Latest news with #KonstantinMihalchevskiy
Newsweek
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Set To Deploy Motorbikes in Anti-Drone Summer Offensive: ISW
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia could be preparing to widely use motorbikes in front-line assaults in the next few months in a bid to dodge Ukrainian drones targeting armored vehicles, according to a new analysis. Why It Matters Information coming from the front lines has long suggested Russia is using civilian vehicles in assaults on Ukrainian positions, including motorbikes and golf buggies. Large—and often slow—armored vehicles and tanks are easier targets for the hundreds of drones buzzing around close to the hotspots of battle each day. Unverified image of recruits of Russia's 1430th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment ride motorbikes during combat training in the Zaporizhzhia sector of the front line in Ukraine on October 18, 2024. Unverified image of recruits of Russia's 1430th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment ride motorbikes during combat training in the Zaporizhzhia sector of the front line in Ukraine on October 18, 2024. Konstantin Mihalchevskiy / Sputnik via AP What To Know Russia is likely gearing up to "systematically integrate motorcycle usage" into its attacks along the Ukrainian battlefront for the summer and into the fall, the U.S.-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which tracks daily changes to the frontline, said in its latest analysis. Russia's Defense Ministry published a brief clip on Saturday it said showed paratroopers at a training ground learning to "seize strongholds on cross-country motorbikes." The soldiers were grouped in pairs and threes to practice "offensive and defensive" tactics, the Russian government said. The footage likely showed soldiers belonging to Russia's 299th Regiment of paratroopers, and highlighted that Moscow could be preparing to "issue an increased number of motorcycles to Russian personnel in Ukraine," the ISW said. Russia's Defense Ministry has been contacted for comment via email. A spokesperson for Ukrainian forces operating in the country's east, Lieutenant Colonel Pavlo Shamshyn, told domestic news outlets on Saturday that Russia would likely use more motorcycles in the fighting in the summer months. Ukraine has detected Russia using motorcycles along the hundreds of miles of front lines, including in battles in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, Shamshyn said. Ukrainian intelligence indicated Moscow is training soldiers to use motorbikes in assaults in Russian training centers and within individual units, Shamshyn said in comments reported by Ukrainian military-focused media. Shamshyn said Russian soldiers had fixed motorbikes to infantry fighting vehicles attempting to cross the Oskil River close to the town of Dvorichna, north of the Kharkiv city of Kupiansk. The ISW said it had "observed an increased trend of Russian units conducting mechanized and combined motorized assaults and transporting infantry with motorcycles and civilian vehicles throughout the front line as Russian command continues to adapt its tactics to offset Ukrainian drone strikes." Shamshyn said Ukraine would need far more of its explosive first person-view drones to take out Russian soldiers traveling independently on motorbikes. "And they move quite quickly," the spokesperson added. What People Are Saying Ukrainian forces operating in the east said on Saturday that Russian forces close to the Donetsk village of Bahatyr had attacked using motorbike and car convoys, but claimed Kyiv's fighters had destroyed 15 out of 18 motorcycles.
Newsweek
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Moving Equipment 'En Masse' to Crimea, Photos Suggest
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russian forces are moving military equipment, including air defense systems, "en masse" into Crimea, a pro-Ukrainian partisan group operating on the peninsula said on Monday. Why It Matters Russia annexed Crimea, the peninsula to the south of mainland Ukraine, in 2014. Moscow has controlled the territory ever since, although Kyiv has vowed to reclaim it. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that senior U.S. officials had presented Ukraine with a ceasefire proposal during a meeting in Paris with European officials last week which could include a U.S. recognition of Russian control over Crimea. The peninsula has been key for Russian operations up through the south of mainland Ukraine, and as a launching pad for aerial attacks across the war-torn country. Kyiv has doggedly attacked high-value Russian assets based in Crimea, from air bases to ships and air defense systems. Russian servicemen take part in drills in Crimea on January 25, 2025. Russian servicemen take part in drills in Crimea on January 25, 2025. Konstantin Mihalchevskiy / Sputnik via AP What To Know Atesh, a pro-Ukrainian partisan group active in Crimea and other parts of Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory, said on Monday that Moscow's forces had started to move air defense systems and other military equipment "en masse" throughout the peninsula. The network, which funnels intelligence on Russian operations to Ukrainian authorities and organizes resistance efforts, said in a post to messaging app Telegram the transport of equipment was "often uncoordinated and chaotic." The group said it had received information from unspecified "agents" within Russia's military, indicating Moscow was trying to strengthen security in Crimea. The group shared photos of what appear to be military vehicles moving through unspecified areas of Crimea. Newsweek could not independently verify these reports, and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry and Ukrainian military for comment via email. Ukraine has said throughout the war it has targeted major airfields in across Crimea, including in the northern area of Dzhankoi and the