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☆ Britain to provide NATO with troops for Kosovo support
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Britain's Ministry of Defence has transferred command of an army battalion to NATO so it can provide support in Kosovo if required, it said on Friday. A battle between police and armed Serbs holed up in a monastery turned a quiet village in northern Kosovo into a war zone earlier this week. “Due to the current situation in Kosovo, we have transferred command of the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment – a reserve force for NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) – to NATO so it can provide support if required," the MoD said in a statement. Reporting by James DaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wales's, James Davey Organizations: Britain's Ministry of Defence, NATO, 1st Battalion, Wales's Royal Regiment, NATO’s Kosovo Force, KFOR, –, MoD, Thomson Locations: Kosovo, NATO

☆ 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

☆ Dead or alive? Mystery surrounds the fate of Russia's Black Sea Fleet commander
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet Admiral Viktor Sokolov attends a ceremony marking 240th anniversary of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea May 13, 2023. Alexey Pavlishak | ReutersMystery continues to surround the fate of the commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, who Ukraine claimed it had killed in a missile strike on the Russian naval headquarters in Crimea. Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet Viktor Sokolov (left) appears on the screen at the meeting that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held with ministry officials in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 26, 2023. Viktor Sokolov attends a ceremony marking the 240th anniversary of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea, on May 13, 2023. U.K. defense officials noted Tuesday that "a dynamic, deep strike battle is underway in the Black Sea."

Persons: Viktor Sokolov, Alexey Pavlishak, Sokolov, Sergei Shoigu, it's, Michael Clarke, there's, Reuters Clarke, Sam Ramani, Kyrylo Budanov, Ramani, Stringer Organizations: Reuters, Fleet, Russia's Defense, Russian, Defense Ministry, Zvezda, NBC, Russia, Russian Defense, Russian Defense Ministry, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Sky News, Black, Russian Federation, Russian Army, Royal United Services Institute, Defense, Russia's, Afp Locations: Russian, Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, British, Moscow, Russia, Novorossiysk

CNN —Fighters who had previously fought in Ukraine for the Russian mercenary group Wagner have returned to the battlefield in the east, according to the Ukrainian military. Wagner mercenaries had withdrawn from the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in May as they handed control of the area to Russia’s military. “As of now, there are several hundred of them in our direction, on the Eastern Front, in different areas,” Cherevatyi told CNN. “Wagner is here too,” a drone operator with call-sign “Groove” told CNN’s Fred Pleitgen on the ground in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday. The Ukrainian general leading the southern counteroffensive, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, told CNN last week that Wagner fighters continue to pop up “here and there” on the frontlines.

Persons: Wagner, Serhii Cherevatyi, ” Cherevatyi, “ Wagner, ”, CNN’s Fred Pleitgen, “, ” Mykhailo Podolyak, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Podolyak, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, that’s Organizations: CNN — Fighters, Communications, Ukrainian, Russian Ministry of Defense, CNN, Russian MoD, Wagner PMC Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Bakhmut

☆ Ukraine has 'completely defeated' a Russian naval infantry brigade of the Black Sea Fleet — for a second time, says think tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine has "completely defeated" the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, Ukraine's spy chief claimed. The Russian military has suffered "extreme attrition and high turnover," the UK MoD said on Saturday. Ukraine's spy chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade had withdrawn after being defeated amid Ukraine's counteroffensive. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe 810th Brigade had since been reconstituted by the Russian military, and the ISW observed elements of it in the Zaporizhia region this year. A full-strength Russian brigade has at least 2,000 soldiers.

Persons: Ukraine's, Kyrylo Budanov, Budanov, Aleksey Sharov, General Vadym Skibitskyi Organizations: Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, MoD, Service, Black, Fleet, Washington DC, 810th Brigade, UK Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Washington, Sevastopol, Crimea, Kherson, Russian, Zaporizhia, Russia

☆ One of Russia's most prestigious airborne regiments has lost 3 commanders, UK Intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's military is suffering from "extreme attrition and high turnover," the UK MoD says. This problem persists even in its most senior ranks, highlighted by frequent changes in an elite regiment. Russia has lost multiple senior commanders during the conflict in Ukraine. The department pointed to the high turnover of commanders of the Russian 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment, one of Russia's most prestigious airborne regiments. This particular regiment's high turnover highlights a a persistent problem across the Russian military, the UK department noted.

