London — Gamers around the world can now buy and play at home a pared-down version of a first-person drone training program developed and used by the Ukrainian armed forces. The game’s evolution — from battlefield training tool to home entertainment — is a notable first, and it is tied directly to Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to repel Russia’s four-year, full-scale invasion.

“Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator” (UFDS) is available to buy online for about $30. It features the same ultra-realistic physics and piloting controls that have helped teach Ukrainian drone pilots to seek out and destroy Russian tanks, missile launchers and troops. The Full Simulator is available, for free, to all members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use.   

Vlad Plaksin, CEO of the Drone Fight Club Academy, a facility that trains Ukrainian military drone pilots, was one of the lead developers and driving forces behind UFDS. The academy has trained more than 5,000 Ukrainian military drone pilots since it was established early in the war, and it collaborated last year with the U.S. Air Force for a training session at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Plaksin told CBS News one objective in turning the military program into a video game is to train young Ukrainians to fly drones, to “give them a possibility not to go to the trench with rifles.”

Interest in anything drone-related among young Ukrainians has soared during the war, thanks largely to the country’s military drone pilots, whom Plaksin said had achieved heroic status.

“Most young people want to fly, want to hit [Russian targets], want to grow up in this new world of robotics,” he told CBS News.

The game’s creators call it a “public adaptation of a leading ultra-realistic FPV [first person view] drone trainer, built on lessons from the Ukrainian front line,” offering players an opportunity to “learn to fly like a front-line pilot, take on real-world mission scenarios, and feel the rush of modern FPV warfare.”

In hyperrealistic detail, it includes different types of drones to pilot on combat missions against Russian targets, with weather conditions and other variables that aim to provide an experience realistic enough for anyone to learn and practice the basics of drone warfare. 

There are many games that offer similar FPV warfare experiences, including driving tanks, piloting fighter jets, and commanding submarines. But UFDS is the first to be developed directly from military software.

Ethical concerns?

While many games have likely been used by armed forces around the world as teaching tools, they have been developed as games first. UFDS flips that model around, bringing a real-world military training tool to screens in people’s homes. 

Plaksin acknowledged ethical concerns around creating a game that allows young people to pretend they’re piloting deadly drones in such a realistic way, calling it “a very sensitive question,” but noting that the game is not unique in this regard.

“There are many other simulators which do the same, and we are not opening something new,” he said.

UFDS is not the first video game to be used as a pseudo recruitment tool by a military, either. 

The “America’s Army” series, launched in 2002 and developed by the U.S. Army, is widely seen as the first overt use of video games to drive recruitment by a national military. While the series was nowhere near as realistic as UFDS, it served a similar purpose.

Could Russia take advantage?

Plaksin says the Ukrainian game, at its core, is a tool for people to gain “a basic knowledge for the drones, but also at the same time, we try to do it maximum safety, for not sharing the sensitive information.”

To avoid revealing details that Russia’s military could potentially use to train its own pilots, there are significant differences between the publicly available version of UFDS and the version used at the Drone Fight Club Academy to train Ukrainian military operators.

Those differences are “mostly about tactics,” Plaksin told CBS News. “It gives you everything that you need, but it will not give you the tactics. I think it’s the main difference between the versions.”

He said some of that just involves paring down what, for gamers, might be the more tedious parts of drone warfare. Gamers may not want to spend 30 minutes flying their virtual drone to reach an objective, for instance. So the gameplay is deliberately made more arcade-style, while maintaining highly realistic controls and user experience.

This means that there is “less understanding of missions, less understanding of how to fly for a huge distance” which is a vital part of training drone pilots. 

“When you fly on the [real] drones, you see the area and you need to read the map and compare it with what you see,” Plaksin said. “In missions, it’s very important. In arcade games, it’s not important, and we don’t put it inside because it will not be interesting for the players.”

UFDS is still a very niche game, with only around 50 people playing online daily. Such detailed military simulation games often garner small but loyal followings, and rarely break into the wider gaming community. 

But Plaksin is trying to change that, and broaden appeal. He’s helping to organize a championship he hopes will “maximise the level of people playing the game” and encourage competition between players. 

