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On a battlefield swarming with deadly Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly turning to nimble, remote-controlled armored vehicles that can perform an array of tasks and spare troops from potentially life-threatening missions. The Ukrainian army is especially eager to deploy what soldiers refer to as robots on wheels as it faces a shortage of soldiers in a war that has dragged on for more than 3 years. The vehicles look like miniature tanks and can ferry supplies, clear mines and evacuate the wounded or dead. It cannot fully replace people, said the commander of a platoon of the 20th Lyubart Brigade who goes by the call sign Miami and spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military rules. I would put it this way: A person can go in there, but for a human its (sometimes) far too dangerous. The robotic vehicles are mostly made by Ukrainian companies and range in cost from about $1,000 to as much as $64,000, depending on their size and capabilities. While they have become vital to Ukrainian troops along the 1,000 kilometer (620 mile) front line, such vehicles are not new to warfare. The German army used a remote-controlled miniature tank tethered by a wire — called the Goliath in World War II. In recent decades, the U.S., Israel, Britain and China have developed modern versions used for combat engineering and other battlefield roles, according to Ben Barry, a fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But Ukraine’s extensive deployment of these vehicles is noteworthy and could lead to advances, Barry said. The Russian army also uses remote-controlled vehicles. From drones to autonomous vehicles Miami joined the army on the first day of Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022. He served as an infantryman and later a drone operator before his latest assignment. His path reflects how the war itself has evolved. “I couldnt even imagine that I would become a (drone) pilot, he said. But war is progress, and we cannot stand aside. The robotic vehicles his team deploys are armored and mounted on either wheels or tracks. Painted in military colors, they crawl slowly over rubble or dirt roads, easily navigating terrain that would be difficult or too dangerous — for soldiers. They arrive in one condition, and we improve them, Miami said. We adapt the controls to work better (in the face of Russia’s) electronic warfare so the connection doesnt cut off.” Miamis 10-man team is just starting to incorporate the machines into their missions, mostly using them to deliver food and ammunition to soldiers near the front. Just like remote-controlled, or first-person view, drones, the use of these vehicles will only grow, said a soldier in Miamis unit who goes by the call sign Akim and spoke on condition of anonymity. When FPV drones first appeared, they werent popular, but those who pioneered them, (now) show (the best) results, said Akim. An autonomous vehicle ‘doesn’t get tired’ Before sending a remote-controlled vehicle forward, Akim flies a drone along the planned route to check for obstacles or mines. Operating from a cramped basement near Kostiantynivka, less than 10 kilometers from the front, Akim can hear the muffled thuds of aerial bombs, the sharp cracks of artillery and the buzzing of drones. Kostiantynivka, once home to 67,000 people, is a largely deserted city on a shrinking patch of Ukrainian-held territory just west of Bakhmut. It is nearly encircled on three sides by Russian forces. Apartment blocks are scarred by strikes, smoke still rises from recent bombings, and the roads leading toward nearby Pokrovsk are littered with burned-out cars. The aerial drone allows Akim to scout the city and routes without risking his life. Every time a drone or a robot does something, it means one of our fighters doesnt have to, Akim said. On top of that, the machine doesnt get tired. It can carry as much as needed. Akim works in tandem with another soldier operating the robotic vehicle with a joystick. The vehicle has no camera; instead, Akims drone feed provides its eyes. On one recent mission, the team loaded it with 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of supplies ammunition, fuel, water and food and sent it several kilometers to drone operators closer to the front. The machine moved forward at about six kilometers per hour, delivered its cargo into a well-hidden position in the forest, and returned to base. Bumps along the road Because robotic vehicles move more slowly than cars or trucks, and usually across open ground, they are an easy target and this is one factor slowing their adoption. Thats why we havent evacuated many wounded (on these vehicles),” said Miami. “Some refuse to leave because its dangerous. There are also cost considerations, with the vehicles his platoon uses averaging roughly 400,000 hryvnias ($9,700). Thats not too expensive, but when three or four get destroyed in a week, the total adds up, Miami said. To make them less vulnerable, Miami and his soldiers have tried welding grill-like cages onto the machines or attaching metallic rollers in front to detect mines. The war provides real-time feedback that is incorporated into newer models being built. Hanna Arhirova, Associated Press Vasilisa Stepanenko and Yehor Konovalov contributed to this report.
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A recall has been issued for Kirkland Signature Ahi Tuna Wasabi Poke due to potential listeria contamination. The recalled item, sold in plastic clamshell to-go containers, was sold at Costco stores. According to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) press release, more than 3,300 pounds of the product has been recalled by Annasea Foods Group. Per the release, the product was recalled after green unions used in the item tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The affected product has a pack date of 9/18/2025 and a sell by date of 9/22/2025. No illnesses have been reported. Per the release, 33 states sold the now-recalled ready-to-eat product. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Listeria can cause serious infections and is sometimes fatal, especially “in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.” It said, “Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can lead to serious pregnancy complications among pregnant women.” The FDA has advised anyone who purchased the product to throw it away or to return it to Costco for a full refund. Customers with any concerns have been advised to call Western United Fresh Co. DBA Annasea Foods Group at (425) 558-7809, 7:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, or email info@annasea.com.The latest recall comes just days after Costco recalled its Kirkland Signature brand of Prosecco amid concerns about exploding bottles.
