TYB
(20 line board limit error message, shortening posts until back to normal)
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/07/29/muscles-ai-robotics-research-assisting-astronauts-as-next-crew-nears-launch/
Muscles, AI Robotics Research Assisting Astronauts as Next Crew Nears Launch
July 29, 2025
Muscles and robotics topped the research schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday to keep astronauts fit and assist crews on long-duration missions.
Meanwhile, four Expedition 73 crewmates continue preparing for their departure next month as another crew on Earth nears its launch to the orbital outpost this week.
The lack of gravity crews experience in space contributes to muscle and bone loss that doctors are learning how to counteract.
One method researchers are investigating is electrical muscle stimulation to enhance the crew’s daily exercise regimen and ensure healthy astronauts and successful spaceflights farther out into space.
cont.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/07/29/muscles-ai-robotics-research-assisting-astronauts-as-next-crew-nears-launch/
NASA Drop Test Supports Safer Air Taxi Designs
Jul 29, 2025
As the aviation industry works to design air taxis and other new electric aircraft, there’s a growing need to understand how the materials behave.
That’s why NASA is investigating potential air taxi materials and designs to best protect passengers in the event of a crash.
On June 26, 2025, at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, researchers dropped a full-scale aircraft body modeled after an air taxi from a tall steel structure, known as a gantry.
The NASA researchers behind this test and a previous one in late 2022 investigated materials that best absorb impact forces, generating data that will enable manufacturers to design safer advanced air mobility aircraft.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-drop-test-supports-safer-air-taxi-designs/
USGS Releases WISP Dashboard
July 30, 2025
Water Information from SPace (WISP), a new online application created by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and supported by NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC), brings two critical sources of information about America’s freshwater resources together into one interactive, user-friendly dashboard.
“WISP provides a single website for users to interact with and download data from,” said PO.DAAC Cloud Adoption Engineer Nikki Tebaldi.
“We contribute hydrology observations from NASA’s Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite and [the USGS] has their stream flow and water level data in there, which is used quite widely by the hydrology community.
So, bringing all these data together into a single website is very beneficial.”
Changes in Earth’s climate may profoundly alter the movement of freshwater resources from lakes to rivers to reservoirs, resulting in significant societal impact.
Without an adequate inventory of the volume of water in and storage capacity of Earth's lakes, it is difficult to assess the effects of environmental change on agriculture, industry, and other sectors.
Similarly, adequate information on river flow and discharge is imperative for managing water resources and planning for natural hazards like floods and droughts, particularly in the river basins that sustain large human populations in the U.S. and around the globe.
SWOT data provides scientists with key measurements of all these hydrological attributes, thereby supporting scientific research into the impacts of land on the water cycle, the dynamics of floodplains and wetlands (which influences flood control), and the effort to create a global inventory of water resources, including transboundary rivers, lake and reservoir storage, and river dynamics.
WISP is designed to familiarize users with a variety of SWOT lake and river data by collocating them with measurements from the USGS streamgages placed in waterways across the U.S. The SWOT observations available in WISP include:
cont.
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/blog/usgs-releases-wisp-dashboard
https://apps.usgs.gov/wisp
s'all good, thanks o7
NASA Tests Epic Solution for Supersonic Parachute Deliveries
Jul 30, 2025
The best way to solve a mystery is by gathering evidence and building a case.
That’s exactly what NASA researchers are doing with a series of research flights aimed at advancing a sensor for supersonic parachutes.
The clues they find could help make these parachutes more reliable and safer for delivering scientific instruments and payloads to Mars.
These investigative research flights are led by the EPIC (Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy) team at NASA’s Armstrong Fight Research Center in Edwards, California.
During a June flight test, a quadrotor aircraft, or drone, air-launched a capsule that deployed a parachute equipped with a sensor.
The flexible, strain-measuring sensor attached to the parachute did not interfere with the canopy material, just as the EPIC team had predicted.
The sensors also provided data, a bonus for planning upcoming tests.
“Reviewing the research flights will help inform our next steps,” said Matt Kearns, project manager for EPIC at NASA Armstrong.
“We are speaking with potential partners to come up with a framework to obtain the data that they are interested in pursuing.
Our team members are developing methods for temperature testing the flexible sensors, data analysis, and looking into instrumentation for future tests.”
cont.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-tests-epic-solution-for-supersonic-parachute-deliveries/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb08ooo7MhI
This close to reaching space: After 25 years, Oklahoma finally crosses the 'starting line'
July 30, 2025 5:30 a.m.
Outer space has never been closer to Oklahoma.
For more than two decades, the state government struggled to market Oklahoma's largest runway as a spaceport.
Officials envisioned it as the hub of a soaring space industry, generating business for local companies that design, build and operate the technology needed to conquer Earth's gravity.
But the failure of promising companies and lingering maintenance issues dampened those dreams.
Now, a new crop of leaders has inked a deal meant to refuel the vision for the Oklahoma Spaceport near Burns Flat.
The project — with a proven vehicle — has given Oklahomans hope that regular launches to space soon will become a reality.
If everything goes as planned, Oklahoma's government will host a rocket-powered spaceplane doing microgravity science missions by 2027.
The partnership with New Zealand-based Dawn Aerospace will bring Dawn's reusable Mk-II Aurora spaceplane to western Oklahoma, the site of one of just 14 licensed spaceports in the nation.
The Oklahoma Spaceport is located at Clinton-Sherman Airport, which features a massive runway and has been the home of Oklahoma's space industry program for more than two decades.
cont.
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2025/07/30/oklahoma-space-travel-dawn-aerospace-spaceplane-2027/84503673007/
What humanity chose to launch as artifacts of the Space Age
Updated: Jul 30, 2025 11:30 AM EST
The Space Age began on October 4, 1957, with the launch of the Soviet Sputnik 1. Months later, NASA answered with Explorer 1.
Since then, over 6,900 payloads have launched into space — orbiting Earth, sending back climate data, enabling GPS, or exploring the cosmos.
Others sent humans into orbit, to the Moon, and rotating crews to the International Space Station (ISS).
These missions have advanced astronomy, cosmology, and our understanding of space (and our place in it); however, some missions aimed to send something immeasurably important to space: cultural artifacts.
Since the 1970s, space agencies have deployed spacecraft that have taken a piece of human culture to deep space.
Many more have been planned or are already on their way. These missions represent humanity to the cosmos, which could include extraterrestrial civilizations someday.
A walk down memory lane is needed to understand their true importance.
‘For All Mankind’
When people think of the period from 1957 to 1973, they generally picture two superpowers locked in a state of competition and one-upmanship.
This largely consisted of two parallel races – the nuclear arms race and the “Space Race.” While true, there was also a newfound spirit of cooperation and celebration, where both sides took pride in the other’s achievements.
This is epitomized by the Apollo 11 Plaque, which contained the inscription:
“HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH
FIRST SET FOOT ON THE MOON
JULY 1969 A.D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.”
In essence, there was an understanding that humans going to space were doing so for all humanity and acting as representatives of Earth. The same spirit motivated the many artifacts launched into space during (and since) the Space Age.
These artifacts often served as time capsules, marking key milestones and reminding future generations of historic achievements (like the Apollo 11 plaque).
In other cases, they were potential messages for other civilizations that might encounter them someday.
cont.
https://interestingengineering.com/space/space-age-artifacts-humanity
Saturn's largest moon Titan casts a colossal shadow in breathtaking amateur portrait
July 30, 2025
Amateur astronomer Efrain Morales captured a breathtaking image of Titan's shadow sweeping across Saturn's cloud tops during a rare transit event on July 18 earlier this year.
Once every 15 years, Saturn's rings align edge-on with Earth, heralding the onset of a spectacular series of shadow transits as the large moon Titan passes between the gas giant's cloud surface and our parent star.
Even at a distance of 846 million miles (1.36 billion kilometers), Titan's shadow is so vast that it can be seen from Earth with the correct telescopic equipment, making these transits must-see events for amateur astronomers.
Morales was able to capture one such shadow transit at 5:13 a.m. (0913 GMT) on July 18 using a 12-inch aperture telescope In conjunction with a CMOS astronomy camera and peripheral imaging aids.
The image reveals Titan's vast shadow darkening the massive cloud bands above Saturn's sweeping ring system.
"On this day, I was fortunate to have ideal conditions due to the Saharan dust aerosols in the Puerto Rico region and I accumulated several sessions on this grand event," said Morales in an email to Space.com.
Despite appearances, the moon pictured to the upper left of Saturn in Morales' image isn't Titan at all, but rather the smaller moon Tethys, which was orbiting behind the gas giant from the perspective of Earth at the time of the transit.
The amateur astrophotographer also imaged the transit using a set of red, green and blue astronomy filters to create a more colorful view of the Saturnain system.
When is the next Titan shadow transit?
Stargazers will get another five opportunities to see Titan's shadow sweep across Saturn's cloud tops before the transit season comes to an end.
The next shadow transit will begin at 2:25 a.m. (0625 GMT) on Aug. 3, with the final event due to occur on Oct. 6.
It's possible to spot Titan's shadow darkening Saturn using a telescope with an aperture of 4 inches at around 200x magnification, though a larger scope will provide a much clearer view, according to veteran meteorologist and Hayden Planetarian guest lecturer Joe Rao.
Upcoming Titan Shadow Transits (timings from Sky & Telescope in ET)
"Larger instruments will provide more light-gathering capability and potentially better resolution," Rao told Space.com in an email.
"An 8-inch telescope at 200-power or a 10-inch telescope at 250 power should provide a good view of Titan's shadow, especially on a night of good seeing."
Stargazers hoping to witness a Titan shadow transit for themselves should read our roundup of the best telescopes for exploring the solar system.
