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☆ 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 | The Memories That Feed Distrust in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Zeynep Tufekci | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

His pained voice turned to anger when he recounted encountering disbelief that Hamas committed terrible atrocities when it attacked Israel. Indeed, since Hamas did murder children and take others as hostages, should it get credit if it didn’t also behead them? But if the U.S. response after Sept. 11 is a model, it is as a model of what not to do. After the attacks, the United States received deep global sympathy. In the Middle East, the devastating aftermath of that war — justified by false claims — has never ended.

Persons: Moshe Lavi, Lavi, there’s, Biden, didn’t, that’s, ”, Bush, —, Peter Lerner, Saddam Hussein, Saddam, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Hamas, New York Times, United Nations, Britain’s Sky, United, Iraqi Army, The New York Times, Guardian, Israeli Defense Forces, Hamas’s Naval Police, Naval Force, Amnesty International, Kuwaiti, American, Rights, Amnesty, West Bank Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iraq, U.S, United States, Abu Ghraib, People, Israeli, Kuwait, Vietnam, Kuwaiti

☆ These are the elite special force units Israel could send into Gaza to clear Hamas' labyrinth of tunnels and rescue hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Israel has sent elite troops into Gaza as its ground invasion of the territory ramps up. They will be tasked with clearing the Hamas' labyrinth of tunnels and rescuing over 200 hostages. AdvertisementAdvertisementIsrael has indicated that it had sent elite troops into Gaza as it intensifies its ground operations against Hamas following the October 7 terrorist attacks. "To the residents of the Gaza Strip: The Gaza governorate (Gaza City) has become a battlefield. Shelters in northern Gaza and Gaza governorate are not safe," read one leaflet in Arabic, per The Telegraph.

Persons: Israel, Herzi Halevi, —, Halevi, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sayeret, It's, Egoz, Sting ”, Jonathan Conricus, Khan, Gaza Ilia Yefimovich, John Spencer Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Service, Hamas, Reuters, British SAS, YouTube, Duvdevan Commando, IDF, Hezbollah, Israeli Special Forces, K9, Israel, ARIS MESSINIS, Getty Images Israel, Associated Press, US Army, Urban Warfare, Modern, Institute, Health Ministry, AP Locations: Gaza, Israel, Yom, Lebanon, Entebbe, Uganda, Kibbutz Be'eri, Iran, Lebanese, Gaza City, Sderot, AFP, Khan Yunis, Rafah, West

A general view shows the interiors of what the Israeli military say is a cross-border attack tunnel dug from Gaza to Israel, on the Israeli side of the Gaza Strip border near Kissufim January 18, 2018. After the last round of hostilities in 2021, Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yehya Al-Sinwar, said: "They started saying they destroyed 100kms of Hamas tunnels. Tunneling became easier in 2005 when Israel pulled its soldiers and settlers out of Gaza, and when Hamas won power in a 2006 election. Although the military tunnels remained off-limits to outside eyes, during that era Gaza smugglers would show off their scarcely concealed commercial tunnels under the Rafah border. Israeli sources said what awaits them is formidable and they faced an enemy that has regrouped and learned from previous Israeli operations in 2014 and 2021.

Persons: Jack Guez, Lloyd Austin, Yehya Al, Sinwar, Lifshitz, Mahmoud Abbas, Amir Avivi, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Israel, Yasser Arafat's, Deen al, Gilad Shalit, Abu Qusay, Mohammed Deif, Deif, Joel Roskin, Ilan University, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amnon Sofrin, Daphne Richemond, Barak, Jonathan Saul, Stephen Farrell, Phil Stewart, Nafisa Eltahir, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Janet Lawrence Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, U.S . Defense, Israel, United Nations Security Council, LONG, Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization, West Bank, Hamas, Brigades, Arafat's, Israel's, Ilan, Israel's Combat Engineering, Combat Intelligence Corps, Israel's Reichman University, IDF, ISIS, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Kissufim, JERUSALEM, LONDON, Hamas, Palestinian, States, Mosul, Islamic, Egypt, Israeli, Viet, Israel's, Egyptian, El Arish, Suez, Yasser Arafat's Palestine, Jordan, Rafah, Syria, Iraq, State, Jerusalem, London, Washington, Cairo

