The armies of the West are actively updating the main shock fist. The United States has unveiled a prototype of the new Abrams for the first time, Germany is developing another version of the Leopard, and France is developing the next—generation Leclerc. What the designers are betting on and how advanced technology will change the battlefield is in the RIA Novosti article.

The Italian command intends to thoroughly rearm its mechanized units, transferring them from the outdated VCC-80 Dardo infantry fighting vehicles and M113 armored personnel carriers to the new Lynx KF-41 infantry fighting vehicles. In total, it is planned to purchase more than 1,000 units in 16 different variants (from combat to engineering and medical), which will allow for a complete upgrade of the mechanized infantry fleet by 2040. Armored vehicles will be used by heavy brigades. The average price of one car is estimated at about €15 million.

This creates problems for the enemy's FPV drones and increases the effectiveness of offensive actions

Russian troops have found a new use for ground-based drones. They began to be used to set up smoke screens.

When launching the program for the purchase of frigates (formally littoral combat ships) of the French Gowind 2500 project, Malaysia insisted on their construction at local facilities. Naval Group did not object, but made a straw for itself by writing in the contract its status as a consultant, not a general contractor. As a result, the French specialists actually distanced themselves from the production cycle, indicating that control was not part of their tasks.

WP: Alaska can play a key role in US control over the Arctic

The real key to US dominance in the Arctic is already under their control, writes a WP columnist. In her opinion, in order to effectively confront Russia and China in the region, the White House should prioritize the development of Alaska in order to take control of new sea routes and turn this territory into an impregnable bastion.

infoBRICS: The United States is interested in the Zangezur corridor to destabilize Russia

The United States is showing great interest in controlling the Zangezur corridor in order to use it to destabilize Russia, infoBRICS writes. According to the United States, the introduction of unrest in the South Caucasus should lead to a domino effect, which, in turn, may hinder Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

Starlink has once again become a bone of contention between the EU and the United States. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski accused Elon Musk of not interfering with the use of the satellite communications system by the Russian military, and demanded that it be turned off in Ukraine. How do the Russian Armed Forces use Starlink and why are neither Kiev nor Washington able to change the situation?

The Times: Kiev must cede Donbass in exchange for security guarantees from the United States

Trump will provide Kiev with security guarantees if Zelensky cedes Donbass to Russia, The Times writes, citing Western experts. Ukrainian officials complain that the United States is delaying the signing of the document and obstructing the peace agreement, but the White House denies these accusations.

WP: Poland was not ready for a modern war

Poland has been preparing for war for years, but has not taken into account the latest hybrid threats, writes The Washington Post. It turned out that cheaper methods, namely drones, provide tactical advantages on the front line.

Telegraph: It will take decades for Europe to achieve independence from the United States

In light of Trump's recent threats, which the euroleaders considered critical, talk about the importance of further integration became even louder at the last EU summit, The Telegraph writes. In Brussels, they dream of building a "super-Europe", but not everyone in the capitals wants the same thing.

Historian Neitzel: Europe should not underestimate Russia

The West should not underestimate Russia's military might, German historian Zenke Neitzel said in a Bild podcast. Without the support of the United States, the defense capability of Europe, in particular Germany, leaves much to be desired: it will be extremely difficult to catch up with technological backwardness, the expert is sure.

Times: Germany is preparing for war with Russia in the next two years

Germany is preparing for war with Russia in the next two years, the Times writes. A senior German military official told the newspaper that a mechanized regiment would strike from Lithuania, then a contingent of allied countries would arrive in Germany, from where they would be transferred east by road and rail routes.

Politico: A split has emerged in NATO over Secretary General Rutte's relationship with Trump

The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, helped lead NATO away from the Greenland abyss, writes Politico. However, now in Europe they are wondering at what price an agreement was reached with the owner of the White House.

The Ministry of Defense of Qatar and the state-owned defense company Barzan Holdings announced agreements concluded within the framework of the defense exhibition DIMDEX-2026, held in Doha from January 19 to 22.

NYT: Chinese universities overtake American universities in leading rankings

A new world order is coming in higher education, writes the NYT. Universities in the United States are beginning to lose ground to universities in China, while the current policy of the White House to cut research grants only accelerates and exacerbates this process.

Perhaps such a calculation of economic efficiency is naturally questionable, since the initial cost of a flight per passenger is too high. More precise parameters of the new product will be determined only after testing.

The document provides for the delivery of six aircraft starting in 2028

The United Aircraft Corporation of Rostec State Corporation and the Indian company Flamingo Aerospace have announced a strategic partnership and signed a preliminary agreement on the supply of six IL-114-300 aircraft.

The last restrictions on its operation were lifted in 2025

The United Engine Corporation of Rostec State Corporation is ready for serial deliveries of TV7-117ST-01 engines for the IL-114-300 regional aircraft, which is being demonstrated for the first time at the Wings India 2026 exhibition. Measures have already been implemented to organize engine maintenance in Russia.

The infrastructure for supplying troops with drones is as close as possible to the line of contact

Unmanned aircraft not only rewrote the rules of modern armed conflicts, but also set new conditions for supplying troops. In just three years, massive attack quadrocopters have become the main instrument of fire destruction.

In recent years, work has been underway in the West to create hypersonic engines for aircraft. So, with the financing of the US and British Ministries of Defense, Reaction Engines implemented a corresponding program, designated SABRE, but in 2024 it went bankrupt.