In a first, NATO accused China of being a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war against Ukraine.

— The alliance demanded that China stop shipping weapons components and technology crucial for rebuilding Russia's military.

— This marks a significant shift for NATO, which until 2019 never officially mentioned China as a concern.

— The statement was approved by the 32 leaders of the alliance before a White House dinner.

— The declaration implies that China's support for Russia will have consequences.

— It states that China "cannot enable the largest war in Europe in recent history without this negatively impacting its interests and reputation."

— While not supplying full weapons systems, China has provided computer chips, advanced software, and components for Russia to rebuild its defense industry.

— The U.S. provided intelligence evidence to NATO countries to convince skeptics of China's role.

Former US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Florida today.

— This meeting follows Orbán's recent encounters with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China.

— There are worries that Orbán might be acting as an intermediary between Putin and Trump.

China is constructing a secret military base in Tajikistan, as revealed by satellite images. This base has been under construction for nearly a decade.

— The facility is located in a remote, mountainous area at an elevation of 13,000 feet. It includes lookout towers and houses troops from both China and Tajikistan.

— Neither government has publicly acknowledged the existence of the base, which expands upon a former Soviet outpost.

— China's construction of this base is seen as part of its broader strategy to expand its military footprint along its borders, similar to its actions in the Himalayas with India.

— The base is believed to be a response to security concerns arising from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which shares an 800-mile border with Tajikistan.

— China is providing ammunition and technology to Tajikistan as part of its plans to create an "advanced line of defense."

Source: The Telegraph

Donald Trump is considering reducing intelligence sharing with NATO members if he wins a second term as president, Politico reports.

— This could have significant security implications, especially for Ukraine in its efforts against Russian invasion.

— The Biden administration has expanded intelligence sharing with allies, particularly regarding Russia.

— European countries rely heavily on U.S. intelligence for information about Russian military movements and tactics.

— U.S. intel has provided vital information about Russia's partnerships with Iran and North Korea, and its use of Chinese military technology.

— There are concerns that European allies might retaliate by also withholding intelligence from the U.S.

Turkish President Erdogan:

We do not view the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an alternative to NATO, nor do we consider BRICS as a substitute for any other international alliance.

Pakistani Air Force F-16 fighters greet and accompany Air Force No. 1 of Azerbaijan upon entering Pakistani airspace.

The genocide in Srebrenica, exactly 29 years ago.

— Europe's worst mass atrocity ever since World War II.

— More than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina were killed.

— The killings were perpetrated by units of the Bosnian Serb Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) under the command of Ratko Mladić.

— In the days following the fall of Srebrenica, Bosnian Serb forces systematically executed thousands of Bosniak men and boys, with some killings occurring in warehouses, fields, and other sites.

— The women, children, and elderly were forcibly deported from the area.

Argentine Defense Minister Luis Alfonso Petri is reported to have announced Argentina's readiness to supply weapons to Ukraine.

“We must support countries that defend their freedom and democracy,” he said.

Argentina's government announced plans to transfer two Russian-made Mi-17E transport helicopters to Ukraine before.

Petri stressed that neutrality is no longer a viable option in the current international context.

Argentina can aalso supply ammunition for light weapons, mortars, and 155mm artillery.

France transfers a new batch of armored vehicles to New Caledonia after anti-France riots.

Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets accompany Azerbaijan President Aliyev's aircraft in Pakistani airspace.

Azerbaijan reportedly signed a $1.6 billion contract with Pakistan to purchase an unspecified number of JF-17C Block 3 multi-role combat aircraft for the Azerbaijani Air Force in February 2024.

Greek Coast Guard vessel rammed and damaged a Turkish fishing boat while it was fishing in international waters, 4 miles off Zurafa Island in the northern Aegean Sea.

BIG: US intelligence discovered a Russian plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall.

— The US informed Germany, whose security services then protected Papperger and foiled the plot.

— This was part of a series of planned assassinations targeting defense industry executives across Europe supporting Ukraine.

— The assassination plots are part of a larger campaign including sabotage, arson, and other covert activities.

— US military bases in Europe were placed on heightened alert due to potential Russian-backed sabotage threats.

— Various arrests and investigations across Europe related to Russian-linked sabotage activities.

Obstacle course training for Ukrainian FPV & bomber drone operators.

Operators work with caged civilian cars & under EW.

Foreign surgeons working in Gaza hospitals have reported devastating injuries to civilians, particularly children, caused by Israeli-made weapons designed to spray high levels of shrapnel.

— They use "fragmentation sleeves" around explosive warheads to maximize casualties.

— Weapons include small metal cubes (about 3mm wide) and ball bearings. Examples mentioned: Spike missiles, M329 APAM shells, and M339 rounds.

— Tiny entry wounds (1-2mm) that cause extensive internal damage. Severe damage to bones, organs, blood vessels, and nerves. High rates of amputations, especially among children. Injuries are often more severe in children due to their smaller bodies.

— Many survivors face long-term health issues and need ongoing care.

— A 6-year-old boy died from internal injuries despite surgery. A 9-year-old girl named Jouri suffered severe injuries and needed multiple surgeries. A 7-year-old girl had her left arm amputated due to shrapnel injuries.

Source: The Guardian

Russian Tor-M2 SAM fires at Ukrainian reconnaissance drone, but misses. Then it gets hit by GMLRS.

Equivalent of over 250 tonnes of TNT exploding in Tianjin, China. (2015)

— The explosions killed 173 people, including 104 firefighters, and injured over 800 others.

— The initial explosion was caused by the auto-ignition of a container of dry nitrocellulose, which then triggered the detonation of around 800 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the facility.

— The second explosion was equivalent to the detonation of 21 tons of TNT.

— The explosions caused extensive damage, destroying 304 buildings, 12,428 cars, and 7,533 shipping containers. The blasts also affected nearby residential areas, shattering windows and damaging ceilings up to 2 km away.

— The total economic loss was estimated at around $9 billion.

New Hamas clash footage from Gaza.

Denmark must give Ukraine all its air defense systems, Prime Minister Frederiksen says.

“We decided many months ago to give all our artillery to Ukraine. Why? Because in Ukraine it will be used better than in Denmark. And now we have to do the same with air defense.”

Biden just introduced Ukrainian President Zelensky as “President Putin”.

Zelensky says he’s “better” than Putin after Biden’s goof.