“The two monolithic parts of the Cold War, the USSR and NATO – though not without troubling collisions – were able to come to a common understanding of doctrine that is currently absent,” he said Wednesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the US. “Doctrine is opaque to Moscow and Beijing, let alone Pyongyang or Tehran.” He added that during the Cold War, the world benefited from a “series of negotiations and dialogues that improved our understanding of Soviet doctrine and capabilities, and vice versa.” “This gave us both a higher level of confidence that we would not miscalculate our course in nuclear war.” Watch the full video here. — Matt Clints
Ukraine’s counterattack in Kherson is “gathering momentum”.
A British intelligence briefing on Thursday spoke of “gathering momentum” in Ukraine’s efforts to retake the southern city of Kherson from Russian troops. The city, captured early in the Russian invasion and the most politically important area occupied by Moscow, is now “virtually cut off” from other occupied Russian territories, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said. “Theirs [Ukraine] “The forces have likely established a bridgehead south of the Ingulets River, which forms the northern border of Russian-held Kherson,” it said. On Wednesday, Ukraine confirmed it had attacked the Antonivsky Bridge, a key supply route for Russian forces in Kherson. — Matt Clints
Ukraine says Russian forces have seized its second-largest power plant
A monument pictured on the Nikopol embankment in front of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant used by Russian invaders as the place to bomb Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region, central Ukraine on July 20, 2022. Russian forces captured the second largest power plant of Ukraine and Moscow will redeploy large numbers of troops to three southern regions, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Zelensky said, according to NBC News. Dmytro Smolyenko Ukrinform | Getty Images A senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces have seized Ukraine’s second-largest power plant, according to NBC News. In an interview posted on YouTube, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych also said Moscow would redeploy large numbers of troops to three southern regions. Russian-backed forces previously said they had captured the factory. The UK Ministry of Defense said a private Russian military company “probably achieved a tactical advance into the Donbass around the Vuhlehirska power plant”, adding that some Ukrainian forces “may have withdrawn from the area”. Frontline developments are often difficult or impossible to confirm, as the situation in Ukraine can change quickly. — Natalie Tam
Blinken to speak with his Russian counterpart about the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about U.S. China policy during an event hosted by the Asia Society Policy Institute at George Washington University in Washington, DC, on May 26, 2022. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken said he would discuss with his Russian counterpart the US proposal to release WNBA star Brittney Griner and ex-Marine Paul Whelan. Blinken said he would discuss in his phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the first since Russia’s late February invasion of Ukraine, the immediate release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner who “have been wrongfully detained and must to be allowed to return home.” “When it comes to our efforts to secure the repatriation of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner, you understand that I cannot and will not go into any of the details of what we have proposed to the Russians over the course of so many weeks. ” he said. Blinken told reporters at the State Department that he would also discuss the UN-brokered plan to resume agricultural exports from Ukrainian ports. — Amanda Macias
Ports begin export operations of grain and other agricultural products, the Ukrainian Navy reports
A ship waits to be loaded at the port of Reni River on the Danube River, Odesa region, Ukraine, July 21, 2022. Sergiy Kharchenko Nurphoto | Getty Images
