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  • Axis of Evil’s show of force: China deploys 58 warplanes to Taiwan’s borders amid major defense drills
    As Taiwan is conducting its massive Han Kuang exercises, China has deployed a record number of warplanes and ships toward the island, UkrInform reports. In the past 24 hours, China has sent 58 military aircraft and 10 naval and coast guard vessels toward Taiwan. Taiwan and Ukraine have become symbols of democracy resisting authoritarian aggression. China, Russia’s key strategic partner, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has not ruled out the use of force for “reunification.” Analyst
     

Axis of Evil’s show of force: China deploys 58 warplanes to Taiwan’s borders amid major defense drills

17 juillet 2025 à 11:27

russia-china

As Taiwan is conducting its massive Han Kuang exercises, China has deployed a record number of warplanes and ships toward the island, UkrInform reports. In the past 24 hours, China has sent 58 military aircraft and 10 naval and coast guard vessels toward Taiwan.

Taiwan and Ukraine have become symbols of democracy resisting authoritarian aggression. China, Russia’s key strategic partner, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has not ruled out the use of force for “reunification.” Analysts warn that a Kremlin victory could embolden Beijing to launch a military move against Taiwan. If the US fails to contain Russia, China may question the credibility of American security guarantees.

Of those 58 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, drones, and helicopters, 45 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s air defense zones in the north, center, southwest, and east. The heaviest activity was recorded in the central and southwestern zones, home to key Taiwanese Air Force and Navy bases.

There have been no official intrusions into Taiwan’s airspace or territorial waters, but the situation is described as extremely tense. Taiwanese forces continue combat simulations as part of the extended 10-day exercises, the longest ever, involving a record 22,000 reservists this year.

Earlier, Taiwan unveiled a new naval drone, the Endeavor Manta, inspired by Ukraine’s SeaBaby and Magura drones. At 8.6 meters long, it can carry over a ton of explosives or lightweight torpedoes, another sign the island is preparing for a potential maritime attack.

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Fifty Ukrainian NGOs rise in defense of Ukrainian top anti-corruption fighter Shabunin, charged with draft dodging and fraud

15 juillet 2025 à 06:49

    Vitalii Shabunin, Ukraine’s top anti-corruption activist and head of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, has been charged in a controversial criminal case. The State Bureau of Investigation has accused him of evasion of military service and misuse of a vehicle intended for the military, sparking a public outcry and allegations of political persecution, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty writes. 

    Shabunin, 40, is a veteran of the Revolution of Dignity, a key lobbyist behind the creation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the High Anti-Corruption Court. The activist has been named among Ukraine’s most influential people by Forbes. Since 2022, he served in the Ukrainian armed forces. 

    According to investigators, Shabunin allegedly “systematically evaded” military service during martial law and illegally used a vehicle imported as humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces, including for personal travel in Kyiv. They claim the vehicle was never officially registered for military use.

    He has been charged under two articles of the Ukrainian Criminal Code:

    • Part 4, Article 409 — evasion of military service under martial law
    • Part 2, Article 190 — large-scale fraud

    The maximum penalty is up to 10 years in prison

    Shabunin’s response

    The activist has denied all allegations and called the case politically motivated. He published a photo of his military ID issued on 25 February 2022, the day after Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

    He says he served on the front lines with Ukraine’s Armed Forces from the first days of the war, first near Kyiv, then in eastern Ukraine. After combat duty, he joined the Ministry of Defense to work on logistics reform and digital projects, including the Delta situational awareness system, according to the BBC.

    In February 2025, he was transferred to a border guard unit in Kharkiv Oblast, a move he links to retaliation for his outspoken criticism of the government.

    Civil society reacts: “An attack on free speech and democracy”

    More than 50 non-governmental organizations, human rights groups, and civic organizations have appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, and the State Bureau of Investigation’s Head, Oleksii Sukhachov, demanding that the investigation be dropped.

    In their joint statement, they warned that the case is either a sign of gross incompetence or deliberate pressure on a government critic. Shabunin continued his anti-corruption work while in uniform, publicly opposing the sabotage of reforms and poor governance and defending the independence of Ukraine’s anti-graft institutions, Deutsche Welle reports.

    Olena Shcherban, deputy director of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, has called the case an attempt to destroy an organization that has fought for transparency for years. It could also be a broader crackdown on independent activists, a dangerous precedent for democracy under martial law.

    You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. Become a patron or see other ways to support
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