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☆ Australia plans to boost AUKUS tech-sharing, restrict 'foreign' access
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The law is meant to replicate U.S. export controls to defence technology, seen as a key step to beginning the AUKUS plan to build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine in Australia and Britain. The proposed law creates three criminal offences, further restricts sharing of defence technology to foreign persons inside and outside Australia, while allowing licence-free sharing among the AUKUS partners. "This is pivotal legislation which is critical for establishing a seamless industrial base with our AUKUS partners," Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a statement on Tuesday. Australia needs to reform its defence industry to remove "burdensome red tape" with Britain and the U.S., he added. Australia's science academy said on Tuesday it was concerned at the impact on scientific collaboration with other nations, including China.

Persons: Richard Marles, Leon Neal, Chennupati Jagadish, Jagadish, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: UK Artificial Intelligence, Rights, U.S . State Department of, U.S . Congress, Australian Academy of Science, Thomson Locations: Bletchley, Britain, United States, Australia, Virginia, U.S, China, Canberra

The highly unusual incident suggested disarray in Russia's military establishment and state media over how to report the battlefield situation in southern Ukraine. It said that, after the regrouping, the Dnepr force would release some troops to be deployed in offensives on other fronts. RIA said the Russian military command had agreed with the Dnepr leadership's conclusions and ordered the relocation of troops to start. Another state agency, TASS, published just one alert on troops regrouping to more favourable positions, and then withdrew it, saying it had been released in error. Russian state media have privileged access to official briefings and typically report major military announcements shortly before they appear in the Telegram channel of the defence ministry.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mark Trevelyan, Alexander Marrow, Kevin Liffey Organizations: RIA, LONDON, RBC, Russian Ministry of Defence, Dnipro, Telegram, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Dnipro, Ukraine, Dnepr, Russia, Kherson, Russia's, Russian, The U.S, Ukrainian

☆ Ukraine plans to use winter to cut off Russia's military supply chains and 'freeze them out' of the country, official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It aims to cut off Russian supply chains and "freeze them out" of Ukraine, a spokesman said. Winter conditions typically slow fighting, but Ukraine said "rain and frost" may help its efforts. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine's aim for the winter months is to cut off Russian military supply chains and "freeze them out" of the country, Volodymyr Fito, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ground Forces, said. Winter conditions are expected to slow down the fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, as is typical in war. The UK Ministry of Defence said last month that Russia appeared to be stockpiling cruise missiles to use against Ukraine's energy infrastructure over the winter months.

Persons: —, Volodymyr Fito, Fito, Jack Watling Organizations: Service, Ground Forces, Pravda, Royal United Services Institute, UK Ministry of Defence Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia

☆ EU foreign policy chief Borrell makes proposals for post-war Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking to reporters after an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, he presented his proposals as saying "no" to three things and "yes" to three others. He should there should be "a Palestinian authority," which he suggested could be a "reinforced" version of the current Palestinian Authority that runs the West Bank, "with a legitimacy to be defined and decided upon by the (U.N.) Security Council". He said Arab countries would have to be more strongly involved in supporting this Palestinian Authority and that the EU should also be more involved in the region, particularly in building a Palestinian state. "There will be no solution without strong commitment from the Arab states, and that cannot be limited to money. We have delegated the solution of this problem to the United States," Borrell said.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Defence Margarita Robles, Isabel Infantes, Borrell, Andrew Gray, Christina Fincher Organizations: EU, Representative, Foreign Affairs, Defence, REUTERS, Rights, Union, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Security, Thomson Locations: Toledo, Spain, Rights BRUSSELS, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Brussels, United States, Europe

☆ Australia Plans to Boost AUKUS Tech-Sharing, Restrict 'Foreign' Access
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Richard Marles, Chennupati Jagadish, Jagadish, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S . State Department of, U.S . Congress, Australian Academy of Science Locations: United States, Australia, Britain, Virginia, U.S, China, Canberra

