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Show Notes

* Russian drones deep inside Poland

NATO warplanes, including Dutch F-35s and Polish F-16s, shot down multiple Russian drones deep inside Poland—the first direct alliance engagement against Russian weapons over member territory. Russia’s attack forced airport closures and damaged homes. It prompted Prime Minister Donald Tusk to invoke NATO Article 4, calling it “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.” Source: Wall Street Journal

* Poland and Latvia Restrict Airspace Near Russian and Belarusian Borders After Drone Incursion

Poland and Latvia barred drones and low-flying aircraft along their borders with Russia and Belarus after NATO jets shot down Russian drones inside Polish territory. The restrictions, which don’t affect commercial flights, are meant to give NATO and local defenses room to intercept further incursions. Source: The Moscow Times

* Poland closes all border crossings with Belarus: about 1,700 cars in queues

The State Border Committee of Belarus reported that it had received an official notification from the Polish Border Service about the closure of all remaining active checkpoints on the Belarusian-Polish border.

Source: The Insider (Russian language)

* Belarus frees 52 prisoners after Trump appeal, US eases some sanctions on Minsk

Belarus released 52 prisoners, including journalist Ihar Losik and 14 foreign nationals, after a personal appeal from Donald Trump. In return, Washington eased sanctions on Belarus’ national airline Belavia, even as opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya warned the gesture covered only a fraction of political prisoners and signaled no real change in Lukashenko’s rule.

Source: Reuters

* Belarusian spy network uncovered by Eurojust operation, Moldovan ex-intel chief arrested

A Eurojust-backed operation involving Czechia, Romania, Hungary, and Moldova exposed a Belarusian KGB spy ring spanning multiple countries. Among those arrested was Alexandru Bălan, Moldova’s former deputy intelligence chief, accused of passing state secrets and meeting Belarusian officers in Budapest. Source: Euroactiv

* Russian spy drones over Germany

Russian surveillance drones are conducting reconnaissance flights over eastern Germany to track arms shipments to Ukraine, with over 530 drone sightings recorded in the first three months of this year alone, according to Western intelligence services. Source: Euronews

* Russia plans to produce nearly 2,500 high-precision missiles in 2025

Russia is expected to manufacture close to 2,500 high-precision missiles in 2025, spanning cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic classes, Vadym Skibitsky, the deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, said in an interview with Ukrinform. Source: Kyiv Independent

* 123,000 flights disrupted by Russian signals – threatening flight safety

In four months, nearly 123,000 flights have been disrupted by Russian signals that interfere with GPS and other satellite systems. This is according to a report from Sweden and five neighboring countries that SVT has reviewed. Source: TVP World and SVT (In Swedish)

* Julie and my latest chapter from our new series

Active Measures: The Kremlin's Troll Factory

Stay Salty. And particularly this week, stay safe.

Julie

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