April 2026

Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev claims victory in the parliamentary elections on election night, 19 April 2026: (Image: Shutterstock)

Bulgaria’s Radev shock turns Sofia into Europe’s newest weak hinge

Diplomacy, Politics

Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria won the Bulgarian elections by campaigning against corruption and promising a more transactional, less confrontational approach to Russia, framed as “Bulgarian realism”. Radev has opposed Bulgarian military aid to Ukraine and has been described as Moscow’s man. While Hungarian voters turned away from the increasingly Moscow-aligned Viktor Orbán, the Bulgarian electorate

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered statements at a joint press conference held after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Palace, 5 July 2024, Moscow, Russia.

NATOs Eastern Flank Tested: Hungary’s Russia Deal Sharpens Fears of Internal Vulnerability

Diplomacy, Espionage, News

Hungary’s deepening ties with Russia, capped by a sweeping 12-point cooperation plan, are exposing widening fractures inside NATO and the EU just as the country heads into a pivotal election. With Western actors accusing one another of interference and Moscow quietly expanding its influence, the outcome in Budapest could shape both Hungary’s direction and the

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Russia Still Sending Disabled Recruits to War as Manpower Strain Persists

History, News

Russia’s war in Ukraine has entered a grinding, manpower-hungry phase. Evidence from independent Russian outlets, European reporting, and official assessments points to a clear pattern: men who should have been medically exempt, including those with physical illnesses, mental health conditions, and even intellectual disabilities, are being sent into the war. History shows that armies under

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The two contenders in Norway’s tank tender. This image shows mobility trials, where the K2 came out on top. (Source: YouTube Screen capture, YouTube account “Big Forest,” www.BANDICAM.com)

Ceramic Lamination and Air Gaps: Ballistic Protection in Europe’s Best-Selling Tanks, the South Korean K2 and Germany’s Leopard 2

Analysis, Technology

The South Korean K2 main battle tank and Germany’s Leopard 2 rank among the best-selling MBTs in Europe. Poland alone has ordered 1,000 K2s, while the Leopard 2 continues to secure strong demand across the continent. Both are built around heavily protected frontal arcs, but how do their approaches to ballistic protection differ? The South

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Drones Are Not Wonder Weapons

Strategy

In discussions about drones, the first card typically played is “The battle tank is dead!” After a brief back-and-forth, the matter is dismissed by throwing down the “Drones are not wonder weapons” card. The first starts the conversation; the second ends it. Too often, they’re played so quickly in succession that the discussion dies before

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