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CNN —France said it backs efforts by members of an African regional bloc to thwart the coup in Niger, as the clock ticks closer to a deadline for the new military junta to stand down or face possible military intervention. “The future of Niger and the stability of the entire region are at stake,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. ECOWAS defense chiefs met in Nigeria this week to organize a collective response to the coup and plan a potential military response, which they say is a last resort. “We are determined to stop it, but ECOWAS is not going to tell the coup plotters when and where we are going to strike. “While this coup attempt is a tragedy for Nigeriens, its success would have devastating consequences far beyond our borders.”

Persons: CNN —, Mohamed Bazoum, ”, Security Abdel, Fatau, “, ” Bazoum Organizations: CNN, French Foreign Ministry, Economic, West African States, Political Affairs, Peace, Security, Washington Locations: CNN — France, Niger, Nigeria, ”, Niamey, Niger’s, ” France, France, United States

☆ Ukraine has tested its allies' patience with its military strategy and demands
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The phrase "whatever it takes" has become a mantra often repeated at public gatherings of allies assessing the war and the military needs of Ukraine. Most recently, tensions have emerged over Ukraine's military strategy and demands on NATO. And by threatening to boycott the summit, Zelenskyy had played a risky strategy, Shea noted, potentially setting the meeting up for failure. The key thing is to manage that [discrepancy] and prevent it doing lasting damage, and I think the Vilnius summit at least managed to prevent it doing lasting damage." Ukraine's military strategy — and the symbolic value it has put on fighting for every piece of Ukrainian territory — has sometimes collided with its allies' military perspective and pragmatism.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Gitanas Nauseda, Pedro Sanchez, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Joe Biden, Giorgia Meloni, Jens Stoltenberg, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ben Wallace, Ludovic Marin, didn't, Zelenskyy, Washington, Biden, Jamie Shea, Shea, Beata Zawrzel, wasn't, they're Organizations: Spain's, Joe Biden Italy's, NATO, NATO Summit, Getty, Ukraine's, Kyiv, Britain's, AFP, Washington Post, CNBC, White, Ukraine, Emerging, LITEXPO Lithuanian, Center, Nurphoto, Bakhmut, Libkos Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Kyiv, Russia, U.S, Washington, London, United States, Soviet, Donetsk

☆ Iran's drones could reach a new South American market as Bolivia expresses interest
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Here's what's ahead for defense stocks "Latin American countries are of special significance in Iran's foreign and defense policy based on the importance of [the] very sensitive South American region," Iran's Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani was quoted as saying. Iran's drones have made "considerable impact on any battlefield they have appeared in," according to Farzin Nadimi, an arms expert at The Washington Institute said. The U.S.' concerns center on Iran's deepening foreign alliances and dissemination of its lethal drones, analysts say. It added that a former Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, "boasted in October 2022 that 22 countries — including Algeria, Armenia, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Venezuela — had submitted formal requests for Iranian drones." Iran has previously provided drones to African countries including Sudan and Ethiopia, which the latter used against Tigrayan rebels.

Persons: Oleksii Samsonov, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, Edmundo Novillo, Novillo, Farzin, Nadimi, Novillo's, John Kirby, Biden, Ebrahim Raisi, Kirby, Annika Ganzeveld, Asad, Khomeini, Majid Asgaripour, Venezuela —, Raisi, ISW Organizations: Kyiv, Getty, Iran's, Bolivian, Bolivia's, CNBC, U.S . Defense Intelligence Agency, The Washington Institute, U.S . Institute for Peace, The U.S, U.S . National Security Council, Sepah, Anadolu Agency, American Enterprise Institute, Associated Press, U.S, Missiles, WANA, REUTERS, for, Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: Russia, Kyiv, Ukraine, Iran, Washington, South America, Tehran, Fars, Bolivia, The, U.S, Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia, America, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, U.S Ayn, REUTERS Washington, Algeria, Armenia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Iranian, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Ethiopia

☆ Kim Jong Un has plastered his walls with bizarre, giant portraits of Putin, images from North Korean state media reveal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Photos released by North Korean state media show Kim Jong Un's huge portraits of Vladimir Putin. The images show the leader giving Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu a personal tour. The portraits were visible as the North Korean leader gave a personal tour to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. In the bizarre images, Kim and Shoigu can be seen walking down a corridor while huge portraits of Putin and Kim loom over them from either side. Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu attends a reception for the Russian military delegation hosted by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on July 27, 2023.

