Latest news with #Scooter
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's special ops soldiers are getting into more 'mischief' behind Russian lines
Ukraine's special operators are increasingly being taught to do sabotage runs behind enemy lines. The missions are intended to make life difficult for Russian soldiers, an American instructor said. It's one way Ukraine is adapting to the static nature of the conflict. The war in Ukraine has stalled into a brutal grind, a kind of slow-motion slaughter. Drones buzz constantly overhead, defenses are deep, and the front lines barely move as the death toll climbs. This deadlock, however, has created new opportunities for Ukraine's elite soldiers to stir up trouble behind the lines, an American instructor with the 4th Ranger Regiment of Kyiv's Special Operations Forces told Business Insider. The American, who could be identified only by his call sign, Scooter, for security reasons, said that in this situation, Ukraine's special operators are increasingly being trained on how "to get through the enemy line and go cause mischief." Speaking to BI via video chat from an undisclosed location in central Ukraine, Scooter said that the Ukrainian soldiers are being encouraged to "go ambush logistics personnel, go destroy equipment, go steal something expensive. Go behind the enemy line, do something to them that's going to help us and hurt them, and then come back." After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the early stages of the conflict featured a style of maneuver warfare, with rolling gun battles in the cities, tank columns pushing forward, mechanized infantry assaults, and armored vehicles fighting in open fields. The conflict, however, eventually transitioned to a war of attrition, with a largely static front line sprawling for hundreds of miles. Russia and Ukraine have launched occasional offensives and large assaults, but significant breakthroughs have been few and far between. Scooter said in 2022, Ukrainian special operators were sent on missions such as ambushing a convoy of Russian ammunition trucks, blowing up tanks, or attacking a command post. But "now, just due to the nature of the war, the way the situation has changed, often, you're not getting missions like that." Scooter explained that small teams of special operators are taught to sneak just a few kilometers across enemy lines and "go cause problems" for the Russians. The rule is: "don't get caught." This isn't about clearing out a trench system, killing everyone inside, and taking a position. "You're going over there to make sure he's hungry — make sure he doesn't have ammo," Scooter said. "Make sure his ride, when it's his turn to rotate off position, doesn't show up. Go place land mines. Go sabotage equipment. Take prisoners." 'We're training them for an attrition war' Ukraine's special operators have been doing these types of sabotage missions since the full-scale war started, Scooter said. The difference is that they are more of a focus now than they were before. Such missions have only become more challenging, though, amid the proliferation of drones flying over the battlefield. Scooter said the sky is filled with "flying security cameras." The 4th Ranger Regiment is taught to sneak past Russian patrols and even learn basic Russian phrases. They're trained to be quick, because it's dangerous to hang around the enemy's first line — where troops are most alert — for too long. Soldiers also receive personal combative training — practical, real-world fighting techniques — in case they find themselves in a close-quarters fight that requires hand-to-hand combat. Scooter said the effects of the sabotage missions are felt at a tactical level. The Ukrainian infantrymen, or foot soldiers, are tasked with killing the Russians at the front — special operators are dealing with what's going on behind the front lines. It's one way that the Ukrainians have adapted to the changing nature of the grinding war. "We're not focusing as much on maneuver warfare tactics. We're training them for an attrition war," Scooter said. "You hear this all the time: World War I — with drones. We're training them for a static war of attrition with lines that very seldom move in any significant manner." Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Ukraine's special ops soldiers are getting into more 'mischief' behind Russian lines
The war in Ukraine has stalled into a brutal grind, a kind of slow-motion slaughter. Drones buzz constantly overhead, defenses are deep, and the front lines barely move as the death toll climbs. This deadlock, however, has created new opportunities for Ukraine's elite soldiers to stir up trouble behind the lines, an American instructor with the 4th Ranger Regiment of Kyiv's Special Operations Forces told Business Insider. The American, who could be identified only by his call sign, Scooter, for security reasons, said that in this situation, Ukraine's special operators are increasingly being trained on how "to get through the enemy line and go cause mischief." Speaking to BI via video chat from an undisclosed location in central Ukraine, Scooter said that the Ukrainian soldiers are being encouraged to "go ambush logistics personnel, go destroy equipment, go steal something expensive. Go behind the enemy line, do something to them that's going to help us and hurt them, and then come back." After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the early stages of the conflict featured a style of maneuver warfare, with rolling gun battles in the cities, tank columns pushing forward, mechanized infantry assaults, and armored vehicles fighting in open fields. The conflict, however, eventually transitioned to a war of attrition, with a largely static front line sprawling for hundreds of miles. Russia and Ukraine have launched occasional