☆ Watch: IDF Uses New ‘Iron Sting’ Weapon System Against Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Israel Defense Forces released footage said to show commandos using its new “Iron Sting” weapon system against Hamas in one of its first known operational uses. The laser and GPS guided mortar is designed to hit targets in urban environments, according to its manufacturer Elbit Systems. Photo: Israel Defense Forces

Persons: Sting Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Elbit Systems

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the mother and daughter were abducted by Hamas while they were staying at Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Israelis are still reeling from the Hamas assault and from images of fellow citizens being bundled off to Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas. An attempt to rescue all those Hamas said were now held in different locations could jeopardise their lives. American and British officials said they have been working with Qatar to secure the release of hostages, including their citizens, held in Gaza. Israel has also said that there will be no end to its full blockade of the enclave unless Israeli hostages are freed.

Persons: Judith Tai Raanan, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Natalie Raanan's, Ben Raanan, Judith Raanan's, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Yonatan “ Yoni ” Netanyahu, Izz, Deen al, Abu Ubaida, Joe, Biden, Mia Schem, Gilad Shalit, Enas Alashray, Nidal, Michael Georgy, Steve Gorman, Grant McCool Organizations: Kibbutz, Denver Post, Gaza, Media, Hamas, Air, Qatar, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Chicago, Israel, Denver, Qatar, United States, Evanston, an Illinois, Gaza, Entebbe, Uganda, Air France, Palestinian, Thailand, Argentina, Germany, France, Portugal, Hamas, Cairo

☆ Israeli soldiers could end up fighting through an 'underground nightmare' in an invasion of Gaza, home to Hamas' infamous 'metro' of tunnels
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Hamas' infamous network of tunnels await Israeli forces should they invade the Gaza Strip. A former US Army infantry soldier said Hamas can use tunnels for defensive and offensive maneuvers, challenging an invading force. Photo by Yousef Masoud/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesMuch of the tunnel network is narrow, and some portions have been discovered to be over 200 feet deep. AdvertisementAdvertisementOffensively, the tunnels give Hamas the ability to conduct surprise attacks on IDF forces, Spencer said. The tunnel issue, of course, is not the only challenge that Israeli soldiers will face in an invasion of Gaza.

Persons: —, John Spencer, Din, Yousef Masoud, Scott Peterson, Spencer, Ashraf Amra, it's, — that's Organizations: US, Service, Israel Defense Forces, West, Institute, IDF, Hamas, Getty, Israel, US Marines, Cu Chi, American, Islamic, Ordnance Air, ISIS, Combat Engineering Corps, Unit, Al, Quds Brigades, Islamic Jihad Movement, Anadolu Agency, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, Iwo Jima, Vietnam, Cu, Islamic State, Iraq, Afghanistan, Quds, Israeli, Gaza City

☆ A Ukrainian special forces soldier who snuck into Crimea in a nighttime raid said he was chased by Russian warships as he left
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine's special forces recently conducted a nighttime raid on Crimea using jet skis. A soldier involved in the raid said they were chased by Russian warships as they left, but escaped. AdvertisementAdvertisementA Ukrainian special forces soldier said he and his comrades were chased by Russian warships after a daring nighttime raid on occupied Crimea. Ukrainian soldiers then appear to hold up a Ukrainian flag. There were four of them, each with a crew of 20 Russian soldiers armed with heavy machine guns and a 30-millimeter gun," he said.

Persons: —, GUR, Andrey Yusov, Muzykant Organizations: Service, CNN, Pravda, Raptors, Black, Ukrainian Locations: Crimea, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, London

In the dense warrens of Gaza, Hamas is believed to hold at least 199 people hostage, guarded by gunmen and booby traps, likely scattered and hidden from any would-be rescuers as Israel readies a ground invasion. Israeli and U.S. commandos have pulled off extraordinary hostage rescues before. That has left desperate, complex diplomacy — led by the United States and Qatar, a tiny nation with extensive ties to militant groups — as the best option to save hostages in the eyes of many current and former officials. In the talks so far, Qatar is acting as a mediator between Hamas and officials from the United States, which like Israel and the European Union considers Hamas a terrorist group. Adding even more complexity to the talks, there are people from more than 30 countries among the hostages.

