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July 05, 2022 - Kaliningrad's Region Governor said that Russia could take out "half of the Lithuanian economy" if Russia implements counter-sanctions on goods coming in and out of the Baltic states. Read more
July 05, 2022 - Russia's oil company, Rosneft has announced that they have discovered a 'huge oil deposit' in the Pechora sea, containing around 82 million tons of oil. Read more
July 04, 2022 - Kurdistan 24 news has reported that the Erbil International Airport (EIA) in Iraq has "prevented an unauthorized Iranian Pouya Air Cargo plane from landing, citing the EIA Director Ahmed Hoshyar. Read more
July 04, 2022 - Multiple explosions have been reported at a U.S. base on the Syrian-Iraqi border in the Al-Omar oil field in Deir Ez-Zur in Eastern Syria. Read more
July 04, 2022 - After fully capturing the city of Lysychansk, which was Ukraine's last stronghold, Russia is claiming full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, after intense fighting and resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu has informed Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the Luhansk region has now been "liberated." Read more
July 04, 2022 - The United States and Western allies have been giving Ukraine Soviet-era military equipment due to the fact that Ukraine's military was once part of the Soviet Union and Soviet-era weapons are not interchangeable with those of the West. Western stocks of Soviet-era weapons however are running out. Read more
July 04, 2022 - The United States commerce department says that China has not been seen evading sanctions, or providing military equipment to Russia and said that enforcement measures that were taken earlier in the week were targeting Chinese companies, not the government. Read more
July 04, 2022 - Russian state media Channel 1 talks of world war 3 which it calls Russia's Second Great Patriotic War and said that countries that decided to play with Westernness neutrality are next, once the special military operation in Ukraine concludes. Read more
July 04, 2022 - Russian state news Gazeta and the Russian Ministry of Defense have put out a statement regarding explosions captured on video from Belgorod saying that three people died and four were injured in the explosions. Read more
July 04, 2022 - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read more
July 03, 2022 - The Iranian Sponsored, Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah stated that it had flown 3 drones, which were unarmed, towards a natural gas rig operated by Israel in the Mediterranean, and the Israeli military has intercepted them. Read more
July 03, 2022 - BELARUS - On Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that 3 days ago, Ukraine attempted a missile strike on Belarusian military installations, but said that the missiles had been intercepted, through the Belarusian state-run media Belta news. Read more
July 2, 2022 - The Syrian military on Saturday accused Israel of carrying out daytime airstrikes near Tartus, Syria that they say wounded two civilians. Read more
July 01, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that sanctions and political pressure on Russia from the West is pushing Russia and Belarus towards "unification". Read more
July 01, 2022 - Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated on the Thursday that 'under certain circumstances' such 'hostile measures' as the sanctions placed on the country could be seen as an act of international aggression, or even as a casus belli [a provocation that is a justification for war] and said that Russia has a right to defend itself. Read more
July 01, 2022 - The United States, South Korea, and Japan have vowed a response to any North Korean nuclear test and said that the response would be in the form of joint military drills, according to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday. Read more
July 01, 2022 - The United States has failed the flight test of a new US hypersonic missile system in Hawaii, called "Conventional Prompt Strike". The failure was said to be most likely due to a problem that happened after ignition took place, according to a statement by the US Department of Defense. Read more
July 01, 2022 - Australian bank, Volt has collapsed in the midst of rising inflation and the bank has urged their customers to pull their funds from their accounts before it closes them on Tuesday. Inflation in Australia and US on the rise. Read more
July 01, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced another $800 million military aid package to Ukraine, which will be including modern air defense systems, HIMARS missile systems and ammunition, and other "offensive weapons". Read more
July 01, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the "special military operation" in Ukraine is going according to plan, and that there is no need to meet any deadlines to end it. Read more
July 01, 2022 - The Japanese defense ministry reported around 10 Russian Chinese navy vessels earlier this month in Waters Near Japan, leaving analysts to believe that the two countries are sending a message to Japan, the United States as well as Taiwan. Read more
July 01, 2022 - Russian state news Izvestia, and TASS have confirmed reports that Russia plans to send Belarus nuclear capable Iskander-M missile systems, capable of carrying "a nuclear warhead" and promised to "retrofit Belarusian Su-25s in order to upgrade them to "carry nuclear charges". Read more
July 01, 2022 - Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday expressed "serious concern" and "resolute protest" on behalf of the CCP regarding the NATO's new 'Strategic Concept', saying that it ignores facts, distorts the truth and vilifies China's foreign policy. Read more
July 01, 2022 - In an address to the 10th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF), Putin stated that a multi polar world order is "evolving globally", and said that the process is "irreversible". He also said that it should be built upon "international law" and the "UN charter". Read more
July 01, 2022 - NATO leaders have declared that the Russian Federation is the most significant "direct threat" to the security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. According to the Lithuanian ministry of defense, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders at the NATO summit agreed that "Russia is a direct threat to NATO", on "new strategic concept" being adopted, reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank with Forward Presence Brigades, increased support for Ukraine, as well as other "security enhancement" measures. Read more
June 30, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 21st that the BRICS countries, which include Russia, China, Brazil, and South Africa (Iran and Argentina have applied but not yet accepted) are currently working on setting up a global reserve currency to cut their financial reliance on the West. Read more
June 30, 2022 - Member of the Russian state Duma Leonid Slutsky said that while Sweden and Finland's choice to join NATO is their choice, it will have consequences on their relationship with Russia, and on the general security architecture in Europe which is already in deep crisis. Read more
June 30, 2022 - Due to Syria's recognition of independence of the two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Lugansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that all relations between Ukraine and Syria are now cut off. Read more
June 30, 2022 - Britain, who already has 2,000 soldiers stationed in Estonia has committed to add 1,000 more service members to the country, as well as sending one of its new aircraft carriers to defend NATO's eastern flank. Read more
June 29, 2022 - Washington has shown support toward the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey just one day after Turkey withdrew its objections regarding Sweden and Finland joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read more
June 29, 2022 - In an intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defense has agreed that the strike on the Kremenchuk shopping center may have been an accident, and that the intended target may have been, as Russia says a nearby infrastructure target. Read more
June 29, 2022 - China has claimed that two U.S. military aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, Jun 28th, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI). Read more
June 29, 2022 - Metal Shark, an American company that developer and builder of aluminum-hull vessels have put out a statement saying that they are providing six maritime combat vessels to Ukraine. Read more
June 29, 2022 - The Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos has Published Satellite Photos and coordinates of Western decision making centers, all publicly known locations in an apparent statement to the West. Read more
June 28, 2022 - South Korea’s unification minister Kwon Young-se says that North Korean nuclear weapons are not just targeting the United States, but also targeting South Korea, pointing to a March test of a multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS). Read more
June 28, 2022 - The North Korean government has accused the United States of creating an "Asia-Style NATO" in order to overthrow the North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un on Sunday pointing to the military cooperation between the US, Japan and South Korea. Read more
June 28, 2022 - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg has announced that Turkey has agreed to support both Finland and Sweden in joining the NATO alliance. Read more
June 27, 2022 - CENTCOM Statement Regarding Strike Carried Out In Syria. "CENTCOM Forces conducted a kinetic strike in Idlib province, Syria, June 27, targeting Abu Hamzah al Yemeni, a senior leader of Hurras al-Din, an Al Qaeda-aligned terrorist organization. Read more
June 27, 2022 - The US Military has carried out a strike on a vehicle on the Idlib-Binnish road in the Idlib province in Syria on Monday, targeting a senior leader of the Al-Qaeda aligned militant group, Hurras al-Din. Read more
June 27, 2022 - The United States now has over 100,000 troops stationed in Europe, which has increased from the 70,000 U.S. troops that were stationed in Europe when Russia's invasion on Ukraine began at the end of February. Read more
June 27, 2022 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is increasing the number of its NATO Response Force troops at high readiness from 40,000 to "well over 300,000", according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday. Read more
June 27, 2022 - Russian state media Channel 1 talks about Lithuania, NATO Article 5, military presence being established on the Belarusian border and targeting oil tankers in the Netherlands. Read more
June 27, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin told the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko that Russia will be providing Belarus nuclear capable Iskander missile systems in the "next few months". Read more
June 27, 2022 - Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has announced the second stage of the gas emergency plan, or alert stage, according to the ministry, putting the gas emergency plan 'on alert'. Read more
June 27, 2022 - Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui told Russian state news TASS that they are ready to supply aircraft components to Russia, noting that there are no restrictions from the Chinese side. Read more
June 26, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met at the Constantine Palace and talked about issues such as the economy, the situation with Poland and Lithuania, and NATO training and nuclear weapons in Europe. Read more
June 26, 2022 - Iran Expanding Nuclear Program While Expanding Cooperation With Russia. Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani stated during a meeting with a top diplomat from the European Union that Iran will continue developing its nuclear program until the West changes what it calls "illegal behavior" according to Iranian state news IRNA. Read more
June 26, 2022 - Chinese state media, Global Times claims that the United States sent a destroyer to the South China Sea just one day after sending a P-8A anti-submarine aircraft 'spy plane' over the Taiwan Straits. Read more
June 26, 2022 - Iran has carried out its second test of the Zuljanah satellite launcher, according to an Iranian state TV spokesperson. Read more
June 26, 2022 - (Based on translation) On June 26th, a Japan Coast Guard boat confirmed that the Chinese Coast Guard was navigating in the 'contiguous waters' on the 'overseas side' of the territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands administered by Japan, in the Okinawa Prefecture, according to Japanese The Sankei News. Read more
June 26, 2022 - China says that they "can't leave Taiwan independent" and that they will "retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones" if they can't reunify the island using peaceful methods. They also said that the United States wants two wars, one in Europe and one in Asia. Read more
June 26, 2022 - The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that what Russia calls the 'blockade' against Kaliningrad by Lithuania is akin to a declaration of war on Russia. Read more
June 25, 2022 - Russia has fired rockets directly from Belarus into Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, and the New York Times who says that over 40 missiles were launched from Belarus into Ukraine. Read more
June 25, 2022 - China says that their military went on high alert and they mobilized ground and air forces after a U.S. maritime plane flew through the Taiwan Strait. Furthermore, China says that their forces now remain on high alert. Read more
June 25, 2022 - A Russian state television Channel 1 speakers indicates that conflict in Europe will never end, and that the struggle is against the West, not just Ukraine, saying that there will be other 'special operations' elsewhere, aside from the one in Ukraine. Read more
June 25, 2022 - June 25, 2022 - There have been three rocket attacks on gas complexes in northern Iraq owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the last four days. The last attack was on a gas complex owned by the Dana Gas Energy Company. Read more
June 25, 2022 - Andrey Gurulyov, who is a member of the Russian defense committee spoke on Russian state television Channel 1, and said that if world war 3 breaks out, London will be the first city that Russia Will Bomb, and that all power sites in Western Europe will be destroyed. Read more
June 25, 2022 - U.S. lawmakers from both political parties have been coming out with a flurry of bills and resolutions aimed at expanding America's involvement in the Indo-Pacific region, including strengthening ties with nations in the region and increasing support for Taiwan. Read more
June 25, 2022 - Japan's Ministry of Defense reported that three Chinese PLAAF H-6 strategic bombers were spotted over international waters between the islands of Okinawa and Miyako-Jima on their way to the Pacific Ocean, then returned using the same route to the East China Sea. Read more
June 25, 2022 - Andrey Gurulyov, who is a member of the Russian defense committee spoke on Russian state television Channel 1, and said that if world war 3 breaks out, London will be the first city that Russia will bomb and that all power sites in Western Europe will be destroyed. Read more
June 24, 2022 - Ukraine and Moldova has now formally been recognized as candidates for EU membership, while the EU is ready to grant candidate status to Georgia "once priorities will be addressed". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has compared the EU and NATO to Hitler, and said they are building a coalition to fight Russia. Read more
June 23, 2022 - Release from the Belarus ministry of defense regarding the pre-planned military mobilization exercises in the Gomel region that will last until July 1st, 2022. Read more
June 23, 2022 - 22 Chinese military aircraft have entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) today, June 23rd, 2022. Read more
June 23, 2022 - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says that he "aims" to get both Finland and Sweden into the alliance "soon" regardless of objections by Turkey, but said that he "cannot guarantee" that it will be done swiftly. Read more
June 23, 2022 - Finnish Armed Forces Chief of Defense, General Timo Kivinen says that Finland has been preparing for a Russian attack for decades and says that Finland would be a "tough bite to chew" for Russia if they decided to attack the country. Read more
June 22, 2022 - Six Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest Air Defense Identification Zone on June 22nd, 2022. The military aircraft included four J-16 fighter jets, one Y-8 antisubmarine-warfare aircraft and one Y-8 electronic warfare (EW) aircraft. Read more
June 22, 2022 - Russian state news TASS reported that the Kaliningrad Region Governor Anton Alikhanov stated restrictions put in place on freight transit by Lithuania "looked like a mistake at first" but then said, "it's now clear that it's deliberate policy". Read more
June 22, 2022 - Mexican drug cartels are using online games to recruit teenagers, paying them, often with a monthly income to act as full-time lookouts at the southern border, notifying the cartel of the presence of law enforcement, and promising to teach them how to move drugs and carry out hits for more cash. Read more
June 22, 2022 - An airman, who has not yet been identified has been arrested in connection with the explosives attack that had been carried out on a United States military base in Syria on April 7th, 2022, according to the Air Force. Read more
June 22, 2022 - Denmark's Ministry of Defense says that they have credible information that attributes a cyberattack on satellite equipment operated by the Viasat satellite company to Russia prior to the invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Read more
June 22, 2022 - Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark which are all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance have reported incursions into their airspace by Russian forces who filed no flight plan and turned off their transponder. Read more
June 21, 2022 - 29 Chinese military aircraft has entered Taiwan's southwest Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on June 21st, 2022 according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense. Read more
June 21, 2022 - Russian scientist, political writer, and analyst Andrey Andreyevich Piontkovsky said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko would never dare to give the order for his troops to go to war with Ukraine. Read more
June 21, 2022 - NATO member, Lithuania has banned some goods from traveling to the Kaliningrad, Russia enclave from Lithuania which has angered Russia who said the move was unprecedented and unlawful as well as threatening to respond saying the situation is more than serious. Read more
June 21, 2022 - In the Persian Gulf, three Iranian IRGC warships came within 50 yards of the United States patrol vessel USS Sirocco and fast transport vessel USNS Choctaw County at high speeds and nearly collided, only diverting when the Sirocco gave an audible warning and deployed a warning flare. Read more
June 20, 2022 - 10 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone in the southwest corner on June 19th, 2022, making it the 8th day of intrusions into Taiwan's ADIZ so far this month. Read more
June 20, 2022 - China has carried out a land-based missile interception test that it said "achieved its expected purpose," according to the Chinese defense ministry who said that the test was purely defensive and not aimed at any country in particular. Read more
June 20, 2022 - Two Chinese Coast Guard vessels intruded and then left Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, leaving the territory on Sunday morning after having intruded the day before, according to Japan Times. Read more
June 20, 2022 - Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz stated during an interview with Channel 12 News that Israel is preparing for offensive options against Iran "if and when" they are needed and warned Iran "I suggest that the Iranians not test these capabilities". Read more
June 20, 2022 - Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabs put out a report Sunday saying that there was a mysterious explosion in western Tehran on Saturday night after a drone attack on an Iranian military ballistic development base. Read more
June 19, 2022 - June 19, 2022 - British MOD intelligence update for June 19th, 2022 reports that entire Russian units are refusing orders and having armed standoffs with their own officers and troops. Read more
June 19, 2022 - June 19, 2022 - Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has said that Iran will pay a painful price for hunting down Israeli citizens in Turkey to capture and kill them. Read more
June 19, 2022 - June 19, 2022 - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a German newspaper that Russia's war on Ukraine could take years, but that 'we must not let up in supporting Ukraine' he said. Even if the costs are high. The head of the British army also told troops they must prepare to fight in Europe. Read more
June 19, 2022 - June 19, 2022 - Israel has carried out strikes with aircraft and tanks on Gaza with aircraft and tanks after a two-month calm after a rocket was fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Gazan entry permits have been suspended. Read more
June 19, 2022 - June 19, 2022 - WASHINGTON - A US Senate bill seeks to pave the way for a training program in order to increase armed forces interoperability between the United States and Taiwan, while significantly increasing support for the island, including billions of dollars in security assistance and making Taiwan a 'major non-NATO ally'. China has warned, however, against what they call a 'dangerous' policy overhaul. Read more
June 19, 2022 - So far this year there have been 50 people from the FBI terror watchlist arrested at the U.S. border with Mexico, which amounts to more than the last five years combined. There have also been more than 440,000 known 'gotaways'. Read more
June 19, 2022 - On June 15, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced $1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. This includes an authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $350 million, as well as $650 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. This authorization is the twelfth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. Read more
June 19, 2022 - Ukrainian Pravda has claimed that Russia launched three cruise missiles at an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast which wounded 11 people, one of whom is reported to be in "serious condition" with seven others suffering "minor injuries". Read more
June 19, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he believes the United States sees itself as a "messenger of God on Earth", who has "no interests" but "no responsibility". Read more
June 19, 2022 - The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko says that his country will have to react to Poland's "desire to take Western Ukraine" because it poses a "threat to the security of the republic" on Friday. Read more
June 19, 2022 - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that it is no longer possible for Ukraine to return to its previous borders, and added that "this is obvious". Read more
June 19, 2022 - Two Russian Project 22160 missile frigates were spotted patrolling off of Romania's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near the country's natural gas platforms around 140 km (87 miles) from Romania's coastline. Read more
June 18, 2022 - After reducing energy output to Germany by over half the previous output, Russian energy giant Gazprom was accused of artificially pushing up energy prices by cutting off supplies. Read more
June 18, 2022 - Iranian terror cells have been activated in Turkey and are roaming the streets of Istanbul "looking for Israelis" after having been given an order to carry out attacks against Israelis located in the country, according to an Israeli official who spoke to Ynet on Friday. Read more
June 18, 2022 - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels carrying grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar. Read more
June 18, 2022 - According to both U.S. and Israeli intelligence, Iran is building a vast underground nuclear facility underneath a mountain located south of the Natanz nuclear complex, a report by the New York Times stated on Friday. Read more
