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[1/6] A man arranges the flags kept outside the venue for G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, India, March 2, 2023. The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov and Blinken spoke "on the move" but did not hold negotiations or a meeting, Russian news agencies reported. News of the exchange came at the end of the day-long G20 meeting which, as expected, was overshadowed by the Ukraine war. "Unfortunately, this meeting has again been marred by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine," Blinken said. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said the war in Ukraine had hurt "almost every country on the planet, in terms of food, energy, inflation".

☆ The US Air Force's big plan to spread out and take on China may actually make things easier for Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For the Air Force, a key part of the plan is to spread jets and airmen across bases in the Pacific. The problem is that the Air Force would need a logistical system that could sustain numerous bases across a wide area. US, Australian, Japanese, and other militaries' aircraft taxi in formation at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in February 2022. Civil engineer airmen conduct rapid airfield damage repair on Northwest Field at Andersen Air Force Base in October 2019. Air Force officials have acknowledged the complexity of defending dispersed forces.

☆ A Russian oil depot caught fire hundreds of miles from Ukraine, the possible result of a daring Ukrainian drone attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A fire broke out at a Russian oil facility on Tuesday night, far from the country's borders. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian authorities verified the incident as an attack, though Russian outlets said drones were seen near the oil facility, run by government-controlled oil giant Rosneft. Russia's Ministry of Defence said that there was a drone attack on a site in Krasnodar, though it claimed to have foiled it. "One where NATO is allegedly directly helping Ukraine to attack Russia." Ukraine has previously struck Russian territory with the same modified drones, unnamed Kyiv officials told Politico in December last year.

☆ The US Air Force is finally getting rid of its A-10s, and its focus may be straying from the Warthog's unique mission
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Those retirements would shrink the Air Force's A-10 fleet to 260 aircraft, and Air Force leaders plan to continue decommissioning A-10s in the years ahead. Not so closeUS Air Force joint terminal attack controllers during a close air support training with an A-10 in Nevada in September 2011. Michael HolzworthCurrent and former Air Force officials have said that the F-35 would take over the A-10's mission after the Warthog left the fleet. So it will perform the mission very differently," said Kendall, who is now the Air Force's top civilian official. Those skills "are perishable," Boeding added, "and the stakes are too high to not train dedicated crews (ground and air) in purpose build close air support aircraft."

☆ Watchdog Report on Afghan Collapse Points to Abrupt Withdrawal, Lack of Planning
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Ben Kesling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, whose Western-backed government collapsed in 2021 and the Taliban took over the country. A government watchdog said an abrupt, uncoordinated withdrawal from Afghanistan and years of problems with planning and oversight of U.S. assistance contributed to the collapse of the Western-backed government in Kabul and the Taliban takeover of the country soon after American forces departed, according to a forthcoming report. Poor accountability on weapons and equipment provided to Afghanistan and a lack of systemic planning were also important factors in the military collapse there, according to the report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The report, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, also calls out the Department of Defense for delaying answering official inquiries, missing deadlines and providing incomplete answers to questions.

☆ Russia will not resume START nuclear talks until Washington listens to Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 28 (Reuters) - Russia will not resume participation in the START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States until Washington listens to Moscow's position, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in remarks published on Tuesday. Peskov told the daily Izvestia in an interview that the "attitude of the collective West", led by the United States needs to change towards Moscow. "The security of one country cannot be ensured at the expense of the security of another," Peskov said. He also said that NATO by arming Ukraine "acts as a single bloc no longer as our conditional opponents, but as enemies". Reporting by Lidia Kelly and Ronald Popeski; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russian military aircraft blown up near Minsk: Belarusian partisans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Evgenia NovozheninaFeb 27 (Reuters) - Belarusian anti-government activists have claimed responsibility for what they said was a drone attack on a Russian A-50 surveillance aircraft at an airfield near the Belarus capital of Minsk on Sunday. Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said in a post on Twitter it was the most successful act of sabotage since the beginning of 2022. Front and central parts of the aircraft as well as the radar antenna were damaged as a result of two explosions in the attack at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, BYPOL reported. The Beriev A-50 aircraft, which has the NATO reporting name of Mainstay, is a Russian airborne early warning aircraft, with airborne command and control capabilities, and the ability to track up to 60 targets at a time. A number of Russian warplanes and airborne early warning and control aircraft have been deployed to Belarus.

