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Posted
20 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Just found out a real good friend got wounded today with his team. They were evacuating some wounded when they also got hit. Fuck Putin. 

Two Medics severe injured. Another in ICU. 

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Posted
On 7/12/2025 at 10:40 AM, KYHorn said:

Good sign

Antonov Cargo Plane Spotted Flying Over Kyiv 1st Time Since 2022. The Antonov cargo plane reportedly landed in Germany’s Leipzig, where the company’s operations hub now resides after Moscow’s 2022 invasion – which also closed off the country’s airspace.

 https://www.kyivpost.com/post/56178 

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An Antonov An-124 “Ruslan” cargo plane was seen flying over Kyiv on Friday – marking one of the first civilian jets seen flying over the Ukrainian airspace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. 

At present, only military and governmental flights – including police helicopters – are permitted, with heavy restrictions. 

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In videos shared by locals in Kyiv, some could be seen surprised by the spectacle, with one questioning, “Is that an airplane?”

AeroTime, which reported the flight, said the plane is registered UR‑82073 and operated under flight number ADB9154. It said the plane eventually landed in Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport, to which the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer and operator Antonov relocated its operations hub. 

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Russian forces destroyed Antonov’s Hostomel airport – as well as the world’s largest plane, the Antonov An-225 Mriya – in the initial days of the 2022 invasion outside Kyiv. 

Dmytro Antonov, Mriya’s commander, told Kyiv Post in March 2024 that Antonov’s management could have flown the plane to other airports for safety before the invasion but chose not to do so, alleging that they “really wanted to help those who wanted to take Kyiv in three days.”

AeroTime said the An-124 seen on Friday likely escaped the fate of the Mriya as it was stationed at the Sviatoshyn Airfield, home to the Antonov Serial Production Plant, for maintenance at the time of the Hostomel attack. 

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It might now join Antonov’s fleet in Leipzig to carry out logistics and strategic airlift missions, the publication said. 

Antonov has not issued a public statement on the flight. 

Julian Röpcke, senior editor at BILD, called the flight “a strong sign of resistance to Putin’s fantasies of annihilating Ukraine.”

“Today, the first civilian aircraft in 40 months was filmed over Kyiv. It is a Ukrainian Antonov An-124 transport aircraft,” Röpcke added in his X update. 

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Battle of Hostomel

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian airborne troops attempted to capture the Hostomel airport located in the suburbs of Kyiv, which led to weeks of fierce fighting.

Over the next month, control of the airport exchanged hands between Ukrainian and Russian troops multiple times, where the latter destroyed the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the biggest cargo plane in the world and the only of its kind, whose name means “dream” in Ukrainian.

The failure of Moscow’s troops to secure the airfield as a bridgehead to bring in reinforcements ultimately led to the failure of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s plan to seize the capital and to decapitate Ukraine’s government.

The An-225 Mriya made its maiden flight on Dec. 21, 1988, and held several records – including the heaviest aircraft ever built and the largest wingspan of any working aircraft. Typically, it was used to carry very large things, including diesel locomotives, wind turbines, and spacecraft.

In April 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mriya delivered 103 tons of medical supplies from China to help Ukraine fight the virus.

 

 

Too bad it wasn't a Cock.

Posted

Musk ordered shutdown of Starlink satellite service as Ukraine retook territory from Russia

A previously unreported order by Elon Musk to cut satellite communications over a portion of Ukraine disrupted a counteroffensive by Kyiv in the autumn of 2022. Reuters investigated the billionaire's order and its implications for countries increasingly reliant on his Starlink internet service.

By Joey Roulette, Cassell Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth

Screenshot_20250725_081315_Reuters.thumb.jpg.dd1b5189c50277588a8b7982064de422.jpg

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Posted
8 hours ago, pops said:

So, can any of you smarter than I am regarding this stuff explain zelenskys thinking here?  Because to me, it's not great, Bob. 

The argument from Zelensky has been that Russian moles/operatives have gotten into these independent oversight groups.

