text: RUSSIA-NATO SITREP: RUSSIA WARNS OF U.S. CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN UKRAINERussian Defense Minister Shoigu said more than 120 American private military contractors are present in Ukraine. During a meeting with the Defense Ministry, Shoigu said the Americans are preparing a chemical attack to provoke Russia. Shoigu claims the PMC will “commit provocations in the city Avdiivka and Krasny Liman tanks with unidentified chemical components were delivered.” It is highly unlikely that a band of 120 American mercenaries have banned chemical weapons, but contracted advisers are present in the region conducting training for Ukrainian forces.During the same meeting, President Putin said the military is preparing technical measures to combat unspecified “Western threats.” Putin believes NATO members will put hypersonic weapons in Ukraine and is continually bringing up the flight times from various western points relative to Moscow. “Concern is caused by the build-up of the US and NATO military groupings directly near the Russian borders, as well as the holding of large-scale exercises, including unplanned ones. We are extremely concerned that elements of the US global missile defense system are being deployed near Russia,” Putin said. He is most likely referring to cyber attacks, which are a certainty should the U.S. or European partners join the fighting in Ukraine. U.S. and British intelligence officials warned Ukraine of attacks on their critical infrastructure, which Russia views as a step in the preparation of the battlefield.Pointing to Russia’s neo-Soviet aspirations, Russian players donned USSR uniforms during a hockey game with Finland. The Russian team lost to Finland in Moscow 3-2. The Russian team claimed the uniforms celebrate their 75th year of playing hockey, but the symbolism is not lost on many observers. For some former Soviet types, like Putin, the glory days of the Soviet empire are an attainable dream. For countries like Finland, Soviet times mean only war, economic hardship, and continual resistance.Russia donned USSR hockey uniforms prior to the 30th anniversary of Soviet collapseIncreased references by politicians to the Union State, the donning of “vintage” hockey uniforms, and a moral call to action in Ukraine point to further action in Europe. The Russians are packaging a case for war tailored toward domestic and international audiences. Chemical weapons use in Ukraine may serve as the justification for invasion and lack of response from NATO, which likely will not be associated with alleged chemical agent use by the U.S. – D.M.INDO-PACIFIC SITREP: CHINA ESPIONAGE UNCOVERED, RENEWED FIGHTING IN MYANMAR THREATENS U.S. IMPORTSChina has mounted a broad campaign to undermine Taiwan’s military and civilian leadership, corrode its will to fight, extract details of high-tech weapons and gain insights into defense planning, according to senior retired Taiwanese military officers, current counter-espionage agents and former US military and intelligence officers with experience in Taiwan. Taiwan’s spy catchers are battling an espionage campaign that has compromised senior officers at the upper echelons of the island’s armed forces and government agencies and has led to a steady stream of convictions in Taiwan courts. Beijing even penetrated the security detail assigned to protect Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen. In the past decade, at least 21 serving or retired Taiwanese officers with the rank of captain or above have been convicted of spying for China. At least nine other serving or retired armed forces members are currently on trial or being investigated on suspicion of contacts with spies from China.