Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis warns that Russia’s hybrid attacks against NATO, encompassing sabotage, cyberattacks, and assassination attempts, “look like war.” He stresses the urgent need for NATO to establish clear red lines and define retaliatory measures to deter further aggression. Landsbergis expresses concern that NATO’s current response is insufficiently swift and decisive, potentially emboldening Russia. He suggests that a sufficiently severe hybrid attack could even trigger an Article 5 response.
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Recent reports indicate a Ukrainian drone offensive forced a Russian retreat from the outskirts of Kupiansk, a strategically important railroad hub in the Kharkiv region. This withdrawal, confirmed by the Kremlin-affiliated Rybar Telegram channel, is attributed to disrupted supply lines caused by the drone attacks. The Russian offensive continues elsewhere along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, however, and both sides are simultaneously bolstering their drone production capabilities. This highlights the increasing importance of unmanned aerial vehicles in the ongoing conflict.
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A new Angus Reid Institute poll reveals historically low support for Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, with only 16% of decided voters expressing support—a figure rivaling the party’s worst performance in the modern era. This represents roughly half their pre-2021 election support, with many former Liberal voters shifting to the NDP or Conservatives. The poll also shows significant disapproval of Trudeau himself (74%), while Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre enjoys 45% support. Furthermore, 46% of Liberal supporters want Trudeau to resign immediately, highlighting the party’s internal struggles.
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Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has mass-produced the Ching Tien hypersonic cruise missile, boasting a range exceeding 2,000 km and potentially reaching targets as far as Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. To improve deployment, the military is procuring mobile launch vehicles, primarily from Czech manufacturer Tatra, for these missiles. This initiative, including the “Feiji No. 2” project, represents a significant advancement in Taiwan’s deep-strike capabilities, marking the first deployment of such long-range strategic weapons. The Ching Tien system’s extended range is achieved through upgrades from the earlier Ching Tien supersonic cruise missile.
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El Al has extended its suspension of flights to Moscow until the end of March 2024. This decision follows an earlier temporary suspension implemented last week. The airline cited the recent crash of an Azerbaijani passenger plane, widely believed to have been downed by a Russian air defense system, as a contributing factor to the extended cancellation. The suspension reflects growing safety concerns regarding air travel to and from Moscow.
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In early December, a China-based Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor gained unauthorized access to US Treasury Department systems via a compromised third-party service provider, BeyondTrust. The breach involved several employee workstations and some unclassified documents, prompting the Treasury Department to characterize the incident as a “major cybersecurity incident.” Investigations, involving the FBI and other agencies, are underway to assess the full impact. The Treasury Department has stated that the access has been stopped and will provide a supplemental report within 30 days.
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Finnish investigators discovered a nearly 100km seabed trail near a damaged underwater electricity cable, linking the damage to the Russian-linked ship *Eagle S*. The *Eagle S*’s anchor is believed to be responsible, causing damage to the Estlink 2 cable connecting Finland and Estonia. This suspected act of sabotage, which will take months to repair and increase Estonian electricity prices, follows a pattern of similar incidents targeting underwater infrastructure. While the crew of the *Eagle S* consisted of Georgian and Indian nationals, the ship’s recent docking in Russia and its suspected cargo of Russian oil products point towards potential Russian involvement.
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A Belgrade court sentenced Vladimir Kecmanovic to 14.5 years and Miljana Kecmanovic to three years for their roles in the May 2023 school shooting that killed ten. Vladimir was found guilty of endangering public safety and child neglect, while Miljana was convicted of child neglect. The shooting instructor also received a prison sentence. Both the prosecution and defense plan to appeal the verdict.
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Russia has definitively declined any invitation to the Global Peace Summit, citing Ukraine’s unwillingness to compromise on its 1991 borders and the complete withdrawal of Russian troops. Ukraine, aiming to hold the summit before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, continues preparations, despite delays. While initially suggesting Russia’s presence was a non-starter, Zelenskyy later indicated a willingness to invite Russia, though he believes Putin is uninterested in peace. Ukraine’s plan involves a multi-point peace proposal, contingent on a globally-supported framework.
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John Q. Hosedrinker