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The total solar eclipse is Monday: Here's everything to know

WHAT IS TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE? THE RARE PHENOMENON ONCE IN 400 YEARS Prepare for an unforgettable journey into the heart of the cosmos with the celestial spectacle of a total solar eclipse! Discover the science and wonder behind this breathtaking event, occurring once in a lifetime. Total solar eclipses, in particular, are exceptionally rare events, happening only once every 400 years at any given location on Earth. The sky will darken as if at dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, individuals along the path of totality may witness the solar corona or outer atmosphere, typically hidden by the Sun's bright face. This total solar eclipse will be visible in 15 U.S. states, while a partial solar eclipse will be visible across all 49 continental states. A total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Set to happen between 9.13 PM IST on April 8 and 2.22 AM IST on April 9, a total eclipse will only be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico and Canada. But there are other regions that will see at least a partial eclipse, according to In the Sky. This includes parts of some Caribbean countries, Colombia, Venezuela, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, and Iceland. Unfortunately, there will be no eclipse visible to anyone in India or even in Asia. Today's total solar eclipse is expected to draw millions to the path of totality as it makes it's way south from Texas all the way to Niagara Falls. From the Moon's graceful dance to the Earth's shadow, unravel the mysteries of eclipses and unlock the secrets of our universe. Join us as we delve into the depths of space and witness the magic of a total solar eclipse. Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to experience the beauty of nature's grandest show!

F-16 fighter jets would not serve as a “silver bullet” for the Ukrainian Armed Forces amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia, cautioned NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. The swift delivery of these fighter jets to Ukraine would serve as an example of significant military support for Ukraine from NATO, Stoltenberg said. "NATO allies providing Ukraine with F-16 fighters, sending weapons for those planes, and training pilots is a very important example of the alliance’s military assistance to Ukraine," he said. "However, no single system can change the situation on the battlefield alone. F-16s are not a ‘silver bullet’ that will determine the course of the war." F-16s are important for Ukraine as they will increase its capabilities on the battlefield, Stoltenberg said. He expressed appreciation for Ukraine's allies' dedicated efforts in facilitating these deliveries and providing training for pilots and technical personnel involved with the F-16s. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that his country, along with the United States, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark had agreed to participate in training Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter jets on May 19, 2023. Romanian officials said on July 6, 2023, they were opening a regional training center for F-16 fighter pilots, which would be available to its allies and partners, including Ukraine. According to media reports, the first F-16s will appear in Ukrainian skies around June 2024. The Belgian government recently approved the allocation of its 25th aid package for Ukraine, which includes funding for the maintenance of F-16 fighter jets. Denmark and the Netherlands were the first countries to pledge to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, but said this would happen after the Ukrainian pilots had completed their training.

If the information from Ukrainian media about serious damage to three Tu-95MS strategic bombers at the Russian Engels-2 airbase during the drone attack on the night of April 5 is confirmed, it will be possible to assert that Russia has lost approximately 5% of these aircraft, which is a "significant loss," according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Institute noted that Ukrainian drone strikes typically target individual airbases in Russia. Ukraine's ability to attack three airbases in a single series of strikes represents a "notable inflection in the capabilities." Russian forces regularly use Tu-95 strategic bombers stationed at the Engels airbase to launch Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine. According to ISW estimates as of 2023, Russia had approximately 60 Tu-95 aircraft. "If confirmed aircraft damage, the possible loss of roughly five percent of Russia’s strategic Tu-95 bombers in a single strike would be notable," the report said. Earlier, the Institute noted that aircraft losses for Russia are not insignificant, as it likely has around 300 various Su-type aircraft. Currently, Russian forces use these aircraft to conduct strikes with guided and unguided glide bombs along the entire frontline in Ukraine, previously employing significantly enhanced glide bomb strikes to achieve tactical advantages. Constant Ukrainian strikes on Russian airfields will degrade the ability of Russia's Aerospace Forces to deliver missile and aerial strikes across Ukraine's territory, experts say. According to RBC-Ukraine sources, on the night of April 5, the Main Intelligence Directorate, together with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, organized an operation that targeted three Russian airbases. According to sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate, as a result of the drone attack, at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers at the Engels-2 airbase likely suffered serious damage. Seven occupiers were killed there, among them possibly the pilots of the bombers. Another target of the attack was the military airfield in Yeysk. As a result of Ukrainian drone strikes, at least four occupiers were killed there, and two enemy Su-25 aircraft were completely destroyed by fire. The interlocutors also reported strikes on another airfield in Kursk. Details of the results of this attack are not yet available.

