In The News

Bryce Peterson says that research shows that prison escapes, while uncommon in general, usually happen in low-security and locally run facilities. It’s hard to estimate how many prison breaks happen in the U.S. because there’s no comprehensive national data on them.

Samuel Bendett says, "Most of these defenses were built to identify and destroy larger targets like missiles, helicopters, aircraft. Many were not really geared towards identifying much smaller UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles]."

Samuel Bendett says that this massive initiative could lead to more large-scale loitering munition attacks and an uptick in strikes by FPV drones and also increase Moscow's battlefield.

Samuel Bendett says, “Russia boasted of having layered defenses before the war, the sensor electronic warfare, different missile batteries, kinetic batteries, radars, that can sort of identify and interdict the threat."

Samuel Bendett says that at present Russian FPVs are mainly used by irregular units from the Russian-controlled DNR/LNR region and contractors such as Wagner.

Sam Bendett says, "The key to FPV drones is their cost - around $400-600 on average—made possible by easy purchase of Chinese-made components that make up these drones."

Samuel Bendett says, “It’s hard to judge how this drone will perform against significant and sophisticated countermeasures that exist in the region. It’s likely that just like Mohajer-6, this drone is presented for export.”

Dmitry Gorenburg says that Prigozhin being murdered by Russian forces could be viewed as a message for others to not defy him and the Kremlin in the future.

Samuel Bendett says, The most recent attack is "embarrassing, since the strategic bombers were not in any type of shelter or cover."

Ken Gause says, “It’s like everybody is doubling down on everyone’s positions, which means nothing is going to happen.”

Samuel Bendett says, “This can be used against stationary and moving targets – anything from tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and other systems, to infantry units on the move and in trenches, and against any target that is identified as a Russian military one.”

Samuel Bendett says, “If this Izdelie 54 is a ‘long-range’ drone, it will probably have to compete more with Shahed, but it all depends on specs. It's possible that this new drone will fill the gap between Lancet and Shahed capability - with a range of 80-200km, or may be designed for even longer ranges.”

Samuel Bendett says, “The fact that the ruble is weak is not necessarily affecting the military-industrial sector. It is not necessarily affecting the acquisition and development of technologies. It may impact regular people down range. Right now the Russian economy appears to be holding as recognized by multiple global experts and as recognized by the international community. The economy is bent but did not break.”

Jonathan Schroden says that life for Afghans under the Taliban varies greatly depending on their gender. Afghan men face less violence since the end of the war, but they are likely in a much worse economic situation. Meanwhile, women and girls are suffering the almost total loss of any freedoms they may have enjoyed before the Taliban came to power.

Scott Decker says, "We don't have a category in the way we measure crime in this country that identifies smash-and-grab, so it's really hard to know how many of these events take place or whether there's a surge."

Samuel Bendett says, “This is Russia’s response to the Ukrainian attacks against Russian military ports.”