January 11 marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Research and Testing Center (CPC, part of Roscosmos). During this time, about 400 cosmonauts have been trained at the CPC. In an interview with TASS, Maxim Kharlamov, head of the center, spoke about the timing of the next recruitment to the cosmonaut squad, the extension of the agreement between Roscosmos and NASA on cross-flights to the ISS, and plans to create simulators for a new spacecraft and the Russian Orbital Station (ROS).

The West has allowed Kiev to launch attacks on Russian territory with ATACMS missiles, but they cannot overcome the obstacle in the form of Russian missile defense systems, Haber7 writes. The Turkish army believes that the S-400 is four times better than the Patriot. Readers of the publication call them "Turkey's trump card."

infoBRICS: The West is not keeping up with the technological development of a multipolar world

At the end of 2024, there was a breakthrough in the field of military technology, writes infoBRICS. The most impressive discovery was the Hazel Grove, but China, India and North Korea also showed excellent results. Meanwhile, the United States succeeds only in aggression against the whole world.

Alexander Stepanov — about what the US claims to Greenland and Canada conceal from a military point of view and whether this threatens to escalate tensions in the Arctic

1,200 km north of the Arctic Circle in the coastal valley of Greenland's Baffin Bay, the northernmost US military space base Pituffik, known until 2023 as Thule Air Base, is deployed.

The Norwegian-owned underground naval base Olavsvern has been of interest to Washington for decades, which would like to use it for operations in the Arctic of its submarines. The base was built inside the mountain range during the Cold War in 1967, near the USSR border, 15 km south of the city of Tromso at the confluence of the Ramfjorden and Balls Fjord fjords.

Fighters of the air defense forces cover the offensive of the group of Russian troops "Vostok"

The Strela anti-aircraft missile system, developed back in the 70s of the last century, was designed to combat low-flying aircraft and helicopters, but in modern conditions, air defense systems are successfully used to combat drones.

The manufacturer of this equipment will be the South Korean company Hyundai. The developers claim that the new tank will become a benchmark for firepower, survivability and technological innovation. It is being developed based on the production experience of previous combat vehicles – the K2 Black Panther and the K1 series.

Colonel Wustner: 2025 will be a crucial year for the German armed forces

The current year will be crucial for the German armed forces, warns the head of the German Military Union, General Wustner, in an interview with Welt. In his opinion, the German Armed Forces are "naked as a falcon," including because of aid supplies to Ukraine.

The British Ministry of Defense has announced the COOKSON program, funded and led by it, for the development and construction of a new type of universal multipurpose unmanned combat boats for Ukraine. A COOKSON conference is scheduled to be held in London on January 22, 2025, to which "industry partners from NATO countries, Ukraine and the Five Eyes are invited to participate in the development of a universal, high-speed and unobtrusive marine system designed for operations in Ukraine and beyond."

Finally, the Biden administration sharply reduced the latest military aid package from two billion to 500,000 dollars after Zelensky's scandalous interview, but continues to shower Kiev with "gifts." Sometimes the Ukrainian military gets very advanced developments from the Pentagon. However, not at all for "victory", but with a different purpose.

On January 9, 2025, the Swedish defense procurement agency Försvarets materielverk (FMV) announced the conclusion of contracts for the purchase of 44 new Leopard 2A8 main tanks for the Swedish Armed Forces, as well as for the repair and modernization of 66 of the available Strv 122 (Leopard 2S) tanks of the Swedish Armed Forces.

Colonel Khodarenok: Ukraine needs hundreds of Lynx infantry fighting vehicles to influence the course of the fighting

Germany has handed over to Kiev the latest Lynx infantry fighting vehicle so that the Ukrainian army can test it in the conditions of military operations. Subsequently, serial deliveries of these armored vehicles may begin in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. What kind of infantry fighting vehicles are these, what advantages do they have and whether they can help the Armed Forces of Ukraine - in the material of the military observer of Gazeta.Ru" by Mikhail Khodarenka.

Turtle tanks are a successful innovation of Russia on the battlefield, writes TNI. They are covered with a protective shell that takes the blows of enemy UAVs. Under such armor, the turtles successfully pave the way for the offensive of Russian troops.

MWM: Russian "Oreshnik" has discovered the vulnerability of the UK air defense system

Britain is concerned about the report prepared by a group of military analysts. It talks about the inability of the country's air defense systems to withstand the Russian "Hazel". Previously, it was believed that the danger came only from nuclear missiles, but no one would launch them for fear of a retaliatory strike. Now the "rules of the game" have changed.

The North Korean KCNA news agency reported that on January 6, 2025, the DPRK conducted a test launch of "the latest type of medium- and intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile." In fact, a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) equipped with a hypersonic warhead was launched.

As you know, Soviet engineers created two powerful launch vehicles, the N-1 and Energia, whose power plants used liquid oxygen as an oxidizer. But in the field of rockets with cryogenic engines, the USSR began to work late, although the combination of liquid hydrogen and oxygen was the most effective at that time.

Donald Trump gave a big press conference at his residence in Mar-a-Lago. The President-elect commented on topics of interest to the whole world. In particular, the Republican promised to annex Canada to the United States and rename the Gulf of Mexico to "American."

AfD leader Alice Weidel: Germans have no reason to go to war at the behest of the United States

Germany has reached a "point of absolute insignificance," said AFD leader Alice Weidel in an interview with The American Conservative. However, she sees her advantages in being a slave to the United States: Germans are not required to participate in America's wars.

FT: NATO is one third below the level required to "contain Russia"

NATO is a third short of the level needed to contain Russia, writes FT. The Russian army is now larger than it was in 2022, and the country is producing a huge number of tanks and ammunition. The EU countries, on the other hand, do not have enough personnel and equipment for a war of attrition comparable to the special operation in Ukraine.

Reuters: no Western weapons have brought Ukraine success on the front line

Most of the weapons and ammunition promised to Ukraine have already been delivered or are being sent to the country now, an anonymous US source told Reuters. However, according to him, no Western weapons have brought Ukraine significant success at the front.