While I think it is foolish for Germany to have largely ignored having a serious attack helicopter for so long, 60 Chinooks is a huge investment in a platform that can launch 12,500*60 kilograms of drones (that is ~3000 Rusty Dagger cruise missiles for reference) while operating out of mobile resupply points not tied down to static assets that are existentially vulnerable to overwhelming pre-emptive strikes or sabotage.

Additionally these Chinooks are just as useful during peacetime for wildfire fighting (also see and in Germany), disaster response and search and rescue among other tasks unlike the vast majority of other tools of war.

Yoink!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8xypKsmeZlk

This is a major deterrance against russia as unless Germany puts all their Chinooks in one basket that never moves there is no way russia can ensure they can destroy or subdue such a massive, unpredictable, mobile interceptor and long range strike drone launch capability during a crucial window of surprise attack.

https://theaviationist.com/2025/05/15/raf-fpv-quadcopter-from-chinook/

IN SHORT:

Russia uses UNGA to demand “proper investigation” into its well-documented war crimes in Bucha

Ukrainian officials accused of child trafficking while Russian officials are wanted by the ICC for the same crime

“Nazi Ukraine” narrative used to justify strikes on civilian infrastructure

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/11731437

Russia is attacking one transport system with two different sets of tools. Inside Ukraine, it can openly use drones and missiles against locomotives, railway stations, and transport infrastructure. Across the border, in NATO territory, the same objective requires different methods: reconnaissance, proxy recruitment, sabotage, and information operations. The Polish-Ukrainian border changes the method, but it does not change the target.

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On a larger level, protecting railways will require not only Ukrainian air defence and Polish railway security but also integrated early warning incident mechanisms, solid intelligence exchange, joint disruption of Russian recruitment networks, quick attribution, and coordinated protection of transport infrastructure on both sides of the border. If the rail corridors between the two countries and the supporting transport and border infrastructure are viewed as one system, ensuring the security of both Ukraine and Poland will be crucial to limiting and preventing the potential impact and spillover effects of damaging strikes and unexpected sabotage.

Both countries need to understand that physical damage is only one Russian objective. Moscow also wants fear, disruption and Polish-Ukrainian tensions. Otherwise, even an unsuccessful act of sabotage can still achieve part of the Kremlin’s objective.

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Archived

There has been a virulent backlash in the British media against the Green Party of England and Wales since delegates at the party conference voted for a motion that brands Zionism as a racist ideology and supports the formation of a single democratic state in Palestine. As we have come to expect when British pundits and politicians are discussing Israel, nobody has seen fit to ask any Palestinians what they think about Zionism and what it has meant for them in practice.

While Palestinians who live in Britain are studiously ignored, the media extends its search for critical voices to the rest of Europe. The Guardian reported on a statement from the European Green Party (EGP) that criticized the motion — “we unequivocally distance ourselves from it” — and suggested that the English and Welsh Greens were now “facing international ostracism.”

The speed and severity of the response from the EGP contrasts sharply with its deafening silence about the shameful track record of the German Greens, the flagship of the European Green movement ever since the 1980s. The EGP never spoke out against the German party, even though its leaders campaigned against a ceasefire in Gaza, supplied weapons to Israel’s war machine, and branded Palestinian schools and hospitals as legitimate targets.

The Green politician Annalena Baerbock was Germany’s foreign minister when Israel began its onslaught against the people of Gaza in October 2023, and she remained in that post until May 2025. Her party had already demonstrated its hostility to Palestinian rights in 2019 when it voted to support a Bundestag motion that compared the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement to Nazism.

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In January 2024, Baerbock immediately joined the Israeli campaign against the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), cutting off funding for the organization that supplied vital humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. This move came just as Israel went on trial at the International Court of Justice, accused of violating the Genocide Convention. She later admitted that Israel had supplied no evidence to back up its allegations that UNRWA collaborated with Hamas.

Over the course of the year, Baerbock modified her rhetoric in a way that mirrored the discursive games of the Biden administration, calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire” while her government continued to funnel arms to Israel. Israeli leaders had no reason to fear any consequences when they brushed aside such calls.

Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó appeared before Parliament’s National Security Committee on Monday for a three-hour closed-door hearing concerning his new role at Chinese electric carmaker BYD.

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Following the closed-door session, Tisza Party MP Pál Czakó Czirbus said Szijjártó had been questioned about his work for BYD, as well as his ties to Russian and Chinese state actors.

Szijjártó, who served as foreign minister for 12 years under the previous government, resigned from his parliamentary mandate in July before taking up a senior position at BYD responsible for external relations and developing new business areas.

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According to the Tisza MP, the committee also received an answer as to when employment negotiations between Szijjártó and BYD began, although he did not disclose the date.

Czakó Czirbus argued that Szijjártó’s move to the private sector itself raises national security concerns, given that he spent almost 12 years as Hungary’s foreign minister and accumulated extensive knowledge and information during his time in office.

