6:00 PM ET, Friday, July 14, 2023
The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines, broken down by region of the world:
In the Americas
U.S. House Passes $886 Billion Defense Bill. The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday narrowly passed a massive defense spending bill, which includes a flurry of controversial amendments on wedge issues of abortion policy and transgender health care access. The House voted 219-210 to approve the measure, which allocates $886 billion in funding for the Pentagon for the next year. Democrats had said they could not support the measure and criticized conservative Republicans for politicizing it by adding the amendments on social issues. The legislation includes provisions for a 5.2% raise for military personnel, the appointment of a U.S. Special Inspector General for Ukraine, and new cyber programs to counter China and Russia. The bill now goes to the Democrat-controlled Senate, which is unlikely to pass it and is working on its own legislation, which is unlikely to contain the controversial amendments. Al Jazeera BBC New York Times Reuters
Top U.S. General Calls for Speedier Delivery of Weapons to Taiwan. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said on Friday that the U.S. needs to accelerate the delivery of weapons to Taiwan in the coming years to help ensure the island can defend itself. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Tokyo, Miley said that Taiwan needed more military equipment like air defense systems and land-based weapons that can target ships. Taiwan says it is looking to prepare its defenses for a “total blockade” by China and had previously complained about delays in U.S. weapons deliveries caused by the diversion of supplies to Ukraine. Beyond Taiwan, Milley said that the U.S. is assessing its deployment of forces across the Asia Pacific, saying that the U.S. is “seriously looking at potential alternative basing options.” Reuters
Blinken Reiterates U.S. Commitment to Navigational Freedom in South China Sea. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday reiterated that the U.S. is committed “to upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea” and is concerned about China’s “increasing assertiveness” in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. He then added that the U.S. will “continue to responsibly manage our relationship with China” and work to maintain open channels of communication. Blinken’s comments came after he met China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit in Indonesia. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said that Blinken and Wang’s covered “areas of difference and potential areas of cooperation” and sought to support efforts to “manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation.” Chinese state news agency Xinhua said that Wang reiterated China’s position on Taiwan, demanding that the U.S. stop “wantonly interfering in China’s internal affairs” and also called on the U.S. to lift sanctions aimed at the “suppression of China.” Wang and Blinken’s discussion was the latest in a series of high-level engagements between U.S. and Chinese officials attempting to de-escalate tensions. Nikkei Asia
Western Europe
Germany Defends U.S. Supply of Cluster Munitions to Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended the U.S. decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, saying that Washington acted “sovereignly.” Scholz also said that without the cluster munitions, the U.S. may have been unable to provide sufficient ammunition to Ukraine. However, he emphasized Germany’s opposition to the munitions, saying that Germany signed an international convention banning the weapons and expressing concern about risks to civilians from unexploded ordnances. Germany previously said it opposed the U.S. move to give cluster munitions to Ukraine, with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock saying Berlin observes international agreements banning the use and transfer of the weapons. Al Jazeera
Sweden Authorizes Protest to Include Torah, Bible Burning. Stockholm police said on Friday that they have authorized a protest by a man who plans to burn a Torah and a Bible outside of the Israeli Embassy in the Swedish capital. Israeli officials are calling on Sweden to stop the protest, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday. The man said he is staging the protest in response to an earlier protest outside a mosque in Stockholm that included a Koran-burning, which caused widespread anger across Muslim countries. Associated Press
Central and Eastern Europe
Top Ukrainian General Says Up to Ukraine to Decide How to Counter Russians. Ukrainian General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces, spoke to the Washington Post about Ukraine’s counteroffensive and his outlook on the war with Russia. Zaluzhnyi signaled frustration with Western restrictions prohibiting the use of Western military equipment to strike Russian territory, asking, “To save my people, why do I have to ask someone for permission what to do on enemy territory?” He added that “it is possible and necessary to kill [the enemy] on his territory in a war. If our partners are afraid to use their weapons, we will kill with our own.” Zaluzhnyi also discussed the culture change he has implemented in the Ukrainian army, working to make himself accessible to soldiers on the front line and empowering lower-level commanders. He noted that while Ukraine’s military still demands order and discipline, it is “no longer a Soviet army” that is oppressive and harshly ruled. Looking ahead, Zaluzhnyi reiterated goals to reclaim Crimea in Ukraine’s counteroffensive, and reflected on what it would take to lessen Ukraine’s dependence on others for military support and to deter future attacks. Washington Post