June 18, 2022 - A mourning poster posted on social media has revealed that a lieutenant in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has died in Iran on June 15th, making it the third officer in Iran's IRGC having died in the last week. Read more
June 18, 2022 - Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base on Wednesday after first notifying the United States of their intentions. The base is located near Syria's border with Jordan in southeast Syria. Read more
June 17, 2022 - China has launched its third aircraft carrier, manufactured by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) shipyard in Shanghai and named it Fujian which is named after a province located directly facing the island of Taiwan in an apparent statement to the island. Read more
June 17, 2022 - The U.S. military captured a senior Islamic State leader during the night raid in northern Syria on Wednesday night who the coalition stated was an experienced bomb maker and operational facilitator. Read more
June 17, 2022 - According to the Dutch intelligence service, a Russian spy tried to infiltrate the International Criminal Court (ICC) that was investigating allegations of war crimes carried out in Ukraine by Russia using fake identification and spent over a decade building up his cover story. Read more
June 17, 2022 - Russian State Television Channel 1 Talks Of NATO Sending Weapons To Ukraine And Nuclear Strike. Read more
June 17, 2022 - A fire has started at a 1400mm pipeline in Russia. The Urengoy is the largest gas extraction facility in the country, and the second-largest natural gas field in the world, after South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field in the Persian Gulf which is shared between Iran and Qatar. Read more
June 17, 2022 - A Spokesperson for the Iranian Defense Ministry stated on Wednesday that Iran is preparing to test-launch a Zuljanah solid-fuel satellite carrier rocket just days after satellite photos were revealed showing possible preparations for a launch at Imam Khomeini. Read more
June 17, 2022 - The Mikolavska District Administration of Ukraine has claimed that on June 15th the Russian military burned down a wheat field and destroyed houses and warehouses in Nikolaev, Ukraine. Read more
June 16, 2022 - The Center for Strategic and International Studies has put out a report that says that North Korea appears to be expanding work at its nuclear test site and adding a second tunnel. Meanwhile, U.S. and South Korean officials say that North Korea is ready to conduct a nuclear test any day. Read more
June 16, 2022 - The U.S. government is releasing another 45 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve within the next few months in order to try to alleviate fuel supply shortages and address disruptions in the global supply of oil. Read more
June 16, 2022 - Coalition forces detained a senior Daesh leader during an operation in Syria June 16. The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group’s top leaders in Syria. Read more
June 16, 2022 - The U.S. Apache and Chinook helicopters that were spotted flying over Jarablus, Northern Aleppo, Syria were reportedly a part of a night raid by U.S. Led coalition forces to capture a 'Senior Daesh [ISIS] leader'. Read more
June 16, 2022 - Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday that Beijing will keep backing Moscow on "Sovereignty and security", according to Chinese state media. Read more
June 16, 2022 - Two Alabama residents have gone missing within the last few days near Kharkiv, Ukraine which is located near the Russian border, according to their families. U.S. State Department has reported that two Americans have been captured and advised Americans not to travel to Ukraine. Read more
June 16, 2022 - Washington is sending another $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including howitzers, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) ammunition and harpoon coastal defense systems. Germany is also sending MLRS systems. Read more
June 16, 2022 - China has notified the United States that the Taiwan Strait is a part of their maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not international waters, opposing the U.S. view that the strait is part of international waters. They have also given a warning to the U.S. to stay out of the Strait saying that they have sovereign rights over it. Read more
June 15, 2022 - Former Taiwanese minister of former affairs John Deng said on Tuesday that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would do more damage to the global economy than the Russian invasion on Ukraine has. Read more
June 15, 2022 - South Korea's unification ministry stated on Tuesday that North Korea is ready to carry out a nuclear test at any time, South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted an anonymous official from the ministry as saying. Read more
June 14, 2022 - Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as Russia's Prime Minister from 2000 to 2004 stated during an interview with Agence France-Presse that the war in Ukraine could last two years, and if Ukraine falls, the Baltic states will be next. Read more
June 14, 2022 - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets. Read more
June 14, 2022 - SOLOMON ISLANDS - Chinese police have begun training Solomon Islands police officers, with the first batch of exercises taking place at the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) in Rove, which is a suburb of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. Read more
June 13, 2022 - South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) released a statement on Sunday night saying that they have observed "several trails" that it assumes were created by North Korean multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) on Sunday morning. Read more
June 12, 2022 - Russia and China have finished building and opening up a cross-border bridge that they stated in February will bring the two countries closer together in their "no limits' partnership, before Russian President Vladimir Putin began his invasion of Ukraine. Read more
June 12, 2022 - South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-sup said during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday that South Korea is ready to engage in talks with Japan in order to strengthen their cooperation and three-way alliance with the United States to counter North Korea. Read more
June 11, 2022 - After Russia withdrew a large number of troops from Syria in order to re-focus them on its war in Ukraine, Turkey has announced that it will be carrying out a military operation in northern Syria. Read more
June 11, 2022 - U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high of 8.6 percent in the month of May according to data given by the U.S. government on Friday. This makes it the 12th month in a row that the inflation percentage has been above 5%. Food and fuel prices are also soaring up, while China, India and other countries benefit from Cheap Russian Oil at discounted prices. Read more
June 11, 2022 - Both India and China have drastically increased their imports of Russian oil at greatly discounted prices, with Indian purchases of Russian oil up by 400%, while countries buying from Russia benefit from discounted prices, the price for oil for the rest of the world is surging. Read more
June 11, 2022 - While at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that China is continuing to harden the position along the border it shares with India, and that the United States stands by its mutual defense commitments. Read more
June 11, 2022 - Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus has said that he believes Belarus may have to fight for "Western Ukraine so that it is not cut off [or pulled away] by the West". Read more
June 11, 2022 - Chinese defense minister Wei Fenghe has said that they will "not hesitate to start a war" if Taiwan declares independence during face to face talks with U.S. defense minister Lloyd Austin on Friday in Singapore, according to China’s defense spokesman Wu Qian. Read more
June 10, 2022 - The United States, South Korea and Japan are working together closely in order to prepare 'for all contingencies' ahead of expected seventh nuclear test by North Korea a diplomatic envoy stated in South Korea. Read more
June 10, 2022 - NATO forces conduct live-fire exercises in Poland in order to test their readiness and ability to respond to missile attacks from enemy drones and aircraft. Read more
June 10, 2022 - Russia has begun naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with around 60 warships. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) said that the exercises are "planned operational exercise with groups of the Baltic". Read more
June 9, 2022 - Iran notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it has plans to disconnect 27 IAEA surveillance cameras as well as other equipment used to monitor their nuclear activity according to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. Read more
June 9, 2022 - The Japanese Joint Staff put out a statement saying "Yesterday, JASDF’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea, the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7". Read more
June 9, 2022 - White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the United States is 'watching very closely' for a possible nuclear test by North Korea, which Washington believes is preparing for its seventh nuclear test. Read more
June 9, 2022 - The U.S. military is training one platoon of Ukrainian soldiers at a time how to use the multiple-launch rocket artillery systems, paving the way for possibly more of the systems to be sent to Ukraine. Read more
June 9, 2022 - The U.S. has deployed B-1B bombers to Guam ahead of a nuclear test expected by Washington by North Korea, though one expert says that the deployment appears to just be part of a regular, rotational plan and could be related to the biennial field training exercise Valiant Shield taking place in Guam this month. Read more
June 9, 2022 - A Russian senator has proposed that Russia carry out missile strikes on U.S. military bases located in Europe in response to the decision by the United States to go ahead and send longer ranged rocket systems to Ukraine. Read more
June 8, 2022 - Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spoke to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in a phone call, and said that Turkey would be responding to actions meant to destabilize northern Syria. Read more
June 8, 2022 - June 8, 2022 - Japanese Joint Staff statement (translated from Japanese): "Yesterday, the JASDF Western Air Defense Force’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7". Read more
June 7, 2022 - US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned North Korea of a forceful response if the country decides to carry out a nuclear test, as both U.S. and South Korean officials say that the North is preparing it's first nuclear test in five years. Read more
June 7, 2022 - China is secretly building a naval base in Cambodia for the use of its military, according to statements from both Western officials and a Chinese official who partially confirmed an exclusive report from the Washington Post regarding the secret facility". Read more
June 7, 2022 - Japanese Joint Staff statement (translated from Japanese): "Yesterday, the JASDF Western Air Defense Force’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7". Read more
June 7, 2022 - The United States and South Korea have conducted a joint air power demonstration in 'a show of readiness' on Tuesday a day after North Korea had fired off eight short-range missiles (SRBMs) on Sunday according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. Read more
June 6, 2022 - Britain is sending Ukraine M270 multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine a week after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized sending M142 High Mobility Artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) after Kyiv gave assurances that they would not be used to strike Russian territory. Read more
June 6, 2022 - The United States and South Korea has test launched 8 surface-to-surface missiles from Army Tactic Missile Systems (ATACMS) toward the East Sea in response to the 8 missiles that North Korea had test fired over the weekend, according to the South Korean military. Read more
June 6, 2022 - Thailand's Royal Thai Police (RTP) issued a 'secret order' to police the country's police force on the lookout for spies from Iran, after an Iranian spy was arrested in Indonesia, according to the country's police force, who spoke to Bangkok Post. Read more
June 5, 2022 - The Australian defense department revealed on Sunday that a Chinese fighter aircraft had intercepted one of its Royal Australian Air Force planes in May, which resulted in a dangerous maneuver where it released a bundle of chaff which posed a threat to both the aircraft and its crew. Read more
June 5, 2022 - *UPDATED* North Korea launches 8 short-ranged ballistic missiles toward the East Sea off of its east coast according to the Japanese Coast Guard and South Korean military. Read more
June 4, 2022 - MOSCOW - Former Russian President and current head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has warned that if Ukraine uses any of the missiles given to them by the United States to strike Russian territory, Russia will have 'no choice' but to strike 'decision making centers' which are 'not even located on the territory of Kyiv'. Read more
June 4, 2022 - A U.S. drone strike carried out on Friday has killed five members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization. The drone strike was coordinated with the Somali government according to a press release from the Somali Ministry of Information. Read more
June 3, 2022 - According to a report by the Persian Iran International news agency there has been another death of an Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force unit 840 commander, who has died under 'suspicious circumstances' on Monday, May 30th. Read more
June 3, 2022 - Taiwan has banned all exports of 'modern' microchips to both Russia and Belarus, according to Taiwan News. The ban limits sales of all CPUs to chips with a frequency of less than 25 MHz to the two countries in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Read more
June 3, 2022 - According to a classified U.S. intelligence report, Russian President Vladimir Putin was treated for advanced cancer in April 2022, Newsweek said that they were privy to the information given by U.S. intelligence leaders reported. Read more
June 2, 2022 - Alexei Zhuravlev, who is a lawmaker and a member of the Russian parliament has threatened the United States with Satan-2 nuclear missiles over U.S. support for Ukraine. Read more
June 2, 2022 - The Biden administration has authorized another $700 million to go to Ukraine, along with MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones. Read more
June 2, 2022 - Around 1,000 servicemen of the Russian nuclear forces began exercises with over 100 vehicles in the Ivanovo province northeast of Moscow, Russia, according to the Russian defense ministry. Read more
June 1, 2022 - Russian state television Channel 1 said that world war 3 has already started, and that the war in Ukraine, which was a rehearsal for a 'bigger conflict' in the future. Read more
May 30, 2022 - China has sent 30 military aircraft into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, which is the largest incursion on the island's ADIZ since January and caused Taiwan to scramble their fighter own fighter jets. Read more
May 28, 2022 - Two Russian lawmakers who acted as regional officials have been branded as traitors and ordered out of a legislation meeting after they called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion on Ukraine. Read more
May 28, 2022 - Israel has said no to a request by the United States to allow Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles manufactured in Germany using Israeli technology, according to an Israeli official, and two U.S. officials. Read more
May 28, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that abolishes the age limit of those allowed to join its military. The age limit to serve in the Russian military has now been extended to up to 65 years of age for men and 60 years of age for women, which is the age of retirement. Read more
May 28, 2022 - Russia has successfully tested a hypersonic nuclear capable Zircon cruise missile which was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Saturday. Read more
May 28, 2022 - Russia loaded two of their six Varshavyanka submarines anchored in the South Bay of Sevastopol with Kaliber class cruise missiles. Ukraine says they will be used to strike targets within Ukrainian territory. Read more
May 26, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a statement Thursday saying that the Chinese threat will 'test U.S. diplomacy like nothing we've ever seen before' but said that the United States does not want another Cold War, and made it very clear that America does not support an independent Taiwan. Read more
May 26, 2022 - Israel has informed the United States that it was in fact responsible for the killing of the Iranian IRGC Colonel Sayad Khodayee, who was involved in the abduction and killing of Israelis, as well as other foreigners globally. Read more
May 26, 2022 - According to a South Korean official, North Korea has been testing a 'nuclear detonation device' for weeks, likely in preparation for a nuclear test, but that it is unlikely to conduct a nuclear test in the next couple of days, according to Kim Tae-hyo, who is the deputy director of the National Security Office (NSO), according to NK News. Read more
May 25, 2022 - DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros said on Tuesday that the Russian invasion on Ukraine may have been the beginning of World War Three, and that the best way to preserve free civilization was for the West to defeat Russia. Read more
May 25, 2022 - On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia must cease being dependent upon the West, and that the 'dictator's position' of the West will lead economic ties with China to grow 'even faster'. Read more
May 24, 2022 - Japan scrambled fighter jets after warplanes from both Russia and China approached its airspace on Tuesday. Japan called the action a "provocation" that was likely planned while it hosted an informal gathering of Quad nations. Read more
May 24, 2022 - South Korea has scrambled fighter jets after at least four Russian warplanes and four Chinese warplanes entered the country's Air Defense Identification Zone without giving notice. Read more
May 24, 2022 - Russia and China have held the first joint exercise since Russia's war on Ukraine began as a part of the two countries "annual military cooperation plan" over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and Western Pacific, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry. Read more
May 24, 2022 - General Mark Milley, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated on Monday that although there is low-level planning currently underway, the United States is still "a ways away" from re-introducing U.S. troops back into Ukraine. Read more
May 23, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced on Monday 13 countries that will be 'initial partners' of a US led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in order to pushback on Chinese expansion in the Indo-Pacific region. Read more
May 23, 2022 - The Pentagon has said that the claim by a Ukrainian official that the United States has plans to attack the Russian naval fleet in the Black Sea is not true and said that there has been no change in maritime posture in the Black Sea. Read more
May 22, 2022 - Taiwan is moving its Indigenous Defense Fighters and Mirage 2000 jets to Penghu in the Taiwan Strait, and Taitung on the east coast in response to the constant incursions by Chinese military aircraft. Read more
May 21, 2022 - WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden signed a $40 billion dollar aid package to Ukraine during his visit to Seoul, the capital of South Korea after the Senate passed the package with an 86-11 vote, while inflation in the United States sits at a 40-year high. Read more
May 20, 2022 - According to The National Intelligence Service, South Korea's spy agency on Thursday, North Korea has been weighing out the timing to conduct its seventh nuclear test and has completed its preparations for such a test. Read more
May 19, 2022 - U.S. National security advisor Jake Sullivan stated on Wednesday that U.S. intelligence indicates that North Korea may carry out a nuclear test, a missile test or both either before, during or after U.S. President Joe Biden takes his trip to South Korea and Japan this week. Read more
May 18, 2022 - The United States Air Force reported on Monday that it had successfully tested an Air-Launched Hypersonic Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), which reached speeds up to five times the speed of sound. Read more
May 17, 2022 - Four NATO warships that had departed from Hamburg, Germany were spotted traveling through the English Channel just off the Kent coast on May 17th. Read more
May 15, 2022 - MOSCOW - Top member of Russia's Kremlin party "United Russia's Superior Council" and Duma deputy Oleg Morozov stated that "Poland should be the next in the line for denazification process after Ukraine". Read more
May 14, 2022 - White House says North Korea may be ready to conduct a nuclear test by the end of the month, just a week after a state department spokesman said that North Korea is set to possibly resume nuclear tests in the near future. Read more
May 14, 2022 - SOUTH CHINA SEA - The Chinese Liaoning aircraft carrier was spotted by satellite images off Taiwan, while Japan stated that they had to scramble fighter jets after a suspected intrusion into its own airspace in the East China Sea. Read more
May 4, 2022 - The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile that was launched from Sunan, Pyongyang at 12:03 pm on May 4th and landed into the East Sea. Read more
May 4, 2022 - North Korea has reportedly fired an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea just days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to bolster its nuclear arsenal "at the fastest possible pace" and threatened to use them against rivals. Read more
May 1, 2022 - U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger has announced the introduction of a joint resolution that would authorize the United States Armed Forces to defend Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin escalates the war on Ukraine by using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons against the country. Read more
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Russia Says It Could Destroy Half Of Lithuania's Economy - Kaliningrad's Region Governor said that Russia could take out "half of the Lithuanian economy" if Russia implements counter-sanctions on goods coming in and out of the Baltic states.
Anton Alikhanov, the regional Governor told Russian newspaper Vedomosti Monday that, "The transport sector of the Baltic states could be destroyed if Russia implements counter-sanctions on the goods coming in and out of the Baltic states".
"Russia could make half of the Lithuanian economy disappear. There’s an impression that Lithuania doesn’t understand that Kaliningrad Region is part of Russia, and that we have someone to come to the rescue. We’re not alone in the face of the problem." He stated.
Last month, Lithuania banned certain goods from transiting through its territory in order to comply with sanctions against Russia levied by the European Union, but the ban did not include food items.
Alikhanov, who called the ban a "blockade" said that although food items weren't banned, it still hurts the region which relies heavily on building materials and other non-food items.
"Yes, the ban doesn’t include food, but without concrete we can’t build schools or hospitals. So it’s an issue for the normal existence of more than a million people and for the economy of our region.” he said.
Russian state news RT says that Russia has re-routed the sanctioned goods to the Baltic Sea rather than transiting the goods via rail or road, but Alikhanov said that the dispute must be "resolved as quickly as possible".
Russia Announces Large Discovery Of Oil In Arctic - Russia's oil company, Rosneft has announced that they have discovered a 'huge oil deposit' in the Pechora sea, containing around 82 million tons of oil.
