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☆ Russia Says It Foiled Ukrainian Drone Attack on Civilian Cargo Ships in Black Sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Saturday it had repelled an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on Russian "civilian transport ships" on Friday evening in the southwestern part of the Black Sea, a key artery for grain and oil exports from both countries. It said Russian patrol boats and warplanes had averted the attack, destroying one Ukrainian naval drone by artillery fire and disabling the rest by electronic warfare. A day later, Ukraine said it would adopt the same stance on ships bound for Russian and Russian-controlled Ukrainian ports. The southwestern part of the Black Sea adjoins Turkey's Bosphorus Strait through which cargoes leaving the sea travel. Ukraine has in recent months mounted a series of drone and missile attacks on Russian military targets in the Black Sea, sinking at least one naval vessel and damaging others.

Persons: ReutersWriting, Felix LightEditing, Helen PopperEditing, Mark Heinrich, Giles Elgood, Helen Popper Organizations: Civilian, Russia's Defence Ministry Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Ukrainian, Russian, Moscow, Ukraine, Turkish

☆ Ukraine war updates: Putin claims Russia has no interest in wider war; UAE mediates prisoner exchange
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board at the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow, Russia December 19, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed Moscow has no interest in expanding the war beyond Ukraine to the likes of Poland and Latvia. Putin made the comments in a two-hour interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and spoke in Russian, with Carlson's team providing the dubbed translation. It was his first interview with an American media outlet since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago. In the translated recording, Putin says he could only imagine a scenario in which Russia would send troops into Poland, a NATO member, if "Poland attacks Russia."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Tucker Carlson, Russia Michael McFaul, Evan Gershkovich, — Elliot Smith Organizations: Defence Ministry Board, National Defence Control Centre, Fox News, NATO, U.S, Wall Street, Kremlin, Ukraine, CNBC Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, American, Crimea, Georgia

☆ UAE Says Mediation Efforts Led to Russia, Ukraine Swap of 100 Prisoners Each
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates said it succeeded in mediating the release of 100 Russian prisoners of war in exchange for 100 war prisoners from the Ukrainian side. Russia's Defence Ministry, in a post on the Telegram messaging app, noted the UAE's "humanitarian mediation", as did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian body overseeing exchanges of POWs. The UAE's foreign ministry said it is the third mediation effort between Russia and Ukraine this year adding that it is calling for diplomacy, dialogue, and de-escalation, state news agency WAM reported. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Kim Coghill)War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 ImagesThe Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 Images

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, WAM, Nayera Abdallah, Kim Coghill Organizations: Reuters, United Arab, Russia's Defence Ministry Locations: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza

☆ Ukraine's homemade sea drones often fail, but they're so cheap that it doesn't matter, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewUkraine's home-developed naval drones are offering vital capabilities that cruise missiles just don't have, a naval expert told Business Insider. This could have a sizable impact on Ukraine's ongoing efforts to subdue Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Defense Intelligence of UkraineSidharth Kaushal, a naval expert at the UK's Royal United Services Institute, outlined Ukraine's sea drones' limitations and advantages to BI. "The Ukrainians don't have very many cruise missiles that can target things at the ranges that they've been able to go after" with sea drones, he added. Since then, sea drones have been involved in multiple high-profile attacks, including reported strikes on two Russian landing ships in November.

Persons: —, Russia's, Kyrylo, Ukraine Sidharth, Kaushal, they've, Ukraine hasn't, Ivan Khurs, Basil Germond Organizations: Service, UK's Ministry of Defence, Business, Autonomous Guard, Defense Intelligence, Royal United Services Institute, CNN, Russia's Defence Ministry, Russian Defence Ministry, REUTERS, Lancaster University Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russia's, Ukrainian, REUTERS Ukraine, Russian, Crimea

☆ North Korea Leader Kim: We Will Wipe Out Enemies if They Use Force -KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Kim made the comments during a visit to the defence ministry on Thursday, rallying soldiers to uphold the ideology of the ruling Workers' Party and defend the country with their lives, KCNA news agency reported. "If enemies try to use force against our country, we will make the bold decision to change history and not hesitate to use all our super power to wipe them out," KCNA quoted him as saying. Kim repeated his vow to never hold dialogue or negotiations with South Korea, which he said was his country's "enemy No. 1," and said the policy of powerful military readiness was the only way to ensure peace and security for North Korea, KCNA said. North Korea has marked the foundation of its military on Feb. 8 and last year held a large military parade at midnight showcasing its largest intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Persons: Jack Kim SEOUL, Kim Jong Un, Kim, KCNA, Ae, Jack Kim, Chris Reese, Jamie Freed Organizations: Workers ' Party Locations: South Korea, North Korea, Seoul, Korea

