International

Ukraine has begun mass production of its missile and drone hybrid “Palianytsia”

Ukraine has begun the mass production of its first drone and missile hybrid, called ‘Palianytsia’, which has been developed within the framework of the long-range missile program launched by Kiev after the Russian invasion and which combines the characteristics of both types of weapons.

“A new emerging company has executed the Palianytsia missile project, which has already entered the series production phase thanks to the support of the Ministry of Defense,” said the head of this department of the Ukrainian government, Rustem Umérov, in an article published this Wednesday in the Ukrainian digital media LB.ua.

A word with several meanings

‘Palianytsia’ is the name of a typical Ukrainian bread and the word that Ukrainian soldiers sometimes use to identify citizens of the enemy country, due to the difficulty that its pronunciation poses for those who speak exclusively Russian.

The missile-drone ‘Palianytsia’ was officially presented on August 24, the day of independence of Ukraine, by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who stressed that it is a type of weaponry difficult to intercept for enemy defenses and that it had already been successfully used against enemy military targets.

“The use of foreign missiles often requires coordination with partners,” Minister Umerov wrote in his article on Wednesday.

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Ukraine accelerates missile production

Due to the fear that Moscow’s possible reprisals cause in Western capitals, Ukraine has had to wait until last November for the allies who provide it with ballistic missiles to allow it to use them against targets located within Russia.

“Ukrainian cruise and ballistic missiles will allow our Armed Forces to act independently, making possible localized attacks against key enemy targets,” Umerov added.

Zelenski announced on Tuesday that they were already testing several Ukrainian-made missiles.

The president also stressed that Ukraine is “accelerating” the production of some of the missiles that it has developed in close cooperation with the private sector.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”