Latest news with #TrojanWar
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Ukraine's Surprise Attack Is Being Called 'Russia's Pearl Harbor'
Ukraine's drone attack on warplanes at Russian air bases as deep into the country as Siberia has shocked U.S. military commentators for its sheer audacity. The Security Service of Ukraine claimed Sunday's so-called Operation Spider's Web had caused considerable damage to Russia, destroying around one-third of its fleet of air missile carriers, some of which can not be produced again, with damages estimated at $7 billion. Aside from the strategic and financial gut punch to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid stagnant peace talks in Istanbul, the raid triggered headlines for how Ukraine managed to achieve so much with so little. One journalist suggested the fleet of drones deployed by Ukraine cost around $160,000. In short, Ukrainian spies managed to sneak explosive-laden drones deep into Russian territory into inside wooden sheds by truck, and then launched them by remote control. Daring isn't the word. For good reason, the attack was immediately compared to the legendary Trojan War, where Greeks hid inside a giant wooden horse before bursting out to lay siege to the Trojan enemy forces. The surprise attack has also been likened to Japan's unlikely assault on Pearl Harbor during World War II that brought the U.S. into the conflict, with one analyst arguing they both changed the rules of warfare. The attack took more than a year and a half to execute and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose leadership has come under question amid his troubled relationship with President Donald Trump and their clash at the White House in February. Across various reports, Ukraine military officials have explained how around 120 artificial intelligence-powered first-person view (FPV) drones were effectively smuggled into Russia. The drones were placed in mobile wooden sheds, and hidden under the roofs of the structures. They were then placed on trucks and driven by unwitting Russians to the perimeter of four air bases. The roof panels of the sheds were lifted off by a remotely activated mechanism, which allowed a cloud of drones to fly out and begin their attack. The drones hit 41 planes stationed at military airfields on Sunday afternoon, including A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22M aircraft. They represent some of Russia's most important long-range strategic bombers. In a statement to the BBC, Ukraine's secret service said an air base in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, more than 2,500 miles from Ukraine, had been hit. and facilities in the Murmansk, Ryazan and Ivanovo regions were also damaged. The Russian defense ministry claimed some of the attacks had been repelled. Irkutsk is beyond the range of the weapons Ukraine has at its disposal, so it required a cunning plan to get the drones close enough to their targets. The damage was recorded on social media, with footage shared by Russian media appearing to show the drones rising from inside the containers and smoke pouring from air bases. Zelenskyy expressed delight at the 'absolutely brilliant outcome.' He said, 'A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation.' As details of the attack emerged, many on social media alluded to Japan's surprise air raid on Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, in December 1941, the attack that became the impetus for the United States' entrance into World War II. Others rejected the analogy, arguing the damage was actually far less significant than Ukraine suggested. Washington Post columnist Max Boot on Sunday wrote that 'almost no one had imagined that the Japanese could sneak across an entire ocean to attack an 'impregnable fortress,' as U.S. strategists had described Hawaii. Yet that is just what they did.' In just over an hour, the Japanese aircraft launched from six aircraft carriers destroyed more than 180 aircraft and destroyed or damaged more than a dozen ships. Boot noted that Japan 'rewrote the rules of warfare' in 1941, and that the Ukrainians 'rewrote the rules of warfare again on Sunday.' 'The Russian high command must have been as shocked as the Americans were in 1941,' he added. Neither Trump nor Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have publicly commented. But a senior U.S. defense official told The Associated Press that the attack represented a level of sophistication the U.S. had not seen before, and former American generals appeared equally impressed. Retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, who served as the former NATO supreme allied commander, explained to CNN that the range of the attack was akin to Los Angeles being targeted from Washington, D.C. He added, 'I'm Greek American, so I've got to give you this. It's kind of the Trojan horse. These wooden crates they've got pushed into the country and suddenly sprouting forth from it are these warriors destroying all of these planes, none of them human beings. It's really quite a remarkable military feat.' Writing on X in praise of the mission, retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who served as commander of U.S. Army Europe, referred to Trump telling Zelenskyy he had 'no cards' with which to negotiate at the awkward White House meeting. He said, 'For months, some believed that Ukraine didn't 'hold any cards.' Many of us have refuted that claim, saying an inflection point ... would soon be felt on the battlefield.' 