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They call it an encirclement of their nation and say the United States is trying to constrain its main economic and military rival. The United States also has a new security agreement with Papua New Guinea. On Wednesday, Mr. Biden signed a $95-billion supplemental military aid and spending bill that Congress had just passed and that includes $8.1 billion to counter China in the region. In addition, the United States continues to send weapons and Green Beret trainers to Taiwan, a de facto independent island and the biggest flashpoint between the United States and China. A swarm of Chinese militia and Coast Guard vessels chased a Philippine Coast Guard ship in the South China Sea last year.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Biden, Antony J, Blinken, Yuri Gripas, ” Ely Ratner, Xi, ” Kurt Campbell, Joseph Wu, ”, “, Samuel J, Paparo Jr, Mr, Paparo, Carl Vinson, Richard A, Brooks, Trump, Lloyd J, Austin III, Chen Jining, Jes Aznar, David H, Berger, Obama, Tony Mcdonough, United States —, Admiral Paparo, China’s “ revanchist, we’re Organizations: Australian, U.S, Marines, United, Pentagon, Corps, Mr, White House, White, The New York Times, American, Marine, Green, China’s, Liberation Army, Seoul SOUTH, Pacific Command, People’s Liberation Army, Agence France, Nuclear Forces Treaty, Defense, Communist Party, Tokyo Okinawa, U.S . Navy, Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Army, Philippines Luzon Partner, Australia Darwin Potential, NATO, Tomahawk Locations: Beijing, United States, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Asia, Pacific, U.S, China, Shanghai, South China, South Korea, Guam, Washington, Manila, Taipei, People’s Republic of China, Palau, West Papua, Seoul, Tokyo JAPAN CHINA Taipei TAIWAN Hong Kong, GUAM philippines MALAYSIA INDONESIA JAPAN CHINA TAIWAN, philippines GUAM, INDONESIA Seoul, GUAM philippines, MALAYSIA INDONESIA, Philippine, Moscow, Tokyo, Ryukyu Islands, South, Philippines Luzon, Luzon, Spratly, Australia, Canberra, Singapore, Darwin, Australia’s, . North Carolina, Virginia, Perth, United Kingdom, Navy’s, America

☆ As Trump blasts NATO allies for not paying for defense, these front-line countries are readying for war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But as Russia's bloody war in Ukraine enters its third year, and the threat to NATO countries, particularly those on Russia's borders, grows, the Baltic states are investing in their defense more than ever. Shawn CooverThe talk came just on the heels of Trump's most recent attack on NATO members who he deems aren't paying their 'fair share." Last week, the former president said that he would keep the US in NATO should European countries pay and "play fair." He said the US "was paying 90% of NATO," and that without the US, NATO "literally doesn't even exist." "We've reinstated conscription, so we're building up our armed forces," an unpopular move that Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs is pushing other NATO members to do, too.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Margus Tsahkna, Vladimir Putin, Tsahkna, Shawn Coover, Trump, ALAIN JOCARD, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, isn't, Macron, Krišjānis Kariņš, Kariņš, Thomas Wiegold, We've, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Rinkēvičs Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, Hudson Institute, Washington DC, Estonian, US Marine Corps, Staff, Getty, Latvian, Financial Times Locations: Ukraine, Baltic, Washington, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Russian, China, Europe, NATO, Poland, estonian, Rakvere, AFP, Baltics, France, Germany, Russia's, Greece, Belarus, Finland, Romania, Hungary

☆ Don't want Russia to successfully invade your country? Then do this.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Even though Russia may dwarf a small state, that doesn't guarantee a successful airport seizure. AdvertisementHere's some advice for nations who don't want Russian troops as uninvited guests: Guard your airport. However, other Russian airport takedowns have been largely successful. Stringer points to a special airport defense regiment that Switzerland stationed at Zurich Airport during the Cold War, as a good model. "Understanding and delineating the sequence of events Russia has historically used to initiate a coup and devising countermeasures to thwart these actions may prove critical in defending against the next Russian invasion."

