Russia’s Nuclear Failure

Hi Global Recap readers,

New York traffic is about to get very congested again as the 79th United Nations General Assembly begins on Tuesday morning.

This will be President Biden’s final major UN meeting, and he and his fellow world leaders are facing significant conflicts:

• the Russia-Ukraine war

• the Israel-Hamas war (or more accurately, the conflict between Israel and Iranian proxies).

We’ll delve into the latest developments concerning these conflicts soon, particularly regarding Israel and Hezbollah, but first, let’s take a moment to laugh at Putin. 👇

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Russia’s Nuclear Failure

It seems Putin’s plans to flex his nuclear muscles to the world didn’t go as planned, and now the world is starting to question Russia’s claims of military prowess.

Satellite Images Reveal

Satellite photos reveal a massive crater at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, indicating that Russia’s recent test of the Sarmat ICBM, also known as Satan II, likely failed after the missile exploded shortly after launch.

• The crater is about 200 feet wide, with extensive damage to the surrounding area.

• Earlier images showed no visible damage, indicating the explosion was recent. The explosion likely occurred on September 19.

Expert Analysis

Analysts believe the missile exploded in the silo, marking a significant failure for Russia’s strategic weapon system.

• George Barros from the Institute for the Study of War calls it an “informational victory for Ukraine.”

• Pavel Podvig notes the test was either scrubbed or failed, based on canceled notifications.

Sarmat Missile Details

Satan II is Russia’s most modern ICBM, but its testing program has faced numerous issues.

• It has a range of 11,000 miles and can carry multiple nuclear warheads.

• Financial losses and sanctions have plagued its development, leading to delays and failures.

Kremlin’s Response

The Kremlin has remained tight-lipped about the test failure, deferring questions to the military.

• President Putin has previously touted the Sarmat as a formidable weapon.

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated they have no information on the matter.

🇱🇧 LEBANON
Escalating Conflict Near Israeli Border

Following Israel’s precision remote detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah terrorists, the Israeli army carried out strikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon to destroy weapons concealed in “civilian buildings.”

Rising Tensions

The situation in southern Lebanon is intensifying as Israeli strikes target Hezbollah, leading to significant casualties and widespread evacuations.

• The strikes have killed over 492 people (subject to change).

• Thousands of Lebanese are fleeing the south, causing major traffic jams on highways.

Israeli Military Actions

Israel’s military is expanding its air campaign against Hezbollah.

• Israeli warplanes struck some 1,300 Hezbollah targets, including DR-3 cruise missiles, heavy-weight rockets, short-range rockets, medium-range rockets, and explosive UAVs (drones).

• Prime Minister Netanyahu urged Lebanese civilians to evacuate for their safety.

• The strikes are aimed at preventing Hezbollah from being able to continue its attacks against Israel.

Warnings

Above is a a screenshot of a text message Lebanese residents received from Israel, warning: “If you are in a building that houses Hezbollah weapons, stay away from it until further notice.”

• However, reports claim that Hezbollah terrorists have been actively preventing civilians from following the warning, convincing them that it’s merely part of an Israeli “psy-op.”

• As a result of these actions, Israel is accusing Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields.

Claims of Lies

Unfortunately, this hasn’t stopped Hezbollah supporters from denying the presence of weapons in civilian buildings while also claiming victimhood—similar to the stance taken by Hamas terrorists.

• However, this fails to explain incidents like the one shown below, where multiple secondary explosions followed the initial strike, clearly indicating that explosive weapons were stored in the targeted building.

• The video below also displays a “civilian building” in Lebanon that opens just before a rocket launch, revealing the weapons stored inside the facility.

Response

As tensions in the Middle East escalate, the US is deploying “a small number” of troops to the region, according to the Pentagon on Monday.

• This deployment includes the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, two destroyers, and a cruiser, bringing the total number of American forces in the region to 40,000.

• Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused Israel of seeking a wider war in the Middle East, claiming that Israel is laying “traps” to lead Iran into a broader conflict.

📊 Poll

What are your thoughts? Do you believe Israel is trying to provoke a wider war, or are they merely taking preemptive action to prevent further Hezbollah attacks?

Consider that Hezbollah has been launching attacks on Israel since October 8, while Israel has primarily focused on defensive measures to intercept the incoming projectiles.

🇯🇵 JAPAN
Russian Plane Breaches Airspace

Japan’s defense forces had a busy Monday when a Russian reconnaissance plane decided to take an unauthorized tour of their northern airspace.

Airspace Violation

A Russian Il-38 plane breached Japan’s airspace above Rebun Island.

• The plane entered Japanese airspace three times, each for about a minute.

• This happened during a five-hour flight in the area.

• Japan scrambled F-15 and F-35 fighter jets, using flares for the first time to warn the plane.

Diplomatic Response

Japan strongly protested the airspace violation.

• Defense Minister Minoru Kihara called the incident “extremely regrettable.”

• Japan demanded preventive measures through diplomatic channels.

• Kihara emphasized that the use of flares was a legitimate response.

Growing Concerns

Japan is worried about increasing military cooperation between China and Russia.

• The airspace violation followed a joint fleet of Chinese and Russian warships sailing around Japan.

• Japan has reinforced defenses in its southwestern regions due to these activities.

• Earlier incidents included Russian and Chinese aircraft near Japan’s southern airspace.

Historical Tensions

Japan and Russia have a long-standing territorial dispute.

• The dispute involves islands seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II.

• This feud has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty.

• Recent Russian and Chinese military activities have also been noted near Alaska.

🇫🇷 FRANCE
Telegram CEO Caves In

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has made a significant policy change, agreeing to share user data with governments to combat criminal activities.

New Policy Change

Durov announced that Telegram will now hand over IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities with valid legal requests.

• This is a major shift from Telegram’s previous stance on privacy.

• The change aims to deter criminals from using the platform.

• Durov was arrested in France last month and faces multiple charges.

Privacy Concerns

Telegram has long been known for its stringent privacy protections.

• The app offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring only the sender and recipient can read messages.

• Critics argue that Telegram is a haven for illegal activities like money laundering and child pornography.

• The company previously only shared data with a court order.

Legal Troubles

Durov is currently barred from leaving France while under investigation.

• French authorities accuse him of facilitating criminal activities through Telegram.

• Durov defends himself, saying he shouldn’t be held responsible for third-party actions on the platform.

• He pledges to improve Telegram’s measures against criminal abuse.

Future Plans

Durov promises more updates on Telegram’s efforts to combat illegal activities.

• He aims to ensure the platform is not misused by criminals.

• Telegram has already started internal processes to address these issues.

• Durov plans to share more details soon.