'The coordinated and synchronized attack today, which appears to have decimated much of the Russian air fleet that were based over 4,000 km from the front line, is showing that Ukraine certainly has many aces in the hole,' he added. Ukraine Destroys 40 Aircraft Deep Inside Russia Ahead Of Peace Talks In Istanbul Russia And Ukraine Swap Hundreds Of Prisoners, Hours After Moscow's Largest Missile-And-Drone Attack Putin Makes Major Demand To End Ukraine War, Sources Say
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
'Trojan Horse', 'Pearl Harbour': Decoding Terms Used For Ukraine's Drone Attack On Russia
Last Updated: Ukraine launched a daring drone strike over 4,000 km from the border deep inside Russia, targeting five Russian airbases and damaging 41 nuclear bombers and warplanes. On June 1, Ukrainian forces launched one of the most audacious drone operations in modern military history, targeting multiple Russian airbases across 4,000 km of hostile territory. The attack took place on the eve of US-brokered ceasefire talks between the two countries in Istanbul. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) carried out ' Operation Spider's Web ', using first-person-view (FPV) drones, which were reportedly hidden inside makeshift wooden cabins and mounted on trucks that were parked near major military airbases. They were remotely triggered, damaging at least 41 Russian heavy bombers and other warplanes. The daring attack on Russian military aircraft has led to comparisons with 'Pearl Harbour' and 'Russian Trojan Horse'. Ukraine claimed the attack caused $7 billion in damage and could deal a critical blow to Russia's aerial capabilities as it could no longer manufacture more of these aircraft. 'Today, a brilliant operation was carried out — on enemy territory, targeting only military objectives, specifically the equipment used to strike Ukraine. Russia suffered significant losses — entirely justified and deserved," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 'Trojan Horse' The audacious drone operation by Ukraine was compared to the legendary Trojan War between the Greeks and the city of Troy in Anatolia (now Turkey) in the 12th and 13th century BC, where a similarly deceptive attack was used to cripple enemy forces. As per reports, Ukraine concealed at least 117 FPV drones in the ceilings of transportation containers, along with mobile wooden cabins. The cabins were taken near major Russian airbases and opened remotely, and the drones swarmed and hammered Russia's bomber fleet, demolishing nearly one-thirds of bombers Moscow has. Once the horse was brought inside city walls, the soldiers hiding inside opened the gates of Troy, allowing Greek soldiers to enter and destroy the city. The Trojan War is famously known through Homer's renowned poems Iliad and the Odyssey, describing several events of the Trojan War, centring on the horrors of war and the themes of anger, pride, honour, fate, and mortality. 'Pearl Harbour' The drone attack is also being called Russia's Pearl Harbour, referring to the surprise Japanese attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbour, which paved the way for the entry of America into World War II and marked a critical point in world history. After more than three years of war between Russia and Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army unleashed a devastating attack on Russia's nuclear bombers and warplanes, which were originally designed to destroy the atomic weapons of the United States and Europe in case an all-out war broke out. Exploiting gaps in Russian intelligence, Ukrainian forces used a covert mission to deal a critical blow to Russia's bomber fleet. Ukraine destroyed Russia's TU-95 'Bear" nuclear bombers, TU-22 'Backfire" fast-attack bombers and A-50 'Mainstay" command-and-control jets in the strike. These warplanes were at the heart of cruise missile strikes in Ukraine. This attack was reminiscent of Imperial Japan's surprise attack on the Pearl Harbour base on December 7, 1941. Tensions between the US and Japan had reached a boiling point, after the imperial Army invaded Manchuria and China. After the US imposed strict trade restrictions on Japan, the latter launched pre-emptive strikes targeting airfields, battleships and other facilities at the strategic