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West Africa and Sahel: Food insecurity, malnutrition, set to reach 10-year high

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West Africa and Sahel: Food insecurity, malnutrition, set to reach 10-year high

For the first time in the Sahel, 45,000 people are at risk of experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger, or one step away from famine, they said.  The majority, 42,000, are in Burkina Faso and Mali, where violent unrest in some areas has hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid. 

The combined effects of conflict, climate shocks, the COVID-19 pandemic and high food prices, continue to drive up hunger and malnutrition in the region. 

The number of people who do not have regular access to safe and nutritious food is expected to reach 48 million during the lean season from June to August, according to the latest analysis from Cadre Harmonisé, an early warning tool used by humanitarians. 

Heart-breaking situation 

This represents a fourfold increase in the last five years, and the results further confirm a longer-term trend towards a geographic expansion of food security. 

“The spiralling food security and nutrition situation in Western Africa is just heart-breaking,” said Chris Nikoi, Regional Director for the World Food Programme (WFP).

“There is a crucial need for massive investment in strengthening the capacities of communities and individuals to withstand shocks while prioritizing local and long-term solutions to food production, transformation and access for vulnerable groups,” he added. 

Child malnutrition rising 

WFP alongside the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, have renewed their call for greater support to Governments in the region. 

The data further showed that 16.5 million children under five are set to face acute malnutrition this year, including nearly five million who are at risk of debilitating severe malnutrition. 

Their numbers represent a staggering 83 percent rise in global acute malnutrition compared to the 2015 to 2022 average.  

Harder to help now 

Conflict and population displacement are also fuelling the crisis, leading to reduced access to essential health, nutrition and water and sanitation services, as well as social protection. 

“Growing insecurity and conflict means vulnerability is increasing in the region, and it is getting harder to help communities in isolated areas,” said Marie-Pierre Poirier, Regional Director for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  

Access to food, as well as availability, remain a major concern despite improved rainfall last year.  

Trend will worsen 

West and Central Africa are dependent on imports, but currency depreciation and high inflation are causing food import bills to rise. The situation is unfolding even as Governments grapple with major fiscal constraints and macroeconomic challenges. 

There are also concerns that restrictions on seasonal cattle movements, and high concentrations of livestock in some areas, could lead to further deterioration in pastoral and security conditions.  

Robert Guei, FAO’s Sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa, said the continued deterioration of the food and nutrition situation is “unacceptable”. 

He added that despite the increase of cereal production, access to food for most people remains challenging as markets have been disrupted because of insecurity and high food prices. 

“This trend will probably continue to worsen the food and nutrition situation and therefore we must address the root causes of this crisis in a concerted manner and immediately,” he said.  “It is time for action to boost agricultural production to achieve food sovereignty in our region.” 

Support regional governments 

The UN agencies again appealed to development and humanitarian partners, and the private sector, to step up support to central governments. 

“The food and nutrition crisis has a multi-sectoral impact on the living conditions of affected populations in the region, in areas already experiencing humanitarian crises and in all West and Central African countries,” said Charles Bernimolin, Head of OCHA’s office for the region. 

“This requires the collective deployment of multisectoral approaches based on the needs expressed by the population putting West and Central Africa people at the centre,” he added. 

 

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Sudan: UN rights chief calls for a return to talks, amid reports of 24-hour pause

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United Nations News
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Sudan: UN rights chief calls for a return to talks, amid reports of 24-hour pause

“Sudan has already endured so much pain and suffering. The fighting is born out of power games and personal interests that only serve to alienate the democratic aspirations of the population,” said Mr. Türk, adding, “Do those responsible not understand that the civilian population now only craves a peaceful life?” 

Trapped at home 

The Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces have been locked in intense fighting for four days. The unrest erupted as Sudan appeared to be returning to the path towards democratic transition following three decades of military rule. 

International media reported that the sides have agreed to a 24-hour ceasefire, which is set to begin at 6pm, local time. 

In the interim, 270 people have been killed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), citing the authorities. Three staff members from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) working in Darfur were among the victims.

Another 2,700 people have been injured, and humanitarian operations in many states in the country have come to a halt. 

“Thousands upon thousands of civilians are trapped in their homes, shielding from the fighting, with no electricity, unable to venture out and worried about running out of food, drinking water and medicine,” Mr. Türk said. 

‘Common sense must prevail’ 

He urged the warring sides to remind their fighters of their obligation to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, as stated under international law.   