Persons: —, Russia's, Kevin Stringer, Heather Gregg, Stringer, Hafizullah Amin, Amin, playbook, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Guard, Kremlin, West, Institute ., Air, US Army, Russian, Spetznaz, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Rapid, Brigade, National Guard, Antonov, Zurich Airport, United States, 75th Ranger Regiment, Air Force, CIA, Hostomel, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Hostomel, Russia, Kyiv's Hostomel, Ukraine, Institute . Moscow, Prague, Kabul, Sevastopol, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Warsaw, Czechoslovakia, Baltic States, Moldova, Georgia, Russian, Switzerland, Zurich, Europe, Finland, Sweden, Forbes

☆ War in Ukraine is showing US Army soldiers what they'll need to worry about in future fights, generals say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But amid the horrors are lessons, two US Army generals recently told Business Insider during an interview at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. Drones continue to be a dominant element of the war in Ukraine as both Ukraine and Russia ramp up production and development. Before drone warfare became as widespread and prevalent as it is in Ukraine today, troops had smaller ranges to worry about. And the range at which troops need to be able to suppress munitions and long-range capabilities has changed as well. Joshua KleinholzThe use of electronic warfare and sophisticated air defenses in Ukraine, too, has the Army rethinking what future wars could look like.

Persons: Charles Flynn, Cpl, Donte Mathews, Michael Virtue, Brian S, Flynn, they're, Matthew Coutts, Joshua Kleinholz, Eifler, we've, Maj, Demetrius Johnson, it's, haven't Organizations: Business, Army, US Army Pacific, Marine, 11th Airborne Division, Air Force Tech, Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, US Army Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Wainwright, Fairbanks , Alaska, Russia, Russian, Camp Lejeune, N.C, Southwest Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Alaska

☆ War in the Pacific wouldn't be all aircraft carriers and air power, and a top general says the US Army won't be sitting on the sidelines
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US Army would play a pivotal role should conflict arise in the Pacific, a top general told Business Insider. While maritime and air power are vital, the US Army and its allies "bind the region together." NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. "It is a Joint theater, with joint challenges, that require both Joint and multinational solutions!" USARPAC is the Army's largest theater army and covers the Army's largest region of operation, making its involvement in the area critical should war unfold.

Persons: —, Charles Flynn, USARPAC, Flynn, Molly Treece, China's, Keon Horton Organizations: US Army, Business, Service, US Army Pacific, Pentagon, East China, Paratroopers, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, Boeing, Donnelly Training, Delta Junction, U.S, Army, Pacific Command, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Pacific Multinational Readiness Locations: Pacific, China, Wainwright, Fairbanks , Alaska, Taiwan, South, East, Delta, AK, Alaska, Hawaii

☆ The top US Army general in the Pacific is 'worried' about China's missiles but counting on his soldiers being a 'dilemma' for the Rocket Force
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The commanding general of US Army Pacific told Business Insider during a large-scale training exercise in Alaska that while the growth has been "meteoric" and he is "always worried" about the missiles, the Army has many ways to create a "dilemma" that China may not be expecting. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. US Army forces and their allies across the Pacific have ramped up training in recent years to better prepare its troops for warfare across various difficult environments in the region. At JPMRC's Hawaii rotation last fall, Flynn emphasized that the Army "will play a key role" in solving the challenges facing the joint force in the Pacific.

Persons: —, Evangelos Wilson, Charles A, Flynn, USARPAC, Mark Milley, Patrick A, Albright, USINDOPACOM Organizations: Service, Force, US Army Pacific, Business, Army, Pentagon, Rocket Force, People's Liberation Army, Department of Defense, U.S . Army, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Dillingham Army, U.S, Spc, 3rd Infantry Brigade, US Army, U.S . Army Sniper School, Maneuver, Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs, Pacific Multinational Readiness Center Locations: Pacific, Alaska, China, America, Dillingham, Hawaii, Wainwright, Fairbanks , Alaska, Gen, U.S

☆ US Army soldiers are working closer than ever with allies in the Pacific to counter China's 'aggressive, insidious' ways, top general says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementU.S. Army Gen. Charles Flynn, Commander of the U.S. Army Pacific, speaks with soldiers from the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 15, 2024. This month, US Army Pacific conducted its JPMRC training rotation in Alaska, where thousands of troops are trained to wage war in frigid, Arctic conditions. The Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center also does a training rotation in Hawaii, where troops conduct exercises in the jungle. That training is also conducted with a host of US allies and partners in the Pacific.