The Russian news agency attributed the discovery to a drilling campaign in the Medynsko-Varandeysky region. Rosneft announced, "During the tests, a free flow of oil was obtained with a maximum flow rate of 220 cubic meters a day," and said that the oil is "oil is light, low-sulfur, low viscosity".
Rosneft also said that their exploration in the Pechora Sea proved that there are "significant oil potential of the Timan-Pechora province on the shelf and became the basis for continuing the study and development of the region.”
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Erbil International Airport Prevents Unauthorized Iranian Aircraft From Landing - Kurdistan 24 news has reported that the Erbil International Airport (EIA) in Iraq has "prevented an unauthorized Iranian Pouya Air Cargo plane from landing, citing the EIA Director Ahmed Hoshyar.
Jason Brodsky, who is a UANI Policy Director and Middle East analyst commented on this, saying that Pouya Air is "under U.S. terrorism sanctions for acting for or on behalf of the IRGC-QF for transporting illegal cargo, including weapons, to Iran's clients in the Levant".
Explosions Reported At U.S. Base On Syrian-Iraqi Border - Multiple explosions have been reported at a U.S. base on the Syrian-Iraqi border in the Al-Omar oil field in Deir Ez-Zur in Eastern Syria.
Sabereen News reported that at least two blasts were heard in the US base in the al-Omar oil field in the Dayr al-Zawr province near the Syrian-Iraqi border early Monday.
Russia had Carried Out Airstrikes on the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base located near Syria's border with Jordan in southeast Syria on June 15th after it had first notified the United States of their intentions.
Russia Claims Full Control of Luhansk Region in Eastern Ukraine - MOSCOW - After fully capturing the city of Lysychansk, which was Ukraine's last stronghold, Russia is claiming full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, after intense fighting and resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu has informed Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the Luhansk region has now been "liberated." Read Full Article
Western Stocks Of Soviet Era Military Equipment For Ukraine Depleting - EUROPE - The United States and Western allies have been giving Ukraine Soviet-era military equipment due to the fact that Ukraine's military was once part of the Soviet Union and Soviet-era weapons are not interchangeable with those of the West. Western stocks of Soviet-era weapons however are running out. Read Full Article
US: China Not Giving Material Support To Russia For Ukraine War - The United States commerce department says that China has not been seen evading sanctions, or providing military equipment to Russia and said that enforcement measures that were taken earlier in the week were targeting Chinese companies, not the government.
The statement comes after five companies in China were added to a trade blacklist for allegedly supporting Russia's military.
A senior Biden administration official spoke to Reuters and said "“China is not providing material support. This is normal course-of-business enforcement action against entities that have been backfilling for Russia".
"We have not seen the PRC (People’s Republic of China) engage in systematic evasion or provide military equipment to Russia" they added, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Although the Biden administration has not found that China has been helping Russia's military with material support, or evading sanctions to help Russia, and Beijing has stated the same, China has been refusing to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine and criticized the United States for the sweeping sanctions that have been placed upon Russia.
Russian State Media Talks Of WW3, Says Other Countries Will Be Invaded After Ukraine - Russian state media Channel 1 talks of world war 3 which it calls Russia's Second Great Patriotic War and said that countries that decided to play with Westernness neutrality are next, once the special military operation in Ukraine concludes. Read Full Article
Russia Responds To Explosions Heard In Belgorod, Russia - Russian state news Gazeta and the Russian Ministry of Defense have put out a statement regarding explosions captured on video from Belgorod saying that three people died and four were injured in the explosions.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has also put out a statement claiming that Ukraine had launched Tochka-U missiles with cluster munitions on residential areas of Belgorod and Kursk.
The Russian MOD however, claimed that all three Tochka-U missiles launched by Ukraine were intercepted and destroyed while they were still in the air and that the 'wreckage' of one of the missiles fell on a residential building in Belgorod.
The MOD also said that two Ukrainian Tu-143 flight drones were flying to Kursk and were packed with explosives and that they were shot down by air defense as they were approaching the city.
Russian state news TASS reported that "Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that three people were killed and four injured overnight. He added that 11 apartment buildings and at least 39 smaller houses were damaged".
"Gladkov later said that the death toll had grown to four. Three of the victims are Ukrainian nationals and one is a Russian citizen, he added".
TASS also reiterated that, "The Russian authorities have repeatedly accused Ukraine of shelling cities and villages close to the border. Moscow previously warned that it would hit Ukrainian “decision-making centers, including Kiev” if attacks on Russian territory did not stop".
Russian Vessels Turning Off Their Transponder Trackers - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Iranian Sponsored Hezbollah Flies Drone Around Israeli Gas Rig In Disputed Waters - The Iranian Sponsored, Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah stated that it had flown 3 drones, which were unarmed, towards a natural gas rig operated by Israel in the Mediterranean, and the Israeli military has intercepted them. Read Full Article
Belarus Accuses Ukraine of Attempted Missile Strike After Claims of Missile Intercept - BELARUS - On Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that 3 days ago, Ukraine attempted a missile strike on Belarusian military installations, but said that the missiles had been intercepted, through the Belarusian state-run media Belta news. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Syrian Military Accuses Israel Of Daytime Airstrikes Wounding Civilians - The Syrian military on Saturday accused Israel of carrying out daytime airstrikes near Tartus, Syria that they say wounded two civilians.
Syrian state news SANA quoted a military source saying that several missiles were fired from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea at around 6:30 a.m. and that the missiles targeted "several poultry farms in the vicinity of Hamadiyah, south of Tartus".
The missiles were alleged by the Syrian defense ministry to have injured two civilians, including one woman and causing material damage.
It is important to note that the coastal city of Tartus, and Hmeimim air base in Latakia nearby are the two main Russian bases located in Syria.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Putin: Western Response To War Pushing Russia And Belarus Towards "Unification" - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that sanctions and political pressure on Russia from the West is pushing Russia and Belarus towards "unification".
Putin told a bilateral forum in Grodno, Belarus on Friday, "Unprecedented political and sanctions pressure from the collective West is pushing Russia and Belarus to speed up the unification process".
"After all, it is easier to minimize the damage from illegal sanctions, it is easier to master the production of demanded products, develop new competencies and expand cooperation with friendly countries," he added.
On March 14th, after a meeting with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said, "We are taking coordinated measures to protect our economic security and the technological sovereignty of Russia and Belarus. Above all, we consider it necessary to strengthen integration in the union state".
The day before, Put had spoke to Lukashenko and told him that Russia would be providing Belarus with Iskander missiles systems that "can use both ballistic and cruise missiles, both in conventional and nuclear versions".
Putin had also promised Lukashenko that Russia would retrofit Belarusian Su-25s in order to upgrade them to "carry nuclear charges".
Russia: Sanctions Could Be Justification For War - Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated on the Thursday that 'under certain circumstances' such 'hostile measures' as the sanctions placed on the country could be seen as an act of international aggression, or even as a casus belli [a provocation that is a justification for war] and said that Russia has a right to defend itself.
Medvedev said that Western restrictions were "boorish and cynical" and said they could border on "economic war". "I would like to point out once again that under certain circumstances such hostile measures can also qualify as an act of international aggression. And even as a casus belli (justification for war)," Medvedev stated.
"In response to them, a state receives the right for individual and collective defense," he added, and said that Western sanctions due to Russia's military actions in Ukraine "have a clear goal — to inflict as much pain as possible to as many citizens of our country as they can… to ordinary citizens, not the country’s leadership or business elites".
"The main aim is to punish the Russian people by trying to reduce economic activity and to provoke hyperinflation," he said.
US, South Korea and Japan Vow Joint Response If North Tests Nuclear Weapon - The United States, South Korea, and Japan have vowed a response to any North Korean nuclear test and said that the response would be in the form of joint military drills, according to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday.
Kishida spoke to reporters and said, "The possibility of further provocations by North Korea is increasingly concerning," and said that it's important for the United States, Japan, and North Korean alliances to bolster deterrence.
"In the event of a nuclear test [by North Korea], South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will respond together, including joint training," he said.
U.S. President Joe Biden had also said that the three countries "remain deeply concerned about DPRK’s continued escalatory ballistic missiles tests and potential to conduct a nuclear test".
"Our trilateral cooperation, in my view, is essential to achieving our shared objectives, including a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a free and open Indo-Pacific," Biden had added.
At the same time, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has also adopted a new strategic concept which was revealed at the NATO Summit that states, "the erosion of the arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation architecture has negatively impacted strategic stability" that addresses North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as well as the use of nuclear weapons.
The new NATO strategic concept outline also states that "the Indo-Pacific is important for NATO, given that developments in the region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security," and seeks to strengthen both dialogue and cooperation with partners in the region.
US Fails Another Hypersonic Missile Test Due To "Anomaly" - The United States has failed the flight test of a new US hypersonic missile system in Hawaii, called "Conventional Prompt Strike". The failure was said to be most likely due to a problem that happened after ignition took place, according to a statement by the US Department of Defense.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Lieutenant Commander Tim Gorman said that "An anomaly occurred following ignition of the test asset. the Department remains confident that it is on track to field offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities on target dates beginning in the early 2020s".
"Program officials have initiated a review to determine the cause to inform future tests. While the Department was unable to collect data on the entirety of the planned flight profile, the information gathered from this event will provide vital insights," he added.
In October, 2022 another flight test of the missile failed due to a malfunction with the booster. The malfunction had kept the missile from leaving the launch pad.
Australian Bank Collapses, Urging Customers To Pull Their Funds - Australian bank, Volt has collapsed in the midst of rising inflation and the bank has urged their customers to pull their funds from their accounts before it closes them on Tuesday. Inflation in Australia and US on the rise. Read Full Article
Biden Announces Another $800 Million In Aid To Ukraine - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced another $800 million military aid package to Ukraine, which will be including modern air defense systems, HIMARS missile systems and ammunition, and other "offensive weapons".
"We plan to announce new advanced Western air defense systems for Ukraine, more artillery & ammunition, anti-battery radars, ammunition to HIMARS" Biden stated at the NATO summit in Madrid.
At the Summit, Biden said, "This summit was about strengthening our alliance, meeting the challenges of our world as it is today and the threats we’re going to face in the future".
"Putin thought he could break the transatlantic alliance. He tried to weaken us. He expected our resolve to fracture. But he’s getting exactly what he did not want," Biden stated.
He also pointed out the decision by Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and said, "He [Putin] wanted the Finland-ization of NATO. He got the NATO-ization of Finland".
When Biden was asked whether American citizens should be prepared for the United States to support Ukraine indefinitely, Biden replied, "We are going to support Ukraine as it takes" and added "As long as it takes to in fact make sure that they are not defeated by … Russia".
Putin: Operation In Ukraine Going As Planned, No Need For Deadlines - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the "special military operation" in Ukraine is going according to plan, and that there is no need to meet any deadlines to end it.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is claiming to have killed 35,450 Russian military personnel, destroyed 1,572 tanks, 3,720 armored personnel vehicles, 781 artillery systems, 246 MLRS, 103 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 217 aircraft, 185 helicopters, 640 UAVs, 142 cruise missiles, 14 warships/boats and 2,598 vehicles and fuel tanks.
Putin claimed that the goal of the special military operation is to "liberate Donbas" to "defend the people living there" and to "create conditions that will guarantee the security of Russia itself".
"The work is proceeding in a calm and rhythmic way. The troops are advancing and reaching those endpoints that are assigned as a task at a certain stage of this combat work. Everything is going according to plan", he said.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that when asked about a deadline for the "operation", Putin said, "There is no need to talk about any deadlines. I never talk about it, since this is life and these are real things. It is not right to squeeze that into any deadlines".
"It is linked to the intensity of combat operations, which is directly linked to potential casualties, and we must think above all things about protecting our guys’ lives," he said.
Russian And Chinese Vessels Working Together In Waters Near Japan - The Japanese defense ministry reported around 10 Russian Chinese navy vessels earlier this month in Waters Near Japan, leaving analysts to believe that the two countries are sending a message to Japan, the United States as well as Taiwan.
A high-ranking Defense Ministry official said that "It was a clear demonstration of cooperation between China and Russia".
What confused officials and analysts, however, is how both China and Russia staggered their voyages so that each country's voyages were slightly separated from one another. "China may have wanted to avoid openly working with Russia, especially at a time when it is facing international criticism for its invasion of Ukraine" the official stated.
The Defense Ministry official said that Japan must "view the situation calmly and not go beyond the limits of provocation," as there hasn't been any confirmation that their vessels or aircraft ever entered Japanese waters or airspace.
Russia Confirms Transfer Of Nuclear Capable Missile Systems To Belarus - Russian state news Izvestia, and TASS have confirmed reports that Russia plans to send Belarus nuclear capable Iskander-M missile systems, capable of carrying "a nuclear warhead" and promised to "retrofit Belarusian Su-25s in order to upgrade them to "carry nuclear charges". Read Full Article
China Expresses "Serious Concern" And "Resolute Protest" Regarding NATO's New Strategic Concept - Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday expressed "serious concern" and "resolute protest" on behalf of the CCP regarding the NATO's new 'Strategic Concept', saying that it ignores facts, distorts the truth and vilifies China's foreign policy.
"The so-called NATO’s new Strategic Concept ignores facts, distorts the truth, vilifies China's foreign policy, makes irresponsible statements about China’s natural military development and its national defense policy, promotes confrontation and conflict, it is filled with the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudices", he stated.
"China expresses serious concern and resolute protest over this", claiming that China has always strived for global peace, defended the international order and facilitated global development.
He also claimed that China has never invaded another country, or joined or formed any military blocs, always following the path of a peaceful development.
Wednesday, during the Madrid summit, NATO alliance leaders had approved the new Strategic Concept which declares that the Russian Federation is the most Significant Threat to the security of NATO Allies, and also gave China a mention for the first time in the history of the Alliance.
Putin: Multipolar World Order Evolving Globally, Process Irreversible - In an address to the 10th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF), Putin stated that a multi polar world order is "evolving globally", and said that the process is "irreversible". He also said that it should be built upon "international law" and the "UN charter".
"A multipolar system of international relations has been actively evolving. The process is irreversible, it has been unfolding in front of our eyes and it is objective in its nature", Putin said.
"The position of Russia and many other countries is that this democratic, more just world order should be built on the basis of mutual respect and trust, and, of course, on the generally accepted principles of international law and the UN Charter" he added.
NATO Says Russian Federation Significant Direct Threat To Allies - EUROPE - NATO leaders have declared that the Russian Federation is the most significant "direct threat" to the security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. According to the Lithuanian ministry of defense, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders at the NATO summit agreed that "Russia is a direct threat to NATO", on "new strategic concept" being adopted, reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank with Forward Presence Brigades, increased support for Ukraine, as well as other "security enhancement" measures. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Putin: BRICS Countries Setting Up Global Reserve Currency To Cut Financial Reliance On West - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 21st that the BRICS countries, which include Russia, China, Brazil, and South Africa (Iran and Argentina have applied but not yet accepted) are currently working on setting up a global reserve currency to cut their financial reliance on the West.
Putin stated at the BRICS business forum, "The issue of creating an international reserve currency based on a basket of currencies of our countries is being worked out". The Russian President also said that the BRICS member states are in the process of developing reliable alternative mechanisms for making international payments.
The BRICS group had previously stated that it was working on setting up a payment network that would cut financial reliance on the West, and have been increasing using local currencies in mutual trade with one another, according to the Economic Times.
Russia Warns Of Consequences From Finland And Sweden Joining NATO Alliance - Member of the Russian state Duma Leonid Slutsky said that while Sweden and Finland's choice to join NATO is their choice, it will have consequences on their relationship with Russia, and on the general security architecture in Europe which is already in deep crisis. Read Full Article
Ukraine Cuts All Diplomatic Ties With Syria After It Recognizes The Two Separatist Regions - Due to Syria's recognition of independence of the two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Lugansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that all relations between Ukraine and Syria are now cut off.
After Syria publicly recognized the regions, Zelensky put out a video on Telegram saying, "There will no longer be relations between Ukraine and Syria" and stated that there will now be stronger sanctions put upon Syria.
Syria's foreign ministry had told the Syrian state news agency SANA, "The Syrian Arab Republic has decided to recognize the independence and sovereignty of both the Lugansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic".
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also claimed the United States is under the charge of terrorists and neo-Nazis, and said that Syria and its ally Russia are "fighting the same enemy" and said "both terrorists and neo-Nazis are controlled by the same country: the US".
Assad continued to claim that, "the main and the biggest battle is being fought against the policy of [imposing its] hegemony, which is being implemented by the West, which considers itself the center and seeks to rule the world in accordance with its interests".
In addition, he called on "countries defending their sovereignty" to build "strong relations with each other in order to help to strengthen their own positions and realize the interests of their peoples".
Britain Adding 1,000 More Soldiers, Aircraft Carrier To NATO's Eastern Flank - Britain, who already has 2,000 soldiers stationed in Estonia has committed to add 1,000 more service members to the country, as well as sending one of its new aircraft carriers to defend NATO's eastern flank.
Britain has also announced another 1 billion British pounds ($1.2 billion USD) in additional aid to Ukraine, on top of the already 1.3 billion pounds in military aid that it pledged in May equaling to 3.8 billion in total support to Ukraine thus far since the start of Russia's invasion.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "UK weapons, equipment and training are transforming Ukraine's defenses against this onslaught. And we will continue to stand squarely behind the Ukrainian people to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine".
NATO's defense secretary Jens Stoltenberg said, "we are going to allocate a brigade" and "dedicate one of the carrier groups to it".
While speaking at a the NATO summit in Madrid, Ben Wallace said that Britain would "allocate a brigade" to Estonia, bringing the number of British troops 'available' to around 3,000.
He said that it would be more efficient to base some of the troops at home with their equipment being in Germany. Of the British commitment to the defense force that had been announced at the NATO summit, Wallace said "We will put in a huge amount of the Navy. I think we’ll dedicate one of the carrier groups to it".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Washington Supports Sale Of F-16 Jets To Turkey - Washington has shown support toward the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey just one day after Turkey withdrew its objections regarding Sweden and Finland joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read Full Article
British Intelligence Confirms Russian Strike On Ukrainian Shopping Center Possibly Accidental - In an intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defense has agreed that the strike on the Kremenchuk shopping center may have been an accident, and that the intended target may have been, as Russia says a nearby infrastructure target. Read Full Article
China Claims Two US Military Aircraft Flew Through Taiwan Strait On June 28th - China has claimed that two U.S. military aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, Jun 28th, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI).
