Cooperation news

France has again promised to provide Ukraine with AMX 10-RC wheeled tanks and even equip several battalions with them. The first batch of these machines arrived in Ukraine in March of this year, but for the first time we are talking about such a serious delivery. Why do French military experts recall the Soviet Union in this regard and how do they assess the role of wheeled tanks in the Ukrainian theater of operations?

Politico learned about Ukraine's desire to receive up to 50 F-16 fighters from Western allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants the possible supply of F-16 fighter jets to Kiev to become one of the central topics at the G7 summit in Japan and at the meeting of NATO heads of state in Lithuania, Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Yuriy Sak said.

Andrey Nizamutdinov — on the results of the visit of the President of Ukraine to European countries

The United States and its European partners in NATO began pumping weapons into Ukraine long before the start of the Russian special operation, and after February 2022, the volume of supplies increased significantly. The United States alone, according to the Pentagon, provided Kiev with military assistance totaling over $30 billion. 

In 2021, Hungary blocked Ukraine's application to join the NATO cyber center in Tallinn

The flag of Ukraine was raised near the NATO Cooperation Center for Improving Cyber Defense in Tallinn. Ukraine is currently listed as a partner on the organization's website. Kiev applied for membership back in 2021, but Hungary then used the right of veto.

Ukraine continues to put pressure on Western countries regarding the supply of F-16 fighters. So, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky wants to make this issue the main issue at the summits of the "Big Seven" and NATO. What are the F-16s capable of in comparison with Russian aircraft, who will fly them and what tasks will the AFU command try to solve after receiving these machines?

The German company HENSOLDT announced the delivery of a new batch of TRML-4D radar to the APU, which is planned to be closed in the second half of 2023 "after training Ukrainian operators." It is planned to transfer 6 radars to the Kiev regime with a total cost of 100 million euros.

Chip vendors are forced to buy neon for their production at six to seven times more expensive than a year ago. This is due to the shortage of Russian gas, which the whole world is trying to replace, but so far in vain. Russia intends to occupy 25% of the world market for the production of high-purity neon during 2023.

Russian Ambassador to Bratislava Igor Bratchikov — on supplies to Kiev, the consequences of sanctions and gratitude for the preservation of historical memory

Slovakia is modernizing its military facilities to meet NATO standards and is not against increasing the presence of its contingent on its territory, Russian Ambassador to the country Igor Bratchikov said.

Separately, the French side stressed the commitment to support Kiev in the field of air defense

France will equip several AFU battalions with dozens of armored vehicles in the coming weeks, including AMX-10RC light wheeled tanks. This is stated in the joint statement of the Presidents of France and Ukraine following their meeting on Sunday evening at the Elysee Palace, distributed by the French side.

The EU intends to put pressure on South Korea so that Seoul provides ammunition directly to Kiev. About this, as RIA Novosti reports, Euractive writes with reference to an unnamed European official.

The UK will begin training Ukrainian pilots this summer, and will also continue to work with other countries on the possible provision of F-16 fighter jets to Kiev.

The second issue of the Arms Export magazine for 2023 published an interview with Atul Dinkar Rane, Managing Director of the Indian-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace. The bmpd blog presents to readers the full text of the conversation.

Bulgarian political scientist Krystev: Turkey's pro-Western orientation is beyond doubt

Erdogan's possible victory in the elections should not be considered a consequence of Ankara's change of orientation, writes "Facti" with reference to Bulgarian political scientists. Turkey has always been an ally of the United States, and the talk that Erdogan will withdraw the country from NATO is a fiction, they are sure.

On May 15, 2023, at the 1st Transport Aviation Base of the Polish Air Force at Warsaw International Airport, the ceremony of acceptance by the Polish Army of the first five delivered combat vehicles of the American M142 HIMARS missile complex manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation took place.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday announced London's plans to form a coalition of countries in order to supply Kiev with fighter jets, as well as to organize training for Ukrainian pilots.

The Algerian Air Force has published photos of the Be-200 aircraft during crew training. The Russian Embassy in Egypt, which published the photo, commented that four Be-200 amphibious aircraft will be delivered to Algeria to fight forest fires, local pilots have already started training on them.

British Prime Minister Sunak will announce the transfer of air defense systems and long-range drones to Kiev

On May 15, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky arrived in London, where he will hold talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The latter, as local media write with reference to the government, is ready to provide Kiev with another military assistance.

On May 11, 2023, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace officially announced in the House of Commons of the British Parliament that the UK had supplied Ukraine with a certain number of MBDA Storm Shadow air cruise missiles as a "long-range means for precision strikes." Ben Wallace stated that, "in my opinion, as the Minister of Defense, this is a verified proportional response to the escalation from Russia."

Philosopher Chomsky told why Ukraine should not join NATO

US statements about Ukraine's right to join NATO are hypocritical in their essence – they provoked Russia to retaliate, American philosopher Noam Chomsky said in an interview with The New Statesman. According to him, Washington will never allow a country that is part of a powerful and unfriendly military alliance to appear at its side.

JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) announced on May 11, 2023 that the Southern Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center (Astrakhan), which is part of it, signed a contract for the construction of a transfer floating dock of project 24012. The construction of the dock will be carried out by order of PJSC Shipbuilding Plant Severnaya Verf (St. Petersburg) as part of the cooperation of plants within the United Shipbuilding Corporation.