Latest news with #ShamilZhumatov
Straits Times
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russian TV shows teenagers at 'world's biggest drone factory' making arms to hit Ukraine
FILE PHOTO: An armoured truck transports Russia's Geran unmanned comabt aerial vehicles before a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File Photo MOSCOW - A Russian factory, described by its director as the world's biggest maker of strike drones, has been shown on the Russian army's TV channel with teenagers helping make kamikaze drones to attack Ukraine. The footage, in a documentary film broadcast by the Zvezda channel on Sunday, showed hundreds of large black completed Geran-2 suicide drones in rows inside the secretive facility, which has been targeted by Ukrainian long-range drones. Ukraine says Russia has used the Geran drones to terrorise and kill civilians in locations including the capital Kyiv, where residents often shelter in metro stations during attacks. Russia says its drone and missile strikes target only military or military-related targets and denies deliberately targeting civilians, more than 13,000 of whom have been killed in Ukraine since the war began in 2022, the United Nations says. Zvezda said the Alabuga factory, in Russia's Tatarstan region, invited school pupils to study at a college the factory runs nearby once they had completed ninth grade (aged 14-15) so that they could study drone manufacturing there and then work at the factory when they had finished college. Young workers, including teenagers, were shown with their faces blurred out, studying computer screens or making and testing individual components, or assembling drones. Timur Shagivaleyev, the factory's general director, did not disclose detailed production figures. But he told Zvezda the initial plan had been to produce "several thousand Geran-2 drones" and that the factory was now producing nine times more than that. He did not say what period the figures referred to. A Russian think tank close to the government last month suggested Russia's drone production had jumped by 16.9% in May compared to the previous month after President Vladimir Putin called for output to be stepped up. Putin said in April that more than 1.5 million drones of various types had been produced last year, but that Russian troops fighting on the front line in Ukraine needed more. HUGE-SCALE USE OF DRONES Both sides have deployed drones on a huge scale, using them to spot and hit targets not only on the battlefield but way beyond the front lines. Zvezda said the Alabuga factory had its own drone testing ground and showed rows of parked U.S. RAM pickup trucks carrying Geran-2 drones. It also showed one of them launching a drone. In May, Russia paraded combat drones that its forces use in the war in Ukraine on Moscow's Red Square in what state TV said was a first. The design of the Geran-2, which has a known range of at least 1,500 km (932 miles), originated in Iran where an earlier version was made. They have been used to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zvezda set the documentary to upbeat music, part of its mission to keep Russians interested in and supportive of the war. The factory is part of the so-called Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which is near the town of Yelabuga, which is over 1,000 km from the border with Ukraine. REUTERS
Straits Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Airlines suspend flights after Israel strikes Iran
FILE PHOTO: Delta Airlines passenger jets are pictured outside the newly completed 1.3 million-square foot $4 billion Delta Airlines Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York City, New York, U.S., June 1, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo FILE PHOTO: An Aeroflot passenger aircraft flies past multi-storey apartment blocks before landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport, on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File photo FILE PHOTO: An Aegean Airlines aircraft takes off from the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens, Greece, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File photo Israel's strikes against Iran have prompted international airlines to halt flights to some Middle East destinations. Below are some of the airlines that have cancelled their flights to and from the region: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece's Aegean Airlines has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv up to and including the early morning flight on July 12, as well as all flights to and from Beirut, Amman, and Erbil through the morning arrivals of June 28. AIRBALTIC Latvia's airBaltic said all flights to and from Tel Aviv until June 23 had been cancelled. AEROFLOT Russia's Aeroflot said it had cancelled flights between Moscow and Tehran, and made changes to other routes in the Middle East after Israeli strikes on Iran. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France said it had suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice. KLM has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until at least July 1, Dutch news agency ANP reported. AIR INDIA Air India said multiple flights were either being diverted or returning to their origin. AJET Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet has cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq and Jordan until Monday morning, an AJet source said. The source said that AJet would operate flights to Lebanon only during daylight hours. It plans to operate flights to elsewhere in the Middle East including flying over Iraq without using the affected airspace, the source added. ARKIA The Israeli airline said that due to the closure of Israeli airspace, it was cancelling all its flights until June 14. DELTA AIR LINES Travel to, from, or through Tel Aviv may be impacted between June 12-June 30, the U.S. carrier said on its website. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES El Al Israel Airlines said that it had suspended all its flights to and from Israel for the time being. Sundor flights are also suspended, the airline added. ETIHAD AIRWAYS Etihad Airways said it had cancelled two flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and delayed the departure of four others. EMIRATES Emirates said it had cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran until June 15. FLYDUBAI Flydubai said it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel. ISRAIR The Israeli airline said that due to the closure of Israeli airspace it was cancelling all its flights from and to Israel until June 15. ITA AIRWAYS The Italian Airline said it would extend the suspension of Tel Aviv flights until July 31. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa said it had suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv and Tehran until July 31 and to and from Amman, Erbil and Beirut until June 20. The German airline added that it would also avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Israeli airspace for now. PEGASUS The Turkish airline said it had cancelled flights to Iran until June 19 and flights to Iraq and Jordan until June 16. The company said it would operate flights to Lebanon only during daylight hours. QATAR AIRWAYS Qatar Airways said it had temporarily cancelled flights to and from Iraq and Iran. Flights to Damascus Airport, in Syria, will be cancelled until the end of June 14. RYANAIR Ryanair said that it had cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 31. TAROM Romania's flag carrier said it had suspended all commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until Monday, June 16. TURKISH AIRLINES Turkish Airlines and other Turkish operators have cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria and Jordan until June 16, Turkey's transport minister said. WIZZ AIR Wizz Air decided on Friday to suspend its operations to Tel Aviv and reroute all of its flights, where possible, that were due to overfly the affected airspaces for the next 72 hours. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Airlines suspend flights after Israel strikes
