Ukraine struck one of Russia’s main oil facilities in what is shaping up to be another blow against Russia’s ability to refine and transport its major source of state revenue.

Posting to X, formerly Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the strikes. “Last night, our Ukrainian long-range sanctions against Russia over this war reached targets near St. Petersburg,” the president wrote.

Robert F. Graboyes, Bastiat’s Window
The marches of all eight U.S.

DPost
Lockheed Martin is expanding its undersea…

Global Defense News
Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall have agreed to pursue co-production of the U.S.

Travis Pike, Sandboxx News
Traditional ammunition is made from brass cases, which tap out at around 60,000 PSI . . .

Naval News
Saronic on July 2, 2026 announced the launch of its first Mirage, a 52-ft. (16-meter) dual-use Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV) that joins the 24-ft. (7-meter) Corsair and 180-ft….

Behind bars in Atlanta for bank robbery in the 1950s, Whitey Bulger became depressed and pondered thoughts of suicide.
The infamous crime boss began seeing things that weren’t there and hearing voices when no one was around. He thought he saw blood coming out of walls and humans transform into skeletons. For someone with an obsessive need to control and intimidate, Bulger thought he was going insane.
Also Read: The CIA once hired prostitutes to test LSD on unsuspecting civilians
That wasn’t what happened to Bulger at all.

According to a classified report authored by the intelligence service of an unspecified European nation, Russia risks an “explosive” banking crisis by continuing to prosecute the war against Ukraine. At its foundation, the potential for this crisis is growing as lenders now shoulder much of the burden of the country’s war economy.

The timing of the report’s findings – which have been seen by the Reuters news agency – being leaked is also the source of some speculation.

Despite having shown tremendous skill in using the US-made Patriot (PAC-3) Air and Missile Defense (AMD) system, Ukraine’s Air Defense Forces (PPO) were unable to take out any of the 23 Russian ballistic missiles fired at targets in Kyiv on Monday, 6 July. At least 12 people were killed and around 50 wounded.

So, why did Ukraine’s ability to intercept incoming Russian missile attacks suddenly drop to zero kills?

The reason is simple. There are no missiles left to shoot with.

This video describes the military situation in

On Monday, 6 July, the Ukrainian military announced its drones had hit Russia’s largest oil refinery, which is located in the city of Omsk. This city is in the western region of Siberia, which makes this one of the deepest attacks on Russian territory since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. NASA satellites also recorded multiple heat plumes indicating intense fires at the facility on Monday evening.

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (@SOF_UKR) reported that they struck the Omsk oil refinery despite it being nearly 2,500 km (1550 miles) from Ukraine’s border.

Ukraine’s drone campaign against Moscow has been yielding tangible results as fuel in Russia becomes a more scarce commodity. Throughout the country, long lines have formed at local gas stations, and the government has implemented strict limits on the amount of fuel each motorist may purchase. Consequently, the mood throughout Russia has soured as Ukraine begins to take the war to Moscow.

Many regular civilians are beginning to express frustration with the Kremlin’s handling of the war, as Putin’s stability has been steadily eroding after four years of warfare.

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have exposed a strategic reality that military planners are only beginning to confront: In a data-centric age, digital infrastructure has become part of the battlespace. Data centers and cloud regions are now the digital backbone of military power and economic prosperity. As such, they present attractive targets for rapidly proliferating long-range strike systems, drones, and cyber capabilities.

To sustain future maritime operations, the U.S military will need to run supplies through an environment that spans thousands of miles of open ocean, denied ports, contested straits, and archipelagic chokepoints against adversaries that have spent decades studying how to target American logistics. That problem does not require one identical vessel for every mission. It does require a more common family of watercraft for the manned ships that carry cargo and vehicles inside a theater, built for scale, interoperability, and wartime replacement.

Could foreign drones slip through UK defences?

Ukrainian forces have reportedly destroyed two launchers belonging to Russia’s S-400 long range air defence systemin a coordinated strike targeting the country’s air defence infrastructure. Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces struck one S-400 launcher in Russia’s Bryansk region and another concealed launcher on the disputed Crimean Peninsula, while also reportedly damaging part of a Nebo-U early warning radar system. The destruction of two S-400 launchers represents a significant tactical achievement, as the system is among Russia’s most advanced and valuable air defence assets.

Footage released from the Republic of China Army’s Wuhan Camp in Taoyuan has shown U.S. special forces personnel operating at the facility, following reports that these personnel have been well integrated into camp life rather than visiting on short rotations. The facility houses the Republic of China Army’s Special Warfare Command headquarters, and oversees the service’s elite special operations units, which makes it a natural choice for the deployment of U.S. special forces.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force has for the first time equipped a unit operating under the Eastern Theatre Command with Type 99 main battle tanks, providing a significantly superior combat potential to the much lighter Type 96 and Type 96A tanks which units operating under the command have relied on for decades.