Persons: Kim Jong, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Putin, Simon Miles, Miles, Biden Organizations: North, Russian, Service, North Korean, Russian Defense, Central Committee of, Workers ' Party, Daily, Russia's, Reuters, Mail, Korean Central News Agency, Associated Press, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, AP Locations: North Korean, Wall, Silicon, Pyongyang, Vladivostok, Russia, North Korea, Soviet, North Koreans, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian

CNN —A Niger general, Abdourahamane Tiani, appeared on state television as the country’s new leader following a military coup that sparked international condemnation. Tiani said in the broadcast that Wednesday’s coup was motivated by both the desire to “preserve our homeland” in a context of a “deteriorating security situation,” and poor economic and social governance. French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that the coup was “deeply dangerous for Niger and the whole region,” and called for Bazoum’s release. However, a senior official loyal to Bazoum has suggested there is discord among coup leaders. The aide spoke on condition of not being identified because of the security situation.

Persons: Abdourahamane Tiani, Tiani, “, Mohamed Bazoum’s, Abdourahamane, ” Bazoum, Mahamadou Issoufou, insurgencies, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, –, Catherine Colonna, Bazoum, ”, they’ve, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Bazoum “, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Mahamat, General Antonio Guterres, Maj, Amadou Abdramane, ” Abdramane Organizations: CNN, African, AFP, Télé, Getty, Nigerien, Union, Bazoum, National Council for, ECOWAS, United Nations, African Union Commission, RIA Novosti, UN Locations: Niger, France, Télé Sahel, Sahel, AFP, Mali, Burkina Faso, United States, Papua New Guinea, Niamey

July 19 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever, financial markets columnist. The disconnect between Asia and the rest of the world has widened recently, and correlations between the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index and leading U.S. and global indexes are the weakest in about a month. Bulls in Asia will be hoping some of that momentum drives local trading on Wednesday. The MSCI Asia equity index ex-Japan is up 4.6% this year, significantly underperforming the MSCI World index, S&P 500 and Nasdaq which are up 17%, 19% and 38%, respectively. Disappointing second quarter growth figures this week pushed the Chinese economic surprises index to its lowest in more than three years.

Persons: Jamie McGeever, John Kerry, Li Shangfu, Henry Kissinger, Pita Limjaroenrat, Josie Kao Organizations: Bulls, Nasdaq, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Biden, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Asia, Japan, U.S, China, Beijing, Thailand, Zealand

☆ What Zelensky wanted from NATO – and what he got
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —At last year’s NATO summit in Madrid, the alliance formally invited Sweden and Finland to join its ranks. But NATO membership is far more significant than military hardware, and it may be some time before Kyiv’s final wish is granted. “This means that a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia. However, the ultimate goal of NATO membership looks likely to elude Zelensky for some time. Wallace reminded reporters Wednesday that before the summit the question of Ukraine’s NATO membership was still an “if.” Now, it’s a “when.”

