invasion

Europe has realized that the rearme must start on the roads. A Russian invasion would unleash a fatal congestion

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In 2022 there was already talk of this: having a better army does not help much if it cannot be launched. That year was the beginning of many meetings in Europe with the Russian Ukraine Invasion as a fuse. Then there was talk of rearmebut attention also focused on something that Europe has just elevated in the priority list: the need to prepare roads, railways, ports and airports for the rapid movement of troops and tanks. Background: Russia. European military vulnerability. Had three years ago The political environment that the debate on the real capacity of Europe to resist an eventual Russian attack had put a fundamental aspect that usually is hidden behind rearmament ads: it is not enough to have more tanks or soldiers if the necessary infrastructure To move them quickly. Roads, railroads, ports and airports of the European Union show serious limitations when it comes to supporting the weight and volume of modern armored ones, or absorbing an intense military traffic in times of crisis. The east. As He warned then The American Lieutenant retired Ben Hodges, excommanting of the United States Army in Europe, the problem is aggravated the more advances east: bridges unable to support German, British or American combat cars and mountainous routes that hinder access to key countries such as Romania. In case of emergency, bottlenecks could delay the deployment of allied forces just at the points where they would be needed more urgently, such as the passage of Suwałki between Poland and Lithuania or the routes towards the Black Sea. The first mechanism. To deal with these shortcomings, The EU launched The mechanism connect Europe (CEF), an infrastructure fund that also covers military mobility. However, the budget for this mission was drastically reduced: of the 6,500 million euros initially proposed only 1.7 billionand that money, the commission ended up assigning 340 million to 22 projectsthe majority of small scale and focused on central Europe. Among them They highlighted the improvement of rail links between Antwerp and Germany, the modernization of two airports in Poland and the connection of the Military Tapa base in Estonia. Modest support were also included to large strategic projects Like Rail Balticathe railway corridor of 5.8 billion euros that will connect the Baltic countries with Poland, or Via Baltica, the road that crosses the region, which it received just 60 million of community support. The new warning. Back to the present, he counted this week The Financial Times That the European Transport Commissioner, Apostols Tzitzikostas, has re -launched a warning that shook the foundations of the European defense: the continent It is not prepared For a large -scale war against Russia because its roads, bridges and rail networks are inappropriate for rapid transfer of troops and armored. According to explainedmany bridges are Too closetoo old or directly non -existent, which would prevent the transit of tanks from, for example, 70 tons thought to operate in a matter of hours. In practice, moving military forces from west to east of Europe would take weeks or even months, an unacceptable lag in case of a sudden Russian offensive. The strategy. Solution? To correct this structural weakness, Brussels now work on a 17,000 million plan of euros that provides for the modernization of 500 critical projects along four major military corridors that will cross the continent. It is a design made in coordination with NATO and its military controls, whose details remain classified for security reasons. The idea is that troops and heavy equipment can move in a matter of hoursfar reducing the reaction time to an aggression. In addition to reinforcing bridges and adapting roads, it will be sought Eliminate bureaucratic obstacles To prevent military convoys from being held on European borders by customs protocols that, in times of war, would be a fatal ballast. The context of rearme and Russia. The new plan is enrolled in a broader effort of rearme Continental that We have been counting. The European Union studies a package of up to 800,000 million euros to reinforce its defensive autonomyin part in response to the pressures of Washington and the possibility of a substantial reduction of the US military presence in Europe. To this is added The warning The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who in June warned that Moscow could attack a member of the Alliance before 2030. The message of Tzitzikostas fits this urgency logic: without the ability to move troops agilely, any European defense plan would be on wet paper in front of Russian military machinery. The budget struggle. Although the European Commission has included military mobility in its proposal for the 2028-2034 budget, diplomats warn that the initial figure of 17,000 million It could be diluted In negotiations. This budget fragility is seen as a dangerous contradiction: While considering the expense in defense 5% of GDP (With 1.5% specifically intended for military infrastructure), some Member States (Spain at the head) They resist to assume the costs of such vast modernization. Tzitzikostas, meanwhile, insists in which Europe cannot afford to continue depending on others or be disarmed by its own bureaucratic slowness. The modernization of bridges, tunnels and railways is not just a matter of civil transport: it has become the backbone of the future European defense. One thing is clear for curator: an invasion would not wait for forms to be resolved or to reinforce a bridge. Image | 7th Army Training, US Army Europe, European Roads In Xataka | If Europe rearma we will find a problem that will affect us all: cars and trains In Xataka | The “rearme” in Europe has encountered an obstacle that neither US imagined: Spain

