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☆ Russia is offering bonus pay for soldiers who can destroy tanks supplied by NATO, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

NATO countries such as the US, Germany, and Poland have agreed to send tanks to aid Ukraine. Leaked documents show that Russia is offering troops "financial incentives" to destroy them, per NYT. Videos of the tanks being destroyed will then be used to boost Russia's confidence, documents say. Some of the leaked documents also showed that Ukraine may deplete its air defenses by May, emboldening Russia to utilize bomber jets against Ukrainian forces. One repeated misstep by Russia was sending a fleet of unprotected tanks into an ambush in Bucha and, later, in Vuhledar.

☆ Sky News Australia quits TikTok citing security risks posed by Chinese-owned app
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —Australian broadcaster Sky News has left TikTok because of security concerns that have led several Western governments to ban the video app on devices used by officials. “We urge [media organizations] to consider this dilemma and stop trading security and integrity for a few worthless views,” he added. There is still no public evidence the Chinese government has actually spied on people through TikTok. Sky News Australia is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp (NWSA)oration, and is a separate entity to UK broadcaster Sky News, which is owned by Sky Group, a division of US conglomerate Comcast (CCZ). ByteDance said the relevant staff were investigating potential information leaks, and they were fired for misusing their authority to access TikTok user data.

☆ NATO just got hundreds of tanks, 62 fighter jets, and a whole lot of artillery after Finland joined the military alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Finland, Russia's neighbors, became a member of the NATO military alliance on Tuesday. It brings hundreds of tanks, 62 fighter jets, and lots of artillery and soldiers with it. Finland officially became a member of the military alliance on Tuesday, strongly motivated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland becoming part of NATO is seen as a nightmare for Russia, which considers the alliance a key threat. Alexander Stubb, Finland's former prime minister, told Axios that Russia's threats over it joining NATO can be dismissed due to the strength of Finland's military.

The assessment of China's military said China's fleet of six Jin-class ballistic missile submarines were operating "near-continuous" patrols from Hainan Island into the South China Sea. Equipped with a new, longer-range ballistic missile, they can hit the continental United States, analysts say. Communications are crucial and complex for ballistic missile subs, which must remain hidden as part of their mission. The Chinese military has emphasised that the Central Military Commission, headed by President Xi Jinping, is the only nuclear command authority. Russia is thought to keep most of its 11 ballistic missile submarines largely in bastions off its Arctic coasts, while U.S., French and British boats roam more widely, three analysts said.

☆ Ukraine's tank force shouldn't stand a chance against Russia's on paper, but dumb mistakes keep tipping the scales
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Russia has more tanks than Ukraine, more updated tanks than Ukraine, and more tank options. All three Western tank models are larger than most Russian tanks and are "quite survivable" thanks to their advanced armor, according to Edmonds. It's still unclear when the Western tanks will arrive or what role they will ultimately play in Ukraine's future offensives. "This stalemated frontline where we are right now, this is not a good environment for tanks," Cancian said. But the number of incoming Western tanks — less than 150 — is unlikely to change the tides of war.

☆ Russia's newest army corps lost many of its tanks in an offensive because it simply copied tactics that failed in the past, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's new army corps is losing tanks at a fast rate as it tries to encirle Avdiivka, the UK said. And that's because it's repeating tactics that have failed Russia's military in the past, according to UK intelligence. Avdiivka is a town in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, which the UK MOD said Russia has recently made a priority. Videos show Russian tanks and armored vehicles being blown up by mines and anti-tank missiles in and around Vuhledar. The UK MOD said that the 3rd Army Corps has been "particularly dogged by problems with ill-discipline and poor morale," referencing open-source accounts.

☆ How an elite brigade of Russian marines was repeatedly mauled in Ukraine and became an emblem of the invasion's failures
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

An elite brigade within Russia's military is a shadow of itself after taking huge losses in Ukraine. In many ways, the journey of the 155th reflects the larger struggles of the Russian military, which entered Ukraine expecting a quick victory but has instead suffered embarrassing setbacks. Baev said that its members are supposed to be better trained and more professional than other parts of the Russian military, which can rely on conscripts. And, as the fighting dragged and more marines died, the Russian military kept reinforcing the 155th with fresh recruits, which brought its own problems. Yet earlier this month Ukraine claimed that commanders in the brigade were refusing to fight near the city of Vuhledar.

☆ Russia is dusting off antique tanks from the 1940s, monitor group says, as its losses mount in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia appears to be dusting off its T-54 tanks, first deployed more than 70 years ago. Images from a monitoring group showed the tanks moving through Russia closer to Ukraine. While other old tanks have been used by Russia in Ukraine, none have been as old as the T-54, the group said. Ukraine claimed that Russia lost 21 tanks in a single day earlier this month. And, as Russia faces these struggles, Ukraine is expecting deliveries of modern tanks from Western allies, including Leopard-2 tanks from Europe, Britain's Challenger 2 tanks, and Abrams tanks from the US.

