Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
This week, we are getting our first visual evidence of Russia’s notorious glide bomb kit capability combined with a small turbojet engine, a modification that provides this class of munition with a significant boost in range. The latest version of the weapon is reportedly designated UMPK-PD, in which the “P” suffix very likely denotes Dalniaya, for long-range, although other sources describe a similar weapon as the UMPB-5R. Regardless, they look set to become another problem for Ukraine’s air defenses… if they work as advertised.
A rear view of one of the new Russian glide bombs, which can be adapted with a motor. via XThe bomb warhead of the same Russian glide bomb. via X
At least some of the photos of the wreckage of the glide bombs, posted recently to social media, appear to show the remains of the turbojet engine among the other components. The first such photos were apparently initially shared on a Ukrainian Telegram channel, Polkovnik GSh, and are said to date from the late spring or early summer of this year.
The remains of a Russian UMPK glide bomb, apparently equipped with a turbojet engine, shared by the Ukrainian Telegram channel Polkovnik GSh. via XA Chinese-made Swiwin SW800Pro-Y turbojet engine among the wreckage of one of the new glide bombs. via XThe UMPB-5R inscription from the same set of wreckage as the turbojet engine. via X
Meanwhile, reports in the Ukrainian media describe the use of such munitions against targets in the Kharkiv region, specifically the town of Lozovaya, around 56 miles from the front line, and in the Sumy region, where the reported target was the village of Khoten, 6.2 miles from the front line.
Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), has said that a new Russian glide bomb (presumably the UMPK-PD or UMPB-5R) was combat-tested in September/October and is now entering series production. He has said the weapons include “new control modules” and superior resistance to electronic countermeasures.
HUR’s Major General Vadym Skibitskyi said Russia combat tested a new guided bomb w/ ≤200km range in September-October and is now moving to mass production. He indicated it’s been used in Dnipro & other cities in recent weeks. He said the bombs have “new control modules” and… https://t.co/pOQBIYQ6CGpic.twitter.com/2PGroELTGQ
There have long been rumors that the Russian UMPK, or Unifitsirovannyi Modul Planirovaniya i Korrektsii, meaning unified gliding and correction module, glide bombs had started to be adapted to accommodate propulsion. This would be in keeping with the steady improvements that have been made to this series of weapons, which have included using new types of warheads as well as increasingly larger payloads.
One of the first photos that appeared showing the original 500-kilogram-class UMPK glide bomb in detail. via X
A recent report from the Russian daily newspaper Kommersant states that the latest version of the UMPK can strike targets at ranges of up to 62 miles, thanks to various aerodynamic improvements. This range is said to be achieved when released at an altitude of around 40,000 feet and at a speed of around 621 miles per hour. The range would be correspondingly reduced when launched at lower altitudes and lower speeds.
Meanwhile, the same weapon fitted with a motor reportedly doubles that baseline range, to 124 miles, comparable with a standoff weapon like a shorter-range cruise missile. While all these range figures should be treated with caution, anywhere near these range figures would provide an impressive leap in capability over the weapon’s unpowered counterpart.
Debris from another glide bomb, the UMPB-5R equipped with a Swiwin SW800Pro-Y turbojet engine, which can also be fitted to the new UMPK.
Publicly available data attributes the original UMPK weapons with a range of between 25 and 45 miles when strapped to a FAB-250, FAB-500, or FAB-1500 bomb. A range of between 31 and 37 miles can be achieved when using the heavier FAB-3000 bomb.
In its baseline form, the aerodynamic improvements for the UMPK-PD include a pair of wings, replacing the single pop-out wing that was originally used in the glide bomb kits. These provide increased area and, therefore, generate more lift for sustained flight.
The ‘twin-wing’ configuration is something that has been seen in use for some time now, but the motor wasn’t visible. That apparent anomaly now makes much more sense, given that versions of the UMPK-PD can be employed with or without the range-extending engine.
