All posts tagged: Nato

NATO on alert as Ukraine warns Putin could attack Baltics | World | News

NATO on alert as Ukraine warns Putin could attack Baltics | World | News

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The North Atlantic Council, the principal political decision-making body within NATO, said: “NATO Allies are deeply concerned about recent malign activities on Allied territory, including those resulting in the investigation and charging of multiple individuals in connection with hostile state activity affecting Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom.” NATO allies condemned Russia’s behaviour and called on the country “to uphold its international obligations.” The statement read: “These incidents are part of an intensifying campaign of activities which Russia continues to carry out across the Euro-Atlantic area, including on Alliance territory and through proxies.” Source link

NATO Drills Show It Is Preparing for Potential Conflict With Russia, Moscow Says

NATO Drills Show It Is Preparing for Potential Conflict With Russia, Moscow Says

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MOSCOW (Reuters) – NATO’s four-month long military exercises near Russia’s borders, known as Steadfast Defender, are proof the alliance is preparing for a potential conflict with Russia, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. The spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, dismissed accusations by NATO this week that Russia is engaged in hybrid attacks on its member states, saying this was misleading “misinformation” aimed at distracting people from the alliance’s activities. It was NATO that had waged a hybrid war with Russia by supporting Ukraine with arms, intelligence and finances, she said in a statement. “Right now, NATO’s largest exercise since the Cold War, Steadfast Defender, is taking place near Russia’s borders. According to their scenario, coalition’s actions against Russia are being practiced using all the instruments, including hybrid and conventional weapons,” she said in a statement. “We have to admit that NATO is seriously preparing for a ‘potential conflict’ with us.” Relations between Russia and the West have been at their most hostile in decades following the start of Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine in …

Germany’s FM says Russia will face consequences for ‘intolerable’ cyberattack

Germany’s FM says Russia will face consequences for ‘intolerable’ cyberattack

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Germany’s top diplomat on Friday said Russia will face consequences after accusing its military intelligence service of masterminding an “absolutely intolerable” cyberattack, as NATO and European Union member countries said they will not let Russia’s “malicious” behavior in cyberspace go unanswered. Issued on: 03/05/2024 – 14:55Modified: 03/05/2024 – 16:40 2 min Relations between Russia and Germany were already tense, with Germany providing military support to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russian state hackers were behind a cyberattack last year that targeted the Social Democrats, the leading party in the governing coalition. “Russian state hackers attacked Germany in cyberspace,” she said at a news conference in the Australian city of Adelaide. “We can attribute this attack to the group called APT28, which is steered by the military intelligence service of Russia.” “This is absolutely intolerable and unacceptable and will have consequences,” she said. The Russian Embassy in Germany on Friday denied Moscow was involved in a 2023 cyberattack. In a statement the embassy said its envoy “categorically rejected …

US fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian nuke bombers heading to NATO | US | News

US fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian nuke bombers heading to NATO | US | News

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US fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian nuclear-capable ‘Bear’ bombers near Alaska. The Russian Defence Ministry admitted that its formidable Tu-95MS strategic bombers made their presence known off the Alaskan coast during an extensive 11-hour patrol over the Bering Sea. The ministry stated: “At certain stages, the missile carriers were accompanied by fighter jets of foreign countries”. Dramatic footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry showcases an encounter between a warplane from the Alaska Air National Guard, clearly identifiable with ‘AK’ and the number ‘304’ emblazoned on its tail fin, and a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet providing escort. The official statement from Russia detailed the operation: “Two Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ long-range aviation carried out a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Bering Sea near the western coast of Alaska,” adding, “The flight lasted over 11 hours. Crews of Su-30SM of the Aerospace Forces provided fighter support.” Moscow has asserted that “all flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces are carried out in strict compliance …

