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The ninth Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2026), said Qatar Amiri Naval Force commander His Excellency Staff Major-General (Navy) Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti, is a forum for innovation, offering the latest maritime defence technologies alongside supporting systems critical to military operations. Speaking at the opening ceremony, His Excellency Staff Major-General al-Sulaiti emphasised the importance of defence exhibitions in equipping armed forces with the capabilities needed to safeguard sovereignty and national security. The four-day event, held under the theme A Global Hub for Defence Innovation – Invest in Possibilities to Shape a Secure Tomorrow, highlights the role of naval defence in regional and global security. The exhibition also serves as a platform for senior military leaders, academics, and experts to discuss emerging issues in maritime defence and security through the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference. The event, HE Staff Major-General al-Sulaiti said, reflects Qatar’s commitment to diplomatic solutions, regional co-operation, and joint security initiatives. More than 200 international, regional, and national companies are taking part in the event, showcasing advanced technologies including cybersecurity, anti-piracy systems, artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) solutions. The exhibition has attracted a record 110 high-level official delegations from all over the world. The first day saw the official opening of the naval ship display at Hamad Port, which received eight visiting warships from six countries, including Qatar’s multi-role warship Al-Fulk, the largest of its kind in the Gulf region. Several defence-related contracts, memoranda of understanding, and strategic agreements in the field of maritime defence were signed during the opening of Dimdex 2026, in the presence of His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan al-Thani. The Middle East Naval Commanders Conference is organised in partnership with Joaan Bin Jassim Academy for Defence Studies, under the theme of defence diplomacy and maritime security challenges. Over the following days, exhibitors will hold specialised workshops demonstrating their latest defence innovations and technologies. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces have taken control of the town of Novonikolaivka, located in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, southeastern Ukraine, as part of the military operations that have been ongoing since February 2022. In a statement on the progress of the operations, the ministry said that Russian forces have improved their tactical positions on several combat fronts, noting that they have inflicted casualties on the Ukrainian side estimated at 1,370 soldiers during the recent clashes. The statement added that Russian air defenses also shot down three missiles and 340 Ukrainian drones, in addition to destroying two tanks. Since the outbreak of war, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged near-daily reports of repelling each other's attacks - claims that remain difficult to independently verify due to ongoing war.