Persons: Vasily Popov, Pyotr Popov, Konstantin Zizevsky Organizations: MoD, Service, UK Ministry Defence, Russian 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment, Russian, Black, Fleet Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Crimea

☆ Russia is barely training its troops, probably rendering them incapable of going on the offensive, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's lack of training is hindering its troops' ability for successful attacks, the UK MOD said. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. "Higher-level training" had mostly been put on hold since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, the UK Ministry of Defence said in a daily update. Russia's most significant effort to increase its manpower began a year ago, with the conscription of around 300,000 Russian reservists. It remains unclear whether those recruitment efforts will translate into meaningful changes in the war.

Persons: Andrei Kartapolov, Vladimir Putin Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine

☆ The mastermind of Russia's treacherous defenses in Ukraine appears to be in a kind of faraway 'exile' as the line is being breached
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russian Army Gen. Sergey Surovikin appears to be in Algeria, according to recent photos. Surovikin is the mastermind of Russia's formidable defensive lines and fortifications in Ukraine. But as Kyiv's forces break through these elaborate fortifications, the mastermind behind them is nowhere near the action. The experts cited several additional photographs of Surovikin purportedly in Algeria, which were published to Telegram by Russian sources. Insider was unable to independently verify any of the recent photographs of Surovikin shared to X and Telegram.

Persons: Sergey Surovikin, Wagner, Surovikin, Dara Massicot, Yevgeny Prigozhin —, Russia's Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin, Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, Staff Sergei Rudskoi, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Metzel, subsume Wagner Organizations: Russian, Wagner Group, Service, RAND Corporation, Twitter, Institute for, Commonwealth, Independent States, CIS, Kommersant, Russia's Aerospace Forces, Staff, Russian Armed Forces, Armed Forces, Sputnik, Russian MoD Locations: Algeria, Ukraine, Africa, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Moscow, California, Washington, Yevgeny Prigozhin — Russia, North Africa, Russian, Sochi

☆ Russia's scramble to strengthen its southern lines has likely weakened its defenses around Bakhmut, with Ukrainian forces just 5 miles from the city, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has redeployed troops away from Bakhmut, likely weakening its defenses, the UK MOD said. Ukrainian troops are within 5 miles of the city, the Ministry of Defence added. It's part of Ukraine's attempts to draw troops away from the main axis of the war, one expert said. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine breached a strategic defensive line and recaptured two villages, with Russian forces "likely battle-weary from the recent efforts to hold Klishchiivka and Andriivka," the ISW said. It added that Russian forces "will likely struggle to replenish their combat strength and defend against any further Ukrainian offensive activity."

Persons: Alex Kokcharov, Kokcharov Organizations: MOD, Ministry of Defence, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Institute for, P Global Market Intelligence Locations: Russia, Bakhmut, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Klishchiivka, Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, Dnipro, Ukrainian

☆ Russia is using elite paratrooper units as regular infantry, with the rest of its forces overstretched, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is using elite paratroopers as regular infantry, the UK MOD said. The VDV force isn't at full strength and is being used to help overstretched Russian lines, it said. The situation is one that is unlikely to please the elite force's hierarchy, it added. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe VDV forces have likely reinforced Russia's 58th Combined Arms Army, part of Russia's ground forces, according to the UK MOD, with the situation coming about as Russia's military finds itself overstretched. Once again, they are being used as line infantry to augment over-stretched ground forces," the MOD said.

Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Arms Army, Washington DC, for Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Robotyne

☆ Russia is exhausting its resources and 'a reckoning is coming,' says Ukraine's spy chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is running out of military resources, Ukraine's spy chief told The Economist. "Contrary to what the Russian Federation declares, it has absolutely no strategic reserve," Kyrylo Budanov told The Economist in an interview published on Sunday. "If everything is fine and Russia has enough resources, why are they looking for them all over the world? While Russia is reportedly poised to step up its mobilization drive, Budanov told The Economist that head count is the only obvious advantage that Russia retains over Ukraine. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen it comes to Russian human resources "the quality is low, but the quantity is sufficient," he said.

