International

Ukraine faces war bleak future as drones open new battlefront

Published

2 years ago

July 25, 2024

Ukraine faces war bleak future as drones open new battlefront

The black box sits on the army truck dashboard like a talisman, its tiny screen lighting up with warnings when Russian drones are above us. We are driving fast along a country road in the darkness near the front lines outside Kharkiv.

Like many in this war, the soldiers inside have come to revere the little cube they call “sugar”; it warns of the unseen dangers above.

On the vehicle’s roof are three mushroom-shaped antennas that make up separate drone-jamming equipment. The car emits an invisible aura of protection that will thwart some, but not all, of the Russian attack drones patrolling the skies above this battlefield.

“It has detected the Zala Lancet Russian drones,” says Senior Lt Yevhenii, 53, from the front passenger seat, describing one of the most powerful long range Russian drones and its targeting drone. “Is that why we’re driving so fast?” I ask, aware that the drone-jamming antenna is useless against a Lancet.

“We’re not a priority for them, but it’s still better not to slow down because it’s very dangerous,” says Yevhenii, from the Khartia Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard.

The jamming equipment blocks roughly 75% of frequencies that drones use to communicate with their operators, but some like the Lancet are difficult to block because they are entirely autonomous once their target has been marked. Because of the Lancet’s power, it tends to be used on larger targets, such as armoured vehicles or infantry positions, the Ukrainians say.

Almost none of this technology was here in Ukraine a year ago; now it is commonplace. Drones, which were once peripheral to the war are a central component for both sides, alongside infantry and artillery as Ukraine struggles to hold back Russian advances.

Ukraine has been thrown into the bleak future of war, where within minutes individual soldiers, fast-moving vehicles and trench positions can be precisely targeted. Drones have civilians in their sights too: about 25 from Russia attacked Kharkiv on Tuesday night, although most were intercepted.

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Ukraine’s army is fighting back with its own drones, and there are dozens across this stretch of front line. One Ukrainian soldier tells me every day they kill 100 Russians.

The last images from drone cameras are usually of men panicking, their arms flailing, weapons firing before they are killed. The brigade’s 37-year-old drone commander, who goes by the call sign Aeneas, says that without shelter in a building there is little chance of survival – for Russians, and his men too.

“It’s the new way or a new path in modern war. In 2022 it was only infantry war and today one half is only a war of drone, a battle between Russian drones and ours,” he says.

The move to drone warfare is a combination of necessity and innovation. Drones are in plentiful supply, even though when armed they lack the explosive fire power of artillery.

Ukraine has consistently run short of artillery shells, and its allies have been slow to produce and supply them. But a Drone Coalition of Ukrainian allies has pledged to supply the country with a million drones this year.

Russia has made its own innovations on the battlefield too, using an older technology, and the village of Lyptsi, just six miles (10km) from the Russian border, has paid the price.

It was devastated by glide bombs – Soviet-era “dumb bombs” fitted with fins and a satellite guidance system. Some are as large as 3,000kg (6,600lbs) and, when launched from aircraft, glide onto Ukrainian infantry positions and towns to highly destructive effect.

One woman named Svitlana, who was driven out of Lyptsi by these attacks, told us: “Everything was exploding all around. Everything was burning. It was scary there. It was impossible to even get out of the cellar.”

Aeneas takes us on a tour of his drone teams, embedded along the front line in Lyptsi. Every vehicle we encountered near there was fitted with drone-jamming equipment; but the jammer’s protection ends when you exit the vehicle.

It’s dangerous to be caught out in the open, so we follow Aeneas running across the rubble for cover. All the while the BBC’s own drone detector calls out calmly into an earpiece: “Detection: multiple drones, multiple pilots. High signal strength.”

Out of breath, we make it to the drone unit’s underground base beneath a ruined building, where we are introduced to two operators, Yakut and Petro. There are drones on every surface, next to a frying pan with their evening meal. They get through many hundreds of drones in a month, as most are single-use and detonate on their target.

Their weapon of choice is the First Person View (FPV) drone, which carries a payload of between 1kg (2.2lbs) and 2kg of explosive, packed with shrapnel. The drones are modified off-the-shelf models which have cameras to send video back to their remote operators. “We call them celebration drones in Ukraine. They were used to film weddings and parties before the war,” Aeneas says.

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I watch on a screen in real time beside Yakut who is fixed in concentration flying a drone manually to a target, across open fields and woodland. “He knows every puddle, every tree in the area,” Petro says.

The FPV drone approaches a building where a Russian soldier is believed to be hiding. It flies through an open window and detonates, the operator’s screen turning to static as the signal is lost. At the same time, another drone team is targeting a Russian Tigr light-armoured vehicle and scores a direct hit, captured by a second surveillance drone that’s watching from above.

The men stay on these positions, flying missions day and night, for up to five days at a stretch and spend as little time outside as possible. Their biggest fear is glide bombs: one landed nearby earlier that week, and the whole building shook. What happens if there’s a direct hit? I ask Petro. “We die,” he replies.

