- Meer Amerikaanse kernwapens naar Europa
Mark Rutte laat er geen twijfel over bestaan; er komen meer Amerikaanse kernwapens naar Europa. De bestaande voorraad van B-61-12 wordt vergroot. Het aantal landen waar ze geplaatst worden waarschijnlijk uitgebreid. Finland, Polen en Litouwen hebben zich aangemeld. Daarnaast is het mogelijk dat er andere kernwapens worden geplaatst. Waar en welke typen is (nog) niet duidelijk. Zie 7.
‘Is dit een grap of om te huilen’, zong een zoetgevooisde zanger lang geleden. De Amerikaanse raketten zijn bijna op en nu houdt de Amerikaanse regering een competitie voor het bedrijfsleven om een Ground-Based Affordable Mass-wapen (G-Bam) te maken. Een oorlogseconomie volgens de regels van de kapitalistische competitie. Man, man. Zelfs de linkse buzz-words (affordable) verschijnen nu in het militariseringsdenken. Zie 5.
Zelensky dacht dat ie een licentievergunning voor de productie van Patriots had. Trump liet in een telefoontje aan de Financial Times weten dat dat niet zeker is. Trump wil vrede en geen raketten. Tuurlijk. De druk op Zelensky wordt nog wat verhoogd. Zie 3.
De fanfare over de vernieling van Russische olieopslagplaatsen en andere infrastructuur wordt gerelativeerd door het bericht dat Rusland zeker al 200 benzinestations in Oekraïne heeft platgebombardeerd. Willen jullie de totale oorlog? Zie 4.
De regering Merz publiceert de cijfers van de wapenexporten naar Oekraïne niet meer. De Russen niet wijzer maken enzo, maar dit is een buitenkansje voor de corrupte klasse in Oekraïne. Zie 6.
In Polen worden ze steeds zenuwachtiger over Russische drones die niet alleen het luchtruim schenden maar ergens neerploffen. Waarschijnlijk Russisch spul, wordt gezegd. Hoe dan ook, de NAVO probeert de binnendringers elektronisch te verstoren. Zie 8.
Nog meer wortels om de wapenindustrie, nu de Europese met een vette premie voor Destinus uit Hengelo, de rijzende ster aan het firmament. Zie 9.
Trump toetert dat Hamas gaat ontwapenen, een akkoord. Voorlopig weinig kans. Zie 10.
In het Midden-Oosten gaat de oorlog door. Nu is in een Egyptische haven een gasschip gebombardeerd. Maar door wie? Zie 11.
Saoedi- Arabië heeft nog 13 landen georganiseerd in een maritieme defensiebond om de Rode Zee te beveiligen. Zie 12.
Er komt een nog groter munitiedepot in Staphorst, maar of er een daar gewenste tunnel en afrit van de snelweg komt? Wie moet dat betalen? Zie 13.
De ontwikkelingen van 30 juli 2026 aan het front in Oekraïne volgens het ISW via de link
https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-30-2026/. Dit zijn hun hoofdconclusies:
- Russian forces conducted a large-scale strike series against Ukraine on the night of July 29 to 30 that featured a particularly large number of missiles and aimed to exploit Ukraine’s shortage of ballistic missile interceptors.
- Russian missile strikes targeted a wide swathe of Ukraine’s deep rear and resulted in high civilian casualties.
- Russian forces continue to increase the number of missiles while decreasing the number of drones in strike packages, likely to exploit Ukraine’s shortage of ballistic missile interceptors, while Ukraine’s drone interception rate remains high.
- Russia also used at least one North Korean-provided ballistic missile for the first time since Summer 2025 following reported recent North Korean missile deliveries to Russia.
- A likely Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crashed in eastern Poland during Russia’s large-scale missile strikes against western Ukraine on the night of July 29 to 30.
- Russian missile and drone incursions into NATO territory during Russian strikes on Ukraine appear to be a risk the Kremlin has accepted.
- Ukrainian forces are attempting to help NATO defend its airspace and territory during large Russian missile and drone strikes that threaten NATO members.
- Ukraine’s continued strike campaign against Wildberries warehouses (the closest Russian equivalent to Amazon) throughout Russia is imposing significant costs on the company’s retailers and consumers.
- Russian authorities appear to be focusing on resolving Wildberries’ supply issues affecting ordinary Russians, as opposed to the more pressing issue of protecting the Russian rear against Ukrainian strikes.
- Recently appointed Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi is starting to make personnel changes as he takes command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and government continue to undergo personnel shuffles.
- Russian forces continued their campaigns against Ukrainian port infrastructure and merchant ships.
- Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian port and oil infrastructure on the night of July 29 to 30.
- Neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces made confirmed advances on July 30.
- Herhaalbericht; MAANDAG 3 augustus 2026; Stille tocht en blokkade vliegbasis Volkel
In stilte lopen we maandag 3 augustus de 2,7 km van de kerk in Volkel naar de hoofdpoort van de luchtmachtbasis om daar als om 12 uur het luchtalarm afgaat 81 minuten de poort te blokkeren: één minuut voor elk jaar sinds op 6 en 9 augustus 1945 de bommen op Hiroshima en Nagasaki werden afgeworpen. Je kan hier klikken voor het Signal groepje voor deze actie. Zo kun je je ook opgeven voor de bus van Theaterstraat die vanaf Amsterdam station Blijmer-Arena via station Den Bosch naar Volkel en terug rijdt. Opgeven voor de bus kan ook door een mailtje te sturen aan noelhuis@antenna.nl. Zie voor verdere informatie en aanmelding https://noelhuis.nl/stille-tocht-en-blokkade/
Ter aanvulling op deze oproep een artikel van Anne-Ruth Wertheim die als kind in een Japans concentratiekamp in Nederlands-Indië merkte dat er twee atoombommen in Japan waren gegooid. Zie https://anne-ruthwertheim.com/blog/een-atoombom-niet-groter-dan-een-potlood/.
- Donald Trump ‘not sure’ he will let Ukraine build Patriot missiles
Financial Times, 31 juli 2026, ‘Donald Trump has said he has not decided whether he will allow Ukraine to produce Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles, casting doubt on whether Washington will agree to one of Kyiv’s top priorities.’ Zie bijlage of https://archive.ph/WazQS.
- Russia targets hundreds of Ukrainian petrol stations
Financial Times, 31 juli 2026, ‘Russian drones and bombs have set ablaze hundreds of petrol stations in Ukraine this summer, broadening Moscow’s air campaign against civilian infrastructure to include access to fuel in the country’s frontline regions. Missile and drone attacks on highly flammable fuel stops seen as retaliation for Kyiv’s strikes on refineries.’ Zie verder of https://archive.ph/7lc7C#selection-1465.0-2291.24
- VS vragen industrie met spoed goedkope wapens te ontwikkelen wegens tekort aan hightechraketten
Volkskrant.nl, 30 juli 2026, ‘Door de oorlog met Iran is het arsenaal hightechwapens van de VS flink geslonken. Het Amerikaanse leger is nu naarstig op zoek naar goedkopere wapens die snel en in grote hoeveelheden kunnen worden geproduceerd.’ Zie verder of https://archive.ph/M9ppX.
- Ukraine-Hilfe als „Black Box“
Süddeutsche Zeitung, 29 juli 2026, ‘Deutschland unterstützt die Ukraine dieses Jahr militärisch mit rund 11,5 Milliarden Euro. Wofür Kiew das Geld genau ausgibt, entzieht sich immer mehr der politischen Kontrolle.’ Zie verder of https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/ukraine-hilfen-deutschland-unterstuetzung-waffenlieferungen-krieg-kontrolle-li.3522613 of https://archive.ph/sJm0e.
- NATO is working on plans to expand its nuclear deterrent
Blue News, 31 juli 2026, ‘In light of the threats posed by Russia, NATO is working on plans to expand its nuclear deterrent in Europe.’ Zie de bijlage of https://www.bluewin.ch/en/news/nato-is-working-on-plans-to-expand-its-nuclear-deterrent-li.3547714.