The UN rights chief also said he was appalled by reports of attempted rape. He called for prompt, thorough and independent investigations into the killings of civilians, including the WFP staff, along with other reported violations, adding that those responsible must be held to account. 

“Only a few weeks ago, Sudan appeared to be on the right path towards an agreement that would restore civilian rule,” said Mr. Türk. “Common sense must prevail, and all parties must act to de-escalate tensions. The shared interests of the Sudanese people must come first.” 

More to follow on this story.

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Trans-European transport projects: first go-ahead to new rules

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EuropeanTimes
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Trans-European transport projects: first go-ahead to new rules
Vote on Revision of the Regulation on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T)

Major EU transport infrastructure projects should focus more on sustainable transport, avoid delays and establish links with Ukraine and Moldova, say transport MEPs.

On Thursday, the Transport and Tourism Committee adopted its position on the review of trans-European transport (TEN-T) rules. This is the EU’s plan to build a network of railways, roads, inland waterways and short sea shipping routes connected through ports and terminals across the European Union. Current TEN-T projects range from Rail Baltica, connecting Helsinki and Warsaw, to Brenner Base Tunnel, linking Austria and Italy, or the Lisbon–Madrid high-speed rail line.

Sustainable transport

The Transport and Tourism Committee advocate for unified technical and operational standards for each transport mode and stress that intermodal transport should be primarily done by rail, inland waterways or short-sea shipping, while any initial and/or final legs can be carried out by road. This should translate into fully electrified railways in the core TEN-T network, running with at least of 160 km/h passenger and 100 km/h cargo trains, which could cross internal EU borders in less than 15 minutes by the end of 2030.

MEPs ask member states to adopt sustainable urban mobility plans by the end of 2025 to integrate different transport modes, including cycling or active mobility, reduce congestion and improve road safety. This plan should become one of the conditions to get EU funding.

No delays

MEPs reaffirm a need to complete major transport infrastructure projects by the end of 2030 on the core TEN-T network, and by the end of 2050 on a comprehensive network focussed particularly on eliminating bottlenecks and missing links and better empowering 11 European Coordinators. To incentivise a quick roll-out of these projects, MEPs support the introduction of an intermediary deadline of 2040. In the event of a significant delay, MEPs suggest the Commission should immediately launch an infringement procedure and reduce or terminate funding.

Partnership with third countries and military mobility

Following Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Transport Committee backed cutting transport infrastructure projects with Russia and Belarus and enhancing instead the partnership with Ukraine and Moldova. MEPs also want EU governments to exclude non-EU businesses from participating in major TEN-T projects, if the Commission deems them to be a security risk.

When constructing or upgrading TEN-T infrastructure, EU countries would have to ensure seamless transfer of military troops and material within the EU, say MEPs. Within one year after the new rules enter into force, the Commission would conduct a study on short-notice large-scale movement to facilitate military mobility planning.

Quotes

Co-rapporteur Barbara Thaler (EPP, AT) said: “Everybody is talking about shifting transport to rail. However, while cars, trucks or planes can cross EU borders without any problems, trains, especially cargo ones, are forced to stop at borders, sometimes for hours, to adapt to the requirements of different member states. That is why it is particularly important to ensure that rail border crossings should take no more than 15 minutes, and there should also be slots for freight trains allocated across borders. It is ambitious, but necessary if we want to succeed in shifting traffic from road to rail.”

Co-rapporteur Dominque Riquet (Renew, FR) added: “Transport infrastructure is essential, serves as the backbone of our economy and prosperity, while increasing cohesion and contributing to achieving the Union’s climate targets. However, we are facing too much delay on the ground; Europe is starting to lag behind our international competitors, and the Union is suffering from too little investment and a lack of political will from the member states. As such, Parliament will make sure that we have a TEN-T regulation which works and delivers for our businesses and citizens.”

Next steps

The draft negotiating mandate was approved by 44 votes in favour, none against and one abstention. Transport Committee MEPs also unanimously (44 votes in favour) backed a decision to start talks with member states on the final shape of the legislation, once plenary gives its green light next week.

A world champion died in defense of Ukraine

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News desk
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Vitaly Merinov, a four-time world kickboxing champion, died last week in hospital as a result of leg injuries sustained while fighting for the Ukrainian armed forces in Luhansk. The athlete joined the Ukrainian army as a volunteer just days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the war, he was assigned to Ivano-Frankivsk.

Mayor Ruslan Marcinkov confirmed the death of 32-year-old Merinov, who leaves behind a wife and a small child.

