Read more about the article IRIS²: A New Frontier in The European Space Programme
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IRIS²: A New Frontier in The European Space Programme

On December 16th, the European Commission signed the concession contract for constructing the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²). This space initiative involves the creation of a multi-orbital constellation of 290 satellites, leveraging the comparative advantages of satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (European Commission, 2024a). This 12-year project embodies Europe’s strategic attempt to develop a viable alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink (Volpicelli & Palasciano, 2024).

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7 January 2025
Read more about the article The Art of Illusion: The Role of Decoys in Military Deception and Modern Warfare
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The Art of Illusion: The Role of Decoys in Military Deception and Modern Warfare

This paper explores the evolving role of decoys in military deception (MILDEC), examining their historical significance, current applications across the kinetic and non-kinetic spectrum, and their technological evolution in response to modern detection, recognition, and identification threats. The objective is to evaluate the challenges posed by advanced detection systems, which significantly improve battlefield situational awareness, and to identify how modern Western decoy strategies are adapting rapidly to maintain their relevance within military deception.

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6 January 2025
Read more about the article Europe Adrift: The Incoming Trump Presidency and the EU’s Strategic Void in Ukraine
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Europe Adrift: The Incoming Trump Presidency and the EU’s Strategic Void in Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has exposed the critical state of the European Union’s defence and security strategies. At the same time, the EU’s Strategic Compass outlined a vision for greater defence integration, long-standing divides among member states persist, hindering coherent action. The initial unified response to Russia’s aggression has faded into a strategic divergence, with contrasting national priorities. The prospect of a Trump administration in 2025 exacerbates Europe’s security vulnerabilities, as Ukraine remains heavily dependent on US military aid. The failure to prepare for a US withdrawal leaves the EU strategically paralysed, risking both Kyiv’s sovereignty and Europe’s future security. This study explores the consequences of this strategic void and underlines the importance for the EU to develop a unified defence strategy.

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19 December 2024
Read more about the article Analysing the Strategic Implications of Russia’s “Oreshnik” Missile: The Next Stage of Russia’s Missile Strategy
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Analysing the Strategic Implications of Russia’s “Oreshnik” Missile: The Next Stage of Russia’s Missile Strategy

From conventional missiles to more experimental hypersonic platforms, Russia is redefining missile warfare. On November 21st, Russia launched the Oreshnik missile in Ukraine, marking the first-ever use of a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile that can also carry a nuclear warhead. These advanced systems—capable of evading air defences and delivering precision strikes—are being tested extensively in Ukraine. They are not just battlefield tools; they are strategic signals to NATO and Europe about Russia’s evolving military might and a form of geopolitical blackmailing. The lack of adequate air defences to deter hypersonic missiles creates a new security dilemma for Europe. This Info Flash analyses the greater implications of Oreshnik in Russian missile strategy and, more importantly, what it means for Ukraine and its allies in the long-term.

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17 December 2024
Read more about the article The Role of International Humanitarian Law in Human Rights Bodies: A Focus on the European Court of Human Rights
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The Role of International Humanitarian Law in Human Rights Bodies: A Focus on the European Court of Human Rights

In the absence of a judicial body that would specifically deal with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the role of its interpretation and enforcement often falls on human rights bodies, like the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). This article will begin by recalling the theories developed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). An analysis will then be conducted on the interplay between human rights and international humanitarian law within the European Court of Human Rights Jurisprudence. The Court’s judgments in the Al-Jedda and Hassan cases will be examined to understand how ECtHR interprets the relationship between human rights and IHL and, subsequently how this affects the protection granted to individuals by the European Convention on Human Rights.

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13 December 2024