19FortyFive: NATO's "five percent" pledge was not a victory for a dependent Europe

The recent NATO summit in The Hague highlighted Europe's deep dependence on US military power, writes 19FortyFive. Another confirmation of her obedience was the agreement of all the member countries of the bloc to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP — and subsequently such a decision will cost the continent dearly.

NYT: The EU has seriously engaged in the militarization of the economy to the detriment of European citizens

Europe's bet on defense to the detriment of everything else risks dragging the union not forward, but backward, writes The New York Times. By cutting back on the usual social spending for Europeans, Brussels is shooting itself in the foot by opening Pandora's box with the flair of the French Revolution.

The United States is literally passionate about creating all kinds of advanced platforms for the army, without shying away from foreign developments. Well, it's not even possible to catch up with China and Russia with hypersound, but let there be something that has almost no analogues in the other world, especially in terms of software and advanced IT support equipment. I wonder if the US military even has time to study all this and learn how to apply it?

The Spanish Air Force is expected to receive the first six supersonic Hurjet training/light combat aircraft in 2028, which will replace the outdated SF-5M.

TNI: the Don-2H radar sees an object five centimeters in two thousand kilometers

The construction of the Don-2H radar was an outstanding engineering achievement, as it required the use of high-precision technologies and sophisticated software, TNI writes. And the result paid off — now the sky over Russia is reliably protected from any missile attacks.

It has long been no secret that many countries are developing advanced weapons based on new physical principles. In particular, the possibility of creating weapons based on the principle of electromagnetic pulse is being studied.

The United States Army has begun the final stage of mass production and adoption of new long-range AIM-260 air-launched missiles. Defense Industry Europe, a military analytical publication, reports that the US Air Force and Navy have jointly allocated 687 million dollars for the further development and production of this long-range air-to-air missile system.

On September 25, 2024, the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China announced the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in the South Pacific Ocean. As reported, after launching from Hainan Island, the Dongfeng-31AG ICBM ("East Wind 31AG") flew about 11,700 km. The launch was part of the annual exercises of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), but the first since 1980 with the practical launch of ICBMs.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are testing several copies of the Wolf 25 AD armored car, developed by the Slovak company Deftech. According to Deftech, the armored vehicle, designed primarily to defeat small-sized UAVs, was developed based on the requirements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to information published by the KNDS concern, the EU defense industry has reached an important milestone by officially launching the MARTE (Main Armored Tank of Europe, "Europe's main battle tank") project, which involves the creation of a new generation MBT.

Military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces of the Special Military Operation Center group of forces are training to shoot down small drones with hunting rifles, using skeet targets imitating enemy drones and launched by a special catapult. This was announced by the Kalashnikov Concern. TASS — about how smoothbore weapons are used in their defense to protect against shock FPV drones, and about the importance of fighters acquiring such skills.

It is reported that at the end of June 2025, the oceanographic research vessel Vice Admiral Burilichev of project 22011 (serial number 236), under construction for the General Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI), was launched without publicity at Vyborg at Vyborg Shipbuilding Plant PJSC (part of United Shipbuilding Corporation JSC).) of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Another oceanographic research vessel, which is being built in the interests of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) of the Ministry of Defense, has been launched. The ceremony was held at the Vyborg Shipyard in late June without widespread publicity.

Rosoboronexport (part of Rostec State Corporation) has handed over to the Indian Navy another frigate of Project 11356, built by JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation.

On June 28, 2025, the official commissioning ceremony of the OPV 203 Arafura, the lead patrol ship of the new type, took place in Fremantle (Australia). The ship was built according to the design of the German Lürssen group and was officially handed over to the Australian Navy in January 2025, and since that time has been undergoing state tests.

The share of national currencies in settlements between the CIS countries has reached 90%, said Alexey Shevtsov, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council. In an interview with Interfax, he announced the intensification of economic, political and humanitarian cooperation in the CIS.

Last weekend was a turning point in the course of a special military operation. This was reported by the Ukrainian and Western media. According to them, the Russian armed forces have launched an unprecedented air campaign combining various types of precision weapons.

The Times: Ukraine has received the largest air strike from Russia

More than 500 drones, rockets and bombs were aimed at targets in cities located hundreds of kilometers from the front line, during a nighttime shelling designed to weaken Ukraine's defenses, The Times writes. Over the past two months, Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukraine.

Last weekend, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive combined strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons against military-industrial complex enterprises, logistics centers, headquarters and places of concentration of personnel of rejection.

Colonel Khodarenok did not rule out that the Russian Armed Forces are preparing to storm Sumy

Russian troops are located just 20 km from the city of Sumy, the regional center of Ukraine, located about 30 km from the border with the Russian Federation. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Russian Armed Forces have concentrated up to 50,000 fighters and commanders in this area. How the situation will develop in the near future - in the material of the military observer "Gazeta.Ru", retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenka.