Latest news with #WarTranslated
Forbes
02-05-2025
- Forbes
Russia Is Making Explosive Drones Out Of Toy Hoverboards
A Russian hoverboard drone explodes. Via WarTranslated It suddenly makes sense why Russian troops in Ukraine were observed with a substantial number of toy hoverboards. A video montage that circulated online on Friday depicts the explosive ground robots—a pair of the two-wheeled hoverboards attached to an anti-tank mine—blowing up purported Ukrainian fortifications presumably somewhere along the 700-mile front line of Russia's 39-month wider war on Ukraine. Last summer, the Dva Mayora volunteer organization in Russia developed the hoverboard unmanned ground vehicles and began distributing copies to Russian units. Half a year later in February, Russians were seen loading a bunch of the $100 hoverboards into a truck somewhere at or near the front. It's possible they'd received them as donations from supporters back home—or stolen them from Ukrainian homes in the occupied zone. Regardless, it should be apparent now that most of the hoverboards along the front line aren't for riding—they're for making one-way explosive drones. Flying robots already dominate the battleground in Ukraine. The hundreds of thousands of tiny first-person-view drones Russian and Ukrainian forces deploy every month account for the majority of battlefield casualties—70 percent, according to The New York Times. By comparison, ground robots are less ubiquitous, and for obvious reasons. It's easier for a remote-controlled vehicle to fly unobstructed through the air than it is to crawl over rough terrain. Thanks to their internal gyroscopes, hoverboards are extremely stable compared to traditional wheeled vehicles. A hoverboard UGV can speed across the front-line terrain faster than other ground robots. And the low cost of the toys mean the mine-laden 'bots are expendable. No need for a regiment to save them for only the most valuable targets. That the Russians appear to be using their hoverboards to build exploding robots doesn't mean they won't eventually ride them into battle. It's worth noting the growing prevalence of surplus civilian electric scooters in the inventories of Russian regiments. After losing 17,000 armored vehicles and other heavy equipment in Ukraine, the Kremlin is growing truly desperate for battlefield transportation—and has sent troops on assaults on e-scooters, Lada compact cars, aging GAZ-69 trucks and at least one bus. If and when toy hoverboards become more valuable as assault vehicles than drone components, they too might join the war-scooters and compact cars. At least as an assault vehicle, a hoverboard stands some chance of surviving a battle. As an explosive drone, a hoverboard heads out exactly once.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Russian footage shows North Korean troops training with modern rifles, grenade launchers, and anti-drone tactics
Moscow released a new video on Monday of North Korean troops training with Russian small arms. The clips show them drilling and clearing trenches with newer weapons such as the AK-12. Washington and Seoul have been voicing concern about what North Korea may learn from the war and Russia. Russia's defense ministry released a new video on Monday of North Korean troops training with modern small arms used in the Ukraine war. The 77-second montage, published by state media outlet TASS, showed the soldiers drilling fire movements, shooting from cover, clearing trenches, and being taught how to use Russian standard service hand grenades. Some troops can be spotted with the AK-12, a fifth-generation modular assault rifle that entered service in Russia around 2020. Several of the rifles can be seen equipped with reflex sights and foregrips. Back home, North Korean troops are primarily known to train and fight with the Type-88, a localized version of the Soviet-era AK-74 rifle. Additionally, the clips feature soldiers training with the SVD sniper rifle, also known as the "Dragunov," and the belt-fed PK machine gun. Another clip showed a soldier handling an RPG-7, the rocket-propelled grenade launcher that Russia uses in service now. He fires a high-explosive anti-tank round from the weapon. Notably, all of these small arms fall under the list of guns and equipment that Ukraine's military intelligence said Russia was providing to North Korean troops in November 2024. On a Russian propaganda channel, they showed how North Korean soldiers were being trained to fight against Ukraine. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) April 28, 2025 The footage also showed a soldier firing into the air with a semiautomatic 12-gauge shotgun known as the Vepr-12, which can be seen equipped with an extended choke. This muzzle attachment is typically used to turn the shotgun into an anti-drone weapon because it reduces pellet spread and extends the gun's range. Both Ukrainian and Russian troops have been known to rely on shotguns to take down drones at close range. TASS wrote that North Korean troops were training with the 12-gauge shotguns for this purpose. The state media outlet also wrote that the soldiers in the clip had been part of North Korea's force in Kursk, where Pyongyang had sent thousands of troops to reinforce Russia. Business Insider could not independently verify the authenticity of that claim. The new clip comes after Russia and North Korea both openly acknowledged last weekend that North Korean troops had been fighting against Ukrainian forces, after months of staying silent on the matter despite mounting evidence of Pyongyang's involvement. Their partnership has sparked alarm in the West and South Korea, who fear that North Korean troops may be gaining vital combat experience and learning to fight with and against modern weapons and drones. Many of these soldiers were sent on ground infantry assaults that often resulted in death or heavy injury. This tactic has become a hallmark of Russia's strategy to exhaust Ukraine's resources. Initial reports from the front lines described Pyongyang's troops as unprepared, not knowing how to deal with exploding drones and taking heavy losses. But there are signs they've been adapting, such as a drawing that Ukraine said it obtained from a captured North Korean fighter detailing how to bait out a drone using a fellow soldier. North Korean troops are likely also getting their first chance to observe Ukraine's use of advanced weapons such as HIMARS and the Abrams tank. On the battlefield, they've proved far more tenacious than their Russian counterparts, charging in frontal "human wave" assaults and advancing without armor support. Ukrainian troops have said they struggled to capture North Koreans because the latter would often try to kill themselves rather than surrender. A US State Department spokesperson told media outlets earlier this week that Washington was still concerned by Pyongyang's troop deployment, saying that third countries like North Korea "perpetuated the Russia-Ukraine war" and bear responsibility. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
New Russian footage shows North Korean troops training with modern rifles, grenade launchers, and anti-drone tactics
Russia's defense ministry released a new video on Monday of North Korean troops training with modern small arms used in the Ukraine war. The 77-second montage, published by state media outlet TASS, showed the soldiers drilling fire movements, shooting from cover, clearing trenches, and being taught how to use Russian standard service hand grenades. Some troops can be spotted with the AK-12, a fifth-generation modular assault rifle that entered service in Russia around 2020. Several of the rifles can be seen equipped with reflex sights and foregrips. Back home, North Korean troops are primarily known to train and fight with the Type-88, a localized version of the Soviet-era AK-74 rifle. Additionally, the clips feature soldiers training with the SVD sniper rifle, also known as the "Dragunov," and the belt-fed PK machine gun. Another clip showed a soldier handling an RPG-7, the rocket-propelled grenade launcher that Russia uses in service now. He fires a high-explosive anti-tank round from the weapon. Notably, all of these small arms fall under the list of guns and equipment that Ukraine's military intelligence said Russia was providing to North Korean troops in November 2024. On a Russian propaganda channel, they showed how North Korean soldiers were being trained to fight against Ukraine. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) April 28, 2025 The footage also showed a soldier firing into the air with a semiautomatic 12-gauge shotgun known as the Vepr-12, which can be seen equipped with an extended choke. This muzzle attachment is typically used to turn the shotgun into an anti-drone weapon because it reduces pellet spread and extends the gun's range. Both Ukrainian and Russian troops have been known to rely on shotguns to take down drones at close range. TASS wrote that North Korean troops were training with the 12-gauge shotguns for this purpose. The state media outlet also wrote that the soldiers in the clip had been part of North Korea's force in Kursk, where Pyongyang had sent thousands of troops to reinforce Russia. Business Insider could not independently verify the authenticity of that claim. Russia and North Korea's alliance poses concerns for the West The new clip comes after Russia and North Korea both openly acknowledged last weekend that North Korean troops had been fighting against Ukrainian