☆ Explainer-Why Does Russia Want to Capture Ukraine's Avdiivka?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Dan Peleschuk and Andrew OsbornKYIV/LONDON (Reuters) - Russian forces are intensifying efforts to seize the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka as Moscow's war in Ukraine grinds on. Russian war bloggers, whom the Kremlin has brought under tight control, have acknowledged heavy Russian losses but alleged significant Ukrainian losses too. They say Kyiv's forces can be encircled if Russian forces can cut their last main supply line to the west. Avdiivka is seen as a gateway to Donetsk city, whose residential areas Russian officials say have been shelled by Ukrainian forces, sometimes from Avdiivka. Seizing it could boost Russian morale and demoralise Ukrainian forces, which have made only incremental gains in a broad counteroffensive since June.

Persons: Dan Peleschuk, Andrew Osborn, Avdiivka, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Sergei Markov, Mykola Bielieskov, Bielieskov, Mike Collett, White, Timothy Heritage Organizations: LONDON, Mechanized Brigade, Radio Liberty, Kremlin, National Institute for Strategic Studies, Kyiv Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Russia, Moscow, Russian, Donetsk, Luhansk, Avdeyevka, Kyiv, Kremlin

☆ Russia Says It Downs Seven Ukraine-Launched Drones Over Belgorod Region
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Russia's air defence systems destroyed seven Ukraine-launched drones over the southwestern region of Belgorod, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday after the region's governor said that the city of Gubkin was under a drone attack. There were no casualties from the attack on Gubkin but four houses were damaged by drone debris, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. Belgorod and other regions bordering Ukraine have often come under attack from Ukrainian forces in the two-year war that started with Russia's full-scale invasion on Ukraine. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesKyiv has said that targeting Russia's military and transport infrastructure undermines Moscow's overall war efforts. In January, Moscow accused Ukraine of deliberately shooting down a military plane carrying 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers over the region.

Persons: Vyacheslav Gladkov, Russia's, Lidia Kelly, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, Telegram, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Belgorod, Gubkin, Ukrainian, Moscow, Melbourne

☆ 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

☆ Russia and Ukraine Say They Have Completed a Prisoner Exchange
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW/KYIV (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine said on Wednesday they had completed a prisoner exchange, the first since the crash last week of a Russian military transport plane that Moscow says was carrying 65 Ukrainian soldiers ahead of a similar swap. The Russian Defence Ministry said each side had got 195 soldiers back and that its own soldiers would be flown to Moscow to receive medical and psychological treatment. In return, exactly 195 prisoners from the armed forces of Ukraine were handed over," the defence ministry said in a statement. Russia says Ukraine shot down the plane carrying prisoners for last week's swap with a ground-to-air missile and that all 74 people on board were killed. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied that it downed the plane, and has demanded proof of who was on board.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Andrew Osborn, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Russian Defence Ministry, United Arab Emirates, United, Reuters Moscow Locations: MOSCOW, KYIV, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Kyiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Snake, United Arab Emirates

☆ S.Korea Defence Minister Heads to Middle East for Talks, Arms Expo
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's defence minister Shin Won-sik departs on Thursday for a seven-day trip to the Middle East to hold ministerial talks and attend an arms exhibition in Saudi Arabia, the ministry said. He will also travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday for the World Defense Show in Riyadh before heading to Qatar to meet Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, the country's defence minister. South Korea has emerged in recent years as one of the world's biggest arms exporters with sales jumping to $17 billion in 2022 from $7.25 billion the year before, data from the defence ministry showed. The country's arms exports to the Middle East grew nearly tenfold between 2013 and 2022, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 ImagesExperts say arms sales have been buoyed by South Korea's price competitiveness and ability to ensure speedy delivery.