Murcia has filled with moths. There is nothing weird in this invasion

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Temperatures in Spain rise. The State Meteorology Agency has already launched the first notice that We will touch the 40º this final stretch of May. The first half of June is expected to be more dry and warm than usualand with that increase in temperatures, in recent weeks there is something that has proliferated: bugs. The mosquitoes returnbut in some areas of Murcia there is another type of invasion: that of The moths. There is already talk of “plague”, but it is neither a plague nor it is weird that there are more moths in Murcia. Alert! “Matcia moths” is already a trend In networks like Tiktokwhere we talk about an authentic invasion, but there are users from other parts of the country who are reporting an increase in the population of these insects. Many of the videos begin with a “what is happening with the moths.” And the answer is that nothing is happening out of the ordinary. As we read in The truththe neighbors complain that the number increases at night and this is also completely normal. In fact, last year, attention began to be attracted to a moths The first week of June. Usual suspects. Every year at this time, the Spanish Levante, as well as a large part of the Peninsula, report an increase in the presence of these lepidoptera, especially at nightfall. The reason is that they are attracted to artificial lighting, which is why it is easier to see them in cities, but as we say, it is cyclical and that nothing has to do with an invasion or something exotic. The Limero Little There are two suspicious species. On the one hand, the Prays Citrior “Limero moth.” It is a lepidopter that has a clear objective: citrus. It has a size of about 10 millimeters and is a species that experiences population peaks in spring and summer. In some citrus producing regions in Murcia they are seeing these daysand these moths are only one of the insect species that You have to fight so that they do not affect the harvest. And the Gamma Autograph On the other hand, we have the Autographa gammaa larger moth (which can reach 45 millimeters and that is the most stir can be causing these days. It is a night moth that lives in the Iberian Peninsula and in North Africa that, in addition, is migratory. temperature increasepopulations shoot and undertake their way to regions in which they cannot survive in winter, such as northern Europe. Of plague, nothing. Taking advantage of fast air currents, Autographa gamma He undertakes his journey from South to the north on these dates, the opposite occurring in autumn, when they return from the north to the Mediterranean and Africa breeding areas. This means that When the heat beginsThey spend a few days in the Spanish Levante while they travel the area to the north. The Zoonosis Service of the City of Murcia has confirmed the newspaper The opinion that these days have received several calls from neighbors alerting about this fact, but that is nothing out of the ordinary. They also clarify that they are not clothes moths, do not transmit diseases and are not a danger. And from Sanimura Murcian company of pest control, have confirmed our partners of Straight to the palate that “you can have them or not, but it is no plague. It is not true.” Every time … before? This year’s problem is that the cycles of these species seem to have been advanced. It has been A especially rainy springso that increase in humidity and vegetation causes more insects than, with the arrival of higher temperatures, resulting in a population explosion. It does not mean that there are more than usual, but that they have arrived before. José Luis Viejo Montesinos is a professor of Zoology and a member of the Spanish Society of Entomology and comments on ABC That he is surprised that he talks about “plague” and recommends something as simple as “if you find one of these moths, give them a snack if they bother you and nothing more.” Images | Ben comes out, Carlos Delgado, Donald Hobern In Xataka | The United States prepares for the invasion of creatures in an event that nobody had seen since 1803

Taiwan investors are preparing for hypothetical invasion for China. And they don’t know where to hide