Astrophotographers looking to capture their own unique images of the cosmos should check out our guides to the top cameras and lenses for astrophotography.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/saturns-largest-moon-titan-casts-a-colossal-shadow-in-breathtaking-amateur-portrait-photo
Australia's 1st orbital rocket, Gilmour Space's Eris, fails on historic debut launch
July 30, 2025
Australia now has a homegrown orbital launch attempt under its belt.
The company Gilmour Space notched that milestone today (July 29), sending its first Eris rocket skyward from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in coastal Queensland around 6:35 p.m. EDT (2235 GMT; 8:35 a.m. local Australian time).
Eris didn't get very far. The rocket began sliding sideways shortly after rising off the pad, crashing back to Earth just 14 seconds after liftoff.
It looked a lot like the third orbital launch attempt by the California company Astra, which featured a similar sideways slide off the pad in August 2021.
This outcome was far from unexpected; after all, it's rare for a rocket to ace its first-ever liftoff. And Gilmour Space was not banking on full success today.
"Whether we make it off the pad, reach max Q, or get all the way to space, what's important is that every second of flight will deliver valuable data that will improve our rocket's reliability and performance for future launches," the company said about the mission, which was known as Eris-1, in a February statement.
Gilmour Space sounded an optimistic note after the launch as well. "Today, Eris became the first #AustralianMade orbital rocket to launch from Australian soil — ~14s of flight, 23s engine burn. Big step for launch capability.
Team safe, data in hand, eyes on TestFlight 2," the company said this evening in an X post that shared two photos of the liftoff.
"Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program," Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour said in an emailed statement this evening.
"This was the first real test of our rocket systems, our propulsion technology and our spaceport — and it proved that much of what we've built works."
There were no injuries and no "adverse environmental impacts" as a result of the launch anomaly, company representatives said in the statement.
Today's launch was a long time time coming. Gilmour Space, which is based on Australia's Gold Coast, originally aimed to fly as early as March, but that plan was scuttled by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The company then targeted mid-May but was foiled by a technical issue: On May 15, Eris' payload fairing, the clamshell that protects satellites during launch, unexpectedly popped off while the rocket was sitting on the pad.
The culprit was a surprise "power surge, caused by electrical backfeed from downstream devices," Gilmour Space explained in an X post on May 30.
After fixing that issue, the company geared up for a try in late June. That didn't happen, however, thanks to strong winds near the spaceport, which Gilmour Space operates just north of the town of Bowen.
The target date then continued slipping to the right due largely to unfavorable weather, until Eris was finally able to get off the ground today.
Adam Gilmour and his brother James founded Gilmour Space in 2015, with the goal of making Australia a major player in the spaceflight field.
A big part of that vision centers on Eris, an 82-foot-tall (25-meter-tall) rocket designed to launch up to 474 pounds (215 kilograms) of payload to sun-synchronous orbit.
The company, whose workforce has grown to about 200 people, also builds satellites. In fact, its ElaraSat spacecraft bus launched for the first time just last month on SpaceX's Transporter-14 rideshare mission.
On that debut mission, ElaraSat carries an instrument for CSIRO, Australia's national science agency: a hyperspectral imager that will help keep tabs on water quality.
Today's launch was the first orbital attempt of any kind from Australian soil in more than 50 years.
The most recent such flight came in October of 1971, when a British Black Arrow rocket successfully lofted the United Kingdom's Prospero satellite from the Woomera Rocket Range in South Australia.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/australias-1st-orbital-rocket-gilmour-spaces-eris-fails-on-historic-debut-launch
https://twitter.com/GilmourSpace/status/1950350700728504527
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kC3bw6eURA
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/the-smithsonian-institution-owns-the-discovery-museum-resists-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-plan-to-move-space-shuttle-to-houston
'The Smithsonian Institution owns the Discovery.' Museum resists Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' plan to move space shuttle to Houston
July 30, 2025
A provision in President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" orders the Air and Space Museum to transfer ownership of Space Shuttle Discovery back to NASA for relocation near the space center in Houston.
However, the Smithsonian Institution is not backing down on its stance that Congress has no legal authority to mandate Discovery's removal, and they're bringing the receipts.
It all started with the "Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act."
Introduced by Texas Senators John Cornyn (R) and Ted Cruz (R) in April, this act was an attempt to force the transfer of Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center just outside Washington D.C. to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The act stalled in committee and would have been dead in the water, but was rebranded and folded into the more than 1,100 pages of President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" in an attempt to force the issue.
While the language of the legislation was altered to comply with Senate reconciliation rules, such as refraining to name Discovery directly, the goal remained the same.
The new wording instead refers to the transfer of a "space vehicle" — to be specified by the NASA Administrator within one month of the bill's signing — to a NASA facility "involved in the administration of the Commercial Crew Program" by January 2027.
The Smithsonian has rejected the attempt outright, saying it has the paperwork to prove the Institution's ownership of Discovery and that it's critical the space shuttle remains in its care.
The provision in Trump's bill allocates $85 million for Discovery's transfer and directs NASA and the Smithsonian to develop a plan for its completion.
At least $5 million of that sum is earmarked specifically for the vehicle's relocation; the rest is meant for the construction of a new facility that can publicly display the shuttle.
The Smithsonian's stance
In a formal response, the Smithsonian Institution says it owns Discovery, which, like the rest of its collection, is held in trust for the American public.
The Smithsonian asserts that NASA transferred "all rights, title, interest and ownership" of the shuttle to the Institution in 2012, and that it is "part of the National Air and Space Museum's mission and core function as a research facility and the repository of the national air and space collection."
The Smithsonian was awarded the privilege of providing Discovery's retirement home in 2011, when NASA announced the fates of all the decommissioned space shuttles.
During the Senate appropriations committee's full committee markup hearing on Trump's Big Bill July 10, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) proposed an amendment titled "Houston, We Have a Problem," saying, "one of the states that lost in that competition 12 years ago has come up with a new idea: Let's do it over again and make sure Texas wins."
"This is not a transfer," Durbin said, "it's a heist — a heist by Texas because they lost the competition 12 years ago."
After expressively iterating his concerns about the issue, Durbin withdrew his amendment, but suggested his colleagues "be honest" about it going forward.
A legal question
The question of whether Congress can, in fact, dictate the transfer of Discovery — or any of the Smithsonian's artifacts — is a murky one, legally speaking.
The Institution is considered a "trust instrumentality," meaning it is recognized as a public trust created by Congress, but distinct from federal agencies.
This allows the Smithsonian to operate independently while receiving about two-thirds of its funding from Congressional appropriations.
Furthermore, legal precedent establishes that artifacts donated to the Institution become Smithsonian property, not federal property.
"This will be the first time ever in the history of the Smithsonian someone has taken one of their displays and forcibly taken possession of it.
What are we doing here?" Durbin decried during the hearing. "They don't have the right in Texas to claim this."
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The Smithsonian is also governed by the Board of Regents: a body led by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as its chancellor, the Vice President, three members of the House and three from the Senate, as well as nine citizen regents.
While the Board's leadership has some power to steer the body in the direction of its political will, its civilian members — which include museum professionals and academics — would likely play a key role in resisting those pressures if they so choose.
And, while Congress could attempt to override the Smithsonian's authority, such an act would undoubtedly be met with extensive legal pushback.
Now that the Big Beautiful Bill has passed, NASA has begun working to ensure the agency's compliance.
A week before the Aug. 4 deadline for the agency Administrator to specify exactly which vehicle it would be relocating, a NASA spokesperson said in a statement to Space.com:
"The agency will put all enacted funding to good use and continue to work diligently to execute the President's vision for the future of space as we usher in the Golden Age of human space exploration and innovation."
Logistics
Legal questions notwithstanding, the logistics of moving Discovery may also pose a serious challenge.
Transporting Discovery from its hangar at Udvar-Hazy all the way to Houston, Texas, "would be very complicated and expensive, and likely result in irreparable damage to the shuttle and its components," a Smithsonian spokesperson told Space.com in a July 25 email.
In the past, shuttles could be flown across the country on the backs of Boeing 747 jets.
This was accomplished using giant mounting machinery known as the "Mate-Demate Devices" located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, or the Armstrong Flight Research Center in California.
However, both locations' devices were dismantled in 2014, eliminating the purpose-built infrastructure used to facilitate easy transportation of the space shuttles across long distances.
While other methods could ostensibly get the job done, few options exist. And, they're costly.
Even short distances are problematic for the task of transporting something as large as the 122-foot-long (37-meter-long), 78-foot-wide (24-meter-wide) space shuttles.
Endeavour's 2012 road trip through Los Angeles, for example, required months of planning and involved citywide road closures and the removal of trees and other roadside infrastructure in the vehicle's path to facilitate the journey from LAX to the California Science Center.
And, while Enterprise and Discovery are both housed in large hangers reinforced to support their massive sizes, Atlantis and, eventually, Endeavour were wrapped in protective layers as the buildings designed for their exhibits were, or are, being built around them.
Part of Discovery's status within the Smithsonian's archival trust ensures the museum's responsibility to preserve the orbiter through "world-class preservation and conservation methods," the Institution spokesperson said, warning, "the orbiter is a fragile object and must be handled according to the standards and equipment NASA used to move it originally, which exceeds typical museum transport protocols."
Logistical hurdles for safely transporting Discovery include dismantling the structural supports of its current exhibit, assured clear transit corridors and controlled humidity environments through which it can pass.
According to Durbin, NASA and the Smithsonian estimate the true relocation costs could reach upwards of $305 million, far more than the $85 million allocated in the Big Beautiful Bill.
The full statement from the Smithsonian Institution can be read here in full:
"Collecting and preserving artifacts like Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery is part of the National Air and Space Museum’s mission and core function as a research facility and the repository of the national air and space collection.
