Good morning. Here’s your Daily Situational Awareness for Monday, 11 April 2022. You can receive this daily briefing by signing up at https://forwardobserver.com/daily-sa
TODAY’S BRIEFING:
- Russia warns of direct confrontation
- Russian migrants arrive in Key West
- U.S. ‘stepped up’ cyber defense ahead of 2022 election
- Indonesian protests fueled by election delays
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SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
RUSSIA WARNS OF DIRECT CONFRONTATION: Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, warned last week that conditions in Ukraine could lead to a direct military confrontation with the U.S. or NATO. “Western states are directly involved in the current events as they continue to pump Ukraine with weapons and ammunitions, thereby inciting further bloodshed. We warn that such actions are dangerous and provocative as they are directed against our state. They can lead the U.S. and the Russian Federation onto the path of direct military confrontation. Any supply of weapons and military equipment from the West, performed by transport convoys through the territory of Ukraine, is a legitimate military target for our Armed Forces.” (AC: Western arms deliveries to Ukraine are designed to avoid “direct hostilities” with Russia. The Russian’s “restraint” in targeting Western deliveries to Ukraine may not last as Moscow seeks a “victory declaration” around 9 May, according to U.S. officials. – D.M.)
RUSSIAN MIGRANTS ARRIVE IN KEY WEST: At least 40 migrants from Russia are believed to have sailed to Key West from Cuba, attempting to enter the U.S. while avoiding a Port of Entry. Since FY23 began in October ’21, Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 19,000 people from Ukraine and Russia, nearing FY22 highs of 22,600. (AC: While these individuals may be seeking refuge from the war, Russian foreign intelligence services could as easily exploit the largely unguarded U.S. border by land or by sea. Individuals seeking “humanitarian parole” could have intelligence ties, unlikely to be discovered for months or years as immigration backlogs continue. – D.M.)
U.S. ‘STEPPED UP’ CYBER DEFENSE AHEAD OF 2022 ELECTION: Gen. Paul Nakasone, U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM), stated that his organization has “stepped up” its efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s networks and cyber defenses against Russian digital attacks. CYBERCOM increased the number of “hunt forward teams” sent to Eastern Europe to uncover potential network vulnerabilities. Nakasone stated that the “current crisis is not over” specifically regarding Moscow’s global propaganda campaign. The key future focus of CYBERCOM is defending the 2022 midterm elections from foreign interference. (AC: CYBERCOM is slated to continue increasing its domestic integration while the National Security Agency continues the “passing key insights in near-real time” to law enforcement and industry partners. – D.F.)
INDONESIAN PROTESTS FUELED BY ELECTION DELAYS: Students plan to protest against Indonesia President Joko Widodo about a potential postponement of the 2024 election. The nation has a two-term presidential limit in the Indonesian Constitution. The controversial statements come from two cabinet ministers who support the idea of extending his stay in office beyond the two-term legal mandate. The Indonesian President has denied that his administration is attempting to delay the 2024 presidential elections. – D.F.
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