The SCSPI claimed that a U.S. Navy (USN) EP-3E Aries II electronic warfare and reconnaissance aircraft were "diving into the Taiwan Strait" and claimed that they were supporting the operation of a United States Navy (USN) surface ship.
The statement from the SCS Probing Initiative said "USN EP-3E #AE1D94 is diving into Taiwan Strait this morning on June 28, which is likely to support the operation of USN surface ship".
Another statement by the SCSPI on their Weibo account said that a U.S. Air Force Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft on that day had also flown through the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea as well as the Yellow Sea.
They theorized that the American aircraft had been collecting electromagnetic spectrum signals from Chinese air and sea platforms.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said that there is "no such thing as international waters" in the Taiwan Straits and said that China has sovereignty , sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the entire Taiwan Straits, and claims that vessels and aircraft passing through the straits are violating China's territorial sovereignty.
US Giving Metal Shark Patrol Boats To Ukraine - Metal Shark, an American company that developer and builder of aluminum-hull vessels have put out a statement saying that they are providing six maritime combat vessels to Ukraine.
The patrol boats will be part of the $450 million military aid package that the White House had announced last week which included 18 patrol boats. The type of patrol boats were not previously announced, however.
Metal Shark's Vice President of of International Business Development Henry Irizarry said in the statement, "Metal Shark has been working closely with the US Embassy in Kiev since 2019 to develop the strategy now being implemented to support Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, so it is fulfilling to see that the vessels will arrive when they are most needed".
"Metal Shark provides next-generation, proven platforms to partner nations, but most importantly, we create long term partnerships with end users to train boat crews and provide seamless technical support to assure 24/7 operational readiness" he added.
The manufacturer, and type of the other 12 patrol bothers have still not yet been revealed, however. A senior defense official said that the 18 patrol boats the U.S. is sending will be used for patrolling rivers, and for protection.
Russian Space Agency Publishes Satellite Photos And Coordinates Of Western Decision Making Centers - The Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos has Published Satellite Photos and coordinates of Western decision making centers, all publicly known locations in an apparent statement to the West.
"Today, the NATO summit opens in Madrid, at which Western countries will declare Russia their worst enemy. Roscosmos publishes satellite photographs of the summit venue and the very 'decision centers' that support Ukrainian nationalists".
The satellite photos included the location of the U.S. Pentagon, White House, British government buildings, German Chancellery, Reichstag parliament building in Berlin, and location of NATO's summit, as well as the place of residence of Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, along with French government buildings.
Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, told the Russian RIA Novosti news agency: that Western satellite operators are working for Ukraine, Russia's enemy, "The entire conglomerate of private and state orbital groupings is now working exclusively for our enemy".
Rogozin said "At the same time, we are giving the coordinates of the objects, just in case".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>South Korea Says North Korea Increasingly Targeting South - South Korea’s unification minister Kwon Young-se says that North Korean nuclear weapons are not just targeting the United States, but also targeting South Korea, pointing to a March test of a multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS). Read Full Article
North Korea Accuses US Of Creating Asia-Style NATO To Overthrow Its Leader - The North Korean government has accused the United States of creating an "Asia-Style NATO" in order to overthrow the North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un on Sunday pointing to the military cooperation between the US, Japan and South Korea. Read Full Article
Turkey Agrees To Support Finland And Sweden In Joining NATO Alliance - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg has announced that Turkey has agreed to support both Finland and Sweden in joining the NATO alliance.
A joint memorandum was reportedly signed on Tuesday regarding the matter by Turkey, Finland and Sweden.
Stoltenberg told reporters at the NATO summit in Madrid, "I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO"."Turkey, Finland and Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey's concerns, including around arms exports and the fight against terrorism," he added.
Iran Applies To Become A Member Of BRICS - Iran has applied to become a member of the BRICS, a group of emerging world economies that include: Russia, China, South Africa, Brazil and India.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said that the move "would result in added values for both sides".
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Argentina has also applied to join the BRICS group. Zakharova stated in Telegram "While the White House was thinking about what else to turn off in the world, ban or spoil, Argentina and Iran applied to join the BRICS".
At the moment the BRICS group has a combined population of about 3.2 Billion. Iran has a population of around 85 to 86 million people, while Argentina has a population of around 45 million people.
If both Iran and Argentina join BRICS , it would bring the total combined population of the group to around 3.3 billion.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>CENTCOM Statement Regarding Strike Carried Out In Syria - "CENTCOM Forces conducted a kinetic strike in Idlib province, Syria, June 27, targeting Abu Hamzah al Yemeni, a senior leader of Hurras al-Din, an Al Qaeda-aligned terrorist organization. Abu Hamzah al Yemeni was traveling alone on a motorcycle at the time of the strike. Initial review indicates no civilian casualties".
"Violent extremist organizations, including Al Qaeda-aligned organizations such as Hurras al-Din, continue to present a threat to America and our allies. Al Qaeda-aligned militants use Syria as a safe haven to coordinate with their external affiliates and plan operations outside of Syria. The removal of this senior leader will disrupt Al Qaeda's ability to carry out attacks against U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians around the world".
US Carries Out Strike In Syria Against Senior Leader Of Al-Qaeda Aligned Group - The US Military has carried out a strike on a vehicle on the Idlib-Binnish road in the Idlib province in Syria on Monday, targeting a senior leader of the Al-Qaeda aligned militant group, Hurras al-Din.
The strikes targeted Abu Hamzah al Yemeni as he was driving on a motorcycle on the Idlib-Binnish. There was no one else with him at the time, according to a statement released by the United States military.
The statement also said that an initial review of the strikes indicate that there were no civilian casualties as a result of the strikes. The strike killed its target, with the statement from U.S. Central Command saying "The removal of this senior leader will disrupt al-Qaeda’s ability to carry out attacks against US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians around the world".
A statement by the Syrian Civil Defense said that the man was killed shortly after midnight after the motorcycle he was riding on was targeted with two rockets. It also said that his body was transferred to the forensic department in Idlib city.
A few hours prior to the strikes there had been reports of multiple US MQ-9 reaper drones flying over Idlib. Some reports said that there were three drones spotted.
US Now Has Over 100,000 Troops Stationed In Europe - The United States now has over 100,000 troops stationed in Europe, which has increased from the 70,000 U.S. troops that were stationed in Europe when Russia's invasion on Ukraine began at the end of February.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that the United States "increased the number of U.S. troops in Europe from roughly 70,000 to more than 100,000 over these last months".
In May, during a press briefing, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had said that the US was planning to have an ongoing presence of around 100,000 troops in Europe. "Before that invasion, we were clear that we would do a few things if [Russian President Vladimir Putin’s] aggression went ahead," Price had stated.
"We made clear that we would provide unprecedented levels of security assistance to support our Ukrainian partners so that they could effectively defend their freedom, defend their democracy, defend their country from what was then the potential of Russian aggression. We made clear that we would impose severe consequences on the Russian economy, on the Russian financial system".
"We also said that we would reinforce and take steps to reassure the Alliance, the member states of the Alliance, and particularly those on the eastern flank of the NATO Alliance, and that’s what we’ve done."
"We have – there are now some 100,000 U.S. service members on the European continent. That number has risen in recent weeks precisely because we are fulfilling the pledge that we made prior to Russian – prior to Russia’s invasion".
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is also increasing the number of its NATO Response Force troops at high readiness from 40,000 to "well over 300,000", according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.
NATO Increases Number Of Rapid Response Forces On High Readiness To Over 300,000 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is increasing the number of its NATO Response Force troops at high readiness from 40,000 to "well over 300,000", according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.
NATO now says that Russia has walked away from dialogue, and has now become a direct threat, choosing "confrontation instead of dialogue". "Russia has walked away from the partnership and the dialogue that NATO has tried to establish with Russia for many years," he stated. "They have chosen confrontation instead of dialogue. We regret that - but of course, then we need to respond to that reality".
"I expect the allies will state clearly that Russia poses a direct threat to our security, to our values, to the rules-based international order" Stoltenberg said. "Together, this constitutes the biggest overhaul of our collective deterrence and defense since the Cold War".
Russian State Media Talks About Lithuania, NATO Article 5 - Russian state media Channel 1 talks about Lithuania, NATO Article 5, military presence being established on the Belarusian border and targeting oil tankers in the Netherlands.
Russian state media Channel 1 talks about Lithuania, NATO Article 5, military presence being established on the Belarusian border and targeting oil tankers in the Netherlands. Article 5 is the cornerstone of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) treaty signed in 1949 that states that if one member of the alliance is attacked, it is seen as an attack on all members of the NATO alliance.
Transcript from the Russian state media video: ""We understand perfectly well that when the Armed Forces achieve the goals set by the president, and reach the western borders of Ukraine, the rest will certainly not be about Ukraine.
And now about Europe and its survival. A military presence has to be established on the border with Belarus, in Kaliningrad, it already exists and is combat ready. It can potentially create a safe corridor for our supply chain to Kaliningrad. It has to be created, without a doubt.
Those who are waving their Article 5 in the air [NATO] should roll it up and shove it you-know-where. It's our territory and we'll decide what to bring in, regarding Europe, and appropriate measures that could be taken.
Yes, the taming of Lithuania is being considered, but it's really not about Lithuania. No one asks them, they are given commands. The issue is with their owners. No less than 40% of crude oil is imported and processed by Netherlands in its coastal areas. It's such a small spot that it would be hard to miss.
When we say that nuclear weapons might be used, maybe, maybe not from another side. I assure you that when a spigot closes from here, and crashes over there, the main supply chain is via oil tankers. We don't even need a Kalibr, a torpedo would do it. Especially if it's docked at a port. It will burn along with all of the port's infrastructure.
Europe will not only freeze, but totally croak. Go ahead and send an F-35 to Ukraine. We'll show you what our S-300, S-400 are capable of. Then, Lockheed Martin will be carried out feet first. We're ready to take you all down".
Russia Supplying Nuclear Capable Missile Systems To Belarus - Russian President Vladimir Putin told the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko that Russia will be providing Belarus nuclear capable Iskander missile systems in the "next few months".
The Iskander missile system is able to launch both cruise missiles, as well as short-range ballistic missiles with either conventional or nuclear warheads. According to the readout on the Russian presidential website, this is a response to concerns of "training flights of aircraft of the United States of America and NATO, which are trained to carry nuclear warheads".
Germany's BMWK Announced The Gas Emergency Plan On Alert - Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has announced the second stage of the gas emergency plan, or alert stage, according to the ministry, putting the gas emergency plan 'on alert'. Read Full Article
China Ready To Supply Aircraft Components To Russia - Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui told Russian state news TASS that they are ready to supply aircraft components to Russia, noting that there are no restrictions from the Chinese side.
"We are ready to supply components to Russia, we are organizing such cooperation. [Airlines] are currently addressing [it], they have certain channels, there are no restrictions from the Chinese side".
TASS noted that the European Union had prohibited the sale and supply, including leasing of aircraft, as well as components for Russian air carriers over the situation in Ukraine, but said that Russian authorities responded by 'taking a number of actions' including allowing local carriers "to continue exploiting aircraft leased or rented from foreign companies".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Key Takeaways From Meeting Between Putin And Lukashenko - RUSSIA - Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met at the Constantine Palace and talked about issues such as the economy, the situation with Poland and Lithuania, and NATO training and nuclear weapons in Europe. Read Full Article
China: US Sent Destroyer To South China Sea After US Spy Plane Flew Over Taiwan Strait - Chinese state media, Global Times claims that the United States sent a destroyer to the South China Sea just one day after sending a P-8A anti-submarine aircraft 'spy plane' over the Taiwan Straits. Read Full Article
Iran Expanding Nuclear Program While Expanding Cooperation With Russia - Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani stated during a meeting with a top diplomat from the European Union that Iran will continue developing its nuclear program until the West changes what it calls "illegal behavior" according to Iranian state news IRNA.
"Iran’s retaliatory actions in the nuclear sector are merely legal and rational responses to US unilateralism and European inaction and will continue as long as the West’s illegal practices are not changed" Shamkhani stated. Shamkhani did not however divulge what those "illegal practices" were.
Meanwhile, on June 22nd Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov traveled to Iran in order to discuss a nuclear deal and cooperation between Iran and Russia.
Russia's Foreign Ministry had posted a clip of the meeting where he said "In all the countries experiencing the negative influence of the selfish line taken by the United States and its satellites, there arises the objective need to reconfigure their economic relations so they can avoid relying on the whims and vagaries of our Western partners".
The month before, Russia and Iran had spoken of exchanging supplies for oil and gas, as well as creating a logistics hub in the region. Regarding the visit, Iranian state media said "During Lavrov's visit, Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, boosting bilateral and energy cooperation, as well as international and regional issues will be discussed".
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Lavrov's visit was aimed at "expanding cooperation with the Eurasian region and the Caucasus".
Iran Carries Out Second Test Of Zuljanah Satellite Launcher - Iran has carried out its second test of the Zuljanah satellite launcher, according to an Iranian state TV spokesperson.
"The third development phase of the Zuljanah satellite launcher will be based on a combination of information gained during today’s launch" the spokesperson stated. It is not yet known whether the suborbital launch was successful or not. Iran had carried out the first test of the Zuljanah launcher last year.
Chinese Ships Spotted Around Japanese Islands 72 Consecutive Days - (Based on translation) On June 26th, a Japan Coast Guard boat confirmed that the Chinese Coast Guard was navigating in the 'contiguous waters' on the 'overseas side' of the territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands administered by Japan, in the Okinawa Prefecture, according to Japanese The Sankei News.
The Sankei News reports that this is the 72nd day in a row that Chinese Authorities have confirmed vessels around the Senkaku Islands. The Japanese 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (Naha) reported that Japanese patrol boats warned the Chinese vessels against approaching the "territorial waters".
China Says "We'll Take Taiwan By All Means", Says US Is Starting Wars - China says that they "can't leave Taiwan independent" and that they will "retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones" if they can't reunify the island using peaceful methods. They also said that the United States wants two wars, one in Europe and one in Asia.
Chinese ambassador to France Lu Shaye said "We can’t leave Taiwan independent. We’ll retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones. If we can’t reunify the country by peaceful means, what else are we left to do?"
"The Americans want to start two wars in the world: one in Europe, the other in Asia" he also said. "Taiwan is not a sovereign state. It has been an integral part of China since ancient times".
Meanwhile, Taiwan has been spotted by Alert 5 on Flight Radar flying a UAV around the island for 10 hours straight, likely on the lookout for activity around the island by Chinese forces.
Lukashenko Says Lithuania's "Blockade" Against Kaliningrad Declaration Of War On Russia - The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that what Russia calls the 'blockade' against Kaliningrad by Lithuania is akin to a declaration of war on Russia.
Lukashenko said, "We are very concerned by the situation and the policy being pursued by our neighbours. You know in general terms: this is the leadership of Poland and the leadership of Lithuania. The policy [is aimed - UP] at confrontation… And there is enough of that, especially in Ukraine.
These days most of the mercenaries are from Poland. I don’t understand why they need this confrontation. But it’s clear that they are behind this and pushing it, and so on. But the policy is abhorrent and the behaviour is aggressive.
It’s the same with Lithuania. There is a growing flow of information about their plan to suspend transit from Russia through Belarus to Kaliningrad, to isolate Kaliningrad. Well, listen, that’s akin to a declaration of war! That sort of thing is unacceptable in the current conditions."
Lithuania however, says that the restrictions that they placed against transporting certain goods through their country into Russian controlled Kaliningrad is not a blockade, but that they are simply complying with sanctions put upon Russia by the European Union.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Lukashenko Says Lithuania's "Blockade" Against Kaliningrad Declaration Of War On Russia - The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that what Russia calls the 'blockade' against Kaliningrad by Lithuania is akin to a declaration of war on Russia.
Lukashenko said, "We are very concerned by the situation and the policy being pursued by our neighbours. You know in general terms: this is the leadership of Poland and the leadership of Lithuania. The policy [is aimed - UP] at confrontation… And there is enough of that, especially in Ukraine.
These days most of the mercenaries are from Poland. I don’t understand why they need this confrontation. But it’s clear that they are behind this and pushing it, and so on. But the policy is abhorrent and the behaviour is aggressive.
It’s the same with Lithuania. There is a growing flow of information about their plan to suspend transit from Russia through Belarus to Kaliningrad, to isolate Kaliningrad. Well, listen, that’s akin to a declaration of war! That sort of thing is unacceptable in the current conditions."
Lithuania however, says that the restrictions that they placed against transporting certain goods through their country into Russian controlled Kaliningrad is not a blockade, but that they are simply complying with sanctions put upon Russia by the European Union.
Russia Fires Rockets Directly From Belarus Into Ukraine - Russia has fired rockets directly from Belarus into Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, and the New York Times who says that over 40 missiles were launched from Belarus into Ukraine.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine posted on their Facebook page, "Rocket strikes from the territory of Belarus - a large-scale provocation of Russia for the purpose of further dragging Belarus into the war against Ukraine".
"On the night of June 25, a mass rocket-bomb strike was launched across Ukraine. In particular, Russian bombers "worked" directly from the territory of Belarus. For this, six tu-22m3 aircraft were involved, which performed the launches of 12 winged missiles x-22. Rim of launch - area of the city of petrikov, which nearby mozyrâ, probably for 50-60 kilometers from the state border of Ukraine. Bombarduvalʹniki took off from the airport "Shaikkovka" of the Kaluz region of Russia. Further through the territory of Kaluz and Smolensʹkoí сі regions entered the airspace of Belarus. After the launch of the rockets returned to the airport "Shajkova" in the territory of Russia. The blow was carried out in Kiev, Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
This is the first case of an air strike across Ukraine directly from the territory of Belarus. Today's shelling is directly related to the efforts of the Kremlin authorities to drag Belarus into the war in Ukraine as a direct participant.
We remind you that yesterday it became known about the arrival of the Belarusian Mozyr of Russian sabotage groups planning to undermine the city of residential buildings, schools and hospitals. Possible provocations can be presented as Ukraine's response to the air strikes".