Persons: Kyrylo Budanov, Kim Jong, Budanov, Vladimir Putin's, It's, That's, Burdanov Organizations: Service, Russian Federation, North Korean, Arms Army, UK Ministry of Defence Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine

The Russian flag flying outside la Maison Russe, or the Russian House, a cultural center in Bangui. As the Kremlin tries to get its arms around Wagner’s sprawling commercial network, what’s next for the group remains unclear. Anfisa Alexandrovna Kiryanova (right) appears in the background of a photo of Prigozhin outside the Russian House last month. In three tents outside the center, Russian language classes were taking place, while Russian movies were being screened in a cinema room. “He was my friend, he was my best friend in front of all central African people,” he said of the late mercenary boss.

Persons: Central African Republic CNN —, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin’s, ” Nathalia, –, ” Dukhan, Faustin, Masked Wagner, Maison, Dmitry Syty, ”, Syty, Prigozhin, Nafisa, Anfisa Alexandrovna Kiryanova, Kiryanova, begrudgingly, Touadera, Vitali Perfilev, CNN’s, Fidèle, Gouandjika, “, Sebastian Shukla, ” Gouandjika, Putin, ’ Organizations: Central African, Central African Republic CNN, Central African Republic, Russe, Russian, Bangui . CNN, Kremlin, CNN, Wagner, European, European Union, United, Local, Sorbonne, Linguistic University, US, Russia’s Ministry of Defence, Ilyushin IL Locations: Bangui, Central, Central African Republic, la, Russian, Bangui ., Moscow, Russia, United States, Paris, Prigozhin

☆ Ukraine crowns a week of military successes with a 'significant' tactical breach on the southern front, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine likely made "a significant tactical breach" on the southern front, a new report says. The advance comes after a successful week for Ukrainian forces. The offensive of Ukrainian forces has been widening a gap in the frontline for several weeks, the report adds, clarifying that "Ukrainian forces have yet to complete a breakthrough of this defensive layer" with heavy armor and vehicles. Ukrainian forces told Reuters and Ukrainian media that an experimental sea drone called Sea Baby, was used as part of this attack. On Saturday, a NATO admiral told the military alliance that "history books will show Ukraine has transformed modern warfare.

Persons: Ukraine's, Al, ISW, Don — Organizations: Service, Assault Brigade, Reuters, Russia, Directorate of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, Ukrainska Pravda, Fleet, MoD, Kilo, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Robotyne, Andriivka, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Al Jazeera, Rozdolivka, Crimea, Screengrab, Russian, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Russia, Minsk, Rostov

☆ A sneaky move at a Kremlin meeting may show why Putin took his time in eliminating Prigozhin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

If so, the process of removing Prigozhin may have begun at a Kremlin meeting days after his uprising. On June 29, five days after the rebellion was called off, Putin gathered Prigozhin and his commanders in the Kremlin, according to a report in the Russian outlet Kommersant. "Reports of the meeting — and the lack of notable cases of dissension following Prigozhin's death — suggest that the meeting likely achieved its goals," Orr said. Chekalov, a senior deputy to Prigozhin, oversaw logistics, coordinating numerous Wagner activities and operations in Libya and Syria. ALEXEY DANICHEV/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesUnder Prigozhin, Wagner amassed a business empire using lucrative concessions from governments and backers in the countries where it operated.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Alexei Troshev, nodded affirmatively, Matthew Orr, RANE, Orr, Dmitry Utkin, Valery Chekalov, Anton Mardasov, Mardasov, ALEXEY DANICHEV, Prigozhin's, Pavel Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Kommersant, Reuters, French Army, Associated Press, Russia's Ministry of Defense, PMC Convoy, PMC Redut, Russian, Ministry of Defense, Getty, Belarusian Defence Ministry, Wagner PMC, SVR Locations: Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Tver, Eurasia, Prigozhin, Libya, Syria, Mali, Africa, East, Russia, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Saharan Africa, Ukraine, Osipovichi

☆ Russia is likely growing its cruise missile stockpile to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure this winter, says UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is likely increasing its stockpile of air-launched cruise missiles, the UK MOD said. The weapons could be used to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure this winter, it said. Last year, Russia bombarded Ukrainian energy targets, cutting off electricity and heat to millions. This suggests that Russia will likely be able to generate a "significant" stockpile of the weapons and there is a "realistic possibility" they will be used to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure targets in the winter, according to the UK ministry. Last winter, Russia conducted mass long-range strikes against such targets, cutting off electricity, heat, and water to millions of civilians.

Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Atlantic Council Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Kodiak, Ukraine

☆ A Russian sub took 'catastrophic' damage from a Ukrainian missile strike despite attempts to downplay it, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A key Russian submarine suffered "catastrophic" damage in a recent Ukrainian attack, UK intel said. The loss is significant, the MOD said, as it's one of four cruise-missile-capable subs in Russia's Black Sea Fleet. It could take "many years" before the submarine can return to service, the UK MOD said. The UK MOD added that "the complex task of removing the wreckage from the dry docks" will also place the facility out of use for many months. "The demilitarization of the Russian Black Sea fleet is a real long-term guarantee of security for regional trade routes and the "grain corridor," he added.

Persons: Don —, OSINTtechnical, Ben Hodges, Mykhailo Podolyak, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: UK intel, MOD, Service, Fleet, Ministry of Defence, Kilo, Russian Ministry of Defence, Russia's Defense, US Army Locations: Russian, UK, Wall, Silicon, Sevastopol, Minsk, Rostov, Ukraine, Crimea, US Army Europe

☆ Russia wants to recruit 420,000 soldiers despite the country being crippled by labor shortages, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is hoping to draft 420,000 military personnel by the end of the year, according to UK Intelligence. But Russia has worsening labor workforce shortages back home, one Russian survey said. The UK MOD said Russia's conscription has "negative effects on its industry workforce". The UK MOD pointed out that Medvedev's figure cannot be independently verified. "This shows that mobilization and conscription within Russia has worsened non-defence workforce shortages," it said.

Persons: Dmitry Medvedev Organizations: Intelligence, MOD, Service, Gaidar Institute for Economic, British Ministry of Defence, Russia's Security, Reuters, —, Russian, Kommersant, Washington Post Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russian

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Saudi crown prince once vilified by President Joe Biden has been elevated from a fist bump to a hearty handshake. Biden smiled and shook hands with the crown prince, who is often referred to by his initials MBS, as the announcement wrapped up. The cordial greeting was a sharp contrast to the last time Biden and the crown prince met, just over a year ago, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During that encounter, Biden awkwardly greeted the crown prince with a fist bump, a moment roundly criticized by human rights activists, who were already upset at Biden's decision to meet with the Saudi leader. Biden refused to speak to Prince Mohammed at the start of his administration.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Mohammed bin Salman, Narendra Mod, Bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Fred Ryan, year's Biden, Prince Mohammed, ” Khashoggi Organizations: DELHI, Group, MBS, Indian, The Washington Post Locations: Saudi, New Delhi, India, East, Europe, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Ukraine

☆ Video shows massive HIMARS strike on an ammo dump used by Russia's powerful Ka-52 attack helicopters, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's military shared a video of a strike on a Russian storage site near Bakhmut. According to Ukraine's MOD, HIMARS took out a large store of 9M127 Vikhr laser-beam-guided missiles. Those missiles are used by the Ka-52, one of Russia's most deadly helicopters. The blast site served as a storage depot for 9M127 Vikhr guided missiles, which are used by Russian Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters, the MOD said. The Ka-52, known in Ukraine as "Putin's vulture," is considered one of the most powerful helicopters in the air.

Persons: HIMARS, Vikhr, Insider's Ryan Pickrell Organizations: Ukraine's MOD, Service, Ukraine's Special Forces, Ministry of Defense, Google, MOD, Mechanized Brigade Locations: Bakhmut, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Myronivs'kyi, Luhansk, Donetsk, It's, Russian

☆ Russia to recruit foreigners in neighboring countries to beef up its army depleted by 300,000 war casualties, says the UK Defense Ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is outsourcing military recruitment to "avoid unpopular domestic mobilization measures," says UK MoD. The Kremlin wants to fill the growing gaps in army ranks foreigners and migrant workers. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, say US officials. The campaign to exploit migrant workers and enlist men from neighboring countries precedes Russia's upcoming presidential election in 2024. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, of which as many as 120,000 are deaths and up to 180,000 are injuries, US officials said last month.

Persons: OLGA MALTSEVA Organizations: MoD, Kremlin, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Ministry, Getty Images, Ukraine, Central Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Saint Petersburg, AFP, Kazakhstani

☆ NATO-trained Ukrainian recruits admit they're being overpowered by Russia's battle-hardened troops in the northern sector, Kyiv Independent reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainians fighting in the northern sector of the frontline say they're buckling under Russia's attacks. Many of the troops were civilians before Russia's invasion and have just three weeks of NATO basic training. Other recruits the Kyiv Independent spoke to said three weeks of NATO basic training had left them underprepared for the reality of the situation on the ground. Meanwhile, Russia has amassed over 100,000 troops at the Kupiansk axis on the northern frontline, according to authorities in Kyiv. "Russian forces are likely seeking to distract Ukraine from its counteroffensive," the Ministry of Defence said on X Saturday.