☆ Belarusian partisans say Russian military aircraft damaged near Minsk
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 27 (Reuters) - A Russian A-50 surveillance military aircraft was damaged in a drone attack at an airfield near the Belarus capital of Minsk on Sunday, Belarus partisans and members of the exiled opposition said. Belsat is a Polish broadcaster focused on Belarusian news that Minsk has branded extremist. Front and central parts of the aircraft as well as the radar antenna were damaged as a result of two explosions in the attack at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, BYPOL reported. The Beriev A-50 aircraft, which has the NATO reporting name of Mainstay, is a Russian airborne early warning aircraft, with airborne command and control capabilities, and the ability to track up to 60 targets at a time. A number of Russian warplanes and airborne early warning and control aircraft have been deployed to Belarus.

☆ After a year of death and destruction, Ukraine braces itself for a major escalation in the war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Emergency service workers extinguish a fire after shelling on the Bakhmut frontline in Ivanivske, Ukraine as Russia-Ukraine war continues on January 02, 2023. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesWhen Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, it shocked the world. Russia and Ukraine have only published data sporadically on their own casualty rates in the war — so we have to rely on estimates. One former NATO official told CNBC that, sooner or later, Ukraine would need to be given combat aircraft. Kenzo Tribouillard | Afp | Getty ImagesAsked whether he believed Ukraine could prevail and win the war before the end of 2023, Shea said two things need to happen: Western weapons need to arrive quickly and Ukraine must be given aircraft.

[1/2] Police officers stand amid the rubble of a damaged building at the site of a rocket attack in the Kafr Sousa neighbourhood of central Damascus, Syria, February 19, 2023. Its support for Damascus and the Lebanese group Hezbollah has drawn regular Israeli air strikes meant to curb Tehran's extraterritorial military power. A source close to the Syrian government with knowledge of Sunday's strike and its target said it hit a gathering of Syrian and Iranian technical experts in drone manufacturing, though he said no top-level Iranian was killed. "The strike hit the centre where they were meeting as well as an apartment in a residential building. On Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as attacks on "residential buildings in Damascus which killed and maimed innocent Syrian citizens".

☆ Russia's Putin issues new nuclear warnings to West over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Signed by then-U.S. president Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, the treaty caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the countries can deploy. "... if the United States conducts tests, then we will. Putin said Ukraine had sought to strike a facility deep inside Russia where it keeps nuclear bombers, a reference to the Engels air base. NUCLEAR ARSENAL[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, Russia February 21, 2023. 1 2 3Russia and the United States together hold 90% of the world's nuclear warheads.

☆ Factbox: What is the New START nuclear arms treaty?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I am forced to announce today that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty," he said. WHAT IS THE NEW START TREATY? Signed by then-U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, the New START treaty caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the United States and Russia can deploy. Together, Russia and the United States account for about 90% of the world's nuclear warheads, and both sides have stressed that war between nuclear powers must be avoided at all costs. The United States has accused Russia of violating the treaty, saying Moscow was refusing to allow inspection activities on its territory.

Hours before Biden spoke in Poland following a surprise visit to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed that Moscow would achieve its objectives in Ukraine and accused the West of plotting to destroy Russia. Biden proclaimed "unwavering" support for Kyiv and a commitment to bolstering NATO's eastern flank facing Russia, while rejecting Moscow's contention that the West was plotting to attack Russia. "I can report: Kyiv stands strong, Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall and, most important, it stands free. "When President Putin ordered his tanks to roll into Ukraine, he thought we would roll over. Putin said Ukraine had sought to strike a facility deep inside Russia where it keeps nuclear bombers, a reference to the Engels air base.

