Category: Arms Trade, Military Aid

JRL NEWSWATCH: “The third line: How the Pentagon assesses Ukraine’s progress; A rare interview with America’s Defence Intelligence Agency” – The Economist

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Spies, Spy Allegations, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
DIA Headquarters Building, adapted from dia.mil image

“… [DIA Director Trent] Maul … notes that Sergei Surovikin, the Russian general who built [Russia’s] defensive lines [in Ukraine], and Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner Group mercenaries achieved Russia’s most tangible gains of the past year, are both off the battlefield — the former sacked and the latter dead …. [] Maul …  says … Ukraine’s recent successes are ‘significant’ […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “In Ukraine, a U.S. Arms Dealer Is Making a Fortune and Testing Limits” – New York Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Weapon and Ammunition for Ukrainian Live Fire Exercise, adapted from army.mil image

“Billions are pouring into a clubby, secretive arms market. With Pentagon cash and unusually close Ukrainian military ties, Marc Morales has few peers.” “… The [Biden] administration has sent Ukraine more than $40 billion in security aid, including advanced weapons …. But the Pentagon also relies heavily on little-known arms dealers like [Florida-based Marc] Morales … [with] connections … to […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin Faces Geopolitical Setback in South Caucasus” – Foreign Policy

Armenia, Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Yerevan

“Armenia turns toward West after accusing Russia of failing as a partner.” “… Armenia is having second thoughts about its longtime partnership with Russia and is beginning to shift … toward the West, … an embarrassing setback for the Kremlin in the strategic region. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said … his country’s reliance on Russia wasn’t paying off, particularly […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s Stalled Offensive Puts Biden in Uneasy Political Position” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of ATACMS U.S. Army Long-Range Missile, adapted from U.S. Army image at army.mil

“Administration’s hopes that Kyiv could negotiate with Moscow fade with slow progress on the ground.” “… A potential stalemate would test … Biden’s stated strategy of pouring billions … in military aid into Ukraine, to enable Kyiv to negotiate … from a position of strength. It could also challenge the West’s continuing ability to supply weaponry … already in short […]

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VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Brooks and Capehart on cluster munitions for Ukraine” – PBS

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Image of DCIPM artillery shell artist's rendition, adapted from image at army.mil

“This is war. … Zelenskyy[] is fighting or forced to fight a Russian president who’s been ruthless, bombing civilian targets from almost minute one, with Zelenskyy pleading with the United States and the West, please send tanks, please send planes, please send us the most advanced military equipment you can give us, because we need it. … [S]ending cluster munitions […]

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[Excerpt re: Cluster Munitions:] Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Military, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

(whitehouse.gov – July 7, 2023) …. As I mentioned, because we’ve seen all of these reports on the provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine, I will leave it to the Pentagon to make a formal announcement later this afternoon for the next drawdown package and to go into the details of that drawdown package and the specifics on the types […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Treacherous Path to a Better Russia; Ukraine’s Future and Putin’s Fate” – Foreign Affairs/ Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Erica Frantz

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“… Authoritarian leaders rarely lose power while still waging a war they initiated. … [and] authoritarian regimes most often survive in the wake of the departure of longtime leaders … [W]ere Putin to die … or be removed by insiders, the regime would … likely endure …. One development … could spark more substantive change in Russia: a Ukrainian victory. […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “In Rush to Arm Ukraine, Weapons Are Bought but Not Delivered, or Too Broken to Use” – New York Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Some of the weapons sent to Ukraine by other countries have been unusable, and hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts paid up front have yet to be fulfilled.” “Ukraine has paid contractors hundreds of millions of dollars for weapons that have not been delivered, and some of the much-publicized arms donated by its allies have been so decrepit that […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Military Assistance to Ukraine Is a Rare Success” – RAND

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of F-16 in flight above clouds, adapted from image at defense.gov with photo credit, U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Lotz