The skies over Lahore lit up with vibrant kites as the centuries-old spring festival of Basant made a return on Friday, attracting jubilant crowds and enthusiastic participation from celebrities.

The three-day festival is being celebrated across Lahore after the Punjab government lifted a more than two-decade ban and permitted a tightly regulated celebration in Lahore.

The return of Basant had showbiz stars celebrating, with celebrities sharing every moment — from preparations to kite flying — on social media.

On her Instagram story, Muama actress Saba Qamar shared that she has managed to find only two days in her busy schedule to fly kites.

Ayeza Khan posted images clad in the traditional, vibrant outfit.

Imran Ashraf was spotted flying a kite on a rooftop adorned with bright yellow, green, and red colours, traditionally associated with Basant.

Qarz-e-Jaan star Usama Khan also shared a video, showing his kite soaring through the skies.

Veteran Noor Bukhari expressed gratitude towards the authorities for bringing Basant back to Lahore.

Meanwhile, Hania Aamir emphasised the importance of preserving indigenous traditions while ensuring public safety.

Local administrations enforced safety measures, including bans on metallic and chemical kite strings, designated flying zones and increased presence of law enforcement personnel during the celebrations.

Condemnations poured in after a suicide bomber targeted Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra in Islamabad’s Tarlai area, leaving at least 31 worshippers dead and dozens wounded during Friday prayer.

Officials fear the death toll may rise as emergency services remain on high alert across the capital, while all major hospitals have declared an emergency. Authorities have mobilised doctors, nurses and paramedics to ensure immediate treatment for the injured.

Rescue teams shifted the injured to different hospitals across the capital while security forces cordoned off the area and began evidence collection.

Eyewitnesses say the attacker opened fire at the entrance before detonating explosives after guards tried to stop him at the main gate.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief and sorrow over the blast, offering condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and praying for patience for the bereaved.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, voicing profound anguish over the martyrdoms and extending sympathies to the affected families.

Following the tragic incident, PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered immediate identification and arrest of those responsible.

Acts of terror unacceptable: US

The United States has strongly condemned the terrorist attack that left innocent worshippers dead and injured, saying all acts of terror and violence are unacceptable, US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement.

US Charge d’Affaires Natalie A Baker expressed sincere condolences to those wounded and to the families of those killed in the bombing.

The embassy stated that violence against civilians and places of worship cannot be justified.

It reiterated that the US continues to support Pakistan’s efforts to advance peace and security and remains committed to the bilateral partnership aimed at promoting stability. The embassy added that Washington stands with Islamabad during this challenging moment.

‘Outraged and heartbroken’

UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott said she is “outraged and heartbroken” by the horrific attack at the imambargah in Islamabad during Friday prayer. She extends her thoughts and prayers to those killed and injured and to their families.

The British envoy termed such violence abhorrent and expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan in the wake of the tragedy.

China stands firmly with Pakistan: embassy

The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and injuries caused by the explosion at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra.

It extended heartfelt condolences to the victims and conveys sincere sympathies to their families, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The embassy emphasised China’s solidarity with Pakistan, stating that it stands firmly with its Pakistani brothers and sisters during this difficult time.

Islamabad attack ‘hideous act’: Iran envoy

Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Islamabad, describing it as a hideous act that led to the martyrdom and injury of dozens of innocent civilians.

He conveyed the condemnation on behalf of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Standing with Pakistan in fight against terrorism: Turkiye

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye said it condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack carried out at a mosque during the Friday prayers in Islamabad.

Ankara extended condolences to the families of those killed and to the people of Pakistan. It expressed solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.

EU envoy expresses deep shock

European Union’s Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis expressed deep shock over the suicide attack in Islamabad, describing it as a heinous act. He said that the EU strongly condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism.

Karoblis extended condolences to the families of the victims and the injured, emphasising solidarity with the people of Pakistan.

Afghanistan condemns Islamabad bombing

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan also strongly condemned the suicide bombing in at the mosque in Islamabad during Friday prayers, which resulted in the death and injury of numerous worshippers.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson of the Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, said that Kabul condemned such attacks that violate the sanctity of sacred rituals and mosques and target worshippers and innocent people.

Other nations also denounced the terrorist attack and showed solidarity with Pakistan.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.