🪖Kim Jong UNder the Radar 😉

Plus: The UK splashes out on defense

Hi there! 👋 Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, Timur Ivanov may be going down for monumental bribery, throwing doubts on Russia’s military procurement and readiness over recent years.

In a bold move with a hefty price tag, the U.K. is chucking an extra £75 billion into its defense budget over the next six years, giving NATO's spending goals a well-deserved nudge. Happy reading!

- The WarLytics Team

Today’s edition is a 3.8 minute read: 

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📰 THE WORLD TODAY

1. 🇮🇱 Israel: In the wee hours of April 19, Isfahan province got a rude awakening with three thunderous explosions, courtesy of Israel's long-reaching missiles, sending a clear warning that Israel can hit Iran deep and with precision, without even entering Iranian airspace.

2. 🇮🇷 Iran: The Iranian Air Force's aging aircraft conundrum may be solved by the potential transfer of Russian Su-35 fighter jets to the Iranian regime.

3. 🇪🇨 Ecuador:  Ecuadorians have given President Daniel Noboa a thumbs-up on his tough-on-crime stance, backing nine security-related proposals in a referendum. From military backup for police against organized crime to harsher penalties and extradition measures, it’s a full buffet of crackdowns on gangs.

4. 🇸🇬 Singapore: Singapore debuts its latest aquatic marvel, the RSS Inimitable, an “Invincible-class” submarine primed to navigate the choppy waters of a precarious South China Sea.

5. 🇦🇲 Armenia: Armenia and Azerbaijan are inching closer to normalization. President Aliyev expresses hope for border resolution progress. Despite initial strife, border markers are being established based on Soviet-era maps, signaling a potential breakthrough in peace talks.

🤿 DEEP DIVE

North Korea courts the Mullahs

🖼️ Background:

• North Korea and Iran have a history of military cooperation dating back to the 1980s, particularly in missile and nuclear technology.

• Sanctions and international pressure periodically strained this relationship, especially in the early 2000s.

• The ongoing war in Ukraine has reshaped geopolitical dynamics, prompting closer ties between North Korea and Iran.

✍️ Key Takeaways:

• The recent North Korean delegation to Iran highlights a strategic realignment driven by shared interests and defiance of international pressure, with the tacit endorsement of China and Russia.

• Concerns about military cooperation between North Korea, Iran, and Russia raise urgent questions about arms proliferation amidst the Ukraine-Russia war and Israel’s war with Iran and its proxies.

• This nexus will likely yield greater arms sales and technology transfers to both parties.

🌏 ON ANOTHER NOTE…

1. 🇯🇵 Japan: Japan and the U.S. are teaming up for their first minesweeping drill around Guam, a symphony of naval coordination in the Pacific. With tensions swirling like a storm in a teacup, this joint maneuver serves as a strategic ballet. 

2. 🇵🇭 Philippines: As the Philippine House of Representatives raises concerns about the influx of Chinese nationals, the Makabayan minority bloc is leading the charge, pushing for an investigation into potential military recruitment and the presence of covert Chinese cells.

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