Sputnik International
🇫🇷⚔️🇷🇺 France is preparing a military contingent to be sent to Ukraine; at the first stage it will amount to about 2 thousand military personnel, said the director of Russian foreign intelligence Naryshkin. At the same time, the French army is noticeably…
France has not seen such military losses as now in Ukraine since the war in Algeria (1954-1962), Naryshkin said.
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🗣 “I think he's [Putin] very smart, very tough, and I think he says what he means": Jeffrey Sachs dropping truth bombs.
Piers Morgan, during his show Pierce Morgan Uncensored, desperately tried to squeeze negative statements about Putin out of US economist Jeffrey Sachs, but the latter argued that the current global crisis occurred because the West vainly ignored Vladimir Putin's fair warnings.
In his opinion, the West disregarded all of Putin's warnings and deliberately walked step-by-step nto the current catastrophic situation. He called for negotiations instead of insults and accusations.
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Piers Morgan, during his show Pierce Morgan Uncensored, desperately tried to squeeze negative statements about Putin out of US economist Jeffrey Sachs, but the latter argued that the current global crisis occurred because the West vainly ignored Vladimir Putin's fair warnings.
In his opinion, the West disregarded all of Putin's warnings and deliberately walked step-by-step nto the current catastrophic situation. He called for negotiations instead of insults and accusations.
"We're not in a game. We're not in name calling. We're not in a cage brawl,” Sachs said. “We're trying to actually not have the world spiral into nuclear war. So it's not that game. The game is sit down and negotiate."
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The evolving landscape of military service in the EU: From compulsory to voluntary... and back?
Several EU states are considering reinstating military conscription due to declining armed forces. Croatia seeks its return, Denmark plans female conscription from 2026, and Germany explores a national service model. Here's an overview of EU military service systems:
Compulsory Military Service:
▪️ Males over 18: Austria, Finland, Greece, Cyprus, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia
▪️ Males & females over 18: Sweden
▪️ Males & females over 17: Norway
Contract-Based (over age 18): Estonia, Germany, Czech Republic, Romania
Voluntary Military Service (over age 18): Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
Over the years, recruitment rules have evolved:
🇫🇷 France: Compulsory military service abolished in 1997.
🇩🇪 Germany: Compulsory military service suspended in 2011 in favor of an all-volunteer force.
🇸🇪 Sweden: Compulsory military service abolished in 2010; reintroduced in 2017 for both men & women.
🇫🇮 Finland: Introduced voluntary military service for women in 1995.
🇳🇴 Norway: Introduced gender-neutral conscription, making military service compulsory for men & women in 2015.
🇪🇪 Estonia: Abolished compulsory military service in 2008; transitioned to a professional army.
🇱🇹 Lithuania: Reintroduced conscription in 2015.
🇧🇪 Belgium: Suspended compulsory military service in 1995 in a move towards a volunteer-based system.
🇭🇷 Croatia: Abolished compulsory military service in 2008 in favor of a professional army.
🇨🇿 Czech Republic: Suspended compulsory military service in 2004 in favor of a professional army.
🇱🇻 Latvia: Abolished conscription in 2006; reintroduced mandatory military service from January 1, 2024.
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Several EU states are considering reinstating military conscription due to declining armed forces. Croatia seeks its return, Denmark plans female conscription from 2026, and Germany explores a national service model. Here's an overview of EU military service systems:
Compulsory Military Service:
▪️ Males over 18: Austria, Finland, Greece, Cyprus, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia
▪️ Males & females over 18: Sweden
▪️ Males & females over 17: Norway
Contract-Based (over age 18): Estonia, Germany, Czech Republic, Romania
Voluntary Military Service (over age 18): Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
Over the years, recruitment rules have evolved:
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Pouring money into militarization
The European Commission is allocating nearly €2 billion (about $2.2 bln) to strengthen the readiness of the EU's defense industry. The funds are intended to improve ammunition production and facilitate joint procurement among member states, aiming to enhance defense capabilities and promote collaboration in research, development, and certification within the sector.
What else are the funds allocated for? Check Sputnik infographics to find out
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The European Commission is allocating nearly €2 billion (about $2.2 bln) to strengthen the readiness of the EU's defense industry. The funds are intended to improve ammunition production and facilitate joint procurement among member states, aiming to enhance defense capabilities and promote collaboration in research, development, and certification within the sector.