naval base located in Hawaii Japan managed to damage or sink at least 8 US battleships, while damaging or destroying three cruisers, three destroyers and 188 aircraft. More than 2,400 Americans were killed in the attack. On the next day, the US declared war on Japan and formally entered World War II. As the rivalry intensified into full-scale war, the US Navy turned the tide in its favour during the Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers. By 1945, Japan was on the brink of defeat when the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing unprecedented destruction. In the aftermath, Japan surrendered unconditionally and eventually became a close ally of the United States. Why Is Ukraine's Attack Significant? Ukraine's SBU said that 'Operation Spider's Web' was being planned for around 18 months. It differed from the sort of attacks Ukraine had unleashed so far, which were closer to areas adjoining Russia's border. This time, drones were used 4,000 km from the border, reaching as far as Siberia. Russia's defence ministry confirmed on Telegram that several of its military aircraft 'caught fire", adding that there were no casualties. Russian authorities said it had arrested several suspects, including the driver of a truck from which a drone had taken off, state agencies said. The impact of the drone strike also provided insight into the changing modes of modern warfare. Rybar, a Telegram account that is close to the Russian military, called it a 'very heavy blow" for Moscow and pointed to what it called 'serious errors" by Russian intelligence. First Published: June 02, 2025, 17:48 IST
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Why it's time to start treating revenge as the potentially deadly addiction that it is
We don't usually think of anger and resentment the way we think about drugs or alcohol. But growing evidence suggests that, for many people, the craving for revenge follows the same patterns as substance abuse and addiction, triggering powerful biological urges that can spiral out of control and destroy lives. Recent neuroscience discoveries show that your brain on revenge looks like your brain on drugs. Real or imagined grievances (perceived mistreatment, humiliation, shame, victimization) activate the anterior insula — part of the brain's 'pain network.' In response, your brain activates its reward circuitry, causing dopamine to flood your brain, producing short-lived bursts of pleasure. 5 Legendary thinker Homer focused on themes of revenge in his iconic tale 'The Odyssey.' Getty Images For most people, this process is manageable. But for others, the self-control area — the prefrontal cortex — that's supposed to stop you from engaging in harmful behaviors gets hijacked, resulting in tragedy. We know now that revenge isn't metaphorical. It's biological. In the moment, revenge feels great. But like drugs and alcohol, the effects wear off quickly, and the pain returns. If not controlled, revenge can turn into a deadly addiction. The only way to gratify revenge cravings is by inflicting harm on the people who hurt you (or their proxies). Hard-core drug users inject narcotics into their own bodies to satisfy their cravings. Hard-core revenge users inject bullets into the bodies of others. Public health data and research show that grievance-triggered revenge cravings are the root motivation of almost all forms of violence, including youth violence and bullying, intimate partner violence, street and gang violence, police brutality, violent extremism, terrorism, and even war. 5 Almost every act of violence and warfare can be attributed to feelings of vengeance, which is why revenge must be treated as an addiction, critics believe. Getty Images Criminologists have proposed other motivations — predation, dominance, ideology, hate, and sadism. But the neuroscience of revenge suggests these are better categorized as grievances that activate revenge desires, and the hedonic reward one receives when revenge is achieved. While scientists haven't thought of revenge as an addictive process until recently, poets, playwrights, and prophets have been trying to tell us this for millennia. Writing in 700 BCE, Homer, for instance, warns of the dangers of compulsive revenge seeking in the Odyssey. The tale of Odysseus reveals the hero returning home from the Trojan War to find his wife, Penelope, in the company of more than a hundred suitors. Odysseus slaughters them all in an orgy of retaliation, unleashing a cycle of revenge that can only be stopped with the intervention of the gods. 5 Author Matthew White estimates that 445 million people have been killed in revenge-related acts of violence. Facebook In the fifth century BCE, the ancient Greek playwrights Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides achieved immortal fame through tragic plays like 'Antigone,' 'Oedipus Rex,' 'Agamemnon,' and 'Medea,' which exhorted