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Donald Trump’s return to the White House has marked a turning point in the relationship held by the US and China. The commercial and technological war between these two powers It comes from afarbut The aggressive policy of tariffs that has deployed, although even in a little consistent way, the US administration has fueled the loop. The tension between countries led by Xi Jinping and Donald Trump is maximum, and Some experts believe That at the current situation the probability that China decides to invade Taiwan is higher than ever. In the 50s of the last century China was a very different country from the current one. He Chinese Communist Party Led by Mao Zedong he had defeated the nationalists who made up the Kuomintang after almost three decades of armed conflict. Imperial power He had disappeared and the country had embarked on very deep structural changes that culminated in the birth of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The members of the Kuomintang retired to Taiwan that same year, and since then the shadow of the invasion looms over this island. Foreign investors in Taiwan recognize that they do not have a plan B “If an aggression against Taiwan occurs the investment decision becomes binary: either we stay exposed and absorb extreme volatility, or we quickly leave to preserve capital.” These words Steve Lawrence has pronounced themInvestment Director of the Swiss company Balfour Capital Group. From his statement it follows with absolute clarity that foreign investors who have opted for Taiwanese companies do not know how to proceed if there is finally an armed conflict between China and Taiwan. “TSMC is so great that investors’ expectations argue that the US will defend Taiwan. And he will do it strongly” The panorama paints badly. According to Reuters Foreign investors have retired almost 11,000 million dollars from the Taiwan sharing park during this year due to the fear of impact that tariffs on the global economy will have and in the relationship that USA and China support. The government of Joe Biden formalized that if China intervened militarily in Taiwan, the US would respond. However, the administration led by Donald Trump has not yet confirmed whether to defend the island militarily in the hypothetical scenario that China chose to invade it. Anyway, this situation in which instability prevails mainly condition a Taiwanese company: TSMC. This company is The largest semiconductor manufacturer on the planetand, therefore, it is Taiwan’s authentic jewel. In fact, he greatly supports his economy. This company quotes both in the Taipéi stock market and in the New York and the stock market brought the stock market alone at the beginning of this year. “TSMC is so great that the expectations of investors argue that the US will defend Taiwan. And it will do it strongly,” has declared Mikesh DaveInvestment Director of Araval Asset Management, a global arbitration background based in Singapore. Elbridge Colby’s position, one of Donald Trump’s trusted advisors, is aligned with this strategy. This tweet Posted by him In May 2023, it clearly reflects what the policy that defends with the purpose of deterring the Xi Jinping government: “We would be crazy if we allowed us TSMC falls intact to China” According to Gina Raimondothe former Secretary of Commerce, “USA buys 92% of her avant -garde chips from TSMC in Taiwan.” Colby’s tweet that I have mentioned in the previous paragraph suggests that the US should do everything in his hand to prevent China from appropriating the plants that TSMC has in Taiwan. However, during the last two years Colby has not been satisfied with insinuating this idea; He has publicly declared That if China invades Taiwan what the US should do is destroy the TSMC factories and not allow this initiative to fall on the Taiwanese government. Image | TSMC More information | Reuters In Xataka | The US confesses its worst nightmare: if China invades taiwan and controls TSMC the US economy will go to pique

The United Kingdom tested its sophisticated defense simulating the day of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. Did not go as expected

