Border settlements in both Russia and Ukraine have been subjected to near-daily shelling and drone attacks since Moscow launched its full-scale military offensive in February 2022.

“The village came under shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces. Two adults and a teenager were killed by the enemy strike,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a post on Telegram.

He said two more people, including one child, were also wounded in the attack on the village of Arkhangelskoe, around five kilometers (three miles) from the border with Ukraine.

The area sits just across from Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, where Moscow launched a major new offensive in May in a bid to create a “buffer zone” to protect its own border villages from shelling.

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The military responded by scrambling fighter jets and issuing radio and flare warnings, Minoru Kihara told reporters.

“We confirmed today that a Russian Il-38 patrol aircraft has violated our airspace over our territorial waters north of Rebun Island, Hokkaido, on three occasions,” he said.

“The airspace violation is extremely regrettable and today we lodged a very serious protest with the Russian government via diplomatic channels and strongly urged them to prevent a recurrence.”

Top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi also said on Monday that “we will refrain from giving any definitive information on the intent and purpose of this action, but the Russian military has been active in the vicinity of our country since the invasion of Ukraine.”

Japan has supported the Western position on Ukraine, providing Kyiv with financial and material support and sanctioning Russian individuals and organizations after Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.

Kihara said the new incident was “the first publicly announced airspace incursion by a Russian aircraft since June 2019,” when a Tu-95 bomber entered Japanese airspace in southern Okinawa and around the Izu Islands south of Tokyo.

In 2023, an aircraft believed but not confirmed to be Russian entered Japanese airspace, according to the defense ministry.

The Japanese foreign ministry meanwhile said that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, where both leaders are visiting for the UN General Assembly.

Zelensky thanked Kishida for his support since Russia’s invasion, especially as G7 chair last year, and conferred upon him a top Ukrainian order of merit, a readout said.

Earlier this month, Japan had to scramble fighter jets when Russian aircraft flew around the archipelago for the first time since 2019.

The Tu-142 planes did not enter Japanese airspace but flew over an area subject to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, Tokyo said.

Russian and Chinese warships recently held joint drills in the Sea of Japan, part of a major naval exercise that Russian President Vladimir Putin said was the largest of its kind for three decades.

Japan scrambled fighter jets in August after the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace, with Tokyo calling it a “serious violation” of its sovereignty.

Then last week, a Chinese aircraft carrier sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time. Japan called that incident “totally unacceptable from the perspective of the security environment of Japan and the region.”

China said the passage complied with international law.

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Further details from US officials are expected early this week.

While the package would also include air defense missiles, rockets, and artillery weaponry, the AGM-154 glide weapon equipping Ukraine’s F-16s is considered crucial for Kyiv, considering recent Russian advances in the east.

With a range of over 70 miles (112.6 kilometers), these weapons would allow Ukrainian pilots to target enemy troops and armor from a safer distance.

This US military donation would be the largest provided to Ukraine since May and could be the last before the US presidential elections scheduled for November 5.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently visiting the US to present his war “Victory Plan” to be discussed with President Joe Biden, and both presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

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Camp Reedo is located in the southeast of Estonia and will be managed by the Defence Forces’ 2nd Infantry Brigade.

It incorporates eight primary halls that could receive approximately 1,000 personnel. Facilities include equipment maintenance stations, storage, kitchen and dining areas, as well as laundry buildings.

Camp Reedo’s construction and related capabilities cost 21 million euros ($23.4 million), according to the military investment agency.

The infrastructure was completed in partnership with Tartu-based concrete works company Mapri Ehitus.

“We have accommodated the previous allied units in the Taara settlement, where we have provided them with a barracks and also built one of the largest container settlements in Estonia,” RKIK South Portfolio Manager Peeter Karja stated.

“With the new camp, if necessary, they can stay near the training ground during exercises and practice defending Estonia with the defense forces in good conditions.”

Enabling ‘Strong Confidence’

RKIK highlighted that the center will be operational for accommodations, preparations, and repairs in both crises and peacetime.

“This will make it easier for them to arrive and get combat ready here. After a short stay, the units move to the operational areas or back to the country of origin,” RKIK Training Grounds Portfolio Manager Elari Kalmaru explained.

Estonian Defence Forces 2nd Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Mati Tikerpuu added that the center provides Tallinn’s military with “strong confidence to know that for the allied units with whom we plan and practice the defense of Estonia,” even if “a whole unit should come to help defend if necessary.”

Four-Year Defense Infrastructure Plan

The Reedo campus inauguration follows RKIK’s announcement of an investment worth 500 million euros ($558.6 million) in defense infrastructure over the next four years.

The effort will focus on the adoption of allies and integrating new solutions while maintaining sustainability throughout the country. Related taxi, cleaning, furniture, security, food supply, and catering services are also expected to be procured to support the forthcoming buildings under this framework.

Part of the project is the renovation of a $19.9-million air base in the country’s north revealed in February to further contribute to the multinational NATO Air Policing mission.

