North Korea Strengthens Strategic Alliance with Russia amidst Ukrainian Conflict

On 12 June 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in a message addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, pledged to step up strategic cooperation with the Russian Federation in a joint effort to strengthen the sovereignty of both nations (Ministry of Foreign Affairs [MoFA], 2023). In his message, on the occasion of Russia’s National Day, Kim defended the Kremlin’s decision to invade Ukraine and expressed his unwavering support and solidarity to the people of Russia (MoFA, 2023). In fact, since the start of the war in Ukraine, North Korea has intensified efforts to strengthen ties with the Kremlin and has consistently supported Moscow. Kim also attributed the US help to Ukraine to what he sees as the “hegemonic agenda” of the United States and the West, further aligning North Korea’s and Russia’s views on global power continuity (Reuters, 2023).

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Is AUKUS and Australia’s pledge to acquire nuclear-powered submarines a turning point in Indo-Pacific power relations?

This Info Flash focuses on the creation of the AUKUS partnership, with the main aim being that of assisting the Australian Navy in the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs). The agreement raised concerns regarding the possibility of escalating tensions between China and Taiwan (Sabbagh et al. 2021). Nevertheless, despite vocal dissent from China and France, the agreement has gone ahead. The beginning of the Australian SSNs' military journey inevitably marks an important moment for the delineation of Indo-Pacific security lines. While American President Joe Biden insists that the arrival of submarines to the Australian coasts should not be understood as an act of aggression towards China (Holland & Brunnstrom, 2023), tensions remain in the region. This work assesses how the acquisition of SSNs has impacted Australian military capability and how the developments introduced in March 2023 have the potential to reshape contemporary nuclear warfare and the equilibrium of the Indo-Pacific region.

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The Role of International Actors in Sudan’s Ongoing Crisis

Sudan has been engaged in military conflict since April 15, 2023. Following the removal of the longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir and the attempt of a transition to civilian rule in 2021, a high-intensity armed confrontation has been launched across the country. The parties responsible are the Sovereignty Council’s two leaders, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, his Deputy and head of the paramilitary group known as Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

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Rheinmetall, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman Sign an F-35 LOI

On February 17th, German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall signed a letter of intent (LOI) with American companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman regarding Germany's freshly procured F-35 fighter jets.

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Russia Threatens a Retaliatory Strike Against Civilian Space Infrastructure

During the meeting of the United Nations Council on October 26, a new threat to pro- Ukrainian Western nations was identified. The Russian Senior Foreign Ministry official Konstantin Vorontsov stated that "quasi-civilian space infrastructure can be a legitimate target for retaliation” (Voronstov, 2022). The main targets may include the American companies Space X, Iridium and Maxar, since they provide critical communication services for the Ukrainian people. The first of these supports Ukrainian troops with broadband Internet access; the satellite communication company contributes with a satellite network; and the latter captures images of the war from satellites (Roulette, 2022). However, Vorontsov has not yet mentioned any specific names of satellite companies that might be attacked.

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