Persons: Shin Won, sik, Shin, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Hyunsu Yim, Ed Davies Organizations: United Arab Emirates, South, Akh Unit, World Defense, Korea Chamber of Commerce, Industry Locations: SEOUL, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Qatar, Korea, Israel, Gaza

☆ Explainer-Embattled Ukraine Moves to Tighten Army Mobilisation Rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

(Reuters) - Ukraine's government has submitted an amended draft bill that would tighten the rules on army mobilisation for debate in parliament. Ukraine began mobilising civilians after declaring martial law in February 2022 when Russia invaded. MOBILISATION AGEThe amended bill proposes lowering the age people can be mobilised for combat duty to 25 from 27. Receiving consular services for things like passports would require citizens to present their military registration documents. The Defence Ministry introduced this change to make military registration fair and equal for all.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Zelenskiy, Yuliia Dysa, Tom Balmforth Organizations: Reuters, Army, Convicts, Defence Ministry Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Ukraine Says It Hits Airfield in Russia-Occupied Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The Ukrainian military claimed on Wednesday to have struck a military air base in Russian-occupied Crimea, while Moscow said it had thwarted the attack by shooting down missiles but some debris had hit a military installation. In a post on Telegram, Ukraine's Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk thanked the military for conducting the operation, hitting Belbek airfield on the southwestern tip of the Crimea Peninsula near Russia's main naval base at Sevastopol. "Ukrainian aviators will definitely return to their home airfield," he said, posting a video from social media of the purported strike. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, Moscow thwarted an attack on Crimea and shot down 20 Ukrainian missiles - 17 over the Black Sea and three more over the peninsula. The ministry said fragments of Ukrainian missiles fell on the territory of a military unit in Lyubimovka, which is near the Belbek military air base.

Persons: Mykola Oleshchuk, Yuliia Dysa Organizations: Reuters, Ukrainian, Ukraine's Air Force, Russian Defence Ministry Locations: Crimea, Moscow, Russia's, Sevastopol, Ukrainian, Lyubimovka

☆ New China Defence Minister Holds Video Talks With Russia's Shoigu
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's new defence minister Dong Jun held a video call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday, according to a defence ministry statement, in his first public engagement since being appointed last month. Former Navy chief Dong's appointment came after his predecessor, Li Shangfu, disappeared from public view in August, throwing China's military diplomacy in doubt. The role of China's defence minister is to be the public face of the People's Liberation Army in its engagement with the media and with other armed forces. China and Russia's close military ties have been the target of Western scrutiny, especially after Russia's 2022 invasion of its neighbour Ukraine, which China has refused to condemn. Western countries, including the United States, have repeatedly warned China not to provide lethal aid to Russia's battlefield efforts.

Persons: Dong Jun, Sergei Shoigu, Li Shangfu, Dong, Shoigu, Laurie Chen, Christopher Cushing, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Former Navy, People's Liberation Army, United States, U.S Locations: BEIJING, Russian, China, Ukraine, United States, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, South China, Beijing

☆ Russia Destroys 21 Ukraine-Launched Drones Over Crimea and Russian Regions -Reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Russian air defence systems destroyed or intercepted 21 Ukraine-launched drones over the Crimean Peninsula and several Russian regions, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday, citing Moscow's defence ministry. Russia's systems downed 11 of the drones over Crimea, RIA state news agency reported. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 in a move condemned by Kyiv's Western allies as an illegal land grab. Bryansk, Kaluga and Tula regions, Russian agencies reported. Kyiv has intensified its air attacks in recent months, in what it says are strikes targeting Russian military infrastructure to undermine Moscow's war efforts.

Persons: Kyiv's, Mikhail Razvozhayev, Vladislav Shapsha, Lidia Kelly, Tom Hogue, Jamie Freed Organizations: Reuters, Telegram Locations: Ukraine, Crimean, Crimea, Russia, Moscow, Sevastopol, Crimea's, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Tula, Kyiv, Melbourne

☆ A passenger who caused fighter jets to flank an airliner after he privately joked about blowing up the plane was cleared and avoided a $120,000 bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Spanish judge cleared Aditya Verma of a public-disorder charge on Thursday. He had joked about blowing up a plane and faced paying $120,000 after fighter jets were scrambled. But the judge said Verma "could not even remotely assume" his Snapchat message would cause such drama. British security services flagged the message to Spanish authorities, who sent two F-18 jets to follow the plane until it landed. One question left unanswered in the case was how the security services saw Verma's Snapchat message.

