Philippine Navy special operators, and Australian special-operations soldiers during an exercise in Palawan in April. 1st Class Jared N. GehmannUS special operators need to continue "developing and strengthening the partner and ally piece that's a comparative and competitive advantage for this nation," Fenton said. Moreover, US special operators have been working closely with all US military branches to better understand how those branches operate and how SOCOM can support them in a conflict with China. The Pentagon's top special-operations official said in May 2021 that special operators could be "a key contributor" to resisting a Chinese attempt to seize Taiwan.

☆ Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning faces off against Republican Christian Castelli in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Kathy Manning is running against Republican Christian Castelli in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. NC-13NC-01 HouseDemocratic Rep. Kathy Manning faces off against Republican Christian Castelli in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. North Carolina's 6th Congressional District candidatesManning, first elected in 2020, is vying for her second term. Castelli defeated Lee Haywood — the nominee from the 2020 race — and five other candidates in the GOP primary. Voting history for North Carolina's 6th Congressional DistrictNorth Carolina's 6th Congressional District is comprised of Guilford County, Rockingham, and almost all of Caswell counties.

☆ Mysterious fires and explosions at sensitive Russian sites are hints of a hallmark mission for special-operations units
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some may be the work of Russians opposed to Putin; others show signs of military special operations. In a matter of a days this month, Ukrainian forces managed to liberate more territory than the Russian military captured and held over six months of war. For months now, sensitive sites and important facilities throughout Russia have been hit by mysterious fires and explosions, hinting at a sabotage campaign that is the hallmark of special-operations forces. Smoke and flames rise at a Russian military base in Crimea after explosions there on August 9. Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate.

Search resuls for: "US Army Special Forces"

16 mentions found