The Chief Directorate of Intelligence says that this is the first time Russia has launched airstrikes on Ukraine from Belarus, and said "Today’s attack is linked to the Kremlin’s attempts to drag Belarus into the war with Ukraine as a direct participant".
The New York Times has reported that Russia launched over 40 missiles from Belarusian airspace into Ukraine, hitting 'mostly military targets' just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to meet with Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus.
Chinese Forces On High Alert After US Plane Flies Through Taiwan Strait - China says that their military went on high alert and they mobilized ground and air forces after a U.S. maritime plane flew through the Taiwan Strait. Furthermore, China says that their forces now remain on high alert. Read Full Article
Russian State Television Says There Will Be Other 'Special Operations' Elsewhere - A Russian state television Channel 1 speakers indicates that conflict in Europe will never end, and that the struggle is against the West, not just Ukraine, saying that there will be other 'special operations' elsewhere, aside from the one in Ukraine.
"Let's have a serious discussion. Not everyone amongst our people feels secure. Every day I hear the same phrase: 'When will all of this end?". And then I ask, "When will what end?", they say "All of this".
This will never end, the old live will never return. This is a long struggle that will determine the place of Russian civilization, the Russian world, among the new humanity. To the contrary, this is a long struggle that will answer the question as to how much of the West we'll allow to remain.
There is a special operation in Ukraine, and there will be other operations elsewhere, because the situation at our borders is worrisome. This is a confrontation between different systems; most importantly, against the united West".
Three Attacks On UAE Owned Gas Fields In Iraq In Four Days - There have been three rocket attacks on gas complexes in northern Iraq owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the last four days. The last attack was on a gas complex owned by the Dana Gas Energy Company.
Sediq Mohammed, who is an official from the Qadr Qaram district said that "The rocket hit around 500 metres outside the complex". The Counter-Terrorism Group, which is a security body located in Iraq put out a statement saying that a total of six rockets had hit the Khor Mor gas field, operated by the UAE.
There have been no reports of any deaths related to the latest rocket attack on the Khor Mor gas field.
U.S. Lawmakers Push For Increased Involvement In The Indo-Pacific Region - U.S. lawmakers from both political parties have been coming out with a flurry of bills and resolutions aimed at expanding America's involvement in the Indo-Pacific region, including strengthening ties with nations in the region and increasing support for Taiwan. Read Full Article
Russia: London Will Be Bombed First If World War 3 Breaks Out - Andrey Gurulyov, who is a member of the Russian defense committee spoke on Russian state television Channel 1, and said that if world war 3 breaks out, London will be the first city that Russia Will Bomb, and that all power sites in Western Europe will be destroyed.
China Flies Three H-6 Strategic Bombers Near Japan - Japan's Ministry of Defense reported that three Chinese PLAAF H-6 strategic bombers were spotted over international waters between the islands of Okinawa and Miyako-Jima on their way to the Pacific Ocean, then returned using the same route to the East China Sea.
Japan scrambled their fighter jets in order to both identify and track the bombers.
First, he said "We'll destroy the entire group of enemy's space satellites during the first air operation. No one will care if they are American or British, we would see them all as NATO. Second we'll mitigate the entire system of anti-missile defense, everywhere and 100%. Third, we certainly won't start from Warsaw, Paris or Berlin. The first hit will be London.
It's crystal clear that the threat to the world comes from the Anglo-Saxons. As part of the operation to destroy critically important sites, Western Europe will be cut off power supply and immobilized. All power supply sites will be destroyed. And on the third stage I shall see what the USA will tell Western Europe on continuing their fight in the cold, without food and electricity.
I wonder how they [the United States] will manage to stay aside. This is the rough plan, and I deliberately leave out certain moments because they are not to be discussed on TV".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Ukraine And Moldova Recognized As Candidates For EU Membership, Russia Compares With Hitler - EUROPE - Ukraine and Moldova has now formally been recognized as candidates for EU membership, while the EU is ready to grant candidate status to Georgia "once priorities will be addressed". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has compared the EU and NATO to Hitler, and said they are building a coalition to fight Russia. Read Full Article
Belarus Conducts Military Mobilization Exercises In The Gomel Region - Release from the Belarus ministry of defense regarding the pre-planned military mobilization exercises in the Gomel region that will last until July 1st, 2022.
"From June 22 to July 1, 2022, in accordance with the Training Plan of the Armed Forces in the 2021/2022 academic year, under the leadership of the Chief of the main organizational and mobilization department - Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, a mobilization exercise with the military commissariats of the Gomel region is held.
The exercise is held annually. Last year, a similar exercise was held with military commissariats of Mogilev region. The aim was to test the readiness of the military commissariats to carry out tasks.
During the exercise, the issues of recruitment of reserve conscripts to the military commissariats will be worked through. During their stay at the military training camp the military personnel will be trained.
In the course of the exercise, the military commissariats will carry out measures to notify and submit persons liable for military duty to the points of dispatch to military units. After the formation of appropriate teams, the draftees will be sent to their place of residence, thus the issue will be checked - controlling notification.
In order to carry out the notification and collection of persons liable for military service, appropriate points of notification and collection will be deployed at the points of dispatch.
In order to create a situation close to the real one, during the exercise the participation of units of special operations forces of the Armed Forces is planned.
The main feature of the upcoming mobilization exercise, in contrast to past mobilization exercises in the military commissariats of other regions, is that the supply of mobilization resources to military units is not planned, and the persons called up to military commissariats for training will participate in the mobilization exercise in the military commissariats
22 Chinese Military Aircraft Enter Taiwan's ADIZ June 23rd, 2022 - 22 Chinese military aircraft have entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) today, June 23rd, 2022.
The Chinese military aircraft included 10 J-16 fighter jets, 5 JH-7 fighter bombers, two KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, two Y-8 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, two H-6 nuclear capable bombers, and one Y-8 electronic warfare (EW) aircraft.
CAP aircraft were tasked, radio warnings were issued and air defense missile systems were deployed in order to monitor the activity of the Chinese military aircraft.
NATO Aims To Get Finland And Sweden Into Alliance But Cannot Guarantee It Will Be Swift - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says that he "aims" to get both Finland and Sweden into the alliance "soon" regardless of objections by Turkey, but said that he "cannot guarantee" that it will be done swiftly.
"My aim is still to make sure that they [Sweden and Finland] can join soon. I cannot guarantee, but I’m saying that’s still my aim".
While the vast majority of the alliance has supported the two countries joining the NATO organization, Turkey has objected on grounds that both countries support Kurdish groups that Turkey sees as terrorists.
"This is not the first time we see one or just a few allies is not agreeing with the rest," Stoltenberg said and added that NATO allies have the ability to continue providing Ukraine with weapons "as long as it takes," as NATO allies, Stoltenberg stated have a "political and moral obligation" to keep supplying Ukraine with arms.
"We should maintain support deliverables of modern weapons, heavy weapons, as NATO allies have now done for a long time, and also that NATO has a role to play in providing support", he stated.
He said that the ongoing war in Ukraine will be a "long-haul" effort, and said that the war was actually started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.
Finland: If Russia Attacks, We Are Ready To Fight - Finnish Armed Forces Chief of Defense, General Timo Kivinen says that Finland has been preparing for a Russian attack for decades and says that Finland would be a "tough bite to chew" for Russia if they decided to attack the country.
During an interview, Kivinen said "The most important line of defense is between one's ears, as the war in Ukraine proves at the moment. We have systematically developed our military defense precisely for this type of warfare that is being waged there (in Ukraine), with a massive use of firepower, armored forces and also air forces".
"Ukraine has been a tough bite to chew (for Russia) and so would be Finland" he declared. (Quoted as "Ukraine has proved to be a strong nut, so it will be the same with Finland", from the Ukrainian ministry of defense).
The General said that since the Second World War, Finland has developed a military sphere in order to resist the enemy using massive firepower, armored vehicles and aircraft.
The commander also approved of the decision for Finland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Finnish Defense Forces have 280,000 active troops and 870,000 people in the reserves.
In the end of June NATO will be holding a summit with member states in Madrid where they will be considering the application of both Finland and Sweden to join the alliance.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Six Chinese Military Aircraft Enters Taiwan's ADIZ June 22nd, 2022 - Six Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest Air Defense Identification Zone on June 22nd, 2022. The military aircraft included four J-16 fighter jets, one Y-8 antisubmarine-warfare aircraft and one Y-8 electronic warfare (EW) aircraft.
CAP aircraft were tasked, radio warnings issued and air defense missile systems deployed in order to monitor the activities of the Chinese planes.
Governor Of Kaliningrad Says Retaliatory Steps For Transit Restrictions Down The Road - Russian state news TASS reported that the Kaliningrad Region Governor Anton Alikhanov stated restrictions put in place on freight transit by Lithuania "looked like a mistake at first" but then said, "it's now clear that it's deliberate policy".
TASS reported that during an interview the Governor said "Honestly, I was hoping they would say: ‘We made a mistake, let’s clarify.’ But no. In any case, the rhetoric that’s seen in the media suggests that this is a deliberate policy. ‘Sanctions are sanctions’ - that’s what it is".
He said that 'in this situation' Kaliningrad will be organizing a sea corridor and "offer tit-for-tat measures".
"I believe that this should be met with a response. Our country has not yet taken any retaliatory steps that are quite serious, in my opinion. But that’s down the road".
Mexican Drug Cartels Using Online Games To Recruit Teens - Mexican drug cartels are using online games to recruit teenagers, paying them, often with a monthly income to act as full-time lookouts at the southern border, notifying the cartel of the presence of law enforcement, and promising to teach them how to move drugs and carry out hits for more cash. Read Full Article
Airman Arrested In Connection With Explosive Attack On US Base In Syria April 7th - An airman, who has not yet been identified has been arrested in connection with the explosives attack that had been carried out on a United States military base in Syria on April 7th, 2022, according to the Air Force.
A statement by the Air Force said "As part of an ongoing investigation, on June 16, an airman was taken into custody stateside in conjunction with the attack in Green Village, Syria. After reviewing the information in the investigation, the airman's commander made the decision to place him in pretrial confinement".
The Air Force has said that they will not be revealing the name of the service member until formal charges are brought against the man by prosecutors and said that "It is too early in the process for a charge sheet,” she said. “It will be available if charges are preferred".
The explosives attack happened on April 7th, at the Green Village base located east of the Euphrates River. The attack injured four US troops, who received 'minor' injuries, but officials said that the injuries included "possible traumatic brain injuries".
The investigation is being conducted by the Army's Criminal Investigation Division, as well as the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and is reported to be ongoing.
Denmark MOD: Russia Behind Cyberattack On Satellite Equipment Leading Up To Ukrainian Invasion - Denmark's Ministry of Defense says that they have credible information that attributes a cyberattack on satellite equipment operated by the Viasat satellite company to Russia prior to the invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Read Full Article
Three NATO Members Report Incursions By Russian Aircraft Into Territory - Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark which are all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance have reported incursions into their airspace by Russian forces who filed no flight plan and turned off their transponder. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>29 Chinese Military Aircraft Enter Taiwan's ADIZ - 29 Chinese military aircraft has entered Taiwan's southwest Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on June 21st, 2022 according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.
The Chinese military aircraft included Eight J-16 fighter jets, six H-6 nuclear capable bombers, five J-11 fighter jets, four SU-30 multi-role fighter jets, two KJ-1500 Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft, one Y-9 Electronic Warfare (EW) plane, one Y-8 Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft, one Y-20 Aerial Refueling aircraft and one Y-8 Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) plane.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said (translated) "The Air Force should act as Reactions: Dispatch air patrol forces to respond, broadcast expulsion, and monitor anti-aircraft missiles. CAP aircraft tasked, radio warnings issued and air defense missile systems deployed to monitor the activities".
Russian Analyst: Lukashenko Will Never Give Order To Attack Ukraine - Russian scientist, political writer, and analyst Andrey Andreyevich Piontkovsky said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko would never dare to give the order for his troops to go to war with Ukraine.
Piontkovsky said that "Lukashenka will never order the Belarusians to attack Ukraine. And he gathers the so-called militia just in case so that sometimes Russian troops do not enter Belarus and drive it out".
Lukashenko would only worry about staying in power, he said. Though, he added that the Belarusian president is even now in a very difficult situation.
24tv.ua newspaper has said that Lukashenko 'could not dare to order his troops to go to war against Ukraine" because he understands that it would be a catastrophe for him.
"Under the threat of execution, Lukashenko refuses to bring troops into Ukraine not because he is a 'friend of the Ukrainian people, but because he understands that this army will immediately turn into the Belarusian National Legion and will drop it" the paper quoted Piontkovsky as saying.
Lithuania Bans Goods From Transiting To Kaliningrad, Russia - NATO member, Lithuania has banned some goods from traveling to the Kaliningrad, Russia enclave from Lithuania which has angered Russia who said the move was unprecedented and unlawful as well as threatening to respond saying the situation is more than serious. Read Full Article
Iranian Warships Almost Collide With US Vessels - In the Persian Gulf, three Iranian IRGC warships came within 50 yards of the United States patrol vessel USS Sirocco and fast transport vessel USNS Choctaw County at high speeds and nearly collided, only diverting when the Sirocco gave an audible warning and deployed a warning flare.
“(The Iranian Navy) did not meet the international standards of professional or safe maritime behavior, increasing the risk of miscalculation and collision,” said Colonel Joseph Buccino, who is a spokesperson for US Central Command.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>10 Chinese Military Aircraft Enter Taiwan's ADIZ - June 19th, 2022 - 10 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone in the southwest corner on June 19th, 2022, making it the 8th day of intrusions into Taiwan's ADIZ so far this month.
The military aircraft that entered the ADIZ included 4 Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, two Chengdu J-10 fighter planes, two Shenyang J-11 jet fighters, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND). One Xian H-6 bomber also entered the southwest and southeast corners of Taiwan's ADIZ.
Taiwan responded to the incursion by sending out aircraft to intercept the Chinese planes, broadcasting radio warnings and deploying air defense missile systems in order to monitor the activity of the aircraft.
China Carries Out Land-Based Missile-Interception Test - China has carried out a land-based missile interception test that it said "achieved its expected purpose," according to the Chinese defense ministry who said that the test was purely defensive and not aimed at any country in particular.
China has carried out a land-based missile interception test that it said "achieved its expected purpose," according to the Chinese defense ministry who said that the test was purely defensive and not aimed at any country in particular.
The Chinese defense ministry statement said that "The test reached its expected goals. This test was defensive and not aimed at any country."
Full statement by the Chinese Ministry of Defense: "China successfully implements ground-based mid-course anti-missile interception technology test. On the evening of June 19, 2022, China conducted a land-based mid-course anti-missile interception technology test within its territory, and the test achieved the expected purpose. This test is defensive and not directed against any country".
Chinese Coast Guard Ships Intrude And Leave Japanese Waters - Two Chinese Coast Guard vessels intruded and then left Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, leaving the territory on Sunday morning after having intruded the day before, according to Japan Times.
The two Chinese Haijing high speed patrol vessels left Japanese waters at around 11:25 a.m. on Sunday after 'repeatedly moving in and out' of the areas 'in line' with the movements of a Japanese fishing boat, according to officials from the Japanese regional Coast Guard headquarters.
Japan Times says that the 'Japanese-administered islands' in the East China Sea are claimed by China, and that China calls the islands Diaoyu.
Israel Preparing For Offensive Options Against Iran 'If And When' Needed - Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz stated during an interview with Channel 12 News that Israel is preparing for offensive options against Iran "if and when" they are needed and warned Iran "I suggest that the Iranians not test these capabilities".
Tensions between Israel and Iran escalated further after a top Iranian officer was assassinated in Tehran last month, an assassination which Iran blames Israel for.
"We are in contact with the relevant Turkish authorities, and we are of course mainly preparing offensive capabilities, if and when they are needed," Ganz said. "I suggest that the Iranians not test these capabilities" Gantz said.
He also added "We are currently witnessing Iranian attempts to attack Israelis in various overseas locations. Our new rule: Whoever sends, pays. We will continue to strike those who send the terrorists, and those who send those who send them".
Drone Attack On Iranian Missile Development Base - Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabs put out a report Sunday saying that there was a mysterious explosion in western Tehran on Saturday night after a drone attack on an Iranian military ballistic development base.
Iranian sources who reportedly spoke to the newspaper said that the base that was attacked belonged to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was one of Iran's most important military facilities.
Sources believed that the drone attack on the base targeted research centers that specialized in the development and production of short-range rockets and ballistic missiles.
There has been no confirmation from other sources, but the attack was said to have been carried out by drones that took off from within Iran around 10km from the base that that was attacked.
The newspaper also reported that the drones were allegedly smuggled into Iran and assembled within the country before being used to carry out the attack on the base.
It also reported that Iran's defense minister visited the base on Saturday morning, possibly in order to assess the damages from the attack on the base and that Iranian Air Force bases were on high alert.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>British MOD Defense Intelligence Update On Ukraine - June 19th, 2022 - British MOD intelligence update for June 19th, 2022 reports that entire Russian units are refusing orders and having armed standoffs with their own officers and troops.
"In recent days, both Russia and Ukraine have continued to conduct heavy artillery bombardments on axes to the north, east and south of the Sieverodonetsk pocket, but with little change in the front line.
Combat units from both sides are committed to intense combat in the Donbas and are likely experiencing variable morale.
Ukrainian forces have likely suffered desertions in recent weeks, however, Russian morale highly likely remains especially troubled. Cases of whole Russian units refusing orders and armed stand-offs between officers and their troops continue to occur.
The Russian authorities likely struggle to bring legal pressure to bear on military dissenters, hampered by the invasion’s official status as a ‘special military operation’ rather than as a war.
Drivers for low Russian morale include perceived poor leadership, limited opportunity for rotation of units out of combat, very heavy casualties, combat stress, continued poor logistics, and problems with pay.
Many Russian personnel of all ranks also likely remain confused about the war’s objectives. Morale problems in the Russian force are likely so significant that they are limiting Russia’s ability to achieve operational objectives".
Israel: Iran Will Pay Painful Price For Hunting Down Israelis In Turkey - Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has said that Iran will pay a painful price for hunting down Israeli citizens in Turkey to capture and kill them.
"The prices the enemy will pay for every action against our citizens will be painful. We are witnessing the Iranian attempts … we'll continue to harm those who send the terrorists, and the those who send the ones who sent them" Bennett said.