forces, after months of staying silent on the matter despite mounting evidence of Pyongyang's involvement. Their partnership has sparked alarm in the West and South Korea, who fear that North Korean troops may be gaining vital combat experience and learning to fight with and against modern weapons and drones. Many of these soldiers were sent on ground infantry assaults that often resulted in death or heavy injury. This tactic has become a hallmark of Russia's strategy to exhaust Ukraine's resources. Initial reports from the front lines described Pyongyang's troops as unprepared, not knowing how to deal with exploding drones and taking heavy losses. But there are signs they've been adapting, such as a drawing that Ukraine said it obtained from a captured North Korean fighter detailing how to bait out a drone using a fellow soldier. North Korean troops are likely also getting their first chance to observe Ukraine's use of advanced weapons such as HIMARS and the Abrams tank. On the battlefield, they've proved far more tenacious than their Russian counterparts, charging in frontal "human wave" assaults and advancing without armor support. Ukrainian troops have said they struggled to capture North Koreans because the latter would often try to kill themselves rather than surrender. A US State Department spokesperson told media outlets earlier this week that Washington was still concerned by Pyongyang's troop deployment, saying that third countries like North Korea "perpetuated the Russia-Ukraine war" and bear responsibility.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Drone Nets Now Being Used To Protect Buildings In Russia
Faced with constant attacks by Ukrainian drones and artillery, officials in the Russian border town of Shebekino have placed anti-drone netting on dozens of buildings for protection. The move comes as Ukrainian forces continue to maintain a small salient in the region after launching an incursion there two weeks ago. Images taken by local photographer Olga Klyuchkareva emerged on social media Thursday showing several high-rise buildings covered by the netting. The nets in the images are attached to the tops of a block of five-story apartment buildings and drape down outward toward the street. In Shebekino, Belgorod region, 41 apartment buildings have been covered with anti-drone nets. The local creatures are loving it – they joke about it and, as always, endure it with classic patience. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) April 3, 2025 'In the city, about 35 multi-story buildings are already covered with such networks,' the Russian Military Chronicle Telegram channel reported. 'Shebekino is under constant enemy attacks. Yesterday, UAV strikes damaged an apartment in an apartment building, a car, and a residential building, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported in the morning.' The netting seen today in Shebekino is the result of a program Gladkov initiated last November. ''As part of the experiment, 10 residential buildings will be covered with such nets,' said Gladkov,' the independent Russian Astra news outlet reported at the time. 'The material chosen is non-standard, suitable for these purposes. One of the contractors undertakes to cover 10 buildings with such nets. We will see how it performs, and then we will make a decision.' Though officials were evaluating how well the netting worked, that experiment was designed to be temporary, Gladkov explained at the time. 'Such a measure would not be durable, since in winter the netting gets clogged with snow and can break under its weight,' he said. 'Their lifespan will be three to four days, so it is not profitable in terms of costs or implementation.' These building nets are the latest iteration of a defensive measure both sides have adopted to help protect against drones by either causing them to explode at a distance from the target or get caught up in the webbing. They have appeared in static locations like oil refineries in Kapotnya and in Novoshakhtinsk and more recently, as tunnels on roadways. To protect themselves from Ukrainian drone attacks, the Russians have fenced off the road from Bakhmut to Chasiv Yar, creating a 2-km mesh tunnel. In this way, the Russians are trying to rescue their equipment and personnel from threats from drones. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) February 9, 2025 'Installing nets made of durable synthetic material allows for the interception of small fragments and the slowing down of the fall of larger debris, minimizing the likelihood of casualties and destruction,' the Russian Dzen media outlet reported. This measure is far from infallible of course. First-person view (FPV) drones with the ability to command detonate could punch holes in these nets, allowing other FPVs to enter. They would offer no protection against artillery shells or airstrikes. All this comes as Ukrainian troops have established a 13km (about eight miles) thrust into the Belgorod region, a retired high-ranking Ukrainian officer told The War Zone. 