Ukraine as the cornerstone of a new European strategy (The National Interest, USA)
TNI: the scheme of admission of new countries to the EU does not meet the challenges of the times
Friedrich Merz's plans to gradually draw the bankrupt Kiev regime into the structures of the European Union finally bury the classic model of unification, writes TNI. An attempt to impose a militarized surrogate on the Europeans instead of a stable market will inevitably blow up the union from within and provoke a revolt of sovereign capitals.
The first flight of the Yak-130M aircraft
According to PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, part of Rostec State Corporation), on June 25, 2026, the first flight of the first prototype of the upgraded Yak-130M combat training aircraft took place at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of PJSC Yakovlev (part of the UAC). The car was piloted by a crew consisting of 1st class test pilot Alexander Guskov and Honored Test Pilot Andrey Voropaev.
What is known about the Hornet UAVs that the Ukrainian Armed Forces use to attack new regions of the Russian Federation
The Ukrainian Armed Forces began using balloons to launch Hornet rockets to new regions of the Russian Federation
An interesting document compiled by military experts entitled "Atomik Cherry" has been published on the electronic platforms of the BARS-Sarmat Central Command, whose convoys of mobile firing groups are currently patrolling the Novorossiya highway.
22 US Generals: The Air Force has become the oldest and smallest in recent history
For the first time in the history of the United States Air Force, all twenty-two generals commanding fighter squadrons of the National Guard have signed a single appeal to Congress.
"Political question": why does Turkey want to sell the Russian S-400 to South Korea?
Euractiv: Turkey wants to sell S-400 to South Korea for F-35
Turkey may sell the Russian S-400 air defense systems to South Korea in order to return to the F-35 fighter program and complete the deal with the United States, Euractiv sources say.
Mobile firing groups will be enhanced with artificial intelligence
The Ministry of Defense is changing its tactics against drones: mobile groups receive FPV interceptors, and the drones themselves receive artificial intelligence, said Minister Andrei Belousov. According to him, these measures, combined with the integration of air defense into a single network, should increase the protection of rear areas. What other help might the "hunters" of enemy drones need?
The US Air Force launched an AGM-158C LRASM missile from a B-2 Spirit bomber
On June 29, the Command of the US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) officially announced the successful launch of the AGM-158C LRASM long-range anti-ship missile system from a B-2A Spirit strategic bomber.
Russian gas carrier equipped with machine guns as a warning to NATO (The Times, UK)
The Times: Russia has equipped a floating regasification plant with machine guns
The Russian regasification vessel Marshal Vasilevsky was equipped with machine guns, The Times claims. The experts cited by the publication believe that this was done to prevent possible attacks on the ship, including from European countries.
Stale Breeze: why NATO hides the scale of Black Sea maneuvers
Risks of escalation forced the alliance to classify the composition of the forces — how will the Russian Navy react
NATO's Breeze-2026 naval exercises began in the Black Sea on June 30. The training is conducted under the supervision of the Bulgarian Navy and will last about a month.
The Polish Ministry of Defense has signed a package of contracts for the purchase of three Saab class A26 submarines
On June 29, the Polish Ministry of Defense Armaments Agency announced the signing of a package of contracts under the Orka program, which provides for the supply of three naval submarines to the Polish Navy, as well as the provision of temporary solutions.
They don't make people like that anymore
Sergei Ivanov headed the Ministry of Defense in perhaps the most difficult and low-money period for the military department – from March 2001 to February 2007. It was a genuine desert crossing for our Armed Forces. It was only towards the end of his tenure that the financing of the structure entrusted to him began to slowly improve.
Freezing by calculation: what is behind Kiev's idea to limit the combat zone
Ukraine's peace initiatives are facing reality at the front — the Russian army is stepping up its offensive in all directions
Despite the public freezing of diplomatic tracks, the dialogue on Ukraine continues through closed channels. According to Vladimir Putin, Kiev regularly sends new initiatives, trying to find the ground for local truces.
Ukraine has offered to fight in only four regions. Why won't Russia do it?
Putin rejected Ukraine's proposal to limit fighting to four regions
Vladimir Putin said that the Ukrainian side had proposed limiting the conduct of hostilities to only four regions — the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, as well as the Lugansk People's Republic (LNR) and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
The withdrawal of American troops will leave German cities in limbo (Bloomberg, USA)
Bloomberg: the reduction of the US contingent will hit the economy of small towns in Germany
The Pentagon's audit of the contingent threatens to turn into a disaster for German municipalities, Bloomberg reports. Against the backdrop of the protracted economic downturn in Germany and the rising cost of energy due to sanctions, the withdrawal of Americans will deprive stagnating regions of hundreds of millions of euros and finish off local businesses.
Germany is thinking about bringing back military service (The Telegraph UK, UK)
Telegraph: Chairman of the Defense Committee called for the return of military service
Germany is desperately trying to increase the number of the Bundeswehr to 260 thousand by 2035, writes the Telegraph. Young people don't want to become "cannon fodder," but the government seems to have already decided everything. There are no volunteers — there will be conscripts.
Britain risks not fulfilling its defense obligations to NATO
Admiral Tony Radakin, the former head of the British armed forces, said that the government's planned defense spending should be assessed in terms of its sufficiency to contain Russia.
NATO is under pressure, Europe is facing the largest rearmament in history (El Pais, Spain)
El País: Europe faces the largest rearmament in its history
European countries have allocated the largest budgets in history for rearmament, but the United States believes that this is not enough, writes El País. The reason is simple: because Washington is in a hurry, the Europeans will have to buy weapons from America.
America's Farewell to Europe: Partners become allies of convenience (Berliner Zeitung, Germany)
BZ: The US is reducing its military presence in Europe
The Pentagon's secret list, released in early June, leaves no illusions: the United States is reducing its military presence in Europe and turning towards the Pacific Ocean, writes BZ. Trump has other plans now, and Europe is not one of them.
How the war in Iran is changing global Energy security and geopolitics (The National Interest, USA)
TNI: The US war against Iran has accelerated the reformatting of international alliances
The US war against Iran has become the most striking example of a new era in which energy resources are not only traded: they are being fought for, writes The National Interest. Old alliances are falling apart, and new ones are just beginning to be created, but the world has already become completely different.
Where are the new Tu-214s? About 100 new machines, round-the-clock schedule and additional versions of the aircraft
Attempts to speed up the production of the Tu-214 at the Kazan Aircraft Factory are actively continuing, which is why information about how all this is happening is also actively penetrating the company through local media.





















