Трамп во время встречи с плаксивым попрошайкой сказал очевидную, но довольно любопытную вещь: «Пусть Россия и Украина признают себя победителями в конфликте». Да, так часто бывает по итогам военных столкновений. Но это не наш случай.
И дело не только в том, что нам нужна победа с известными всем условиями. Это аксиома.
Дело и в том, что нынешняя бандеровская банда не будет признана победителем у себя дома ни при каких условиях. И наркоупырь со товарищи это отлично понимает. Утрату территорий ему не простят не только оголтелые хохлонацисты, но и политконкуренты. Поэтому окончание войны – смерть режиму. Так что тезис Трампа здесь не работает.
Зато главный миротворец удачно поиграл в «Томагавки». В свойственной ему манере, напрягая мировое общественное мнение. И закончил партию в лучших традициях отправки ядерных субмарин. Извини, брателло, самим не хватает. Надо признать, что пока Трамп достаточно твёрд в позиции «Это не моя война, во всём виноват маразматик Б.». Впрочем, даже маразматик был против отправки дальнобойного оружия бандеровцам.
Но это, конечно, совсем не конец накачки Киева новым оружием. Продолжение следует, и нам надо быть готовыми к любому развитию событий.
Цитата:
Отказ Трампа Зеленскому. Сценарии дальнейшего развития событий.
Судя по комментариям Трампа, Зеленского, а также инсайдам западных СМИ, президент США отказал своему гостю практически по всем просьбам, с которыми тот прилетел в Вашингтон. Не передал Томагавки, не дал ответа по поставкам прочих видов вооружений и по поводу расширения санкций.
Общий настрой Трампа – сейчас время для дипломатии, а не для давления. Тем более, если это давление чревато эскалацией.
При этом Трамп призвал и Зеленского, и Путина как можно скорее остановить войну по линии фронта. Зеленский с этим уже согласился. Путин пока не комментировал, но ранее он выступал против подобного варианта, выставляя ряд предварительных условий. Самое главное из которых – вывод украинских войск со всей территории Донецкой области.
И поменяет ли он свою точку зрения к предстоящей встрече с Трампом – пока неизвестно. Также как и то, что будет делать Трамп, если Путин продолжит стоять на своем.
Есть четыре возможных сценария развития событий.
Первый
– Путин не соглашается на перемирие по линии фронта, продолжая настаивать на своих условиях. При этом Трамп никаких жестких действий против него не предпримет (также как и не будет давить на Зеленского, чтоб тот принял российские условия), продолжив политику постепенного отстранения от войны в Украине и перевода всей помощи Киеву на коммерческую основу. Этот сценарий можно назвать инерционным и, на данный момент, он выглядит наиболее вероятным.
Второй
сценарий менее вероятен, но также возможен – согласие Путина на остановку войны по линии фронта. Видимых признаков того, что в Кремле на это готовы нет. Но если Трамп пойдет на широкие шаги (например - отмена санкций против РФ, признание российской юрисдикцией над всеми захваченными территориями, прекращение поставок оружия Киеву), то такой вариант не исключен.
Два других сценария – более радикальные, но еще менее вероятные.
Третий
– Путин не соглашается на перемирие по линии фронта, и Трамп начинает на него жестко давить – передаст Украине Томагавки и другое оружие, введет огромные пошлины против покупателей энергоносителей из РФ. К этому Трампа продолжают активно побуждать ястребы в Республиканской партии и «партия войны» в Европе. Однако если до сих пор Трамп избегал таких шагов из-за очевидных рисков (эскалация с РФ в случае поставок «Томагавков» и глобальная торговая война в случае пошлин против Китая и Индии), то трудно сказать, что может его подвигнуть на подобные действия в дальнейшем. Разве что некое резкое изменение ситуации в мире, по войне в Украине или внутри РФ.
Четвертый
– Трамп начнет давить на Зеленского, чтоб тот выполнил условия РФ. Есть конспирологическая теория, что именно к этому Трамп и ведет дело. Но практика показывает, что когда президент США пытается начать давить на Зеленского, на Западе поднимается волна возмущения с обвинениями Трампа в «капитуляции» и тот отступает. Однако, на 100% нельзя исключать, что Трамп, с целью ускорения мирного урегулирования, начнет подталкивать Зеленского к уступкам. Пусть даже это будет происходить и не явно. Например, через задержку с поставками оружия.
Впрочем, даже если брать самый первый, инерционный сценарий, он тоже для украинских властей стратегически негативный, так как будет означать постепенно нарастающее преимущество РФ в войне на истощение, что, в конечном счете, может сильно ослабить переговорные позиции Украины.
С учетом такой перспективы, а также с учетом фактического отказа со стороны Трампа в основных требования Киева, ключевая задача сейчас для Зеленского – как минимум удержать поддержку со стороны Европы. При этом, несмотря на многократные заверения европейцев в неизменности поддержки, с этим могут быть проблемы. В первую очередь – финансового плана. Финансировать Украину европейцам в одиночку трудно (на следующий год нужно найти 120 млрд). А вопрос с «репарационным кредитом» за счет замороженных российских активов продвигается с трудом из-за сопротивления ряда стран. И если эта проблема решена не будет, то ситуация для Киева может стать крайне тяжелой.
Putin’s mini-coup in the White House has beaten Zelensky to the punch with Trump.
Putin sneaked in a call to the White House before Zelensky arrived in the US, turning Trump back to his side after the president drifted towards democracy.
Vladimir Putin has pulled off a mini-coup in the White House, driven a painful wedge into the European Union, and is repairing his reputation as an indicted war criminal – all in one phone call.
In a couple of weeks, he will get the red-carpet treatment again, this time as a guest of HungaryVictor Orban, a leading light of the wannabe dictator club, to hold meetings with Donald Trump, no fan of democratic institutions himself.
He will swagger into Europe untroubled by the International Criminal Court indictments against him for war crimes in Ukraine, and as he stands gazing at Budapest’s golden Danube riverfront, he will breathe in the irony of the moment.
The former KGB officer managed to get hold of Trump on the phone before his meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Friday, and bend the US president back to his will.
“I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one,” Trump said on social media. “President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East.”
Then he revealed how easily he was manipulated by Putin, who told him that peace in the Middle East was something that, he said, “has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the war with Russia/Ukraine”.
Trump has not helped negotiate peace in the Middle East. He has been part of a ceasefire agreement that is barely holding but was, critically, at a moment when Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had won his war against Hamas – with American weapons.
Putin is keen to make sure that Ukraine is always seen by Trump as the “loser” and that the US is not tempted to give Kyiv any extra help.
He managed to do just that over the blower.
As he draws in the Budapest air, he’ll reflect that 26 years ago in the same city, Britain, Russia, the US and Ukraine agreed to protect Kyiv’s independence in return for it giving up its vast nuclear arsenal.
And that he invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexed the Crimea soon after, and waged a war against Kyiv that for eight years was deliberately and publicly denied the protection and help it needed to see off the Kremlin – by the UK and the US
Through this period, Russia also campaigned against the European Union. The EU had absorbed newly minted democracies from the wreckage of the Soviet empire and Warsaw Pact in eastern Europe – offering Russia’s citizens a vision of what freedom looked like.
Putin hated it.
He also hated Ukraine’s revolution that threw off Moscow’s control over its neighbour in 2013.
He has argued his whole political life that Ukraine is a Russian land – and ignored Moscow’s vile history here, which includes the deliberate starvation of 3-7 million people in the Holodomor of the 1930s.
Ukraine is no natural colony of Russia, but it has lots of Russian speakers who are very glad they don’t live under Putin and are on track for EU membership, they hope to join Nato, and have democracy and a free press.
Putin is accused of new war crimes over the mass abduction of Ukrainian children and the murder of civilians on the outskirts of Kyiv.
Hungary’s foreign minister has said that even though his country is a (reluctant and leaving) member of the ICC, arrangements will be made to make sure that Putin doesn’t get cuffed on arrival.
“We will ensure that he enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home,” Peter Szijjarto said.
“We will receive [Putin] with respect, host him, and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president,” he added.
These talks are over Ukraine. But Zelensky will not be there.
He is not part of the Putin gang of proto-dictators who don’t like the EU.
Orban’s Hungary has been criticised by the EU for the drift away from liberal democracy there. The country is also the EU’s biggest importer of Russian fossil fuels – paying Moscow €416m (£362m) last August alone, which Putin no doubt put towards the war against Ukraine.
Orban is an enthusiast of Brexit. So are Trump and Putin. Anything that weakens European economic and political ties is good news for the Kremlin.
This explains his keen support over the years for what the Soviets used to call “useful idiots” like Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, and France’s right-wing Le Pen dynasty, who all campaigned against the EU.
But it is over Ukraine where true colours are being shown.
Over the last month or so, it had appeared that Trump had shifted away from his vocally pro-Putin stand on Moscow’s invasion.
He had previously insisted that Ukraine was losing and would have to cede territory. Trump tried to make sure of that by ending US support for Ukraine’s defence, and caused Kyiv to stumble in its fight against Russia and many tens of thousands of casualties with an elongation of the war.
But he recently indicated, after painstaking diplomacy from Zelensky, that he thought Russia a “paper tiger” and that he would consider selling Tomahawk missiles to European nations for use by Ukraine. He has also been looking at boosting Ukraine’s air defences.
Zelensky went to lunch with Trump at the White House to plead for this help.
But as his delegation was already on the ground, talking to American arms suppliers, Putin got through on the red phone to the Oval Office and changed Trump’s agenda with spymaster purrs.
Цитата:
Ukraine cannot win against Russia, warns top British army chief.
Field Marshal Lord Richards tells The Independent’s Sam Kiley that Ukraine has been given false hope by its Western allies and cannot triumph against Russia unless Nato forces join fight.
World of Trouble: Ukraine cannot win against Russia, warns top British army chief
Ukraine cannot win its war with Russia and should negotiate peace terms with the Kremlin, according to Britain’s most senior army officer.
Field Marshal Lord Richards said Kyiv will not be able to drive Vladimir Putin’s soldiers out of Ukraine without the help of Nato forces – who won’t get involved on the ground.
Lord Richards, who was promoted to the UK military’s most senior “five-star” rank earlier this year and led Nato forces during their troop surge in Afghanistan, said Ukraine’s allies have failed Kyiv.
“What we have done in the case of Ukraine is encourage Ukraine to fight, but not given them the means to win,” the former chief of the defence staff told The Independent’s podcast World of Trouble.
Field Marshal Lord Richards, pictured with the Gurkas in 2009 (MoD)
Reflecting on Ukraine’s chances of success against Russia, he said: “My view is that they would not win.”
“Could not win, even with the right resources?” he was asked.
“No,” he replied.
Pressed further by The Independent, he was asked: “ Even with the right resources?”
“No, they haven’t got the manpower,” the former commando said.
The field marshal’s intervention came after Volodymyr Zelensky flew to Washington DC to meet Donald Trump to try to persuade him to give Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The war with Russia has now ground on for more than three years, with incremental gains on each side as the conflict is increasingly played out via drone warfare.
But Zelensky’s plans to pressure Trump appear to have been thwarted by Vladimir Putin, who spoke to the US president hours before his White House meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
At a packed press conference, Trump appeared reluctant to give up American weapons, while retaining a cordial tone with Zelensky – admittedly a far cry from where things were in February. The US president stressed his own country’s needs to maintain stockpiles.
Zelensky at the White House with Trump on 17 October (AP)
Zelensky said very little, except to politely suggest Ukraine could offer up its drone technology in an exchange agreement. Trump seemed open to the idea.
Coming away from the summit, Zelensky said Trump had not said “no” to the idea of Tomahawks – but, for today, he did not say “yes”, either.
In his first long-form podcast interview, Lord Richards, the only British officer to have commanded massed US troops at war since 1945, said the outlook for Ukraine was not good.
“Unless we were to go in with them – which we won’t do because Ukraine is not an existential issue for us. It clearly is for the Russians, by the way,” he said on World of Trouble.
“We’ve decided because it’s not an existential issue, we will not go to war. We are, you can argue – and I absolutely accept it – in some sort of hybrid war [with Russia]. But that’s not the same as a shooting war in which our soldiers are dying in large numbers.
“Despite our attraction for all they’ve achieved and our genuine affections for so many Ukrainians, I’m just still in this school that says this is not in our vital national interests.
“My instinct is that the best Ukraine can do, and you already see President Zelensky, who’s an inspirational leader … the best they can do is a sort of a score draw.”
Lord Richards spoke frankly about Ukraine and world affairs during his podcast with Sam Kiley (The Independent)
Lord Richards’s pessimistic assessment contradicts recent statements from Trump who had appeared to shift his view of Ukraine from insisting that Kyiv did not hold any cards – to saying Putin could not win.
“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote on social media. “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, Nato, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.
“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger’.”
Trump has routinely changed his stance on Ukraine, previously cutting military aid to Kyiv altogether, forcing a painful minerals-for-weapons deal on Kyiv and reducing US help to an intelligence feed only.
This week he appeared to swing back behind Putin again – agreeing to a summit with the Russian leader in pro-Kremlin Hungary under Viktor Orban but without the presence of Zelensky.
He blamed it on the fact that Putin and Zelensky “don’t get along too well” and described himself as the “mediator” president.
Trump has made repeated efforts to secure a ceasefire and even invited Putin to Alaska for a summit in August, which ended in American humiliation.
Lord Richards, who led Britain’s interventions in Sierra Leone and East Timor as a brigadier and later argued against the UK’s part in the American-led invasion of Iraq, backed the former US General Mark Milley, who suggested back in November 2022 that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia.
In a wide-ranging interview about his military life, the field marshal revealed that although his career had been stellar, there were times when he fell foul of “the establishment” and was often out of step with his military and political masters.
Afghan president Hamid Karzai (R) presents a medal to General Richards in his then-role as Commander of NATO International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, 2007 (AFP/Getty)
As a major general and deputy head of the army under General Sir Mike Jackson, he said it was clear to him that Tony Blair’s government was lying about its claims that Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons in Iraq.
Alongside other senior officers, he questioned the legality of the UK’s decision to join US forces in invading Iraq in 2003.
Before the British joined the invasion, Blair presented parliament with an intelligence dossier which claimed the Iraqi dictator was developing a nuclear weapon.
Derided since as the “dodgy dossier” for its unfounded claims, it caused horror at the time among senior officers who had access to the real intelligence.
“I and others encouraged the chief of defence staff to query whether this was legal and what was the basis of this intelligence,” said Lord Richards.
“I do remember one officer – who I won’t name but was on the intelligence side – saying, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll find something to put.’ Yeah, ‘don't worry. We’ll find something about that. We’ll justify what we were doing’.
“I went back to say to Mike Jackson, ‘This stinks.’”
Trump rejects Zelensky on Tomahawk missiles in "tough" meeting.
President Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a tense meeting on Friday that he doesn't intend to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles, at least for now, two sources briefed on the meeting tell Axios.
Why it matters:
Zelensky hoped to leave Washington with commitments around new weapons for Ukraine, but found Trump in a totally different state of mind a day after he held a lengthy call with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Trump made clear his priority now is diplomacy, and he thinks providing Tomahawks could undermine it, the sources say.
Behind the scenes:
One of the sources said the meeting "was not easy," while the other simply said "it was bad."
• "Nobody shouted, but Trump was tough," according to the first source.
• "Trump gave several strong statements during the meeting and at some points it got a bit emotional," the second source said.
• The meeting ended abruptly after 2.5 hours. "I think we're done. Let's see what happens next week," Trump said, referring to planned talks between the U.S. and Russia. Trump intends to meet Putin in Budapest some time in the next two weeks.
Zoom in:
During the meeting, Trump briefed Zelensky on Thursday's call with Putin.
• He stressed that the current U.S. proposal for a diplomatic solution is for the war to end with the front lines frozen in place — a difficult proposition for Ukraine to accept.
• Trump hinted at that stance in a Truth Social post following the meeting. After describing the meeting as "interesting" and "cordial," he said he'd told both Zelensky and Putin that it was time to "stop where they are," adding: "Let both claim Victory, let History decide!"
• Trump then departed for Mar-a-Lago without taking questions from the press. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Split screen:
Zelensky, meanwhile, held a conference call with European leaders immediately after the Trump meeting. Several of them seemed puzzled about Trump's apparent change of heart, a source who was on the call said.
• Soon after, the leaders started putting out coordinated statements of support for Ukraine — a clear indication that the meeting with Trump was not a success.
• In a briefing with reporters, Zelensky confirmed they had discussed Tomahawks but said he and Trump had decided not to discuss the matter publicly because the U.S. wants to avoid escalation.
• When asked if he's optimistic about the Tomahawks, Zelensky said: "I'm realistic."
In reality,
the sources said, Zelensky pushed hard on Tomahawks but Trump pushed back and showed no flexibility.
