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Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Putin may have shifted war objectives towards holding occupied territories, boosting economy, intelligence suggests
New Western intelligence suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have shifted his immediate war objectives towards holding occupied Ukrainian territories as well as growing his country's struggling economy, CNN reported on May 1, citing Western officials familiar with the matter. The assessment, shared by unnamed U.S. and Western officials, suggests a shift in Putin's calculus of the situation, amid previous intelligence that suggested Russia's momentum on the battlefield may provide an opportunity for Moscow to entirety Ukraine. Despite continuing to make marginal progress on the battlefield and capturing small pockets of territory near the front line, a senior U.S. official told CNN that there was "zero indication" Russia would be able to secure large swaths of land in the immediate future. "The Russian objective is to get as much territory recognized as possible and have as weak of a Ukraine as possible," the U.S. official said, as peace negotiations are ongoing. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on April 28 that the international recognition of its hold over Crimea, as well as the entirety of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, were a condition for peace negotiations. Despite the demands, President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated Ukraine will not recognize any occupied territories as part of Russia under a potential future peace agreement with Moscow. The U.S. is reportedly considering a de jure recognition of Russia's control over Crimea as part of a potential peace deal and de facto control over other occupied territories. At the same time, U.S. officials are said to have rejected a demand for Ukraine's complete withdrawal from the other four regions. The potential shift in attitudes on near-terms objectives for the Kremlin also comes amid growing economic hardship in the country, marred by international sanctions over the war. U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to reset relations and potentially increase economic cooperation with Moscow following a negotiated peace deal, but has recently questioned Moscow's intentions to achieve peace, suggesting that the Kremlin may be "tapping me along." Trump has said that the U.S. may impose new sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire is not reached. A senior European official familiar with the new intelligence told CNN that Moscow was willing to "play along" to improve its standing with the U.S., but added that Russia "clearly hasn't given up on their maximalist war ends." Despite the potential shift in objectives, U.S. officials remain skeptical of Putin's long-term ambitions in Ukraine, CNN reported. In February, unclassified intelligence assessment from the Danish Defense Intelligence Service suggested that Russia may find the opportunity to launch a large-scale war on Europe within five years. Read also: Zelensky says minerals deal signing first result of talks with Trump in Vatican We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Denmark picks Nammo to restart ammo production at shuttered plant
PARIS — Denmark picked Norwegian ammunition maker Nammo to restart a shuttered ammo plant for production of small- and large-caliber ammunition, the country's defense ministry said. Nammo can begin producing ammunition for the Danish forces and others at the shuttered plant in northern Denmark as soon as the production facilities are set up, Denmark's Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Friday. Final negotiations with Nammo are still pending, including a timetable on when actual ammunition production will start. The deteriorating security situation, the war in Ukraine and an updated threat assessment by the Danish Defense Intelligence Service 'emphasize the importance of ensuring future ammunition production in Denmark,' Defence Minister Troels Lund Poelsen said. 'This will make a difference to the security of supply for Denmark, the Nordic region and Europe.' However, ammunition stocks are needed now, and Denmark plans to rapidly build up its stock of mortar and artillery shells even before production can start at Elling, partly to match an assessment of Russia's potential build-up of combat power, the ministry said. Lund Poelsen said it's crucial to start building up the Danish Armed Forces' ammunition stockpiles as soon as possible, and he will decide on action in the short term 'together with the parties.' The Danish government last month agreed to allocate an additional 50 billion Danish kroner ($7 billion) to defense over the coming two years, boosting defense spending to more than 3% of GDP in 2025 and 2026. Denmark agreed to buy the shuttered facilities at Elling in northern Jutland in October 2023, with the stated aim of exploring options for establishing domestic ammunition production. The country had sold the ammunition production activities to Expal in 2008, and the company ceased production at the site in 2020 after several years of losses. The ammunition plant at Elling traces its roots back to the Fyrværkerikompagniet set up in Copenhagen in 1676. Nammo will produce 155 mm and 120 mm shells at the Elling plant, as well as 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm caliber cartridges, the ministry said. All four are NATO standard calibers. 'Nammo has what it takes to become a long-term and solid partner for Denmark, with deep industrial and technical expertise, established supply chains, and solid Norwegian-Finnish ownership to bolster lasting Nordic cooperation,' Nammo CEO Morten Brandtzæg said in a statement. 'We look forward to finalizing an agreement to get production started.' The Norwegian company says it's working on improving ammunition interchangeability in the Nordic region, and that will improve with new production in Denmark. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 exposed European shortcomings in ammunition manufacturing, with facilities shuttered or scaled down due to lack of demand after the end of the Cold War. Ukraine has at times faced artillery shell shortages as its allies depleted stocks and struggled to ramp up production, though the European Union now expects to produce 2 million shells by the end of 2025, double the pace from a year ago. Nammo is jointly owned by the Norwegian state and Finland's Patria, with the latter owned for 50.1% by the Finnish state and the remainder held by Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Kongsberg in turn is 50.1% owned by the Norwegian state.
