Forwarded from Rybar in English
🇮🇹🇺🇦 How military aid to Ukraine undermined the defense capability of Italy
According to the Italian Ministry of Defense, the Italian armed forces are suffering from a shortage of artillery ammunition. Military officials believe the problem could become a threat to national security.
The officers of the General Staff of the Italian Armed Forces are trying to convey to politicians the seriousness of the circumstances: if the country is hypothetically attacked, it will be able to "resist the enemy only for 48-72 hours ".
🔻 Why did this happen?
Over the past two decades, the countries of Europe have focused on developing their capabilities to conduct asymmetric warfare, and financing the defense item of European state budgets has ceased to be a priority. In the context of a sharp drop in demand in Italy , two-thirds of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex were closed.
Now the European defense production system, for the most part, works to provide the Kyiv regime with equipment and ammunition. At the moment, this process is regulated by the EU project approved in March for the transfer of 1 million ammunition to the AFU with a total value of 2 billion euros.
– In the first phase of this project, EU Member States must provide additional ammunition from their stocks.
- At the second stage, the EU countries are required to allocate funds for the purchase of ammunition from European manufacturers. The European Peace Fund (EPF) will join these efforts and will allocate 1 billion euros.
🔻 Will the ASAP act help Italy return to the previous level of defense capability?
Unlikely. And the matter is not only in the lack of capacities, but also in the absence of the necessary amount of raw materials - gunpowder and explosives.
In addition, both military equipment and ammunition require regular updating and replacement. Part of the ammunition stocks available to the Italian Armed Forces may already be unusable, and the tanks are gradually failing due to lack of proper maintenance and lack of spare parts.
🔻 If things are so bad, why not ask Italy to soften the terms of supply?
The Italian authorities approached the Biden administration in the hope of negotiating a pause in the supply of the AFU. This would make it possible to improve the situation with the state defense capability and even, possibly, to strengthen the military-industrial complex. However, it turned out that there was a “long line” of those who wanted to take a break.
Our colleague from Italy @RossellaFidanza does not rule out that in the current situation, many European countries may seriously think about increasing defense investments to 2% of their GDP (this is a mandatory requirement for all NATO countries, but only 8 members of the alliance actually fulfill it). While maintaining the current supply volumes of the AFU, they will have to, in fact, switch to a wartime economy and sacrifice the development of other areas of public life.
#Italy #Ukraine
with @RossellaFidanza
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According to the Italian Ministry of Defense, the Italian armed forces are suffering from a shortage of artillery ammunition. Military officials believe the problem could become a threat to national security.
The officers of the General Staff of the Italian Armed Forces are trying to convey to politicians the seriousness of the circumstances: if the country is hypothetically attacked, it will be able to "resist the enemy only for 48-72 hours ".
🔻 Why did this happen?
Over the past two decades, the countries of Europe have focused on developing their capabilities to conduct asymmetric warfare, and financing the defense item of European state budgets has ceased to be a priority. In the context of a sharp drop in demand in Italy , two-thirds of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex were closed.
Now the European defense production system, for the most part, works to provide the Kyiv regime with equipment and ammunition. At the moment, this process is regulated by the EU project approved in March for the transfer of 1 million ammunition to the AFU with a total value of 2 billion euros.
– In the first phase of this project, EU Member States must provide additional ammunition from their stocks.
- At the second stage, the EU countries are required to allocate funds for the purchase of ammunition from European manufacturers. The European Peace Fund (EPF) will join these efforts and will allocate 1 billion euros.
🔻 Will the ASAP act help Italy return to the previous level of defense capability?
Unlikely. And the matter is not only in the lack of capacities, but also in the absence of the necessary amount of raw materials - gunpowder and explosives.
In addition, both military equipment and ammunition require regular updating and replacement. Part of the ammunition stocks available to the Italian Armed Forces may already be unusable, and the tanks are gradually failing due to lack of proper maintenance and lack of spare parts.
🔻 If things are so bad, why not ask Italy to soften the terms of supply?
The Italian authorities approached the Biden administration in the hope of negotiating a pause in the supply of the AFU. This would make it possible to improve the situation with the state defense capability and even, possibly, to strengthen the military-industrial complex. However, it turned out that there was a “long line” of those who wanted to take a break.
Our colleague from Italy @RossellaFidanza does not rule out that in the current situation, many European countries may seriously think about increasing defense investments to 2% of their GDP (this is a mandatory requirement for all NATO countries, but only 8 members of the alliance actually fulfill it). While maintaining the current supply volumes of the AFU, they will have to, in fact, switch to a wartime economy and sacrifice the development of other areas of public life.
#Italy #Ukraine
with @RossellaFidanza
Support us Original msg.
Corriere della Sera
«Scorte esaurite», senza munizioni il livello di sicurezza è «inadeguato»
Roma ha chiesto aiuto agli Usa, ma c’è la fila
Forwarded from Africa Intel
⚡️🇮🇹🇳🇪 Italy calls on ECOWAS to extend Niger ultimatum
"The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should prolong their deadline for the reinstatement of Niger's ousted president", Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview published on Monday.
