Former FSB agent and Russian commander Igor Strelkov (Girkin) is out of prison, heading to Ukraine to fight now.

Ukraine is basically testing a domestically produced glide bomb analog with a Universal Flight and Correction Module (UMPK).

— The goal is to enable Ukrainian aircraft to conduct long-range precise bombing strikes. The bomb appears to be a modified Soviet-era free-fall bomb with added components.

— It features folding wings and an aerodynamic fairing to improve flight characteristics.

— The tail section contains X-shaped control surfaces (rudders) and possibly a solid-fuel accelerator or jet engine.

— The additional propulsion system increases the bomb's range and reduces risks to the crew from enemy air defenses.

Source: Militarnyi

Girkin's family and lawyers denies these reports now.

China's Bohai Shipyard has undergone massive expansion.

— Bohai is now assessed to be the largest nuclear submarine building yard globally, with a total final assembly hall area of 118,330 sqm.

— The shipyard now has state-of-the-art facilities for nuclear submarine construction with a total of 24 submarine building bays.

The shipyard is now capable of producing:

— 3-4 SSNs (nuclear attack submarines) per year.
— 1.5-2 SSBNs (ballistic missile submarines) per year.
— A total of 4.5-6 nuclear submarines annually.

— 6 new SSNs were launched between May 2022 and July 2023, with production stabilizing at one SSN every 4 months.

— This rapid expansion and production capacity signals that China has moved from iterative development to large-scale serial production of nuclear submarines, comparable to peak Cold War production rates of the US and Soviet Union.

Source: ORF, Monty Khanna

Russian fiber-optic FPV drone hits a group of Ukrainian soldiers inside a building.

Fiber-optic FPV drones are notable for their ability to provide high-quality video transmission and reliable control.

They also maintain a continuous and stable video signal.

Trump suggests he will lift US sanctions on Russia and Iran if he wins.

"You’re losing Iran, you’re losing Russia. China is out there trying to get their currency to be the dominant currency."

The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on plans to withdraw US-led coalition forces from Iraq.

— The plan is broadly agreed upon but still needs final approval from both governments and an announcement date.

— Hundreds of troops are expected to leave by September 2025. The remaining troops would depart by the end of 2026.

— The US has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria. Other coalition nations, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, also contribute hundreds of troops.

Source: Reuters

Taliban Humvee with hood removed & ZSU-23-4 AA gun installed.

#BREAKING Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, WSJ reports.

Washington has informed allies of the Iranian move in the past couple of days, European officials said.

🌻 Ukrainian MiG-29 after making an emergency landing in the spring of 2024.

Israel has received about $310 billion (adjusted for inflation) in total U.S. aid since its founding in 1948, making it the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid.

— Israel currently receives about $3.8 billion annually in U.S. aid.

— U.S. aid accounts for about 15% of Israel's defense budget.

— U.S. law requires maintaining Israel's military superiority in the region.

Source: Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)

Ukraine destroyed yet another Russian Army ammunition depot in Voronezh region last night.