He said Monday’s hearing was only the first stage of the committee’s investigation. The heads of the national security services are expected to be questioned next, followed by a concluding stage in which the information gathered will be assessed.

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Hungarian lawmaker Czakó Czirbus [from the ruling Tisza party] argued that Szijjártó’s move to the private sector itself raises national security concerns, given that he spent almost 12 years as Hungary’s foreign minister and accumulated extensive knowledge and information during his time in office.

The committee launched an investigation into his position at the Chinese company in September, with questions focusing on potential national security risks arising from his move from government to a major international company with significant Hungarian investments.

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Government official raises concerns over former foreign ministry

The hearing was also attended by Foreign Ministry parliamentary state secretary György László Velkey, who said he had been deeply affected by what he had heard. Velkey praised Foreign Ministry staff for preserving numerous documents following the change of government, saying they had prevented them from being destroyed or discarded.

According to the state secretary, the documents paint a picture of a foreign ministry and activities that raise “extremely serious concerns” in several areas. He said it was particularly striking to hear Szijjártó’s answers in person after the former minister had led the Foreign Ministry for 12 years.

Velkey also accused Szijjártó, alongside former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, of being chiefly responsible for what he described as Hungary becoming effectively isolated within its alliance system.

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In March and April 2026, the NGO China Labor Watch found labour rights violations impacting Chinese workers constructing a BYD electric vehicle factory in Szeged, Hungary. Chinese construction workers - mainly some 10,,000 Asian migrant workers - were allegedly subjected to severe abuse at BYD electric vehicle plant, including 'indicators of forced labour',

China Labor Watch interviewed 50 workers and found allegations of excessive hours (up to 14 hours a day), seven-day work weeks, up to three months wage theft, recruitment fee charging, a lack of access to basic amenities, threats, and an inability to freely return home, and indicators of forced labour.

The allegations follow previous reports of human rights violations impacting migrant workers in a BYD plant in Camaçari, Brazil, including alleged conditions of forced labour.

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Archived

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/11728018

Relatives and acquaintances have lost contact with Anastasiia Mamotiuk, a Ukrainian citizen who was abducted by Russian forces from the Oleshky psychoneurological care home and taken to Russia.

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Emile Foundation told Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia (Life) that contact with Mamotiuk was lost while arrangements were being made for her return to Ukraine.

The Russians occupied the Oleshky care home in Kherson Oblast in the very first days of the full-scale invasion and began deporting its residents in 2022. In November 2023, Anastasiia was among three adults taken to Penza, Russia.

Oleksandr Danylchuk, one of the residents who subsequently returned to Ukraine, said they were told about the relocation just one day before leaving. They were not asked whether they wanted to go to Russia.

Anastasiia and the others were moved to Novye Berega (New Shores), an assisted living facility for people with disabilities run by Sofia Lvova-Belova, the sister of Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights.

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Archived

August Hanning served as the head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency from 1998 to 2005. According to German media, he is being investigated for allegedly passing on state secrets and working as an agent.

One merchant ship has sunk and its crew is missing after a drone attack in the Black Sea, Bulgarian officials say.

A second vessel - carrying grain - was also hit within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. Its crew of 18 were rescued.

Radev did not say who was behind the attacks, which come as Russia intensifies strikes in the Black Sea as part of its war against Ukraine.

Moscow has not commented on the latest incident, a day after it was accused by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of striking a civilian vessel carrying corn.

Air and sea drones were involved in the attacks at about 03:00 (23:00 GMT), some 70 miles (112 km) off the coastal town of Byala in eastern Bulgaria, Radev said.

The sunken ship was flying under the flag of Togo, he said.

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Radev said Bulgarian sailors had rescued the crew members from the second ship - including two who were injured in a fire on board. Eleven were Turkish and seven Indian nationals. The vessel was carrying grain.

Radev condemned the strikes as "a flagrant violation of maritime law".

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Archived

The heads of Germany's intelligence agencies rarely provide information openly. What members of the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Committee discuss in their bug-proof meeting room with the presidents of the Federal Intelligence Service, or Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), as well as the president of the Military Counterintelligence Service, is strictly confidential.

Since 2016, however, a public meeting has been held once a year, open to journalists, as well as citizens who register in advance. At this year's meeting, held Monday, intelligence officials seemed extremely alarmed. They painted a picture of a country in the midst of a confrontation with Russia.

"The military scenarios envisioned for the year 2029 have already become a reality today in the shadowy world of intelligence," BfV President Sinan Selen said, referring to a recent assessment by NATO experts that, under certain conditions, Russia could be capable of launching an attack on the alliance in a few years.

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As one analysis in 2025 said, Marriage of Convenience: How European Far-Right and Far-Left Discovered China.

... Both Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and France’s Rassemblement National (RN) prioritize economic pragmatism and national sovereignty. These parties argue that decoupling from China or imposing economic sanctions harms European economies, advocating instead for stronger economic cooperation with Beijing. They view China as a crucial trading partner and a counterbalance to US influence, frequently criticizing the EU for its alignment with Washington on foreign policy issues ...

