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Relentless Push: Russia Claims Strategic Edge in Ukraine Offensive

  Servicemen of the 115th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces use an RPG-7 grenade launcher during training between combat missions, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine. Russia’s top military commander, General Valery Gerasimov, has declared that Russian forces are conducting a non-stop offensive along nearly the entire front line in Ukraine, asserting that the “strategic initiative” now lies with Moscow. According to Gerasimov, Russian troops have intensified airstrikes on Ukrainian cities far from the battlefield, including a recent attack on Kyiv that killed at least 23 people and wounded 38. He reported that since March, Russia has seized more than 3,500 square kilometers of territory , captured 149 villages, and now controls the vast majority of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. The offensive has also pushed into Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, with seven villages reportedly under Russian control. Moscow says it has carried...
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Ottawa’s Foreign Service Faces Budget Axe Amid Push for Efficiency

Ottawa is preparing to implement sweeping budget cuts that will impact Global Affairs Canada, including the foreign service, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. The move comes as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s broader plan to reduce government spending by 7.5% starting next spring.

Anand emphasized the need to eliminate “red tape and inefficiencies,” though she declined to specify which programs or positions might be affected. The announcement has sparked concern among former diplomats and the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, who warn that trimming diplomatic resources could weaken Canada’s global influence and its ability to protect citizens abroad.

The cuts arrive at a time when Global Affairs Canada is aiming to expand its international footprint, creating a paradox between fiscal restraint and diplomatic ambition. Critics argue that reducing Canada’s foreign service could undermine key strategies in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, especially as rival powers like China and Russia bolster their global presence.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has asked all departments to identify areas for savings, with a focus on streamlining operations rather than across-the-board reductions. While the government insists the cuts are not intended to eliminate jobs, attrition and restructuring may be inevitable.

The debate continues over how Canada can balance its fiscal goals with its international responsibilities.

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