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Simulations are an essential part of the network of nations defense. We have a large number of examples, from the “game” that They used in the Cold War The United States and Russia to conclude that it was not worth test try your last destroyer against Washington, or those who He has activated Taiwan In recent times “for what can happen.” The United Kingdom also carried out a test that should confirm that its arsenal is ready for battle. The conclusions were not exactly those. A brutal lesson. The story took place a while ago. As we said, the United Kingdom carried out a Strategic simulation of very high importance: he replied in his own aerial territory the exact pattern of the first Russian attack on Ukraine, which occurred on February 24, 2022. He did it through the Gladiator Training Systemvalued at 24 million pounds, and with the aim of evaluating how their defenses would respond if the same type of onslaught would have had the British soil as white. The conclusion It was alarming. Although the results were not revealed in detail, the then commander of the Air Battlespace Training CenterThe Blythe Crawford Air Comodoro, was bluntly describing it as “a very beautiful panorama.” For a country that for decades felt protected by its location to the western edge of Europe (with the continental mass acting as mattress natural against threats), the exercise was a strategic shaking that threw old assumptions for land. A threat that is no longer distant. Then it was more known, mainly than the exercise revealed vulnerability from the United Kingdom before a massive and modern air attack like Russia used against Ukraine, with a devastating combination of missile, drones and autonomous technologies. Crawford also stressed that Ukraine made everything West will awaken. The conflict not only exposed the brutality of the first Russian blows, but also highlighted how modern war has transformed the rules of aerial domain, such as We have been counting. Crawford explained that it is no longer about achieving aerial superiority in broad and sustained terms throughout an operations theater, but to assume that supremacy can be Fragmentary, ephemeraleven located between two trenches or just a few meters from the ground. The war in Ukraine, he said, is an unprecedented battlefield between two countries with powerful air defense systems, but where none has achieved A full domain of the heavens, in contrast to the predominant aerial doctrine of the last decades. The swarm that comes. One of the most revealing points of Crawford’s intervention was his analysis of the massive drone use In Ukraine. For the high command, it is no longer simply individual devices: now they face hundreds of hundreds of units, many of them equipped With explosivesothers designed as lures, and others Simply kamikaze. These waves, combined with rockets and intercontinental ballistic missiles, configure a type of multiple, simultaneous and heterogeneous threat for which traditional defensive systems were conceived in much more predictable scenarios. The tactical dilemma, In his opinionIt is clear: “Should all attack vectors neutralize or prioritize the most lethal?” A question without a definitive solution, but that affects all the Western air forces. Of strength to vulnerability. One of the most forceful messages of the United Kingdom simulation was the need to change the defensive mentality of the nation and its allies. For decades, modern wars were fought away from the national territory, which led to an erroneous perception of domestic security. Hence, Comodoro warned that it is time to abandon that trust and assume that even the British bases are now under direct threat. In other words: the United Kingdom cannot be considered as a simple safe starting point for foreign operations, but should be thought of as a potential objective and prepare as such. The risk, In his opinionIt is not hypothetical: if Russia decided to launch an attack against British soil, it could do it through its northern fleet from the Atlantic, thus avoiding European airspace. Redrawing doctrines. The last of the legs to deal with the simulation results. The Ukrainian case is rewriting military doctrines that during generations were considered unquestionable. The notion of total air control, cornerstone of NATO strategy from the Gulf War, seems to be eroding for a New generation of threats which combines speed, volume, unpredictability and autonomy. For Crawford and many other strategists, the key is to learn quickly, assume that the scenario (in this British case) is no longer immune, and rethinking defense systems as if the next attack did not happen in a distant country, but in “house.” Image | US Department of Defense In Xataka | The countries with more combat tanks, ordered in this graphic developer In Xataka | Satellite images have revealed what happened to one of Russia’s biggest arsenals. Now we understand Moscow’s silence

