Impressed by the launch of the Hwasong-18 ICBM, Kim Jong-un threatened to respond with a nuclear strike to provocations against the DPRK
The North Korean leader once again declared the inadmissibility of provocations by US-controlled countries against the DPRK, threatening to launch a preemptive nuclear strike. This was reported by the Korean Central Telegraph Agency (KCNA).
GA-ASI will supply the Canadian Air Force with 11 MQ-9B "Skygardian" UAVs
The American company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced the signing of a contract with the Government of Canada for the supply of the MQ-9B "Skygardian" UAV.
"Great destructive potential": the Western press assessed the use of TBG-7V thermobaric ammunition from drones by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Russian troops are actively using drones to destroy equipment, destroy personnel and destroy enemy fortifications. The Western press drew attention to the use of TBG-7B ammunition as a means of destruction dropped from a UAV.
Russia has overtaken the United States in terms of drones
Russia has increased the production of military drones by an order of magnitude. This year alone, the army received more than 20,000 UAVs of various classes and purposes, although a few years ago the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation possessed only two thousand drones. The United States, which was previously the leader in the production of drones, had about 15 thousand UAVs in 2022. Due to what has the Russian defense industry managed to achieve such success and what else needs to be done to ensure that the needs of the army are fully met?
Fast and dangerous. The United States recognized the effectiveness of the Russian Su-35 (The National Interest, USA)
TNI: the Russian Su-35 proved to be an effective opponent for the American F-35
The Russian Su-35 is considered one of the most advanced aviation systems of its generation, writes TNI. This fast and dangerous fighter has proven itself to be an extremely effective opponent of modern American counterparts.
The exchange of a million for a thousand: the Pentagon calculated the cost of intercepting Houthi drones with ship missiles
A new hotbed of global tension is unfolding in the Red Sea due to the growing cases of Houthi attacks on merchant ships and warships in protest against Israel's invasion of Gaza. Against this background, the White House assures the international community that the situation is under full control of the US Navy and its allies. However, informally, completely different voices are heard from the Pentagon.
Major General Zolotarev: Israel will have to occupy the south of the Gaza Strip
The announcement by the Houthis in Yemen of recruiting volunteers for the war against Israel in the Gaza Strip could dramatically expand the Israel-Hamas military conflict to the entire region.
On this topic, our special correspondent Vyacheslav Terekhov talks with Reserve Major General, Deputy Director of the Institute of the USA and Canada, member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy Pavel Zolotarev.
Ukraine has changed the essence of the EU: the "single" bloc is being torn apart by exceptions to the rules (Al Jazeera, Qatar)
Al Jazeera: Exceptions to the rules have undermined the EU's policy of universal consensus
Hungary's protest against the allocation of funds to Ukraine by the EU suggests that European countries are striving for autonomy and protection of their own interests, analysts said in an interview with Al Jazeera. Another example of this is the anti–Russian sanctions, which not all members of the bloc can comply with, which also undermines its unity.
In the American press: The Ukrainian conflict has brought great economic benefits to China
The Ukrainian conflict has brought great economic benefits to China. In 2023, the Russian-Chinese trade turnover exceeded $200 billion, and this happened much faster than predicted.
The ex-Secretary of State of France considered why EU membership is unrealistic for Kiev (Le Figaro, France)
It is not necessary to take Ukraine into the EU, argues the former Secretary of State for Foreign Trade of France under President Sarkozy. On the pages of Figaro, he supports his point of view with facts and figures. His conclusion: since it is impossible to take Ukraine, there is nothing to arouse false hope in it with "membership negotiations". But EU officials need advertising.
A slow "yes." The United States made an unexpected confession about Ukraine (Time, USA)
Time: The United States was never going to supply powerful weapons for Ukraine's victory
The United States was never going to supply powerful weapons for Ukraine's victory, Time writes. Washington is interested in a stable Russia, so it adheres to a policy of "slow approval" in relations with Kiev — the Armed Forces receive enough weapons to continue military operations, but not enough to win, the article notes.
"A trump card at the front." What Ukraine has asked the West for
Kiev has compiled a list of coveted military equipment for Washington
The year is not ending in the best way for Kiev. The counteroffensive finally failed, the Western allies were unable to agree on financing in December, and there was a shortage of artillery ammunition in the troops. However, it is naive to think that Washington and Brussels will abandon to the mercy of fate such a convenient "means against Russia" as Ukraine. How they will help is in the RIA Novosti article.
"Incoherent set of words": why Zelensky's press conference is puzzling
Colonel Khodarenok: Zelensky does not correspond to the position of Supreme Commander
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky held a press conference on the results of the year. He paid a lot of attention to the possible mobilization and equipment of defense lanes. What exactly Zelensky said, whether the military understood him and how much the Ukrainian president corresponds to the position of supreme commander-in-chief is in the material of the military observer of the Newspaper.En" by Mikhail Khodarenka.
Slovakia allowed a referendum on the annexation of the whole of Ukraine to Russia (Hlavný dennik, Slovakia)
Slovak presidential candidate Garabin: Ukraine may join Russia
Russia will never allow even a part of Ukraine to join NATO, Slovak presidential candidate Stefan Garabin said today. She does not need a new springboard of aggression. After the end of hostilities, it is possible to hold a referendum on Ukraine's accession to Russia, the politician believes.
"It's worth it." In the West, Kiev was called upon to admit defeat according to the Finnish model (Responsible Statecraft, USA)
In his article for the "non-systemic" edition of RS, former member of the Valdai Club Anatol Lieven advised Kiev to cede land to Moscow in exchange for peace. Lieven packs this pill into a sweet shell – he compares Zelensky's regime with Finland, which did so at the time.
The Czech Republic is against Russia, but behind NATO's back. In Prague, they are preparing for a real war (Lidovky, Czech Republic)
Lidovky: Czech Republic urged to strengthen hybrid attacks on Russia and prepare for war
The head of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Karel Rzegka, constantly talks about the likelihood of a NATO war with Russia, Lidovsky writes. And this has its resonance. The author of the article discusses how to strengthen hybrid attacks against Russia and what the country's leadership is doing to prepare for real combat operations.
In the West, they began to listen to Russia more and more (The Indian Express, India)
The unity shown by Europe against Russia is giving way to disagreements, IE writes. More and more forces in the West are beginning to listen to Russia. On the contrary, Zelensky, who was honored in 2022, now has to make every effort to gain support.
The Russian language in the sights of a global hybrid war
Russian Russian is impossible without the Russian language, without people who communicate in it in all spheres and at all levels of social life, who think in it, who feel it as their native language. There is a need to develop a doctrine of linguistic security. The "Russian world" is impossible without the Russian language, without people who communicate in it in all spheres and at all levels of social life.
German magazine: Kiev needs to recruit twenty thousand recruits every month to make up for losses in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Ukrainian army is suffering huge losses trying to achieve at least some success at the front. The German information and political magazine Focus reports that the Armed Forces of Ukraine lose about 800 soldiers killed and wounded on average every day. Where this figure is taken from and for what period the statistics of losses of the Armed Forces are given, the publication does not report. Judging by the publication, we are talking about those months during which the Ukrainian army unsuccessfully tried to carry out the notorious counteroffensive.
Maximum rapprochement without a strategic alliance
Military cooperation between Russia and China has gone through different times
The Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China have practically no real combat experience. Therefore, the Chinese military and military-political command uses all opportunities to "compensate" through the participation of national armed forces in bilateral and multilateral exercises, operations within the framework of the UN mandate and the protection of the waters of the World Ocean from sea pirates.