MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday announced that Russia would donate defense hardware to support the military’s fight against pro-Daesh militants, who he said could regroup and attack “anywhere and everywhere.”
Duterte said Russia would provide about 5,000 assault rifles in a deal to be signed this month, and the Philippine military would no longer have to use second-hand arms.
“We will have the Kalashnikov,” he said in a speech to troops, adding that Russia wanted to keep the donation secret.
Moscow’s gift would follow China’s donation of more than 6,000 assault rifles and 100 sniper rifles, among the fruits of Duterte’s efforts to form partnerships with two arms-producing powers that are rivals to the United States.
The United States has for decades been the Philippines’ defense treaty ally and its biggest source or hardware and training, providing about $1 billion in equipment since 2000. Duterte has made no secret of his animosity toward Washington and his disdain for the US military alliance.
A senior defense official told Reuters the Russian weapons would arrive later this month when Russia’s defense minister attends a regional meeting. The rifles would be accompanied by millions of rounds of ammunition and dozens of army trucks.
Five Russian warships were due to visit in Manila to deliver the equipment, the official said. Four have visited the country this year, in two separate visits.
Duterte said the military needed to be properly equipped to handle Daesh loyalists who had established a dangerous foothold in Mindanao in the south.
“They will not disappear, they will regroup anywhere and everywhere,” Duterte said.
Russia to donate Kalashnikovs, trucks and munitions to Philippines
Russia to donate Kalashnikovs, trucks and munitions to Philippines
NASA astronaut stuck in space for nine months retires
- Suni Williams stepped down from her post on December 27 — making her ill-fated mission her last journey to space
- During her career, Williams logged 608 days in space — the second most cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut
WASHINGTON, United States: A NASA astronaut who was stuck in space for nine months because of problems with her spacecraft has retired after 27 years of service, the space agency said Tuesday.
Suni Williams stepped down from her post on December 27 — making her ill-fated mission her last journey to space.
Williams and fellow astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore set out on an eight-day mission in June 2024 to test fly Boeing’s new Starliner capsule on its first crewed mission when they were unexpectedly marooned.
Despite the incident, Williams on Tuesday called her time with NASA “an incredible honor.”
“Anyone who knows me knows that space is my absolute favorite place to be,” she said in a statement.
Boeing’s new Starliner developed propulsion issues while Williams and Wilmore were traveling to the International Space Station (ISS) and it was deemed unfit to fly back.
The technical problems prompted NASA to entrust the return of their astronauts to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, snubbing Boeing.
The two veteran astronauts finally returned safely back to Earth with SpaceX in March 2025. Wilmore announced his retirement in August that same year.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement on Tuesday that Williams had been a “trailblazer in human spaceflight,” adding that she shaped the “future of exploration through her leadership aboard the space station” and paved the way for commercial missions to low Earth orbit.
During her career, Williams logged 608 days in space — the second most cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut, the agency said.
She also ranks sixth on the list of longest single spaceflights by an American due to the Starliner incident, NASA added.
Williams has completed nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours, the most spacewalk time by a woman and fourth-most on the all-time cumulative spacewalk duration list.