- NATO jets scramble as Russian missile detonates in Poland
Al Jazeera, 30 juli 2026, ‘The growing series of NATO airspace violations is raising concern that Russia’s war on Ukraine could escalate. NATO fighter planes have been scrambled as a Russian missile entered Polish airspace and crashed.’ Zie verder of https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/30/nato-jets-scramble-as-russian-missile-detonates-in-poland (zie ook Warsaw to consider providing Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles after suspected Russian missile falls in Poland, Kyiv Independent, 30 juli 2026, https://kyivindependent.com/warsaw-to-consider-providing-ukraine-with-additional-patriot-missiles-after-suspected-russian-missile-falls-in-poland/).
- Five companies advance in EDA loitering munition competition
Euractiv, 29 juli 2026, ‘The European Defence Agency (EDA) on Wednesday named five finalists in its Sentinel Strike Challenge, a competition aimed at testing emerging loitering munition technologies under realistic military conditions.’ Zie de bijlage of https://www.euractiv.com/news/five-companies-advance-in-eda-loitering-munition-competition/.
- Trump touts “historic” agreement to disarm Hamas, rebuild Gaza
AXIOS, Barak Ravid, 31 juli 2026, ‘President Trump announced Thursday that his Board of Peace had reached an agreement with Hamas to disarm and transfer civilian and security control of Gaza to a new Palestinian technocratic government.’ Zie bijlage of https://www.axios.com/2026/07/30/hamas-weapons-gaza-deal-israel-board-peace.
- RPT Drone hits gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port, Ambrey reports
Reuters, 29 juli 2026, ‘A drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday, in an initial assessment that could signal a further spread of conflict across the Middle East.’ Zie bijlage of https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/drone-hits-gas-storage-tanker-egypts-mediterranean-port-2026-07-29/.
- Saudi Arabia announces maritime defence alliance to secure vital waterways
Al Jazeera. 30 juli 2026, ‘Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries have announced the creation of a maritime military coalition to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.’ Zie bijlage of https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/30/saudi-arabia-announces-maritime-defence-alliance-to-secure-vital-waterways.
- Uitbreiding munitiedepot Staphorst gaat door. Maar wie extra tunnel en afslag betaalt, is nog een raadsel
AD, 30 juli 2026, ‘Wat gaat er gebeuren nu de uitbreiding van de munitieopslag bij Staphorst definitief is? Hoe gaat het verder met de ontwikkeling van de plannen? Staphorst heeft twee belangrijke eisen: verplaatsing van de afslag van de A28 en een tunnel onder het spoor.’ Zie bijlage of https://www.ad.nl/staphorst/uitbreiding-munitiedepot-staphorst-gaat-door-maar-wie-extra-tunnel-en-afslag-betaalt-is-nog-een-raadsel~a82da39c/.
- Weekendtips
Ook de afgelopen week waren er weer zeer veel artikelen die ik niet kon opnemen, vanwege de lengte van het artikel of de lengte van het geheel van de editie. Dit zijn de weekendtips voor deze week, in de vorm van een attendering met link.
a. Ukrainians Sour on U.S. Leadership
Gallup.com, 30 juni 2026, ‘59-percentage-point decline in U.S. approval since 2022 is the largest ever recorded. More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country, Ukrainians’ approval of U.S. leadership continues to sink as attitudes toward the war itself remain stable.’ Zie https://news.gallup.com/poll/711992/ukrainians-sour-washington-views-war-stabilize.aspx
b. The new era of nuclear weapons
German-Foreign-Policy.com, 20 juli 2026, ‘Germany and France launch their first military exercises for cooperation on potential French nuclear weapons deployment. But ‘German bomb’ discussions also continue in Berlin. Germany and France have conducted their first concrete exercises to trial cooperation on potential French nuclear weapons deployments. On Friday the Franco-German Defence and Security Council held a meeting at Nörvenich Air Base, south-west of Cologne.’ Zie https://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/news/detail/10485
c. As war drags on, Ukraine’s population is collapsing
Responsible Statescraft, 23 juli 2026, ‘According to figures published by the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice this week, Ukraine recorded 73,292 births and 259,853 deaths in the first half of 2026. Ukraine thus records about 12,000 births per month, a sharp drop from the approximately 23,000 births per month it recorded before the war began. The Donetsk region recorded only 134 births in the first half of 2026.’ Zie https://responsiblestatecraft.org/ukraine-population/
d. Ukrainische F-16 schießt russischen Kampfjet ab
Flugrevue.de, 23 juli 2026, Bestätigung zu dem Abschuss kommt aus den USA. Weiteren Berichten zufolge wurde wohl eine Su-35S bei dem Vorfall Anfang Juli zerstört.
e. The Long War #60 In Kramatorsk
Fabrice Deprez, 24 juli 2026, ‘Driving on streets covered with anti-drone nets and along avenues lined with barbed wire, sometimes anxiously checking a drone detector able to broadcast a UAV’s video feed, I saw Kramatorsk and Sloviansk entering the last stage of this gradual process that turns a place of life and community into a battlefield.’ Zie
https://eastradar.substack.com/p/the-long-war-60?triedRedirect=true
f. ‘Wat was dat harde geluid?’: Utrechters opgeschrikt door laagvliegende straaljagers
AD, 24 juli 2026, Twee F-35-straaljagers zijn donderdagochtend 22 juli laag over Utrecht gevlogen. Zie https://www.ad.nl/utrecht/wat-was-dat-harde-geluid-utrechters-opgeschrikt-door-laagvliegende-straaljagers~a4657f76/
g. Oekraïne wil drones ontwikkelen met een bereik tot 10.000 kilometer
Businessam.be, 25 juli 2026, Oekraïne zet momenteel drones in met een operationeel bereik van 3.000 kilometer. Zelensky streeft ernaar om deze afstand tegen volgend jaar uit te breiden tot 10.000 kilometer. Aanvallen over lange afstanden verstoren de Russische energie- en militaire infrastructuur aanzienlijk.’ Zie
https://businessam.be/oekraine-wil-drones-ontwikkelen-met-een-bereik-tot-10-000-kilometer/
h. Nord-Stream-Verfahren: Eine Anklageschrift mit Sprengkraft
ZDF Heute, 25 juli 2026, ‘Dem mutmaßlichen Nord-Stream-Saboteur Serhii K. wird ein Kriegsverbrechen vorgeworfen. ZDF frontal konnte seinen Anwalt sprechen. Eine Verurteilung wäre für ihn “eine Schande”. Der Ukrainer Serhii K. ist wegen Sprengung der Nord-Stream-Pipelines angeklagt. Sein Anwalt Nicola Canestrini erklärt im ZDF-frontal-Interview, warum er an einen Freispruch für K. glaubt.’ Zie https://www.zdfheute.de/politik/deutschland/nord-stream-anklage-serhii-k-kriegsverbrechen-anwalt-canestrini-100.html
i. Aufrüstung statt Diplomatie: Ist die Nato in den Denkmustern des Kalten Krieges gefangen?
Berliner Zeitung, Richard Sakwa, 25 juli 2026, ‘Die Nato präsentiert sich so geschlossen wie lange nicht. Doch hinter der demonstrierten Einigkeit wachsen die strategischen Widersprüche des Bündnisses.’ Zie https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/article/nato-kalter-krieg-aufruestung-diplomatie-europa-analyse-10205225.
j. Defence giants provide record backing for military start-ups
Financial Times, 26 juli 2026, ‘As drones and autonomous systems transform the battlefield, traditional defence companies start to act more like venture capitalists. The world’s largest defence companies have invested a record amount into military start-ups this year as they try to adapt to the rapidly evolving face of modern warfare.‘ Zie https://archive.ph/bIUr3
k. Balancing global uranium enrichment needs and proliferation risks: A framework
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, 27 juli 2026, The Trump administration is pursuing two contradictory policies with uranium enrichment: It has insisted that zero uranium enrichment in Iran is necessary to achieve its goal of preventing Iranian access to a nuclear weapon. But the administration has also shown an apparent tolerance for the spread of the same uranium enrichment technology elsewhere as part of its push for expanded nuclear exports. Zie https://thebulletin.org/2026/07/balancing-global-uranium-enrichment-needs-and-proliferation-risks-a-framework/
l. The AI military complex: Which are the main companies in it?