Aeneas shows me a recording from earlier in the week: a Russian soldier is caught in the open and the unit’s drone has him in its sights. The soldier notices it and runs for cover, hiding in a drainage culvert by the roadside. Slowly the drone lowers to its level, checking one side of the drainage pipe, then going around the other side, where the soldier is hiding. It detonates and the man is blown out, dying by the roadside. “He was divided into two parts,” explains Aeneas.

The operators are cool and dispassionate, almost clinical in their targeting and killing. They are as far as three miles (5km) away from their targets, one step removed from the immediate blood and guts of the battlefield. But encountering these weapons on the frontline is nerve-wracking.

A few days later, after dark, at an infantry trench close to Russian positions, a unit commander tells me he believes the Ukrainians have the upper hand in drone warfare, the Russians the advantage with glide bombs.

Russia also has the advantage in drone numbers: six for every Ukrainian one, although the drone teams I was with say they have the technological edge and are quicker at finding ways to counter-attack and jam Russian drones.

The trench is in a wooded copse, surrounded by fields, a thick canopy of trees provides cover.

But as we are speaking a Russian FPV drone is detected and begins to move closer to the position. The few dim lights, mostly phone screens, are turned off in the trench, and the men sit silently as the drone’s approach gets louder. We hold our breath as it hovers overhead. For what seems like an age, no one dares move. But then the drone moves on, in search of another target.

The largest drone in the brigade’s arsenal is the Vampire, which with its six rotors is the size of a coffee table. Again we join Aeneas on another mission in Lyptsi after dark, under the sound of constant artillery fire, where we meet the heavy bomber team. They work to attach the bomb to the drone.

“Ten kilograms, the Russians call this drone the Bogeyman,” says Aeneas. It’s payload is powerful enough to take out their intended target, a Russian command post, they say.

As the men work, a Russian drone makes a number of passes overhead: each time it does, the soldiers retreat into the basement, wait for the all-clear, then resume the assembly. As the drone takes off into the night in a cloud of dust, they watch its progress again from a second surveillance drone.

Just then, with barely any warning, we see on the drone’s thermal camera three Russian glide bombs detonating over the Ukrainian position, over a kilometre away. The shock waves are visible: seconds later they reach our location and the house around us shudders violently.

Ukraine’s allies know that by supporting the drone effort, they are helping the country’s cause, but it isn’t simply an act of charity.

The head of the British military, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, has said that the UK’s armed forces can learn from Ukraine how to fight future wars. He said in a speech on Tuesday that he wants the Army to have “battalions of one-way attack drones”.

Aeneas and his men know this. As we leave their position, a Russian drone returns and we drive off at speed into the darkness. In the truck he tells me: “No one is fighting war this way – they are learning from us. This will be the future war.”

Ukraine faces war bleak future as drones open new battlefront

BBC

International

Iran Threatens Strikes on US, Israeli Banks, Tech Giants

Published

20 minutes ago

March 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran Threatens Strikes on US, Israeli Banks, Tech Giants

Iran has vowed to launch strikes against economic and banking targets linked to the United States and Israel, while also identifying major technology companies as potential future targets, in a sharp escalation of the ongoing Middle East conflict. The warnings follow a reported strike on an Iranian bank in Tehran, which Iranian officials say was hit by US and Israeli forces, killing an unspecified number of employees.

According to Iran’s Khatam al‑Anbiya military command, the attacks give the country “free rein to target economic centres and banks belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime.” The military urged civilians in the region to avoid going within one kilometre of bank buildings, warning of the heightened risk of strikes.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the bank strike was a serious provocation, adding, “Our powerful armed forces will exact retribution for this crime.” Iranian state media, including the Tasnim News Agency, also published a list of potential future targets in the Gulf and Israel, naming offices and data centres of tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, IBM, Oracle, and Palantir.

The escalation comes after Amazon Web Services data centres in the UAE were reportedly struck by Iranian drones last week, disrupting cloud services across the region. Tasnim described the situation as an “infrastructure war”, signalling Iran’s intent to expand the conflict beyond conventional military targets to economic and technological infrastructure.

Analysts say this development could have far-reaching consequences for regional security, global financial stability, and digital networks, though the current threats remain largely warnings rather than confirmed attacks on US or Israeli economic interests. The situation highlights the increasing vulnerability of critical economic and tech infrastructure amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Iran Threatens Strikes on US, Israeli Banks, Tech Giants

International

UN Condemns Iran’s Attacks on Gulf States, Jordan as Russia, China Abstain

Published

44 minutes ago

March 12, 2026

Trends Admin

UN Condemns Iran’s Attacks on Gulf States, Jordan as Russia, China Abstain

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday adopted a resolution condemning Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Jordan, amid growing international concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East. The resolution, presented by Bahrain and co‑sponsored by 135 UN member countries, passed with 13 votes in favor, while Russia and China abstained, allowing the measure to move forward without a veto.

