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☆ Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia: Russian accounts admit Ukrainian forces are making some gains in heavy fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Tim Lister Josh Pennington Maria Kostenko Helen Regan | Tim Lister | Josh Pennington | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The channel said Monday that Ukrainian forces were trying to take higher ground to “create conditions for advancing,” and assessed that their aim was to advance toward the Russian-occupied hub of Staromlynivka. CNN cannot independently verify battlefield reports and other accounts paint a gloomier picture for Russian forces around Makarivka. Ukrainian deputy defense minister Maliar said Monday that Makarivka was one of seven villages recaptured by Ukrainian forces in the past week. Meanwhile, one of the most prominent Russian bloggers, Voenkor Kotenok, said late Monday that a senior Russian officer was killed as troops of Russia’s Fifth Army were forced to leave Makarivka. ‘Ultimate goal’In his nightly address Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the fighting in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia border region is tough but Ukrainian forces are recapturing territory.

Persons: Kryvyi Rih, Oleksandr Vilkul, Hanna Maliar, Kyiv’s, Vladimir Rogov, ” Rogov, Anatolii Stepanov, ”, Rogov, Maliar, Makarivka, “, Neskuchne, Voenkor Kotenok, Voenkor, Sergei Goryachev, Goryachev, WarGonzo, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Igor Zhovkva, ” Zhovkva Organizations: CNN, Air, Saturday, Russian Telegram, ”, Getty, Makarivka, 127th Division, Donetsk, “, Donetsk ”, Russia’s Fifth Army, Staff, Arms Army, Russian Defense Ministry, United Group of Forces, Ukrainian Ground Forces Locations: Ukraine’s, Donetsk, Russian, Ukrainian, Kryvyi, Moscow, Velyka, Ukraine, Russia, Urozhaine, Staromlynivka, Zaporizhzhia, AFP, Makarivka, ”, Orikhiv, Crimea

☆ Child plane crash survivors in "acceptable" state of health
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BOGOTA, June 10 (Reuters) - Four Indigenous children who were missing for more than five weeks in Colombia's southern jungle, after surviving a plane crash which killed their mother, are in an "acceptable" state of health, the government said on Saturday. "In general the boy and the girls are in an acceptable state. The youngest of the children turned one while in the jungle, while her brother had his fifth birthday, he said. Clues as to the siblings' whereabouts have been reported for weeks as the search, dubbed Operation Hope, continued. Three adults, including the pilot and the children's mother, died in the crash and their bodies were found inside the plane.

Persons: Gustavo Petro, Petro, Ivan Velasquez, Fidencio Valencia, Velasquez, General Carlos Rincon, Hope, Wilson, gaunt, Manuel Ranoque, San Jose del Guaviare, Carolina Pulice, Luis Jaime Acosta, Nelson Bocanegra, Oliver Griffin, Jamie Freed, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Twitter, Cessna, Thomson Locations: BOGOTA, Caqueta province, Bogota, Araracuara, Caqueta, San Jose, Guaviare

☆ Regional force tackling east Congo violence extended to September
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 31 (Reuters) - A regional force set up to tackle militia violence in east Democratic Republic of Congo has been extended to September, a minister and a spokesperson for the force said on Wednesday. The seven countries of the East African Community (EAC) set up the EACRF military force in April last year to try to end bloodshed linked to decades of militant activity in Congo's east. The force's future had been uncertain since its mandate expired in March, and EAC leaders had expressed differing views on how it should operate. An EAC spokesperson confirmed reports that the force's mandate had been extended to September during a summit in Burundi on Wednesday. Reporting by Sonia Rolley; Editing by Sofia Christensen and Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jeff Nyagah, Jean, Pierre Bemba, Felix Tshisekedi, Tshisekedi, Sonia Rolley, Sofia Christensen, Daniel Wallis Organizations: East African Community, EAC, Congo's, Thomson Locations: Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo's, Burundi

☆ Flying the F-16 in Ukraine is 'high risk,' and Kyiv's air forces can't just fly the fighter jet headlong into Russia's defenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

If Kyiv's air forces get the jet as expected, they won't be able to fly them directly at Russian defenses. "And nobody's advocating for that," an air power expert told Insider. Regardless of which jet Ukraine gets, putting fourth-generation air power like the F-16 into a high-intensity conflict is "high risk," Birkey said. A pair of US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. In a recent opinion article for Air and Space Forces Magazine, Larry Stutzriem, a retired Air Force major general and former F-16 pilot, pointed to an Israeli Air Force operation against well-defended Syrian targets in Lebanon in 1982.

