Railway sabotage in Russia poses a challenge for authorities and impacts military logistics, with over 76 cases reaching court and 137 young individuals prosecuted by October 2023 [0b86833e]. Anti-war activists continue to sabotage Russian railways as a method of protest against the 'Special Military Operation' [0b86833e]. The conflict in Ukraine escalates, with President Putin's strategy proving successful [1d2c98bc]. Western countries are growing weary of the ongoing war and are less inclined to provide substantial support to Ukraine. Switzerland leads ambitious humanitarian demining efforts in Ukraine [7061c738]. Ukrainian faith leaders warn that if Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeds in his invasion of Ukraine, religious freedom in the country would be curtailed [f6036a25]. India achieves success in the Asian Games 2023 [8191ac9a]. Russia plans to limit VPN services that pose a threat to security [8191ac9a].
A dual Russian-Italian national has been arrested in Russia for carrying out sabotage attacks on military installations and a railroad under the orders of Ukrainian military intelligence. The 35-year-old man, a native of central Russia's Ryazan region, derailed a freight train using an explosive device and was also responsible for an earlier attack on an airfield in the same region. He confessed to undergoing sabotage training in Latvia before returning to Russia. [c5cda679]
Ukraine's security service, the SBU, carried out a clandestine operation to blow up railway connections between Russia and China. The SBU set off explosions in the Severomuysky tunnel of the Baikal-Amur highway in Buryatia, disrupting the only serious railway connection between the two countries. The operation resulted in four carriages burning out and two more being damaged. The SBU was also responsible for a second incident on the detour route through the Devil's Bridge. The Russian state railroad company, RZHD, stated that the movement of trains was not interrupted, but there was a slight increase in travel time. [96d03db3]
Russia is jamming plane signals across Europe, causing disruptions in GPS and other systems. Last year, there were 50 suspected attacks every week, but there were 350 in March and a similar number is expected this month. The source of the jamming signal has been located in Russia's Kaliningrad exclave. Russia has a strength in electronic warfare and is suspected of selectively jamming in the past. The jamming is not specifically aimed at British holidaymakers, but it is part of a general campaign to put pressure on Europe. The essence of Russian 'political warfare' operations is to accumulate small-scale irritants and costs in the hope of influencing politics. The dependence on technology and interconnection makes countries vulnerable to such attacks. Russia is continuing to develop new and more powerful systems for jamming signals. Many states view disinformation, subversion, intimidation, hacking, and jamming as parts of a single coherent strategy, while Western countries tend to treat them separately. [2327c519]
Russia has been accused of jamming GPS navigation systems in the Black Sea region. The jamming reportedly affected ships and aircraft in the area. The incidents occurred during a major NATO military exercise, and it is believed that Russia was trying to disrupt the exercise. The jamming caused disruptions to navigation systems and affected the ability of ships and aircraft to accurately determine their positions. The Russian government has denied the accusations and stated that it was conducting its own military exercises in the area. NATO has called on Russia to stop the jamming and to respect international law. The incidents have raised concerns about Russia's ability to disrupt GPS navigation systems in the future. [3ded34d7]
GPS jamming is creating demand for cheap drones that use AI to navigate, target, and attack. The rise in GPS, cell phone, and other signal jamming has triggered a global arms race between jamming and anti-jamming technologies. The current rise in GPS jamming is likely done by the Russian military to protect its bases and assets from Ukrainian drone attacks. More than 46,000 aircraft GPS jamming incidents have been reported over the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean since August 2021. Major airlines like Ryanair, Wizz Air, British Airways, and easyJet have been affected by jamming. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is the world's first large-scale drone war, with both sides using drones for surveillance, reconnaissance, espionage, explosives delivery, hacking, malware delivery, counter-hacking, and signal jamming. The Pentagon is working on countering the jamming threat by enabling drones to work autonomously, without needing to be controlled remotely. Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, is building low-cost drones that use AI for navigation and targeting. The future of warfare, industrial espionage, terrorism, and cyberattacks will involve drones in increasing numbers. The Olympics this summer will be a test run for drone-based attacks, as ISIS has circulated manuals on adapting commercially available drones to carry explosives. Europe is proving to be a laboratory for drone-based attacks, which will likely come to the United States in the future. [214e4834]
Ukraine is using innovations to create a cheap army of robots that will eliminate Russian troops and rescue wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Ukrainian startups are involved in this initiative. Latvia and Germany have agreed to jointly purchase drones to support Ukraine. Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Korabelnyi district of Kherson. Drone operators of the 110th Brigade named after Lieutenant General Marko Bezruchko 'cured' a wounded occupier, who was carried by his comrades-in-arms on a stretcher. The Air Defence Forces destroyed 2 'Shahed' attack UAVs and 8 reconnaissance drones. A powerful explosion occurred in Kherson a few minutes after the air raid alert was announced. The death toll from Russia's July 14 attack on Myrnohrad has risen to three. Ukraine's combat performance using kamikaze UAVs impresses the CEO of ASELSAN. The total combat losses of the Russian Federation since the beginning of the war are about 561,400 people, 8,227 tanks, 15,368 artillery systems, and 15,862 armored combat vehicles. [815b7979]
The use of euphemisms, self-censorship, and military jargon has become prevalent in Russian language and literature when discussing the war in Ukraine. Initially, the word 'war' was banned and punishable by prison, but it has reappeared in official language, including President Putin's speeches, to describe a war instigated by Ukraine and the West against Russia. Patriotic poems and songs celebrating Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine have emerged, giving the conflict a sacred dimension. The government no longer denies losses and uses euphemisms like '200s' for military deaths. Critics resort to self-censorship and silence, fearing arrests and reprisals. Public opinion critical of the conflict has become muted, and the practice of informing on others has resurfaced. The mobilization of civilians has remained limited, and new army recruits tend to be well-paid volunteers. The impact of the war on Russian language and society is significant, shaping the narrative and discourse surrounding the conflict. [f39c27e5]