Author: Michael

Early on Wednesday, Ukraine struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries amid its ongoing campaign against the fuel infrastructure supporting its war on Kyiv.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, its forces struck the Lukoil-owned NORSI refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, overnight on August 26, causing a huge fire.

The Romanian Army’s 74th Patriot Regiment conducted the country’s first PATRIOT missile system live-fire exercise at the Capu Midia test firing range in Romania Nov. 14-15, 2023.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed three classified decrees this week, just as CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a highly unusual trip to Moscow. Even after the U.S. official returned from Russia, the purpose of the trip remains a mystery.

Ratcliffe remained in Moscow for roughly eight hours, and the Kremlin confirmed that he met with Russian intelligence officials. U.S. President Donald Trump also acknowledged the visit but rejected some of the most dramatic theories about why he was there.

Putin Back in 2009. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Russian President Putin.

‎Following confirmation on August 23 that Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force J-16 fighters had engaged in medium- and close-range air combat training with Egyptian Rafale fighters as part of Eagles of Civilisation 2026 exercises, it was reported the following day that Chief of the French Armed Forces General Staff, arrived in Cairo at the head of a high-level military delegation.

Ukraine, in recent weeks, has been striking both warehouses belonging to Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, as well as Russia’s oil infrastructure.

On Wednesday, it hit both.

Putin Back in 2023.

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman has stated that a government committee has prepared a draft agreement covering the acquisition of J-10C fighters and attack helicopters, with the proposal moving through government approval processes. The exact number of aircraft, contract value and delivery schedule have not yet been publicly confirmed, although previous reports have suggested a possible requirement for up to 24 aircraft.

The world’s first hypersonic glide vehicle capable of air-to-air engagements is reportedly currently under development in China, and is expected to extend China’s ability to attack high value support aircraft and bombers at unprecedented ranges and with a minimal warning time. This will build on the advantages provided by the PL-17 air-to-air missile, which is currently the longest ranged in the world, with hypersonic glide vehicles having significant advantages in terms of speed, flight performance, and efficiency.

A Marine injured by a suicide bomb outside Abbey Gate at the Kabul airport tended to other Marines and provided cover in the wake of the attack. Later that night, he sat in his room digging shrapnel out of his own hip. He had avoided medics and his own platoon sergeant at the scene of the explosion, afraid he’d be ordered to leave the scene if they saw the severity of his wound.
On Wednesday, Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston was one of three Marines who received awards for their actions at Abbey Gate following the attack outside of the Kabul airport five years ago. The attack killed 13 U.S.

Building to building. Room to room.

The Army on Wednesday announced the initial five installations that have been selected to host nuclear microreactors as part of the Janus program and named the companies that will build and operate them.
The chosen vendors and the respective bases where their reactors will be deployed include Antares Nuclear at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; BWXT Advanced Technologies at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood, Texas; Radiant Industries at Fort Benning, Georgia; and Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum, New York.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not indicated that he’s anywhere close to giving up on his ambitions and war aims in Ukraine.

However, some observers have noticed that the way Putin has been talking about the war has changed over time.

Su-35 Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Su-35. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

According to Newsweek, in an analysis by David Averre, if one analyzes some of Putin’s recent speeches, “cracks begin to appear in the carefully curated narrative.