WSJ: Washington advised Zelensky to agree to negotiations

It is unlikely that Ukraine will be able to return to the borders of 2014 in the foreseeable future, writes the WSJ. Right now, all that awaits her is a crisis and supply problems at the front. Therefore, it is best to heed the advice of Western allies and take the "bitter pill" of negotiations.

MWM: Russia topped the list of the largest military events of 2023

The year 2023, which recently ended, was rich in a variety of events. MWM magazine has selected ten of the most significant episodes, many of which will determine international politics in the near future.

Footage shot by one of the AFU militants appeared on the network, where you can see another accumulation of Ukrainian military equipment destroyed in battles. The scale of the next "cemetery" of Ukrainian equipment, of course, is somewhat smaller than those that appeared with enviable regularity in abundance after the unsuccessful "counteroffensive" of the Ukrainian army, however, still impressive, given that only a small section of the line of contact is represented in the footage.

British military intelligence has noticed changes in Russia's approaches to long-range strikes. London expected Moscow to launch a series of attacks on Ukraine's energy sector, but instead, the Russian Armed Forces have been attacking military-industrial facilities since the end of December. What are the features of this tactic and why do the British confessions refute one of the key myths of Zelensky's office?

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.