A 14 -day Chinese invasion

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On the morning of April 6, the island of Taiwan rose with a feeling of Leave Vú. In front of its coasts, a 21 ship fleet Together with Shandong aircraft carrier, a series of military exercises had begun that would extend several days. China had done it again, always maintaining that limit of 24 nautical miles that separate the exhibition of “something else”, but it had happened so many times in the last months that the island made a decision: Activate a plan B. International Warning. That last exhibition was so publicized that even the Foreign Ministers of the Group of the Seven (G7) issued a unusually overwhelming condemnation against military exercises, describing them as “provocative” and “destabilizers.” In an official statement, they expressed their deep concern about the growing number of Chinese military maneuvers that raise tensions in the Strait and represent a direct risk for global safety and prosperity. They also reiterated that both members of the G7 and the international community as a whole have a vital interest in preserving peace and Stability in the regionopposing any unilateral attempt to alter the status quoespecially if it involves the use of force or coercion. A strategic response. But as we said, the island has decided to activate a plan B. How? Taiwan’s army has started a unprecedented military exercise which simulates its worst possible scenario: that the Popular Liberation Army (EPL) of China transforms one of its regular maneuvers into a large -scale attack against the island. It is a computer -assisted war simulation phase that is part of the Ha Kuang annual maneuversextended this year to 14 days (six more than in 2024) and scheduled to develop until April 18. The simulation responds to the growing concern about the increase in the frequency, scale and aggressiveness of the maneuvers around the Taiwan Strait, which could cover up a real invasion too quickly to be effectively contained. Realism 24 hours. Thus, using the platform Joint Theater Level Simulation (JTLS), the Taiwanese armed forces have activated a joint operations center that simulates an immediate transition from peace time to war. The scenarios are modeled on possible EPL actionsincluding not only a direct offensive, but also hybrid threats in The gray area: Disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks, harassment by drones and paramilitary fishing fleets. The objective is clear: to prove the capacity for coordination and response of the forces under extreme conditions, maintaining active operations 24 hours a day during the entire period of the year. USA. Not just that. Taiwanese media have explained that US military personnel will attend simulations as an observer, reinforcing the already close defensive cooperation Between Taipéi and Washington, although without detailing which officials will be present. In February, Major General Jay Bargeron, Director of Strategic Planning of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, participated in a previous phase of the maneuvers, a fact that caused Government criticism Chinese. The growing influence of the Progressive Democratic Party (DPP) and the arrival of William Lai Ching-Te, perceived by Beijin as A “separatist”has intensified tensions, which is reflected in the hardening of China’s speech and military pressure on the island. Asymmetric war capabilities. The exercise not only responds to a tactical change, but also to a strategic transformation: Taiwan is validating the incorporation of Asymmetric war assetsadapted to compensate for his numerical inferiority against the EPL. These assets include drones, tanks M1A2Trocket systems Himarsanti -tank missiles Tow 2b and coastal batteries Harpoon. All these systems are being integrated into current simulations and will be subjected to new tests during The real fire phase of the exercise Han Kuang, scheduled from July 9 to 18. Urban combat and operations. When the time comes, the July stage will include continuous joint maneuversboth in continental territory and in peripheral islands, airspace and maritime areas. Urban resilience exercises will also be carried out, focused on cooperation between armed and civil forces. The key areas, apparently, include the response to hybrid threats, rapid preparation and reaction, the mechanisms of authorization of military actions, operational safety, logistics and evaluation of the performance of recently incorporated systems. Danger: Lightning offensive. At this point, voices of experts have emerged who have warned for years about the Chinese strategy of the so -called as “Salami Slicing”that is, progressive advances that blur the borders between maneuver and aggression. Here we return to a topic that We have counted in The last months. The EPL has gone increasing your presence Around Taiwan, violating conventions Traditional such as respect for the midline of the Strait, that unofficial 180 km division that separates the island from the continent. An eventual surprise offensive, According to analystsI could place Chinese fighters in Taipéi in a matter of minutes, drastically reducing Taiwan’s initial response capacity. Unprecedented coordination. According to Chou Yu-Pingformer director of Missile Planning of Taiwan, this tactical evolution requires total coordination between the branches of the army, and therefore the number and complexity of the scenarios of the Han Kuang exercise have been expanded. Planning now contemplates not only traditional military scenarios, but also hybrid dynamics and multidominiumin order to preserve Taiwan’s defense ability to an aggressor who acts with less and less subtlety. The importance of Taiwan for the US. In the background, we must not forget that “paints” the United States in the tensions of the Strait. In fact, a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. It was the center of the analysis that Ben Thompson recently raised in his Newsletter Stratechery. For the analyst, the true severity of the conflict would not only reside who controls taipéi, but in the deep breakdown of Global supply chainsin particular of the most critical sector of the 21st century: semiconductors. Taiwan is not any island; It is the TSMC headquartersthe most advanced manufacturer in the world of chips. Without its operations, Collapse digital infrastructure which holds from mobiles to artificial intelligence, through defense, industry, health and transport. Self -destruction as dissuasion. According to Thompsonis so the global dependence of the Taiwanese chips that exists, … Read more

China has surrounded the island of Taiwan again. The problem is that we now know the US response if there is an invasion