'Aviation assets are carrying out combat sorties to cut off logistic lines of supplies, blowing up bridges and trying to reduce the operational tempo of Russian troops in counteroffensive actions,' said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. 'On the other hand, making it more difficult for Russian troops to withdraw from the area of operation.' The strategic objective of the Ukrainian Belgorod operation 'is to create one more bridgehead as a buffer zone to our border and create more favorable conditions before the widely expected spring-summer Russian counteroffensive,' the retired officer posited. #Ukraine forces have entered #Russia's Belgorod region — C4H10FO2P (@markito0171) April 3, 2025 The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) acknowledges the incursion but said its forces are inflicting heavy casualties on Ukrainian forces. 'In the Belgorod direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces hit manpower and hardware of two mechanized brigades, one motorized infantry brigade, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and two territorial defense brigades close to Miropolskoye, Prokhody, and Petrushevka,' That Russia is using nets to protect civilian buildings is a stark reminder of how the war has hit home for this city. A large number of the 40,000 residents who lived there before the all-out war began have been evacuated because of Ukrainian bombardment. Whether this defensive measure can help protect some of those who stayed remains to be seen. Contact the author: howard@
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Look At What 720,000 HIMARS Fragments Did To A Russian Helicopter Base
A Russian soldier inspects HIMARS damage. On or just before March 24, a quartet of Russian helicopters—two Mil Mi-8 transports and two Kamov Ka-52 gunships—landed at an austere base somewhere in Belgorod Oblast in western Russia. Ukrainian special forces and the intelligence directorate in Kyiv were watching with at least one surveillance drone. One of the Ukrainian army's U.S.-made High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System wheeled launchers took aim. 'The target was engaged,' the special operations command reported. Four 660-pound M30 rockets, each packing 180,000 tungsten fragments, rained down from as far away as 57 miles. All four helicopters appear to have been hit. A Russian soldier and at least one dog trotted out to inspect the damage. Eight days later on Wednesday, that soldier's video circulated online—and the Estonian analyst WarTranslated translated it. 'Oh well, direct hit,' the soldier moaned as he inspected the shredded helicopters. Speaking by phone to a comrade as he recorded his battle-damage assessment, the soldier narrated in an increasingly dire tone. 'Kerosene is pouring out' of Ka-52 number 96, he reported. 'Spillage in the front.' 'Kerosene is fucking pouring' from an Mi-8, too, the soldier noted. Worse, the same helicopter took blast damage 'to the ass' that severed a rotor blade. The scale and severity of the damage was by design. With their thousands of submunitions or fragments, the M30 and the larger Army Tactical Missile System rocket—fired by the same launchers—are optimized for strikes on thin-skinned targets. People and helicopters, in particular. A Russian soldier inspects HIMARS damage. It's not for no reason that, when it tested the two-ton M39 ATACMS, the U.S. Army aimed the missile at a mock airfield where the service parked old helicopters and trucks. Footage of the test depicts submunitions tearing into the rotorcraft and vehicles. The precision strike in Belgorod came as Ukrainian brigades, having retreated from neighboring Kursk, extended a shallow incursion into the oblast. Ukrainian forces initially made modest gains by 'taking advantage of the enemy's communication and coordination problems,' according to the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies. In recent days, they've fallen back in the face of Russian counterattacks. The attack on those four helicopters was part of the wider Belgorod campaign. But it was also revenge. On March 13, 2024, Russian artillery caught a trio of Ukrainian army Mil Mi-8 or Mil Mi-17 assault helicopters on the ground in Novopavlivka, 35 miles west of what was then the front line outside the ruins of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine. A cluster munition exploded over the helicopters, ultimately destroying as many as three helicopters and killing two aviators.
