Categories Articles and Tweets Tweets - Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) / Twitter Our response to Mecca pact should combine deterrence, innovation and deepening Gulf ties Post author By wawiimuy Post date August 12, 2026 Listen to this article While headlines inevitably invoke the collective defence framework, calling the Mecca Agreement an ‘Islamic NATO’ at this stage is premature ← RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: NEW: Ukrainian intelligence says Russia has stockpiled around 6,200 Geran drones for mass strikes, potentially launching 600–1,000 drones in a single attack. Production of Geran-4/5 alone is estimated at ~3,000 per month. → Russia – Ukraine war: the latest – 6: 46 AM Today Russia’s integration of North Korean ballistic missiles in a deadly strike on Zaporizhzhia and Ukraine’s retaliatory deep-strike drone operations against Russian oil refineries mark the latest major escalations in the conflict. [1, 2] Deepening Foreign Involvement North Korean Missiles: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Russia used North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles in an overnight strike on Zaporizhzhia. The attack killed seven civilian workers at a steel plant. [1, 2] Troop Deployments: Ukrainian intelligence warns that up to 50,000 North Korean troops could be deployed to Russia. A North Korean missile unit has already moved to