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China lo has done againand this time he has a very clear recipient. Beijing has started Your second day of large -scale military exercises around Taiwan. The number of troops and the enormity of the fleet that is currently in the area is a direct response to The statements From the Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-Te, who had defined China as a “hostile foreign force” announcing measures to counteract the interference and espionage of Beijing. The problem: A document He has revealed what the US response would be. A warning. According to the spokesman The popular liberation army, the maneuvers that are currently taking place simulate the total control of the island, including maritime blocks, attacks on land and sea objectives, and control of strategic routes. As we said, this time, unlike other exercises, China made it clear that the operation It is a “punishment” Against the independence positions of LAI, who belongs to the Democratic Progressive Party and denies that Taiwan is part of China. Without crossing lines. A few hours ago, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that, only on Tuesday, they were registered 71 air incursions and the presence of 21 ships, including Shandong aircraft carrier, which operated in the vicinity of Taiwan. It should also be clarified that although none of these elements violated the limit of 24 nautical miles established by Taiwan’s adjoining zone, experts consider that maneuvers seek to raise psychological and military pressure on the island. In addition, the China Coast Guard patrol Islands controlled by Taipéithus increasing the sensation of fence. Specialists like Chieh Chung and his Tzu-Yun They pointed to New York Times That, although the military exhibition is “intimidating”, it seems calculated to avoid a direct escalation. Dual message. Although China frames these maneuvers as a reaction to Lai’s wordsanalysts consider that the message is also addressed to another nation: United States. As we have counted before, the Government of Lai has strengthened links With Washington, promising to increase military spending to More than 3% of GDP to maintain deterrence against Beijing. In parallel, the United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegesh, reaffirmed from Japan The American commitment With stability and defense in the Taiwan Strait, highlighting the strategic priority of preventing a forced taking of the island. In this context, China seeks, According to Amanda Hsiao and Wen-Ti Sungdemonstrate firmness before Trump’s government Without completely closing The door to the de -escalated, especially when commercial tensions persist and new US rates against Chinese products persist. However, as we said at the beginning, we now also know Washington’s response if tensions go more. Pentagon secret guide. I told the weekend in a Exclusive Washington Post. Secretary of Defense Hegesh had issued a secret guide that redefines the strategic priorities of the pentagon, almost exclusively focusing military preparation on Taiwan’s defense Before a possible attack by China and in the protection of the US territory, even at the expense of reducing its global presence. Said document, called Interim National Defense Strategic Guidancedistributed in March and classified as “secret”, instructs the Armed Forces to “assume risks” in other regions such as Europe, the Middle East and Africa, delegating much of the responsibility of facing regional threats such as Russia, Iran or North Korea. The strategy leaves no doubt: it orders the Pentagon to redirect its resources to prevent China from achieving a rapid occupation of Taiwan and strengthening the defense of strategic places in the American continent, Like Greenland and The Panama Canal. Absolute priority: a single scenario. The new orientation revealed marks a radical turn with respect to previous administrations by identifying China as the only strategic threat (“Pacing Threat”) and Taiwan’s defense as the only scenario that guides the structure of forces and the allocation of resources. In fact, the strategy Discard Russia As the main focus of planning, delegating its containment almost completely to the European forces. Plus: The anti -terrorist missions would be limited to face groups with the ability and will to attack US territory, relegating operations against militias that only destabilize their own regions. Exercises in Taiwan The Heritage Foundation report. It is the germ of the memo to which the post has had access. The document carries the fingerprint of The Heritage Foundation, a closely Think Tank Tank Linked to the Trump Administration. Moreover, the post that there are many passages that are practically identical to the Heritage report published in 2024centered on three axes: deterrence of the Chinese invasion of Taiwan, defense of the US territory and increased the military burden of the allies. Even Alexander Velez-Green, co-author of the Heritage report, currently occupies An interim key position In the Pentagon. The similarity, in fact, has already been recognized by Congress advisors, who consider that the guide is directly inspired by the recommendations of the Think Tank, which confirms The growing influence of Heritage in the American defense policy. Deployment and pressure. The magnitude of the brief is understood in figures. The plan orders to strengthen the Military presence in the Indo-Pacific With submarines, bombers, naval drones and specialized units capable of destroying fortified and underground objectives, while demanding Taiwan to increase their military spending up to 10% of GDPwell above the current levels and NATO standards. At the same time and as we said, the Atlantic Alliance is urged to assume most of the defense of Europe, leaving the United States only the role of nuclear deterrence and limited support, especially if there is a simultaneous war with China. What does Taiwan say. He counted the post A few hours ago, the Taiwanese government and analysts have received the leak of the memo with relief, although that yes, with surprise that the Trump administration has placed as the highest military priority the deterrence of a possible Chinese invasion to Taiwan. The measure, in addition, comes after months of restlessness in Taipéi for the policy of “America First” and the weakening of international commitments, including the suspension of Military assistance to Ukrainewhich made the United … Read more

In the Norwegian cold war he devised a plan underground to detain the Soviet. Invasion to Ukraine has reactivated it

