Latest news with #Paladins
UPI
2 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Russia faces intense barrage of drones, shutting down Moscow airports
Passengers wait for their flights at Sheremetyevo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, on July 7, 2025. Photo by Yuri Kochetkov/EPA July 20 (UPI) -- Russia faced a penetrating barrage of drones from Ukraine over the weekend that caused Moscow airports to close amid the intensifying war. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a series of statements that between 7:45 a.m. local time on July 19 and 5:40 p.m. on July 20, its air defense systems reportedly shot down at least 272 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones across more than a dozen regions. The Bryansk region saw the heaviest concentration of drone activity, with 108 destroyed across eight separate reporting intervals. Kaluga followed with 55 intercepted drones, and Moscow region accounted for 46, including dozens reportedly flying toward the capital. Russian officials said drones were also intercepted over Tula, Kursk, Oryol, Smolensk, Belgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Tver, Ryazan, and Crimea. The most intense barrage occurred overnight, when 93 drones were downed between 11:30 p.m. and 7 a.m., including 16 reported to be heading for Moscow. The sustained and geographically dispersed attacks marked one of the highest-volume drone operations reported by Russian authorities to date. The drone strikes caused all four of Moscow's major airports to close and reopen about ten times in a 24-hour period from Saturday into Sunday, according to a statement from Russia's Association of Tour Operators, a nonprofit travel industry group. The airport in Kaluga remained mostly closed for 14 hours. The nonprofit, citing data from the airports, said that the closures led to 140 cancelled flights to and from the airports, particularly at Sheremetyevo International Airport - the busiest in Russia. The drone strikes and airport closures come after Ukraine launched more than 500 drones toward Russia in a 24-hour period, leaving at least 60,000 passengers stranded. In other parts of the war, Russia's Defense Ministry also claimed its forces made tactical advances across multiple fronts in Ukraine, including in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as part of its ongoing "special military operation." Russian officials said troops from its North, West, South, Center, East and Dnipro groupings inflicted heavy losses on Ukrainian brigades and destroyed key infrastructure and depots. According to the ministry, Russian units captured the village of Belaya Gora in Donetsk and targeted Ukrainian positions with airstrikes, artillery and drones in 148 areas. Moscow said Ukrainian forces lost more than 1,200 personnel, along with dozens of armored vehicles, artillery systems -- including U.S.-made Paladins -- and several electronic warfare stations. The air campaign coincides with an intensifying intelligence war between the two countries. Ukraine said earlier this month it killed two Russian agents accused of assassinating a Ukrainian colonel in Kyiv. Russia, in turn, claimed it had detained several Ukrainian operatives and prevented sabotage attacks.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Fantastic machines': Tanks, heavy equipment set for DC military parade
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Dozens of tanks and heavy military vehicles have made their way into the District to stage ahead of Saturday's military parade, marking the United States Army's 250th birthday, also falling on Flag Day and President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. What to know about Trump's military parade in DC News cameras were allowed into the staging area at West Potomac Park late Wednesday morning. 'This is almost 80 tons of sheer power and lethality. It's crewed by four soldiers,' said Col. Kamil Sztalkoper of the III Armed Corps while pointing at one of the massive machines. 'We brought Abrams main battle tanks, rally vehicles, Paladins, self-propelled Howitzers, and Stryker infantry carriers.' While the machines may be massive and weigh several dozen tons, he says not to worry too much about these tanks tearing up the asphalt. 'These [newly-added] track pads are about 2 inches thick; they keep the metal off the road. This is really going to help prevent [damage to D.C. streets].' How to take Metro to get to the Army parade, festival The parade goes beyond the armor, also celebrating the servicemen and women who make up our armed forces. 'They're fantastic machines, but what really makes them great is the soldiers inside them. Without the soldiers, these machines would be nothing,' said Sztalkoper. Servicemen and women taking part in the parade said they are excited to share part of their story and give people a glimpse of their hard work. 'Everyone here is happy to be here. Happy to represent the Army, their units, and share in the celebration,' said one of the soldiers in town for the event. 'I never thought four and a half years ago, when I joined, that I was going to be here in D.C. for the 250th parade,' said another. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump is getting his military parade in Washington. On his birthday.
