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NATO rehearses Baltic amphibious landing near Kiel amid renewed focus on Kaliningrad and sea lanes
NATO troops have staged an amphibious landing exercise on Germany’s Baltic coast, close to the port city of Kiel, in a drill involving roughly 3,000 personnel and forming part of the wider Steadfast Dart 2026 programme. The beach-assault phase took…
When numbers clash: why Ukraine war “advance rates” depend on the map
Claims that Russia’s rate of territorial advance has fallen to its lowest level in around ten months, alongside separate assessments that Ukraine has just logged its fastest gains since 2023, underline a recurring problem for audiences and policymakers alike: the…
Kremlin Calls Shadow Fleet Seizures ‘Piracy’ and Threatens Naval Response
The war in Ukraine has long since escaped the trenches of Donbas and the missile-scarred cities of the Black Sea coast. Sanctions, sabotage, cyber operations and energy coercion have transformed it into something broader: a systemic contest between Russia and…
Wagner-Linked Recruiters Said to Target Europeans for Attacks Inside EU
Russia’s military intelligence agency is using parts of the Wagner network to recruit Europeans for sabotage operations inside the EU and wider NATO area, according to western intelligence officials cited by the Financial Times. The recruitment is described as outsourced:…
The 48-Hour Problem: NATO’s Response Under Pressure in a Baltic Drill
In the days leading up to the Munich Security Conference on 13–15 February 2026, European media carried a run of scenario-based reporting on how a future security shock might unfold on NATO’s eastern flank. Several of the most widely circulated…
Telegram on the front line: Russia’s troops confront a communications squeeze
Russia’s battlefield communications are facing renewed uncertainty after Moscow moved to restrict Telegram, an app widely used by Russian forces and pro-war commentators to pass orders, share situational reports and coordinate logistics in Ukraine. On 10 February 2026, Russia’s communications…
Ukraine imposes emergency blackouts after strikes on core transmission network
Russia carried out a large-scale overnight strike on Ukraine’s power system on 7 February, hitting high-voltage substations and key transmission lines that officials described as central to the national grid. The attack was followed by emergency electricity restrictions across the…
Russia accused of intercepting European satellite communications in orbit
European security officials believe Russian “inspector” spacecraft have been intercepting communications from a cluster of key European satellites in geostationary orbit, raising concerns about the exposure of sensitive data and the integrity of space-based infrastructure relied upon by governments, militaries…
New START expiry puts nuclear limits back on agenda as Washington and Moscow reopen channels
The expiry of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) this week has returned nuclear arms control to the centre of US–Russia diplomacy, as officials in Washington and Moscow explore whether any form of restraint can be preserved after…
New Era Munitions: Rostec Debuts Smart 30 mm Shrapnel Round at World Defence Show
Russia’s state technology corporation Rostec has unveiled what it describes as a potent new response: a remotely detonated 30 mm shrapnel round designed to maximise the hit probability against small drones and loitering threats. The ammunition is slated to make…