“Iran President Helicopter Crash Exposes Dangers of Country’s Ancient Fleet”
“The helicopter crash that killed Iran President Ebrahim Raisi is the latest reminder of the poor state of many aircraft operating in the Islamic Republic after almost half a century of US sanctions.”
“Iran has been largely barred from purchasing new aircraft or aircraft components from US or European suppliers since the revolution of 1979, leaving both military and civilian operators cut off from heavyweights Boeing Co. and Airbus SE and reliant on patched-up vehicles from earlier eras.”
“Europe Sees Signs of Russian Sabotage but Hesitates to Blame Kremlin”
“European investigators increasingly see Russian fingerprints around recent acts of suspected sabotage on strategic infrastructure but are struggling to respond.
Reacting to clandestine threats is difficult because evidence around the suspected attacks—including a severed undersea gas pipeline, cuts in a vital internet connection and the disruption of a rail network—often isn’t conclusive. Potential culprits in big cases include commercial shipping or fishing vessels that have been engaged in apparently legitimate maritime transport or trawling for fish near sensitive seabed installations that were destroyed around the same time. They rarely have direct connections to Russian authorities, investigators say.
European governments have charged some Russians and Russian proxies in smaller incidents and are getting more vocal in accusing Moscow of waging hybrid warfare, but are stopping short of accusing Russia of specific attacks. In the most brazen suspected incidents, a lack of clear proof has prompted officials to leave cases open or declare investigations inconclusive.
Last fall, Finnish investigators linked a Chinese-registered ship, operated by a Russian crew, to the cutting of the Balticconnector natural-gas pipeline to mainland Europe. As the investigation advanced and the ship sailed around Scandinavia back toward Russia, the Finns contacted Norwegian counterparts about their suspicions. Norwegian authorities contemplated forcing the ship into one of their harbors for inspection, but ultimately decided they lacked clear evidence. A Norwegian coast-guard ship shadowed the Newnew Polar Bear as it was passing sensitive marine infrastructure.
“Only a week or two later we would have had enough evidence to stop and search the ship, but by then it was already too late,” one Norwegian official said.”
This particular helicopters where made in 1967.