☆ Germany set to double Ukraine military aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech on the day of the opening of an electrolysis gigafactory in Berlin, Germany November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Nov 11 (Reuters) - German chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition has agreed in principle to double the country's military aid for Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion), a political source in Berlin said on Sunday. Defence minister Boris Pistorius, interviewed by broadcaster ARD, referred to the planned doubling of military aid to Ukraine. "Doubling the military spending is both the right thing to do and important," it quoted member of parliament Andreas Schwarz, who acts as an SPD military budget official, as saying. A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21 billion) on military aid for Ukraine is meeting with resistance from EU countries, diplomats said this week.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Annegret, Olaf Scholz's, Boris Pistorius, Andreas Schwarz, Gursimran Kaur, Holger Hansen, Vera Eckert, David Gregorio, Kirsten Donovan, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Scholz's Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Green, Bundestag, Bloomberg News, Germany's Ministry of Defence, ARD, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Ukraine, Bengaluru, Frankfurt

☆ How a Ukrainian salt town was laid to waste in Russia's desperate push for Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

The eastern Ukrainian city of Soledar fell to Russia in January after months of brutal battle. It would be another five months before the eastern Ukrainian city, located 10 miles northeast of Bakhmut, would fall to Russia as the new year dawned. The town of Soledar offered little strategic value to Russia's forces beyond a political win. They didn't care what would happen to Ukrainian forces, they didn't care what would happen to their own forces." "It felt like I had left at least a part of me in Soledar," Cherniavska said.

Persons: —, Tania Synia, Synia, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Soledar, Russia's, Putin, Serhii Ivanov, Ivanov, Kateryna, Tania Synia Wagner, — Prigozhin's, Prigozhin, Bakhmut, Stepanenko, wasn't, Nika Cherniavska, Nika Cherniavksa, Cherniavska, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ANATOLII STEPANOV Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Volunteers, Ukrainian, Institute, 46th Airmobile Brigade, 77th Airmobile Brigade, 93rd Mechanized Brigade, Russia, Getty, Russian Ministry of Defence Locations: Ukrainian, Soledar, Russia, Bakhmut, Ukraine, Russian, Cherniavska, AFP

Bets on oil prices moving up from here are at their highest level since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, CME options market volatility data shows. Average daily volumes in energy options of the CME exchange overall are the highest since an all-time record in 2018. "The aftermath of the attacks and rising Middle East tensions did not impact oil prices as many investors expected, including ourselves," Unigestion multi-asset portfolio manager Sandrine Perret said. Reuters Graphics3/ DEFENCE STOCKSA gauge of defence stocks compiled by index provider MarketVector (.MVDEF) is 8% higher in the four weeks since the conflict began. It's also near eight-year highs versus the euro and therefore another asset class attracting questions about how it would perform if Middle East tensions are resolved.

Persons: Abdel Hadi Ramahi, Israel, Sandrine Perret, Derek Sammann, Gold, Jeff, Mikhail Zverev, Ron Temple, It's, Francesca Fornasari, Fornasari, Elisa Belgacem, Brent, Naomi Rovnick, Marc Jones, Dhara Ranasinghe, David Evans Organizations: United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, U.S White, Aegon, Reuters, Global, Defence, Lazard Asset Management, Swiss, Insight Investment, Generali Investments, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Hamas, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Jordan, Egypt, China, Taiwan, Europe

☆ Russia may have struck a civilian cargo ship by accident because it screwed up hitting military targets, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia hit a civilian ship with a missile on Wednesday, killing and injuring crew, Ukraine said. The attack may have been due to "poor weapons employment tactics" by a Russian pilot, per UK intelligence. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia may have struck a civilian ship in a Ukrainian port with a missile because of "poor weapons employment tactics," according to UK intelligence. AdvertisementAdvertisementOleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine's Minister for Communities and Territories Development and Infrastructure, said the ship was a civilian vessel carrying iron ore to China. Kubrakov described Wednesday's attack as the 21st targeted attack by Russia on port infrastructure in Odesa since it left the grain deal.

Persons: —, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Kubrakov Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Ukraine's, Territories Development, Infrastructure Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Liberia, Ukraine's Pivdennyi, China, Philippines, Odesa

☆ Ukraine said it hit 2 Russian vessels with sea drones, as it continues to hammer Russia's Black Sea Fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian intelligence said it damaged 2 Russian landing ships in Crimea. Ukraine has been targeting Russian ships in the Black Sea, forcing Russia to move some further away. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkrainian intelligence said the country hit two Russian landing ships off the coast of occupied Crimea with sea drones, showing how Ukraine has continued to attack Russia's navy in the Black Sea. Ukraine has been escalating its attacks on Russia's ships in Crimea, home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, in recent months. These attacks include firing cruise missiles against a Russian naval shipyard and at the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet.

Persons: —, GUR, Serna Organizations: Service, Directorate of Intelligence, Intelligence, Kyiv Post, Black, UK Ministry of Defence Locations: Crimea, Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Chornomorske, Crimean, Russian, Crimea's Sevastopol

☆ Ukraine sinks two Russian landing boats in Crimea -military
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

KYIV, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Ukrainian naval drones sank two small Russian landing boats in Crimea, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said on Friday, while troops braced for further Russian assaults in the east, particularly the shattered town of Avdiivka. An initial report from Ukraine's military intelligence said the two small, amphibious Russian ships had been hit overnight. A Friday evening update said the attack had been carried out by naval drones. The Ukrainian military said the vessels were crewed, and loaded with armoured vehicles. Russia's Defence Minister said early on Saturday its anti-aircraft units had downed Ukrainian drones over Moscow Region and near Smolensk, near the border with Belarus.

Persons: Serna, Andriy Ryzhenko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Barabash, Serhiy Zgurets, Bakhmut, Baza, Pavel Polityuk, Ron Popeski, Grant McCool Organizations: Reuters, Russia, Radio NV, Suspilne, Espreso, Russia's, Ministry of Defence, Thomson Locations: Crimea, Avdiivka, Russia, Ukraine, Crimean, Sevastopol, Vuzka, AVDIIVKA, Bakhmut, Russian, Ukrainian, Moscow Region, Smolensk, Belarus, Kolomna, Moscow, Kotovsk

☆ Russia will need to sacrifice air defense at its own borders to help cover gaps in Ukraine, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia could be forced to sacrifice air defenses at its borders, UK intelligence said. Losses in Ukraine mean that key air defense weapons will likely need to be redeployed, it said. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia may need to sacrifice air defenses protecting its borders to help cover gaps in the front lines in Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update on Thursday. Last week, Russia lost three S-400 Triumf missile systems in the Luhansk region, weakening its air defenses there, the MOD said. The British ministry added that Russia's struggle to keep its air defenses in place is proof the war is overstretching its military.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of Defence, MOD, BBC, Reuters, Institute for Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Luhansk, Crimea, Russian, Olenivka

☆ Germany pledges to make its military 'the backbone of defence in Europe'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreBERLIN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Germany will strengthen its military to make it the backbone of deterrence and collective defence in Europe, its defence minister pledged on Thursday as Berlin issued new defence policy guidelines for the first time in over a decade. The 19-page document details what the "Zeitenwende" - the major shift of policy German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 - means for the workings of the Bundeswehr. "With the Zeitenwende, Germany becomes a grown up country in terms of security policy," Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said as he presented the guidelines, the first since 2011 when Berlin suspended conscription. "As the most populous and an economically strong country at the heart of Europe, Germany must be the backbone of deterrence and collective defence in Europe," Pistorius said. German forces needed to be refocused on their core mission -the credible defence of Germany and its allies - and be "ready to fight a war", he said.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Wolfgang Rattay, Boris Pistorius, Pistorius, Sabine Siebold, Toby Chopra, Ed Osmond Organizations: Patriot, Bonn Air Force, Territorial Command, Bundeswehr, REUTERS, Berlin, Thomson Locations: Cologne, Wahn, Germany, BERLIN, Europe, Ukraine, Berlin, prioritise, Lithuania

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference after participating in G7 ministerial meetings in Tokyo, Japan, November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI/WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold talks with India this week that officials say will focus on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and concerns over China, rather than the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. U.S. officials were moving swiftly to deepen ties with India while pledging support for an investigation into the June killing on Canadian soil, an American official aware of the Indo-Pacific policy said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media. India's ties with the U.S. have grown steadily stronger on several fronts, and it has close strategic links with Israel.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Jonathan Ernst, Lloyd Austin, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi's, Joe Biden's, Xi Jinping, Rick Rossow, Rossow, Krishn Kaushik, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, YP Rajesh, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Officials, Ottawa, Indian, Economic Cooperation, Asia Society, South, U.S, Washington’s Center, Strategic, International Studies, Biden, YP, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, DELHI, WASHINGTON, India, China, Gaza, Ukraine, New Delhi, Canada, Washington, Asia, San Francisco, South Asia, Israel, Delhi, Russia, Washington and New Delhi, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal

☆ German Military Exports to Israel up Nearly 10-Fold as Berlin Fast-Tracks Permits
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - German defence export approvals to Israel so far this year have risen nearly tenfold from last year, with Berlin treating permit requests as a priority since Hamas militants attacked Israel last month, a German government source said on Wednesday. As of Nov. 2, the German government has approved the export of close to 303 million euros' ($323 million) worth of defence equipment to Israel. By comparison, 32 million euros' worth of defence exports were approved in all of 2022. The majority of individual export permits - 185 out of 218 - were granted after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. "Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, applications for the export of military equipment to Israel are being prioritised and approved by the federal government," said the source.

Persons: Ferenc Gaal, Miranda Murray, Peter Graff Organizations: BERLIN, dpa Locations: Israel, Berlin, Germany

☆ Ukraine's strike on a brand-new missile carrier could force Russian shipbuilders further away from the war, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine's strike on a Crimean shipyard poses a problem for Russia's fleet, UK intel said Monday. Ukraine said the Askold, a brand-new cruise missile carrier, was badly damaged in the attack. The strike may force Russia to move its shipbuilding to safer waters, the UK MOD said. A spokesperson for Ukraine's air force, Yuriy Ihnat, named the damaged ship as the Askold, one of Russia's most advanced corvettes. A Ukrainian air force commander hinted that it was struck by a French-supplied SCALP missile, also known as a Storm Shadow missile .

Persons: —, Saturday's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Yuriy Ihnat, Ihnat Organizations: intel, MOD, Service, UK's Ministry of Defence, Zaliv Shipbuilding Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Crimea, Ukrainian, Crimea's Kerch, Zaliv, Kerch

☆ MBDA's British arm signs $5 bln deal to bolster Poland's air defence system
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

British Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps walks outside Number 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, October 24, 2023. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The British arm of defence firm MBDA has signed a 4 billion pound ($4.92 billion) deal to supply Poland with ground-based air defence systems, the British government said on Tuesday. Britain's Ministry of Defence said the partnership would boost Poland's Narew air defence programme and help bolster European security amid the conflict in Ukraine. "This is another crucial step forward for our historic defence ties with Poland, supplying next generation air defence capabilities to act as a clear deterrent to our adversaries," British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said. The air defence system would be able to launch missiles at air threats such as cruise missiles and fighter jets at ranges of more than 40 kilometres, the ministry said.

Persons: Defence Grant Shapps, Hannah McKay, MBDA, Grant Shapps, Mariusz Blaszczak, Italy's Leonardo, Sachin Ravikumar, Alan Charlish, William James Our Organizations: State, Defence, REUTERS, Britain's Ministry of Defence, British, Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, British, Poland, Ukraine, Poland's

☆ Ukraine says it struck a brand-new Russian cruise missile carrier before it even got a chance to fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine struck a new Russian missile carrier over the weekend, causing significant damage to the vessel before it had even had the chance to join the Black Sea Fleet, military officials said. Oleshchuk added that Russia was keeping one of its most modern warships, which is capable of carrying Kalibre cruise missiles, at Zaliv. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe vessel was undergoing testing in the Black Sea and was intended to officially join the fleet's operations this year, the Black Sea Fleet site said. Russia regularly uses its Black Sea Fleet to target Ukrainian infrastructure with cruise missiles. AdvertisementAdvertisementAttacks like these have put the Black Sea Fleet high on Ukraine's hit list.

