Russia held its 79th annual Victory Day parade on Thursday, May 9, in Moscow to commemorate the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II. The scaled-down ceremony featured a World War II-era tank, 9,000 troops, 61 weapon systems and 15 combat aircraft in Red Square. Officials accused the West of fueling…

With the United States Congress finally passing another major defensive aid package and France now threatening to send its own armed forces in to defend Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is promising his people that Russia is prepared to fight a long, protracted war for however long it takes. But how realistic is that promise?…

Most Western aid to Ukraine has been allocated only on the condition that it not be used to strike against Russia itself. But since the start of Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, military analysts and foreign policy writers have both cautioned against conditioning aid, warning that Ukraine cannot successfully defend itself unless it is…

Russia is the world’s largest producer of enriched uranium, presenting a problem for U.S. supply chains as Western sanctions against Russia continue to escalate in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. In addition to uranium’s use in nuclear weapons, nuclear power provides around 20% of domestic American energy. Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan explains…

Vladimir Putin begins his fifth, six-year term as Russian president Tuesday, May 7. He has led the country for over 24 years. As Russia continues its prolonged conflict with Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry announced plans on Monday for tactical nuclear weapon drills in the near future. These exercises aim to prepare Russia’s non-strategic nuclear…

Most modern militaries distinguish between military and civilian equipment, but not North Korea. Video from a recent parade honoring North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reveals an unconventional display. Instead of tanks or armored carriers, tractors pulled rocket launchers and launchers discreetly concealed within vehicles designed to resemble civilian trucks. Matt Shoemaker, a retired intelligence…

Israeli officials expressed concerns that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue arrest warrants against Israeli government and military figures for actions linked to Israel’s conflict with Hamas. The ICC has the authority to accuse officials of war crimes, including genocide and crimes against humanity. According to Reuters, the ICC may seek an arrest warrant…

Over the weekend of April 27, Ukrainian troops were on the retreat from Russian forces. The United States is rushing aid to Ukraine since the foreign aid package passed on April 24. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the weapons coming from the U.S. need to come faster because Russia is capitalizing on the holding…

With Congress passing the $95 billion foreign aid package, including a bill on TikTok, it now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk. A year after a deadly school shooting, Tennessee lawmakers approve a bill allowing teachers to carry guns in school. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, April 24, 2024.  Senate…

Leon Aron, who was born in Moscow and came to the United States as a refugee in 1978, is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He studies Russian domestic and foreign policy, U.S.-Russia relations, and the economic, social, and cultural aspects of Russia’s post-Soviet evolution. From 2014 to 2020, Dr. Aron was…