Wagner Fighters Training Belarusian Troops, Russia Withdraws Nearly All Troops from Belarus. Belarus’ defense ministry said that Wagner Group fighters are training Belarusian soldiers at a military range southeast of Minsk. The ministry released video footage allegedly showing Wagner instructors training Belarusian troops “in a number of military disciplines.” The ministry’s announcement is the strongest indication that at least some Wagner fighters went to Belarus as stipulated in the deal that ended the Wagner mutiny in Russia. The ministry’s Wagner announcement came as a spokesperson for Ukraine State Border Guard Service on Friday said that Russia has withdrawn almost all of its troops from Belarus as part of its latest military rotation. The spokesperson said that Russia has been “steadily decreasing” its military presence in Belarusian territory, which up to 2,000 Russian troops have, until recently, been using for training. The spokesperson did not rule out the possibility that the Russian troops will be redeployed in Belarus in the future. The spokesperson separately said Ukraine has not observed the “organized deployment of Russian mercenaries” in Belarus, countering the Belarusian defense ministry’s statement about Wagner instructors. Al Jazeera Kyiv Independent Reuters
Ukraine Acknowledges Slow Progress in Counteroffensive. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president's office, on Friday conceded to reporters that Ukraine’s counteroffensive is “advancing not so quickly” against Russian forces. However, he maintained that Ukraine is nonetheless making progres, saying that “if we are going to see that something is going wrong, we’ll say so.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed Yermak’s reports, acknowledging that Russia is putting up fierce resistance in occupied territories, saying that they are “doing everything they can in order to stop our soldiers.” Zelensky added that any progress in the counteroffensive should be praised, saying “every thousand meters we advance, every success of every combat brigade, deserves our gratitude.” Al Jazeera
Alleged Russian Spy Extradited from Estonia to U.S. U.S. federal prosecutors on Friday announced that an alleged Russian intelligence officer has been extradited to the U.S. from Estonia. The accused, Vadim Konoschenok, is suspected of smuggling sensitive dual-use technology, including 35 types of semiconductors and electronic components, and ammunition into Russia. Some of the materials he was attempting to smuggle were subject to U.S. export controls. Estonian authorities arrested him in October 2022 when he tried to enter Russia. If convicted, Konoschenok could face a maximum of 30 years in jail. A lawyer for Konoschenok could not be immediately contacted for comment. Reuters U.S. Department of Justice
Russia’s Top Prosecutor Calls on China, Russia to Oppose NATO ‘Threats,’ Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov on Thursday called on China and Russia to work more closely together to counter “threats” for NATO countries to “destabilize” and “undermine” the international law enforcement system. Krasnov made his comments to Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong at the end of his trip to Beijing aimed at bolstering cooperation on cybersecurity, digital currency, money laundering, extradition of criminal suspects and other issues. Russian media reported that Wang responded by saying that China will support Russia to counter “Sabotage activities of non-governmental foreign organizations, foreign agents and other associations.” Chinese state media’s readout of Wang’s remarks said he promised to help Russia safeguard “political security” and address cross-border crimes. South China Morning Post
Russia Closes Polish Consulate in Smolensk. Russia announced on Friday that it is closing the Polish “consular agency” in the Russian city of Smolensk in response to Warsaw’s “anti-Russian” move to “illegally seize Russian diplomatic property on Russian territory.” The government statement referred to Poland’s decision in May to take over the building of a school belonging to Russia’s embassy in Warsaw. Poland said Russia was occupying Polish state property with the building. The Polish diplomatic mission in Smolensk looks after two memorials — one which honors Polish officers massacred by the Soviet Union in World War Two, and another that marks the site of a 2010 air crash that killed Poland’s president and other officials traveling to commemorate the massacres. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland will take an equal response to moves by Russia to close its diplomatic missions. Reuters RFE/RL
Poland Arrests Man Suspected of Planning Islamic State-Inspired Terror Attack. Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) said on Friday that it arrested an 18-year-old Polish citizen who was planning a suicide attack on a government building. The ABW said the man converted to Islam last year with a group of people inspired by Islamic State to stage attacks against government buildings. Polish authorities charged the man with planning to commit a terrorist act, participating in a crime ring, and planning actions that would endanger other people’s lives as well as his own. Associated Press
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Satisfied With NATO Summit, Despite No Membership Invitation. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he was satisfied with the results of this week’s NATO summit in Vilnius, despite the fact that the alliance did not fulfill Ukraine’s request for a concrete invitation to formally join the alliance. Kuleba said that the summit showed that NATO has “overcome the psychological barrier” and that Ukraine “is considered a member of NATO in real terms.” He said the “quantum leap” for Ukrainian membership in the alliance will “inevitably come.” He added that negotiations are ongoing over language of security commitments NATO is giving Ukraine as it waits for membership. Al Jazeera
Asia and Oceania
