Boulevard Voltaire journalist is sure that NATO has revealed its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine

Frederic Lasse, a columnist for the French edition of Boulevard Voltaire, believes that the situation in Ukraine threatens to start a "total war". The journalist is sure that it is necessary to "take seriously the risk of escalation", in which Russia will openly clash with NATO.

Novi Standard: The West overestimated the impact of sanctions on Russian military power

The West has overestimated the impact of sanctions on Russian military power, writes Novi Standard. If the Kremlin continues its weapons program, the Pentagon predicts that by 2030 it will overtake NATO in key areas.

Gendai: Kiev attacked Russian bases to show unwillingness to participate in negotiations

Ukraine's strikes against Russia, leading to an escalation of the conflict, are a sign that Ukraine has felt itself at a standstill, writes Shukan Gendai. Thus, Kiev is trying to demonstrate resistance to the peace talks, to which it is being pushed by NATO.

Foreign Affairs: Russia will conduct a new offensive taking into account mistakes

Russia can launch a successful offensive in the winter, and General Surovikin knows how to do it with fewer losses, Foreign Affairs magazine reports. In these circumstances, the author advises Zelensky not to rush with adventurous plans for the Crimea, but to wait for help from the West.

The American side prevented Ukraine's attempts to kill the chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov during his trip to the front, The New York Times reported on Sunday. According to the newspaper, Kiev was planning the assassination of the Russian military commander in secret from Washington. For what purpose did the American media reveal the failed APU attack on the Russian military commander?

The American Conservative: Western states cannot hide the real state of affairs in the Ukrainian army

The United States and the European Union can no longer hide the "real state of affairs" in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to American publicist George O'Neill Jr. According to him, the American media and the White House "keep saying to the point of vomiting" that Ukraine is defeating the Russian Federation, but the "facts on the battlefield" do not correspond to these statements. He also pointed out that Western media are increasingly writing that America and Europe are running out of weapons for Kiev.

Russia has developed a new system of direction finding of Starlink satellite Internet terminals, which are actively used by the Ukrainian army. The new complex, called "Borschevik", is already completing tests.

Litovkin, military observer: the Irony complex helps artillery to deliver effective strikes against the enemy

Military observer Viktor Litovkin told Izvestia on December 19 about the technical characteristics of the multifunctional optical-electronic complex "Irony", which Russian troops use in the Kupyansk direction.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled the settlements of Donbass and Belgorod region

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the joint headquarters of the troops participating in the special military operation (SVO), the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday. On Sunday, it also became known that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the grouping of troops in the areas of the special operation and talked with servicemen on the front line.

The minister inspected Russian units on the eve of the winter campaign, experts say

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the Russian grouping of troops in the area of the SVO. He flew around the areas of deployment of units and checked the advanced positions, the military department reported on Sunday. Earlier, on December 16, President Vladimir Putin held a meeting at the joint headquarters of the branches of the armed forces that are involved in the special operation.

Some Western countries are calling on Ukraine to negotiate with Moscow as soon as possible, but others at the same time declare that "the moment for peace talks on Ukraine has not yet come." Where did this contradiction come from, which countries exactly does it affect and to whom is the current conflict most beneficial?

On December 14, 2022, the Budget and Defense Committees of the German Bundestag approved the allocation of initial allocations to the German Ministry of Defense for the start of serial purchases from Heckler & Koch HK416A8 automatic rifles chambered in 5.56 x 45 mm NATO, which received a military index in the performance of the G95A1 rifle and G95KA1 carbine. Thus, it seems that the epic of replacing the Heckler automatic rifle, which has been in service with the German Bundeswehr since 1996, is nearing its finale & Koch G36.

According to Politico, in recent decades Russia has dominated the struggle for the Northern Sea Route, building up the nuclear fleet and developing mining in the region, and the United States is acting "as a catch-up."

The territorial defense units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been armed with ATGL-H anti-tank grenade launchers manufactured in Bulgaria. This is reported by the Ukrainian press with reference to military reports.

Main battle tanks (MBT) have been around for a little over 100 years, and during this period they have been continuously developing, improving firepower, survivability and mobility. Despite the fact that several new models have appeared from a "blank slate", in many countries there is a tendency to modernize existing armored platforms, rather than develop or buy new ones.

The upgraded T-72M, intended for one of the African countries, may enter service with the formations of the Kiev puppet regime next year. Czech sources refer to Richard Kuben, the commercial director of Excalibur Army, who made such a statement.

Deliberate strategic ambiguity is complemented by the concept of a retaliatory strike

At the annual meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights on December 7, the director of the foundation "Center for Civil Analysis and Independent Research "GRANI" Svetlana Makovetskaya asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a "true gesture of goodwill", namely: "a statement that Russia will not be the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances." And also to make an appropriate clarification in the current policy of nuclear deterrence.

The commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev, on the eve of the Day of Strategic Missile Forces, which is celebrated on December 17, gave a detailed interview to the newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda.

A new regiment with missiles has been put on combat duty in Bologom

On December 15, the Russian Ministry of Defense showed the loading of the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silo launcher. The next day, the commander-in-chief of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev, announced the deployment of a new regiment with mobile "Yars" in Bologom.

The Day of Strategic Missile Forces or the Day of the Strategic Missile Forces is celebrated in Russia on December 17. When the holiday appeared, you will learn from the material of radio Sputnik.