Ukraine Retakes Ground Near Kharkiv as Russia’s Defense Wobbles

"Russian forces appeared to be struggling to contain a Ukrainian counteroffensive around the
northeastern city of Kharkiv on Thursday amid claims that Kyiv’s forces had advanced as far as 50 kilometers in a breakthrough involving tanks and artillery.  Russian forces sustained 76 equipment losses Wednesday, according to open-source analytical project Oryx, an estimated 70% of which happened in areas around Kharkiv." MT

EU demands ‘mandatory’ energy rationing

 "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has asked EU member nations to
implement “mandatory” energy rationing policies, calling on the bloc to “flatten the curve” of demand during a press conference in language reminiscent of the darkest days of the Covid-19 lockdowns." RT

Italian journalist ‘rescued after triggering mine’ in Ukraine

"Mattia Sorbi was rescued by Russian forces after a car he was traveling in towards the
frontline triggered a mine, the ministry said in a statement. It claimed that the people from the Ukrainian side who had helped the Italian reach his destination had deliberately set him up, hoping that his death could be blamed on Russia." RT

Blinken In Surprise Visit To Kyiv Unveils $2BN More Aid Amid 'Successful' Counteroffensive

"US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has traveled to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on a
surprise visit where he met with government leaders, visited a children's hospital, and unveiled yet another major military aid package. This new package includes $2 billion in aid for not just Ukraine but other surrounding NATO countries." ZH

U.N. Inspectors Call for Security Zone Around Nuclear Plant

"The International Atomic Energy Agency calls for a ‘safety and security protection zone’ at
the Zaporizhzhia plant." NYT

California declares ‘energy emergency’

"California’s power grid operator has declared an energy emergency, warning that it may
institute rolling blackouts to curb a surge in demand, which has hit all-time record highs as residents crank up the AC to escape an unprecedented heat wave. “If needed, ISO could order utilities to begin rotating power outages to maintain stability of the electric grid,” the agency said, adding that Tuesday’s peak electricity demand is expected to exceed 52,000 megawatts, “a new historic all-time high for the grid.” RT

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

ISIS claims responsibility for deadly bombing near Russian embassy

"ISIS has claimed responsibility for Monday’s suicide bombing in Kabul. The blast occurred
not far from the entrance to the Russian embassy in the Afghan capital and killed 25 people, including two embassy staff members." RT

Suicide attack at Russia embassy in Kabul kills 2 diplomats

 "A suicide bombing outside the Russian Embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul has killed two members of the embassy staff....The blast went off at the entrance to the embassy’s consular section, where Afghans were waiting for news about their visas, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry and the state news agency RIA Novosti. A Russian diplomat had emerged from the building to call out the names of candidates for visas when the explosion occurred......" ABC

As Europe Implodes......

"A few days after the EU threatened commodity traders it would stage an "emergency
intervention" to crush energy prices which were rising at a pace of about 20% per day (perhaps Europe can now print nat gas and electricity in addition to monetizing all deficits while injecting trillions in the process)......... a move which actually worked for a few days until Putin reminded Europe who's boss late on Friday when Gazprom suddenly decided it would "completely halt" all Nord Stream 1 transit altogether due to an "oil leak", with the news sending global stock markets plunging and threatening to push European gas and power prices back to all time highs.....In response to soaring energy prices and rationing of firewood, over the weekend, Germany - the country most affected by the Nord Stream cutoff - unveiled a $65 billion package meant to boost demand......." ZeroHedge

Top EU diplomat warns European arms stocks are running low

"Weapons stocks in the European Union are running low as member countries continue to
sends arms and ammunition to Ukraine, the bloc’s top diplomat warned Monday as he urged EU nations to better coordinate their spending on military materiel.

“The military stocks of most member states has been, I wouldn’t say exhausted, but depleted in a high proportion, because we have been providing a lot of capacity to the Ukrainians,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a debate with European lawmakers." AP