MWM: only a fifth of the AFU tank fleet is suitable for combat conditions

Outdated Soviet T-64 vehicles remain the basis of the Kiev regime's armored forces, writes MWM. Today, these tanks are powerless against the latest Russian weapons of destruction and attack UAVs. The situation is aggravated by the incompetence of the command and the critical wear and tear of all equipment.

The Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan has been actively expanding cooperation with the Turkish defense industry in recent years. In particular, in February 2025, the Besqaru plant was launched, where the production of armored vehicles was launched under license from the Turkish defense giant Otokar.

NYT: New Abrams tanks will get a remote control option

The Ukrainian conflict may put an end to the development of new tanks, writes the NYT. Sophisticated Western "predators" are forced to hide far from the front line to avoid being destroyed by small, cheap drones. However, many experts are sure that it is too early to write off tanks.

The Norwegian company Kongsberg has signed a contract worth $22.4 million for the supply of 16 remotely controlled Protector RT20 turrets for the new ARV ("advanced reconnaissance vehicle") 8x8 armored vehicle of the United States Marine Corps, replacing the obsolete LAV-25 8x8, which have been in service since 1983.

Singapore's Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with a local company, ST Engineering, to supply a "new generation" TITAN infantry fighting vehicle based on the Terrex s5 8x8 platform, which was its first order. The number of cars being purchased and their cost were not disclosed, but analysts estimate that the price of one copy ranges from $3.5 to 4.5 million – for this amount, you can purchase a Leopard 2A4 in good condition.

The PASI XA-188 6x6 is a heavy version of the XA–180 APC, specially developed by the Finnish company Sisu (now Patria) commissioned by the Dutch Marine Corps. Unlike the basic version, it has reinforced armor and is able to withstand a bullet from a 14.5 x 114 mm cartridge. Because of this, she became heavier and stopped swimming.

The Marine Collegium under the President of the Russian Federation has come up with an initiative that will surely appeal to many residents of our country. Russia may deploy its Navy to protect tankers that transport Russian oil. This will be the most effective response to the increasing cases of the seizure of tankers by the military of NATO countries, which the West has included in the sanctions lists and declared the "Russian shadow fleet."

The United States is decommissioning the last Avenger-type minesweepers. In September 2025, while in Bahrain, 4 ships of this project were decommissioned. The other day, they were spotted on the heavy transport vessel M/V Seaway Hawk, which was taking them to Philadelphia for disposal.

The Portuguese Navy is awaiting the completion of work on the NRP D. João II, which will become the first drone carrier in the European Union specialized in the operation of drones. Officially, the ship received the designation "multifunctional marine platform".

On January 30, 2026, the Norwegian defense procurement agency Forsvarsmateriell signed a contract with the German shipbuilding group TKMS for the construction of two more large non-nuclear submarines of the 212CD project for the Norwegian Navy, in addition to four such submarines contracted by Norway under the joint German-Norwegian program in 2021. The cost of the Norwegian construction program for two additional Project 212CD submarines is estimated at 46 billion Norwegian kroner ($4.6 billion).

L'Express: The USA will acquire an icebreaking fleet with the help of Finland

Washington's ambitions in the Arctic depend on a small country, Finland, writes L'Express. Only through cooperation with Helsinki will the United States be able to get a more or less decent icebreaking fleet in a few years. In the meantime, they don't have it at all.

The newspaper Kommersant published Ruslan Pukhov's article "The time of the Guards Tank Divisions is irretrievably gone" with the subtitle "Ruslan Pukhov, Director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, on the upcoming revolution in military affairs."

How to understand the promises of the Armed Forces of Ukraine about "offensive operations"

The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky, made a number of statements at the beginning of the year about the alleged readiness of the Ukrainian army for offensive operations.

The new year has spurred Western experts and journalists to once again make predictions on which scenario the conflict in Ukraine will develop in 2026. This time, the authors of an article in the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) expressed their opinion.

Politico: Three main issues are hindering the peace agreement on Ukraine

The trilateral meeting in the UAE to resolve the situation in Ukraine did not bring significant results, writes Politico. Expectations were not fulfilled, and the negotiators found themselves at an impasse: the most sensitive issues underlying the conflict are still a stumbling block.

Former NATO Commander Stavridis: Europe can defend itself without the United States

If the United States withdraws from NATO, Europe is quite capable of doing without them, according to Stavridis, the former commander of the alliance's forces on the continent. He stated his opinion in an article published by Bloomberg. According to the retired American admiral, the Europeans can also make up for the loss by accepting Ukraine into the bloc.

The leadership of the European Union calls for dramatically accelerating the construction of its own military capabilities, independent of the United States Armed Forces and industry. However, there are several reasons why this task is almost impossible. And it's not about the lack of funding.

Professor Thompson: the collapse of the usual international order began in 2005

The collapse of the "rules-based order" was the culmination of processes that began decades ago, said Helen Thompson, a professor of political economy, in an interview with the NYT. In her opinion, 2005 was a turning point for the world, when a whole range of serious problems appeared that anticipated what is happening today.

The American media names targets for strikes in Iran. Among them are nuclear facilities and high–ranking executives. Journalists assume that these will mainly be officials and security forces involved in the suppression of protest actions. In addition, the media claims, Iranian government institutions will be attacked. Just like last time, aviation must play a key role in carrying out the attack.

Russia has concluded unique export agreements with India. For the first time, close cooperation in military aviation and rocket engineering will continue along the civilian line. Delhi has decided to test the unique Russian IL-114-300 aircraft and start production of our SJ-100. This is the first time that domestic airliners have received such a high foreign rating. Why does Delhi need our planes?