What's next:
During Zelensky's call with the European leaders, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed working with the U.S. to draft peace for Ukraine along the lines of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, the source on the call said.
• NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte proposed an urgent follow-up call between European national security advisers over the weekend.
The bottom line:
Zelensky's number one priority from the visit was to get commitments from Trump not just on Tomahawks but on a variety of weapons systems Ukraine wishes to obtain, his chief of staff told Axios ahead of the meeting.
• Trump offered no such commitments.
Цитата:
Zelensky offers to make drones deal with Trump for Tomahawk missiles at White House summit.
Donald Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky began markedly differently to the one in February – but Trump was reluctant to publicly commit to sending Kyiv coveted long-range weapons.
Trump and Zelensky and their respective delegations receive questions from the press (AFP/Getty)
Volodymyr Zelensky suggested Ukraine could exchange drones for US Tomahawk missiles during his White House meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.
The Ukrainian president spoke during a press conference in the cabinet room as the leaders met for the second time this year at the White House, eight months after their disastrous encounter in February.
The tone was markedly different as Mr Trump praised Mr Zelensky for his “strength” as a leader – and choice of dress – before questions turned to the possible provision of long-range missiles, called into doubt in the wake of Mr Trump’s call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
Mr Trump insisted he would rather end the war and avoid having to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, but didn’t reject the idea outright. He also acknowledged the possibility he was being “played” by Mr Putin.
Later on, he acknowledged the impact American weapons have had in Ukraine’s defence, telling reporters: “I think that [Mr Putin] should have won the war in a week”, before outlining the value of US aid.
Mr Trump insisted throughout the gathering that he believed both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky wanted to end the war, eyeing up the chance to end a “ninth” conflict during his presidency.
The US leader took a diplomatic tone throughout, telling reporters he thought both were “doing a great job” when asked whether Mr Putin or Mr Zelensky was doing a better job of negotiating.
He avoided a question on whether Ukraine could get back all of its territory, after suggesting it could earlier this year.
“You never know,” he said. “War is very interesting. You never know, do you?”
Mr Zelensky was careful not to ask too much of his counterpart, but did suggest that Ukraine could trade the coveted cruise missiles for Ukrainian drones when Mr Trump said he hoped to end the war without having to send Ukraine more weapons.
Mr Trump insisted that the US needs to take care of its own stockpiles, including Tomahawks, before sending them abroad.
Mr Zelensky, asking politely to interject, said there was an array of support in demand, and said he wanted to work with Mr Trump to both secure Ukraine’s needs and strengthen US production.
Mr Zelensky pointed out that Ukraine has "thousands" of highly advanced drones developed during the war and suggested that Ukraine could trade that home-grown technology in exchange for the Tomahawks.
Asked by a reporter whether he'd be interested in such a deal, Mr Trump replied: “We are – yeah, we would. We build our own drones, but we also buy drones from others, and they [Ukraine] make a very good drone.”
(выделено а.п.)
But Mr Trump reiterated that he would still rather end the war and later warned that sending them to Ukraine could be interpreted as an “escalation”.
The proposal to make a deal with Mr Trump over continued US support was one of the few times Mr Zelensky spoke up during the press conference.
The supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine had been in focus ahead of Friday’s summit. The cruise missiles would bolster Ukraine’s ability to hit deep into Russia.
Before the meeting, Mr Trump suggested he “may” be open to providing Ukraine with Tomahawks. After the call with Mr Putin, however, he started to stress the US’s own needs.
Mr Trump was asked on Friday whether he was concerned that Mr Putin was trying to buy more time to prolong the war.
“Yeah I am,” Mr Trump replied. “But I’ve been played all my life by the best of them … so it’s possible.”
(выделено а.п.).
He added: “I think I’m pretty good at this stuff. I think he wants to make a deal. I’ve made eight of them. I’m going to make a ninth.”
Mr Trump also referred to the looming summit with Mr Putin in Hungary, announced after Thursday’s call. A date has still not been set.
He said he imagined the meeting in Budapest as a “double meeting” without Mr Zelensky, as “we want to make it comfortable for everybody”.
Mr Trump said that the call with Mr Putin would be on Friday’s agenda, and that the topic of sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would come up as well.
Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army officer and intelligence expert, told The Independent that the provision of Tomahawks would have two values to Ukraine.
“They are very, very accurate and have a stealth better than most other missiles in the Ukrainian arsenal,” he said.
But more importantly, the political value would be in sending “a very clear message to Putin that the US is committed to Ukraine and angry at Russia”.
(выделено а.п.).
Цитата:
Why giving Ukraine Tomahawk missiles could be a gamechanger in the Russia war.
President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will discuss long-range Tomahawk missiles when they meet at the White House on Friday.
Why it matters:
If the U.S. agrees to sell them, if would greatly enhance Ukraine's deep-strike capability — and bring Moscow within range.
• Tomahawks have a much longer range than the missiles the U.S. has provided up to now, and can move faster and pack a bigger punch the drones Ukraine uses for long-range strikes.
Flashback:
Trump suggested earlier this month that he'd consider providing Tomahawks, but he "might have to speak to Russia" about it.
• "Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don't think so. I told that to President Zelensky, because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression," Trump said.
• "I might say, 'Look, if this war is not gonna get settled, I may send them Tomahawks.' Russia doesn't need that. I think it is appropriate to bring that up."
Here's what to know on Tomahawks.
What are Tomahawk missiles?
The Tomahawks
are subsonic cruise missiles that are typically launched from U.S. Navy ships and submarines, per the CSIS Missile Defense Project. Historically, some models could carry nuclear payloads.
• But Ukraine would most likely need to launch them from land. The U.S. Army introduced a land-based launcher, called Typhon, in 2023.
Friction point:
That means Trump would not only need to provide Tomahawks, but also launchers. In both cases, some officials in the Pentagon would be very worried about depleting U.S. stocks.
Zoom in:
Tomahawks measure roughly 5.55 meters (18.2 feet) long, or roughly 6.25 meters (20.5 feet) with a booster.
• They're heavy, weighing 1,315 kilograms (roughly 2,900 pounds) at launch.
• The average cost of a single missile is $1.3 million.
The weapon originated
in the U.S. with Raytheon (otherwise known as RTX) as the sole manufacturer.
• The U.S. and its allies have used Tomahawks more than 2,350 times in operational environments, per RTX.
Quick history of Tomahawk missiles
The Navy began
developing sea-launched cruise missiles in the 1970s.
• They were designed with the idea of flying at subsonic speed at low altitudes, which would make it harder to find them on radar, according to CSIS.
• The weapons went under several renovations and upgrades over the last 50 years. The Block II was used during the 1980s before the Block III arrived in 1993.
• The next upgrade, the Block IV, was unveiled in the early 2000s.
The intrigue:
It's unclear what generation of missile Ukraine would receive. Ukrainian officials believe older versions would be more vulberable to Russian air defense systems.
Who has Tomahawk missiles now?
Only a few nations
use the Tomahawk.
• The United States and the United Kingdom are the main carriers.
• In 2024, Japan agreed to purchase up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the U.S. for $2.35 billion as part of an effort by the Asian country to build up its military.
• Australia and the Netherlands both purchased Tomahawks as well.
When does U.S. use Tomahawks?
Tomahawks are generally
used when the United States wants to blow stuff up from far away.
• Trump launched 50 to 60 Tomahawk missiles against Syria in 2017, targeting an airfield near Homs.
• More recently, the U.S. and the U.K. launched attacks at Houthi rebel sites in Yemen in 2024.
• Dozens of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) were used in operation Midnight Hammer, a surprise U.S. military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
How far can Tomahawk missiles travel?
The missiles can typically
travel 1,250-2,500 kilometers (777-1552 miles)
• That's the same distance as New York City to Charleston, S.C. (roughly 770 miles), or Boston to Oklahoma City (roughly 1500 miles).
Reality check:
Some critics argue the 2,500 kilometer peak range is a historical exception and probably not reasonable. But even the lower end would put Moscow in range of the border with Ukraine.
Tomahawks vs. other missiles
The U.S. has currently
authorized Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, which are short-range ballistic missiles that can reach 300 kilometers (or about 190 miles).
• Ukraine also has U.S.-supplied Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles, which can reach 240 to 450 kilometers (150-280 miles).
• For comparison, the Storm Shadow (from Britain) and the Scalp cruise missiles (from France) can reach a distance of 155 miles.
• Ukraine has also developed its own missile systems, Palianytsia and Flamingo, though they lack the extensive track record of the Tomahawk.
Цитата:
What are Tomahawk missiles and why does Ukraine want them?
Ukraine argues missiles would compel Russia to take Donald Trump’s calls for negotiations to end war more seriously.
Donald Trump will discuss the possible supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting at the White House on Friday. It will be the fourth face-to-face meeting for the US and Ukrainian presidents since Trump returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.
_________________
What are Tomahawk missiles?
Tomahawk land attack missiles, first used in combat in 1991, are long-range, guided cruise missiles typically launched from sea to attack targets in deep-strike missions. The longest range variant, the nuclear-capable Block II, entered service in 1983 and had a range of up to 1,550 miles (2,500km). Modern conventional variants have a range of 995 miles (1,600km). They fly low to the ground at a speed of 550 miles an hour.
The missiles are 6.1 metres long, with a 2.5-metre wingspan, and weigh about 1,510kg. They cost an estimated $1.3m (£1m) each.
Why does Ukraine want them?
Supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would significantly expand its strike capabilities, enabling it to hit targets deep inside Russian territory, including military bases, logistics hubs, airfields and command centres that are currently beyond reach, with accurate, destructive munitions. The Institute for the Study of War estimates that there are hundreds of Russian military targets within range of Tomahawks.
Ukraine has argued that such capabilities would help compel Vladimir Putin to take Trump’s calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.
On Tuesday, Radosław Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, argued Tomahawks could be particularly effective because Russia’s size makes air defence coverage difficult.
…
What are the downsides from Ukraine’s point of view?
Tomahawks are normally launched from ships and submarines, which Ukraine does not have. There is a relatively new land-launched variant, the Typhon, more obviously suitable for Ukraine, but the launchers are in short supply. The US army is known only to have two, although another launcher, the X-Mav, which is considered more mobile than the Typhon, was demonstrated this week.
Additionally, they are only available in relatively small numbers, estimated by some experts at 20 to 50 missiles. The missiles are generally considered most effective if launched in salvoes, which would be difficult with limited numbers.
What missiles have Ukraine’s allies supplied to date?
Ukraine currently has several western-supplied missiles, including US-made Atacms and GMLRS and UK and French-made Storm Shadows. Of those, the longest-range is the Atacm at 190 miles.
Ukraine has also developed its own missiles: the Flamingo, which was unveiled in August and has a range of more than 1,000 miles; and the Neptune anti-ship missile, which was unveiled it in 2015. Subsequent versions have a range of just over 600 miles.
…
What has Trump said about selling Tomahawks to Ukraine?
Trump has repeatedly hinted in recent weeks that he could deliver Tomahawks. Simultaneously the Trump administration has authorised the sharing of US intelligence to help Ukraine carry out precision strikes on Russia’s oil refineries using domestically produced drones and Atacms. These attacks have led to fuel shortages and a sharp rise in gasoline prices across Russia.
However, the US president’s conciliatory tone after a phone call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday left in question the likelihood of immediate assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of US capitulation to Moscow.
Trump said Putin “didn’t like it” when he raised the possibility of supplying Tomahawks during the call, while also saying the US could not “deplete” its own supply. “We need them too, so I don’t know what we can do about that,” Trump said.
The key question is whether Trump is dangling the prospect of supplying Tomahawks to pressure Putin, while remaining unwilling to take a step that could bring the US closer to direct confrontation with a leader he still calls a “close friend”.
What has the Kremlin said?
The Kremlin has said Ukraine’s reliance on Washington for training, logistics and targeting intelligence to operate Tomahawks would draw the US into the war on a scale not seen before, undoing the progress Moscow claims to have made with the Trump administration.
Putin himself said last week that their transfer would mark a “qualitatively new stage of escalation”, a point echoed by the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, on Thursday.
Цитата:
Trump downplays hopes he will supply Ukraine with US missiles after meeting with Zelenskyy.
US president seemed more intent on brokering a peace deal after surprise phone call with Putin earlier in day
Donald Trump seemed more intent on brokering a peace deal than he was to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles during a White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying that the US may need them for a future conflict.
While Trump did not rule out providing the long-range missiles Zelenskyy seeks, Trump appeared cool to the prospect as he looked ahead to a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks.
After speaking with Zelenskyy for more than two hours, Trump implored both Ukraine and Russia to “stop the war immediately”, even if it means Ukraine conceding territory.
“You stop at the battle line, and both sides should go home, go to their families,” Trump told reporters on his way to his home in West Palm Beach, Florida. “Stop the killing. And that should be it. Stop right now at the battle line. I told that to President Zelenskyy. I told it to President Putin.”
The Ukrainian leader was frank, telling Trump that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready for an offensive against Russian targets, but needs American missiles.
“We don’t have Tomahawks, that’s why we need Tomahawks,” he said.
Trump responded: “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks.”
Later, Trump reiterated that he wants the United States to hold on to its weaponry. “We want Tomahawks, also. We don’t want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country,” he said.
Trump’s doubtful tone on the cruise missiles follows a surprise phone call with Vladimir Putin on Friday during which the Russian leader told Trump that supplying the Tomahawks would damage US-Russian relations.
His position on supplying Ukraine with weapons has changed a number of times since he returned to office in January, often after negotiations with Putin or European backers of Ukraine.
During the White House meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump also discussed plans to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin in Hungary, saying it was “to be determined” whether Zelenskyy would join but that he would inform him of the discussions.
“There is a lot of bad blood,” Trump said.
After the talks on Friday, the US president issued a stern call to both sides on social media to “stop the killing, and make a DEAL!”.
“They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Zelenskyy told reporters he did not want to talk about long-range missiles, saying the US did not want escalation, and he was “realistic” about his chance of getting them.
The Ukrainian president, who spoke by phone with European leaders after the meeting, said he was counting on Trump to pressure Putin “to stop this war”.
The Kremlin’s top aide, Yuri Ushakov, earlier said Putin had initiated Thursday’s conversation with Trump, during which the Russian leader urged his US counterpart not to supply Ukraine with the Tomahawks.
“I did actually say: ‘Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition?’ I did say that to him. I said it just that way,” Trump said, recounting the conversation.
“He didn’t like the idea. You have to be a little bit lighthearted sometimes.”
Ushakov told reporters in Moscow that Putin warned Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with Tomahawks “won’t change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries”.
It was the eighth known call between the two men since Trump began his second term in January, and followed a familiar pattern in the complex and often confusing contest between Putin and Zelenskyy for Trump’s ear.
On previous occasions, when Trump had seemed ready to tilt towards Kyiv and its European allies, a call from Putin was often followed by a sudden softening in the US leader’s tone towards Moscow.
A flurry of activity was also set off with Trump’s announcement after the call that he was planning to meet the Russian president in the Hungarian capital on a date still to be determined, in an effort to end the war.
Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, on Friday morning said that the summit could take place “within two weeks or later”.
Peskov said Putin had already discussed the planned meeting with Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister. Orbán – an outlier among European leaders with warm ties to Trump and Putin – said he had also spoken to Trump about the summit, writing on X: “Preparations for the USA-Russia peace summit are under way.”
It remains unclear how Putin would travel to Hungary, given EU sanctions and airspace restrictions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the fact that he is wanted by the international criminal court (ICC). As a signatory to the ICC, Hungary would be obliged to arrest him, though Orbán has previously said this would not happen.
When asked about the logistical challenges, Peskov said the route was “so far, of course, unclear”.
Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, said on Friday that Putin would be able to enter and leave the country. “There is no need for any kind of consultation with anyone, we are a sovereign country here. We will receive [Putin] with respect, host him and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president,” he told a press briefing.
Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August, which did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough. Trump added that fresh high-level talks between Washington and Moscow would be held next week, led on the US side by the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, before a presidential summit in Budapest.
The latest conversation, which lasted more than two and a half hours, appears to have sapped the momentum Zelenskyy had built with Trump, with the US leader now unlikely to show significant support for Ukraine before meeting Putin.
“Zelenskyy must be pulling his hair out. Today’s meeting with Trump is now completely overshadowed and overtaken by the Budapest meeting,” said John Foreman, a former British defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump also has hinted that talks between Putin and Zelenskyy may need to take place indirectly, contradicting Zelenskyy’s longstanding aim of meeting Putin face to face to end the war.
“They don’t get along too well, those two,” Trump said. “So we may do something where we’re separate. Separate but equal.”
Zelenskyy, who touched down in Washington on Thursday and met US defence contractors before his White House visit, has not commented on the Putin-Trump call, though few in Kyiv are likely to view it positively.