Persons: —, Mykola Oleshchuk, Oleshchuk, Anton Gerashchenko, bDJJjWoUgZ — Anton Gerashchenko, Oleschuk, Andriy Ryzhenko, Ryzhenko, Askold, Yuriy Ihnat Organizations: Black, Service, Fleet, Air Force, Ministry of Defence, RIA Novosti, Planet Labs, Radio Free, Maritime, Ukrainian Air Force, Sea Locations: Russian, Crimea, Russia, Ukraine, Zaliv, Kerch, Ukrainian, Sevastopol

☆ Russia is pounding homes along one of Ukraine's key rivers because it's scared of amphibious raids, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has been ramping up strikes on civilians along the Dnipro, a Ukrainian official told CNN. The region's spokesperson said it is a sign Russia fears new Ukrainian raids on its eastern bank. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn recent months, Russia has been pummeling the eastern Kherson region with upgraded, powerful glide bombs , mostly targeting civilian infrastructure. AdvertisementAdvertisementTolokonnikov said the higher rates of attacks suggest Russia is growing concerned that Ukrainian troops will soon recapture the eastern bank of the Dnipro. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in June, which flooded the region, did not stop Ukraine's efforts to retake the eastern bank, as Insider previously reported.

Persons: Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, —, Tolokonnikov, Hans Petter Midttun Organizations: CNN, Service, Centre of Defence, Euromaidan Press, Defense Forces of, Armed Forces, Institute for Locations: Russia, Dnipro, Kherson, Kherson City, Ukraine, Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine, Nova

☆ Russian troops describe grueling conditions on the front line where they are 'wet from head to toe' and can't even boil a cup of tea, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian troops are living in grueling conditions on the front line in Ukraine, the UK MoD said. Soldiers described being "wet from head to toe" for weeks at a time, per the report. They also described eating "monotonous food" and not even being able to boil a mug of tea. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Soldiers who had recently returned from the front line described being "wet from head to toe" for weeks at a time while speaking at the Ogakov Readings military affairs conference in Moscow on Wednesday.

Persons: —, Oleksandr Popov, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: MoD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Sunday, Wednesday, Russian, Reuters Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Avdiivka

☆ Ukraine and Russia can't break their stalemate because their troops are spread too thin over 745 miles, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine and Russia are fighting along a 745-mile front line, the UK Ministry of Defence said. And they're struggling to break through because of how scattered their troops are, the MOD said. Ukrainian forces are 'static' in the south, and Russian troops are collapsing in the east, it said. The UK MOD pointed to the sheer scale of the front, which it says stretches for 745 miles. The UK Ministry of Defence cited airpower as a major factor in the apparent standstill.

Persons: —, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Zaluzhnyi Organizations: UK Ministry of Defence, MOD, Service, Ukrainian, Ukraine's Armed Forces, The New York Times Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Avdiivka

☆ How Ukraine's counteroffensive has struggled so far
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But in mid-October, some Russian military bloggers reported that Ukrainian forces had formed a small bridgehead on the eastern bank. Shortly after, Ukrainian soldiers breached the first line of defences south of the town of Velyka Novosilka in the first known breakthrough of the counteroffensive. Military analysts and authorities in Kyiv said Ukraine had badly damaged a large landing ship and an attack submarine. Just over a week later, a Ukrainian missile attack hit Russia's Black Sea naval headquarters in Sevastopol. In mid-October, Ukrainian forces used U.S.-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles for the first time, damaging airfields near Luhansk in Ukraine's east and in Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov, both under Russian control.