U.S., Japan, South Korea Jointly Condemn North Korea Missile Launch. The U.S., South Korea and Japan released a joint statement on Friday condemning North Korea’s recent launch of its Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday. The statement said that was a “flagrant violation” of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korean missile and weapon development, adding that the test “poses a grave threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.” The statement called on Pyongyang to cease such activities. In a separate statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the U.S.’ “ironclad commitments” to defend Japan and South Korea. Reuters
Former Pakistan PM Khan Vows Election Victory Even if Party Banned. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told Nikkei Asia that he will form a new party if his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is banned. Khan said that even if the PTI is removed, “we will form a party with a new name and still win the elections,” adding that even if he is disqualified and imprisoned, “the party will still win.” Khan’s comments came shortly before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose coalition ousted Khan in a non-confidence vote in April 2022, announced on Thursday that he will make way for a caretaker government in August, setting the stage for a general election later this year. Khan and his PTI would likely run in that election, but there are rumors that the PTI will be banned in response to violent unrest from Khan’s supporters in protest of his arrest in May. Khan was released on bail, but Pakistani authorities are reportedly considering trying Khan and other PTI leaders in military courts for attacks on army installations during the protests. Khan warned that if his supporters are barred from participating in the election as candidates for either the PTI or a new party, the elections will be “useless and subsequently there will be even more destabilization in the country.” Nikkei Asia
Pakistan Raises Concerns Over Afghan Militant ‘Safe Havens.’ Pakistan’s military said on Friday that it is concerned that armed militants like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are finding safe havens in Afghanistan and threatened to take an “effective response” if needed. The military’s comment came after attacks by Islamist fighters in Pakistan’s southern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, which killed 12 Pakistani soldiers. Afghanistan’s Taliban administration did not comment on the Pakistani military comments but has previously denied accusations that it allows militants to launch cross-border attacks from Afghan territory into Pakistan. Reuters
Middle East and Northern Africa
UN Studying Syria Aid Before Resuming Operations. The UN said it has yet to resume aid to northwest Syria as it is assessing Syria’s approval to do so. The Syrian government said it is permitting the UN to continue using a border crossing from Turkey to deliver aid to opposition-held areas in northwest Syria for another six months. However, Damascus said the UN aid deliveries must be “in full cooperation and coordination with the Syrian government.” The move came after the UN Security Council failed to renew its authorization for the aid operation as council members could not agree on how long to extend the aid route. Russia rejected a nine-month extension, and the U.S., UK and France voted against Russia’s proposal for a six-month extension. Russia and its ally Syria have denounced the UN aid deliveries as a violation of Syrian sovereignty. Reuters
Sub Saharan Africa
Kenya Jails Venezuelan Diplomat Over Murder of Envoy. A Kenyan court on Friday sentenced a former Venezuelan diplomat to 20 years in jail for the killing of Venezuela’s acting ambassador to Kenya in 2012. The diplomat, Dwight Sagaray, was first secretary at the Venezuelan embassy and headed the mission after the previous ambassador departed after being accused of sexual harassment. The court found that Sagaray was angered by the arrival of the acting ambassador as he wanted to continue to run the embassy himself. Sagaray was sentenced along with three Kenyan nationals over the acting ambassador’s murder. Reuters
Cyber and Tech
EPA Criticizes Court Decision Against Cybersecurity Assessments in Public Water System Audits. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is criticizing a federal court ruling to temporarily hold a new rule that would add cybersecurity assessments to public water system audits. An EPA spokesperson said the agency is “disappointed” in the ruling, saying that it “undercuts” efforts to protect drinking water systems from cyberattacks. The EPA issued the rule in March alongside the release of the National Cybersecurity Strategy, but Republican attorney generals filed lawsuits against it, saying that relevant cybersecurity improvements would be too costly for suppliers, who would then increase costs for customers in response. Powerful industry groups – the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) supported the lawsuits. The Record
China Finishes Core Module of Advanced Nuclear Reactor. China has finished building the core module of the world’s first commercial onshore small modular reactor. The completion of the core module is the first milestone in the construction of the Linglong one reactor, which China first started building at the Changjiang power plant on the southern Hainan island in 2021 and plans to finish by 2026. Once completed, the reactor will be capable of producing 1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity every year. The reactor can reportedly be used in areas where traditional reactors are not suitable and has multiple uses, most notably seawater desalination. Experts therefore say that the reactor could potentially be used to provide electricity and fresh water to small islands. South China Morning Post
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