Some Ukrainian officials tried to put a positive spin on the call, saying that Putin’s outreach underscored the Russian leader’s fear of new Ukrainian weapon supplies.
“Today’s call between US President Donald Trump and Putin demonstrates how even the discussion about Tomahawk missiles had already forced Putin back into dialogue with America,” Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, wrote on X. “The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace.”.
While Moscow has repeatedly claimed it is ready to end its invasion of Ukraine, Putin has shown no indication he is seeking compromise or to scale back his maximalist goal of forcing Kyiv’s capitulation.
Despite Trump’s typically upbeat rhetoric that peace may be within reach, the US vice-president, JD Vance, struck a more cautious note on Thursday, saying that “the Russians and the Ukrainians are just not at the point where they can make a deal”, and that a settlement “remains possible but will require a lot more work”.
In an interview with the conservative network Newsmax, Vance spoke of what he called a “misalignment of expectations”, saying “the Russians tend to think they’re doing better on the battlefield than they actually are”.
Цитата:
Trump calls for Russia, Ukraine to ‘stop where they are’.
President Donald Trump has called for Russia and Ukraine to “stop where they are” and quit fighting after concluding talks in Washington Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Taking to Truth Social late Friday afternoon, Trump wrote that “it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!”
“No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent,” Trump continued. “This is a War that would have never started if I were President. Thousands of people being slaughtered each and every week — NO MORE, GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES IN PEACE!"
Zelenskyy has said in the past that Ukraine would not “gift their land to Russia,” and ceding land to Moscow requires approval in a nationwide referendum.
Trump and Zelenskyy held a working lunch early Friday afternoon that lasted more than two hours, with Zelenskyy making a call to European strategic partners in the so-called “coalition of the willing” after the White House talks.
Asked about Trump’s post late Friday, Zelenskyy said that the American president was right that both sides need to “stop where we are, and then to speak,” referring to negotiations.
Zelenskyy also told reporters at Blair House that he believes a ceasefire is the most important first step to ending the war.
“I am sure that we will have negotiations,” he said, adding that Kyiv is counting on President Trump to pressure President Vladimir Putin to halt the Russian invasion.
“Ukraine didn’t begin this war,” said Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president came to the White House on a mission to convince the United States to provide Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine that can reach deep inside Russian territory.
Trump told reporters Friday that he was hesitant to tap into the U.S. supply. The news was a turnabout after days of Trump suggesting that he was seriously considering the idea of sending the missiles to help Ukraine.
“I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what’s going to happen in war and peace,” Trump said.
Asked whether he is optimistic or pessimistic about getting the Tomahawks in the future, Zelenskyy said he is “realistic” about the possibility of Kyiv receiving the missiles.
Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Defense News on Friday that there are better U.S. weapons to give the Ukrainians that would still provide them with a range on the battlefield between 300-700 kilometers (roughly (186-435 miles), including long range surface-to-surface missiles known as ATACMS and the new and affordable Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) built specifically for Ukraine that launches from F-16 fighter jets.
“That’s how you put pressure on Vladimir Putin — weapons that stretch his forces mean that he can never win,” Montgomery said.
On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Moscow during a Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters that if its war on Ukraine does not come to an end, the U.S. and NATO allies would “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.”
“Firepower, that’s what is coming,” he said in a reference to European nations’ purchases of U.S. weapons for Ukraine.
There have been very few changes to the front lines this year, according to the Institute for the Study of War, even as Russia continues to target Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones.
Speaking to Defense News last month, Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) said Russia has only taken 1% of Ukraine in the last two years while suffering heavy casualties on the battlefield.
Zelenskyy told reporters he stressed the necessity of United States security guarantees during the lunch at the White House on Friday.
“We need strong security guarantees because I’m afraid, and I think that our nation is afraid that if we will have [a] ceasefire, we need security guarantees from [the] United States that Putin will not come again with aggression.”
The meeting came a day after Trump held a phone call with Putin to discuss the conflict. The two agreed during the call to meet in Budapest, Hungary, within the next two weeks.
Ukrainian advocacy groups are skeptical that the meeting will lead to real results, pointing to the recent meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska as evidence that Putin is insincere about peace talks.
“Putin’s word is not worth a dime. His offer to meet President Trump in Budapest is classic delay tactics, something we’ve seen time and again,” said Ostap Yarysh, the media advisor for the advocacy group Razom for Ukraine.
Цитата:
Putin mocks Trump with new strikes on Ukraine after Zelensky failed to win promise on Tomahawk missiles from US president.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) attends a lunch meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (R) at the White House on October 17, 2025, in Washington.
Vladimir Putin made new brutal strikes on Ukraine despite telling Donald Trump he wants to 'end the war', while the US president rejected Volodymyr Zelensky's demands for American missiles.
Russian explosions rocked the regions of Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Zaporizhzhia overnight.
The Ukrainian navy was forced to destroy a Russian marine drone that was 'threatening civilian shipping', with impressive footage capturing the moment it was detonated.
Russia's overnight strikes across Ukraine triggered a fire at a civilian food warehouse in the Poltava region, and destroyed residential and administrative buildings.
Putin's latest attack comes after Trump on Friday refused Ukraine's demands for Tomahawk missiles in a tense meeting in Washington between the US president and Zelensky.
Trump expressed hopes to resolve the war 'without thinking about Tomahawks'.
'We need Tomahawks. One reason we want this war over is because it's not easy for us to keep sending massive weapons,' he said, citing the need to preserve US military readiness.
In response, Zelensky proposed a mutual production deal: US missiles for Ukrainian drones — a capability-sharing agreement to strengthen both countries' defense industries.
Trump hinted at a potential peace summit hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, bringing Zelensky and Putin together. He acknowledged the personal animosity between the wartime leaders but expressed confidence that diplomacy could prevail.
The meeting came just one day after Trump agreed to a second sit-down with Putin in Hungary, with the White House playing up the Russian president's flattery.
Trump said that after the call, he was more convinced that Putin was ready to make peace.
But Zelensky on Friday insisted that Putin 'doesn't want peace.
'That's why we need to put pressure on him'.
Trump on Friday also called on Kyiv and Moscow to 'stop where they are' and end their brutal war following his meeting with Zelensky.
'Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts,' Trump said in a Truth Social post not long after hosting Zelensky and his team for more than two hours of talks.
'They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!'
The comments amounted to another shift in position on the war by Trump.
In recent weeks, he had shown growing impatience with Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war.
After meeting with Zelensky in New York on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly last month, Trump even said he believed the Ukrainians could win back all the the territory they had lost to Russia since Putin launched the February 2022 invasion.
That was a dramatic shift for Trump, who had previously insisted that Kyiv would have to concede land lost to Russia to end the war.
Zelensky after Friday's meeting said it was time for a ceasefire and negotiations. He sidestepped directly answering a question about Trump nudging Ukraine to give up land.
'The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak,' Zelensky said when asked by reporters about Trump's social media post, which he hadn't seen.
Meanwhile, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed a 'productive' call with European leaders on Friday, hours after Zelensky and Trump's meeting at the White House.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister called for a 'just and lasting peace' in Ukraine.
'Productive call this evening with @ZelenskyyUa, other European leaders and @SecGenNATO,' he said.
'I reiterated our unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, the UK will continue to send humanitarian aid and military support.'
Downing Street confirmed Sir Keir spoke with Zelensky to 'underscore the United Kingdom's resolute support for Ukraine'.
A Government spokesperson said the two men reiterated their 'unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression'.
'Russia's stalling tactics ahead of peace talks had shown Ukraine was the serious party of peace, the Prime Minister told the President,' the spokesperson said.
'The UK would continue to step up its support and would ensure Ukraine was in the strongest possible position going into the winter through ongoing humanitarian, financial and military support, the Prime Minister added.'
Leaders from Germany, Finland, Italy, Norway, and Poland were also on the call, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Council President Antonio Costa.
Meanwhile on Friday, Russia faced a giant mystery explosion in Avangard military-linked plant in Russia's Sterlitamak, Bashkortostan region, killing three and wounding nine.
The factory produces explosives and ammunition, and the detonation is a significant blow to the Russian war effort.
There was no evidence of a Ukrainian drone strike and a major criminal probe is underway to establish the cause, amid evidently fears of sabotage.
It follows an early mystery explosion at another Sterlitamak plant in August, wounding 36, when workers 'fled like cockroaches' to escape.
A Ukraine drone strike triggered a large explosion and power grid chaos hitting the Veshkayma 500 kV high-voltage substation in Ulyanovsk region, Russia.
And Russia's premier resort Sochi faced a second night of hell as wailing sirens signalled drone warnings.
Loud explosions were heard in the Black Sea city in Krasnodar region.
Tourists and residents were ordered to take shelter in underground car parks and bomb shelters.
Yet it was one of the lightest nights of Ukrainian strikes on Russia in recent weeks.
New dramatic footage also showed the moment a drone on Friday exploded in flames a giant Russian Gvardeyskoye oil depot in occupied Crimea, triggering further petrol shortages on the peninsula.
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С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Putin-Trump summit in Hungary forces EU leaders to mull airspace exemptions.
A ban on Russian overflights of European nations complicates Budapest meeting plans.
EU officials said Friday that one or more European leaders would need to grant Vladimir Putin a special waiver to fly through their airspace if he is to attend a proposed Budapest summit with Donald Trump.
The U.S. president announced this week that he would be holding direct talks with the Russian leader to try to end what he called an "inglorious" full-scale invasion of Ukraine that has dragged on for more than three years.
The meeting would be hosted in Budapest, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has cultivated friendly ties with both leaders.
But due to a ban on Russian aircraft flying through EU airspace linked to a wider sanctions regime, the Russian president would not be able to reach Budapest without defying the EU measures, taking a huge risk by flying over Ukraine, or going via a circuitous Balkan route.
Under the EU's sanctions regime, national authorities may consider exceptions to the ban for Russian travel "if the competent authorities have determined that such landing, take-off or overflight is required for humanitarian purposes or for any other purpose consistent with the objectives of this regulation," according to the EU legal text on the sanctions.
European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper confirmed during a briefing with journalists that individual EU countries could make exceptions to the travel ban.
Neither Putin nor his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, are currently subject to individual bans on travel within the EU, she added.
"Such derogations must be given by member states individually," Hipper said.
No date has yet been set for the meeting between Putin and Trump. Moscow has not given any indications about the Kremlin chief's travel plans.
A senior EU diplomat said: "He needs to get permission to fly over certain countries. I don't want to speculate on how this will go. But I'm happy I'm not his travel planner."
Another potential hurdle for Putin is the fact that he currently faces a warrant for his arrest from the International Criminal Court — a warrant that Hungary, as signatory to the ICC, would theoretically need to enforce if he enters the country.
However, Hungary is unlikely to enforce the warrant.
"We will ensure that he [Putin] enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home," Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told a press briefing Friday.
Цитата:
Donald Trump responds to idea of tunnel connecting Russia and US.
The link proposal between the US and Russia reflects an "enduring vision", investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev has said.
Graphic of the proposed project. Pic: Kirill Dmitriev.
Kirill Dmitriev first posted about the idea on Thursday, suggesting a "Putin-Trump" rail tunnel could connect the two countries under the Bering Strait, which separates Russia's vast and sparsely populated Chukotka region from Alaska.
Asked about the idea during a press conference with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, Donald Trump called it "interesting".
He also asked President Zelenskyy what he made of it, to which Mr Zelenskyy replied: "I'm not happy with this idea."
This prompted laughter from the US side.
Overnight, Mr Dmitriev posted on X, saying: "We have started the feasibility study of the Russia-Alaska tunnel six months ago.
"Russian Direct Investment Fund with partners financed on a commercial basis the first ever railroad bridge between Russia and China.
"The bridge reduced cargo route by more than 700 kilometres," he said.
He directed a post on X towards Elon Musk, suggesting the tunnel could be dug by the billionaire's construction firm, Boring Company.
"The dream of a US-Russia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision - from the 1904 Siberia-Alaska railway to Russia's 2007 plan," Mr Dmitriev wrote.
"RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the US-Canada-Russia-China railroad, and will support the most viable.
"Imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolizing unity."
"Traditional costs are $65B+, but @boringcompany's tech could reduce it to future together," he added.
There has been no public response from Elon Musk.
EU has no plans to allocate new funds for the drone defense initiative.
No new funds are planned for the now renamed and refocused European Union anti-drone initiative, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
The European Commission's "drone wall" plan has been renamed the "European Drone Defense Initiative," with focus has expanded Europe-wide and not just on the eastern flank.
Estonia's High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas noted that this was not just a cosmetic name change, and that while the drone wall was initially intended primarily with the eastern flank, which includes Estonia, in mind, member states from other areas noted that the very nature of drones means that incursions could happen anywhere.
"Drones are already redefining warfare. Having drone defenses is no longer optional for anyone," Kallas said.
The concept of the European Commission's "drone wall" had hit resistance from the outset, with some critics stating the term "wall" implied a level of unbreachable security that in practice would not be feasible to achieve.
The European Commission will not be distributing any new funds for the revised project; instead, discussions are focused on previously agreed Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loans and reallocations from the EU recovery fund.
This means it is up to member states themselves to find funding for drone defense.
Ahead of Wednesday's meeting of EU defense ministers Hanno Pevkur (Reform) acknowledged that the main issue was in any case funding.
(выделено а.п.).
After the meeting, the minister noted: "With our own activities, we're moving forward. Next week we'll be testing detection systems and drone neutralization devices. If those tests are successful, we will certainly proceed with our planned actions to secure Estonia's airspace more quickly than the European Commission's initiatives."
Late last month, drone activity shut down airports in Denmark, ahead of an EU summit which took place there.
Цитата:
Vasknarva anomaalia: Vene kalalaevad peavad Peipsile pääsemiseks Eestilt luba küsima.
Narva jõelt ei ole võimalik sõita paadiga Peipsi järvele ilma Eesti territooriumit läbimata, sest Vasknarva kandis kulgeb kontrolljoon hoopis mööda idakallast. Kõik Vene alused, kes soovivad seda teha, peavad Eesti piirivalvelt küsima luba. Eestile kuulub ka osa Narva jõe tagusest maismaast, mis sinna on viimase sajandi jooksul tekkinud.
Samal ajal kui Kagu-Eestis peavad eestlased Saatse saapa läbimiseks sisenema Venemaa territooriumile, on Vasknarva kandis olukord vastupidine.
Nimelt ei kulge kontrolljoon seal mitte Narva jõe keskelt, vaid hoopis mööda idakallast.
See tähendab, et kogu Narva jõe algus kuulub Eestile ja Vene alused peavad Narva jõelt Peipsi järvele pääsemiseks küsima Eesti piirivalvelt luba.
Piirilõik pärineb Nõukogude ajast, mil see märgiti kahe liiduvabariigi ehk Eesti NSV ja Vene NFSV vaheliseks halduspiiriks. Pärast Eesti taasiseseisvumist sai sellest omakorda kontrolljoon Eesti ja Venemaa vahel.
Politsei- ja piirivalveameti Ida prefektuuri piirivalvebüroo juhi Eerik Purgeli sõnul mingeid arusaamatusi kontrolljoone asukoha osas Venemaaga siiski seni ei ole olnud.
Küll aga toob kontrolljoone omapärane kulgemine kaasa protseduuri, mida tavalise piirijõe puhul vaja ei oleks: kõik Vene alused peavad Eesti territooriumi läbimiseks küsima Eesti piirivalvelt luba rahumeelseks läbisõiduks.
Purgel rääkis, et aluseid, kes igapäevaselt Eesti territooriumi läbiks, on siiski vähe.
"Igapäevaselt on Narva jõel Karoli vastas üks kalatraaler, mis liigub Peipsi järvele kalastama," kirjeldas ta. "Statistiliselt liigubki seal igapäevaselt ainult umbes üks alus – see on selline keskmine liikumine," ütles Purgel.
Venemaa kodanikud kasutavad Eesti piirivalvega ühenduse võtmiseks mereraadiot.
"Põhimõtteliselt hüütakse Eesti poolt, antakse endast teada ja palutakse luba rahumeelseks läbisõiduks," selgitas ta. Aluse kapten annab ka lühikirjelduse sellest, mis alusega on tegu ning kui palju inimesi on pardal.
Seejärel hindab Eesti piirivalve olukorda. Purgel selgitas, et kui on tegu kalameestega, alus vastab nõuetele ning puuduvad segavad asjaolud, näiteks keerulised ilmastikuolud, kus alust on keeruline jälgida, siis üldiselt ka luba antakse.
"Alus on seal väga hästi jälgitav. Me jälgimegi, kas see alus tõesti rahumeelselt jälgib seda teekulgu ja liigub Vene vetest Eesti vetesse või vastupidi," ütles Purgel.
