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Ukrainian drone pilot training program turned into video game so anyone can “feel the rush” of modern warfare

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Ukrainian drone pilot training program turned into video game so anyone can “feel the rush” of modern warfare


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.”

A screenshot from the “Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator” video game shows the first-person view perspective of a player moments before the simulated drone impacts a Russian truck.

Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator


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.

ukrainian-drone-game.png

The view from a simulated drone just after it releases a bomb over a Russian trench, as seen in a screenshot from the Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator video game.

Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator


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.

ukraine-drone-r18-octocopter.jpg

Ukrainian soldiers with a drone unit from the 24th Mechanized Brigade prepare a Ukrainian-designed R18 octocopter UAV during a training exercise in eastern Ukraine, in early October 2023.

CBS News


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. 



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Kim Kardashian faces legal trouble by ‘innocent’ man

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Kim Kardashian faces legal trouble by ‘innocent’ man


Kim Kardashian faces legal trouble by ‘innocent’ man

Kim Kardashian is facing a fresh legal battle after a New York man, whom her lawyers previously accused of filing a “meritless” lawsuit, vowed to overturn a court order requiring him to pay her more than $167,000 in legal fees. 

Ivan Cantu had originally sued the 45-year-old reality star after she accidentally shared his photo on social media in February 2024, mistakenly identifying him as a Texas death row inmate with the same name who was about to be executed. 

Although the defamation case was dismissed last November, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled on Monday that Cantu must reimburse Kardashian for her legal costs, despite his claims that the bill would destroy him financially.

The dispute began when Kardashian, a high-profile advocate for criminal justice reform, posted the wrong Cantu’s snap to her 350 million followers. 

While her team called it an “honest mistake” that was corrected almost immediately, the New York-based Cantu argued the mix-up caused him lifelong trauma, anxiety, and depression. 

His lawyer, Greg Sobo, told the Daily Mail on Tuesday that they are proud to stand by an “innocent victim who was slandered,” adding that Monday’s ruling is simply one step in the process of obtaining justice against the “rich and powerful.”

In the recent ruling, Judge Michael Small described Cantu’s argument, that it was unfair to make him pay because Kardashian is wealthy and he is of modest means, as “unavailing” on a legal basis. 

The judge noted that income disparities were irrelevant to the law, which entitles a prevailing party to recover reasonable attorney’s fees.

Kardashian’s legal team has been firm, stating that Cantu miscalculated by thinking he could “force a payout” based on her celebrity status, and that he must now face the consequences of his failed “gambit.”

However, the decision to aggressively pursue the $167,473.69 payment has sparked a backlash among fans and social media users. 

On a Kardashian-themed subreddit, the star was described as “petty” and “greedy” for chasing such a sum from a private family man when her own net worth is estimated at over $1.9 billion. 

Critics argued that while celebrities often do this to discourage frivolous lawsuits, Kardashian should have let this one go given that her team “royally messed up” by using the wrong man’s likeness in such a sensitive context.

As it stands, Cantu’s legal team remains confident that the order will be overturned on appeal, insisting that the current ruling is inconsistent with California law. 

Kardashian, who is currently linked to F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, has yet to comment personally on the ongoing friction. 

For now, the case serves as a stark reminder of the immense power of a single social media post and the very different realities of those caught in its wake.





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President to undergo medical examination amid serious concerns

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President to undergo medical examination amid serious concerns


Trump health update: President to undergo medical examination amid serious concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump will undergo a medical and dental checkup on May 26 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre.

The medical checkup was confirmed by White House on Monday, May 11, describing it as “a routine annual dental and medical assessment as part of his regular preventive health care.”

This marks his fourth disclosed medical visit since his return to office.

Trump is about to turn 80 this June, becoming the oldest person ever elected to the White House.

Health concerns for Trump have increased following his public appearances, showing bruises and wounds to his hands, along with bruises on his skin.

Trump’s doctor, Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, had stated that the bruises were due to “handshaking frequently and taking aspirin.” He reportedly consumes 325 milligrams of aspirin each day, more than is advised by his physicians, as a preventative measure against heart disease.

Despite increased health scrutiny, the president has dismissed all concerns. While talking to reporters on Monday, he said he feels “literally the same” as he did 50 years ago.

“I don’t know why. It’s not because I eat the best foods,” he said. 





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Taylor Swift spends quality time with family in New York City

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Taylor Swift spends quality time with family in New York City


Taylor Swift spend quality time with family in New York City

Taylor Swift has enjoyed a rare evening out with her entire family in New York City, taking over a West Village steakhouse for a special dinner on 11 May.

The 36-year-old superstar was spotted at The Eighty Six with her parents, Scott and Andrea Swift, and her brother, Austin, proving that despite her global fame, she still makes time for her inner circle.

Stepping out in a sequined black Valentino minidress paired with silver heels and her signature red lipstick, the singer arrived hand-in-hand with her mother for the family reunion.

The choice of location was a nostalgic one for the Cruel Summer artist, as the West Village was once her local neighbourhood during her time living on the famous Cornelia Street. 

Although she now lives in nearby Tribeca, she is frequently seen returning to her old stomping grounds. 

Her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, wasn’t at the dinner table this time, but the pair have been inseparable lately. 

Only days before the New York outing, the couple were in Greece celebrating the wedding of Travis’ teammate George Karlaftis and Kaia Harris on 9 May.

Following that star-studded ceremony, attention has naturally turned back to Taylor and Travis’ own wedding plans. While the couple have kept specific details under wraps, Taylor previously shared her excitement about the planning process during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show

She mentioned that she expects the experience to be a fun one, noting that weddings only tend to get stressful when the guest list is restricted and people are left wondering if they’ve made the cut.





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