But critics say it is another example of how Trump has politicized the military. The Army estimates the cost at $25 million to $45 million. But it could be higher because the Army has promised to fix any city streets that the parade damages, plus the cost of cleanup and police are not yet part of the estimate. While $45 million is a tiny fraction of Trump's proposed Pentagon budget of $1.01 trillion for fiscal year 2026, it comes as the administration seeks to slash funding for education, health and public assistance. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's a lot of money,' the Army spokesperson Steve Warren acknowledged. 'But I think that amount of money is dwarfed by 250 years of service and sacrifice by America's Army.' Advertisement The parade will include tanks, other vehicles, and helicopters. Eric Gay/Associated Press The Army is not calling the event a birthday parade for Trump. It is the Army's birthday parade. The Continental Army was officially formed on June 14, 1775, so June 14 will mark 250 years. Advertisement That also happens to be Trump's birthday. Related : There was no big parade in Washington back when the Army turned 200 in 1975, when Vietnam War scars were still raw. While smaller commemorations were held at Army bases around the country, complete with dinner dances, barbershop quartets and cake cutting, few people were looking to glorify the military so soon after the Kent State shootings. Besides, the country was gearing up for big bicentennial celebrations the next year. If things were going to be similarly low-key this time around, Fort Myer, across the Potomac in Arlington, Virginia, might be an ideal location, 'where the Old Guard could march with some veterans,' said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the leading Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, in a reference to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Army's oldest active duty infantry unit. 'But this is Trump,' Reed added, speaking to reporters last week at the Defense Writers Group. 'It's consistent with so much of what he's doing.' President Trump attended an Independence Day celebration in front of the Lincoln Memorial, July 4, 2019, that featured a flyover by the US Navy Blue Angels. Alex Brandon/Associated Press Army officials say the parade will cross in front of Trump's viewing stand on Constitution Avenue, near the White House, on the evening of Saturday, June 14, part of a big bash on the National Mall. There will be marching troops who will be housed in two government buildings, officials say. They will sleep on military cots and bring their own sleeping bags, a topic of much merriment on late-night television. There will be Paladins, the huge self-propelled howitzers, and nods to vintage style. Army officials want to outfit some troops in uniforms from the wars of long ago, like the one in 1812 or the Spanish-American War. For more than two years, the Army has been planning national, global and even interstellar aspects of the celebration -- an Army astronaut on the International Space Station will be phoning in, Warren said. Advertisement But those planned celebrations focused on festivals, a postal stamp, various fun runs, military bands and the like. At some point this year, Army officials said, a military parade in Washington appeared in the plans. Related : Still, officials say there are no plans at the moment to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Trump, or to the Army, during the parade. One plan does, however, call for paratroopers from the Golden Knights, the Army parachute team, to land amid the festivities and hand Trump a flag. In 2017 during his first term, Trump watched the Bastille Day parade in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron of France and returned home wanting his own. But the Trump 1.0 Pentagon shut him down. Jim Mattis, the defense secretary at the time, said he would 'rather swallow acid,' according to 'Holding the Line,' a book by Guy Snodgrass, Mattis' former speechwriter. 'We're all aware in this country of the president's affection and respect for the military,' Mattis said tersely when reporters asked about Trump's wishes. 'We have been putting together some options. We will send them up to the White House for decision.' President Trump, pictured with French President Emmanuel Macron, watched the Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, on July 14, 2017. Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press Gen. Paul J. Selva, then the vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Trump during a meeting at the Pentagon that military parades were 'what dictators do,' according to 'The Divider,' by Peter Baker, a New York Times reporter, and Susan Glasser. When Mattis was gone, Trump brought up the idea again. Mattis' successor, Mark T. Esper, responded with an 'air parade' as part of July 4 celebrations in 2020, Pentagon officials said. An array of fighter jets and other warplanes flew down the East Coast over cities that played roles in the American Revolution, including Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Advertisement Officials in Trump's first Defense Department resisted his parade suggestion -- it was never a direct order -- because they viewed it as putting the military in the middle of politics, something the Pentagon historically has been loath to do. But now Trump has Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and military leaders who have been more willing to put his musings into action. This 'raises the question, 'Is the U.S. military celebrating Trump?'' said Risa Brooks, an associate professor of political science at Marquette University. 'Having tanks rolling down streets of the capital doesn't look like something consistent with the tradition of a professional, highly capable military,' Brooks said in an interview. 'It looks instead like a military that is politicized and turning inwardly, focusing on domestic oriented adversaries instead of external ones.' There have been big American military parades in the past, but the last one was almost 35 years ago, to commemorate the end of the first Gulf War. Military parades in the United States have traditionally followed the end of major conflicts, such as the Civil War and the two World Wars. There were also military parades during three presidential inaugurations during the Cold War. And small-town festivities also sometimes commemorate the military with a few armored vehicles and troops. 'I don't actually see the problem with a military parade,' said Kori Schake, a former defense official in the George W. Bush administration who directs foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Schake said more Americans need to see the troops who serve the country. Advertisement 'If seeing our fellow Americans in uniform encourages public knowledge and connection, or inspires volunteering, it would be beneficial,' she said. At the end of the day, 'the military won't die on this hill even if they do not like it,' said Peter Feaver, a political-science professor at Duke University who has studied the military for decades. 'Trump's 2.0 team is better at giving the president what he wants whether or not it is best in the long run.' This article originally appeared in .