The Smithsonian Institution owns the Discovery and holds it in trust for the American public. In 2012, NASA transferred “all rights, title, interest and ownership” of the shuttle to the Smithsonian.
The museum is charged with collecting, preserving, and displaying aerospace objects and artifacts of historical interest and significance for current and future generations.
The museum holds the comprehensive collection of artifacts that document America’s successful efforts to lead the world in human exploration.
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center welcomes millions of visitors, at no entry cost, to experience, study, and see one of the museum’s centerpieces: Discovery."
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From Mascot to Mission Specialist: Rupert the Space Armadillo Prepares for Liftoff
July 30, 2025
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.—He’s armored, adventurous, and about to go where no armadillo has gone before.
Rupert the Space Armadillo, beloved mascot of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, is preparing for liftoff aboard NASA’s upcoming Crew-11 mission.
More than just a quirky character, Rupert represents exploration, history, and imagination—qualities deeply rooted in the legacy of Florida’s Space Coast.
“This is huge,” said Mr. Jamie Draper, CCSFS Museum Director.
“Rupert the Space Armadillo embodies the spirit of exploration and adventure that’s ingrained into the DNA of CCSFS. This is the World’s Premier Gateway to Space.”
Rupert’s backstory is as endearing as his plush frame.
“Two of our volunteers gave me a plush armadillo when I took the helm as director of the museum in 2019,” Draper explained.
“My team and I sat around at lunch one day coming up with a fun backstory for the ‘dillo. Rupert the Space Armadillo was born. It made sense. Armadillos have flourished on the Cape since the early 1900s.”
Since then, Rupert, known for his “armored physique” and playful lore about assisting ground crews, has become a one-of-a-kind aerospace mascot.
“How many aerospace museums have an armadillo for a mascot?” Draper added. “Only one—the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum.”
Rupert’s leap from museum mascot to space traveler began with a key connection. Retired Maj. Gen. Steve Lepper, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Space Force Historical Foundation, helped link Rupert to astronaut Mike Fincke, who will fly on Crew-11.
“Steve made the connection and the hand-off,” Draper said. “Mike was thrilled to support.”
Rupert’s mission represents a symbolic tribute to the Cape’s rich spacefaring history. With over 75 years of launches chronicled at the museum, Rupert’s flight bridges past, present, and future exploration.
Despite Rupert's connections, no one joins a NASA mission unprepared. He underwent an intense year of training to become mission-ready.
“Rupert the Space Armadillo embarked upon a year of intense training with ‘Space Loggie’ Jondavid DuVall, a U.S. Space Force Logistics Officer,” Draper said.
“He completed a USAFA Space AI Challenge, Space Cargo Specialist training, and other courses that are classified. Rupert even earned the rank of Lieutenant in the U.S. Space Force!”
Once his mission is complete, Rupert will return to his post as the museum’s mascot and outreach ambassador.
“Once he reacclimates to gravity,” Draper laughed, “he’ll be back at official Museum events. Keep an eye out!”
Fans can follow Rupert’s adventure on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum’s social media platforms—Facebook, X, and Instagram—at @ccspacemuseum using the hashtags #RupertInSpace and #FollowRupert.
If Rupert could speak before launch, Draper imagines he’d say: This is where history is launched! Semper Supra!
https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4259367/from-mascot-to-mission-specialist-rupert-the-space-armadillo-prepares-for-lifto/
CMSSF strengthens allied partnerships during first European tour
July 30, 2025
Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna just concluded a series of meetings and visits in a multi-nation European tour designed to strengthen partnerships with allied space partners and assess U.S. Space Force operations across the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, July 15-27.
The visit marked Bentivegna’s first official multi-nation tour of the EUCOM AOR since assuming the top enlisted position in the U.S. Space Force. Bentivegna’s travel began in the United Kingdom, followed with visits to Ramstein Air Base, and Camp Darby, Italy.
Throughout his meetings, he emphasized the importance of interoperability, integration and collective defense in the space domain alongside trusted allies and partners.
“In the increasingly complex and contested space domain, collective defense is paramount; it's a vast frontier where no single nation can operate effectively in isolation,” Bentivegna said.
“To secure our shared interests and ensure space superiority, robust interoperability and seamless integration with our trusted allies and partners are not just beneficial, but absolutely foundational.
This collaborative approach, leveraging our combined strengths, is how we will collectively address challenges and guarantee our security in, from and to space.”
The tour followed the U.S. Space Force's July 8 unveiling of its inaugural International Partnership Strategy, a comprehensive vision for deepening allied collaboration to ensure a secure, stable and sustainable space domain.
Recognizing that no single nation can manage space alone, the strategy highlights the critical need for international cooperation and robust partnerships leveraging combined strengths.
“The unveiling of our International Partnership Strategy just prior to this tour was no coincidence; it’s the very foundation upon which these engagements are built,” Bentivegna stated.
“This strategy isn’t merely a document; it’s a living commitment to collective security, ensuring that our shared future in space is defended by the unified strength of our allies.”
Throughout his travels, Bentivegna was joined by senior enlisted space leaders from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and NATO to strengthen joint effectiveness and foster international cooperation.
Bentivegna attended the Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference in London and the Royal International Air Tattoo.
He also visited the Royal Air Force bases at Waddington, High Wycombe and Molesworth, further strengthening ties with the United Kingdom space counterparts.
"This multi-nation tour truly underscored the U.S. Space Force's global reach, allowing us to learn from and strengthen the vital partnerships essential for collective defense in the space domain,” he said.
“It was also an invaluable opportunity to connect directly with our Guardians on the ground, whose dedication is vital to our national security."
The group held key meetings with NATO Allied Air Command and U.S. Space Forces Europe and Africa and conducted in-depth discussions with Guardians at the 603rd Air Operations Center and critical operational detachments.
The team also visited the 53rd Space Operations Squadron, Detachment 3 (Delta 8) and the 3rd Space Communications Squadron, Detachment (Delta 4).
Bentivegna concluded his visit to Europe at Camp Darby, Italy, where he met with forward-deployed Guardians supporting strategic operations in southern Europe.
The tour reflected a focused effort to integrate the Space Force’s mission with NATO and allied priorities. As space continues to mature as a critical warfighting domain, these engagements bolster coalition readiness and interoperability.
“As Guardians, we understand that our competitive advantage in space isn't forged alone; it's profoundly amplified by the indispensable strength and close collaboration with our trusted allies and partners,” he said.
“This unified approach, leveraging the combined capabilities of like-minded nations, is how we secure space superiority – a critical prerequisite for the success of our Joint Force and all who depend on a stable domain.
Our foundational partnerships are truly what empower us to effectively address complex challenges and maintain our strategic edge.”
By fostering shared understanding, elevating enlisted leadership and reinforcing transatlantic bonds, Bentivegna’s first EUCOM tour laid the groundwork for even stronger cooperation in the evolving space security landscape and advanced Space Force objectives.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4259819/cmssf-strengthens-allied-partnerships-during-first-european-tour/
WRAIR-West’s RISE program expands to Space Force Delta 8
07.30.2025
In June 2024, Space Force Delta 8 at Peterson & Schriever Space Force Base implemented Reconnecting to Internal Sensations and Experiences, a training tool spearheaded by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research-West that improves service members’ resilience and psychological readiness.
RISE was originally developed to support service members who were experiencing acute mental health issues.
However, the research team, comprised of Dr. Nathan Kearns at WRAIR-West and Dr. April Smith at Auburn University, have expanded the utility of RISE as a prevention tool that can support any service member.
“RISE started as an intervention for soldiers who were hospitalized or experiencing serious mental health issues,” explained Dr. Kearns.
“But we realized the benefits it provided to behavioral health and the resilience it teaches would be useful to everyone.”
Since then, RISE has been implemented at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in both the Army and the Air Force.
And as of June, RISE is being implemented within Space Force Delta 8 at Peterson & Schriever Space Force Base.
“We’ve been working for more than a year with the Space Force, which culminated in a visit to Peterson & Schriever Space Force Base,” clarified Dr. Kearns.
“During that visit, we presented Project RISE to the Delta and met with the Delta and Special Operation Squadron commanders to discuss how to support their units with our training.”
Since WRAIR-West’s visit, Space Force Delta 8 has rolled out RISE and distributed participation information to their guardians.
To participate in the program, interested guardians simply complete an eligibility screener to determine if they qualify for the training.
“One of the best things about RISE is that the product is an easy-to-field, cost-effective, and self-guided prevention tool,” Dr. Kearns said.
“It just requires command teams who want to roll it out. RISE is a training for anybody and everybody to improve their resilience and psychological readiness.”
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/544243/wrair-wests-rise-program-expands-space-force-delta-8
More Americans watch RT than CNN – former US intel chief
30 Jul, 2025 09:51
RT has a larger American audience than CNN, former US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has claimed.
Clapper was a key figure behind the Russiagate conspiracy theory, which included claims that RT helped influence the election of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Earlier this month, Clapper's successor Tulsi Gabbard declassified a trove of Obama-era documents which reportedly detail efforts by the two-time US president and his senior officials to distort intelligence on unsubstantiated claims Moscow interfered in the 2016 US election.
In an interview with CNN aired last week, Clapper doubled down on the conspiracy and accused Russia of unleashing “a very sophisticated, extensive and aggressive information operations campaign to influence public opinion” in the US.
”RT… has a bigger following in this country than this network [CNN] does” while accusing it of using what he described as “fake news implants,” he said.
Clapper claimed that the alleged Russian campaign was aimed at “sow[ing] doubt, discord and distrust among the American public.”
RT has faced increasing censorship and legal hurdles in the US since 2017, when the Department of Justice required RT America to register as a “foreign agent.”