Persons: Alina Smutko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, General Valery Zaluzhnyi, Wagner, Mike Collett Organizations: 67th Mechanised Brigade, Armed Forces, REUTERS, Reuters, Military, White, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kreminna, Luhansk region, Kyiv, KHERSON, Dnipro, Russia, Velyka, Neskuchne, Orikhiv, Azov, Crimea, AVDIIVKA, Avdiivka, Russian, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Bakhmut, BAKHMUT, Moscow, Kharkiv, Kherson, KUPIANSK, Russia's Belgorod, Kupiansk, Crimean, Sevastopol, East, Luhansk, Ukraine's, Berdiansk

☆ Rich countries are stumbling into a debt trap
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Felix Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Unlike many corporations and households, the U.S. government did not lock in the low interest rates of the last decade by issuing long-dated debt, preferring instead to skew funding towards bills and short-term bonds. The second route out of the debt trap is to target the primary fiscal surplus, choosing a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes that will stabilise the public debt. That leaves the third route to debt sustainability – keeping real interest rates low. But in the short run, it allows a government to tame the debt ratio without fiscal austerity, and even if growth is sluggish. Governments are indeed stuck in a classic debt trap.

Persons: Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Kacper, Everett Dirksen, you’re, Dirksen’s, Stanley Druckenmiller, Joe Biden’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Japan's, NATO, REUTERS, Reuters, Congressional, Office, International Monetary Fund, U.S, Treasury, Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics, Medicaid, Federal, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Illinois, U.S, Britain

Details of how Japan is paring back military procurement due to currency fluctuations have not been previously reported. China, which has not ruled out using military force to bring Taiwan under its control, has expressed concern about Japan's military spending plans, accusing it of displaying a "Cold War mentality." In December, defence ministry officials discussed an order for 34 twin-rotor Chinook transport helicopters at roughly 15 billion yen per aircraft, two of the sources said. She declined to comment on whether the defence ministry had dropped an order for the seaplane. A ministry spokesperson confirmed the companies delivered a letter on Oct 25 to Defence Minister Minoru Kihara urging the government to proceed with the defence procurement as planned.

Persons: Tomohiro, Fumio Kishida, Christopher Johnstone, Johnstone, Biden, Kishida, outlays, spender, Nancy Pelosi's, Yoji Koda, Lockheed Martin, Minoru Kihara, Kevin Maher, Nobuhiro Kubo, Takaya Yamaguchi, Tim Kelly, Yoshifumi Takemoto, Katerina Ang Organizations: Defense Force, East Fuji Maneuver, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Bank of Japan, Center for Strategic, International Studies, National Security, East, Japan's Ministry of Defence, Embassy, Pentagon, Russian, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Boeing Co, Kawasaki, Industries, Maritime Self Defense Force, Raytheon, Lockheed, Japan Business Federation, NMV Consulting, U.S . State Department's Office, Japan Affairs, Thomson Locations: Japan, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Taiwan, Tokyo, Washington, Beijing, East Asia, U.S, East China, Ukraine, China, U.S .

☆ How the Nigerian military fatally shot a young captive
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +19 min

The Nigerian government and military – including the presidency, Ministry of Defence, defence headquarters and army leaders – did not respond to detailed questions for this story. Various entities have accused Nigerian security forces of other abuses in connection with killings of civilians and captives. Two security force members told Reuters they saw multiple prisoners brought out of the barracks and shot after the fighting ceased. Tweets from Nigerian defence headquarters in Abuja show the military declared the hostilities over shortly after 11 a.m. Nine shots fired A uniformed security force member shot nine rounds at the young captive, pulling the trigger at least seven times, according to forensic audio experts who listened to the recording at Reuters’ request.

Persons: Melanie O’Brien, –, Ocampo, Christopher Musa, Musa, ” Musa, “, extrajudicially, Michael Oluoha Agi, ’ ”, ”, Boko, ‘ Allahu akbar ’, Yahaya, Haram, Biu, Bellingcat, Belllingcat, Chris Olukolade, Emmanuel Emeka, Emeka, Reade Levinson, David Lewis, Tim Cocks, Carlos Gonzales, Paul Carsten, Daphne Psaledakis, Stephanie van den Berg, Youri van, Adolfo Arranz, Sam Hart, Feilding, Julie Marquis, Alexandra Zavis Organizations: Reuters, International Association of, Nigerian, Ministry of Defence, ICC, Islamic, Human Rights Commission, United Nations, Twitter, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, U.S . State Department, U.S, Boko, Civilian, Task Force, Defence, Facebook, 231, Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment Locations: Geneva, Nigeria, Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigerian, United States, Britain, U.S, Biu, Boko Haram, Abuja, Largema

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