International

Russia breaks a new launch record of Iranian ‘Shahed’ drones against Ukraine

Throughout September, Russia launched 1,339 Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones against Ukraine, which represents a new record in the number of these unmanned aerial devices used against enemy territory since the beginning of the war, according to the publication of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, ArmyInform.

The previous record in the use of Shahed was reached in August of this year, when Russian forces launched about 800 drones of this type against Ukraine, according to the account of the social network X @ShahedTracker, which reports on the use of these Iranian devices.

The third month with the highest use of Shahed was September 2023, when the Russians fired 521 of these drones at Ukraine.

Russia doubles production

The most obvious factor that explains this increase in the use of Iranian suicide drones must be looked for in the expansion of Russia’s own production of this technology.

According to the military expert and editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian publication specialized in military affairs Defense Express, Oleg Katkov, Russia has already managed to produce in its factory in Tatarstan, a year in advance of the developed plan, the 6,000 units of these originally Iranian drones that it planned to manufacture until September 2025.

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“Based on this, the enemy can launch up to 50 drones of this type daily, or even more,” Katkov told the Ukrainian media RBK.

According to the figures published by ArmyInform, Russia is already close to these numbers and used in September, when for the first month since the beginning of the war it did not stop launching a single day of Shahed against Ukraine, an average of 44 drones daily.

About one hundred percent interception

Ukraine intercepts practically all the Iranian drones that Russia launches against its territory. According to @ShahedTracker, Ukrainian air defenses managed to knock down or divert from their target with radio-electronic interference 94% of the devices that arrived in their airspace in August and September of this year.

Despite the high percentage of interceptions, the Shaheds continue to be a serious headache for the Ukrainian Army, which dedicates an increasing number of personnel and resources every night to prevent these drones that Russia launches in swarms from reaching their objectives, among which are usually electrical infrastructures.

When Russia launches them simultaneously with missiles, the mission of these Shahed swarms is to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses so that they cannot respond to all the projectiles.

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More drones lost due to interference

To avoid using anti-aircraft missiles that are much more expensive than drones for each of the downs, Ukrainian forces created mobile patrols equipped with lighter weapons that shoot the Shaheds to make them fall before reaching their targets.

Aware of the effectiveness of this method, the Russians now fly these drones at a higher height, so that conventional weapons cannot reach them until they begin their descent towards the target.

Ukraine has developed its own drones

According to the expert in radio-electronic warfare means Serguí Flesh, the Shahed have gone from flying at about 2 kilometers high to doing it at between 4 and 5 kilometers.

In response, the expert says on his Telegram channel, the Ukrainian Army has perfected the use of electronic interference means and makes an increasing percentage of Russian drones lose signal, allowing it to neutralize the Shaheds that fly higher without spending their most sophisticated ammunition to shoot them down.

In addition to defending itself, Ukraine has developed its own drones similar to the Shahed, with which it attacks almost daily military targets and refineries within the Russian Federation.

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International

Ninth Victim Recovered After Deadliest U.S. Avalanche in Decades

Rescue teams in California on Saturday recovered the body of the ninth and final victim of a deadly avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains, according to the local sheriff’s office.

The avalanche struck a group of 11 skiers and four guides on Tuesday as they were returning from a three-day backcountry trip near Castle Peak, a 2,777-meter (9,111-foot) mountain and popular tourist destination on the U.S. West Coast.

Six people were rescued alive on Tuesday. Authorities said the incident marks the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981.

“All nine individuals who lost their lives in the February 17 Castle Peak avalanche have been safely recovered from the mountain,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“There are no words that can truly capture the magnitude of this loss, and our hearts grieve alongside the families affected by this catastrophic event,” Sheriff Shannan Moon said.

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Officials had warned on Thursday that search operations would likely continue through the weekend due to severe weather conditions in the area.

Survivors were able to call for help shortly after the avalanche occurred. However, near-zero visibility and the risk of additional snow slides prevented rescue teams from reaching them for several hours.

International

Trump Defies Supreme Court With New 10% Global Tariff

Defiant in the face of a judicial setback, Donald Trump on Friday imposed a new across-the-board 10% tariff after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that he does not have the authority to levy customs duties under the guise of a national emergency.

The Republican president signed the order in the Oval Office and announced on social media that the measure would take effect “almost immediately.” According to a statement from the White House, the decree will formally enter into force on February 24 for a period of 150 days.

It remains unclear whether the new tariff will apply to countries that have already negotiated trade agreements establishing rates higher than 10%.

Earlier in the day, the conservative-majority court ruled that a 1977 law cited by Trump to abruptly impose tariffs on individual countries — disrupting global trade — “does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.”

Trump said he was “deeply disappointed” by the decision and accused some justices of being influenced by “foreign interests.”

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Although he has made variable tariffs a cornerstone of his foreign policy, Trump acknowledged that it is uncertain whether the government will have to refund revenue already collected. A study by the University of Pennsylvaniaestimated that the amount at stake could reach as much as $175 billion.

“That issue was not addressed by the Court,” Trump told reporters, warning that the legal battle could drag on for “years.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who dissented from the Court’s 6–3 majority opinion, cautioned that the legal process could become a “mess.”

Trump denied any error or haste in using tariffs as a policy tool, arguing instead that the six justices who ruled against him were motivated by “political correctness.” Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that the Court had acted “outside the law.”

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International

U.S. Targets Members of Outgoing Boric Administration With Visa Revocations

The United States government announced on Friday the revocation of visas for three Chilean officials—whose identities were not initially disclosed—citing activities that allegedly “undermined regional security,” an accusation that Chile denies.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of State did not provide specific details about the individuals involved but criticized the outgoing administration of leftist President Gabriel Boric.

“The legacy of the Boric government will be further tarnished by actions that undermine regional security to the ultimate detriment of the Chilean people,” the statement read. It was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Chile’s Minister of Transport, Juan Carlos Muñoz, later confirmed in a video message to the press that he is among those sanctioned.

“I was recently informed that my visa to enter the United States has been revoked by that country, which I deeply regret,” Muñoz said.

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The U.S. statement also noted that Washington hopes to “advance shared priorities, including those that strengthen security in our hemisphere, with the upcoming Kast government.”

The electoral victory of ultraconservative leader José Antonio Kast was welcomed in Washington, which has been building alliances with like-minded governments in the region to reinforce its diplomatic and economic agenda—particularly in response to China’s growing investment presence in Latin America.

“We remain committed to promoting accountability for Chilean individuals who deliberately work to destabilize our hemisphere,” the statement concluded.