military weapon power # military news

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) has been rocked by reports that consulates had issued visas in Africa and Asia in exchange for bribes. Poland’s consular sections reportedly issued about 250,000 visas to migrants from Asia and Africa since 2021 for thousands of dollars in bribe. Details about the corruption scandal are coming to light just a month ahead of the country’s parliamentary election on October 15. The Polish justice minister has sparked controversy after comparing director Agnieszka Holland’s latest film, ‘The Green Border’, to “Nazi propaganda.”

Russia said its air defence systems have destroyed two Ukrainian UAVs over the Kaluga and Tver regions on Sept. 16. Ukrainian military released footage from the eastern village of Andriivka a day after announcing its recapture. A Ukrainian commander in the Bakhmut area has said that the liberation of Andriivka is “necessary for further advancement” in Bakhmut. Ukraine is testing AI systems that can locate targets several kilometres away to ramp up more attacks on Russia, a minister said. Police searching for a missing ex-British soldier have been informed by Ukrainian authorities that they have found a body. A dozen-strong group of teens in Ukraine’s Lviv are training to learn how to fly drones and strip down and reassemble Kalashnikovs. Watch this video to know what's latest in the Ukraine-Russia conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would not breach any agreements concerning Korea on September 15. However, Putin also added that Russia wishes to deepen its relationship with Pyongyang. North Korean President Kim Jong Un, who is still in Russia, inspected a Russian fighter jet factory that is under Western sanctions on Sept 15. This comes as a top govt official said Japanese PM Fumio Kishida is willing to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un “without preconditions”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claims its forces have destroyed two more Ukrainian naval drones in the southwest part of the Black Sea. Russian-appointed authorities and Ukrainian officials shared conflicting accounts of a bombing incident in Nova Kakhovka. A Russian soldier got charged with 13 years in a penal colony for deserting his unit to avoid fighting in Ukraine. President Putin said that he never rejected negotiations with Ukraine in response to US statements that Russia was stalling talks. Putin also said that cluster munitions are being widely used by the Ukrainian forces in the “special military operation”. The Wagner mercenary group has been officially prescribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude towards the Jewish community for supporting Ukraine in the war. Watch this video to know what's latest in the Ukraine-Russia conflict

During a recent summit meeting with Russian President Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's security team displayed deep-seated fears and concerns about the chairs provided for Kim. Kim's security spent several minutes disinfecting the chair he was supposed to sit in, even dismissing the first chair provided. They meticulously wiped down the chair, sprayed an unidentified substance and tested its sturdiness. Putin invited Kim to explore his Russian-made Aurus limousine. Kim has previously showcased a penchant for luxury cars, despite UN sanctions prohibiting their export to North Korea.

The US ambassador to Japan has waded into speculation surrounding the whereabouts of China's defence minister. Rahm Emanuel questioned whether Li Shangfu had been placed under house arrest in a social media post on Sept 15. The post was accompanied by the hashtag #MysteryInBeijingBuilding" and a quote from Hamlet "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark". The US ambassador’s claim adds to the confusion around the Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu’s absence from public view

Ukraine claims its aircraft launched 11 strikes on concentrations of Russian military personnel and equipment in the last 24 hours. A Russian political analyst claims Wagner Group Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin survived the plane crash thought to have killed him. He is 'alive and well' on the Caribbean paradise island of Margarita, according to Dr Valery Solovey. The official who was once in charge of guard dogs at Putin’s palace in Crimea claims the Russian President lives in constant fear of assassination.

The European Commission has criticised the bloc’s representative in Austria for accusing the country of paying “blood money” to Russia for gas supplies. This comes after EU representative Martin Selmayr said that Austria continues to get 55% of its gas from Russia. Selmayr expressed astonishment at the lack of protests over Austria's gas payments helping fund Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He criticised the slow pace at which Austria is weaning itself off Russian gas and saying it was paying "blood money" for the fuel. Watch the video to how Austria's far-right is demanding Selmayr’s removal.

After much deliberation, G20 sherpas have finally "reached a compromise" on the wording to describe Russia's war in Ukraine The divergent views on the issue between Moscow and the rest of the group had threatened to derail hopes of a joint communique at the summit The phrasing is broadly similar to that agreed at last year’s summit in Bali, Indonesia, but has an important difference The text of the New Delhi Declaration refers to “the war in Ukraine” as opposed to the “war on Ukraine” There is broad consensus on Ukraine & agreement on the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter

Escaped terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife who fled Wandsworth Prison has been found and arrested in Chiswick following a 75-hour nationwide manhunt. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the former soldier was arrested by officers in west London just before 11am on September 9 and is currently in their custody. The arrest follows a national four-day search after the 21-year-old was believed to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth on September 6 by strapping himself to the bottom of a delivery lorry after leaving the prison kitchen in a cook’s uniform.

A Russian missile attack Friday on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown in central Ukraine killed one policeman and injured at least 44 others, emergency officials said. It was among multiple Russian attacks across the country overnight, officials said. Ten buildings were damaged in the attack on Kryvyi Rih. Three of the people who were pulled out of the rubble were in serious condition, according to Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine’s minister of Internal Affairs.