Russia is ready to “swallow” Europe whole, a top Ukrainian commander has warned - less than two months after he led a costly evacuation from a key city on the eastern frontline. Speaking to The Independent from an undisclosed location in Donetsk, deputy commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade, Maksym Zhorin, issued a troubling warning to Kyiv’s Western partners. The West, he said, must urgently prepare. “Create serious defence systems that could counteract Russia because it will undoubtedly open its mouth and try to swallow the rest of Europe,” he warned. The Independent says that it is the latest in a string of warnings from Ukrainian military and political figures that Russia will not stop with Ukraine. But it comes less than two months after Zhorin helped lead a difficult evacuation from Avdiivka, the first Ukrainian city to be taken over by Russia since last May, in part because a recent lack of Western military support had left Ukrainian forces there at a significant disadvantage. Zhorin, more than most, knows the cost of an advancing Russia. During his interview, the first with Western media since the fall of the city, Mr Zhorin was blunt about the reality of the eastern frontline while Western weapons supplies are delayed or simply being withheld - and he was frank about the future of European security. A US military package worth roughly $60 billion has been in limbo in Washington for seven months, victim to squabbling politicians, while European partners have failed to send more than half of the million artillery shells they promised to Kyiv by this year, unable to agree on how to finance their production. Zhorin claims his unit has killed up to 15,000 Russians in the past few months alone - but the threat of another push by Putin’s forces is now real. And then, it’s Europe next. “Use this time wisely,” the deputy commander says, addressing Kyiv’s Western partners directly.

Kazakhstan may become a new victim of Russian aggression. This statement was allegedly made by Russian State Duma deputy Andrei Gurulev, who has the rank of lieutenant general. According to the Telegram channel “VChK-OGPU”, the politician named the new victim of the Russian Federation in a voice message that he sent to colleagues from the Defense Committee. The recording was leaked online. “The Kazakhs, having seen enough of Ukraine, are very b*tched that they are next. They are now getting ready. In principle, I think there is already a solution,” said the deputy . Earlier it became known that one of the largest banks in Kazakhstan, Halyk Bank, stopped servicing Russian Mir cards from the end of February . It is worth noting that Kazakhstan is considered a state friendly to the Russian Federation. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led some observers to assume that Kazakhstan would pivot its foreign relations away from Russia towards the West. The country has maintained an officially neutral position towards the war and no longer sees Russia as its security guarantor in the same way it once did. Kazakhstan frequently criticises Russian-led regional economic integration efforts, but Kazakh business elites have enduring and lucrative ties with Russia, and Moscow has other important economic leverage over its southern neighbour. Additionally, Russia now controls 25 per cent of Kazakhstan’s uranium production. Russia and China have a shared interest in seeing Kazakhstan become more integrated with their economies and move partly away from the West, without fully closing a window to the unsanctioned world for Russia. Kazakhstan shares a 4,500 mile border with its northern neighbour, and decoupling their interdependent economies is not easy

