International

Ukraine’s long-range drones using Western tech to hit Russia

Published

2 years ago

August 29, 2024

Ukraine’s long-range drones using Western tech to hit Russia

Western technology and finance are helping Ukraine carry out hundreds of long-range strikes inside Russia.

That is despite Nato allies still refusing to give Ukraine permission to use Western-supplied munitions to do so – mostly because of fears of escalation.

Ukraine has been stepping up its long-range strikes inside Russia over the past few months, launching scores of drones simultaneously at strategic targets several times a week.

The targets include air force bases, oil and ammunition depots and command centres.

Ukrainian firms are now producing hundreds of armed one-way attack drones a month, at a fraction of the cost it takes to produce a similar drone in the West.

One company told the BBC it was already creating a disproportionate impact on Russia’s war economy at a relatively small expense.

The BBC has been briefed by a number of those involved in these missions. They include one of Ukraine’s largest one-way attack drone manufacturers, as well as a big data company which has helped develop software for Ukraine to carry out these strikes.

Francisco Serra-Martins says the strategy is already creating huge dilemmas for Moscow. He believes that with extra investment, it will turn the tide of the war in Ukraine’s favour.

Eighteen months ago, the company he co-founded, Terminal Autonomy, didn’t even exist. It is now producing more than a hundred AQ400 Scythe long-range drones a month, with a range of 750km (465 miles). The company also makes hundreds of shorter range AQ100 Bayonet drones a month, which can fly a few hundred kilometres.

The drones are made of wood and are being assembled in former furniture factories in Ukraine.

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Mr Serra-Martins, a former Australian Army Royal Engineer, set up the company with his Ukrainian co-founder, backed by US finance. It is one of at least three companies now producing drones in Ukraine at scale.

The AQ 400 Scythe drone is made of wood and has a range of 750km

He describes his drones as “basically flying furniture – we assemble it like Ikea”.

It takes about an hour to build the fuselage and half that time to put the brains inside it – the electronics, motor and explosives.

The company’s Bayonet drone costs a few thousand dollars. In contrast, a Russian air defence missile used to shoot it down can cost more than $1m.

It is not only cheap drones making the difference.

Palantir, a large US data analysis company, was one of the first Western tech companies to aid Ukraine’s war effort. It started by providing software to improve the speed and accuracy of its artillery strikes. Now it has given Ukraine new tools to plan its long-range drone strikes.

British engineers from Palantir, working with Ukrainian counterparts, have designed a programme to generate and map the best ways to reach a target. Palantir makes clear it is not involved in the missions, but has helped train more than 1,000 Ukrainians how to use its software.

The BBC has been shown how it works in principle. Using streams of data, it can map Russia’s air defences, radar and electronic jammers. The end product looks similar to a topographical chart.

The tighter the contours, the heavier the air defences. The locations have already been identified by Ukraine using commercial satellite imagery and signals intelligence.

Louis Mosley of Palantir says the programme is helping Ukraine to skirt around Russia’s electronic warfare and air defence systems to reach their target.

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“Understanding and visualising what that looks like across the entire battle space is really critical to optimising these missions,” he says.

The execution of the long-range drone strikes is being co-ordinated by Ukraine’s intelligence agencies, who work in secrecy. But the BBC has been told by other sources about some of the detail.

Scores of drones can be fired for any one mission – as many as 60 at one target.

The attacks are mostly carried out at night. Most will be shot down. As few as 10% may reach the target. Some drones are even shot down along the way by friendly fire – Ukraine’s own air defences.

Ukraine has had to work out ways to counter Russian electronic jamming. Terminal Autonomy’s Scythe drone uses visual positioning – navigating its course and examining the terrain by Artificial Intelligence. There is no pilot involved.

Palantir software will have already mapped the best routes. Mr Serra-Martins says flying a lot of drones is key to overwhelming and exhausting Russia’s air defences. So too is making the drones cheaper than the missiles trying to shoot them down, or the targets they are trying to hit.

