Only two British Navy destroyers operational – reports

The Royal Navy's destroyer fleet has hit a historic low, with only two out of its six advanced Type 45 destroyers currently operational, The Telegraph reported, citing the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The remaining vessels are undergoing extensive repairs, with four Type 45s in the refit yard at Portsmouth, leaving the fleet at its smallest size in over a century.

Among the issues affecting the fleet is HMS Daring, which has spent more time in maintenance than in active service since its commissioning 12 years ago. Additionally, of the Navy's eight Type 23 frigates, only six are currently operational.

With just 8 out of 14 destroyers and frigates available for duty—compared to over 800 during the Navy's peak in 1945—the UK’s naval strength is at its lowest point since the destroyer programme began under Queen Victoria.

The sharp reduction in operational ships has raised concerns about the nation’s security, with MPs warning that Britain is increasingly vulnerable to sea and air attacks.

“With only two operational destroyers, we simply cannot defend London, let alone the UK. This is something the Defence Select Committee will urgently investigate,” Mike Martin, the MP for Tunbridge Wells, told the British newspaper.

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Kurds urge international community to prevent IS* buildup of in Northeastern Syria – SDF

The Kurdish Autonomous Administration calls on the international community to provide support to the Kurdish armed groups in connection with the activation of the Islamic State* in northeastern Syria after the change of power in Damascus, Abdelsalam Ahmad, a spokesman for the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria and Lebanon, told Sputnik.

💬 "The SDF forces are part of the international coalition to fight terrorism. IS took advantage of the state of chaos and the overthrow of the regime and expanded the territories under their control," Ahmad said.

💬 "It is in the interests of the international community to support the SDF as a force that played one of the decisive roles in the fight against terrorism," he added.

The Kurdish SDF formations, supported by US forces in northeastern Syria, announced the creation of their own autonomous administration in the territories under their control in the provinces of Aleppo, Al-Hasakah, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor after the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011. The Kurdish formations did not engage in hostilities with the government forces of Syria under the leadership of former President Bashar Assad and maintained their military potential.

* ISIS (also known as ISIS/IL/ISIS-K/Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries

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Russian troops hoisted Russia's tricolor flag in Uspenovka and Annovka, south of Kurakhovo
 
Now, there is a search for scattered groups of Ukrainian troops, Vladimir Rogov, Chairman of the Commission of Russia’s Public Chamber on Sovereignty, Patriotic Projects, and Veteran Support, told Sputnik.
 
The Ukrainian group, consisting of about 700 fighters, including a special forces unit, was completely surrounded south of Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People's Republic, he added.
 
Before the encirclement, the group requested permission to retreat at least eight times but was denied by its command, Rogov noted.

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Man involved in murder of Russian officer detained in Donetsk — FSB
 
The perpetrator had planted explosives in the officer's car.
 
The suspect carried out the bombing on the order of the Ukrainian special services, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) informed. He was promised a reward of $10,000 for committing a crime.

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🔸Only two British Navy destroyers operational – reports

🔸Israeli Air Force launches new strikes on Damascus – reports

🔸Newsweek shows map of supposed WWIII frontlines

🔸ABC to pay Trump $15 million to settle defamation lawsuit – reports

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🇷🇺📹Footage of Russian troops liberating Petrovka settlement in Donetsk People's Republic

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Is US-Turkiye cooperation in Syria viable? Analyst weighs in on ‘divergent approaches’

Turkiye’s long-term objectives in Syria suggest limited cooperation with the US, Mehmet Rakipoglu, director for Turkish Studies at the Mokha Center for Strategic Studies, told Sputnik as he commented on Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent claims about the “growing consensus” on Syria between Washington and Ankara.

“Unlike other actors in Syria, Turkiye has achieved notable gains and is positioned to play a decisive role in the [Arab] country’s political and social transformation. Turkiye is unlikely to share these achievements with the US in a broader collaborative framework,” Rakipoglu said.

While both the US and Turkiye “share an interest” in the fall of the Assad government, “their divergent approaches to key actors, such as the PYD [a Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)], create significant barriers to deeper alignment,” according to the analyst.

On the other hand, US President-elect Donald Trump “might be open to negotiations and limited partnerships that align with Turkiye’s goals. This pragmatic approach could pave the way for selective, issue-based” bilateral cooperation, Rakipoglu added.