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Zaporizhzhia –, Putin’s, ” Zelensky, Pavel Golovkin, Joe Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, ” “ We’re, We’re, ”, Ben Wallace, Wallace, ” Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Dmytro Kuleba, “, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kyiv, Ukraine, Sweden’s, AP, Sunday, UK, Getty, Foreign, Twitter Locations: Madrid, Sweden, Finland, Vilnius, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Vilnius ’, Lithuania’s, United States, Russia, NATO, Zelensky, AFP, Kyiv, Vilnius –, Germany, France

☆ Incoming NATO member Sweden has a military built for 'one thing, and one thing only: fighting Russia,' says expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sweden is set to join NATO, a blow to Putin who considers the military alliance a threat to Russia. Sweden's military is built for one thing: fighting Russia, expert Robert Clark wrote in The Telegraph. Robert Clark, the director of defense and security for UK think tank Civitas and a British veteran, said that Sweden's "military is built for one thing, and one thing only: fighting Russia." He outlined the ways that Sweden's military being part of NATO is likely bad news for Russia. And with Sweden in NATO, every country in the Arctic would be in the alliance apart from Russia, he added.

Persons: Putin, Robert Clark, Vladimir Putin, —, Clark, Carl Bildt, Recep Tayyip Erdogan Organizations: NATO, The, Service, Sweden —, Google, Financial Times Locations: Sweden, Russia, The Telegraph, Wall, Silicon, British, NATO, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, Northern Europe, Baltic, Russian, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Swedish, Hungary

☆ Turkey eyes recalibration with the West as Russia’s isolation grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Zeena Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

His delicate balancing act has given Turkey a unique position of being the only NATO nation whose ear Russia has. “By backing Sweden’s NATO bid…Ankara is signaling a recalibration in ties with the West, which have been strained for a while now,” said Memet Celik, editorial coordinator for the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper. “In a larger sense, Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine reminded the West of the importance of geography, hard military power, and alliance commitments – and thus the value of Turkey,” he said. Turkey, however, is likely to continue to be relevant to both Russia and the West. “Due to proximity, power, and relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, Turkey will be a key player in conflict resolution and whatever peace deal ultimately emerges,” said Outzen.

Persons: CNN —, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, ”, Memet Celik, Joe Biden, Washington, Biden, Tuesday’s, ” Erdogan, Rich Outzen, –, “, ” Viktor Bondarev, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia’s ‘, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Putin’s, Outzen, Russia’s “, Ukraine ”, Sinan Ulgen, Erdogan’s, Russia aren’t Organizations: CNN, Nordic, European Union, NATO, …, Daily, West, White House, Atlantic Council, Ukraine, “, Ankara, Russia’s Federation, Committee, Defense, Security, Putin, Kyiv Locations: NATO, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Turkey, Turkish, … Ankara, Daily Sabah, Vilnius, Lithuania, Ankara, “, “ Ankara, Istanbul, “ Turkey, Celik

☆ Zelensky gets a NATO boost and rockstar's welcome in Vilnius
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But while Ukraine’s NATO allies reaffirmed their support for Kyiv’s bid for membership, they remained vague about the timing. “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” the leaders of the alliance declared in the summit’s final communique. This will change Ukraine’s membership path from a two-step process to a one-step process,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltengberg told reporters on Tuesday. The process can be a burdensome and lengthy and its removal could significantly streamline Ukraine’s membership bid once it is formally invited to apply. It seems there is no readiness neither to invite Ukraine to NATO nor to make it a member of the Alliance,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, –, Zelensky, ”, Jens Stoltengberg, Stoltenberg, ” Biden, Susan Walsh, “, Joe Biden, “ We’re, We’re, Ben Wallace, Wallace, General, Biden, ” Zelensky, Odd Anderson, Gitanas Nauseda, – Zelensky, Ukraine “, Lenin Organizations: CNN, NATO, AP NATO, United Nations, OSCE, CNN Sunday, Alliance, Getty, Lithuanian, Lukiskes, “ Locations: Vilnius, Ukraine, Russia, ” Ukraine, “, Crimea, Kyiv, NATO, Vilnius –, Lithuania, Soviet Union, Bakhmut, Russian, Ukrainian

☆ The US is finally giving Ukraine's military cluster munitions, deadly and controversial explosives that could be 'devastating' for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The US announced a new weapons package that includes cluster munitions for Ukraine on Friday. Cluster munitions are deadly and controversial, but they could boost Ukraine's counteroffensive. The White House and Pentagon announced a new $800 million security assistance package for Ukraine on Friday that, for the first time, includes cluster munitions. Cluster munitions can be dropped from the air or fired as artillery and deal damage over a larger area. Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty ImagesDue to their range and movement, cluster munitions can be unpredictable and hit outside their intended target.