☆ Eyeball to eyeball: Estonia stares down Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Jill Dougherty | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It sits high on the western bank of the Narva River, its 13th-century castle proudly flying the blue, black and white flag of Estonia. We think we know roughly what makes them tick.”Like parts of Ukraine, Estonia was illegally annexed and occupied by the Soviet Union. Estonians at the conference were adamant: Unless Russia is utterly defeated in Ukraine, there is no reason to expect Putin will change his strategic objective. Jill Dougherty/CNNSeveral Russians at the conference said they feel personally responsible for the horrors Russia is unleashing on Ukraine. What’s more, Vladimir Putin is winning support for the war from so-called “swing states” and nations in the Global South.

☆ Future wars are going to be catastrophic and robotic, and militaries have to 'come to grips' with that, former general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Mick Ryan, the author and a strategist, says militaries need to "come to grips" with what is coming. The scene comes from a new novel, "White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan," written by a former military officer. "That is especially the case when the ratio of humans to autonomous systems in militaries is going to flip," Ryan told Insider. "We are not at the point yet where robotic systems are able to match humans in decision making," Ryan said. And these autonomous systems will have many similar flaws. "

☆ China-Central Asia Summit: Ukraine war weakens Russian influence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Xi will present visiting Central Asian leaders with “a series of proposals” on the long-term development of ties and sign agreements, Chinese officials said this week. It is “of great interest to Central Asia nowadays to cooperate with China as one of its important alternative markets,” he added. However, Khitakhunov said, Central Asian leaders would be just as keen to have discussions about trade, investment and joint projects with Western players like the European Union. Central Asian countries have also seen and cracked down on popular protests and unrest in recent years. Like China, Central Asia leaders have typically avoided condemning Russia in forums like the UN, for example abstaining on major General Assembly resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops.

☆ Ukraine has exploited Russia's monthslong 'Bakhmut fixation' as it reclaims territory and sends Russian soldiers running from the 'meat grinder,' military expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine gained an advantage over Russia by doggedly defending Bakhmut, a military expert told Insider. "The Russians have had a Bakhmut fixation," said Mick Ryan, a retired Maj. Gen. in the Australian army. The Ukrainian military does not release casualty numbers, but military experts believe the country has suffered significant losses in Bakhmut, though notably fewer than Russia. Ukraine shared a video last week of Russian soldiers running away from the city while being chased by armored vehicles. "We lured the enemy into a Bakhmut trap," Cherevatiy, the Ukrainian spokesperson, told The Journal.

☆ The US could 'screw up' Ukraine's counter offensive by exerting too much pressure on the country to deliver a decisive blow against Russia, former Army general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But a former Army general told Insider that too much Western pressure could tank the attack. "I would reject the talk that Ukraine's only got one shot," said Ben Hodges, a retired Army general. But global expectations of a triumph could torpedo the offensive before it even begins, a former Army general told Insider. While the exact timing of Ukraine's much-anticipated counteroffensive is still unknown, military experts told Insider earlier this month that the assault could start as soon as the coming weeks. But framing this offensive as make-or-break for Ukraine sets a dangerous precedent, said Ben Hodges, a retired lieutenant general and former commander of US Army Europe.

☆ Ukraine's talking loudly about its coming counterpunch but holding key secrets tight because the stakes couldn't be higher. Here's what we know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Insider spoke to military experts about the possible timing, location, and goals of the coming assault. Ahead of this specific offensive, Ukraine was also likely waiting for the ground to dry after a cold and muddy winter. But there's more than just military strategy to consider — politics plays a key role as well, military experts said. Military experts and analysts are betting the bulk of the offensive will be focused in Ukraine's southeast, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia region. The single most important aim for Ukraine's next push is taking back its territory, the military experts said.

☆ Saudi Arabia wants to be a bigger player in the Middle East — this time with diplomacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“And that can only reflect well on the Kingdom.”This new diplomacy comes as Saudi Arabia prioritizes economic growth at home, which requires regional stability to succeed. Saudi efforts at revamping its image as a peace-broker may face credibility challenges, however, given its near decade-long combative foreign policy and the bad press it attracted. That group is party to the Sudan conflict that Saudi Arabia is trying to help end. Despite its controversial past, Saudi Arabia may still carry enough influence to bring quarreling parties to the negotiating table, analysts say. “Saudi (Arabia) does not pretend to be an impartial mediator but its voice carries weight with many parties in the region,” Shihabi said, adding that where it can, Saudi Arabia wants to use that influence to reduce tensions.

☆ Head of regional force tackling east Congo violence resigns, Kenya denies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GOMA, April 28 (Reuters) - The Kenyan commander of a regional force set up to tackle militia violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo said he had resigned due to obstruction and threats to his safety, adding to doubts over whether the mission can be effective. The seven countries of the East African Community (EAC) set up the EACRF military force last April to try to end bloodshed linked to decades of militant activity in Congo's east. In the letter, Nyagah alleged foreign military contractors were sent to survey his residence in January, placing monitoring devices that forced him to relocate. "My security as the Force Commander is not guaranteed," Nyagah said. Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya previously acknowledged the presence of foreign military contractors in Congo as "instructors".

☆ How Russia has fortified parts of Ukraine ahead of a possible counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

A map shows all the locations in Russia, along its border with Ukraine, and in Russian-held Ukraine, where the American Enterprise Institute found any kind of fortification built by Russia. Four maps show when the fortifications built by Russian along its border with Ukraine and in Russia-held Ukraine were first spotted on satellite imagery. In December 2022 and January 2023, fortifications appeared inside Russian regions and more parts of occupied Ukraine. Russian forces have dug many such trenches along what they see as key roads and junctions, and outside strategic cities, Africk said. A zoomed-in map shows fortifications around several towns such as Tokmak, Bilmak and Mykhailivka, along plain terrain and along major roads in Russian-held Ukraine.

☆ Ukrainian officials planned 'mass strikes' on Moscow and other cities 'with everything' they had, but they stood down after US intervention: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Washington Post reports Ukrainian officials had plans for "mass strikes" on Russian cities on the first anniversary's of the war. Ukraine's military intelligence chief directed an officer to hit "with everything" available, but the plan wasn't carried out. Officials in Kyiv have disputed the Post report based on leaked documents, calling it "strange media" and "sensation." Ukraine is also suspected to be behind a number of explosive sea drone attacks on Russian installations. Smoke rises after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase near Novofedorivka, Crimea August 9, 2022.

☆ More women describe having forced abortions in Nigerian Army programme
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +20 min

And both lost their pregnancies after they were taken into custody by Nigerian soldiers and given unidentified pills and injections. Nigerian military leaders previously have adamantly denied the existence of the abortion programme and the deliberate killing of unarmed children. We respect every living soul.”Asked about the military’s comments on the programme, Yau replied: “This happened to me, and they are denying it. After she was put into a room with three other pregnant women, Yau said, army personnel gave her pills and more injections. Reuters was unable to determine if this tally overlapped with others cited in its December story about the abortion programme.

☆ Philippines, U.S. begin joint troop exercises amid regional tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] General view during the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises or Balikatan, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 11, 2023. The expanded annual exercises underscore improved defence ties under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr after his predecessor scaled back drills to pursue closer ties with Beijing. For the first time, the Philippines and the United States will hold live-fire drills at sea during the three-week event known as the 'Balikatan' or 'shoulder-to-shoulder' exercises. China's foreign ministry on Monday criticised the joint exercises, saying they "must not interfere in South China Sea disputes, still less harm China's territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and security interests." President Marcos is expected to witness the live-fire sea drills which will involve the sinking of an old Philippines navy ship, according to a Philippine military official.

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Finland will become a member of NATO on Tuesday, completing a historic security policy shift triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while neighbour Sweden is kept in the waiting room. "It will be a good day for Finland's security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Monday. Sweden underwent a similar transformation in defence thinking and Stockholm and Helsinki applied together last year to join NATO. Moscow said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland joining NATO. Stoltenberg said he was "absolutely confident" that Sweden will become a NATO member.

