Unknown drones attack Zvezda space reconnaissance system in Russia
Drones have targeted a military space intelligence unit in Russia's southern Stavropol Krai, specifically the Zvezda facility, which serves as one of the key stations in Russia's space electronic intelligence system.
Source: Andrii Kovalenko, Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, on Telegram
Quote: "Unidentified drones have successfully reached a military unit of Russian space intelligence, known as the Zvezda facility, in the Stavropol Krai."
Details: Kovalenko stated that the Zvezda system dates back to the Soviet era of the early 1970s. It was developed for global interception of satellite transmissions, intercontinental communications, and the exchange of signals between foreign military installations.
He added that the Zvezda facility operates as a space information analysis centre under the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia's General Staff. Its focus includes electronic surveillance of orbital signals and foreign satellite communications systems, including those in the commercial sector.
Kovalenko emphasised that Zvezda is not merely a technical installation, but a strategic component of Russia's intelligence infrastructure. It monitors military zones and supports information and psychological operations, in addition to playing a role in cyber espionage.
Background: Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that on the night of 1-2 May, its air defence units had destroyed 121 "Ukrainian drones" over occupied Crimea and several Russian regions. However, Telegram channels reported explosions in various settlements across Crimea.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Operation Spiderweb 'gave Putin a reason to bomb the hell out of them,' Trump says, following large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities
U.S. President Donald Trump on June 6 appeared to justify Russia's large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities launched the night before, in response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb. 'They gave (Russian President Vladimir) Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Trump reporters aboard Air Force One. "That's the thing I don't like about it. When I saw it I said 'here we go now it's going to be a strike,' Trump added. Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack against Ukraine overnight on June 6, targeting the capital, major cities, and the country's far-western regions. A total of 80 people were injured and four people killed, including first responders, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The attack comes a day after Putin promised to retaliate against Ukraine for its drone strike against Russian air bases during Operation Spiderweb, in a phone call with Trump. Ukraine on June 1 launched a game-changing drone attack on four key Russian military airfields, damaging 41 planes, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes. Kyiv has claimed it had disabled 34% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in what is seen as one of the most daring operations during the full-scale war. Trump on June 5 that Russia's response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb is likely "not going to be pretty." "I don't like it, I said don't do it, you shouldn't do it, you should stop it," Trump added. Despite Trump's repeated calls for hostilities between Russia and Ukraine to end, Trump has continued to delay additional pressures on Moscow through sanctions. Trump on June 5 questions as to when he can be expected to impose additional sanctions on Russia, as the Kremlin continues to reject a ceasefire in Ukraine. When asked by reporters in the Oval Office as to whether a deadline exists for the implementation of sanction, Trump replied: "Yes, it's in my brain the deadline," without specifying a date. Previously, Trump said he had not yet imposed new sanctions on Russia because he believed a peace deal might be within reach. "If I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that," he said, but added he is prepared to act if Moscow stalls further. As Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continue to intensify, Trump previously admitted to sheltering Russia from additional pressures. "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean really bad. He's playing with fire," he wrote on Truth Social on May 27, following three days of intense attacks on various regions of Ukraine. A bipartisan sanctions bill is already awaiting approval in Congress, with provisions for sweeping financial penalties and tariffs on nations buying Russian oil or uranium. Read also: Ukraine hopes for Trump-Zelensky meeting in Canada during G7We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Widely shared video claims to show Ukrainian soldiers shooting deserters. Here's what we know
In early June 2025, a video circulated online claiming to show Ukrainian soldiers shooting deserters near the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. The footage circulated amid reports of ongoing fighting near the city, a crucial transport hub in the Donetsk region. A posting (archived) of the video by the right-wing media personality Alex Jones had more than 4.6 million views at the time of this writing. (X user @RealAlexJones) Jones wrote: NATO backed, Ukrainian military caught by a Russian drones camera executing deserters. The Ukrainian soldiers shot their own deserters in the Pokrovsk sector As Ukraine slowly reaches the last stage before a collapse of combat capabilities. Exclusive footage from Russian scouts, who observed the AFU on the Shevchenko-Pokrovsk line while conducting aerial reconnaissance. Two Ukrainian "fighters" forced three fellow soldiers to their knees and shot them. The video shows that one of the unfortunate ones, hearing the first shots, rushed from the spot, but he did not manage to run far. Units of the 68th Jaeger Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were stationed in this area. The video mainly circulated across (archived) X (archived) and on (archived) Facebook (archived). However, Snopes' investigation could not confirm exactly what the video, which was purportedly recorded near Pokrovsk, showed, nor the time or exact location it was recorded. A spokesperson for the General Directorate of Public Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said via email that they could not verify the video in question but that it bore "all the hallmarks of falsification and manipulation of information." They added: "We emphasize that the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular the units performing combat missions in the Pokrovsk area, act exclusively within the framework of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and other norms governing the conduct of war." Ukraine's criminal code punishes military