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Business Insider
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Satellite images show Russia's new launch sites for exploding attack drones
Russia has expanded its drone operations with new launch sites, satellite imagery shows. Recent images of three bases in Russia show infrastructure to support drone launches and storage. The developments appear to reflect Russia's increasing investment in its drone operations. Russia has expanded its one-way attack drone operations, building out launch sites and storage facilities across the country, new satellite images and research show. Captured in recent weeks by Maxar Technologies and reviewed by Business Insider, the new images reveal apparent launch rails, runways, and hardened shelters, as well as what looks like Shahed-style drones at three key bases used to stage attacks. Russia has dramatically scaled up the production and launch rates of the Geran-2, a one-way attack drone modeled after the Iranian-designed Shahed-136. These deadly weapons, packed with explosives, have been used nightly in widespread strikes against Ukrainian cities. The expanded infrastructure seen at the three bases — namely Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Navlya, and Tsimbulova — appears to reflect Russia's growing investment in its highly destructive drone operations. Brady Africk, an open-source intelligence analyst who has closely tracked and researched these drone base developments, explained to Business Insider that construction of the expanded drone infrastructure at the three bases began last year. Africk said that the construction at three launch sites at Primorsko-Akhtarsk air base, located in Russia's southeastern Krasnodar Krai region along the Sea of Azov, began in November 2024, in line with efforts to build hardened storage shelters there, too. Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Kyiv's internal security agency, known as the SBU, said at the start of August that it used drones to strike the base because it was used to store and launch Shaheds. Kyle Glen, an investigator at the UK-based Centre for Information Resilience who monitors Russian drone operations, told Business Insider that Primorsko-Akhtarsk is one of the main launch sites for attacks against Ukraine. Further north, in Russia's Bryansk region on the border with Ukraine, Russia began construction work at the Navlya nase last July. Africk said that the site, like others, has launch positions and drone storage areas. In the neighboring Oryol region, Russia began construction at its base at Tsimbulova in September 2024. The site has a long stretch of road for launching drones from moving vehicles; Russian media released footage last month showing Shahed-style drones launching from pickup trucks there. Africk said the launch sites like the ones at Navlya and Tsimbulova require a smaller footprint than a full-fledged air base, so they are harder to find and target. They also have both the infrastructure for launching drones and storage areas to protect them. "This makes stifling Russia's launches of waves of drones a difficult matter in terms of timing," he explained. "By the time Ukraine is aware of drone launches, the more pressing issue becomes shooting down ones in flight rather than targeting the launch sites suspected of sending them." The Iranian-designed Shahed is a one-way attack drone, or loitering munition, that can fly hundreds of miles and linger over an area before diving down toward its target and exploding on impact, with devastating effects. Russia started using the Iranian-made Shaheds to attack Ukraine in 2022 and then opened up a factory the following year to produce them at home. The Yelabuga plant — over 1,000 miles from the Ukrainian border in the Tatarstan region — now makes an estimated 5,000 drones each month. The Yelabuga operations have allowed Russia to rapidly scale up production without having to rely on Iran. The larger inventory has been underscored in recent months by massive drone attacks against Ukraine, regularly involving hundreds of Shahed-style drones. Western assessments suggest Moscow may soon be able to launch 2,000 in a single night. "We've seen Russia's capacity to launch these one-way attack drones increase in tandem with its capacity to produce them domestically," Africk said, stressing that there are believed to be additional launch sites beyond the three known ones. Britain's defense ministry said last week that Russia launched some 6,200 one-way attack drones at Ukraine in July, a new monthly high that surpassed June's tally by an estimated 600. But the scale of attacks seems to have subsided in August. Glen, citing Ukrainian Air Force figures, said that as of Tuesday morning, Russia has launched nearly 1,700 drones at Ukraine so far in August — compared to around 4,500 by this point in July and 3,500 in June. "It's unlikely that it's any kind of capacity issue for Russia," he said, suggesting that Moscow may have been exercising some self-restraint in the lead-up to last week's meeting in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump. Monday night, however, marked the largest attack of the month by a lot. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 270 drones from various directions, including Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Glen said it was almost double the number of the next-biggest attack in August. The attack, though, was much smaller than some in July — one consisted of at least 700 drones — but it came on the heels of a high-stakes meeting between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European leaders at the White House. "That kind of shows how much of Russia has been almost restraining themselves," Glen said. "Whether that continues will be interesting to see."