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Posted

US, China argue over Ukraine at United Nations, Reuters reports

https://kyivindependent.com/us-china-argue-over-ukraine-at-united-nations/

Spoiler

The United States on July 25 urged China to stop enabling Russia's war in Ukraine during a United Nations Security Council meeting, prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which accused Washington of shifting blame and creating confrontation.

"If China is sincere in calling for peace, it should stop fueling Russia's aggression," acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said at the U.N. Security Council meeting

According to Reuters, the acting U.S. ambassador called on all countries — explicitly naming China — to halt exports of dual-use goods to Russia, which are sustaining Moscow's weapons production and fueling its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.

"Beijing's claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual-use goods falls apart in the face of daily recovery of Chinese-produced components in the drones, weapons, and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine," Shea said.

China's deputy U.N. Ambassador Geng Shuang rejected the accusations, insisting Beijing is not a party to the war and has "strictly controlled dual-use materials, including the export of drones."

"We urge the U.S. to stop shifting blame on the Ukraine issue or creating confrontation," Geng said, "and instead play a more constructive role in promoting a ceasefire and peace talks."

The exchange followed recent reports that Chinese drone engines are being covertly funneled to Russia, circumventing Western sanctions.

Despite its claims to the contrary, China remains one of Russia's closest wartime economic partners. It is Moscow's top crude oil buyer and a major supplier of dual-use goods used in Russia's defense sector.

Earlier this month, the South China Morning Post reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that China "cannot afford" for Russia to lose the war in Ukraine, citing unnamed sources familiar with the exchange.

Ukraine has raised alarms over Beijing's alignment with Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly warned of China's role in prolonging the war and accused it of siding with the Kremlin.

Further highlighting the close ties between Russia and China, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China in September for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping

 

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Posted

China is generally pretty deft at international messaging but this falls flat. "Shift the blame" makes no sense. The blame is squarely on Russia, with an immediate supporting cast of NK, Iran and increasingly China. That hasn't changed.

America has made overtures at establishing peace, if ham-handedly. But there is no point in that while Russia has no intention of stopping it's genocide. This is only going to end one of two ways. 

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Posted (edited)
24 minutes ago, Walser said:

China is generally pretty deft at international messaging but this falls flat. "Shift the blame" makes no sense. The blame is squarely on Russia, with an immediate supporting cast of NK, Iran and increasingly China. That hasn't changed.

America has made overtures at establishing peace, if ham-handedly. But there is no point in that while Russia has no intention of stopping it's genocide. This is only going to end one of two ways. 

Fully agree that both sides in the article from @KYHorn come off sounding really dumb. Everyone knows China is supporting Russia and anyone with any intelligence and an ounce of honesty knows Russia/Putin isn't backing down. At this point, Putin's career and frankly life rest on the Ukraine outcome. Putin pushed all his chips in a while back. I know I keep repeating myself but this end only one of 3 ways. Putin is allowed to take full control of Ukraine and likely slaughter a substantial portion of the country (I think this is near zero chance of occurring if not full zero), Putin is overthrown by a Russian Military and Oligarchs coup, Putin is assassinated by the same Russian Military/Oligarchs group. These second 2 are, imo, very much the highest chance and I'd put it at 99% chance or better.

One could argue that global thermal nuclear war is a 4th option but I think internal forces within Russia go with one of the options above long before it gets to that point. Like option 1 above, it's not zero, but I think it is extremely close to zero.

bekphnqftcb41.thumb.jpg.0edcca96ff4e331a00900b73bff6a5df.jpg

Edited by BurntEyes
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Posted

AI Drones from Ex-Google CEO Help Ukraine Down Russian Shaheds

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/57014

Spoiler

AI-powered interceptor drones built by a tech company founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt are playing a major role in helping Ukraine shoot down Russian Shahed drones, according to a report by Ekonomichna Pravda.

Ukrainian military sources told the outlet that Schmidt’s company, Swift Beat, has provided three types of drones to Ukraine’s defense forces. Though the names of the models were withheld for security reasons, officials said the systems are responsible for downing roughly 90% of Russian Shaheds intercepted by drones.

The drones are said to be equipped with advanced AI targeting technology and a secure communication system that has so far proven resistant to Russian electronic warfare.

