Markus Ries

21st is a great command and at the transformational of U.S. Joint and NATO logistics and sustainment.

11

“NATO has a new force ready to respond to any contingency at a moment’s notice. The Allied Reaction Force (ARF) is currently being tested & certified at Exercise STEADFAST DETERRENCE 2024 (STDC24). STDC24 offers the first opportunity to exercise non-Article 5 #deterrence & peacetime vigilance utilizing the new NATO Force Model (NFM). "This exercise sets the benchmark for NATO’s enhanced readiness & responsiveness to confront emerging security challenges. It will also sharpen the Alliance’s understanding of #multidomain operations, including its ability to coordinate military & non-military instruments of power within the organization & with other security providers, including national authorities and other international organizations. "This exercise has been planned & developed over the last 12 months, in coordination with the Norwegian authorities. It will offer the training audiences the opportunity to immerse in a realistic & challenging scenario, and work hard to achieve their training objectives. NATO is growing stronger through the daily engagement of its men and women.”   - STDC24 Chief Scenario #WeAreNATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy (NRDC-ITA) NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT)

105

2 Kommentare

Andreas Heinemann-Grüder (ed.), Who Are the Fighters? Irregular Armed Groups in the Russian-Ukrainian War since 2014. Stuttgart: ibidem-Verlag, 2024. Distributed by Columbia University Press. https://lnkd.in/dctEU7HJ https://lnkd.in/dDiJub56 The war in Ukraine has been fought with, among others, irregular armed groups since 2014—volunteers, paramilitaries, and mercenaries. Based on interviews in the Russian-controlled Donbas and with Ukrainian combatants, the contributions to this volume disclose various micro-dynamics of the mobilization, group formation, and fighting. Who were these fighters and who organized them? Russia has been increasingly employing mercenaries as a way to conduct undeclared, but ruthless wars beyond her borders. Ukraine’s formation of irregular armed groups in 2014 was a response to the army’s initially glaring inability to counter Russia’s military intervention. Most of the irregular battalions acted from the beginning under governmental orders. They have never operated autonomously, but compensated for operational weaknesses of regular armed groups. The initially high power of irregular battalions derived from state support, the capabilities of commanders, social networks, and the faculties of the fighters. C o n t e n t s The War in Ukraine and Irregular Armed Groups Andreas Heinemann-Grüder ………………………………………………………….. 7 Organizations of Russian Nationalists in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict Nikolay Mitrokhin ………………………………………………………………………. 15 Pro-Russian Irregular Armed Groups Natalia Savelyeva ……………………………………………………………………….. 47 The Far-Right Predecessor Organizations of the Ukrainian Irregular Armed Units Anton Shekhovtsov ……………………………………………………………………… 89 Irregular Armed Groups in Ukraine: State Savior or State Capture? Andreas Heinemann-Grüder ………………………………………………………. 117 Between Frontline and Parliament: Ukrainian Political Parties and Irregular Armed Groups since 2014 Kostiantyn Fedorenko, Andreas Umland ……………………………………… 189 Ukrainian Volunteer Groups: Oversight by the Government Leonid Poliakov ………………………………………………………………………… 229 The Long Shadow of the War: Return and Reintegration of War Veterans Julia Friedrich, Theresa Luetkefend ………………………………………………. 255 Between Two Worlds: Internally Displaced Persons Vyacheslav Likhachev ………………………………………………………………… 285 Media Policy of Armed Groups in Ukraine Kostiantyn Fedorenko ………………………………………………………………… 309 Russia’s Corporate Warriors Andreas Heinemann-Grüder ………………………………………………………. 333