#RussiaUkraineWar 🇷🇺”The first case of using a guided aerial bomb on the city of Lozova, in the Kharkiv region” — Ukrainian prosecution A preliminary strike was carried out with a new modification of the KAB — UMPB-5R (rocket type), which traveled a distance of approximately 130… pic.twitter.com/AhffYzJFzA
Otherwise, the baseline UMPK-PD is also fitted with redesigned tail fins, guidance and control unit, and a power source, all of which are bolted to a standard free-fall bomb.
The bombs are typically released by Su-34 aircraft. A tandem 2-section wing with a folding main (front) section and a fixed tail section apparently gives extra lift. Jamming of the satellite navigation system is difficult to achieve due to use of multi-element antenna arrays . 2/ https://t.co/78DaoweYOfpic.twitter.com/Zgb8DrbhRw
When fitted with a jet engine, for maximum reach, the twin wings are reportedly of smaller size and are swept back. As for the engine, photos of the wreckage indicate this is a Chinese-made Swiwin SW800Pro-Y turbojet, which is commercially available and generates around 180 pounds of thrust. Russia’s ability to source large numbers of small turbojets domestically has been questioned in the past, so getting them from China off-the-shelf would certainly make sense.
A close-up of the Swiwin SW800Pro-Y turbojet engine. via X
The Kommersant report states that the powered UMPK-PD is now being combat-tested in prototype form, which means there may not yet be a standardized format for this version, with the potential for changes to be made based on early operational experience.
According to a report on Telegram from the pro-Russian military Fighterbomber channel, the specific bomb used as ‘payload’ for the UMPK-PD is the FAB-500T, a 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) class weapon. It is claimed that the specific properties of the FAB-500T, which include a more aerodynamic body and heat-resistant features, make it more suitable for powered, long-range flight.
Interestingly, the FAB-500T was originally developed during the Cold War for carriage by the MiG-25RB Foxbat reconnaissance-bomber. In this case, the letter “T” stands for Termostoykaya (thermally stable), since it was designed to withstand in-flight heating at the MiG-25RB’s cruising speed of 2,500km/h (1,553mph) at high altitude. It’s unclear how many FAB-500Ts remain in the Russian stockpile, but presumably other FAB-series bombs could also be adapted for use with the UMPK-PD, too.
A UMPK combined with a FAB-500T under the wing of a Russian tactical jet. via X via X
The UMPK-PD reportedly also features a new launch procedure, in which a combination of a spring mechanism and a pyrotechnic serves to deploy the wings after release from the aircraft. The various control surfaces are then adjusted to direct the munition toward the target.
This is very likely intended to overcome previously reported problems with the standard UMPK series.
As we wrote back in 2023, quoting an online critical analysis of the UMPK module, conducted anonymously by an employee of a Russian company:
The wing is opened after the bomb is dropped by a spring hooked to the locking mechanism. The wing opening mechanism is unreliable, and “the fact that the wing is not brought into flight position is a standard occurrence for this product.”
Ruslan Pukhov, the director of the Center for Analysis of Strategy and Technologies (CAST), a Moscow-based think tank, told Kommersant that the UMPK-PD is an “excellent, but probably temporary solution” to the problem of a lack of more purpose-designed precision-guided munitions to support the Russian ground forces. Pukhov noted that the UMPK-PD would help compensate for a lack of longer-range precision-guided munitions and even cruise missiles, but that it wouldn’t offer the same level of accuracy or destructive power.
Nevertheless, the UMPK-PD is another major headache for the hard-pressed Ukrainian air defenses.
Since their first employment in the war in Ukraine, the Russian glide bombs have proved to be extremely difficult to shoot down, being small in size, relatively fast, and with no thermal signature.
They have also been continually improved.
Meanwhile, Russia introduced another new standoff weapon last year, a winged precision-guided bomb known as the UMPB D-30SN, or simply UMPB. As we discussed at the time, this munition has some interesting parallels to the U.S.-made Small Diameter Bomb (SDB).
