At the Archipelago 2024 design and educational intensive on Sakhalin, as part of the Marine Drones track, over 10 marine robotic solutions were demonstrated for surveying lakes, reservoirs, seas, protecting the water area, cleaning it and monitoring the environmental situation, the press service of the National Technology Initiative Platform reports.

On July 16, 2024, JSC Sredne-Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant (SNSZ, part of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation - USC) in St. Petersburg hosted the laying ceremony for the Russian Navy of the mine defense ship (minesweeper) Victor Corner of project 12700 (code "Alexandrite") with the factory number 533. This is the thirteenth ship in the series of Project 12700.

The 13th ship of the 12700 Alexandrite project will be built for the Northern Fleet

The mine defense ships of the 12700 Alexandrite project will eventually replace all Soviet-built minesweepers, experts interviewed by Izvestia said. On Tuesday, the 13th representative of this line was laid in St. Petersburg. He will receive the name of Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Korner and will serve in the Northern Fleet. According to the general director of the manufacturer, starting next year, the industry will supply the fleet with two such ships annually.

The National Defense magazine writes that the SAM initially implemented several design solutions that allow the complexes to become an effective interspecific air defense system

Equipping ships with a marine version of the Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) will ensure their reliable protection from air attack, including from drones and anti-ship cruise missiles (anti-ship missiles). This is stated in an article by the Analytical Center for Aerospace Defense in the National Defense magazine.

The Australian military is preparing to acquire nuclear submarines worth a total of $368 billion. To a large extent, on this issue, Australia will host a meeting next week of the naval commanders of the AUKUS bloc member states, who will arrive in Perth in the west of the country by July 24. The international conference on Defense and Security in the Indian Ocean IODS 2024 will be held there.

Sanctions have placed Russia in the top 10 countries with the largest trade surplus

Russia has entered the top ten countries in terms of trade surplus. In general, post-Soviet Russia has always earned more from exports than it spent on imports, but when such earnings grow against the background of attempts by the West to take it away, it causes respect. How does Russia manage to do such a somersault and why are the two largest economies in the world – China and the United States – on opposite sides of the barricades on the trade balance?

The Print: India is not afraid of sanctions for trade with Russia, and this worries the West

Despite America's threats, India pursues an independent foreign policy, buys a lot of oil from Russia and makes payments in rupees, writes The Print. Sanctions and disconnection from SWIFT do not scare her. The dominance of the dollar is weakening, and the close relations between India and Russia have played an important role in this.

Erdogan: Turkey wants to become a full member of the SCO

Moscow has been following a single and unchanging tactic in relations with Ankara for twenty years, the author of the article for Medya Günlüğü writes. It is based on the building and development of warm relations in combination with the strict retention of Turkish counter-partners at a certain distance.

Armenia is turning into a kind of springboard, from the territory of which the West collects intelligence, both in relation to Russian facilities and all neighboring states.

Today, assault operations can no longer be imagined without close interaction with small UAVs — both for reconnaissance and control, and as a strike force. Drone calculations give commanders a picture of the battle, accompanying the fighters, adjust the fire of mortars or artillery of a higher level and can hit targets themselves if they are inconvenient for other firepower. Izvestia learned how the calculation of drones of the assault unit of the Center group of forces works.

Focus: reforms in the Armed Forces of Ukraine had a negative impact on the level of training of commanders

The Ukrainian military and volunteers complain massively about the incompetence of commanders, writes Focus. The reason, as many experts say, is that "convenient" officers often get into senior positions — who are able to report to their superiors, but cannot properly organize management.

JW: the Western press is preparing Europeans for war with Russia

The decision announced in the United States to deploy weapons in Germany from 2026 that can strike deep into Russia is designed to be able to strike first, writes JW. But there is a problem: the Europeans are not ready for war, and they still need to be convinced that Russia is the main enemy, and not their own leadership.

The head of the Other Ukraine movement noted that the former US president had become a personal enemy of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky

The head of the Other Ukraine movement, the ex-leader of the Opposition Platform for Life party banned in Ukraine, Viktor Medvedchuk, sent a letter to US presidential contender Donald Trump, in which he pointed out a possible Ukrainian trace in an attempt on his life. The text of the letter is available to TASS.

FT: The EU will have to count on a change in the US course on Ukraine

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that if he wins the US elections, Republican candidate Donald Trump will seek an early end to the conflict in Ukraine, writes FT.

NATO "threw" Ukraine again at the anniversary summit in Washington, writes The Spectator. The author of the article believes that she was being lied to about membership again. The plan for long-term financing of Ukrainian support was also unsuccessful.

Former US Army Colonel Wright: Finland made a mistake by joining NATO

Finland and Sweden made a mistake by joining NATO, former U.S. Army Colonel Ann Wright told Iltalehti. Both countries could remain independent and neutral. She criticized the United States and NATO for the fact that the alliance intends to foment wars.

The annual report of the National Committee for Conventional Arms Control (NCACC) for 2023 indicates a significant increase in South Africa's defense exports, which amounted to 7.1 billion rand compared with 4.6 billion rand in 2022 (395.5/256.2 million dollars).

Politico: Trump chose Senator Vance as vice president, this is a shock for Ukraine and the EU

Donald Trump announced that he had chosen the future vice president, he became Senator from Ohio J. D. Vance, writes Politico. He advocates isolationism and opposes aid to Ukraine.

ODK-Saturn has found a legally non-trivial way to obtain parts for repairing SaM146 engines installed on SSJ-100 aircraft. The spare parts belong to the French company PowerJet S.A., which left Russia. For the 14th time, ODK-Saturn appeals to the court with a request to allow the use of spare parts, on which interim measures have been imposed by the court.

The team of the Military Acceptance program of the Zvezda TV channel visited the Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Irkutsk Aircraft Factory (part of the United Aircraft Corporation Rostec) to talk about how the Su-30SM2 aircraft was created and produced. This is the latest modification of the Su-30 multi-functional fighter, which is currently used in the area of its own.