Piirivalvebüroo juht ütles, et loa andmisest keeldumiseks pole seni tavaliselt vajadust olnud. Keeldumine tuleks kõne alla siis, kui tuvastataks, et aluse tegelik eesmärk ei kattu esitatuga – näiteks kui kalurite asemel avastataks pardalt militaarvormides isikud. "Aga sellist olukorda tõesti pole olnud," lisas ta.
Mis puudutab Venemaa piirivalve enda aluseid, siis on Purgeli sõnul Vene pool oma töö korraldanud nii, et neil on Narva jõe piirkonnas eraldi struktuuriüksused. "Üldiselt neil seda vajadust [Peipsile sõita – toim.] sellisel kujul ei ole," märkis Purgel.
Eesti piirivalve kontrollib Narva jõe tagust ala.
Tegelikult ei kuulu Eestile mitte ainult Narva jõe lähtekoht, vaid ka osa maismaast Vasknarva kandis Narva jõe idapool. Tartu Ülikooli geograaf Taavi Pae selgitas, et tegu on hüdrorajatiste süsteemiga, mille Eesti Vabariik rajas 1930. aastatel.
Pae rääkis, et idapoole rajati pooleteise kilomeetri pikkune voolu suunav tamm, mis pidi takistama jõe alguse ummistumist liigse liivaga. Aastakümnetega on tammi taha settinud ka uus maismaa.
Eerik Purgel märkis, et ametlikult seda siiski päris maismaaks ei nimetata. "Pigem ongi see selline madalik, kus liikuda põhimõtteliselt ei saa," ütles ta.
Ta lisas, et kuigi ala on politsei- ja piirivalveameti seireseadmetega hästi kaetud, pole piirivalvel otsest vajadust seal pidevalt patrullida, kuna rikkumisi pole tuvastatud.
Viimane tõsisem intsident jääb tema sõnul umbes viie aasta taha, kui üks salakaubavedaja üritas ära kasutada seda muuli, et liikuda Peipsi põhjakalda kaudu Eesti territooriumile.
"Meie seireseadmed on tegelikult sellised, et sellised tegevused avastatakse. See ala on meil üsna hästi kaetud," sõnas Purgel.
Tavainimestel on pääs nii Narva jões ujumiseks kui ka idakaldal asuvale madalikule rangelt keelatud.
"Me pigem välistame selle igasuguste probleemide vältimiseks," ütles Purgel. Ka Venemaa poolel on tema sõnul väljas hoiatussildid, et sealsed elanikud Eesti territooriumile ei satuks.
Piirianomaalia püsib ratifitseerimata piirilepingu tõttu.
Taavi Pae sõnul tekkis sarnane piir 1945. aastal, kui korrigeeriti Eesti NSV ja Vene NFSV vahelist piiri. Niiviisi liikusid Vene NFSV haldusesse Narva jõe tagused alad, nagu Jaanilinn ehk Ivangorod, mida enne teist maailmasõda kontrollis Eesti.
Kahe liiduvabariigi vahelise piiri seadmisel lähtuti Pae sõnul lihtsuse mõttes ühest punktist Peipsi järvel, mis tähistas varasema, Tartu rahu järgse piiri ristumist maismaaga. Sellest punktist tõmmatigi joon piki kallast kuni Narva jõe ajaloolise lähteni.
"Toona ei olnud sellel väga suurt tähtsust, sest see oli kõik üks Nõukogude Liit," selgitas Pae. Ta rääkis, et inimesed suhtlesid vabalt üle jõe ja piiril ei olnud praktilist tähendust.
Pae ütles, et kui Eesti ja Venemaa vaheline ratifitseerimata piirileping kunagi jõustuks, liiguks piir loogilisse kohta jõe keskele ja see Eestile kuuluv idakalda ala läheks Venemaale.
Piirilepinguga kaoks kontroll hüdrorajatiste süsteemi üle.
Piirilepingu jõustudes kaotaks Eesti kontrolli ka idakalda lähistel asuva 1930. aastatel rajatud hüdrorajatiste süsteemi üle. Sinna ehitati Eesti Vabariigi ajal kohalikust kivist suur, pooleteise kilomeetri pikkune voolu suunav tamm, et vältida jões alguse liivaga ummistumist ja tagada laevade pääs Peipsilt Narva jõele.
"Mina olen 2008. aastal koos piirivalvega käinud piki seda voolu suunavat tammi. Seal on näha imeilus vesiehitis, kus kivid on pandud selliselt, et rüsijää neid ära ei lükkaks," rääkis Pae.
"Sellel tammil kõndides on imeilus vaade Narva jõe lähtele. Teisel pool on selline laguunitaoline ala ja olenevalt veeseisust ja väikesed liivarannad. See on täitsa omapärane kant," lisas geograaf.
See tekitaks geograafi sõnul tulevikus küsimusi rajatiste hoolduse osas, kui jõesuu peaks taas ummistuma hakkama. Samas nentis Pae, et kuna laevaliiklus on seal praegu vähene, pole rajatiste remondiks ka pakilist vajadust.
Kuni aga piirilepingut ratifitseeritud pole, kehtib praegune kontrolljoon. See tähendab, et Vasknarvast lõunas jookseb piir mööda idakallast, mida Eesti piirivalve seirab. Vene alused, peamiselt üks kohalik kalatraaler, peavad aga Peipsile pääsemiseks Eesti piirivalvelt rahumeelset läbisõitu paluma.
Georgia fines Finnish foreign minister for ‘blocking the road’ during protest.
A meeting with the Georgian PM was cancelled after Elina Valtonen recorded a video message in support of protesters.
Georgia’s interior ministry has fined Finland’s foreign minister after she expressed support for protesters at a pro-EU, anti-government rally on Tbilisi’s main avenue, Rustaveli.
Elina Valtonen, who visited Georgia on Tuesday in her role as chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), had recorded a video in front of the Georgian parliament.
“Peaceful protestors have gathered in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, to voice their concern over the repressive direction of their country … we are here to support them,” Valtonen said in the video.
The authorities subsequently fined her 5,000 lari (€1,600) for “blocking the road,” a penalty that is frequently imposed on anti-government protesters.
Valtonen’s planned meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was cancelled. According to the Georgian government, the cancellation was due to Valtonen’s participation in an “illegal rally” and her “false statements.” However, Valtonen said it was actually the Finnish side that cancelled the meeting, citing scheduling conflicts.
On Thursday, Valtonen addressed Kobakhidze on X and invited him to Helsinki to attend a demonstration of his choosing.
“In this spirit, as Chair of the OSCE and 50 years since the signing of this document, I invite you, @PM_Kobakhidze, to come to Finland, meet the free press and observe any demonstration of your liking,” Valtonen said.
“PS. Sorry I had to cancel our meeting in Tbilisi because of clashing schedules,” she added.
Valtonen’s attendance at the rally was criticized by multiple Georgian politicians from the ruling party, as well as by Russia’s ambassador to the U.N., Mikhail Ulyanov, who called it “a gross interference in internal affairs of a sovereign state.”
Meanwhile, former Georgian President and leading opposition figure Salome Zourabichvili criticized the government’s move, saying the fines are “a signal to the world.”
“Georgian Nightmare intimidates diplomats, silences citizens, and abandons European principles. Citizens’ voices are suppressed, democratic norms ignored, and freedom is under attack. Europe must not look away!” Zourabichvili said in a post on X.
Street protests have been going on for more than 300 days since Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, suspended the country’s bid to join the EU.
The OSCE is chaired by a different country each year. The seat is held by Finland in 2025.
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С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Putin ally accuses Trump of an 'act of war' against Russia after US president imposed new oil sanctions.
Medvedev (pictured) said on Thursday it was now absolutely clear that the United States was Russia's adversary and that U.S. President Donald Trump's recent steps on Ukraine amounted to an act of war against Russia.
A ranting Putin ally has accused Donald Trump of committing 'an act of war against Russia' by imposing sanctions on Moscow's oil giants.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday it was now absolutely clear that the United States was Russia's adversary and that U.S. President Donald Trump's recent steps on Ukraine amounted to an act of war against the country.
Trump said during the U.S. election campaign that he would swiftly end the Ukraine war - which his administration has cast as a 'proxy war' between Washington and Moscow - though he has recently expressed frustration about President Vladimir Putin.
Trump, who has described Russia as a 'paper tiger', said on Wednesday he had called off a planned summit with Putin.
The move came as the U.S. Treasury slapped sanctions on two of Russia's biggest oil companies, a decision which President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed as 'resolute'.
'The United States is our adversary, and their talkative 'peacemaker' has now fully embarked on the warpath with Russia,' Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, wrote on Telegram, referring to Trump.
'The decisions taken are an act of war against Russia. And now Trump has fully aligned himself with loony Europe.'
Putin, Russia's paramount leader since 1999, remains the final voice on Russian policy though Medvedev, an arch-hawk who has repeatedly goaded Trump on social media, gives a sense of hardline thinking within the elite.
Trump in August said that he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to move closer to Russia in response to what he called 'highly provocative' comments from Medvedev about the risk of war.
Medvedev said that the move of the 'Trumpian pendulum' simply meant that Russia could now hammer Ukraine with a wide variety of weapons 'without regard to unnecessary negotiations.'
Putin, who ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in the country's east between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces, has repeatedly said he is ready to talk about peace.
European leaders and Ukraine say they do not think Putin wants peace and have cautioned that Russia might one day attack a NATO member, a claim the Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed as nonsense.
Russia's foreign ministry said that Moscow's aims in Ukraine remained unchanged from 2022: that Ukraine should be neutral, non-aligned, demilitarised and ensure the rights of Russian speakers and Orthodox believers.
'We need a configuration of negotiated solutions that will eliminate the root causes of the conflict and ensure reliable peace in the context of building a Eurasian and broader global system of indivisible security,' spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
She cast U.S. sanctions as 'extremely' counterproductive and warned that if the Trump administration followed the example of previous U.S. administrations then it would fail.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday praised US President Donald Trump's 'resolute' decision to sanction Russia's energy sector, as Washington's patience finally snapped with Moscow for stalling peace efforts.
Russia said the sanctions risked hurting diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and that it had developed 'strong immunity' to Western restrictions. Its close ally China said they had 'no basis in international law'.
But Zelensky called the measures 'a clear signal that prolonging the war and spreading terror come at a cost'.
'It is a strong and much-needed message that aggression will not go unanswered,' he wrote on X as he arrived at an EU summit in Brussels.
Trump slapped sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies on Wednesday, complaining that his talks with Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war 'don't go anywhere'.
The US leader had held off pulling the trigger on sanctions against Russia for months but he eventually took the leap after plans for a fresh summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed.
Trump said that he hoped the 'tremendous sanctions' against Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil would be short-lived. 'We hope that the war will be settled,' he said.
The US sanctions came as the European Union also imposed a 19th package of sanctions on Russia over the war - targeting Moscow's key energy revenues.
'This is a clear signal from both sides of the Atlantic that we will keep up collective pressure on the aggressor,' EU chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.
The US measures represent a major stepping up of its actions against Russia and reflect Trump's growing frustration at being unable to persuade Putin to end the conflict despite what he calls his personal chemistry with the Kremlin chief.
Despite Trump's outreach to Putin, Russia has continued its heavy bombardments on Ukraine, targeting key energy infrastructure ahead of the winter.
Zelensky said he hoped that Trump's shift on sanctions would also herald a change of mind on giving Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles - after Kyiv came away from a meeting in Washington empty handed last week.
Kyiv and its supporters have already sought to seize on Trump's demand for Russia and Ukraine to stop fighting along the current front line and shift the onus from Kyiv to Moscow to make concessions.
As part of the new EU measures, the 27-nation bloc brought forward a ban on the import of liquefied natural gas from Russia by a year to the start of 2027.
It also blacklisted over 100 more tankers from Moscow's so-called 'shadow fleet' of ageing oil vessels and imposed controls on the travel of Russian diplomats suspected of espionage.
While Europe welcomed Trump's latest move, it also was looking at ways to shore up Ukraine's finances as the war drags on through a fourth year.
EU leaders were looking at their summit to give a preliminary green light to plans for a mammoth 140-billion-euro ($162-billion) loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian central bank assets.
Belgium, where the bulk of the money is held at international deposit organisation Euroclear, has demanded guarantees the rest of the EU will share any liabilities if Russia goes to court.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he was willing to agree if his conditions are met but warned he 'would do everything in my power' to block the plan if not.
While key questions remain, diplomats hope EU leaders will give the bloc's executive the go-ahead to draw up a formal legal proposal for the loan that would only be paid back by Kyiv once Moscow coughs up for the damage it has wrought during its invasion of Ukraine.
Even if an initial nod is given at the summit, there still looks set to be months of wrangling over the small print before the loan can be finalised.
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Отмена Трампом саммита в Будапеште.
Новые санкции против нашей страны со стороны США.
Что ещё? Будет новое оружие, кроме пресловутых «Томагавков»?
Если у кого-то из многочисленных комментаторов ещё сохранялись иллюзии – получите. США – наш противник, а их разговорчивый «миротворец» теперь полноценно встал на тропу войны с Россией. Да, он пока не всегда активно воюет на стороне бандеровского Киева, но это теперь его конфликт, а не маразматика Байдена! Будут, конечно, говорить, что он не мог иначе, на него давили в Конгрессе и пр. Это не отменяет главного: принятые решения – это акт войны против России. И теперь Трамп полностью солидаризировался с безумной Европой.
Но есть в очередном движении трамповского маятника и явный плюс: можно долбить самым разным оружием по всем бандеровским нычкам без оглядки на ненужные переговоры. И добиваться победы именно там, где она только и возможна. На земле, а не за канцелярским столом. Уничтожая врагов, а не заключая бессмысленные «сделки».
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Трамп заявил, что отменил встречу с Путиным в Будапеште
При этом Трамп заявил, что переговоры по войне в Украине идут «достаточно хорошо» и «в будущем» он намерен провести встречу с Путиным.
Finland to Trump: Now let Zelenskyy hit Russia with Tomahawks.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo tells POLITICO Ukraine must be equipped to match or exceed Russia’s capabilities because Vladimir Putin only responds to strength.
BRUSSELS — Donald Trump should allow Ukraine to use America’s long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.
In an interview with POLITICO, Orpo warned that Russia represents a “permanent threat” to European security and urged the U.S. president to grant Ukraine the weapons it needs to defend itself and bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Orpo’s comments came as Trump announced sweeping sanctions on Russian state-owned oil firms, in the most significant step he has taken as president to put pressure on Putin over the Ukraine war.
“Putin believes only in power,” Orpo said as he arrived in Brussels for a summit of European Union leaders at a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s more than three-year war against Russian invaders. “If we want to stop the war we have to be on the same level or even stronger” than Russia, Orpo said.
After failing to persuade Putin to meet Trump for ceasefire talks in Hungary, the U.S. seems to be running out of patience with the Kremlin. On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against Moscow’s biggest oil firms, Rosneft and Lukoil, citing Russia’s “lack of serious commitment to a peace process.”
“Today is a very big day in terms of what we are doing. These are tremendous sanctions,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “We hope that they won’t be on for long. We hope that the war will be settled.”
Trump displayed frustration with Putin’s foot-dragging in negotiations to end the invasion. “Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere. They just don’t go anywhere,” he said.
But Trump added that he did not want to let Ukraine use American Tomahawks. It takes “a year of intense training” to learn how to fire the “highly complex” missiles, Trump said, and that’s too long to wait.
Finland is one of the EU’s most influential countries with Trump after its president, Alexander Stubb, bonded with the American leader on the golf course. The Finns are among the most hawkish in Europe on security as they share a 1,300 kilometer border with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy argues Putin only showed an interest in peace with Trump when he suggested he would let Ukraine use Tomahawks — and as soon as Trump took the cruise missiles off the table, Russia backtracked on peace.
So should Trump give Zelenskyy the missiles he wants? “I really hope that they can get the capabilities that they need to [counter]strike Russia and defend themselves,” Orpo said. “We know that this is a question between Zelenskyy and the United States and I really hope they can find a solution.”
On Thursday, EU leaders in Brussels aim to make progress on a plan to raid Russia’s frozen financial assets for a “reparations loan” to Ukraine. One question is what sort of conditions the EU should attach to the loan, which could be worth as much as €140 billion, enough to keep Ukraine in the fight for two or three years.
France is reportedly leading the push to make Ukraine spend the money on weapons manufactured in Europe. Some other countries, including Sweden, are said to want Ukraine to be able to choose how to use the loan.
Orpo argues Europe must have a say. “I don’t think that whole freedom is the best way,” he said. “We give loans and so we need to do it in good cooperation with them … we need to know that they will use this huge amount of money in a responsible way.”
That means, where possible, buying European. “I hope that they can buy more and more weapons from Europe,” Orpo said. “But we know that we don’t have all those capabilities and weapons in Europe that they need. So it’s reality that they also must be allowed to buy from the U.S., if needed.”