The site was originally established during the Soviet era and was relaunched into a NATO center in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

“In order to better protect Estonia, we must be ready to receive allies on a significantly larger scale in order to implement NATO’s new defense plans,” Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur commented on the broader infrastructure strategy.

“However, even now, the Defense Force needs additional space in order to be able to receive additional allied units if necessary and to ensure suitable conditions for accommodation, equipment, weaponry and ammunition storage, as well as training.”

The post Estonia Inaugurates Military Camp Near Russian Border appeared first on The Defense Post.

US officials are asking the war-torn nation to clearly outline its combat objectives for requesting expanded use of US-supplied long-range missiles.

Ukraine has stated that it plans to use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which has a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles), to strike Russian airfields, command centers, and weapons depots deep in enemy territory.

President Joe Biden’s administration currently allows Kyiv to use the weapon only for strikes within Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.

US officials remain skeptical that lifting the restrictions would have a significant impact on the war, noting that it may also come with greater risks.

Growing Pressure

The US has been facing increasing pressure from NATO allies to allow Kyiv greater freedom to hit targets inside Russia to level the battlefield.

Moscow’s forces have been using long-range aircraft, missiles, and drones to attack Ukraine, quickly gaining the upper hand in the ongoing war.

Washington has expressed concerns that doing so would further escalate the war and allow Russia to reverse-engineer some of America’s most sophisticated weapons.

It has also argued that the Ukrainian military is already using long-range drones to strike deep into Russia, which is a cheaper and more strategic method than firing costly missiles.

Additionally, the White House downplayed the capabilities of its ATACMS, stating they would be ineffective now because Moscow has likely moved its most immediate threats to facilities beyond the missile’s range.

“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive, and I stand by that comment,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin affirmed.

Russian Warning

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any strikes using Western weapons deep inside its territory will lead to a significant change in the nature of the conflict.

He said such a move would be viewed as an escalation of the war, making the US and its NATO allies directly involved.

“And if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us,” Putin told reporters.

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The country’s air force department head Col. Hovhannes Vardanyan discussed possible areas of cooperation with Indian Armed Forces Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan at the International Defence Aviation Exposition 2024 in Jodhpur in early September. 

“We are looking at modernising our Su-30s with the help of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited as it has a lot of expertise in the field,” Vardanyan told Hindustan Times.

Though the talks are still in the early stages, an unnamed source from India’s defense ministry informed The Print that Yerevan was looking to upgrade their Su-30s and integrate Indian-made weapons, including guided air-to-surface munitions.

The source noted that first addressing missile export protocols and the regional conflict surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh is crucial.

Tensions in the South Caucasus

Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet republics, have been engaged in a long-standing territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh that has resulted in significant civilian displacement.

Russia acted as a broker for ceasefires and deployed peacekeepers in affected areas.

In the two countries’ 44-day war in 2020, Baku launched a military offensive that was backed by Turkey and also reportedly by Pakistan. 

Meanwhile, Yerevan failed to deploy its four Su-30s bought from Moscow due to their lack of firepower, which significantly contributed to Baku’s ability to regain control over the region. 

The results of this loss, coupled with the landlocked country’s frustrations with delayed Russian imports, prompted its push to diversify its defense partnerships.

India looked to supply arms to Armenia to boost its growing self-reliant defense industry and counterbalance Turkey and Pakistan’s influence in the region.

Since 2020, they have enhanced their military relationship through various arms agreements and announced plans to appoint defense attachés in each other’s countries. 

In the same year, Armenia signed a $40-million defense deal and a $2-billion military partnership with India that included provisions for various Indian-made weapon systems.

Among various munitions supplied recently, India sold its first indigenously designed Pinaka Multiple-Barrel Rocket Launchers to Armenia for around $265 million, facilitated through transfers via Iran. 

“The former Soviet Republic of Armenia has become the largest importer of weapons from India after concluding deals on the purchase of Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems and Akash anti-aircraft systems,” according to an Indian Finance Ministry report. 

Azerbaijan’s Concerns

In July 2023, the assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department Hikmat Hajiyev urged Indian Ambassador Sridharan Madhusudhanan to reconsider how their actions may contribute to Armenia’s militarization and impact ongoing peace negotiations between the two South Caucasus nations.

Hajiyev emphasized that India’s arms supply contradicts its stated foreign policy principles grounded in international law and the Bandung Principles of the Non-Aligned Movement, of which the South Asian country is a member.

In response, Madhusudhanan acknowledged Hajiyev’s concerns while underscoring the necessity for dialogue among involved parties.

The post Armenia Seeks India’s Support to Modernize Air Force: Report appeared first on The Defense Post.

Two Tu-95MS strategic missile carrier bombers were joined by Su-35 and Su-30SM fighter jets in more than 10 hours of flight exercises, which involved executing strikes with air-launched cruise missiles against simulated enemy targets.