The authorities in Kiev estimated that 262 Ukrainian athletes died defending their homeland against Russian aggressors.

For this reason, the Ukrainian government has asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from the upcoming Olympic Games to be held in Paris next year.

Merinov is not the only kickboxer who died fighting the Russians – Ukrainian world kickboxing champion Maxim Kagal died in March last year in the battle for Mariupol as part of the special forces of the dreaded “Azov Battalion”.

Mykola Zabchuk, also a kickboxer, died during the Russian invasion. Among the other famous Ukrainian athletes who lost their lives are the football player Sergey Balanchuk, Ludmila Chernetska (bodybuilding), Alexander Serbinov (athletics), reports the magazine “Sports Angels”. This is a magazine that was created last year with the help of the Sports Committee of Ukraine to report on the situation of athletes in the country, and which has so far published all cases of dead Ukrainian athletes.

Economic recovery pushed EU emissions up in 2021 but long-term trend remains positive, final data

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Newsdesk
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Economic recovery pushed EU emissions up in 2021 but long-term trend remains positive, final data

Official data, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), confirm that the economic recovery in 2021 increased the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions but their level remained lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the EU has reduced its emissions by 30% since 1990. 

The EEA has published the ‘Annual EU greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2021 and inventory report 2023’, which is the EU’s official submission of greenhouse gas emission data to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  

The emission inventory shows that EU greenhouse gas emissions increased considerably, by 6.2%, from 2020 to 2021 but remained at lower level than before the pandemic. According to the EEA analysis, the main reasons for the emission increase from 2020 to 2021 were the overall economic recovery after the 2020 lockdowns, increased coal use in the power sector and higher transport demand. 

Considering the entire 1990-2021 period, there is still a clear, long-term trend of decreasing emissions in the EU. The total net greenhouse gas emissions of the 27 EU Member States have decreased by about 30% from 1990 to 2021 while the EU economy has grown by 61%, the EEA report notes.

Annual European Union GHG inventory 1990–2021 and inventory report 2023

Main contributing factors to the long-term decrease include the growing use of renewables, burning less coal, improving energy efficiency, structural changes in the EU economy and milder winters. Despite the increase of 2021, the use of coal in public electricity and heat production has been halved in the EU since 1990. 

Most economic sectors in the EU have reduced their emissions from 1990 to 2021, with biggest cuts in public electricity and heat production. Emissions have increased in transport and cooling sectors, and net removals have decreased in forest land due to increased harvesting and aging and slower growth of forests. 

Later this year, the EEA will publish its annual ‘Trends and projections’ analysis on the EU progress towards its climate and energy goals, and the approximated greenhouse gas emission data for 2022. The EU has committed to an at least 55% reduction in net emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. 

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Remove browser hijackers to improve your online security

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Newsdesk
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Remove browser hijackers to improve your online security

Browser hijackers are an annoying and potentially dangerous problem that can disrupt your browsing experience and compromise your online security. It occurs when a malicious program or website takes control of your web browser, changing its default settings and redirecting you to unwanted or harmful pages.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to remove browser hijacking and protect your online privacy. Let’s go over some effective methods to remove browser hijackers from your computer.

What is browser hijacker? 

To a full understanding of the issue, it’s best to start with the explanation of what a browser hijacker really is. 

A browser hijacker is a type of malicious software that can take control of your web browser without your permission. Once installed on your computer, a browser hijacker can modify your browser settings, such as your homepage and search engine, and redirect you to unwanted websites or advertisements.

Some browser hijackers can also track your online activity and steal your personal information, such as your login credentials, credit card numbers, and other sensitive data. They can be very harmful and can compromise your online security and privacy, making it important to remove browser hijacking as soon as possible.

Identify the Symptoms of Browser Hijacking

The first step to removing a browser hijacker is to identify the symptoms that you are experiencing. Here are some common signs of browser hijacking:

  • Your homepage has been changed without your consent.
  • Your default search engine has been replaced with a different one.
  • You see unwanted toolbars, pop-up ads, or new tabs opening up automatically.
  • Your browser runs slower than usual, and pages take longer to load.
  • You are redirected to unfamiliar or suspicious websites.

If you notice any of these symptoms, it is likely that your browser has been hijacked. In this case, it is important to take action as soon as possible to remove the hijacker and restore your browser’s settings.

How to remove the browser hijackers

If you suspect that your computer has been infected with a browser hijacker, there are several methods you can use to remove it.

