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☆ PHOTOS: Inside the front-line trenches around a destroyed town where Ukraine is fighting the war's longest and bloodiest battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Trench warfare has been a major element of fighting between Ukraine and Russia around the eastern city of Bakhmut. Photographs from the area show elaborate networks of trenches that slice through the earth. This is what life looks like in Ukraine's front-line fortifications. A French photographer who documented life in Ukraine's trenches before the war previously described the fortifications in Ukraine's eastern Donbas as "endless bowels of Earth." Here's what life looks like in the front-line trenches near Ukraine's bloodiest and most intense battle, the fight for Bakhmut.

☆ Israel isn't 'out of the woods' even though Netanyahu paused the plan that pushed his country into chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( John Haltiwanger | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

A judicial overhaul plan pushed by Netanyahu's government sparked a major crisis in Israel. "The crisis was deferred, but definitely not resolved," a former US ambassador to Israel told Insider. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to hit pause on a deeply controversial plan to overhaul the country's judiciary, but Israel's problems are far from over. One piece of the plan has already been passed into law, narrowing the circumstances under which a prime minister can be deemed unfit for office. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a voting session in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, Israel on March 27, 2023.

☆ North Korea's showing off an underwater nuclear attack drone it says can cause a 'radioactive tsunami,' but the threat is likely 'exaggerated'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

North Korea has tested an underwater nuclear attack drone, similar to Russia's Poseidon torpedo. "This nuclear underwater attack drone can be deployed at any coast and port or towed by a surface ship for operation," state media boasted. "There have been signs that North Korea has been developing unmanned submarines, but we assess that they are still at an elementary level," South Korea's JCS added. "There are good reasons to maintain skepticism that North Korea will widely produce or deploy the Haeil system," he wrote in an NK Pro analysis. A screen grab shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting nuclear warheads at an undisclosed location in this undated still image used in a video.

☆ A key air defense system wasn't working right when a drone killed an American in Syria, pushing the US to retaliate with force
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The main air defense system at a coalition airbase was "not fully operational" when the attack unfolded, The New York Times reported on Friday. One US official told the Times that the Avenger defense system could have been suffering from a maintenance problem. The drone, which the US intelligence community suspects is of Iranian origin, killed a US contractor and wounded five American service members and an additional contractor. The three injured service members and the contractor were transported to a coalition medical facility in Iraq, while the other two injured service members were treated on site. Austin said his thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the contractor who was killed and also with the wounded service members.

☆ Inmates in North Korean prisons are raped, beaten, and starved, watchdog finds. Some eat roaches and rats just to survive.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A new watchdog report details widespread abuse and torture within North Korea's penal system. The report focuses heavily on the specific cases of three victims who were jailed for trying to leave North Korea, or for helping others leave the country. It added that this was one of 987 such incidents documented across the penal system. A North Korean soldier stands on the bank of Yalu River, near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, April 12, 2013. Korea Future's findings are in line with forms of abuse that are cited in a recent UN report detailing the human rights situation in North Korea.

☆ Ukraine's getting depleted-uranium tank rounds that can punch holes in Russian armor, and Moscow's not happy about it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The UK has indicated that it'll provide Ukraine with tank shells consisting of depleted uranium. When used in tank shells, the material is particularly effective because its bulk allows the munitions to penetrate through enemy armor. Cody Bialcak, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, safely remove over 500 depleted uranium rounds on June 23, 2022 at Tooele Army Depot, UT. US officials have said repeatedly that Russia has likely lost half its tank force in Ukraine, if not more. And depleted uranium shells in the hands of Ukrainian tank operators may make life harder for Russia's armor forces.

☆ White House says Russian pilot who ran into a US drone and broke it was, at best, 'an idiot'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Jake Epstein | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian pilots who intercepted and harassed a US drone last week were presented with awards. When asked at a briefing about the awards, a top White House official ripped into the pilots. "I don't know of another military in the world — another air force in the world — that would award a pilot for smashing into a drone," Kirby said. But State Department spokesperson Ned Price last week also said that the incident was indicative of "a lack of competence." He added that "we've known they were unprofessional," but the incident really "demonstrates how poorly trained" their pilots are.

☆ The US is flying drones farther from Russia to be less 'provocative' after a Russian jet harassed and smashed into one, making it crash: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Russian fighter jet clipped a US military drone operating above the Black Sea last week. US officials say drones are flying farther south and away from Russia, according to a report. US officials, however, told CNN that the drones are now flying farther south over the Black Sea and moving away from Russia and occupied Crimea. A Russian Su-27 fighter jet approaches a US military MQ-9 Reaper drone operating above the Black Sea on March 14, 2023. "We are the adults in the room when it comes to international military forces," the former defense official continued.