“… Military aid has a well-deserved bad reputation. Large-scale [U.S.] attempts … to build partner militaries — from Afghanistan to Iraq to Vietnam — have cost billions … while failing to build effective partner forces. Yet the indirect approach[,] … done right, can deliver remarkable strategic effects, as … in Ukraine. While the bravery and resourcefulness of the Ukrainians surely […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Biden shows growing appetite to cross Putin’s red lines” – Washington Post

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Joe Biden at Podium in Front of U.S. and State Department Flags, adapted from image at usembassy.gov

“Despite warnings that arming Ukraine will start a world war, President Biden continues to push the Russian leader’s limits — a strategy that brings risk and reward.” “… A key reason for brushing aside Putin’s threats, U.S. officials say, is a dynamic that has held since the opening days of the war: Russia’s president has not followed through on promises […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin is terrified of Ukraine’s counteroffensive” – The Telegraph

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Iran, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Airstrikes on Kyiv were an attempt to undermine morale. Instead, they will have strengthened it.” “Putin is in a panic over the expected Ukrainian counteroffensive, which may already be in its preliminary ‘battlefield-shaping’ stage. He doesn’t know … when the offensive will be launched, where it will strike or whether it will succeed. … [H]e does know … that if […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Russian Red Line Washington Won’t Cross – Yet” – The Atlantic

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Ukraine wants long-range missiles to regain Crimea and end the war. Why won’t Washington supply them?” “… Despite repeated pleas, the United States has not given Kyiv land-based missiles capable of hitting Russia. … Sustained Ukrainian attacks inside Russia’s territory could violate Putin’s red lines in a way that previous strikes haven’t. So could repeatedly hitting Crimea, the peninsula that […]

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Russia in Review, May 19-26, 2023 – 5 Things to Know

Arms Trade, Military Aid, China, Cybersecurity, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Headlines, Human Rights, Military, NATO, Nuclear Energy, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and Red Square file photo, adapted from image at state.gov

( Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) Two Russian rebel groups linked to the Ukrainian military raided a number of settlements in western Russia this week before being expelled. The rebels used U.S.-made vehicles in the raids, prompting U.S. officials to remind Kyiv that Washington doesn’t condone the use of U.S.-delivered equipment in attacks inside Russia. The U.S. intelligence community believes at […]

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AUDIO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “What are realistic expectations for Ukraine’s military offensive?” – NPR

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… The U.S. and other NATO nations are sending Ukraine tanks, drones and artillery … as [Ukraine] plans [its expected next] offensive. The West also recently pledged to meet Ukraine’s long-standing request for F-16[‘s], [a scenario still requiring] the Ukrainian air force [to spend months] … learn[ing] how to fly and maintain [them] …. … [T]his lengthy Ukrainian buildup has […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Zelensky Makes Latest Stop on Tour to Drum Up Support Ahead of Planned Offensive” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Britain, UK, United Kingdom, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of British Parliament Building, Big Ben, Thames, adapted from image at loc.gov

“Ukrainian president adds Britain to his tour of European nations as U.K. offers hundreds of attack drones.” “… Zelensky last week said Ukraine needed more time before it[s] … offensive because its military awaited equipment promised by Western partners … that proceeding now would cost too many lives. … [F]ace-to-face meetings with [European] counterparts … are designed to drive home […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s Dogged Effort to Get Weapons to the Battlefield, Not the Black Market” – New York Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of HIMARS Missile Being Launched, adapted from image at army.mil

“They can’t track every shell, but at a time of heightened scrutiny in Washington they know they can ill afford slips with the big ticket items.” “… Rocket launchers, precision-guided missiles and billions of dollars’ worth of other advanced American weapons have given Ukraine a fighting chance against Russia …. [I]n Washington, against a looming government debt crisis and growing […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Needs More Than a $30 Billion Arsenal to Strike Back” – Bloomberg

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Success of NATO training programs could prove critical Counteroffensive needs surprise and ‘combined arms’ approach” “Armed with … over $30 billion in weapons freshly supplied by its allies, Ukraine is gearing up for a counteroffensive that may push Russia closer to ending its war, or show neither side has enough firepower to seize the advantage. Kyiv’s troops will leverage that […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The West should supply Ukraine with F-16s; Or Russian fighter jets may win control of Ukrainian skies” – The Economist

