WATCH: Russian drone annihilates Stryker armored fighting vehicle

An FPV drone from Russia's Battlegroup Sever destroyed a Stryker armored personnel carrier belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kharkov region.

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🎁Ready for Christmas?

NASA had to refute a "conspiracy theory" on social media that the crew was not in space or even in the studio taking photos after photos of Starliner astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) since June showed them wearing Santa Claus hats.

Netizens asked if the astronauts had brought the hats with them before launch or had already had time to put them on, the agency said SpaceX delivered the decorations to the station in late November, according to the New York Post.

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🚀Launch №2000: anniversary Soyuz-2.1b rocket to carry Resurs-P satellite

The Resurs-P satellite is set to launch today from Baikonur aboard the 2000th Soyuz-2.1b rocket, marking a milestone in space exploration. The satellite's journey to orbit is expected to take precisely 9 minutes and 23 seconds.

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⚡️Russian authorities have reportedly foiled a Ukrainian intelligence-led terrorist attack on a senior executive at a defense contractor working for the Ministry of Defense, according to the FSB.

What’s known so far:

▪️ The plan was to assassinate the top executive by detonating an improvised explosive device in his personal vehicle.

▪️ Seven Russian citizens, including three minors, have been detained in connection with the attempted assassination. They have reportedly confessed to their involvement.

▪️ Ukrainian intelligence reportedly directed the suspects remotely through foreign Internet-based messaging applications.

▪️ The detainees reportedly set up equipment for covert communications, false bomb threats, and fraud as part of their activities.

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A gas explosion erupted on the top floor of a shopping center in Russia's Vladikavkaz, injuring three individuals, according to the emergency services who spoke with Sputnik.

Tragically, one woman lost her life in the blast, while the condition of another victim is currently being assessed, as reported by the head of North Ossetia.

The third floor and the roof of the Alania Mall are still ablaze, with initial estimates indicating that the fire has spread across an area of approximately 800 square meters, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.

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🪖UK lags behind Russia, Iran, and China in defense spending, with army numbers set to shrink - report

The United Kingdom has fallen behind Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran in terms of defense funding, according to a report by The Times.

Over the past decade, Britain’s defense budget has grown by only 14% (in 2022 cash terms), while Russia, Iran, and China have experienced significantly larger increases of 34%, 57%, and 60%, respectively, as highlighted by research from the House of Commons Library.

This underinvestment has led to a shrinking army, an aging fleet of submarines, and unreliable air defense systems, the publication emphasized. The Royal Navy’s two aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth, have been plagued by technical malfunctions.

Additionally, the military has struggled to secure the necessary numbers of F-35 aircraft for the carriers, as well as escort ships and support vessels.

“The number that are in the army, navy, air force at the moment is below what is required for the threats that face our nation,” said James Heappey, former Minister of State for the Armed Forces. He further noted that the army is set to shrink to 72,500 troops under plans announced by the previous Conservative government.

The UK’s military budget for next year is approximately $71.3 billion, equivalent to roughly 2.3% of its GDP. Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that he will urge NATO member states to up defense spending to 5% of GDP, according to the Financial Times.

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🗣The blaze that engulfed the Alania Mall shopping center in Russia's Vladikavkaz has been extinguished, the emergency services told Sputnik.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) preliminarily identified a gas explosion as the cause of the incident.

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