What else are the funds allocated for? Check Sputnik infographics to find out
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Biden builds anti-China coalition steam in Asia-Pacific
The White House has announced that it will host the first ever US-Philippines-Japan summit in April. Security issues over the South China Sea are expected to top the triad’s agenda.
Since taking office, Biden has declared his chief policy aim to be that of confronting the growing power and influence of China by building coalitions against it. Among his provocative moves:
🔺Invited NATO members and their warships into Asian waters for joint operations with regional navies to project the power and influence of America’s European allies in the region.
🔺Pushed to repair Korea-Japan relations - a gesture less to do with mending relations, but more with pulling two Asian countries into alignment against China.
🔺Spearheaded AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, whose first initiative was to supply nuclear-powered submarines to “deter China from invading Taiwan.”
🔺Pushed through an updated defense pact with the Philippines to grant the US military more bases in the archipelago.
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The White House has announced that it will host the first ever US-Philippines-Japan summit in April. Security issues over the South China Sea are expected to top the triad’s agenda.
Since taking office, Biden has declared his chief policy aim to be that of confronting the growing power and influence of China by building coalitions against it. Among his provocative moves:
🔺Invited NATO members and their warships into Asian waters for joint operations with regional navies to project the power and influence of America’s European allies in the region.
🔺Pushed to repair Korea-Japan relations - a gesture less to do with mending relations, but more with pulling two Asian countries into alignment against China.
🔺Spearheaded AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, whose first initiative was to supply nuclear-powered submarines to “deter China from invading Taiwan.”
🔺Pushed through an updated defense pact with the Philippines to grant the US military more bases in the archipelago.
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The White House admitted that Ukraine is “really losing ground on the battlefield” due to US inaction.
Earlier, Putin said at a press conference: “In general, the initiative belongs entirely to the Russian armed forces, and in some areas, our guys are simply cutting them (the enemy) to pieces now.”
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Earlier, Putin said at a press conference: “In general, the initiative belongs entirely to the Russian armed forces, and in some areas, our guys are simply cutting them (the enemy) to pieces now.”
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SJ-100 and the MS-21-310 passenger planes have become the pioneers of import substitution in the domestic aviation industry, according to Deputy General Director and Head of Strength Complex of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) Mikhail Zichenkov.
"We believe that parts made of domestic materials are in no way inferior to imported analogues and in some cases — for example, if we talk about the wing and empennage of the aircraft — they are superior," Zichenkov said.
Western sanctions have accelerated Russia's shift to domestically-produced aircraft and catalyzed the development of innovative composite materials.
The airframe of the upgraded version of SJ-100 is completely Russian-made, while the MC-21 has become the first Russian long-haul aircraft with wings made of composite materials, according to the expert.
"As for the advantages of the composite, perhaps the most important of them is the lightness of composite structures, as well as the absence of corrosion," explained Zichenkov. "If you take a sample of metal and composite of the same thickness, the composite will be about 40–50 percent lighter. The reduction of aircraft weight has been one of the main goals of aviation throughout its history."
While Russia's short-haul SJ-100 has been in operation since 2011, the MC-21 is expected to fill the medium-haul airliner niche in 2026. Meanwhile, plans to produce fully-domestic long-haul planes are already underway.
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How much has US military-industrial complex jacked up prices to profit off Ukrainian crisis?