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File photo of F-16 with Arctic colors above runway, adapted from image at defense.gov with photo credit: U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Jonathan Snyder

“As Ukraine prepares … for a … counter-offensive …. [h]aving finally received the tanks it had been pleading for since last year, Ukraine has increased the intensity of its demands for fighter jets. … About 30 former Warsaw Pact mig-29s are on their way from Poland and Slovakia. But what Ukraine says it needs are … American f-16s … the […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “NATO: Ukraine allies sent 1,550 combat vehicles, 230 tanks” – AP

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Leopard Tank Preparing to Ford a River, adapted from Defense.gov image with photo credit to Army Sgt. Garrett Ty Whitfield

“NATO allies and partner countries have delivered more than 98% of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine during Russia’s invasion and war, [NATO’s] chief said Thursday, giving Kyiv a bigger punch as it contemplates launching a counteroffensive. Along with more than 1,550 armored vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, Ukraine’s allies have sent ‘vast amounts of ammunition’ and also trained […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Seeks to Deplete Ukraine’s Air Defenses Ahead of Kyiv’s Expected Offensive” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
BUK SAM file photo adapted from image at army.mil

“Renewed drone barrage comes ahead of meeting between Ukraine’s Western backers.” “… The latest drone barrage comes as Russia seeks to erode Ukraine’s air defenses ahead of a planned [Ukrainian] offensive … expected in … coming weeks. … [also] after purported [leaked] Pentagon presentations … show[ing] [that] Ukraine is running out of antiaircraft missiles, predicting Russia could achieve … [localized] […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin, Zelenskyy rally troops with war poised for new phase” – AP

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Germany, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Putin [reportedly] visited [Russian] command posts … in Ukraine for the second time in two months … while … Zelenskyy made his latest trip near the front line. … [T]he war approaches its 14th month [as] … Kyiv readies a possible counteroffensive with Western-supplied weapons. Some of the most significant of those weapons appeared to have recently arrived …. Ukraine […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Military briefing: Ukraine pleads for missiles as air defence stocks run low” – Financial Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Patriot Missile Launch file photo

“Some allies fear Kyiv’s planned counter-offensive will falter if Russian air power is left unchecked.” “… Ukraine will plead for urgent shipments of surface-to-air missiles … fearful that an acute shortage could allow Russia to launch widespread bombing attacks. Kyiv [reportedly] will press allies to bolster their dwindling stocks at the so-called Ramstein military co-ordination group on Friday …. Without […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The West Needs a New Strategy in Ukraine: A Plan for Getting From the Battlefield to the Negotiating Table” – Foreign Affairs/ Richard Haass, Charles Kupchan

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“The best path forward is a sequenced two-pronged strategy aimed at first bolstering Ukraine’s military capability and then, when the fighting season winds down late this year, ushering Moscow and Kyiv … to the negotiating table. The West should start by immediately expediting the flow of weapons to Ukraine and increasing their quantity and quality. … to bolster Ukraine’s defenses […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. doubts Ukraine counteroffensive will yield big gains, leaked document says” – Washington Post

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“It’s a marked departure from the Biden administration’s public pronouncements about the vitality of Ukraine’s army and is likely to embolden critics calling for negotiations to end the war.” “… [T]he bleak assessment from early February warns of significant ‘force generation and sustainment shortfalls,’ and the likelihood that such an operation will result in only ‘modest territorial gains.’ … Military […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Has war in Ukraine sealed the bond between Russia and China?” – Christian Science Monitor/Fred Weir

Arms Trade, Military Aid, China, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Beijing Temple, adapted from image at lbl.gov

“Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin’s summit in Moscow was nominally meant to be about bringing peace to Ukraine. But it appears to have strengthened the countries’ partnership against the West.” “When … Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow [last week] for a three-day summit with … Putin, one of the most talked about [subjects] … was a Chinese-mediated settlement for the […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “No Ukraine offensive without more weapons – Zelensky” – BBC

