Matthew Palmer

Be careful. The amphibious warfare specialists will start to get violent at such talk... 😉

The most powerful navy arguably in history: 'sea control is too hard stop asking us difficult questions'

Why the British government is spending more on hedgerows They are stitching the countryside back together

Beautiful little article here on the revival of hedgerows in the British countryside.

Does the UK Need a Home Guard? 'Who do you think you are kidding Mr Putin...'

'Who do you think you are kidding Mr Putin...'

I wrote about whether the UK should establish a new Home Guard.

My answer? Not really - but we should focus on a Civil Defence organisation instead.

Russia's deportation of Ukrainian children amounts to crime against humanity, UN says Vladimir Putin's direct involvement in the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children has been visible from the outset, the UN says.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Calling @askhistorians.bsky.social ...

What I love about Reddit is that you get these wonderful glimpses into completely sealed epistemic chambers on the same site. If you dropped this screengrab on r/AskHistorians I think it might kill someone. Certainly it would cause several ulcers.

Does the UK Need a Home Guard? 'Who do you think you are kidding Mr Putin...'

'Who do you think you are kidding Mr Putin...'

I wrote about whether the UK should establish a new Home Guard.

My answer? Not really - but we should focus on a Civil Defence organisation instead.

Starlink Becomes Cheaper Than Coil of Fiber Optic Cable for Controlling Drones Через підвищення Китаєм цін на оптоволокно у кілька разів супутниковий термінал Starlink став дешевшим за котушку оптоволокна для ударних дронів

Due to a sharp increase in fiber-optic prices driven by Chinese suppliers, a Starlink satellite terminal has become cheaper than a coil of fiber-optic cable several dozen kilometers long used to control strike drones.

militarnyi.com/en/news/star...

It’s not just that little can be done by this autumn. Little can be done this side of 2030 and it’s highly probably little can be done, full stop, given the maturity of the N Sea basin. This much shared Carbon Brief graph says it all.

Happy International Women's Day 2026 to you all.

This is an amazing 'first' photo of women at every rank in the British Army. It's built on the effort of all our women, together with the effort of all our great guys because the thing about equality is that it takes everyone 🤩
Have a fab day all 🥳

Some of it very much coordinated. However, it does not hurt to be on the right side of the host government when you are an expat. Especially when said governments have made it very explicit that they will clamp down hard on anything they consider misinformation.

Its always unnerving to see people talking about war like its sports game, supporting their respective teams, like its not something with extraordinary destruction that, under the BEST of circumstances, those who haven't been obliterated, will need to spend many decades attempting to rebuild from.

These are Olena Udovichenko and her son Hordii.

A Russian missile killed them today.

Olena was a teacher in a Kharkiv school, Hordii was a second-grader there.

Last night, Russia killed 11 people in Kharkiv, including Olena and Hordii.
RIP.

🇸🇪 Video of seizing the Russian shadow fleet vessel Caffa.

Britain Has Established Four Centers for Repairing Military Equipment in Ukraine; Fifth Will Begin Operating Soon For the first time, Great Britain has officially confirmed the operation of a network of its own centers for servicing and repairing military equipment directly in Ukraine.This was reported by […]

🔧For the first time, Great Britain has officially confirmed the operation of a network of its own centers for servicing and repairing military equipment directly in Ukraine.

militarnyi.com/en/news/brit...

There is a lot of 'well the US is involved so we must be' going around, despite historically that being a terrible basis for foreign policy decisions.

Exclusive: U.S. Marines fired on protesters storming consulate in Karachi, officials say U.S. Marines opened fire on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend, two U.S. officials said on Monday—a rare use ​of force at a diplomatic post that could sharply ...

"U.S. Marines opened fire on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend"

"Ten people were killed on Sunday"

"Citing initial information, the two U.S. officials said it was unclear whether rounds fired by Marines struck or killed anyone. "

The escalating Mideast conflict — in charts Since the US and Israel struck Iran, thousands of missiles and drones have been launched across the region

Good summary from the FT here.

The escalating Mideast conflict — in charts Since the US and Israel struck Iran, thousands of missiles and drones have been launched across the region

Good summary from the FT here.

A good reminder that, however technological and 'precise' war might seem, it is still messy and difficult and riddled with chance and error.

Not to mention horrifically tragic for those on the receiving end of violence.

The Arabian Gulf at War A personal reflection

'Last week, I had a conversation with a taxi driver in Dubai, who proudly stated that in a mad, turbulent world, the Emirate would prosper due to its safety and openness to business. A few days later Dubai found itself hit by Iranian missiles.'

My personal reflections on the war in the Gulf.

War has never been anything but expensive in all possible ways.

A good reminder that, however technological and 'precise' war might seem, it is still messy and difficult and riddled with chance and error.

Not to mention horrifically tragic for those on the receiving end of violence.

Reports of possible Iranian drone impact at British air base Reports circulating on social media late this evening claim there has been an impact or explosion caused by Iranian weaponry at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

Reports circulating on social media late this evening claim there has been an impact or explosion caused by Iranian weaponry at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/reports-of-p...

Yeah I can imagine.

In troubled times, I often fall back on Jane Austen. She just gets better each time I read her novels.

The Arabian Gulf at War A personal reflection

'Last week, I had a conversation with a taxi driver in Dubai, who proudly stated that in a mad, turbulent world, the Emirate would prosper due to its safety and openness to business. A few days later Dubai found itself hit by Iranian missiles.'

My personal reflections on the war in the Gulf.

Iranian drones hit French naval air base in UAE — French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin confirmed on X that "a hangar at our naval base adjacent to the Emirati base was hit in a drone attack targeting the port of Abu Dhabi." Damage is material damage and no injuries reported.

I'm aware, though I've left naval vessels off as in a conflict they will be likely tasked elsewhere rather than for direct home protection (and a Type 45 won't help much for protecting a number of important locations in the UK).