Omnibus Russia Ukraine crisis
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
I assure you the reaction in the professional intelligence community is blind fury and withering disgust.
I follow Jim Wright (ex military and intelligence person) on FB and on his personal blog for his articles.
I think Blind Fury would be an understatement.
But I think he'd also say that "You wanted this".
Well, looks like the US REALLY wants to screw it's allies.
I'm sure Blackie is all for this kind'a stuff though! After all, why SHOULD the US bother about European countries, right?
We shouldn't. The process of standing up Europe has gone very well. It's time to wind it down.
Well, looks like the US REALLY wants to screw it's allies.
I'm sure Blackie is all for this kind'a stuff though! After all, why SHOULD the US bother about European countries, right?
Again, there is much Trump does which simply emphasizes his uncommon ability to do the right thing in the most vicious, destructive manner possible.
I might have agreed with this maybe... 10 or so years ago. Or if Trump hadn't ever gotten into office.
But with him there right now I think winding down in Europe is a bad move on the part of the US and isolating itself in doing so is worse.
If the "right thing" was meant to mean isolate the US from the World, I'd agree with you there.
He's done several "right things." Sadly, his version of ridding the house of pests involves a can of gasoline and a match.
Fox News journalist’s widow sues network over his death in Ukraine
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Jeremy Barr, The Washington Post
Published Mar 27, 2025 • 4 minute read
Michelle Ross-Stanton, seen here in 2022 in London, has filed suit against Fox News, arguing that the network did not adequately protect her journalist husband, Pierre Zakrzewski, who died while covering the war in Ukraine.
Michelle Ross-Stanton, seen here in 2022 in London, has filed suit against Fox News, arguing that the network did not adequately protect her journalist husband, Pierre Zakrzewski, who died while covering the war in Ukraine.
Michelle Ross-Stanton, the wife of longtime Fox News video journalist Pierre Zakrzewski, has long questioned the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death while he was covering the war in Ukraine in March 2022.
Why, she wondered, had the security consultant hired by Fox to protect her husband’s team – which also included Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova – stayed behind when they went out on a reporting assignment to the Kyiv suburb of Horenka during a particularly dangerous moment in the war with Russia? And, if a consultant had been with Fox’s journalists, could they have administered lifesaving aid to her husband, who was badly wounded when their vehicle was hit by artillery?
“It’s not that I don’t trust Fox to give me the right answers, but I don’t trust anybody to give me the answers that I want to hear,” said Ross-Stanton, who embarked on her own investigation to figure out what happened and spoke to The Washington Post about it in interviews in 2022.
Earlier this month, Ross-Stanton filed suit against Fox in Britain, arguing that the network did not adequately protect her husband and did not hold the necessary insurance to be able to fully compensate his family after his death. She is asking for more than 9 million pounds – approximately $11.6 million – in compensation.
Ross-Stanton’s suit argues that Fox is liable for the absence of a security consultant and for what she says was inadequate risk assessment prior to the trip. As such, she alleges the network failed “to determine, or heed, that it was not reasonably safe and would expose the Deceased and his colleagues to unnecessary risk of serious injury or death.”
She asked Fox whether an official from the company had approved his team’s reporting trip on the day he was killed. A day earlier, American journalist Brent Renaud was killed in the nearby town of Irpin, and the town’s mayor had ordered journalists to stay away from the area.
Ross-Stanton’s suit also claims Fox’s journalists were driving in an unarmored vehicle at the time of the shelling, and argues that it was unsafe for them to do so in such close proximity to Russian forces. Additionally, the suit claims that the team lacked geo-tracking equipment that would have made it more likely for her husband to be rescued in time to save his life.
“As a result of the Defendant’s breach of contract and breach of duty the Deceased suffered personal injuries and died, and his estate and the Claimant have suffered loss and damage,” the pleading reads.
Zakrzewski, who was no stranger to reporting in war zones, was under the impression that Fox “had high-limit insurance in place to cover serious injury or death while he was reporting from high-risk conflicts for Fox News,” his widow alleges in the suit. Had the network held the proper policy, her family would have received “a substantial insurance payment.” (“We disagree with Michelle’s allegations and plan to file our response in May,” a Fox News spokesperson responded.)
In response to a request for comment on the lawsuit, the network provided a statement about its appreciation for Zakrzewski. The network dedicated the London bureau where he worked to him in 2023.
“We remain devastated by the death of Pierre Zakrzewski,” the statement reads. “His extraordinary dedication to telling the stories of the war in Ukraine placed a critical spotlight on the atrocities there and we are forever grateful for his commitment to journalism and his ultimate sacrifice. We did everything humanly possible in the aftermath of this unprecedented tragedy amid the chaos of a war zone.”