"Our new rule - that who sends, pays."
NATO: War In Ukraine Could Last Years, British Army Prepares Troops To Fight - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a German newspaper that Russia's war on Ukraine could take years, but that 'we must not let up in supporting Ukraine' he said. Even if the costs are high. The head of the British army also told troops they must prepare to fight in Europe. Read Full Article
Israel Carries Out Strikes On Gaza With Aircraft And Tanks, Suspends Entry Permits Of Gazans - Israel has carried out Strikes with aircraft and tanks on Gaza with aircraft and tanks after a two-month calm after a rocket was fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Gazan entry permits have been suspended.
The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) put out a statement saying that "The suspension is in response to the firing of a rocket toward the State of Israel" and added that "the Hamas terror organization carries responsibility for all activities directed against Israel in and from the Gaza Strip, and it will bear the consequences".
Rocket sirens had sounded at 3:10 a.m. in the city of Ashkelon, as well as surrounding communities. The rocket that had been fired at Israel was reportedly intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
A few hours after the missile had been shot down by the defense system, Israel carried out strikes into the Gaza Strip using aircraft and tanks targeting a weapons manufacturing facility and three outposts within the Gaza Strip. One of the outposts overlooked the Kibbutz Netiv Ha’asara on Gaza’s northern border according to a military statement.
The Jerusalem Post reports that machine-gun fire was directed toward the kibbutz from Gaza later on Saturday, where one bullet entered a home and caused material damage.
US Bill To Make Taiwan 'Major Non-NATO Ally', China Warns Against 'Dangerous Policy' - WASHINGTON - A US Senate bill seeks to pave the way for a training program in order to increase armed forces interoperability between the United States and Taiwan, while significantly increasing support for the island, including billions of dollars in security assistance and making Taiwan a 'major non-NATO ally'. China has warned, however, against what they call a 'dangerous' policy overhaul. Read Full Article
50 Migrants On FBI Terror Watch List Arrested This Year At Mexican Border - So far this year there have been 50 people from the FBI terror watchlist arrested at the U.S. border with Mexico, which amounts to more than the last five years combined. There have also been more than 440,000 known 'gotaways'.
Terror Watchlist Apprehensions: Fiscal Year 2022 - 50; Fiscal Year 2021 - 15; Fiscal Year 2020 - 3; Fiscal Year 2019 - 0; Fiscal Year 2018 - 6; Fiscal Year 2017 - 2
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported that CBP sources tell him that since the month of October alone there have been about 440,000 known 'gotaways'. A gotaway is "an unlawful border crosser who is directly or indirectly observed making an unlawful entry into the United States" but who has not been apprehended and is known not to have returned to Mexico.
DOD: Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine - Department Of Defense: "The United States has committed approximately $6.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including approximately $5.6 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked invasion on February 24".
"On June 15, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced $1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. This includes an authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $350 million, as well as $650 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. This authorization is the twelfth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021". List Of Items Included
Russia Launches 3 Cruise Missiles At Oil Depot In Novomoskovsk, Ukraine - Ukrainian Pravda has claimed that Russia launched three cruise missiles at an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast which wounded 11 people, one of whom is reported to be in "serious condition" with seven others suffering "minor injuries".
The Ukrainian paper quoted Olena Lukash, Former Minister of Justice of Ukraine saying "In the evening we have several ‘arrivals’ [strikes] in the Novomoskovsk district. According to preliminary data, there are victims and large-scale destruction. All information is currently being clarified".
Pravda said that "around 20:45 Reznichenko said that three Russian missiles hit an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk region. Three people were hospitalized with burns".
The newspaper reported that Reznichenko said the oil depot was destroyed 'as a result of the attack' and that rescuers are putting out the flames.
Putin Says He Believes The US Sees Itself As A Messenger Of God On Earth - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he believes the United States sees itself as a "messenger of God on Earth", who has "no interests" but "no responsibility".
He went on to say "After claiming victory in the Cold War, the United States declared it was the messenger of God on Earth, who has no obligations, but only interests - and these interests are sacrosanct," he said during a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
"The United States is ostensibly unaware that over the past decades new powerful centers have emerged around the globe and their voice is heard ever louder. Each of them is developing its own political system and public institutions and implements its own model of economic growth and, of course, has the right to protect them and to ensure national sovereignty," he added.
"we are witnessing objective processes and truly revolutionary tectonic changes," he added.
Belarus: We Will Have To React To Poland's Desire To Take Western Ukraine - The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko says that his country will have to react to Poland's "desire to take Western Ukraine" because it poses a "threat to the security of the republic" on Friday.
"We will have to react here. Because we cannot allow the Poles to surround us completely. It is a dangerous option. I said it back in the day: the Ukrainians and the Russians will ask us to help preserve the integrity. So that nobody would chop something off" Lukashenko stated at a meeting with workers in Bobruysk, according to TASS and BelTA.
TASS reports that Lukashenko sees a 'danger of escalation' of the situation due to the fact that he says 'Poland is being pushed to take action by the US'
"We see it. This is why I have to keep armed forces ready in the west and in the south. I deployed ten units along the border behind the border guard so that [enemies] could not infiltrate Belarus. And they had such ideas," he stated.
Russia: It Is No Longer Possible For Ukraine To Return To Previous Borders - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that it is no longer possible for Ukraine to return to its previous borders, and added that "this is obvious".
"The Ukraine that you and I had known, within the borders that used to be, no longer exists, and will never exist again. This is evident" she stated.
Ivanovich Pasechnik, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic said that the country may hold a referendum on accession to Russia, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
TASS also stated that "The head of another Donbass republic, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said the issue on joining Russia will "become the number one issue" once the republic restores its constitutional borders".
Two Russian Missile Frigates Patrolling Off Romania's EEZ - Two Russian Project 22160 missile frigates were spotted patrolling off of Romania's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near the country's natural gas platforms around 140 km (87 miles) from Romania's coastline.
The frigates were loaded with an ASW helicopter and ground-based Tor-M2KM air defense system and around 11 kilometers (7 miles) from the Uranus and Ana platforms.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Gazprom Reduces Energy Supplies, Says 'Our Product, Our Rules' - After reducing energy output to Germany by over half the previous output, Russian energy giant Gazprom was accused of artificially pushing up energy prices by cutting off supplies.
Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller then stated "our product, our rules", but said that the reduced supply was a result of the delayed return of equipment serviced by Siemens Energy in Canada.
Germany isn't the only country reporting that Russia has cut gas supply, however. Italy and Australia have also reported large decreases in energy supply from Russia, though Russia says that the limited energy output was not premeditated.
Miller said "Our product, our rules. We don't play by rules we didn't create" but said that does not see a solution to the equipment issue at the Portovaya compressor station and blamed the equipment that had not been returned on the sanctions that have been placed on Russia by the West, but Germany has called this claim "unfounded".
The Eni energy corporation in Italy said that it would only be receiving 65% of the gas that it had requested from Gazprom on Thursday due to the issues at Portovaya. Italy says, however, that they have counter-measures in place if the supply of gas from Russia continues to be cut. "The gas situation is under control, we are monitoring flows day and night, damages are so far limited, Roberto Cingolani stated.
Germany on the other hand has had its energy supply from Russia cut down to 40% of its normal capacity.
Both Italy and Germany rely heavily on Russian energy. Poland, Finland, Bulgaria, Denmark and the Netherlands on the other hand refused Russia's demand for "unfriendly countries" to pay for their energy in Russian rubles and have already been completely cut off by the Kremlin.
Iranian Terror Cells Activated In Turkey "Looking For Israelis" - Iranian terror cells have been activated in Turkey and are roaming the streets of Istanbul "looking for Israelis" after having been given an order to carry out attacks against Israelis located in the country, according to an Israeli official who spoke to Ynet on Friday.
The official has put out an advisory to all Israelis vacationing in Turkey to leave the country immediately and return home from their vacations. They were also advised to lock their hotel rooms and not allow any strangers into their rooms, not even housekeeping.
The threat to Israelis in Turkey has been flagged as an 'ongoing incident' and Israeli security officials are concerned that Iranian cells in Turkey will carry out an immediate attack.
Earlier in the week Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid had called on Israelis to avoid traveling to Istanbul after the Israeli National Security Council had raised the threat level for trips to Turkey after reports had come out that both Israel and Turkey had botched an attempted terrorist attack on Israeli tourists in the city last month.
The Islamic Republic has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Colonel Hassan Sayad Khodayari in Tehran last month.
Russian Ships Spotted Transporting Grain From Ukraine To Syria - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels Carrying Grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar, reported by Reuters.
The images by Maxar showed two vessels flying the Russian flag docked in the Russian-controlled port of Sevastopol in May loaded with grain, and then the same ships days later docked in Syria with the vessel's hatches open and semi-trucks waiting to haul the grain away, according to Maxar.
Another satellite image taken in June showed another vessel being loaded with grain in Sevastopol, corroborating reports by Ukraine that Russia had been transporting grain from occupied portions of the country out of the country.
Being one of the world's breadbaskets, the Russian war in Ukraine is contributing to the grain shortage being Reported worldwide.
Iran Building Underground Nuclear Facility Near Natanz - According to both U.S. and Israeli intelligence, Iran is building a vast underground nuclear facility underneath a mountain located south of the Natanz nuclear complex, a report by the New York Times stated on Friday.
Satellites used by the intelligence agencies have captured the progress of the underground facility, which is being monitored by Israel and the United States. The report claims that the underground facility currently being constructed in the mountains is being built deep into a mountain so as to withstand bunker-busting bombs. It is also being built to withstand cyberattacks.
The report also said that the construction of the new facility is a response to an alleged joint operation by the United States and Israel that targeted the power systems at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz gave a statement to the media on March 30th, 2022, and said that Iran is producing around 1,000 advanced IR6 centrifuges at the facility. "Iran is working to complete the production of the centrifuges in her nuclear facilities, including a new underground complex near Natanz" he stated.
Three IRGC Aerospace Division Members Have Died In The Last Week - A mourning poster posted on social media has revealed that a lieutenant in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has died in Iran on June 15th, making it the third officer in Iran's IRGC having died in the last week.
Wahab Premarzian, an officer in the guard’s aerospace division died in the city of Maragheh, but the IRGC has put out no announcements or comments about the death.
The other two IRGC member who died were also in the Iranian aerospace division, and were reported by Iranian media as having died as 'martyrs' in the country, though the Iran International news outlet reported that a source that wasn't identified stated that Ali Kamani and Mohammad Abdous were both 'developing arms' for Iranian-backed Hezbollah and that both men "were not killed in accidents" as the Iranian media had reported.
Russia carries Out Airstrikes On U.S. Base Near Syria's Border With Jordan - Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base on Wednesday after first notifying the United States of their intentions. The base is located near Syria's border with Jordan in southeast Syria. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>China Launches 3rd Aircraft Carrier: The Fujian - China has launched its third aircraft carrier, manufactured by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) shipyard in Shanghai and named it Fujian which is named after a province located directly facing the island of Taiwan in an apparent statement to the island.
The Type-003 aircraft carrier is the largest aircraft carrier of any country in the world except for the United States. It has a full-length flight deck and a catapult launch system, according to Chinese state media.
The Fujian is the most advanced carrier that the Chinese Navy has and is equipped with the latest weaponry, having capabilities far better than even British, Indian or French aircraft carriers.
Satellite images taken of the new Chinese aircraft carrier show that it has similarities to the capabilities of the Ford-class carriers operated by the United States. However, unlike the Ford-class carrier it is not nuclear powered, though some analysts believe that China will be putting out a nuclear-powered carrier next.
A senior Taiwan official spoke to Reuters and said that the new carrier is sending a message about China's intentions about projecting power in the Pacific.
"In the future, they want to directly penetrate to the east of the first island chain, which includes Japan's Ryukyu Islands and the Pacific waters off Taiwan's east" the official reportedly stated.
"Any regional cooperation is seen by Beijing as an intervention in the Taiwan issue or a challenge to China. The launch of the new carrier is a defiant statement".
U.S. Captured senior ISIS Leader During Raid In Syria Wednesday - The U.S. military captured a senior Islamic State leader during the night raid in northern Syria on Wednesday night who the coalition stated was an experienced bomb maker and operational facilitator. Read Full Article
Netherlands Accuses Russian Spy Of Infiltrating ICC Investigating War Crimes In Ukraine - According to the Dutch intelligence service, a Russian spy tried to infiltrate the International Criminal Court (ICC) that was investigating allegations of war crimes carried out in Ukraine by Russia using fake identification and spent over a decade building up his cover story.
Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, who is linked to the Russian military secret service was accused by the agency of creating an elaborate cover story that dated back years in an attempt to enter the Netherlands posing as a man with Brazilian nationality, the intelligence service told Reuters.
Dutch intelligence chief Erik Akerboom stated, "It clearly shows us what the Russians are up to - trying to gain illegal access to the information within the ICC. We classify this as a high-level threat".
Dutch intelligence agency chief Erik Akerboom said that "This was a long-term, multi-year GRU operation that cost a lot of time, energy, and money", using the acronym for the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (formerly known as the Main Intelligence Directorate).
The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) put out a statement that said the man, whose alias was Viktor Muller Ferreira was picked up at a dutch airport and was declared an undesirable alien. He was then put on a flight back to Brazil where he will be facing court proceedings.
Akerboom said that "It clearly shows us what the Russians are up to - trying to gain illegal access to the information within the ICC. We classify this as a high-level threat".
ICC spokesperson Sonia Robla said that "The ICC takes these threats very seriously and will continue to work and cooperate with The Netherlands".
The Dutch intelligence agency gave out a four-page document detailing Cherkasov's cover story, including details about their troubled family history and a club where he listened to trance music. It even included his favorite restaurant in Brasilia where it stated he would eat cheap brown bean stew.
"Cherkasov used a well-constructed cover identity by which he concealed all his ties with Russia in general, and the GRU in particular" according to the statement.
If Cherkasov had been able to succeed in infiltrating the ICC, he may have been able to access and even destroy or tamper with documents and emails related to the investigations of the alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Russian State Television Talks Of NATO Sending Weapons To Ukraine And Nuclear Strike - Russian state television Channel 1 spoke of NATO sending weapons to Ukraine and a nuclear strike. Translation of the conversation: "If everything keeps progressing the way it is, only a couple of mutants in Lake Baikal will survive. The rest will be destroyed in a massive nuclear strike. [laughing]. Everything is moving in that direction, regardless of what either side wants. Because if NATO decides they can place whatever they want at our borders, they'll be sending more and more of American weapons to Ukraine. Everything is moving in that direction, regardless of what either side wants. Because if NATO decides they can place whatever they want at our borders, they'll be sending more and more of American weapons to Ukraine. Ukraine will fire and end up hitting one of our nuclear power plants, and here we go".
Urengoy, Russia's Largest And Main Gas Pipeline On Fire, Germany Accuses Russia Of Pushing Up Energy Prices - A fire has started at a 1400mm pipeline in Russia. The Urengoy is the largest gas extraction facility in the country, and the second-largest natural gas field in the world, after South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field in the Persian Gulf which is shared between Iran and Qatar.
A fire has started at a 1400mm pipeline in Russia. The Urengoy is the largest gas extraction facility in the country, and the second-largest natural gas field in the world, after South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field in the Persian Gulf which is shared between Iran and Qatar.
Germany has accused Russian state-controlled gas giant Gazprom of attempting to push up energy prices by cutting its gas supplies in half.
While Russia claims that the reason is due to service equipment in the Nord Stream pipeline, German economy minister Robert Habeck said that it's 'a political decision' not a technical decision. "It is obviously a strategy to unsettle and drive up prices," he said.
Gazprom had previously said it would be cutting the Nord Stream 1 gas flow from 167 cubic meters a day to 100 cubic meters. Then on Wednesday, it said that it would be cutting it again to 67 cubic meters.
Gazprom limited its gas to Italy by about 15% on Wednesday according to the ENI energy firm. About 40% of Italy's imports are from Russia.
Iran Prepares To Carry Out Test Launch Of Solid-Fuel Satellite Rocket - A Spokesperson for the Iranian Defense Ministry stated on Wednesday that Iran is preparing to test-launch a Zuljanah solid-fuel satellite carrier rocket just days after satellite photos were revealed showing possible preparations for a launch at Imam Khomeini.
Seyed Ahmad Hosseini, who is the spokesman for the ministry spoke to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) and said that three test launches were planned, with one test launch having been carried out last year which they say was 'successful' and two more planned in the future.
Hosseini said that the Zuljanah three-stage rocket is capable of using both solid and liquid fuel and is able to carry up to around 485 pounds (220kg) and reach an altitude of about 310 miles (500km).
Days before the announcement, images posted from Maxar Technologies showed showing the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in the Semnan province, in Iran showed a rocket sitting on a transporter that looked to be readying to lift onto a launch tower by a crane, and another image showed the rocket on the launch tower.
Recently, the spaceport has been used in five failed attempts to launch a satellite into orbit. If Iran is able to get a satellite into orbit, it would "improve its ability to shoot ballistic missiles" according to Israel National News.
Ukraine Reports Wheat Field Burned Down, Along With Houses And Warehouses - The Mikolavska District Administration of Ukraine has claimed that on June 15th the Russian military burned down a wheat field and destroyed houses and warehouses in Nikolaev, Ukraine.
The statement said "On June 15 the Russian occupiers fired at the residential quarter of Nikolaev from jet systems of volley fire, preliminary, the Hurricane system. Aimed at a four-story apartment building. The roof, floors from the fourth to the second floor were destroyed, the load-bearing wall was damaged and the windows were broken, 6 apartments were destroyed. According to preliminary information, five people were injured".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>North Korea Expanding Nuclear Test Site And Adding Second Tunnel - The Center for Strategic and International Studies has put out a report that says that North Korea appears to be expanding work at its nuclear test site and adding a second tunnel. Meanwhile, U.S. and South Korean officials say that North Korea is ready to conduct a nuclear test any day.
The think tank said that preparations at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility's Tunnel Number 3 have been completed and the site is ready for a nuclear test, and said that their analysts have spotted new construction at tunnel number 4 at the facility, which they said is "strongly suggesting an effort to re-enable it for potential future testing".