Al Jazeera, 27 juli 2026, ‘For centuries, fighting wars meant deploying hardware such as tanks, aircraft, artillery and weapons, built by a handful of prime contractors under long-term government programmes. It also meant putting boots on the ground.
That paradigm is not disappearing, but software is becoming increasingly central to it. And now, more soldiers are fighting wars through a screen.’https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/27/the-ai-military-complex-which-are-the-main-companies-in-it
m. How Zelensky made a rival
Kyiv Independent, 27 juli 2026, ‘By dismissing the widely popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, he created two problems at once: he triggered a political crisis that continues to spill onto the streets, and transformed a loyal ally into a political opponent whose popularity now rivals his own. Public opinion has overwhelmingly rejected Zelensky’s decision to oust Fedorov. According to a Rating Group poll published on July 22, 72% of respondents opposed Fedorov’s dismissal, while only 5% supported it.’ Zie https://kyivindependent.com/how-zelensky-made-a-rival/
n. Trump’s waning sway over the world
Financial Times, 29 juli 2026, Donald Trump had claimed to amend a US-Saudi nuclear deal on his Truth Social site the day after it was signed. That the deal was controversial is one thing. That he thought he could change it without asking the Saudis was another. Trump keeps making fantasy announcements. His grip on power is suffering as a result. Zie https://archive.ph/iij7Y.
o. Greek Patriot Battery Intercepts Two Ballistic Missiles Targeting Saudi Oil Refinery
Greek Reporter, 25 juli 2026, ‘A Greek Patriot battery stationed in Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles launched from Yemen on Saturday morning, preventing an attack on a major Saudi refinery in the Red Sea city of Yanbu.’ Zie https://greekreporter.com/2026/07/25/greek-patriot-battery-intercepts-yemen-missile-attack-saudi-refinery/
p. Saudi Arabia is still doomed to dependence on America
Financial Times, 29 juli 2026, The US president’s latest outburst reveals that Benjamin Netanyahu’s preferences continue to trump Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitions. https://archive.ph/gEayL
q. Jimmy print in de polder onderdelen voor het Oekraïense leger: ‘Je wilt die mensen een hart onder de riem steken
Volkskrant, 30 juli 2026, Zo’n zeshonderd buitenlandse vrijwilligers helpen het Oekraïnse leger door thuis wapenonderdelen te maken. Een van hen is de Nederlandse Jimmy. Hij zit al op 2.079 geprinte onderdelen: ‘Ik wilde iets tastbaars doen.’ Zie https://archive.ph/C1MHL
r. Analysis: New Commander-in-Chief Drapatyi faces a manpower mess of Syrskyi’s making
Kyiv Independent, 30 juli 2026, ‘Replacing Syrskyi is 43-year-old Drapatyi, who for years has been elevated as a general with a reputation for being everything Syrskyi wasn’t: progressive, forward-thinking, and with a dedication to truth and responsibility. Despite the positive shift for Ukraine in the balance of power in the war — especially on the narrative front — Drapatyi has inherited a military beset by problems with its command culture, resource allocation, and, above all, manpower.’ Zie https://kyivindependent.com/analysis-new-commander-in-chief-drapatyi-faces-a-manpower-mess-of-syrskyis-creation/
Colofon:
Vredespolitiek verschijnt elke werkdag en wordt samengesteld door Guido van Leemput met dagelijkse medewerking van Kees Kalkman en diverse los-vaste tipgevers.
Voor meer berichten, met name over bewapening, als deze zie ook Vredessite.nl; https://vredessite.nl/index.php.
Bij 3. Donald Trump ‘not sure’ he will let Ukraine build Patriot missiles
Financial Times, 31 juli 2026, https://archive.ph/WazQS
US president had earlier said he would allow the country to produce the weapon vital for its defence against Russia.
Donald Trump has said he has not decided whether he will allow Ukraine to produce Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles, casting doubt on whether Washington will agree to one of Kyiv’s top priorities.
The US president said in a phone interview with the FT on Thursday that he was “not sure” whether Washington would grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot missiles, adding that “we’re looking at it”.
“It’s a very extraordinary weapon, and . . . we have to be a little bit careful of who we licence to. We don’t really licence equipment.”
Trump’s comments came just two days after he met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his Ukrainian counterpart, at the White House. Zelenskyy had described the meeting as “good” and said the two leaders had discussed “Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas”.
The US president had said in early July at the Nato summit in Turkey that Washington would grant Kyiv a licence to produce Patriot missiles.
The Patriot air-defence system is vital for Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian ballistic missiles that are targeting Kyiv and other cities. Persuading Trump to consider allowing Kyiv to produce the missiles represents a significant achievement for Zelenskyy. Following the White House meeting on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president said Trump “accepted that he will give us licences”.
Zelenskyy added that he had met with the Patriot system’s producers recently: “I had [a] meeting with the representatives of production . . . I hope that we will do co-production. This is very important.” Lockheed and RTX both produce Patriot interceptors.
Trump told the FT that his attention was focused on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, adding that his two envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would visit Ukraine for the first time in the coming days. “Very simply put, we want the war in Ukraine with Russia ended,” he said. “I’m not looking for missiles. We’re looking for peace.”
Trump also insisted that despite Iran’s willingness to broaden the war in the Middle East by striking targets across the region in recent days, it would be only a matter of time until Tehran submitted. “We are beating the hell out of them,” he said.
Trump also expressed optimism that the US would finalise the landmark civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that was unveiled last week. He had said after the pact was initially announced that it would be contingent on Riyadh normalising diplomatic relations with Israel.
The president told the FT that he had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about normalising ties, and that it is “something that both countries like very much. It could happen.” Trump also met Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday.
The crown prince has, however, previously insisted that such a move would only be possible if Israel took irreversible steps towards enabling the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Israel has refused to do.
Trump also complimented Andy Burnham, the UK’s new prime minister, for signalling that he would take a “pragmatic” approach on North Sea oil exploration despite pledging not to overturn the governing Labour Party’s manifesto pledge to end new drilling licences in the region.
“The one thing that seems to be loud and clear is that he [Burnham] wants to make his country rich, and he knows that he can do that by opening up the North Sea oil,” said Trump of his first call with Burnham last week. “I think that he’s going to do it. If [Burnham’s predecessor Sir Keir] Starmer had done it, he wouldn’t be right now sitting at home watching television.”
Bij 4. Russia targets hundreds of Ukrainian petrol stations
Financial Times, 31 juli 2026, https://archive.ph/7lc7C#selection-1465.0-2291.24
Russian drones and bombs have set ablaze hundreds of petrol stations in Ukraine this summer, broadening Moscow’s air campaign against civilian infrastructure to include access to fuel in the country’s frontline regions.
Ukrainian officials told the FT the attacks, which have intensified in recent weeks, appeared aimed at disrupting civilian life in areas where Russian forces are struggling to advance, in an effort to drive residents out and deepen social tensions. The strikes also appeared to be in retaliation for Kyiv’s drone and missile strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities, they said.
“Their mindset is: if we’re short of petrol, why should life continue as normal for you?” Vitalii Diakivnych, head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, told the FT.
The attacks come as Russian forces struggle to advance on the battlefield and ordinary Russians begin to feel the impact of Kyiv’s long-range strikes on refineries, including fuel shortages and export bans.
In total, Russia has destroyed more than 200 petrol stations in Ukraine, Oleksandr Skoryk, a member of the Kharkiv regional council, told Ukrainian media on Monday. At least 80 of them were in Kharkiv region, he said, though he did not specify a time frame. He claimed that the last filling station on the crucial route towards Kyiv had been hit, though other officials disputed that.