Fifty years after its service entry in the Soviet Army in July 1976, the T-80 remains the most complex main battle tank ever serially produced in Russia, and was developed under one of the most ambitious armoured vehicle programs of the Cold War. Unlike the more numerous and economical T-72 main battle tank, which was designed as a relatively simple, low maintenance, and low cost effective backbone for the Soviet Army and for export clients, the T-80 was developed as a high-end platform for elite Soviet armoured formations.

The Defense Innovation Unit is undergoing a major reorganization effort that will overhaul and collapse its operational portfolios from seven to three technology priorities “where speed, scale, and lethality intersect,” two sources told DefenseScoop on Monday.
One senior defense official and one defense official familliar with this realignment said the Pentagon would likely reveal DIU’s near-term plans and new internal structure publicly this week. 
The officials requested anonymity to speak freely ahead of the Defense Department’s official, forthcoming announcement.

Why Ukraine and Russia Can’t Agree On This Donetsk City: Russia claimed on Friday, July 3, that its forces had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka, located in eastern Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin described the industrial city as a “key transport and large industrial center of Donbas” – but within hours of the Russian leader making the claim, Kyiv was mocking it.

Ukraine Needs Patriot Missiles – But The U.S. Can’t Supply Them All: Russia’s latest missile strike on Ukraine has exposed what Kyiv has been saying is one of its most critical vulnerabilities for weeks now: a shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles capable of stopping Russian ballistic missiles.

When Russia launched one of the largest aerial attacks of the year overnight into Monday, July 6, a total of 68 missiles and 351 drones were fired across the country, primarily targeting Kyiv and the surrounding region.

2 Rifles triumphed over 14 teams vying for the

In an intriguing article in the New York Times by Amanda Taub, she openly wonders whether the Iranians are playing with fire vis-a-vis the Strait of Hormuz and in the process force the rest of the world, not to submit to its blackmail attempts to control and make nations pay to transit the waterway, but ultimately overplay their hand and be left controlling nothing when the world moves on to alternatives.

Iran’s closure of the Strait gave it important leverage in negotiations with the United States to end the current conflict.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov.

The Royal Navy has launched a strike-capable dr

As economic pressures ramp up in Moscow, more and more analysts are certain that the war in Ukraine will end via a truce settlement as the Kremlin looks to cut its losses from the war. With Russia increasing its fuel exports to make up for domestic shortages and regular Russians expressing frustration with the war, something has to give way for the war to end. Contrary to the optimistic reports emanating from the pro-Ukrainian side, however, Putin shows no sign of wanting to slow down his costly war, even as Ukrainian drones continue to strike deep behind enemy lines.

U.S. airmen and Marines have been helping to staff the air traffic control tower at Venezuela’s main international airport, the primary lifeline for airlifted aid following a major earthquake, according to U.S. Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM.
Recently published U.S. military photos show airmen with a Contingency Response Element from the 621st Contingency Response Wing and Marines from Littoral Combat Force-24 in the control tower at Simón Bolívar International Airport. The pictures show both Venezuelan air traffic controllers using the control tower’s equipment and U.S.

This video describes the military situation in

Russian Missile Barrage Kills 20 Ahead of NATO Summit: Russia launched one of its largest missile and drone barrages of the year overnight into Monday, killing at least 20 people in and around Kyiv. The strikes also damaged dozens of residential buildings and lent weight to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s argument that Ukraine desperately needs more air defense interceptors. The strikes took place just a day before a NATO summit in Ankara.

Teams across the services took part in the annu

Bloomberg.com reported more bad news for Russian President Putin and Russia’s already flagging economy.

Russia’s flagship crude oil price has decreased to levels before the recent conflict in the Middle East, adding even more strain on the economy that is stretched razor-thin by the war in Ukraine.

Putin Clapping Russia Federation Photo

Russia’s Urals grade averaged $41.66 per barrel at Russia’s western ports in the first three days of July, less than half the level at the height of the oil market spike in April, according to Argus Media data.

This video describes the military situation in

The Red Arrows took part in a stunning flypast

Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign shows no sign of slowing down after Ukrainian forces once again struck Russian military logistics using drones and missiles. On July 5, Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces struck a Russian airfield, ammunition depots, and bridges throughout occupied regions of Ukraine.

The Marines are setting up a new organization to oversee training and standardization efforts related to small drones and counter-small unmanned aerial systems, according to a MARADMIN announcement issued July 2.
The Marine Corps Robotics Integration Group (MCRIG) will be based at Twentynine Palms, California, and is expected to serve as the “focal point” for Group 1 and Group 2 UAS and C-sUAS training integration, standardization and coordination across the force and support the development of tactics, techniques and procedures for employment of those types of platforms.