Persons: —, Kurt Volker, Federico Borsari, it's, Wojciech Grzedzinski, Ben Hodges, Borsari, hasn't, Pierre Crom, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, willy nilly, Colin Kahl, I'm, Kahl Organizations: US, — Kyiv, Service, Pentagon, Ukraine, NATO, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Center for, The Washington, Getty, Army, Kyiv, Munitions, Amnesty, Rights Watch, National Locations: Ukraine, Hai, Lebanon, Russia, Toretsk, Izium

☆ Analysis: From 'brain death' to innovator, the Ukraine war has transformed NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Even before the invasion, NATO officials noted a rise in non-conventional warfare aimed at Ukraine and other Western targets. “Russia claims that NATO promised never to expand to the east after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (left) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 20, 2023. Without engaging Russia, NATO has enabled Ukraine to try some of the things NATO would like to do but politically cannot do. But the alliance’s unity has been one of the least expected and most welcome aspects of the West’s response to the war in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, ”, hasn’t, ” David van Weel, ” van Weel, Anatolii Stepanov, van Weel, Keir Giles, ” Giles, Peter Caddick, Adams, Jens Stoltenberg, Volodymyr Zelensky, DIANA, Emmanuel Dunand, Giles, “, ” Caddick, Macron Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kremlin, Emerging, Mechanized Brigade, Getty, NATO’s Brussels, Chatham, Presidential Press Service, Reuters, NATO Innovation Fund, Limited Partners, GPS, France's, White House Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Soviet Union, Bakhmut, Donetsk, AFP, London, China, Kyiv, Sweden, Paris, Macron, Europe

☆ Top tech execs get ready to meet Modi as China's economy falters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Seema Mody | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters as he arrives at the Lotte New York Palace hotel in New York City, June 20, 2023. As China's economy falters, top U.S. corporate executives are making it a priority to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to the White House, including Thursday's dinner. The administration is going all out to give the prime minister a close-to-royal welcome," Frank Wisner, former U.S. ambassador to India, told CNBC. China is one of the agenda items when Modi meets with Biden and U.S. executives Thursday and Friday. With China's economy decelerating and political tensions high, corporate America has taken steps to diversify away from the country.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Raj Subramaniam, Frank Wisner, Tony Capuano, Cummins, Jennifer Rumsey, Safiya Ghori, Ahmad, Atomics, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Modi, Biden, Wisner, Elon Musk Organizations: Indian, Lotte New, Lotte New York Palace, White, Apple, Microsoft, FedEx, White House, CNBC, Marriott, Electric, Hindustan Aeronautics, Atlantic Council, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S, Modi, Tesla Locations: Lotte New York, New York City, India, New Delhi, U.S, Delhi, China, America

☆ Putin extols Russian economic performance, defends military spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech at a plenary session of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 16, 2023. President Vladimir Putin on Friday cited positive data points to laud Russia's economic health and said surging defense spending was needed to boost national security, as Moscow grapples with the cost of fighting in Ukraine. Analysts and data, however, suggest that slumping energy revenues and soaring military spending have played a key role. "I should say that on the whole this justifies itself from an economic point of view," Putin added. The central bank has repeatedly warned that a labor shortage is exacerbating inflationary risks, and analysts have named it one of the most significant drags on Russia's economic progress.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, laud, Putin Organizations: Saint Petersburg, Economic, St Petersburg, Monetary Fund Locations: Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Ukraine

☆ Ukraine's counteroffensive has been underwhelming so far — but it's low key for a reason
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty ImagesWhen Ukraine's counteroffensive started last week there was no fanfare or official announcement, but that wasn't entirely unexpected. "We are trying to find the weakest places in the Russian defense line. Nonetheless, Ukraine's deputy defense minister conceded Wednesday that the fighting was "extremely fierce" and that the counteroffensive had only had "partial success" so far. CNBC contacted Ukraine's defense ministry for further comment and is awaiting a response. "We will see the main punches of Ukrainian forces in the nearest future.

