Vlad Litnarovych

Despite public pledges to take tougher action against Russia’s covert oil shipping network, dozens of tankers sanctioned by the UK have transited the English Channel in recent weeks, raising questions about enforcement and political will.

Reports circulating in Ukrainian and regional monitoring channels claim that Russia has deployed 24 Iskander-M1 missile systems around Ukraine, theoretically capable of launching up to 96 long-range cruise missiles in a single salvo. While the figures sound alarming, defense analysts caution that the real threat—and its novelty—requires closer examination.