In the midst of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conflict, the spotlight falls on Aviacon Zitotrans, a Russian cargo airline entangled in controversy. Steering this entity is Valery Savelyev, a figure with a complex past intertwining business, politics, and alleged ties to Russia’s intelligence networks. As the head of AVS Group, the umbrella corporation encompassing Aviacon Zitotrans, Savelyev’s image as a philanthropist contradicts a murky history. Formerly associated with Russia’s ruling party, United Russia, he faces accusations linking him to the FSB and organised crime. Savelyev’s intricate web of aviation enterprises, with Aviacon Zitotrans at its core, sparks…

President Vladimir Putin has replaced his defence minister in what is seen as a strategy to intensify his war on Ukraine.

Russia is recruiting far-Right extremists to carry out attacks in the UK and Nato countries, National Security News has learned.Intelligence sources have said that terrorists recruited by Russian GRU agents have been responsible for a series of attacks in Western Europe and the US in the last six months.The sources said that extremists are being recruited by undercover officers of the GRU – the Russian military intelligence service – and members of the mercenary group Wagner.It comes after the expulsion of Col Maxim Elovik, the Russian defence attache to the UK, who is believed to be a GRU operative.An intelligence…

The Russian agent expelled from Britain for spying is Maxim Elovik, an intelligence officer working under the cover of the defence attaché to the UK.Elovik – who has been in Britain for around a decade – is believed to be a member of the Russian military intelligence service called the GRU, also known as the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.In his role, Col Elovik would have been responsible for planning and coordinating numerous Russian covert operations in the UK and could have potentially been involved, or at least had prior knowledge…

In June 2023, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa embarked on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia, aiming to initiate negotiations to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. The delegation, which included the heads of state from Egypt, Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Zambia, and Uganda, faced a setback when they were detained at an airport in Warsaw. The mission yielded little progress, leading some to view it as a geopolitical diversion from President Ramaphosa’s domestic challenges. His government has also been accused of bias towards Russia. Despite these setbacks, Ukraine remains eager to engage with Africa, particularly South Africa, in facilitating the return…

Ukraine is intensifying its engagement with Africa through the expansion of its grain exports and the establishment of new embassies across the continent. A crucial aspect of this outreach involves inviting journalists from Africa to visit Kyiv.

Americans have already received over 16 billion political robocalls this year, and scammers are poised to plague the 2024 elections with the latest AI deceptions and deepfake tricks, according to a report released by Transaction Network Services (TNS). As the nation prepares for one of the most pivotal electoral contests in its history, the spectre of manipulated audio and video content looms large. The TNS Q1 2024 Robocall Investigation Report highlights three primary categories of political scam calls: fraudulent campaign donations, election surveys, and false voting registration. These are delivered through robocalls, which are automated phone calls that play a…

British defence chiefs are considering plans to develop an Israeli-style air defence dome amid fears that the UK could be targeted by long range missiles and attack drones. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Armed Forces most senior officer, said the plans were part of a “live conversation” to help the UK and its allies “better defend ourselves” against threats which “will only increase.” Admiral Sir Tony said the UK will require an Iron Dome system in the future, and added: “We’ve got certain capabilities at the moment that help to protect the UK…

mid concerns that China’s Change’e 6 mission to the moon, launched on May 3, could be a part of a strategy to militarise the moon, Dr John Plumb, the Assistant Secretary of Defence for Space Policy at the U.S Department of Defence, said, “I do not buy the idea of the militarisation of the moon.” He expressed his belief that space could instead serve as a significant platform for diplomacy with China. On the threat of nuclear weapons in space, Dr Plumb said the Defence Department (DOD) was taking the threat of Russia sending a nuclear head into space very seriously,” and added that no space-faring nation should entertain such a capability due to its catastrophic implications. Regarding the threat of cyber-attacks in space, Dr Plumb suggested that constellations of low-orbit satellites could provide a solution to ensuring satellite safety and said that the DOD is exploring other potential applications of low-orbit satellites

As China’s foreign policy becomes more aggressive and centralised, the world is seeing a new international order. In this article, published originally by The Conversation, Professor of International Security Stefan Wolff explores how Xi’s meetings with foreign leaders shows China’s growing economic and military strength, as it starts to play a more dominant role on the world stage. China’s new world order: looking for clues from Xi’s recent meetings with foreign leaders

Israel has given Hamas a one-week ultimatum, presenting the militant group with a choice between agreeing to a hostage deal or facing a potential ground invasion of Rafah against the terror group’s remaining strongholds in Gaza. CIA Director William Burns is currently in Cairo for hostage talks, with a Hamas delegation set to arrive on Saturday. While there are indications that Israel and Hezbollah are nearing a deal to ease tensions along the northern border, Israeli officials caution that progress is contingent upon a hostage deal being reached first. A senior Israeli official has tempered expectations regarding the immediacy of…

While the war in Ukraine rages on, a webinar hosted by the Warwick Ukraine-Belarus Society highlighted the lingering anxieties surrounding a wider European war. Despite ongoing efforts to support Ukraine’s defence, the risk of escalation remains a major concern among policymakers and analysts. The panellists outlined several potential forms escalation could take, including the war spilling over into neighbouring countries like Moldova or the Baltics, or even an accidental military confrontation between Russia and NATO. While the immediate risk may seem low, the speakers stressed the need for sustained attention and proactive measures to address the evolving security challenges and…