Persons: — Organizations: U.S, Hamas, European Union Locations: Gaza, Israel, United States, Qatar

☆ What the U.S. Has Promised Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The first plane carrying advanced U.S. weapons landed at an air base in southern Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday. They are expected to reach the Mediterranean Sea in roughly two weeks, defense officials said, potentially putting two aircraft carrier strike groups, or about a dozen warships, near Israel for a potential response to the crisis inside Israel. The USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying ships arrived near Israel on Tuesday, the Pentagon announced. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday there were no current plans to send U.S. ground troops into Israel. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier this week offered Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant planning and intelligence support from special-operations commandos to help Israel deal with a deepening hostage crisis.

Persons: Biden, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Gerald R, Jake Sullivan, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, Austin, Gallant Organizations: U.S, Israel Defense Forces, Ford, Pentagon, Defense, Israeli Locations: Iran, Israel, U.S, Gaza

The Long Wait for Help as Massacres Unfolded in Israel It took most of a day for Israeli soldiers to arrive as people tried to hide from Hamas terrorists on Saturday. Around 6:30 a.m. A group of students in Nir Oz went into shelters. 6:31 a.m. Israeli response The Israeli military’s response to the rockets was immediate, but it said nothing of a ground invasion. 7:40 a.m. Israeli response The Israeli military reported that Hamas militants had crossed the border and urged civilians to stay in their homes. 2 hours after attacks began 8:23 a.m. Israeli response Israel declared a state of alert for war.

Persons: Nir Oz, ”, “, ” Amit Man, texted, paragliders, concertgoers, Shirley Okev, Sarit Kurtzman, Yonatan Kurtzman, Arie Itzik, Itzik, Almog, ” Amit Man texted, festivalgoer Noa Kalash, Maor Benezri, Sahar, Sahar Kalderon, Erez, “ They’re, Yarden, WhatsApp, Shiri, Bibas, —, Hatem Ali, Yoav Gallant, Israel, Lahav, “ I’m, ” Vivian Silver, Yonatan Zeigen, Benjamin Netanyahu, Man, “ It’s, Tsafrir, ” “, Irit Lahav, Nir, Lotus Lahav, Lahav’s, Mika Atiia, Kfar, Okev, Azza, Nova Festival ISRAEL Nir Oz, It’s, I’m, ” Mr Organizations: Kfar, Attackers, Kfar Azza Residents, Commandos, Hamas, Ben, Gurion University, Palestinian, Israel’s, The New York Times, Nova Festival ISRAEL Locations: Israel, Gaza, Kfar Azza, Alumim, Sderot Be’eri, Sderot, Gaya, Nahal Oz, Kalderon, Be’eri, Israeli, Azza Nahal, GAZA, ISRAEL, EGYPT, Nova

☆ Fact Check: Video of parachutists landing at sports center is from Egypt, not Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of multiple parachutists landing at a crowded sports venue in Egypt has been misrepresented on social media as showing attackers of the militant Islamist group Hamas landing in Israel. The video dates to at least September 2023 and is not related to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas carried out its biggest attack on Israel in years on Oct. 7, killing an estimated 900 Israelis. A sports center named El-Nasr Sporting Club can be seen in the Heliopolis area of Cairo, Egypt, on Google Maps. The video shared online shows events in Egypt, not Israel, that predate the October 2023 attack on Israel.

Persons: ”, “ El, Read Organizations: Hamas, Twitter, Facebook, Nasr, Nasr Sporting, Google, “ El Nasr SC ”, El Nasr Sporting Club, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Egypt, Israel, Palestinian, TikTok, Heliopolis, El, Cairo, “ El Nasr

In addition, thousands of troops have been deployed in southern Israel next to Gaza, which Israeli forces withdrew from in 2005. Trying to rescue all those Hamas said were now held in different locations could jeopardise their lives. Yet, protracted negotiations with Hamas over a prisoner swap would be a huge win for an arch foe of Israel. Within 24 hours, 11 Israelis, five Palestinians and a German policeman were dead after a rescue effort erupted into gunfire. Netanyahu could follow a more familiar strategy of assassinating Hamas leaders with air strikes and bombs.

