Executive Summary: The concurrent deployment of the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers beyond the First Island Chain represents a significant strategic milestone, highlighting the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) improved capability to coordinate complex naval operations and signaling a shift towards more sophisticated Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) operations... MORE

Executive Summary: The head of the Duma’s defense committee has called for processing men to be drafted not two times a year as now but year-round, something he says would reduce tensions in the spring and fall campaigns by giving all involved time to operate... MORE

Executive Summary: Philippine officials declared the island of Basilan free of Abu Sayyaf on June 10. Basilan was formerly one of the group’s strongholds and represents another example of the group’s near-complete degradation. With the war on Islamist radical groups in Southeast Asia largely won,... MORE

Executive Summary: In a June raid against right-wing extremist group Movimento Armilar Lusitano (MAL), Portuguese police discovered a cache of weapons, including several 3D-printed firearms (3DPFs). This marks the first time 3DPFs have been found in Portugal. 3DPFs have proven to be popular among extremists,... MORE

Executive Summary: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become a prime target for Baloch separatists and jihadist groups, with attacks escalating since 2021 and culminating in high-profile incidents like the March 2025 Jaffar Express hijacking. These attacks reflect deeper regional and geopolitical tensions, as CPEC's... MORE

Executive Summary: The Syrian government's attempted offensive on Suwayda appears to have been aimed at taking advantage of skirmishes between Bedouin tribal militias and Druze factions to dismantle local autonomy under the pretense of halting intercommunal violence. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) views the... MORE

Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin tasked Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu with strengthening the military-political alliance between Russia and the North Korea, sparking rumors of his potential appointment as Russia’s ambassador to Pyongyang. The prospect of personnel changes in the Security... MORE

Executive Summary: The nationalist, ultraconservative Russian Community has grown in popularity in recent months, with reports that the paramilitary group is coordinating closely with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Security Service (FSB), and other state structures. The organization differs from similar formations in... MORE

Executive Summary: Beijing’s maritime strategy hinges on expanding what it calls the “blue economy,” which is increasingly integrated with broader strategic ambitions under the rubric of becoming a “strong sea power.” Central government policies and five-years plans call for deeper cross-regional integration to support the... MORE

Executive Summary: Romania’s new government, sworn in on June 23, appears committed to modernizing the Romanian Naval Forces, but its naval forces remain severely underfunded and outdated. Bucharest has made some questionable decisions in its effort to regain lost time and opportunities to develop and... MORE