Russia’s elite drone unit, Rubicon, last weekend posted a video compilation showing nine strikes in broad daylight with first-person-view (FPV) drones against petrol stations in the Kharkiv and neighbouring Sumy regions. Vehicles were present and people were seen walking around during several of the strikes.
Ukraine has strung up hundreds of kilometres of repurposed fishing nets over roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure to create makeshift anti-drone tunnels that catch small FPV drones.
The road from Kharkiv to Kyiv, part of the pan-European E40 highway, is one of two main logistics corridors linking the capital with frontline areas, raising concerns that the attacks could disrupt both civilian travel and military supplies.
Skoryk urged motorists to ensure they had sufficient fuel before travelling along the affected section of the E40 highway. Ukrainians were last urged to carry petrol cans during the early weeks of Russia’s invasion in 2022, when fuel imports were in short supply.
In Poltava, which lies along that route, Diakivnych said the attacks were “putting society under strain”. But by the fifth year of the war, he added, “people have largely become accustomed to the fact that the enemy is constantly devising new tactics of terror and intimidation”.
Poltava has been among several regions hit by repeated attacks on petrol stations in recent weeks. Diakivnych said Russian forces had targeted four petrol stations within a few hours last Saturday, all on the road to Kharkiv.
He declined to say how many had been struck in total, citing security concerns, and insisted that there were no fuel shortages in his region.
Diakivnych said the attacks were also “an attempt to retaliate for the attacks on their oil refineries”, which have brought the war closer to home for Russians than at any time since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022.
“They have failed to achieve significant success on the battlefield in recent months, their economy is performing increasingly poorly and social tensions are rising,” Diakivnych added.
The strikes were impacting business in Ukraine, he conceded, saying that they were making logistics and the delivery of goods more difficult. Combined with the global rise in fuel prices, this could eventually push up prices in supermarkets, shops and the service sector, he added.
The attacks have stretched also to the south-eastern frontline regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia. More than 30 petrol stations were recently destroyed by Russian strikes in Zaporizhzhia region, Ivan Fedorov, head of its military administration, told Ukrainian television news earlier this month.
“Attacks on gas stations are a top priority for the enemy,” he said.
Russian forces have used Geran attack drones — its version of the Iranian-designed Shahed — and fixed-wing explosive drones in the attacks on petrol stations. They have also targeted them with heavy aerial bombs able to glide over dozens of kilometres and destroy entire buildings or city blocks.
In cities close to the frontline, small drones hand-piloted by Russian operators have also homed in on fuel stations. In Sloviansk, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine now some 15km from advancing Russian troops, the FT observed locals nervously filling up their cars at a gas station turned into a makeshift bunker, its cramped shop and gas tanks protected by thick blocks of concrete.
At least two petrol stations in the city were destroyed by Russian FPV drones in July.
Large conglomerates as well as independent gas station owners dotting Ukrainian roads have reacted with a host of security measures that have further complicated daily life in frontline regions.
Diakivnych said that in the case of incoming drones, officials in Poltava urge people to “immediately leave the petrol station and go or drive away from it as far as it is possible”.
A Ukrainian combat medic travelling to a rotation in eastern Ukraine this month said her team had been stuck for several hours in Kharkiv waiting for an air raid alert to end – a signal that now triggers the closure of petrol stations in the region.
Only after it was lifted could they fill their cars for the final stretch, where finding an open petrol station has become increasingly uncertain.
Near a battered road towards eastern Ukraine, one petrol station covered with anti-drone nets warned customers it had cut its hours because of “increased danger and regular shelling”.
“The gas station does not work at night. Please plan your refuelling in advance,” the sign said, ending: “Stay safe.”
Bij 5. VS vragen industrie met spoed goedkope wapens te ontwikkelen wegens tekort aan hightechraketten
Volkskrant.nl, 30 juli 2026, https://archive.ph/M9ppX
Door de oorlog met Iran is het arsenaal hightechwapens van de VS flink geslonken. Het Amerikaanse leger is nu naarstig op zoek naar goedkopere wapens die snel en in grote hoeveelheden kunnen worden geproduceerd.
Een van de nieuwe, betaalbare wapens die het Pentagon snel wil hebben, is een raket of drone die vanaf de grond doelwitten tot op 1.100 kilometer afstand kan vernietigen, het liefst voorzien van een explosief van ruim 45 kilo. En die mag niet meer dan 250 duizend dollar per stuk kosten – een koopje vergeleken met de miljoenen dollars die huidige slimme wapens kosten.
Wapenfabrikanten kunnen nog tot 5 augustus met een plan komen voor ontwikkeling en productie van het Ground-Based Affordable Mass-wapen (G-Bam), zo blijkt uit een oproep op de Pentagon-site. Vervolgens moeten defensiebedrijven al binnen twee tot drie maanden een wapen kunnen tonen dat werkt en aan alle eisen voldoet. In een jaar tot anderhalf jaar moet de productie zijn gestart.
‘Wij zien uw oplossing met belangstelling tegemoet’, aldus de innovatieafdeling DIU van het Pentagon. G-Bam is slechts een van de vele initiatieven van het Amerikaanse leger om de wapenvoorraden weer aan te vullen, die sinds 2022 door de leveringen aan Oekraïne al waren geslonken. Maar vooral door de Iran-oorlog is sinds februari de slagkracht van het Amerikaanse leger flink verminderd.
Goedkope alternatieven
Zo werden in slechts 39 dagen meer dan duizend Tomahawk-kruisraketten afgevuurd, zo bleek in april uit een studie van de Amerikaanse denktank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). De Tomahawk is een van de meest gebruikte langeafstandswapens; de VS hadden er naar schatting 3.100. Ook schoten de VS zeker 1.030 van hun 2.330 Patriot-luchtafweerraketten af om Iraanse raketten en drones neer te halen.
De oorlog heeft de VS tot nu toe zo’n 38 miljard dollar gekost en het gaat nog tientallen miljarden kosten om de voorraden weer aan te vullen en uit te breiden. Zo tekende de Amerikaanse landmacht woensdag een contract met defensiegigant Lockheed Martin om tot 2032 voor zo’n 58 miljard dollar aan Patriot-raketten te leveren.
De VS worden in hun militaire operaties mogelijk al beperkt door de geslonken hoeveelheid hightechwapens. Het zou een van de redenen zijn dat president Trump vrijdag besloot de aanvallen op Iran niet flink op te voeren, zo meldden media in de VS. Tijdens een beraad in het Witte Huis waarschuwden zijn chef-staf van het leger Dan Caine en vicepresident JD Vance dat het arsenaal nog verder zou slinken. Met alle gevolgen van dien voor de militaire slagkracht in de toekomst.
Betaalbaar
Omdat het vervangen van de zeven meest gebruikte geavanceerde wapens in de Iran-oorlog één tot vier jaar gaat duren, kijkt het Amerikaanse leger ook naar goedkopere alternatieven. Want als een doelwit vernietigd kan worden met een G-Bam van een kwart miljoen dollar scheelt dat enorm ten opzichte van een Tomahawk die 2,6 miljoen dollar per stuk kost.
Het nieuwe wapen van de landmacht moet commandanten meer keuze geven om een lang conflict vol te houden. Geavanceerde wapens zoals de Tomahawk blijven beschikbaar voor het vernietigen van belangrijke strategische doelen, zoals hoofdkwartieren en bunkers.
‘Maar de kosten en beperkte voorraden maken het moeilijk om ze in te zetten in het volume dat nodig is voor langdurige operaties tegen een gelijkwaardige tegenstander’, aldus het Pentagon over de huidige hightechwapens.