Confiscated enterprises near Russia are being distributed to pro-Kremlin businessmen as Vladimir Putin cultivates a new "elite" from supporters of the war with Ukraine, citing the UK Ministry of Defense. Since the onset of the invasion into Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has taken about 180 companies worth around $11.5 billion under state control. Priority is reportedly given to companies owned by foreigners, including Russians living abroad. This move is likely aimed at reducing external influences on the Russian economy, as stated in the report. British intelligence indicates that the Russian state is reallocating assets to pro-Kremlin businessmen who support the war against Ukraine. This deprivatization likely aligns with President Putin's call to create a new nationalist elite, forged by the war against Ukraine, in his February 2024 address to Russians. "Increased defence spending has almost certainly increased financial pressures on the Russian state, alongside economic sanctions and flows of capital out of Russia since the start of the invasion," the UK Ministry of Defense writes. According to analysis from the Yale School of Management, around 1000 companies have exited business operations in Russia, although hundreds still operate or have suspended activities. Among the companies still operating or doing business in Russia are Mondelez International, PepsiCo, Auchan, Nestle, Unilever, and Reckitt. Others, including Intesa Sanpaolo, face bureaucratic hurdles in attempts to leave. Moscow demands discounts of no less than 50% when selling foreign assets and consistently ramps up exit demands, often agreeing to nominal commissions of just one ruble. Financial Times reports that the largest European companies have incurred at least 100 billion euros in direct losses from their operations in Russia following President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The incoming host of the next COP summit has called on the U.S. and other nations to maintain their climate commitments, even if Donald Trump is elected as president in November. In his interview since being named president-elect of the COP29 summit—due to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, the week after the U.S. election—Mukhtar Babayev told Newsweek: "We hope that all the countries, including the United States, will demonstrate their readiness to fulfil their obligations, to fulfil their readiness" to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Trump has premised his 2024 presidential campaign's energy policy on increasing domestic fossil fuel production, telling supporters at a rally in January that: "We're going to drill, baby, drill" in order to keep gas prices low. Those close to the former president have also intimated his intention to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act—a landmark piece of Biden administration legislation that provides $500 billion in investment for the infrastructure necessary for the transition to a green economy—if re-elected. Asked about how he might convince an incoming President Trump to maintain America's pledges to curb emissions, Babayev responded: "I think it is a very critical time for the world. "We hope that all countries will fulfil their obligations and intentions to provide for that 1.5 Celsius, 2.7 degrees limit. That's why I think, and I hope, that all the countries will demonstrate their readiness and—by action—their activities to provide this target." Azerbaijan's minister of ecology and natural resources added that his team would continue to work with the current White House administration in the lead up to COP29 on maintaining the climate agenda it had already adopted. He also laid out his intentions for the climate conference—to secure continued cooperation on curbing global warming and broker a financing agreement for poorer countries—and urged nations to consider "all possibilities" on reducing carbon emissions amid the ongoing and environmentally costly Russian invasion of Ukraine. Babayev says his nation has already shown its commitment by transitioning to renewables. Babayev also touted Azerbaijan's "very strong policy" on energy efficiency programs, and said it was using revenues from its oil and gas production to invest in its burgeoning green economy—a method he suggested could be adopted by other fossil fuel-rich nations.

If NATO members fight in Ukraine, they should not be captured, the maximum reward should be set for each killed soldier of the alliance countries, and their bodies should not be handed over. Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote about this on the VKontakte network. Medvedev noted that NATO has made statements about the lack of plans to send troops to Ukraine. "Separate units can enter Lviv and Kyiv region to provide for the Ukrainian army and perform only economic and organizational functions." Former Russian President said that bounties should be offered for the killing of NATO soldiers if they are deployed to Ukraine to fight against Russian troops. Medvedev lashed out at Kiev’s Western backers, arguing that they are “taking the world for fools” if they believe that sending foreign forces to Ukraine would not lead to a dangerous escalation. If NATO soldiers do end up in Ukraine, they will not be limited to non-combat roles, he claimed. “They will become part of the regular forces that are fighting against us. That is why they will have to be treated only as the enemy,” Medvedev wrote. “We should take no prisoners! The highest rewards must be given out for every killed NATO soldier.” Russian businessmen and activists have previously set bounties for the destruction of Western-made tanks in Ukraine. The idea of having NATO boots on the ground in Ukraine was repeatedly floated by French President Emmanuel Macron, who argued that “all options are possible.” He stressed, however, that Paris has no such plans. During a rare phone conversation between defense chiefs, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu warned his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, that sending French troops to Ukraine would have disastrous consequences for Paris. Moscow has repeatedly warned that deploying NATO troops to Ukraine would put the bloc on the brink of a full-blown conflict with Russia. President Vladimir Putin warned earlier that it would be “one step shy of a full-scale World War III.”