offensives and large assaults, but significant breakthroughs have been few and far between. Scooter said in 2022, Ukrainian special operators were sent on missions such as ambushing a convoy of Russian ammunition trucks, blowing up tanks, or attacking a command post. But "now, just due to the nature of the war, the way the situation has changed, often, you're not getting missions like that." Scooter explained that small teams of special operators are taught to sneak just a few kilometers across enemy lines and "go cause problems" for the Russians. The rule is: "don't get caught." This isn't about clearing out a trench system, killing everyone inside, and taking a position. "You're going over there to make sure he's hungry — make sure he doesn't have ammo," Scooter said. "Make sure his ride, when it's his turn to rotate off position, doesn't show up. Go place land mines. Go sabotage equipment. Take prisoners." 'We're training them for an attrition war' Ukraine's special operators have been doing these types of sabotage missions since the full-scale war started, Scooter said. The difference is that they are more of a focus now than they were before. Such missions have only become more challenging, though, amid the proliferation of drones flying over the battlefield. Scooter said the sky is filled with "flying security cameras." The 4th Ranger Regiment is taught to sneak past Russian patrols and even learn basic Russian phrases. They're trained to be quick, because it's dangerous to hang around the enemy's first line — where troops are most alert — for too long. Soldiers also receive personal combative training — practical, real-world fighting techniques — in case they find themselves in a close-quarters fight that requires hand-to-hand combat. Scooter said the effects of the sabotage missions are felt at a tactical level. The Ukrainian infantrymen, or foot soldiers, are tasked with killing the Russians at the front — special operators are dealing with what's going on behind the front lines. It's one way that the Ukrainians have adapted to the changing nature of the grinding war. "We're not focusing as much on maneuver warfare tactics. We're training them for an attrition war," Scooter said. "You hear this all the time: World War I — with drones. We're training them for a static war of attrition with lines that very seldom move in any significant manner."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's special operators used to dodge artillery shells. Now they're trying to survive Russian drones.
Small exploding drones have emerged as the main battlefield killer in Ukraine. Ukraine's special operators were once focused on artillery, but now they train to survive drones. An American instructor said he teaches soldiers to hide, move smart, and use their guns if needed. Ukraine's special operators used to focus their training on surviving intense Russian artillery fire. Now, their attention has shifted to drones — the main battlefield killer. "Things have changed drastically," an American instructor with the 4th Ranger Regiment of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces told Business Insider. He could only be identified by his call sign Scooter for security reasons. "One of the main differences we see today is the prevalence of drones," he said. "In 2022, it was primarily artillery fire. There was a lot more of it." The Ukrainian Rangers are now learning better concealment tactics and how to shoot down drones with their service weapons as a last resort. Artillery, long described as the "king of battle," has played a central role in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, especially during the early years of the conflict, with both sides using the towed cannons and multiple launch rocket systems to attack the enemy. The scale of the artillery duels could be seen in satellite imagery of the battlefield, where hundreds of craters peppered huge swaths of land and reduced buildings to rubble. However, amid strained ammunition stockpiles and as the war transitioned from a maneuver-oriented conflict to one of attrition, with relatively static front lines, drones have emerged as the dominant battlefield threat, with some recent estimates suggesting that they are causing around 70% of Russian and Ukrainian casualties. Scooter attributed the rise of drones to what has been called "shell hunger," explaining that Russia exhausted its stocks of artillery ammunition and began to rely on small quadcopter drones — known as first-person view, or FPV, drones — to fill the gaps. Ukraine also experienced a shortage of artillery rounds, turning to drones as an alternative. "In 2022, we were trained to utilize terrain and structures to counter artillery fire," said Scooter, speaking to BI via video chat from an undisclosed location in central Ukraine. "Now, we have to train people with the mentality that they are going to constantly be targeted by a loitering munition piloted by a human operator," he said. 