☆ A majority of Americans think a criminal indictment should disqualify Trump for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

According to a Quinnipiac University poll, Americans would find charges to be disqualifying for a presidential run. But the overall picture of Americans' opinions on a potential Trump indictment is far more nuanced. According to a Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday, 57% of Americans think that criminal charges should disqualify Trump from running again. The same survey found that 46% of Americans say Trump's behavior has been illegal, 29% find it to be "unethical but not illegal," and only 23% say the former president has done nothing wrong at all. The Quinnipiac poll of 1,788 U.S. adults nationwide was conducted from March 23rd - 27th.

☆ Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark struck a deal to run their 200+ advanced fighter jets as a single fleet, creating a new headache for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Air force commanders of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark said Friday that they have signed a letter of intent to establish a unified Nordic air defense, Reuters reported. "Our combined fleet can be compared to a large European country," commander of the Danish air force, Major General Jan Dam, told Reuters. Norway, Denmark, and Finland have all committed to the F-35 jets which are the most advanced Western fighter planes. NATO Air Command chief General James Hecker was also present at the signing of the letter at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, jolted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine into ending decades of their position of "non-alignment."

JERUSALEM, March 24 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers flocked to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of Ramadan for noon prayers, which passed peacefully amid tight security imposed after months of escalating tension and violence. "I cannot describe to you how happy I am to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. I'm 50 years old and they only recently removed the security ban that had prevented me from coming here," said Nasser Abu Saleh, a resident of the West Bank city of Hebron. The Muslim Waqf, custodians who manage the site which houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque, said around 100,000 people had visited for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. [1/5] Palestinians make their way through an Israeli checkpoint to attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 24, 2023.

☆ Nordic countries plan joint air defence to counter Russian threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

COPENHAGEN, March 24 (Reuters) - Air force commanders from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark said on Friday they have signed a letter of intent to create a unified Nordic air defence aimed at countering the rising threat from Russia. The move to integrate the air forces was triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, commander of the Danish air force, Major General Jan Dam, told Reuters. Finland has 62 F/A-18 Hornet jets and 64 F-35s on order, while Denmark has 58 F-16s and 27 F-35s on order. The signing at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany last week was attended by NATO Air Command chief General James Hecker, who also oversees the U.S. Air Force in the region. The Nordic air force commanders first discussed the closer cooperation at a meeting in November in Sweden.

☆ Is Putin using a body double? Listen here: Skeptics say spotting a decoy is all in the ears.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The trip to the besieged region renewed claims that Putin uses body doubles for public appearances. The original Washington Post article has been updated to remove references to Putin using a body double. However, the Post isn't the first publication to reference the possibility of a Putin body double. It cannot be repeated," though he has not offered concrete evidence to back up the claim that Putin uses a body double. Ears as evidenceWhile Budanov's claims about Putin's health or use of body doubles cannot be verified, the use of ears as forensic evidence has been documented for decades.

☆ U.S. Defense Chief Visits Iraq for Talks on Troop Presence
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( David S. Cloud | Ghassan Adnan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with Major General Matthew McFarlane in Baghdad. REUTERS/Idrees AliBAGHDAD—Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials on continuing the U.S. troop presence. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani has previously endorsed allowing the roughly 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq to stay. Mr. Austin stressed that they were there primarily to train and advise Iraqi troops, not to join them on combat missions to root out remaining Islamic State fighters.

American officials say that Islamic State could still regenerate into a major threat. Asked by reporters traveling with him if he believed the Syria mission was worth the risk, Milley tied the mission to the security of the United States and its allies, saying: "If you think that that's important, then the answer is 'Yes.'" Four U.S. troops were wounded during a helicopter raid last month when an Islamic State leader triggered an explosion. U.S. Army Major General Matthew McFarlane, who commands the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, described the attacks as a "distraction from our main mission." McFarlane cited progress against Islamic State, including through the reduction in the numbers of internally displaced people at refugee camps -- a pool of people who could be recruited by Islamic State.

Thousands of other Islamic State fighters are in detention facilities guarded by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, America's key ally in the country. American officials say that Islamic State could still regenerate into a major threat. Four U.S. troops were wounded during a helicopter raid last month when an Islamic State leader triggered an explosion. U.S. Army Major General Matthew McFarlane, who commands the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, described attacks against U.S. forces as a "distraction from our main mission." McFarlane cited progress against Islamic State, including through the reduction in the numbers of internally displaced people at refugee camps -- a pool of vulnerable people who could be recruited by Islamic State.

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