U.S. Government Releasing 45 Million More Barrels Of Oil From Reserve - The U.S. government is releasing another 45 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve within the next few months in order to try to alleviate fuel supply shortages and address disruptions in the global supply of oil.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on June 14th a fourth notice of sale of 45 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
The notice says "This Notice of Sale is part of President Biden’s announcement on March 31, 2022, to release one million barrels of crude oil a day for six months to address the global supply disruption caused by Putin’s war on Ukraine and help stabilize volatile energy costs for American families".
The Department of Energy also stated "The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the fourth Notice of Sale of 45 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). This Notice of Sale is part of President Biden’s announcement on March 31, 2022, to release one million barrels of crude oil a day for six months to address the global supply disruption caused by Putin’s war on Ukraine and help stabilize volatile energy costs for American families".
"DOE also announced that contracts have been awarded for the purchase of crude oil from the SPR announced in a Notice of Sale on May 24, 2022. These barrels will be released between June 15 and July 31, 2022. Combined with 3.3 million barrels of SPR crude oil scheduled for delivery this month from emergency exchanges authorized earlier this year, a total of 17 companies responded to the notice, submitting 124 bids for evaluation".
Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve: Coalition Forces Detain Senior Daesh Leader - Coalition forces detained a senior Daesh leader during an operation in Syria June 16. The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group’s top leaders in Syria.
The mission was meticulously planned to minimize the risk of collateral damage, particularly any potential harm to civilians. There were no civilians harmed during the operation nor any damage to Coalition aircraft or assets.
Coalition forces will continue to hunt the remnants of Daesh wherever they hide to ensure their enduring defeat".
Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve: Coalition Forces Detain Senior Daesh Leader - Coalition forces detained a senior Daesh leader during an operation in Syria June 16. The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group’s top leaders in Syria.
The mission was meticulously planned to minimize the risk of collateral damage, particularly any potential harm to civilians. There were no civilians harmed during the operation nor any damage to Coalition aircraft or assets.
Coalition forces will continue to hunt the remnants of Daesh wherever they hide to ensure their enduring defeat".
US Helicopter Night Raid In Syria Captures Senior Daesh Leader - The U.S. Apache and Chinook helicopters that were spotted flying over Jarablus, Northern Aleppo, Syria were reportedly a part of a night raid by U.S. Led coalition forces to capture a 'Senior Daesh [ISIS] leader'.
The Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) put out a statement saying "The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group’s top leaders in Syria".
Coalition forces said that "The mission was meticulously planned to minimize the risk of collateral damage, particularly any potential harm to civilians," and said "CTFT-OIR “will continue to hunt the remnants of Daesh wherever they hide to ensure their enduring defeat".
The media release also said that the mission "was meticulously planned to minimize the risk of collateral damage, particularly any potential harm to civilians. There were no civilians harmed during the operation nor any damage to Coalition aircraft or assets".
Based on the video footage of the spotted helicopters, there has been speculation on social media that the helicopters belonged to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), or 'Night Stalkers' which were flying without any lights on in the dark at a low altitude over Northwest Syria.
A senior coalition leader told The War Zone that U.S. forces were involved in both planning and carrying out the raid and that U.S. aircraft were involved in the nighttime operation. The coalition leader would not say, however, if the 160th SOAR was involved in the raid, saying that "for operational security reasons, we do not go into specifics of our missions".
The captured ISIS leader has not yet been named.
China To Russia: Beijing To Keep Backing Russia On Sovereignty And Security - Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday that Beijing will keep backing Moscow on "Sovereignty and security", according to Chinese state media.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi Jinping ans saying that China is "willing to continue to offer mutual support (to Russia) on issues concerning core interests and major concerns such as sovereignty and security".
China has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine since Putin began his war on the country and has continued to criticize sanctions placed on Russia by the West, as well as weapons and arms sales to Ukraine from Western countries.
According to CCTV, the Chinese President applauded the "good momentum of development" in bilateral relations between the two countries since the beginning of the year "in the face of global turmoil and changes".
He also reportedly said that China is ready to "strengthen communication and coordination", as well as "push the international order and global governance towards more just and reasonable development".
He added that Bejing is willing to "intensify strategic coordination between the two countries" according to the report.
Two U.S. Veterans Suspected Captured In Ukraine, White House Urges Americans Not To Travel To Ukraine - Alexander Drueke, 39 years of age, and Andy Tai Huynh, 27 years of age, both Alabama residents have gone missing within the last few days near Kharkiv, Ukraine which is located near the Russian border, according to their families. U.S. State Department has reported that two Americans have been captured in Ukraine but did not identify who they were.
After reports of the soldiers being captured by Russian soldiers, the White House put out a statement advising Americans not to travel to Ukraine.
Drueke’s mother, whose name is Lois said that she received a phone call from another American citizen who had told her that intercepted communications suggested that the two Americans had been taken prisoner by Russian forces.
Before his disappearance, Drueke had told his family that he was in Ukraine teaching troops how to use American made weapons, according to his mother, who said "Alex felt very strongly that he had been trained in ways that he could help the Ukrainians be strong and push Putin back. He went over there not to fight but to train".
Huynh’s fiance, Joy Black said that Huynh had volunteered to fight along with Ukrainian forces and also received a phone call saying that Huynh had gone missing. She said "The response that we’ve gotten from our government has been very helpful. They have been taking it very seriously. We got the call on Monday morning, and this has just gone up so high, so quickly".
The U.S. State Department said "We are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with Ukrainian authorities. ... We also once again reiterate U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict and the singling out of U.S. citizens in Ukraine by Russian government security official".
US Sending Another $1 Billion In Military Aid To Ukraine - Washington is sending another $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including howitzers, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) ammunition and harpoon coastal defense systems. Germany is also sending MLRS systems.
This will be the 12th shipment of military equipment from the United States Department of Defense to Ukraine since August 2021. The shipment will include 18 155mm Howitzers, 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition, 18 tactics vehicles capable of towing the 155mm Howitzers, more ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), Four Tactical Vehicles that will be used to recover equipment, and spare parts.
Under the USAI, the Department of Defense will be providing Ukraine with near-term priority capabilities in order to defend against Russian attacks. The package includes two Harpoon coastal defense systems, thousands of secure radios, thousands of night vision devices, thermal sights and other optics, and funding for training, maintenance, sustainment, transportation, and administrative costs.
Germany will also be sending three Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and Slovaks will be sending Mi-17s.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated during a press conference in Brussels that "General Milley and I have been in a number of fights. And when you’re in a fight, you can never get enough. I certainly understand where the Ukrainians are coming from, and we’re gonna fight hard to give them everything they need".
China Says Taiwan Strait Part Of Their EEZ, Warns US To Stay Out - CHINA - China has notified the United States that the Taiwan Strait is a part of their maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not international waters, opposing the U.S. view that the strait is part of international waters. They have also given a warning to the U.S. to stay out of the Strait saying that they have sovereign rights over it. Read Full Article
Taiwan: Chinese Invasion Would Do More Damage To Global Economy Than Ukrainian Invasion - Former Taiwanese minister of former affairs John Deng said on Tuesday that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would do more damage to the global economy than the Russian invasion on Ukraine has.
Deng said that the world relies on Taiwan for computer chips used in electric vehicles and smartphones. An invasion on Taiwan would have vast consequences on the technology industry.
"The disruption to international supply chains; disruption on the international economic order; and the chance to grow would be much, much (more) significant than this one" he stated, comparing the Russian invasion of Ukraine to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
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North Korea Ready To Carry Out Nuclear Test At Any Time - South Korea's unification ministry stated on Tuesday that North Korea is ready to carry out a nuclear test at any time, South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted an anonymous official from the ministry as saying.
"North Korea is currently prepared to conduct a nuclear test at any time in case Chairman Kim Jong-un decides to do so" the official reportedly stated on the condition of anonymity.
The official also reportedly said that South Korea and Washington are both 'discussing various countermeasures', including measures through the United Nations Security Council.
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Ex Russian Prime Minister Says War In Ukraine Could Last Years, Baltic States Will Be Next - Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as Russia's Prime Minister from 2000 to 2004 stated during an interview with Agence France-Presse that the war in Ukraine could last two years, and if Ukraine falls, the Baltic states will be next. Read Full Article
Iran Tests New Trade Route Linking Russia To Asian Export Markets - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets.
The first shipment, which consists of wood laminate sheets weighing about 41 tons which began its departure at Saint Petersburg, Russia to the port city of Astrakhan. From there, the shipment will cross the Caspian Sea to the Iranian port of Anzali, where it will be transported by road to the port of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf. After this it will be loaded back onto a ship and transported to the Indian port of Nhava Sheva, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA.
Dariush Jamali, director of a joint-owned Iranian-Russian terminal in Astrakhan said that the initial shipment is a 'pilot' transfer in order to test the corridor.
Jamali said that the transfer is being coordinated and managed by the Iranian state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Group along with its regional offices in Russia and India, and expects that it will take 25 days.
After heavy sanctions were placed on Russia, Iran has been Iran has been wanting to revive the North-South Transit Corridor that had previously been stalled. The Times of India reports that eventually the plan will be to build a railroad that transfers goods "arriving at Iranian Caspian Sea ports to the southeastern port of Chabahar".
Chinese Police Train Solomon Islands Police Due To Security Challenges - SOLOMON ISLANDS - Chinese police have begun training Solomon Islands police officers, with the first batch of exercises taking place at the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) in Rove, which is a suburb of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. Read Full Article
South Korea Detects "Trails" It Assumes Were Made By North Korean MRLs Launchers - South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) released a statement on Sunday night saying that they have observed "several trails" that it assumes were created by North Korean multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) on Sunday morning.
The released statement was in response to a report by local South Korean news agency Newsis which had reported that the North had conducted an MRL launch and cited an anonymous source in their report.
The South Korean military said that they had detected "trails" between 8:07 a.m. and 11:03 a.m but did not give any information about a launch site or flight information for the suspected rocket launch.
They said that they had detected 'several trajectories' they believed to be shots from artillery, presumably from multiple rocket launchers.
After the JCS confirmed the trails, the presidential office for South Korea spoke to reporters and said that "usually, relevant facts on conventional MRLs with shorter ranges and lower altitudes — like of those today — have often not been publicized".
The presidential office also said that first vice director of the National Security Office (NSO) Kim Tae-hyo held a meeting with security officials at 10:30 a.m. in order to discuss the launches, but that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol did not attend the meeting.
A release by the office said that the meeting "reaffirmed the government’s position that it is concerned about how North Korea is consistently improving various weapons systems that cause direct threat to our national security".
The JCS put out a statement saying "While bolstering our military's surveillance and vigilance, South Korea and the United States are working closely and maintaining a thorough readiness posture".
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Russia And China Build First Bridge Between The Two Countries As Ties Grow - Russia and China have finished building and opening up a cross-border bridge that they stated in February will bring the two countries closer together in their "no limits' partnership, before Russian President Vladimir Putin began his invasion of Ukraine.
The bridge, which is a little over half a mile in length and costs about $342 million has two lanes and links Russia's Blagoveshchensk city to the Chinese city of Heihe together across the Amur river (also called Heilongjiang river in China) according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
In February, Russia said that the bridge, which had been started in 2016 and completed in May of 2020 would bring both China and Russia closer together by increasing trade. The construction had been delayed by COVID-19 restrictions, however, according to BTS-MOST, which is the construction firm that participated in building the bridge on the Russian side.
Deputy prime minister of Russia Yuri Trutnev said "In today's divided world, the Blagoveshchensk-Heihe bridge between Russia and China carries a special symbolic meaning".
During the opening ceremony for the bridge, Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua said that China seeks to deepen practical cooperation with Russia in all areas, while Russia's Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev said that the bridge will boost bilateral annual trade to over 1 million tons of goods.
According to BTS-MOST, the bridge should shorten the distance that Chinese goods have to travel to get to Russia by about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles). Vehicles traveling across the bridge have to pay a toll fee of 8,700 rubles ($150) but the fee should go down in price after the costs for constructing the bridge have been covered, according to the Jerusalem Post.
South Korea Ready To Increase Trilateral Cooperation With Japan and U.S. - South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-sup said during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday that South Korea is ready to engage in talks with Japan in order to strengthen their cooperation and three-way alliance with the United States to counter North Korea.
He voiced a deep concern for the recent missile launches by North Korea, and a possible seventh nuclear test and said that the North's nuclear and missile development is beyond a threat, according to Japanese News NHK.
Jong-sup said that South Korea is ready to normalize their security cooperation between South Korea and Japan, as well as its trilateral cooperation with the United States, and that the defense cooperation with Japan will be centered around the nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea.
South Korea will increase security cooperation via 'senior level talks' and 'sharing information' which includes warnings of missile attacks.
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Turkey Announces Military Operation In Northern Syria After Russia Withdraws Troops - After Russia withdrew a large number of troops from Syria in order to re-focus them on its war in Ukraine, Turkey has announced that it will be carrying out a military operation in northern Syria. Read Full Article
U.S. Inflation At 40 Year High In May, Gas Prices Soaring - WASHINGTON - U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high of 8.6 percent in the month of May according to data given by the U.S. government on Friday. This makes it the 12th month in a row that the inflation percentage has been above 5%. Food and fuel prices are also soaring up, while China, India and other countries benefit from Cheap Russian Oil at discounted prices. Read Full Article
China And India Benefit From Cheap Russian Oil While Oil Prices Surge For West - WASHINGTON - U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high of 8.6 percent in the month of May according to data given by the U.S. government on Friday. This makes it the 12th month in a row that the inflation percentage has been above 5%. Food and fuel prices are also soaring up, while China, India and other countries benefit from Cheap Russian Oil at discounted prices. Read Full Article
US Defense Secretary: China Continues To Harden Its Position Along Borders With India - While at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that China is continuing to harden the position along the border it shares with India, and that the United States stands by its mutual defense commitments.
Austin also said that China is taking aggressive and illegal approaches to its claims on the territory in the South China Sea while it advances its maritime plans. "Further to the West, we see Beijing continuing to harden the borders it shares with India" he stated. "We remain unwavering in our mutual defense commitments".
Austin said that "We also stand by our friends as they uphold their rights that is especially important as the People's Republic of China adopts the war coercive and aggressive approach to its territorial claims" and said that the U.S. believes India's "growing military capability and technological prowess can be a stabilizing force in the region".
Charles A Flynn, a top US General just a day before had said that the activity by China near Ladakh is 'eye-opening' and that the infrastructure being created there is 'alarming' and said that the "destabilizing and corrosive" behavior of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific region is not helpful.
Lukashenko Says Belarus May Have To Fight In Western Ukraine - [Based on translation] Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus has said that he believes Belarus may have to fight for "Western Ukraine so that it is not cut off [or pulled away] by the West".
"They [the West] have not yet abandoned the goal of leveling the front so that it passes: SmolenskPskov, Smolensk-Bryansk-Kursk and there to Rostov. They need to level the front. And we, almost a thousand kilometers, this balcony, it must be cut off".
He also said "This is their goal - they [the West] will not stop before this, they will come from Western Ukraine or from somewhere else. Western Ukraine will have to fight in order not to be chopped off. Because it is like death for us, not only for Ukrainians. Terrible processes are taking place around".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>China: We Will Not Hesitate To Start A War Over Taiwan - Chinese defense minister Wei Fenghe has said that they will "not hesitate to start a war" if Taiwan declares independence during face to face talks with U.S. defense minister Lloyd Austin on Friday in Singapore, according to China’s defense spokesman Wu Qian.
The Chinese defense minister said "If anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost" and added that China would "smash to smithereens any 'Taiwan independence' plot and resolutely uphold the unification of the motherland".
He also said that "Taiwan is China's Taiwan... Using Taiwan to contain China will never prevail".
Austin told the Chinese defense minister that Beijing must "refrain from further destabilizing actions toward Taiwan", according to the Department of Defense.
The Pentagon released a statement after the meeting that said "The Secretary reiterated to General Wei that the United States remains committed to our longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances".
"The Secretary reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Strait, opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo, and called on the PRC to refrain from further destabilizing actions toward Taiwan".
Wu said that the talks were "a good start" and stated a desire to meet with Austin again while he was visiting Asia.
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>US & South Korea & Japan Preparing Contingencies For North's 7th Nuclear Test - The United States, South Korea and Japan are working together closely in order to prepare 'for all contingencies' ahead of expected seventh nuclear test by North Korea a diplomatic envoy stated in South Korea.
The diplomatic envoy consisted of US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, Kim Gunn and Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau.
"The US assesses that the DPRK is preparing its Punggye-ri test site for what would be its seventh nuclear test. This assessment is consistent with the DPRK’s own recent public statements" US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim stated on Friday.
"We are preparing for all contingencies in close coordination with our Japanese and ROK allies" the envoy said. Kim said "We do remain committed to seeking dialogue with the DPRK and continue to hope that the DPRK will respond positively to our offers to meet without preconditions".
"North Korea’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons will only end up strengthening our deterrence. This will ultimately run counter to Pyongyang’s own interest. Simply put, the course that Pyongyang is currently embarking on has only one inevitable destination — reduced security for North Korea itself".
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman had said that any nuclear test would be met with a "swift and forceful response".
China's envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday that Beijing does not want to see another nuclear test, according to Reuters. North Korea hasn't carried out a nuclear test in five years. Washington has put out a warning saying that a nuclear test by North Korea could happen at "any time".
NATO Conducts Live-Fire Exercises In Poland To Test Readiness - NATO forces conduct live-fire exercises in Poland in order to test their readiness and ability to respond to missile attacks from enemy drones and aircraft.
Russia Begins Naval Exercises In Baltic Sea With 60 Warships - Russia has begun naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with around 60 warships. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) said that the exercises are "planned operational exercise with groups of the Baltic".
The Russian MOD said that the exercises involved around "about 60 surface warships, boats and support vessels, over 40 aircraft and helicopters, as well as up to 2,000 units of weapons, military and special equipment of the Baltic Fleet".
In a Thursday statement, the MOD said "In the Baltic Sea and at the combat training ranges in the Kaliningrad region, a planned operational exercise with groups of the Baltic Fleet has started".
"As part of the exercise, naval tactical groups of the Baltic Fleet left their bases and deployed fleet groupings in designated areas" they stated. They added that they will be "will perform training tasks for the protection and defense of sea lanes and fleet bases".