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Archived

• A drone strike sank the Turkish-owned grain carrier Royad Mammadov in Romania’s exclusive economic zone on October 5, killing two crew members, including the captain.
• Ukraine attributed the attack to two Russian drones, while Romania has not named a suspect and Russia did not mention the vessel.
• Romania called for an immediate moratorium on attacks against merchant ships in the Black Sea grain corridor.

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A drone strike sank a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying Ukrainian corn in Romania’s exclusive economic zone on Monday, killing two crew members, including the captain and setting off a rescue that pulled 11 survivors from the Black Sea.

Romanian authorities identified the vessel as the Royad Mammadov and said the strike occurred roughly 20 nautical miles off the coast, near the Pescăruș offshore energy platform. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attributed the attack to two Russian drones. Romanian officials have not named a suspect. The ship was carrying corn from Ukraine to Italy.

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Removepaywall.com

German factory orders fell sharply in August, largely due to a drop in orders in transport equipment manufacturing, data from Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) showed on Tuesday.

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Spain recorded the largest increase: the number of Russians holding residence permits there rose by 44,000, or 61%, over four years. Cyprus ranked second (up 27,000), followed by France (up 14,000).

In some EU countries, however, the number of Russian citizens with temporary or permanent residency fell. The largest declines were in Latvia (down 15,000), Estonia (down 9,000), and Czechia (down 8,000).

Eurostat data indicate that the number of Russians who had settled in the EU rose sharply in 2022 and 2023, then remained largely stable.

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Meanwhile in Armenia, which has long been one of the easiest places for Russians to relocate, new residency rules are about to make staying there more complicated,

Starting November 1, new rules for obtaining a residence permit will take effect in the republic. The authorities are introducing quotas on residence permits, moving document submission online, and for the first time setting clear financial requirements for foreign entrepreneurs.

Archived

cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/72749993

Denmark has confirmed a major data breach involving its Central Population Register, known as CPR, after unauthorized parties accessed personal records belonging to about 8.8 million people. The exposed information includes names, addresses, and CPR numbers, according to an official statement published on October 5, 2026.

The figure exceeds Denmark’s population of roughly six million because the register also holds records of people who have moved abroad and those who have died. Officials said the CPR system currently contains approximately 11 million registered people, meaning the incident affected a large share of its records.

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The attackers misused a private Danish company’s lawful access to search the CPR system during September. Authorities have not described how the unauthorized parties obtained or used that access, leaving the initial entry method unknown.

The confirmed route is important: this was misuse of an approved company connection, not a publicly confirmed software flaw in the register. The ministry has not disclosed the company’s name, linked the incident to a known threat group, or identified a specific vulnerability.

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Research, Education and Digitalization Minister Christina Egelund described the incident as deeply serious. She informed Parliament’s Business and Digitalization Committee and requested a thorough security review of CPR. Officials said preventive measures had already started, without detailing their technical scope.

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Names, addresses, and national identification numbers can make fraudulent messages and calls appear convincing. Cybersecurity News’ coverage of the Pentagon data breach similarly highlights the risks when personal records include identity numbers, while its phishing prevention guidance explains common warning signs.

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Archived

Estonia is permanently stationing its troops closer to the Russian border and acquiring weapons capable of striking deep inside its neighbor's territory as the NATO eastern flank country prepares for possible Russian aggression after the war in Ukraine ends, the Financial Times reported (behind paywall), citing Estonian defense officials.

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Estonian officials fear the Kremlin could take an opportunistic gamble, such as launching a smaller-scale incursion aimed at testing NATO's collective defense clause. They say neither Estonia nor NATO can currently credibly deter such a scenario. This has prompted Estonia, which has no air force of its own and therefore relies on NATO to protect its airspace, to shift to an active defense strategy, the newspaper wrote.

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"We have to start from the border and win from the first battles," said Col. Tarmo Kundla, commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade, the country's main fighting force.

As part of the new strategy, his unit will be permanently relocated from Tapa, about 130 kilometers from the Russian border as the crow flies, to Jõhvi, just 50 kilometers from the border. New facilities are currently being built there to house the brigade's soldiers.

"Deterrence is not working," said a senior Estonian military intelligence official. "The critical period to address that, for all of us in the Baltic states, is in the next one to four years."

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Archived

High-tech goods from China, such as electric vehicles or even robot vacuum cleaners, could represent a security risk, Germany's BfV domestic intelligence agency has warned.

BfV head Sinan Selen told a hearing of parliament's intelligence oversight committee in Berlin that the issue was of "great concern" to him.

"I already see substantial shortcomings that create potential for abuse," he said.

Data collected via the products could be passed on to "state agencies", he said, leading to risks including "potential shutdown of entire products."

"In terms of resilience and availability (this) could confront us with problems," he said.

The warning comes as sales of high-tech products to Germany are growing and Chinese manufacturers compete ever more strongly with their German counterparts.

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