Structure and personnel news
Data Platoon: France has unveiled a company of attack drones at international exercises
The French unit was created based on the study of the combat experience of the Ukrainian and other modern conflicts
France has created the first drone reconnaissance and strike unit in its army, which will replace a squadron of wheeled tanks. This became known at the international NATO exercises Hedgehog 25, where the French Marines demonstrated a new company for the first time.
How NATO prepares the military elite of the future (Handelsblatt, Germany)
NATO General Nielsen: leadership skills are important in the military training of alliance soldiers
The conflict in Ukraine and Trump's second term have changed the course of the global geopolitical game, Handelsblatt writes. Now NATO faces the question: how can we not only support Zelensky, but also keep the alliance's most important member country in the Western camp? The military elite of the NATO Defense College will have to find out how to solve this problem.
Is the UK ready to send troops to Ukraine? Analysis in numbers (The Independent, UK)
Independent: The combat potential of the British army is lower than during the Cold War
The British army is unlikely to be able to fulfill London's promise to send "peacekeeping" forces to Ukraine as a guarantee of its security after the conflict ends, the Independent writes. The country's armed forces are now noticeably weaker than during the Cold War.
"Corvette" and "Mayak-S": new Russian developments for the safety of maritime borders
MPO – Gidropribor Concern, a leading developer and manufacturer of weapons for the Navy, is actively developing civilian products. Vladimir PATRUSHEV, CEO of the concern, talks about the latest developments of the company, ensuring the safety of maritime borders.
Reuters: Blackwater PMC founder to send hundreds of mercenaries to Haiti to fight local gangs and collect taxes
The founder of the infamous American PMC Blackwater, Eric Prince, who is considered a supporter of US President Donald Trump, will send hundreds of mercenaries to Haiti to fight local gangs and collect taxes. The company Vectus Global, organized by him, is already present in this Caribbean state.
Ukraine's once flexible army is stuck in the Soviet decision-making system (The Wall Street Journal, USA)
WSJ: In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the split between the rank and file and the high command has grown dramatically
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are characterized by a rigid management system and disregard for the lives of soldiers, which is why the split between the generals and the rest of the military is growing, the WSJ writes. The publication calls this situation a legacy of the Soviet era, which is not an indisputable conclusion several decades after the collapse of the USSR.
Attack with the wind: motorcycle companies have been created in combined arms formations
Fighters are taught to take populated areas and work under the threat of drone attacks
Separate motorcycle companies were introduced into the staff of motorized rifle formations. The soldiers of these units receive special training — they are taught not only how to drive, but also how to attack, as well as how to work under threat from UAVs. Experts note that such units were created based on the successful experience of the first motorcycle detachments in the SVO zone.
The drone and the Lightning: how the first female UAV operator fights near Pokrovsk
She was awarded the Order of Courage for fighting near Avdiivka
A girl with the call sign Radio Operator, the first operator of aircraft-type FPV drones in the Russian Army, is fighting in the Pokrovsk area. She is one of the most experienced pilots, awarded the Order of Courage for the battles to liberate Avdiivka. Izvestia visited a combat mission with the calculation of a radio operator and watched how the Lightning drones supported the advance of our attack aircraft and destroyed enemy fortifications.
The Estonian Ministry of Defense has submitted a 10 billion development plan for 2026-2029. euro
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has announced the approval of a new four-year national defense development plan (for 2026-2029) worth more than 10 billion rubles. euro.
Russian companies complain of "severe personnel shortage" in microelectronics
Ekaterina Koroleva, Director of Social Projects at Micron JSC, described the situation in the industry in these words. According to her, the shortage of specialists in microelectronics is a consequence of the same fashion for professions.
Rostec and The Higher School of Economics became partners in the field of engineering training and scientific research
The corresponding agreement was signed by Sergey Chemezov, Director General of the State Corporation, and Nikita Anisimov, Rector of the Higher School of Economics
Rostec State Corporation and the Higher School of Economics have signed a strategic partnership agreement in the field of science and education. The document is aimed at conducting joint research, training highly qualified personnel and building a scientific and technical foundation in the interests of high-tech industries in Russia. In addition, together with Moscow school No. 58, vocational guidance for schoolchildren in the areas of engineering, IT and cybersecurity will be conducted.