Persons: —, Army Pacific's, IPACC, Gideon Battis Gen, Charles A, Flynn, he's, Charles Flynn, Mike Godinez, Martinez, USARPAC, Joseph A, Ryan Organizations: Service, US Army, Pacific Multinational Readiness, Army, Business, Pentagon, Department of Defense, People's Liberation Army, Navy, Rocket Force, East China Seas, Combat, US Army Pacific, U.S . Army Pacific, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Airborne, Donnelly Training, U.S, Talisman, Talisman Sabre, Pacific Multinational Readiness Center Locations: China, Pacific, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, People's Republic of China, United States, Philippines, Taiwan Strait, East, South Korea, Japan, Thailand

☆ Russia raises its flag in Avdiivka, then presses the advantage on a vulnerable Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Tim Lister | Maria Kostenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Russian military may have sensed a window of vulnerability in its adversary. Ukraine’s better units are exhausted after two years of combat; there is a new commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi; and Ukrainian troops are short of shells and vulnerable to relentless air strikes. The daily update from the Ukrainian military provides a glimpse of the firepower now being brought to bear by the Russians. This is how the enemy gained the advantage, destroying everything and advancing in the city.”Ukrainian servicemen build a temporary fortification near Avdiivka. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that in Avdiivka, seven Russians were being killed for every Ukrainian soldier lost.

Persons: they’ve, Ukraine’s, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin’s, ”, “, Ivan Tymochko, –, Firsov, Anatolii Stepanov, Chasiv Yar, Yevlash, ” Yevlash, Diego Herrera Carcedo, ’ Organizations: CNN, Russians, General Staff, Ukrainian Land Forces, Lyman, TV, Getty, Forces Locations: Avdiivka, Donetsk, Russia, Russian, Luhansk, Bakhmut, Kupiansk, Zaporizhzhia, Russians, Kharkiv, Robotyne, Severodonetsk, AFP, Mariinka, Vuhledar, Chasiv, Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Anadolu, Ukrainian

☆ Russian forces push into Ukraine’s Avdiivka, piling pressure on new army chief
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Andrew Carey | Maria Kostenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Avdiivka, to the northwest of Donetsk city, remains the scene of some of the heaviest fighting as Russian forces continue their push from the north into the center of town. Even so, the DeepState mapping site suggests Russian forces are perhaps no more than several hundred meters away from the main supply route into town. Serhii Tsekhotskyi, an officer with the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, told Ukrainian television that Russia was deploying large numbers of troop into the battle for Avdiivka. Lying just a few kilometers north of Donetsk airport, captured by Russian forces in early 2015 after months of periodically heavy fighting, Avdiivka has been firmly in Moscow’s crosshairs ever since. East of Kupiansk and the Oskil river, along the northernmost stretch of the battle, an army spokesman told Ukrainian television on Saturday that Russian forces were pressing.

Persons: Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Serhii, “, ”, Boris Rozhin, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Moscow’s crosshairs, Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Syrskyi, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Chasiv Yar Organizations: CNN, Russian, Motorized Infantry Brigade, Avdiivka, Presidential Press Service, Reuters, Land Forces, Storm Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Donetsk, Russia, Avdiivka, Kharkiv, Ukrainian, Kupiansk, Bakhmut