He added: “This is not only a question of Tomahawks. If we can find a solution on how we can finance Ukraine strongly and find a long-term solution using frozen assets it will be so strong a message to Putin that he understands that he cannot win this war. This can be a game changer.”
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Trump steps up pressure on Putin to agree ‘immediate ceasefire’ as he slaps Russia with direct sanctions.
The sanctions were against the two largest Russian oil companies that help fuel Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has imposed direct sanctions on Russia to pressure Vladimir Putin to agree to an “immediate ceasefire” in the Ukraine war.
It is the first time in his second term that Trump slapped direct sanctions on Russia – and it comes amid his growing frustration with Moscow over the raging war.
The sanctions were against Rosneft and Lukoil – the two largest Russian oil companies that help fuel Putin’s invasion of Ukraine – as well as dozens of their subsidiaries.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia‘s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine.
“Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire.”
Bessent said the Treasury Department was prepared to take further action if necessary to support Trump’s effort to end the war.
“We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions,” he added.
Bessent made the comments as Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte was in Washington for talks with Trump.
The US president said he expects Putin to “become reasonable” after the blistering sanctions.
Speaking at a press conference alongside the Nato chief, Trump said: “They’re massive sanctions, and sanctions on oil, the two biggest oil companies, among the biggest in the world.
“Hopefully it’ll push [Putin]. Hopefully he’ll become reasonable, and hopefully [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will be reasonable too.”
Responding to the news, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Last week, the UK sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund Putin’s war machine.
“I’m pleased the US has now joined us with substantial sanctions on the same two oil companies.
“Putin must pay the price for his needless aggression. The killing must end now.”
Trump, who has so far been unable to bring peace to war-torn Ukraine, is said to be getting frustrated with Putin’s unwillingness to stop the war.
Yesterday, the White House confirmed that plans for crunch talks between Trump and Putin in Hungary have now been shelved.
Trump claimed he and Putin had agreed to meet in Hungary in the coming weeks after a “very productive” phone call last week.
But a White House official said that there are no plans for a meeting between Trump and Putin in the near future.
Trump hit out at Putin, saying that a meeting with the despot would be a total “waste of time” as he isn’t serious about wanting peace.
During a press conference with Rutte at the White House, Trump said: “Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere.”
The US president has previously admitted that Putin may be playing for time.
In recent days, a slew of Russia’s top officials have downplayed any notion of accepting peace terms put forward by the US.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “An immediate ceasefire in Ukraine would mean only one thing: most of it would remain under Nazi rule.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov added that Moscow will only stop the fighting on their own terms.
He said: “This topic was repeatedly raised in various forms during contacts between Russia and the US.
“The Russian side answered every time, this answer is well known: the consistency of Russia’s position doesn’t change.”
This rhetoric quickly caught the eye of Trump and his fellow top officials.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky linked Washington’s decision not to give Kyiv long-range Tomahawk missiles to the collapse in the peace talks.
He said that “Russia almost automatically became less interested in diplomacy” when it became clear that Trump had delayed any decision to give the Ukrainians Tomahawks.
“Russia is once again doing everything it can to abandon diplomacy,” he added.
In recent days, Trump has shown openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Putin warned against it.
But following Thursday’s call with Putin, Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles.
The long-range missiles have a maximum range of 2,500km with warheads that weigh almost half a ton – with military experts saying it will be a “game changer” for Kyiv.
Greenlighting Tomahawk cruise missiles would be hugely symbolic for Ukraine – underlining that Washington is clearly back on Kyiv’s side.
Kyiv sees the 1,500-mile-range missile as a critical deterrent. — one capable of crippling Russian supply lines and destroying missile and drone factories far behind enemy lines.
Zelensky met Trump on Friday at the White House in hopes of securing the delivery of the long-range missiles.
But he had to walk away without any commitments from the US president.
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Trump slaps Russia’s biggest oil companies with sanctions over Ukraine war: ‘Now is the time to stop the killing’
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the tough new measures against Moscow after the White House scrapped plans for talks with Putin
The sanctions were announced after plans for a second Trump-Putin summit on the Ukraine war fell apart (Getty)
…
“They’re massive sanctions, sanctions on oil — the two biggest oil companies, the biggest in the world, but they’re Russian. They do a lot of oil, and hopefully it’ll push, hopefully he [Putin] will become reasonable, and hopefully Zelensky will be reasonable too,” he said.
News of the fresh sanctions comes just one day after the White House walked back Trump’s prior claim that he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks.
A White House official told The Independent on Tuesday that there were “no plans” for a sit-down between Trump and Putin “in the immediate future” because Secretary of State Marco Rubio had conducted a “productive call” with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which made an in-person meeting between the two top diplomats “not necessary.”
Trump later told reporters at a Diwali celebration late Tuesday that he did not want to have “a wasted meeting” or “a waste of time” but did not rule out a meeting in the future.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said, adding later that there could be updates on a possible sit-down in “the next two days.”
Just days earlier, Trump had touted a similarly “productive” call with Putin ahead of last Friday’s White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after which he wrote on Truth Social that he and Putin would meet in the Hungarian capital in hopes of finding a way to “bring this inglorious war ... to an end.”
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Ukraine hits Russian chemical with British Storm Shadow missiles in ‘massive’ attack.
The facility, located in Bryansk Oblast, produces gunpowder and explosives.
Ukraine attacked an important Russian chemical plant using British-made Storm Shadow missiles, the Ukrainian military said on Tuesday, calling the facility critical to Moscow’s war efforts.
The strike, which used Anglo-French Storm Shadow cruise missiles, was successful, the armed forces said.
“A massive combined missile and air strike was carried out, including the use of air-launched Storm Shadow missiles, which successfully penetrated the Russian air defence system. The outcome of the strike is being assessed,” the General Staff of the Ukraine Armed Forces said in a post on X.
“The Bryansk chemical plant is a key facility of the aggressor state’s military-industrial complex,” the Ukrainian military said.
Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of Bryansk Oblast, where the plant is situated, acknowledged that Ukraine was attacking the region with drones and missiles on Tuesday afternoon. He said no one was injured in the attack and no damage was reported.
Ukrainian officials said the plant “produces gunpowder, explosives and rocket fuel components used in ammunition and missiles employed by the enemy to shell the territory of Ukraine”.
Storm Shadow is a cruise missile with a maximum range of around 250km (155miles ). The French call it Scalp.
Defence secretary John Healey being shown a Storm Shadow missile in May (PA Wire)
After launch, the weapon, equipped with its navigation system, descends to a low altitude to avoid detection before locking on to its target using an infra-red seeker. On the final approach, the missile climbs to a higher altitude to maximise the chances of hitting the target.
On impact, it penetrates the target before a delayed fuse detonates the main warhead. Powered by a turbo-jet engine, the 1,300kg Storm Shadow travels at speeds of more than 600mph, is just over five metres long and has a wingspan of three metres.
The missiles were also used to strike inside Russia in November last year.
While Russia did not confirm the attack on the facility, its defence ministry and local officials said the Bryansk region had been attacked.
The Russian Defence Ministry said in a Telegram post on Tuesday evening that within four hours in the afternoon its air defence units destroyed 57 Ukrainian drones over the Bryansk region.
The Russian defence ministry rarely reports any damage inflicted by Ukraine.
The Storm Shadow cruise missile is on display at the Paris Air Show in 2023 (AP)
Kyiv has deployed Storm Shadow missiles on several occasions during the war. In June 2023, the then-defence secretary Ben Wallace told parliament that the missiles were already having a “significant impact on the battlefield”.
The White House is walking back president Donald Trump’s plan for talks on ending the conflict just days after he claimed he would meet with Vladimir Putin in Budapest next month.
A White House official told The Independent there are “no plans” for a sit-down between Mr Trump and Mr Putin “in the immediate future” because secretary of state Marco Rubio had conducted a “productive call” with his Russian counterpart, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, which made an in-person meeting between the two top diplomats “not necessary”.
Mr Trump later told reporters at a Diwali celebration late Tuesday that he did not want to have “a wasted meeting” or “a waste of time” but did not rule out a meeting in the future.
Цитата:
Ukraine unveils upgraded sea drone it says can strike anywhere in the Black Sea.
Ukraine's state security service has unveiled an upgraded sea drone that can operate anywhere in the Black Sea.
Ukraine's state security service has unveiled an upgraded sea drone it says can now operate anywhere in the Black Sea, carry heavier weapons and use artificial intelligence for targeting.
Ukraine has used the unmanned naval drones to target Russian shipping and infrastructure in the Black Sea. The Security Service of Ukraine, known by its Ukrainian acronym SBU, has credited strikes by the unmanned vessel known as the “ Sea Baby" with forcing a strategic shift in Russia’s naval operations.
The range of the Sea Baby was expanded from 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), SBU said. It can carry up to 2,000 kilograms (about 4,400 pounds) of payload, SBU officials said.
At a demonstration attended by The Associated Press, variants included vessels fitted with a multiple-rocket launcher and another with a stabilized machine-gun turret.
Бригадный генерал СБУ. Ivan Lukashevych said the new vessels also feature AI-assisted friend-or-foe targeting systems and can launch small aerial attack drones and multilayered self-destruct systems to prevent capture.
Developing a new kind of naval warfare
Drone strikes have been used in successful attacks against 11 Russian vessels, including frigates and missile carriers, SBU said, prompting the Russian navy to relocate its main base from Sevastopol in Crimea to Novorossiysk on Russia’s Black Sea coast.
“The SBU became the first in the world to pioneer this new kind of naval warfare — and we continue to advance it,” Lukashevych said, adding that the Sea Baby has evolved from a single-use strike craft into a reusable, multipurpose platform that expands Ukraine’s offensive options.
Authorities asked that the time and location of the demonstration not be made public for security reasons.
The craft are operated remotely from a mobile control center inside a van, where operators use a bank of screens and controls.
“Cohesion of the crew members is probably the most important thing. We are constantly working on that,” said one operator who was identified only by his call sign, “Scout," per Ukrainian military protocol.
Ukrainian sea drones helped push back Russia's navy
The SBU also said sea drones helped carry out other high-profile strikes, including repeated attacks on the Crimean Bridge, most recently targeting its underwater supports in a bid to to render it unusable for heavy military transport.
The Sea Baby program is partially funded by public donations through a state-run initiative and is coordinated with Ukraine’s military and political leadership.
The evolution from expendable strike boats to reusable, networked drones marks an important advance in asymmetric naval warfare, Lukashevych said.
“On this new product, we have installed rocket weaponry that will allow us to work from a large distance outside of the attack range of enemy fire. We can use such platforms to carry heavy weaponry,” he said. “Here we can show Ukrainians the most effective use of the money they have donated to us.”
An enduring symbol: why troops keep naming things after reptiles.
Tuesday marks National Reptile Awareness Day, a time to appreciate the cold-blooded creatures that have slithered, crawled and snapped their way through human history. For the U.S. military, that appreciation runs deeper than curiosity.
From cobras to gators, reptilian mascots and call signs appear on patches, aircraft and unit logos across every branch. These creatures represent qualities service members value most: patience, precision and power.
Reptiles embody a primal toughness that resonates with warfighters. A cobra never warns before it strikes. A gator waits still and silent until the right moment. That instinct for timing and discipline mirrors how military personnel are trained to operate.
A sniper may hold his breath for hours before taking a shot. A gator may wait underwater for the same amount of time before ambushing prey. Both rely on control, not chaos.
That kind of symbolism has shaped unit identity for generations. During World War II, the U.S. 158th Infantry Regiment earned the nickname “Bushmasters” after encounters with the deadly snake in the jungles of Panama and the Pacific.
The name was not chosen for flair. It came from survival. The men faced the snake daily, and it became a symbol of resilience and grit. The Bushmaster remains part of the regiment’s heritage today, its image still coiled across the insignia.
Reptiles thrive in the same kinds of environments where American forces have fought for more than a century: deserts, swamps and jungles. That shared toughness has made them natural emblems.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, Marines in amphibious assault units often referred to themselves as “Gators.” The nickname reflected both their vehicles and their versatility. Like the animal, they could move between land and water without hesitation. Adaptability became part of the identity.
The 75th Field Artillery Regiment made that link official. Its distinctive unit insignia, approved in 1923, features a gold lizard on a red shield. The design honors the regiment’s roots in Alabama, once called the “Lizard State.” The symbol stands for quickness and survival, traits that define the artillerymen who served under its banner.
Reptilian call signs and nicknames also work from a practical standpoint. On radio channels, short names like “Cobra One” or “Viper Six” cut through static and confusion. They are clear, aggressive, and easy to remember. Their sharp consonants sound fast and decisive, reinforcing the message. Over time, those names become part of a unit’s mythology, spoken with pride by generations of soldiers who never even met.
The connection between reptiles and flight became permanent during the Vietnam War. When the Bell AH-1 “Cobra” helicopter was introduced in 1967, the aircraft’s sleek profile and lethal precision fit the name perfectly.
The helicopter’s reputation for speed and firepower helped solidify the snake as a symbol of American air dominance. The tradition continues today with the AH-1Z “Viper,” a modernized version that carries the same bite in combat.
Reptile imagery also appears in the Army’s heraldic tradition. The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment once used the motto, “Brave Rifles, Scales of the Dragon,” merging reptilian symbolism with mythology to convey unity and strength.
The Marine Corps’ Amphibious Assault Schools in California still informally call themselves “the Gator School,” a title that reflects their amphibious heritage and connection to World War II landings.
Reptiles have appeared in military symbolism around the world for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, crocodiles represented power and protection. Sobek, the crocodile god, was invoked for strength and military success.
That same instinct to channel the reptile’s strength appears in modern American patches, coins and mottos. No matter the era, the message is the same: be patient, strike hard and survive.
Reptiles have even influenced how service members describe themselves. The term “cold-blooded” has become shorthand for operating without emotion. It means carrying out the mission despite fear, fatigue or doubt. That is not heartlessness. It is control. It is the same focused discipline a gator shows before it snaps its jaws shut.
When you hear a call sign like “Cobra One” or see a gator stitched on a sleeve, you are witnessing more than branding. You are seeing the result of decades of storytelling, myth-making and tradition.
Reptiles have survived longer than almost any other species on earth. They adapt, endure and dominate in silence. It makes perfect sense that service members, who are trained to do the same, would see themselves in those scales.
From the jungles of the Pacific to the deserts of Iraq, from the cockpits of attack helicopters to the beaches of Camp Pendleton, the reptile has remained one of the military’s most enduring symbols. It represents readiness, resilience and survival.
So when a young soldier earns a patch marked by a gator’s jaw or a coiled snake, they join a lineage that stretches across decades of service.
Цитата:
Некоторые думают, что еда в литовских больницах несъедобная: какова ситуация в других странах ЕС.
Больницы должны стоять на страже здорового образа жизни и давать примеры правильного питания, однако на практике в разных странах Европейского Союза часто бывает, что пациентов кормят некачественной, непитательной пищей, в некоторых случаях даже просроченными продуктами. По данным учреждений, это результат того, что подписаны договоры с неподходящими поставщиками услуг. Кроме того, подчеркивается, что на питание пациентов выделяют слишком мало денег. В Литве подготовлены вехи по питанию пациентов, однако время от времени появляются фотографии, которые свидетельствуют о том, что ситуация сложная.
В Литве с 2019 года действует приказ министра здравоохранения об организации питания в стационарах. По данным Минздрава, цель этого документа – обеспечить питание пациентов, поддерживающее их здоровье, кроме того, сделать пищу безопасной и качественной. „В документе установлены критерии качества для отдельных групп продуктов. Также рекомендуется отдавать предпочтение экологическим продуктам местного производства и выращенным в Литве овощам и фруктам, что на практике реализуют во время всех госзакупок. Также установлены жесткие правила для использования сахара и соли в блюдах“, – указал Минздрав.
Но на деле все не всегда так, как прописано в законе. Delfi писал о том, что в Кедайняйской больнице еда несъедобная, читатели из Шяуляй делились неприятным опытом в Шяуляйской больнице. Читатель, приславшая фотографию полученного блюда (каши с цветной капустой и куском батона), спрашивала, отвечает ли такое блюдо действующим правилам питания. „В этом блюде масса быстрых углеводов, мало белков и хороших жиров. Я уже не говорю о вкусовых качествах, капуста переваренная и холодная. Это не только не питательно, но и неэстетично“, – делилась читатель.
Vakarienė Šiaulių Respublikinėje ligoninėje.
Правда, по ее словам, это не самый плохой вариант, с которым приходилось сталкиваться или слышать от пациентов других больниц. Что касается Кедайняйской больницы, там речь идет о компании Sotega, которая в прошлом году подписала договор о предоставлении услуг на два года (стоимость договора 532 400 евро). Глава Кедайняйской больницы Аста Шакицкене говорила Delfi, что компания выиграла конкурс. По словам главы больницы, на питание одного пациента выделяют 3,5 евро в день, а кормят людей 3-4 раза.