The RT America channel was then denied congressional press credentials before being forced to close down in 2022 following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and the West’s decision to impose unprecedented sanctions on Russia.
RT content was later restricted and deleted from major digital platforms, including YouTube, where the network had ratcheted up some 5 billion views and several million subscribers, and Facebook.
Last year, the US also indicted two Russians, identified as RT employees, with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), money laundering, and illegally funneling millions of dollars to US-based entities to covertly influence US audiences.
Separately, the US sanctioned RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan and other senior RT employees, over alleged efforts to influence the US election.
Moscow has denounced the crackdown, calling it a testament to the degradation of US democracy and “its transformation into a totalitarian neoliberal dictatorship.”
https://www.rt.com/news/622226-rt-larger-audience-cnn-clapper/
Trump to skip G20 Summit in South Africa
30 Jul, 2025 13:15
US President Donald Trump has said he will probably not attend the G20 Summit in South Africa, citing Pretoria’s “very bad policies” as the reason.
Speaking on Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump said he will send someone else because of the “problems” he has with South Africa.
”I think maybe I’ll send somebody else because I’ve had a lot of problems with South Africa. They have some very bad policies,” he said.
”They have some very bad policies… A lot of people are being killed. I’d like to, but I don’t think I will.”
This remark reflects Trump’s ongoing criticism of South Africa, particularly his repeated references to unsubstantiated claims that Pretoria has targeted white farmers—a narrative the South African government has consistently and categorically rejected.
Further signalling strained diplomatic ties, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not attend the July G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Durban, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio similarly opted out of a G20 foreign ministers’ summit in Johannesburg earlier this year.
During the early months of his second term, Trump amplified allegations of systematic discrimination against white citizens, a narrative promoted by Elon Musk, a South African-born entrepreneur and then-ally of Trump.
The White House has also expressed formal concerns over South Africa’s policies, notably the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) framework and controversial land expropriation legislation, the latter of which was enacted in January 2023.
Although South African authorities maintained that the law would not be used to unjustly seize white-owned land, it has sparked significant concern in international policy and investment circles.
https://www.rt.com/africa/622258-trump-considers-skipping-g20-summit/
https://www.rt.com/russia/622151-trc-ukraine-mobilization-death/
Ukraine’s mobilization has become a war on civilians
30 Jul, 2025 16:30
In early July, Jozsef Sebestyen was beaten to death with metal rods by Ukrainian military recruiters. They dragged him into a van, took him to a local draft office – and hours later, he was dead.
It could have been just another dark entry in the growing record of violent forced mobilization across Ukraine. But Jozsef wasn’t just a local resident – he was a Hungarian citizen.
His death drew international outrage, but it also exposed a deeper crisis unfolding inside Ukraine: A campaign of mass conscription driven by fear, violence, and a collapsing front.
Murder on an international scale
Every month, tens of thousands of Ukrainians are mobilized and sent to the front lines. Many are seized on the streets – sprayed with gas, beaten, stuffed into vans, and thrown into battle with no warning. Some don’t survive the encounter.
Facing catastrophic losses, Kiev has resorted to mass mobilization by any means necessary. Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) officers now operate more like street enforcers than public servants.
TRC officers pin and choke young man on playground, rescued by locals and his mother (July 29)
In response, ordinary Ukrainians have begun to resist. Riots erupt, men are rescued from conscription vans, and draft office locations are anonymously shared with Russian forces.
To Western commentators, even scenes of forced conscription and street violence are not seen as failures of the Ukrainian government – but as further justification to continue the fight against Russia.
That changed on July 6, when a man was beaten to death by draft officers in Ukraine’s Zakarpatie Region. His name was Jozsef Sebestyen – an ethnic Hungarian and citizen of Hungary.
This time, the silence was broken. Hungary’s Foreign Ministry filed a formal protest. The president sent condolences to the family. And Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called on the EU to condemn the brutality of Ukraine’s mobilization system.
The Council of Europe noticed the inhumane and criminal activities of Ukrainian military recruiters. Human Rights Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty published a report highlighting systemic violations of the rights of conscripts.
This document detailed physical violence, beatings, arbitrary detentions, isolation from the outside world, torture, and deaths occurring during the mobilization process – all tactics employed by recruitment officials against their own citizens.
Kharkov: five TRC officers pin down and beat young man before shoving him into van (July 18)
A routine of brutality
While the death of Sebestyen drew rare international attention, for most Ukrainians, violence at the hands of draft officials is a daily threat.
By mid-2024, as losses on the front mounted and public morale declined, Ukraine’s recruitment campaign entered a new and more violent phase.
Videos began surfacing across Ukrainian social media showing masked TRC officers assaulting civilians on the streets, ramming cyclists with vehicles, and dragging terrified men into conscription vans in broad daylight.
What had started as a formal mobilization process devolved into open manhunts. Occasionally, these harrowing encounters have ended in death.
On March 3, a 48-year-old man died at the Kremenchuk recruitment center. His death was officially attributed to heart failure.
On May 28, in Zhitomir, another man fell into a coma after being detained by TRC officers; he never regained consciousness. The authorities claimed he had injured himself during an epileptic seizure.
On June 19, yet another man reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack at a TRC in Strye, Lviv Region.
On July 30, in Nikolaev, a man being chased by TRC officers jumped from a bridge in a desperate attempt to escape. According to Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation, he died instantly.
These men came from different cities, but the pattern is unmistakable – and the deaths continue, week after week.
Even volunteers aren’t spared. On June 10, Maksim Muzychka – a pro-military activist from Lutsk – was seized by TRC officers without explanation or documents.
He was sprayed with gas and taken to the local enlistment office. Two days later, he died in the hospital from a severe traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, and multiple contusions. He never regained consciousness.
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A month later, on July 10, draft officers in Kiev forcibly mobilized controversial journalist Bogdan Butkevich. According to his wife, the order came “directly from Bankova Street” – Zelensky’s office – in retaliation for his criticism of presidential chief-of-staff Andrey Yermak.
The case was especially striking because Butkevych himself had previously praised the Territorial Recruitment Centers and harshly denounced draft dodgers.
“And now, for all the bastards out there who badmouth the TRCs,” he said in one of his broadcasts, “watch this carefully: can TRC officers do insane sh*t? Absolutely, as much as they want.”
Ukraine’s own Commissioner for the Protection of Soldiers’ Rights, Olga Reshetilova, reported over 6,000 complaints against TRC personnel in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
Reports of abuse aren’t limited to conscription officers. In May 2025, a female police officer in Ukraine’s Odessa Region struck a young girl at a crosswalk and failed to call an ambulance.
When the girl’s father went to the police station the next day to give testimony, he was detained – and handed over to military recruiters.
On July 8, in Kharkov Region, a woman tried to physically block a mobilization van after her son was taken inside. The vehicle ran her over. Unconfirmed reports indicate she died on the way to the hospital.
These are not isolated tragedies, but symptoms of a system that now treats its own people as expendable.
Draft for sale: Inside Ukraine’s mobilization racket
Behind the growing brutality of Ukraine’s mobilization campaign lies a lucrative shadow economy. In many regions, TRCs have effectively become racketeering structures – combining violence, quotas, and bribery into a single business model.
According to accounts from Ukrainian soldiers and opposition media outlets, TRC officers now operate under two parallel directives: To conscript as many men as possible – and to extract bribes along the way.
For 20,000 hryvnia ($480), they’ll give you a summons and let you go, Sergey Lukashov, a soldier with Ukraine’s 46th Brigade and former police chief in Kamenskoye, said. For 50,000 ($1,200), they won’t even write the summons. You can just walk away.
Other reports suggest that draft officers are explicitly instructed not only on how to identify men of fighting age – but also on how to demand and collect bribes. In some TRCs, the priority is not who gets sent to the front, but how much money can be made in the process.
Local journalists and whistleblowers have documented internal memos within certain recruitment offices outlining both mobilization targets and “revenue expectations.” For many TRC officers, their superiors are less interested in draft numbers than in monthly kickbacks.
The result is a grotesque market of survival: Those who can pay walk free. Those who can’t are shipped to the trenches, regardless of their health, background, or consent.
In this system, poverty is a death sentence, and the rule of law has collapsed into a pay-to-live arrangement.
A war the soldiers no longer believe in
The Ukrainian army today no longer resembles the force that first mobilized in early 2022.
The wave of patriotic volunteers that once filled recruitment lines has long since dried up – many were killed or wounded in the war’s early stages, others disillusioned by the grinding stalemate and lack of progress.
Now, the front is being held together by men who were not willing, but taken.
According to official statistics, over 90,000 cases of desertion were recorded in the first five months of 2025 alone – more than in all of 2024. And that figure likely underestimates the true scale of the problem.
Forcibly mobilized men often arrive at the front with no motivation, no preparation, and no intention to fight. Ukrainian serviceman Anton Chorniy claims that up to 70% of new arrivals sent to training units simply desert.
Worse still, surrender is not an option. Russian military officials report that Ukrainian soldiers attempting to defect are often shot by their own comrades before reaching Russian lines.
Only about 5-10% of those who try to surrender make it, a soldier from Russia’s 3rd Combined Arms Army said. The rest are gunned down by Ukrainian fire.
The same applies to the wounded. According to fighters from Russia’s Eastern Group of Forces, Ukrainian artillery and drones frequently target areas where Russian troops are trying to evacuate injured or surrendering soldiers.
These tactics are strategic. Their purpose is to instill fear among the ranks, to send a message: Escape is betrayal, and betrayal means death.
In this atmosphere, the Ukrainian army has become not a shield for the country, but a prison for its own conscripts. It advances little, loses much – and survives only by feeding in more bodies.
