Report: U.S. Not Prepared for Russia in Europe

For years, the 173rd Airborne Brigade has trained for missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, which has dulled some of the skills it needs to effectively respond to any invasion of Europe by Russia, according to a recent assessment. The report, shared Tuesday by POLITICO, says it lacks necessary equipment to face down a potential Russian attack.

 

POLITICO reported Tuesday morning on a new assessment report on the U.S. rapid-deployment force stationed in Italy that states it faces a number of “capability gaps” in the event it should be called into combat against Russian forces in Europe.

Angela Merkel’s European wake-up call is being answered in the Nordics

US President Donald Trump shares a word with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi, centre, listens, at a G7 Summit expanded session on Saturday. Photo: ANSA/AP

 

Oslo: With Vladimir Putin in the east and Donald Trump to the west, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is now telling Europe it has to stand up for itself. It’s a call that’s already being answered by the continent’s richest region.

Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway have over the past two years been deepening their military cooperation to counter a deteriorating security situation in the Baltic and the Arctic. They are also forging closer ties on softer issues, presenting this week a joint initiative to meet sustainability goals, promoting the 20 million-person region’s shared values on social equality, and discussing joint interaction with China.

Sweden prepares hundreds of nuclear bunkers amid fears of surprise Russian attack

A former Cold War era bunker in Stockholm now hosts Wikileaks servers [AFP GETTY]

 

SWEDEN is preparing hundreds of nuclear bunkers ready for a surprise Russian attack amid fears of a Cold War in the Baltic.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has reportedly been tasked with reviewing the bunkers.

Swedish authorities built a network of 65,000 bunkers in the Cold War in the event of a nuclear war with the then Soviet Union.

MSB says the shelters can protect against biological weapons, fire and chemical warfare.

NATO Intercepts Russian Bombers Over Baltic Sea

BRUSSELS — NATO warplanes intercepted a “significant” force of six Russian nuclear-capable bombers over the Baltic Sea, the alliance said in the latest such encounter amid tensions with Moscow over Ukraine.

Four Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers and two Tu-22M Backfire long-range bombers were intercepted in international airspace by Portuguese F-16 fighter jets assigned to NATO, spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said.