‘Baby Patriot’
In april vroeg de luchtmacht wapenfabrikanten al om met voorstellen te komen voor een langeafstandswapen. Dat moet een goedkope raket zijn die vanaf transportvliegtuigen kan worden afgevuurd op gronddoelwitten. Volgens de luchtmacht moet het nieuwe wapen ‘betaalbaarder’ zijn, vergeleken met de dure raketten die het in de Iran-oorlog heeft afgevuurd, zoals de Jassm.
Tijdens de Iran-oorlog schoot de luchtmacht zo’n 1.100 Jassm-raketten af die per stuk zo’n 2,6 miljoen dollar kosten. Voor de oorlog hadden de VS 4.400 van deze hightechraketten. Doordat ze vanaf grote afstand worden afgevuurd kunnen de gevechtsvliegtuigen en bommenwerpers buiten het bereik van vijandelijke luchtverdediging blijven.
Ook voor de Patriot-raket moet binnenkort een goedkoper alternatief beschikbaar zijn. Defensiebedrijven kregen in mei het verzoek een nieuwe raket te ontwikkelen van maximaal een miljoen dollar per stuk, waar een Patriot 3,9 miljoen kost. En Lockheed Martin kondigde deze maand een goedkopere, kleinere en eenvoudiger versie van de Patriot aan. Deze ‘baby Patriot’ moet de helft gaan kosten van de modernste variant van de Patriot-raket.
Bij 6. Ukraine-Hilfe als „Black Box“
Süddeutsche Zeitung, 29 juli 2026, https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/ukraine-hilfen-deutschland-unterstuetzung-waffenlieferungen-krieg-kontrolle-li.3522613 of https://archive.ph/sJm0e
Deutschland unterstützt die Ukraine dieses Jahr militärisch mit rund 11,5 Milliarden Euro. Wofür Kiew das Geld genau ausgibt, entzieht sich immer mehr der politischen Kontrolle.
Neulich in Kiew, der ukrainische Finanzminister Sergii Marchenko klagt im Gespräch mit Abgeordneten aus Deutschland über die großen Lücken im Budget für das kommende Jahr und betont: „Wir sind sehr dankbar für die Unterstützung aus Deutschland.“ Wo es früher in solchen Gesprächen immer darum ging, was Deutschland noch mehr an Panzern oder Flugabwehr liefern kann, geht es jetzt eher um finanzielle Hilfen zur Selbsthilfe, um zum Beispiel noch mehr eigene Langstreckendrohnen und Marschflugkörper zu bauen.
Im Prinzip spiegelt die Entwicklung der Ukraine-Hilfen auch die Veränderung des Krieges wider. Was wurde in Deutschland erbittert gestritten, um die Lieferung von Leopard-2-Kampfpanzern. 18 Stück wurden geliefert, laut Angaben vor Ort in Kiew sind die meisten kaputt oder nicht mehr im Einsatz, da sie „Hochwertziele“ für russische Drohnen sind. Und Deutschland ist zwar inzwischen mit rund 11,5 Milliarden für 2026 der größte Geldgeber für Militärhilfen, nur: Man liefert dafür kaum noch etwas aus eigenen Beständen, sondern finanziert damit auch viele Eigenentwicklungen der Ukraine.
Unter Kanzler Scholz konnte man die Waffenlieferungen im Internet nachvollziehen
Genau da fängt ein Thema an, das Abgeordnete beunruhigt. Denn unter dem damaligen Kanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) wurden die gelieferten Waffen einfach öffentlich im Internet in einer Liste veröffentlicht, mit Stückzahlen. So erfuhr der Bürger, dass auch 140 Marder-Schützenpanzer geliefert wurden und „330 000 Schuss Flakpanzermunition GEPARD“.
Friedrich Merz machte damit Schluss, offizielle Begründung: Russland im Unklaren lassen. Aber es hatte auch den Vorteil, dass Merz nicht eingestehen musste, dass auch er, anders er markig im Bundestag angekündigt hatte, keine Taurus-Marschflugkörper liefern würde. Die Liste gibt es noch, versehen mit dem Vermerk: „Eine Übersicht auf dem Stand vom 17. April 2025. Die Liste wird nicht weiter aktualisiert.“ Damals in der Kanzlerschaft Scholz hatte man mehr Kontrolle über die Hilfen, weil man vor allem aus eigenen Bundeswehr- und Industriebeständen lieferte. Aber die waren endlich. Unter Merz wurden die Hilfen noch einmal deutlich ausgeweitet, seit 2022 umfasst die militärische Hilfe 55,5 Milliarden Euro. Die Süddeutsche Zeitung hat in Kiew mit Botschaftsvertretern und der ukrainischen Armee gesprochen, in Berlin mit Bundestagsabgeordneten von Union, SPD und Grünen. Immer wieder fällt dort der Begriff „Black Box“.
Aber man könne die wachsende Intransparenz auch nicht öffentlich kritisieren, wegen der AfD, den Landtagswahlen in Ostdeutschland im September, und weil man ja für die Unterstützung der Ukraine sei. „Aber es sind Mittel der Steuerzahler und das Parlament hat das Recht, das zu kontrollieren“, formuliert es ein Haushaltspolitiker.
Diese Kontrolle sei allerdings immer weniger gegeben. Abgeordnete, die wissen wollen, wofür das Geld ausgegeben wird, müssen in das Verteidigungsministerium oder in die Geheimschutzstelle des Bundestags gehen und dürfen dort Einblick in die geheime Liste bekommen. Stifte und Notizen sind verboten. Das hat letztlich auch wieder mit der AfD zu tun, man ist vorsichtiger geworden, will den Abfluss von Informationen nach Russland vermeiden.
Das Verteidigungsministerium nennt auf SZ-Anfrage als aktuelle Schwerpunkte die Luftverteidigung, mit der Lieferung hunderter Patriot-Lenkflugkörper über die nächsten vier Jahre sowie weiterer Startgeräte für Iris-T Systeme und die Finanzierung zusätzlicher weitreichender Drohnen aus ukrainischer Herstellung. Betont wird hier der Nutzen auch für Deutschland. „Die Zusammenarbeit deutscher und ukrainischer Rüstungsindustrie wird in diesem Zusammenhang immer wichtiger.“ Insofern gehe es um „ein Win-Win“. Letztlich seien bei der Verwendung der Mittel die seitens der Ukraine priorisierten Bedarfe für die Regierung „handlungsleitend“.
Die ukrainische Rüstungsindustrie entwickelt auch mit deutschem Geld neue Waffensysteme
In der Ukraine ist aber vor Kurzem Verteidigungsminister Mykhailo Fedorow entlassen worden, er war erfolgreich bei Neuentwicklungen, etwa bei nach Russland reichenden Raketen und Drohnen und zur Abwehr russischer Fluggeräte – und trimmte das korruptionsanfällige Beschaffungswesen auf mehr Effizienz. Aber er geriet darüber in Konflikt mit dem Generalstab. Auch deshalb war das Bedauern etwa bei Verteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius (SPD) so groß, dass der in Berlin sehr geschätzte Verteidigungsminister entlassen worden ist.
Einer, der vor Ort in Kiew den Kontakt zur ukrainischen Rüstungsindustrie hält und die Verwendung der Gelder observiert, sagt, es gehe stets um die Balance zwischen Geschwindigkeit, Qualität und Quantität. Die Ukrainer melden einen konkreten Bedarf an, das wird nach Berlin übermittelt, zum Sonderstab im Verteidigungsministerium, und da wird dann darüber entschieden, nicht im Parlament. Man will generell nicht zu sehr amerikanische Systeme finanzieren, aber Patriot-Flugabwehrraketen kommen nun einmal aus den USA.
Am unkritischsten seien aus Sicht von Abgeordneten Lieferungen, wo Lieferkette und Preise bekannt sind, etwa Iris-T-Abfangsysteme aus Deutschland. Schwieriger sei es bei ukrainischen Unternehmen. Zugleich ist man erstaunt, was dort alles mit deutschem Geld entwickelt wurde, etwa das Delta-System, mit dem in Echtzeit alle Frontbewegungen überwacht werden, oder die Langstreckenwaffen, um russische Ölanlagen anzugreifen. Der Taurus ist dadurch kaum noch ein Thema. Das seien durchaus auch Lehren, die Deutschland für die Beschaffung ziehen könne.
