Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said his country is doubling down on anti-drone capability development efforts after a video analysis showed that a drone was used to capture footage of Japan’s defense-related activities and facilities. The footage, posted on a Chinese social media platform over a month ago, showed upgrades being made on the helicopter...
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Category: Geopolitical Issues
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German Defense Minister Urges Washington, Berlin to Increase Defense Spending as Russia-Ukraine War Persists
Boris Pistorius, Germany’s defense minister, has called on Berlin and Washington to increase military-related expenditure to 3 percent of each country’s gross domestic product. During a Thursday speech, Pistorius pointed out that neither the United States nor Germany has solved the challenge of producing ammunition at the pace of need. He hinted that Berlin may...
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US OKs Ukraine’s Request to Purchase HIMARS Missile Launchers
The United States has approved Ukraine’s request to purchase three High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. The Department of State classified the proposed foreign military sale as an emergency case and waived the required congressional review for the arms deal, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The HIMARS shipment will cost around $30 million and...
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Sweden Looks to Strengthen Defense, Cybersecurity Partnership With US
Swedish government leaders are visiting the United States this week to strengthen trans-Atlantic cooperation on defense and cybersecurity. Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden’s minister of civil defense, is scheduled to meet with representatives from the White House to discuss heightening geopolitical tensions and ongoing support for Ukraine. The delegation, including Swedish State Secretary Johan Berggren, is expected...
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Finland Moving Military Equipment Out of Russia’s Reach
Finland has been long planning to store some of its military equipment and defense capabilities out of Russia’s reach, according to Finnish officials. Jarmo Lindberg, a member of the parliament and formerly chief of defense, told Breaking Defense on Monday that the decision to store war materials in Norway and Sweden was prompted by Moscow’s...
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Lithuania, Netherlands Discuss Joint Efforts to Maintain Regional Security
The defense ministers of Lithuania and the Netherlands have affirmed their commitment to strengthening security in the Baltic region. During a meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart Laurynas Kasciunas, Dutch Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren revealed that Amsterdam is extending its participation in the enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group Lithuania for another two years. The...
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Defense Leaders Condemn Destabilizing Activities, Missile Launches in East Asia
The top defense officials of the United States, Australia and Japan expressed their opposition to “concerning and destabilizing” activities in East Asia during the 13th Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting in Hawaii on Thursday. Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd...
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US Treasury Blocks Assets of Hezbollah Financial Backer’s Accomplices in Sanctions Avoidance
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has blocked all American property interests of several persons who were found helping Hassan Moukalled and his money-changer company CTEX Exchange avoid U.S. sanctions for supporting the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah. The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control identified two of Moukalled’s sons, Firas and Rayyan, as among his...
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US, Sweden Agree to Closely Cooperate on Addressing Cyber Challenges
The United States and Sweden have agreed to closely cooperate on matters related to cyberthreats. Tobias Billstrom, Swedish minister of foreign affairs, said following a bilateral dialogue in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that collaborating with the U.S. on cyber and digital issues contributes to a safer Sweden and complements the country’s membership with the European...
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US Condemns Russia-Backed 2023 Cyberattack Targeting German Political Party
The United States has condemned the malicious cyber operations launched by Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate against Germany and other European targets. “We join Germany in attributing specific malign activity carried out by APT28 that targeted a German political party,” the Department of State said in a statement Friday. “We call on Russia to...