Zelensky reiterated the need for more air defense systems, urging his country's allies, mainly the US, to expedite the delivery of critical Patriot missile systems. Meanwhile, Russia's gradual territorial advances continue, with Russian forces capturing eight villages across northeastern, eastern, and southern Ukraine in July. These events come as Ukrainian special forces continue ongoing operations against Russian assets in Syria, which are creating significant problems for the Putin regime's overseas forces. Now, reports emerge this week that Ukraine's Special Forces Kimmuk Group, which operates under the main intelligence directorate known as HUR, launched an attack on a Russian airbase in Syria on the 24th of July. The operation occurred just one day after a meeting between Russian President Putin and Syrian President Assad in Moscow. Video and photos exclusively obtained by the Kyiv Post revealed the devastating strikes on the airbase, which is a key Russian site in Syria located east of Aleppo, which destroyed a Russian mobile electronic warfare complex. Video footage also shows Ukrainian drones attacking objects at the airbase, which Kyiv says is used as a recruitment center for Syrian mercenaries, who were then, of course, incorporated into the Russian armed forces and deployed to Ukraine. According to HUR sources, these strikes are part of a broader campaign since the beginning of the year, insurgents supported by Ukrainian fighters have conducted numerous attacks on Russian military facilities in Syria. HUR chief Lieutenant General Karelov Budinov, has vowed to, quote, destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world. To that end, the Ukrainian military continues to carry out operations against pro-cremal and mercenaries operating in Syria, as well as Sudan and other parts of Africa. Okay, shifting focus to the situation in Myanmar, that's what formerly was known as Burma, a country you don't often hear much about in the press, where the ruling military junta is desperately clinging to power in the face of an intensifying armed rebellion. Now, the military regime extended a national state of emergency by six months on Wednesday as fighting escalated, pushing off the date for a promised national election into 2025. The junta blamed terrorist acts by its opponents for the extension, saying they need more time to put together population data for voter lists. Most however saw it as a brazen attempt to delay a national reckoning over their leadership and most would be right, particularly as the country faces a growing economic crisis, according to reports from Reuters and France's AFP. In a statement from the state-run media, the junta said the extension was, quote, necessary to restore peace and stability. Ah, yes, those military juntas always thinking about peace and stability. For some context, Myanmar's military ceased power in the early morning hours of February 1, 2021, imprisoning the democratically elected leaders and effectively ending more than a decade of democratic rule marked by economic and social reforms. The coup plunged the nation into chaos, as you might imagine, as the junta orchestrated a brutal crackdown any dissent. Now, it's estimated that more than 1,700 civilians, including children, have been killed by junta forces, nearly 10,000 have been swept up in arrests, and roughly 2.3 million displaced by the violence. Shortly after the coup, the junta instituted the, quote, state of emergency, which has now stayed in place for more than three years, despite promises of national elections. Seriously, we're going to get to those national elections. You all just hang on. While the Junta have maintained a delicate hold on power, the regime is facing increasing pressure after a series of embarrassing military defeats against anti-coup forces that have seen the Junta lose control of at least 35 towns. The rebellion is a mixture of ethnic minority armies and militias, who have reportedly formed a shadow government. They began their coordinated campaign against the Junta in earnest in October of last year. The latest extension of the state of emergency came just a week after the Junta further consolidated its power, transferring all responsibilities of Myanmar figurehead president to Junta chief Minhong Chiang, who led the initial coup. But the military leader is himself in the weakest position yet since the coup. There have been growing calls in recent months for him to step down, even among hardline pro-military leaders due to the gains made by the rebellion.