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

Venezuela Debates Broad Amnesty Law Covering 27 Years of Chavismo

Venezuela’s Parliament began debating on Thursday a sweeping amnesty bill that would cover the 27 years of Chavismo in power, while explicitly excluding serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity.

The proposed legislation, titled the “Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence,” was introduced by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power following the capture of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation.

The legislative session was convened for Thursday afternoon, with lawmakers holding an initial discussion focused on the general principles of the bill. This phase precedes a consultation process with civil society, after which the proposal will move to a final debate examining each article individually.

According to a draft of the bill obtained by AFP, the amnesty would apply to individuals accused of crimes such as “treason,” “terrorism,” and “incitement to hatred,” charges that were frequently brought against political prisoners over the past decades. The scope also includes offenses ranging from acts of rebellion to punishments imposed for social media posts or messages sent through private messaging services.

The bill’s explanatory text emphasizes reconciliation, stating that it seeks to move away from “vengeance, retaliation, and hatred” in favor of “opening a path toward reconciliation.”

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However, the proposal explicitly excludes from its benefits crimes such as “serious human rights violations, crimes against humanity, war crimes, intentional homicide, corruption, and drug trafficking.”

These exclusions, the text notes, are based on strict compliance with the Venezuelan Constitution, which already prohibits granting amnesties or pardons for such offenses.

International

Díaz-Canel Calls for Talks With Washington Without Pressure as U.S. Tightens Oil Sanctions

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on Thursday that his government is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States, provided that talks take place on equal terms and without pressure.

“Cuba is prepared to hold a dialogue with the United States on any issue that either side wishes to discuss,” Díaz-Canel said during a press conference broadcast nationwide on radio and television.

He stressed, however, that such dialogue would only be possible “without pressure, without preconditions, on the basis of equality, and with full respect for our sovereignty, independence, and self-determination.” The Cuban leader added that discussions should avoid issues that could be interpreted as interference in the country’s internal affairs.

Díaz-Canel’s remarks come at a time when Cuba is facing growing pressure from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which has implemented a series of measures that have restricted the island’s access to fuel needed to generate electricity.

Washington has sought to prevent Cuba from receiving oil from Venezuela, its main ally for more than two decades, and has stepped up pressure to reduce crude shipments from Mexico. In addition, Trump signed an executive order in late January allowing the United States to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba.

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In that order, the U.S. president declared that Cuba represents an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security and foreign policy, accusing the island of aligning itself with hostile countries and actors.

International

HRW Warns Trump’s Influence Has Weakened Human Rights in Latin America

Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that the political influence and rhetoric of U.S. President Donald Trump have contributed to a deterioration of human rights conditions across Latin America and the Caribbean. In its World Report 2026, the organization stated that several governments in the region have committed abuses against migrants and citizens, or have used U.S. policies as justification to impose harsher repressive measures.

During the first year of Trump’s new term, HRW observed that multiple countries violated the rights of foreign nationals under direct pressure from Washington. Other governments deepened security strategies based on militarization, mass detentions and excessive use of force, according to the report.

“The impact of the Trump administration has undoubtedly been negative in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Juanita Goebertus, HRW’s Americas director. However, she emphasized that “governments in the region remain responsible for defending democracy and fundamental rights, regardless of who is in power in Washington.”

HRW also reported that the United States significantly reduced cooperation funding for human rights organizations and independent media. At the same time, countries such as El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador passed laws allowing the arbitrary closure of civil society organizations and media outlets, weakening democratic systems and institutional checks and balances.

The organization further criticized what it described as a “double standard” in U.S. foreign policy, which condemns human rights violations in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua while overlooking serious abuses committed by allies such as El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador. The report also included criticism of the U.S. military attack against Venezuela in early 2026, warning that it could strengthen Nicolás Maduro’s regime and respond primarily to U.S. political and commercial interests.