International
Ukraine finds in technology its best ally for war
Ukraine has found in technology its best ally for war, with a commitment to innovation that makes the difference both on the battlefield and in the daily lives of millions of citizens who have to live with the invasion.
In a conflict that from the beginning has been compared to a fight between David and Goliath, the “slingshot” of Ukraine is technology: hybrids between a missile and a drone to accurately attack Russian bases, robots that evacuate wounded soldiers or kamikaze devices that destroy bridges.
Machines to support troops
“We are trying to fight them with machines because we do not have enough people,” explained the Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, Alex Bornyakov, in an interview with EFE during the Web Summit, the technology congress held this week in Lisbon.
This commitment to technological innovation allowed Ukraine to destroy part of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea with small kamikaze ships, an “exact example” of the metaphor between David and Goliath, the deputy minister said.
Ukrainian forces also use sentinel drones to monitor a territory, capable of attacking the enemy if necessary; robots that help evacuate soldiers so as not to endanger other companions; and autonomous devices to locate and extract mines.
This year the biggest bet is drone missiles, such as the Palianytsia, with a flight range of between 500 and 700 kilometers and which can be used against targets in Russian territory.
“By next year we are definitely going to produce more of our own missiles,” explained Bornyakov, who explained that the budget for the purchase of drones is around 3,000 or 4 billion dollars.
In addition, they will allocate another 80 million to innovations in Defense.
Technology for day to day
These efforts are not only aimed at the battlefield but also at using technology to help Ukrainians live with the war on a daily basis.
An example is ‘Kiev Digital’, the mobile application that the City Council of the Ukrainian capital launched in 2021 and that since the invasion has become indispensable for the Kievites.
“We notify people that a missile attack is coming. We offer you additional information about where the bomb shelters are, where the target of the attack is, which shelters have Wi-Fi and how to get there,” Oleg Polovynko, who advises the consistory on digitization issues, exemplified to EFE.
The app reports on other consequences of the war such as power cuts but also on the basic services of any city, such as the transport network or online procedures.
18% of the population uses it daily and about 40% weekly, said Polovynko, who assured that Kiev is already a global reference in digital transformation and “all cities have to learn” from it.
Objective: to boost the technological ecosystem
The Ukrainian technological ecosystem is present this year at the Web Summit with more than 80 start-ups, some of them oriented to the Defense sector, such as BeesAM and RMachine, specialized in mines.
Others, such as Inheart.memorial, are dedicated to helping to remember and honor the deceased, with a platform to make digital memorials that allows you to gather biographies, photographs, videos, links to social networks and other resources.
Then a QR is created that is placed next to the tombstones, so that anyone can know their story.
Although the idea emerged before the war, it now includes many pages dedicated to the “heroes,” the CEO of the platform, Oleksander Sydorov, explained to EFE, who pointed out that they have added new features such as the last battle or the medals received.
Promoting the technological ecosystem was already one of the purposes of the Ukrainian Government in 2019, before the invasion, as the deputy minister recalled: “We set ourselves the goal of becoming one of the leading technological hubs in Europe.” The war has accelerated the process.
International
Ten Bodies Found in Mexico’s Zacatecas State Amid Security Operation
Mexican authorities discovered the bodies of 10 people on Saturday in the central state of Zacatecas, a region that was heavily affected by organized crime violence just a few years ago.
The victims were found in different municipalities across the state, which experienced a surge in violence between 2021 and 2022 as rival criminal groups fought for control of key drug trafficking routes.
Rodrigo Reyes, secretary general of the Zacatecas state government, said on social media that the bodies were located in the municipalities of Morelos, Pánuco, and Sain Alto.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the causes of death or identified those responsible for the killings.
Reyes said security forces have launched a coordinated operation to locate those behind the crimes and strengthen the police presence in the affected areas as the investigation continues.
International
U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists
The United States has announced new limits on the legal length of stay for foreign students and journalists, marking the latest tightening of immigration policies under President Donald Trump.
The changes, outlined in an administrative rule published on Thursday, are expected to take effect in September, unless Congress blocks the measure.
Under the new policy, holders of student visas will be allowed to remain in the United States for no more than four years.
Foreign journalists will be limited to 240-day stays—approximately eight months—with the possibility of applying for extensions of the same duration.
The policy imposes even stricter rules on Chinese journalists, whose visas will be capped at 90 days.
More than 100 international news organizations and press freedom groups, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), criticized the measure in an open letter, arguing that it would reduce both the quantity and quality of international coverage of events in the United States.
The Republican Party, led by President Trump, currently holds a majority in Congress and has pledged to curb both illegal immigration and certain forms of legal immigration.
Previously, the United States generally issued student visas for the full duration of an academic program, while foreign journalists could receive visas valid for up to five years.
Central America
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute
The Nicaraguan government announced on Thursday that it is severing diplomatic relations with Italy following criticism from the Italian government over Nicaragua’s long-standing decision to shelter Alessio Casimirri, a former member of the Red Brigades convicted in Italy for the 1978 kidnapping and murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticized the administration of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo on Wednesday for continuing to provide refuge to Casimirri, who was sentenced in Italy to six life terms for his role in Moro’s abduction and killing.
In a statement issued Thursday, Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry said it was ending all diplomatic relations with Italy, describing Tajani’s remarks as “unjustified, aggressive, and irresponsible.”
Tajani made the comments during a gathering of conservative leaders from Europe and Latin America held in Madrid.
“We have absolutely nothing in common with the positions of extremist governments such as Nicaragua, a country that continues to harbor dangerous Red Brigades terrorists like Alessio Casimirri,” Tajani said, according to Italian media.
The diplomatic break marks a new escalation in tensions between the two countries over the decades-old case involving Casimirri, who has lived in Nicaragua for many years despite repeated calls from Italy for his extradition.
Ten Bodies Found in Mexico’s Zacatecas State Amid Security Operation
U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists
Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute
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