“These drones are extremely accurate in identifying Russian drones in the night sky,” one anonymous source told Ekonomichna Pravda.

Close ties to Ukraine
Schmidt, who helped turn Google into one of the world’s most powerful tech companies, has become an influential figure in both Ukraine’s political and military leadership, the report says.

Earlier in July, he was seen meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky and then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, as Swift Beat signed a long-term strategic partnership with Ukraine.

A Ukrainian defense source said Schmidt “understands well what is happening” on the battlefield and believes that AI, drones, and autonomous systems will shape the future of warfare.

While many in Ukraine’s defense community praise Schmidt’s contribution, others are more cautious. Some critics believe the billionaire is using Ukraine’s war as a testing ground for Swift Beat’s technology, hoping to cash in on future sales.

“He says he’s not making money on this, but we know he wants his drones battle-tested,” one industry insider reportedly told the outlet.

Some also fear that Swift Beat’s growing influence could push out local Ukrainian developers.

Still, there’s little doubt that Schmidt’s drones have become one of Ukraine’s most effective tools in the fight against Russia’s increasingly drone-heavy assault tactics. With the skies over Ukraine now a key battleground, the role of AI and autonomous systems is only expected to grow

 

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Posted
12 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

AI Drones from Ex-Google CEO Help Ukraine Down Russian Shaheds

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/57014

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AI-powered interceptor drones built by a tech company founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt are playing a major role in helping Ukraine shoot down Russian Shahed drones, according to a report by Ekonomichna Pravda.

Ukrainian military sources told the outlet that Schmidt’s company, Swift Beat, has provided three types of drones to Ukraine’s defense forces. Though the names of the models were withheld for security reasons, officials said the systems are responsible for downing roughly 90% of Russian Shaheds intercepted by drones.

The drones are said to be equipped with advanced AI targeting technology and a secure communication system that has so far proven resistant to Russian electronic warfare.

“These drones are extremely accurate in identifying Russian drones in the night sky,” one anonymous source told Ekonomichna Pravda.

Close ties to Ukraine
Schmidt, who helped turn Google into one of the world’s most powerful tech companies, has become an influential figure in both Ukraine’s political and military leadership, the report says.

Earlier in July, he was seen meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky and then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, as Swift Beat signed a long-term strategic partnership with Ukraine.

A Ukrainian defense source said Schmidt “understands well what is happening” on the battlefield and believes that AI, drones, and autonomous systems will shape the future of warfare.

While many in Ukraine’s defense community praise Schmidt’s contribution, others are more cautious. Some critics believe the billionaire is using Ukraine’s war as a testing ground for Swift Beat’s technology, hoping to cash in on future sales.

“He says he’s not making money on this, but we know he wants his drones battle-tested,” one industry insider reportedly told the outlet.

Some also fear that Swift Beat’s growing influence could push out local Ukrainian developers.

Still, there’s little doubt that Schmidt’s drones have become one of Ukraine’s most effective tools in the fight against Russia’s increasingly drone-heavy assault tactics. With the skies over Ukraine now a key battleground, the role of AI and autonomous systems is only expected to grow

 

I can appreciate anything that helps Ukraine or any country for that matter fend off  tyrants. However, I, like many others I'm sure, don't care for US Tech Oligarchs further embedding themselves in war and using it to further their own combat technology. We already have our own fair share of those massive corporations.

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Posted
1 hour ago, KYHorn said:

US, China argue over Ukraine at United Nations, Reuters reports

https://kyivindependent.com/us-china-argue-over-ukraine-at-united-nations/

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The United States on July 25 urged China to stop enabling Russia's war in Ukraine during a United Nations Security Council meeting, prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which accused Washington of shifting blame and creating confrontation.

"If China is sincere in calling for peace, it should stop fueling Russia's aggression," acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said at the U.N. Security Council meeting

According to Reuters, the acting U.S. ambassador called on all countries — explicitly naming China — to halt exports of dual-use goods to Russia, which are sustaining Moscow's weapons production and fueling its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.

"Beijing's claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual-use goods falls apart in the face of daily recovery of Chinese-produced components in the drones, weapons, and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine," Shea said.

