North Korea has launched more balloons carrying debris towards South Korea, further escalating tensions between the two countries. This action comes in response to South Korea’s resumption of anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts, triggered by North Korea’s previous balloon campaigns. The situation raises concerns about potential physical provocations from North Korea, leading to heightened military activity and a breakdown in inter-Korean relations.
North Korea has launched hundreds of trash-filled balloons towards South Korea, in retaliation for activists flying anti-North Korean leaflets across the border. The balloons, carrying cigarette butts, cloth scraps, waste paper, and vinyl, have been found in various parts of South Korea. South Korea’s military has advised people to beware of falling objects and to report any suspicious objects to the authorities. There have been no reports of injuries or damage. The balloon launches are part of a series of recent provocative steps by North Korea, including a failed spy satellite launch and a barrage of short-range missile launches. South Korea’s military has said it has no plans to shoot down the balloons, citing concerns about causing damage or the possibility that they might contain dangerous substances.
Ukraine has unveiled a novel weapon in its arsenal: long-range balloons equipped with mortar bombs. These balloons, controlled by sophisticated electronics and guided by GPS, pose unique challenges for Russia’s air defenses.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported shooting down numerous Ukrainian balloons, some carrying radar reflectors and others armed with mortar bombs. Experts believe that these balloons are more advanced than previous models and have a range of hundreds of kilometers.
The Ukrainian balloon bombs are fitted with Bluetooth modules that trigger the release of munitions when the balloon passes over a predetermined target area. They also have GPS trackers that allow Ukraine to monitor their progress and map areas where GPS is being jammed or spoofed.
While the accuracy of these balloon bombs is limited, their low cost and ease of deployment make them a potentially effective weapon for Ukraine. They force Russia to divert resources to counter them and could be used to disrupt key infrastructure or airbases.
