Syrian air defense systems "responded to the Israeli missile aggression carried out from the town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights,” Syrian news agency Sana reported. Sana states, citing "army sources”, that anti-aircraft systems “responded to the shelling and shot down most enemy missiles and limited the material damage they could cause".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (an opposition to the Assad regime, based in London and with knowledgeable sources among the Syrian population) …

The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of an amendment to impose additional sanctions on participants of the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipelines. The session was broadcast on Monday, July 20, on the website of the lower house of the American Parliament.

The amendment is for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2021 (begins on October 1.). It was approved unanimously.

"Russia is trying to develop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to exert undue control on …

Russian air surveillance system has provided cover to the entire territory of Armenia from air strikes as part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), under which member states of this organization can turn to each other for help in the event of a threat.

According to the Telegram channel "Armenian Vendetta", the Russian radar "covered" the entire territory of Armenia and is tracking any activity in the airspace of this country.

Russia also provides operational data on air …

Jan Marsalek, the former management board member of the German payment operator Wirecard AG, which “lost” almost 2 billion euros, allegedly fled to Russia. He is now west of Moscow under the supervision of employees of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service of the General Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, also known as GRU, writes the German newspaper Handelsblatt, citing sources in business, judicial and diplomatic circles.

According to the newspaper, before his …

On Monday, July 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the annexed Crimea, where at Zaliv shipyard in Kerch announced the start of construction of helicopter carriers, TASS reports.

"Today, six new long-distance ships are being laid down at the three leading shipyards of Russia. Two universal amphibious ships will be built here, in Kerch. Two frigates are at Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg, and two nuclear submarines are in Severodvinsk at Sevmash Shipyard," Putin said.

The …

On Monday, July 20, the international naval exercises Sea Breeze 2020 started off the coast of Odesa in the Black Sea.

The commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Rear Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, said that in addition to Ukrainian forces, the maneuvers will involve sailors from the United States, Bulgaria, Georgia, Spain, Turkey, Norway and Romania.

He noted, however, that the length of the exercises had been reduced to one week due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to Neizhpapa, the main goal …

Russian divisions of anti-aircraft missile systems have increased their combat readiness during a snap inspection in southern Russia and in the annexed Crimea.

"More than ten divisions, armed with S-400, S-300 systems, Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile systems, from the divisions of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense advanced to the designated positions, deployed and entered combat duty in the new positional areas. The defense of the combined forces from enemy air strikes is provided by the Buk-M2 …

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, demanded that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky confirm his earlier apology.

"Why now, after the apology was accepted, to try to portray something, to wobble, to wag, to try to elevate oneself? Now you, having received the powers of the President of Ukraine, every time come up with new versions of the apology. You will have to  firmly decide  on your position and confirm your apologies. If not, you will have to answer to me," Kadyrov wrote on his …