Welcome to Wednesday, January 15, 2025! We’re bringing you your midweek briefing on the key stories shaping defense and global affairs. Here’s what you need to know.
NATO Launches Baltic Sea Mission After Cable Sabotage
NATO is stepping up its presence in the Baltic Sea with a new monitoring mission, “Baltic Sentry,” following a string of suspected sabotage incidents targeting undersea cables.
The mission will include frigates and maritime patrol aircraft, though NATO is keeping operational details under wraps to maintain a strategic advantage.
These attacks, which many suspect are part of a Russian “hybrid war,” have heightened tensions in the region since the invasion of Ukraine.
The suspected sabotage involves a “shadow fleet” of older vessels tied to Russia’s oil trade.
Recent incidents include severed telecom and power cables between Finland, Estonia, and Sweden, with one case linking damage to an oil tanker now under investigation.
NATO and Baltic leaders stress the importance of protecting critical undersea infrastructure, not just for energy but for internet traffic, viewing the operation as a deterrent and a clear signal to adversaries.
Armenia Turns to US for Support After Azerbaijan Conflict
The US and Armenia are strengthening ties through a new “strategic partnership commission” aimed at boosting cooperation in defense, border security, and democratic development.
This move signals Armenia’s shift away from its traditional ally, Russia, following Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive that resulted in Armenia’s loss of the Karabakh region and a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced plans to send US experts to help bolster Armenia’s border security and initiate negotiations on civilian nuclear cooperation.
Armenia also joined a US-led coalition to combat the Islamic State, further deepening its partnership with the West.
The shift comes as Armenia distances itself from Russia, criticizing Moscow’s failure to assist during the Azerbaijan conflict.
Meanwhile, Armenia is also exploring closer ties with the EU, a move that Moscow has warned could strain its relations with Yerevan.
Russia Signs Nuclear Deal with Vietnam to Revive Power Projects
Russia and Vietnam signed a nuclear energy agreement on Tuesday as part of efforts to deepen their historic ties.
Vietnam, facing growing energy demands, is looking to revive its nuclear power plans, with hopes that Russia’s state-owned nuclear giant Rosatom will help restart the long-dormant Ninh Thuan project.
The project, originally planned in collaboration with Rosatom and Japan’s JINED, was shelved in 2016 but could soon get a second chance.
This agreement was one of seven signed during Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit to Hanoi, which also included partnerships in digital technology and electronics.
Vietnam and Russia share a long-standing alliance dating back to the Cold War, and while Russia has been Vietnam’s main arms supplier for decades, defense cooperation has slowed due to sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
The visit underscores both nations’ intent to collaborate in energy and other key sectors amid evolving geopolitical pressures.
Ukraine Targets Russian Energy, Military Sites in Major Attack
Ukraine launched Tuesday its largest aerial strike on Russian territory since the war began, targeting factories, energy hubs, and military facilities deep within Russia, as far as 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) from the front lines.
The strikes hit regions like Saratov, Tula, and Tatarstan, damaging oil depots, a rocket fuel factory, and gas storage tanks.
Kyiv said drones distracted Russian air defenses, allowing missiles to strike key sites, a move it described as “fair retaliation” for Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure.
In response, Russia claimed to have intercepted US- and UK-supplied missiles used in the strikes and vowed retaliation.
The attacks forced schools to close in Saratov and disrupted air traffic in several regions.
Meanwhile, Russian forces made advances in eastern Ukraine, recapturing two villages and threatening key areas around Pokrovsk, as the conflict shows no signs of slowing ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Philippines Calls Out China for Aggressive Coast Guard Patrols
The Philippines raised concerns Tuesday over China’s coast guard patrols moving closer to its shores, calling it a sign of Beijing’s growing aggression in the South China Sea.
National Security Council spokesman Jonathan Malaya described the deployment of a massive 165-meter (540-foot) “monster” coast guard ship near Zambales province as an intimidation tactic aimed at discouraging Filipino fishing.
Despite these actions, Malaya reaffirmed the Philippines’ stance of not backing down in the face of such provocations.
The Philippine Coast Guard has responded by sending its own vessels to push the Chinese ship further from the coastline, as China’s patrols have reached as close as 111 kilometers (69 miles) west of Luzon this year.
Beijing, however, insists its actions are lawful and has warned Manila against what it calls “provocation” in the disputed waters, which China claims in defiance of international rulings.
Sudan Shelling Kills 120 Civilians as Fighting Escalates
At least 120 civilians were killed in heavy shelling in Omdurman, near Sudan’s capital, as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalates.
Volunteer rescuers reported the “random shelling” on Monday, describing a dire lack of medical supplies to treat the wounded.
The greater Khartoum area has become a battleground, with both sides regularly exchanging fire across the Nile, often hitting civilian areas.
Sudan’s war, ongoing since April 2023, has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced.
The conflict has decimated infrastructure, left millions facing food insecurity, and led to widespread famine.
UNICEF estimates 3.2 million children under five will face acute malnutrition this year, with nearly 800,000 at risk of severe malnutrition. Humanitarian organizations warn that only a ceasefire can prevent famine from spreading further.
Gang Violence Displaces Over 1 Million in Haiti, UN Reports
Gang violence has displaced more than 1 million people in Haiti, marking a record-high crisis for the Caribbean nation, according to the UN migration agency Tuesday.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that internal displacement in Haiti has tripled in the past year, with many families forced to move multiple times.
Children account for over half of the displaced population, while Port-au-Prince has seen a near-doubling of displacement sites due to relentless violence, a crumbling healthcare system, and worsening food insecurity.
The crisis has also been exacerbated by the forced return of around 200,000 people from the Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, the incoming US administration led by President-elect Trump may scale back temporary protections for Haitians living in the US, a move experts say could worsen Haiti’s already dire humanitarian situation.
In response to the escalating violence, Haiti has appointed Mario Andrésol, a former national police chief, as the new state secretary of public security.
Andrésol has vowed to combat gangs, weapons trafficking, and drug crime, calling for new strategies and greater collaboration.
Prime Minister Alix Fils-Aimé echoed the urgency for action, emphasizing that Haitians deserve to live in peace.
South Korea Arrests President Yoon Suk Yeol After Dramatic Standoff
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has made history as the first sitting president to be arrested, following a dramatic standoff at his residence.
Investigators scaled barricades, cut through barbed wire, and climbed walls in an early-morning raid to detain Yoon on charges of insurrection related to a failed martial law order on December 3.
His arrest comes after weeks of tension, impeachment by parliament, and allegations that the investigation was unlawful.
While Yoon’s lawyers call the arrest illegal, government officials argue the warrant is valid.
Opposition leaders have hailed his detention as a victory for democracy, but the country remains deeply divided.
Pro-Yoon supporters have protested his arrest, while anti-Yoon crowds celebrated outside the investigation office.
The country is now being led by Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok as acting president. Yoon will remain in custody unless a court releases him within 48 hours, leaving South Korea in political limbo as tensions rise.
Sources: News Agencies
