regained positions near #Lyptsi, bordering #Belgorod
advanced near Romanivka, Oleksandropol and Nova Poltavka
lost another 1,310 soldiers
Starmer, 
Macron, 
Merz and 
Tusk visit #Ukraine on the 80th anniversary of VE week, honour the memory of fallen soldiers in the Independence Square in #Kyiv, discuss defence cooperation and a 30-day ceasefire proposal
sign historical treaty that includes a guarantee of mutual #defence
expels two 
diplomats after uncovering spy network
Following VE Day 80th, let's recognise the very thin current state of our UK armed forces. There'll be a Strategic Defence Review (SDR) published soon, and it will take spending decisions to rebuild quickly enough to meet reality.
Our MPs have impartial high quality briefings that are also free to read, like this one.
#UKpol #defence #SDR2025 #JustTheFacts #HouseOfCommonsLibrary #librarians
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10257/
France and Poland pledge mutual defence in a new cooperation treaty.
France and Poland on Friday signed a treaty with a clause committing both countries to mutual support in case of an attack by an aggressor.
French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that the treaty be added to the protections in place under the countries' EU and NATO membership as he appeared alongside his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk in Nancy, France.
Remains of Indian S-400 missile found in Pakistan
Pakistan claims that its long-range air defense system intercepted an Indian S-400 missile over its territory. According to statements circulating in Pakistani defense circles, the missile was a 40N6E, the longest-range interceptor deployed with India’s Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defense system. The incident reportedly occurred near the town of Din…
#miltodon #defence
https://defence-blog.com/remains-of-indian-s-400-missile-found-in-pakistan/
"Warsaw has long relied exclusively on the US and Nato for its security and has resisted any #EU role in #defence. But with Donald Trump pursuing rapprochement with Russia, Poland’s arch-foe, and his willingness to let Moscow prevail in Ukraine and reduce US military exposure to Europe, #Tusk is rushing to build closer ties with Paris, Berlin and London in a quest for extra security insurance" #europeday #politicsfromtheeuropeanpointofview https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/08/france-and-polands-reconciliation-is-a-sign-of-europes-alarm-over-us-disengagement
«Adapt or die»: The defensive war against Russia has been a boon for the Ukrainian defence industry.
Unmanned aerial vehicles have radically changed the nature of war.
Ukraine has become a hub for manufacturing drones. Its experience with them is preparing the country to become a major exporter of armaments.
Rheinmetall’s sales surge as soaring defence demand continues.
Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest arms manufacturer, reported a 46% year-on-year surge in sales to €2.3 billion during the first three months of the year, driven by a 73% increase in its defence business due to increased defence spending across Europe.
The company noted that 70% of its sales were generated abroad, with defence revenue rising to €1.8 billion.
Romania rediscovers its hidden treasure: Minerals.
The EU’s push to reduce dependence on critical materials is giving a second life to several abandoned mining projects.
EU €800 billion #defence push hit with tepid response: Just over half of the bloc's 27 member states have heeded the European Commission's call to request more fiscal space to ramp up #defence spending. https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-e800-billion-defence-push-hit-with-tepid-response/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=dlvr.it
EU €800 billion #defence push hit with tepid response: Just over half of the bloc's 27 member states have heeded the European Commission's call to request more fiscal space to ramp up #defence spending. https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-e800-billion-defence-push-hit-with-tepid-response/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=dlvr.it
Lithuania will spend €1.1 billion to fortify its borders with Russia and Belarus.
Lithuania and its fellow Baltic states Latvia and Estonia fear they could be next in Russia's crosshairs.
All three countries have been ramping up defences since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and boosting their border security measures over what they allege was a Russia-inspired influx of migrants at the border.
How ordinary Poles are preparing for a Russian invasion.
After the election of Donald Trump, ordinary Poles fear they could be in Moscow's sights.
The painful legacy of Russian occupation can be felt everywhere.
#Australia votes – but what does it mean for Europe?: Labor vs Liberal-National Coalition: #Australia's next government is set to shape the country’s path on #defence and international trade. https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/australia-votes-but-what-does-it-mean-for-europe/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=dlvr.it
Although #Trump’s sons manage the company, the deals will stoke concerns that the president’s family stands to benefit financially from #business in countries with whom the #US has close relationships, including in #defence.
https://www.ft.com/content/c7a215d4-f7e7-43a5-970e-0b276de9fa01
The US approves the sale of €1.17 billion worth of missiles to Poland.
The United States announced on Tuesday that it had approved the sale of €1.17 billion worth of air defence missiles to Poland. The package includes 400 AIM-120D medium-range air-to-air missiles.
In addition, Warsaw will also receive guidance systems kits, spare parts, shipping containers, as well as access to the US software needed to operate the missiles.
Would expect Japan's leaders to have listened very politely to US secretary of the navy, who "posted the wrong date of the attack on Pearl Harbor twice" on his social media account[2], proposing building "commercial ships with Japanese support that would also be suitable for military use in an emergency"[1] and to have drawn appropriate conclusions re expertise of current US administration.
1. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/28/japan/politics/japan-us-shipbuilding/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=mastodon
2. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/navy-secretary-john-phelan-pearl-harbor_n_680fb59be4b0694adc18c581
#Japan #defence
So is the $60 million fighter plane hegseth’s DoD dropped into the sea gonna be recovered, or is it a really pricey manmade reef now?
Don’t we need to retrieve or destroy any classified material on it? I thought hegseth’s cell phone was the place we were planning to leak classified info.
https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-fighter-jet-truman-cfeaecc314bfcaf85ce5c30038306ac3#
Faced with American uncertainty surrounding the war in Ukraine and the future of NATO, Europe is looking to wean itself off US defence. France has promised to ramp up spending, putting its industry into overdrive, but what are the financial and recruitment issues? From the factory floor to AI engineers, our reporters went to meet the companies that are trying to rise to the challenge.
#France #Europe #Defence
Belgium will hit its 2% NATO defence spending target this year, says its defence minister.
Belgium will invest an extra €4 billion in military programmes to hit NATO's 2% of GDP spending target for the first time this year, Defence Minister Theo Francken has said.
“This extra money will mainly go to ammunition purchases,” Francken said, explaining that NATO stipulates that each country should have a 30-day supply.
