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☆ Top tanks worth millions and other expensive heavy armor are being hunted in Ukraine by cheap exploding drones worth only a few hundred bucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Ukrainian and Russian heavy armor, including their better tanks, are facing a growing threat: FPV drones. Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesWhat are FPV drones? Instead, individual units are putting in orders for FPV drones, and these outfits are doing what they can to meet the demand. It is unclear if or how the FPV drones factored into this figure. Electronic warfare can have an effect on FPV drones, as can the rough cope cages some armored-vehicle crews have welded on their tanks and fighting vehicles to shield it from the exploding FPV drones, though not always.

Persons: Samuel Bendett, Wojciech Grzedzinski, David Hambling, Bendett, Steve Wright, Yuriy Mate, Jack Watling, Nick Reynolds, it's Organizations: Service, Center for Naval, Mechanized Brigade, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Army, Drones, Newsweek, Ukraine, Royal United Services, PBS Locations: Russian, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Donetsk Oblast, China

☆ How U.S. microchips are fueling Russia's military — despite sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Murky supply chainsNot all advanced technologies are subject to Western sanctions on Russia. So, a Russian military, as well as its civilian economy, have become dependent," Sam Bendett, advisor at the Center for Naval Analyses, said. Meanwhile, sanctions on Russia are largely limited to Ukraine's Western allies, meaning that many countries continue to trade with Russia. And this is what the Russian industry as well as the Russian military and its intelligence services are taking advantage of," Bendett said. Sanctions clampdownThe burgeoning trade flows have prompted calls from Western allies to either get more countries on board with sanctions, or slap secondary sanctions on certain entities operating within those countries in a bid to stifle Russia's military strength.

Persons: Elina Ribakova, KSE, Sam Bendett, spokespeople, Bendett, Sellers Organizations: CNBC, Semiconductors, Peterson Institute for International Economics, KSE Institute, Kyiv School, Economics, United Arab, Moscow, Royal United Services Institute, U.S ., Center for Naval, Russian, Economic Security, of, CNBC Exports, Union, Russian Federation, European Union, Peterson Institute for International Locations: Russia, Moscow, China, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Russia's, U.S, Japan, Germany, Russian, microchips, Hong Kong, of Ukraine, Caucasus, Central Asia, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan

☆ Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Crimea Bridge Attack Puts Spotlight on Sea Drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Moscow’s accusation that Ukraine used sea drones to attack and significantly damage Russia’s Kerch Strait Bridge to Crimea on Monday has put a spotlight on a weapon that could pose a particularly difficult threat for the Kremlin. He said they would have traveled across the Black Sea at a speed slow enough to minimize their wake and foil radar detection. For Ukraine, with its navy effectively blockaded and outmatched by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the appeal of unmanned surface vessels is clear. Russia accused Ukraine in October of attacking its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the fleet’s base, with seven sea drones as well as aerial drones. On Sunday, Russia’s defense ministry said it had foiled another such attack in Sevastopol, involving two sea drones and aerial drones.

Persons: ”, Sam Bendett, Bendett, Mr Organizations: CNA, The New York Times, Russian, Fleet, Black Locations: Ukraine, Kerch, Crimea, Russian, Virginia, Russia, Azov, Dnipro, Sevastopol

☆ Drone boats give Ukraine a cheap, 'asymmetric' edge against Russia and may have just damaged a key bridge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Waterborne drones are an inexpensive asset, giving Ukraine an "asymmetric" naval edge against Russia. Russia blamed Ukraine for using the drones to attack the Kerch Strait Bridge in Crimea on Monday. Waterborne drones are also inexpensive and devastating, and there are indications they were used to damage a key Russian bridge into Crimea. An anonymous source from Ukraine's Security Service also confirmed to CNN that Ukraine's naval drones carried out the attack, as did a state official. "Ukraine exploited its [the Kerch Strait Bridge] vulnerability by launching relatively cheap and inexpensive USVs in what turned out to be a successful attack," Bendett said.

Persons: There's, Samuel Bendett, —, Bendett Organizations: Service, Ukraine, Security Service, Ukraine's Security Service, CNN, Center for Naval Analyses, Russia, Kyiv, Getty Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kerch, Crimea, Wall, Silicon, China, AFP, Moscow, Kyiv