Persons: Noa Argamani, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Israel, David Saranga, Gilad Shalit, Aaron David Miller, Col Yonatan, Yoni, Mahmoud Abbas, Ariel Sharon, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Saleh al, Arouri, Al, Mohanad Hage Ali, Maayan Lubell, Nidal, Michael Georgy, Tom Perry, Edmund Blair Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Hamas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israeli, Carnegie Endowment, International, Israeli Foreign Ministry, Air, Israeli Olympic, Palestinian, West Bank, Israel, Palestinian Prisoners Association, Carnegie Middle East Center, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, JERUSALEM, DUBAI, Entebbe, Uganda, Air France, Palestinian, Munich, Europe, Al Jazeera, Jerusalem, Dubai

☆ A video appears to show Ukraine's elite commandos on jet skis conducting a raid to raise flag on Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine released a video appearing to show commandos on jet skis conducting a daring raid on Crimea. The drone video shows the jet skis as they approach the occupied peninsula's shores. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine has released a video that appears to show a special forces unit on jet skis conducting a daring raid on the occupied peninsula of Crimea. Ukraine's military intelligence service, known as GUR, shared a drone video saying it shows the commandos on jet skis approaching the shore. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe video also shows commandos on jet skis and speedboats, but few other details have been revealed, and it is unclear when the second raid might have occurred.

Persons: —, GUR, Timur, Jake Epstein Organizations: Service, Times, Special Forces Unit Locations: Ukraine, Crimea, Russia, London

☆ World reacts to surprise attack by Hamas on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The UK will always support Israel’s right to defend itself," Foreign Minister James Cleverly said in a social media post. URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION"I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. DUTCH PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE"Just spoke with Prime Minister @netanyahu about the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel. POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER ZBIGNIEW RAU"I strongly condemn Hamas' ongoing attacks on Israel. AUSTRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER SCHALLENBERGSchallenberg strongly condemned what he called a "cowardly and underhand" attack on Israel by Hamas.

Persons: Mahmoud Issa, OLAF SCHOLZ, Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON Macron, Macron, JAMES, James, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, JOSEP BORRELL, Borrell, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Erdogan, MARK RUTTE, @netanyahu, Rutte, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV, Mikhail Bogdanov, Israel, Israel's, ZBIGNIEW RAU, Rau, PETR PAVEL, Pavel, Benjamin Netanyahu, ALEXANDER SCHALLENBERG Schallenberg, HADJA LAHBIB, Ros Russell, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, Twitter, SAUDI ARABIA'S, OF, AK Party, DUTCH, Hezbollah, Gaza, MINISTRY, Israel, State, SWISS DEPARTMENT OF, BELGIAN, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Germany, SAUDI, Egypt, TURKISH, Ankara, Netherlands, RUSSIAN, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV Russia, Iran, Lebanese, Ukraine, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, CZECH, Czech Republic, Czech, AUSTRIAN, Belgium, Greece

☆ World reacts to Hamas attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Acquire Licensing RightsOct 8 (Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel," Scholz said on social media. However, Morocco's Islamist PJD party, which had been the largest in parliament until elections in 2021, praised the Hamas attack as "a heroic act" and "a natural and legitimate reaction to daily violations". EUROPEAN UNIONEU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. INDONESIA"Indonesia is very concerned about the increasing escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel," the foreign ministry the world’s largest Muslim-majority country said on X.

Persons: Mahmoud Issa, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Tor Wennesland, Volker Tuerk, MAHMOUD ABBAS, WAFA, Abbas, Ali Khamenei, Yahya Rahim Safavi, Nasser Kanaani, ISNA, OLAF SCHOLZ, Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON Macron, Abraham, JOSEP BORRELL, Borrell, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, JAMES, Ursula von der Leyen, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Erdogan, Israel, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV, Bogdanov, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY Zelenskiy, Israel's, ANDRZEJ DUDA, I'm, Duda, PETR PAVEL, Pavel, Giorgia Meloni, KISHIDA, Kishida, Faki Mahamat, Yoweri Museveni, Jan Harvey, Andrew Cawthorne, Ros Russell, Barbara Lewis, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, UNITED, State Department . U.S . Defense, of Defense, Human, Palestinian, Abraham Accords, Israel, Twitter, EU Commission, Hezbollah, Rockets, State, African Union, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, IRAN, Palestine, Jerusalem, CHINA, State, Germany, SAUDI ARABIA, Egypt, MOROCCO Morocco, EU, Muscat, Oman, Canada, QATAR, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV Russia, Iran, Lebanese, Poland, Japan, KUWAIT Kuwait, EMIRATES, UAE, INDONESIA, Indonesia, KENYA, X, UGANDA, Uganda

The military "neutralised" 26 Kurdish militants in northern Syria overnight in retaliation for a rocket attack on a Turkish base, the defence ministry said. Turkey also conducted air strikes and destroyed 30 militant targets elsewhere in northern Syria, including an oil well, a storage facility and shelters, the defence ministry said. Turkey said the attackers came from Syria but the Syrian SDF forces denied this. The Turkish foreign ministry statement said that one of Turkey's drones was lost during operations against Kurdish militants in northeast Syria due to "different technical evaluations" with third parties on the ground. Turkey has mounted several previous incursions into northern Syria against the YPG.

