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Germany delivers sixth IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine
Germany has delivered the sixth IRIS-T SLM air defense system to the country. Along with this, new Gepard anti-aircraft systems have been handed over to the Ukrainian military, complete with necessary ammunition. Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed the deliveries at a briefing following the European Council meeting, as covered by the monitoring project German Aid to Ukraine on December 20.
"The delivery of another IRIS-T system is underway, probably today, along with Gepard SPAAG, which we …
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Slovak PM Fico warns of retaliation if Ukraine stops Russian gas transit
Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, has issued a stern warning to Ukraine, threatening "retaliatory measures" should Kyiv decide to stop the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe. Fico, whose country remains heavily reliant on Russian energy, expressed concern over the potential material damage to Slovakia's economy.
Official Bratislava will consider "retaliatory measures" if Kyiv ceases the flow of natural gas from Russia to Europe, as reported by Bloomberg, citing a statement …
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Putin invites U.S. to 21st century missile duel, testing Russia's 'Oreshnik' against Western defenses in Kyiv
Russian president Vladimir Putin has extended an offer to the United States to engage in a "high-tech duel of the 21st century." Putin suggested testing the prowess of Russia's "Oreshnik" missile system by targeting Kyiv. During a live session combined with a press conference on December 19, he confidently claimed that Western air defense systems stand no chance against such an attack. For those skeptical of his assertion, Putin proposed a "technological experiment":
"If Western experts …
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Belgium postpones F-16 delivery to Ukraine amid shortage of parts and pilots
Belgium's Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder revealed on December 18th that the delivery of the first batch of F-16 fighters to Ukraine has been postponed. The delay is attributed to a shortage of parts and an insufficient number of qualified pilots.
According to Le Soir, Belgium has also experienced delays in acquiring new American F-35 fighters, which were ordered back in 2018 to replace the older F-16s. Although the first batch was expected in 2023, delivery schedules have slipped to 2024. …
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Putin dismisses Assad's overthrow as Russia’s defeat
Russian president Vladimir Putin does not consider the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad a defeat for Russia, citing internal changes among groups that fought against Syrian government forces. According to Putin, Russia has achieved its goal in Syria by preventing the creation of a "terrorist enclave" there.
"You mentioned Syria. You want to portray everything happening in Syria as some sort of defeat for Russia. I assure you, it is not. And I'll tell you why: we went to Syria 10 years ago to …