Russia to buy North Korean artillery shells, rockets

"Russia is buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea, according to
newly declassified intelligence reports from the United States." AlJazeera

Moscow doubles down on energy supply warnings

"Russian officials continue to threaten to cut Russia’s energy supplies to the West, with
Moscow warning it might ship more oil to Asia when a price cap planned by the Group of Seven comes into force.

Meanwhile, a top Gazprom official has said that natural gas supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline will not resume until Siemens Energy repairs faulty equipment." CNBC

China recently denounced "appalling" US actions of "plundering" Syrian resources...

"Chinese state media is reporting based on Syrian war monitors that the Pentagon has
expanded its presence inside Syria by establishing a new hub of operations in the northeastern province of Hasakah this past weekend.

"The new military base was set up in the village of Naqara, 3 km southwest of the city of Qamishli in Hasakah province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights" - as cited in Xinhua.

The biggest, and main US base in Hasakeh province remains at Syria's al-Omar oil fields,...While President Joe Biden has rejected this overt rhetoric focused taking energy resources, the past month witnessed multiple alleged instances of coalition forces ferrying oil across the Iraq border in tanker trucks.  

Another major American base, but which is not in Hasakah, is at al-Tanf. US special forces at the base are there ostensibly in support of Arab and Kurdish anti-Assad fighters. The base's location is strategic, given it is near the three-way border between Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. Despite the Pentagon for years touting its "counter-ISIS" mission in Syria, the main US target has clearly remained both the Assad government and its Iranian allies.  

China's foreign ministry denounced the "appalling" US actions of "plundering" Syrian resources..." ZH

Russia Jails Journalist Safronov for 22 Years on Treason Charges

"A Moscow court sentenced reporter Ivan Safronov to 22 years in prison Monday, Russia’s first treason conviction for a journalist since 2001. Safronov, a defense journalist at top Russian newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti who went on to work for state space agency Roscosmos, was convicted of collecting secret information about the Russian military and handing it to spies for the Czech Republic." MT

Putin visits major international war games

"Putin is touring a military range in the country’s Far East, which is hosting the international Vostok 2022 drills. Vostok 2022 is part of a series of strategic military training exercises held by Russia each year. It is hosted by one of its military districts on a rotating basis. This year, the Eastern Military District welcomed 13 foreign nations, which sent troops and observers to Russia.

Over 2,000 foreign troops joined 50,000 Russian soldiers and officers for the drills, the Defense Ministry told journalists. The countries taking part include Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Tajikistan." RT