Meanwhile, in Russia ...

 ... the International Forum on Transportation and Logistics. The man himself addressed it (turn on captions). 

You all know what this is all about. This thing.

And, of course, this thing. 

Here is the issue, while blue and green lines are nothing more than wet dreams with zero technological capability attached to them, the red ones are actual routes and the cargo traffic increases steadily. 

Fishing vessels are the most common type of ship in the Arctic, representing 40% of all ships that entered the Arctic Polar Code area. The second most common ship type is general cargo ships. Between 2013 and 2025, the ship type that saw the greatest increase in the Arctic was crude oil tankers, which saw a 396% increase over the 12 years. The second greatest increase was bulk carriers with 156% more in 2025 than in 2013. Cruise ships have also increased significantly, with 123% more cruise ships in 2025 than in 2013.

Or, as Russians report in actual numbers (million tons):

But projected numbers (in green) will grow even more, now that everyone see what the US represents. Those Russian North Sea Fleet ships and subs guarding this artery feel really good, if you know what I mean. 

OK, This Is Not "Sudden".

So, whenever things of this nature are titled like this, one has to ask the question if they even know what are they talking about. 

A fast thaw in relations between the Kremlin and Azerbaijan occurred in March, enabling a strategic link connecting Russia and Iran to keep functioning, despite the ongoing US-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran. Some Western observers believe the route, known as the western branch of the North-South corridor, is being used by Russia to funnel weapons to Iran to keep the war in the Persian Gulf going. Russian-Azerbaijani relations had been tense since Russian air-defense forces accidentally shot down an Azerbaijani civilian airliner in late 2024 and subsequently refused to take responsibility for the tragedy. Until recently, the two countries had continued to trade diplomatic barbs. But the tone in bilateral relations suddenly changed following a March 2 meeting in Baku between Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuck and Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev, discussions that took place just days after the start of the US-Israeli aerial campaign in Iran. A statement issued by Aliyev’s office indicated that the meeting managed to settle the issue of the accidental shootdown. It also noted that both sides “reaffirmed their commitment to continuing efforts to advance the International North–South Transport Corridor.”

OK, let me explain: 

1. Look at the map:

Russia and Azerbaijan have a substantial land border and share Caspian Sea. To the South Iran and Azerbaijan share even longer border. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Turkiye share only a teeny-weeny land common segment through Azerbaijan's exclave Nakhchivan which is separated from mainland by ... Armenia. Hence the issue of Zangezur Corridor. 

2. Turkiye, for all her potential and development is still not in premier league. In the same time, Russia is a global superpower and she also has a very large Azerbaijani community which is one of the major pillars of ... Azerbaijan's economy. 

3. Now, the issue of Iran, which already emerged, despite the damage, as a LEADER of Ummah demonstrating courage, military sophistication and immense influence on global affairs by controlling Strait of Hormuz and parading the US and Israel as military paper tigers in head-to-head clash--this is serious. 

4. And then, both Azeris and Iranians are Shiites. That matters hugely. Erdogan talks a lot, Iran does and already achieved a strategic victory. 

That's the balance sheet for Ilham Aliev's consideration. Apart from many other items. So, whose side will Azerbaijan take? It is sandwiched between global superpower and regional superpower, both of who are de facto and de jure--allies. These allies also need land corridor to each-other and Azerbaijan is placed exactly in the middle of this corridor. Now, especially against the background of the latest events, Aliev must ask himself  a number of questions:

a) How safe are Aliev clan's assets in UK and other banks, especially with the West being bankrupt and facing economic (militarily it already happened) destruction?

b) Does Azerbaijan want to be associated with a critical Eurasian military-economic monster which is RIC (Russia-Iran-China) and profit from it--the rewards already now seem to be astronomical--or will it continue to look towards imploding West? 

c) In the end, SMO is a message to all Russia's limitrophes who decided to bet their houses on the West's promises. And how's that relations between Azerbaijan and Israel are going, with Israel and its pathetic military being beaten in the bloody pulp. Evidently somebody in Azeri military, who probably graduated from the campus of my former naval academy, which today serves as Geidar Aliev Military Institute, failed in real military analysis of Israel's REAL power.  

I would say, Aliev simply has no choice, especially considering an uneasy economic situation in Azerbaijan. Moreover--never forget "the street" be it Arab street, Azeri street et al--people on the street see what is going on and they take note. So ... it all comes naturally, if you know what I mean. 

This Is Extremely Significant.

And I mean extremely in the extreme. As Al Arabiya reports. 

And if this hasn't been enough, Russia's major VneshTorg Bank (VTB) opened its first branch in Iran. 

Russia’s second-largest bank, VTB, has opened a branch in Iran, the country’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) announced on Twitter on Tuesday. VTB is the first ever Russian bank to offer services in the Islamic Republic, according to TPO head Alireza Peyman-Pak. The majority state-owned bank will promote “trade transparency” and play a role in transferring part of its foreign exchange earnings to the banking network, Peyman-Pak added in his tweet. Last December, VTB launched a service allowing both individuals and businesses to transfer money to and from Iran. It was one of the first Russian banks to be excluded from the SWIFT global payments system over Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine.