FILE PHOTO: Delta Airlines passenger jets are pictured outside the newly completed 1.3 million-square foot $4 billion Delta Airlines Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York City, New York, U.S., June 1, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo FILE PHOTO: An Aeroflot passenger aircraft flies past multi-storey apartment blocks before landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport, on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File photo FILE PHOTO: An Aegean Airlines aircraft takes off from the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens, Greece, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File photo Israel launching widescale strikes against Iran has prompted international airlines to halt flights to the region. Below are some of the airlines that have cancelled their flights to and from the region: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece's Aegean Airlines has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv scheduled for Friday, June 13, it said. AIRBALTIC Latvia's airBaltic said that all flights to and from Tel Aviv until 23 June have been cancelled. AEROFLOT Russia's Aeroflot said that it had cancelled flights between Moscow and Tehran, and made changes to other routes in the Middle East after Israeli strikes on Iran. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air-France said that it had suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice. KLM has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until at least July 1, Dutch news agency ANP reported. AIR INDIA Air India said that multiple flights were either being diverted or returning to their origin. AJET Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet has cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq and Jordan until Monday morning, an AJet source said. The source said that AJet will operate flights to Lebanon only during daylight hours. It plans to operate flights to elsewhere in the Middle East including flying over Iraq without using the affected airspace, the source added. DELTA AIR LINES Travel to, from, or through Tel Aviv, may be impacted between June 12-June 30, the U.S. carrier said on its website. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES El Al Israel Airlines said that it had suspended flights to and from Israel. ETIHAD AIRWAYS Etihad Airways said that it had cancelled two flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and delayed the departure of four others. EMIRATES Emirates said that it had cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran. FLYDUBAI Flydubai said that it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel. ITA AIRWAYS ITA Airways said that it will extend the suspension of Tel Aviv flights until July 31. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa said that it had suspended all flights to and from Tehran. The German airline added that it would also avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Israeli airspace for now. QATAR AIRWAYS Qatar Airways said that it had cancelled flights to and from Iraq, and Iran. RYANAIR Ryanair said that it had cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 31. TAROM Romania's flag carrier said it had suspended all commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until Monday, June 16. WIZZ AIR Wizz Air said that it had cancelled a number of flights scheduled to fly over areas affected by regional tensions in the Middle East. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Airlines suspend flights after Israeli strikes
FILE PHOTO: Delta Airlines passenger jets are pictured outside the newly completed 1.3 million-square foot $4 billion Delta Airlines Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York City, New York, U.S., June 1, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo FILE PHOTO: An Aeroflot passenger aircraft flies past multi-storey apartment blocks before landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport, on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File photo FILE PHOTO: An Aegean Airlines aircraft takes off from the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens, Greece, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File photo Israel launching widescale strikes against Iran has prompted international airlines to halt flights to the region or to avoid affected air space. Below are some of the airlines that have cancelled their flights to and from the region: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece's Aegean Airlines has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv scheduled for Friday, June 13, it said on its website. AIRBALTIC Latvia's airBaltic said that all airBaltic flights to and from Tel Aviv until 23 June 2025 have been cancelled. AEROFLOT Russia's Aeroflot said that it had cancelled flights between Moscow and Tehran, and made changes to other routes in the Middle East after Israeli strikes on Iran. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air-France said that it had suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice. KLM has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until at least July 1, ANP News said. AIR INDIA Air India said that multiple flights were either being diverted or returning to their origin. AJET Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet has cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq and Jordan until Monday morning, an AJet source said. The source said that AJet will operate flights to Lebanon only during daylight hours. It plans to operate flights to elsewhere in the Middle East including flying over Iraq without using the affected airspace, the source added. DELTA AIRLINES Travel to, from, or through Tel Aviv, may be impacted between June 12-June 30, the U.S. carrier said on its website. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES El Al Israel Airlines said that it had suspended flights to and from Israel. ETIHAD AIRWAYS Etihad Airways said that it had cancelled two flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and delayed the departure of four others. EMIRATES UAE's state-owned airline Emirates said that it had cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran. FLYDUBAI Flydubai said that it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel. LUFTHANSA Lufthansa said that it had suspended all flights to and from Tehran. The German airline added that it would also avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Israeli airspace for now. QATAR AIRWAYS Qatar Airways said that it had cancelled flights to and from Iraq, and Iran. RYANAIR Ryanair said that it had cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 31. TAROM Romania's flag carrier has suspended all commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until Monday, June 16, it said. WIZZ AIR Wizz Air said that it had cancelled a number of flights scheduled to fly over areas affected by regional tensions in the Middle East. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