The Independent
19-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Denmark announces plans to bolster its defense spending and raise it above 3% of GDP
The Danish government on Wednesday announced plans to bolster its military by setting up a 50 billion-kroner ($7 billion) fund that it says will raise the country's defense spending to more than 3% of gross domestic product this year and next. The proposed fund is meant to accelerate the build-up of the NATO member's combat capability and could also help with additional military support for Ukraine. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that the new spending level will be the highest in over half a century, Danish broadcaster DR reported. The country spent 2.4% of GDP on defense last year, above the existing 2% target for NATO members. 'The current security situation makes it abundantly clear that we need to invest in our defense at a much faster pace than before," Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in a statement. 'All European countries must take greater responsibility for security in Europe ... This sends a clear signal to all our allies that we understand the security challenges – and that we are ready to act now.' The government's statement pointed to an assessment released last week by the Danish Defense Intelligence Service that, if the war in Ukraine ends or is frozen, Russia would be able to pose a credible threat to one or more NATO countries in the Baltic Sea region within about two years if NATO doesn't rearm at the same pace and the United States doesn't get involved. Last month, Lithuania's president said his country had decided to raise its spending on defense to between 5% and 6% of GDP starting in 2026 due to the threat of Russian aggression in the region. That made it the first NATO nation to vow to reach a 5% goal called for by U.S. President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Latvia's government agreed that that country's defense spending should be increased to 4% of GDP next year and continue to move toward 5%.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia may find opportunity to launch large-scale war on Europe within 5 years, Danish intelligence warns
Russia may find the opportunity to launch a large-scale war on Europe within five years, if Moscow "perceives NATO as militarily weakened or politically divided," an unclassified intelligence assessment from the Danish Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS) warned. "Russia perceives itself as being in conflict with the West and is preparing for a war against NATO. While no decision to initiate such a war has been made, Russia is building the capacity to make that choice if deemed necessary," the report, published on Feb. 9, warned. The latest intelligence assessment comes amid a series of increasingly dire warnings from Western leaders and defense officials about the threat emanating from Russia and Europe's current lack of preparedness. The DDIS in its report noted that fracturing among alliance members could present an opportunity for Moscow to capitalize, particularly if the United States is unwilling to protect its European allies. U.S. President Donald Trump sparked international outrage in February 2024 when he said he would urge Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to NATO member countries failing to meet defense spending criteria, in a declaration indicating his disregard for the alliance's collective defense principle. Since being inaugurated, Trump has raised the ire of NATO allies by not ruling out using military force to gain control of , an autonomous region of Denmark, as well as using economic coercion to force Canada to become a state. The DDIS report assessed that Russia may be able to wage war with a neighboring country within six month if it is able to reallocate military resources from Ukraine in the event of a frozen conflict or the end of the war. The report also concluded that Moscow poses a regional threat to Baltic states within two years, and a large-scale war with Europe in five years, presuming the U.S. does not intervene. The report acknowledges that the evolution of the Ukraine war will likely dictate Russia's future intention, adding that "it is unlikely that Russia could sustain both the war in Ukraine and a simultaneous war with NATO." The report also does not account for an increase in NATO's military capabilities to match that of Moscow. On Dec. 12, the Financial Times reported that European NATO foreign ministers began discussing a plan to gradually increase the alliance's defense spending target from 2% of their GDP to 3% by 2030. Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump called for an even more radical increase, up to 5% of GDP. Read also: US to consult allies on Ukraine peace plan, seeks Europe's arms purchases for Kyiv, media report We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Denmark To Boost Greenland Military Presence Amid Trump's Quest To Obtain Island