Undated photo (possibly recent), posted on the Aviahub TG channel earlier today, that clearly shows a pair of UMPB D-30SN glide weapons under the port wing of a VKS Su-34 strike fighter. pic.twitter.com/L5iPpor7Rq
As for the UMPK-PD, this can meanwhile be compared to a much cruder counterpart to the powered version of the Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER). The Powered JDAM essentially combines a JDAM-ER winged precision-guided bomb with a small turbine engine, creating something like a lower-cost cruise missile.
A mock-up of the Powered JDAM with its pop-out wings in the deployed position. Joseph Trevithick
As we have noted in the past, Russia has a limited air-launched standoff precision-guided munitions arsenal, overall, so being able to convert dumb bombs into longer-range guided weapons is of significant utility. The result is a series of weapons that allow the Russian Aerospace Forces to strike deeper in certain areas, as well as to conduct more survivable weapons deliveries in others.
Due to the crash program to develop these kinds of bombs, the earlier versions suffered from several shortcomings. However, with the Russian Aerospace Forces’ huge demand for weapons that can be launched at a safer distance from air defenses, and the tempo of airstrikes in general, the continued appearance of more refined versions of these weapons, including with longer range, is no surprise.
Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has been nominated as a candidate for U.N. secretary-general, launching her bid to lead the organization in 2027. File Photo by Sashenka Gutierrez/EPA
Sept. 26 (UPI) — Chilean President Gabriel Boric has officially nominated former President Michelle Bachelet as a candidate for U.N. secretary-general, launching her bid to lead the organization in 2027.
“Michelle Bachelet is not only a widely known and respected figure on the global stage. She is a woman whose life story is deeply consistent with the values that inspire this organization. She has served twice as Chile’s president and was, of course, the first woman to do so,” Boric said In his address Tuesday to the General Assembly,
He added that in her roles as executive director of U.N. Women and U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Bachelet “has governed, negotiated, healed and listened.” Her career allows her, in “times of fragmentation and mistrust,” to be a figure capable of building bridges.
The term of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres of Portugal ends in December 2026. Only Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca has also been nominated, and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has said he wants the position.
In July, a group of 36 former Latin American foreign ministers issued a statement stressing the urgent need to renew U.N. leadership, calling for stronger regional representation and for a woman to lead the organization.
Similarly, the former diplomats warned of “a clear gap in global representation,” noting that Latin America and the Caribbean have had only one U.N. secretary-general in eight decades — Peru’s Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, who served from 1982 to 1991 — and they called on member states “to support our region in taking on this responsibility in the next cycle.”
Several women have been mentioned as potential candidates for the U.N. leadership.
Costa Rican economist Rebeca Grynspan, 69, is secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development and a former vice president of Costa Rica. She is seen as a leading contender because of her long career and close ties within the U.N. system.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has endorsed biologist and diplomat Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s environment secretary and former executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Ecuadorian diplomat María Fernanda Espinosa has also been mentioned. She presided over the 73rd session of the U.N. General Assembly, becoming the first woman to hold that post. She has also served as foreign minister and ambassador to the United Nations.
Mia Amor Mottley, 60, is a Barbadian politician and attorney who has served as the eighth prime minister of Barbados since 2018 and as Leader of the Barbados Labour Party since 2008. Mottley is the first woman to hold either position.
“There are other very competent candidates, which is why a strong diplomatic effort and the presentation of a program for U.N. governance in difficult times will be key to standing out from the rest,” Heraldo Muñoz, former foreign minister of Chile, told UPI.
Muñoz also served as assistant secretary-general of the U.N. Development Program for Latin America and the Caribbean and as Chile’s ambassador to the United Nations.
He added that by announcing its candidate before the General Assembly, Chile “immediately positioned the former president’s bid before member states, the international press, commentators who follow world politics and civil society.”
He stressed that what comes next is hard work by Chile’s foreign ministry to deploy “its diplomatic resources to secure formal support from member states in different regions. They will have to be convinced by Michelle Bachelet’s experience in senior U.N. positions.”
Once candidates are officially nominated, the election of the next U.N. secretary-general has two stages.
