 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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Ukraine breaches Russia's main defensive line |
Kyiv's armor has broken through Russia's main defensive line in the southeast, a sign its counteroffensive is accelerating. |
Ukraine's infantry made it past the main layer of defenses in the front line weeks ago, but armored vehicles have now rolled past anti-tank obstacles known as "dragon's teeth" and are advancing near the town of Verbove in a critical step for Kyiv's operation. Armored vehicles, including American-made Strykers, breached the main layer of the infamous "Surovikin line" of defenses, named for the Russian Gen. Sergei Surovikin, which is made up of trenches, mines and anti-tank obstacles. The Institute for the Study of War first assessed last week that armored vehicles likely penetrated the main layer, though it wasn't immediately clear if the positions would hold. Ukrainian commanders have also confirmed to media outlets that the armored vehicles blasted through the main line after troops cleared the way. If Ukraine can secure its advance around the towns of Verbove and Novoprokopivka next, it can then advance toward Tokmak, a key waypoint toward the ultimate objective of taking the city of Melitopol. Ukraine still has a long way to go, at least 15 miles or so, to reach Tokmak, and the path is scattered with more Russian defenses. The modest gains come as the first U.S. Abrams tanks pledged to Ukraine have arrived in the country and are being prepared to send into battle. Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future: |
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The first U.S. Abrams tanks pledged to Ukraine have arrived in the country and are being prepared to send into battle, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Monday. "Good news from Defense Minister [Rustem] Umerov. Abrams are already in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce our brigades. I am grateful to our allies for fulfilling the agreements!” Zelensky wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Zelensky …
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine in its war against Russia over concerns about the treatment of ethnic Hungarians. Orbán told lawmakers in Parliament that he was protesting a 2017 law in Ukraine that limits ethnic Hungarians from speaking their own language, particularly in schools and said Hungary would not support Ukraine on international issues “until the previous … |
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U.S. forces captured an Islamic State official during a helicopter raid in northern Syria over the weekend, U.S. Central Command announced Monday. American troops "successfully conducted a helicopter raid" on Saturday, capturing Abu Halil al-Fad'ani, an ISIS Syria operational and facilitation official "assessed to have relationships throughout the ISIS network in the region," according to a CENTCOM statement. … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- Vice President Harris will attend an Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and incoming Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. at Fort Myer, Va., on Friday.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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FBI analysis from 2020 warned extremists 'very willing to take action' over disputed election: report |
An FBI analysis conducted ahead of the 2020 election found that violent extremists were "very willing to take action" in response to a disputed election, NBC News reported. NBC obtained a redacted copy of an FBI report titled "Alternative Analysis: Potential Scenarios for Reactions of Domestic … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
- The Washington Post will hold a virtual discussion on "The Next Generation of Cyber Threats" with Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco at 9 a.m.
- Brookings Institution will hold a talk on "The State of the World and U.S. Grand Strategy" at 9 a.m.
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies and U.S. Naval Institute will hold an event on "Strengthening the U.S. Industrial Base" with William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, at 12 p.m.
- The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will host a conversation on "Ukraine's Quest for Justice," with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and Kyiv's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova at 5 p.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- President Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger and pull ambassador after coup (The Associated Press)
- VA officials sound alarm on uptick in veterans benefits scams (Military Times)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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Democrats are seizing on a GOP-backed push for steeper cuts in government funding to argue Republicans are putting Americans in danger with the threat … Read more |
| Judge Aileen Cannon agreed Monday to a Justice Department (DOJ) request to hold hearings to examine potential conflicts of interest of two attorneys … Read more |
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Op-ed related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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