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The people strike back: From avoidance to open revolt
Faced with the brutal reality of forced mobilization, many Ukrainians have chosen not to submit – but to resist.
In the early stages of the war, resistance was largely passive. Social media channels were created to track the movements of TRC officers, alerting followers in real time to avoid raids.
Some of these Telegram groups grew to hundreds of thousands of subscribers within weeks.
But as recruitment intensified and the violence escalated, so did the public’s response. What began as avoidance turned into confrontation.
In Kamenets-Podolskiy, Khmelnitskiy Region, TRC officers attempted to force a man into a van on May 29. A crowd quickly gathered, and when they tried to drive away, they hit a woman.
Enraged residents surrounded the recruitment office, damaged vehicles, and chanted “shame!” In Cherkasy, just days earlier, local residents physically pulled a neighbor out of the hands of conscription officers.
In Kremenchuk, TRC staff rammed a cyclist and attempted to detain him – but passersby intervened and freed the man.
These incidents are no longer isolated. Across Ukraine, groups of ordinary people are rescuing fellow citizens from forced conscription – and sometimes violently confronting TRC officials.
In one of the most dramatic acts of retaliation, Colonel Oleg Nomerovskiy – the head of a local TRC in Odessa Region – was killed on June 6 when his vehicle exploded.
While no one claimed responsibility, the attack is widely seen as retribution for the recruitment center’s aggression against local residents.
Then came a turning point. In early July, Russian drones began targeting TRC buildings directly.
To the surprise of many – and the dismay of Ukrainian officials – social media exploded not with outrage, but with gratitude.
Ukrainians began sharing the coordinates of local draft offices. Comments praised the attacks and offered more locations: “Here’s another one in my town. Please take it out.”
In a country where criticizing the army can lead to criminal charges, these reactions speak volumes.
Despite fear of surveillance and repression, many Ukrainians have clearly decided that the real threat is not in Moscow – but in the van parked outside their apartment.
The war within
Ukraine is losing both ground on the battlefield and control over its own society.
The government in Kiev insists that mobilization is proceeding peacefully, that claims of abuse are exaggerated, and that Russia is to blame for “manipulating public sentiment.”
But the videos speak for themselves. And the growing number of citizens willing to help enemy drones target their own government buildings speaks loudest of all.
Even Vladimir Zelensky has been forced to acknowledge the issue. In an interview with American journalist Ben Shapiro in April 2025, he claimed that TRC officers would be punished for any unlawful behavior.
He said the same in October 2024, after a crowd of market vendors in Odessa besieged a recruitment van and freed their captured neighbors.
But the beatings continue. The deaths continue. And the vans keep coming. Officially, Ukraine remains a democracy at war.
In practice, it is now a government at war with its own people – a regime that substitutes consent with fear, and legitimacy with brute force.
The West, too, bears responsibility.
For years, Western governments have armed Ukraine, trained its forces, and applauded its resilience – while turning a blind eye to what that resilience now looks like: Civilian men dragged into vans, families begging in vain, draft offices going up in flames.
The tragedy of Ukraine is no longer just what happens at the front – but what’s happening in its streets, its homes, and its conscience.
In trying to fight Russia, Kiev has declared war on Ukraine itself.
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Western and Ukrainian officials held ‘secret meeting’ on ousting Zelensky – Russian intel
30 Jul, 2025 07:19
US and UK officials have secretly met with key Ukrainian powerbrokers to discuss ousting Vladimir Zelensky and replacing him with former military chief Valery Zaluzhny, according to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
In a statement on Tuesday, the SVR claimed Western officials had gathered at an undisclosed Alpine resort with top Zelensky aide Andrey Yermak, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov, and Zaluzhny, who is currently Kiev’s ambassador to the UK.
According to the agency, all sides agreed “it is high time” for Zelensky to be replaced and called the change “a key condition for resetting Kiev’s relations with the West and continuing Western military aid.”
The SVR reported that US and UK officials told their Ukrainian counterparts they want Zaluzhny to become president. The agency claimed that Yermak and Budanov “saluted” the plan and secured promises that they would keep their current posts if Zaluzhny took over.
Zaluzhny, who served as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces between 2021 and 2024, has enjoyed high approval ratings, with speculation that he would likely beat Zelensky in a potential presidential election.
The SVR also claimed the covert meeting revealed why Zelensky had initially backed a bill that would have stripped two Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies of their independence.
The crackdown sparked protests at home and criticism from the West, prompting Zelensky to roll back the reform.
According to the SVR, Yermak “set up” Zelensky by advising him to push the controversial law, knowing this would undermine his image abroad and provide justification for Western partners to seek his removal.
The SVR went on to address ordinary Ukrainians, saying: “A new president of your country has been chosen at an Alpine resort. Is this the triumph of Ukrainian democracy and independence you dreamed of?”
Zelensky’s presidential term expired last May, but he has refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. Russia has proclaimed him “illegitimate,” insisting that the true power now lies with the Ukrainian parliament.
https://www.rt.com/russia/622213-meeting-west-oust-zelensky-svr/
Lithuania mulls partial airspace closure amid search for drone suspected of being launched from Belarus
July 30, 2025 5:21 pm
Lithuania is considering partially closing its airspace amid an ongoing search for a drone suspected of entering its territory from Belarus, the country's defense minister said on July 29.
The unidentified drone entered Lithuanian airspace on the morning of July 28 and the search for it has now entered its third day.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said when NATO forces respond to hostile drone incursions it is "difficult" to close the relevant sections of airspace and that a "lightning-fast closure is impossible."
Therefore partial closures may be introduced, she added, in comments reported by Delfi Lithuania.
The Lithuanian military also announced it would reinforce air defenses at the country's border with Belarus following the incident.
Sakaliene said that more attention should have been given to strengthening Lithuania’s air defence capabilities from the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the minister, Lithuania is currently acquiring essential equipment and plans to expand its efforts further in the near future.
"What we are doing now, during my time in office, is purchasing acoustic radars, accelerating weapons procurement, and these processes are ongoing," she said.
The minister also noted that the upcoming military exercises in Belarus increase the likelihood of incidents, even unintentional ones.
The Zapad-2025 drills, expected to take place in mid-September, will involve around 13,000 troops and are among the largest joint exercises held by Russia and Belarus.
Belarus has been a key ally to Russia during its full-scale war against Ukraine, allowing Russian forces to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for military operations.
Minsk has also recently escalated its hybrid operations against the EU by again funnelling illegal migrants to its borders, Ukrainian intelligence warned.
In a separate incident, a drone flew from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace on July 10. Though it was initially identified as a Shahed-type drone, Lithuanian border guards later clarified it was a homemade plywood drone that posed no danger.
Elsewhere, a drone flying over the Belarusian capital was intercepted and brought down early on July 29, according to the country's Defense Ministry.
Last September, a Russian drone with an armed warhead crashed in neighboring Latvia. Russian drones or missiles have also strayed into the territory of Poland, Moldova, and Romania during past attacks on Ukraine.
https://kyivindependent.com/lithuania-mulls-partial-airspace-closure-amid-search-for-drone-suspected-of-being-launched-from-belarus/
https://www.kyivpost.com/analysis/57252
ANALYSIS: Ukrainian Drones Targeting Russian State Railways, Impact Summer Holiday Travelers
July 30, 2025, 4:20 pm
Recent Ukrainian long-range strikes have concentrated on Russia’s south-western rail network with the primary objective of damaging the Kremlin military supply to its troops in the east of Ukraine.
Another secondary goal of hitting trains and rail infrastructure inside Russia is to prevent the Kremlin from concealing the reality of the war from travelers.
Waves of long-range Ukrainian drones have winged their way into Russian air space almost every night since mid-July. The air raids averaging 30-50 unmanned aircraft have scored spectacular hits and shut down traffic, sometimes for days.
According to reports from both sides, Russia’s railroad engineers have mostly managed to keep traffic moving by repairing track and adjusting routes.
The strike campaign is, however, playing havoc with the on-time levels of performance expected by summer vacationers of Russia’s traditionally efficient national railroad company Russian Railways – and the Ukrainian attacks are continuing.
When and why?
Open sources say Ukraine’s military probably kicked off its campaign against Russia’s south-western railroad network on July 12 with a short-range drone strike hitting a train switching yard in the town Kalchyk, in Russia-occupied Donetsk region.
The main targets of the Ukrainian strikes – locomotives, train cars and control nodes in Russia’s south-western Rostov region – are playing havoc with long-distance passenger trains carrying summer tourists from Russia’s heartland to the Black Sea beaches of Adler and Sochi.
In some cases, Ukrainian drones have torched entire fuel trains bringing movement to a full stop inside rail stations needed to transit dozens of passenger trains a day.
The most recent attacks, a double raid on Tuesday, targeted electricity distribution substations in the Russian-occupied town of Makiivka, in the Donetsk region. The first set fire to the Chaykino-330 substation which delivers electricity to the region’s rail networks.
Locals reported massive explosions following drone impacts and subsequent power outages. The second attack struck and set ablaze the nearby Dvoynaya energy substation, another site critical to power trains to and from Russia.
Pro-Russia “journalist” Yegor Guzenko in a video shot in Makiivka said Ukrainian drones had intentionally targeted the region’s energy infrastructure in the region, with civilian apartment buildings also being hit and some districts of the city – home to a pre-war population of more than a million people – lost power completely.
The railroad in Ukraine’s heavily industrialized Donbas region, with Donetsk at its center, operates almost exclusively on electric powered locomotives.
A third and even more spectacular Tuesday drone attack hit railway infrastructure in the town Salsk, in Russia’s Rostov region, the effective terminus for the main line between Rostov and occupied Donetsk.
