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☆ A Biden admin official recently told members of Congress Ukraine has the military capability to take back Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Carol-Lee-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Carol E. Lee | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The late November Ukraine briefing to some members of Congress included discussion of the reasons Ukraine will continue to need U.S. weapons and equipment for the foreseeable future. Administration officials say they believe three recent deadly drone strikes against Russian military bases were carried out by Ukrainians, although they say it’s still not clear whether the Zelenskyy government ordered them directly. Senior U.S. military officers and Western governments say Ukraine has shown ingenuity and grit in fighting a larger, better-armed military and quickly incorporated new weapons systems provided by NATO members. If Ukraine made more advances against Russian forces in eastern and southern Ukraine, it could be better placed to eventually strike at Crimea, experts and a U.S. official said. In October, Ukraine indirectly claimed credit for damaging the Kerch Bridge in eastern Crimea, which connects it to mainland Russia.

☆ Russia’s army is so ineffective it will probably not be able to take much territory in Ukraine for ‘the next several months’, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The UK MOD said Russia looked unlikely to make any big gains in Ukraine for months. It's highly unlikely that Russia can generate an effective striking force in the coming months, it said. Ukraine, meanwhile, predicted an increase in its offensive moves once the ground freezes. The British defense ministry said in an intelligence update on Monday that "Russian ground forces are unlikely to make operationally significant advances within the next several months." On December 3, Avril Haines, the US National Intelligence Director, said that winter conditions are expected to slow the war, and that there was already a "reduced tempo."

☆ Russia wants 'hundreds' of ballistic missiles from Iran and is offering 'unprecedented' military support in return, UK envoy says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia wants more weapons from Iran, including "hundreds" of ballistic missiles. A top UK envoy said Friday that Russia is offering Iran "unprecedented" military support in return. In return, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support," Barbara Woodward, the UK's permanent representative to the United Nations, told reporters after a Security Council meeting. Woodward did not elaborate or specify on what, exactly, the military and technical support — or advanced components — might look like. Earlier this week, however, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a Facebook post that it shot down 14 Shahed-136 drones.

☆ NATO chief says Russia wants a 'freeze' in Ukraine fighting so it can prepare for a renewed assault early next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia wants a pause in Ukraine fighting to prepare for a bigger attack next year, NATO's head said. Jens Stoltenberg said Russia is trying to enact some kind of "freeze" of the war. Russia would then try to "launch a bigger offensive next spring," he said. "And then try to launch a bigger offensive next spring." He responded by stressing NATO members' support for the country, and said that Russia had "underestimated the strength of NATO Allies and partners in our commitment to stand by Ukraine, to support Ukraine."

☆ Russia appears to have run out of the deadly Iranian-made drones it's been using to terrorize Ukraine, Western officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia appears to be out of Iranian-made drones, Western officials said Tuesday. US officials had warned over the summer that Iran was preparing to send drones to Russia, and then the weapons first saw battlefield action in early September. A Russian drone, considered by Ukrainian authorities to be an Iranian-made Shahed-136, over Kyiv on October 17, 2022. These 440-pound weapons are relatively slow, fly at low altitudes, and carry a small explosive payload, according to Western intelligence. It's not immediately clear how many Iranian-made drones Russia had in it's arsenal.

☆ Putin is increasingly aware of how poorly his military is doing in Ukraine, US intel chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Putin had initially been kept in the dark about Russia's failures in Ukraine, earlier reports said. Avril Haines said Putin is "surprised" but not deterred by Russia's military performance. Speaking at the Reagan Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Haines said Putin was "surprised" at his military's disappointing performance in Ukraine following its invasion in February. Haines' comments come after reports that Putin's military advisors had been shielding him from what is happening on the ground in Ukraine. Haines said on Saturday that Putin's political objectives to capture Ukraine have not changed despite him becoming more aware of Russia's military failures.

☆ Russia is tearing through its munitions stockpiles faster than it can refill them, top US intel chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia is rapidly expending its stockpiles of munitions, the top US intelligence official said. In dealing with limited precision munitions, Russia has turned to Iran and North Korea for support. Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, told the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday that Russia is burning through its munitions stockpiles "quite quickly," though she did not elaborate on any precise figures. "And of course, we've indicated that their precision munitions are running out much faster. These kamikaze drones, as they have been called, are cheaper than precision munitions, making them a suitable though less destructive supplement as Russia's stockpiles run low.

