21 November 2024

The Hill | Russia fired ICBM at Ukraine, Kyiv says
Russian forces launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials in the military. The Ukrainian Air Force Command said in a post on Facebook that the ICBM was fired from the Astrakhan region of southern Russia, which is about 500 miles away from eastern Ukraine.

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Fox News | Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile toward Ukraine, air force says
Russian troops launched various missiles, reportedly including an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Astrakhan region, in an early morning attack on Ukraine on Thursday. Ukraine's Air Force said on its Telegram account that it destroyed six Kh-101 cruise missiles using anti-aircraft combat.

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Reuters | Russia says new US base in Poland raises overall nuclear danger
Russia said on Thursday that a new U.S. ballistic missile defence base in northern Poland will lead to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger, but Warsaw said "threats" from Moscow only strengthened the argument for NATO defences.

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Associated Press | North Korean leader calls for expanding his nuclear forces in the face of alleged US threats
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un renewed his call for a “limitless” expansion of his military nuclear program to counter U.S.-led threats in comments reported Monday that were his first direct criticism toward Washington since Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election.

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Newsweek | US Removes Remaining Aircraft Carrier From Iran's Doorstep
The United States has removed its remaining aircraft carrier in the Middle East, a report said on Monday, concluding its surge deployment amid tensions between Israel and Iran.

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Military Times | VA acknowledges significant errors in budget shortfall predictions
Veterans Affairs leaders on Wednesday acknowledged mistakes in their predictions this summer of looming funding shortfalls for the department, but insisted the errors were due to workload surges and not budgetary maleficence.

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Military.com | US Support for Ukraine and Israel Is Eating into Weapons Stockpiles, Indo-Pacific Commander Says
The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are eating away at critical U.S. weapons stockpiles and could hamper the military's ability to respond to China should a conflict arise in the Indo-Pacific, the top U.S. commander for that region said Tuesday.

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Task & Purpose | Air Force Reserve chaplain gets Trump nod to lead the VA
A Navy veteran and current chaplain in the Air Force Reserve is on track to be the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Doug Collins to the post this week, though critics question whether Collins may move to privatize VA services.

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Federal News Network | Sweeping VA reform bill with pay flexibility for health care workers passes House
A bipartisan bill with an extensive list of changes to how the Department of Veterans Affairs delivers health care and benefits is one step closer to becoming law. The House passed the Sen. Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act in a floor vote Monday evening.

Foreign Policy | Why Emerging Powers Are Welcoming Trump’s Victory | Christopher Chivvis & Beatrix Geaghan-Breiner
Emerging powers in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East have showered U.S. President-elect Donald Trump with congratulations since he won the election. The general response from these countries—with a few notable exceptions such as Brazil and Mexico—has been much warmer than it was after outgoing President Joe Biden’s win in 2020.

Responsible Statecraft | Ukrainian civilians will pay for Biden's landmine flip-flop| Alex Jordan
The Biden administration announced [yesterday] that it will provide Ukraine with antipersonnel landmines for use inside the country, a reversal of its own efforts to revive President Obama’s ban on America’s use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of the indiscriminate weapons anywhere except the Korean peninsula.

The New York Times | Is Trump More Flexible on China Than His Hawkish Cabinet Picks Suggest? | Edward Wong and Ana Swanson
They are the new class of cold warriors, guns pointed at China. President-elect Donald J. Trump has chosen cabinet secretaries and a national security adviser who stress the need to confront China across the entire security and economic spectrum: military posture, trade, technology, espionage, human rights and Taiwan.

John Byrnes, CVA’s strategic director, issued the following statement regarding American involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War:

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“One thousand days into the Russia-Ukrainian War, we’ve reached a critical inflection point. A new U.S. administration begins in January. President Biden recently authorized Ukraine to use of American weapons on targets in Russian soil, and to use U.S. anti-personnel mines as well. These are dangerous escalations. Biden has further moved to forgive $4.65 Billion in loans to Ukraine. But the U.S. faces its own equipment shortages, economic challenges, and competing priorities.

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The Biden administration is trying to lock in the Trump administration’s options. Biden is overriding the will of the American people who just voted for a negotiated end to the war.

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Such measures escalate the conflict, strain our military and economic resources, and compromise our ability to focus on pressing domestic and global challenges. The security interest of the United States lies in the swift and stable conclusion of this war.”