Flashpoints

Biden: US would intervene with military to defend Taiwan

Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said “yes” when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded.

Ukraine

Belarusians join war seeking to free Ukraine and themselves

Belarusians are among those who have answered a call for foreign fighters to join the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine.

US, South Korea open to expanded military drills to deter North

U.S. President Joe Biden said cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea shows “our readiness to take on all threats together.”

More nations expected to sign up for Pentagon’s Ukraine aid group

A group of international defense chiefs convened by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to coordinate military aid for Ukraine is likely to be larger when it meets for the second time on Monday.

Putin complains about barrage of cyberattacks

Putin charged that “an outright aggression has been unleashed against Russia, a war has been waged in the information space.”

Russia claims its Zadira laser weapon destroyed a drone in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that the claim reflects Moscow’s desire to find an alternative to missiles.

Ukrainian troops surrendering at Mariupol registered as POWs

Hundreds more fighters have emerged from the Mariupol stronghold where they made their last stand and surrendered.

US troop pullout was key factor in Afghan collapse, watchdog says

The report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction mirrors assertions made by senior Pentagon and military leaders.

Ukraine

Army veteran volunteers with bomb tech crews in Ukraine

Retired Army Lt. Col. John Culp is currently volunteering in Kyiv with the nonprofit Bomb Techs Without Borders.

Small wins buoy Ukraine; West says Russians losing momentum

“Ukraine can win this war,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Finland to seek NATO entry in ‘new era’ amid Russia’s war

Finland’s president and government have announced that the Nordic country intends to apply for membership in NATO.

Okinawa marks 50 years of end to US rule amid protests

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki has urged Japan’s central government to do more to reduce the U.S. military presence in the southern island group.

Troops sent to bolster NATO begin turnover as US mulls larger footprint in Europe

“The deployments are one-for-one unit replacements, which will leave our overall force posture in the region — approximately 100,000 — unchanged,” the Pentagon's spokesman said.

Pentagon chief talks to Russian counterpart for first time since Ukraine war began

This is the first conversation between the two defense chiefs since Feb. 18, a week before the war started.

Russia takes losses in failed river crossing, officials say

Russia lost significant numbers of troops and important equipment when Ukrainian forces thwarted their attempt to cross a river in the east, British officials said.

Here’s what US Army leaders are learning from the Russia-Ukraine war

Counter-drone tech, long-range fires, and translating battlefield intel to high-impact strikes are key areas Army leaders are pulling lessons from.

Javelin missile: Made by the US, wielded by Ukraine, feared by Russia

The American-made FGM-148 Javelin has been making mincemeat of T-72s and T-90s in Ukraine, according to reports.

The Neptune anti-ship missile: The weapon that may have sunk the Russian flagship Moskva

The sinking of the Moskva is arguably Russia's lowest point in its invasion of Ukraine — so far. Here's the weapon that may have killed it.

Panzerfaust 3: The Cold War weapon wrecking Russian tanks in Ukraine

Though it has its roots in fighting Soviets in World War II, the Panzerfaust 3 antitank rocket is now being used against the Russians again — in Ukraine.

North Korea fires 3 ballistic missiles amid first virus outbreak

South Korea says North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea in the latest of a series of weapons demonstrations this year.

US leads exercise in North Macedonia, NATO’s newest member

Nearly 10,000 soldiers from 19 nations are taking part in NATO’s planned “Swift Response” exercises as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues for a 12th week.

Alabama Marine veteran is volunteering in Ukraine

He’s been an instructor within a training unit that schools the Ukrainian armed forces in an intensive two-week military crash course before they’re sent to the front lines.

From howitzers to suicide drones: Pentagon seeks right ‘balance’ on training Ukrainians on new arms

As the war in Ukraine drags into its third month, the United States is trying to figure out the best way – and the best pace – to train Ukrainian troops on how to use the Western arms flooding into the besieged nation.

Ukraine

Dozens feared dead after Russian bomb levels Ukraine school

Dozens of Ukrainians are feared dead after a Russian bomb destroyed a school sheltering about 90 people in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine

‘We’re so sorry’: Mariupol steel plant evacuees feel relief, grief

The steel plant has a maze of more than 30 bunkers and tunnels spread out over its 11 square kilometers (4 miles), and each bunker was its own world.