Kuvshynova’s parents, Andriy Kuvshynov and Irina Mamaysur, sued Fox in March 2024, accusing the network of “recklessness and negligence” that caused the “wrongful” death of their daughter.
They further alleged that Fox “engaged in a campaign of material misrepresentations and omissions to hide its own accountability for the disaster,” citing a 2023 book written by Hall that presented a “knowingly false” account of what happened, an accusation Hall and the network denied.
Fox News filed to dismiss that case late last month, arguing that in suing the network, Kuvshynova’s parents are seeking to undo a legal agreement that her father had signed after her death that provided “substantial payments” to her family. Fox claims that Kuvshynova’s parents also pledged not to sue the network.
“While we understand the grief and continue to mourn the loss of both Pierre Zakrzewski and Sasha Kuvshynova, we will respectfully defend against the inaccurate claims within this lawsuit,” Fox News said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. “The safety of our journalists has always been our number one priority and we are immensely grateful to the Fox News reporters whether have covered the war in Ukraine and we remain committed to reporting from the region.”
Stephen Humphreys, a lawyer representing Kuvshynova’s parents, said that Ross-Stanton’s lawsuit is similar in nature to her clients’ lawsuit.
“Both cases come down to the same fundamental issue: That Fox did not meet minimum safety standards under the circumstances and tried to hide that from the surviving family members of Pierre and Sasha,” he told The Post on Wednesday. “They tried to hide it and failed, which is why they ended up getting sued.”
03-27-2025 02:25PM
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Jeremy Barr, The Washington Post
Published Mar 27, 2025 • 4 minute read
Michelle Ross-Stanton, seen here in 2022 in London, has filed suit against Fox News, arguing that the network did not adequately protect her journalist husband, Pierre Zakrzewski, who died while covering the war in Ukraine.
Michelle Ross-Stanton, seen here in 2022 in London, has filed suit against Fox News, arguing that the network did not adequately protect her journalist husband, Pierre Zakrzewski, who died while covering the war in Ukraine.
Michelle Ross-Stanton, the wife of longtime Fox News video journalist Pierre Zakrzewski, has long questioned the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death while he was covering the war in Ukraine in March 2022.
Why, she wondered, had the security consultant hired by Fox to protect her husband’s team – which also included Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova – stayed behind when they went out on a reporting assignment to the Kyiv suburb of Horenka during a particularly dangerous moment in the war with Russia? And, if a consultant had been with Fox’s journalists, could they have administered lifesaving aid to her husband, who was badly wounded when their vehicle was hit by artillery?
“It’s not that I don’t trust Fox to give me the right answers, but I don’t trust anybody to give me the answers that I want to hear,” said Ross-Stanton, who embarked on her own investigation to figure out what happened and spoke to The Washington Post about it in interviews in 2022.
Earlier this month, Ross-Stanton filed suit against Fox in Britain, arguing that the network did not adequately protect her husband and did not hold the necessary insurance to be able to fully compensate his family after his death. She is asking for more than 9 million pounds – approximately $11.6 million – in compensation.
Ross-Stanton’s suit argues that Fox is liable for the absence of a security consultant and for what she says was inadequate risk assessment prior to the trip. As such, she alleges the network failed “to determine, or heed, that it was not reasonably safe and would expose the Deceased and his colleagues to unnecessary risk of serious injury or death.”
She asked Fox whether an official from the company had approved his team’s reporting trip on the day he was killed. A day earlier, American journalist Brent Renaud was killed in the nearby town of Irpin, and the town’s mayor had ordered journalists to stay away from the area.
Ross-Stanton’s suit also claims Fox’s journalists were driving in an unarmored vehicle at the time of the shelling, and argues that it was unsafe for them to do so in such close proximity to Russian forces. Additionally, the suit claims that the team lacked geo-tracking equipment that would have made it more likely for her husband to be rescued in time to save his life.
“As a result of the Defendant’s breach of contract and breach of duty the Deceased suffered personal injuries and died, and his estate and the Claimant have suffered loss and damage,” the pleading reads.
Zakrzewski, who was no stranger to reporting in war zones, was under the impression that Fox “had high-limit insurance in place to cover serious injury or death while he was reporting from high-risk conflicts for Fox News,” his widow alleges in the suit. Had the network held the proper policy, her family would have received “a substantial insurance payment.” (“We disagree with Michelle’s allegations and plan to file our response in May,” a Fox News spokesperson responded.)