Persons: Anatolii Stepanov, Nick Reynolds, Andrius, Oleksandr Musiyenko, Musiyenko, Matthew Miller, RUSI's Reynolds, they've, it's Organizations: Afp, Getty, Kyiv, CNBC, Defense, Centre for Military, Legal Studies, Velyka Novosilka, Ukrainian, Anadolu Agency, NATO, . State Locations: Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Russian, Kharkiv, Kherson, London, Russia, Central, Eastern Europe, Kyiv, Velyka, Donetsk, Bakhmut, Crimea, Donbas, Moscow

☆ Russia's 'least capable' troops aren't in Ukraine, but they're still causing problems next door, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Moldova, next door to Ukraine, has been under pressure from Russia for decades. Amid the war in Ukraine, Kyiv and Western officials say Moscow is stepping up its interference. As a result of a 1992 war between Moldovan forces and Transnistrian separatists, Russian troops entered the breakaway region to support the separatists. Following that war, Transnistria gained a form of autonomy. SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty ImagesMoldova declared a state of emergency after Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, and it remains in effect.

Persons: —, that's, John Sullivan, SERGUEI VORONIN, Chișinău, Maia Sandu, Diego Herrera Carcedo, SERGEI GAPON, Moldova's, John Kirby, Kirby, Pierre Crom, Thomas de Waal, Dara Massicot, Massicot, Jamar Marcel Pugh, Sandu, Ursula von der Leyen, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, Georgetown University, Getty, Moldovan, NATO, EU, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images Moldova, White House National Security Council, Carnegie, RAND Corporation, US Army National Guard, European Commission, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn Locations: Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Transnistria, Kyiv, Western, Moscow, Soviet Union, Romania, Europe, Baltic, Poland, Bender, Transnistrian, Chisinau, May, Lithuania, Sweden, AFP, Russian, Carnegie Europe, NATO, Bulgaria

☆ Brazenly defending a Chinese warship buzzing an American destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, China's new defense minister tells the US: 'Mind your own business'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( David Rising | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

A Chinese warship overtook an American destroyer and sailed across its bow on Saturday. China's defense minister Gen. Li Shangfu said, "In China we always say, 'Mind your own business.'" Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu delivers his speech on the last day of the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defense and security forum, in Singapore, Sunday, June 4, 2023. He accused the US and others of "meddling in China's internal affairs" by providing Taiwan with defense support and training, and conducting high-level diplomatic visits. The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, —, Vincent Thian Li, Li, Austin, Roslan Rahman, Li scoffed, Vincent Thian Organizations: US, Service, Privacy Policy SINGAPORE, Washington, Pacific Command, US Air Force, Chinese Defense, 20th International, for Strategic Studies, AP, Getty, Russia, US Defense Department Locations: American, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Taiwan Strait, South, Canadian, Beijing, Chinese, South China, Austin, East, Ukraine, Moscow, United States, — China

☆ A Russian legislator called the drone attacks on Moscow the 'new reality' for Russian citizens
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Russian legislator said the drone attacks on Moscow are the "new reality" for Russian citizens. Alexander Khinshtein, a member of the Russian Parliament, called the attack "a new reality we will have to recognize," according to CNN. Russian officials said eight drones attacked Moscow on Tuesday, and three buildings were hit. Some other Russian sources reported far more drones involved in the attack, which Russia is blaming on Ukraine. Dr. Stephen Hall, a Russia expert at the University of Bath, said the drone attack "certainly has brought the war to the streets in Moscow like nothing else."