Saky air base, close to the western settlement of Novofedorivka. Although Kyiv does not have a large navy, its creative use of naval and aerial drones, as well as missile strikes, have forced Moscow to relocate high-value assets like warships and submarines further east in the Black Sea, and look toward pro-Russian Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia, for a new foothold in the Black Sea. The Atesh movement said in July 2024 that Russia had redeployed air defense systems to shield the Kerch Bridge from western Crimea. The structure, a road and rail crossing also known as the Crimean Bridge, was built shortly after Russia annexed the peninsula. It was personally unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, making it an appealing propaganda, as well as military, target for Ukraine. It links eastern Crimea with internationally recognized Russian territory. The bridge is "doomed," the head of Ukraine's SBU security service, Vasyl Maliuk, said in late 2023. Atesh said on Monday the bridge "must be destroyed," and appealed to local residents to provide information on the location of air defense systems, routines of Russian forces and the deployment of military equipment in the area. Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency said in June last year that Russia had placed parts of an "experimental" S-500 air defense system in Crimea, marking the first report of the advanced anti-aircraft system being rolled out for a combat role on the peninsula. Russian media reports suggested in fall 2021 that the first S-500 had been deployed around Moscow. What People Are Saying The Atesh movement said on Monday: "We continue to monitor the actions of the Russians on the peninsula and pass on all important information to the Defense Forces of Ukraine." What Happens Next The coming days will test Moscow and Kyiv's willingness to negotiate and compromise as the President Donald Trump's administration applies pressure to make substantive advances toward peace.
Newsweek
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Chinese buyers selling knockoffs of Russian military gear back to Russia and Ukraine, authorities say
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Chinese nationals have been caught smuggling Russian military gear out of the country before reselling knockoffs back to Russia, authorities have told Russia's Izvestia newspaper. The items included bulletproof vests and uniforms that had been reversed-engineered and reproduced with inferior material, customs officials said. Why It Matters The West has accused China of keeping Russia's sanctions-hit economy afloat since President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with bilateral trade reaching record highs thanks to a spike in oil and gas deals. The United States and European Union also alleged that China is supplying dual civilian-military use goods that support Russia's wartime industries. While China has in recent decades surpassed its northern neighbor in military might, it had long studied Russian military systems—from missiles and jets to air defenses platforms—to modernize the People's Liberation Army. Newsweek reached out to the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries by email for comment. What To Know Cross-border shipments of dual-use goods soared following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, prompting Moscow to place a ban on the export of products with military applications, according to Izvestia. The restriction carries criminal charges of up to seven years in prison. Earlier this month, a 25-year-old Chinese man was arrested in Moscow after law enforcement seized two tactical vests he had attempted to send home by mail, the paper said. Another student was detained in December after being found with body armor, armored plates, bullet casings and other equipment in his university dormitory. The man claimed he had purchased the gear through online ads. An officer of the Russian National Guard Troops takes part in an operation to check drivers' documents in Melitopol, Zaporozhie region, on April 9, 2025. Konstantin Mihalchevskiy An officer of the Russian National Guard Troops takes part in an operation to check drivers' documents in Melitopol, Zaporozhie region, on April 9, 2025. Konstantin Mihalchevskiy Sputnik via AP Ruslan Shapiev, head of Russian defense contractor RUSARM, attributed the spike in illegal exports to growing demand for counterfeit goods and pricing disparities between countries, according to Izvestia. The market for military goods is saturated due to international trade and postal loopholes, Shapiev said. Cheaper Chinese knockoff equipment and uniforms have also been found in the possession of Ukrainian troops, he said, suggesting the items were flowing to both sides of the conflict. What People Are Saying Ruslan Shapiev, general director of RUSARM, told Izvestia: "There's nothing wrong with [China's] helmets, but their body armor is questionable. The design and ergonomics leave much to be desired. Russian gear is more expensive but better, and people will always choose quality." "China views Russia as a country with deep military experience. They watch everything—our gear, our processes. Russian uniforms on the market today can rival or exceed foreign models." Guo Jiakun, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told reporters: "China welcomes all efforts towards a ceasefire, which is a necessary step towards peace. It is hoped that the parties concerned will continue to resolve the crisis through dialogue and negotiation." What's Next Despite President Donald Trump's pledge to end the war in Ukraine within his first 100 days in office, negotiations have stalled, with Putin rejecting a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire. Following talks in Paris with Ukrainian and European officials, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the administration may have to "move on" if no breakthrough is reached.