☆ U.S. will back quake-hit Turkey "as long as it takes", Blinken says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken walks to board a plane at Incirlik Air Base near Adana, Turkey February 19, 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/PoolANKARA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The United States will support Turkey "for as long as it takes" after its devastating earthquakes, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, while his Turkish counterpart said there was no need to wait for a disaster to improve ties. "The United States and Turkey do not agree on every issue but it is a partnership that has withstood against challenges," Blinken told a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara. Total U.S. humanitarian assistance to support the earthquake response in Turkey and Syria has reached $185 million, the U.S. State Department has said. Standing alongside Blinken, Cavusoglu said it was not possible for Turkey to purchase F-16 warplanes with pre-conditions and that he believed the issue can be overcome if the U.S. administration maintains a decisive stance.

☆ How Biden's surprise trip to Kyiv was kept secret - but not from Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] President Joe Biden arrives for a surprise visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, in Kyiv. After months of planning, Biden on Friday decided to go ahead with the trip, according to the White House. By then it was Sunday night, and Biden's train traveled in the dark with a heavy security presence on board. "It's good to be back in Kyiv," Biden said after stepping off the train. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who accompanied the president, said U.S. officials did notify Russian officials that Biden would be traveling to Kyiv.

☆ China is getting rid of its 'grandpa' fighter jets, but they may make a comeback for a one-way mission against Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China's last J-7 fighter jets may leave active service this year, according to Chinese state media. China's air force may convert some J-7s into drones, which could be used in an attack on Taiwan. (Between its air force and navy, China now has the world's third-largest aviation force, according to the Pentagon.) A J-7 fighter at the People's Liberation Army Aviation Museum in Beijing in December 2013. UCAVs make it possible for China's air force "to use relatively cheap, capable, low-risk airframes as a first-in asset to either strike or soften Taiwan's air defense systems," Rice added.

☆ Taliban plans to turn former foreign bases into special economic zones
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mohammad IsmailKABUL, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Taliban administration will move ahead with plans to turn former foreign military bases into special economic zones for businesses, the acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs said in a statement on Sunday. "Following a thorough discussion, it was decided that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should progressively take control of the remaining military bases of the foreign forces with the intention of converting them into special economic zones," Mullah Baradar said in the statement. He added a pilot plan would begin to convert bases in the capital Kabul and in northern Balkh province. Afghanistan's economy has struggled and aid agencies are warning of a severe humanitarian crisis since the Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign troops withdrew after 20 years of war. The Taliban have said they are focused on boosting economic self-sufficiency through trade and investment.

☆ Blinken to talk aid, Nordic NATO bid in visit to quake-hit Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives for a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, February. Since the earthquake, the United States has sent a search and rescue team to Turkey, medical supplies, concrete-breaking machinery, and additional funding of $85 million in humanitarian aid that also covers Syria. While the United States has praised Turkey for some of its actions during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it remains worried over its close relationship with Moscow, experts say. "There will be no transfer of F-16s if Erdogan continues to deny admission to Finland and Sweden ... Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's chief foreign policy advisor, said last month he hoped the F-16 deal would not become "hostage" to the NATO memberships of Sweden and Finland.

☆ Israeli missile strikes building in central Damascus, several casualties
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMMAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - An Israeli rocket strike hit a building in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of central Damascus early on Sunday, near a large security complex close to Iranian installations, witnesses and an official source said. The strike damaged several buildings in the densely populated district close to Omayyad square in the heart of the capital, where multi-storey security buildings are located within residential areas. A police official said on state media that there were several casualties and injured. An Israeli military spokesperson declined comment. For almost a decade, Israel has been carrying out air strikes against suspected Iranian-sponsored weapons transfers and personnel deployments in next-door Syria.