☆ Ukraine says it's prepared for winter war after U.S. claim that fighting will be at a 'reduced tempo' over next few months
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

On Saturday, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said the U.S. expects to see a "reduced tempo" in the fighting in Ukraine to continue over the next few months before counteroffensives resume in earnest in the spring. Ukraine appears keen to rebuff a claim by a U.S. official that fighting in the war could take on a "reduced tempo" over winter. Destroyed Russian vehicles and tanks in Mykhailivska Square on Nov. 19, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukraine has been keen to dispel any idea of a lull in the fighting or loss of momentum in their counteroffensives, with President Zelenskyy calling for unity and for citizens to support one another as freezing temperatures set in. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense has been posting videos of tanks plowing through muddy, water-logged fields in recent days, and high morale among its soldiers.

☆ Russia has stopped using its Iranian suicide drones because they don't work in the cold, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has stopped using Iranian-made suicide drones due to cold weather, a Ukrainian official said. Russia started to use the Iranian drones in October, as part of a new playbook that targeted power distribution and other critical infrastructure from afar. A composite image showing an Iranian drone in the sky and the aftermath of a strike on Kyiv on October 17, 2022. And it reported that Iran and Russia had reached an agreement for Russia to start producing the drones itself. Multiple reports have also said that Iran has been training Russia on how to use the drones and other weapons.

☆ U.S. intel chief says Russia is using up ammunition in Ukraine faster than it can replace it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Russian forces in Ukraine are burning through ammunition faster than the country’s defense industry can replace it, U.S. National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said Saturday. Asked how fast Russia was using up ammunition, Haines said: “I don’t think I can give you precise numbers in this forum. Echoing previous statements from Biden administration officials, Haines said that Russia was using up precision munitions even faster than its conventional ammunition. The Biden administration previously said Russia has turned to North Korea to secure more supplies of artillery ammunition. Russian President Vladimir Putin was “surprised” at his military’s disappointing performance after its invasion of Ukraine in February, according to Haines.

The White House said earlier in the week that China had not asked the United States for vaccines. One U.S. official told Reuters there was "no expectation at present" that China would approve western vaccines. "It seems fairly far-fetched that China would greenlight Western vaccines at this point. Amid a record year for missile tests, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said last week his country intends to have the world's most powerful nuclear force. He said China had considerable leverage to press North Korea over its weapons tests, but that he was not optimistic about Beijing "doing anything helpful to stabilize the region."

☆ Chinese cities announce further easing of COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Martin Quin Pollard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/David 'Dee' DelgadoBEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - More Chinese cities including Urumqi in the far west announced easing of coronavirus curbs on Sunday, as China tries to make its zero-COVID policy more targeted and less onerous after extraordinary protests against restrictions last weekend. A deadly apartment fire last month in Urumqi had sparked dozens of protests against COVID curbs in over 20 cities, a show of civil disobediance unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012. On Saturday in Beijing, local authorities said purchasing fever, cough and sore throat medicines no longer requires real name registration. "We shouldn't shut down COVID testing stations until we get rid of the COVID test pass." GLOBAL OUTLIERXi's zero-COVID policy has made China a global outlier nearly three years into the pandemic, which started in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence expects the reduced tempo in fighting in Ukraine to continue in the next several months and sees no evidence of a reduced Ukrainian will to resist, despite attacks on its power grid and other critical winter infrastructure, the Director of National Intelligence said on Saturday. She said Russia was also looking to affect Ukraine's capacity to prosecute conflict and added that Kyiv's economy had been suffering very badly. Haines said she thought Russian President Vladimir Putin had been surprised that his military had not accomplished more. "I do think he is becoming more informed of the challenges that the military faces in Russia. Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina and Eric Beech; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. Spy Agencies Haven’t Kept Pace With Threats, Senate Report Says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Warren P. Strobel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and other top U.S. officials appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee earlier this year. WASHINGTON—U.S. spy agencies are poorly equipped to combat an expanding array of adversaries trying to steal vital secrets from institutions and businesses across American society, according to a Senate report released on Tuesday. The bipartisan report by the Senate Intelligence Committee says that U.S. counterintelligence efforts haven’t kept pace with espionage, hacking and disinformation threats from major powers such as China, transnational criminal organizations and ideologically motivated groups.

☆ US lawmakers want to probe whether online advertising poses a national security threat
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-10 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Director of National Intelligence has been asked to assess the "foreign weaponization" of adtech data. US lawmakers have asked the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to investigate whether "foreign weaponization" of widely available adtech data poses a national security risk, a move that has the potential to deal a major blow to the online ad industry. The ODNI and the office of Chairman of the National Intelligence Committee Rep. Adam Schiff, who filed the amendment, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. US government agencies themselves have used data from advertising auctions to track mobile phones. "Furthermore, brands — especially those with government contracts — may face a moral dilemma in funding an ecosystem that is deemed to be a threat to national security."