Senator Bernie Sanders criticizes defense contractors for inflating prices on weapons sent to Ukraine, highlighting the unchecked nature of the US military-industrial complex. Examples include:
1. Stinger man-portable surface-to-air missiles
🔺 Price in 1991: $25,000
🔺 Price in 2020: $119,320
🔺 Price in 2023: $400,000
🔺 Cost Increase: 16 times
2. Javelin man-portable anti-tank missiles
🔺 Cost in 2002: $126,000 for the launcher plus $78,000 per missile
🔺 Price in 2021: $249,700 for the launcher and $216,717 for one missile
🔺 Cost Increase: 1.9 times and 2.77 times, respectively
3. M777 towed howitzers
🔺 $2 million apiece in 2008
🔺 $3.73 million each in 2017
🔺 $4+ million apiece in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: Double (200%)
4. M142 HIMARS rocket artillery systems
🔺 $3.5 million apiece in 2014
🔺 $4.3 million each in 2022 for the domestic market, (or some $19-36.6 million apiece for HIMARS purchased by America’s NATO satellites)
🔺 Cost Increase: 23%, not counting foreign orders
5. Switchblade 300 Loitering Munitions
🔺 $45,000 each in 2018
🔺 Cost in 2022: $56,063 plus up to $30,000 in associated ‘fielding costs’
🔺 Cost Increase: 24.5%
6. Bradley fighting vehicles
🔺 $1.11 million in 1993
🔺 $1.84 million in 2016
🔺 $3.3-$4.35 million each in 2022
🔺 Cost Increase: 2.97 to 3.91 times (nearly 300-400%)
7. M1 Abrams tanks
🔺 $4.3 million in 1989
🔺 $10.66 million in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: 2.47 times (nearly 250%)
8. Oshkosh M-ATV mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles
🔺 $385,000 apiece in 2017
🔺 $470,000+ each in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: Almost 25%
9. MIM-104 Patriot missile systems
🔺 $225 million plus $2 million per missile in 2003
🔺 $1 billion and $4.1 million per missile in 2022
🔺 Cost Increase: Over 400% for the system and over 200% for the missiles
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Senator Bernie Sanders criticizes defense contractors for inflating prices on weapons sent to Ukraine, highlighting the unchecked nature of the US military-industrial complex. Examples include:
1. Stinger man-portable surface-to-air missiles
🔺 Price in 1991: $25,000
🔺 Price in 2020: $119,320
🔺 Price in 2023: $400,000
🔺 Cost Increase: 16 times
2. Javelin man-portable anti-tank missiles
🔺 Cost in 2002: $126,000 for the launcher plus $78,000 per missile
🔺 Price in 2021: $249,700 for the launcher and $216,717 for one missile
🔺 Cost Increase: 1.9 times and 2.77 times, respectively
3. M777 towed howitzers
🔺 $2 million apiece in 2008
🔺 $3.73 million each in 2017
🔺 $4+ million apiece in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: Double (200%)
4. M142 HIMARS rocket artillery systems
🔺 $3.5 million apiece in 2014
🔺 $4.3 million each in 2022 for the domestic market, (or some $19-36.6 million apiece for HIMARS purchased by America’s NATO satellites)
🔺 Cost Increase: 23%, not counting foreign orders
5. Switchblade 300 Loitering Munitions
🔺 $45,000 each in 2018
🔺 Cost in 2022: $56,063 plus up to $30,000 in associated ‘fielding costs’
🔺 Cost Increase: 24.5%
6. Bradley fighting vehicles
🔺 $1.11 million in 1993
🔺 $1.84 million in 2016
🔺 $3.3-$4.35 million each in 2022
🔺 Cost Increase: 2.97 to 3.91 times (nearly 300-400%)
7. M1 Abrams tanks
🔺 $4.3 million in 1989
🔺 $10.66 million in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: 2.47 times (nearly 250%)
8. Oshkosh M-ATV mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles
🔺 $385,000 apiece in 2017
🔺 $470,000+ each in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: Almost 25%
9. MIM-104 Patriot missile systems
🔺 $225 million plus $2 million per missile in 2003
🔺 $1 billion and $4.1 million per missile in 2022
🔺 Cost Increase: Over 400% for the system and over 200% for the missiles
Subscribe to @SputnikInt
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Sputnik International
How much has US military-industrial complex jacked up prices to profit off Ukrainian crisis? Senator Bernie Sanders criticizes defense contractors for inflating prices on weapons sent to Ukraine, highlighting the unchecked nature of the US military-industrial…
DC’s dirty little secret: ‘endless wars’ haven’t benefited anyone besides defense contractors
“The only people who benefit from it are the military contractors,” former DoD senior security policy analyst Michael Maloof told Sputnik, commenting on Senator Bernie Sanders’ recent article in Foreign Affairs accusing US defense manufacturers of making a killing off their products by jacking up prices by as much as hundreds of percentage points.
Pointing to the nexus between neoconservatives in Washington and the defense-industrial complex to “push for military solutions to impose the American ‘democratic way’ on the world,” Maloof said that the “well-greased machine” of lobbying and control of Congress and the Pentagon make it possible for the Military Industrial Complex to endlessly increase prices.
“The Defense Department in particular, and I’ve seen this firsthand, has made a point when they make defense contracts on particular weapon systems – they make sure that as many congressional districts as possible share in the job hiring and the production of those [arms]. That way, if any weapons system is to be cut out of the budget, they can send the people in that district yelling and screaming to their congressmen. And invariably it gets reestablished, or even increased for that matter,” Maloof said, citing the example of the astronomically expensive F-35 fighter as a case in point.