China's deputy U.N. Ambassador Geng Shuang rejected the accusations, insisting Beijing is not a party to the war and has "strictly controlled dual-use materials, including the export of drones."

"We urge the U.S. to stop shifting blame on the Ukraine issue or creating confrontation," Geng said, "and instead play a more constructive role in promoting a ceasefire and peace talks."

The exchange followed recent reports that Chinese drone engines are being covertly funneled to Russia, circumventing Western sanctions.

Despite its claims to the contrary, China remains one of Russia's closest wartime economic partners. It is Moscow's top crude oil buyer and a major supplier of dual-use goods used in Russia's defense sector.

Earlier this month, the South China Morning Post reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that China "cannot afford" for Russia to lose the war in Ukraine, citing unnamed sources familiar with the exchange.

Ukraine has raised alarms over Beijing's alignment with Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly warned of China's role in prolonging the war and accused it of siding with the Kremlin.

Further highlighting the close ties between Russia and China, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China in September for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping

 

 

Good.  Call out their bullshit.

 

40 minutes ago, BurntEyes said:

Fully agree that both sides in the article from @KYHorn come off sounding really dumb. Everyone knows China is supporting Russia and anyone with any intelligence and an ounce of honesty knows Russia/Putin isn't backing down. At this point, Putin's career and frankly life rest on the Ukraine outcome. Putin pushed all his chips in a while back. I know I keep repeating myself but this end only one of 3 ways. Putin is allowed to take full control of Ukraine and likely slaughter a substantial portion of the country (I think this is near zero chance of occurring if not full zero), Putin is overthrown by a Russian Military and Oligarchs coup, Putin is assassinated by the same Russian Military/Oligarchs group. These second 2 are, imo, very much the highest chance and I'd put it at 99% chance or better.

One could argue that global thermal nuclear war is a 4th option but I think internal forces within Russia go with one of the options above long before it gets to that point. Like option 1 above, it's not zero, but I think it is extremely close to zero.

 

 

There's a pop history narrative that Hitler's "leadership" hampered Germany's WW2 efforts and if he had an "accident" and more competent leadership took over, they woulda done better.  Think invasion of Russia, Stalingrad, Normandy, etc.  

One could reasonably extend that view to Russia today.  The generals take over and aim their resources at destroying Ukrainian military assets instead of, you know, children, and the war goes better for them.  If that is accurate, your #1 becomes more likely.  And the only way Ukraine wins is if they destroy Russia's ability to project power beyond the borders of their own shithole country.

 

13 minutes ago, BurntEyes said:

I can appreciate anything that helps Ukraine or any country for that matter fend off  tyrants. However, I, like many others I'm sure, don't care for US Tech Oligarchs further embedding themselves in war and using it to further their own combat technology. We already have our own fair share of those massive corporations.

I believe there's a a treaty of some kind, for sure American military policy, that every trigger needs to be pulled by an actual person.  The drone, CIA, Palantir incel tech bro, can ID the target, but needs to pass it over to a military member to do the kill.  REAL easy to see how easy it will be to just skip that part.  Then we'll finally get a proper Terminator reboot.

Posted (edited)
59 minutes ago, Parliament said:

 

Good.  Call out their bullshit.

 

 

There's a pop history narrative that Hitler's "leadership" hampered Germany's WW2 efforts and if he had an "accident" and more competent leadership took over, they woulda done better.  Think invasion of Russia, Stalingrad, Normandy, etc.  

One could reasonably extend that view to Russia today.  The generals take over and aim their resources at destroying Ukrainian military assets instead of, you know, children, and the war goes better for them.  If that is accurate, your #1 becomes more likely.  And the only way Ukraine wins is if they destroy Russia's ability to project power beyond the borders of their own shithole country.

 

I believe there's a a treaty of some kind, for sure American military policy, that every trigger needs to be pulled by an actual person.  The drone, CIA, Palantir incel tech bro, can ID the target, but needs to pass it over to a military member to do the kill.  REAL easy to see how easy it will be to just skip that part.  Then we'll finally get a proper Terminator reboot.

