🌑 🇺🇸 First Private Lander on #Moon Marks Awaited Return of #UnitedStates to Lunar Surface Since Last in 1972: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/02/23/first-private-lander-on-moon-u-s-lander-marks-awaited-return-to-lunar-surface-since-last-in-1972/

Two years ago, Kalanchak border checkpoint, north of Crimea – one of the first images that signaled the Russian invasion of Ukraine had begun.

Since February 24th, 2022, an estimated 400,000-500,000+ military/fighters from both sides have been KIA/WIA in the war, with Russia and Ukraine claiming the other to have taken even more losses than reported. Over 10,000 civilians confirmed to have killed, with 20,000 confirmed injured, with actual casualties estimated as being tens of thousands higher but largely unrecorded.

🇦🇲 🇦🇿 🇫🇷 A Deep Dive into #Armenia’s Evolving Security Situation: https://theatlasnews.co/analysis/2024/02/24/a-deep-dive-into-armenias-evolving-security-situation/

🇳🇬 🇲🇱 🇧🇫 🇳🇪 🇬🇳 #ECOWAS to Lift Sanctions on #Niger, #Guinea: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/25/ecowas-to-lift-sanctions-on-niger-guinea/

🇮🇶 Iraqi Intelligence Announce Capture of Two #ISIS Leaders in Operation Outside of #Iraq: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/26/iraqi-intelligence-announce-capture-of-two-isis-leaders-in-operation-outside-of-iraq/

🇺🇸 🇾🇪 #CENTCOM Announces New Round of Strikes Targeting #Houthi Forces in #Yemen: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/25/centcom-announces-new-round-of-strikes-targeting-houthi-forces-in-yemen/

🇭🇺 🇸🇪 #Hungary Approves #Sweden’s Ascension to #NATO: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/26/hungary-approves-swedens-ascension-to-nato/

🇪🇺 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 🇵🇱 🇫🇷 #European Leaders Rule Out Deploying Troops to #Ukraine:

On February 27, it was reported that #Britain, #Germany, #Poland, and other European countries were against troop deployment in Ukraine.

These announcements were made after #French President Emmanuel Macron had said on February 26, that “There is no consensus at this stage … to send troops on the ground,” and that “Nothing should be excluded. We will do everything that we must so that Russia does not win”.

#Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to the idea of #NATO members sending troops to fight in Ukraine by saying “In that case, we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability (of a direct conflict)”.

As a new round of American aid to Ukraine is being debated over in Congress, many European nations have increased their own aid to Ukraine to previously unseen levels.

This is developing.

https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/02/27/european-leaders-rule-out-deploying-troops-to-ukraine/

🇩🇪 🇺🇸 🇾🇪 #German Frigate Reportedly Fires on #American Reaper Drone Over #RedSea:

According to German media outlets BILD and Der Spiegel, the German Sachsen-class frigate Hessen mistakenly fired two SM-2 missiles at an American MQ-9 Reaper while operating in the Red Sea, however, both missiles malfunctioned and did not reach the drone.

The incident would technically mark the Hessen’s first engagement of an aerial target if confirmed. This was followed by the successful interception of two #Houthi drones with RAM missiles, marking its first engagement against Houthi forces. Via theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/02/28/german-frigate-reportedly-fires-on-american-reaper-drone-over-red-sea/

🇺🇸 #USMC Announces Second Successful Flight of XQ-58A “Valkyrie” in Testing for Future Conflict Capabilities: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/28/usmc-announces-second-successful-flight-of-xq-58a-valkyrie-in-testing-for-future-conflict-capabilities/

🇦🇲 🇷🇺 #Armenia Clarifies Position on #CSTO Cooperation ‘Freeze’: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/28/armenia-clarifies-position-on-csto-cooperation-freeze/

🇹🇩 #Chad Government Accuses Opposition Party of Attempting to Assassinate Supreme Court President, Attacking State Security HQ: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/28/chad-government-accuses-opposition-party-of-attempting-to-assassinate-supreme-court-president-attacking-state-security-hq/

🇺🇸 🇵🇸 🇮🇱 Biden No Longer Hopeful of Temporary Ceasefire on Monday, #Gaza Fatalities Cross 30,000: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/02/29/biden-no-longer-hopeful-of-temporary-ceasefire-on-monday-gaza-fatalities-cross-30000/

According to Palestinian sources, over 100 people were killed and several hundred injured after Israeli forces opened fire upon Palestinian civilians who were waiting to receive aid from a truck. Other claims estimate the deaths in the dozens. Some of these sources claim the casualties all came from Israeli fire, while others say it was a combination additionally of military vehicles/aid trucks running over people as the crowds grew larger and surrounded the convoy.

Israeli government sources said Israeli forces responded with “live fire” after the aid truck was surrounded, whereas the IDF stated they were reviewing the incident. They claimed initially only 10 casualties happened from the incident and that all were caused by people stampeding each other to get aid, and eventually being run over by trucks leaving.

Biden has stated the incident is likely to significantly harm ceasfire negotiations, prompting him to take back his former comments stating he was hopeful of a ceasefire being reached by Monday. He added that there were "two competing versions of what happened", and that the US was “checking” into what had happened. Exact casualties from the incident are disputed from dozens to hundreds.

The attack on the aid trucks, mixed with other recent fatalities, have caused deaths within Gaza to cross above 30,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and the UN.

Full article above.

🇺🇸 🇹🇼 🇨🇳 #UnitedStates Special Forces to be Permanently Stationed in #Taiwan

On February 29th, it was reported by UDN and Taiwan News that a U.S. special forces group would be permanently stationed in Taiwanese territory. Members of the 1st Special Forces Group would be stationed on the Kinmen and Pescadores Islands alongside members of the Taiwanese Marine Corps’ 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion.

The #Kinmen Islands are 6.2 miles from the Chinese coast. The #Pescadores Islands are off the western coast of Taiwan and are around 90 miles from the coast of #China.

Initially, these special forces operators were deployed temporarily until the decision was made to make the deployment permanent.

Via https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/03/02/us-special-forces-to-be-permanently-stationed-in-taiwan/

🇮🇳 🇲🇺 #India and #Mauritius Inaugurate New Base in Indian Ocean: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/03/01/india-and-mauritius-inaugurate-new-base-in-indian-ocean/

🇰🇪 🇭🇹 #Kenya and #Haiti Sign Security Deal: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/03/02/kenya-and-haiti-sign-security-deal/

🇬🇷 🇦🇲 #Greece and #Armenia to Increase Military Cooperation: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/03/02/greece-and-armenia-to-increase-military-cooperation/

🇦🇲 🇦🇿 Azerbaijani crews have demolished the Artsakh National Assembly building and other sections of Renaissance Square in the #NagornoKarabakh capital of #Stepanakert, which Azerbaijani officials say was built “illegally” following the establishment of the Republic of #Artsakh.

Stepanakert, as well as most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, was abandoned following the 2023 fall offensive by Azerbaijani forces, which ultimately resulted in #Azerbaijan re-establishing control over the disputed region, the dissolution of the Armenian-backed Republic of Artsakh, and mass exodus of the regions’s ethnic Armenian population. Via theatlasnews.co

🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇺🇸 First visually confirmed destruction of a US-supplied, #Ukraine operated M142 HIMARS, located near the village of Nikanorovka, #Donetsk.

Strike was carried out by what appears to be a Russian Iskander ballistic missile.

This does not mark the first losses however, as two damaged HIMARS were recently observed returning to the #UnitedStates for repairs at the Harrisburg International Airport. Via theatlasnews.co