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The story took place at some point in The cold war. The plan started from a premise: how to contain a more than likely Soviet naval attack by one of the key maritime corridors in the Arctic Ocean? Thus the Term Bear Gap and a plan that germinated in a series of underground constructions with which Norway would put its grain of sand. Today, and after the Russian invasion in Ukraine, these secret constructions have reactivated. The origin of the bases. As we said, during the Cold War, the strategic location of Norway, close to the then Soviet Union, carried out the country to carry out a plan: build approximately 3,000 underground facilities destined to protect aircraft, submarines and troops both Norwegians and allies before a possible attack by Moscowand thus placate the offensive. Many of these structures, camouflaged in mountains and fjords, remained in secret even for the local population. Among them, the Bardufoss Air Base and the Naval Base of Olavsvernauthentic fortified complexes excavated in rock which had hangars, command centers, maintenance areas, fuel storage and underground exits designed to resist nuclear attacks. The reactivation. As I counted The BBC weekenddecades after the collapse of the USSR, Norway has decided to reactivate Bardufoss and Olavsvern due to the deterioration of regional security after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the increased activity Russian military in the Arctic since the mid -2000s. The Bardufoss Air Base, opened in 1938 and Used by Germans During World War II to protect TIRPITZ battleshipwas adapted in the postwar to protect combat planes against a possible Soviet offensive. Today, modernized and equipped to accommodate F-35 Lightning IIits main function is guarantee survival of these aircraft before threats such as kamikaze drones, whose effectiveness It has been tested In the Ukrainian conflict. Unlike improvised solutions in battlefields, such as networks or tire covers, Bardufoss offers real protection thanks to their hardened shelters under the mountain. One of the underground bases used in the past by the United States Olavsvern and its importance. It We explained recently. The Naval Base of Olavsvern, built from the 50s With strong financial support from NATO, it was conceived to control The so -called Bear Gapa vital maritime step between the Norwegian coast, the island of the bear and Svalbard, where they traditionally travel Russian submarines towards the Atlantic. Olavsvern has an underground port with direct exit to the sea, dry dock, control center and large logistics facilities, protected by thick layers of Gabbro and a monumental anti-explosion door. Although Its closure in 2009 and its subsequent private sale (in A controversial operation that even allowed access to Russian vessels), in 2020 the company Wilnor Governmental Services, linked to the Norwegian Defense Ministry, He regained his control And he began his rehabilitation. Currently, the base has once again received active military presence and, As we countthe United States Navy has shown great interest in using it for its nuclear submarines. Bear Gap. It is of a strategic term used to describe that maritime corridor between the coast of Norway, the Bear Island (Bear Island) and the Svalbard archipelago, in the Arctic Ocean. The area is considered a key step or natural strangulation (Chokepoint) where Russian submarines and warships that seek to leave from the base of the fleet of northern Russia, located on the Kola Peninsula, towards the North Atlantic. During the cold war and even today, NATO considers this corridor a Critical point to monitordetect and, if necessary, block Russian naval forces, since it is one of the most accessible routes that connects the Barents Sea with the Atlantic. Hence, bases such as Olavsvern and other Norwegian facilities in the Arctic have so much strategic importance. Controlling or monitoring this step is essential to prevent Russian submarines with strategic (nuclear or conventional) missiles can operate freely in the Atlantic. The Arctic Resurgence. Far from being an isolated phenomenon, the reactivation of these bases is part of a broader trend. Russia He has reopened nearly 50 military facilities Arctic of the Soviet era, while countries like Sweden They have reactivated its underground naval base of Muskö and China has built New underground complexes For submarines and command centers. They will, meanwhile, too has followed this path with his “Missile City” In the Persian Gulf. Norway, aware of the intensification of Russian military exercises in the Arctic and their renewed interest in exploiting natural resources in the region, has resumed its defensive logic of dispersion and protection undergroundnot only for its strength, but also as an essential point of support for NATO. Utility and limitations of bunkers. It is the last of the legs to be treated. Despite their apparent strategic value, experts warn that Reactivate old bunkers presents Important challenges. Many have been dismantled, flooded or present degraded structures, making their modernization expensive and complex. In addition, the truth is that facilities such as Olavsvern have already been identified by satellites as a potential objective for decades, reducing any type of surprise factor. Thus, analysts also agree that underground facilities are still One of the best defenses Faced with modern aerial threats, including guided missiles, provided that their vulnerabilities are correctly updated. Norway seems to bet on resilience and deterrence, accepting that, given strategic uncertainty, underground security remains a prudent and effective option, especially in a region where Russia seems determined to project all its can. Image | Rawpixel, Marine In Xataka | The US plan B in the Arctic is an underwater cave in Norway. The only drawback is that it is not for sale In Xataka | Trump wants to keep Greenland. There are two countries for which it would be a serious problem: China and Russia

Madrid libra a new existential battle in its tourist process: the invasion of the tuk tuk