Persons: Aditya Verma, Verma, — Organizations: Service, BBC, Spanish Defence Ministry, Gatwick, Reuters Locations: London, Spain, British

☆ Taiwan Air Force Shows off Its Sub Hunting, Early Warning Prowess
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Fabian HamacherPINGTUNG, Taiwan (Reuters) - Taiwan's air force showed off its armed-to-the-teeth submarine hunters and early warning and control aircraft on Tuesday, demonstrating how it keeps watch on the skies and waters around the Chinese-claimed island. Taiwan's air force, dwarfed by China's but well-armed with mostly U.S. equipment, has been at the front lines of responding to these missions and regularly scrambles to shadow and warn away Chinese aircraft and ships. On a defence ministry-organised media visit to the Pingtung air base in southern Taiwan, the air force displayed its Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft and Northrop Grumman-built E-2K Hawkeye early warning and control aircraft. The air force also conducted flybys with one of their E-2K Hawkeye aircraft. Taiwan has reported Chinese warships and warplanes frequently passing through the Bashi Channel.

Persons: Fabian Hamacher PINGTUNG, Lockheed Martin, Crews, Tsai Tsung, Fabian Hamacher, Ben Blanchard, William Maclean Organizations: Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, U.S . Navy, Hawkeye Locations: Taiwan, China, Taipei, Philippines, Pacific . Taiwan

☆ Trafigura assesses Red Sea risks after tanker attacked by Houthis
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Commodities trader Trafigura said on Saturday it was assessing the security risks of further Red Sea voyages after firefighters put out a blaze on a tanker attacked by Yemen's Houthi group a day earlier. The Houthi attacks have primarily targeted container vessels moving through the Red Sea. A notable exception is QatarEnergy, the world's second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which earlier this month stopped sending tankers via the Red Sea, citing security concerns. The Marshall Islands-flagged Marlin Luanda issued a distress call on Friday and reported damage, U.S. Central Command said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. About eight hours after the Marlin Luanda incident, the U.S. military destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and ready to launch, Central Command said.

Persons: Trafigura, Yemen's, Trafigura's, Marlin, Carney, Ras Issa Organizations: Djibouti . Commodities, U.S . Navy, Marshall, U.S . Central Command, Indian Navy, British, Houthi, U.S, Central Command, Britain, U.S . Fifth Fleet, British Defence Ministry Locations: Djibouti, U.S, Trafigura, Aden, Gulf, Africa, Gaza, Visakhapatnam, Yemen, United States, Ras, Yemen's

☆ Ukraine Says It Uncovers Mass Fraud in Weapons Procurement
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Ukraine's SBU security service said on Saturday it had uncovered a corruption scheme in the purchase of arms by the country's military totalling the equivalent of about $40 million. The announcement of mass procurement fraud, confirmed by Ukraine's Defence Ministry, will have a huge resonance in a country beleaguered by Russia's nearly two-year-old invasion. The fight to root out endemic corruption remains a major issue as Ukraine presses its bid to secure membership in the European Union. "According to the investigation, former and current high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defence and heads of affiliated companies are involved in the embezzlement." Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov was dismissed last September over various corruption cases despite enjoying a solid reputation in representing Ukraine in its discussions with Western allies.

Persons: Russia's, Oleksii Reznikov, Ron Popeski, Maria Starkova, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Reuters, Ukraine's Defence Ministry, European Union, Ministry of Defence, Lviv Arsenal, . Defence, Western Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian

☆ Russia Says It Finds Ukraine IDs, Tattooed Body Parts at Plane Crash Site
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it had recovered Ukrainian identity documents and tattooed body parts from the site where a Russian military plane that Moscow says was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed two days earlier near the Ukrainian border. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied that its forces downed the plane and said there is no proof of who was on board. On Thursday the Investigative Committee said preliminary findings showed the plane was struck by a surface-to-air missile fired from Ukraine. Ukraine has rejected a Russian assertion that it was forewarned that a plane carrying Ukrainian POWs would be flying over Belgorod region at that time. Russia state media said the black boxes from the plane had been delivered to a special defence ministry laboratory in Moscow and investigators were already working on them.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Mark Trevelyan, Alison Williams Organizations: Russian, Federal Penitentiary Service, . Security, Reuters Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Russian, Moscow, Ukrainian, Russia's Belgorod, Ukraine, Belgorod

☆ China Slams US 'Provocation' in Taiwan Strait, Pledges Further Drills
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - China criticised the United States on Thursday for causing "trouble and provocation" after the U.S. Navy sailed its first warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait since presidential and parliamentary elections on the island. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. The U.S. Navy said the destroyer USS John Finn transited through a corridor in the Taiwan Strait that was "beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state". Wu said China's response in driving away the ship was "justified, reasonable, professional and restrained". Wu added that China's military will "continue to organise relevant military operations" around the Taiwan Strait on a regular basis as part of its training, as analysts predict frequent drills in the run-up to Taiwan President-elect William Lai's inauguration in May.

