Latest news with #militaryOperations
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones strike over 40 Russian aircraft, damage 34% of strategic bombers
Key developments on May 31-June 1: Ukrainian drone strikes hit more than 40 aircraft at key airfields, damage 34% of Russian strategic bombers Russian soldiers surrender because 'abuse in units is worse than captivity,' Ukrainian military says Russian military freight train blown up en route to Crimea, HUR says Ukrainian commander resigns after Russian attacks kills 12 soldiers on training grounds Zelensky announces updated Ukrainian delegation list for upcoming peace talks with Russia An operation by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) using first-person-view (FPV) drones smuggled deep inside Russian and hidden inside trucks has hit 41 Russian heavy bombers at four airfields across the country, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent on June 1. The operation — codenamed "Spider Web" – was planned for more than a year and a half and has dealt a major blow to Moscow's ability to attack Ukrainian cities. According to the SBU, the drone operation resulted in $7 billion in damages and disabled 34% of cruise missile bombers in key Russian air bases. "The SBU first transported FPV drones to Russia, and later, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of mobile wooden cabins, already placed on trucks," the source said. "At the right moment, the roofs of the cabins were opened remotely, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers." The operation targeted multiple Russian air bases, including Belaya in Irkutsk, Olenya in Murmansk, Diaghilev in Ryazan, and Ivanovo in Ivanovo Oblast. "Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3," the source added. President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the results of the drone operation, calling it "absolutely brilliant." Ukrainian intelligence promised to reveal more details soon and vowed to continue driving Russian forces out of Ukrainian territory. "We will strike (Russia) at sea, in the air, and on the ground. And if needed, we'll get them from underground too," the SBU said. Read also: Western hesitation continues to undermine Ukraine A group of Russian soldiers fighting in the Kursk direction surrendered to Ukrainian paratroopers because "abuse in units is worse than captivity," Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces said in a video posted on social media on May 31. "In their units on the territory of the Russian Federation, they were subjected to inhumane treatment, psychological pressure and threats," the post reads. Russia's abuse of its own soldiers has been well documented throughout the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. An investigation by the Insider last July reported that Russia uses a systematic program of "gulag-style" abuse directed at its soldiers in Ukraine in order to "maintain order" and punish perceived offenders. According to the Insider, the patterns of abuse of Russian soldiers in Ukraine "borrow heavily from Soviet labor camp traditions." Russian units have employed "punishment squads" that seek out soldiers who are abusing alcohol, refuse orders, or are simply disliked, and then subject them to a variety of abuse, including beatings and "confinement pits." A report in Foreign Policy in 2023 detailed a decades-long system of "sadistic hazing" in the Russian army that included one soldier who had to have his legs and genitals amputated after he was forced to squat in the snow for several hours. The video released by Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces shows at least eight Russian soldiers interviewed at an undisclosed location. One describes being sent to the front less than a month ago and being "blown up immediately," leaving just two men alive in his unit. Another said his unit was left to dig trenches and fend for themselves when they were spotted by a Ukrainian drone and "after that everything fell apart." "The prisoners were provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance," the military said. Intercepted calls released by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) suggest numerous abuses by Russian commanders against their own troops, including one incident where one lost his temper and ordered his soldiers to shoot at their own comrades in a neighbouring unit. "F**k the 55th (an adjacent Russian unit), shoot them, that's the battalion commander's order, shoot them," a Russian commander can be heard saying in an audio published by HUR on April 5. The unidentified Russian commander appears frustrated at the adjacent Russian unit for not properly following an order and revealing their positions to Ukrainian troops. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the audio published by HUR. Read also: As Trump fails to sanction Moscow, few expect breakthrough during upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks A Russian military train carrying fuel and food was blown up overnight on June 1 near Melitopol, according to Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR). "The Muscovites' key logistical artery on the occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Crimea has been destroyed," HUR's statement said. The agency stopped short of claiming responsibility for blowing up the Russian train station in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but said "the fight against the military logistics of the Russian occupiers continues." HUR's statement further noted heightened Russian searches and stricter checkpoints in the region as Russian forces seek to find those responsible. Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian partisan group Atesh claimed to have sabotaged a railway in occupied Donetsk Oblast. Read also: Mass casualties after Russian train derailment and bridge collapse in Bryansk Oblast, officials say The head of the Land Forces of Ukraine resigned on June 1 following a Russian attack that killed 12 service members under his command. "I have made the decision to file a letter of resignation from the position of Commander of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi in a statement on Telegram. "Twelve dead. There are injured. These are young lads from the training battalion. Most of them were in shelters. They should have learned, lived, and fought – not died." Drapatyi was referring to an incident in the morning of June 1 in which a Russian missile attack struck a training field and killed 12 soldiers and wounded 60 more. The field was at the time unidentified, but Drapatiy named it as the 239th Polygon, north of the city of Dnipro. Russia has targeted Ukrainian training grounds aggressively in recent months. The 239th Polygon was also the site of a similar attack with an Iskander ballistic missile in March. At the time, Drapatyi wrote: "Everyone who made decisions that day, and everyone who did not make them on time, will be held accountable. No one will hide behind explanations or formal reports." In its announcement of the June 1 attack, the Land Forces press office wrote: "In the event of a determination that the action or inaction of responsible individuals led to the death and injury of servicemen, those responsible will be brought to strict accountability." Read also: Russia steps up offensives in Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Sumy oblasts, Syrskyi says Zelensky announced on June 1 an updated 14-member Ukrainian delegation for upcoming peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, expanding the original group of 12. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will again lead the delegation, which will include several new figures from Ukraine's military, human rights, and legal sectors. Three officials – Andrii Fomin, Yurii Kovbasa, and Yevhenii Ostrianskyi – will participate for the first time, while Oleksii Malovatskyi, involved in the May 16 talks, will not join. The meeting is scheduled to take place on June 2, with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations expected to attend. Also, security advisors from the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany plan to attend, according to U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg. Russia has not officially submitted its memorandum outlining peace terms, but Ukraine plans to present a detailed roadmap aimed at securing a lasting settlement. According to the proposal, the process would begin with a minimum 30-day ceasefire, followed by a full exchange of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-held areas, ultimately leading to a potential meeting between Zelensky and Putin. The plan was reported on June 1 by Reuters, which reviewed a copy of the document. While the U.S. and Ukraine have pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, the Kremlin has rejected it. Instead, Moscow has regularly voiced maximalist demands that are unlikely to be accepted by Kyiv, such as recognition of Russia's illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions and withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of these regions remaining under Kyiv's control. Trump has expressed frustration with Russia's reluctance to make concessions and its intensifying and deadly attacks on Ukraine. However, he has so far refused to sanction Russia. The talks are tentatively still set to continue on June 2, though Russia has not officially commented yet, following Ukraine's "Spider Web" drone operation earlier today. Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Bloomberg
26-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Israel Holds Rates as Inflation Spikes, Gaza War Escalates
Israel's central bank kept interest rates on hold for the 11th time in a row, maintaining a wait-and-see stance amid increased military operations in Gaza and an uptick in inflation. The Bank of Israel maintained its base rate at 4.5%, it announced on Monday. The decision was in line with the expectations of all 12 analysts polled in a Bloomberg survey.
Bloomberg
26-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Israel Set to Hold Rates as Inflation Spikes, Gaza War Escalates
Israel's central bank is set to keep interest rates on hold for the 11th time in a row, amid increased military operations in Gaza and an uptick in inflation. The Bank of Israel will maintain its base rate at 4.5% on Monday, according to all analysts polled in a Bloomberg survey.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
UK government criticises Israel over actions in Gaza
The UK government has said that Israel's latest military actions in Gaza can't be justified and the level of suffering there is "intolerable", meaning it's too bad to comes after Israel launched a new military operation in Gaza last weekend and the United Nations (UN) warned a humanitarian crisis was happening UK, France and Canada responded by warning Israel they would take "concrete actions" if Israel didn't "stop its military operations" and "immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza". Now the UK government says it has stopped trade talks with Israel and called in its top representative in Britain to be spoken response, Israel said that pressure from other countries would not stop it from "defending its existence". The war in Gaza was triggered by an attack led by the armed Islamist group Hamas on 7 October, 2023. Hundreds of people died in the attack, and many others were kidnapped and taken back into Gaza, where many of them are still being held as the October attack, and aiming to destroy Hamas and rescue the hostages, the Israeli government decided to bomb Gaza, where Hamas is based, and send their armed forces into the can read more about the background to the Gaza War here. UN reports and international charities have been warning of serious food shortages in Gaza because the Israeli government has blockaded supplies of food, fuel and medicine to Gaza for the last 11 said it would allow a "basic amount of food" to enter Gaza, which the UK, France and Canada said wasn't UN said that despite trucks carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment being allowed in on Tuesday 20 May, no aid had been given European Union also said it would be reviewing its trade agreement with Israel in light of its actions in Gaza, and while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed Israel's decision to allow some aid into Gaza, he also said "it's not in sufficient amounts". Since the start of the war in 2023, UK governments have supported Israel's right to defend itself and have called for hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza to be government has also supported calls for a halt in the fighting and for aid to be given to those who need a debate in Parliament yesterday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "horrified" by Israel's latest military actions in foreign secretary David Lammy said Israel's actions were isolating Israel from friends and partners around the world and "damaging the image of the State of Israel in the eyes of the world". UK government officials say the humanitarian crisis played a part in its latest comments, as did pressure from MPs and the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this latest military campaign would help rescue the remaining civilians still being held hostage, destroy Hamas and put Gaza under Israel's military Marmorstein, Israel's foreign spokesman, called the UK's response "unjustified" and said that the "pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction".