Ukraine continues to attack military targets on Russia's territory following strikes on Tatarstan and their radius of action will increase, says Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. "Strikes on oil refineries and a factory in Tatarstan are good results, and we are all pleased with them. I believe that similar joys will come in the future. And their radius will expand," said Yusov. On April 2, explosions rocked several facilities in Tatarstan. Russian media said that drones attacked the region for the first time, reporting casualties. Later, an RBC-Ukraine source within the special services revealed that the Defense Intelligence organized an operation that targeted the factory assembling Shahed kamikaze drones in Yelabuga of Tatarstan. The same source mentioned that the Defense Intelligence, along with the Security Service of Ukraine, also attacked an oil refinery located in Nizhnekamsk of Tatarstan. These objects are over a thousand kilometers away from the Ukrainian border. Strikes on Russian oil refineries, allegedly carried out by Ukrainian drones, could have disrupted more than 15% of their capacity. A NATO spokesperson gave this assessment to journalists, according to Reuters. "In terms of damage, the strikes have probably disrupted more than 10% of Russia's refinery capacity, maybe more than 15%," the official told media representatives on condition of anonymity. He said that depending on the extent of the damage, repairs could take "considerable time". "Fewer and fewer of these types of Russian energy, critical infrastructure are safe from potential strikes," the NATO official said. He also expressed the opinion that more and more impact on the Russian economy can be expected as a result of this. It should be noted that according to Reuters, about 14% of Russia's refinery capacities were shut down due to drone attacks.

BREAKING NEWS TODAY April 7, 2024

Russia has asked North Korea and Iran to supply more ballistic missiles to use against Ukraine, Reuters reported , citing an unnamed NATO official. According to the report, Tehran intends to respond to Moscow’s request. Although the transfer has not happened yet, it will likely take place once the details of the deal are ironed out. "Iran has declared its intent to do this and that it will send ballistic missiles to Russia, and we have no reason to believe it will not follow through," the source said. On Feb. 21, Reuters reported based on six sources that Iran had sent a large shipment of ballistic missiles to Russia. According to three Iranian sources, Tehran provided Russia with Zolfaghar missiles capable of hitting targets from 300 to 700 kilometers away. The provision includes many from the Fateh-110 family of short-range ballistic weapons, such as the Zolfaghar, three Iranian sources said. The shipments began in early January after a deal was finalized in meetings late last year between Iranian and Russian military and security officials that took place in Tehran and Moscow. Another senior Iranian official said some of the missiles were sent to Russia by ship via the Caspian Sea, while others were transported by plane. North Korea has sent about 6,700 containers carrying millions of munitions to Russia since September in exchange for food as well as parts and raw materials for weapons manufacturing, according to officials. South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik told reporters that the containers might carry more than three million 152mm artillery shells or 500,000 122mm rounds. Russia has used at least 20 North Korean ballistic missiles in attacks on Ukraine since late December, the Security Service of Ukraine said.

In Rostov region of the Russian Federation, a pipeline used to pump petroleum products from a local oil depot to tankers in the area of the Azov Sea Port was blown up, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported. “On the night of April 6, 2024, in the area of the village of Azov as a result of the explosion of a pipeline that pumped petroleum products from a local oil depot to tankers in the area of the Azov Sea Port, the loading of tankers with petroleum products was suspended for an indefinite period,” the report says. “The object was used by the aggressor state for military purposes, to support the waging of a genocidal war against Ukraine,” the department noted. Loading of tankers with petroleum products is suspended for an indefinite period. Ukraine has been attacking Russian oil refineries for months. Defense Intelligence Chairman Vasily Malyuk noted that due to Ukrainian drones hitting Russian refineries, oil production and refining in the Russian Federation was reduced by 12%. The Institute for the Study of War noted that the recent attack by Ukrainian drones on an oil refinery in the Republic of Tatarstan indicates a turning point in Ukraine’s strategy of striking targets deep behind Russian lines. British intelligence is convinced that Russia is unlikely to be able to protect all its oil refineries from attacks by Ukrainian drones. These impacts cause financial losses for Russia and affect the domestic fuel market.

