Ukraine's military on Tuesday announced it had thwarted a Russian missile attack on the capital, Kyiv, shooting down 18 projectiles that were targeting the city. The Russians have stepped up airstrikes in recent weeks in anticipation of Ukraine's much-awaited spring counteroffensive.
But what's special this time is that among the downed volleys were six Kinzhal (dagger) hypersonic missiles, which travel at 10 times the speed of sound and can theoretically escape conventional air defenses. (Military nerds disagree on whether the Kinzhals are actually hypersonic or just have the capacity to go that fast.)
Read our primer on hypersonic weapons here.
Earlier this month, Ukraine bragged about destroying a single Kinzhal with a Patriot air defense system supplied by NATO. This was denied by the Kremlin, which has a penchant for hyping its military capabilities and showing off its missile muscle when things are not going well on the battlefield.
Still, if true, shooting down not one but six hypersonic missiles all at once would demonstrate that the Patriots are doing their job — and that Ukraine can now effectively defend itself against one of Russia's "superweapons."
When Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called snap elections last month, it was a big gamble. Holding a winter election just four months into her tenure with no real policy record to run on?
Tune in on Saturday, February 14th at 12pm ET/6pm CET for the live premiere of our Global Stage from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where our panel of experts takes aim at the latest global security challenges.
Microsoft unveiled a new set of commitments guiding its community‑first approach to AI infrastructure development. The strategy focuses on energy affordability, water efficiency, job creation, local investment, and AI‑driven skilling. As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, the company is pushing a new model for responsible datacenter growth — one built on sustainability, economic mobility, and long‑term partnership with the communities that host it. The move signals how AI infrastructure is reshaping local economies and what people expect from the tech shaping their future. Read the full blog here.
The Israeli government unilaterally passed measures that allow Jewish settlers to purchase land in the West Bank, overriding past laws that effectively banned the sale of property there to anyone other than Palestinian residents.