As for the two’s common goal of combating ISIS*, given that the terrorist group’s presence in Syria “has been vastly diminished, such cooperation seems unlikely soon", the pundit concluded.

*ISIS (Daesh, ISIL, Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries

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❗️Russian troops have liberated the settlements of Vesely Gai and Pushkino in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry announced

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❗️Russian forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian air force and destroyed four US-made Patriot air defense missile launchers.

🇷🇺🪖More statements from the Russian MoD's daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:  
 
▪️Russia's Zapad Battlegroup improved its tactical position; Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 550 militants, one Iveco Light Multirole Vehicle and two Melara guns;
 
▪️Ukrainian losses in the Russian Vostok Battlegroup's responsibility zone amounted to 155 fighters;
 
▪️Russia's Sever combat group destroyed over 70 Ukrainian militants;
 
▪️Ukrainian losses in the Russian Tsentr Battlegroup zone of responsibility amounted to 280 soldiers;
 
▪️The Russian Dnepr Battlegroup eliminated 70 Ukrainian fighters.

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🇩🇪🇷🇺 Many German nationals are interested in moving to Russia, chairman of the German Council for the Constitution and Sovereignty Ralph Niemeyer told Sputnik

"There is stability [in Russia] and there is employment. We now see full employment in the country, which means that anyone who is looking for work can find it. The issue of migration is also being handled better than in Europe, so migration is not uncontrolled. There are many foreign workers in Russia, but they are all working and contributing to society in some way," Niemeyer said.

The politician has compared the Russian migration policy to the European one, noting that many migrants who come to Germany do not contribute to the country's well-being.

"That is why many people in Germany start to think, 'Perhaps there is a bright future for us in Russia and we would like to relocate there.' And I see that the Russian government is open to this idea, as they have made the process of moving, obtaining a work permit and settling in the country relatively easy. This is a very attractive prospect," Niemeyer said.

In early September, the German Interior Ministry said that the country would tighten controls at all of its land borders starting from September 16 to tackle irregular migration.

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❗️🚢 Two tankers request assistance after incidents in Russia's Kerch Strait

The cargo vessel Volgoneft 212, with 13 crew members onboard, is in distress in the Kerch Strait and has requested assistance, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Crimea.

A tugboat, Merkuriy, has been dispatched from Kerch to aid the crew, and a Mi-8 helicopter from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has also taken off with rescuers on board.

Another tanker, Volgoneft 239, has likewise sustained damage in the Kerch Strait. The vessel is carrying 14 crew members and a cargo of petroleum products, as reported by the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Footage from social media.

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🪖❗️Ukrainian losses amounted to over 400 soldiers in Russia's Kursk region in one day, a tank was destroyed, and five Ukrainian soldiers surrendered, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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📹 The Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor's Office will check the implementation of legislation in the field of maritime safety after the shipwrecks in the Kerch Strait.

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Too busy to talk?

Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó stated that Budapest has requested a phone call between PM Viktor Orbán and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, but the request was met with what he described as an "uncultured refusal," calling it "a fairly unprecedented case in diplomacy."

He added that Hungary, during its EU presidency, had done more than expected of a country its size and reaffirmed Budapest’s commitment to a peaceful resolution, pointing out that Russian forces continue to advance despite military aid to Ukraine.

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🇱🇧 Lebanese minister criticizes Israel's violations and Western bias in rebuilding efforts

"Israel respects no one; it violates the ceasefire, ignores international laws, and continues bombing and destroying across the south, even as the Lebanese army begins its deployment in the region," Lebanon’s Minister of Displaced Persons Essam Sharafeddine tells Sputnik.

On the issue of rebuilding Lebanon, the minister criticized Western priorities, claiming they focus on securing Israel's interests.

"The West wants agreements that guarantee Israel's control, while Israel itself seeks hegemony over the region and dominance over its oil resources," Sharafeddine says.

He also notes that Israel’s violations have exceeded 300 incidents, with international observers appearing more concerned with Israel’s interests than its actions.

Speaking about the situation with Lebanese refugees, Sharafeddine explains that most displaced people have already returned to their permanent residences.

"To date, residents of the southern region north of the Litani River, as well as 162,000 Lebanese who sought refuge in Syria at the start of the war, have returned home. We are now expecting the return of another 5,800 families from Iraq," he states.

Sharafeddine also criticizes ongoing Israeli strikes in Syria, including attacks on radar centers and weapon depots.

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