Faced with increasing pressure from President Donald Trump to hand over the strategically important island of Greenland to the U.S., Denmark has announced plans to beef up its military presence there. Key to the $2 billion effort is the purchase of three new Arctic patrol boats, two long-range drones, and an unspecified number of new maritime patrol aircraft. These looming acquisitions are meant to replace worn-out equipment and provide additional surveillance and sensing capabilities over and around one of the world's largest islands. The plan was announced as Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is at the center of an increasingly strategic race to expand control and military influence across the Arctic region. The U.S., China, and Russia are all vying for the region's military, geostrategic, and economic benefits and the island is already home to one of the U.S. military's most strategically important outposts. You can read all about this history and current status of American forces on the island, as well as its overall growing strategic significance, in our recent feature linked here. 'We are facing serious security policy challenges,' Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement on Monday which did not specifically mention Trump's Greenland interest. 'The Danish Defense Intelligence Service assesses that the threat level in the Arctic and the North Atlantic has worsened. Therefore, we must significantly strengthen the Danish Defense presence in the regions.' New agreement strengthens the presence of the Danish Defence in the Arctic and North Atlantic region. To ensure peace and stability and strengthen defence cooperation with close Allies #StrongerTogetherhttps:// — Denmark at NATO (@DK_NATO) January 28, 2025 This new procurement program is part of a broader security pact between Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. These governments seek to increase their ability to patrol and gain situational awareness over a 660,000-square-mile landmass with about 27,000 miles of coastline. That presence is quite limited. In addition to the ships and aircraft, Denmark has a dozen dog sled teams to monitor an area three times the size of Texas. One of the main lines of effort in the Danish plan is replacing the Royal Danish Navy's four Thetis class patrol boats. Commissioned in 1991 and 1992, they are becoming increasingly unreliable, according to Danish officials. 'If you look at those ships, they are of course worn out,' Chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Henrik Ryberg told the Danish DR news outlet last year. 'They are almost 40 years old. That is why I need people to start thinking about what should be next.' The Thetis class ships, he added, 'often break down and therefore cannot be operational.' The 369-foot-long vessels, which displace 3,500 tons, have a maximum speed of 20 knots when working and can operate for about 8,500 nautical miles. Designed for the harsh Arctic conditions, they feature double-skinned hulls up to 2 meters above the waterline and can sustain damage up to eight meters in length without endangering stability. The hulls have ice-breaking bows and stern lines suitable for operations in ice with only one propeller. These ships are armed with one Otobreda 76 mm Super Rapid main gun, one or two Oerlikon 20 mm guns, and depth charge dispensers. They also embark with an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter. The three new Arctic ships Denmark seeks 'will be able to more effectively and flexibly solve tasks in Greenland and carry capabilities such as helicopters and drones,' Poulsen stated. He did not provide details about what specifications he seeks or the timeline for delivery. We reached out to the Danish Defense Ministry for additional details and will update this story with any pertinent details. For maritime patrol, inspection and transport, Denmark relies on four Canadair CL-604 Challenger bizjet aircraft. The CL-604s are militarized variants of the Bombardier Challenger 604 with saddle tanks to enhanced fuel capacity, a new undercarriage to support higher takeoff and landing weights, structural improvements to the wings and tail, as well as a modern Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 avionics system. A decade ago, Denmark embarked on a midlife upgrade program that included a new downlink and a multirole radar capable of carrying out surface surveillance, weather monitoring and oil slick detection. 'The Challenger aircraft are near the end of their operational lifespan and need to be replaced,' the Danish Defense Ministry stated. 