Russia Claims Victory in Pokrovsk, Putin Linked to 2018 Nerve Agent Attack

Battle for Pokrovsk and Eastern Front

• 🇷🇺 Russian forces are assessed to now control Pokrovsk in the Donbas, with potential to overwhelm Marinka soon, though Ukraine's general staff state a difficult defense continues.
• ⚠️ Ukrainian units are holding the northern part of Pokrovsk, but logistics are becoming tricky, and commanders prioritize troop preservation over overwhelming numbers.
• 📈 Reports indicate Russia is committing significant forces to the southwest in the July and Dnipro Petrosp Zaparisia area, potentially less mature defenses than in the Donbas.
• 💥 Ukraine's general staff report downing 114 out of 138 Russian drones, but others, along with ballistic missiles, hit cities like Kherson, damaging infrastructure and causing casualties.

Diplomatic and Political Developments

• 🇺🇸 US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticized European NATO allies for prioritizing their own defense industries over American suppliers.
• 💰 The EU is considering using frozen Russian assets for a reparations loan, a move Russia views as a casus belli.
• 🇮🇳 Russian President Putin is visiting India, signaling continued partnership despite US pressure, and abstaining on a UN resolution demanding the return of forcibly abducted Ukrainian children.
• 🇺🇦 Ukraine's President Zelenskyy met with national security advisors from several European countries to update them on the war's progress.

The Dawn Sturgess Nerve Agent Attack

• ☠️ A public inquiry report directly links Vladimir Putin to the 2018 nerve agent attack in Salisbury, stating he is morally responsible for the death of Dawn Sturgess.
• 🧪 The report details the use of Novichok, a highly toxic nerve agent, and highlights the recklessness of deploying it in a busy city center, which could have killed thousands.
• 🕵️ The inquiry questioned whether Britain could have done more for the double agent Sergey Skripal, who resettled under his own name and had limited security measures.
• ⚖️ The attack is described as a public demonstration of Russian power and a crime against humanity, underscoring Russia's disregard for collateral damage and civilian casualties.

Global Order and Future Conflicts

• 🌍 Alexander Stubb's essay, "The West's Last Chance," argues the post-Cold War era is over, and the world is entering a new era of disorder with rising great power competition.
• ⚖️ Stubb advocates for a rebalancing of power within international bodies like the UN, suggesting no single state should have veto power.
• 💡 He calls for "values-based realism," balancing principles with the realities of states' power and interests, and warns that the next 5-10 years will determine the world order for decades.
• ⚔️ The war in Ukraine is seen as a pivotal moment, akin to 1918, 1945, or 1989, potentially leading to greater conflict if cooperation is eschewed for competition.