Минздрав уверяет, что расходы на питание пациентов включены в базовые расценки услуг здравоохранения, который подсчитывает Государственная больничная касса. Расходы компенсируют из Фонда обязательных услуг здравоохранения. „Отдельной строки - питание- в этой сумме нет. Расходы на питание включены в общую сумму. Каждая больница сама устанавливает сумму, которая идет на питание пациентов, сама приобретает услуги. Сумма, которая идет на питание, устанавливается главой больницы“, – отмечает Минздрав. Больничная касса уточнила, что в 2024 г. на лечение пациентов в стационарах выделили на 11,52% больше средств, чем в 2023 г..
Испанцев кормят печеньем, а венгров – тухлым мясом.
Опрос, проведенный во Франции, показал, что 2/3 жителей, которые сталкивались с питанием в больницах, были им недовольны. Похожая ситуация и в Испании. По данным испанского портала El Confidencial, чаще всего пациенты жалуются на однообразную и не отвечающую нормам еду, например – каждый день дают крекеры с молоком. Из-за постоянных жалоб Министерство Санитарии, Социального Потребления и Первичной Помощи в мае 2024 года представило королевский декрет, согласно которому будут устанавливать стандарты меню для больницы и отделений паллиативного ухода. „Это парадоксально, но в месте, куда мы идем лечиться или получать уход, нам дают еду, которая не отвечает даже минимальным требованиям нормального питания“, - сказал министр Пабло Бустиндуй Амадор.
Maistas Rumunijos ligoninėje
Похожая ситуация и в других странах Европы. Например, в Румынии пациентам дают супы, вареные блюда, яйца, сыр, овощи, фрукты, а также холодные мясные изделия, маргарин. Министерство здравоохранения, чтобы улучшить ситуацию, бранит больницы за некачественную еду. В Болгарии нет национальных стандартов качества для еды в больницах, но есть стандарты гигиены и качества. Однако журналисты портала Mediapool сообщают, что их не все придерживаются. „В больницах дают супы и рагу, которые выглядят просто ужасно. Иногда дают хлеб и сосиски“, – сообщает портал Mediapool.
В Венгрии ситуация еще хуже. По данным портала HVG, СМИ сообщают о испорченной еде в больницах. Там фиксируются не только случаи, когда еда не отвечает стандартам нормального питания, но и когда пациентам дают заплесневевший хлеб или тухлое мясо. В 2025 году в одной из больниц Будапешта обнаружили 200 кг мяса с истекшим сроком годности. Тогда правительство Венгрии объявило, что увеличит бюджет на питание пациентов до 10 евро на человека в день.
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С сожалением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Минобороны РФ опровергло заявление литовских властей о нарушении российскими истребителями воздушного пространства Литвы.
«23 октября российские истребители Су-30 совершали плановые учебно-тренировочные полеты над территорией Калининградской области.
Полеты проходили в строгом соответствии с Правилами использования воздушного пространства над территорией Российской Федерации, от маршрута полета самолеты не отклонялись и не нарушали границ других государств, что подтверждено средствами объективного контроля».
Цитата:
В воздушное пространство Литвы залетели два российских самолета.
Сообщается, что 23 октября, в 18 ч., ВВС Литовской армии зафиксировали нарушение воздушной границы Литвы около Кибартай – вероятно, во время учений по дозаправке топлива в воздухе российские самолеты Су-30 и Ил-78 залетели на территорию Литвы (700 м) и через 18 секунд покинули ее. На место происшествия вылетели истребители НАТО - испанские военные на Eurofighter Typhoon, сейчас они патрулируют воздушное пространство на месте нарушения границы.
После непродолжительного нарушения воздушной границы премьер-министр Литвы Инга Ругинене сказала, что ситуация под контролем. «Сегодня был зафиксирован инцидент, во время которого российские военные самолеты ненадолго залетели в воздушное пространство Литвы – пробыли в нем меньше 20 секунд. Хочу заверить: ситуация под контролем», – писала Ругинене…
«Наши службы действовали точно – два испанских истребителя миссии воздушной полиции вылетели в указанное место и сейчас продолжают патрулирование. Это еще один пример успешной и координированной работы наших служб», – заметила она.
Putin says he will never bow to US but concedes sanctions may cause ‘some losses’.
China and India likely to scale back Russian oil imports as Trump tries to bring an end to war in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin has said Russia will never bow to US pressure but conceded new sanctions could cause some economic pain, as China and India were reported to be scaling back Russian oil imports after Washington targeted Moscow’s two largest producers.
The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as nearly three dozen of their subsidiaries, as the Trump administration increased pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine. The EU separately discussed a loan for Ukraine secured on frozen Russian assets and agreed to a phased ban on the import of Russian liquefied natural gas.
The measures against Rosneft and Lukoil – which together account for just under half of Russia’s crude exports, and follow UK sanctions last week on the companies – were the first sanctions imposed on Moscow since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January and are aimed at choking off the vital oil revenues that fund the Kremlin’s war machine.
Washington hopes the sanctions, which led to a 5% increase in global oil prices, will pressure Putin to return to the negotiating table by hitting Russia’s economic lifelines.
The Russian leader on Thursday described the US sanctions as an “unfriendly act that does nothing to strengthen Russian-American relations” and “an attempt to put pressure on Russia”, which he said was futile.
“No self-respecting country ever does anything under pressure,” Putin added in comments to Russian journalists.
While he said the new sanctions would not have a significant impact on Russia, he acknowledged that “some losses are expected”.
He also suggested that Trump should “think about who his administration is really working for” when advisers urge him to impose sanctions on Russian oil, and warned that the measures will lead to a rise in prices.
He also warned Trump of a “very strong, if not overwhelming” response if Russia was attacked with the US Tomahawk cruise missiles that Ukraine has been seeking unsuccessfully from Washington.
The latest US sanctions bar foreign countries and companies from doing business with Moscow’s major oil producers and cut them off from much of the international financial system.
There were early signs on Thursday that Russia’s two biggest energy customers were suspending their energy imports in response to the new US sanctions.
India’s largest buyer of Russian oil, the privately owned Reliance Industries, hinted that it was preparing to scale back or even temporarily halt purchases. “Recalibration of Russian oil imports is ongoing and Reliance will be fully aligned with the [government of India] guidelines,” a spokesperson told Reuters.
Several sources also told Reuters that China’s state-owned oil companies have suspended purchases of seaborne Russian crude, at least in the short-term, amid concerns about falling foul of the new sanctions.
The oil and gas sector accounts for roughly a fifth of Russia’s GDP, and a sudden fall in demand from Russia’s two main buyers would be a devastating hit to the Kremlin’s oil revenues while pushing global prices higher.
China, Russia’s closest ally, and India, which has sought to remain neutral in the war in Ukraine, have until now dismissed western pressure to curb their purchases of Russian energy as empty threats.
Compliance with the sanctions would mean giving up access to the cut-price Russian crude that has helped shield their economies from rising global energy costs.
Trump made the surprise announcement amid growing frustration in Washington over the war in Ukraine, culminating in his abrupt decision to cancel a summit in Budapest.
Asked about the summit, Putin said the meeting would “likely be postponed”, adding that it would be a mistake to hold it without proper preparation.
Putin added that he remained open to talks with Trump, saying that “dialogue is always better than war”.
But other Russian officials struck a far sharper tone. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and a senior security official known for his increasingly belligerent rhetoric, described the measures as an “act of war”.
“The US is our enemy,” he wrote on social media. “Its talkative ‘peacemaker’ has now fully embarked on a path of war against Russia.”
Some experts linked to the Kremlin also acknowledged that the US measures could hurt the Russian economy.
Igor Yushkov, an energy specialist at the Financial University under the Russian government, told the business daily Kommersant that the sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil would make Asian customers reluctant to buy oil directly, forcing the companies to rely on longer chains of intermediaries to charter tankers and sell their crude – a shift that would drive up costs.
The impact of the sanctions will largely depend on how strictly they are enforced – particularly on whether Washington is prepared to impose secondary sanctions on countries that continue to do business with Russia’s oil giants.
Russia has a month to prepare before the restrictions take full effect and will probably use that time to adapt to the new situation.
Moscow has long found ways to evade western sanction through opaque trading schemes as well as its “shadow fleet” network.
The network, which relies on ageing vessels sailing under obscure flags and managed through shell companies in the Middle East and Asia, has enabled Russia to sustain oil exports to key customers in India and China despite the G7 price cap and EU embargo.
Some in Moscow insisted that Russia would adapt again. “New sales schemes will simply appear,” said Mikhail Zvinchuk, a popular Russian military blogger with links to the defence ministry.
“They’ll make logistics and costs more complicated, but the oil business has been dealing with these issues for three years now and managing just fine,” he added.
The reach of US sanctions is, however, vast, and for most companies the risk of being cut off from the broader western financial system could outweigh the benefits of continuing to trade with Russia.
Цитата:
Russia on Trump’s oil sanctions: Denial, anger, bargaining …
Moscow digests the U.S. decision to target its oil giants.
KYIV — Moscow was going through a whirlwind of emotions Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump finally brought the hammer down on top Russian oil giants.
Trump’s sanctions triggered a wave of reactions from President Vladimir Putin’s allies, who suggested, in turn, that: the measures were evidence the White House is a warmonger not a peacemaker; the sanctions don’t hurt anyway, honest; and don’t forget about the sweet, sweet economic deals discussed on the Washington-Moscow leaders’ call last week.
The deniers included foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova — a top Kremlin propagandist — who said the sanctions on energy majors Rosneft and Lukoil were no big deal.
“As for us, we won’t face any particular difficulties,” Zakharova said, avoiding any mention of Trump. “In connection with the aforementioned decision by the U.S. Treasury, our country has developed a strong immunity to Western restrictions and will continue the steady development of its economic potential, including in the energy sector.”
Typically angry was former Russian president turned social media motormouth Dmitry Medvedev.
“If anyone had any illusions ... The U.S. is our adversary, and their talkative ‘peacemaker’ has now entered the war against Russia. Yes, he’s not actively fighting on the side of Kyiv, but from now on it’s his conflict, not Biden’s,” Medvedev blasted on Telegram.
“Some will say he had no other choice, he was pressured by Congress and others. But this does not change the fact: this decision is an act of war against Russia. And Trump is now in full solidarity with crazy Europe,” he added.
During the foreign ministry press briefing, Zakharova said that Russia will still be open to connect with the U.S. State Department to implement agreements that were supposedly reached during the telephone conversation between Putin and Trump on Oct. 16.
Maximalist demands
Last week, Trump said both presidents agreed to meet for a peace summit in Budapest, where the U.S. wanted to push Russia toward a ceasefire in Ukraine, where it has persisted with a full-scale invasion since February 2022.
But senior Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, again brushed off talk of a truce, claiming the “root causes” of the war in Ukraine need to be eliminated.
That phrase is Kremlin shorthand for turfing out Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and ensuring the country is demilitarized and never joins the NATO military alliance.
Moscow’s maximalist demands prompted the U.S. to postpone the Hungary summit — though officials in Budapest, who have maintained close ties with both the U.S. and Russia, remain hopeful.
“Preparations are ongoing and the only question is timing, not intention,” Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in a post on X.
But that hopeful posture doesn’t chime with the ongoing, trenchant rhetoric emerging from the Kremlin.
“We would like to reaffirm that the Russian Federation consistently proceeds from the non-negotiable nature of the goals of the special military operation as declared in February 2022,” Zakharova said, adding that Ukraine must be a neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear state, “denazified and demilitarized,” as only that will ensure lasting peace.
Rusijai pareikštas griežtas protestas dėl spalio 22 d. įvykdyto masinio Ukrainos apšaudymo.
Lietuvos Respublikos užsienio reikalų ministerija pareiškė griežtą protestą Rusijos Federacijos laikinajam reikalų patikėtiniui dėl Rusijos Federacijos karinių pajėgų spalio 22 d. įvykdyto masinio Ukrainos apšaudymo raketomis ir dronais, kurių metų nukentėjo civilinė infrastruktūra, įskaitant elektrines, jūrų uostus, gyvenamuosius namus ir vaikų darželį. Išpuolio metu žuvo mažiausiai šeši civiliai Ukrainos gyventojai, dar daugiau sužalota.
Užsienio reikalų ministerijos notoje Rusijos Federacijos ambasadai pabrėžiama, kad Rusijos nuolat vykdomi ciniški išpuoliai prieš civilius gyventojus ir civilinę infrastruktūrą yra šiurkštus tarptautinės teisės ir tarptautinės humanitarinės teisės pažeidimas. Tokios atakos taip pat yra karo nusikaltimai pagal Tarptautinio baudžiamojo teismo Romos statuto 8 straipsnį, už kuriuos bus siekiama visapusiškos kaltųjų atsakomybės.
Lietuvos Respublika pareiškia, kad šis Rusijos Federacijos elgesys eilinį kartą demonstruoja, jog Kremliaus režimo nedomina taika ir jis toliau siekia pavergti savo kaimynę. Lietuva reikalauja, kad Rusija nedelsdama nutrauktų agresiją prieš Ukrainą, ir įsipareigoja toliau kartu su sąjungininkais padėti Ukrainai stiprinti gebėjimą apsiginti nuo šios agresijos.
Долетят до Троещины. Что поменяют в войне новые дальнобойные КАБы России.
В последнее время россияне резко нарастили дальность своих авиабомб. Теперь они способны наносить удары на расстояние до 200 км, утверждают в Украине. И уже есть примеры, когда КАБы стали прилетать по регионам, куда раньше они не добивали.
К примеру, сегодня такая бомба ударила по Одесской области. Также они долетели до Николаева, Днепра, Полтавы и Лозовой Харьковской области. И потенциально эти удары несут большую угрозу для тыловых районов Украины - если РФ удастся их кратно увеличить.
На официальном уровне Россия ничего об этих авиабомбах не сообщает. При этом первыми о них начали с тревогой писать украинские телеграмм-каналы. Затем о применении «сверхдальнобойных» бомб заявили в ВСУ. А потом фактически подтвердили и российские военные паблики.
По данным ГУР, в сентябре-октябре Россия вышла на серийное производство и первое применение управляемых модулей (УМПК), которые способны доставлять авиабомбу на расстояние до 200 км. В теории этого достаточно, чтобы начать обстреливать даже Киев - до Троещины от ближайшей точки в Брянской области чуть более 190 километров.
Российские паблики пишут, что этот модуль крепится к хвостовой части бомбы и оснащен реактивным двигателем. Они уже продемонстрировали фото предполагаемого дальнобойного КАБа.
На данный момент неизвестно, насколько эти бомбы точны и устойчивы к РЭБ. Ранее сообщалось, что Украина уже научилась отклонять КАБы от курса - хотя в новых управляемых модулях это могли учесть. Тем не менее, прилеты уже фиксируются, и об их результатах власти ничего не говорят. Что может свидетельствовать о значительном ущербе, который наносят новые бомбы.
Что их применение означает для войны в Украине?
Когда россияне впервые начали массированно внедрять КАБы, это резко усложнило положение ВСУ на фронте и в ближнем тылу.
Бомбы, которые запускались с расстояния нескольких десятков километров (что выводило самолеты из зоны действия украинской ПВО) наносили серьезный ущерб украинским позициям. При этом для россиян решалась проблема дальности артиллерии, которая в среднем обеспечивала поражение на расстоянии до 20-25 км. КАБы могли бить гораздо дальше - на 40-50 км, да и урон от них был гораздо больше из-за более крупной боевой части (начиная от нескольких сот килограмм и вплоть до 1,5 тонны).
Не так давно дальность авиабомб еще сильнее выросла, и они начали добивать до Запорожья - несмотря на плотность укранской ПВО на этом участке. Но теперь новые КАБы делают новый скачок и угрожают еще более дальнему тылу с такими городами как Днепр, Одесса, Полтава и даже, как писалось выше, окраинам Киева.
Это важные производственные и логистические базы ВСУ и в целом важнейшие экономические центры. Конечно, они и раньше были под ударами «Шахедов» и ракет. Но беспилотники, хотя и приносят крупный ущерб, в большинстве своем сбиваются, поскольку относительно медленно летают. Да и боевая часть у них всего 50 килограмм максимум. Ракеты же - дорогое оружие, особенно баллистика, которую ВСУ сложнее сбивать.
В этом смысле КАБы являют «золотую середину» - они несут в два-три раза больше заряда, чем «Шахед», а летят по баллистической траектории, то есть с заметным ускорением (при этом еще и маневрируя благодаря УМПК, что снижает предсказуемость маршрута и, следовательно, сбития). Кроме того, это, в сравнении с более крупной ракетой, КАБ - довольно малозаметная цель, что также усложняет работу ПВО.