The Russian Army has lost 450,000 soldiers and 3,000 tanks during the two year war in Ukraine, according to figures released by the British government.The staggering casualty figures mean that President Vladimir Putin has lost an average of 560 troops a day since Russia’s special military operation began two years ago.The losses are 100,000 more than the previous UK estimate shared in February by Britain’s Defence Intelligence and equate to Russia losing 1,300 troops a day in just the last two months.The casualty figures do not include mercenary groups like Wagner who lost thousands of fighters in “human wave” assaults…

While the west has been focussed on the crisis in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, Russia is becoming increasingly involved in the seemingly endless conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and various rebel militias such as the March 23 Movement, known as the M23 group. The DRC should be a successful functioning state with a thriving economy. The country is rich in natural resources like oil, diamonds, gold and other precious metals, yet half of its population live in extreme hardship. Fighting between rebel militias and government forces, systemic corruption, years of mismanagement of…

Amandla.site123 is a pro-Russian website dedicated to disseminating disinformation within South Africa. Our investigation has revealed that not only does it churn out extensive content disparaging President Cyril Ramaphosa, but it also manipulates material from reputable publications in the country. The website’s presence was brought to light by South African columnist RW Johnson, who was alerted to it by veterans of uMKhonto we Sizwe, the now-disbanded military wing of the ruling African National Congress. In a recent report, RW Johnson sheds light on an alleged Kremlin-backed scheme unfolding within South Africa’s political landscape. Central to this alleged plot is Amandla.site123,…

In a bid to bolster national security decision-making processes, the United Kingdom has embarked on a comprehensive assessment of the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in strategic intelligence analysis. A report authored by the independent Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), housed at The Alan Turing Institute, found that AI as a powerful analytical tool for intelligence, but cautions against potential biases, recommending responsible implementation and training for analysts and decision-makers. Dr Alexander Babuta, Director of CETaS, emphasises AI’s importance, stating, “Our research has found that AI is a critical tool for the intelligence analysis and assessment community.” However,…

“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Putin got on the phone to the Grand Ayatollah and said, ‘Hey, look, stop. I don’t want you starting a war where you’re going to have to make sure your arms industry is doing nothing but feeding the Iranian military. I need you to keep supplying me stuff so I can continue my fight in Ukraine.”

For years, Oman has worked hard to avoid the escalation of Middle Eastern crises. As conflict rages between Israel and Gaza and Iran, Oman is reprising its role as peacemaker, enabling back-channel talks in an attempt to avoid any further escalation. In this article, initially published in The Conversation and which we are republishing with their permission, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute discusses how Oman has become the diplomat of the region, facilitating talks between warring states, and acting as messenger and host to the US, UK, and other Western countries.

As India’s general election unfolds, the proliferation of deepfake videos endorsing political parties and candidates has ramped up, particularly with the recent spotlight on manipulated videos featuring Bollywood celebrities. This surge in deepfake manipulation coincides with reports from McAfee, indicating that nearly 1 in 4 Indians recently encountered a political deepfake only later discovering it was a fake, with 31% reporting their concern on the influence of AI on elections. With nearly a billion eligible voters, India’s election is not only the largest democratic exercise in the world but also a battleground for disinformation campaigns fuelled by AI. Social media…

Tensions between Iran and Israel have reached a fever pitch as Iran’s nuclear capabilities come under intense scrutiny.  Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), issued a stark warning on Monday regarding Iran’s nuclear activities, suggesting that the country could be on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon within a matter of weeks.  Despite assertions of compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran’s actions paint a different picture. The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in 2018 triggered a cascade of events,…

Ukraine’s tireless efforts have finally borne fruit as the U.S. Congress approved nearly $61 billion in crucial military and economic aid, putting an end to months of uncertainty and frustration. With Ukrainian soldiers facing dwindling ammunition and weapons, this aid package arrives as a lifeline in their war against Russia. In an interview with National Security News, Dr Taras Zhovtenko, a defence analyst from the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, based in Kyiv, stated that the approved package would immediately have a very forceful impact on the battlefield, and Ukraine was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first shipments. Dr Zhovtenko emphasised that the immediate effect…

As several major elections draw near, the threat from malicious AI bots, created and run by hostile actors intent on manipulating peaceful and democratic elections, grows. New AI tech has hijacked social media platforms to spread disinformation, swaying opinion and altering narratives, posing a very real threat to our democratic processes. This perspective is derived from an article in The Conversation, which we are republishing with their consent. In this article, the author has dissected how malicious social bots manipulate social media, influencing what people think and how they act with alarming efficacy, and gives us tips on how to…

In the realm of cybersecurity, few threats loom as large as the notorious Sandworm group, now tracked by Google Cloud’s Mandiant as APT44. With its origins rooted in Russia, this malevolent entity has gained infamy for its involvement in a spectrum of operations, from espionage to disruption and disinformation campaigns. Sandworm’s arsenal is formidable, characterised by the deployment of highly disruptive malware such as BlackEnergy and Industroyer. Since Russia’s war against Ukraine, the group has intensified its efforts to destabilise the region, employing tactics ranging from wipers to cyber operations intricately timed with conventional military activities. However, recently, the group’s actions…

South African authorities have requested clarification from the UK Government following a change in the UK Foreign Office’s travel advice for South Africa, warning that “terrorists are very likely to attempt to carry out attacks in South Africa”.