Der CDU-Bundestagsabgeordnete Andreas Mattfeldt ist im Haushaltsausschuss der Hauptberichterstatter für den Verteidigungsetat.
Er unterstützt die Hilfen, für das kommende Jahr seien für die Ukraine weitere 11,6 Milliarden Euro und jeweils 8,5 Milliarden Euro für die Jahre 2028 bis 2030 vorgesehen. Die Ukraine mit all ihren inneren Problemen, wie der Korruption, habe er nie glorifiziert. „Dennoch kämpfen die Menschen dort für ihre Freiheit, Selbstbestimmung und Unabhängigkeit.“ Aber auch ihn treibt die Frage der ausreichenden Kontrolle um. Er informiere sich zwar regelmäßig über die Arbeit des Sonderstabs und die Entscheidungen der Bundesregierung. Aber aufgrund der Geheimhaltungseinstufung geschehe dies halt nur „in einem entsprechend kleinen Kreis“.
Bij 7. NATO is working on plans to expand its nuclear deterrent
Blue News, 31 juli 2026. https://www.bluewin.ch/en/news/nato-is-working-on-plans-to-expand-its-nuclear-deterrent-li.3547714
In light of the threats posed by Russia, NATO is working on plans to expand its nuclear deterrent in Europe.
According to research by the German Press Agency, the deployment of additional U.S. nuclear weapons is also an option. Experts even believe it is possible that the U.S. has already transferred B61-12 bombs to the Lakenheath Air Base in the United Kingdom. If the security situation continues to escalate, countries such as Poland, Finland, and Lithuania could also be considered as potential deployment sites.
These plans primarily concern so-called non-strategic nuclear weapons. These are intended, for example, for use against enemy troops, airfields, ports, command centers, and other military infrastructure. Compared to strategic nuclear weapons, they often have a lower explosive yield and are typically delivered by fighter jets or shorter-range missiles or cruise missiles.
According to estimates by nuclear experts, following the massive nuclear disarmament that took place after the end of the Cold War, only about 100 U.S. B61-12 bombs remained in storage at six air force bases in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. In Germany, they are reportedly stationed in Büchel, Rhineland-Palatinate. In an emergency, the bombs could also be deployed by German fighter jets as part of NATO’s so-called nuclear sharing arrangement.
NATO Wants to Be Able to Respond to a Nuclear Attack
In an interview with the German Press Agency, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte did not rule out the possibility that more U.S. nuclear weapons might be stationed in Europe in the future. However, citing confidentiality, he declined to comment on the details of the ongoing reviews and consultations. The alliance is continuously assessing what capabilities are needed and what the nuclear deterrent mix should look like, he explained in an interview conducted in mid-July. “Wherever we need to make adjustments, we will do so,” Rutte said. “We must ensure that no one can attack us with nuclear weapons without us being able to respond.”
He had already hinted in April at the NATO Nuclear Policy Symposium in Istanbul that the work might go beyond the replacement and modernization of existing systems. At the time, he said that crucial decisions would have to be made on how to further adapt NATO’s nuclear posture to the deteriorating security environment.
Following the most recent meeting of the Alliance’s Nuclear Planning Group, a statement was issued in June—the first in nearly two decades. In it, the allies commit to further modernizing NATO’s nuclear capabilities, strengthening their nuclear planning capacity, and adapting deterrence.
Do we need more than a hundred additional warheads?
However, experts from think tanks explain the direction things could theoretically take. U.S. nuclear weapons expert Robert Peters told dpa that he is optimistic the United States will strengthen its nuclear deterrent in Europe within the next 24 months. He argues that U.S. President Donald Trump could thereby reduce the likelihood of an open conflict with Russia. According to this view, a U.S. nuclear buildup would also not conflict with Trump’s plans to make a significantly smaller contribution to Europe’s conventional defense in the future.
From Peters’ perspective, it would make sense to station an additional 100 to 150 non-strategic U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe—possibly in Poland and Finland as well. New storage facilities would have to be built there. However, this would not be particularly difficult and could be accomplished within a few months. “We clearly lack a sufficient number of weapons,” said Peters, who works for the conservative Heritage Foundation, which is closely aligned with the Republicans. Russia likely has a more than ten-to-one advantage in non-strategic nuclear weapons.
Why Putin Should Drink Coffee
Jim Stokes, a former U.S. government official and former NATO director for nuclear policy, also believes that “new types of nuclear capabilities” make sense. However, he emphasized that this does not mean NATO must match the number of warheads. Among other things, new capabilities could signal that the U.S. remains firmly committed to its extended nuclear deterrence and, by extension, to its nuclear security guarantee for its allies.
Stokes referred to the wider range of nuclear systems that the United States had deployed in Europe during the Cold War, in addition to the B61 bombs intended for fighter jets. In 1979, the alliance partners had decided to modernize these nuclear systems and deploy new capabilities. These included Pershing II medium-range ballistic missiles and BGM-109G Gryphon land-based cruise missiles.
The defense expert, however, does not consider moving U.S. nuclear bombs closer to Russia to be militarily necessary. Such missions could also be carried out from Western Europe. However, broader participation by other allies could be beneficial—for example, through combat aircraft certified for nuclear missions, aerial refueling, reconnaissance, escort support, exercises, or command and control capabilities. This could offer advantages without requiring those countries to store U.S. nuclear weapons themselves.
“We want President Putin to wake up every morning, drink a cup of coffee, and say, ‘Today is not the day for an attack,'” Stokes told dpa. This has worked ever since NATO was founded 77 years ago. No country has attacked the alliance.
France’s Warheads as a Supplement
The efforts to establish a European nuclear umbrella—driven primarily by France—are viewed by both Rutte and the experts merely as a supplement and not as a potential replacement. Rutte told the dpa that the U.S. nuclear umbrella remains the ultimate guarantee of the allies’ freedom and security. However, the French initiative adds an additional layer of protection. Stokes described France’s capabilities as a good complement. He added, however, that France could not replace U.S. capabilities in warheads, delivery systems, and platforms. The same applies to British capabilities.
What Remains a Secret
According to sources within the alliance, it is unclear whether—and if so, how—any decisions regarding the expansion of NATO’s deterrence capabilities would be communicated. One option, therefore, would be to leave Russia in the dark about specific steps. This would also be in line with past practice. While NATO and the U.S. government confirm that American nuclear weapons are stationed in Europe, their exact number and the complete list of locations remain classified.
Bij 8. NATO jets scramble as Russian missile detonates in Poland
Al Jazeera, 30 juli 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/30/nato-jets-scramble-as-russian-missile-detonates-in-poland (zie ook Warsaw to consider providing Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles after suspected Russian missile falls in Poland, Kyiv Independent, 30 juli 2026, https://kyivindependent.com/warsaw-to-consider-providing-ukraine-with-additional-patriot-missiles-after-suspected-russian-missile-falls-in-poland/)
NATO fighter planes have been scrambled as a Russian missile entered Polish airspace and crashed.
The missile, which entered Polish airspace early on Thursday, was part of a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones launched by Russia against Ukraine overnight, killing at least eight civilians, including children, and injuring more than 50.
Concern that Russia’s war on Ukraine risks entangling neighbouring NATO states is on the rise. Poland is just one of several alliance members to have confronted repeated stray drones and missiles. Such incidents have become increasingly common in recent months as Russia and Ukraine have launched hundreds of projectiles at one another.
NATO members, including Poland, launched F-16 jets in response to the sighting of the missile, as well as an aerial refuelling aircraft and an airborne early warning plane, a spokesperson for the alliance said.
NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to defend its territory, the spokesperson added.