The Russian war machine is running at full tilt and has a much larger pool of men to draw from than Ukraine to replenish its ranks. Zelensky said he and Zaluzhnyi had a “frank discussion about what needs to be changed in the army. Frontline units in several vulnerable areas told CNN in recent weeks that they were often chronically short of ammunition, particularly Western 155mm artillery shells. The Russian military continues to make mistakes, but it is learning and adapting, especially in the exploitation of attack and reconnaissance drones and electronic warfare. The Russian military has also exploited glide technology to deliver aerial bombs more accurately, one reason that the Ukrainian offensive in the south faltered last summer.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Zaluzhnyi, Zelensky, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Syrskyi, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, ”, Matthew Schmidt, ” Schmidt, Frontlines, Diego Herrera Carcedo, “, Kyrylo Budanov, Schmidt, Vadim Ghirda, Dmytro Kuleba, Budanov, Valerie Zaluzhnyi, ’, Serhii Naiev, Zaluzhnyi’s, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Mick Ryan, –, Zaporizhzhia, Maxym, it’s Organizations: CNN, Presidential Press Service, Reuters, International Affairs, University of New, Getty, Ukrainian Military Intelligence, Biden, EU, Ukrainian, Russian, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukraine Gold Star, Ukrainian Presidential Press Service, Ukraine’s Joint Forces, St, Budanov, Security Service, US Naval Institute ., Hungary Locations: Kyiv, Russia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine, Kupiansk, University of New Haven , Connecticut, Avdiivka, Anadolu, Zelensky, St Petersburg, Volgograd, Crimea, ”, US Naval Institute . Ukraine, Australian, Ukrainian

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskyy takes one of his 'biggest gambles' yet by replacing top military commander
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Sam Meredith | Www.Linkedin.Com In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Metin Atkas | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is thought to have taken one of his "biggest gambles" yet by replacing his top commander in a dramatic military shake-up. Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, one of Ukraine's most experienced commanders who had led the country's ground forces since 2019, was on Thursday appointed the new head of Ukraine's armed forces amid broader military leadership changes. It represents the most significant change to Ukraine's military leadership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country nearly two years ago. In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy said he had taken the decision "to renew the leadership" of Ukraine's armed forces and thanked Zaluzhnyi for his two years of service. Urgent change," Zelenskyy said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Land Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi, Andriy Yermak, Kharkiv Region Oleg Sinegubov, Metin, Gen, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Valeriy, Zelenskyy, Zaluzhnyi, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Oksana Parafeniuk, Zelenskky, Zaluzhny, Peter Dickinson, Genya Savilov, Dickinson Organizations: Ukrainian Land Forces, Presidential, Military Administration, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Armed Forces, Staff of, Armed Forces of, Washington Post, Russia, Economist, Atlantic Council, Afp Locations: Izium, Kharkiv, Ukraine, Kharkiv Region, Zelenskyy, Russia, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv, Zelenskky, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donetsk

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the dismissal of Ukraine’s top commander, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, in the biggest military shakeup since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion almost two years ago. Oleksandr Syrskyi will become Ukraine's new military chief, in a consequential move by Zelensky. Launched last June, Ukraine’s counteroffensive in particular aimed to push south towards the Sea of Azov, splitting Russia’s forces in two and cutting its land bridge to Crimea. Despite the failure of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, the now-former military chief remains one of the most popular leaders in the country. With Ukraine’s independence in 1991, he rose through the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces becoming a Major General in 2009.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Zelensky, Zaluzhnyi, “, ” Zelensky, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zaluzhnyi –, –, , ”, Syrskyi Organizations: Ukraine CNN, Armed Forces, Ukrainian Land Forces, CNN, Economist, Zelensky, Ukraine’s, Kyiv Institute of Sociology, Analysts, Soviet Union Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Azov, Crimea, Orikhiv, Tokmak, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Soviet, Moscow, Ukrainian

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy Is Considering Replacing Zaluzhnyi, Others
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in an interview broadcast on Sunday, said he was considering a "reset" to replace several senior officials. Speculation has gripped Ukraine for weeks over suggestions that the president was about to dismiss the highly popular commander, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi. But Zelenskiy said any changes went beyond replacing a single person to harness efforts to oust Russian troops. To win the war, Zelenskiy said, "We must all push in the same direction, we cannot be discouraged, we must have the right and positive energy, negativity must be left at home. On two occasions in the past week, Ukrainian media issued a torrent of reports that Zaluzhnyi's dismissal was imminent.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Valeriy, Zelenskiy, Zelenskyi, Zaluzhnyi, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Kyrylo Budanov, Gianluca Semeraro, Ron Popeski, Diane Craft, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Reuters, RAI, Russian, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Italian, Ukrainian, Ukraine's, Kyiv

On Monday, presidential spokesman Serhiy Nykyforov told CNN and others that rumors of the army chief’s dismissal were untrue. Two names in particular are being discussed as possible successors, one of the sources, a senior military commander, told CNN. The other frontrunner is Oleksandr Syrskyi, currently the Commander of Ukrainian Land Forces, the senior military commander speaking to CNN said. Zelensky did not openly criticize Zaluzhny, but told a live news conference in December: “I am waiting for very concrete things on the battlefield. One soldier contacted by CNN currently fighting around Avdiivka in the east said any decision to dismiss Zaluzhny was a mistake.

