A News Aggregator That Covers The World's Major Wars And Conflicts. Military, Political, And Intelligence News Are Also Covered. Occasionally We Will Have Our Own Opinions Or Observations To Make.
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said Wednesday that the U.S. government under the leadership of President Donald Trump is “officially putting Iran on notice.”
Flynn addressed reporters at the top of the daily White House press briefing, delivering a brief statement admonishing the Iranian government over a missile test conducted on Monday and the activities of Iran-backed militants, who attacked a Saudi naval vessel earlier this week.
Because of Western reticence about transferring lethal arms to Kiev, as well as Ukraine’s dire economic situation, there is no obvious path to overcoming Russia’s military advantages along the border. As long as Russia persists in committing men and weapons to Donetsk and Luhansk, Kiev will struggle to restore order, and recapture its territory. And now with Moscow seemingly pressing Kiev once again with fierce fighting once again taking place, these would be the weapons of choice for Russia.
The smouldering conflict in Ukraine’s eastern provinces has now gone on for more than two years. Although an uneasy status quo has settled on the region, skirmishes continue, and tension periodically run high. With the prospect of open, large scale conventional combat receding, the focus has shifted to the tactics and weapons that either side can use to press the other at the margin, to recapture a sliver of territory, or increase the temperature on the enemy. Here are five kinds of weapons that Russia uses to maintain pressure on eastern Ukraine, and Kiev as a whole.
WNU Editor: Crushing another army is one thing .... but keeping the territory that one has conquered will be another. In the case of Ukraine .... the east of Ukraine is pro-Russian, but the western part of the country is another story. But this speculation is just that .... speculation. Bottom line .... the Kremlin has no interest in "conquering" Ukraine .... Ukraine is a political and economic mess, and no one in Russia is interested in paying that bill.
Government forces and Russian-backed separatists exchanged mortar and rocket fire for a fourth day around the flashpoint eastern town of Avdiivka
he death toll from the latest escalation in fighting in Ukraine rose to 19 on Wednesday as international alarm rang out over the spike in bloodshed in the European Union’s back yard.
Government forces and Russian-backed separatists exchanged mortar and rocket fire for a fourth day around the flashpoint eastern town of Avdiivka just north of the rebels’ de facto capital Donetsk.
The Ukrainian military said three of its soldiers had died overnight while the rebels said four civilians had been killed.
WNU Editor: When I read this story yesterday .... Anxious Ukraine Risks Escalation In 'Creeping Offensive' (RFE) .... I said to myself that the intensity of the fighting will increase .... which unfortunately it has. The Ukraine government is also deeply worried that President Trump wants to find some accommodation with Putin on the Ukraine conflict .... and I cannot help but wonder if this is Kiev's way of making sure that such an "accommodation" will not happen.
A Ukrainian official said Wednesday that a military cargo plane belonging to Kiev was shot at from a Russian-occupied oil rig in the Black Sea, an accusation that was denied by Moscow.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak wrote on Facebook that the plane was damaged but the crew unharmed, according to Reuters. He said that the aircraft was able to land safely after coming under fire.
A spokesman for the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, meanwhile, accused the Ukrainian Navy An-26 aircraft of making two low-altitude provocative passes of Russian drilling towers in the Black Sea, according to Moscow's TASS news agency. He denied allegations that the plane was fired at but said a security guard gave flash signals from a signal pistol to prevent the plane from crashing into the drilling tower.
A Syrian opposition figure who says he controls 3,000 Arab fighters has told Reuters they are training with U.S.-led coalition forces in preparation to help drive Islamic State from its de facto capital in the city of Raqqa.
Ahmad Jarba commands the Syrian Elite Forces, described by the U.S. military as a significant component of the coalition assembled against Islamic State.
Its involvement in the battle for Raqqa, alongside the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is welcomed by Washington, which is keen to broaden the political base of the opposition forces in the area.
A Briton fighting in Syria "turned the gun on himself" to avoid being taken prisoner by so-called Islamic State, Kurdish sources have told the BBC.
Ryan Lock, 20, from Chichester in West Sussex, died on 21 December during a battle for the IS group's stronghold of Raqqa.
He was fighting as a volunteer with the Kurdish armed fighting forces, the YPG.
The YPG told the BBC that "trace of a gunshot wound was found under the chin", suggesting suicide.
Sources said five fighters came under siege by IS - also known as ISIS - in the village of Ja'bar, and they showed "considerable resistance" before they were killed.
After the bodies were retrieved examinations showed that "it seems that the British fighter committed suicide in order not to fall captive with Isis".
A report said the gunshot wound indicated "that the gun made contact with the bottom of the chin".
"This suggests that the fighter committed suicide," it concluded.
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — A civilian contractor was killed and an airman was injured in a training accident at a military range near Holloman Air Force Base in southern New Mexico Tuesday.
Capt. Bryant Davis, chief of public affairs for the 49th Wing at Holloman, said the two were part of a ground control party that was helping coordinate a live-fire training exercise at the Red Rio range, which is in the White Sands Missile Range complex. Davis said officials expect to release more information on the airman and contractor later on Wednesday.
Search carried out as part of ‘Penelopegate’ inquiry into allegation that presidential candidate paid wife for work she did not do
French police have raided the lower house of parliament in an investigation into whether the wife of the presidential candidate François Fillon was paid for an allegedly non-existent job.
The unusual step, requiring authorisation of the speaker of the lower house, was carried out as part of an inquiry into the “Penelopegate” scandal. It was not immediately clear whether Fillon’s own office was being searched.
Investigators are looking into possible misuse of public funds after a newspaper alleged that Fillon’s Welsh-born wife, Penelope, was paid €500,000 (£430,000) over eight years as his parliamentary assistant for work she did not perform. It is not illegal for French politicians to employ spouses or members of their family, but there is an obligation for them to carry out the job.
WNU Editor: Recent polls are showing that French Presidential candidate François Fillon will win the election .... France's Fillon seen winning presidency against Le Pen: poll (Reuters). But these new allegations are damaging, and I would not be surprised if the polls will start to shift in the coming days.
New defense chief to face questions over what to expect from new president; jitters among allies
WASHINGTON—Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is headed to Asia this week as the first member of the Trump cabinet to venture abroad amid the administration’s tumultuous start.
Mr. Mattis will have the daunting task of representing a government that has upended a longstanding alliance with Mexico and antagonized much of the Middle East with new blocks on immigration, and must reassure jittery allies that the U.S. will continue to be their friend, according to U.S. officials.
I have been involved in numerous computer science projects since the 1980s, as well as developing numerous web projects since 1996.
These blogs are a summation of all the information that I read and catalog pertaining to the subjects that interest me.