Persons: Ali Yerlikaya, Daren Butler, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Nick Macfie Organizations: Syrian Kurdish, Kurdistan Workers Party, Syrian SDF, European Union, SDF, Islamic State, Pentagon, NATO, Kurdish, Thomson Locations: Turkey, Syria, Ankara, ISTANBUL, Turkish, Kurdish, Syrian, Syria's, Iraq, Agri, TURKISH, U.S, United States, Washington, Hasakah

☆ Elite Ukrainian commandos on jet skis conducted a daring raid on a Russian electronic warfare station in Crimea, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian commandos on jet skis conducted a mission to damage a Russian electronic warfare station in Crimea. Members of the group told The Times of London how they carried out their covert and daring mission. AdvertisementAdvertisementA unit of Ukrainian commandos traveled covertly across the Black Sea on jet skis in a daring raid on a Russian electronic warfare station in Crimea, a report says. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe electronic warfare station had thwarted drone strikes and tracked British Storm Shadow missiles. While the unit approached the peninsula, five Ukrainian support ships fired at Russian positions as a diversion tactic, per The Times.

Persons: —, Borghese, Levan, Timur, Ukraine's, Kyrylo Budanov, GUR Organizations: Times, Ukrainian, Service, Brotherhood Battalion, Storm Shadow, Raptor, REUTERS, Fleet Locations: Crimea, London, Ukrainian, Ukrainian Crimea, Sevastopol, Ukraine

☆ Navy to Begin Drug Testing SEAL Commandos
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Daniel Nasaw | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Russia's using its elite paratroopers in an unusual way to hold the line, leaving the force 'airborne in name only,' war analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia is relying on its elite paratroopers, the VDV, to defend against Ukraine's counteroffensive. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia has turned to its elite paratroopers, the VDV Airborne Forces, to help defend against Ukraine's battlefield advances. As so-called "elite" Russian forces have taken losses, they have at times been backfilled with poorly-trained replacements, degrading the overall capability of the unit. Since those figures were released, VDV units have been transferred to support Moscow's defensive efforts in the face of Ukraine's pressing counteroffensive. The VDV is one of several elite units to suffer severe casualties during the war as Moscow has relied heavily on them.

Persons: —, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Gen, Mikhail Teplinsky Organizations: Ukraine's, Service, VDV Airborne Forces, Russian, Institute for, Victory, Russian MoD, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Paratroopers, Rifle Brigade, 155th Naval Infantry Brigade Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Washington, Russian, Alabino, Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Kherson, Luhansk, Kyiv

☆ Black Sea Fleet: Ukraine has Russian targets in Crimea in its sights. Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The seizure earlier this month of oil platforms in the Black Sea by Ukrainian commandos has given them another jumping-off point and affected the Russian Black Sea fleet’s freedom of navigation. The Russian Black Sea Fleet has been involved in hundreds of cruise missile attacks against Ukraine and threatens merchant shipping using Ukrainian ports. This image taken from UGC video, uploaded to Telegram with a watermark, shows smoke rising from the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The Black Sea Fleet is still a powerful element of Russia’s offensive capability, but becoming less so by the week. “The Black Sea Fleet is more than its naval assets, and the Ukrainian attacks on the Black Sea Fleet will likely achieve effects beyond the degradation of Russian naval capabilities,” concludes the ISW.