Emmanuel Macron’s chilling six-word warning to Putin | World | News

Emmanuel Macron’s chilling six-word warning to Putin | World | News

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Emmanuel Macron has once again indicated his willingness to deploy NATO troops in Ukraine in a move which one European defence minister warned would trigger World War 3. The French President’s metamorphosis from dove to hawk has been notable in recent months, with the 46-year-old becoming one of Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics. And he used an interview with the Economist to reinforce his bullish message when asked whether he stood by remarks made on February 26, when he hinted at the possibility of direct involvement by allied soldiers. The former banker, who was elected to the French presidency in 2017, insisted: “I’m not ruling anything out, because we are facing someone who is not ruling anything out. “If Russia decided to go further, we will in any case all have to ask ourselves this question.” Mr Macron characterised his ambiguity as a “strategic wake-up call for my counterparts”. Speaking at a time when Russia seized another village in eastern Ukraine, with widespread speculation that Putin is plotting a major new offensive, Mr Macron branded Russia …

Top EU defense official says some NATO countries eyeing higher defense spending target – POLITICO

Top EU defense official says some NATO countries eyeing higher defense spending target – POLITICO

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BRUSSELS — Some European NATO member countries are calling for the alliances’s defense spending target to be raised to 3 percent of GDP from the current 2 percent, the EU’s top defense official said Tuesday. “When the NATO allies are increasing their budget to at least 2 percent of GDP, some people speak about 3 percent already,” Timo Pesonen, the European Commission’s director general for defense industry, said at a European Policy Centre think tank event. The pressure to boost spending comes as Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia drags into its third year. Source link

Ukraine declares day of mourning in Odesa after deadly Russian attack

Ukraine declares day of mourning in Odesa after deadly Russian attack

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The governor of Ukraine’s southern region of Odesa declared a day of mourning Tuesday following a Russian missile attack that killed four people and injured more than 20 others. Governor Oleh Kiper said the Russian attack hit one of the most popular parts of the city of Odesa where locals and tourists go to walk and play sports. Kiper said a fifth person died after suffering a stroke linked to the attack. “Monsters. Beasts. Savages. Scum. I don’t know what else to say,” Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said in a video posted on Telegram. “People are going for a walk by the sea and they are shooting and killing.” In his nightly video address late Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered his condolences to the families of those killed and said the wounded were receiving care. The governor of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region said Tuesday a Russian attack on the regional capital killed at least one person and injured several others. In Dnipropetrovsk, the regional governor said two houses were damaged by Russian artillery and drone …

As Russia’s shadow fleet menaces Sweden, here’s how the EU could help

As Russia’s shadow fleet menaces Sweden, here’s how the EU could help

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Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, the author of the award-winning “Goodbye Globalization” and a regular columnist for POLITICO. An ever-growing headache, Russia’s shadow fleet, which operates outside the official maritime sector and features obscure ownership as well as virtually non-existent insurance, is now menacing Gotland — and thus Sweden. Because these vessels aren’t part of any armed forces, there’s little that NATO can do about them. And while Sweden now hopes that EU sanctions might do the trick, this solution will be slow going. So, what to do in the meantime? In order to get to their destinations, which are often Indian and Chinese ports, Russia’s shadow vessels have to travel through the waters of some NATO countries, as a large share of Russia’s oil leaves via its Baltic Sea ports. But the journey of these rickety, de facto uninsured tankers through the Baltic Sea poses an environmental risk to NATO’s members there — and this is exacerbated by the fact that the shadow vessels are in poor repair. Making …

NATO’s Stoltenberg rebukes allies for tepid support of Ukraine – POLITICO

NATO’s Stoltenberg rebukes allies for tepid support of Ukraine – POLITICO

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Stoltenberg’s warning that failure to support Ukraine “is about life and death” came as Russian forces have made steady gains against Ukrainian defenders suffering shortages of weapons and ammunition thanks to delays in sending supplies. “When we’re not delivering as we should, Ukrainians are paying the price. But also, us,” he said, warning that “the biggest cost will be if Russia wins in Ukraine. Because then we speak about enormous amounts of money the NATO allies would have to invest in security. Supporting Ukraine is the best way to ensure our security.” Stoltenberg acknowledged that in recent weeks allies have been stepping up pledges and deliveries — especially following the U.S. decision to approve $61 billion in arms aid, as well as new packages from the U.K., Canada and other allies. “But [we] have to make sure announcements are turned into deliveries. Because time matters, each day matters,” Stoltenberg said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also warned that Moscow has been taking advantage of the delays in getting arms and ammunition to the front lines.  “Efficiency …