☆ Rusia anunță despre expulzarea a 10 diplomați americani: „Vom răspunde cu aceeași monedă”
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-17 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +2 min

Rusia a anunțat despre expulzarea a 10 diplomați americani. Un anunț în acest sens a fost făcut de Serghei Lavrov, ministrul Afacerilor Externe al Rusiei, informează BBC„La zece diplomați ruși li s-a cerut să plece. Vom propune ca zece diplomați americani să părăsească țara noastră”, a spus Lavrov. Lavrov a adăugat că Moscova lansează o procedură care va pune capăt practicii de angajare a cetățenilor ruși și din țări terțe pentru a lucra la misiunile diplomatice americane din Rusia. Menționăm că pe 15 aprilie, președintele american Joe Biden a anunțat noi sancțiuni împotriva Rusiei.

Persons: Serghei Lavrov, Merrick Garland, Alejandro Mayorkas, Christopher Wray, Susan Rice, Avril Haines, Michael Carvajal, John Bolton, Robert Woolsey, CIA . Lavrov, american Joe Biden Organizations: BBC, Rusia, FBI, ONU, CIA Locations: Rusia, SUA, Rusiei, Moscova, american

☆ Rusia reacționează la sancțiunile impuse de SUA și expulzează, la rândul ei, zece diplomați americani
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-17 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +4 min

Sursa foto: Profimedia ImagesRusia reacționează la sancțiunile impuse de SUA și expulzează, la rândul ei, zece diplomați americaniAdministraţia Vladimir Putin a anunţat, vineri, expulzarea a zece diplomaţi americani, ca reacţie la sancţiunile Washingtonului, care includ expulzarea a zece diplomaţi ruşi. „Statele Unite ne-au transmis o listă cu numele a zece diplomaţi care trebuie să părăsească Statele Unite. Cerem ca zece diplomaţi americani să părăsească Rusia", a declarat vineri după-amiază Serghei Lavrov, ministrul rus de Externe, citat de agenţiile de presă Tass şi RIA Novosti, potrivit Mediafax. Administraţia de la Moscova a adoptat şi măsuri de reciprocitate în privinţa deplasărilor anuale pe care le pot efectua angajaţii misiunilor diplomatice. Ministrul rus de Externe a adăugat că Moscova examinează în plus posibile măsuri „dureroase” împotriva unor afaceri americane în Rusia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Reacţionăm, Serghei Lavrov, Christopher Wray, Avril Haines, Merrick Garland, Alejandro Mayorkas, Lavrov, John Sullivan ., Maria Zaharova, Administraţia Biden, Jake Sullivan, SUA, Joe Biden Organizations: rus, Mediafax, FBI, Externe, Agerpres, Securitate Naţională Locations: SUA, Moscova, Rusia, Rusiei, Statele Unite, Polonia, Kremlin, american, sancţiuni

☆ Rusia expulzează zece diplomați americani, urmare la sancțiunile impuse de SUA
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-16 | by ( Milena Onisim | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +2 min

După ce Guvernul american al lui Joe Biden a anunţat o serie de sancţiuni financiare împotriva Rusiei şi expulzarea a zece diplomaţi ruşi, Administraţia Vladimir Putin a anunţat, vineri, 16 aprilie, expulzarea a zece diplomaţi americani, transmite Novaya Gazeta. Potrivit sursei citate, oficialii americani au fost numiți de departamentul rus de politică externă „personalități implicate în implementarea cursului anti-rusesc”. Administraţia Biden acuză acum oficial Rusia că este responsabilă de acest atac, după cum a lăsat deja să se înţeleagă. Jake Sullivan, consilierul prezidenţial american pentru Securitate Naţională, a declarat că Statele Unite vor să aibă „o reacţie semnificativă şi credibilă, nu să amplifice criza”. Preşedintele SUA, Joe Biden, şi omologul său din Rusia, Vladimir Putin, ar trebui să organizeze un summit „pentru a discuta toate problemele din relaţia bilaterală”.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, FBI Christopher Wray, Avril Haines, Alejandro Mayorkas, Merrick Garland, Michael Carvajal, Susan Rice, naţională John, CIA Robert James Woolsey, Administraţia Biden, Jake Sullivan, SUA Organizations: Externe, FBI, CIA, Securitate Naţională Locations: Rusiei, rus, Washington, americane, Externe rus, naţională, naţională John Bolton, Statele Unite, Moscovei, american, Rusia