'The opening of new airports across Greenland means new opportunities for establishing partnerships with airlines regarding inspection, surveillance, and transportation.' The details of the funding and procurement schedule for the replacement aircraft are being worked out with officials from the Faroe Islands and Greenland as part of a broader security agreement, the Danish MoD explained. Denmark also wants two new 'long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity that can monitor large areas over long distances and obtain detailed images,' Poulsen explained. He did not say what kinds of drones, what kind of sensors or when they would be procured or fielded. While Denmark has been seeking a lot of these capabilities for several years, the plan unveiled Monday comes in the wake of increasingly contentious relations between Trump and the Danish government over the future of Greenland. Even before he was inaugurated, Trump reportedly berated Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, with the former insisting 'he wanted the United States to take over Greenland,' The New York Times reported. That was after he refused to rule out military or economic coercion to bring Greenland and the Panama Canal under U.S. control during a press conference on Jan. 8. 'I can't assure you on either of those two,' Trump told reporters. 'But I can say this, we need them for economic security.' Question on Greenland and Panama Canal: "Can you assure the world that as you try to get control of these areas you are not going to use military or economic coercion?President-Elect Trump: "No…I can't assure you on either of those two. We need them for economic security…" — CSPAN (@cspan) January 7, 2025 The same day, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., touched down in Greenland for what was described as a tourist visit, during which he reportedly handed out hats bearing the slogan 'Make Greenland Great Again.' Meanwhile, Trump's National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said the strategy is bigger than Greenland itself. 'This is about the Arctic,' he said. 'You have Russia that is trying to become king.' Frederiksen earlier this month ruled out the possibility of coming to a deal with the United States that would see Greenland handed over. Instead, the future of the territory would be decided by its people. 'Greenland is not for sale,' Frederiksen said. The U.S., as we have previously reported, already has a significant military presence in Greenland. That includes the former Thule Air Base, which was turned over to the U.S. Space Force in 2020 and renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2023. Overseen by the Space Force's 821st Space Base Group, its mission is 'to enable force projection, space superiority, and scientific research in the Arctic region for our nation and allies through integrated base support and defense operations,' according to the Space Force. With Pituffik Space Base, the 821st Space Base Group is responsible for the U.S. military's northernmost installation. Beyond the airfield, the massive radar system used for early warning and tracking of ballistic missiles is of extreme strategic importance to the United States. Meanwhile, Russia has placed a huge strategic importance on the Arctic, with many investments in the region. In recent years, Moscow has been heavily committed to increasing its air and naval power in the Arctic Circle and has been establishing new bases in the region, as well as reactivating ones that fell into disuse after the Cold War. China has also been expanding its presence in the Arctic. These two nations have also been stepping up their joint military operations in the Arctic region. Last July, two Chinese H-6 bombers and a pair of Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers flew through a portion of the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) around Alaska. It marked the first time China's H-6s operated in that part of the world. Beyond the military implications of this region are potential new shipping routes and mineral resources that will become available as the ice continues to melt. These factors are largely perpetuating the looming struggle for control over wide swathes of the Arctic region. Amid all this, Denmark is seeking European help in opposing Trump's Greenland quest. 'Frederiksen dashed between Berlin, Brussels and Paris on Tuesday to shore up support in the face of Trump's increasingly aggressive overtures toward the territory,' Politico noted on Tuesday. Trump's interest in Greenland will likely be a big part of an informal meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Feb. 3, Politico reported, citing several people familiar with the plans. Denmark's PM seeks support on trip to Berlin and other EU capitals as fears grow over Trump's threats against Greenland — DW Politics (@dw_politics) January 28, 2025 Buying a few new ships, aircraft and drones is clearly no game-changer in Denmark's efforts to maintain control over Greenland. The announcement of the plan, however, seems to be another indication that it has no intention of giving up the island. Contact the author: howard@
