Mediaboss Marketing

A drone carrying a grenade infiltrated an ammunition dump in Ukraine, setting off an explosion that caused an astounding billion dollars worth of damage. The incident points to the growing use of drones in wartime, particularly off the shelf civilian products harnessed to conduct sabotage and other attacks.

Please enter a valid email address.

You have chosen to receive our newsletter at . You will receive an email shortly confirming your subscription.

You have already subscribed.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ukraine's domestic intelligence service, the SBU, believes that a drone carrying a Russian thermite hand grenade caused a series of titanic explosions at Balakliya, a military base in Eastern Ukraine. Amateur video of the incident posted on YouTube shows a raging fire spewing out of control artillery rockets, and an explosion and shockwave that sent civilians nearby reeling.

One person was killed in the attack and five were injured.

The drone is believed to have carried a ZMG-1 thermite grenade. Thermite, a combination of iron oxide (rust) and aluminum powder. The stuff burns extremely hot and easily could have gotten through wooden crates to detonate the munitions inside. The ammo dump is just 60 miles from the Russian/Ukrainian border, where fighting recently took place.

According to PM contributor David Hambling writing at Scout Warrior, it's not the first time military bases in Ukraine have been hit by drones. A similar attempt to blow up the Balakliya base took place in December 2015, when drones dropped 14 grenades. The fires were extinguished by Ukrainian servicemen, and one grenade, a ZMG-1, was recovered.

In October 2015, an attack on an ammunition depot at Svatovo destroyed 3,000 tons of explosives and damaged 1,700 nearby homes. Two other attacks on ammo dumps took place in February, and another facility was attacked in March.

Guerrilla groups, terrorists, and perhaps even governments worldwide have rapidly weaponized consumer drones, effectively turning hobbyist devices into lethal weapons capable of killing. In 2016, two French Special Forces soldiers were injured and two Kurdish fighters were killed by an exploding ISIS drone. ISIS has conducted numerous drone attacks during the Mosul campaign and terrorism experts fear weaponized drones could spread outside conflict zones.

Source: Global Guerrillas

See more here:
Kaboom! Russian Drone With Thermite Grenade Blows Up a Billion Dollars of Ukranian Ammo - Popular Mechanics

Nataliya Mykolska is Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade and Trade Representative of Ukraine.

Canada may be the most Ukrainian country outside of Ukraine itself. With 1.3 million Canadians claiming Ukrainian descent, we have deep personal and cultural bonds that span generations. Last year marked the 125th anniversary of the first Ukrainian immigration to Canada.

Canada and Ukraine recently strengthened our relations in a very 21st-century way negotiating a free-trade agreement. Once it takes effect on Aug. 1, the Canada-Ukraine free-trade agreement (CUFTA) will provide immediate duty-free access for 98 per cent of goods traded. Like Canada, Ukraine also has a free-trade agreement with the European Union, giving firms opportunities to trade largely tariff-free across a large economic bloc.

The Ukrainian government that emerged from the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution of Dignity has undertaken much-needed structural reforms and has a robust program to deregulate the economy, improve the business climate and privatize state-owned enterprises. Following two years of recession in 2014 and 2015, Ukraines GDP grew by 2.3 per cent in 2016 and growth of 2.5 per cent is forecast in 2017 (a two-year growth rate comparable to Canada).

Ukraine offers Canadian companies the fourth-most educated population in the world, with a strong emphasis on information technology, engineering, aerospace and, of course, agriculture technology (agritech).

Information technology (IT) is one of the sectors that benefits greatly from this highly educated population, making it one of the most promising sectors for closer economic ties with Canada. Ukrainian IT exporters are ready to step up to become a part of the global digital revolution. Creative industries, including information technologies in all their diversity, are among the crucial building blocks of the emerging Ukrainian export strategy. Ukraine can provide companies with high-level technology services combined with fresh ideas, helping Canadian firms become globally competitive and keep up with the pace of digital transformation.

Ukraines software development and IT services industry recorded exports of about $3-billion (U.S.) in 2016 and has enjoyed double-digit growth for several years. There are more than 100,000 certified IT specialists, third-most in the world after the United States and India. By 2020, this number is expected to reach 200,000. In a world in which all talents need to be harnessed, the number of women in Ukrainian IT companies has doubled in the past five years.

More than 100 global players have located R&D facilities in Ukraine and 12 Ukrainian IT companies are in the Top 100 outsourcing companies in the world. Proximity to the European Union has brought a number of major European firms to Ukraine.

The development of an IT ecosystem is top of mind for the Government of Ukraine. The IT ecosystem includes three areas of focus: firms that service large IT companies; more than 1,000 startups; and serving as an international R&D centre.

Five major cities and regions in Ukraine Kiev, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odessa and Dnipropetrovsk region boast IT clusters. Most notably, the hubs emerging are supported by industry and by local and national governments.

The Government of Ukraine has committed to eliminating the barriers to export of services. For instance, since new laws were adopted, services exporters can conclude contracts and sign invoices electronically and they do not need the Ukrainian translation of documents.