deserters with up to 12 years in prison during periods of martial law. The code does not include capital punishment for desertion. We reached out to the Russian military to ask if they could confirm that the video was authentic, when it was recorded, where, and what it showed, and await replies to our queries. One early version (archived) of the footage circulated on June 4, 2025. The Telegram channel that shared the early version of the footage was called "Work, brothers," a phrase used to show support for Russian law enforcement. Searches on the Telegram channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense located a video (archived) posted on April 16, 2025, with similar graphics to the one shared around June 4. Both videos appeared to be recorded using thermal cameras (indicated by the lighter shade of people in the video compared to the landscape) and featured a matching rotating compass wheel at the bottom of the video. The Russian MOD said on Telegram that the April 16 video showed drone operators destroying "ammunition and fuel depots, equipment and personnel" in Luhansk and Donetsk, including near Pokrovsk. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian strikes hit near Pokrovsk on this date. Claims also said the June 4 video was recorded by drone. According to online AI detectors Sightengine and Hive Moderation, it was unlikely the video was generated by AI. (Sightengine/Hive Moderation/Snopes Illustration) The 68th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, mentioned in the footage caption, posted footage on its Facebook (archived) page (archived) which they said was recorded near Pokrovsk around the time the video circulated. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (archived) (archived) (archived) confirmed fighting in the area around June 4-5. Desertion has been an ongoing problem for the Ukrainian Armed Forces since Russia's invasion in 2022. The Associated Press reported in November 2024 that more than 100,000 soldiers had been charged under Ukraine's desertion laws since February 2022. 68 окрема єгерська бригада ім. Олекси Довбуша. "20 Хвилин На Ремонт Підбитого "Вампіра" Прямо На Позиціях – Для Бійців 68 Окрема Єгерська Бригада Ім. Олекси Довбуша Це Не Звучить Як Щось Нереальне." Facebook, 2 June 2025, ---. "Журналісти 11 Канал. Голос Дніпра Стали Свідками Знищення Противника в Реальному Часті Під Час Зйомок Бійців 68 Окрема Єгерська Бригада Ім. Олекси Довбуша у Покровську." Facebook, 31 May 2025, "Beginning of the End? Ukraine's Front-Line Soldiers Eye Russia Talks with Hope." BBC News, 14 May 2025, @btr80. "‼️🇺🇦 ВСУ Расстреляли Своих Отказников На Покровском Направлении." Telegram, 4 June 2025, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "Operational Information as of 08:00 04.06.2025 on the Russian Invasion." Facebook, 4 June 2025, ---. "Operational Information as of 22:00 03.06.2025 on the Russian Invasion." Facebook, 3 June 2025, ---. "Operational Information as of 22:00 04.06.2025 on the Russian Invasion." Facebook, 4 June 2025, ---. "Operational Information as of 22:00 16.04.2025 Regarding the Russian Invasion." Facebook, 16 Apr. 2025, Harward, Christina, et al. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 4, 2025." Institute for the Study of War, Accessed 6 June 2025. KULLAB, SAMYA, and VOLODYMYR YURCHUK. "Desertion Threatens to Starve Ukraine's Forces at a Crucial Time in Its War with Russia." AP News, 29 Nov. 2024, @mod_russia. "🎮 Операторы БпЛА Методично Уничтожают Полевые Склады с Боеприпасами и Топливом, Технику и Личный Состав ВСУ На Краснолиманском и Покровском Направлениях." Telegram, 16 Apr. 2025, "Ukraine's Deserters Returning to the Front – DW – 04/18/2025." Accessed 6 June 2025. КРИМІНАЛЬНИЙ КОДЕКС УКРАЇНИ. РАДАВерховна Рада України, 2001, Новости, Р. И. А. "Убийство Нурбагандова — вызов всей полиции: как юрисконсульт стал героем." РИА Новости, 20180118T0800,
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Successful drone attack on Russia exposes US vulnerabilities: Lawmakers
WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Ukraine's recent crippling attack on Russia's bomber fleet raises new concerns that the U.S. is unprepared for a drone attack on American soil. Lawmakers from both parties who have spoken with NewsNation agree that American airspace is vulnerable, and the highly-strategized Ukrainian drone shows just how much damage a relatively inexpensive drone can do to a multimillion-dollar aircraft, as was the case in Russia. The targets were Russian warplanes, including strategic bombers and command-and-control aircraft, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The weapons were Ukrainian drones, each costing under $1,000 and launched from wooden containers carried on trucks. 'Hard to believe' drone attacks without US knowledge: Mark Halperin 'Operation Spiderweb,' which Ukraine said destroyed or damaged over 40 aircraft parked near air bases across Russia on Sunday, wasn't just a blow to the Kremlin's prestige. It was also a wake-up call for the West to bolster its air defense systems against such hybrid tactics. How deeply the attack will impact Russian military operations is unclear. Although officials in Kyiv estimated it caused $7 billion in damage. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Federal Aviation Administration Chief Chris Rocheleau were recently grilled during Capitol Hill testimony on the safety of American airspace. NewsNation spoke exclusively with U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., who says there are problems with the airspace when it comes to detecting drones or incursions. He says, at this point, the U.S. still cannot do that in an efficient way to prevent what could be a serious threat. Chinese-owned US farmland raises concerns of foreign drone attacks Kim pointed to recent mysterious drone sightings over the Garden State, sightings that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy still cannot explain. 'Regardless of what was flying up in the skies in New Jersey, the fact that our military bases didn't know what was going on, nor did they have a clarity of how they would have responded if it was something dangerous or nefarious, shows that we're just not at the level of readiness to be able to take this on,' said Kim. 'And this isn't just about our military bases. It's about critical infrastructure, water treatment plants, power plants.' Back in January, newly sworn-in President Donald Trump said all of what were seen over New Jersey were FAA-authorized aircraft, a break from what Duffy told NewsNation. Senators who spoke with NewsNation said that in the not-so-distant past, the FAA and the Department of Defense were not necessarily communicating with each other. Sources tell NewsNation the two agencies are now sharing more information when it comes to drone sightings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