☆ Ukraine war: major developments since Russia's invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Following are some of the major developments in Europe's biggest conflict since World War Two. Russian forces made slow, steady gains in a phase of the conflict that inflicted a heavy toll on both sides. UKRAINE COUNTER-ATTACKSAs the war churned on, the United States and Europe began giving Ukraine increasingly powerful and longer-range weaponry and used sanctions to try to hamper Russia's military machine. In early September, Ukrainian forces reeled off surprising gains in the northeastern Kharkiv region, wresting back the sole rail hub supplying Russia's regional front line. Joyous residents feted the return of Ukrainian forces, though the city remains subject to Russian shelling.

☆ Ukraine, U.S. defence heads talk "priorities" for allies' meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov discussed "priorities", including air defence and artillery, for upcoming meetings of Kyiv's allies in Brussels, both sides said late on Saturday. The Ukraine Defense Contact Group will meet on Tuesday at the NATO headquarters, following upon a Jan. 20 conference at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany that was key for the decisions to send tanks. Austin and Reznikov discussed the importance of delivering promised capabilities as quickly as possible, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, said in a statement. After the call, Reznikov tweeted that "the United States is unwavering in its support of Ukraine," adding that the two also discussed the situation on the front line. Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/4] An Indian Air Force (IAF) light combat aircraft "Tejas" flies during the "Aero India 2021" air show at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru, India, February 3, 2021. Indian carriers may buy 1,500 to 1,700 aircraft in coming years, CAPA said, including Air India and IndiGo. MILITARY, COMMERCIAL COMPETITION"The days of foreign companies selling directly to India are over," a defence industry source told Reuters. At the same time, airlines like Air India are seeking to go head-on with rivals like Emirates Airline (EMIRA.UL) for a bigger share of international passenger flow. India's pressing military air need is to shore up its fighter squadrons, which have fallen to 31 from the approved 42 as political and bureaucratic hurdles and lack of funds delay purchases.

☆ Zelenskiy: too early to declare victory after repairs to power system
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERSFeb 12 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday hailed efforts to restore power generation systems damaged by Russian attacks but warned the population it was too early to declare victory on the energy front. Zelenskiy said power workers had done such a good job repairing the damage caused by Russian missile and drone strikes on Friday that most people had not had to face too many outages on Saturday and Sunday. Zelenskiy said scheduled energy outages would once again be in place when the working week started on Monday. Russia has carried out repeated waves of attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities in recent months, at times leaving millions of people without light, heating or water supplies during the cold winter. "This is the best response of Ukrainian energy workers to enemy shelling," he said in a statement.

☆ There's nothing but 'zombie arguments' for not giving Ukraine fighter jets, one of its closest partners says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine has placed advanced Western fighter jets at the top of its military hardware wishlist. He said the way some Western countries approach giving Ukraine weapons needs to be altered, saying there's "certain psychological taboos and I think we need to revise this negative approach." RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP via Getty ImagesAmong the countries that initially rejected the idea of sending fighter jets to Ukraine are the US and UK. On Wednesday, the British government said it would offer to train Ukrainian pilots to fly "sophisticated" NATO-standard fighter jets in the future. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the UK was considering the provision of fighter jets.

☆ Relief Efforts in Turkey, Syria Face Logistical Hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Paul Berger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Aid groups and logistics operators worldwide are ramping up urgent relief efforts for victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria but say moving supplies through the region’s devastated infrastructure will be a major challenge. Mr. Hovey said Direct Relief plans to fly supplies to airports at Istanbul in northwestern Turkey and at Adana in southeastern Turkey, close to the disaster zone. Many U.S. charities without aid operations in Syria and Turkey are now planning relief efforts, said Kathy Fulton, executive director of American Logistics Aid Network, which coordinates aid efforts among logistics operators following disasters. Aid groups are mostly focused on getting relief to Turkey and Syria by plane. He said the demand for air charters is also starting to make it harder and more expensive to secure space for aid and relief efforts in other parts of the world, such as Ukraine.

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