'Move fast — don't move too fast' FPV drones have emerged as a cheap way to deliver precision strikes against enemy trenches, personnel, and vehicles. Above Ukraine, these weapons are everywhere, with their tiny cameras giving human operators near-constant battlefield surveillance. Russia and Ukraine have made the FPV drones even more of an issue over the past year by using fiber-optic cables to connect them to their operators, making the small aircraft resistant to most electronic warfare tactics. "We have had to change our mentality with training completely," Scooter said. "How do I deal with FPVs? Not so much 'how do I deal with artillery fire?" He said the first thing that he teaches Ukraine's special operators is how to blend in with their surroundings and practice better camouflage techniques. This means that every shiny object needs to be painted, removed, or taped over, with paint covering the hands and face. Soldiers are also taught how to stay hidden using tree lines or thick forests to their advantage and to find heat sources, such as a car or generator, if they can, to blend in with their surroundings. A Russian drone operator piloting a surveillance drone may not be able to spot the difference between two white blobs on the screen. Scooter said he trains soldiers in many of the same ways he would snipers or reconnaissance personnel. "Move fast — don't move too fast," he said. "Don't draw unnecessary attention. The human eye sees movement, shape, and color — in that order. So move carefully, blend in with your surroundings." "Basically, the same way you might hide from an enemy helicopter is the way you're going to hide from a drone," he added. Instructors are also teaching Ukraine's special operators to fight the FPV drones with their service weapons — specifically shotguns — as a last resort. However, these small targets are extremely difficult to hit, and if the drone is close enough, a direct impact could set off its explosive payload, and its forward momentum could spell trouble. "Small arms fire is seldom effective" against an FPV drone, Scooter said. "But our mentality is that if I can do nothing else, something is better than nothing." Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Ukraine's special operators used to dodge artillery shells. Now they're trying to survive Russian drones.
Ukraine's special operators used to focus their training on surviving intense Russian artillery fire. Now, their attention has shifted to drones — the main battlefield killer. "Things have changed drastically," an American instructor with the 4th Ranger Regiment of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces told Business Insider. He could only be identified by his call sign Scooter for security reasons. "One of the main differences we see today is the prevalence of drones," he said. "In 2022, it was primarily artillery fire. There was a lot more of it." The Ukrainian Rangers are now learning better concealment tactics and how to shoot down drones with their service weapons as a last resort. Artillery, long described as the "king of battle," has played a central role in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, especially during the early years of the conflict, with both sides using the towed cannons and multiple launch rocket systems to attack the enemy. The scale of the artillery duels could be seen in satellite imagery of the battlefield, where hundreds of craters peppered huge swaths of land and reduced buildings to rubble. However, amid strained ammunition stockpiles and as the war transitioned from a maneuver-oriented conflict to one of attrition, with relatively static front lines, drones have emerged as the dominant battlefield threat, with some recent estimates suggesting that they are causing around 70% of Russian and Ukrainian casualties. Scooter attributed the rise of drones to what has been called "shell hunger," explaining that Russia exhausted its stocks of artillery ammunition and began to rely on small quadcopter drones — known as first-person view, or FPV, drones — to fill the gaps. Ukraine also experienced a shortage of artillery rounds, turning to drones as an alternative. "In 2022, we were trained to utilize terrain and structures to counter artillery fire," said Scooter, speaking to BI via video chat from an undisclosed location in central Ukraine. "Now, we have to train people with the mentality that they are going to constantly be targeted by a loitering munition piloted by a human operator," he said. 'Move fast — don't move too fast' FPV drones have emerged as a cheap way to deliver precision strikes against enemy trenches, personnel, and vehicles. Above Ukraine, these weapons are everywhere, with their tiny cameras giving human operators near-constant battlefield surveillance. Russia and Ukraine have made the FPV drones even more of an issue over the past year by using fiber-optic cables to connect them to their operators, making the small aircraft resistant to most electronic warfare tactics. "We have had to change our mentality with training completely," Scooter said. "How do I deal with FPVs? Not so much 'how do I deal with artillery fire?" He said the first thing that he teaches Ukraine's special operators is how to blend in with their surroundings and practice better camouflage techniques. This means that every shiny object needs to be painted, removed, or taped over, with paint covering the hands and face. Soldiers are also taught how to stay hidden using tree lines or thick forests to their advantage and to find heat sources, such as a car or generator, if they can, to blend in with their surroundings. A Russian drone operator piloting a surveillance drone may not be able to spot the difference between two white blobs on the screen. Scooter said he trains soldiers in many of the same ways he would snipers or reconnaissance personnel. "Move fast — don't move too fast," he said. "Don't draw unnecessary attention. The human eye sees movement, shape, and color — in that order. So move carefully, blend in with your surroundings." "Basically, the same way you might hide from an enemy helicopter is the way you're going to hide from a drone," he added. Instructors are also teaching Ukraine's special operators to fight the FPV drones with their service weapons — specifically shotguns — as a last resort. However, these small targets are extremely difficult to hit, and if the drone is close enough, a direct impact could set off its explosive payload, and its forward momentum could spell trouble. "Small arms fire is seldom effective" against an FPV drone, Scooter said. "But our mentality is that if I can do nothing else, something is better than nothing."
Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Scooter Braun sparks ridicule as he claims feud with Taylor Swift boosted her career
Music mogul Scooter Braun has provoked a bitter backlash from Taylor Swift's fans by suggesting his highly publicised feud with her helped to boost her astronomical career Scooter Braun has raised eyebrows with a claim that his infamous feud with Taylor Swift helped improve her career. The 44-year-old music producer and the 35-year-old Wildest Dreams singer clashed in 2019 when he bought her old record label, Big Machine Label Group. The deal included the master recordings of Taylor's first six records, leading her to bitterly lash out at the businessman. She then went on to re-record her albums and re-release them to huge financial reward. This year, Taylor successfully bought back the rights to her own music after re-releasing four of the six albums in question, leading her to hint she may no longer re-record her debut and Reputation albums. Having enjoyed renewed success for the four albums she re-recorded, Scooter is now hinting that the feud that provoked the re-release of the records helped Taylor achieve a degree of success she would not otherwise have reached. Fans of the star, however, have made it clear they do not agree with Scooter's theory - and they have ruthlessly mocked him for his comment. While Taylor's fans have bitterly reacted to Scooter's comments, he has praised the Lavender Haze singer while sharing his opinions. Scooter appeared on Danielle Robay's Question Everything podcast, where they discussed his history with the chart-topping star. Discussing her re-recorded albums, he said: "She did incredibly well and basically had the biggest moment of her career, reinvigorating her career with each one. It was previously reported that Scooter bought the Big Machine Records and Taylor's masters in 2019 for $300 million (£220 million). He later sold the records to an investment firm called Shamrock Holdings for $405 million (£300 million) - and then Swift herself reacquired the music in May for a reported $360 million (£268 million). Scooter gushed: "It was brilliant on her part. But also, each time she released one, you saw a spike in the original catalog." He continued: "Funny enough, everyone involved in the saga, from a business standpoint, won. "She's the biggest she's ever been, biggest artist of all time. We did really well with the asset. The people who bought the asset did really well because of those spikes. "I wish kids and people out there understood that, like, there are scenarios in life where there doesn't need to be an oppressor and oppressed, there are scenarios in life where it's a misunderstanding, yet everyone can succeed." His comments sparked a backlash among Taylor's fans, however, who took to social media to pan the businessman. One wrote on X: "She lives rent free in his little head." And another typed: "Man takes credit for woman's success a tale as old as time." And a third wrote: "Is he obsessed or is he obsessed?" Scooter is famous for helping discover Canadian pop star Justin Bieber - and the two famously parted ways, on a business level, in 2023. Earlier this month, Justin released his seventh studio album - which was his first since he ended his partnership with Scooter. The businessman took to social media to praise the 31-year-old singer, however, writing ia Instagram Stories: 'Been having a beautiful start to the weekend and been getting a lot of texts about how I feel about Justin's new album. "So I will just leave this here. This is without a doubt, the most authentically Justin Bieber album to date. It's beautiful, raw, and truly him. And that matters.' He continued: 'I've had the privilege of witnessing his growth for almost two decades. Along every journey, there comes a time when an artist fully steps into their own — and that's what he's done here. He's poured his soul into this project, and you can feel it in every single run. 'The way he chose to release it is just as intentional as the music itself — and I'm happy to see him do it this way. I have played no roll in this one, but as someone who's always believed in him, I'm incredibly proud and impressed and genuinely enjoying the music."