Есть у таких бомб и крупный недостаток в сравнении с дронами, а также ракетами - пониженная точность. Но для поражения крупных объектов - например, предприятий, электростанций или складов - это не играет существенной роли.
Пока мы не видим массового применения новых КАБов по Украине - оно скорее точечное. Но тенденция идет явно к наращиванию таких ударов. И если они станут регулярными, это сильно усложнит положение украинского тыла. Особенно в свете новой кампании РФ по выбиванию украинской энергетики.
Soomes tegutsev Teboili tanklakett sai USA sanktsioonidega pihta.
USA kehtestatud sanktsioonid Venemaa suurimatele naftafirmadele tabasid ka Soomes tegutsevat Lukoilile kuuluvat Teboili tanklaketti. Soome finantsinspektsiooni teatel võivad tanklaketi rahavood peagi peatuda.
Sanktsioonide kohaselt lõpeb pankadel 21. novembril võimalus Teboili tanklaketile makseid edastada. Pärast seda võtavad tanklaketiga tehinguid tegevad ettevõtted riski, et võivad ise sanktsioonide alla sattuda.
Finantsinspektsioon avaldas neljapäeval teate, mis on sisuliselt hoiatus finantsasutustele ja ettevõtetele. Teates rõhutati, et sanktsioonide rikkumine võib tekitada olulise majandusliku riski ettevõtte maksevõimele või finantsstabiilsusele.
Kuigi Soome pangad ei ole seaduslikult kohustatud USA sanktsioone järgima, peavad nad seda praktikas ikkagi tegema. Kui mõni Euroopa pank jätkab koostööd USA sanktsioonide all oleva ettevõtte või isikuga, võib pank ise karistusmeetmete alla sattuda.
Kui rahavoog peatub, ei suuda Teboil maksta kütusetarnete eest.
Uudisteagentuur STT teatas kolmapäeval, et osaliselt Soome riigi omanduses olev Neste ei müü enam Teboilile kütust.
Teboili turundus- ja kommunikatsioonijuht Toni Flyckt ütles eelmisel suvel Helsingin Sanomatile, et Teboil ostab kogu kütuse kas Nestelt või Lääne-Euroopast.
Flyckt kinnitas neljapäeval, et Teboil on teadlik USA sanktsioonidest ja uurib nende mõju ettevõtte tegevusele.
STT hinnangul peatas Neste müügi Teboilile Suurbritannia poolt kehtestatud sanktsioonipaketi tõttu, mille sihtmärgiks olid samuti Rosneft ja Lukoil. Neste ei ole ise seda teavet kinnitanud.
Soome peaminister Petteri Orpo ei kommenteerinud, kas valitsus teadis Neste otsusest ette, kuid ta ütles, et peab seda õigeks.
Helsingin Sanomat kirjutas augustis, et Teboilil oli eelmisel aastal 54 miljoni euro suurune ärikahjum.
Teboil on Ukraina sõja puhkemise järel olnud avalikkuse tähelepanu all ettevõtte omaniku tausta tõttu. Ettevõtte omanik on Vene naftafirma Lukoil, mis omab Teboili Austrias registreeritud tütarettevõtte kaudu.
Sõja alguses hakkasid kliendid ettevõtet boikoteerima ja mitmed äripartnerid katkestasid sellega koostöö.
Teboili aastaaruandes rõhutatakse, et pärast Ukraina sõja algust on kütuseostud Venemaalt olnud "peaaegu olematud".
Обвинения России в том, что собираются делать/уже делают сами.
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Wildfires have consumed vast chunks of Ukraine. Is Russia deliberately fuelling the flames?
In 2024, nearly a million hectares of Ukraine’s land burned. Heat, mines and shelling contributed, but footage of drones targeting firefighters has raised the question of war crimes.
Natalia Pryprosta was tending to her pigs when fire swept into the village of Studenok, near the city of Izium in eastern Ukraine. There was no time. She grabbed her papers, pulled her elderly mother into a friend’s car, and tried to get the animals out of the shed. Smoke and the speed of the blaze made it impossible. She didn’t see the animals burning, but learned of their fate later.
Smoke smothered Studenok, turning the village as dark as night. Pryprosta’s neighbours fought the flames with shovels, digging in scorched earth to stop the crown fire’s advance. Firefighters arrived, but the blaze was relentless. At one point, it surged around a fire truck, trapping the crew.
Mines and unexploded ordnance, left scattered since the Russian occupation and subsequent liberation in 2022, detonated in the heat. Each explosion fed the flames, sending burning debris, branches and embers flying across the village. Trees ignited, and wood fragments were hurled 700-800 metres, recalls Serhii Kohan, the village head.
Only at about 9pm, when the wind shifted and the explosions subsided, could the units move in and finally begin to fight the flames. Pryprosta and the other villagers survived, huddled in a neighbouring settlement. When they returned, they found many homes burnt, along with blackened trees and mangled structures, another scar on a village already devastated by war.
The highest number of fires on Ukraine-controlled territory this year have been in forests surrounding Izium in Kharkiv oblast (province), where Studenok sits, according to the state enterprise Forests of Ukraine. In the first eight months of 2025, Kharkiv oblast accounted for 60% of all forest fires. The fire that engulfed Studenok had ignited in a national park forest about 14 miles (23km) from the village and swept rapidly north, consuming 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) as it burned.
Waging war in a tinderbox
Expanding wildfires have become part of the “new normal” in a hotter world. But the scale of burning in Ukraine is extraordinary even on those terms, far surpassing anything witnessed across the rest of Europe. In 2024, nearly a million hectares of Ukraine burned: more than twice the area that burned across the entire EU over the same period.
Analysis by the Guardian and Kyiv Independent of satellite imagery, monitoring data and on-the-ground testimony connects the devastation of Ukraine’s forests directly to the Russian invasion. The fires have stretched in an arc across the frontline of the war in Ukraine. Blazes are concentrated in oblasts in the east, where the majority of fighting has taken place.
The fires in Ukraine are unlike those in Canada and Siberia, where huge areas burn over several months. Monitoring data shows hundreds of small, frequent fires that burn at a low intensity, almost certainly started by explosions. Abandoned farmland that is becoming grassland or young forest accounts for a third of the burned area in 2024. Hot and dry conditions turned the frontline into a tinderbox, where blasts often became larger fires that were impossible to control safely due to the presence of landmines.
That combination turned 2024 into one of the worst fire years on record in Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, says James MacCarthy, a research associate with Global Forest Watch. “In Donetsk alone, tree cover loss from fire was more than 40 times the long-term average for 2001 to 2023. Years of conflict, forest degradation and extreme heat have primed these landscapes to burn.”
Rescue workers under attack
National park workers and firefighters say the flames are not the only threat. As they attempt to douse them, they say they are being targeted by Russian drones.
“Drones are always overhead,” says Serhii Skoryk, director of Kamianska Sich national park. “While a few of us put out the fire, two others stand by with rifles, watching to make sure a drone doesn’t fly in and hit the truck.”
Park employees fight fires themselves because the state emergency service considers the territory too dangerous to operate in. At first, they put electronic warfare systems (which jam drone signals) on the fire trucks. But they found the jammers were not working on the latest generations of drones, so turned to borrowed hunting rifles to keep them at bay.
“About 50% of the time, while we’re fighting a fire, a drone flies up to our fire truck and we have to neutralise it,” Skoryk says.
Videos posted by Russian troops on social media show clearly marked fire trucks and personnel being attacked. Often these attacks follow a “double-tap” pattern, with an initial explosion causing a fire, and the same site attacked a second time after rescue and fire crews arrive. One Russian drone-operating brigade in Kherson regularly posts first-person footage videos from drone attacks to their Telegram channel. In one series of clips, the drone pilots target a petrol station, causing a fire. When the fire truck arrives to fight it, a second “suicide” drone flies headlong into the truck, exploding on impact. The Guardian and the Kyiv Independent cross-referenced those videos with photos provided by Ukraine’s state emergency service, of the fire truck’s cab damaged by the explosion.
While damage and fires are a common consequence of war, deliberately targeting rescue workers, igniting fires or encouraging them to burn in a way that causes deliberate, long-term destruction of the environment would be considered a war crime under international law. The Russian government did not respond to a request for comment.
Across Ukraine, prosecutors are working to determine whether attacks are intentionally targeting natural resources. Trees have provided both sides with cover from drones, making forests a target for deliberate fires, say experts.
“There are no accidental shellings – every strike is a deliberate military action,” says Vitaliy Nikitin, deputy head of the Kherson regional prosecutor’s office. “Every instance of shelling that harms natural resources – from national parks to forests and other environmental sites – is documented.”
Such cases take a long time to investigate. Law enforcement often cannot access sites – many lie in combat zones, where most fires ignite, on mined land or in areas still under Russian occupation. The difficulty, Nikitin says, is establishing a cause-and-effect relationship proving that specific Russian military personnel were responsible for deliberately lit fires or targeting of emergency services.
Anhelina Hrytsei, a researcher with the Ukrainian investigative group Truth Hounds, says reports of attacks on rescue workers intensified in 2024 and 2025. The precision of the weapons, absence of nearby military targets and repeated use of double-tap tactics point to deliberate targeting, she says.
“If a small drone with a camera is used to attack rescue workers, and the operator can see them on site wearing insignia, then we can talk – if not about intent – at least about a failure to prevent harm.”
Agriculture under threat
Most large forest fires occur near active combat zones, where a variety of explosive objects litter the ground. Landmines and unexploded ordnance left from occupation or failed detonations can ignite in the heat, fuelling fires and making firefighting extremely dangerous.
Russian forces also carry out remote mining, including anti-personnel mines known as “petals”, dropped from drones.
“Once we demined this 8-hectare area near a road. A few days later, petals were already lying there,” says Skoryk. During hot, dry summers, the ammunition can heat and spontaneously detonate.
The mines and ordnance also slow firefighting. In the frontline Izium Forestry, where about 90% of the territory remains mined, pyrotechnic units must inspect the area before crews can begin extinguishing.
More than 2 million mines have been laid in Ukraine, making it one of the most mined countries in the world, and researchers say it will be difficult for the land to recover quickly.
“Remaining mines and unexploded ordnances in forests along frontlines will prevent recovery and active reforestation of this land for a long time,” says Peter Potapov, a researcher at World Resource Institute’s Food, Forests and Water programme.
Many of the country’s forests were planted and carefully managed alongside farmland, he says, to calm wind, hold snow and regulate water runoff. “Without these forests, the agricultural productivity may be reduced at the regional scale,” he says.
Biodiversity shattered
Burning at such enormous scale and intensity, the fires could have long-term effects on the biodiversity of Ukraine, scientists say. “War affects nature in a complex way – every part of the ecosystem suffers,” says ecologist Kateryna Polianska. “Some changes can be reversed, but others will not recover, or only with great difficulty.”
In 2024, Polianska travelled to Sviati Hory national park and the Kreidova Flora department of the Ukrainian Steppe nature reserve, areas scarred by the war. There, relict chalk slopes – ancient formations created millions of years ago – were shattered by shelling. “We will no longer be able to reinforce them, put them up,” she says.
These slopes once sheltered rare pine forests on chalk, recognised as an endangered habitat. Now, many forests lie burned, broken or stripped bare. Polianska warns that climate change makes recovery even harder: “It may take 70 or 80 years to see the same forest – if it recovers at all.”
For Skoryk, the destruction is personal. The Kamianska Sich national park director lost his home when Russian forces occupied it in 2022 and he now lives in a basement on the park’s grounds. Despite everything, he refuses to leave.
“This is my child, I created it – I have been the only director since the day it was founded,” Skoryk says. To him, the park is a life’s work, a place where rare species and fragile ecosystems depend on protection even under constant attack.
Fires sparked by shelling regularly sweep through the park, threatening what remains. After the dust settles, craters maintain dangerous levels of heavy metals from explosives and toxins. Skoryk and his staff trained in mine clearance and continue to work on demining parts of the park whenever possible – between fires and after marked craters have been studied for measurements and samples.
“If not us, who?” he says.
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Das Spionage-Geheimnis der "Estonia".
Rund um das Wrack der Ostsee-Fähre "Estonia" gilt ein Tauchverbot. Nach Recherchen von WDR, NDR und SZ besteht jedoch der Verdacht, dass Russland den Ort für Unterwasserspionage gegen die NATO nutzt.
Es war die schwerste Schiffskatastrophe in der europäischen Nachkriegsgeschichte: In der Nacht des 28. September 1994 sank bei einem Sturm über der Ostsee die Fähre MS "Estonia" auf dem Weg von Tallinn nach Stockholm. Über die genaue Unglücksursache ranken sich bis heute Gerüchte und Mutmaßungen, denn es gibt Ungereimtheiten.
852 Menschen kamen damals ums Leben, nachdem sich das vordere Bugvisier geöffnet hatte. Viele der Leichen wurden nie geborgen. Das Wrack liegt etwa 35 Kilometer südöstlich der finnischen Insel Utö in rund 80 Metern Tiefe am Meeresgrund und gilt offiziell als Grabstätte.
Ein Jahr nach dem Schiffsunglück unterzeichneten die Regierungen der Anrainerstaaten Schweden, Estland und Finnland ein Abkommen, das Tauchgänge rund um das Wrack der "Estonia" wegen der Störung der Totenruhe verbietet. Zwischenzeitlich gab es Pläne, das versunkene Schiff in einem Betonsarkophag einzuschließen. Dieser Plan wurde aufgegeben nach Protesten von Hinterbliebenen und aus Sorge, dass weitere Untersuchungen zur Unglücksursache erschwert würden. So liegt die "Estonia" weiterhin auf dem Grund der Ostsee.
Übungsgelände für russisches Militär
Doch offenbar bekommt das Wrack ab und an unerlaubten Besuch: Nach Recherchen von WDR, NDR und Süddeutscher Zeitung (SZ) gibt es in der NATO Erkenntnisse darüber, dass Russland das Wrack der "Estonia" als Übungsgelände für Unterwasseroperationen und möglicherweise auch als Versteck für Spionagetechnik nutzen soll.
Demnach sollen mehreren NATO-Mitgliedsstaaten Informationen vorliegen, wonach noch vor wenigen Jahren technische Geräte am Wrack der versunkenen Fähre positioniert worden waren, die hochpräzises Navigieren von Unterwasserdrohnen und Robotern ermöglichen. In westlichen Sicherheitskreisen geht man davon aus, dass russische Militäreinheiten dort entsprechende Aktivitäten geübt haben.
Zudem besteht der Verdacht, dass Russland eine solche Sperrzone inmitten der Ostsee nutzen könnte, um eigene militärische Sensorik zu verstecken, mit der sogenannte Signaturen von NATO-Kriegsschiffen und U-Booten aufgezeichnet werden, also die spezifischen Schraubengeräusche und andere Merkmale.
Aggressiveres Auftreten
Die Position des Wracks in der Ostsee zwischen Schweden, Finnland und dem Baltikum, so berichten es mehrere Militärvertreter in Gesprächen, sei aufgrund der Seewege ideal, um heimlich entsprechende Informationen zu sammeln. Hinzu kommt: Russland könne dort ungestört agieren, denn offiziell gebe es ein Tauchverbot. Von Vorteil sei auch, dass dort am Wrack angebrachte Gerätschaften anders als auf dem sandigen Ostsee-Meeresboden kaum auffielen und fest montiert werden könnten.
Finnland und Estland antworteten zumindest allgemein auf eine Anfrage. Das estnische Außenministerium erklärte, man beobachte gemeinsam mit den Verbündeten genau die Vorgänge in der Ostsee, wobei Russland seit dem Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine aggressiver auftrete. Der zuständige finnische Grenzschutz erklärte, dass man aus operativen Gründen keine Details zu möglichen Überwachungsmaßnahmen veröffentliche.
Finnland habe jedoch ein umfassendes Verständnis über russische Geheimdienstaktivitäten im eigenen Land. Zwischen 2021 und 2024 sei der spezielle Schutz für das Wrack pausiert gewesen, um die Untersuchung neuer Hinweise zum Untergang der "Estonia" zu ermöglichen. Die russische Regierung ließ eine Anfrage dazu unbeantwortet.
Streng geheime Einheit
Für solche Unterwasserspionage, wie sie am Wrack der "Estonia" vermutet wird, ist in Russland die Hauptverwaltung Tiefseeforschung zuständig, bekannt unter dem russischen Akronym GUGI. Diese streng geheime Einheit existiert wohl seit den 1960er-Jahren und ist nicht etwa der Marine, sondern direkt dem russischen Verteidigungsministerium unterstellt. Zu den Aufgaben der GUGI-Gruppe gehört die Spionage und Sabotage unter Wasser, beispielsweise das Ausforschen von kritischer Infrastruktur wie Unterseekabeln und Pipelines europäischer Staaten.