7

Ukraine 🇺🇦- weapons use lift of caveats! Germany 🇩🇪 following US 🇺🇸 example. Good news and appeal for release of caveats by other Allies. My assessment: Ukraine will handle within operational and tactical requirements, and within legal framework of international law and rights. Due to Operations Security (OPSEC) reasons I will not comment further. Major impact on other Allies' policy can be expected, i.e. lift of caveats for weapons use against Russian military targets on Russian territory. Russia will reinforce STRATCOM of nuclear blackmail and irregular warfare/retaliation. So what? Increase pressure on Russia, China and other proxies by a robust „containment strategy“. My blog on „Ukraine – Forward Self Defence and Caveats on Weapons Use“ https://lnkd.in/eZ4mu2sb This decision initiated a paradigm shift and groundbreaking geopolitical change in favor of Ukrainian bravehearts: War fighting with nice effects based piece meal approach against the terrorist Russian regime. Putin should prepare the surrender. Disclaimer: Scholz‘ address to the Parliament on 06JUN2024 confirmed a different interpretation of my last comment. He loved himself again, as usual, with „besonnen“ and that he will again and again and again… take a decision, step by step. Officially the lifting of German caveats exclusively referred to the shithole Charkiv; meaning that Scholz‘ whisperer Schmidt, master of all intel services, will advise to impose restrictions on cross border weapons use once the situation there will be cleaned up? Well: This is cynical „piece meal“ tactics from outside, observing the slaughterhouse Ukraine. Myself I did not intend to state irony. From my military point of judgement - adapted to the „jungle“ of warfighting - the unrestricted (though within international law) release of weapons use would offer multiple varieties of effects based attacks and inflict significant losses in critical areas. I trust that Ukraine will be smart enough to calculate the impacts. Stefanie Dr. Babst NATO European Leadership Network (ELN) Peter B. Bartram Albert Klamt Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik e.V. | DGAP Sibylle D. Susanne Koller M.A. Tony Sztypuljak Nikki Searancke Grant Shapps Robbie Boyd OBE Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) Bundesministerium der Verteidigung Roderich Kiesewetter Serap Güler Johann Wadephul Dr. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann Ihor Baranetskyi, Ph.D.

31

6 Kommentare

🌍 Building Resilience: NATO's #SevenBaselineRequirements and Water Security 🌍 As we strengthen our defence frameworks, NATO’s seven baseline requirements for resilience serve as a critical blueprint for member states. These include ensuring robust energy supplies, the continuity of government, and securing essential services such as food and water. #Water, often underappreciated, is indispensable not only for everyday life but for national defence. #Sweden’s recent focus on emergency water planning is a testament to its growing importance in the face of crises. As highlighted by the Swedish Minister for Civil Preparedness Carl-Oskar Bohlin last week, the need to accelerate resilience efforts is urgent. The Minister called for "practical actions" and “time as our most precious resource” when preparing for potential threats. This aligns with NATO's broader goals of bolstering societal resilience and adaptability. Why water matters: Water infrastructure is highly vulnerable to cyberattacks, climate change, and warfare. Addressing this makes us more resilient to emerging threats—ensuring that our communities and military operations stay strong even under pressure. By focusing on water resilience, we don’t just secure resources, we safeguard our future. #Resilience #WaterSecurity #CivilPreparedness #SocietalResilience

9

GNSI Non-Resident Senior Fellow, David V. Gioe, Ph.D. recently published a new academic article questioning the utility of NATO’s conventional deterrent posture when it comes to #Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine. Rooted in Cold War thinking, the conventional deterrence tactics are no longer fulfilling their purpose, according to Gioe’s article: “Reassessing NATO’s Deterrence and Defence Posture in the Baltics: Rebalancing Strategic Priorities to Counter Russian Hybrid Aggression.” Gioe posits that Russia now has different goals towards the Baltics and now relies more on active measures and unconventional tools of statecraft to exert influence on NATO and its member states. https://lnkd.in/eUH8-GA8

2

Putin’s Next Target May Be the ‘NATO Lake’ - Coming exercises in the Baltic Sea will give the alliance a chance to work Finland and Sweden into its complex web of defenses. - With the addition this year of Sweden and last spring of Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Baltic Sea has been dubbed a “NATO lake” by some analysts. A glance at a map show that is largely (but not completely) true — the coastline has a couple of slivers of Russian territory. The rest of the coastal littoral is in NATO hands: Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark. - https://lnkd.in/eHsUSusm

5

The Ukrainian military is facing monumental challenges, not least of which is the prospect of getting infected by antibiotic resistant bacteria when wounded. Something US and Allied Servicemembers experienced first hand during OIF and OEF. We continue to harness the power of next generation sequencing (NGS) to help our Ukrainian allies better understand and interrupt the source and transmission routes of these resistant organisms. You can read all about one such collaborative effort below in our just published article at JAC-AMR. All the result of a great collaboration with my friend and colleague in Dnipro, Dr. Dmytro Stepanskyi

36

4 Kommentare

Getting it right before it matters. This article directly applies to the health service support planning and medical training that we conduct with our partner nations here in the Indo-Pacific.

