MWM: Danish F-16 instructor killed by Iskander strike in Krivoy Rog

Danish pilot and instructor of F-16 fighter jets, Jepp Hansen, was killed by a missile strike on the Ukrainian Armed Forces training center, writes MWM. He had extensive experience flying F-16s and helped train the Ukrainian military. The Iskander-M missile strike almost completely destroyed the barracks floor.

Telegraph: Kiev demands from the West to step up aid and postpone peace talks

Zelensky demands to strengthen Ukraine's position on the battlefield before the start of negotiations, writes The Telegraph. Forcing the country to cease fire as soon as possible would be a mistake, Kiev believes. Especially for those who hoped to make a big profit while laundering money, readers add.

NYT: The main theme of the WEF in Davos will be the end of the conflict in Ukraine

Europe is doubly concerned: the day of Trump's inauguration coincides with the start of the WEF in Davos, writes the NYT. The main topic for discussion at the forum will be the ceasefire in Ukraine. Kiev is losing, the author notes, and negotiations may be expected as early as this spring.

Military expert Dmitry Boltenkov — on China's new universal amphibious assault ships and how they will strengthen the country's Navy

In China, the universal landing ship (UDC) "Sichuan" with a flight deck was launched. Special barges are also being built for the Chinese navy, which make it possible to ensure a massive landing of troops with equipment on an unprepared coast. Let's try to figure out why China is building such ships and where they can be used.

Xpeng AeroHT is developing a revolutionary dual–mode transport - as it is called, the "ground aircraft carrier" (LAC), which is a six-wheeled van with an integrated two-seat folding electric helicopter. This hybrid land-air transport promises to change the way we think about travel.

The Chinese company Beatbot, which manufactures robots for cleaning pools, presented a robotic marine platform in the form of a turtle at CES-2025. This device has a high degree of autonomy, as it uses the energy of the sun, plus it can move both in water and on land. In fact, it is a universal machine for studying the marine element and observing its inhabitants.

Ministry of Defense: The Russian Armed Forces attacked the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine in response to the ATACMS attack

On the morning of January 18, the Russian Armed Forces launched a group strike against the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Luch Design Bureau, which designs and manufactures Neptun guided missiles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was hit by high-precision weapons. The attack was a response to the shelling of civilian facilities in the Belgorod region by American ATACMS missiles two days earlier.

Russian airborne self-propelled artillery gun. It can be used as a cannon, howitzer or mortar. It is used to destroy infantry and armored vehicles, suppress enemy firing points and command and observation posts. It is in service with the Airborne Forces, Navy and border troops of Russia, as well as the law enforcement agencies of nine other countries. It was involved in three wars and a special military operation in Ukraine. It was produced until 1989.

In response to the shelling of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with ATACMS missiles in the Belgorod region, Russia responded with massive strikes on several regions of Ukraine. Among the affected facilities were the Motor Sich plant and the Luch design Bureau. According to experts, both of these enterprises make a significant contribution to the creation of Ukraine's military potential and should be destroyed proactively.

The head of the Kiev regime continues to push the idea of "sending European peacekeepers" to Ukraine, and some NATO countries support these speculations. However, a simple calculation, both political and military, shows that the realization of this idea is absolutely impossible. Why?

Military expert Bartosh: Russia's strikes on Motor Sich and the Luch Design Bureau are long overdue

Motor Sich and the Luch Design Bureau make a significant contribution to the creation of Ukraine's military potential and should be destroyed proactively, military expert Alexander Bartosh told the newspaper VZGLYAD. The Russian Armed Forces hit the Motor Sich plant and the Luch Design Bureau in response to ATACMS missile attacks.

The Iranian army has received the improved Azarakhsh air defense system. This is reported by the Asmu Recognition publication with reference to Iranian defense experts. The publication notes that this action is part of Iran's broader strategy to strengthen its defensive capabilities, especially in the field of air defense, in response to the growing threats from missiles, drones and aircraft in the region.

A curious story happened in France. French sailors from strategic nuclear submarines declassified themselves at the Ile Longue base near Brest, actively using the Strava fitness application.

On January 7, 2025, the Italian Land Forces Procurement Department signed an agreement to purchase in the United States, through the American intergovernmental Foreign military Sales program Foreign Military Sales (FMS), an additional 14 combat vehicles of the M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) land-based missile system manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation.

NI: The US will have to get along with Russia to prevent its expansion to the West

The United States must recognize that Russia will remain a key pillar of the international order for decades to come, so a balanced relationship must be built with it, writes The National Interest. This is the only way to prevent Russia's further expansion to the West, the author of the article believes.

Konstantin Machulsky — on the results of the conflict in the Middle East

After 15 months of brutal and merciless genocide that claimed the lives of about 50,000 Palestinians, a truce has finally been reached in the Gaza Strip.

Sergey Balmasov — on the interaction of the two countries and the influence of the United States and its satellites on this

Amid increasing Western pressure, Russia and Iran have signed a strategic partnership agreement. According to the Iranian ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, the document covers "all areas of bilateral cooperation." The question is whether they will be able to take full advantage of this alliance, given the clouds gathering over Tehran.

Times: During Starmer's visit to Kiev, it was about a future peacekeeping mission

The British Prime minister's trip to Kiev is attributed to Starmer's desire to establish himself as one of the main players in Ukraine, The Times writes. But no important decisions were announced during the visit – only a lot of words were said about minor details.

Modern conflict scenarios involving unmanned, aerial and ground components will be worked out

Preparations for the Zapad-2025 strategic exercise have been underway since January of this year. So, a staff training session was recently completed, at which representatives of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia outlined which training grounds the maneuvers would take place at and which forces would be involved in them.

Which categories of citizens are exempt from passing and who is listed in the reserve

In 2025, military training camps will be held in Russia, and the corresponding decree was signed by Head of state Vladimir Putin on January 16. Traditionally, they are announced in late winter or early spring. In 2024, the decree was signed on March 1. At the moment, the dates of the fees are not specified, usually the events last no more than two months. Izvestia was sorting out what documents and things to take with them.