SEOUL, March 20 (Reuters) - North Korea's presumed use of a silo in its latest missile test was aimed at boosting the speed and reliability of launches, and could be used in future flights of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), analysts said on Monday. "And without launch preparations being detected in advance, you can just press a button." Unlike the KN-23, liquid-fuelled missiles such as North Korea's Hwasong-17 ICBM require time for fuelling. With a silo that can take place underground, out of sight. North Korea typically relies on mobile launchers, but the country's lack of infrastructure could make launches from such trucks challenging, Yang said.

☆ Russia expanded its territory in Ukraine by less than 0.04% in a month of brutal fighting that cost it thousands of soldiers and vital equipment, says think tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia gained just 0.039% of additional territory in Ukraine in February, the ISW told Insider. It continues to lose equipment and a large number of soldiers in exchange for meager gains. Washington DC-based think tank The Institute for the Study of War told Insider that its mapping data showed Russia had gained just 0.039% more territory in Ukraine between January 31 and February 28. Russia gained this tiny amount of land while losing thousands of soldiers and hemorrhaging military equipment. And a senior US diplomat was also scathing about Russia's progress, saying: "Russia has declared that it is launching a new offensive.

☆ War in Ukraine by the numbers: Mass deaths, billions in aid, thousands of destroyed tanks, and more stats that paint an image of Russia's unprovoked invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Erin Snodgrass | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

February 24, 2023, marked the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Billions of dollars of aid has been sent, and Russia has lost about half its fleet of tanks. When his troops invaded on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to quickly sweep through the country and capture Kyiv. Still, the cost of the war — in lives, dollars, and military equipment — has been high. AP Photo/Daniel ColeThe dead and woundedUkrainian refugees are seen after crossing into Poland on March 13, 2022.

☆ Belarus says it has 1.5 mln potential soldiers outside armed forces
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Belarus, a small Russian ally bordering Ukraine, has as many as 1.5 million potential military personnel outside its armed forces, a senior official was quoted as saying on Saturday. Lukashenko this month ordered the formation of a new volunteer territorial defence force of up to 150,000 people. He has said his army would fight only if Belarus was attacked. The country's professional army has about 48,000 troops and some 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance. Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia's air force is struggling to hit targets in Ukraine, but its missiles can still keep Ukraine's jets at bay
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

However, more potent air-to-air missiles are helping Russian jets keep Ukrainian aircraft at bay. However, a potent mix of air-to-air missiles — some of which out-range their Ukrainian counterparts — have helped keep Ukrainian aircraft at bay. The Kh-38 is a Soviet concept dating back to the 1980s, but the Russian air force never procured them "in anything like operationally useful numbers," Barrie said. Russian air-to-air missiles have been "effective in limiting the Ukrainians ability to use their own air force," Barrie said. For now, the only blessing for Ukraine is that Russia doesn't have a lot of these long-range air-to-air missiles.

☆ Belarus to form 100,000-150,000 strong volunteer military force
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Lidia Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

I have said more than once: every man - and not only a man - should be able to at least handle weapons," Lukashenko said at the meeting of his Security Council. Lukashenko, who allowed Russia to use Belarus to send troops into Ukraine a year ago, has often said his army would fight only if Belarus was attacked. "In case of an act of aggression, the response will be fast, harsh and appropriate," Lukashenko said on Monday. Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said the territorial defence force will have 100,000-150,000 volunteers, or more if needed. The country's professional army has about 48,000 troops and some 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance.

[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, Russia February 21, 2023. In a major speech almost a year after his invasion of Ukraine, Putin said Russia was not abandoning the New START treaty - the agreement signed in 2010 that limits the number of Russian and U.S. deployed strategic nuclear warheads. But nuclear experts noted the treaty contains no provision for either side to "suspend" its participation, as he said Moscow was doing - they only have the option to withdraw. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has an estimated 5,977 nuclear warheads in total, while the United States has 5,428. "HUGE INSTABILITY"Putin justified the Russian move by saying it was "absurd" for the United States to demand the right to inspect Russian nuclear sites, as the treaty allows, while NATO was helping Ukraine to attack them.

☆ Stalemate between Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue, says think tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailStalemate between Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue, says think tankJames Crabtree of the International Institute for Strategic Studies says Russia isn't in a strong position and Ukraine doesn't have the "numbers and capabilities" to launch a victory strike of its own.

☆ 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.