On your first point, the main part reason the the Military and Oligarchs would take over was because of the war with Ukraine. NOT because they support it and want to alter strategy, rather because they are against the massive drain on both the standing Russian Military and Russian Economy. Further, a coup/assassination in Russia followed by increased attacks in Ukraine increases the global thermo Nuclear option. Both of those are terrible for the Russian Oligarchs and Military leadership. So, no, I think a coup/assassination greatly reduces option 1 and 4 in my post above. 

As for US Tech Bro Oligarchs, it's less the actual tech itself that concerns me more the consolidation of power by having control and ownership of that tech in ADDITION to the tech control they already possess. I'm not in the camp of concern over Terminator power, while acknowledging the risk. Instead, I'm far more concerned about Terminator LIKE technology and power controlled by a small group of human Oligarchs, US or otherwise. I'm far more concerned about the situation prior to robots taking control. Hell, I might be pulling for the robots at that point.

Edited by BurntEyes
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Posted
9 hours ago, BurntEyes said:

As for US Tech Bro Oligarchs, it's less the actual tech itself that concerns me more the consolidation of power by having control and ownership of that tech in ADDITION to the tech control they already possess. I'm not in the camp of concern over Terminator power, while acknowledging the risk. Instead, I'm far more concerned about Terminator LIKE technology and power controlled by a small group of human Oligarchs, US or otherwise. I'm far more concerned about the situation prior to robots taking control. Hell, I might be pulling for the robots at that point.

The subplot there is the tech bro oligarch hitching their wagon to crypto without realizing they're aligning their economic incentives with putin

Posted
22 minutes ago, Captainant said:

The subplot there is the tech bro oligarch hitching their wagon to crypto without realizing they're aligning their economic incentives with putin

Real technology oligarchs have fuck all to do with Cypto aside from maybe quietly profiting off snipes or rug pulls.

Maybe Johnny come lately wanna be tech bros. 

No clue what tie you're trying to create between them and Putin. Russia specializes in Ransomwear, not that they don't dabble in Crypto too, but North Korea and China are kings with US not far behind. I think Ukraine actually surpasses Russia in Crypto fraud or they did at one point.

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Posted (edited)

God dammit you guys.  Nothing related to drones, AI, autonomous should be named with something that starts with "Sky." 

Quote

The Skynode S is a compact onboard computer with passive cooling, designed to turn manually operated drones into fully autonomous platforms.

Equipped with a camera and radio module, it enables drones to detect, track, and follow moving targets at distances of up to one kilometer—even in contested electromagnetic environments.

 

Edited by Parliament
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Posted

I wondered if there were some Ukraine-related concessions involved with the new EU trade deal. Maybe this is one or maybe he was just talked into it.

 

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Posted

NATO aircraft scrambled during major Russian drone, missile strike on Ukraine

A drone also crossed into Lithuania from Belarus, an official told ABC News.

ByDavid Brennan

July 28, 2025, 6:23 AM

1:04

Trump says he will reduce 50-day timeline for Russia's Putin to make peace dealPresident Donald Trump expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he would reduce the 50-day timeline he gave Russia to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine.

LONDON -- Polish and allied NATO aircraft were scrambled in response to a large Russian drone and missile attack launched into Ukraine on Sunday night, the Polish military's Operational Command said in a statement.

"Polish and allied duty aircraft have been scrambled and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness," the command said in a statement posted to X in the early hours of Monday morning, as hundreds of drones and missiles targeted sites across Ukraine.

The alert lasted for around three hours, after which the command posted another statement saying that "deployed forces and resources have returned to standard operational activities."

NATO's Air Command and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters stationed in Poland took part in the response, the Polish Operational Command said.

An official at Lithuania's Defense Ministry confirmed to ABC News that a drone also crossed into Lithuania from Belarusian airspace. Russian forces regularly route drones through Belarusian airspace to attack Ukrainian targets from the north. A search for the drone was still underway as of Monday morning, the official said.

 

Russia launched 324 drones and seven missiles into Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said in a statement published on Telegram.