audiences about the dangers of compulsive revenge seeking. The book of Genesis cautions humanity about the risks of revenge in stories such as Cain's murder of Abel and God's vengeance-fueled mass slaughter of humanity during the flood. Today, we see the perniciousness of revenge on every scale. From vicious personal feuds and road rage to mass shootings, terrorist attacks, genocides, and war, the compulsion to seek revenge can often not be tamed, even when it costs everything. Whether it's a teenager bullied at school, a political faction nursing old grievances, or a nation seeking redress for historical wrongs, the underlying brain biology is the same. Tally the casualties of all the murders and physical and psychological assaults throughout human history, and you're likely to reach the number of dead and wounded from compulsive revenge seeking. Multicide researcher Matthew White estimates that a staggering 455 million people have been killed in just the top 100 most deadly atrocities and wars in recorded history. The World Health Organization estimates that violence-related injuries kill approximately 1.25 million people each year. 5 'The Science of Revenge' is written by James Kimmel Jr. But there's good news. Understanding violence as the result of an addictive process means that we can finally develop ways of preventing and treating it beyond mere arrest and punishment. Laws and prisons deter some people, but not those whose brains are gripped by the intense craving for payback. Like drug addicts risking death for a fix, revenge addicts risk everything for the fleeting satisfaction of retaliation. As with drug addiction, education, cognitive therapies, counseling, self-help strategies, and, potentially, anti-craving medications like naltrexone and GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic may help. But an even more powerful revenge addiction strategy exists inside our brains — forgiveness. Recent neuroscience studies show that when you simply imagine forgiving a grievance, your brain's pain, craving, and reward circuitry shut down and your self-control circuitry activates. In other words, forgiveness takes away the pain of past trauma, eliminates revenge cravings, and restores smart decision-making. 5 James Kimmel, Jr. says that forgiveness acts as 'an even more powerful revenge addiction strategy.' Michelle Senatore It's not a gift to the person who hurt you — it's a gift to yourself. You can use it as often as needed to heal yourself from the wrongs of the past, but still defend yourself from threats of the present or future. Bottom line: Forgiveness is a wonder drug that we don't use often enough. As May closes and we reach the end of Mental Health Awareness Month this year, there may be no mental illness that we need to become more aware of than revenge addiction. Unless we learn how to break the cycle of revenge, it will continue to destroy individuals, families, communities, and nations. James Kimmel, Jr., JD, is a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and author of 'The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World's Deadliest Addiction — and How to Overcome It,' from which this article is adapted.
Chicago Tribune
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Memorial Day is a time for reflection, not politics
Memorial Day, which was celebrated on May 26, is a cause for contemplation and also renewal. Parades featuring people in uniform — those currently serving, those who have served, and those who protect us — should always be welcome. Military uniforms at such ceremonies are important. Crude partisan declarations are completely out of place. From ancient times, parades have been vital to the reintegration of warriors into society. War is profoundly disruptive and disturbing, not to mention dangerous. Even the rare man or woman who finds combat invigorating and rewarding is in severe need of returning home after the killing ends. Homer, chronicler of the Trojan War, was extremely sensitive to this. His great classic is divided into two parts. 'The Iliad' focuses on the fighting and related associations involving Greeks and Trojans; 'The Odyssey' describes the very long voyage home of Greek leader Ulysses and his men. They traverse allegorical geography, struggling to put the horrors behind them. Gen. George S. Patton Jr., a very great American combat leader, was extremely mindful of this dimension. A special ceremony in the Los Angeles Coliseum after the surrender of Nazi Germany featured Patton and Gen. James Doolittle, who led the first air raid on Tokyo not long after Pearl Harbor. Patton celebrated the accomplishments of his Third Army in the victorious drive across Europe. In honoring his troops, he stressed in particular the 40,000 who lost their lives. Patton made such statements regularly in the few months remaining of his own life. In World War II, people liberated from