Since October, Houthi militants in Yemen have shot down five U.S.-operated MQ-9 Reapers. These unmanned aerial systems, larger than some planes, are primarily used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), but they can also carry munitions, such as Hellfire missiles. Straight Arrow News’ Ryan Robertson spoke to Jonathon Molik, a U.S. intelligence officer with 30…

Ukraine launched a massive two-day counter-attack targeting locations in Russian-annexed Crimea and multiple sites on Russian soil, causing significant destruction. Ukraine’s forces focused the offensive on three key areas. Satellite imagery shows damage from a long-range strike on the Moscow-controlled Belbek airbase in Crimea on Wednesday, May 15. Three Russian warplanes and a fuel facility…

Russian forces are advancing further into Ukrainian territory than they have since December 2022. The intensified fighting has forced more than 8,000 people to flee their homes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has canceled several overseas trips to oversee his country’s defenses. Russia is attempting to seize as much ground as possible before additional Western aid…

Tensions are mounting as French President Emmanuel Macron suggested to The Economist that he might send troops to Ukraine if Russia breaks through the front lines. Macron warned that a Russian victory could prompt further aggression in Europe. In response, Russia has stated that any French soldiers deployed would be considered legitimate targets. Amid these…

Vladimir Putin begins his fifth, six-year term as Russian president Tuesday, May 7. He has led the country for over 24 years. As Russia continues its prolonged conflict with Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry announced plans on Monday for tactical nuclear weapon drills in the near future. These exercises aim to prepare Russia’s non-strategic nuclear…

Nuclear-capable Russian military aircraft flew within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Thursday, May 2, prompting an intercept by an American F-16. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) monitored their flight path but emphasized that the situation was not as severe as it might seem. The Alaska ADIZ extends 150 miles beyond…

Russia is still reeling from the attack at a concert that killed more than 130 people. ISIS-K, a wing of the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack which also injured more than 180 people. However, Moscow is doing its best to tie Ukraine to the attacks and drum up more support for its war…

Russian glide bombs were credited with helping turn the war in Ukraine in Russia’s favor during the battle of Avdiivka. Now Moscow said it’s ramping up production of the munitions. Glide bombs are made up primarily of two things: the bomb and the glide kit. Russia previously produced the Drel, a glide bomb that also…

In a significant escalation of its limited naval capabilities, Ukraine has successfully targeted and sunk the Russian missile ship “Ivanovets” in the contested waters of the Black Sea. The move underscores the ongoing intensity of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia over Crimea. According to Ukraine’s top intelligence officials, the operation was executed using unmanned…

Ukraine’s list of enemies is growing. In addition to Russia, Ukraine’s Armed Forces is also in a struggle to stop corruption in its ranks while also trying to revive Western support. At the same time Russia is discovering what Ukraine learned last year: attacking defended positions on a modern battlefield, where every move is documented…