Units of the invading Russian army have increased their attacks in the direction of the city of Chasov Yar, Donetsk region. The invaders who want to capture the city use armored combat vehicles and aviation. The goal is to completely destroy and occupy the city. In the frames distributed on Telegram channels, it can be seen that a large part of the city has been destroyed. Russian soldiers approaching Chasov Yar are said to have already occupied some houses. Ukrainian fighters are trying to prevent advancing vehicles and infantry with artillery. It should be noted that the Russian army's attacks in Donetsk region have intensified in recent days. Attacks of the invading army in the direction of Tonenke village near Avdiivka city and near Novomikhaylovka village were prevented, a large number of combat equipment and manpower of the invaders were destroyed.

The US and Israel are sure that Iran is preparing to take revenge for the attack on the consulate in Damascus. This was reported by CBS News. According to US intelligence estimates, a retaliatory strike could be carried out by a combination of drones and cruise missiles. The TV channel will not disclose the approximate time of the strikes. However, it is likely that the response to the attack in Damascus will be Israeli diplomatic facilities. Sources believe that the strikes could happen next week. The channel also notes that it is still unclear where the drones and missiles will be launched from Iraq, Syria or Iran. The White House has previously expressed concern over the possibility of a full-scale war between Iran and Israel after an airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. Recently, Iran and one of its key proxies vowed to respond to a strike widely attributed to Israel that demolished Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus and killed 13, including two Iranian generals. Iran's state TV reported that the country's Supreme National Security Council, a key decision-making body, met and decided on a "required" response to the strike. The report said the meeting was chaired by President Ebrahim Raisi, but provided no further details. The "cowardly crime will not go unanswered," Raisi said on his office's website, according to Agence France-Presse. Agence France-Presse reports that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on his official website that "Israel will be punished" for the attack. Against this background, the Israeli authorities decided to suspend the work of 28 diplomatic missions around the world.

Over 2,500 houses were flooded in Russia’s Orenburg region, 4,208 people were evacuated from the emergency zone, according to the press service of the regional government. "As of April 6, 2,556 residential buildings and 6,886 household plots have been flooded due to active snowmelt and rising river levels caused by spillways in the region. At the same time, 4,208 people were evacuated, including 1,019 children, while 427 people, including 132 children, are being put in temporary accommodation centers," the statement said. In addition, 306 farm animals were moved from flood zones to safe areas. "The flood is at its peak. The situation is difficult in several territories, especially in Orsk due to a dam break. But people are safe, everyone who evacuated is warm and provided with food. Experts continue to deal with technical issues," the press service quoted the Governor of the Orenburg region Denis Pasler. Officials say 10,000 residents may be in the flooding zone and up to 4,000 houses could be inundated. "Work in the area of the dam rupture in Orsk continues," the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement, adding that around 440 people and 217 pieces of equipment were involved in the effort. Russian state media said residents of two of the three districts of Orsk were being evacuated. "Citizens of the Leninsky and Sovetsky districts of Orsk are being evacuated to temporary accommodation centres," the regional prosecutor's office said in a message. Orsk has a population of about 230,000. The evacuees are being moved to nearby schools. The region - which includes Orsk, other Urals provinces and parts of neighbouring Kazakhstan - has been hit by widespread flooding in recent days

On the morning of April 6, there was a rocket attack on Russia's Belgorod region. The Russian press reported on this. As a result of the attack, 12 multi-apartment buildings, private houses, a sports complex, a building of a commercial enterprise and cars were damaged. The air defense system is said to have engaged and hit 10 targets. It is reported that there were no casualties as a result of the attack.