The Ocean-2024 military exercises, which ran from September 10 to 16, are the largest since the Soviet era, comprising more than 400 warships, submarines, and auxiliary fleet support vessels.

Furthermore, it involved over 120 aircraft and helicopters from the Navy and Aerospace Forces, around 7,000 military and special equipment units, and more than 90,000 personnel, taking place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans and the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas. 

The post Russian Bombers Train Over Chukchi and East Siberia appeared first on The Defense Post.

Since invading in February 2022, Moscow has carried out near daily drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including targeting areas close to Ukraine’s western borders with EU and NATO members.

Romania and Latvia said earlier this month that Russian drones and missiles flew through their airspace during an overnight attack on Ukraine.

Ministers from nine countries on NATO’s eastern flank expressed their “profound concern over the repeated incursions” into allied airspace by “Russian drones and missiles”, and urged “a collective answer within NATO.”

They also called on the alliance to help “boost our capabilities of detecting, identifying and, if necessary, engaging low and slow flying objects.”

“A robust and coordinated response on an allied level is needed, as well as the swift implementation of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence rotational model,” Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar told reporters after a meeting of the defence ministers in Bucharest.

The group — the so-called “Bucharest Nine” — consists of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga earlier on Wednesday asked Kyiv’s neighbors to explore the possibility of shooting down Russian missiles and drones.

Kicking off a regional tour in Romania, he described Russia’s aerial attacks as a “global threat.”

Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to monitor a Russian drone that flew across its airspace towards Ukraine earlier this month, an incident that has reignited a discussion over whether the country should intercept stray Russian drones.

The current legal framework prevents such engagements during peacetime. Though officials have stressed any drones that intentionally target Romanian territory will be shot down.

Several drone fragments have also been found in Romania throughout the war.

NATO has said it had no indication any of the incidents were an “intentional attack” by Russia against alliance states.

The post NATO Members Call for Response to Stray Russian Drones appeared first on The Defense Post.

The longtime Russian leader on Monday signed a decree boosting the number of active troops by 180,000 soldiers — making the Russian army the second largest in the world by active troop size.

Russia has become increasingly militarized during the Kremlin’s Ukraine offensive and it is the third time Putin has ordered a troop boost since launching the conflict in February 2022.

“In close cooperation between federal and regional authorities, it is necessary to solve the key task of ensuring that the armed forces are manned with prepared, trained people, prepared by personnel,” Putin said during a meeting with defence officials.

“I am referring in particular to the units and compounds of permanent combat readiness of the new military districts,” Putin added.

Russia restructured its military districts earlier this year — forming the Moscow and Leningrad military districts — in response to tensions with the West.

The post Putin to Boost Troop Numbers to 1.5 Million Active Soldiers appeared first on The Defense Post.

Satellite images show several bombers and fighters operated by Moscow’s forces with car tires placed on their wings and the top of their fuselage while stationed at Engels Air Base in Russia’s Saratov Oblast.

According to Schuyler Moore, Chief Technology Officer of US Central Command, the tactic likely aims to disrupt incoming attacks by confusing image-matching weapons searching for hostile aircraft.

“If you put tires on top of the wings, all of a sudden, a lot of computer vision models [will] have difficulty identifying that that’s a plane,” she said during a recent discussion about artificial intelligence (AI) and technology.

Previous analyses suggest that the tires were meant to break up the aircraft’s infrared signatures so incoming missiles would miss their targets. Others speculated that they may be for added protection.

Brace yourselves, because russians have once again showcased unparalleled innovation. What you are looking at is a satellite image featuring a TU-95 strategic bomber covered with car tires. According to them, this should protect strategic bombers from drones pic.twitter.com/ZjDDzRPOWf

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 3, 2023

A Problem With AI-Driven Targeting

Moore’s analysis of Russia’s deception attempt is reportedly part of a broader discussion about AI-driven targeting.

She noted that some weapons rely on pre-set data and image matching to find targets.

Without effective adaptations, an adversary could simply swap or modify their assets to confuse existing targeting systems.

“We’re not saying that we need to have our own internal AI development team. What we need is for our users to better be able to engage with the models that exist out there,” she explained.

“So that means they need to be able to label new data sets that they think are relevant to them. They need to be able to push those labeled data sets to then retrain a model to look for something different.”

The rooftop tyre infection appears to be spreading around the Russian Air Force, now seen here on an Su-34. pic.twitter.com/ysXW96hINL

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 8, 2023

War Deception Tactics

This is not the first time Moscow has employed unusual deceptive strategies during its invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this year, the Russian military painted images of fighter aircraft on the tarmac of its airfields to mislead Ukrainian forces.

According to a UK Ministry of Defence intelligence report, at least 12 Russian air bases employ the same tactic, demonstrating the country’s large-scale use of deception.

Ukraine has also employed decoys of high-value assets to dupe Moscow into believing it had successfully destroyed them.

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