The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces has announced that, due to the ongoing activity of Russian long-range aviation against Ukraine, NATO fighter and support aircraft have been scrambled while ground-based air defense systems and radar reconnaissance has been raised to a state of maximum readiness throughout Poland.

Dozens feared dead and seriously injured as a result of a Russian ballistic missile impact tonight on a multi-story apartment building in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Video footage shows the moment that a Russian ballistic or cruise missile struck a residential block containing several high-rise apartment building earlier tonight in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

During clashes yesterday between the Malian Army, supported by Russia’s Africa Corps, and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), the FLA managed to successful down a Russian Mi-24 “Hind” Helicopter Gunship during an ambush on a military convoy, resulting in the death of several dozen Malians and Russians.

Burning wreckage of an Mi-24 “Hind” Helicopter Gunship with Russia’s Africa Corps that was shot down by militants of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) yesterday in Northern Mali.

Major clashes are taking place in the Northern Mali town of Anefis, as elements of the Malian Army and Russia’s Africa Corps attempt to defend against wave after wave of fighters with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Russian and Malian positions are totally surrounded, with reinforcements, including helicopter gunship support, having between destroyed or turned back by attacks from the FLA.

According to the Associated Press, two Tennessee National Guard soldiers assigned to the Trump administration's Memphis Safe Task Force fatally shot an armed man during a foot pursuit early Sunday morning.

Authorities say the soldiers, who were assisting Memphis Police in responding to reports of gunfire, opened fire after the suspect allegedly turned toward them with a firearm. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts by two National Guard medical specialists. No law enforcement personnel were injured.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation. The incident marks the first fatal shooting involving National Guard personnel deployed under the administration's crime-reduction mission in Memphis, where the federal deployment has faced legal and political opposition since it began last year.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/memphis-tennessee-national-guard-shooting-0ee15a07db84a17d709a1f0345858465

According to a release from the UK Ministry of Defense, on July 2, a Russian Tu-142 “Bear” anti-submarine warfare and patrol aircraft flew excessively close to the HMS Prince of Wales (R09) as it participated in a NATO exercise in the Norwegian Sea. Per reports, the aircraft deployed disposable sonar monitoring buoys near the Prince of Wales. The carrier scrambled its F-35Bs to intercept and escort the Russian aircraft away.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has released its latest Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) advisory announcing an expanded southern transit corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.

While use of the corridor and coordination with authorities remain voluntary, vessels are advised the route is open 24 hours a day. The bulletin also encourages ships to keep AIS active, maintain radar and navigation lights, and continuously monitor VHF radio while transiting.

A review of commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours, visible via http://MarineTraffic.com
, shows the vast majority of vessels continue to transit via the Iranian (northern) traffic separation scheme, with only a small number opting for the U.S.-supported southern corridor through Omani waters.

AIS use is not mandatory, so the number of vessels that transited is likely higher.

Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced Monday that several thousand U.S. Soldiers will arrive in Poland within the coming weeks, as the United States has committed to resuming its rotation of combat forces on NATO’s Eastern Front. This announcement comes amid reports that Russia is preparing to carry out “armed provocations” against Poland and other countries in Eastern Europe, in an effort to test NATO’s resolve on the defense of its allies and support for Ukraine.

Despite the separate Chinese NOTAMs being issued for today’s SLBM test that landed in the Pacific’s nuclear-weapon-free zone, Taiwanese Secretary General of the National Security Council Joseph Wu said that the trajectory of the test launched passed just north of the Philippines’ Luzon Island, calling the move a “provocation.” In addition to the statement, Japan’s Kyodo News has said that the missile did not fly over Japan’s exclusive economic zone or its airspace, which lends some credence to Secretary Wu’s claims that the launch originated in the South China Sea, passing Luzon, and not the Bohai Sea. This post will be updated should additional information come out.

Per reporting from @KyivIndependent, Ukraine has effectively exhausted its supply of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, leaving Kyiv with little ability to defend against Russia's ballistic missile attacks.

During Russia's latest large-scale strike, Ukrainian officials say 23 ballistic missiles and six 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missiles reached their targets, while air defenses were still able to intercept 37 cruise missiles and 326 drones. Ukrainian officials attribute the disparity to a shortage of PAC-3 interceptors, which remain one of the few systems capable of defeating ballistic missiles.

The shortage comes as global demand for Patriot interceptors has surged, with U.S. inventories strained by commitments in the Middle East and elsewhere. As a result, Russia appears to be placing increasing emphasis on ballistic missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

Power outages are being reported across the Belgorod Oblast of Western Russia this evening, as several explosions have occurred and large fires burn at the Belgorod Thermal Power Station, following multiple missile strikes from Ukrainian M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

Videos posted online by residents show fires burning at the Belgorod Thermal Power Station, following strikes tonight against energy infrastructure in the Belgorod Oblast of Western Russia by Ukraine.

In addition to the Belgorod Thermal Power Station, Ukrainian missile strikes tonight also targeted Belgorod International Airport, setting several fuel tanks at the airport ablaze, tanks which are used for attack and transport helicopters operated by the Russian Armed Forces.

Today, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the preferred bidder for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project will be Germany’s TKMS over South Korea’s Hanwa Ocean. In a procurement effort expected to cost up to $100 billion in its totality, Canada’s biggest such effort, Canada will procure up to 12 Type 212CD diesel-powered submarines in a joint effort with Norway. Additionally, Prime Minister Carney said that TKMS had agreed to shift existing production slots for Norwegian and German orders to prioritize Canada to ensure that they can field 4 of the new submarines by 2034.

An Mi-17 “Hip” Attack/Transport Helicopter operated by Russia’s Africa Corps flies at low-altitude over the desert of Northern Mali, near the besieged Russian and Malian military barracks in Anefis, which has been under constant air and ground assault over the last several days by elements of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Yesterday, militants of the FLA successfully downed a Russian Mi-24 Hind that was attempting to support besieged forces in Anefis.

Independent journalist Desiree Townsend is reporting that 84-year-old Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who was mysteriously hospitalized last month after suffering an apparent episode of “cardiac arrest” and has not been publicly seen since at least June 14, is on life support and “brain dead,” though nothing has been officially confirmed by the family or office of the Kentucky Senator.