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“The only people who benefit from it are the military contractors,” former DoD senior security policy analyst Michael Maloof told Sputnik, commenting on Senator Bernie Sanders’ recent article in Foreign Affairs accusing US defense manufacturers of making a killing off their products by jacking up prices by as much as hundreds of percentage points.
Pointing to the nexus between neoconservatives in Washington and the defense-industrial complex to “push for military solutions to impose the American ‘democratic way’ on the world,” Maloof said that the “well-greased machine” of lobbying and control of Congress and the Pentagon make it possible for the Military Industrial Complex to endlessly increase prices.
“The Defense Department in particular, and I’ve seen this firsthand, has made a point when they make defense contracts on particular weapon systems – they make sure that as many congressional districts as possible share in the job hiring and the production of those [arms]. That way, if any weapons system is to be cut out of the budget, they can send the people in that district yelling and screaming to their congressmen. And invariably it gets reestablished, or even increased for that matter,” Maloof said, citing the example of the astronomically expensive F-35 fighter as a case in point.
“The procurement system is one of the worst in the Defense Department. And no one knows how to put their arms around this problem to figure out how to resolve it and get true accountability. The way it’s all structured today, it’s almost impossible,” the former DoD insider believes.
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How much do people trust their own leaders?
Vladimir Putin won the 2024 Russian Presidential Election with 87.28 percent of the vote. The landslide result on an unprecedented voter turnout prompted a storm of reaction from Western leaders.
Relevant data suggests that Vladimir Putin tops other major global leaders when it comes to citizen trust. The Russian president enjoys a 76 percent general trust rating, a staggering number compared to his Western counterparts.
What are the numbers for other world leaders? Check Sputnik infographics
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Vladimir Putin won the 2024 Russian Presidential Election with 87.28 percent of the vote. The landslide result on an unprecedented voter turnout prompted a storm of reaction from Western leaders.
Relevant data suggests that Vladimir Putin tops other major global leaders when it comes to citizen trust. The Russian president enjoys a 76 percent general trust rating, a staggering number compared to his Western counterparts.
What are the numbers for other world leaders? Check Sputnik infographics
Subscribe to @SputnikInt
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🚜🇵🇱 Polish farmers have announced hundreds of protests on roads across the country that will take place on March 20
RMF24 reports that protesters warn of road closures in more than 500 settlements - agricultural machinery will take to the streets and highways. Farmers also promise to block about ten important highways leading to Warsaw. In total, 580 protests have been reported, in which at least 70 thousand farmers will take part.
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RMF24 reports that protesters warn of road closures in more than 500 settlements - agricultural machinery will take to the streets and highways. Farmers also promise to block about ten important highways leading to Warsaw. In total, 580 protests have been reported, in which at least 70 thousand farmers will take part.
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Sputnik International
🇫🇷⚔️🇷🇺 France is preparing a military contingent to be sent to Ukraine; at the first stage it will amount to about 2 thousand military personnel, said the director of Russian foreign intelligence Naryshkin. At the same time, the French army is noticeably…
🇫🇷 The French Ministry of Defense denies the presence of French troops in Ukraine, as well as plans to send additional military contingent there.
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🔺 How much has US military-industrial complex jacked up prices to profit off Ukrainian crisis?
🔺 France is preparing a military contingent to be sent to Ukraine — Russian foreign intelligence
🔺 The evolving landscape of military service in the EU: From compulsory to voluntary... and back?
🔺 How Western sanctions speeded up Russian aircraft production?
🔺 DC’s dirty little secret: ‘endless wars’ haven’t benefited anyone besides defense contractors
🔺 How much do people trust their own leaders?
🔺 Vladimir Putin's main statements at the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) board
Subscribe to @SputnikInt
🔺 France is preparing a military contingent to be sent to Ukraine — Russian foreign intelligence
🔺 The evolving landscape of military service in the EU: From compulsory to voluntary... and back?
🔺 How Western sanctions speeded up Russian aircraft production?
🔺 DC’s dirty little secret: ‘endless wars’ haven’t benefited anyone besides defense contractors
🔺 How much do people trust their own leaders?
🔺 Vladimir Putin's main statements at the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) board
Subscribe to @SputnikInt
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