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of HIMARS Missile Being Launched, adapted from image at army.mil

“… Zelensky … told a Japanese newspaper he would not send his troops to the frontlines without more tanks, artillery and Himars rocket launchers. … There has been talk for some weeks of Ukraine launching a spring offensive against Russian forces. Ukrainian commanders have hinted it might be imminent. … Some analysts say Ukraine’s military is talking up the idea […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin is running out of time to win the ammunition war against the West” – The Telegraph (UK)

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File photo of 88mm howitzers and troops in field, with shell in mid-flight, adapted from image at defense.gov

“Russia’s feeble economy cannot compete with Western production.” “As the war in Ukraine grinds on, discussion over Western assistance to the Ukrainians has focused on sophisticated weapons: missiles, battle tanks, precision munitions, and combined air operations – aka ‘fighter jets.’ [Yet] the key issue … now is supplies of ordinary dumb artillery shells. … One should … note that Russia […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “For China, arming Russia would be folly” – Washington Post

Arms Trade, Military Aid, China, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Sanctions, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Beijing Temple, adapted from image at lbl.gov

“Chinese leader Xi Jinping is considering sending lethal aid to Moscow’s forces in Ukraine. That would be a profound mistake.” “… Until now, China has wisely kept its distance, paying lip service to its partnership with Russia while mostly adhering to Western sanctions. … Despite requests for weaponry … China has so far sent only nonlethal aid, such as helmets […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Under Pressure to Launch Counteroffensive That Will Appease NATO” – Newsweek

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… As Kyiv estimates that nearly 150,000 Russian soldiers have died since the war’s inception, Ukrainian forces may ‘strategically pull back’ from Bakhmut to avoid additional casualties of their own in what has become one of the bloodiest battles since July. … NATO officials expressed concern … that stockpiles could quickly diminish if the West doesn’t expand its industrial repertoire, […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Time Is on Russia’s Side, Not Ukraine’s; The U.S. and its allies need to act at the speed of war as they deliver arms to Kyiv.” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Putin isn’t indifferent to public opinion, [but] he isn’t constrained by it to the extent that leaders of democracies are. He is putting his economy on a wartime footing, which will increase the production of artillery and ammunition …. After a faltering start, he has … double[d] … Russian [forces] in Ukraine … to sustain … assaults on Ukrainian […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The U.S. will send more ammunition to Ukraine” – New York Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File photo

“The United States is set to send more aid to Ukraine, most of it ammunition for equipment such as HIMARS rocket launchers, before an anticipated Russian assault this spring. … Ukraine is running low on ammunition after a year of fighting Russia. The world’s biggest producers of ammunition cannot keep up with the pace of fighting, which is straining global […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukrainians are begging for cluster munitions to stop the Russians” – Washington Post

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Human Rights, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Image of DCIPM artillery shell artist's rendition, adapted from image at army.mil

“… [T]here’s a weapon that could do a great deal to help Kyiv stave off future attacks [] and … be provided in large amounts at short notice: cluster munitions. … a controversial move with real risks. … More than 100 countries have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions … ban[ning] … stockpiling or use. The weapons … consist of […]

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Russia Analytical Report, Jan. 23-30, 2023 – 4 Ideas to Explore

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatter.org – Jan. 30, 2023) No Russian government would ever accept Ukrainian independence, George Kennan warned in a 1948 paper. The United States should not encourage Ukraine’s separation from Russia, but if it were to occur, Washington should not interfere even though an independent Ukraine would be “challenged eventually from the Russian side,” according to Kennan’s paper, […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Boost for Ukraine as U.S. expected to send longer-range rockets” – Reuters

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Small Diameter Bomb file photo, adapted from image at af.mil