☆ Photos from Putin's big meeting with China's Xi show no absurdly long tables but feature unexpectedly giant flags
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Tuesday, he was photographed with China's President Xi next to weirdly tall flags. But for Chinese President Xi Jinping, Moscow broke out long red carpets and massive flags. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Photo by PAVEL BYRKIN/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty ImagesRussian President Vladimir Putin meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with leaders of the countries of the CTSO Monday at a new long table, but this one is round.

☆ Top US general says it will be really hard and cost a lot of 'blood and treasure' for Ukraine to 'kick out every single Russian' invader
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The top US general believes Russia's war in Ukraine will likely end at the negotiating table. It'll cost Ukraine a lot of "blood and treasure" and be really difficult to expel all the invading Russians, he said. "At some point people will figure out that the cost of continuing to execute this war through military means is extraordinarily challenging. "But there's also the practical matter of being able to physically kick out every single Russian out of all of Ukraine," he continued. "That's really hard to do militarily, and it's an enormous cost in blood and treasure."

☆ Top US general predicts that much of the world's armies, navies, and air forces 'will be robotic' in 15 years, if not sooner
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He said that robots will play a huge role in the world's armies, navies, and air forces within the next decade or so. Gen. Mark Milley also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence as a military application. Within the next 15 years, if not sooner, Milley said, "you're going to see significant portions of armies and navies and air forces that will be robotic." Some examples of robotic or unmanned systems already exist within the US military, such as drones, but more systems are in the works. Just last month, the Air Force announced that it successfully let AI pilot a fighter jet, building off past testing involving simulated dogfights.

☆ At a key moment in the war, the US is rushing to get powerful Abrams tanks to Ukraine faster
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US is rushing to get Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine ahead of schedule, US officials say. But Kirby also acknowledged that their troops need modern, powerful Abrams tanks as soon as possible — a weapon that can help them shatter Russian lines when they launch a counter-offensive. Washington's original plan was to provide Ukraine with 31 of the M1A2 Abrams, a newer variant, which would have taken "over a year or so" to reach Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Nicolas Armer/Getty ImagesThe M1 Abrams tanks have a history tracing back to the Gulf War. Meanwhile, US announcements on the Abrams tanks come at a critical time for Ukraine and its tank force.

☆ Ukraine's Soviet-era tanks are getting stuck in the mud, falling apart, and frequently won't even fire, tank force commander says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Old tanks break, get stuck, and sometimes don't even fire, a Ukrainian tank platoon commander told the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian forces hope they can get their hands on modern and advanced Western tanks. Ukrainian units report that their older T-64 tanks are getting stuck in mud, are constantly in need of repair, and sometimes won't even fire. But while Yehor's T-64 tanks have been indispensable, he said it's getting harder to keep them running. An Ukrainian T-64 tank crew makes repairs after leaving the battlefield in Ukraine, on March 9, 2023.

☆ 300,000 new troops couldn't get Russia's big offensive to work, and sending more to the front probably won't help, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia mobilized hundreds of thousands of troops to fight in Ukraine and fuel a spring offensive. But these new soldiers have been unable to turn Russia's advances into a major success, war experts say. Ukraine now appears positioned for its own push, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Meanwhile, Russian forces sent to fight in Ukraine have taken a beating. Western intelligence and US officials estimate Russia has likely suffered up t0 200,000 casualties in Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden said an international arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin was "justified." The warrant was issued by the International Criminal Court, which the US and Russia don't recognize. On Friday, the ICC released a report accusing the Russian president of "war crimes," declaring him an international pariah by issuing an arrest warrant against him. Russia does not recognize the ICC, and the US's relationship with the court has been fraught, according to Human Rights Watch. We support accountability for perpetrators of war crimes," the spokesperson added.

☆ Kim Jong Un's daughter was a mystery for years, but now she's showing up at North Korea's biggest missile tests
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

For years, Kim Jong Un's daughter — Kim Ju Ae — was a mystery to the world. But in late 2022 state media began showing photos of her at North Korean military events. Photographs released by state media after the launch appear to show the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, watching with a girl who has been identified by analysts and experts as his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. This photo provided on Nov. 19, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and his daughter inspecting a missile at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with his daughter, inspects what it says is an artillery drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea, Thursday, March 9, 2023.

☆ International Criminal Court cements Putin's pariah status with arrest warrant for alleged war crimes — illegally snatching kids from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin has allegedly committed war crimes in Ukraine, the ICC said in a Friday statement. He's been accused by the court of orchestrating involvement in illegally transferring children from Ukraine to Russia. The Netherland's based court alleged these crimes have been carried out since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022. The UN said many of the actions, including the transfer and deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia, "amount to war crimes."