☆ This 12-mile-bridge in Crimea is a lifeline for Russia's occupation, but attacks and damages are making it a headache for Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Kerch Bridge connecting Russia and Crimea was damaged by explosions on Monday morning. An attack on the Kerch Bridge is far from "an extraordinary event," as Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-installed governor of Crimea, said, according to The Kyiv Post. The damage was so severe, Kerch Bridge was closed for normal vehicle traffic until February 2023 and railway traffic until May 2023. "There's been a huge push on the part of Russian authorities to really sustain and even increase tourism in occupied Crimea for economic reasons, and for an integration of occupied Crimea into the larger Russian system." But defending the Kerch Bridge is a logistical nightmare for Russia, prompting a hoard of questions.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Karolina Hird, Evans Hanson, Sergey Aksyonov, Putin's, Samuel Bendett, ISW's Hird, There's, " Hird, who's, it's, Bendett, we've, Hird, that's Organizations: Service, Institute for, AP, Ukrainian Security, CNN, Center for Naval, International Affairs Group, Russia, Black, Fleet, Putin Locations: Kerch, Russia, Crimea, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Ground vehicles are the new frontier in Ukraine's drone war
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] Yevhen Hnatok, 22, former Ukrainian serviceman, shows an unmanned ground vehicle, with his patches, in workshop, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine, July 5, 2023. Among the Ukrainian engineers working in the sector is 22-year-old Yevhen Hnatok, who said he had already supplied several dozen remote-controlled ground vehicles for the armed forces. As more experimental technologies are introduced onto the battlefield, small-scale engineers like Hnatok are hoping to influence the war's outcome with Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) that carry weapons and explosives or conduct reconnaissance. The impact of combat UGVs from both sides has been extremely limited so far, according to Samuel Bendett, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Hnatok said he does not profit from his vehicles, but asks his military buyers to cover production costs.

Persons: Hnatok, Alina Smutko, Samuel Bendett, Ukraine that's, Max Hunder, Mike Collett, White, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Vehicles, Center, New, New American Security, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Ukraine, Kyiv region, Russia, KYIV, Russian, New American, Kyiv, Moscow

☆ Cheap Russian drone a menace to Ukrainian troops and equipment
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] View of what appears to be a Lancet drone, in this handout still image released on January 22, 2023. Bendett said that, according to publicly available Russian sources, a Lancet drone costs approximately 3 million roubles (around $35,000). DRONE WARSUkraine has also developed strong capabilities in drones - also known as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) - as a cost-effective way to hit Russian targets. Having fired on a Russian target, Voron said his Grad was immediately targeted by a Russian S-300 missile, which missed by about 150 metres. However, a Lancet drone then appeared in the sky and chased the Ukrainian rocket system.

Persons: Caesar, Bohdan, Samuel Bendett, Bendett, Yuriy Sak, Lancets, it's, Sak, Voron, Grad, Max Hunder, Mike Collett, White, Alex Richardson Organizations: Defence, REUTERS, Reuters, Center, New, New American Security, MISS, Drones, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Handout, DONETSK, Moscow, Ukrainian, Russian, Avdiivka, Donetsk, frontlines, New American, Russia, Iran, Soviet

☆ Video shows Russian workers tearing up highways to block Prigozhin's advance on Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Videos show what appears to be Russian workers tearing up highways outside Moscow. Wagner Group fighters have been advancing on Moscow since early Saturday. Tensions between Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian military leaders have mounted for months. It's unclear who is operating the construction equipment seen in the images. Russian security forces set up traffic checkpoints with armed guards on Russia's M4 highway, which leads to Moscow, on Saturday, according to Reuters.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, —, Samuel Bendett, Putin, Don, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Prigozhin —, Sergey Sobyanin, Sobyanin Organizations: Wagner Group, Service, Center for Naval Analyses, Russian Telegram, Russian Defense, Reuters, Moscow Locations: Moscow, Lipetsk, Rostov, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Top Russian generals beg Wagner to 'stop' the apparent mutiny led by Prigozhin, saying 'God forbid we have a civil war'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian generals are calling out Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, asking for troops to remain calm. The testimonial videos from the generals come after Prigozhin called for "payback" on Russian forces. On Friday, two top Russian generals appeared solemnly in front of similar beige walls, urging Wagner forces to focus their energy on combating Ukrainian forces, instead of Russia's army. The videos were published hours after Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin called for "payback" against Russia, accusing the Kremlin of launching missile attacks against his troops. The latest escalation in the feud, stemming from March, comes after Prigozhin claimed that Russian troops attacked Wagner group positions with missile strikes.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, —, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Sergei Surovikin, Vladimir Alekseyev, Alekseyev, Samuel Bendett, Prigozhin — Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Russia, Kremlin, Times, Center for Naval Analyses, Wagner, Russia's, Reuters, Russia's Defense Ministry Locations: Russia, Russian

☆ Russians are reminding troops the enemy is Ukraine amid fears of a Wagner coup attempt against the defense ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has prompted fears of an impending coup in Russia. Russian civilians and officials are imploring troops to keep their focus on Ukraine amid the panic. "Everyone who holds a weapon at the line of contact, remember: your enemy is across from you," a message shared repeatedly states. Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin. Press service of "Concord"/Handout via REUTERSThe Russian defense ministry, meanwhile, also attempted to refocus attention on the fight in Ukraine in a Friday Telegram post.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, —, Russia's, Putin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Samuel Bendett, Simon Miles, Miles, Sergey Surovikin, Bendett Organizations: Service, Ukraine —, Russian, Staff, Federal Security Service, Center for Naval Analyses, Press, Armed Forces, Russian Federation, [ Armed Forces, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, gunpoint, Concord, Soviet

☆ Russia's military falsely claimed to have shredded a Leopard tank. It looks more like abandoned farm equipment.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Sam Fellman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's military claimed a prize hit in Ukraine: the German-made Leopard 2 main battle tank. But the video Russian officials released to prove it doesn't show a Leopard tank. Russia's Ministry of Defense then released a video compiling two views of the hit and claimed a major prize: a first strike on a German-made Leopard tank. Beyond the visuals, the video also offers another indication this wasn't a Leopard tank. We're not sure yet, but the Russian video offers clues.