“News that the United States could soon send rockets nearly doubling the firing range of Ukrainian forces gave Kyiv a big lift … even as its troops were being pushed back by a relentless Russian winter offensive in the east. In … Kyiv, authorities raided the home of one of Ukraine’s most prominent billionaires and a former interior minister, the […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Why Ukraine Hasn’t Been a Boon to U.S. Defense Companies” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Aerial Photo of Pentagon and Environs

“Soaring demand for munitions hasn’t translated yet into big sales for arms producers suffering from supply chain snarls, labor shortages.” “… [Q]uantities of arms the U.S. is sending to Ukraine are eye-catching: [such as] thousands of artillery shells and missiles, and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition …. [with] [t]he total security assistance package[]now worth more than $27 billion […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Last Taboo: Germany’s Leopard Tanks Are a Game Changer with Significant Risks” – Der Spiegel

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Germany, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Leopard Tank Preparing to Ford a River, adapted from Defense.gov image with photo credit to Army Sgt. Garrett Ty Whitfield

“With the delivery of Leopard battle tanks from Germany, the Ukraine war is entering into a new and dangerous phase. Olaf Scholz must … clean up the political damage … hold his country together and find a path … to end the conflict. … NATO has … stayed out of the war, but … wants to be prepared. … [NATO] […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Western Tanks Heading to Ukraine Raise Stakes for Russia’s Next Move” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Germany, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Poland, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Leopard Tank Preparing to Ford a River, adapted from Defense.gov image with photo credit to Army Sgt. Garrett Ty Whitfield

“Moscow could increase defenses or attacks but is already struggling to gain ground.” “Months before modern Western tanks reach Ukraine, their anticipated delivery has the power to shift battlefield dynamics by forcing Russia to act faster than it had planned — or is ready — to do. The U.S., Germany, Poland and other [Ukrainian] allies … said they would send […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Germany to Send Tanks to Ukraine, With U.S. Set to Follow; Berlin says it and allies will quickly provide two battalions of Leopard tanks for Ukraine” – Wall Street Journal/ Bojan Pancevski, Bertrand Benoit

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Germany, Headlines, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Leopard Tank Preparing to Ford a River, adapted from Defense.gov image with photo credit to Army Sgt. Garrett Ty Whitfield

“Germany will send 14 of its modern Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a coordinated push with the U.S. and other allies to escalate their support for Kyiv ahead of an expected Russian offensive …. follow[ing] … intense diplomacy between Berlin and Washington, which is expected to announce a donation of up to 50 U.S.-made Abrams M1 […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Europe Needs a Strategy for Russia After Putin; Competing ideas about the end state of the war are striving for dominance” – Foreign Policy/ Bart M. J. Szewczyk

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Europe, adapted from image at loc.gov

“As defense ministers of NATO and other nations met … and tried to resolve … divisions over supplying Ukraine with the heavy weapons it needs to drive Russian forces out of its territory … there are very different visions of the end state of the war and the region’s future. Among European countries, especially, there are stark differences … [with] […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “To Defend Civilization, Defeat Russia” – The Atlantic

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Ukraine needs any weapon its troops can learn to use, including tanks, to hold the line on the international order and the world’s safety.” “Some NATO nations are wavering about sending tanks and other advanced weapons to Ukraine. I understand fears of escalation, but if Russia wins in Ukraine, the world will lose. …” Click here for: “To Defend Civilization, […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “A Brutal New Phase of Putin’s Terrible War in Ukraine” – New York Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Ukraine has won repeated and decisive victories …, clawed back some of its lands and cities and withstood lethal assaults on … infrastructure[] [but] the war is at a stalemate. Still, the fighting rages on, including a ferocious battle for … Bakhmut in … eastern Donetsk …. Cruel, seemingly random Russian missile strikes at civilian targets have become a […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine war: Bakhmut defenders plea for Western tanks” – BBC

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of T-72 Tanks in Bulgaria, adapted from image at defense.gov, with photo credit to Cpl. Immanuel Johnson