Well, so many things in so little time. And don't get me started on weapons trade. And also (sadly in Russian only), the visit of Viktor Bondarev, the Head of Federation Council's Defense and Security Committee, to Konsomolsk-on-Amur. 

You do not even need to know Russian to see some things which paint partial picture. Truth is, till recently Komsomolsk-on-Amur was a pretty trashy place, now it is undergoing a revival since KNAAPO is in overdrive producing things ranging from SSJ-New to SU-35s and 57s, to now being revived once mighty shipbuilding plant, which begins transition from small missile ships of Karakurt-class and pr. 20385 Corvettes to, eventually, Gorshkov-class frigates for the Pacific Fleet. This, inevitably, will bring the revival of the city. 

The city definitely requires a serious facelift from its tumultuous Soviet and 1990s past, especially considering its immense industrial capacity. And the facelift was ongoing. Now it most likely will go into overdrive. 

North-South.

As most of you know, I am only marginally interested in the everyday "tactical" minutiae of SMO, because now it is mostly ruthless extermination of what's very little left of VSU and sorting out these co called Territorial Defense Troops of Ukraine which are nothing more than modern iteration of the Volkssturm and have no chance against LDNR forces, let alone regular Russian Army. But while this situation is ongoing, some other very important things happen elsewhere. No, I am not talking about Turkey removing veto for Finland and Sweden joining NATO--in a larger scheme of things it changes very little for Russia. But this, below, does:

Following agreements reached during the January official visit to Moscow by Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to further develop and deepen bilateral relations between Iran and Russia, the countries have decided to jointly revive the North-South Transport Corridor. This decision has become particularly relevant against the background of the unlawful sanctions policy pursued by the United States and its Western allies against Russia and Iran, and Tehran’s and Moscow’s desire to establish trade routes that are not linked to the West. In order to implement this decision, Iranian authorities are seeking to revive the recently stalled International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, which traverses Russian and Iranian territory and the two countries’ waters to connect with Asian export markets. As the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on June 11, in order to implement the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) has initiated the transit of cargo from Russia to India or to South Asia through the project, using just one consignment note for the entire transit route.

This is this corridor. 

Geopolitical ramifications are huge for the region, especially when both Iran and Azerbaijan, which will have new railway built connecting Russia and Iran, capable to handle large rail traffic of cargoes ranging from wheat to oil, to metals etc. As article notices:

The International North-South Transport Corridor emphasizes the Russian port of Astrakhan and the Iranian Chabahar as bases for further transport to Eurasia. The development of the latter, as well as the construction of a large petrochemical complex and an export terminal near the port of Jask, are projects being implemented by the Iranian government as part of the Mokran coastal development strategy. Nevsky Shipyard, which produces multipurpose dry-cargo ships of RSD49 (deadweight of 7150 tons, container capacity of 289 TEU) and 005RSD03 (container capacity of 225 TEU) projects, is also engaged in the work of the North-South transit corridor in building ships for the Caspian Sea.

This brings us to the part of Russia's shipbuilding industry which concentrates on construction of those River-Sea vessels, like these:

Nevsky Shipyard has the order for 10 of these, other shipyards also build those or similar to them transports. Caspian Sea may get even busier in terms of marine traffic in coming years. This is a very important piece of news. Together, of course, with EU now trying to "resolve" Kaliningrad "blockade" and promising to iron out details in a few days.

VILNIUS/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Trade through Lithuania to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad could return to normal within days, two sources familiar with the matter said, as European officials edge towards a compromise deal with the Baltic state to defuse a row with Moscow. Kaliningrad, which is bordered by European Union states and relies on railways and roads through Lithuania for most goods, has been cut off from some freight transport from mainland Russia since June 17 under sanctions imposed by Brussels. European officials are in talks about exempting the territory from sanctions, which have hit industrial goods such as steel so far, paving the way for a deal in early July if EU member Lithuania drops its reservations, said the people, who declined to be named because the discussions are private.

Of course, they are private. In the West everything now is private and secret because public is completely excluded from any "democratic" process and should know only one thing--how unified and powerful combined West is, because, obviously, the reality is exactly opposite. But who cares about reality in West's political "elite"? I doubt many can even grasp it. But they surely are very "cultured". 

Ben Wallace has said Vladimir Putin is a “lunatic” with “small man syndrome”, as he accused him of trying to change history through “violence and invasion”.

I believe Ben Wallace is a typical representative of British "elite"--barely educated and low-cultured, and I am on record on the "quality" of Sandhurst "products". They are good for barking, not very good for real fighting against real enemies. I guess Wallace senses this, being a defense secretary of a toy army of a toy country. Pink Floyd were wrong when singing about "hanging on a quiet desperation is the English way". Ben Wallace's desperation is that of a bellicose and verbose jester at the plastic throne.