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In a recent post in Russia Matters, the question was asked, “Is Russia Losing More Soldiers In Ukraine Than Its Recruiting?”

In the piece, they state, and correctly so, that this question has been asked since 2024, when the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote that, “Russia may have increased its recruitment rate in recent weeks [of December 2024], although this recruitment rate appears to be thousands of troops short of Russia’s ever-increasing monthly casualty totals.”

Putin in May of 2021 Russian Federation Photo

The ISW repeated these claims several more times.

Rheinmetall has secured a contract to supply weapon systems for the British Army’s new fleet of RCH 155 wheeled howitzers.

Donald Trump, since the start of the Iran military operation earlier this year, has made quite a few major mistakes. He almost certainly thought that the war could be won quickly and painlessly, and that assassinating the Supreme Leader in the early stages of the war might cause the regime to collapse. Putting an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions also proved a lot more difficult than Trump likely imagined.

Iran Responds: Iran has continued its retaliation against the United States, launching new attacks on American military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. The strikes come as Gulf states intensify their efforts to restore diplomatic talks, while Tehran appears unwilling to engage in negotiations that would hinder its ability to develop nuclear weapons.

The French Armament General Directorate has received its first NH90 Standard 2, a variant of the NH90 TTH helicopter from Airbus Helicopters.

As the Army cuts thousands of junior jobs in its aviation corps, the service is offering bonuses as high as $200,000 to senior pilots to remain on active duty for up to six years.
The move comes as the Army announced last year that it would cut 6,500 aviation jobs, and close down nearly all flying units in the reserves. The new Active Duty Service Obligation, or ADSO agreements, will be open to senior flyers but be capped at a soldier’s 25th year in service, according to a July 26 Army message.

Department of Defense CIO Kirsten Davies recently approved a far-reaching directive laying out policy, responsibilities and procedures for information technology category management and digital modernization investments.
The new guidance follows in the footsteps of other Trump administration tech-buying initiatives meant to streamline enterprise IT procurement and leverage economies of scale across the government’s massive footprint, like the General Services Administration’s OneGov initiative for federal civilian agencies. 
DoW Instruction 8000.

Marines will get a new type of ammunition that can be fired from their M4 carbines and M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles and is designed to help them shoot down small drones, a Marine Corps acquisition spokesperson said.
The Drone Round 5.56 L Variant separates into five distinct projectiles after being fired to provide shooters with a better chance of hitting small drones, according to Drone Round, the company that makes the ammunition.
So far, the Marine Corps has bought 400,000 of the rounds, and it intends to purchase another 1 million cartridges in fiscal year 2027, which begins on Oct.

War in the Middle East Expands, with Egypt, Kuwait, and Bahrain Struck: On Friday, the conflict in the Middle East continued to escalate, with more countries becoming involved.

According to CNBC, Iran’s army said on Friday that it has launched strategic strikes on U.S. military assets at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait and Sheik Isa Air Base in Bahrain.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, taxis during Checkered Flag 25-2 at Tyndall AFB, Florida, May 14, 2025.

Superstitious Russians Believe August Is Cursed, Putin Should Take Notice: The cruelest month of the year is April, according to the poet T.S. Eliot, but many Russians consider the month of August cursed.

Could this coming month prove to be Vladimir Putin’s bleakest month? Much of that hinges on an old Russian superstition known as the “August curse,” coupled with mounting domestic pressure from the ongoing meatgrinder in Ukraine, economic strains, and historical precedents of national crises occurring during the month of August.

Putin New Year’s Message.