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Every change starts with a grievance. Theres things people dont like and they want them to be different. At any given time in any organization, there are things that arent working as well as they should. Employee turnover is too high, sales are down, and customers are complaining. For whatever reason, things need to change. Smart leaders know that they cant just stay mired in grievance. If youre only focusing on problems, youll get caught up in an endless to-do list. It is no longer enough to simply plan and direct action, we must inspire and empower belief and that means creating an aspirational vision that can form the basis of a shared purpose. Yet you cant just jump to the vision all at once. In the beginning, the idea is flawed and unproven, the organization isnt ready for it, and it is bound to incur visceral resistance in some quarters. Early on, ideas need to be protected and nurtured until they begin to gain some traction. As I explained in Cascades, the best way to do that is with a Keystone Change. 1. Define the vision A strategy is never created on an empty canvas. While we can make rational assessments about whether we want to pursue a strategy based on low costs, differentiation, or an attractive niche. We can, through investments and divestments, fill in missing pieces on a PowerPoint chart, but the fate of a strategy ultimately hinges on personality and ambition. The success of Apple cant be separated from Steve Jobss ambition to weave technology and design into products that were insanely great. Southwests dominance in the travel industry is a direct consequence of Herb Kellehers mission of being THE low cost airline, which drove everything he did from the planes he bought to which routes he competed on. Vision is inherently aspirational. It shouldnt be reduced to metrics or specific objectives. Martin Luther King Jr.s vision wasnt simply about voting rightsit was about creating a Beloved Community. Microsofts original mission was a computer on every desk and on every home, but when that was attained, it needed to shift to the broader vision to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. When we work with organizations in one of our ChangeOS workshops, we always start by getting the team focused on the initial grievanceor the problem to be solved. Then we ask participants to imagine waving a magic wand: what would the world look like if that problem were fully resolved? That picture is the vision. Yet if your vision is sufficiently aspirational, you cant get there in just one step and thats where the Keystone Change comes in. A good Keystone Change has a clear and tangible goal, usually with a metric attached. It involves multiple stakeholders and paves the way for future change. Once you achieve a successful Keystone Change, youll be well on your way. 2. Start with a majority One of the most common mistakes change leaders make is to try to start with a bang. They come up with a snappy slogan, create a sense of urgency and excitement, then set up a huge launch event to generate energy around the initiative, get off to a fast start, build momentum, and create a sense of inevitability around the initiative. But that approach rarely worksand often backfires. Every new idea starts out weak and vulnerable. While a launch event may create excitement among some, its also likely to trigger resistance before the initiative has any chance to gain traction. Any time you set out to make an impact there will always be some who will work to undermine you in ways that are dishonest, underhanded, and deceptive. So instead of trying to create and maintain the energy yourself, go to where the energy is. Find people who are already enthusiastic and want the initiative to work. Keystone Changes are done with allies. You should never have to convince anyone about a Keystone Change. The urge to persuade is a red flag. It means you either have the wrong change or the wrong people. Thats why when we seek to bring about large-scale change, its important to start with a majority. Once you are in the minority you will get immediate pushback. The secret is that you get to choose where you start. It might be a small, local majority of, say, three people in a room of five. As long as supporters outnumber detractors, you can move forward and gain traction. As I explained in Harvard Business Review, you dont need to convince everyone at once and you shouldnt try. Start with a core team thats already onboard. 3. Iterate towards a successful solution One of the hardest parts of change is accepting that your ideas can only be validated going forward, never backward. You never know if you have the right idea until its tested in the real world and, even then, there could be some confounding factor you may be missing. The truth is that your initial idea is always wrong. Sometimes its off by a little and sometimes its off by a lot. But make no mistake, its always wrong. Thats why it helps to take a Bayesian approach. Instead of clinging to the notion of a right idea, focus on making it less wrong over time. As Rita Gunther McGrath has put it, its no longer as important to learn to plan as it is to plan to learn. We need to be more iterative, see what works, and change course as needed. This is also why its critical to start with a core team thats already on board. Theyll help you push through early setbacks and learn from inevitable failures. If you expect to iterate, then failure is just data. Your job is to collect enough of it to uncover the solution that truly moves things forward. And once you get it right, you have something to build on. We know from decades of evidence that the tipping point for change is typically between 10% and 20% participation. Once you have a proven model, you can start building to that. 4. Scale with a co-optable resource Traditional change management practices focus on communication and traininga holdover from an earlier age, when leaders had more cntrol and the goal was simply to inform and coordinate. Today, however, most change initiatives involve behaviorwhat people think and do every dayand that naturally triggers resistance. To create genuine transformation, we need to get out of the business of selling ideas and into the business of selling success. Thats what a Keystone Changea clear and tangible goal, involving stakeholders that paves the way for future changeallows you to do. The next step is to design a Co-optable Resource that will help empower people to spread the idea themselves. For example, in the ’80s and ’90s, Don Berwick pioneered quality practices in healthcare and founded the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to advance them. Despite clear results, adoption laggeduntil the 100,000 Lives Campaign equipped hospital allies with change kits and how-to guides. That broke the logjam, and quality practices began to take hold. Thats the model for successfully implementing large-scale change: start with a core team of enthusiasts that will help you iterate and achieve a Keystone Change. Once youve gained some traction, help people spread the idea through peer networks by supplying them with a Co-optable Resource so that they can bring in others, who can bring in others still. In the final analysis, transformational change is driven by small groups, loosely connected, but united by a shared purpose. It all starts with a Keystone Change.
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