Polish authorities said the explosion had created a wide crater in the eastern village of Tarnawa-Kolonia. While the incident caused no injuries or damage, it will deepen tensions between NATO and Russia as European countries fear the four-year-old war could spill into their territory. “Poland and NATO activated their air and ground defences,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on social media. “This incident is yet another reckless act by Russia and a dangerous consequence of its war against Ukraine,” he said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk rushed to the site of the incident. “Everything indicates” that it was a Russian missile, he said. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X that it was “a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile” that violated NATO airspace. “This is yet another clear demonstration that strengthening Ukraine’s air defense now is urgent and serves as a guarantee for the protection of the entire Euro-Atlantic community,” he said.
Stray drones and missiles have become a core focus for European countries, especially for those on NATO’s eastern flank.
Romania has reported repeated incursions by stray drones into its airspace. On Monday, following the latest incursion of three drones, Bucharest summoned Russia’s ambassador to complain about the “repeated violations”.
In May, Estonia and Latvia reported drones entering their airspace from Russia. The government in Riga then collapsed over an argument on how to handle the projectiles.
Last year Poland added deployments to its air defences in response to the threat. It has also regularly detected violations of its airspace by Russian missiles and drones.
Drone incursions have, meanwhile, also led to discussions in the European Union about building a possible “drone wall” to shield its eastern flank.
Bij 9. Five companies advance in EDA loitering munition competition
Euractiv, 29 juli 2026, https://www.euractiv.com/news/five-companies-advance-in-eda-loitering-munition-competition/
The European Defence Agency (EDA) on Wednesday named five finalists in its Sentinel Strike Challenge, a competition aimed at testing emerging loitering munition technologies under realistic military conditions.
More than 140 organisations from across Europe expressed interest in the challenge. Following an initial evaluation, five companies – Helsing (Germany), Destinus (Netherlands), C-Astral (Slovenia), UAVision (Portugal) and Spirit Aeronautical Systems (Greece) – have advanced to the second stage and will each receive a €30,000 prize.
The remaining companies in the top ten, Renegade UxS (Denmark), Robotto (Denmark), Cerberon Defence Systems (Germany), THALES LAS (France) and ALTUS LSA (Greece), will each receive a €10,000 Stage 1 prize.
The finalists will take part in field trials during the EU OPEX26 operational experimentation campaign at Portugal’s Santa Margarida military training area this autumn. Their loitering munition systems, a type of attack drone designed to search for targets before striking, will be tested in controlled but operationally realistic scenarios.
The competition’s second stage offers a total of €1.8 million in prizes. Military users from EU member states will assess the performance, resilience and operational suitability of the systems. Overall winners are expected to be announced in 2027.
The EDA stressed that the challenge is not a procurement programme and does not guarantee future contracts.
Bij 10. Trump touts “historic” agreement to disarm Hamas, rebuild Gaza
AXIOS, Barak Ravid, 31 juli 2026, https://www.axios.com/2026/07/30/hamas-weapons-gaza-deal-israel-board-peace
President Trump announced Thursday that his Board of Peace had reached an agreement with Hamas to disarm and transfer civilian and security control of Gaza to a new Palestinian technocratic government.
Why it matters: If implemented, the agreement would represent a dramatic breakthrough in Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan and clear the way for reconstruction of the devastated enclave.
- But the deal requires Hamas and Israel to complete a complicated series of reciprocal and independently verified steps over roughly seven to eight months.
- Israeli officials remain deeply skeptical that Hamas will surrender its weapons, while comments from a senior Hamas official suggest the sequencing of disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal could still be contested.
What they’re saying: “Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump wrote Thursday evening on Truth Social.
- “This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY,” he added.
State of play: Two U.S. officials said Hamas had agreed to the terms of the deal after months of what one senior administration official described as “very delicate” negotiations with mediators Qatar, Turkey and Egypt.
- Implementation is expected to begin in the coming weeks, the senior U.S. official said.
- A Board of Peace official said this is the first time Hamas and the other Palestinian factions in Gaza have agreed to demilitarize the enclave and transfer responsibility for security and civilian services to a technocratic government.
Under the agreement, Hamas would relinquish any role in governing Gaza. The new National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) would serve as an alternative to Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
- “It will work for the people of Gaza,” the senior U.S. official said.
Reality check: Hamas official Ghazi Hamad confirmed to Al Jazeera that “difficult” negotiations had produced an agreement, but his description raised immediate questions about its implementation.
- “We will not take any steps regarding disarmament before Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip,” Hamad said. He added that the NCAG would carry out disarmament without Israeli involvement.
- That appears to differ from Trump’s description of a “carefully structured” and phased process in which Israeli forces withdraw as disarmament is completed.
- U.S. and Board of Peace officials said implementation would proceed through reciprocal, independently verified steps, while acknowledging that the timetable for Israel’s withdrawal is still being finalized.
The big picture: Large parts of Gaza were destroyed during the war, and most of its 2 million residents continue to live in tents or makeshift shelters.
- Food and other aid are entering Gaza in large quantities, but the humanitarian situation remains dire.
- The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the Oct. 10, 2025, ceasefire. Some were Hamas militants, while many others were civilians, including children.
Zoom in: The agreement is based on the principle that Gaza will have one government, one legal system and one legitimate security authority. The demilitarization process is expected to take between 200 and 250 days and to proceed through one part of Gaza at a time.
- Hamas’ civilian police would first transfer their weapons to a new Palestinian police force under the technocratic government.
- Hamas’ heavy weapons would then be decommissioned and placed in secure storage, while its tunnels and weapons factories would be dismantled.
- Small arms would be collected in accordance with Palestinian law.
- All other militias in Gaza, including anti-Hamas factions armed by Israel during the war, would also be required to surrender their weapons.
The NCAG would assume authority over each area only after a monitoring mechanism verified that the relevant commitments had been fulfilled.
- At the end of the process, the technocratic government and its police force would have a monopoly on weapons in Gaza, the Board of Peace official said.
How it works: Under the agreement, an international stabilization force would help train the new Palestinian police, assist with weapons collection, and deploy between Palestinian-controlled areas and Israeli forces.
- A Board of Peace official said the agreement was designed around “zero trust” because Hamas and Israel each made clear from the outset that they did not trust the other side.
- The process would not advance from one stage to the next until monitors verified that both sides had met their obligations.
- The goal is to avoid a situation in which the technocratic government controls Gaza during the day while armed factions retain power at night, the official said.
The other side: Israel’s withdrawal would proceed gradually under a timetable that is still being finalized.
- Trump said Israeli forces would withdraw as disarmament was completed and the international force and new Palestinian police assumed responsibility for security.
- Israel would also halt military operations and targeted killings in Gaza, except in cases involving an imminent threat.
- “All military activity in Gaza will have to cease — both from Israel and Hamas,” the Board of Peace official said.
Inside the room: The senior U.S. official said the Trump administration coordinated closely with Israel throughout the negotiations.
- The administration also intends to ensure Israel fulfills its commitments under the agreement, despite Israel’s skepticism that Hamas will disarm.
- “We are not asking Israel for anything other than to implement their commitments under the 20-point plan,” the official said.
- “If they do not do that, President Trump will be very disappointed. I do not think the Israelis would want to escalate things with us right now.”
Behind the scenes: Egypt, Qatar and Turkey exerted intense pressure on Hamas to accept the agreement, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations.
- A key figure was Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, who hosted the talks and has a close relationship with Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya, U.S. officials and others familiar with the negotiations said.
The intrigue: During a recent visit to Iran for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a Hamas delegation met with senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
- The IRGC officials urged Hamas not to rush into signing the agreement and to play for time, the source said.
- A senior U.S. official also claimed Iran tried to convince Hamas not to sign the deal, but said the group chose not to listen.
Bij 11. RPT Drone hits gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port, Ambrey reports
Reuters, 29 juli 2026, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/drone-hits-gas-storage-tanker-egypts-mediterranean-port-2026-07-29/
A drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday, in an initial assessment that could signal a further spread of conflict across the Middle East.