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Iran Says They Are Disconnecting IAEA Cameras And Expanding Uranium Enrichment - Iran notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it has plans to disconnect 27 IAEA surveillance cameras as well as other equipment used to monitor their nuclear activity according to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.
On Wednesday Iran had stated that it had started expanding its underground uranium enrichment and would switch off two devices monitoring enrichment in Natanz.
According to Grossi this posses a 'serious challenge' but that it would leave about '40-something' cameras still in Iran that haven't yet been disconnected.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Japanese Joint Staff: JASDF's Fighters Scrambled, Suspected Airspace Intrusion - The Japanese Joint Staff put out a statement saying "Yesterday, JASDF’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea, the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7. (sample image)".
Japan's Joint Staff also reported suspected intrusions on June 7th, 6th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st so far this month.
U.S. Is Watching "Very Closely" For Possible Nuclear Test By North Korea - White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the United States is 'watching very closely' for a possible nuclear test by North Korea, which Washington believes is preparing for its seventh nuclear test.
Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday that the numerous recent missile launches by North Korea "only further cemented the strength of our alliances. We've been able to conduct joint exercises with both of them in response to some of these launches".
He also said "We're also watching very closely the continuing possibility of a nuclear test, to which we would also have a robust response" and stated that there has been no contact with North Korea, but that the United States is willing and ready to engage in diplomacy if the country is prepared to come to the table.
U.S. Military Training Ukrainian Troops How To Use Multiple-Launch Rocket Artillery - The U.S. military is training one platoon of Ukrainian soldiers at a time how to use the multiple-launch rocket artillery systems, paving the way for possibly more of the systems to be sent to Ukraine.
An initial group of Ukrainian soldiers have been training and learning how to use the systems with U.S. soldiers stationed in Germany and are showing proficiency according to Army General Mark Milley.
"We’ve got to start this thing with a program that is rational and deliberate and gets them trained to a standard where they become effective. It will do no good to just throw this weapon system into the battle. You’ve got to be trained on it to get the maximum effective use out of the weapon as a precision system" Milley told reporters.
Washington had approved sending four M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARs) to Ukraine shortly after the UK announced that it would be sending three M270 multiple-launch rocket systems which perform similarly, though the version that the British will be sending has a greater range.
Milley said that Russia has "demonstrated that they are outgunning and outranging Ukrainian artillery" in spite of the dozens of M777 howitzers the United States has already shipped to Ukraine. Milley said that although the Ukrainians have used the artillery to great effect, they need "some longer-range artillery system" that have more distance.
"The Ukrainians have very good artillerymen. Very good gunners. They’re excellent at artillery. But they have been using Soviet-era systems, and then transitioning to different [Western] systems" Milley stated.
U.S. Deploys B-1B Bombers To Guam Ahead Of Expected North Korean Nuclear Test - The U.S. has deployed B-1B bombers to Guam ahead of a nuclear test expected by Washington by North Korea, though one expert says that the deployment appears to just be part of a regular, rotational plan and could be related to the biennial field training exercise Valiant Shield taking place in Guam this month. Read Full Article
Russian Senator Proposed Missile Strikes On U.S. Military Bases In Europe - A Russian senator has proposed that Russia carry out missile strikes on U.S. military bases located in Europe in response to the decision by the United States to go ahead and send longer ranged rocket systems to Ukraine. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>World Bank: Less Developed Countries Facing Major Recession - The World Bank put out a statement saying that less developed countries in the world face a major recession as a result of the war in Ukraine, as well as the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdowns as the cost of energy and food continue to rise globally.
David Malpass, the President of the World Bank says that there is also a major risk of high inflation and small growth, which is also called 'stagflation'.
Malpass said that "The war in Ukraine, lockdowns in China, supply-chain disruptions, and the risk of stagflation are hammering growth. For many countries, recession will be hard to avoid".
"Subdued growth will likely persist throughout the decade because of weak investment in most of the world. With inflation now running at multi-decade highs in many countries and supply expected to grow slowly, there is a risk that inflation will remain higher for longer".
Although the countries that will be immediately affected in 2022, according to a World Bank forecast are Russia and Ukraine, it warned of long term affects [from the war and COVID lockdowns] that will likely have much wider effects.
Malpass said "Even if a global recession is averted, the pain of stagflation could persist for several years - unless major supply increases are set in motion".
Turkey To Russia: We Will Respond To Destabilizing Actions In Syria - Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spoke to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in a phone call, and said that Turkey would be responding to actions meant to destabilize northern Syria.
A couple of weeks ago Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had stated that the country would be carrying out new offensives within northern Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia. Turkey considers YPG a terrorist organization.
Akar informed Shoigu that "the necessary response will be given to actions aimed at disrupting the stability achieved in the region and the presence of terrorists in the region is not acceptable", according to a statement released by Turkey's defense ministry.
The statement also said that Turkey "reminded that previous agreements on this issue need to be adhered to".
Japanese Fighters Scrambled, Suspected Intrusion Into Japan's Airspace - Japanese Joint Staff statement (translated from Japanese): "Yesterday, the JASDF Western Air Defense Force’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7".
A different translation stated: "Yesterday, in the East China Sea, there was a risk of violation of airspace, so a fighter plane of the Air Self-Defense Force Western Air Defense Force took an emergency start and responded. The Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to take all possible measures 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to protect the peaceful lives of Japan's territory and its people".
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>US Warns North Korea Of A Forceful Response If It Carries Out Nuclear Test - US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned North Korea of a forceful response if the country decides to carry out a nuclear test, as both U.S. and South Korean officials say that the North is preparing it's first nuclear test in five years. Read Full Article
China Building A Secret Naval Base In Cambodia - China is secretly building a naval base in Cambodia for the use of its military, according to statements from both Western officials and a Chinese official who partially confirmed an exclusive report from the Washington Post regarding the secret facility". Read Full Article
Japanese Fighters Scrambled, Suspected Intrusion Into Japan's Airspace - Japanese Joint Staff statement (translated from Japanese): "Yesterday, the JASDF Western Air Defense Force’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7".
A different translation stated: "Yesterday, in the East China Sea, there was a risk of violation of airspace, so a fighter plane of the Air Self-Defense Force Western Air Defense Force took an emergency start and responded. The Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to take all possible measures 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to protect the peaceful lives of Japan's territory and its people".
US, South Korea Stage Air Power Demonstrations After North's 8 Missile Launches - The United States and South Korea have conducted a joint air power demonstration in 'a show of readiness' on Tuesday a day after North Korea had fired off eight short-range missiles (SRBMs) on Sunday according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
The demonstrations consisted of 20 warplanes which included F-35A stealth fighters, F-15Ks and KF-16s on the South Korean side, and F-16 fighter jets on the American side, according to a military official who spoke to Yonhap.
A military official who spoke to Yonhap said, "We conducted the combined flight to show our deterrence capabilities and capabilities to respond (to North Korean provocations)".
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>UK Sending Long-Range M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems To Ukraine - Britain is sending Ukraine M270 multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine a week after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized sending M142 High Mobility Artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) after Kyiv gave assurances that they would not be used to strike Russian territory.
The missiles used with the M270 multiple-launch rocket systems Britain plans to send to Ukraine have a range of about 50 miles, while the missiles given with the M142 HMARS that the United States agreed to send have a range about about 40 miles.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that British support for Ukraine will change as Russia's tactics change, when he explained the reasoning behind giving the M270 multiple-launch rocket systems.
"These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities" he stated.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that the shipments of the M142 HMARS from the United States was "nothing new", he had warned that there would be a response of the United States gave longer-range missiles for the HIMARS systems that will be given to Ukraine.
Britain said that Ukrainian soldiers will be trained how to use the new systems in Britain.
US And South Korea Test Launches 8 Ballistic Missiles - The United States and South Korea has test launched 8 surface-to-surface missiles from Army Tactic Missile Systems (ATACMS) toward the East Sea in response to the 8 missiles that North Korea had test fired over the weekend, according to the South Korean military. Read Full Article
Iranian Spy Put Thailand Police On Alert - Thailand's Royal Thai Police (RTP) issued a 'secret order' to police the country's police force on the lookout for spies from Iran, after an Iranian spy was arrested in Indonesia, according to the country's police force, who spoke to Bangkok Post.
The police source also said that the country's security agencies are 'closely monitoring' the movement of Iranian nationals, including some Thai Muslims that they have suspected may be Iranian spies within the country.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>China Intercepted Australian Surveillance Aircraft And Released Chaff - The Australian defense department revealed on Sunday that a Chinese fighter aircraft had intercepted one of its Royal Australian Air Force planes in May, which resulted in a dangerous maneuver where it released a bundle of chaff which posed a threat to both the aircraft and its crew.
The Australian defense ministry said that one of its RAAF P-8 aircraft was intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter jet while the P-8 was doing 'routine surveillance activity' in international airspace in the South China Sea on May 26th, according to a statement.
The statement said, "The intercept resulted in a dangerous manoeuvre which posed a safety threat to the P-8 aircraft and its crew". The Australian defense department also said that its government raised concerns about the incident with the Chinese government.
Australian defense minister Richard Marles said that the Chinese aircraft flew very close to the RAAF P-8 aircraft and then released a 'bundle of chaff' which contained small pieces of aluminum which was then sucked up by the Australian aircraft's engine.
Marles told ABC news that this was "Quite obviously this is very dangerous".
North Korea Fires 8 Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Toward East Sea - The Japanese Coast Guard and South Korean military have both reported that North Korea has launched at least one ballistic missile toward the East Sea off of its east coast at around 09:08 a.m. to 09:43 a.m. KST.
South Korean news Yonhap is reporting that North Korea has fired 8 short-range ballistic missiles after Washington completed joint drills with South Korea which involved a U.S. aircraft carrier citing the South Korean military.
VOA Seoul bureau chief William Gallo also reported that "The eight North Korean short-range ballistic missiles were launched between 9:08-9:43am this morning, South Korea's military says".
The South Korean National Security Council is set to convene in response to the North Korean missile launches, according to Yonhap.
The missiles reached an altitude of between 16 and 56 miles and flew a distance of between 68 and 416 miles and it is believed that they reached between three to six times the speed of sound.
The South Korean military stated that they were "maintaining a full readiness posture" after consulting with U.S. forces, according to the Joint Chiefs.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command released a statement that said that they were aware of the missile launches but said that they do "not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies".
"The U.S. commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad" the statement said.
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Russia: If US Missiles In Ukraine Strike Russia, Moscow Will Strike Outside Ukraine - MOSCOW - Former Russian President and current head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has warned that if Ukraine uses any of the missiles given to them by the United States to strike Russian territory, Russia will have 'no choice' but to strike 'decision making centers' which are 'not even located on the territory of Kyiv'. Read Full Article
U.S. Drone Strike Kills 5 Members Of Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization - A U.S. drone strike carried out on Friday has killed five members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization. The drone strike was coordinated with the Somali government according to a press release from the Somali Ministry of Information.
The release states, "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mogadishu, 03 June 2022: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Forces conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab terrorists after they attacked partner forces in a remote location near Beer Xaani, Somalia on 3rd June 2022. Five Al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in action and no civilians were injured or killed, given the remote nature of where this engagement occurred. The Federal Government of Somalia and the U.S. remain committed to fighting Al-Shabaab to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians. Violent extremist organizations like Al-Shabaab present long-term threats to Somalia".
According to the Somali government, there were no casualties as a result of the airstrikes that were carried out by the U.S. government.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Another Suspicious IRGC Commander Death Reported - According to a report by the Persian Iran International news agency there has been another death of an Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force unit 840 commander, who has died under 'suspicious circumstances' on Monday, May 30th.
Sources from the news agency say that Colonel Ali Esmailzadeh died after he fell off of his roof from his home in the Jahan Nama area of Karaj. Iran International reports that the Colonel was a 'close colleague' of Colonel Hassan Sayyad-Khodae, who was the acting commander of the elite Quds Unit 840 that had been shot to death in his car outside of his home in Tehran on May 22nd by multiple gunmen on motorcycles.
The news agency also said that after he fell off of the roof, Esmailzadeh was taken to the Shahid Madani hospital where he was pronounced dead after an examination by doctors. Officials of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) told the family of Esmailzadeh that he had committed suicide due to 'psychological problems' after separating from his wife and had left a note 'about his action'.
Iran International said that their sources told them that after the killing of Sayyad Khodaei, the IRGC intelligence set out to look for security leaks from within the Quds Force and had become suspicious of Esmailzadeh and decided to 'eliminate him' and organize a 'suicide scenario' to explain away his death.
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Taiwan Bans Exports Of Modern Microchips To Russia And Belarus - Taiwan has banned all exports of 'modern' microchips to both Russia and Belarus, according to Taiwan News. The ban limits sales of all CPUs to chips with a frequency of less than 25 MHz to the two countries in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Read Full Article
U.S. Intelligence Report: Putin Was Treated For Cancer In April - According to a classified U.S. intelligence report, Russian President Vladimir Putin was treated for advanced cancer in April 2022, Newsweek said that they were privy to the information given by U.S. intelligence leaders reported. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Russian Official Threatens US With Satan-2 Nuclear Missiles - Alexei Zhuravlev, who is a lawmaker and a member of the Russian parliament has threatened the United States with Satan-2 nuclear missiles over U.S. support for Ukraine. Read Full Article
Biden Authorizes 700M To Ukraine, Including MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones - The Biden administration has authorized another $700 million to go to Ukraine, along with MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones. Read Full Article
Russia Carries Out Nuclear Drills After the US Announces Sending Rockets To Ukraine - RUSSIA - Around 1,000 servicemen of the Russian nuclear forces began exercises with over 100 vehicles in the Ivanovo province northeast of Moscow, Russia, according to the Russian defense ministry. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Russian State TV: World War 3 Has Started, Ukraine Was A Rehearsal - Russian state television Channel 1 said that world war 3 has already started, and that the war in Ukraine, which was a rehearsal for a 'bigger conflict' in the future. Read Full Article
China Sends 30 Military Aircraft Into Taiwan's ADIZ - China has sent 30 military aircraft into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, which is the largest incursion on the island's ADIZ since January and caused Taiwan to scramble their fighter own fighter jets.
The Chinese military aircraft that entered Taiwan's ADIZ included 8 J-11 fighter jets, six J-16 fighter jets, four J-10 fighters, four Y-8 Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft, 2 SU-35, two SU-30, one Y-8 Electronic Warfare (EW) aircraft and one Y-8 Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) plane.
According to the map provided by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, the Chinese aircraft traveled into the southwestern part of Taiwan's ADIZ, northeast of Pratas island which is administered by Taiwan.
Taiwan sent out fighter jets and issued radio warnings to warn the Chinese planes away, and deployed missile systems to monitor the aircraft.
// BEGIN BOTTOM ARTICLE LINKS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>Russian Lawmakers Branded As Traitors For Demanding Putin End Ukraine Invasion - Two Russian lawmakers who acted as regional officials have been branded as traitors and ordered out of a legislation meeting after they called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion on Ukraine. Read Full Article
Israel Says No To US About Transferring Missiles To Ukraine - Israel has said no to a request by the United States to allow Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles manufactured in Germany using Israeli technology, according to an Israeli official, and two U.S. officials. Read Full Article
Russia Extends Military Service Age To 65 Years Of Age - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that abolishes the age limit of those allowed to join its military. The age limit to serve in the Russian military has now been extended to up to 65 years of age for men and 60 years of age for women, which is the age of retirement. Read Full Article
Russia Successfully Tests Hypersonic Nuclear Capable Zircon Cruise Missile - Russia has successfully tested a hypersonic nuclear capable Zircon cruise missile which was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Saturday.
The missile, which was launched from the Barents Sea hit a target in the White Sea from a distance of about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). The ministry released a video showing a missile being launched from a vessel.
The Zircon hypseronic missile can travel at 9 times the speed of sound, or mach 9 and travels at a maximum speed of 11,000 km/h, or roughly 6835 miles per hour.
Russian state news agency TASS reported "Today, the lead frigate of Project 22350 Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile at a sea target position in the White Sea from the Barents Sea".
Russia Loads Caliber Cruise Missiles Onto Two Submarines - Russia loaded two of their six Varshavyanka submarines anchored in the South Bay of Sevastopol with Kaliber class cruise missiles. Ukraine says they will be used to strike targets within Ukrainian territory. Read Full Article
// BEGIN SOCIAL PLATFORMS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ?>White House: United States Does Not Support Taiwan Independence - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a statement Thursday saying that the Chinese threat will 'test U.S. diplomacy like nothing we've ever seen before' but said that the United States does not want another Cold War, and made it very clear that America does not support an independent Taiwan. Read Full Article
Israel Informs US That It Killed Iranian IRGC Colonel Sayad Khodayee - Israel has informed the United States that it was in fact responsible for the killing of the Iranian IRGC Colonel Sayad Khodayee, who was involved in the abduction and killing of Israelis, as well as other foreigners globally.
Israel has informed the United States that it was in fact responsible for the killing of the Iranian IRGC Colonel Sayad Khodayee, who was involved in the abduction and killing of Israelis, as well as other foreigners globally.
During the funeral for Sayad Khodayee mourners crowded in the streets and changed "Death to Israel" while calling for his death to be avenged.
Colonel Sayad Khodayee, who was 50 years old at the time of his death was assassinated by two men on motorcyles in his vehicle outside of his home in Tehran on Sunday. The men shot five times at his vehicle, according to the local state news.
General Hossein Salami, the commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards made a speech on Monday saying, "We will make the enemy regret this and none of the enemy’s evil actions will go unanswered".
Israel told Washington that the killing is a warning to Iran to halt its operations of the Unit 840 covert Quds Force group, which is a group that Iran has never admitted to exist, that carries out assassinations and abductions around the globe.
Officials in Israel said that Colonel Khodayee was the deputy commander of Unit 840, and had participated in carrying out plots against foreigners, including that of Israeli citizens.
South Korea: North Korea Has Been Testing A Nuclear Detonation Device - SOUTH KOREA - According to a South Korean official, North Korea has been testing a 'nuclear detonation device' for weeks, likely in preparation for a nuclear test, but that it is unlikely to conduct a nuclear test in the next couple of days, according to Kim Tae-hyo, who is the deputy director of the National Security Office (NSO), according to NK News. Read Full Article
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