Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Mongolia on Monday, Sept. 2, drew significant international attention. Since March 2023, the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant accusing Putin of war crimes, specifically for deporting and transferring children from occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia. As a member of the ICC, Mongolia is legally required to act…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv will be holding on to the Russian territories it seized last month indefinitely as its war with Russia stretches on. It’s part of a plan to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.  Almost a month ago, Ukrainian troops took over Russia’s Kursk region in an unexpected operation. Ukraine now claims it controls nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and…

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced terrorism charges against senior leaders of Hamas. And with the kickoff to a new NFL season a day away, betting on the games is expected to break records. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. US charges 6 Hamas leaders with terrorism over Oct. 7…

The drone innovators in Ukraine are at it again, this time rigging an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to rain fire from above. Video from Ukraine’s 108th Territorial Brigade was recently posted online, depicting a scene along the front lines between Russia and Ukraine in the Zaporizhzia region. It shows a drone showering down what looks…

U.S. researchers say they believe they’ve identified the probable deployment site for Russia’s new nuclear missile called “Burevestnik,” 295 miles north of Moscow. The researchers pinpointed the likely deployment site using commercial satellite imagery from Planet Labs. Analysts with the CNA research organization identified nine horizontal launch pads under construction, protected by high berms. The…

At least 41 people were killed and over 180 wounded on Tuesday, Sept. 3, after Russian forces launched a missile attack on a military training facility and a nearby hospital in the city of Poltava, Ukrainian officials said. The strike, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned as “barbaric,” is the deadliest single attack in Ukraine…

As the 2024 presidential election draws nearer, China is stepping up its attempts to influence American voters. A new report found a rise in “spamouflage” on social media. Spamouflage accounts claim to be U.S. voters and soldiers and post about issues like reproductive rights, U.S. support for Ukraine, and America’s policy toward Israel. These accounts criticize…

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States and its allies celebrated a new era of global hegemony. But in recent years, especially with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Chinese military aggression in the Pacific, that hegemony has come under attack. Meanwhile, major powers like France and Turkey are already preparing to play…

Ukraine’s continued attacks on Russian oil refineries are no doubt hurting Russia militarily and financially. In the last few months, Ukrainian drone and missile attacks struck dozens of refineries, depots, storage units, and ferries full of fuel. Now, Russia — the nation Sen. John McCain once said was a “gas station masquerading as a country”…

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet crashed on Monday, Aug. 26, while responding to a large-scale Russian missile attack, marking the first crash of the U.S.-made planes. The jet, piloted by Oleksiy Mes, was reportedly on a mission to intercept Russian missiles when contact was lost as it approached its next target. Mes was killed in…