A chat about the economic outcomes from the War in Ukraine with Ben Aris
Ben Aris is the Editor in Chief of BNE Intellinews, (bneeditor at Twitter), and he has been reporting on Russia and the former Soviet Union, with a focus on business, finance and economics since the 1990s. In that time he has witnessed everything: Economic collapse, economic resurgence, a generations worth of gas disputes, epic corruption, multibillion dollar investments and projects, entire societies coming to terms with capitalism, credit, consumer lifestyles and politicians from across the region, and internationally, come and go, as the region saw the Soviet past pass into memory.
This extensive and often detailed discussion looks at the potentially imminent end to hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. From the intervention by the incoming second Trump Presidency to the implications for Ukraine and Russia, and beyond to relationships within and between Europe and the United States.
Ben notes some profound geopolitical shifts which have immense implications for global commodity and energy markets but also financing, and in particular discusses the challenge facing Europe as it seeks to rebuild its competitive position while adjusting to a radical change in its energy and demographic fundamentals. Beyond that the discussion touches on what the advent of President Trump implies in terms of a shift from ideological to transactional relationships, and the potential impacts for bankers, economic policymakers and publics.
It runs just under 90 minutes but covers a lot of ground
Some vid of a piece of kit (Taken from Telegram channel)
The Bundeswehr continues testing the Grille drone for medical evacuation and logistics
The Grille unmanned multicopter was developed by the Bavarian company Avilus and presented to the public in 2023. The first serious tests and demonstration of the drone’s capabilities were carried out in the fall of 2024, shaping the future of robotic and autonomous systems in Germany.
The Grille UAV is designed for evacuation, transportation of the wounded and cargo. Initially, the device was developed as a “flying stretcher” and a cheap alternative to helicopters for the rapid evacuation of the wounded from the battlefield or from hard-to-reach areas. Now the drone is also being considered as a system for delivering cargo to dangerous combat areas or an alternative to part of the rear logistics.
The multicopter has 6 axes, each with 2 rotor drives. It is a fully electric UAV with vertical takeoff and landing. Navigation is carried out by satellite with the ability to switch to the inertial method and manual control from the ground. The safety system is equipped with a ballistic parachute.
▪️ Maximum takeoff weight : 695 kg
▪️ Payload : 135 kg
▪️ Cruising speed : 86 km/h
▪️ Maximum speed : 120 km/h
▪️ Working ceiling : 2100 m
▪️ Flight range : 51 km
▪️ Engine power : 240 kW/326 hp