“… Plans to send German-made Leopard tanks and UK Challengers to the front lines here in the Donbas have been greeted with visible excitement by Ukrainian forces, who have been taking heavy casualties in recent weeks, around Bakhmut, and, more particularly, during the ferocious struggle for the nearby town of Soledar. … The war in Ukraine has, in many ways, […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Won’t Be Using Patriot Missiles Anytime Soon After Omnibus’ Passing” – Newsweek

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Patriot Missile Launch file photo

“The recently-approved Patriot air missile defense system from the United States is heading to Ukraine, but the timeline for … delivery and implementation remains vague. The missile defense system is the standout piece of an additional $1.85 billion in security assistance announced by [DOD] … Wednesday simultaneously as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington D.C. …. While … Putin dismissed […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. Spending Bill Contains Billions for Ukraine” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
American Flag and Partial View of U.S. Capitol Dome, adapted from image at aoc.gov

“… Here is some of what is in the bill … $9 billion to arm, equip and train Ukrainian forces …. on top of the nearly $20 billion in [U.S.] military hardware … already sent …. $7 billion … to fund the surge of U.S. troops and gear to Europe …. $687 million for Army ammunition plants[] to build capacity […]

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Russia Analytical Report, Nov. 28-Dec. 5, 2022: 4 Ideas to Explore

Arms Trade, Military Aid, China, Headlines, Iran, Military, NATO, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Dec. 5, 2022) While rightly helping Ukraine to defend itself, the Pentagon and weapons contractors should not be allowed to exploit the crisis to expand the U.S. arms industry “in ways that go far beyond what is needed to help Ukraine in its current conflict,” according to William Hartung of the Quincy Institute for Responsible […]

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Despite Russian Reliance on Iranian Drones, Tehran’s Leverage Over Moscow Is Limited

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Iran, Middle East, North Africa, Military, Nuclear Proliferation, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Iran with Iranian Flag, adapted and edited from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Mark N. Katz, Vlad Wallace – Dec. 1, 2022) Mark N. Katz is a professor of government and politics at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government, and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author. Student associate Vlad Wallace researched and […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Europe accuses U.S. of profiting from war; EU officials attack Joe Biden over sky-high gas prices, weapons sales and trade as Vladimir Putin’s war threatens to destroy Western unity.” – Politico

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Joe Biden at Podium in Front of U.S. and State Department Flags, adapted from image at usembassy.gov

“… Top European officials are furious with Joe Biden’s administration … accus[ing] … Americans of making a fortune from the war, while EU countries suffer. … The biggest point of tension [recently]… has been Biden’s green subsidies and taxes that Brussels says unfairly tilt trade away from the EU and threaten to destroy European industries. Despite formal [European] objections … […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “How Was Russia Able to Launch Its Biggest Aerial Attack on Ukraine?” – New York Times

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Iran, JRL NewsBlog, Military, North Korea, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Iskander Missile with Launch file photo

“Western and Ukrainian officials have said Moscow’s stockpile of missiles was dwindling. But the assaults this week raise questions about that.” “The 96-missile barrage fired across Ukraine on Tuesday was Russia’s biggest aerial attack of the war …. Whether… long planned, as Ukrainian commanders say … a deadly response to Kyiv’s recapture of … Kherson … [it] raises questions about […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia needs a respite, so the West must help Ukraine fight on” – The Economist

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“The mishap in Poland should concentrate minds on tackling the cause of the conflict” “The rocket that landed in Poland on November 15th, killing two people, was … not … from Russia. But the Ukrainian interceptor which fell to the ground would never have been launched were it not for Russia’s brutal aerial assault on Ukraine that day — its […]

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Senior Defense Official and Senior Military Official Hold a Background Briefing [Re: Ukraine and Russia]

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Aerial Photo of Pentagon and Environs

(U.S. Department of Defense – Oct. 31, 2022) SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Thanks very much for joining us. Today’s background briefers will include [REDACTED] and me, [REDACTED]. For attribution, please refer to [REDACTED] as “a senior defense official,” and to me as “a senior military official”. And with that, I will turn it over to the senior defense official for opening […]

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