First and most recommended method, as it will do the job for you, is using a reputable anti-malware software. It will not only identify any malicious software present on your computer, but also remove it. 

It’s also important to reset your web browser to its default setting, as despite using anti-malware software there may be some unwanted extensions installed or settings changed by the hijacker. You may follow the tips on how to safely open apps on your Mac device. 

Last but not least, update your computers operating system and web browser to the latest version. It’s crucial for the latest security updates. 

Following these steps can help you fight against hijacking effectively. However, to avoid further similar issues, it’s important to know what you may do to prevent the attacks. 

How to prevent browser hijacking 

There are plenty of ways hijackers may get access to your computer. It doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to prevent it, quite the opposite. Following these simple tips may prevent lots of problems arising from browser hijacking. 

One of the most important rules, when you’re online, is to avoid clicking on any email links when you are not sure where they may lead you. Ignore any pop-up adverts, encouraging you to update your Flash Player or your system. 

Downloading any software or app, always use only trust-worthy websites, as free download pages are most likely to infect your computer. 

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Poland demonstrated in defense of the good name of Pope John Paul II

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News desk
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Poland demonstrated in defense of the good name of Pope John Paul II

Thousands of Poles demonstrated today in defense of the good name of former Pope John Paul II, who was recently accused of covering up pedophile crimes while he was an archbishop, AFP and Reuters reported.

On horseback, in period costumes, or simply with the Vatican flag in yellow and white or the Polish flag in white and red, several tens of thousands of Poles flocked to Warsaw to take part in a National March for the Pope, who died in April 2005. , an AFP journalist reported.

Like all other such initiatives, this march was organized by Catholic organizations with the open support of the government and the ruling nationalist populist Law and Justice (PiS) party.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak also took part in the procession.

Just as every honest person protects his children, his father and mother, so every Pole protects Pope John Paul II, read one of the placards carried by participants in the march.

The Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, wrote on Twitter that the Poles are passing the test by being bearers of the truth to oppose lies, slander and insults.

We thank God for the immeasurable gift that the Polish Pope was and remains to the Church, to Poland and to the world, stressed PiS chairman Jarosław Kaczynski in a letter to his party members.

We are standing up to protect his honor and good name, Kaczynski said a few months before the parliamentary elections in Poland.

On the same day, a statue of John Paul II was vandalized in central Poland’s Lodz – the figure’s hands were painted red, and the monument’s base was inscribed with “Maxima Cupa” (“The Greatest Guilt”). The text is related to the title of the book by the Dutch correspondent in Warsaw, Eke Overbeek, “The Greatest Guilt. John Paul II Knew”, published recently in Poland.

In this book and in a report on the private television Te Pau En, it is alleged that the future pope covered up cases of pedophilia. This sparked a heated debate in Poland between the executive and the Church on the one hand, and liberals and the left on the other.

Copenhagen Zoo is implementing a new strategy to encourage the love lives of its two pandas

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Gaston de Persigny
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Females are fertile for only 24 to 36 hours in the spring

Concerned that its two pandas are late to breed, Copenhagen Zoo is implementing a new strategy to encourage their love lives, as the species are known to have difficulty reproducing, AFP reported.

The zoo in the Danish capital decided to put the pandas in the same enclosure a month earlier than usual, so that they can get used to each other before the moment of breeding, instead of quarreling noisily during the fateful period.

The zoo’s website posted a photo of the two animals staring at each other with disdain – a sign that love is not yet “in the air”.

On loan from China for 15 years, Mao Sun and Xin Er arrived in Copenhagen in the spring of 2019. Since then, all attempts to breed them have failed.

“We are trying an approach that has been successful with our polar and brown bears – to collect them now, even though Mao Sun will not be ready for love for several weeks,” explains veterinarian Mads Frost Bertelsen.

A panda’s break-up period lasts only two to three days, and zoo officials hope their new strategy will allow the animals to get to know each other again, fight and vent their frustrations before the moment of passion arrives.

“Pandas live alone and don’t like the company of others much, except for the few days a year when the female is driven away. During the first few days they are together, there can be serious clashes. We hope that the extra time that will spend together will allow them to stop fighting and focus on mating when the time is right,” says Bertelsen.

Breeding pandas is particularly difficult in captivity. Females are only fertile for 24 to 36 hours in the spring, according to the International Panda Conservation Organization.

“The problem is that they don’t really know what to do and they only have one time a year to train,” adds the vet. He adds that animals also have a problem with synchronization.

According to the organization, the panda population numbers 1,864 specimens, of which 600 live in captivity worldwide.

