Category: News

Kremlin slams plans for long-range U.S. weapons in Germany

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov complains about support for Ukraine from Germany, France, the UK and the USA | File Photo: Vladimir Smirnov/KREMLIN/dpa

Russia has criticized the planned stationing of long-range US weapons in Germany as a return to the Cold War, after German leaders said the step was necessary due to the increased threat posed by Russia to European security. “We are well on the way to a Cold War. This has all happened before,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

‘Successful’ launch for Europe’s new Ariane 6 rocket

Ariane 6 launches to the sky on July 09, 2024 | Photo: European Space Agency/S. Corvaja

The European Space Agency (ESA) described the operation as a success, as Europe seeks to recover from a crisis in its launch sector, although an auxiliary drive in the upper stage, which was supposed to burn up on the way back to Earth, stopped shortly after ignition, with the two re-entry capsules not being released and the upper stage now remaining in space with the two capsules.

U.S. announces $2.35B military aid for Ukraine

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Gerard Holodak, with the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB), fires an M136E1 AT4-CS confined space light anti-armour weapon at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on October 12, 2017 | Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton

The latest round of military aid worth USD 150 million is the Biden administration’s 60th tranche of aid since August 2021, including artillery and ammunition from its own inventories, in addition to purchases of air defence systems worth USD 2.2 billion for Ukraine.

Russia to make armour-piercing tank ammo in India
| Indo-Russian JV also completes delivery of 35,000 AK203 rifles to India

Mango APFSDS rounds | Photo: Rosoboronexport

Russia has set up manufacturing of the Mango armour-piercing tank round in India, designed to be fired from the guns of T-72 and T-90 Main Battle Tanks and penetrate composite armour. It has also announced the delivery of 35,000 AK203 rifles to the Indian defence ministry, manufactured by the Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited joint venture at Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

U.S. postpones military exercise in Georgia

Members of Georgian special operations forces and Green Berets with U.S. Army 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) perform a training dive in Batumi, Georgia, October 25, 2023 in Exercise Georgian Wave | Photo: U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. Laura Bauer

The Pentagon said last week the U.S. will indefinitely postpone a military exercise in Georgia ‘due to the Georgian government’s false accusations against the United States and other western entities, to pressure Georgia to open a second front against Russia to alleviate pressure on Ukraine, and of participating in two coup attempts against the ruling party.’

Germany to surrender key airbase in Niger after talks fail

An German Luftwaffe A400M military air transport aircraft stands on the tarmac of the 62nd Air Transport Wing in Wunstorf, Lower Saxony | File Photo: Ole Spata/dpa

While French troops had left the military-run country last year, the last U.S. troops are also expected to imminently depart the country, with Russian troops already on site to take their place after creating a presence in Mali and Burkina Faso, also taken over by the military.

German military places order for up to 6,500 trucks

Unprotected Transport Vehicle (UTF) | Photo: RMMV GmbH

The Bundeswehr says it plans to commission up to 6,500 Unprotected Transport Vehicles over the next seven years, with an agreement for the production and production of transport vehicles in the load classes 3.5 tonnes, 5 tonnes and 15 tonnes by the Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicle (RMMV) GmbH company in an order that could be worth up to EUR 3.5 billion.

German arms exports surge with deliveries to Kiev, Riyadh

Finished HK416 assault rifles are lined up in the production hall of arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch in Oberndorf. German arms exports have reached a new record level for the second year in a row, mostly due to continued and growing military aid for Ukraine, according to the Economy Ministry. | - Photo: Bernd Weiflbrod/dpa/28 February 2022, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Oberndorf

Between January 01, 2024 and June 18, 2024, the German government approved a total of weapons exports worth at least EUR 7.48 billion (USD 8.01 billion), up 30 percent from the first half of last year, with some 65 percent of the exports, worth EUR 4.88 billion, destined for Ukraine.

NATO sees German defence spending at €90.6B

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during his speech at the Wilson Center in Washington D.C. | Source: NATO

A new NATO overview says the record €90.6B on defence expenditure, to which Berlin committed for the first time this year, corresponds to a 2.12 percent share of the forecast German GDP, and is higher than expected at the beginning of the year.

Israeli arms exports topped $12.5B in 2022

Israeli defence exports from 2000 to 2022. Click the image to view the complete set of graphics explaining Israel's defence exports | Source: International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT), Israeli Ministry of Defence

Israel’s defence ministry reported that exports to Abraham Accords countries, alone, reached approximately USD 3 billion, amounting to 24 percent of Israeli weapons sales and exports of unmanned systems made up 25 percent of its exports.