Persons: —, Samuel Bendett, That's, Russia's Organizations: Service, Ministry of Defense, CNA, Russian Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia

☆ Bayraktar TB2 drones were hailed as Ukraine's savior and the future of warfare. A year later, they've practically disappeared.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In the early months of the Russia-Ukraine war, Bayraktar TB2 drones were hailed as Ukraine's savior. However, a year later, nearly all of them are believed to have been shot down by Russian forces. "Once the Russian military got its act together, it was able to down many TB2s," Bendett said. Electronic warfare is a "critical component" of Russia's tactics and contributing to the enormous losses of Ukrainian drones, a report released by the UK's Royal United Services Institute found. Ukraine still had the initiative, but "as the Russian military adapts, there can be no room for complacency," it said.

☆ Russia-Ukraine War: Live Updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Smoke rises from the side of the Ilsky Oil Refinery manufacturing complex in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia. For the past several days, Russian infrastructure near Ukraine’s border and in Russian-controlled Crimea has been targeted repeatedly. But it has usually maintained ambiguity about involvement in attacks on Russian territory. Russian officials reported strikes on train lines in Russia’s Bryansk region on Monday and Tuesday. Four drones also attacked storage facilities on Thursday at one of the largest oil refineries in southern Russia’s Krasnodar Territory, according to Tass, the Russian state news agency.

☆ Details in the drone incident the Kremlin says aimed to assassinate Putin 'don't quite add up.' Experts have 3 theories on what happened.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | Sophia Ankel | Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Russia claimed Wednesday that Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin with a drone attack at the Kremlin. James Patton Rogers, a military historian and adviser to NATO on drones and warfare, said that "there's a few things that don't quite add up in this situation." Its ability to fly comparatively low, and slowly, would potentially help it evade some radar, Patton Rogers said. Claiming that Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin would potentially "open up a new norm in the war," Patton Rogers said. Patton Rogers said he hasn't "seen any indication" that such groups have the capacity to use drones in their attacks.

☆ Russia's military has been preparing for a drone-filled battlefield, and even its cooks are being trained to shoot them down
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Counter-drone training has also become common throughout the Russian military. Having used drones and seen drones used with increasing frequency, the Russian military has also expanded its counter-drone training. The threat is now considered so widespread that most Russian troops, regardless of military specialty, are getting instruction in spotting and dealing with drones. Ukraine's military has been bolstering its drone defenses throughout the war, as shown in the Western military aid being sent to Kyiv. Despite having kinetic and electronic-warfare countermeasures to take out Russian drones, Ukraine still faces a difficult challenge.

☆ How Ukraine uses high-tech anti-drone guns to down Russian drones and recover intelligence from them
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine is using anti-drone guns to down Russian drones and collect intelligence from them. The Ukrainian company Kvertus Technology developed the KVS G-6, a long-range anti-drone gun that uses radio signals to jam Russian drones. While both Russia and Ukraine have used older anti-aircraft guns to shoot down drones, anti-drone guns disrupt drones without physically damaging them. It uses electromagnetic pulses to jam and down Russian drones. Samuel Bendett, an analyst and expert in unmanned and robotic military systems at the Center for Naval Analyses, told Insider that weapons like anti-drone guns are in high demand.

☆ UK says attacks on Russian bomber bases could be 'most strategically significant' force protection failure of the Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian air bases have faced deadly drone attacks thought to be carried out by Ukraine. The drones involved in attacks on two Russian bases on Monday were launched from Ukrainian territory, the New York Times reported, citing a senior Ukrainian. "Ukrainian forces likely sought to disrupt Russian strikes against Ukrainian critical infrastructure and demonstrate Ukraine's ability to target Russian strategic assets," ISW added. The attacks on Russian air bases seemingly mark a new chapter in the conflict. "Why didn't Russian air defenses track and identify the targets so deep inside the country?"

☆ Russia's story on the mysterious explosions that rocked bases housing strategic bombers acknowledges a glaring weakness
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Monday, Russia blamed Ukraine for explosions at two air bases home to strategic bombers. The attacks were carried out with "Soviet-era" drones, per Russia's Ministry of Defense. If true, that is a "baffling" admission, military expert Samuel Bendett told Insider. "Baffling," Samuel Bendett, a military expert with the Center for Naval Analysis, a Washington think tank, said in an interview. Neither Ukraine nor Russia claimed it was theirs, but the incident showed the craft is still being used today.

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