Exclusive -- the March 21 attack on the @UN-deconflicted al-Atareb hospital in NW #Syria involved the use of #Russian "Krasnopol" laser-guided artillery shells, guided precisely to their target by a Russian UAV.
Extensive analysis of munition debris shows a direct correlation.
Extensive analysis of munition debris shows a direct correlation.
@UN Shortly after the attack, doctors & rescue workers began recovering remnants of the shells that hit al-Atareb hospital.
In addition to the usual metal shrapnel, they found circuit boards -- a tell-tale sign of precision-guidance tech, in this case, in artillery shells.
In addition to the usual metal shrapnel, they found circuit boards -- a tell-tale sign of precision-guidance tech, in this case, in artillery shells.
@UN That piqued my interest & in the days since, employees of al-Atareb hospital (associated with @sams_usa) gathered all the shell debris, removed it to a safe site & photographed it for analysis.
It soon became clear we were looking at *certain* evidence of Krasnopol munitions.
It soon became clear we were looking at *certain* evidence of Krasnopol munitions.
@UN @sams_usa Thanks to a small team of munitions & geospatial analysts (@blueboy1969 @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89 @EliotHiggins), much of the debris can be directly attributed to laser-guided Krasnopol shells.
Some individual debris items amount to Krasnopol "fingerprints."
Some individual debris items amount to Krasnopol "fingerprints."
@UN @sams_usa @blueboy1969 @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89 @EliotHiggins Intriguingly, some of the debris found in al-Atareb aligns closely with debris discovered at the site of Krasnopol laser-guided artillery strikes in #Ukraine -- as shown here (top image: #Atareb / bottom images: #Ukraine)
informnapalm.org/en/russian-occ…
Again, the evidence is clear.
informnapalm.org/en/russian-occ…
Again, the evidence is clear.
@UN @sams_usa @blueboy1969 @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89 @EliotHiggins Laser-guided artillery munitions require a target ‘designator’ — which in this case, was almost certainly a #Russia UAV.
48hrs after the strike, Telegram channels used by #Russian troops began sharing this video, proving a [Ural-series] UAV was overhead:
48hrs after the strike, Telegram channels used by #Russian troops began sharing this video, proving a [Ural-series] UAV was overhead:
@UN @sams_usa @blueboy1969 @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89 @EliotHiggins Thanks to @nytimes investigations, we know #Russia has hit UN-deconflicted targets using air-to-ground precision weapons -- but this is the 1st evidence of precision ground-to-ground munitions being used for such sensitive strikes.
It implicates @mod_russia in another war crime.
It implicates @mod_russia in another war crime.
@UN @sams_usa @blueboy1969 @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89 @EliotHiggins @nytimes @mod_russia In pursuing culpability & accountability, there's a great deal that OSINT analysis can accomplish.
A big thanks for @sams_usa for gathering so much evidence.
And a big gratitude to @blueboy1969 (for this initial ID) & @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89's expertise!
A big thanks for @sams_usa for gathering so much evidence.
And a big gratitude to @blueboy1969 (for this initial ID) & @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89's expertise!
@UN @sams_usa @blueboy1969 @ain92ru @CalibreObscura @obretix @N_Waters89 @EliotHiggins @nytimes @mod_russia It's no secret that #Russia has been deploying #Krasnopol shells in #Syria -- this video shows their use in 2016-17:
But using them to hit a hospital 'deconflicted' by the @UN is *very* new & directly implicates @mod_russia in yet another war crime.
But using them to hit a hospital 'deconflicted' by the @UN is *very* new & directly implicates @mod_russia in yet another war crime.
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