Finland to allow import of nuclear weapons on its territory.
Helsinki will lift a 1980 ban and permit the import, transport, and storage of nuclear arms as it adapts to NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Politico. 1/
The US stores nuclear warheads in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey, while France and the UK maintain their own arsenals.
Paris is exploring deployments of French nuclear-capable aircraft across Europe. 2/
Finland Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen: “The Cold War-era ban does not meet the needs that Finland has as a NATO member.” 3/
“I had a $700,000 salary in Seattle. I still went to fight in Ukraine.”
Andrew Webber, a U.S. Army captain and Iraq–Afghanistan veteran, left his corporate law career and joined Ukraine’s International Legion in 2023. He died in combat on July 27, 2023, reports hromadske. 1/
Webber graduated from West Point in 2005. The U.S. Army deployed him to Iraq in 2006, then to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2012.
During his second Afghan tour he commanded the 1191 Cavalry reconnaissance and sniper unit. His callsign was “Palwar” — “fighter” in Dari. 2/
He earned the Bronze Star for valor in Afghanistan.
His mother, Carla Webber, says the family learned about the award only when the certificate arrived by mail.
Andrew later left the Army with the rank of captain. 3/
Here is how interceptor drones shoot down Russian Shaheds and Orlans.
These are the drones Zelenskyy proposed exchanging for Patriot missiles at Gulf States, writes Ukrainska Pravda. 1/
Ukraine cannot fire missiles at every target. Russia launches hundreds of drones per week. Patriot missiles cost millions of dollars. Interceptor drones cost 50,000–100,000 UAH ($1.3k–$2.6k). 2/
According to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, interceptor drones shot down 70% of all Shaheds destroyed over Kyiv in February. They are now a key layer of Ukraine’s air defense. 3/
Mykola Liubarets flew a helicopter into the besieged Azovstal steel plant to see his wife. He carried out several near-suicidal missions delivering ammunition and evacuating wounded soldiers.
For these flights he received the title Hero of Ukraine, writes Ukrainska Pravda. 1/
When his commander asked him: “Will you fly to Mariupol?”, he did not hesitate.
Liubarets: “If I’m allowed to take my wife out of there, consider me already on board.” 2/
His wife Yuliia was a military anesthesiologist working in the underground hospital at Azovstal, treating wounded defenders during the siege of Mariupol. 3/
Former U.S. Secretary of State Blinken: One possible off-ramp from the war with Iran is simply declaring victory.
Saying the ayatollah is gone and Iran’s nuclear and missile programs have been degraded — and leaving the future of the regime to the Iranian people.
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Blinken: Looking at the war with Iran, two factors will determine where this goes and how it ends — markets and munitions.
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Blinken: Watch the markets — oil, stocks, and bonds. President Trump is very attentive to them. If stocks and bonds fall, or oil rises sharply and stays there, that could become a limiting factor.