Brussels - Moscow: Europe and the Arabs
The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its fourth year, shaking Europe and the world to the core. Covering the latest developments, European media outlets in the Belgian capital reported that Russia launched Operation July Storm: a large-scale naval exercise involving hundreds of ships and 15,000 troops around the world. Media reports in Brussels said, "The Russian Navy launched a large-scale naval exercise on Wednesday morning." The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Operation July Storm will involve hundreds of Russian naval vessels operating around the world. The participating ships are from the Northern and Pacific Fleets, as well as the Baltic and Caspian Seas. The maneuvers, which will last from Wednesday to Sunday, will be held in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Baltic Sea, and the Caspian Sea. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, more than 150 warships and support vessels, 120 aircraft, 10 coastal defense missile systems, and more than 15,000 troops are participating in the maneuvers. The operation is being led by Admiral Alexander Moiseev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy. The ministry stated that "the exercise aims to test the Navy's readiness to respond to non-standard operational scenarios, as well as the integrated use of long-range precision weapons." Unmanned systems, and other advanced military technologies. This includes deploying crews to simulated combat zones, anti-submarine operations, and defending naval bases and key maritime economic zones.
Russia Expands Control of the Internet
Russia is increasingly restricting free internet access in the country. Digital Development Minister Maksut Chaadaev announced Tuesday that the state telecoms regulator Roskomnadzor recently blocked access to 56,000 websites that refused to remove content Moscow considers extremist.
At the same time, the minister defended a controversial new law criminalizing the search for such content. The law provides for fines for intentionally searching for "extremist" content online, a term often used to describe Kremlin critics. Chaadaev stated that "ordinary users" would not face any problems. The law was passed Tuesday by a majority vote in the Russian Duma. The law sparked protests even before its passage, with demonstrators arrested outside the parliament building.
Protests in Ukraine against the curtailment of the powers of anti-corruption agencies
Widespread unrest has erupted In Ukraine, after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law that severely weakens the independence of two key anti-corruption institutions, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Kyiv, Lviv, and Odessa. The law places the National Anti-Corruption Body (NABU) and the Specialized Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the authority of the Prosecutor General, a position appointed by Zelensky himself. Critics fear political interference in investigations of high-profile figures.
This is the first major wave of protests since the Russian invasion in 2022. The European Union has strongly criticized the measure, describing it as a "serious setback" for the rule of law in Ukraine.
Ukraine Loses French Fighter in Crash
Ukraine lost its first French fighter jet during a mission on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the pilot used the ejection seat to eject from the Mirage 2000.
"Unfortunately, we have lost a fighter," the head of state said Wednesday in a speech broadcast on the website of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration. A French aircraft, very effective, one of our Mirage fighter jets." He added, "The pilot was able to escape."
US Energy Secretary: "Sanctions on Russian oil are a real option to end the war."
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that imposing sanctions on Russian oil is a "very real possibility" to end the war in Ukraine. He made the remarks during an interview with Fox News.
President Donald Trump warned earlier this month that the United States could impose tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil unless Moscow agrees to a comprehensive peace agreement with Ukraine. This deadline expires in early September.
Wright's statement confirms the Trump administration's willingness to increase economic pressure to force Russia to make concessions in the protracted conflict. The idea of imposing sanctions on oil exports is explosive, as it could affect global energy markets.