Persons: Ukraine CNN —, Valery Zaluzhny, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zaluzhny, Serhiy Nykyforov, “, Zelensky, –, Rustem Umerov, ” Zelensky, Kyrylo, Budanov, Oleksandr Syrskyi, ” Zaluzhny, ” Ihor Zhovkva, ”, ’ Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, Zelensky, Economist, Defense, Defense Intelligence, Ukrainian Land Forces, Kyiv Institute of Sociology, ” Reuters Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Orikhiv, Azov, Crimea, Tokmak, Avdiivka

☆ ‘The enemy is amassing forces, they assault every day.’ Ukrainian army officials give unvarnished account of the battlefield
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Andrew Carey | Maria Kostenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Earlier this week, Ukraine announced it had withdrawn its forces from the village of Krokhmalne to take up more advantageous defensive positions on higher ground. Reports suggest Russian forces continue to press in the area. A readout from the Army General Staff on its Facebook page said Ukrainian forces had faced down 13 attacks on the settlements of Tabaiivka and Stelmakhivka, to the northwest and south, respectively, of Krokhmalne. A Ukrainian serviceman prepares 155-mm artillery shells near the front line in Zaporizhzhia, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, on January 14, 2024. ReutersFurther southeast, the area around Bakhmut, which was the overwhelming focus of Russia’s winter offensive exactly a year ago, Ukrainian forces also report coming under increased pressure.

Persons: spokespeople, Sergeant Oles Maliarevych, …, Oleksandr Shtupun, “ Organizations: CNN, Russian, Army, Staff, Land Forces Command, Ukrainian, Reuters, 92nd Separate Brigade Locations: Kharkiv, Luhansk, Ukraine, Krokhmalne, Tabaiivka, Ukrainian, Zaporizhzhia, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Kyiv, Orikhiv, Tokmak, Crimea, Russia

☆ Few things worry NATO like Russia's Yasen-class submarines, and Moscow may be planning to build even more of them
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Despite high-profile losses, Russia's navy has been largely untouched by the war in Ukraine. Russian submarines, especially Yasen-class cruise-missile subs, are a top concern for NATO. A Russian defense industry source told state media outlet Tass in mid-2022 that Moscow was considering adding two more subs to the nine Yasen-class subs it had planned to build. AdvertisementYasen-class sub Severodvinsk during its launch ceremony at a shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk in June 2010. AdvertisementRussian Yasen-class sub Kazan at its home base in Severomorsk in June 2021.

Persons: —, Sasha Mordovets, Glen VanHerck, Lev Fedoseyev, Ine Eriksen Søreide, Jim Mattis, Severodvinsk, Adm, Michael Studeman, LPhot Dan Rosenbaum, Ben Key, what's Organizations: NATO, Service, Tass, US Northern Command, Zircon, Getty, Naval Sea Systems Command, US, Pentagon, CBS News, Chatham, of Naval Intelligence, Russia's, British Royal Navy, US Navy, British navy's Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Northern, Pacific, Severodvinsk, Europe, North America, Severomorsk, Washington DC, NATO, Soviet, Western

☆ Japanese helicopters train to repel invaders amid nationwide military drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Tim Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF) AH-64 Apache helicopter flies over JGSDF's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) soldiers and the U.S. Marines during ARDB's military drill at an uninhabited Irisuna island close to Okinawa, Japan, November 15, 2023. The flight over Irisuna, about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from the main Okinawa island, was part of the country's 11-day nationwide 05JX. The drills, which end Monday, also include an air defence exercise in Japan’s north and simulated attacks on five nuclear reactors including the Fukushima plant. Trained to conduct operations from the sea, his unit was established in 2018 to help Japan defend the Okinawa islands, which stretch from the main Japanese islands to close to Taiwan. Japan's increasing defence budget will allow the ARDB to add a third regiment, Nashinoki said.