☆ Numire istorică în guvernul Statelor Unite ale Americii: Pentagonul va fi condus pentru prima oară de o persoană de culoare
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-23 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Senatul american l-a confirmat, vineri, pe generalul în rezervă Lloyd Austin în funcția de Secretar al Apărării, una dintre primele nominalizări confirmate în cabinetul președintelui Biden, transmite agerpres.ro. Lloyd Austin este prima persoană de culoare care ocupă funcția de șef al Pentagonului, aceasta fiind o nouă nominalizare istorică pentru guvernul Statelor Unite. Austin a scris, ulterior, pe Twitter că „este o onoare și un privilegiu” să conducă departamentul Apărării și că este mândru să fie primul afro-american în această funcție. În vârstă de 67 de ani, Lloyd Austin a condus Comandamentul Central al SUA (CENTCOM) în perioada 2013-2016, după care a trecut în retragere. Ca vicepreședinte, Biden avea această zonă de responsabilitate și a lucrat îndeaproape cu generalul Austin.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Biden, Statelor Unite . Austin, Mike Lee, Josh Hawley, . Austin, Austin, Avril Haines Organizations: Apărării, Trump, Stat Islamic Locations: american, Statelor Unite, SUA, Orientul Mijlociu, Irak

☆ Joe Biden vrea revenirea pe scena politică internaţională a unei Americi "pregătite să conducă lumea"
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-25 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +5 min

"Nu putem rezolva singuri problemele lumii, trebuie să lucrăm cu alte ţări", a declarat Blinken, adjunctul secretarului de stat american în administraţia Obama, care a subliniat, în intervenţia sa, necesitatea "cooperării" şi a "parteneriatului" cu ţările străine. "Multilateralismul a revenit, diplomaţia a revenit", a subliniat, la rândul ei, viitoarea ambasadoare a SUA la ONU, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.Semnalând angajamentul de a aborda "criza climatică", viitorul preşedinte al SUA a creat o funcţie de emisar special pentru John Kerry, fostul şef al diplomaţiei americane, pentru ca acesta "să se mobilizeze pentru a face faţă" acestei "ameninţări existenţiale". A se înţelege că această decizie nu a venit ca urmare a deciziei preşedintelui Trump, ci după certificarea rezultatelor în mai multe state-cheie şi a valului de nereuşite în instanţă pentru echipa de campanie a lui Trump. De asemenea, Joe Biden va avea de acum acces la informaţii clasificate.Părând tot mai izolat în încercarea sa de a nega înfrângerea, Donald Trump a avut marţi o intervenţie foarte scurtă şi mai puţin obişnuită. Un alt eveniment pe agenda sa este graţierea a doi curcani, obicei organizat în mod tradiţional la Casa Albă înaintea sărbătoririi Zilei Recunoştinţei.

Persons: Joe Biden, Obama, Antony Blinken, diplomaţia, Linda Thomas, John Kerry, Alejandro Mayorkas, Avril Haines.Jake Sullivan, Biden, Janet Yellen, Donald Trump, Trump, Trump ., Joe, Dow Jones Organizations: Albă, ONU, Centrale Locations: Wilmington, America, american, ambasadoare, SUA, Paris, preşedintelui, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York

☆ Biden şi-a prezentat echipa diplomatică şi cea de securitate naţională
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-24 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Preşedintele ales al SUA, Joe Biden, şi-a prezentat marţi echipa diplomatică şi de securitate naţională, precum şi viziunea unei politici externe bazate pe asumarea de către Statele Unite a unui rol de lider şi de întărire a alianţelor în regiunea Asia-Pacific, transmite Reuters. 'Este o echipă care reflectă faptul că America a revenit, pregătită să ghideze lumea şi nu să se retragă din ea', a spus Biden, semnalând virajul pe care intenţionează să-l facă în politica externă a Statelor Unite, scrie agerpres.ro Joe Biden a anunţat nominalizarea lui Anthony Blinken pentru funcţia de şef al diplomaţiei, subliniind că acesta 'va reconstrui moralul şi încrederea în Departamentul de Stat'.Alejandro Mayorkas va fi numit şef al Departamentului Securităţii Interne, primul politician hispanic care va primi această funcţie, una care supervizează agenţii-cheie de aplicare a legii şi de imigraţie.Avril Haines va deţine funcţia de director al Informaţiilor naţionale, prima femeie într-un astfel de rol.Tot o femeie, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, va fi numită ambasadoare la ONU, iar Jake Sullivan va deveni consilier pentru securitate naţională.În premieră, un preşedinte american va avea un reprezentant special pentru probleme climatice, în persoana lui John Kerry, fost secretar de stat, care va ocupa un loc în Consiliul Naţional de Securitate.Joe Biden şi-a exprimat speranţa că Senatul îi va audia în curând pe cei nominalizaţi. Toate aceste poziţii din viitoarea administraţie americană trebuie confirmate de camera legislativă superioară a Congresului.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Anthony Blinken, Alejandro Mayorkas, Linda Thomas, Jake Sullivan, John Kerry Organizations: Reuters, ONU, Congresului Locations: SUA, Statele Unite, Asia - Pacific, America, Statelor Unite, hispanic, american

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