China said that 90 countries have confirmed attendance for its Belt and Road Initiative conference being held in Beijing in October. The Chinese foreign ministry also said that 2023 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The summit in October will be the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF)

Huawei's new Mate 60 Pro smartphone features a cutting-edge 7-nanometer Kirin 9000S chip, representing a significant technological achievement for a Chinese mainland-based manufacturer. This achievement comes despite US restrictions imposed since 2019, which limited Huawei's access to advanced chip-making tools. China has emphasised its openness to products and services from any country that complies with its laws. Apple's shares recently fell due to reports of the Chinese government expanding its iPhone ban in state institutions, impacting Apple's significant presence in the Chinese market. Apple released an emergency software update to address security vulnerabilities, marking the 15th such update this year.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has claimed that the US is considering to assassinate Niger junta leaders. RT reported that the US does not want to rely on military intervention by Niger’s regional neighbours, as per the SVR’s assessment. According to Russian Intelligence, Washington is “not satisfied” with events in the former French colony. The US prefers a ‘wetwork’ solution by a proxy rather than military action by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), SVR said. ECOWAS has threatened to invade Niger to restore its ousted president Mohamed Bazoum to office, but has yet to act. Is the Biden administration planning to eliminate the Niger junta leaders

Russia claims that its forces have destroyed two Challenger 2 tanks in the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian official Yevgeny Balitsky said the two British tanks were destroyed using Kornet anti-tank missile systems. Russia said its air defences intercepted a total of 31 Ukrainian drones and four HIMARS rockets over the past day. NATO member Romania is weighing evacuating its border town, days after acknowledging that a Russian drone fell on its territory. Ukrainian General Serhiy Naiev took a captured Russian T-72 tank for a ride during an exercise on Sept. 8. The Ukrainian General complimented the T-72 for having comfortable controls and for being a good tank overall. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu handed out awards to members of the Russian military. President Zelensky has said that Russia’s air superiority was “stopping” Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The Stryker, first fielded shortly after the turn of the millennium, is an eight-wheeled, all-wheel drive, armored combat vehicle produced by General Dynamics Land Systems and based on the Canadian Light Armored Vehicle III. The Stryker chassis' modular design supports a wide range of variants. The main chassis is the Infantry Carrier Vehicle. Yes, the Stryker's modular design allows for a wide range of variants to be developed based on a common chassis. This design approach allows for a high degree of flexibility, as the same basic chassis can be configured in different ways to meet specific mission requirements. The Stryker's chassis can be outfitted with different weapons, sensors, and other equipment, as well as different types of armor, depending on the variant. The modular design also allows for easy maintenance and upgrade, as components can be easily swapped out or replaced as needed.

Ukrainian authorities arrested billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky amid Kyiv's latest corruption crackdown. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Kolomoisky was arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering on September 2. According to The Kyiv Independent, Kolomoisky is ordered to remain under arrest until October 31, and bail was set at $14 million. Kolomoisky is the founder of PrivatBank, the largest financial organisation in Ukraine, and has strong relations with the Ukrainian President

Officers from Russia's 58th Combined Arms Army (CAA) in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast have reportedly reached out to their former commander. This comes as the situation on the Russian front line continues to deteriorate, according to the ISW. Reports suggest that Major General Ivan Popov, who commanded the 58th CAA, has also maintained communication with his former subordinates.

Jets ordered by Iran have started arriving from Russia, according to Iranian media. However, these are not the Su-35 Flanker fighter jets Tehran had hoped to begin receiving this year. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported the country received subsonic Yak-130 trainer jets. At least two Yak-130s are reportedly in Iran’s central Isfahan province and are now in IRIAF (Iranian Air Force) service. The Yak-130 delivery seemingly confirms Russia is at least delivering something to Iran after Tehran’s support to Moscow for Ukraine war. The last time Russia transferred Iran military aircraft was in the 2000s, when it delivered a mere six Su-25 Frogfoot attack planes

Ukraine has claimed that it has broken through the first of Russia’s three defensive lines on the southern front. Ukraine estimates that Russia spent 60% of its time and resources equipping the first line of defences on the southern front. Two people were injured after Russia launched a three-and-a-half-hour drone attack on the Odesa region in the wee hours of September 3. Ukraine said its air defence systems shot down 22 of the 25 Iranian-made Shahed drones that Russia used in the attack. Ukraine's south military command said that Russian drones hit the Danube River port infrastructure. A fire broke out at an oil depot in St. Petersburg, according to reports. Moscow said its forces hit a Ukrainian drone control centre in the Kherson region. Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said there was heavy fighting around Bakhmut.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin on September 4. The Turkish leader is hoping to persuade Putin to rejoin the Black Sea grain deal that Moscow broke off from in July. Erdogan had earlier said that Putin will be travelling to Turkey in August, but the two leaders will now meet in Sochi on Russia’s southern coast. Can Erdogan persuade Putin to rejoin crucial grain deal?

Russia thwarted another Ukrainian attempt to target the Crimean bridge. Russian defence ministry said in a statement that its forces destroyed three Ukrainian naval drones that targeted the Crimea bridge on Friday evening and early Saturday morning. Russian MoD called it a 'terrorist attack' by Kyiv regime, adding that the hostile craft was “promptly detected and destroyed” in the Black Sea.

Ukraine launched a drone strike near a major nuclear plant in Western Russia. The attack damaged a building located just a few kilometres from Kursk nuclear plant. Russian officials confirmed that there was damage reported to the plant. The Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian cities have significantly increased over the past few weeks. This comes as Ukraine's counteroffensive falters amid ferocious attacks by Russia

Russia has moved two S-300 missile systems from a chain of disputed Far East islands that Japan claims as its own, Kyodo news agency reported on August 31. Citing satellite imagery, Kyodo wrote Moscow had moved two S-300 surface-to-air missile systems off the islands. The development was noticed by military expert Yu Koizumi of the University of Tokyo. The move, as per Koizumi, hints at the possibility that Moscow is repurposing weapons from its Far East for use in the Ukraine war Koizumi added he believed both systems had been redeployed to Russia’s western borders with Ukraine “in preparation for a potential attack.” The report comes a week after Ukraine claimed to have destroyed a Russian S-400 missile defense system in Crimea.