Vlad Litnarovych

Russia has quietly relaunched an upgraded Tarantul-class corvette after years of delays, converting a 1990s hull into a modern coastal strike ship armed with Kh-35 “Uran” anti-ship missiles. The vessel—now sailing as Strelok under Project 12418—represents a low-cost way for the Russian Navy to add missile punch to littoral patrol forces while the country’s new-build shipyards struggle to keep pace.

Ukrainian drones have struck at the heart of Russia’s energy sector, knocking nearly 40% of its oil refining capacity offline and forcing Moscow to confront its worst fuel crisis in decades.