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What to know about hypersonic missiles Russia used in barrage of strikes on Ukraine


Russia unleashed one of the biggest barrages of missiles at critical and civilian targets across Ukraine in what it described as a “retaliation strike” for the attack on its border region last week.

Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said the missile attack was in response to last week’s incursion into the border district of Bryansk by a group President Vladimir Putin called “Ukrainian saboteurs” who carried out a “terrorist attack” against Russia.

Moscow said two people were killed and a child was injured. Kyiv accused Russia of staging a false “provocation” as part of its war propaganda to justify its invasion.

Thursday’s Russian missile attack killed at least six people and cut power from hundreds, leaving them without electricity or heating. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was a “difficult night”.

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that Russia launched 81 missiles and eight explosive-laden Iranian-made Shahed drones overall on Thursday. He added that 34 missiles and four drones were intercepted.

Konashenkov confirmed that the Russian armed forces used the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in its latest attack on Ukraine.

Here’s what you need to know:

Hypersonic missiles, much like all traditional ballistic missiles, can travel at least five times the speed of sound. However, they are highly maneuverable and only require a low trajectory in the atmosphere, as they adjust course and flying altitude to go undetected by radar detection systems. This makes them hard to intercept by a country’s missile defenses.

Russia’s firing the Kinzhal missiles at Ukraine is the first time hypersonic weapons had ever been used in combat in history.

Russian forces have fired those missiles several times since the invasion of Ukraine in February 24 of last year. At the time, US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley downplayed its significance and said it didn’t have “game-changing effects” in the war.

Kinzhal

Moscow said the Kinzhal is a Russian-made “state-of-the-art airborne system with hypersonic aero-ballistic missiles”. Russian MiG-31K and MiG-31I fighter jets carried the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that featured “radar stealth and high maneuverability and are designed to engage ground and naval targets,” state news agency TASS reported.

The report added that the Kinzhal can accelerate to ten times the speed of sound and strike targets at a range of over 2,000 km.

The missile itself is “capable of maneuvering along the entire flight path and breaching any air and anti-ballistic missile defenses; and it can be outfitted with both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing 500 kg,” TASS added.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu confirmed last August their use in Ukraine multiple times and claimed “it [Kinzhal missile] is impossible neither to detect it nor to intercept”.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report last year: “The MiG-31K can strike from unpredictable directions and could avoid interception attempts altogether. The flying carrier vehicle might also be more survivable than the road-mobile Iskander system [Russian nuclear-capable mobile battlefield ballistic missile launchers].”

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Read more:

Strikes on Ukraine ‘retaliation’ for border attack: Russia

Strikes target Ukraine’s Khakriv, Odesa regions: Officials

Russia strikes many Ukrainian regions, power cut

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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