The conflict in Iran caused what has been characterized as the largest energy disruption in world history, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The IEA’s Executive Director has said the combined impacts amount to “the greatest threat to global energy security in history.”

President Donald Trump boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Thursday, September 11, 2025, for a trip to New York.

Stepping up to Nato leadership, Europe will need to confront some existential questions regarding industrial capacity and C-UAS.

The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment has para

On Sunday night, the Russians launched another large mass missile/drone attack against Kyiv, targeting military industrial sites and energy infrastructure.

At least 15 civilians were killed by the strikes, with many more wounded in the capital and in the surrounding regions. After the attack had finished, the Ukrainian Air Force stated that the country is currently facing a “serious shortage” of interceptor missiles, which hinders its ability to intercept Russia’s ballistic missiles.

Iskander-M. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

South Korea’s K239 Chunmoo Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is gaining popularity around the globe, particularly within NATO. Poland, Estonia, and Norway have all signed contracts with Hanwha Aerospace for the truck-mounted systems, and in Norway’s case, leaders picked it over the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. 
On paper, Chunmoo and HIMARS are very similar. Both are truck-mounted systems that can fire rockets with ranges out to 500 kilometers, and can be transported by aircraft as small as a C-130.

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war.

The Portuguese Army is set to bolster its operational capabilities through the acquisition of three UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

Putin May Be Realizing He Cannot Win the War: Speaking to France 24, Nick Holdsworth, the network’s former Moscow correspondent, argued that the Russian president is under “increasing pressure” on the front and may finally be coming to terms with the possibility that he may not win the war.

And he’s not the only one who thinks Putin may be starting to face reality: U.S. President Donald Trump made similar comments on Monday, implying that Putin may finally be willing to talk.

What Holdsworth Said

Tu-160 Bomber Russian Air Force Photo

Tu-160 Bomber from Russia.

AeroVironment has been awarded a new task order for AI-enabled technologies that are expected to help protect Air Force bases from small unmanned aerial systems, the company announced Monday.
The $80.5 million deal is the first task order being executed under a $500 million Army-awarded contract with AV that the Pentagon announced last week.
The effort is part of the Domestic Shield initiative led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401, according to the contractor and the Defense Department.

Fuel Shortages in Russia Are Country-Wide Due To Drone Strikes: Russia’s gas stations should be playing an old Jackson Browne song over their loudspeakers because they are “Running on Empty.”

Ukraine’s increased attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent months, part of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s 40-day influence operation to pressure Moscow to end the war, have also kept Moscow from reaping the benefits of surging gas and oil prices earlier this spring due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Neptune Missile. Image Credit: Government of Ukraine.

The Germans held Desmond Llewelyn captive for most of World War II.
Llewelyn was a prisoner of war long before he gained fame by playing James Bond’s gadget master, “Q,” in 17 movies. He was already an actor when he became a second lieutenant with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, an infantry regiment in the British army. Llewelyn planned to resume his career once he and the other POWs got out of captivity.
Also Read: How his father’s time in a Japanese POW camp influenced Bill Nye
He just didn’t know when.

On July 7-8, 2026, world leaders, including President Donald Trump, will assemble in Ankara, Turkey, for the annual NATO summit. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan views the summit as a symbolic endorsement of his policies. Trump, for his part, remains committed to publicly rewarding Erdoǧan and said he would bring a “big gift” for his favorite strongman.

Those visiting Ankara will be taking a huge risk. Turkey’s claims to its indispensability rest on its proximity to Russia. During the Cold War, Turkey was one of only two NATO members to border the Soviet Union.

India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted in-principle approval to a series of defence acquisition proposals for the armed forces.

Throughout the history of war (and politics), there has always been a constant barrage of propaganda. During World War II, the names Tokyo Rose (Iva Toguri D’Aquino, along with about a dozen more females), Axis Sally (Mildred Gillars and Rita Zucca), Mr. Guess Who (Robert Henry Best), and William Joyce, aka “Lord Haw-Haw,” are familiar.
These propagandists struck fear into the public, who couldn’t be sure.
Also Read: Meet the one-legged spy who helped rid the world of the NazisWilliam Joyce was born on April 24, 1906, in the Bedford Stuyvesant area in Brooklyn, New York.

The Navy is offering as much as $280,000 in bonuses over seven years to reserve aviators, in an effort to “retain skilled personnel for critical naval aviation enterprise billets.”
The incentives are part of the Navy’s annual Training and Administration of the Reserve Aviation Department Head Retention program. This year’s bonuses were announced in a Navy Administrative Message, or NAVADMIN, released in late June and are aimed specifically at personnel currently serving as department head billets.