 "'July storm': Russia launches massive navy drills with 150 ships, 15,000 soldiers in Baltic & Caspean")
Russia kicked off large-scale naval exercises dubbed “July Storm” on Wednesday (July 23), involving over 150 ships and 15,000 personnel across the Pacific and Arctic oceans, as well as the Baltic and Caspian seas, according to the defence ministry.
The drills aim to test the Navy’s readiness for unconventional operations, the use of long-range weapons, and advanced tech like unmanned systems, Moscow said.
The ministry explained, “At sea, the crews of the ships will practice deployment to combat areas, conducting anti-submarine operations, defending areas of deployment and economic activity.”
They’ll also focus on “repelling attacks by air attack weapons, unmanned boats and enemy drones, ensuring the safety of navigation, striking enemy targets and naval groups.”
The exercise includes over 120 aircraft and 10 coastal missile systems, led by Navy chief Admiral Alexander Moiseev.
Despite ranking as the world’s third most powerful navy after China and the US, Russia’s fleet has faced significant losses in the Ukraine conflict.
Russia’s gains on battlefield
In Ukraine, Russian forces have captured Pokrovsk, a critical logistical hub, after over a year of fierce fighting, marking a major blow to Kyiv. Russian troops have entered the city, a key flashpoint on the front line, and are conducting search-and-destroy missions, though they haven’t fully entrenched, according to The Kyiv Independent.
If Russia solidifies control, it would be a significant victory for the Armed Forces of Russia (AFR) and raise serious concerns about Kyiv’s ability to hold ground in Donetsk Oblast amid Russia’s intensifying summer offensive.
The Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState and frontline troops, cited by The Kyiv Independent, reported that Russian forces broke through from the Zvirove direction, exploiting weak infantry positions and “inaccurate situational reporting.”
Impact Shorts
View AllThis triggered an urgent Ukrainian response to contain the breach and prevent “the situation from spiralling into disaster,” as per DeepState.
While it’s unclear how firmly Russian forces are established in Pokrovsk, their entry after a year of effort spells trouble for Kyiv.
The situation echoes last year’s fall of Avdiivka, when US funding for Ukraine dried up, leaving its skies vulnerable to a massive Russian barrage.
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