Associated Press
19-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Swarmer and SpiderOak Partner to Secure Autonomous Drone Operations in Contested Environments
Strategic collaboration delivers zero-trust security and resiliency for military autonomous swarm operations, including those deployed in electronic warfare zones RESTON, VA / ACCESS Newswire / May 19, 2025 / Swarmer, a leading provider of autonomous drone software, has entered into an agreement with SpiderOak, the leading cybersecurity company powering zero-trust solutions for the tactical edge. As part of the agreement, Swarmer will integrate the SpiderOak platform to provide secure interactions and revocation to its autonomous software platforms. This integration specifically addresses the challenges of securing communications for autonomous fleets operating in contested environments, including electronic warfare zones in Ukraine. Swarmer's technology enables uncrewed air, sea, and ground vehicles to communicate and coordinate autonomously without human intervention, even when GPS and RF communication are jammed. This allows for adaptive mission execution through coordinated swarm formations - allowing one operator to control hundreds of drones. The SpiderOak platform provides a unique combination of security controls plus guaranteed eventual delivery designed for autonomous operations at the tactical edge. With SpiderOak, Swarmer's autonomy software can ensure any to any message exchanges in the formation are authenticated, authorized, and encrypted without additional networking controls or certificate management. The low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements and decentralized security model eliminate the need for additional infrastructure, making SpiderOak ideal for autonomous operations in challenging environments. 'SpiderOak simplifies how our warfighter replenishes losses in theater ensuring replacements are authenticated and authorized to join the operation, while ensuring that lost and potentially compromised assets are revoked,' said Swarmer's Co-founder and CEO, Sergey Kuprienko. 'Autonomy at the edge brings a new set of security and communication challenges to the digital battlefield, especially with autonomous systems in contested or unreliable environments. Our mesh platform provides zero-trust access control and data exchange without the infrastructure or connectivity overhead that traditional security tools require. We are excited to partner with Swarmer to bring this next generation capability to market,' said Dave Pearah, CEO of SpiderOak. 'As we've seen in contemporary combat, autonomous fleets are significant force multipliers on the modern battlefield-but without robust security, they can become liabilities instead of assets. As missions evolve and new systems are added to the fight, the ability to authorize and authenticate every mission, operator, and data flow in real time will become essential. The integrity, confidentiality, and adaptability of these systems must be baked in from the start. The side that secures its data and controls access dynamically will have a significant competitive advantage,' said Lieutenant General Ken Tovo, U.S. Army (Retired); former Commanding General, US Army Special Operations Command About Swarmer Founded in 2023, Swarmer is revolutionizing autonomous UAS operations on the battlefield with a software system that enables drones (and robots) to operate autonomously and work together in large teams. With the team's background in the world's leading tech companies, and with boots on the ground in real conflict zones, Swarmer's mission is to enable individual operators to control hundreds of drones simultaneously - drones of any manufacturer, type, or purpose. Swarmer's technology allows uncrewed vehicles to be interoperable and work together seamlessly. Learn more at About SpiderOak SpiderOak is a 100% U.S.-owned and operated software company dedicated to solving the computer security challenges of the 21st century. Our technology allows applications to secure all interactions between each other, providing strong assurances of authority and identity and the flexibility to integrate with existing systems, software, and devices beyond centralized cloud services and data centers to the far reaches of the tactical edge. For more information about SpiderOak products, services, or business development opportunities, check us out at Media Contact Escalate PR for SpiderOak [email protected] SOURCE: SpiderOak press release