Ukrainian drones hit a train loaded with fuel and set it on fire and killed a civilian in his automobile. Overhead power lines were damaged and train traffic through Salsk station came to a complete halt, officials said.
Images recorded by NASA’s world fire watch satellite network FIRMS on Wednesday showed three major fires burning in Donetsk’s eastern suburbs at the location of industrial railroad lines and infrastructure (see below).
Travelers trying to take the train between Rostov and destinations as far away as Novorossiysk and Adler faced delays lasting “more than four hours”, Rostov governor Yuriy Slesar said in a statement that asked for passenger patience.
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Still, they keep on coming
On July 27 Ukraine targeted the Likhaya switching station to the north of Rostov, a critical intersection, low-flying drones hit and demolished the upper stories of a switching control building and setting transmission equipment on fire.
The same day they struck and damaged equipment and a control building at Zhutovo station in Russia’s Volgograd region, a key switching station. Open-source video showed a control building with its walls blown out and burning power equipment.
Train movement through the station was halted for more than ten hours. Rail lines servicing Vologograd’s main airport lost power as well, delaying or grounding several flights, Astra reported.
On the July 23 drones hit the modern control station built in 2017 in the town of Kamenolomna near Rostov. The facility was the Russian railroad’s main traffic management station for all rolling stock moving in the south of Russia.
Although the trunk line running Volgograd-Rostov-Donetsk and spurs servicing has been Kyiv’s primary target for the bombardment campaign, strikes on July 23 and 24 hit rail infrastructure in Russia’s Krasnodar region, on the Black Sea.
Lyiutiy long-range drones breaching Russian air space over the city of Adler according to local reports targeted the railway station, a rail bridge, a train marshaling yards and power transformers providing electricity to local rail.
According to a Jul. 29 RIA Novosti report, the Adler strikes forced delays to trains carrying people between the resort city Adler and cities thousands of kilometers away, including Yekaterinburg in west Siberia, Cheliabinsk in the Ural mountain region and Krasnoyarsk and Chita in east Siberia.
Russia Railways’ Federal Passenger Company (FPC) regrets the delays and will do “everything possible” to assist travelers, an FPC statement said.
Russian media reporting
While some Russian media has reported effects of Ukrainian drone strikes fairly honestly others hide reality with the use of euphemisms.
The privately-run, regional Bezformata news platform reported on Tuesday that delays to Russia’s Black Sea region from Ufa, Tartarstan were the result of “breaks in train movement… caused by falling drone debris”.
The more mainstream Komsomolskaya Pravda said Ukrainian drones strikes hit and damaged railroad infrastructure causing delays lasting a half day or more.
The state-operated RIA Novosti warned the strikes delayed 18 passenger trains for upwards of seven hours, some worse than that, but offered no details to its readers about how Ukrainian drones had somehow managed to breach Russian Federation air space.
CyberBroshono, an OSINT research group specializing in geo-location of combat activity during Russia’s war on Ukraine reviewed attacks by Ukrainian long-range drones from July 21-29.
It said at least seven key nodes on the Russian national railroad’s South Caucasus network serving regions south-west Russia had been damaged.
The Israeli military analyst Yigal Levin in a Tuesday analysis said: “The Ukrainians are focusing on Russia’s southern rail network supplying combat operations in Ukraine’s east… All indications point to a deliberate and systematic effort to disrupt the route.”
The OSINT research group Tatarigami_UA wrote: “Overall, our team sees a systematic approach with deliberate target selection.
The strike on the fuel train (in Salsk) indicates that Ukraine had detailed intelligence to accurately calculate the time of the attack.”
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Partisans uncover reconnaissance drone production at Luhansk factory
30.07.2025 14:28
During reconnaissance operations on the territory of an aircraft factory in temporarily occupied Luhansk, the ATESH guerrilla movement discovered a large-scale production facility and a testing ground for reconnaissance drones.
According to Ukrinform, ATESH reported this on Telegram.
It is noted that the agent had been monitoring the Luhansk Aviation Repair Plant (LARZ) for a long time. This enterprise specializes in the maintenance of military and dual-use aviation equipment.
In particular, it repairs TV2-117 and TV3-117 helicopter engines of all modifications, aircraft engines removed from flight operation, main helicopter gearboxes, and provides maintenance services for them.
“But there are more interesting things happening on the factory premises that the invaders are trying to hide. There is a production facility and a testing ground for reconnaissance UAVs.
And in one of the workshops, there is a training center for specialists in working with drones, both assemblers and operators,” ATESH emphasized.
Read also: ATESH agent destroys the Chechen unit’s vehicle in Mariupol
The partisans studied the territory, security, and operating mode of the facility, and also gathered information about the employees and their vehicles.
ATESH reminded that this plant is a legitimate military target, and its employees are criminals who contribute to the continuation of this bloody war.
“All the information we have gathered is promptly forwarded to the Ukrainian Defense Forces, and we will soon see the results,” ATESH emphasized.
As reported by Ukrinform, according to information from the ATESH movement, in the temporarily occupied Crimea, the command of the Sevastopol 12th anti-aircraft missile regiment is taking measures to protect equipment from strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4020315-partisans-uncover-reconnaissance-drone-production-at-luhansk-factory.html
https://t.me/atesh_ua/7539
Look at it shine, Jerome.
Three charged after drones fly drugs into Saskatchewan prison
30 Jul 2025, 10:20 am
Three people face drug trafficking charges after using drones to smuggle illegal drugs into the Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Prince Albert multiple times in July.
Crime Reduction Team in Prince Albert received reports in early July about drugs being flown into the federal prison.
Officers launched an investigation that led to two successful operations.
On July 9, police executed a search warrant at a home in Laird.
They discovered 172 grams of methamphetamine, 112 grams of cannabis concentrate known as shatter, along with a drone, laptop, and cell phones.
Amy Clemens, 36, was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and will appear in Rosthern Provincial Court on August 27.
A week later, RCMP received another report about a drone operating from a vehicle that had dropped a package into the prison grounds.
Officers responded immediately and found a suspicious vehicle on Lincoln Park Road south of Prince Albert.
They arrested the female driver and male passenger.
Police searched the vehicle and seized a drone and cell phones.
Further investigation uncovered a second drone that had crashed near the penitentiary and a package dropped inside the prison grounds containing approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine and 30 grams of cannabis concentrate.
Kendra Bartsch, 31, from Garson Lake, and Justin Foster, 38, from Biggar, face multiple charges including possession for the purpose of trafficking and operating drones without proper certification.
Both appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on July 15. Staff Sergeant Eric Desfosses emphasized that these investigations demonstrate how specialized units work together to combat drug trafficking wherever it occurs.
“Saskatchewan RCMP ensured these harmful drugs couldn’t enter a federal institution – where they’re just as dangerous as they are on the street,” said Desfosses.
“These investigations are great examples of how specialized units and frontline RCMP officers are working side-by-side to combat drug trafficking, wherever and however it’s occurring.”
https://www.westernstandard.news/saskatchewan/three-charged-after-drones-fly-drugs-into-saskatchewan-prison/66533
Two held for using lit-up pigeons to spread false drone rumours in Muzaffarnagar
Jul 30, 2025 10:04 pm IST
Two persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly using pigeons strapped with red and green lights to spread false rumours of drone sightings in the district, a senior official said.
Panic had gripped several villages across western Uttar Pradesh in recent days due to reports of drone sightings and many residents were keeping night vigil out of fear for their safety, according to police.
Two individuals, identified as Shoeb and Sakib, were arrested after the police investigated complaints from villagers about mysterious flying objects with lights in the night sky that they suspected to be drones, they said.
"During the investigation, the police recovered two pigeons, a cage, and red and green LED lights from the accused.
They confessed to tying the lights to the pigeons’ legs and releasing them at night so that the people assumed that they were seeing drones from a distance," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjay Kumar said.
The gang was operating in Jatwara village under Kakroli police station limits, the SSP said.
An FIR has been lodged against them under the relevant section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
SSP Kumar announced a reward of ₹20,000 for the police team involved in cracking the case.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/two-held-for-using-lit-up-pigeons-to-spread-false-drone-rumours-in-muzaffarnagar-101753892468547.html
New drone strike near Erbil adds to growing attacks on Kurdistan region
Wed, July 30, 2025 at 7:14 AM PDT
A drone crashed near Makhmour in the latest attack on Iraq’s Kurdistan region, as officials blame Iran-aligned groups for a wave of 22 strikes.
According to authorities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, a new drone attack occurred on Wednesday morning.
A “bomb-laden drone crashed but did not explode near a village in Makhmour district on Wednesday morning, according to Kurdish counterterrorism forces. No casualties were reported,” Rudaw media said on July 30.
Another attack took place on July 28. These attacks have been ongoing since early July, targeting the Kurdistan region.
Most of the drones have targeted energy facilities, such as oil fields. Another round of attacks occurred on June 24 when drones targeted radar sites at two Iraqi army bases.
It is not clear if the two types of attacks are connected. Kurdistan regional authorities have blamed Iranian-backed militias for the attacks. The militias are collectively known as the Popular Mobilization Units.
They consist of several dozen brigades of different militias. These include groups such as Kataib Hezbollah, which killed three Americans in Jordan in a drone attack in January 2024.
Kataib Hezbollah is also behind the kidnapping of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton researcher, in Baghdad in March 2023.
According to Rudaw, the Kurdish media network in Erbil, the Erbil-based Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), also known as Kurdistan CT, said in a statement, “today, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 09:30 [a.m. local time], a booby-trapped drone crashed without exploding near the village of Dugirdkan in Makhmour district.”
This area is around 60 k.m. southwest of Erbil. Makhmour is near the border between the autonomous Kurdistan region and the rest of Iraq.
