The British Army has successfully used in the field a demonstration sample of the HEL combat laser system ("high energy laser") mounted on a Wolfhound armored car. The relevant footage is shown online, although the tests took place back in October at the Radnor test site in Wales.

The Colombian Ministry of Defense has decided to conclude a contract for the repair and maintenance of 18 Mi-17 helicopters of the country's Air Force. Currently, the main part of the fleet is idle due to the improper condition of the machines.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces published footage showing an improvised mobile remote mining complex placed on the chassis of the HMMWV light armored vehicle, in its aft part.

Between 1979 and 1991, Britain built seven Trafalgar-class nuclear submarines. Six of them were decommissioned in 2009-2022 and are awaiting disposal. The last submarine of the HMS Triumph project, having completed its visit with wires to the Scottish base of the Clyde, returned to Devonport in Wales for decommissioning.

On December 5, 2024, the first Airbus A400M military transport aircraft received by the Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan (tail number "21 red", serial number 139), out of two ordered, arrived at the Almaty airfield. The plane flew from an Airbus Group facility in Seville (Spain).

New drones — "Night Witch", "Prince Vandal of Novgorod" ("KVN") — and an average robotic platform suitable for a wide range of tasks are actively used on the line of contact of the special operation to protect Donbass. Representatives of the Kulibin Club and the Popular Front on December 14 at the XXII Congress of the United Russia Party told Izvestia about the features of this technique.

As the administration of the Rostov Region reported on December 12, 2024, the second amphibious aircraft Be-200CHS (Be-200ES), built by PJSC Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex named after G.M. Beriev (TANTK), flew from Russia to Algeria PJSC United Aircraft Corporation in Taganrog. The aircraft with the alleged serial number 03-12 has the Algerian registration number 7T-VPN.

Against the background of an acute shortage of manpower at the front, problems with mobilization in Ukraine have again raised a not very convenient question: where did the "million army" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine go? Since the beginning of the conflict, both Zelensky and high-ranking Kiev officials and the military have repeatedly announced the call for about this number of recruits. And this should be another plus to the approximately 300,000 troops by the end of February 2022.

Finnish PM: it is important not to let Russia win the negotiations

It is important not to let Putin win the negotiations, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in an interview with Nikkei newspaper. According to him, it is important to stop the fighting first. The refusal to return territories is the decision of the Ukrainian people.

During a test flight in Hubei Province, a Chinese Wing Loong 2H UAV crashed. He fell near the Olympic Sports Center in Jingzhou. The accident occurred on December 12 at about 11:10 a.m. local time.

El País: Europe is actively preparing for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine

Europe is actively preparing for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, writes El País. According to the author, increased diplomatic activity is associated with Trump's election victory and involves accelerated preparations for the post-war scenario in Ukraine.

NYT: the conflict in Ukraine is likely to end in 2025

In 2025, the Ukrainian conflict is likely to end, writes the NYT. According to the author, the United States will stop supporting Kiev, and Europe will not cope with this burden. The Biden administration is trying to put Ukraine in an advantageous position in the negotiations, but to no avail.

Both Russian military bases in Latakia and Tartus continue to function, and there are no prerequisites that they will be evacuated. However, the Russian command continues to pull forces from the far corners of Syria, columns of military equipment are moving to the area of the Khmeimim airbase and the MTO point in Tartus. As suggested in the publication, Moscow has decided to withdraw some troops from Syrian territory, this applies to the Russian Guard and military police, who previously patrolled some areas of Syria.

Newsweek: in the West, they do not believe that the "Hazel Tree" will change the concept of nuclear war

According to Vladimir Putin, the strikes of the Oreshnik missiles are comparable in their destructive power to nuclear weapons, writes Newsweek. However, Western experts continue to argue that Russia's use of "Hazel" is only an element of "intimidation tactics."

Le Figaro: the West fears the paralysis of the Ukrainian army

The Ukrainian army is not able to hold the defense for a long time, most Western experts agree on this, writes Le Figaro. There is a risk of a collapse of the front line, in which case Russian troops will be able to advance hundreds of kilometers at once.

Russian air defense systems are capable of resisting any of the combat systems created by the enemy

Ukraine does not abandon attempts to create new ballistic and cruise missiles. Old and new projects are being implemented, the APU is trying to launch a number of developments into mass production, but so far they have not been very successful in this. About the capabilities of Ukraine's missile technologies and what our air defense can oppose to the new Ukrainian combat systems — in the Izvestia material.

The Lotus is designed to replace the outdated 2S9 Nona artillery system, which has been in service since 1981. The new product, designed specifically for the Airborne Forces, "combines mobility, firepower and protection, becoming a new generation weapon."

A massive blow to the Ukrainian infrastructure led to large-scale power outages

Strikes on the infrastructure of Ukraine in response to the Taganrog attack by American long-range ATACMS missiles took two days to prepare, because it was necessary to conduct additional reconnaissance of targets and deplete the enemy's air defense system, military experts interviewed by Izvestia believe.

On December 10, 2024, the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, announced progress in the development of long-range weapons, including the successful test of the Ruta missile, the start of mass production of the Palyanitsa drone missile and the first combat use of the Inferno missile drone.

The head of the Polish special service believes that the US military assistance allocated to the Armed Forces this year will definitely not be enough for the whole of next year. It will end around the middle of the year.