by Mike Eckel, RFE/RL By one account, nearly three dozen Russian tanks and armored vehicles were reduced to smoldering rubble. By another, as many as 500 Russian troops may have been killed. Relatives of soldiers from one unit are frantically trading text messages and social-media posts trying to locate their …
Read More »War in Ukraine: A Year That Defied Expectations
In the year since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the war has taken unexpected turns, with both countries now entrenched in heavy fighting in Ukraine’s east and south, with no easy end in sight. At the star of the war, Ukraine defied many Western intelligence assessments that predicted …
Read More »Pilot of U2 ‘Dragon Lady’ Plane Took Cockpit Selfie of Chinese Spy Balloon
The pilot of a U.S. Air Force U2S Dragon Lady spy plane took a “legendary” cockpit selfie showing the Chinese spy balloon during its cross-country foray this month through American airspace. The photo had achieved “legendary status” within the US-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command before the Pentagon confirmed its existence on …
Read More »Attacked by Lasers: An Airline Pilot Encounters a Dangerous Game Over Mexico
by Mitchell “Taco” Bell “Taco” is a retired Marine KC-130 pilot flying for a major airline on the B-737. Here’s what he encountered while flying into Mexico. Guadalajara, MX? Yeah, the law there is optional. That is the best comment about having a seemingly coordinated attack on a civilian airliner …
Read More »Prigozhin Slams Russian Officials for Not Giving Ammo to His Wagner Group Fighters
In his latest outburst over the handling of Moscow’s war against Ukraine, an angry Yevgeny Prigozhin accused Russian officials of withholding ammunition from his Wagner Group fighters. Prigozhin made the comments during a seven-minute long audio message published on Monday, when he said he was required to “apologise and obey” …
Read More »Kadyrov Aims to Start Chechen Mercenary Band to Compete Against Wagner Group
Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov says he will challenge the Wagner mercenary group, and command his own private military company after he leaves office, according to Russian state media. Kadyrov announced the move Sunday on Telegram, TASS reported. “It can be said already now that Wagner has indisputably proved its effectiveness …
Read More »Another Russian Official Dies After Falling From Window
An employee of the Russian Defense Ministry has been found dead after apparently falling from a high-rise apartment building in St. Petersburg in the latest mysterious death of a senior official. Marina Yankina, 58, was the head of finance and procurement of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Western Military District. The …
Read More »North Korea’s Surprise ICBM Test Involved Missile That Could Reach US Mainland, Japan Says
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — North Korea confirmed that the intercontinental ballistic missile it fired Saturday was the Hwasong-15, which it said was part of a “surprise” exercise to test its war readiness with a “mobile and mighty counterattack.” The ICBM had the capacity to reach the continental United States given a …
Read More »US Forces Kill ISIS Assassination Cell Leader
An ISIS assassination cell leader was killed in a foray that was separate from a recent helicopter raid that killed Senior ISIS leader Hamza al-Homsi in Syria, according to the U.S. military. Officials from U.S. Central Command announced the development on Twitter, in an update about the raid on al-Homsi. …
Read More »New Al-Qaida Chief Has $10 Mill Bounty on His Head – And is Based in Iran
The new leader of al-Qaida is a combat-experienced former Egyptian special forces officer with a $10 million bounty on his head in connection with terrorist acts that killed Americans and others, the United Nations announced this week. More than six months after the United States killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri …
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