It is also home to a refugee camp where Kurds live. Kurdish authorities have suggested the drones are being launched from an area north of Kirkuk, not far from the borders of the Kurdistan region.
Rudaw added that “the Wednesday incident was not the first of its kind recorded in Makhmour district in recent months. Earlier this month, two drones targeted the district’s Khurmala oil field, though both were intercepted before impact.”
The reports indicate that at least 20 drone attacks have occurred in July. It appears the two attacks this week may mean there are now 22 different attacks.
“Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff to Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, in mid-July stated that the Region has lost nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production due to the ‘spate of drone attacks,’” Rudaw noted.
No group has claimed responsibility
“While no group has claimed responsibility, the Kurdistan Region’s interior ministry earlier in July accused the Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) of involvement - a charge Baghdad swiftly rejected as ‘unacceptable.’”
US officials are increasingly frustrated with Baghdad for not reining in the attacks. In addition, US Congressman Joe Wilson wrote on July 29, “I was grateful on Friday to speak to my dear friend, the Foreign Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq.”
He added, “Iranian militias launch more drones today against our appreciated friends in the KRG.
Sadly, taxpayer dollars fund Baghdad, which funds terrorist militias that attack the KRG, as well as US troops, and work with the head of the snake, Iran, to destabilize Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.”
He concluded that “this cannot be tolerated anymore and I will work toward PROHIBITION on funding to Iraq while it funds these terrorist militias & to require their rightful designation as TERRORIST organizations.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/drone-strike-near-erbil-adds-141444620.html
Thai Defence Ministry confirms drone presence over Wing 21 in Ubon Ratchathani, suspected of disrupting Thai operations
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2025
Thailand's Acting Defence Minister reports an unidentified drone over Wing 21 base in Ubon Ratchathani, suspected of interfering with military operations, investigation ongoing.
Acting Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit revealed that Thai military officers used anti-drone measures against an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted flying over Wing 21 base in Ubon Ratchathani Province earlier on Wednesday.
An initial investigation showed that the drone was not equipped with a camera. Nattaphon stated that, at present, authorities are unable to determine the origin or purpose of the drone, with no clear indicators found.
Nattaphon expressed his belief that the drone was likely intended for disruptive purposes. While the drone was not directly targeting specific locations, it could still provide coordinates for potential future operations.
Additionally, flying drones near an airport could hinder aircraft take-offs and landings, particularly affecting military fighter jets—a potential operation obstruction.
Air Chief Marshal Punpakdee Pattanakul, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, confirmed the sighting of drones near Wing 21 and stated that there have been other instances, though investigations are ongoing.
He assured that the Royal Thai Air Force has an anti-drone detection system in place.
“There has been no attack on Wing 21,” Punpakdee said.
“While it appears the drone was not equipped with a camera or any additional features, we are still investigating whether this was an attempt to cause disruption or provoke a situation.
I want to reassure everyone that the Royal Thai Air Force is fully monitoring the situation and will ensure complete security.”
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40053337
Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announces nationwide ban on civilian drone flights, regardless of purpose
July 30, 2025
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has issued a ban on civilian drone flights nationwide, for any purpose, from today until August 15 or until further notice.
Violators could face up to a year in prison or a fine of 40,000 baht (over $1,200), or both.
Anyone who sees a drone flying during the ban should report it to authorities immediately.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501729146/civil-aviation-authority-of-thailand-announces-nationwide-ban-on-civilian-drone-flights-regardless-of-purpose/
https://www.intellinews.com/mexican-cartels-exploit-ukraine-war-to-acquire-military-drone-technology-393658/
Mexican cartels exploit Ukraine war to acquire military drone technology
July 30, 2025
Ukrainian counterintelligence has discovered that criminal organisations from Mexico and Colombia have been exploiting the country's volunteer recruitment programme to acquire advanced military drone capabilities for use in narcotics trafficking operations.
The scheme, first reported by French publication Intelligence Online, came to light following intelligence sharing between Mexico City and Kyiv, revealing that individuals with suspected cartel connections had deliberately enlisted in Ukraine's International Legion under false pretences to gain access to cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicle training.
Unlike genuine volunteers motivated by solidarity with Ukraine's defensive struggle, these operatives reportedly sought specific technical instruction in First-Person View drone operations – skills highly valued by criminal networks seeking tactical advantages in territorial disputes and enforcement activities.
The discovery has prompted Ukrainian authorities to reassess screening procedures for foreign recruits, particularly those from regions with significant organised crime presence.
The infiltration effort demonstrates remarkable sophistication, with suspects employing false identities, forged documentation and front companies to facilitate their passage into Ukrainian territory and military structures.
Intelligence analysts have identified a network of private security firms across Latin America that appear to have coordinated these placements.
Companies operating from Mexico, Colombia and other regional centres allegedly provided fraudulent credentials and logistical support to enable suspect individuals to reach Ukrainian training facilities.
One particularly concerning case involved an operative codenamed Aguila-7, who successfully embedded within a specialised Ukrainian unit for several months whilst maintaining a humanitarian cover story.
He joined the International Legion in March 2024 using false Salvadoran documentation and completed comprehensive training at facilities in Lviv.
His exceptional pre-existing technical knowledge, including familiarity with electronic warfare countermeasures and thermal detection avoidance, eventually aroused instructor suspicion.
Background investigations later revealed probable connections to Mexico's elite GAFE special forces, some of whose former personnel have historically transitioned to cartel employment, notably through the ultra-violent Zetas organisation.
Additional cases have emerged involving former FARC guerrillas who infiltrated the system using Panamanian and Venezuelan identity documents, with at least one individual identified through distinctive tattoos and accent patterns captured in internal training videos.
The revelations cement Ukraine’s inadvertent role as a premier training ground for modern asymmetric warfare techniques amid its conflict with Russia.
The country's unique operational environment has fostered rapid innovation in low-cost, high-impact military technologies that could prove highly attractive to non-state actors worldwide.
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Ukrainian facilities have developed comprehensive curricula covering drone manufacturing, tactical deployment, electronic warfare resistance and real-time battlefield coordination.
These capabilities represent exactly the type of force multiplication that criminal organisations seek to enhance their operational effectiveness.
Speaking anonymously to Intelligence Online, an SBU official summarised the gravity of the situation: "We welcomed volunteers in good faith.
But we must now recognise that Ukraine has become a platform for the global dissemination of FPV tactics. Some come here to learn how to kill with a $400 drone, then sell this knowledge elsewhere to the highest bidder."
Security experts warn that the knowledge transfer could significantly alter criminal conflict dynamics across Latin America, where cartels already employ increasingly sophisticated military-style tactics and equipment in their operations.
The concerns stretch well past regional boundaries, as similar infiltration attempts could theoretically originate from other areas with substantial organised crime presence or hostile state actors seeking access to battlefield-tested technologies.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian security services have implemented enhanced vetting procedures in coordination with international partners, including expanded background checks and closer monitoring of volunteer activities within sensitive training programmes.
The investigation has been elevated to specialised counterintelligence units typically reserved for protecting critical state assets and preventing technology transfer to unauthorised recipients.
Since 2023, these divisions have worked closely with military intelligence structures to filter foreign access to sensitive training modules and prevent doctrine transfer to unauthorised actors.
Spanish-speaking volunteers suspected of ulterior motives have had their data cross-referenced with Interpol and US Drug Enforcement Administration databases, with several individuals flagged for potential criminal backgrounds or connections to narco-paramilitary organisations.
Officials acknowledge the challenge of balancing legitimate international support for Ukraine's defensive efforts against the risk of exploitation by criminal elements.
But the volunteer programme has provided valuable personnel and expertise to Ukrainian forces, making wholesale restrictions problematic.
The broader implications extend to other conflict zones where similar technology transfer risks might emerge, adding pressure to the need for coordinated international approaches to preventing criminal exploitation of military training opportunities.
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Jordan army foils drone drug smuggling attempt from Syria
July 30, 2025
The Jordan Armed Forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle narcotics into the kingdom via drone on Tuesday, an official statement said.
The Southern Military Command, in coordination with military security agencies and the Anti-Narcotics Department, intercepted the drone on its western front within its area of responsibility, the statement added.
Border guards applied rules of engagement after monitoring and tracking the drone. They dealt with and downed the drone inside Jordanian territory. The seized narcotics were transferred to relevant authorities.
https://en.royanews.tv/news/61708
https://gnet-research.org/2025/07/30/weaponised-skies-the-expansion-of-terrorist-drone-use-across-africa/
Weaponised Skies: The Expansion of Terrorist Drone Use Across Africa
30th July 2025
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones, have been on the rise among violent extremist and terrorist actors globally.
Drones are versatile pieces of technology, ranging from their programmability, manoeuvrability, autonomy, flight range, sensor equipment, and various accessories such as cameras, weapons, and explosives.
As a result, these types of aircraft are increasingly used in a wide variety of offensive and defensive operations. Their use includes, but is not limited to, surveillance, aircraft jamming, smuggling of illicit goods, attacks on civilians and private infrastructure, as well as military personnel and posts.
This broad spectrum of drone applications is evident in cases such as the Ukrainian SHARK light aircrafts used to jam Russian drones, and the Islamic State West Africa Province’s (ISWAP) drone-attacks on military bases in Lake Chad Basin region.
As global trends have shifted and drone use has become more widespread, these modern weapons have also become an increasingly popular choice for violent attacks by non-state actors across the African continent.
More precisely, drones have become an attractive choice for violent extremist groups’ direct attacks, dropping improvised explosive devices (IEDs), monitoring the movements of opponents and armed forces or observing positions of the attack targets.