Source: Zoologisk Have København Instagram (@copenhagenzoo)

Illustrative Photo by Diana Silaraja:

Artificial intelligence can predict depression and anxiety

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Newsdesk
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It has been found that mental health problems are often reflected in the language used by sufferers

Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil are using artificial intelligence and the social platform Twitter to create predictive models for depression and anxiety, which in the future may help detect these conditions before clinical diagnosis. This was reported by the electronic edition “Medical Express”.

The results of the research were published in the magazine “Language Resources and Evaluation”.

The first element of the study is the construction of a database called “SetembroBR”. It contains information from a Portuguese-language text analysis and a network of connections involving 3,900 Twitter users who, before the study, said they had been diagnosed or treated for mental health problems. The database includes all public posts of these users, or a total of about 47 million short text messages.

“First we manually collected the posts, analyzed the tweets of about 19,000 people, equivalent to the population of a village or small town. Then we used two sets of databases – of people diagnosed with mental problems and a randomly selected control group,” said the head of the study by Ivandre Paraboni, a lecturer in the College of Arts, Sciences and Humanities at the University of São Paulo.

In the study, tweets of friends and followers of the participants were collected and analyzed. “These people are attracted to each other. They have common interests,” said Paraboni, who is also a researcher at the Center for Artificial Intelligence.

The second phase of the study is still ongoing, but there are already preliminary results. According to them, it is possible to predict whether a person is prone to develop depression based only on his friends and followers on social networks, without analyzing the content of his personal posts.

Previous research has found that mental health problems are often reflected in the language used by sufferers. Most of these studies analyzed texts in English.

Photo by cottonbro studio:

Ukraine weaponized pickups – tiny Grad on the go

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Newsdesk
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Ukraine weaponized pickups – tiny Grad on the go

Western countries are supplying a lot of weapons to Ukraine, believing that Ukraine can win this war. In addition to weapons, SUVs and pickup trucks are also sent to Ukraine. While they are mainly meant for logistics, pickup trucks sometimes are transformed into real multiple launch rocket systems.

Pickup serves as a good platform for a light multiple launch rocket system. Image credit: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0)

It’s like a tiny BM-21 Grad – this is how you can jokingly describe these improvised missile systems. But maybe not so jokingly – both Grad and these armed pickups are considered to be rocket artillery and are designed to destroy everything in a certain area. These weapons can be highly effective.

Pickups with their rocket launchers are very fast compared to other self-propelled weapons of this type. And, depending on the engine and the chassis system, they find their way off-road as well.

What are these pickup trucks launching? Defense Express explained last June that S-8 rocket launchers are being mounted on pickup trucks in Ukraine.

Developed back in the 1970s, the S-8 is an 80 mm rocket originally designed for aircrafts. The S-8 rockets are used by various fighter jets, attack aircraft, and helicopters. Since S-8 rockets have been in service since 1984 and were adapted to a huge variety of Soviet aircraft, Ukraine has a considerable stockpile of them. And the defenders of Ukraine found ways to launch them from pickup trucks.

The type of pickup doesn’t matter – the vehicle is just a base for the launcher. Image credit: 129th Territorial Defense Brigade of Kryvyi Rih City via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)

The S-8 is not some guided missile, but that only makes their improvised use easier. S-8 rockets can carry many different types of warheads, including anti-armor, fragmentation, incendiary, smoke, and others.

It looks like the defenders of Ukraine are mounting multiple S-8 air launchers on a simple welded frame. The good thing is that the S-8 missiles were designed for volleys – there are both 7 and 20 rocket launchers.

They can be modified, adapted to a different number of rockets. The frame designed by the defenders of Ukraine is not complicated – the rockets are aimed by hand. The switchgear is located in the cab of the pickup.

On April 15, 2023, a new video with pickup truck MLRS was published online:

 

It’s hard to say what the range of a system like this is. Some time ago Belarus developed a ground-based multiple launch rocket system based on the S-8, capable of launching a salvo of up to 80 such rockets. It was claimed to have a range of 3-5 km.

By comparison, the BM-21 Grad system can aim at targets of up to 52 km away. However, the S-8 rockets are quite cheap and smaller (the Grad uses 122 mm rockets), allowing for a greater number of them to be launched for more destruction.

In the case of the Ukrainian pickups, 3-5 km is a good combat range, because having launched its rockets the pickup can peel off at high speed before being noticed.

 

Source: Ukraina 365 Telegram , Wikipedia


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