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
III Corps loads up for Army's 250th birthday celebration
Fort Cavazos, Tx (FOX 44) – The III Armored Corps is conducting rail loading operations in preparation for the Army's 250th birthday celebration in Washington, D.C. At Fort Cavazos' railyard, M1 Abrams, Paladins, Bradleys, and Strykers from the 1st Cavalry Division received a fresh coat of paint, underwent validation, and were carefully loaded and secured onto railcars for transport to the nation's capital. The Army is celebrating its 250th birthday on June 14 with multiple events. The national level celebration will include a day-long festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., a parade and a spectacular fireworks display. The festival will feature displays of Army equipment, military demonstrations, activities for kids, musical performances and a fitness competition. Parade planning is actively underway, and planners anticipate approximately 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, and 6,600 Soldiers to highlight the Army's 250 years of service to the nation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
From soldiers sleeping in D.C. offices to tanks and cannons, here's a play-by-play account of how Donald Trump's birthday parade will unfold next month
Washington, D.C. is getting set for a spectacular display of military might and pomp on June 14, the date that is both the 250th anniversary of the US Army and US president Donald Trump's 79th birthday, as per a report. Washington Readies for Massive Military Parade Army planning documents revealed that the military parade would feature dozens of tanks, warplanes in the sky and 7,500 soldiers housed in government office buildings downtown, reported USA Today. In honour of the army's victory in the Gulf War, on June 8, 1991, thousands of troops along with tanks and other armoured vehicles paraded through Washington, according to the report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Want to know more? click here Undo Now, there are speculations if the parade is a "celebration of the Army's storied heritage or a homage to Trump and the political movement he leads. Or both?" wrote USA Today. As per the report, army officials explained that they have long planned a major celebration for their milestone anniversary. Live Events ALSO READ: Ex-FBI boss James Comey posts two numbers, 86 and 47, sparking a stir in MAGA world; here's what they signify and why Donald Trump's sympathizers are up in arms While, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council , Vince Haley said that the US president is planning "an historic celebration of the Army's 250th birthday," quoted USA Today. However, his statement does not mention Trump's birthday, reported USA Today. Haley highlighted that, "As one of the first events of the year-long celebration of our 250th anniversary, this commemorative parade will be a fitting tribute to the service, sacrifice, and selflessness of the brave men and women who have worn the uniform and devoted their lives to defending the greatest experiment in liberty known to man,' as quoted in the report. Soldiers to Sleep in Office Buildings The troops and their equipment will start arriving days before the parade from all over the nation and will be quartered in the Department of Agriculture building and a former government warehouse owned by the General Service Administration on Seventh Street, reported USA Today. While, soldiers have been instructed to bring sleeping bags, each day's food will consist of two MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and one hot meal, as well as $50 daily in special pay, as per the report. ALSO READ: Despite tanking sales, Tesla mulls mega payday for Elon Musk, sparking outrage and confusion among investors and analysts Parade Route and Presidential Presence As per USA Today, there will be 120 vehicles, 24 Abrams tanks, 24 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, an armoured vehicle that has a similar design but is smaller than a tank and four Paladins, enormous self-propelled howitzer cannons. Vintage warplanes like the World War II-era B-17 bomber and P-51 Mustang fighter will fly over the National Mall, according to the report. Later, newer planes will follow, including 50 Apache, Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters, as per USA Today. The parade will march in front of Trump's viewing stand on Constitution Avenue just south of the White House at about 6 p.m., reported USA Today. Trump will oversee the enlistment and reenlistment of soldiers at the end of the parade, according to the report. The parade will conclude with fireworks at dusk. FAQs Why is there a military parade on June 14? It celebrates the 250th anniversary of the US Army and coincidentally, Donald Trump's birthday. Is this really for the Army or for Trump? It's officially for the Army, but some say it's also a birthday celebration for Trump.