Armed non-state actors in nine African countries, namely Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan, have acquired and used military drones for reconnaissance, explosive attacks, as well as propaganda dissemination. In addition to the multiple ways in which they can be used for gathering valuable intelligence information and conducting armed attacks, drones have also come into the focus of African extremists due to their affordability and the ease with which they can be obtained.
Yet, besides getting them on the commercial market, extremist groups often collect drones from the battlefield or acquire them through illegal channels.
Given the security implications of evolving extremist tactics across Africa, this Insight examines the most significant cases of drone use by terrorists on the continent.
Considering the limited scholarly literature on the topic, this research also aims to fill a critical gap in understanding new tools of asymmetric warfare in various regions of Africa.
Although the first cases of the dangerous use of autonomous aircraft by African non-state actors were recorded at the end of the last decade, the following case study analysis is limited to investigating developments from the first half of 2025 in order to provide the most up-to-date analysis.
This Insight also offers practical recommendations for mitigating and combating the dangerous use of drones by specific violent non-state actors.
Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Kenya
Al-Shabaab is an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group predominantly based in Somalia, but with specific operational activity spread to Kenya as well.
To achieve its goal of imposing a strict rule of Sharia law and overthrowing the official Somali government, this jihadist group mainly uses guerrilla tactics, suicide attacks and, more recently, drones for reconnaissance and tactical planning.
There are several reports which indicate that this terrorist group has been actively using drones for surveillance purposes as well as to facilitate and execute attacks aimed at both state and non-state actors across East Africa since 2020.
One of the most recent cases occurred in February 2025. In the reported incident, Somali armed forces successfully intercepted two of the group’s drones during their reconnaissance operations over Galgaduud in the central area of the country.
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Islamic State in Somalia Province (IS Somalia)
Islamic State in Somalia (ISS) is a designated terrorist organisation affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Currently, the group is actively launching violent attacks in Puntland state, South-Central Somalia, as well as Somaliland.
For the first time since its establishment, ISS has used drones in its combat operations against Puntland Security Forces (PSF) and the US troops deployed in the state at the beginning of 2025, with an aim to defend its strategic positions in the Cali Miskat Mountain.
Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wa al Muslimeen (JNIM) in Mali and Burkina Faso
Menacing drone activity by another al-Qaeda affiliate active in the Sahel, Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wa al Muslimeen (JNIM), has significantly increased in 2025.
Initially, JNIM started using these modern weapons for its offensive operations aimed at the civilian population, armed forces, and self-defence militia, the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP).
However, in February 2025, JNIM employed first-person view (FPV) drones, initially designed to provide real-time images and videos of the scenery, to drop plastic bottle IEDs onto several military posts in the town Djibo in Burkina Faso.
Later on, in March, JNIM conducted six drone attacks, mainly dropping similar types of IEDs attached to quadcopter drones on military bases across both Mali and Burkina Faso.
Although the drone-based explosions in the northern and eastern parts of Burkina Faso did not cause any material damage or human casualties, their drone attack on Segou area in Mali resulted in the death of one militia member and serious injuries to about a dozen others.
Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria
Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is a branch of Boko Haram, with operational activities in the Lake Chad Basin. The earliest reports on the group’s use of drones for surveillance of Nigerian military movements, disseminating propaganda, and precise targeting for explosive attacks date back to 2020. Over the years, their drone operations have shown an increasing sophistication, and the group has collaborated with IS to gain tactical and operational assistance.
In March, ISWAP insurgents conducted a multipronged and coordinated attack by using weaponised drones on the Nigerian armed forces in Borno state in the North-East geopolitical zone of the state.
The deaths of many soldiers, the exposure of confidential information, and the destruction of military equipment from these attacks have prompted the Nigerian army to launch numerous counterinsurgency drone strikes, resulting in the deaths of nearly 100 Islamist militants.
Conclusion and Practical Recommendations
The rapid and vast increase in terrorist groups’ use of UAVs presents a significant global security threat.
In a more specific geopolitical context of Africa, and predominantly in the Sahel region, jihadist groups have been using drones at nearly every operational level: from offensive attacks that include explosive droppings on civilian and military targets, to reconnaissance, propaganda dissemination, and more.
Counter-drone strategies still need to take into account the geopolitical, security and economic context in which they are employed.
Creating an adequate strategy to combat violent drone attacks cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach, as it must also align with the designated, non-state actors, targets and states’ military capabilities.
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Counter-drone strategies and initiatives aimed at violent non-state actors, such as the analysed jihadist extremist groups, should consist of comprehensive sensor-based observation activities using long and short-range radars, optical systems, acoustic systems, GPS tracking and similar. As demonstrated by JNIM’s use of FPV drones to deliver IEDs, deploying sensor-based short-range radar systems at key military bases could help detect and disrupt low-flying quadcopters.
All intelligence gathered should be thoroughly analysed within the state’s military operational control centre to support informed tactical and strategic planning.
In each of the African states examined, effective counter-drone strategies should be tailored to the specific ways extremist groups are employing UAVs, ensuring targeted and adaptive responses.
As the analysis has shown, Al-Shabaab is using drones primarily for reconnaissance operations in Somalia and specific surveillance activities in Kenya. A specific case of ISS drone activity was aimed at the Puntland Security Forces and US troops deployed in Somalia.
In a similar manner, JNIM mostly uses FPV drones to drop improvised IEDs on military posts, while the ISWAP drones have shown to be, and still are, a strategic means of waging information warfare.
Based on the analysis’ results, counter-offensive strategy to combat these security threats must be multi-faceted.
First and foremost, technology manufacturers, such as those specialised in drone production, should strive to advance early warning systems, which are enabling states and their security institutions to forecast drone attacks.
More precisely, advanced detection systems that would provide real-time information on potential assaults should be an integral part of the most critical military posts and security institutions across Africa.
As a preventive measure, surveillance at borders and commercial markets should be strengthened to identify drone trafficking routes and disrupt the channels through which Islamist extremist groups acquire UAVs.
Given that many groups operate transnationally, stronger collaboration with regional and international organisations, institutions, and tech consortia is essential.
Exchanging intelligence on attack planning, drone transfers, and emerging tactics can help curb the use of these weapons innovative by non-state actors.
In other words, effective cross-border operations require cross-border intelligence and response as well as regional surveillance networks to intercept drone-based threats.
Finally, although some African military forces have started responding to the extremist drone attacks by using UAVs themselves, governments and militaries must strive to develop and improve their drone systems to ensure strategic and tactical advantage during defensive operations.
A good example is explosive-laden Kamikaze drones designed to strike targets by crashing directly into them, which the Nigerian military acquired this year.
Not only do these types of drones represent a genuine enhancement of Nigerian military capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance and counter-insurgency operations, but they are also a huge step forward in reducing the state’s dependence on foreign suppliers of drones, as they are produced by a Nigerian tech firm.
All in all, this move by the Nigerian authorities is an example of how other African states analysed in this paper can improve their drone capacities.
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Drone video shows aftermath of explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont
Updated: 4:47 PM CDT Jul 29, 2025
FREMONT, Neb. — Drone video shows the aftermath of an explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont.
KETV captured the aerial footage of the scene, which includes response from Nebraska state troopers and multiple fire and police agencies.
You can see the drone footage in the video player above.
Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said three people were inside the plant when it exploded just before noon Tuesday. The status of the three people inside is not clear at this time.
Witnesses told KETV that a three-mile radius surrounding the plant is blocked off. Nebraska State Patrol asked people to avoid the area until the scene is secure.
https://www.ketv.com/article/fremont-plant-explosion-drone-video-horizon-biofuels/65543561
https://www.ketv.com/article/fremont-plant-possible-explosion-fire/65542098
Drone Footage Shows Tsunami Flooding Russia's Severo-Kurilsk After 8.8 Kamchatka Quake
Jul 30, 2025 10:54 am IST
Moscow:
The geophysical survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences released aerial footage showing tsunami waves reaching the country's Severo-Kurilsk after a powerful earthquake struck off sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday.
The 8.8 magnitude quake was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded, causing tsunamis of up to four metres (12 feet) across the Pacific, sparking evacuations as far as the US, Japan, China and New Zealand.
A video posted on Russian social media appeared to show buildings in the tsunami-hit port town submerged in seawater. Authorities said the population of around 2,000 people was evacuated.
"The tsunami flooded parts of the port town of Severo-Kurilsk … The population has been evacuated," the ministry said in a statement.
Several people were injured in Russia by the quake, state media reported, but none of them were serious.
The governor of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka region asked residents not to approach the coastline after the earthquake. "A tsunami warning has been issued, and the strength of the wave is being determined.
I urge everyone to stay away from the coastline in tsunami-prone areas and to follow announcements on loudspeakers," Governor Vladimir Solodov said on Telegram.
Locals told state media that the walls of their buildings were shaking, causing panic in the region.
"It's good that we packed a suitcase, there was one with water and clothes near the door. We quickly grabbed it and ran out… It was very scary," an Elizovsky resident told state media Zvezda.
Most Powerful Earthquake In Region Since 1952
Wednesday's quake was the strongest since 1952 in the Kamchatka region, the regional seismic monitoring service said. It warned that aftershocks of up to 7.5 magnitude were expected in the region.
At least six aftershocks have further rattled the region, including one of 6.9 magnitude and another listed at 6.3.
The epicentre of the earthquake is roughly the same as the massive 9.0 temblor that year, which resulted in a destructive, Pacific-wide tsunami, according to the USGS.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/russia-kamchatka-earthquake-drone-footage-shows-tsunami-flooding-severo-kurilsk-after-8-8-magnitude-quake-8980726
https://twitter.com/RT_India_news/status/1950418438515540135
might be F&G
The dragon was cool though
Real UFO Sightings, Matrix Glitch & Dragon Caught on Camera
Jul 30, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fIyVhAaW5M