India.com
05-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
10 times bigger than the Pentagon, spread over 1,500 acres, China building 'Beijing Military City' under..., big tension for US due to...
10 times bigger than the Pentagon, spread over 1,500 acres, China building 'Beijing Military City' under..., big tension for US due to... People often say that trying to understand China is like trying to measure the height of a mountain hidden in fog, you can't see much, but you know it is massive. China isn't just a country, it's a mysterious world filled with modern technology, silent strength, and secret planning. China believes in winning the battle before the war even begins. Its strategy is simple: don't show anything, but do a lot behind the scenes. And right now, China is quietly building something underground that has caught the attention of the world. There are no signboards, no official names, and no public maps. But satellite images don't lie. They have revealed something strange being built just outside Beijing and it doesn't look like a normal city. It feels more like a scene from a spy thriller movie. What's being built beneath 1,500 acres of land in China? This hidden area covers about 1,500 acres. No drones are allowed to fly over it. No one is allowed to take pictures. And if you get close, the guards simply say, 'Go away, there's nothing here.' But if there's really nothing, then why so much digging underground? Why are global intelligence agencies calling it the 'Doomsday Fortress'? Experts believe that China is building a massive underground bunker, much larger than even US's Pentagon. It is being called the 'Beijing Military City.' A satellite imagery time lapse of a new Chinese military command center under construction near Beijing, first reported by @Dimi. The facility is on track to be ten times larger than the Pentagon, according to US officials. — Brady Africk (@bradyafr) January 31, 2025 China building a 'Doomsday Bunker' beneath Beijing China's military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA), is building a massive underground complex in western Beijing, which U.S. intelligence agencies believe could be a wartime command center. According to American officials and intelligence experts, this secret site is spread across at least 1,500 acres and may be up to 10 times larger than the Pentagon.
NDTV
13-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Video Shows How Planes Emptied Iranian Skies During Israel's Attack
Tehran: As Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran on Friday, targeting nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure and military commanders. A time-lapse video from Flightradar24 showed the immediate impact of the Israeli air strike in the skies. It showed a total clearance of civilian air traffic over Iranian airspace. The footage captures a rapid and dramatic shift, as commercial aircraft swiftly rerouted to avoid Israeli drones and missiles in Iranian skies, leaving the country's airspace virtually deserted in the aftermath of the strikes. The video offers a rare visual of how conflict instantly reshapes global aviation patterns. The visuals show commercial aircraft rerouting in real-time, curving away from Iranian territory and opting for alternative corridors. This time-lapse of air traffic over the Middle East shows how civilian airspace cleared after Israel's operation against Iran began. — Brady Africk (@bradyafr) June 13, 2025 The mass diversion could likely trigger a ripple effect on international aviation, with longer flight durations, potential delays and increased fuel costs for multiple carriers operating in and out of the Middle East and Asia. 'Operation Rising Lion' And Regional Fallout The exodus of aircraft from Iranian airspace began shortly after Israel launched a series of strikes on Friday morning. Israel carried out airstrikes on nuclear sites in Iran, with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirming the operation. Explosions were heard in Tehran during the strikes, which were part of what the IDF has dubbed "Operation Rising Lion". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was necessary as Iran posed a threat to "Israel's very survival." "We targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb, we also struck the heart of Iran's ballistic missile programme," he said. Quoting an IDF spokesperson, Fox News reported that the strike was launched after Jerusalem gathered "high-quality intel" indicating "Iran is closer than ever to developing a nuke." Iranian state television reported explosions in the capital, Tehran, and said air defence systems were operating at full capacity. However, reports of civilian casualties, including children, remain unverified. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Hossein Salami was among those killed. Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, declared a state of emergency, warning of imminent retaliation from Tehran. "Following the State of Israel's pre-emptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future," Katz said. Oil prices spiked as much as 6 per cent in early trading following the airstrikes, driven by fears of broader regional destabilisation. While Iran has accused the United States of supporting Israel's action, US President Donald Trump has denied any direct involvement. Speaking to Fox News, he acknowledged being briefed ahead of the strike but reiterated Washington's position that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear bomb.