Persons: Issei Kato, Fumio Kishida, Shingo Nashinoki, Nashinoki, Tim Kelly, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Defense, JGSDF's, Rapid Deployment Brigade, U.S, Marines, REUTERS, Apache, Wednesday, Japan's Self Defence Forces, Japan's, Irisuna, Thomson Locations: Okinawa, Japan, East Asia, China, Russia, East China, South China, Pacific, Taiwan

Instead, ongoing exercises in Hawaii, which conclude Friday, highlight part of a new American approach to Pacific defense and deterrence, with a focus on small groups of mobile land forces operating from islands like those off China's coast. As part of its “Operation Pathways” revamp of Pacific defense set in motion nearly a decade ago, the U.S. has been increasing its number of exercises with partners in the Indo-Pacific. “And that helps the U.S. to overcome its numerical disadvantages as China's navy is continuing to expand. The exercises provide experience in technical and procedural interoperability and also build human bonds that can be critical in times of crisis. Austin’s travels overlap with Secretary of State Antony Blinken ’s own visits to Tokyo, Seoul and New Delhi.

Persons: ”, Marcus Evans, Euan Graham, ” Graham, Evans, ” Evans, Defense Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken ’, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Graham Organizations: 25th Infantry Division, U.S . Air Force, Wheeler Army, U.S . Department of Defense, U.S . Navy, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, U.S, United States Army, Defense, ” Aircraft Locations: BANGKOK, Taiwan, U.S, Beijing, China, Israel, Iran, Hawaii, American, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Britain, Oahu, United States, Mariana Islands, Guam, Pacific, Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, Tokyo, Seoul, New Delhi, Solomon Islands, Washington

☆ Ukraine: Exhausted and disappointed with allies, President Zelensky and military chief warn of long attritional war
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Analysis Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Two articles published this week give a stark assessment of Ukraine’s prospects in its war with Russia. One – by the commander in chief of the Ukrainian military – admits the battlefield has reached a stalemate and a long attritional war benefiting Moscow beckons. The other portrays Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as exhausted by the constant effort to cajole and persuade allies to keep the faith. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny during an event dedicated to Ukraine's Independence Day on August 24, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Shuster quotes an aide to the Ukrainian president as saying Zelensky feels “betrayed by his Western allies.

Persons: –, Volodymyr Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny, TIME’s Simon Shuster, Zelensky, “, ” Shuster, Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, Yan Dobronosov, …, Zaluzhny, Rustem Umerov, ”, Bram Janssen, ” Zaluzhny, Dmitri Peskov, Biden, Sen, J.D, Vance, ” Zelensky, Shuster, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: CNN, Armed Forces, Ukrainian Defense, Defense Lines, “, ”, Gallup, Capitol, Republican Locations: Russia, Moscow, United States, Europe, Ukraine, Kyiv, USSR, East, Avdviika, Vuhledar, Donetsk, Kupyansk, Kharkiv, Crimea, –, Izyum, “ Russia, ” Moscow, Israel, Washington, Kherson

☆ Vanishing island forces hundreds of Indigenous families to abandon homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Lilian Manansala | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

The tiny, overcrowded Carti Sugtupu will soon vanish under rising sea levels, forcing the Indigenous Guna people to abandon their island home. Hundreds are expected to relocate to Panama's mainland in early 2024, after more than a decade of government delays.

Locations: Guna

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s government has approved the purchase of U.S.-made Stryker combat vehicles to modernize the country’s land forces and bring them in line with NATO standards. The decision, announced Friday by the government’s press office, followed the approval by the U.S. State Department of the sale of 183 Stryker vehicles and related gear to Bulgaria for an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. Bulgaria, which is located on NATO's eastern flank, has intensified its military modernization by replacing its outdated Soviet-built weapons systems. In the aftermath of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev has pledged that his country will speed up efforts to set up a heavy mechanized brigade and other projects to guarantee security in the Black Sea region. Political Cartoons View All 1173 Images

Persons: —, Todor Tagarev Organizations: NATO, U.S . State Department of, Bulgarian Locations: SOFIA, Bulgaria, U.S, Ukraine

☆ Opinion: US hesitancy on weapons extends the fighting in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sheena Mckenzie | Opinion Keir Giles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

He is the author of “Russia’s War on Everybody: And What it Means for You.” The views expressed in this commentary are his own. CNN —Russia’s war on Ukraine will soon enter another winter. And as the fighting drags on into 2024 and potentially beyond, Western backers will find it ever harder to provide what Ukraine needs. The US’s generous support for Ukraine is under threat from political trends there even before a potential change of presidency. But making Ukraine stronger is a key ingredient for Europe’s long-term security as well as for the outcome of the present war.

