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Russia Today
26-06-2025
- Russia Today
Gamer banned for publishing restricted warplane manual
The developer of the War Thunder military simulation game has banned a player from its online forums for posting a page from a restricted US warplane manual, according to a report by the UK Defence Journal. Developed by Gaijin Entertainment, War Thunder is known for its highly detailed weapon system simulations. The game attracts a passionate community of military enthusiasts, including active and former service members, who frequently scrutinize the accuracy of in-game vehicles compared to their real-world counterparts. The UK Defence Journal website reported Monday that this was at least the ninth incident in which a user uploaded sensitive material while attempting to bolster an argument. The latest case involved a page from the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) manual for the AV-8B and TAV-8B Harrier jets, which are used by the US Navy and Marine Corps. The document was not labeled 'classified' but was marked 'Distribution Statement C', which means it is restricted to US government agencies and authorized defense contractors. Some forum users argue that posting content that is accessible elsewhere online should be allowed, claiming that governments tend to be too protective of outdated documents that are not actually secret in any meaningful way. Gaijin Entertainment however maintains a strict policy prohibiting the publication of any protected material on its platforms. The developer says its models are based exclusively on sources legally available to the general public. Previous similar cases reportedly included leaks involving specifications for tanks such as Britain's Challenger 2, France's Leclerc, China's ZTZ-99, the Eurocopter Tiger helicopter, several US warplanes including the F-16, F-15E, F-117 and most recently, the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet.
Daily Record
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Pro-independence social media accounts go silent after Iran hit by airstrikes
Many accounts which used pro-independence slogans and anti-UK messaging on X went silent after June 12. Dozens of social media accounts supporting Scottish independence have gone dark since Iran was hit by air strikes, according to reports. Many accounts which used pro-independence slogans and anti-UK messaging on X, formerly Twitter, went silent after June 12, according to the UK Defence Journal. This was when a major Israeli airstrike campaign against Iranian military and cyber infrastructure took place. Iran then had severe fuel shortages and a media blackout. Labour MP for East Renfrewshire Blair McDougall told the Record: 'This is a reminder that our enemies see the chaos of nationalism as a way to weaken us. 'At a time when the SNP refuse to update their defence policy to confront the realities of threats from Vladimir Putin and other dictators, this should give pause to anyone tempted to give the SNP another five years.' Between 2022 and 2024 researchers from the American Clemson University had identified more than 80 accounts posing as users from the UK. They identified themselves with descriptions like 'NHS nurse' or ' Glaswegian socialist'. They concluded that these accounts were probably ran by or on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Since late 2021 they had produced roughly 250,000 tweets. The messages mixed pro- independence and progressive messages with criticism of the UK Government and the monarchy. One message - viewed a million times - read: 'The people robbing this country travel by private jet not by dinghy.' According to Clemson, the accounts were responsible for at least four per cent of all Scottish independence -related posts on X in early last year. This was about four times more than the official SNP account in the same period. One of the lead researchers on the project Darren Linvill said the aim was to create the impression that support for independence was bigger than it was. He said: 'Anyone in sales will tell you the bandwagon fallacy is a powerful tool.' The accounts received hundreds of thousands of retweets, likes, and comments. But after the Israeli attacks - which reportedly hit infrastructure linked to the IRGC - the accounts which had previously posted regularly suddenly stopped doing so. Within two days of the strikes Iran only had five per cent internet access.
The National
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Minister responds to claims of 'Iranian Scottish independence X accounts'
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson addressed the claims which were first reported in the UK Defence Journal. The outlet said a number of small-scale accounts on Twitter/X "abruptly went silent" after Israeli strikes on Iran, leading to suggestions that they were part of an Iranian bot network. During cabinet questions being put to Robertson on Wednesday, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser asked: "Does it not concern the Scottish Government that its central policy objective is being actively backed by the terrorist state of Iran as part of its campaign to weaken this United Kingdom?" READ MORE: Scottish Enterprise to keep funding Israel-linked arms firms, Kate Forbes says Robertson replied: "I think Mr Fraser should be very careful about seeking to smear people in this country who believe that this country should be a sovereign state. "It is a position held by the majority of people elected to this parliament, and I think it's beneath the member to seek to smear a majority in this parliament, notwithstanding the differences that we have on this issue." During attacks launched by Israel, Iranian military and cyber infrastructure were hit with an internet blackout affecting 95% of national connectivity. In an editor's note on the original article, it states: "This article does not claim that Scottish independence is a foreign plot, nor does it suggest that support for independence is illegitimate, inauthentic, or driven by anything other than sincere political conviction. "The focus is not on genuine activists or grassroots communities, but on documented attempts by Iranian-linked actors to exploit real political movements in the UK for strategic advantage."
