Important Takeaways:
- NATO is planning to deploy an armored brigade in Finland to serve as a deterrent against Russia, newspaper Iltalehti reported on Thursday, citing sources within the US-led military bloc and the government in Helsinki.
- The unit, which could range in size from 4,000 to 5,000 troops, will be stationed at Mikkeli in the south-eastern part of Finland, according to the daily. Mikkeli, which has a population of 51,000, is just 87 miles (140 kilometers) from the border with Russia.
- According to the newspaper’s sources, the brigade will comprise NATO troops from neighboring Sweden and Norway.
- Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told state-owned broadcaster Yle on Wednesday that Helsinki was in talks with several NATO states about deploying their soldiers to Finland even if the country does not face an immediate military threat. The bloc’s contingent should be “comprehensive and large enough to form a sufficient presence in crisis situations,” he stressed. According to Hakkanen, soldiers from his own and from other NATO countries could, among other activities, stage large-scale military exercises if there is a “tense atmosphere at the border” with Russia.
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Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Turkey’s Parliament Ratifies Finland’s Membership in NATO
- Turkey’s parliament on Thursday ratified Finland’s application to join NATO, lifting the last hurdle in the way of the Nordic country’s long-delayed accession into the Western military alliance.
- All 276 lawmakers present voted in favor of Finland’s bid, days after Hungary’s parliament also endorsed Helsinki’s accession.
- “This will make the whole NATO family stronger & safer,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter in welcoming Turkey’s action.
- Sweden’s bid to join the alliance, meanwhile, has been left hanging, with both Turkey and Hungary holding out on giving it the green light despite expressing support for NATO’s expansion.
- Turkey’s government accuses Sweden of being too lenient toward groups it deems to be terrorist organizations
- Sweden, which made constitutional changes to pass tougher anti-terrorism laws, has expressed hope that it will be able to join before NATO’s July summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
- “Turkey is unlikely to approve its acceptance into the alliance before the election in May.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- VLAD’S APOCALYPSE Putin’s 3,000 die-hard troops launch nuke drills testing Yars missile as Kremlin threatens ‘legitimate’ Western target
- Vladimir Putin is flexing his military muscle with his “invincible weapons” in three regions, showcasing his nuclear-capable Yars rockets – one of Moscow’s deadliest weapons.
- Russia’s defense ministry said: “In total, more than 3,000 military personnel and about 300 pieces of equipment are involved in the exercises.
- It comes as Russia today threatened Sweden and Finland over joining Nato, saying it would make the Nordic countries a “legitimate target for Russian retaliatory measures, including those of a military nature”.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark struck a deal to run their 200+ advanced fighter jets as a single fleet, creating a new headache for Russia
- The four Nordic countries agreed to operate their roughly 250 fighter jets in one fleet.
- Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, have modern air forces that include F-35s.
- They joined forces hoping to deter Russia.
- “The ultimate goal is to be able to operate seamlessly together as one force by developing a Nordic concept for joint air operations based on already known NATO methodology,” Denmark’s air force said in a statement, per Bloomberg.
- “Our combined fleet can be compared to a large European country,” commander of the Danish air force, Major General Jan Dam, told Reuters.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
Russian bombers capable of carrying nukes detected near Finland
- Israeli intelligence firm ImageSat International (ISI) has detected an “irregular presence” of Russian TU-160 and TU-95 strategic bombers deployed to the Olenya Airbase near Finland.
- While it is unclear why the bombers have been moved to the airbase, it comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to threaten the West that he could use strategic nuclear weapons, including after he announced a partial mobilization in the country, saying that “this is not a bluff.”
- Ukraine’s military intelligence spokesperson Vadym Skibitsky said in an interview with The Guardian on Tuesday that Kyiv assesses the threat of Moscow using tactical weapons against the country as “very high.”
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Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Russia warns of nuclear, hypersonic deployment if Sweden and Finland join NATO
- Finland and Sweden consider NATO membership
- Russia warns of nuclear deployment
- Says Iskander and hypersonic missiles would be deployed
- Lithuania says there’s nothing new in Russia’s threats
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Senate Votes to add Sweden, Finland to NATO
- Each country must ratify Sweden and Finland’s application to be admitted to NATO.
- The Senate overwhelmingly approved the application for both countries 95-1. Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly approved of the measure, while Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) voted no, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted present.
- The Senate voted before the ratification vote on an amendment proposed by Paul that would stipulate that Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty would not supersede Congress’s sole authority to declare war. The Senate rejected the motion, 10-87.
- Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) earned the ire of his Republican colleagues when he announced on Monday that he would oppose admitting Sweden and Finland into NATO.
- In his op-ed for the National Interest, Hawley wrote that the expansion of NATO would obligate the United States to defend more countries at a time when America needs to realign its posture towards curbing an expansionist China. He also contended that many European NATO members do not meet their NATO obligations to spend two percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Europe’s new Iron Curtain: The defenses designed to keep Putin out as Biden announces a new permanent base in Poland – while Sweden and Finland are formally invited into alliance and Russia blasts ‘destabilizing’ move
- US will sent thousands more troops to Europe along with fighter jets and ships to help defend against Russia
- Biden also announced first permanent US military base will be created in Poland – a move hailed by Warsaw
- Finland and Sweden were also formally invited to join the alliance, after Turkey dropped its opposition
- NATO has sent 4,000 extra troops to eastern flank and will boost high-alert force from 40,000 to 300,000
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Sweden and Finland are CLEARED to join NATO after negotiations with Turkey and ahead of Biden’s meeting with Erdogan on Wednesday
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the deal on Tuesday evening ahead of President Joe Biden’s scheduled meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- Erdogan objected to Finland and Sweden’s application to join because he wants them to change their stance on Kurdish rebel groups that Turkey considers terrorists.
- Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said earlier Tuesday that the U.S. believes Finland and Sweden have taken ‘significant steps forward in terms of addressing Turkey’s concerns.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Revelations 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- The West rises against Putin: Finland warns Russia it is ready to fight them and US declares NATO’s ‘ironclad’ support for Lithuania as Moscow’s fury grows over Kaliningrad blockade
- Finland’s armed forces chief said the country has been preparing for war against Russia for decades
- Lithuania blocked goods sanctioned by the EU from reaching the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad
- US said it would defend fellow NATO member Lithuania if Russia launched attack
- Russia vowed to retaliate with measures that ‘will have a serious negative impact on the Lithuanian population’ after country blocked coal and metals from Russia
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