Prof Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute says Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks are creating dilemmas for Moscow. Although Russia has a lot of air defences, it still cannot protect everything.

Prof Bronk says Ukraine’s long-range strikes are showing ordinary Russians that “the state can’t defend them fully and that Russia is vulnerable”.

Ukrainian drones have been spotted more than 1,000km (620 miles) inside Russia. They have been shot down over Moscow.

But the focus has been on military sites. The map below highlights just a handful of the dozen targets hit over the past few months. They include five Russian airbases.

Prof Justin Bronk says targeting Russian airbases has so far been the only effective way Ukraine has to respond to Russia’s glide bombs.

It has forced Russia to move aircraft to bases further away and reduce the frequency of their attacks. Satellite imagery shows how Ukrainian drones have successfully damaged hangars at its Marynovka airbase.

Ukraine clearly believes it could do even more with the help of Western-made long-range weapons. But so far, allies have rejected Kyiv’s pleas.

There is still a lingering fear, especially in Washington and Berlin, that it could drag the West further into the conflict. But that hasn’t stopped Western companies and finance from helping Ukraine.

Ukraine is still largely having to rely on its home-grown efforts, convinced that bringing the war to Russia is a key to winning this war.

Francisco Serra-Martins also believes Western manufacturers are still “woefully unprepared” to fight high-intensity warfare – producing far fewer long-range weapons at a much higher cost. He says what Ukraine really needs now “is a lot of good enough systems”.

The BBC has talked to one Ukrainian company which is already developing a new cruise missile, at least 10 times cheaper than a British-made Storm Shadow missile.

Despite the West’s misgivings, Ukraine is planning to step up its attacks on Russia. Mr Serra-Martins says: “What you’re seeing now is like nothing compared to what you’ll see by the end of the year.”

Ukraine’s long-range drones using Western tech to hit Russia

BBC

International

Iran Fires Missiles at Israel After Trump Threatens Weeks of ‘Extremely Hard’ Strikes

Published

4 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Mockups of domestically-made Iranian missiles are displayed at an exhibition outside the Defence Museum in Tehran on March 31, 2026. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse

Iran Fires Missiles at Israel After Trump Threatens Weeks of ‘Extremely Hard’ Strikes

Israel came under missile fire from Iran on Thursday following a stern warning from US President Donald Trump, who said Washington could bomb Iran into the “Stone Ages” with heavy strikes over the next two to three weeks.

Speaking from the White House, Trump sought to reassure Americans that the military campaign launched on February 28, 2026, was nearing completion. He said, “Thanks to the progress we’ve made, we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly.” He added that, over the coming weeks, U.S. forces would target key Iranian sites, including electric generating plants and critical infrastructure, unless Tehran agreed to his conditions.

Trump also indicated that negotiations might be possible with Iran’s new leadership, describing them as “less radical and much more reasonable” than their predecessor. Despite this, Iran rejected U.S. ceasefire overtures, calling the demands “maximalist and irrational,” with foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirming that no direct talks were taking place.

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Following Trump’s address, the Israeli military reported four missile barrages within six hours, with air raid sirens sounding across northern and central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Haifa. Israeli defenses actively intercepted incoming missiles, while the Revolutionary Guards confirmed targeting an oil tanker in the Gulf, allegedly Israeli-owned, which sustained damage but caused no casualties.

The escalation also involved Iran-backed groups in the region. Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into northern Israel, while Israel struck back in Lebanon, killing several militants, including a top commander. Authorities say over 1,300 people have died in Lebanon since the war between Israel and Iran-backed forces erupted on March 2, 2026.

Meanwhile, energy markets reacted sharply, with Brent crude rising more than 4% to over $105 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate reaching around $103 per barrel, due to the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil normally passes. Britain hosted a virtual meeting of 35 countries to explore reopening the strait, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasizing freedom of navigation.