Persons: Wu Qian, John Finn, Wu, William Lai's, Dong Jun, Liz Lee, Laurie Chen, Greg Torode, Nick Macfie Organizations: U.S . Navy, Defence Ministry, Chinese Defence, U.S ., Pentagon, Indian, Reuters Locations: BEIJING, China, United States, Taiwan, U.S, Washington, Philippines, Spratly, Manila, South, India, New Delhi, Gaza, Beijing, Hong Kong

☆ U.S. Navy sends first warship through Taiwan Strait post-election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A view of the US Navy's aircraft carrier the USS Gerald R. Ford, the 'world's largest warship.' The United States Navy sailed its first warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Wednesday following presidential and parliamentary elections on the island, drawing the ire of Beijing. The U.S. Navy said the destroyer USS John Finn transited through a corridor in the Taiwan Strait that was "beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state". "John Finn's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle," the U.S. Navy said in its statement. The U.S. Navy's last announced passage of a warship through the strait was in early November, joined that time by a Canadian frigate.

Persons: Gerald R, Ford, John Finn, John, Navy's, Mario Diaz Balart, Ami Bera Organizations: United States Navy, The U.S . Navy, U.S . Navy, U.S ., Eastern Theatre Command, U.S . House, Representatives Taiwan Caucus, Republican, Democratic Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, The, John Finn's, United States, U.S, Canadian, Taipei, China

☆ Vietnam to Hold Arms Fair in December as Its Seeks to Diversify Supplies
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's defence ministry said on Friday it will organise an international arms fair in December, as it seeks to diversify its arms supplies and expand cooperation in arms production and exports. Vietnam held its first international arms fair in December 2022, which attracted 174 exhibitors from 30 countries, including all large arms-making nations except China. The ministry on Friday said "several deals were reached" at that arms fair, without giving further details. The Southeast Asian country has an annual military expenditure of above 2% of its gross domestic product, according to the ministry. Vietnam is producing among other weapons small weapons, ammunitions, drones and armoured vehicles.

Persons: Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Michael Perry Locations: HANOI, Gia Lam, Hanoi, China, Vietnam

☆ Plane Crash in Western Russia - What We Know and Don't Know
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) - Russia accused Ukraine on Wednesday of shooting down a military transport plane carrying 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers to a prisoner exchange. The crash took place just northeast of Belgorod in western Russia, close to the border with Ukraine. The aircraft was an Ilyushin Il-76, a large military transport plane designed to carry troops, cargo or weapons. He said a second Il-76 transport plane carrying around 80 more Ukrainian soldiers to the exchange had managed to turn around. Ukraine's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Persons: Here's, Andrei Kartapolov, Kartapolov, Ukraine's, Andriy Yusov, Margarita Simonyan, Mykhailo Podolyak, Mark Trevelyan, Andrew Osborn, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Reuters, Ukraine, WHO, U.S . Patriots, IRIS, Radio Svoboda Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Belgorod, Russian, Ukraine's Kharkiv, Chkalovsky, Moscow, UKRAINE, Ukrainian

☆ Drones Are Hit and Miss for Ukrainian Soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have become vital for Ukraine's military since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. "And most of them are because of low-quality parts that are used very often to make the drones even cheaper." AN INTEGRAL PART OF UKRAINE'S WAR EFFORTUkraine's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the soldiers' remarks. Drones range from small UAVs controlled remotely to larger devices that can fly hundreds of kilometres deep into Russian territory. Despite their impact, Sam said drones could not win the war on their own.

Persons: Inna, Sam, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Elaine Monaghan, Timothy Heritage Organizations: Reuters, Russia, Artillery, Russian Locations: DONETSK, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Russia, Russian

☆ Taiwan Says It Spots Six More Chinese Balloons, One Crossed Island
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected six more Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, one of which crossed the island, the latest in a spate of such balloons the ministry says it has seen over the past month-and-a-half. China's defence ministry, which last month declined to comment on the balloons, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, only one crossed Taiwan island, at its southern tip, according to a map the ministry provided. The other five balloons flew to the north of Taiwan but did not fly over land, the ministry said. The Taiwan Strait's median line previously served as an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and China, but Chinese fighter jets, drones and now balloons regularly fly over it.

Persons: Taiwan's Jan, Ben Blanchard, Stephen Coates Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan Strait, China, Taiwan, Taipei, United States

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