Sam Fellman
@samfellman.bsky.social
Journalist @Business Insider + 🇺🇸 veteran / 2026-7 Knight fellow @MIT / Priors: Military Times, 'Balance of Power' videos, Iraq, USS Nimitz / "What do we kill? Rockets" Contact me securely: (Signal) Samfellman.16 (Email) sfellman [at] proton.me
Some LOAC issues raised by Trump’s latest version of this threat: —threat of indiscriminate attacks (not against specific military objectives) —threat of attacks against civilian objects (not all those targets will be military obj) —threat of violence intended to terrorize civilian population
Shipwreck@shipwreck75.bsky.social · 2w agoTrump on SoH:
“The Israeli military is quietly but quickly building a giant earthen barrier separating the over 50% of the Gaza Strip it controls from the rest of the territory…”
Israel is building a miles-long earthen barrier inside Gaza, entrenching its division
The Israeli military is rapidly constructing a large earthen barrier in the Gaza Strip, further entrenching the division of the tiny Palestinian enclave.
apnews.com
"For the military to defy policy direction from a Minister appointed by the President and Parliament to implement a reform agenda therefore brought into question the premise of Ukraine’s war effort," RUSI's Jack Watling writes: www.rusi.org/explore-our-...
The Dismissal of Ukraine’s Defence Minister
Fedorov’s removal leaves critical issues unresolved between the Defence Ministry and General Staff.
rusi.org
A Ukrainian manufacturer said they are "deeply concerned" that the country has gone through three defense ministers in a little over a year: Via Sinéad Baker and @byjepstein.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-arms...
Ukraine's weapons makers fear a costly slowdown after their tech champion was pushed out of the defense ministry
Defense industry sources worry about what Mykhailo Fedorov's dismissal could mean for battlefield innovation at a pivotal moment in the war.
businessinsider.com
"There is no training for the anticipation, the hum of orders, or how the air weighs down with the threat of violence." Powerful account of Stockdale's reaction to Houthi attacks from the ship's conning officer: www.usni.org/magazines/pr...
Under Fire in the Red Sea
September 2024. The guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106) is about to enter one of the most contested waters of the world: the Red Sea’s Bab el Mandeb Strait.
usni.org
When Russian sailors opened fire on Ukraine's explosive-laden boats, nearby drones launched small aerial drones to kill them. Uncrewed boats are evolving rapidly, as @byjepstein.bsky.social reports: www.businessinsider.com/ukraines-dro...
Ukraine's war drones are catching new rides into battle
Motherships are helping Ukraine send small drones farther into battle and strike from less predictable directions.
businessinsider.com
Colleagues from BILD saw Ukraine's long-range drone war up close on a secret launch mission. via the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network: www.businessinsider.com/inside-ukrai...
Inside Ukraine's secret mission to devastate Russian energy facilities
In eastern Ukraine, soldiers furtively readied Fire Point drones to fly attack runs deep into Russia. Their biggest fear is being discovered.
businessinsider.com
Marines working with DoD to build direct-hire path for civilian jobs www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
Marines working with DoD to build direct-hire path for civilian jobs
The Corps is scheming up a way for troops to seamlessly land their first civilian jobs, up to a year before their end of active service date arrives.
militarytimes.com
"From what I see, Fedorov is the best defense minister so far — the most active and willing to reorganize [the] old corrupted machine," an Unmanned Systems Forces officer told BI. www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-pro-...
Ukraine is ousting its pro-tech defense minister after just 6 months. Troops fear it's a monumental victory for Russia.
Mykhailo Fedorov set out to transform Ukraine's military into a modern fighting force. Soldiers praised many of his reforms.
businessinsider.com
"In the 19th century, the great Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz observed that war is politics by other means. In this conflict, only one side truly acted on that insight." [Spoiler: It's not us 😑] warontherocks.com/outgunned-bu...
Outgunned, But Not Outplayed: Iran's Theory of Victory
Nineteen weeks ago, Iran faced the combined might of the most powerful country in the world and the most advanced military in the Middle East. Today, it
warontherocks.com
There are *four* takeovers in this picture: Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, and (h/t eagle-eyed @trs1998.bsky.social) Cuba!
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 3w agoTrump posts an image featuring a map showing the United States taking over Canada and Greenland
It is easier to fantasize about future wars than to end ongoing ones. Exhibits A, B, C: 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 🇮🇷
Gerry Doyle@mgerrydoyle.bsky.social · 3w agooh cool we're doing this again
Assuming this math is correct, it means that the US plans to charge 15X as much as the Islamic Republic of Iran. So if you're a shipper, whom do you want to do business with -- Trump or the ayatollah?
Bill Grueskin@bgrueskin.bsky.social · 3w agoDoes this math look right? It seems that the most common oil tanker holds ≈ 2 million barrels of oil. At $75/barrel, that's ≈ $150 million worth of oil aboard. Iran wants to charge ≤ $2 million/vessel. Trump wants to charge 20%, which = $30 million. tritonmaritime.com/triton-exper...
Have you noticed it can cost hundreds of dollars for a family bowling outing? Thank private equity. @spettypi.bsky.social reports. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Wall Street goes bowling for profits, driving up the price of a middle-class pastime
Fueled by private equity investments, Lucky Strike Entertainment went on a buying spree and now owns more than 1 in 10 American bowling alleys.
nbcnews.com
Gripens are great for Ukraine's air force, but they are not a silver bullet, as BI's Sinéad Baker reports: www.businessinsider.com/ukraines-get...