Of those, 309 drones and two missiles were shot down or suppressed, it said, with 15 strike drones and two missiles impacting across three locations.

During his visit to the U.K. on Monday, President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the continued long-range attacks. The president said he would shorten the 50-day window offered to Putin earlier this month in which to agree to a ceasefire deal or face punishing sanctions and tariffs.

"I'm disappointed in President Putin, very disappointed in him," Trump told reporters. "So we're going to have to look and I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to lesser number, because I think I already know the answer what's going to happen."

At least eight people were injured in Kyiv after a Russian drone hit a residential highrise, the head of the city's military administration said in a post to Telegram.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, wrote on Telegram that the most recent barrage was evidence of Putin's lack of commitment to a proposed ceasefire.

 

"This is how Putin responds to calls to end the war and sit at the negotiating table," he wrote. "Russian air attacks are still ongoing, with civilian infrastructure, homes and people, including in Kyiv, already affected."

"There is no alternative to sanctions, strengthening Ukraine's long-range capabilities and tough actions against Putin's circle and Putin himself," Yermak wrote. "He wants nothing but war and Ukraine's defeat. And there will be no defeat."

Referring to the scrambling of NATO aircraft and the drone crossing into Lithuania, Yermak added, "The Russians and their satellites are testing NATO's reaction. Drones entering the airspace of the Baltic countries are signals that cannot be ignored."

Zelenskyy also posted to Telegram noting that Kyiv is "constantly strengthening the Ukrainian air shield and it is very important to maintain full understanding among partners about how exactly they can help. Step by step, we are closing the funding gap for drone production and this week I will have new talks with partners regarding this task."

 

"Restoration and rescue work is currently underway everywhere it is needed," the president added of the overnight drone and missile impacts. "This particularly concerns electricity supply. Necessary assistance is being provided to the wounded."

Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down seven Ukrainian drones overnight.

ABC News' Hannah Demissie, Michelle Stoddart, Lalee Ibssa and Fidel Pavlenko contributed to this report.

Posted
1 hour ago, KYHorn said:

I wondered if there were some Ukraine-related concessions involved with the new EU trade deal. Maybe this is one or maybe he was just talked into it.

 

It's now 10-12 days.

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Posted
55 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

It's now 10-12 days.

Trump sets deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia on war with Ukraine -

Reuters Link

Spoiler

TURNBERRY - U.S. President Donald Trump set a new deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine or face consequences, underscoring frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 3-1/2-year-old conflict.

Trump has threatened both sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made.

Speaking in Scotland, where he is holding meetings with European leaders and playing golf, Trump said he was disappointed in Putin and shortening a 50-day deadline he had set on the issue earlier this month.

"I'm going to make a new deadline of about ... 10 or 12 days from today," Trump told reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "There's no reason in waiting... We just don't see any progress being made."

There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.

...

On Monday Trump indicated he was not interested in more talks with Putin. He said sanctions and tariffs would be used as penalties for Moscow if it did not meet Trump's demands.

"There's no reason to wait. If you know what the answer is going to be, why wait? And it would be sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs," Trump said. "I don't want to do that to Russia. I love the Russian people."

...

Before returning to the White House in January, Trump had promised to end the conflict within 24 hours.

"We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever," Trump said. "And I say that's not the way to do it."

 

Posted

2ph0wz.gif

 

There's some pretty good not-so-subtle snark in this.

image.png.4dca2683ee75d14716df7efe3b510467.png
https://www.thetimes.com/article/a16fff4b-ca9c-45c4-b85d-3168750dff7b?shareToken=aca77cceb9221c90f4b028c72286e055

Russian fans of heavy metal and goth music could face prison after the Kremlin’s top court outlawed the “international satanism movement” as an extremist and terrorist group — even though no such organisation exists.

The Russian Supreme Court’s ruling came after appeals from the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, MPs and other officials. It means that anyone who is alleged to be a member of the non-existent movement could face up to eight years in prison. Critics said the ruling would increase the climate of fear that has gripped Russia since President Putin ordered tanks into Ukraine in 2022.

