Lithuanian Parliament votes to send more military instructors to Ukraine
The Lithuanian Seimas passed a law that provides for sending twice as many military instructors to Ukraine for training purposes, according to baltnews.lt.
The vote took place on Tuesday. Of 114 Lithuanian parliamentarians, 103 voted for the bill. There were none who voted against it or abstained from voting.
Up to 30 instructors from the Lithuanian army could be sent before this law was passed. But now up to 60 servicemen or civil servants of the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania can be …
SBU: Cyber attack on Ukraine was planned in advance
On June 27, several Ukrainian banks, as well as some private and public sectors companies were subjected to an external hacker attack which used a then-unknown virus. However, the press center of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) now says it was a previously known but modified ransom ware, which is currently being studied.
"At present, SBU specialists, together with the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine, the department of Cyber Police, representatives of anti-virus companies, …
Syrian President visited Russian airbase
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, accompanied by the head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, General Valery Gerasimov, visited the Khmeimim base of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the Syrian province of Latakia.
Assad flew to the base aboard a Russian Su-35 fighter, as Syrian media photos show. This was a first for the Syrian President. Gerasimov, who is on a working visit to Syria, met Assad at the base.
The two discussed the coordination of the actions of …
U.S. pilots have requested permission to shoot down Syrian aircraft for self-defense purposes three times this month
This month American pilots have sought permission to shoot down Syrian military aircraft three times, citing self-defense, according to U.S. Air Force General Charles Corcoran, as reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
"We are trying to reduce tension. We are here to fight the Islamic State, but we will defend our forces from those who are on the side of the Syrian regime," he said.
On June 18th, in the province of Raqqa, an aircraft of the U.S.-led coalition against the IS shot down a Syrian Air …
Italian Foreign Minister: Italy does not recognize Russia's annexation of the Crimea
Angelino Alfano, the head of the Italian Foreign Ministry, said that Italy “did not recognize in any form” the entry of the Crimea into Russia.
On Tuesday, Alfano held a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkin, and assured him of the permanency of Italy’s position on the most pressing issues for Ukraine.
The Italian Foreign Minister also stressed that this “clear” position is shared by all EU countries.
“If we recognized this, it would be news. Our position remains the same and …