The first Ukraine IT mission to Canada took place at the 2017 Branham300 launch event in May, 2017, where Ukraine was the featured country-sponsor. The launch was accompanied by more than 50 business-to-business meetings with the leading Canadian IT companies. A total of 17 Ukrainian IT businesses were meeting their Canadian counterparts to start networking and building long-term partnerships.

Support for building these relationships comes from our governmental Export Promotion Office (EPO), which works in close o-operation with the Canada Ukraine Trade and Investment Support (CUTIS) project, a five-year development-assistance project funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada and implemented by the Conference Board of Canada and the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce. Both EPO and CUTIS have set out IT as a priority sector for Ukraine-Canada business relationships. Generating more exports from Ukrainian technology companies can contribute to the project goals of reducing poverty and increasing sustainable economic growth in Ukraine.

Canadian businesses are uniquely positioned to benefit from the opportunities offered by the CUFTA and the vibrant Ukraine IT sector. Building on the existing ties, Canada and Ukraine can greatly strengthen their relationship for mutual benefit.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlobeBusiness

Original post:
IT sectors of Canada and Ukraine poised to benefit from free-trade deal - The Globe and Mail

The situation in the ATO area in eastern Ukraine was relatively calm last day. From 18:00 till midnight, the number of attacks launched by Russian-terrorist groups was small. However, the enemy ramped up the reconnaissance activity with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles.

This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center.

As noted, in Donetsk direction, militants launched two attacks on ATO troops near Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk), using grenade launchers and small arms.

In Mariupol direction, Ukrainian positions came under grenade launcher fire outside the villages Vodiane(16km north-west of Donetsk) and Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk).

In Luhansk direction, illegal armed formations used small arms to shell Ukrainian strongholds near Zolote (67km north-east of Luhansk) and Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk).

Russian-backed militants violated ceasefire in Donbas a total of 17 times over the past day. One Ukrainian soldier was wounded.

ol

Read more here:
Militants ramp up reconnaissance activity in eastern Ukraine - Ukrinform. Ukraine and world news

Overview

The five operational Exit/Entrance Checkpoints (EECPs) continue to witness a steady upsurge of crossings in 2017. In June, over 1.1 million individual crossings were recorded, representing an increase of 10 per cent from May. The rise seems to correlate somewhat with the ceasefire agreements, which came into effect on 24 June. The highest increase was observed at the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint the only operational pedestrian crossing point in Luhansk province. Pedestrians continue to experience crossing difficulties, including long waiting hours, inadequate conditions as a worn-out wooden bridge remains the only means of crossing, and insufficient crossing procedures and capacity outstripped by high demands. Rising temperatures have also taken a toll on civilians, particularly the elderly and those with special needs. Due to heavy crossing traffic and difficulties, some people have reportedly attempted to use illegal routes to cross the contact line, and in doing so, exposing themselves to mine risks. On 20 July, local authorities called a meeting with partners to ensure collective efforts to improve the condition. Partners plan to install more first aid tents to accommodate growing needs for on-site medical services. Meanwhile, challenge remains in upgrading the conditions of all EECPs to ensure safe and dignified environment, particularly conditions between zero checkpoints (no man's land) in terms of secure travel, peoples safety and access to sanitary facilities. In 2017, at least 13 civilians are reported so far to have died of or suffered from health conditions, while waiting in queues in harsh conditions at the checkpoints. Moreover, people continue to expose themselves to fatal risks due to ongoing combat activities in and around the checkpoints. At least two security incidents were recorded in June/July close to Marinka EECP, resulting in one civilian injury. Lengthy intervals of bus services to Bakhmut also cause concentration of civilians waiting at Maiorske EECP.

See the rest here:
Ukraine: Checkpoints - Humanitarian Snapshot (as of 26 July 2017) - ReliefWeb

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry poses for a family photo during the G7 Energy Ministerial Meeting on April 10, 2017 in Rome. Riccardo De Luca / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

"These individuals are known for pranking high-level officials and celebrities, particularly those who are supportive of an agenda that is not in line with their governments. In this case, the energy security of Ukraine," Hynes said.

During the 22-minute call on July 19, Perry, whose department oversees the U.S. nuclear weapons program, discussed a range of topics in a business-like tone, including sanctions against Russia and helping Ukraine develop oil and gas.

Perry said the Trump administration opposes Nord Stream 2, a Russian project to bring natural gas to Europe across the Baltic and that U.S. technology could help Ukraine develop gas.

"Giving Ukraine more options with some of our technology is, I think, in everyone's best interest with the exception of the Russians, but that's OK," he said.

Perry also discussed the Paris climate accord and coal exports on the call.

The call, first reported by E&E news, was recorded and posted online.

It happened about a month after Perry met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his delegation at the Energy Department.

President Donald Trump said last month that Washington plans to offer Ukraine more coal exports from the United States because the eastern European nation's industrial sector has difficulty securing coal from separatist-held regions.

It is unclear how the United States would bring more coal to Ukraine but Perry hinted on the call that the Commerce Department was working on it.

"The coal conversation at this particular point in time is with (Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross) and I full well suspect it will go forward," he said on the call.

News of the call came the same day the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impose new sanctions on Russia.

See more here:
Russian Prankster Convinced Rick Perry He Was Speaking to Ukraine Prime Minister - NBCNews.com