The National
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
SNP minister responds to claim 'Iran supports Scottish independence'
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson addressed the claims which were first reported in the UK Defence Journal. The outlet said a number of small-scale accounts on Twitter/X "abruptly went silent" after Israeli strikes on Iran, leading to suggestions that they were part of an Iranian bot network. During cabinet questions being put to Robertson on Wednesday, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser asked: "Does it not concern the Scottish Government that its central policy objective is being actively backed by the terrorist state of Iran as part of its campaign to weaken this United Kingdom?" READ MORE: Scottish Enterprise to keep funding Israel-linked arms firms, Kate Forbes says Robertson replied: "I think Mr Fraser should be very careful about seeking to smear people in this country who believe that this country should be a sovereign state. "It is a position held by the majority of people elected to this parliament, and I think it's beneath the member to seek to smear a majority in this parliament, notwithstanding the differences that we have on this issue." During attacks launched by Israel, Iranian military and cyber infrastructure were hit with an internet blackout affecting 95% of national connectivity. In an editor's note on the original article, it states: "This article does not claim that Scottish independence is a foreign plot, nor does it suggest that support for independence is illegitimate, inauthentic, or driven by anything other than sincere political conviction. "The focus is not on genuine activists or grassroots communities, but on documented attempts by Iranian-linked actors to exploit real political movements in the UK for strategic advantage."
The Herald Scotland
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Tory MSP says Iran backing Scottish independence campaign
The UK Defence Journal reported that the accounts — posting frequently on X under bios such as 'NHS nurse' and 'Glaswegian socialist' — went dark on Wednesday June 12, the same day Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted digital infrastructure used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). READ MORE 'Does it not concern the Scottish Government that its central policy objective is being actively backed by the terrorist state of Iran, as part of its campaign to weaken this United Kingdom?' Mr Fraser asked. Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson hit back, accusing the Tory MSP of smearing legitimate supporters of independence. 'I think Mr Fraser should be very careful about seeking to smear people in this country who believe that this country should be a sovereign state,' he said. 'It is a position held by the majority of people elected to this Parliament, and I think it's beneath the member to seek to smear a majority in this Parliament, notwithstanding the differences that we have on this issue.' Israeli warplanes have pounded Iran's capital The UK Defence Journal described the disappearance of the accounts as 'the most visible rupture to date in a long-running foreign influence operation'. An unnamed open-source intelligence researcher told the publication: 'The timing, posting patterns, and network structure all point in one direction. 'What we're seeing is classic IRGC-linked activity: coordinated accounts posting at regular intervals, linguistic and thematic uniformity across profiles, and sudden synchronous silence. 'The kicker is infrastructure dependency. These accounts didn't log off; they were cut off — almost certainly because their command-and-control layer, likely hosted through Iranian VPN exit nodes or proxy-managed access platforms, went down after the strikes.' They described the abrupt halt as a 'textbook signature' of an 'externalised influence operation losing its operational backend'. The use of bots, sock-puppet accounts, and other 'astroturfing' tactics is common in cyber warfare. While Russia is often cited as a major player, Iran's Revolutionary Guard has also been linked to covert online operations. A 2023 study by Clemson University's Media Forensics Hub identified more than 80 accounts impersonating socially conscious British users, with bios such as 'Ex NHS Nurse. Hopeful for a better future with a lot less inequality'. READ MORE The researchers said the accounts were likely operated by or for the IRGC and intended to amplify political division in the UK — particularly around Scottish independence. The network reportedly generated around 250,000 tweets since late 2021, mixing support for independence with criticism of the UK Government, anti-monarchy messaging, and progressive slogans. At its peak in early 2024, it was said to be responsible for at least 4% of all Scottish independence-related posts on X — four times the output of the SNP's official account.