All members of the Security Council must vote on a candidate. If any of the five permanent members veto the choice, that candidate is immediately out of the race. When a consensus emerges, the name is submitted to the General Assembly, which then votes to ratify or reject the appointment.
“It will be necessary to pay special attention to the 15 members of the Security Council, which proposes a name to the General Assembly. Priority work will be required with the five permanent members, who hold veto power over the candidacies,” Muñoz said.
René Jara, a political scientist and professor at the University of Santiago, said that “any alliance that can be made with other countries, particularly with the BRICS, is important.”
Jara added that the election will pit two forces against each other: those who support U.S. foreign policy and “those who will be a counterweight to those policies.” In his view, “that will be the big battle.”
The clip, featuring a Qatar Airways wide-body aircraft, was filmed at Madrid–Barajas Airport in Spain. The zoomed-in footage, filmed from a terminal window, shows the ground staff member outside the plane’s rear door.
William McGee and Milo Boyd Digital Travel Reporter
15:22, 18 Sep 2025
A baggage handler was caught on camera hurling luggage in scenes have left social media users divided.
The zoomed-in footage, filmed from a terminal window, shows the ground staff member outside the plane’s rear door. He can be seen catching items tossed by a colleague and flinging them on.
The clip, featuring a Qatar Airways wide-body aircraft, was filmed at Madrid–Barajas Airport in Spain. The video-taker joked: “I’ll put this bottle of wine in the suitcase, I don’t think it’ll break…”
Social media users were quick to react to the clip. “This video should reach his company so they can see how well this man works,” one said.
The bag could be seen being flung (Image: Jam Press/@pablovs7_)
Raquel questioned: “Is that what we pay for checked baggage for?” While Mónica vented: “This only happens in Spain. I’ve never seen luggage treated so badly anywhere else, it’s unbelievable. Almost every time we come back from a trip, the suitcases arrive wrecked.”
Analú said: “Honestly, that’s a disgrace. I’m sure there are plenty of unemployed people who would be happy to do that job properly.”
But not everyone was convinced the baggage handler was in the wrong.
“For those who’ve never flown or even seen a plane and criticise without knowing: they’re just taking out the blankets to clean the cabin, it’s not luggage,” one commenter pointed out.
Pablo added: “Suitcases aren’t unloaded at the passenger doors.” And Nicolás concluded: “Honestly, I think he’s doing everything right – he’s very efficient at his job.”
Madrid–Barajas Airport and Qatar Airways have been approached for comment.
The sandwich in question(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
The incident is not the only aviation-related outrage to ruffle feathers. Declan Minogue and his wife Claire Minogue, 61, were travelling back from Faro to Dublin Airport on 21 July after seven relaxing nights in Portugal. The 63-year-old felt a bit of hunger coming on, so he decided to order the £5.90 Hot Ham and Cheese Panini from a flight attendant.
However, it was not the hunger-busting snack he had hoped for. Decland claims he was ‘stunned’ to open it up and discover just one piece of ham and the ‘tiniest bit of cheese’ with no butter. Despite polishing off the ‘bland’ sandwich that he compared to ‘something out of Oliver Twist,’ Declan claims he was forced to buy more food when he landed because he was still hungry.
Taking to social media, the dad-of-two shared a photo of the sandwich captioned ‘shocking and insulting’.
Declan who lives in Lusk, Dublin, Ireland, said: “It was the worst airplane food ever. It was a massive rip off. I was shocked when I saw it. I got it and I opened it and couldn’t believe it so I took a picture. It had two slices of ham and the tiniest bit of cheese and the cheese was like butter. There was no substance to it. I was stunned.”
New party set to challenge Labour from the left as government’s popularity wanes over welfare policy, war in Gaza.
United Kingdom lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn has announced he is launching a new political party to run to the left of the Labour party that he previously led.
On Thursday, Corbyn and Member of Parliament Zarah Sultana, who both became independents after leaving Labour, announced the new party, which did not yet have an officially registered name but was temporarily dubbed “Your Party” on its website.