"The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of the ECOWAS, which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today," Tajani told.
#Italy #ECOWAS #Niger
@africaintel
"The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should prolong their deadline for the reinstatement of Niger's ousted president", Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview published on Monday.
"The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of the ECOWAS, which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today," Tajani told.
#Italy #ECOWAS #Niger
@africaintel
Forwarded from ASIANOMICS
🇮🇹🇨🇳 Italy’s foreign minister visits China as belt and road role hangs in balance
The Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani arrived in China on Sunday with the country’s future participation in the Belt and Road Initiative likely to be top of the agenda for his visit.
Italy was the only Group of 7 country to sign up to the transcontinental infrastructure project but a memorandum of understanding it signed on the project is set to expire in March.
Before departing for Beijing, Tajani – the most senior Italian official to visit China since the Covid-19 pandemic – said the plan had not brought “the results we expected”. He added that Italy would like to work with Beijing but wants a “level playing field”.
#Italy #China
@asianomics
The Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani arrived in China on Sunday with the country’s future participation in the Belt and Road Initiative likely to be top of the agenda for his visit.
Italy was the only Group of 7 country to sign up to the transcontinental infrastructure project but a memorandum of understanding it signed on the project is set to expire in March.
Before departing for Beijing, Tajani – the most senior Italian official to visit China since the Covid-19 pandemic – said the plan had not brought “the results we expected”. He added that Italy would like to work with Beijing but wants a “level playing field”.
#Italy #China
@asianomics
Forwarded from Africa Intel
🇱🇾🇮🇹 Libya flights to Italy resume after nearly 10 years
Flights resumed between Libya and Italy on Saturday after a nearly decade-long suspension due to a ban by the European Union.
Twenty-five passengers boarded Saturday's flight, operated by Libya-based Medsky Airways, which will offer a twice-weekly direct connection to the Italian capital, Rome.
The EU stopped flights operated by Libyan airlines and banned them from entering member states' airspace in 2014, as the country was mired in intense fighting.
For much of the past decade, Libyans have had to transit through cities such as Tunis, Istanbul, or Cairo to reach Europe by air.
Restarting flights is "part of intensive government efforts to lift the European ban on Libyan civil aviation", Libya's UN-recognised government said.
#Libya #Italy
@africaintel
Flights resumed between Libya and Italy on Saturday after a nearly decade-long suspension due to a ban by the European Union.
Twenty-five passengers boarded Saturday's flight, operated by Libya-based Medsky Airways, which will offer a twice-weekly direct connection to the Italian capital, Rome.
The EU stopped flights operated by Libyan airlines and banned them from entering member states' airspace in 2014, as the country was mired in intense fighting.
For much of the past decade, Libyans have had to transit through cities such as Tunis, Istanbul, or Cairo to reach Europe by air.
Restarting flights is "part of intensive government efforts to lift the European ban on Libyan civil aviation", Libya's UN-recognised government said.
#Libya #Italy
@africaintel
Forwarded from Press TV
Italy says West risking WWIII by arming Ukraine amid invasion of Russia
Italy has warned of a dramatic world conflict if Ukraine’s Western allies continue to send more weapons to the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
#UkraineWar #Italy
@PressTV
Italy has warned of a dramatic world conflict if Ukraine’s Western allies continue to send more weapons to the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
#UkraineWar #Italy
@PressTV
PressTV
Italy says West risking WWIII by arming Ukraine amid invasion of Russia
Prime Minister Matteo Salvini says sending weapons to strike and kill in Russia would be "the antechamber of a dramatic world conflict.”
Forwarded from Rybar in English
On August 23, NATO command announced the raising of the security level at the Geilenkirchen air base to "Charlie", meaning there was a threat based on intelligence data. Subsequently, the threat was lowered to "Bravo+", but aviation in Germany was still dispersed.
Six NATO E-3A AWACS aircraft were transferred to the Rygge air base in Norway and Konya in Turkey (three each). Only four units remained at Geilenkirchen itself. Another one is in Ingolstadt, three are in Italy.
As can be clearly seen, at the slightest hint of a threat, the Alliance quickly moved strategically important aircraft to several other air bases. Moreover, part of the aviation of this type was redeployed to Italy back in 2022 as the SMO progressed.
This is indeed an important point, indicating NATO's careful attitude towards its aircraft. Of course, they presented it as routine pilot training, but nevertheless, they took precautionary measures.
🔻We are now observing the same tactic. There is a threat - the aviation is withdrawn from the strike. And this is the right and working technique. Unfortunately, it took the loss of several aircraft for this to happen, but progress is being made nonetheless.
So maybe someday we'll reach the stage where airfields and air bases will always be equipped with the necessary protective infrastructure, from revetments to the infamous hangars that are simply necessary to preserve aviation.
❗️At the same time, it is impossible not to note that in this rather straightforward way, the Alliance moved two AWACS groups closer to the northern and southern borders of Russia. Three E-3As will be able to effectively cover reconnaissance in their area on a daily basis (the average E-3A flight is 8 hours).
High-resolution map
English version
#Germany #Italy #NATO #Norway
@rybar
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