Cipher Brief exclusive: Former six-time CIA station chief Ralph Goff details the status of the frontlines in Ukraine and where Kyiv needs the most help from its allies. EXPERT Q&A — The Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace this week underscores how far Russia is from the negotiating table and agreeing to a just, sustainable peace in Ukraine. Ralph Goff, …
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Can NATO Still Scare Putin?
Experts believe that any effective strategy to address the incursions must be focused on deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin. And despite earlier promises to impose stricter sanctions on Russia if President Putin does not end the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump now says that the U.S. will only carry through with those sanctions if NATO member states do the …
Read More »Opinion | China’s Victory Day parade was a message to the Global South
China’s Victory Day military parade presents a fascinating paradox. With over 12,000 troops reportedly marching through Tiananmen Square, this spectacle celebrates a defensive military doctrine while showcasing power-projection capabilities that would make any expeditionary force envious. It reveals how Beijing is pioneering a new grammar of military power that particularly resonates with the Global South. The parade’s most consequential audience …
Read More »Mainland China plans to defeat Taiwan’s most advanced weapons
A popular mainland Chinese military magazine has detailed plans to counter Taiwan’s most advanced weapons in a conflict – including its newly acquired US-made Himars multiple rocket launcher – a weapon it says does not change the battlefield. Ordnance Science and Technology published an analysis article in August that focused on the performance of three weapons showcased by Taiwan during …
Read More »China warns against ‘unilateral actions’ as US pushes tariffs over Russian oil
Beijing has warned against “unilateral actions” targeting Chinese interests, as the US intensifies pressure on Western allies to impose steep tariffs on China and India for allegedly “enabling” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by continuing to buy Russian oil. US President Donald Trump issued a letter to Nato members on Saturday, urging them to stop buying Russian oil and jointly impose …
Read More »Inside Ukraine’s Innovation Under Fire
Cipher Brief exclusive: Retired CW5 Joey Gagnard details how Ukrainian commanders are rewriting the rulebook on tech, tactics, and survival. EXPERT Q&A —This week, after the Russian drone incursions into Poland, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will train Polish representatives on the counter drone tactics that it has developed in the war. Retired Chief Warrant Officer (CW5) Joey Gagnard, …
Read More »Putin’s Drone Hit a NATO Nerve in Poland, Opening an Opportunity for Ukraine
In a swift response, NATO announced that it is bolstering it’s eastern flank defenses. Germany is expanding air policing over Poland. France is sending 3 Rafale fighter jets and The Netherlands is sending two Patriot air defenses, NASAMS and counter drone systems to Warsaw. The Czech Republic is sending additional helicopters and up to 150 soldiers to help defend Poland’s …
Read More »Russia Pays the Price as Ukraine Targets Its Oil Refineries
OPINION — Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Vladimir Putin expected a swift victory from his “special military operation.” Instead, it is Kyiv now conducting special air campaigns against Russia’s oil and gas industry. Ordinary Russians are beginning to feel the war’s costs more directly and the pressure on the Kremlin is growing. Since late 2023, Ukraine has unleashed a …
Read More »The Math of Moscow’s War: Five Thousand Kilometers, One Million Dead and Wounded
OPINION — “Since January 2024, Russian forces have seized approximately 5,000 square kilometers [1,931 square miles] of additional Ukrainian territory, less than one percent of the country. In certain areas, such as Kharkiv, Russia’s rate of advance is as little as 50 meters [55 yards] per day on average. These incremental gains have come at the cost of heavy losses. …
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