In a joint statement, they said it was “time for a new kind of political party” focused on righting social injustices and combating a “rigged” system.
“The system is rigged when the government says there is no money for the poor, but billions for war,” the statement said, envisioning a party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”.
It further laid out broad policy objectives, including “mass redistribution of wealth and power” and a commitment to a “free and independent Palestine”.
It’s time for a new kind of political party – one that belongs to you.
The statement called on supporters to sign up to “be part of the founding process”, adding that an inaugural conference would be held to determine the party’s structure of leadership, direction and policies.
While the timeline of the party’s launch was not immediately clear, the announcement comes when Labour leader Keir Starmer has been haemorrhaging support after his party ended nearly two decades of Conservative rule in last year’s July general election.
Starmer has faced particular criticism for failing to unify his party behind signature legislation seeking to pare down the country’s welfare spending. In the end, Starmer passed a softened version of the bill, later suspending a handful of the Labour rebels who led opposition to the proposed cuts.
Starmer has also faced pressure to more firmly reset ties with Israel amid its war on Gaza and to recognise a Palestinian state.
The 76-year-old Corbyn, who took control of the opposition Labour party in 2015, had stepped down as leader after a trouncing by the Conservatives in the 2019 general election.
The Labour party under Starmer then suspended Corbyn in 2020 after he refused to fully accept the findings of a probe into claims that anti-Semitism had become rampant within Labour’s ranks under his leadership.
Corbyn maintained that anti-Semitism had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons”.
The avowed socialist, who was one of the most left-wing Labour party leaders in decades, ran as an independent in last year’s general election, winning his Islington North seat handily.
Sultana, meanwhile, has been a member of parliament for six years, and had been a member of Labour’s young, left-leaning flank.
She was also suspended from the party in 2024, after she broke from the party in her opposition to a cap on benefits for parents with more than two children.
In a post on X on Thursday, Sultana addressed the naming of the new party, which has generated some confusion.
Elon Musk says he is launching a new political party, weeks after dramatically falling out with US President Donald Trump.
The billionaire announced on his social media platform X that he had set up the America Party, billing it as a challenge to the Republican and Democratic two-party system.
However, it is unclear if the party has been formally registered with US election authorities. Musk, who was born outside of the US and is thus ineligible to run for the US presidency, does not say who will lead it.
He first raised the prospect of forming a party during his public feud with Trump, which saw him leave his role in the administration and engage in a vicious public spat with his former ally.
During that row, Musk posted a poll on X asking users if there should be a new political party in the US.
Referencing that poll in his post on Saturday, Musk wrote: “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.
“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
As of Saturday, the Federal Electoral Commission had not published documents indicating the party had been formally registered.
While there have been high-profile players outside the traditional two-party system in US politics, it is difficult for them to gain strong enough nationwide popularity to pose a real threat.
In the presidential election last year, candidates from the likes of Libertarian Party, the Green Party and the People’s Party all tried in vain to stop Trump or his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, from winning.
Musk was until recently a core supporter of Trump, dancing alongside him during election rallies last year and bringing his four-year-old son to meet Trump in the Oval Office.
He was also Trump’s key financial backer: Musk spent $250m (£187m) to help him regain office.
After the election, he was appointed to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which was tasked with identifying swingeing cuts in the federal budget.
His fallout with Trump began when he left the administration in May and publicly criticised Trump’s tax and spending plans.
The legislation – which Trump has called his “big, beautiful bill” – was narrowly passed by Congress and signed into law by the president this week.
The massive law includes huge spending commitments and tax cuts, and is estimated to add more than $3tn to the US deficit over the next decade.
Crucially for Musk, who owns electric-vehicle giant Tesla, Trump’s bill does not focus on green transition or subsidies for products like Teslas.
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far,” Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social, this week. “Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
Trump threatened to have Doge look into subsidies in favour of Musk’s companies, alluding also to the billionaire’s other businesses.
Musk also owns SpaceX, which launches rockets for the US government, and Starlink, which provides satellite service for US and European defence forces.
