DefenceTalkSweden said on Thursday it would raise defence spending by 6.2 billion kronor (677 million euros, $720 million) and bring back troops to a “strategic” Baltic island amid concerns over Russia’s military resurgence. The country’s left-wing government said most of the money, to be spent between 2016 and 2020, would go towards modernizing ships that […]https://www.defencetalk.com/sweden-raises-military-spending-amid-concerns-over-russia-63488/

DefenceTalkPolish and Latvian officials on Tuesday voiced scepticism over calls for a European Union army to counter a militarily resurgent Russia. “It’s a very risky idea,” Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna told Poland’s private Radio Zet in reaction to Sunday’s proposal by European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker. Juncker, a former Luxembourg prime minister, called for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/poland-and-latvia-sceptical-over-eu-army-idea-63450/

DefenceTalkRussia has acquired high-tech camouflage netting from Switzerland for a record 85 million euros, having placed the order before Bern imposed sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, reports said Sunday. The netting is designed to escape detection by radar and infra-red captors. The contract was signed in August 2014, before Bern decided to mirror […]https://www.defencetalk.com/swiss-firm-sells-camouflage-nets-to-sanctions-hit-russia-63415/

DefenceTalkThe US military’s top-ranking officer on Tuesday added to a growing clamor for Washington to arm Ukraine in its battle with pro-Russian forces, saying he favors doing so through NATO. It was the first time General Martin Dempsey had spoken out in support of arming Ukraine’s army against the separatists and follows similar comments by […]https://www.defencetalk.com/top-us-military-officer-backs-arming-ukraine-63355/

DefenceTalkRussia wants to secure a land corridor in eastern Ukraine that could include Mariupol but pro-Moscow rebels may wait until the spring to attack the strategic port city, the US spy chief said Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aim was not to seize all of Ukraine but to carve out territory linking up with the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-spy-chief-predicts-spring-attack-on-ukraine-port-63316/

DefenceTalkUp to 2,000 Russian soldiers took part in drills in the country’s west on Wednesday as Moscow conducted an inspection of its paratrooper units in the latest show of strength likely to alarm its neighbors. Some 500 units of equipment were also to be included in drills in the western Pskov region which borders EU […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-paratroopers-in-drills-on-border-with-estonia-latvia-63305/

DefenceTalkRussia could set its sights on Moldova to prevent it from “leaning to the West,” following the conflict with Ukraine, the top NATO commander warned Wednesday. Speaking to US lawmakers at a Capitol Hill hearing, General Philip Breedlove said Moldova could be a target for Moscow. “What we should do is watch first where we […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-could-target-moldova-nato-commander-63303/

DefenceTalkEurope faces a different and more challenging security environment than it did just a year ago, including an increasingly aggressive Russia and a surge of violent extremism, Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove said here yesterday. Breedlove, commander of U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and Allied Command Operations for NATO, told the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/breedlove-russia-violent-extremism-challenge-europe-63291/

DefenceTalkA senior British minister ruled out sending arms to Ukraine Sunday as the United States and European nations sought ways to pressure Russia over the conflict in the ex-Soviet republic’s east. William Hague, who was foreign secretary until last year and is still a minister seen as close to Prime Minister David Cameron, said governments […]https://www.defencetalk.com/britain-will-not-send-arms-to-ukraine-minister-63278/

DefenceTalkPro-Russian rebels in east Ukraine said Monday they will only start pulling back weapons from the frontline under a peace deal once there is a “full ceasefire”. “In accordance with the Minsk agreement, the withdrawal of military hardware can only happen under certain conditions and one of them is a full ceasefire,” Eduard Basurin, a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukraine-rebels-say-no-arms-pull-back-until-full-ceasefire-63137/