In April, Andrei Kartapolov, a senior MP who heads the Russian parliament’s defence committee, told officials that satanism was a “direct threat to Russian statehood”. He also alleged, without evidence, that Russia’s satanists were funded by the West. Another pro-Kremlin MP claimed that he had received complaints from members of the public about the growing number of “satanic sex orgies” in Moscow and other cities.

Although President Putin was once a KGB officer in the officially atheist Soviet Union, he now professes a deep Christian faith. He has described Moscow’s standoff with the West over Ukraine as a battle against the “outright satanism” of same-sex marriage and other LGBT rights.

In January, Patriarch Kirill, the powerful head of the Russian Orthodox Church, said that he supported calls to ban satanism because it was an “ideology that destroys our national identity and weakens our people”.

Kirill also said that Russian soldiers in Ukraine were fighting for values that were directly opposed to satanic beliefs. That is not true of all Putin’s troops, however. In 2023, as part of the Kremlin’s efforts to recruit convicts for the war, Russia freed from prison a member of a gang that killed four teenage girls in a ritual killing.

Nikolai Ogolobyak and his accomplices fried and ate the hearts and tongues of their victims and stabbed one of them 666 times as a sacrifice to the devil, police said. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2010, but was pardoned by Putin after serving six months at the front in Ukraine.

Human rights lawyers warned that the Supreme Court’s ruling meant that Russians who listen to heavy metal, goth and industrial music, which often use occult imagery, could be at risk.

“Will they put people in jail for T-shirts with pentagrams and goat heads? We won’t risk saying for sure, but the practice of cases involving other fictitious ‘extremists’ can tell us a lot,” said Ivan Pavlov, a prominent Russian human rights lawyer.

The Supreme Court ruling, which is due to come into force next month, is expected to be applied retrospectively, meaning that people could potentially be prosecuted for social media posts containing satanic imagery that were made years ago. The full text of the Supreme Court’s decision has not been published, however, and it is unclear what images have been banned.

In any case, the law is unlikely to affect Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and prime minister, who has previously spoken of his love for Deep Purple. The British rock group’s songs include Lucifer and Demon’s Eye.

Russia has already banned what it calls the “international LGBT social movement” as an extremist and terrorist group, placing it on a par with Islamic State and violent neo-Nazi groups. The same designation has also been used in recent years to outlaw Alexei Navalny, the late opposition leader, and his nationwide network of activists, as well as the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

At the same time, Russia recently removed the Taliban from its official list of extremist and terrorist groups, as it seeks closer ties with the de facto rulers of Afghanistan. Since taking power, the Taliban has banned girls from secondary and higher education and barred women from most professions.

Coincidentally or not, Russia’s depiction of its enemies in Ukraine and the West as demonic figures comes as the Kremlin boosts its military ties with Iran, where the United States is routinely referred to as the Great Satan.

Even some of Putin’s biggest supporters mocked the proposal to officially ban satanism when it was first floated this year. “I have to officially state that I am not worried at the moment about the ‘growing number of satanic sex orgies’,” Yevgeny Popov, a pro-Kremlin MP and state television presenter, wrote in April. “To my shame, I didn’t know that their number had increased.”

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Posted

And it still wasn't enough to sate Putin's appetite to erase Ukraine.

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https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/trump-reportedly-offered-to-hand-crimea-and-1753644166.html

Austria's Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said in an interview with Die Welt that Trump was ready to "hand over" Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Putin chose to keep fighting.

The Minister said the situation is clear: Ukraine wants peace, while Russia does not. Putin would have already started negotiations to end the war if he were truly interested in peace.

She said Trump had effectively offered Putin Crimea and several eastern regions of Ukraine, and even ruled out Ukraine's NATO membership. Yet, Putin chose to continue his war of destruction against Ukraine.

Meinl-Reisinger also rejected claims that Russia holds an advantage on the battlefield. She reminded that the Kremlin is suffering massive losses in Ukraine, and Putin won't be able to ignore this forever.

The Minister said that coffins will continue to pile up in Russia, and combined with the country's worsening economic crisis, it is becoming harder for the Kremlin to sustain the war. According to her, Putin realizes he is running out of time, which is why he is escalating the war with such brutal intensity.

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