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Until not so long ago tuk tuk They were associated mainly with Thailand or India, populations of Asia where they circulated through crowded streets, often with foreigners on board. Not anymore. As Spain Win weight in the International Capital Tourist Circuit as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville either Alicante They have begun to see how These vehicles Light and three -wheeled, they reached their neighborhoods, becoming passing through A headache For the authorities. In Madrid They know well. So much that the City Council has launched to the complicated task of regular Your activity. Fever Tuktukera. In the most busy destinations the Tourist It is felt in different ways and on different fronts: in the real estate marketin The commercial fabric And in the streets. In February we told you how in the center of Madrid there are already bass that They have passed to host banks to become private and payment WC. The tuk tuk They are another test. A few years ago they associated with cities like Bangkok. Now they are common in Spanish destinations (Valencia, Alicante either A Coruñato mention three) where they offer tours for tourists who want to save walks. Click on the image to go to Tweet. THE CASE OF MADRID. Another clear example is Madrid. At least in the summer of 2023 the sector calculated that they operated there about 50 tuk tuk managed by a dozen companies and freelancers. It is not bad if you consider that fever Tuktukera It started in Spain makes less than a decadetowards 2016. That is a quick search for that year and a half In networks either Google It shows that in Madrid there are still people who offer tours aboard these light vehicles. In fact their number is high enough (or visible) so that they can be found in X complaints from neighbors who denounce their presence in THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE REAL PALACE either San Migueltwo Hot Spots of Madrid tourism. They also have been under time The media focus and of the municipal authorities, which They have put themselves To analyze your situation. But … why? Because although its number can be much lower than that of taxis (Madrid has 15,700 licenses) either VTC vehiclesthe tuk tuk They present certain peculiarities that have generated debate. Both in Madrid and other cities, including Seville, Barcelona either Alicante. The controversy usually revolves around several points: its presence in the streets (with the consequent Effect on traffic), its regulatory framework and the competition they pose for traditional mobility alternatives, such as taxis. The Tourism Area of ​​the City of Madrid I explained recently to The Spanish that belong to the category l of motor vehicles with less than four wheels and, therefore, have a circulation permission. Its normative lace seems, however, less clear. The city mayor itself, José Luis Martínez Almeida, I recognized A few months ago being “worried” about “the phenomenon of tuk tuk“ Click on the image to go to Tweet. Ordering the sector. In addition to recognizing your concern, in September Almeida revealed that had ordered the Councilor for Tourism to specify “the regulatory framework” that protects the tuk tuk. The objective: “to be able to make decisions about it.” The opposition itself He has shown In fact, their “doubts about the legal margins” in which these vehicles provide their tourist services, in addition to the competition they exert on licensed taxis. At the beginning of the year the City Council assured that he is studying “everything” related to the service, but warned that it is not the only administration that must act. “All this is being studied, but first it is necessary tuk tuk“, They remembered from the municipal area of ​​Finance. “They hinder traffic”. The debate around the regulatory framework has not prevented the tuk tuk Be well visible, especially in the points with the greatest flow of tourists in the city. “Apart from the Royal Palace, Bailén and Major the San Miguel market is horrible,” They recognized Recently from the sector. “Legally in these areas you can stop for a moment if it is to collect or leave the client; but many companies and self -employment stop, park, and offer their services to capture tourists, hindering traffic.” {“Videoid”: “X80ZM7F”, “Autoplay”: False, “Title”: “How your town or city has changed in 40 years: This is the new function of Google Earth”, “Tag”: “”, “Duration”: “135”} In Atocha as in Bangladesh. The taxi drivers are also very critical and in 2023 they warned of the competition they suffered. “We begin to see that they take tourists in the hotels with suitcases and take them to the stations. We have detected them around Atocha, as if this were Bangladesh,” regretted At that time the professional federation of the Taxi of Madrid. Among the professionals who are in charge of driving these vehicles, they would “love to” have stops for tuk tuk regulated. Images | César (Flickr) In Xataka | Spanish tourism faces the real risk of dying of success. There are already guides that advise three of its great destinations (Function () {Window._js_modules = Window._js_modules || {}; var headelement = document.getelegsbytagname (‘head’) (0); if (_js_modules.instagram) {var instagramscript = Document.Createlement (‘script’); }}) (); – The news Madrid libra a new existential battle in its tourist process: the invasion of the tuk tuk It was originally posted in Xataka by Carlos Prego .

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