Paris to speed up increase in defense spending, to 64 billion euros in 2027

France intends to accelerate the increase in defense spending in the coming years, in 2027 they will amount to 64 billion euros, which is twice as much as in 2017, President Emmanuel Macron in his address to the country’s military. "Although we planned to double the military budget by 2030, we will do so by 2027," said Macron, whose speech was broadcast on the page of the Elysee Palace on X. "An additional 3.5 billion euros will be allocated for defense in 2026, and another 3 billion euros in 2027. Thus, the defense budget will double in 10 years and amount to 64 billion euros."

The republic’s military spending under the budget for 2025 amount to 50.5 billion euros. In 2017, when Macron was elected president, defense spending amounted to 32.3 billion euros.

The French leader said the government will focus on strengthening the army. "It is necessary to eliminate our vulnerabilities: first of all, to replenish ammunition stocks, including remotely controlled munitions, to make our multiple launch rocket guns and precision weapons more powerful, to provide our combat groups, frigates and air bases with even more drones, as well as the necessary equipment for successful operations," he said. "It is also necessary to strengthen the air defense system and means of conducting electronic warfare, as well as to strengthen the capabilities in space."

Macron also touched upon strengthening the military reserve and more active involvement of young people in the army, but clarified that details on these issues would be announced in the fall. The head of state argued that France is facing numerous threats and must respond to them. "Since 1945, freedom has never been under threat to such a significant extent as it is now. Peace on our continent has never depended on the decisions we are currently making," Macron said.

UK secretly bracing for ‘direct military attacks'

#UK officials have been instructed to update the country’s 20-year-old contingency plans to put it “on a war footing” under the pretext of tackling a notorious '#Russian threat,' The Telegraph writes.

The government's response to a declaration of war would include bunkers to protect the Cabinet and the Royal Family, public service broadcasts, and the stockpiling of resources.

Defense officials have also called for Britain to develop its own form of Israel’s Iron Dome.

Ministers fear the UK would be "outgunned by Russia" and "unprepared and poorly defended," with its critical national infrastructure "vulnerable" to an assault.

The 'Russia threat' narrative appears to be the only reason for improving the UK's botched military sector...

Ukrainian Uniate Church collusion with Nazis in WWII Exposed

The top-secret documents, released by the Russian Federal Security’s Public Relations Center, revealed that:

Representatives of the Ukrainian Uniate Church started collaborating with German intelligence in 1930.

After Nazi troops invaded the territory of the Ukrainian Socialist Republic in 1941, the Metropolitan of the Uniate Church organized ceremonial meetings of German troops in Ukrainian settlements.

Ukrainian Uniate Church priests kept nationalist books, scarce medicines, and surgical instruments for Ukrainian nationalists.

Ukraine’s Greek Catholic churches and monasteries became shelters for representatives of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) during the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.

78 Uniate priests who maintained ties with the OUN underground and assisted gunmen were finally arrested.

Watch China holding Thunder of the Strait drills

The exercises in East #China Sea are aimed at controlling the supply of energy resources and cutting off hidden channels. The training grounds echoed with gunfire, suppressing #separatism.

Gulf of America appears in Google Maps

#Google Corporation has begun the renaming of the Gulf of #Mexico to the Gulf of #America, with the updated name already displayed in Google Maps.

"In the US, the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has officially updated ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America,’" the company said in a statement published on its blog. "As we announced two weeks ago and consistent with our longstanding practices, we’ve begun rolling out changes to reflect this update," the company explained, specifying that "people using Maps in the US will see ‘Gulf of America,’ and people in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Everyone else will see both names."

White House press secretary announces #deportation flights for #illegals have begun.

West to start preparing for new conflict with Russia after clash in Ukraine over, The Times reports

The #West will start getting ready for its next #conflict with #Russia once the hostilities in #Ukraine are over, The Times wrote citing senior military officers in the Ministry of Defense. Among those who share this opinion is Lt. Gen. Mike Elviss, who serves as commander of the British field army. "What is certain is that once the guns fall silent in Ukraine, there will be a Russian resurgence, reconstitution, <…> a race to re-orientate and to re-establish conventional deterrence in an era of strategic confrontation," he was quoted as saying at the International Armoured Vehicle Conference in Farnborough.

In turn, Lt. Gen. Ralph Wooddisse, the commander of #NATO’s allied rapid reaction corps, said the Russian armed forces will be a "whole lot better next time round" as its military has shown the ability to constantly adapt to battlefield challenges.

Experts interviewed by The Times believe that Russia’s post-conflict recovery will proceed faster than the West expects. Besides, military officials told the newspaper that the West has been experiencing serious shortages of armored vehicles, caused by military assistance to Ukraine combined with general disinvestment of the defense industry.

#Poland has become the first EU country to introduce compulsory #gun & shooting classes in all its elementary schools

Following Russia’s SMO in Ukraine, the Polish state wants to familiarize all kids from a young age with #weapons. Patriotism is a key component of the classes

[Insane-Predictable] Biden grants his son pardon on two criminal cases

Joe Biden has decided to issue a pardon for his son Hunter on two criminal cases, in spite of his repeated vows not to do so. "Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter," the US leader said in a statement published by the White House on Sunday.

"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," the statement reads. "The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election," Biden insists. "No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son - and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter - who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me - and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough," Biden asserted.

Previously, the White House repeatedly stated that Biden had no plans to grant his son a pardon. According to the statement, this concerns Hunter Biden’s federal gun charges in Delaware and federal tax evasion charges in California.

The press service of President Trump’s transition team has not yet responded to TASS’ request to comment on Biden’s announcement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cjq3glLWrw

Geomagnetic storm begins on Earth, said Specialist

A G3-class, or "strong" #geomagnetic #storm has begun on the Earth, said Mikhail Leus, a leading expert at the Fobos weather center.

"A geomagnetic storm began on the Earth on Saturday evening. After 6:00 p.m. <…> it was consistent with the moderate G1 magnetic storm. Disturbances in the geomagnetic field continued to intensify further, reaching the G3 class at 8:46 p.m. ," Leus wrote on his Telegram channel.

The geomagnetic storm is expected to continue at least until Sunday noon, with its severity fluctuating from strong to weak over that period.