An American anti-drone system proven to work against Russian drones in Ukraine will soon be sent to the Middle East to bolster U.S. defenses against Iranian drones, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Friday.
Ukraine is the country with the most real-world experience countering drones and the US asked Kyiv for help. Zelenskyy did not specify the type of assistance Ukraine would provide, but a U.S. defense official told @apnews.com the Merops system is part of it. x.com/zelenskyyua/...
The Merops system flies drones against drones - cheaper than a missile - fits in a midsize pickup truck, can identify drones and close in on them, using AI to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed. It’s already deployed in Poland and Romania. apnews.com/article/russ...
The U.S. response to countering Iran’s Shahed drones has been “disappointing,” a U.S. official told me, particularly because the drones fired by Iran are a much more basic version of the same drone that Russia is has updated multiple times to hit Ukraine. apnews.com/article/russ...
The US is soon sending the Merops anti-drone system - proven to work in Ukraine - to the Mideast to counter Iranian drones. There are limited effective anti-drone defenses there now and the US response to Iran’s drones has been “disappointing” US officials told me. apnews.com/article/iran...
Climate change is melting Greenland's ice, affecting its politics, its cultures and its sled dogs. By @eburrows.bsky.social on @apnews.com
Four years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine again.
Among all the headlines, meetings and diplomatic wrangling, it's worth remembering that this is what that war looks like for Ukrainians. apnews.com/photo-galler...
I spent 3 weeks in Greenland.
The temp is normally well below freezing in Ilulissat. This Jan, there was no snow & ice.
That affects dog sled culture. But the town’s glacier also carves more icebergs & sea levels rise, impacting low lying Europe & Pacific islands.
apnews.com/projects/gre...
Putin thinks he can outsmart Trump over Ukraine & Russian officials believe the US remains Moscow's "main enemy," Estonia's intel chief told @apnews.com. Fiona Hill, suggested Trump won’t let that stand in his way as his officials are spinning that he's a peacemaker. apnews.com/article/russ...
I’ve spent months painstakingly tracking Russian sabotage and drone strikes on Ukraine but nothing I’ve done has garnered quite the same response as a Greenlandic sled dog pinching a camera - and hitting record - while we were filming for @apnews.com in Greenland’s Arctic.
Temperatures are as low as -30 in Ukraine and Russia is attacking the energy grid.
Ukrainians are living in homes with no power and heating - they can’t cook for their children or warm milk for babies.
As soon as minimal power is restored, Russia attacks again. apnews.com/article/russ...
“The commander told me, ‘You have been made to sign a contract to join the battalion. You cannot do any other work here. You have been deceived.”
One Bangladeshi man said he was beaten by Russians with shovels, handcuffed and tortured. Must read from @apnews.com
apnews.com/article/russ...
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen has arrived in Greenland after a pretty rough week.
She got off the plane and was met by Greenland PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen: the two greeted each other with a big hug. There’s been no word from either of them yet about what Trump’s “framework” for Greenland looks like.
Trump says he needs Greenland to deter Russia and China but Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat says the only countries his behaviour benefits are those two.
Spoke to a senior military official who said the European decision to send small numbers of troops to Greenland may have given the impression that an “Armada” of ships was sailing there, when the reality was that European nations said they would send not more than a few dozen troops collectively.
Met a 9-year-old girl at today’s protest in Nuuk, Greenland who told me she is being taught about NATO at school and about how to stand up to bullies.
Another Greenlander suggested the threat from Trump’s tariffs is an existential threat to the international order that we’ve lived by since 1945.
Tillie Martinussen, former Greenland MP at protest in Nuuk told @apnews.com
"A tariff of 25% is nothing against the free world…that's the way you have to look at it…This is a fight for freedom. It's for NATO, it's for everything the Western Hemisphere has been fighting for since World War II.”
Particular thanks go to kind former colleagues at CNN who lent us some kit after we arrived - but our bags did not.
bsky.app/profile/ebur...
International journalists have descended on Greenland. Some Greenlanders are doing dozens of interviews a day and they say they want Trump and the White House to "back off."
“It’s just weird how obsessed he is with Greenland," one Greenlander said. apnews.com/article/gree...
Greenlanders told @apnews.com they view Denmark & other allies decision to boost military in Greenland as “protection” even though Euro military officials haven’t said the goal is to deter a US move against the island.
People say they are scared & want Trump to back off. apnews.com/article/gree...
Trump says he needs to control Greenland because he says the sea is full of Russian & Chinese ships.
"The only Chinese I see is when I go to the fast food market,” a man told me in Greenland’s capital Nuuk.
"Fantasy," is what another man called Trump's claim.
apnews.com/article/fact...
Fiona Hill, Trump’s former security advisor, told @apnews.com Russia’s ambassador to US hinted many times that Russia was willing to let the U.S. act as it wanted in Venezuela if the U.S. did the same for Russia in Ukraine. “But nobody was interested then.” 7 years later… apnews.com/article/russ...
Russia is evacuating families of diplomats from Venezuela, a European official told @apnews.com. They said Russian officials are “very grim” about Venezuela. Russia’s MFA said it isn’t evacuating the embassy but didn’t address Qs about the evacuations of diplomat families. apnews.com/article/trum...
It's 147 now because Danish officials said hackers connected to the Russian state hacked a water company last year, bursting pipes, leaving homes without water.
A different group also targeted Danish websites ahead of local elections in November.
bsky.app/profile/ebur...
The Associated Press has tracked 145 cases of sabotage and disruption that Western officials blame on Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. They say Moscow wants to drain Europe’s investigative resources.
#APPhoto : KPRM
bit.ly/4aoSVEc
I've tracked 145 cases of sabotage and disruption @apnews.com that Western officials blame on Russia.
They say Moscow wants to drain Europe's security resources and identify weak spots.
Arson & explosives plots particularly increased:
2023: 1
2024: 26
2025: 6
apnews.com/projects/rus...
Two Ukrainian citizens working for Russia are suspected of blowing up a railway line in Poland over the weekend, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
Finland turned on the beauty for @apnews.com interview with President Alexander Stubb.
Stubb’s jacket references “sisu” - the Finnish concept of resilience and grit which the Finns displayed when fighting two wars with Russia.
Stubb is trying to make “sisu” the new “sauna.” youtu.be/djjsEo8D5WU
A ceasefire in Ukraine is unlikely before spring and Europe must boost support, Finland’s president says in AP interview.
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb spoke with me for @apnews.com about Ukraine, Russian sabotage & how he built a good relationship with Trump over golf.
Stubb said he talks to Trump about Ukraine & dealing with Putin: “If he accepts 1 out of 10 ideas, that’s good.”
apnews.com/article/stub...
