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”.