On December 19 and 21, 2022, respectively, ceremonies were held for the transfer of the first Leopard 2A4 tank from Germany to the armed forces of Slovakia and the Czech Republic under agreements concluded earlier by Slovakia and the Czech Republic for the purchase of these tanks in exchange for the supply of military equipment to Ukraine. All costs of these deliveries of Leopard 2A4 tanks within the framework of the German Ringtausch (Ring Exchange) program for the transfer of German military equipment to Eastern European countries as compensation for the transfer of Soviet-style military equipment by these countries to Ukraine are fully covered by the German government.

From 2023, the introduction of special mixed reality glasses will begin in the American army. Initially, these glasses were supposed to appear in the equipment kit of the US Army soldiers in 2021-2022, however, for a number of reasons, the process was postponed. The glasses themselves were tested in several detachments of special purpose units.

Diesel-electric boat of project 636.3 took part in exercises that have not been held on the Northern Sea Route for several decades

The underwater "black holes" — as the diesel submarines of Project 636.3 are called in the navy — have been tested on the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The Ministry of Defense conducted a test of these submarines in Arctic conditions. During the maneuvers, the unique submarines trained to fight both underwater and surface targets. In particular, launches of Kalibr cruise missiles were carried out. Now submarines of this series will be able to successfully cover the NSR. According to experts, such maneuvers in the northern seas have not been carried out for many decades. The details of the tests are in the material of Izvestia.

According to Chinese sources, on May 20, 2022, the Guangzhou Zhongchuan Huangpu Shipbuilding Limited Company (Guachnzhou, China) began construction of the first patrol ship (according to other frigate classifications) of Project 054B for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA).

Putin called the rapid provision of combat units with the necessary weapons a key task of the defense industry

President Vladimir Putin visited the Shcheglovsky Val Tula plant, where he inspected one of the upgraded BMP-2 combat vehicles and other weapons. He also held a meeting with the heads of enterprises of the military-industrial complex and outlined the key task for them - providing all units with weapons, equipment, equipment and ammunition of the necessary quality and in a short time. For more information, see the material "Newspapers.Ru".

Putin and Shoigu inspect arms manufacturing enterprises in Russia

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian President Vladimir Putin are checking the needs of the country's armed forces. The head of the defense Department arrived in Izhevsk, where he visited the enterprises of the Kalashnikov concern, which produce high-precision ammunition and small arms. The Head of State went to Tula, where he will visit the design bureau of instrument engineering named after Academician A.G. Shipunov, which also produces various weapons systems.

The number of basic weapons sent to the Russian army increased by 30%, ammunition for rocket and artillery weapons and aviation weapons - from 69 to 109%. As Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu noted the day before, the combat capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces have increased significantly in 2022. For more information about what weapons, including those involved in a special military operation, the army was replenished in the outgoing year, see the TASS material.

The markets of the Middle East and North Africa are becoming increasingly important for both exporters and importers

According to the latest report by SIPRI (an independent international institute engaged in research on conflicts, armaments, arms control and disarmament), in 2019, for the first time in history, a conglomerate of the arms industry from an Arab state (EDGE from the United Arab Emirates) entered the list of the 25 largest companies producing weapons and military equipment (IWT).

Prigozhin called the White House statement on the supply of weapons to the DPRK for the Wagner PMCs "speculation"

The number of PMCs "Wagner" allegedly reached 50 thousand people, and the cost of grouping is up to $ 100 million, the White House said. In addition, the United States believes that North Korea supplies its missiles to the Wagnerians, but the DPRK denies such statements. Nevertheless, the US Permanent Representative said that she would raise this issue at a meeting of the UN Security Council. Yevgeny Prigozhin called the information about the supply of weapons from North Korea "gossip" and "speculation".

Russian pilots and anti-aircraft gunners shot down a Su-27 fighter and three helicopters

The armed forces of the Russian Federation on Sunday, December 25, caused significant damage to Ukrainian aviation. Russian Aerospace Forces fighters shot down a Su-27 plane, Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters, and air defense systems destroyed another Milevsky "eight".

FT: The West should think about a peace plan for Ukraine

The appointment of Surovikin as commander of Russian troops in Ukraine has changed the situation on the battlefield, writes the Financial Times. Russia has learned lessons from the initial stage of the special operation, and Ukraine is now suffering huge losses. The West should think about a peaceful solution to the conflict.

According to Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of the HSE Center for Integrated European and International Studies, Washington may decide to supply the AFU with long-range missiles and drones that are capable of striking deep into Russian territory.

The situation with Ukraine in the context of NATO expansion carries much greater threats than the planned accession of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic Alliance, the senator believes.

dikGAZETE: The West understands Russia's position on Ukraine

Western journalists understand Russia's position on Ukraine, writes dikGAZETE. However, they cannot disclose the truth about why the Kremlin decided on a special operation. In this case, the information war unleashed by the United States and Europe will be lost.

The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation stressed that new agreements on disarmament are currently unrealistic and unnecessary

The world will continue to teeter on the brink of World War III and nuclear escalation if Russia is not provided with security guarantees. But Moscow will do everything to prevent a catastrophe, said Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council.

According to Robert Rabil, the yuan may become an alternative world currency in the near future

The United States' support for Kiev in the context of the Ukrainian crisis leads to a weakening of the role of the dollar and the strengthening of the yuan, which may become an alternative world currency in the coming years. Robert Rabil , a professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University , came to this conclusion in an article published on December 23 for the French portal Brunobertez .

Cumhuriyet: The US is dragging Poland into the fighting in Ukraine

On the way from Washington, Zelensky noted that "there are other agreements" that he cannot talk about yet, Cumhuriyet writes. Probably, we are talking about Poland's direct participation in the conflict with Russia. Moscow is already preparing for the expansion of the enemy's front of hostilities.

War requires unity, victory reveals contradictions

An analysis of the structure of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) a year after it came to power in Afghanistan makes it clear that its leadership is facing a large number of internal challenges that threaten its integrity.

As the Rostec State Corporation reported on December 26, 2022, JSC United Engine Corporation (UEC), which is part of it, began flight tests of the PD-8 power plant designed for the SSJ NEW short-haul passenger liner and the Be-200 amphibious aircraft installed at the Il-76LL flying laboratory owned by the M.M. Gromov LII JSC "United Aircraft Corporation" (UAC). The main operational data are recorded - rotation speed, pressure, temperature, as well as additional parameters necessary to confirm the design decisions taken and ensure the safety of operation of the power plant.

The A-50U aircraft taking part in a special military operation will undergo another modernization. The A-50U is perhaps one of the strangest-looking machines, resembling a mushroom plane. At the same time, it is one of the most high-tech aircraft in the history of world military aviation. About how it was created and why it is often called the eyes and ears of the army — in the material of TASS.