Axis occupation welcomed Allied troops. Understandably, our media gave special emphasis to this dimension. The Korean War created very strong bonds between the U.S. and the people, as well as a very effective military of South Korea. The first Gulf War liberated an oppressed population. The Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars were different. During Vietnam, the Pentagon urged, sometimes ordered, personnel to practice public anonymity. Opposition to the war became hostility toward our own military. There was no collective welcome home. Many aging veterans of that war suffer without a Ulysses, troubled and troublesome, sometimes criminally. Afghanistan and Iraq war controversy did not target our military. Visits to Washington, D.C., provide reminders of the visibility of the uniformed military, especially on public transportation. President Richard Nixon's decisive end of the military draft was crucial in the change. However, the often-rapid rotation of personnel back to overseas missions is unfair, as well as counterproductive. Enormous psychological strains join physical danger, and families suffer heavily. The all-professional military is segregated from wider society. This, in turn, facilitates frequent personnel rotation overseas, a problem that developed destructively during the Clinton administration. The military remains a vital engine for equality and opportunity. Gen. Colin Powell and many others have demonstrated the point. Powell, from modest origins, achieved the most senior civilian and military posts in our government. Powell noted he experienced discrimination in the South, but never on post. Our military emphasizes merit. Memorial Day provides the opportunity to recognize a commitment to fairness. Encourage veterans to run for office. We won the Cold War in part because experienced veterans served in government. Every U.S. president from Harry Truman through George H.W. Bush was a veteran. Today, things are different. The all-volunteer military is not broadly representative. What we need above all is the sort of sensible realism that women and men who served bring to policy. Learn more: 'Patton – A Genius for War,' by Carlo D'Este, and the film 'Patton.'
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Gorgeous Greek island is as beautiful as Corfu but is off beaten track
The beautiful Greek island of Ithaca is known as the home of Odysseus, the hero of Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey - and it's the perfect spot for a romantic getaway The enchanting Greek island of Ithaca is steeped in myth and legend, boasting charming villages, idyllic beaches, and verdant landscapes. As the second tiniest of the seven principal Ionian islands, reaching Ithaca involves a flight to Kefalonia followed by a swift 25-minute ferry crossing. Famed as the homeland of Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer's renowned epic 'the Odyssey', Ithaca symbolises steadfast love and yearning for home, as it was here that Penelope loyally awaited her husband's return from the Trojan War for two decades. Ithaca's allure lies not just in its literary ties but also as an ideal spot for romance, embodying the essence of homecoming and familial bonds. In a piece for The Telegraph back in 2016, children's author Anthony Horowitz was captivated by its beauty, remarking, "My first impression was that it was far more beautiful than anywhere I'd been in Greece." He regretted his brief stay, saying, "I spent just two days there before moving on to Kefalonia but I wish I'd stayed longer." TripAdvisor reviews echo this sentiment, with visitors hailing Ithaca as "Paradise on Earth" and praising it as "a perfect harbour village". One traveller's experience at Gedaki Beach was glowing: "One of the most beautiful beaches of Ithaca. Great blue close to Vathi. You will fully enjoy it with a boat." Vathy, the capital since the 16th century, is a picturesque tapestry of cream, yellow, and pink buildings, reconstructed after the devastating 1953 earthquake that shook many Ionian islands. Thanks to aid from Europe and the US, Ithaca saw a significant restoration, reports the Express. The enchanting medieval village of Anogi and the storied Monastery of Kathara are must-sees. Nestled on the southeastern summit of the legendary Mount Nirito, facing the bay of Ithaca's harbour, the monastery ensures its steeple can be spotted from all over the south side of the isle. Sadly, the bell tower fell victim to earthquakes but has since been reconstructed. Ithaca boasts a serenity that outshines its larger neighbour Kefalonia, offering minimal nightlife with just a handful of tavernas and relaxed bars scattered about. Described poetically by Discover Greece: "Symbolic of the promised land for which everyone is searching, magical Ithaca fills you with inspiration on a journey through rich history, majestic scenery and beautiful beaches."
