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Russian Mistral Vladivostok under construction on April 22, 2014. U.S. Naval Institute Combat Fleets of the World Photo
France is set to pay Russia $1.2 billion to settle the lingering dispute over two amphibious warships in a deal that went sour over the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine, according to French and Russian media reports. Read More
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark at The Atlantic Council on March 30, 2015. Atlantic Council Photo
The Russians and Russian-backed forces in Ukraine are poised to launch a new offensive, probably between Orthodox Easter and before V-E Day in early May the former supreme commander of NATO Forces said in a presentation at The Atlantic Council. Read More
Undated photo of two Tupolev+Tu-22M Backfire bombers. Finnish Defense Forces Photo
A series of so-called snap drills by Russia’s Northern Fleet and its Western Military District will include deployments of high-end ballistic Iskander mobile ballistic missile systems (NATO Reporting name: SS-26 Stone) to Russia’s exclave in Kaliningrad and Tupolev Tu-M22 Backfire bombers to the exclave and Crimea, according to Tuesday Russian state media reports. Read More
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin is engaged in “an existential struggle” with the West, not only in Ukraine and other close-by former Soviet states, but particularly to undermine NATO in the Baltic nations, a leading expert on Russia and Eurasia said Tuesday at the Heritage Foundation. Read More
Iskander mobile ballistic missile systems (NATO Reporting name: SS-26 Stone) during a practice parade in Moscow in 2010. via Wikipedia
PENTAGON — Since Russia has taken control of the Crimean region of Ukraine, it has moved a significant number of anti-air and anti-surface missile systems onto the peninsula that could hit targets in most of the Black Sea region, the supreme commander of NATO and U.S. European Command (EUCOM) told reporters in a Wednesday afternoon briefing. Read More
General John Campbell, commander of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Dec. 28, 2014. via Reuters
All Americans remember where they were when they learned about the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but few Americans noticed—and fewer seemed to care—when Gen. John Campbell rolled up the International Security Afghanistan Force (ISAF) battle flag on Dec. 28. That ceremonial act officially and symbolically ended the ISAF combat mission in Afghanistan. Read More
Russian sailors in French port of Saint-Nazaire via Reuters
The 400 sailors trained to operate the Mistral-class amphibious warship Vladivostok left the French port of Saint-Nazaire on Thursday, according to a video posted by a Saint-Nazaire city official. Read More
RC-135. US Air Force Photo
U.S. surveillance planes have flown almost daily missions right on the edge of Russian controlled airspace, the head of the Russian Air Force told reporters on Tuesday. Read More
Undated photo of a Tupolev Tu-95 Bear Bomber. Finnish Defence Forces Photo
Russian aircraft have stepped up flights over the Baltic Sea to the country’s exclave in Kalliningrad in the last week, according to a Tuesday statement from Finnish Defence Forces. Read More
Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok via Reuters
Russia has given the French government a choice, either deliver the two promised Mistral-class amphibious warships to the Russian Navy or refund the purchase price of the $1.53 billion program, a Russian foreign policy official told reporters on Monday. Read More