In response to a request for comment on the lawsuit, the network provided a statement about its appreciation for Zakrzewski. The network dedicated the London bureau where he worked to him in 2023.
“We remain devastated by the death of Pierre Zakrzewski,” the statement reads. “His extraordinary dedication to telling the stories of the war in Ukraine placed a critical spotlight on the atrocities there and we are forever grateful for his commitment to journalism and his ultimate sacrifice. We did everything humanly possible in the aftermath of this unprecedented tragedy amid the chaos of a war zone.”
Kuvshynova’s parents, Andriy Kuvshynov and Irina Mamaysur, sued Fox in March 2024, accusing the network of “recklessness and negligence” that caused the “wrongful” death of their daughter.
They further alleged that Fox “engaged in a campaign of material misrepresentations and omissions to hide its own accountability for the disaster,” citing a 2023 book written by Hall that presented a “knowingly false” account of what happened, an accusation Hall and the network denied.
Fox News filed to dismiss that case late last month, arguing that in suing the network, Kuvshynova’s parents are seeking to undo a legal agreement that her father had signed after her death that provided “substantial payments” to her family. Fox claims that Kuvshynova’s parents also pledged not to sue the network.
“While we understand the grief and continue to mourn the loss of both Pierre Zakrzewski and Sasha Kuvshynova, we will respectfully defend against the inaccurate claims within this lawsuit,” Fox News said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. “The safety of our journalists has always been our number one priority and we are immensely grateful to the Fox News reporters whether have covered the war in Ukraine and we remain committed to reporting from the region.”
Stephen Humphreys, a lawyer representing Kuvshynova’s parents, said that Ross-Stanton’s lawsuit is similar in nature to her clients’ lawsuit.
“Both cases come down to the same fundamental issue: That Fox did not meet minimum safety standards under the circumstances and tried to hide that from the surviving family members of Pierre and Sasha,” he told The Post on Wednesday. “They tried to hide it and failed, which is why they ended up getting sued.”
03-27-2025 02:25PM
Fox News journalist’s widow sues network over his death in Ukraine
Earlier this month, Ross-Stanton filed suit against Fox in Britain.
Its a war zone. People die in those places. For some strange reason, bullets and bombs don't discriminate.
North Korea claims to have made ‘suicide attack drones’ that use AI
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Michelle Ye Hee Lee
Published Mar 28, 2025 • 3 minute read
NKOREA-POLITICS
This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 27, 2025 shows the performance test of a newly developed suicide attack drone at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
SEOUL – North Korea has showcased what it claims are “suicide attack drones” powered by artificial intelligence, a move to update its weapons capabilities as its soldiers reportedly gain front-line experience in Ukraine with modern warfare technologies.
Leader Kim Jong Un called for North Korea to produce more reconnaissance and attack drones and said developing unmanned control and AI capability will be a top priority for the nation’s military, state media reported.
While North Korea’s latest claims could not be independently verified, its ambitions should be taken seriously, as Kim has made it clear he is prioritizing these types of weapons, said Cha Du-hyeogn, a former South Korean intelligence adviser who is now a North Korea analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.
“North Korea is realizing the need for not only nuclear weapons, but also modernized capabilities in large-scale warfare, like AI and unmanned systems,” Cha said. “There is a risk that these could become actual combat capabilities in a relatively short period of time.”
Lawmakers in Seoul were also concerned.
“North Korea is completely transforming itself by upgrading its weapons systems for modern warfare based on its experiences in the war in Ukraine, and by copying military technologies from countries like China and Russia,” Yoo Yong-won, who sits on the National Defense Committee, told local media on Friday.
Pyongyang on Thursday claimed to have developed a “new-type strategic reconnaissance drone” that can track and monitor various targets and troop activity on land and at sea.
State media released photos of Kim inspecting a large reconnaissance drone on a runway and of other drones crashing into ground targets. The large drone in the photograph is a model similar to the American surveillance aircraft, the RQ-4 Global Hawk, experts say. North Korea first introduced this type of drone at a weapons exhibition in Pyongyang in 2023.
In addition, it showed for the first time an airborne early-warning and control aircraft, which would allow North Korea to manage air and ground operations simultaneously in real-time.
Kim stressed the importance of “keeping with the trend of modern warfare in which the competition for using intelligent drones as a major means of military power is being accelerated and the range of their use is steadily expanding in military activities,” according to the Korean Central News Agency report.
North Korea did not specify what AI technology is used in its new suicide attack drones or when it plans to ramp up production.
It’s questionable whether these alleged new capabilities can be deployed or mass-produced any time soon, Cha said.
