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The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s launching of a JL-2 submarine-launched intercontinental range ballistic missile into the South Pacific on July 6 has raised serious questions regarding the credibility of the region’s long-standing nuclear-free status. Although the missile was reportedly unarmed and the launch did not violate the terms of the Treaty of Rarotonga, the decision to target an impact area within the South Pacific has beeninterpreted by analysts as carrying a broader strategic message beyond the technical validation of China’s strategic deterrent.

Ukraine’s recent drone campaign has successfully shaken the population of Russia and instilled a sense of uncertainty and anxiety in some of the most ardent Kremlin propagandists, as the country now has to cope with an ongoing fuel shortage. Many analysts and experts in the West have read this as a sign that the tide is finally turning in the war. Not only can Ukraine fight Moscow on equal terms, but it might just win against the Russian war machine.

The Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck nine tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Sea of Azov during an overnight operation on July 8, according to the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi.

Brovdi said that in just the past 72 hours, the SBS has struck a total of 19 shadow fleet tankers, one cargo vessel, and one ferry in the Kerch area, as they intensify attacks on Russian assets to isolate the Crimean peninsula.

Russian Navy Kirov-class Battlecruiser. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Starlink has been an invaluable asset to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It has provided a safe and jam-resistant internet infrastructure for Ukraine, which has given the UAF stable communications and empowered its drone campaign against Moscow. Recently, however, the Russians have found a way to jam Ukraine’s Starlink connection. According to recent news reports, the Russian Army has found a way to jam Starlink connections in certain regions, thereby disrupting Ukrainian communications and drone guidance systems.

Ukraine Has Now Struck Russia’s 11 Largest Refineries: Ukraine has struck all 11 of Russia’s largest oil refineries, forcing Russia to take drastic measures to secure fuel supplies at home. The achievement was made when, overnight into Sunday, July 6, Ukrainian drones reached the Omsk Oil Refinery in Siberia – the largest refinery in Russia and the final facility among the country’s biggest processing plants that had previously avoided being attacked.

Sailors whose medical conditions make daily shaving painful, or even leave scars, now face being separated if they cannot be clean-shaven after a year of treatment, Navy officials have announced.
The policy update was released in a recent Navy Administrative Message, or NAVADMIN. The changes do not apply to religious waivers to grooming standards for facial hair. The changes implement last year’s direction from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that military commanders begin separating troops who require medical waivers from shaving rules.

Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, July 7, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that he believed Ukraine had already won the war against Russia.

Speaking as the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, began, Stubb warned that the fight still isn’t over and that Kyiv urgently needs more air defenses from its allies.

The PAC-3 MSE is a highly sought-after air defense munition due to its advanced capabilities and versatility.

What Can End the Strait of Hormuz Crisis? With the ceasefire between the United States and Iran now over, the world is plunged back into a high level of uncertainty. What will happen next? The military attacks against Iran are liable to continue indefinitely. Look for more U.S. strikes against Iran that would last for the next 48 to 72 hours. What does this mean for the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran is likely to shut it down again. More sea mines are available for deployment. Iran’s mosquito fleet of swift boats can swarm international commercial shipping.

Europe’s Diesel Prices Are Soaring As Russia Bans Exports: European diesel prices are soaring as Ukraine continues attacks on Russian oil refineries, a stark reminder that supply risks for diesel fuel extend far beyond the Middle East and the ongoing fighting in Iran.

Diesel exports from Russia have plunged in recent weeks as Ukrainian drone attacks target key energy infrastructure, disrupting operations at key refineries and fuel supplies in a bid to bring Moscow to end the bloody war that has caused over 2 million casualties.

T-14 Armata. Image Credit: Russian State Media.

Russia confirmed it had banned diesel exports on Wednesday, July 8, in an emergency move designed to keep fuel inside the country following weeks of intense Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries. The Ukrainian long-range strikes, which are moving deeper into Russian territory every week, have triggered widespread shortages and price spikes across the country.

The restriction was announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak this week during a televised government meeting that was chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin.