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Russian air defences in Venezuela ‘offline’ during US raid to seize Maduro, report says
Russian-supplied air defence systems deployed by Venezuela were not connected to radar networks, and some equipment was kept in storage, when US forces struck military targets around Caracas in early January. The Times said part of Venezuela’s Buk-M2 surface-to-air missile…
After the Paris Declaration: Can Europe Deploy Troops in Ukraine?
Europe’s discussion of a multinational military presence in Ukraine has intensified after a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on 6 January produced a “Paris Declaration” on security guarantees for Ukraine. Issued by France, the declaration sketches…
China, Russia and Iran join South Africa for BRICS naval drills off Cape Town
CAPE TOWN — Warships from China, Russia and Iran have begun a week of naval drills with South Africa in waters off Cape Town, in an exercise organised under the BRICS grouping as Washington escalates action against Venezuelan oil shipments.…
US boards and seizes Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuela and Iran sanctions
US authorities have seized an oil tanker previously flagged to Guyana and linked by Washington to sanctions evasion involving Venezuelan and Iranian crude, after the vessel switched into the Russian registry during a weeks-long pursuit across the Atlantic. The vessel,…
US aircraft movements add to uncertainty as Iran protests intensify and regional diplomacy shifts
Open-source flight tracking and recent reporting have pointed to an increased tempo of US military air movements linked to the Middle East, coinciding with a sharp escalation in Iran’s internal unrest and a widening set of regional flashpoints. The Iranian…
Russian submarine escorts Marinera as US pursuit of ex-Bella 1 continues
Russia has deployed a submarine and other naval assets to accompany an oil tanker pursued across the Atlantic by the United States Coast Guard, escalating a sanctions-enforcement operation into a direct encounter with Russian military forces in international waters. The…
Anglo-French Air Strike Delivers Major Blow to ISIS
British and French forces have successfully carried out a precision air strike against a significant Islamic State (ISIS) arms depot in northern Syria, officials say. The operation, undertaken on Saturday night, marks a noteworthy advance in the continuing campaign against…
China’s Wang Yi condemns record US Taiwan arms package as PLA drills intensify around the island
China has broadened its latest round of military activity around Taiwan as Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticised what Beijing describes as a record United States arms package for the island, linking the sale to what he called “provocations” by Taiwan’s…
From Talk to Action: UK and Japan Advance Defence Pact
The sight of British and Japanese soldiers exercising shoulder-to-shoulder will strike many observers as one of the quietly encouraging defence stories of the year. At a moment when the global security picture is far from reassuring, the partnership taking shape…
HMS Prince of Wales: Britain Signals Strategic Shift with Carrier Strike Group’s NATO-First Commitment
In a defining moment for Britain’s military posture, the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales has achieved full operating capability under NATO command, marking a historic first for a British aircraft carrier. The announcement, made by the Defence Secretary John…