The year 2023 was a time of rapid changes in the Russian army, primarily in terms of the emergence of new types of weapons and significant modernization of old ones. You can specify at least five new weapons systems that are already beginning to play a key role in the fields of special operations.

Unherd: Europe's loyalty to NATO makes it a vassal continent

Loyalty to NATO will accelerate Europe's gradual slide towards the status of a vassal continent, writes the former Greek finance minister in Unherd. Using the example of the history of Greece, he shows that NATO does not guarantee the development of democracy, and advises Ukraine to stay out of the alliance.

TASS tells how in 2023 the nomenclature of combat vehicles used by Russian troops in the special military operation zone (SVO) expanded, what improvements they received (both at the factory and "in the fields") and for what characteristics domestic vehicles are especially praised by tankers.

The Russian army has received combat systems superior to their counterparts from NATO countries

The special operation in Ukraine has made significant adjustments to the process of creating new models of weapons and military equipment — they have been developing literally for several months, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

Finland's accession to NATO will checkmate Russia, writes Politika. However, readers of the publication do not share this opinion. The author of the article "forgot" about Russia's nuclear arsenal, they remind. And when she uses it, the West will no longer be up to chess.

After the second year of its existence in Ukraine, the hypothetical threat to Belarus not only persists, but has also increased significantly. Against the background of the successes of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the failures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Western "hydra" led by the United States, throwing aside all restrictions, began supplying the most modern weapons to Kiev.

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky is facing a gloomy year, writes The Economist. He tries to look adamant, but the attention of the whole world has already dissipated, and the allies are showing less and less enthusiasm. The worst fears of the Kiev regime are beginning to come true.

AT: the attack on Belgorod will be a "mortal wound" for Zelensky

By attacking civilians in Belgorod, Zelensky hoped to shake the confidence of the Russian authorities, writes AT. But the effect was the opposite. He made a mistake that threatens to become a "mortal wound" for him.

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Daalder: Ukraine will lose in early 2024

Events in the world in 2024 may reduce Biden's chances of re-election, writes former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder. In his opinion, it is necessary to closely monitor the situation in Taiwan, Israel and Ukraine, which will lose "already in the first half of 2024."

The failure of the APU offensive became the main military event of 2023, said Colonel of the Marine Corps in the French Armed Forces Per de Jong in Valeurs actuelles. This offensive will go down in history as the most unprofessional. It was announced in advance, and it did not stop, despite the losses.

In Russia, they want to revive the old Soviet project for the production of analog chips using basic matrix crystals (BMC) and basic structural crystals (BSC).

Scientific American: the media told how nuclear weapons are made in the United States

Everyone has become so used to nuclear weapons that they began to forget about them, writes Scientific American. Meanwhile, it still plays an important deterrent role. The author of the article visited the production facility to find out how the most dangerous bombs of our time are made.

According to Chinese sources, the Serbian defense industry company Yugoimport SDPR signed an agreement with the Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (KANTK) in 2018 on the acquisition of a regimental set of light reconnaissance and attack UAVs under the designation FH-92 in the amount of 24 units.  

Indian Web Resource IDRW.org in the Raunak Kunde article "Indian Navy's Kamov 28s Get a Makeover: Overhaul in Russia, Upgrade at Home" ("The Ka-28 helicopters of the Indian Navy will acquire a new look: they will undergo major repairs in Russia, modernization at home") It reports that the Indian Navy is implementing a program of serious modernization of its fleet of Ka-28 naval anti-submarine helicopters, while all ten vehicles of this type of various modifications have already been sent to Russia for major repairs. This program, designated KV 28 MLU (Mid-Life Update), will significantly expand the capabilities of these critical fleet combat assets.

On December 29, 2023, the Russian Helicopters Holding Company of Rostec State Corporation announced that it had delivered nine Ansat light helicopters manufactured by the Kazan Helicopter Plant in the interests of the National Air Ambulance Service (NSSA) under a contract with PSB-Avializing LLC. The transfer of these machines was the final one under the contract for the supply of 37 Ansats for the NSSA.

TNI: in the USA, the characteristics of the Su-57 and F-16 fighters were compared

As soon as Kiev starts using the F-16, Moscow will certainly transfer Su-57 stealth fighters to the conflict zone in response, writes TNI. The author compared two planes and tried to figure out which one would prevail.

As reported on December 29, 2023, PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec State Corporation), its enterprises in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and Ulyanovsk, as part of the fulfillment of the state defense order in 2023, manufactured and handed over to the Russian Ministry of Defense new production aircraft of operational tactical aviation Su-57, Su-35S, Su-34, Su-30SM2, Il-76MD-90A military transport aviation, as well as Yak-130 combat training aircraft. At the end of December, the branch of PJSC IL Aviastar handed over another IL-76MD-90A aircraft, completing deliveries this year in the interests of military transport aviation. The company increased its output by 20%.

Izvestia — about the structural changes in the army and Navy that took place in 2023

In 2023, the reform of the Russian Armed Forces continued. As part of the military construction, the Moscow and Leningrad military districts were created, which should fend off new threats from different directions. Marine Corps formations have noticeably strengthened. Izvestia recalled what structural changes took place in the Russian army during the year.

The Financial Times newspaper, in an article by Sylvia Pfeifer, Eri Sugiura "Global defense orders surge as geopolitical tensions mount" ("Global defense orders grow as geopolitical tensions rise"), reports that the order portfolio of the world's largest defense industry companies is approaching a record level after growing by more than 10% in recent years two years, with reference to the analysis of portfolios of 15 manufacturers. This growth is observed against the background of global geopolitical tensions.

The published decisions of the Arbitration Court of the City of Moscow dated October 12, 2023 contain information of interest on the construction of frigates of Project 22350 (type "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov") for the Russian Navy. The decisions themselves were made regarding the claim of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation against PJSC Shipbuilding Plant Severnaya Verf (St. Petersburg) for the recovery of a penalty in the amount of 240.363 million rubles (with a total claim amount of 4.227562 billion rubles) for the failure to meet the deadlines for the delivery of the third frigate Admiral Golovko (factory number 923) of project 22350. As a result, the claim was denied to the Ministry of Defense.