In Tehran, Iranians expressed defiance amid the funeral of a Revolutionary Guards naval commander killed in Israeli strikes. Pro-government citizens vowed continued resistance. “This war has lasted a month. However long it takes, we will continue,” said Moussa Nowruzi, a 57-year-old pensioner.

Trump reassured regional allies — including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain — that the U.S. would protect them from Iranian retaliatory fire. The conflict remains highly volatile, with analysts warning that further missile exchanges and regional flare-ups are likely if diplomatic solutions are not achieved soon.

Iran Fires Missiles at Israel After Trump Threatens Weeks of ‘Extremely Hard’ Strikes

International

Israeli Fire Kills Three UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Ghanaian UN Peacekeepers Hit by Missile Attack in Lebanon as Iran‑Linked War Escalates

Israeli Fire Kills Three UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

Three United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in southern Lebanon, with others seriously injured, as clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants intensify. The fatalities, all members of Indonesia’s UNIFIL contingent, mark one of the deadliest attacks on peacekeepers in recent years.

The first incident occurred on Sunday, March 29, when a projectile exploded near a UNIFIL position in Adchit al-Qusayr, killing one peacekeeper and seriously injuring another. Evidence suggests the projectile may have been fired from an Israeli tank, though investigations are ongoing. The following day, two more Indonesian peacekeepers were killed when a logistics convoy vehicle was destroyed by an explosion of unknown origin near Bani Hayyan, leaving additional personnel injured.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killings, calling them “grave violations of international humanitarian law” and emphasizing that “no one should ever have to die while serving the cause of peace.” He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

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The incidents have prompted the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to address the attacks. Several European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium, issued a joint statement urging all parties to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel in accordance with international law. South Korea and other nations also condemned the attacks, highlighting the critical need to protect peacekeepers in conflict zones.

The deaths come amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which have involved airstrikes, rocket fire, and ground operations along the Israel-Lebanon border. Civilians in southern Lebanon have been severely affected, with thousands displaced and casualties mounting on both sides.

The Indonesian government has called for a transparent investigation into the deaths of its personnel and stressed the importance of accountability. Meanwhile, UNIFIL continues to operate along the Blue Line, though the recent attacks underscore the growing risks faced by peacekeepers in volatile regions.

Israeli Fire Kills Three UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

International

Nigerian Man Gets 15-Year US Prison Term for $1.5M Romance Scam

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigerian national Saheed Sunday Owolabi

Nigerian Man Gets 15-Year US Prison Term for $1.5M Romance Scam

A U.S. federal court has sentenced Nigerian national Saheed Sunday Owolabi to 15 years in prison for orchestrating an international wire fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded victims of over $1.5 million. The sentence follows his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, highlighting the U.S. government’s crackdown on cross-border cybercrime.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Owolabi was a key figure in a sophisticated online scam in which he posed as a woman to build fake romantic relationships with U.S. victims—a tactic commonly known as a romance scam. Once trust was gained, the victims were persuaded to wire money into accounts controlled by Owolabi, who then laundered the funds to Nigeria.

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Investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that Owolabi and his co-conspirators also used victim-provided accounts to launder money from other fraudulent operations. In one case, a single victim in the Eastern District of North Carolina lost more than $120,000, with many other victims nationwide affected by the scheme.

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle described Owolabi as a “cheat” and said the sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling international fraud and money-laundering networks targeting American citizens.

The court proceedings, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe, highlighted Owolabi’s role as an organiser in the fraud, using complex money-laundering methods to conceal illicit proceeds. The case is part of broader U.S. enforcement efforts against online fraud, cybercrime, and cross-border financial crimes, particularly schemes leveraging digital platforms to exploit victims.

Authorities say the sentence serves as a strong deterrent to others involved in international scams and demonstrates that sophisticated internet fraud operations will be pursued rigorously, regardless of the perpetrators’ location.