"The Bourgeois and the door": an article by General Zaluzhny appeared in the fashion magazine Vogue, where he appeared in a new image
An article by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, General Valery Zaluzhny, appeared in the fashion magazine Vogue, where he appeared in a new unexpected image. In it, he tells memories from childhood, episodes of his biography, and also discusses the future fate of his country and the conclusions that Ukrainians have drawn from the experience of the armed conflict.
The expert explained the need to increase the number of military schools
Military expert Anpilogov: The experience of the SVO allowed Russia to chart a clear course for the transformation of the army
Russia is increasing the quality of its own officers. In the conditions of modern technological warfare, army leadership should have basic knowledge in the field of robotics, and engineers are becoming an important component of both defense and offensive, military expert Alexei Anpilogov told the newspaper VIEW. Earlier it became known about the opening of a higher military engineering school in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Zelensky wants to raise the salaries of his military and has asked Europe for money for this (Financial Times, UK)
FT: Zelensky asked Europe for money to raise salaries for military personnel
Zelensky criticized the help of allies to Ukraine, writes FT. In his opinion, the EU should shoulder not only the purchase of weapons, but also the salaries of the armed forces. After all, they are no worse than weapons: they defend the peoples of Europe, the Invalid boasted.
The court granted the claim of the SOE for the return of the Ministry of Defense berths in Vladivostok
The court granted the claim of the SOE for the return of the berths and pier in Vladivostok to the Ministry of Defense
The Arbitration Court of Primorye has fully satisfied the claim of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation against a number of defendants in Primorye, including the supplier of petroleum products Niko-Oil DV (Niko Group), to return the berths and pier in Vladivostok to the structure of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Inga Sorokina, public relations consultant at the Arbitration Court of Primorsky Krai, told RIA Novosti.
German authorities want to restore military service: problems and risks - TASS Opinions
Vyacheslav Filippov — on why the Pistorius bill is most likely just an intermediate stage
Germany returns to military service after 15 years. According to the bill by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, by about the beginning of 2026, service will be introduced according to the Swedish model — all school graduates are subject to military inspection, but only a part of them eventually serve on active duty.
Scientific move: one and a half times more teachers will be trained for military universities
Graduates of the adjunct program will join the newly created educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Starting in 2027, the recruitment of officers to the adjunct program — an analog of postgraduate studies in civilian universities — will increase by almost one and a half times. First of all, new personnel will have to replenish the scientific and teaching staff of newly created military universities - by 2034, the military department plans to open 15 new schools. Experts note that this generation of young military scientists will have to not only train and educate officers, but also comprehend the experience of special operations.
Russia's main chipmaker captures 51% of Robot developer
JSC Corporation of Robots, a subsidiary of microelectronics manufacturer GC Element, acquired a 51% stake in the developer of robotic systems NPO Android Technology. The company intends to actively develop the field of robotics, primarily for industry.
Difficult to learn: how long-range snipers are trained for combat work
Intensive training has been organized in one of the combined arms armies of the Dnepr group of forces
Heavy snipers in the military are usually called those who work at distances over a kilometer. These guys secretly destroy particularly important targets in the "free hunting" mode, supporting the combat work of Russian assault, motorized rifle and tank units. But in order to perform such tasks effectively, serious preparation is necessary. This is well understood in the Dnepr group of forces. Therefore, there is a special platoon of heavy snipers here, which the Izvestia correspondent visited. These fighters hit the enemy from a distance of 1.5 km.
The investigation of Timur Ivanov's bribery case continues, the lawyer said.
Lawyer Baluyev: investigation of Timur Ivanov's bribery case continues
The investigation into the bribery of former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov expires on July 23, but the investigation continues, his lawyer Denis Baluyev told RIA Novosti.