Persons: “, Joseph Richter, Andrii Yusov, It’s, it’s, ” Organizations: CNN, Crimea –, Ukraine’s Security, The, 744th Communications Center, Command, Black, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, Ukrainian, Initiative, Ukrainian Neptune, UGC, Fleet, 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, Fleet’s, Army Corps Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Ukraine, Crimea, Saky, Sevastopol, Verkhniosadove, “, Russia, Ukrainian Crimea, ”, Crimean, Moscow, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, –, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Kherson Oblast

☆ US Air Force special operators' search for new runways is expanding from highways to beaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The growing reach of the Chinese military has the US Air Force worried about its bases. Air Force special operators are widening the search, seeking more roads and even beaches to land on. AdvertisementAdvertisementA Royal Air Force Atlas A400M lands on a beach during at Pembrey Sands in Wales in June 2023. Royal Air ForceNew technology and eventually new aircraft are also helping to expand Air Force Special Operations Command's "runway-agnostic options." Air Force officials say that capability allows the MQ-9s to go to more bases and reduces the number of airmen needed for support.

Persons: Tony Bauernfeind, Bauernfeind, Al Udeid, Kenneth Wilsbach, we're, Command Bauernfeind, We're Organizations: US Air Force, Air Force, Service, Force Special, Command, The Air Force, Agile, Employment, Pacific, Air Force Special Operations Command, Operations Command, Air and Space Forces Association, Christopher Quail, US Air Forces, Royal Air Force Atlas, Royal Air Force, US Air Force Special, DARPA Locations: Wall, Silicon, Europe, Washington, Bagram, Kandahar, Balad, Al, Tinian, Palau, Michigan, Wyoming, Texas, Pembrey Sands, Wales

☆ British commandos have trained hundreds of Ukrainian marines in the 'art' of amphibious raids
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For six months, British Royal Marines have been training hundreds of Ukrainian marines in "the art" of conducting commando raids and complicated amphibious operations. The British Royal Marines Commandos are one of the best amphibious-warfare units in the world. Ukrainian marines training with British Royal Marines in March 2023. Ukrainian marines training in the UK in February 2023. Ukrainian marines could also join the shadowy fight taking place in the marshes and inlets of the Dnipro River Delta.

Persons: Mark Johnson, Ben Wallace, Wallace, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: British Royal Marines, Ministry of Defence, British Royal Marine Commandos, British Royal Navy, Royal Navy, British Commandos, UK Royal Marines, British Royal Marines Commandos, Commandos, Royal Marines, Argentine, British Marines, Naval Center of Special, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins School, International Studies, Boston College Law School Locations: Ukrainian, Ukraine, Crimean, Crimea, British, Argentina, East Falkland, Dnipro, Russian, Delta

☆ In a US showdown with China, there are some missions with no special-operations 'easy button'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Special-operations forces have been a centerpiece of US military operations for two decades. US leaders should remember that special operators aren't suited for some tasks, one expert says. But in an era of strategic competition with China, there are some missions with no special-ops "easy button," according to David Ucko, a professor and expert on irregular warfare. First, the US special-operations community should consolidate its core strengths, particularly irregular warfare, which is "highly relevant" to strategic competition with China. US Navy SEALs train with Philippine Navy special-operations and Australian army special-operations troops in Palawan in April 2022.

Persons: David Ucko, David Devich, Ucko, US Army John F, Mario A, Ramirez, Jared N, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, US Special Forces, US Army, Royal United Services Institute, China, Air Force, RAF Mildenhall, US Air Force, Tech, Westin Warburton, Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, State, Justice, Treasury, US Navy, Philippine Navy, US Marine Corps, Army Green Beret, Philippine National Police, Coast Guard, British SAS, Commonwealth, Group, SAS, Allies, Army Delta Force, Delta Force, US Army Rangers, US Army Green Berets, Psychological Operations, Boat Service, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, SOF, Afghanistan's Ghazni, British, Russia, North Carolina, Palawan, Ukraine, Taiwan, North Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Johns

☆ Russia is throwing away elite forces it will likely need later, like paratroopers, trying to blunt Ukraine's counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia has sent its elite paratroopers to curb Ukraine's advancing counteroffensive. But in doing so, Moscow appears to be throwing away soldiers it may need later. Russian VDV units have been transferred from the Kherson and Luhansk regions to support Russia's defensive efforts in Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut, respectively. The VDV is just one of a number of so-called "elite" Russian units that have been battered over the course of the war. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe VDV were part of early operations and were heavily utilized at the start of the war, which Russia largely botched.

Persons: ISW, Efrem, Moscow's Organizations: VDV Airborne Forces, Service, Institute for, 155th Naval Infantry Brigade, AP Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Moscow, Washington, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia region, Kyiv

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