For example, suicide attack drones are typically small and easy to maneuver, need to go undetected, and be produced in large quantities. But North Korea has not yet shown evidence that it has mastered such technologies, let alone incorporated AI technologies that can detect air defense systems, he said.
North Korea in recent months has been emphasizing its reconnaissance drone technology, which is a key component of Kim’s military modernization plan. Kim has been pushing to mass-produce suicide drones.
The apparent advancements have raised concerns among Ukrainian and South Korean officials that Russia may be providing relevant technologies to Pyongyang in return for North Korean soldiers being deployed to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Lee Sung-joon, spokesman for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the drone looked “large and heavy and probably susceptible to interception.”
The drone in the new photos appeared to be modified versions of an existing fleet, and “Russia may have had something to do with the internal systems and parts,” Lee said Thursday.
North Korea appears to have deployed about 3,000 additional soldiers as reinforcements for Russian troops in January and February, the South Korean military said this week.
North Korea already sent some 12,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region last fall, according to estimates from South Korean, Ukrainian and U.S. officials. Ukrainian troops invaded Kursk in August and have been holding on to a sliver of territory there. Ukrainian troops in Kursk said last month that they were facing renewed assaults by North Korean troops.
North Korea is continuing to send missiles, artillery equipment and ammunition to support Russia, including short-range ballistic missiles, 170mm self-propelled guns and 240mm multiple rocket launchers, South Korea said.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Michelle Ye Hee Lee
Published Mar 28, 2025 • 3 minute read
NKOREA-POLITICS
This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 27, 2025 shows the performance test of a newly developed suicide attack drone at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
SEOUL – North Korea has showcased what it claims are “suicide attack drones” powered by artificial intelligence, a move to update its weapons capabilities as its soldiers reportedly gain front-line experience in Ukraine with modern warfare technologies.
Leader Kim Jong Un called for North Korea to produce more reconnaissance and attack drones and said developing unmanned control and AI capability will be a top priority for the nation’s military, state media reported.
While North Korea’s latest claims could not be independently verified, its ambitions should be taken seriously, as Kim has made it clear he is prioritizing these types of weapons, said Cha Du-hyeogn, a former South Korean intelligence adviser who is now a North Korea analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.
“North Korea is realizing the need for not only nuclear weapons, but also modernized capabilities in large-scale warfare, like AI and unmanned systems,” Cha said. “There is a risk that these could become actual combat capabilities in a relatively short period of time.”
Lawmakers in Seoul were also concerned.
“North Korea is completely transforming itself by upgrading its weapons systems for modern warfare based on its experiences in the war in Ukraine, and by copying military technologies from countries like China and Russia,” Yoo Yong-won, who sits on the National Defense Committee, told local media on Friday.
Pyongyang on Thursday claimed to have developed a “new-type strategic reconnaissance drone” that can track and monitor various targets and troop activity on land and at sea.
State media released photos of Kim inspecting a large reconnaissance drone on a runway and of other drones crashing into ground targets. The large drone in the photograph is a model similar to the American surveillance aircraft, the RQ-4 Global Hawk, experts say. North Korea first introduced this type of drone at a weapons exhibition in Pyongyang in 2023.
In addition, it showed for the first time an airborne early-warning and control aircraft, which would allow North Korea to manage air and ground operations simultaneously in real-time.
Kim stressed the importance of “keeping with the trend of modern warfare in which the competition for using intelligent drones as a major means of military power is being accelerated and the range of their use is steadily expanding in military activities,” according to the Korean Central News Agency report.
North Korea did not specify what AI technology is used in its new suicide attack drones or when it plans to ramp up production.
It’s questionable whether these alleged new capabilities can be deployed or mass-produced any time soon, Cha said.
For example, suicide attack drones are typically small and easy to maneuver, need to go undetected, and be produced in large quantities. But North Korea has not yet shown evidence that it has mastered such technologies, let alone incorporated AI technologies that can detect air defense systems, he said.
North Korea in recent months has been emphasizing its reconnaissance drone technology, which is a key component of Kim’s military modernization plan. Kim has been pushing to mass-produce suicide drones.
The apparent advancements have raised concerns among Ukrainian and South Korean officials that Russia may be providing relevant technologies to Pyongyang in return for North Korean soldiers being deployed to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Lee Sung-joon, spokesman for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the drone looked “large and heavy and probably susceptible to interception.”
The drone in the new photos appeared to be modified versions of an existing fleet, and “Russia may have had something to do with the internal systems and parts,” Lee said Thursday.
North Korea appears to have deployed about 3,000 additional soldiers as reinforcements for Russian troops in January and February, the South Korean military said this week.
