The Indian army has received a new batch of Igla-S portable air defense missile systems (MANPADS) from Russia, valued at approximately $30 million, during a period of escalating tension in relations with Pakistan.

According to a report by India Today, this delivery occurred as tensions between the two countries sharply increased following the recent attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people.

The missiles have reportedly already entered the inventory of army air defense units and have been deployed to potential conflict zones to provide protection against aircraft, attack helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly held a telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 5.

According to a statement by Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Putin strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam during the call.

Jaiswal stated that Putin “promised full support to India in combating terrorism” and emphasized that the perpetrators and their accomplices should be punished.

Tension between India and Pakistan began after the attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

While New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, Pakistan categorically denied the accusations.

Subsequently, the “Kashmir Resistance Front,” an organization reportedly linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

In response to the worsening situation, both countries effectively closed their borders and began deploying troops to the region.

Clashes occurred along the Line of Contact, while the Indian armed forces tested anti-ship missiles.

The Indian Navy announced that the purpose of these tests was to demonstrate “precision strike capability” at long ranges.

The Pakistan Ministry of Defence, however, stated that the response to a potential attack would be “more than just retaliation.”

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on April 28 that his country expected a military attack from India in the near future.

In recent days, Islamabad conducted a test of the short-range ballistic missile Abdali, which can hit targets up to 450 kilometers away.

A statement from Pakistan indicated that the purpose of the test was to confirm the armed forces’ readiness for war and to check the modernized technical specifications of the missile.

The tension gained a new dimension on May 5 when it was learned that India had cut off the flow of water to Pakistan via the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River.

New Delhi is also reportedly planning to limit the flow of water via the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River. Both hydroelectric power plants are located in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and play a key role in regulating the water supply in the Indus River basin, which is vital for Pakistan’s agriculture and energy sectors.

Bulgaria’s nationalist and right-wing Vazrazhdane (Revival) party signed a cooperation agreement with United Russia, the ruling party of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow.

In a press release from the Vazrazhdane party, it was stated that the agreement was signed during the visit of the party delegation, which went to Moscow at the invitation of the ruling party in Russia.

The party statement said, “The agreement foresees the exchange of experience, ideas, and political practices between the two parties and is an important positive step towards the re-establishment of full-fledged Bulgarian-Russian relations.”

The agreement was signed by Vazrazhdane Deputy Chairman Tsoncho Ganev, who is also Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and Vladimir Yakushev, Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Party.

It is noteworthy that the Vazrazhdane party continues relations with Moscow despite Russia declaring Bulgaria a “hostile country” after the start of the war in Ukraine.

Vazrazhdane received slightly over 13% of the votes in the last parliamentary elections in October 2024, becoming the third political force with 33 deputies in the 240-seat Bulgarian parliament.

The party receives support from circles in Bulgarian society sympathetic to Russia and competes in this area with the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and some other smaller parties.

Supported by right-wing circles, the party opposes Bulgaria’s entry into the Eurozone, demands neutrality regarding Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, and advocates for Bulgaria’s withdrawal from NATO.

On the other hand, Vazrazhdane attempted to hold a referendum on Bulgaria adopting the euro but was unsuccessful.

Vazrazhdane managed to enter the Bulgarian parliament during the Covid-19 pandemic with its strong stance against vaccines and restrictions.

In the European Parliament, the party is part of the Europe of Sovereign Nations group, led by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

The delegation that visited Moscow participated in the forum “The Importance of Victory Over Nazism. Lessons Learned from the Founding of the UN.”

Party representatives had also visited Russia a year ago.

Washington and Kyiv have signed an agreement involving the establishment of an investment fund to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and facilitate the joint extraction of the country’s natural resources.

The agreement was signed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Yulya Sviridenko.

Secretary Bessent stated that this “historic agreement” sends a clear message to Moscow, emphasizing that the US aims for a peaceful resolution centered on “a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine in the long term.”

Bessent added, “President [Donald] Trump designed this partnership between the American and Ukrainian peoples to make it clear that no state or person financing or supplying the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from Ukraine’s reconstruction.”

The US Treasury Department stated that the two sides would work on the final management parameters of the program and “the development of this important partnership.”

Regarding the signed agreement, Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister Sviridenko stated, “Now the document is of a nature that can ensure the success of both our countries—Ukraine and the US.”

Sviridenko noted that the document must be approved by Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.

According to the agreement, a special fund is being established to which revenues from the use of certain types of natural resources, infrastructure facilities, and some other Ukrainian assets will be transferred for management.

According to a report by the BBC, based on a draft of the document, Washington gains an advantage in signing new contracts for the development of Ukraine’s natural resources.

However, the agreement does not grant the US an automatic right to a share of the revenues derived from Ukraine’s mineral resources or existing infrastructure.

Sviridenko clarified the matter, stating, “All resources on our land and in our territorial waters belong to Ukraine. The Ukrainian state determines where and what will be extracted. Subsoil resources will remain the property of Ukraine.”

She stated that the investment fund would be financed with only half of the revenue generated from “only new” critical materials, oil, and gas projects.

Ukraine’s Economy Minister added that the fund’s revenues and contributions would not be taxed in either the US or Ukraine.

Furthermore, it was emphasized that the agreement would not affect privatization processes or the management of state-owned companies in Ukraine.

According to the document, military aid provided by the US to Ukraine before the agreement was signed is not considered a US contribution.

However, aid allocated by the US after the agreement is signed will be considered an investment.

Previously, US President Donald Trump estimated that US financial and military aid to Kyiv since February 2022 amounted to $350 billion and had insisted on the return of these funds.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had opposed this demand.