☆ Russia Likely Lost More Than Half of Its Tanks in Ukraine, Estimates Show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Stephen Fidler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON—Russia has likely lost more than 2,000 tanks in its war in Ukraine, more than half of its operational tank fleet, according to estimates released Wednesday from the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The London-based think tank said the loss of the weapons is forcing Russia to rely on its stores of older weapons even as it seeks to increase industrial production.

☆ Russia has spent 9 months bleeding troops to try to capture a city with limited strategic value, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia has spent nine months trying to capture Bakhmut in a slow and brutal campaign. Experts say the city does not even have that much strategic value. Ukrainians fighting in the city say it has been a "living hell" for months, while commanders on both sides have called the battle a "meat grinder." But ultimately, experts say, the city may not be important enough to justify the effort and expense Russia has put into it. A map showing the location of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

☆ European militaries are emptying their arsenals to send heavy-duty howitzers to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US and European countries have sent scores of artillery pieces to Ukraine. Estonia has promised to transfer all 24 of its FH-70 towed 155 mm howitzers. But at least the US and large European militaries, like Britain, France, Germany, or even Sweden, have sufficiently large arsenals to send weapons to Ukraine while still retaining some equipment for their own forces. For example, the US is scrambling to boost production of 155 mm artillery shells as Ukraine fires up to 7,000 shells a day. But expanding manufacturing capacity for artillery shells may take years, while the artillery pieces themselves may not even be in production anymore.

☆ North Korea shows off possible solid-fuel ICBM at nighttime parade - analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A general view of missile launchers during parade to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Korean People's Army at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea February 8, 2023. Maxar Technology/Handout via REUTERSSEOUL, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Nuclear-armed North Korea unveiled what could be a new, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during a nighttime parade, analysts said on Thursday, citing commercial satellite imagery. North Korea held the widely anticipated nighttime military parade on Wednesday, an event expected to showcase the country's latest weapons to mark the founding anniversary of its army. Among the systems on display were the country's largest-yet ICBM, the Hwasong-17, followed by what some analysts said could be a new solid-fuel ICBM. North Korea has sometimes displayed mockups at the parades.

☆ India’s aircraft carriers are key to Indo-Pacific strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A naval personnel stands guard on India's largest naval ship the INS Vikramaditya as she anchors in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Jan. 21, 2016. "This is significant in terms of India's power projection capabilities, primarily within the Indian Ocean," said Viraj Solanki, a London-based expert on Indo-Pacific defense with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "This really gives India an option to display its ability to counter China within the Indian Ocean, which is the Indian navy's priority." China has not yet sailed an aircraft carrier into the Indian Ocean but is expected to do so within the next few years. "New Delhi sees Beijing as encroaching into its traditional sphere of influence, especially in the Indian Ocean region," said Ridzwan Rahmat, a Singapore-based analyst with the defense intelligence company Janes.

☆ Belgian arms trader tangles with minister over tanks for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Andrew Gray | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Yves HermanTOURNAI, Belgium, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Freddy Versluys does not like to be called an arms dealer. Tanks sold for 10-15,000 euros each are being offered for sale at 500,000 euros, despite not being operational, she has said. That would mean a unit price of 40,000 euros for 50 tanks, or some 60,600 euros for 33. The Leopard 1 is the predecessor of the Leopard 2 tanks that Germany, Poland, Finland and other countries agreed last month to send to Ukraine. He worked as an engineer in the Belgian military before going into business.

“There have been about 1,300 Russian tank losses … so the actual numbers of new tanks [for Ukraine] in a military sense are not that significant. There’s a lot of Ukraine and 20, 30, 40 tanks does not go that far,” said Ronald Ti, an expert in military logistics at King’s College, London. Nevertheless, the move to create a new “tank coalition,” as some officials called it, has been widely welcomed in Ukraine. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine requires around 300 tanks in order to successfully defend its territory from an expected Russian spring offensive, and to begin winning back territory ceded to Moscow since the invasion began last February. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, seen in Berlin on Wednesday, has faced prolonged criticism for a reluctance to send military equipment to Ukraine.

☆ Russian mercenaries are forbidden from helping wounded comrades and forced to leave them behind, Ukrainian intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wounded Wagner Group soldiers are being left on battlefields for hours, Ukrainian intelligence said. The deaths of thousands of Wagner soldiers do not matter to Russian society, it suggested. "The deaths of thousands of Wagner soldiers do not matter to Russian society," the report said, according to CNN. Wagner soldiers are also being killed if they withdraw from an area without permission, the document said. The Wagner Group, which the US says is responsible for "atrocities and human rights abuses' in Ukraine, has close links to the Kremlin.

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