☆ A top US general warns ISIS will be able to strike Western interests from Afghanistan within 6 months
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

ISIS could strike Western interests from Afghanistan within months, a top US general says. Gen. Michael Kurilla warned the terror group's Afghanistan affiliate could stage attacks abroad. Its "ultimate goal" is to strike the US homeland, Kurilla told lawmakers, which would be difficult. The terror group continued to carry out attacks across Afghanistan in 2022 — targeting everything from schools to mosques, and killing scores of people. In the latter two countries, US and partner forces have carried out nearly 100 operations against the terror group since the start of 2023, according to CENTCOM fact sheets.

☆ Moscow was likely trying to send a message by harassing a US drone, but officials say the Russian pilot ran into it because they're bad at flying
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A Russian fighter jet harassed a US military MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea this week. But US officials said the fighter pilot demonstrated a "lack of competence" by clipping the drone. On Tuesday, two Russian Su-27 fighter jets intercepted a US military MQ-9 Reaper drone that was flying in international airspace above the Black Sea. A composite image showing the rear of a US MQ-9 Reaper drone before and after the US military says a Russian Su-27 fighter jet collided with it. The report consists of empirical research completed in 2020 that analyzes years of Russian military activity like intercepts and other engagements.

☆ Russian jets crashed a US drone, and now Moscow wants to fish the busted aircraft out of the sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia wants to recover the remains of a downed US military drone from the Black Sea. An "out of control" Russian fighter jet clipped the drone on Tuesday, causing it to crash. US officials have said they're not sure if they'll be able to recover the aircraft from the deep water. Two Russian Su-27 fighter jets carried out an interception of the US drone above the Black Sea on Tuesday and engaged in maneuvers which US European Command described as "unsafe and unprofessional." And it is incumbent upon Russia to operate its military aircraft in a safe and professional manner," he said.

☆ The White House is 'not sure' the US can recover the drone a Russian warplane ran into over the Black Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian fighter jet hit a US military drone on Tuesday, forcing it to crash into the Black Sea. It's unclear if the US will be able to recover the aircraft, a White House official said Wednesday. I mean, where it fell into the Black Sea, very, very deep water. During the Tuesday incident, two Russian Su-27 jets conducted what US European Command described was an "unsafe and unprofessional intercept" of the Reaper drone as it flew in international airspace over the Black Sea. It was also the latest in a string of provocative and aggressive Russian actions against NATO militaries around the Black Sea, where intercepts, including unsafe intercepts, are fairly common.

☆ A Russian fighter jet clipped a US drone over the Black Sea, causing a crash and the 'complete loss' of the American aircraft, US military says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Russian fighter jet clipped a US military drone operating over the Black Sea on Tuesday. It's the latest aggressive maneuver by Russian forces against NATO members in eastern Europe. When the Russian plane clipped the drone, the US military was forced to bring the aircraft down in international waters. EUCOM criticized the incident as "reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional" and said it demonstrates a "lack of competence" from Russian forces. Over the years, Russian aircraft have also repeatedly buzzed NATO warships in the Black Sea, and Russian jets have on a number of occasions conducted "unsafe" maneuvers around American planes.

☆ Russia can't make new missiles fast enough to keep up its attacks, so massive strikes are becoming rarer, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia can't make new missiles fast enough, leading to less frequent attacks on Ukraine, UK intel says. The intelligence suggests Russia is struggling to "stockpile a critical mass" for larger strikes. US and UK officials have previously said Russia is using munitions faster than it can produce them. UK intelligence said Russia fired "an unusually large number" of Kh-47 Kinzhal ballistic missiles. A top UK envoy, meanwhile, said in late 2022 that Russia was working to obtain ballistic missiles from Iran to bolster its stockpile.

☆ The US military has been testing pulsed energy on animals trying to recreate the mysterious 'Havana Syndrome' symptoms: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US military has been carrying out and funding testing on various animals. The testing is aimed at seeing if radio frequency waves cause the mysterious sickness known as "Havana Syndrome." US intelligence determined last week that the ailment is likely not caused by a foreign adversary or weapon. A defense official told Insider that the Department of Defense, in accordance with congressional requirements, "continues to address the challenges posed by" anomalous health incidents, "including the causation, attribution, mitigation, identification, and treatment for such incidents. The official did not comment on the reported testing on primates but said that the testing at Wayne State University is aimed at alleviating "the deficits associated with traumatic brain injury."

☆ The US Navy's newest supercarrier is underway with all its available airpower for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Navy's newest supercarrier, USS Gerland R. Ford, is underway with all its airpower. Johnson said the Ford's carrier strike group includes staff from Carrier Strike Group 12, Carrier Air Wing 8, and Destroyer Squadron 2. "Now, the strike group is initiating its final step in fully certifying as a combat-deployable warship. COMPTUEX will further demonstrate that our carrier strike group is a combat-ready naval force capable of conducting a full spectrum of integrated maritime, joint, and combined operations," he added. The Ford Carrier Strike Group is expected to deploy on its first full-length deployment sometime later this year.

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