Persons: Keir Giles, “, CNN —, Keir Giles Munira, Abrams, —, It’s, there’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, it’s, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Chatham House, CNN, Patriot, West, Tactical Missile Systems, UN, Challenger, British Army, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Russia, Eurasia, Ukraine, Washington, Germany, America, Sweden, Russian, Crimea, China, Europe

Away from the front, Ukraine’s war has become a numbers game: who can acquire, make and resupply more tanks, bullets, and, most of all, artillery shells. All in all, Kyiv needs some 1.5 million artillery shells annually, according to the CEO of one of Europe’s largest arms manufacturers, Rheinmetall. By July, the US had supplied more than two million artillery rounds to Ukraine since the 2022 invasion, the Pentagon said. But in February 2023, Europe-wide production of artillery ammunition had a maximum capacity of 300,000 shells annually, Estonian defense officials estimated. The best-case scenario of an increase to making 2.1 million shells annually is still years away from being realized.

Persons: Oleksandra Ustinova, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Armin Papperger, Papperger, William LaPlante, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Nammo, LaPlante, Tuuli Duneton, Morten Brandtzæg, “, ” Brandtzæg, you’re, Jérôme, Creuillot, it’s, Jonathan Caverley, hasn’t, Ignacio Marin, Caverley, Josep Borrell Organizations: CNN, Artillery, Rheinmetall, Pentagon, European, NATO, Defense, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Estonian, US Naval War College, EU Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Estonian, United Kingdom, Europe, Brussels, “, Kyiv, ”, Norway, France

☆ Russia denies Ukraine has retaken Andriivka, Ukraine posts video of fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The commander of Ukraine's land forces posted a video purporting to show the capture of Andriivka amid a landscape of scorched territory and devastation. The account of fighting by Russia's Defence Ministry said its troops were still holding at least two key villages south of Bakhmut, known in Russia by its Soviet-era name, Artyomovsk. Things are hot in Klishchiivka and Kurdiumivka," Maliar said on Telegram, referring to two other villages near the city. Maliar also reported that Russian forces had unsuccessfully tried to push through Ukrainian defences near two villages northwest of Bakhmut. Ukraine hopes to sever a land bridge Russia has created between annexed Crimea and territory it holds in the east.

Persons: Oleksandr Syrskyi, Hanna Maliar, Maliar, Ron Popeski, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Ukrainian Armed Forces Press, REUTERS Acquire, Saturday, Russia's Defence Ministry, Donetsk People's, Staff, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Donetsk Region, Ukraine, Russia, Bakhmut, Andriivka, Artyomovsk, Donetsk, Donetsk People's Republic, Klishchiivka, Azov, Crimea

☆ Ukraine says Russia launches overnight drone attack on Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russia launched an air attack on Kyiv early on Sunday, with blasts ringing out across the Ukrainian capital and its region for almost two hours and drone debris falling on several of the city's central districts, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine's Land Forces said that the country's air defense systems destroyed 25 out of 32 Russia-launched Iran-made Shahed drones, most of which targeted Kyiv and the Kyiv region. Reuters witnesses heard at least five blasts across Kyiv, and Ukrainian media footage showed a number of cars damaged. Debris from downed drones fell on the Darnytskyi, Solomianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Sviatoshynskyi and Podil districts, Klitschko and the city's military administration said. A Russian attack killed 17 on Wednesday in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, according to Ukrainian officials.

Persons: Serhiy Popko, Vitali Klitschko, Klitschko, Popko Organizations: Ukraine's, Forces Locations: Russia, Iran, Kyiv, Shevchenkivskyi, Moscow, Kostiantynivka

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