Persons: Russia's, Igor Kossov, Volodymyr, he's, Ihor, Ukraine's, Vadim Ghirda Organizations: Kyiv Independent, Service, 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, Independent, NATO, 32nd Brigade, AP, Ministry of Defence, MoD Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russia, Germany, Russian, Kupiansk, Kyiv, Ukrainian

☆ Russian hardliners are fuming that the Kremlin wasn't able to top a string of embarrassing attacks on home soil
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's military bloggers are mad over escalating drone attacks on home soil. They have often highlighted problems within Russia's military which were not acknowledged by officials or Russia's closely-controlled mass media. Their anger was prompted by an increasing number of drone attacks, likely organized by Ukraine or Ukraine-affiliated groups. And some of these strikes have destroyed and damaged Russian military aircraft sitting on home soil. Military analysts told The Wall Street Journal that Ukraine has probably disabled more Russian aircraft sitting in Russian bases than it has aircraft involved in combat.

Persons: Russia's, milbloggers, Rybar, Alexander Kots Organizations: Service, Ministry of Defense, Wall Street Journal Locations: Western Russia, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russia's Pskov, Crimea, Russian, Europe

☆ Russia is likely rethinking its air defenses, UK intel says, after a string of embarrassing strikes deep within its territory
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Drone attacks on airfields in Russia are likely forcing it to reshape its air defense, UK intel said. Airfields and other locations deep within Russian territory have been pummeled in multiple strikes by exploding drone attacks in recent weeks — with one flurry, on the night of August 29, striking five separate locations. In August alone 25 places in Russia came under drone attack, the UK MOD said, even penetrating the defenses around Moscow. "Russia will have to consider the addition of further air defence systems to airfields that it considers to be at risk from UAV attacks," the UK MoD said. Russia has blamed the attacks on Ukraine, which generally doesn't claim responsibility for attacks on Russian soil.

Persons: Insider's Sinéad Baker, recrimination, Baker, Bob Hamilton, Ben Hodges, Insider's Erin Snodgrass Organizations: intel, Service, UK's Ministry of Defence, Center for Strategic, MOD, MoD, US Army, Foreign, Research, Eurasia Program, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Tupolev, Russia Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Ukraine, Ukrainian, US Army Europe

☆ Hundreds of Russian soldiers are going AWOL and refusing to fight as morale plummets, UK intelligence says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's conviction rate for AWOL soldiers soared to 100 a week, UK officials said. Mediazona, citing data from the websites of military courts as of July 19, reported a dramatic increase in cases of Russian soldiers absent without official leave (AWOL) since March 2023. By June, Russian military courts were handing out 100 sentences per week, the outlet said. "Although some soldiers have refused to fight and attrition rates remain high, Russia highly likely mitigates their loss by committing a mass of poorly trained soldiers to the frontline." In addition to low morale, the respected Institute for the Study of War think tank stated last week that the Russian military is suffering from infighting and shortages.

Persons: Mediazona Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Russian Army, Russian, MoD, Central, New York Times Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moscow

☆ Ukraine claims it damaged prized Russian jets using 'cardboard' drones from Australia in a daring raid
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine claims it used cardboard drones from Australia to strike five jets at a Russian air field. In March, Australia announced delivery of the lightweight drones in an aid package to Ukraine. According to prominent pro-Russian blogger @fighterbomber, which closely follows the Russian air force, the attack was the first use of Australian-provided delivery drones made of cardboard. AdvertisementAdvertisementInsider could not independently confirm the claim, but on Tuesday Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Mryoshnychenko vouched for it, saying in a post on X: "Cardboard drones from Australia used in attack on Russian airfield." The Corvo drones are described by SYPAQ as "the cardboard plane," but per an earlier company press release they're made from waxed foamboard.

Persons: Australia Vasyl Mryoshnychenko vouched, SYPAQ, they're, SYPAQ's, Mick Ryan, Roman Starovoyt Organizations: Service, Ukraine's Security, Russian, MoD, RBC, Sydney Morning Herald Locations: Ukraine, Australia, Russian, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, Kursk, Australian, Bryansk, Ukrainian

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