The resolution emphasises “strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence” of the GCC states and Jordan. It declares that Iran’s attacks “constitute a breach of international law and a serious threat to international peace and security.” It also specifically condemns attacks on civilian infrastructure, noting that these strikes resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian buildings, highlighting the humanitarian consequences of the conflict.

Bahrain’s UN envoy, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, welcomed the resolution, saying it demonstrates the Security Council’s commitment to maintaining international peace and security. “It proved that the Council is committed to maintaining international peace and security. We express our deep gratitude to all member states of the United Nations that co‑sponsored this resolution. Their number amounted to 135 countries,” he said. He noted that the overwhelming international support reflects a collective recognition of the threat posed by Iran’s attacks against the Gulf states and Jordan.

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While the resolution received broad backing, both Russia and China abstained. Analysts suggest their decision reflects geopolitical caution, balancing diplomatic ties with Tehran against the need to avoid appearing to endorse actions condemned by the international community. Neither country formally opposed the resolution, allowing it to pass without exercising veto power.

The UNSC action follows a surge of Iranian missile and drone attacks on GCC states, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, as well as Jordan, targeting military and civilian infrastructure. These attacks have raised global security concerns, disrupted critical services, and affected energy markets, particularly with threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic oil transit route. The escalating situation has prompted calls for diplomatic engagement from leaders in the European Union, the G7, and other international bodies to prevent further conflict and stabilise the region.

Experts warn that continued hostilities could further destabilise the Middle East, disrupt global oil exports, and threaten maritime security in one of the world’s most vital energy corridors. The resolution reflects strong international condemnation of Iran’s actions and underscores the importance of coordinated diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions while ensuring compliance with international law.

UN Condemns Iran’s Attacks on Gulf States, Jordan as Russia, China Abstain

International

Iran Warns Oil Could Hit $200, Threatens Strait of Hormuz Blockade

Published

54 minutes ago

March 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Strait of Hormuz Crisis - Iran Threatens to Stop Gulf Oil Shipments

Iran Warns Oil Could Hit $200, Threatens Strait of Hormuz Blockade

Iran has warned that it will not allow “a single litre of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the United States, Israel and their allies, raising fears of a major disruption to global energy supplies and a potential surge in global oil prices to $200 per barrel.

The warning was issued by Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters, who said Tehran could target any vessels carrying oil destined for countries it considers hostile if tensions in the region continue to escalate.

“Let us firmly reiterate that we will never allow even a single litre of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the US, the Zionists and their partners,” Zolfaqari said.

“Any vessel or oil shipment intended for America, the Zionist regime or their hostile allies will be a legitimate target for us.”

The comments come amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States following warnings from Donald Trump, the President of the United States, who threatened that Iran would face “death, fire and fury” if it attempted to disrupt international shipping through the critical maritime corridor.

Zolfaqari warned that the expansion of the conflict could send crude oil prices soaring, noting that instability in the region directly affects global energy markets.

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“With the expansion of war in the region, you should prepare for $200 per barrel because the price of oil depends on security in the region, and you are the source of insecurity,” he said.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and serves as one of the most strategic chokepoints in global energy trade.

An estimated 20 percent of the world’s oil supply—around 18 to 20 million barrels per day—passes through the narrow waterway, making any disruption a major concern for global markets.

A blockade or prolonged disruption could significantly impact exports from major Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Energy markets have already reacted to the rising tensions, with Brent crude oil prices briefly crossing $100 per barrel, the highest level in several months, as traders respond to fears of supply disruptions.

Maritime security agencies have also reported increased attacks on commercial vessels transiting the region, raising concerns over the safety of shipping routes in the Gulf.

Amid the growing crisis, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that its 32 member countries will release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves in an effort to stabilise markets and prevent severe supply shortages.

According to Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, the coordinated action represents the largest emergency oil release in the organisation’s history.

The move surpasses the 182 million barrels released in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the scale of concern over the current Middle East crisis.

Energy analysts warn that while emergency reserves could temporarily ease pressure on markets, the most important factor for stabilising prices remains the restoration of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, concerns are growing in Nigeria over the potential impact of the crisis on domestic fuel prices.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to introduce a temporary cap on petrol prices to protect Nigerians from rising fuel costs driven by global oil market volatility.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party warned that the Middle East crisis could worsen Nigeria’s already severe cost-of-living crisis.

“ADC calls on the Federal Government to immediately introduce a temporary and time-bound cap on petrol prices to prevent further increases that continue to push the cost of living beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians,” Abdullahi said.

The party also criticised the government’s plan to distribute 100,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion kits, arguing that the figure represents less than one percent of Nigeria’s more than 11 million vehicles.

According to the party, the programme is further constrained by the limited number of CNG refuelling stations across the country, making the transition away from petrol difficult for many motorists.

ADC warned that while global oil market volatility may be triggered by external shocks, it should not be used to justify unchecked fuel price increases in Nigeria’s already fragile economy.

Analysts say any prolonged disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger one of the biggest energy shocks in decades, with global consequences including higher fuel prices, rising inflation and increased transport costs.