Russia’s Africa Corps has officially replaced the Wagner Group in Mali, signaling a major shift in Moscow’s paramilitary operations across West Africa.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorized military escorts for Moscow’s so-called “ghost fleet” of covert tankers amid NATO’s BALTOPS war games in the strategic Baltic Sea region.
Russia claimed Sunday that it is still waiting for Ukraine to confirm a planned exchange of 6,000 fallen soldiers, after accusations from both sides that the process has been delayed. Russian Lt. Gen. Alexander Zorin stated that 1,212 bodies of Ukrainian troops had already been delivered to the exchange site at the border, but said there were indications Ukraine may postpone the swap until next week.
Russia unleashed a massive overnight attack on Ukraine’s eastern city of Kharkiv early Saturday, killing at least three and injuring 21. The barrage included aerial glide bombs, cruise missiles, and drones—marking the most intense strike on the city since the war began in February 2022. Ukrainian officials confirmed 215 projectiles were launched, of which air defenses intercepted 87 drones and seven missiles.
President Donald Trump announced that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, acknowledging that there will be no "immediate peace" in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia announced on Monday the formation of a new cybersecurity alliance with 11 authoritarian-leaning nations, including Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, Iran, and China’s allies. The pact, titled “International Cooperation in the Field of Information Security,” seeks to promote a state-controlled model for internet governance and digital policy under the United Nations.
At least 12 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and over 60 injured in a devastating Russian missile strike Sunday on a Ukrainian army training unit, according to Ukraine’s Ground Forces. The attack, which took place at 12:50 p.m., reportedly occurred despite no mass gatherings of personnel, underscoring the constant threat posed by Russian drones and reconnaissance deep behind the front lines.
Britain is set to implement its largest defense spending increase since the Cold War, aiming to send a clear “message to Moscow,” UK Defense Secretary John Healey said Sunday. The Labour government’s plan will push defense spending to 2.5% of national income by 2027—an increase of £13 billion ($17 billion) annually—and Healey expects it to reach 3% in the early 2030s.
Russia unleashed a deadly wave of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least two people, including a 9-year-old girl, as uncertainty looms over possible peace talks in Istanbul next week. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces launched 109 drones and five missiles overnight, with Ukrainian air defenses downing three missiles and 42 drones, while another 30 drones failed to reach their targets.
Iran, China, and Russia have convened to coordinate their positions on Iran's nuclear program, raising concerns about a unified front opposing U.S. efforts.