In the announcement of the program "Brave Hearts" on the TV channel "1+1", dedicated to the Ukrainian defenders of the sea, they told about the sensational details of the attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Russian cruiser Moscow, writes Glavred. "It was a complex operation. Its result is the interaction of all the Security and Defense Forces and joint actions on land, sea and in the air and the rear. Many things we can not tell now, but certainly after the victory we will reveal more details about which we will write books and make good movies. The destruction of the Moskva cruiser was an important operation that was the beginning of a large Ukrainian counteroffensive and counteraction to Russian invaders in the Black Sea. Without the destruction of the cruiser, there would have been no liberation of Snake Island," says the representative of the Ukrainian intelligence Andriy Yusov. Project host Valentina Khamaiko said that the editorial board of Brave Hearts became aware of the fact that one of the representatives of the Russian Black Sea Fleet sold data from the GPS navigator of the cruiser Moskva to the Ukrainian military for only $3,000. "In such cases, we can traditionally say that we do not confirm but also do not deny this fact. Of course, we receive data from servicemen of middle and higher ranks, and this data often plays an important role in planning all sorts of operations," Andriy Yusov says. The representative of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dmytro Pletenchuk, said that the Russians underestimated the level of danger. “The enemy did not fully understand our capabilities, so this imperial superiority played a cruel joke on them. It seemed that some posts were not involved at all, because this ship had three echelons of air defence that could repel the attack. Even after we destroyed the cruiser Moskva, the Russians did not understand our hints, and then we sank the tug Vasily Bekh in the same area," says Dmytro Pletenchuk.

Explosions were heard in at least three Russian oblasts, as more than 50 Ukrainian UAVs were reported in a major attack on Russia’s military airfields, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed. More than 40 drones were spotted over Morozovsk Oblast, where explosions and bright flashes were reported, causing power outages in Rostov Oblast. According to Ukrainian sources, at least six planes were destroyed and eight damaged, as explosions were reported at airfields in the Russian cities of Morozovsk, Rostov Oblast; Engels, Saratov Oblast; and Yeysk, Krasnodar Krai. The first reports about explosions appeared shortly in Morozovsk, Rostov Oblast. "The results of the joint special operation are impressive - at least 6 military aircraft of the Russian Federation were destroyed, and another 8 were significantly damaged," the Ukraninan sources say. In addition to equipment, the personnel of the Russian army also suffered losses. About 20 occupiers were killed or wounded. The 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment of Russia’s Aerospace Force’s 1st Guards Composite Aviation Division is based at the military airfield located 3 km southwest of the city. Russia bases its Su-24, Su-24M, and Su-34 bombers there – the same ones used to attack Ukraine’s frontline positions. Residents of the city reported dozens of explosions and bright flashes overnight and heard sounds characteristic of drones, eyewitnesses claim. “Ukrainian drones allegedly tried to attack the local airfield," local Telegram channels wrote. Residents are being warned to stay clear of the airfield, Morozovsky city administration said. Explosions also rang out in Yeysk, where a military airfield is located. The Yeysk airfield is used by Russia’s Navy, Air Force, and Federal Air Transport Agency. The 859th Training Center for Russian Naval Aviation and the 190th Training Mixed Aviation Regiment are based here. Yeysk authorities admitted to "flashes in the sky", but claimed "the absence of destruction". "An attempted terrorist attack on our territory has been prevented at a great distance from our city," Yeysk municipality head, Roman Bublyk, claimed after seeing "flashes in the sky". "No destruction has been recorded on our territory." Local media reported more than 10 explosions over Yeysk overnight on April 5 at the same time, as well as the sounds of "automatic rounds in the area of the local airfield and military town." Explosions were also reported in Engels, Russia’s Saratov Oblast, where a military airfield is located. Tu-160 and Tu-95MS heavy long-range strategic bombers are based at Engels airfield, which Russia actively uses to launch missile strikes on Ukraine. Ukraine has been targeting Russian airfields since the beginning of the full-scale war. Other Russian rear airfields that have been targeted include the Taganrog airfield, the Veretye base in Pskov Oblast, Dyagilevo near Ryazan, Seshcha airfield in Bryansk Oblast, Primorsko-Akhtarsk airfield, which is actively used to launch Shahed drones, and the Soltsy military airfield in Novgorod Oblast, among others.