4

"AI has always been a project of mirroring or recasting human thought. So it becomes impossible not to speak in [anthropormorphic] terms." It was great to attend this discussion on the challenges with lethal autonomous weapons systems. I found it interesting to note how difficult it is to talk about AI systems without using anthropomorphic terms. Indeed as we face a growing digital dehumanisation of people, we are seeing a “humanisation” of the technology behind it. Raising this issue with Elke Schwarz, PhD she stressed the need to reiterate at all times that AI technology is merely a system - a statistical data analysis mode. Though we have a semantic problem in discussing AI technology and autonomous weapons systems, we should always stress, as far as possible, what these actually are – machine-based systems that use input to generate outputs. The language is dry, very dry, and that is how it should be.

6

A significant part of CBM's mission involves addressing preventable blindness and visual impairments through our involvement in global initiatives like Vision 2020 and 2030 IN SIGHT. Partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), CBM is actively involved in providing quality eye care and focuses on cataract surgeries, trachoma control, onchocerciasis programs, and training local health workers. 2030 IN SIGHT builds on the successes of VISION 2020 and sets even more ambitious goals to ensure universal access to eye care services and promote eye health as a critical component of overall health and well-being. Our key focus areas include integrating eye care into broader health services, leveraging innovative technologies to enhance eye care delivery, and aligning our efforts with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through these initiatives along with the support of our donors, we believe we can continue to make significant strides in reducing the global burden of blindness and visual impairment. #Vision2020 #2030INSIGHT #GlobalHealth #DisabilityInclusion

41

1 Kommentar

Clean up EA$A ENAC OFAC for corruption Screen pilots & ATC for stupidity Protect passengers safety Make practical use of serious aeromedical examiner Trash burocratic parasites in EU Italy and Switzerland

1

Federal Admission Programme for Afghanistan Saved The German coalition parties have agreed to continue funding the Afghan admission programme. This decision, reached on Wednesday evening, secures at least 27 million euros in next year’s budget to support Afghan human rights advocates and others threatened by the Taliban. The programme may also receive additional funding from an EU fund. In earlier budget drafts, no allocation had been made for this programme. Green Party representative Leon Eckert emphasized the importance of maintaining legal pathways to Germany, given the current situation in Afghanistan. The Federal Admission Programme, established in 2022, focuses on Afghans targeted by the Taliban for their work in human rights and democracy. Individuals persecuted for their sexual orientation or gender are also considered in specific cases. However, there is a separate procedure for local Afghan staff who worked for the German military. Since the programme’s launch, there have been delays attributed to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Originally, around 1,000 individuals were expected to be evacuated each month, but only a few hundred have arrived in Germany. Meanwhile, over 32,000 people have been evacuated through other means, including a prior list-based procedure. Currently, more than 3,000 Afghans remain stranded in Pakistan despite having approval for resettlement. At least 10,000 others are eligible for evacuation and are already on contact lists. Eckert expressed satisfaction with the parliamentary decision, stating, “This agreement allows us to continue welcoming those who have championed civil society, human rights, and democracy. Together, we are making a vital statement of humanity.” Source https://lnkd.in/eWwzFpTp https://lnkd.in/eCad576U

2

🌍📊 Check out our latest policy brief on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s 'Zeitenwende'! This pivotal shift in #German foreign and security policy, responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, emphasizes increased defense spending, reduced energy dependence, and strengthened NATO and EU alliances. Bilal Mahli analyzes the domestic debates surrounding these changes, their implications for European security, and Germany's relationships with key partners. 👉 Read the brief here : https://shorturl.at/8vqVU #Zeitenwende #GermanPolicy #EuropeanSecurity

6

🤝 At the Washington NATO Summit Allied Heads of State and Government endorsed the long-term projects of the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) for Ukraine*. The projects are focused on post-war recovery and reconstruction, development of institutional capacities of the security and defense sector of Ukraine, and transition towards interoperability with NATO countries. One of the projects is the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC), located in Bydgoszcz, Poland. JATEC is the first joint NATO-Ukraine organization that will focus on learning the lessons of the Russian war against Ukraine. The Center will also increase interoperability between the Allies and Ukraine. Allied Defence Ministers agreed to establish JATEC at the NATO-Ukraine Council in February 2024. *NATO Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) for Ukraine is the key practical cooperation framework between the Alliance and Ukraine. The reviewed CAP was adopted at the Madrid Summit 2022. At the Vilnius Summit in July 2023, the Allies agreed to transform CAP into a multi-year programme for Ukraine and to continue providing assistance to Ukraine in the short, medium, and long term. At the Washington Summit 2024, the Allies announced a pledge of long-term security assistance to Ukraine and intend to provide €40 billion in funding over the next year.

318

5 Kommentare