On November 3, Zhang Shengmin, Secretary of the Military Discipline Commission who was recently added to the Politburo, met with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov at Diaoyutai.
On October 25, the PLA Daily published an article demanding that the entire military prepare for major "Taiwan independence" contingencies, improve its "strategic capability for reunification by force," and ensure it is "ready to fight at any time and capable of winning at any time." It also discussed preparations for amphibious landing operations against Taiwan by citing Zheng Chenggong's cross-sea campaign and Su Yu's study of the Normandy battlefield.
On October 20, 2026, German Chancellor Merz announced that Germany will launch the largest modernization process in its modern history. The German government has pledged to invest more than 500 billion euros before 2030, aimed at strengthening defense capabilities and comprehensively upgrading military infrastructure. According to the tweet, this move is an important strategic deployment by Germany in response to the current security situation and in raising the level of its military defense.
Ukrainian President Zelensky said that Shahed drones fly at speeds of 450 to 550 kilometers per hour or even higher, and that Ukraine urgently needs equipment with comparable speed to destroy them. However, Ukraine currently faces technical limitations: its existing equipment has a maximum speed of only 161 kilometers per hour, making it impossible to effectively intercept and destroy these high-speed targets.
Ukrainian forces successfully carried out the world's first aerial evacuation of a wounded soldier using the heavy Gurzuf Defence six-rotor drone. Ground evacuation was impossible due to landmines and enemy drone activity, so the soldier was rescued by drone at the front line and is currently recovering.
According to X user @clashreport, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that cases had been recorded in multiple areas of the frontline of equipment ceasing to function at speeds of 130 to 161 kilometers per hour. This situation hinders frontline logistics and limits the use of various drones, including medium-range strike drones.
According to The Guardian, alarmed by the Houthi advance, the UAE has agreed to re-engage in the Yemen conflict by resuming funding for anti-Houthi forces. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will provide air cover for the relevant military operations. The move marks a strategic shift by Gulf states on the Yemen situation, aimed at curbing further Houthi expansion.
On October 18, 2026, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, commenting on the situation in Russia, pointed out that Russia is currently investing most of its budget in weapons and military affairs, and that its military personnel will reach 1.5 million. Crosetto expressed concern and publicly questioned how Putin would安置 these 1.5 million soldiers if the Russia-Ukraine war ended tomorrow, implying that this could pose a challenge to Putin himself.
According to open-source intelligence analysts and Radio Svoboda, satellite images show that Russia is replenishing its long-term military reserve bases. After emptying large stockpiles early in the war, Russia is currently transporting newly built and refurbished armored vehicles to multiple military facilities, including the 22nd Central Tank Reserve Base, indicating that it is restocking and restoring its military materiel.
According to X account @clashreport, Bessent noted in his comments that European countries are still funding Russia's war machine. He drew a comparison, saying that the United States imports about $4 billion worth of Russian products each year, of which $1.8 billion is fertilizer, while European countries' imports are more than ten times that of the United States.
According to estimates by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the U.S. military expended approximately 1,060 to 1,500 modern Patriot interceptors during roughly seven months of conflict with Iran. This expenditure is equivalent to the total number of Patriot interceptors the U.S. military procured over about 19 years, leaving only about one-third of the pre-war stockpile of roughly 2,200 to 2,330 interceptors.
According to Clash Report, satellite imagery shows that Russia has built a large jet drone base in an open area in the Rostov region in just six weeks. The facility is nearing completion and has deployed eight launch platforms, aimed at enhancing the Russian military's capability to deploy jet drones. Due to their high flight speeds, Ukraine currently faces significant difficulties in intercepting these types of drones.
Bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate have sent a letter to the Pentagon Inspector General calling for an investigation into recent restrictions on Starshield, the military version of Starlink, in Ukraine. The senators demand to determine whether the Trump administration, Pentagon officials, or SpaceX played a role, and to clarify the decision-making process and accountability behind the restrictions. The initiative was launched by members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, aiming to clarify how Starlink services operate on the battlefield in Ukraine and what potential political interference may be involved.
In response to French National Rally leader Marine Le Pen's earlier remarks that she would stop funding Ukraine within six months if she won the French presidential election, Ukrainian President Zelensky emphasized in his response that the Ukrainian military's experience in technology and actual combat is crucial to its partners, and said that French industry could gain a development advantage through technological cooperation with Ukraine.
According to @clashreport, Alice Weidel, leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), publicly stated that Germany's defense lies neither in the Donbas nor in the Hindu Kush. She warned that by constantly deepening its involvement in the conflict, Germany risks turning the country itself into a party to the war and a target of attack.