CNN —Russia is blaming Ukraine for launching a drone attack on Moscow early Tuesday which reportedly left two people injured and several buildings damaged, a rare incident in the Russian capital after months of war. At least three residential buildings in Moscow were damaged by drones on Tuesday, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing emergency services and residents. Sobyanin added in a subsequent update that investigators had concluded work at the Moscow apartment buildings hit by drones and that evacuated residents would be able to return to their homes. Ukraine has denied direct involvement with Tuesday’s drone attack on Moscow. A view shows a damaged multi-storey apartment block following a reported drone attack in Moscow on Tuesday.

In a Telegram post, groups calling themselves the “Freedom of Russia Legion” and “Russian Volunteer Corps” said they had “liberated” a settlement in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. The situation in Belgorod marks “the first time” that Ukrainian-aligned forces have launched “a cross-border land operation against Russian targets,” according to CNN’s Sam Kiley. A helicopter circles over Russia's Belgorod region, the site of fighting between Russian defectors and pro-Kremlin troops amid the war in Ukraine. The Freedom for Russia Legion numbers a few hundred of diehard, battle-hardened Russian volunteers fighting their own people as part of the Ukrainian armed forces. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said: “Russian forces are working to push out the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group from the territory of the Russian Federation and destroy it.

New Delhi CNN —India’s defense minister told his Chinese counterpart on Thursday that violations of their shared border erode the “entire basis” of relations between the two Asian neighbors. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh made the comments during a meeting with newly appointed Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in New Delhi ahead of a regional security summit on Friday. “He reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation,” the statement added. His visit comes four days after India and China concluded the 18th round of talks to attempt to resolve the border issue. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s visit to the country will be the most senior-level one in seven years.

☆ US to advance small F-16 equipment sale to Turkey -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. State Department could send the formal notification for the smaller sale, which includes radars and avionics, as early as Monday, the sources said. If it is cleared by Congress during the formal approval process, the package would be the first major military sale to Turkey that Congress has approved for years. The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees, who have cleared the modernization package during the informal review, declined comment. The package is separate from the proposed $20 billion sale of new Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits that Turkey requested in October 2021. Such conditions are likely to anger Turkey, which has said the United States had "endless" demands relating to the sale of F-16s and that Washington's behavior wasn't fair.

[1/2] An Airbus A320neo aircraft is pictured during a news conference tin Colomiers near Toulouse, France, October 17, 2017. Airbus' defense portfolio includes the A400M and the C295, which are respectively larger and smaller than Embraer's KC-390. De La Vela said he sees potential collaborations emerging in areas such as unmanned aircraft and space technologies, including for new products, adding that he would like to hear from Embraer before elaborating. De La Vela said Airbus expects the Brazilian MRTTs to open the Latin American market for the aircraft, noting talks with four other undisclosed countries in the region were underway. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo and Rodrigo Viga Gaier; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Sweden, Colombia interested in Embraer's KC-390, says Brazilian minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 14 (Reuters) - Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Mucio said late Thursday that countries such as Sweden and Colombia had expressed interest in buying Embraer's (EMBR3.SA) KC-390 military cargo aircraft. But the concept of the KC-390 is very big with all the countries," he told Reuters. "Sweden itself has talked about the KC-390, others have also talked about it and it's a big success. Sweden was expected to give an answer and Colombia is also interested in making an acquisition," he added. Earlier this week, Reuters reported, citing sources, that Austria was looking to advance in talks with Embraer on purchasing four or five KC-390 aircraft.

☆ Russia posted a $29 billion deficit in the first quarter as energy revenue plummets — and it could spell trouble for the country's military bills
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's spending jumped 34% in 1Q to 8.1 trillion rubles, or $99 billion, amid the Ukraine war. However, energy revenues plunged 45% to 1.6 trillion rubles due to boycotts and sanctions. As a result, Russia posted a deficit of 2.4 trillion rubles in the first quarter of 2023. Government income declined nearly 21% to 5.7 trillion rubles during the quarter compared to a year ago, per data released by Russia's finance ministry on Friday. This comes after the European Union — a major customer of Russian energy — banned Russian crude oil starting December 5.

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