Ukraine is finally going to get Gripen fighters built for a Russia fight, but new jets come with new challenges
Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets have long been viewed as ideal for Ukraine's fight against Russia and it's long-term security.
businessinsider.com
Whiskey Friday can't come too soon 🥃
Bill Grueskin@bgrueskin.bsky.social · 4w agoWhen mixing up on-air photos of Kanye and Diddy aren't the worst thing that happened on your broadcast over the past week, you know you're in trouble. Lots of details on the 'we knew it was shit' situation at CBS Evening News. nypost.com/2026/07/08/m...
The 737's flight path crossed the region affected by the collapsing US-Iran ceasefire before its crash. via @trainsonplanes.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-p...
What may have caused the 737 plane to crash off the coast of Pakistan
The K2 Airways cargo plane from Pakistan, carrying five crew members, plummeted before losing contact. Small clues point to possible causes.
businessinsider.com
New details on the AI 'kill web' NATO has begun building, in partnership with a colleague at BILD: www.businessinsider.com/nato-builds-...
NATO is building an AI 'Kill Web' to stop Russian attackers in their tracks
The new strategy creates a vast network to detect and strike targets, an approach shaped by lessons from Ukraine.
businessinsider.com
This is exactly the opposite of what candidate Trump called for: Ending the Ukraine war in 24 hours. Now President Trump says he's letting them fight. With less US arms support to Ukraine, that has generally favored Russia www.businessinsider.com/how-trump-co...
What Trump's own words tell us about what a White House win could mean for Ukraine
Russia's war in Ukraine is a major issue in the 2024 election. If Trump wins the White House, Ukraine's future is more uncertain than ever.
businessinsider.com
Kori Schake@kschake.bsky.social · 4w agoShameful equivalency between attacker and victim.
Trump keeps playing the same card (threats of massive retaliation) and expects a different result
Jake Lahut@jakelahut.bsky.social · 4w agoTrump on Iran: "There may be a big attack, and it'll knock out a lot of stuff."
This is a significant misspeak by Trump. The United States is treaty-bound to defend Japan
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4w agoTrump: "We had 11 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan"
A 2020 law bans the US from selling Turkey F-35s stealth fighters until the secretary of state certifies Turkey has not purchased or accepted Russia's S-400 air defense system (which are now in Turkey's possession). www.fddaction.org/policy-alert...
Policy Alert: Why Congress Must Block Any F-35 Transfer to Turkey
Bot...
fddaction.org
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4w agoQ: Are you gonna sell F-35s to Turkey, and what about the legal restrictions? TRUMP: Why wouldn't we do that? Turkey in many ways has been much more loyal than other countries than we think would be loyal. It's certainly something we'd consider.
It was a decade ago my newsroom got word of a police shooting in a nearby suburb. The victim's name was Philando Castile. His death would trigger a surge of protest for police accountability, the first criminal charges against an officer and would change the state. (1) share.google/B3Ogmudw35eb...
‘Nobody was supposed to know what his name was’: Philando Castile’s legacy grows a decade after his death
A decade after he was killed by a St. Anthony police officer, the legacy of Philando Castile looms large in how people view policing in the Twin Cities.
share.google
"You have to be careful when you sleep next to a bear." See how Europe's eastern edge is preparing for war: www.businessinsider.com/nato-eastern...
NATO's eastern flank prepares to fend off Russia — with or without America
Reporters traveled to three exposed stretches of Europe's eastern frontier and found varied strategies and uneven progress to deter Russia.
businessinsider.com
These makeshift drone defenses look as effective as a screen door on a submarine -> www.businessinsider.com/russia-anti-...
Russia equipped its submarines with anti-drone cages to protect against Ukraine's deep strikes, Western intel says
Cages are common on the battlefield to give armored vehicles more protection against drones. They are increasingly used to shield infrastructure.
businessinsider.com
Foreign volunteers can earn as much as $10,000 a month fighting for Ukraine. An official described it as the "highest salaries in the world for infantry." via @byjepstein.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-payi...
Ukraine is paying big to get foreign fighters to the front. Keeping them there is the hard part.
Foreign fighters told Business Insider that new contracts and higher pay could fix manpower issues if soldiers stick around long enough.
businessinsider.com
So many questions about this incident. Can only hope a full and transparent investigation answers them. As a former Guard Soldier I'm particularly curious what Rules for the Use of Force (RUF) they're operating under and what their law enforcement training consists of. www.npr.org/2026/07/05/n...
National Guard troops fatally shoot a man in downtown Memphis
Memphis police say National Guard troops fired their weapons in the early morning hours of July 5, killing a man who was armed with a handgun. State investigators will handle the case.
npr.org
New High Side article out today about the JSOC 0400 counter-WMD mission, and the proposed plan to snatch highly enriched Uranium out of Iran. thehighside.substack.com/p/iran-wmd-r...
More than 2 million troops have been killed or wounded since Putin's invasion, per @csis.org study, including 1.4 million Russians and up to 625,000 Ukrainians. Russian deaths are four times greater than US has had in all wars since WWII combined. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/u...
Troop Casualties in Ukraine War Top 2 Million, Study Finds
nytimes.com