Ukraine has lauded its recent success in taking out a slew of Russian tanks and armored vehicles near the embattled former Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka. Kyiv said paratroopers from the country's 25th Airborne Brigade had stopped a "massive" Russian attack close to the village of Tonenke, destroying four tanks and two infantry fighting vehicles directly west of Avdiivka, according to Newsweek. . The brigade, in a separate statement, said simply that it had "destroyed a column of enemy equipment." The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank that closely follows the conflict in Ukraine, described the Russian attack around Tonenke as Moscow's "first battalion-sized mechanized assault" since the Kremlin kicked off its offensive on Avdiivka last October. A Russian tank battalion typically contains upwards of 30 vehicles. Fresh off claiming Avdiivka in mid-February — Russia's first major victory since the fall o Bakhmut in May 2023 — the loss of so many vehicles in one fell swoop is a callback to the early errors, and sky-high armored losses, that Moscow suffered in the first phase of its full-scale invasion two years ago. "There are some similarities between this Russian attack near Tonenke and those Russian assaults early in the war," said Bryden Spurling, senior research leader for defense and security with the European branch of the RAND think tank. "It's surprising that the column in Tonenke mostly used a single road and didn't appear to use the open ground on either side and spread its forces out, though it looks like some vehicles did try to disperse," he told Newsweek. The Russian crews may have been worried about muddy terrain or mines, he added, saying: "Either way, these were significant losses of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles." "Near Tonenke, we saw almost the same mistakes from their side as near Vuhledar in the previous year," Major Victor Tregubov, a Ukrainian journalist and editor who now serves in the Ukrainian military, told Newsweek.

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A new ammunition has entered service with the armed forces of Ukraine. According to Bild media outlet, this year Ukraine will be able to use drones with a range of up to 2000 km or more. They will fill the shortage of medium- and long-range missiles. According to the source, by the end of the year, 10 manufacturers will supply the Armed Forces with drones with a range of up to 2500 km. “Our specialists have developed the Sokol-300 drone, which can fly up to 3300 km”, Bild sources said. According to Bild's calculations, the new Ukrainian weapon will be able to attack targets, for example, in the Murmansk region. There are about 80 military bases there. Among them is the Olenya airfield, where strategic bombers are based, which are firing on Ukraine.There, Moscow has stationed a significant portion of its bombers, which are increasingly participating in airstrikes in Ukraine. Strategic bombers such as the T-95 and Tu-160 are also deployed in this part of Russia. The range of the Sokol-300 puts Russian bombers deployed in the far north at risk. As a result, the Russian Olenya airbase located on the Kola Peninsula could be a direct target of the new Ukrainian drone. Reports suggest that a large-scale Russian attack on February 7 was executed by nine bombers that took off from Olenya. The engineers from the “Luch” design bureau have designed an attack drone called Sokol-300, which can be powered by several types of engines. Its control system consists of an inertial block and laser gyroscopes, which were developed by the tool company “Arsenal”. The drone is equipped with RK-10, P2-M, and RK-2P missiles, capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 10 km. In addition, the drone can carry a synthetic aperture radar along with a small radar station. The Sokol-300 measures 8.5 meters in length, and with a full wingspan, it reaches up to 14 meters wide.

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American businessman Elon Musk believes that Ukraine's accession to NATO may lead to nuclear apocalypse. "This is literally how the nuclear apocalypse movie starts," he wrote on his X page under a post with a video of a speech by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, during which the top US diplomat said that Ukraine "will become a NATO member." Musk dubbed his comment with a link to a clip from the 1983 feature film "The Day After", which features footage of a fictional nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the United States. Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated that Ukraine should become a member of the alliance, but said that he did not know when that would happen. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that more aid is urgently needed for Ukraine following meetings with NATO foreign ministers, amid growing concerns that Russia is building up its defense industrial base with support from China, North Korea and Iran. Ukraine applied to join NATO on a fast-track basis in September 2022, and was assured at the alliance’s summit in Vilnius in July 2023 that it would be admitted if the necessary conditions were met. But, no timetable for its admission was given in Brussels. Meanwhile, the organization has repeatedly pointed to the fact that Ukraine’s accession is impossible while the country remains in a state of armed conflict. NATO now includes 32 states: almost all European countries, Canada, the United States and Turkey. Bosnia and Herzegovina participates in the program for admitting new members to the alliance. In order to join NATO, a country must meet the conditions of an individual plan, have no territorial disputes and bring its armed forces in line with the alliance's standards.