North Korea already sent some 12,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region last fall, according to estimates from South Korean, Ukrainian and U.S. officials. Ukrainian troops invaded Kursk in August and have been holding on to a sliver of territory there. Ukrainian troops in Kursk said last month that they were facing renewed assaults by North Korean troops.
North Korea is continuing to send missiles, artillery equipment and ammunition to support Russia, including short-range ballistic missiles, 170mm self-propelled guns and 240mm multiple rocket launchers, South Korea said.
North Korea claims to have made ‘suicide attack drones’ that use AI
Leader Kim Jong Un called for North Korea to produce more reconnaissance and attack drones.
N.Korean AI learns from the N.Korean Internet.North Korea claims to have made ‘suicide attack drones’ that use AI
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Michelle Ye Hee Lee
Published Mar 28, 2025 • 3 minute read
NKOREA-POLITICS
This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 27, 2025 shows the performance test of a newly developed suicide attack drone at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
SEOUL – North Korea has showcased what it claims are “suicide attack drones” powered by artificial intelligence, a move to update its weapons capabilities as its soldiers reportedly gain front-line experience in Ukraine with modern warfare technologies.
Leader Kim Jong Un called for North Korea to produce more reconnaissance and attack drones and said developing unmanned control and AI capability will be a top priority for the nation’s military, state media reported.
While North Korea’s latest claims could not be independently verified, its ambitions should be taken seriously, as Kim has made it clear he is prioritizing these types of weapons, said Cha Du-hyeogn, a former South Korean intelligence adviser who is now a North Korea analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.
“North Korea is realizing the need for not only nuclear weapons, but also modernized capabilities in large-scale warfare, like AI and unmanned systems,” Cha said. “There is a risk that these could become actual combat capabilities in a relatively short period of time.”
Lawmakers in Seoul were also concerned.
“North Korea is completely transforming itself by upgrading its weapons systems for modern warfare based on its experiences in the war in Ukraine, and by copying military technologies from countries like China and Russia,” Yoo Yong-won, who sits on the National Defense Committee, told local media on Friday.
Pyongyang on Thursday claimed to have developed a “new-type strategic reconnaissance drone” that can track and monitor various targets and troop activity on land and at sea.
State media released photos of Kim inspecting a large reconnaissance drone on a runway and of other drones crashing into ground targets. The large drone in the photograph is a model similar to the American surveillance aircraft, the RQ-4 Global Hawk, experts say. North Korea first introduced this type of drone at a weapons exhibition in Pyongyang in 2023.
In addition, it showed for the first time an airborne early-warning and control aircraft, which would allow North Korea to manage air and ground operations simultaneously in real-time.
Kim stressed the importance of “keeping with the trend of modern warfare in which the competition for using intelligent drones as a major means of military power is being accelerated and the range of their use is steadily expanding in military activities,” according to the Korean Central News Agency report.
North Korea did not specify what AI technology is used in its new suicide attack drones or when it plans to ramp up production.
It’s questionable whether these alleged new capabilities can be deployed or mass-produced any time soon, Cha said.
For example, suicide attack drones are typically small and easy to maneuver, need to go undetected, and be produced in large quantities. But North Korea has not yet shown evidence that it has mastered such technologies, let alone incorporated AI technologies that can detect air defense systems, he said.
North Korea in recent months has been emphasizing its reconnaissance drone technology, which is a key component of Kim’s military modernization plan. Kim has been pushing to mass-produce suicide drones.
The apparent advancements have raised concerns among Ukrainian and South Korean officials that Russia may be providing relevant technologies to Pyongyang in return for North Korean soldiers being deployed to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Lee Sung-joon, spokesman for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the drone looked “large and heavy and probably susceptible to interception.”
The drone in the new photos appeared to be modified versions of an existing fleet, and “Russia may have had something to do with the internal systems and parts,” Lee said Thursday.
North Korea appears to have deployed about 3,000 additional soldiers as reinforcements for Russian troops in January and February, the South Korean military said this week.
North Korea already sent some 12,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region last fall, according to estimates from South Korean, Ukrainian and U.S. officials. Ukrainian troops invaded Kursk in August and have been holding on to a sliver of territory there. Ukrainian troops in Kursk said last month that they were facing renewed assaults by North Korean troops.
North Korea is continuing to send missiles, artillery equipment and ammunition to support Russia, including short-range ballistic missiles, 170mm self-propelled guns and 240mm multiple rocket launchers, South Korea said.
North Korea claims to have made ‘suicide attack drones’ that use AI
Leader Kim Jong Un called for North Korea to produce more reconnaissance and attack drones.