A statement from Egypt’s petroleum ministry confirmed a fire at the port but made no mention of a drone attack and did not provide a cause for the incident.
The drone hit floating storage tanker Energos Winter, causing a fire that spread to another vessel, Gaslog Salem, three trading sources familiar with the incident said. Two separate security sources said the likely cause of the blast was assessed as a drone strike.
The Energos Winter was reportedly struck by an unidentified projectile on its starboard side, causing a fire that was extinguished, British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
It was unclear who was responsible for the incident, which occurred shortly after Iran carried out a missile attack against U.S. forces in Jordan, and Washington and Saudi Arabia struck Iran-backed paramilitary groups in Iraq.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to retaliate against Iran and Yemen’s Houthi group declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, apparently spreading the conflict to its widest since U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran in February.
Through a video posted on social media, Reuters was able to verify the location by the port infrastructure, the storage tanks and ship tracking data that matched the archive and satellite imagery.
The identity of the vessels was confirmed as “ENERGOS WINTER (IMO: 9256614)” and “GASLOG SALEM (IMO: 9638915)” by the mast, stern, hull and foredeck that matched archive imagery. The date was confirmed by corroborating media reports and Egypt’s petroleum ministry confirmed a fire at the port. No older versions of the videos were found posted online before July 29.
The Energos Winter is a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) with storage capacity of 138,250 cubic metres. It is owned by U.S.-based firm Energos Infrastructure. Its technical, safety and commercial operations are managed by Wilhelmsen Ship Management, also a U.S. company.
Egypt’s petroleum ministry said in a statement a fire broke out on a gasification vessel and a storage vessel at Damietta port and was dealt with immediately under approved emergency response plans by firefighting and security teams.
Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi went to the site to oversee response efforts, it said. The fire caused no injuries or fatalities and emergency and technical teams were continuing to work on the response and assess the impact of the incident, the statement added.
Bij 12. Saudi Arabia announces maritime defence alliance to secure vital waterways
Al Jazeera. 30 juli 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/30/saudi-arabia-announces-maritime-defence-alliance-to-secure-vital-waterways
Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries have announced the creation of a maritime military coalition to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In a statement published on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance was established as a framework to strengthen collective maritime defence cooperation.
The states declared their intent to protect freedom of navigation, securing international trade routes and energy supply routes through the three waterways, which form a strategic maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean.
The move comes as the United States-Iran conflict has become focused on the Strait of Hormuz. The virtual closure of the route, which formerly carried about 20 percent of global oil and gas exports, is weighing heavily on the global economy. In a recent escalation, the Bab el-Mandeb-Red Sea-Gulf of Aden route has come under repeated attack from Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen.
‘Shared responsibility’
The representatives of 43 countries – out of 51 that were invited – participated in the meeting for the establishment of the alliance. A European Union delegation was included, the Saudi ministry said. The EU already has a naval protection mission, Aspides, in the Red Sea. It is not clear how the Saudi-led coalition would differ. Turkiye, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Sudan and the Comoros are understood to be the other signatories to the alliance.
It is notable that neither the United Arab Emirates nor Oman have signed up, despite having similar security objectives amid the conflict centred on Iran. “The door remains open for other countries to accede to the coalition’s charter after completing their national procedures,” the Saudi ministry’s statement said.
The participating states share a “conviction that maritime security is a shared responsibility and that cooperation and coordination among states constitute the cornerstone for confronting common and transnational maritime threats”, the statement continued.
It did not say what ships or aircraft each country would contribute. However, activities will include sharing intelligence, information and operational planning, as well as conducting joint exercises and maritime operations.
The alliance is “purely defensive in nature and does not target any state”, it noted.
Saudi Arabia is recognised as a founding member of the alliance and home to its headquarters, though the statement did not specify the exact location.
The Houthi rebel group in Yemen imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia last week, disrupting oil shipments diverted to the Red Sea.
Since the start of the war in Iran in late February, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh has been able to continue to export most of its oil thanks to the East-West pipeline, which connects oil refineries in the country’s east to the terminal of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast.
Saudi exports have to cross Bab al-Mandeb, which is located between Eritrea, Djibouti and Yemen, whose western province facing the maritime chokepoint is controlled by the Houthis. That gives the armed group a strategic advantage to target ships in the Red Sea.
Approximately 10 to 12 percent of global maritime trade passes through the strait, including millions of barrels of oil per day. It is also one of only two exit-entry points to the Red Sea, the other being the Suez Canal.
Bab al-Mandeb is only 29km (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments. Therefore, any disruption taking place in the area could cause a new surge in global energy prices.
Bij 13. Uitbreiding munitiedepot Staphorst gaat door. Maar wie extra tunnel en afslag betaalt, is nog een raadsel
AD, 30 juli 2026, https://www.ad.nl/staphorst/uitbreiding-munitiedepot-staphorst-gaat-door-maar-wie-extra-tunnel-en-afslag-betaalt-is-nog-een-raadsel~a82da39c/
Wat gaat er gebeuren nu de uitbreiding van de munitieopslag bij Staphorst definitief is? Hoe gaat het verder met de ontwikkeling van de plannen? Staphorst heeft twee belangrijke eisen: verplaatsing van de afslag van de A28 en een tunnel onder het spoor.
In het kort komt het erop neer dat de regie over het project nu volledig in handen ligt bij het ministerie van Defensie. Dat meldt woordvoerder Mireille Beentjes op vragen van de Stentor.
Vlak na zijn beëdiging kwam staatssecretaris Derk Boswijk eind maart naar Staphorst om met bestuurders van de gemeente en de provincie te overleggen over de lokale bijdrage aan het Nationaal Programma Ruimte voor Defensie (NPRD).
Gemeente houdt vast aan Staphorster bod
In Staphorst wordt het bestaande defensieterrein aan de J.J. Gorterlaan van 15 hectare uitgebreid tot 70 hectare. Burgemeester Jan ten Kate benadrukte bij het bezoek van de staatssecretaris dat zijn gemeente vasthoudt aan het zogeheten Staphorster bod: uitbreiding van het munitiedepot moet samengaan met verbetering van de verkeersveiligheid in Staphorst en met oog voor landbouw, natuur en recreatie. Het bod houdt in dat Staphorst wil dat de op- en afritten van de A28 in zuidelijke richting worden verplaatst, ter hoogte van het Dekkersland. Ook moet er een tunnel komen onder de spoorwegovergang aan de J.J.
Gorterlaan.
Voor eind 2026
De woordvoerder van het ministerie legt uit dat het ministerie van Defensie per onderdeel bekijkt wat nodig is om dit te realiseren en wanneer dat gaat gebeuren. „Dit is door staatssecretaris Boswijk tijdens het Kamerdebat over het NPRD in april gemeld. Daarvoor worden zogenoemde roadmaps (stappenplannen, red.) opgesteld.”
Die plannen moeten voor het eind van het jaar gereed zijn en met de Tweede Kamer en in de openbaarheid worden gedeeld, zegt Beentjes.
Financiering nog niet geregeld
Hoe de aanpassingen aan de infrastructuur in Staphorst betaald moeten worden, is nog niet bekend. „Defensie is hierover in gesprek met het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat.”
Woordvoerder Harmieke Paters van de gemeente Staphorst verduidelijkt het standpunt van de gemeente: „Hoe de voorwaarden uit het Staphorster bod betaald moeten worden, ligt bij het Rijk. De aanpassingen die hiervoor nodig zijn aan het onderliggend wegennet, zijn deels voor rekening van de gemeente Staphorst.”
Paters: „We benadrukken dat we – samen met de provincie Overijssel – voortdurend goede gesprekken hebben met Defensie.”
Beentjes: „Net als in het voorafgaande traject, moet er tijdens de uitvoering nauw worden samengewerkt door het Rijk, de provincie Overijssel en de gemeente Staphorst.”
Guido van Leemput
