Peace Talks Plod On As Ukraine Sabotage Strikes Deep Into Russia

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Top aide to Vladimir Putin contradicted U.S. claims that three days of peace talks in Miami went well, calling several of Washington’s proposals meant to end Russia’s war with Ukraine “rather unconstructive.”

Progress is “quite solid.” Initial drafts of U.S. proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meet many of Kyiv’s demands, Volodymyr Zelensky said, although he added neither side is likely to get everything it wants in talks on reaching a settlement.

Ukrainian security services have stepped up drone and sabotage operations against Russian combat aircraft and submarines this month, as one way to combat incessant Russian missile strikes against cities and energy infrastructure.

Sabotage attack on Russian Su-30 fighters shown in video. Two Flanker multirole fighters have been damaged in an overnight arson attack on a military airfield at Lipetsk in southwest Russia.

At Crimea’s secret Russian military hub, the latest Ukrainian operation targeted and destroyed 2 Russian Su-27 fighter jets. One of these aircraft was reportedly on a taxiway, fully armed and prepared for a combat sortie at the time.

A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow. Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, 56, was the head of the armed forces’ operational training department. (RELATED: Russian General Killed In Moscow Car Bombing)

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here are today’s other top defense news from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

THE PDB – Not the President’s Daily Briefing, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF:    

NATIONAL SECURITY

President Trump announced the U.S. will build a new generation of “Trump class” battleships to advance his vision of building a “Golden Fleet.” (RELATED: ‘Golden Fleet’: Trump Announces New Class Of Navy Battleships)

Leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted the U.S. won’t take over Greenland and demanded respect for their territorial integrity after Trump announced the appointment of a special envoy to the semi-autonomous territory.

Cyber Command turned 15 this year. It was also the year it saw the longest stretch without a permanent leader in its history.

HOMELAND SECURITY

A small Mexican navy plane on a medical mission crashed near Galveston, Texas, killing at least five people, including a 2-year-old.

DEFENSE POLITICS

References in Coast Guard policy calling previously termed “hate” symbols “potentially divisive” were removed, and a U.S. senator said she was lifting a nomination for the service’s top job.

US POWER OVERSEAS

These are approximate positions of the Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Dec. 22, 2025.

VENEZUELA-NARCO THREAT

Trump nominated Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan to head U.S. Southern Command after the previous commander, Adm. Alvin Holsey, retired before his tour was up after 13 months.

One of the Air Force’s last remaining EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare planes is now in Puerto Rico, the latest in an increasing buildup of military assets in the region to pressure Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and for what seems to be a contingency for sustained kinetic operations over Venezuela.

Russia and China pledge vocal support for Venezuela as Trump ratchets up pressure on its illegitimate leader, Nicolás Maduro.

CHINA THREAT

China has loaded over 100 DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles at its three newest silo fields. China has around 600 nuclear warheads but is expected to increase its arsenal to 1,000 by 2030.

DOW needs more consistent Indo-Pacific deterrence funding. As the U.S. military continues to build up forces to deter China in the contested Indo-Pacific region, GAO claims clear guidance on how it funds those efforts has yet to be provided.

RUSSIA THREAT

Russia wants to drain Europe’s investigative resources with a sabotage campaign. Putin is spreading chaos across Europe. Russia and its proxies have orchestrated around 140 attacks and other incidents across Europe since the invasion of Ukraine began.

NATO-EUROPEAN DEFENSE

No current plans to fit defensive laser weapons directly to Royal Navy aircraft carriers, despite significant investment in directed-energy systems for the wider fleet.

MIDDLE EAST THREATS

U.S. military monitors haven’t properly tracked or logged some of $13.4 billion worth of military support sent to Israel since the start of the war with Hamas.

Israeli government approves controversial closure of its Army Radio after 75 years.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Gold Rises to Record High on Rate-Cut Bets and Venezuela Tension. Escalating geopolitical tensions and expected U.S. interest rate cuts are driving investors to seek safe havens in commodities, with gold and silver hitting record highs, and annual gains not seen in over 40 years.

Leftist Australian government plans biggest gun buyback scheme in 30 years following the Bondi Beach mass murder of Jews by Muslim terrorists that killed 15. Should ban extremists, not guns. (RELATED: More Islamic Terror Attacks Against Christmas Markets Foiled In Europe)

This past year saw U.K. and France carrier strike groups conduct Western Pacific deployments as other allied nations monitored milestones and movements of Chinese and North Korean forces.

UAE’s EDGE Group plans next steps of expansion beyond the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates’ defense conglomerate announced a new partnership with Indonesia, a production alliance with Anduril, and ambitions to launch a satellite constellation in low Earth orbit.

Displaced Sudanese families in the war-torn Darfur region are grappling with a dangerous measles outbreak that is spreading rapidly.

SPACE THREATS

White House order underlines Space Force’s counterspace mission. “Ensuring American Space Superiority” emphasizes space security as a high priority for Trump and underlines Space Force’s role in not only defending U.S. assets, but also in an attack mission.

US MILITARY

‘Strong start.’  Signs appear positive for military recruiting in fiscal 2026, following success last year in meeting or exceeding recruiting goals.

Navy confirmed that the armament package for the first “flight” of new FF(X) frigates will not include a built-in Vertical Launch System (VLS).

Naval Postgraduate School is offering a new accelerated one-year master’s degree program in AI.

In 2025, the Air Force notched a number of firsts, like the flight of drone wingmen and an award for the sixth-gen fighter. Funding boost provided by reconciliation was also critical for infusing cash into top priorities like ramping up munitions production.

Air Force designated Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon drone as YFQ-48A and described it as “a strong contender” for part of its future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) fleets.

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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