05-06-2025
- Politics
Aftermath of Ukraine drone strike on Russian airfields shown in satellite imagery
An analysis by multiple experts of new video and satellite images suggests that at least 11 Russian bomber aircraft and one large transport plane were badly damaged or destroyed in Ukraine's drone attack on Sunday. Video released on Wednesday by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) gives more details on the attack, the full extent of which has been unclear. Ukraine's government said over 40 aircraft were destroyed in an attack on at least four air bases on Monday. On Wednesday, two United States officials said around 10 planes had been destroyed and a total of around 20 were targeted in the attack. The video from the SBU released Wednesday opens with a view of the Olenya air base with multiple drones landing on Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers and an An-12 transport plane. Explosions from other drones and burning planes can be seen in some of the clips. At Olenya, according to the defense intelligence firm Janes, a company using open-source information to provide intelligence, four Tu-95 bombers and one An-12 were destroyed. Janes said they based their analysis on video and multiple satellite images. Analysts with the private intelligence firm MAIAR wrote in a report, provided to ABC News, that no significant damage was visible at the base and that imagery suggested eight A-50s remained in the same position as seen in earlier images. Two A-50 aircraft are seen at Russia's Ivanovo air base in a video posted by SBU on June 4. After the appearance of the A-50s in the video from Ukraine's SBU released Wednesday, a series of clips shows drones landing on and around large airplanes at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. Scorch marks on the ground suggested Russia's Dyagilevo air base was likely targeted in the attack, according to Janes, but there was no visible evidence of damage to aircraft there. MAIAR's analysts also pointed to ground scarring near areas where aircraft had been stored. After reviewing the SBU's video, the open-source intelligence analyst Brady Africk told ABC News the video pointed to evidence of damage to at least one Tu-22. According to Africk, a damaged Tu-22 bomber is seen at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. The video from Ukraine's SBU closes with a series of clips from the Belaya air base, where several smoke plumes and fires are seen as drones target multiple planes. There, the wreckage of three Tu-95 and four Tu-22 bombers could be seen in a June 4 image from Planet Labs, according to an analysis by Janes. MAIAR's analysts reached the same conclusion, highlighting evidence in the satellite imagery of ground scarring and burned grass in two areas of the base. Africk, the open-source intelligence analyst, told ABC News that destroyed Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers could be seen at the base.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aftermath of Ukraine drone strike on Russian airfields shown in satellite imagery
An analysis by multiple experts of new video and satellite images suggests that at least 11 Russian bomber aircraft and one large transport plane were badly damaged or destroyed in Ukraine's drone attack on Sunday. Video released on Wednesday by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) gives more details on the attack, the full extent of which has been unclear. Ukraine's government said over 40 aircraft were destroyed in an attack on at least four air bases on Monday. On Wednesday, two United States officials said around 10 planes had been destroyed and a total of around 20 were targeted in the attack. MORE: Ukraine claims new underwater bomb attack on Russia's Crimean Bridge The video from the SBU released Wednesday opens with a view of the Olenya air base with multiple drones landing on Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers and an An-12 transport plane. Explosions from other drones and burning planes can be seen in some of the clips. At Olenya, according to the defense intelligence firm Janes, a company using open-source information to provide intelligence, four Tu-95 bombers and one An-12 were destroyed. Janes said they based their analysis on video and multiple satellite images. Analysts with the private intelligence firm MAIAR wrote in a report, provided to ABC News, that no significant damage was visible at the base and that imagery suggested eight A-50s remained in the same position as seen in earlier images. Two A-50 aircraft are seen at Russia's Ivanovo air base in a video posted by SBU on June 4. After the appearance of the A-50s in the video from Ukraine's SBU released Wednesday, a series of clips shows drones landing on and around large airplanes at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. Scorch marks on the ground suggested Russia's Dyagilevo air base was likely targeted in the attack, according to Janes, but there was no visible evidence of damage to aircraft there. MAIAR's analysts also pointed to ground scarring near areas where aircraft had been stored. After reviewing the SBU's video, the open-source intelligence analyst Brady Africk told ABC News the video pointed to evidence of damage to at least one Tu-22. MORE: Following peace talks, Zelenskyy says Ukraine will continue attacks unless Russia halts offensive According to Africk, a damaged Tu-22 bomber is seen at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. The video from Ukraine's SBU closes with a series of clips from the Belaya air base, where several smoke plumes and fires are seen as drones target multiple planes. There, the wreckage of three Tu-95 and four Tu-22 bombers could be seen in a June 4 image from Planet Labs, according to an analysis by Janes. MAIAR's analysts reached the same conclusion, highlighting evidence in the satellite imagery of ground scarring and burned grass in two areas of the base. Africk, the open-source intelligence analyst, told ABC News that destroyed Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers could be seen at the base. Both types of bombers have been used in long-range strikes on Ukraine, Africk told ABC News.