GUGI verfügt über eine Flotte an Spezialschiffen, die offiziell als Forschungsschiffe deklariert sind, und über umfangreiche Ausrüstung wie Mini-U-Boote, Tauchroboter sowie leistungsstarke Sonare und Scanner verfügen, um unter Wasser spionieren zu können. Zu dieser sogenannten "akademischen Flotte" gehört auch das Schiff "Yantar", das in den vergangenen Jahren auffällig oft über Unterwasserinfrastruktur in Nord- und Ostsee aufgetaucht ist, und das in NATO-Kreisen als eines der wichtigsten Spionageschiffe Russlands gilt. Die britische Marine begleitete die "Yantar" eng mit eigenen Schiffen, als es Anfang des Jahres nahe der Küste fuhr.
Eine Aufgabe der GUGI-Gruppe ist es, die spezifischen Geräusche von gegnerischen Schiffen, allen voran U-Booten, aufzuzeichnen. Zu diesem Zweck werden Sensorsysteme wie Unterwassermikrofone (Hydrophone) unbemerkt in den Regionen ausgebracht, in denen die Schiffe vermutet werden. Diese Operationen finden unter größter Geheimhaltung statt. In der NATO geht man davon aus, dass Russland für die Positionierung von derartiger Spionagetechnik nicht nur die angeblichen Forschungsschiffe wie die "Yantar" einsetzt, sondern auch U-Boote, zivile Schiffe wie Fischkutter oder Frachter, und zunehmend auch unbemannte Unterwasserdrohnen.
Westliche Technik im Einsatz
Eine internationale Recherche von NDR, WDR und SZ hat gerade gezeigt, wie russische Geschäftsleute über ein Netzwerk von Firmen jahrelang im Westen Technik zur Unterwasser-Beobachtung beschafft haben. Im Mittelpunkt stand eine Firma auf Zypern. Es ging um Geschäfte im Wert von rund 50 Millionen Dollar.
Die Güter wurden Unterlagen zufolge teilweise über Umwege nach Russland verbracht und dort auch für den Bau eines umfassenden Spähsystems in der Arktis mit dem Projektnamen "Harmonie" (übersetzt aus dem Russischen) benutzt. Dabei handelt es sich um ein Unterwasser-Sensoriksystem in der Barentssee, das westliche U-Boote aufspüren und dadurch das strategisch bedeutsame russische Atomwaffenarsenal in der Arktis schützen soll. Russland hat auf Fragen zur Unterwassersensorik bislang nicht geantwortet
Sensor-Systeme
Während es sich bei "Harmonie" um ein weitverzweigt ausgebautes Unterwasser-Warnsystem in russischen Gewässern handeln soll, gilt es laut westlichen Sicherheitskreisen als ausgemacht, dass ähnliche, wenn auch weniger umfassende Ausspähsysteme von Russland andernorts in den Weltmeeren installiert sind, wie eben möglicherweise am Wrack der "Estonia".
Aus Sicherheitskreisen erfuhren NDR, WDR und SZ, dass an anderer Stelle bereits vor Jahren Unterwassersensorik in der Ostsee gefunden worden sei. Es gebe zudem Hinweise, dass nicht nur in der Barentssee, sondern auch in der Ostsee nicht nur einzelne Geräte, sondern ganze Systeme mit Sensoren und Schaltstellen verbaut seien.
Über entsprechende Erkenntnisse ist bislang nur wenig bekannt: Anfang 2024 hatte Litauen offiziell berichtet, dass in der kurischen Nehrung ein Hydroakustik-Sonar eines russischen Typs gefunden wurde. Man veröffentlichte von dem offenbar nicht mehr funktionsfähigen Gerät sogar ein Foto. In litauischen Berichten hieß es, dass es ähnliche Funde wenige Jahre zuvor ebenfalls in Litauen, Großbritannien und Irland gegeben habe. Auch in Lettland soll es der Recherche zufolge eine solche Feststellung gegeben haben.
Sensoren in deutschen Gewässern
Auf eine Anfrage dazu reagierte lediglich das irische Militär. Allerdings hieß es, dass man aus operativen Gründen nichts über aktuelle maritime Operationen mitteile. Eine Recherche der britischen Sunday Times vor wenigen Monaten berichtete ebenfalls mit Bezug auf Sicherheitskreise von entdeckten mutmaßlich russischen Spionage-Sensoren vor den Küsten Großbritanniens.
Experten nehmen an, dass auch in deutschen Gewässern solche Sensoren installiert sind und vielleicht sogar bereits gefunden wurden. Ein Sprecher des Verteidigungsministeriums erklärte auf Nachfrage lediglich allgemein, dass man Aktivitäten unter Wasser überwache, die sich "gegebenenfalls gegen maritime kritische Infrastruktur richten oder der Spionage dienen". Dezidierte Auskünfte auf einen Fragenkatalog wurden abgelehnt, da dies "Rückschlüsse auf unsere Fähigkeiten im Bereich der Aufklärung, Ortung und Erfassung in der Dimension 'Unterwasser' zulassen", so der Sprecher.
Замечательный пример шизофрении наших ближайших северных соседей:
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Священника из Москвы пригласили в Финляндию помогать украинцам – вскоре оказалось, что он не тот, кем его считали.
Православный священник Александр Занемонец приехал из России в Финляндию вскоре после начала войны, чтобы помогать украинским беженцам. Вскоре его поведение начало вызывать недоумение.
В начале марта 2022 года в Финляндию приехал священник из Москвы. За две недели до этого Россия начала войну против Украины.
…
Финляндская православная церковь наняла его для помощи украинским беженцам.
Позднее выяснилось, что … не был тем, кем его считали: его знание украинского оказалось слабым, а связи с Россией – гораздо теснее, чем предполагалось. Приход принял решение прекратить с ним сотрудничество.
Разведывательные службы выражают обеспокоенность тем, что Россия использует церковь как инструмент влияния в Европе.
(выделено а.п.) История с … вызывает множество вопросов: кто он, как оказался в Финляндии и почему его прошлое не было тщательно проверено?
Православные в Финляндии
• В Финляндской православной церкви состоит около 55 тысяч членов.
• Она подчиняется Константинопольскому патриархату.
• В настоящее время церковью руководят Архиепископ Илия, Епископ Сергий и Епископ Арсений.
• В Финляндии также действуют приходы, подчиняющиеся Московскому патриархату. У них несколько тысяч членов.
• Десятки тысяч украинских беженцев составляют в Финляндии значительное православное меньшинство.
• В Украине существуют как автокефальная (независимая), так и подчиняющаяся Московскому патриархату православная церковь.
…
SUPO предупреждает о возможных попытках влияния
Финские спецслужбы предупреждают, что Россия может использовать церковь в разведывательных или гибридных операциях.
Полиция безопасности SUPO не комментирует случай Занемонца, однако отмечает, что Россия действительно может использовать церковь для воздействия.
– Известно, что между российским государством и [Русской] православной церковью существуют тесные связи и общие цели. Не исключено, что религиозные сообщества могут использоваться для государственного влияния или разведки, – сообщили в Supo в ответ на запрос Yle.
Служба безопасности Украины подозревает более сотни священников Украинской православной церкви Московского патриархата в сотрудничестве с Россией.
В июле президент Украины Владимир Зеленский лишил гражданства главу этой церкви, митрополита Онуфрия.
Занемонец считает подозрения в связях с разведслужбами необоснованными. По его словам, это явление связано с наследием коммунизма, когда анонимно распространяются ложные сведения.
Lawsuit: D.C. man detained for playing "Star Wars" song at National Guard.
A D.C. man filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming he was detained for playing Darth Vader's theme from the "Star Wars" while protesting National Guard troops patrolling the city during President Trump's crime crackdown.
The big picture:
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on behalf of Sam O'Hara against four Metropolitan Police Department officers and a member of the Ohio National Guard seeking damages for alleged First and Fourth Amendment violations, false arrest/imprisonment; battery.
Driving the news:
After Trump sent in the National Guard from D.C. and states around the U.S. as part of his crime crackdown, O'Hara started protesting the deployment by playing "The Imperial March" song from "The Empire Strikes Back," the second film in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, while filming National Guard troops on the city's streets.
• Most Guard members "ignored" O'Hara and "a few smiled or laughed" at his actions and he uploaded the videos TikTok, where they were viewed "millions" of times, per the suit.
Yes, but:
The Ohio guardsman "was not amused by this satire" and "threatened to call D.C. police officers to 'handle' the protester if he persisted" when the incident took place on Sept. 11, the ACLU attorneys allege in their complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court of Colombia.
• The complaint claims O'Hara was using his phone "and sometimes a small speaker, he played The Imperial March as he walked, keeping the music at a volume that was audible but not blaring."
• The D.C. police officers arrived and "tightly" handcuffed and detained O'Hara for 15-20 minutes, according to his attorneys.
• The MPD shared a police report of the incident with Axios, saying the guardsman had "flagged down" the officers and that O'Hara was "sent on way without further incident."
What they're saying:
"The law might have tolerated government conduct of this sort a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," the ACLU attorneys say in the suit.
• "But in the here and now, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests, and the Fourth Amendment (along with the District's prohibition on false arrest) bars groundless seizures."
• A spokesperson for the MPD declined to comment on the matter, noting the department does not comment on pending litigation. Representatives for the Ohio National Guard did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
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‘Dictator-for-life vibes’: our architecture critic on Trump’s bulletproof ballroom bling.
He has already turned the Oval Office into a wrestler’s changing room. Now the president is building a place so gilded Nero would feel at home. Why did he pick an architect whose speciality is Catholic churches?
All very Louis XIV … how the faux classical ballroom will look. Photograph: McCrery Architects PLLC via the White House.
As if truffling thuggishly in pursuit of the Nobel peace prize wasn’t enough, the spectacle of bulldozers ripping into the White House is yet more evidence of Donald Trump’s unstinting quest for epic self-aggrandisement. Having decreed the East Wing not fit for purpose – namely, his purposes of swank and show – he plans to replace it with a faux classical bulletproof ballroom, capable of seating up to 650 partygoers.
Renderings show a vast, glacially white aircraft hangar of a structure embellished with an ornate coffered ceiling, gilded Corinthian columns and drooping gold chandeliers. Nero, who conceived the original domus aurea, would feel right at home. Costing $250m (£187.5m), a sum to be extracted from sycophantic donors, Trump’s ballroom is one of the most grandiose White House projects to be implemented in more than a century, as he strives to bend the building – and US architecture more generally – to his will.
On re-assuming the presidency, one of his first executive orders – under the title Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again – mandated that “traditional and classical architecture” should be the preferred style for all federal public buildings, with Trump having the final veto on designs. A similarly prescriptive order was enacted during Trump’s first spell in office, only to be rescinded by Joe Biden.
So, having been here before, the American Institute of Architects is wearily wary, stating: “AIA is extremely concerned about any revisions that remove control from local communities, mandate official federal design preferences, or otherwise hinder design freedom, and add bureaucratic hurdles for federal buildings.”
…
White House occupants do have a history of tweaking, expanding and remodelling. Theodore Roosevelt added the West Wing, Richard Nixon installed a bowling lane and Harry S Truman commissioned an entire reconstruction. Several first ladies have revamped the decor and furnishings, notably Jackie Kennedy, whose soigné interiors were designed to connect the presidential home more resonantly with American history.
The now doomed East Wing, dating from 1902, has been a much-changed addition. Intermittently housing the office of the first lady, what’s left of it sits above the presidential emergency operations centre, a high security bunker built during the second world war. Vice-president Dick Cheney and his retinue retreated there during the 9/11 attacks, as did Trump at the start of the George Floyd protests in 2020.
The man who landed the ballroom job is James McCrery, founder of Washington-based McCrery Architects and a trenchant advocate of classical architecture. “Americans love classical architecture,” he has said, “because it is our formative architecture – and we love our nation’s formation.” Ironically, McCrery began his career working for Peter Eisenman, the high priest of deconstructivism, before a conversion of Damascene proportions prompted him to renounce the avant garde and “rethink his modernist education”.
…
Specialising in the design of “traditional” Catholic churches, McCrery was appointed by Trump during his first term to serve on the US Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency with the power to review the “design and aesthetics” of all construction within Washington DC.
Trump’s style edicts and building bombast exude a dictator-for-life megalomania vibe, as he barrels through his second term, with an unconstitutional third potentially in his sights. However, he is said to dislike the White House, finding it on the poky side, preferring to decamp to his Floridian resort Mar-a-Lago at every opportunity. The tone for his latest stay in the White House was set by his patio-fication of the Rose Garden, but he is now clearly aiming for a legacy more substantial than a bit of paving.
His record as a “patron” of architecture has been shaped by his rollercoaster career as a property developer. To him, buildings are simply extruded capital. He has an enduring fondness for Louis XIV bling, epitomised by his enrobing of a 1960s Manhattan skyscraper in golden bronze cladding to transform it into the gleamingly phallic Trump International Hotel and Tower. His more recent engoldening of the Oval Office, described by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as a “golden office for the golden age”, has been unflatteringly compared to a professional wrestler’s dressing room.
An imperial wheeze … model of the new White House ballroom. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters.
Nonetheless, Trump’s experience as a developer was formative, in that it taught him he could get away with just about anything. It crystallised a poisonous bravado, now hardwired into the national political sphere. His fetishisation of classicism, a historically recurring comfort blanket for despots of all stripes, is bleakly predictable.
“It gives Trump a narrative of authority and tradition,” says Daniel Abramson, professor of architectural history at Boston University, “and fits into his overarching strategy of undermining the established elites, including in architecture.”
Another imperial wheeze, announced at a reception for prospective ballroom donors, is a huge triumphal arch, to be erected just across the Potomac river from the Lincoln Memorial. Modelled on the Parisian original and topped with a gilded, winged goddess of victory, the “Arc de Trump” is intended to commemorate the US’s 250th anniversary next year. In launching this newest vanity project, Trump said: “We love to fix up Washington.” Again, Nero would doubtless approve.
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White House uses building history site to demean Democrat presidents.
The White House is using a government web page to troll Democrats including former President Obama, as President Trump faces backlash over the demolition of the East Wing for his $300 million ballroom project.
The big picture:
Officials added a "Major Events Timeline" to the "about the White House" page featuring sections that appear to mock Obama and former Presidents Clinton and Biden, and speculate about cocaine found at the White House in 2023.
• Trump is facing growing criticism over his ballroom project after initially saying the construction wouldn't "interfere" with the original structure and that it would cost $200 million.
Driving the news:
The timeline details the White House's original design plans in 1791 and includes dates of notable additions, such as the Oval Office and briefing room.
The latest:
The administration has now sprinkled in unrelated political references, with nods to the "Bill Clinton Scandal" involving his relationship with Monica Lewinsky that dominated news headlines in 1998.
• Another post features a photo of Obama wearing a white turban and robe during a 2006 visit to Kenya, which it baselessly claims is a "Muslim Brotherhood Visit," claiming Trump's predecessor in 2012 was hosting a group that "promotes Islamist extremism and has ties to Hamas."
• The photograph began circulating during Obama's first presidential campaign amid false claims that the Christian leader is a Muslim — something Trump has previously speculated about.
Zoom in:
Several entries target Biden. The former president is pictured in 2023 and 2024 for "Trans Day of Visibility," with a note that he established the day on Easter Sunday in 2024.
• Another entry speculates, without evidence, that his son Hunter Biden may have been responsible for a bag containing cocaine found in the West Wing lobby in 2023.
Flashback:
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time that the cocaine was found in a "heavily traveled area" where many visitors pass through.
• A Secret Service investigation concluded without finding the source due to a lack of evidence and FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said in May that the Bureau was stepping up efforts to investigate the case.
For the record:
News of the timeline emerged on Thursday. The entry was not available as of Oct. 7, which is the last available archive date from the White House.
Zoom out:
Many presidents have made changes to the White House over the years, but preservation groups are concerned about the historical landmark maintaining its original structure, given the scale of Trump's remodeling plans.
• Trump and mega-donors are funding the rebuild, causing some to question the ethics behind possibly rewarding his political supporters.
• Representatives for the White House, Biden, Obama and Clinton did not immediately respond to Axios' Thursday evening request for comment.
_________________
С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Обещая ошеломляющий ответ, Путин имел в виду удары не только "Томагавками", а вообще по России – Песков.
Пресс-секретарь Кремля Дмитрий Песков заявил, что президент России Владимир Путин вчера пообещал "ошеломляющий ответ" не на поставки дальнобойных ракет "Томагавк" Украине, а вообще на попытки ударов вглубь России.
Об этом спикер Путина сообщил сегодня на брифинге с журналистами.
Песков поправил журналистов в формулировке вопросов о заявлении Путина.
"Вы неправильно сказали: не на поставки "Томагавков", а на попытки осуществления ударов вглубь территории РФ. Вот о чем говорил президент", — сказал Песков.
Также он назвал заявление Путина красноречивым и исчерпывающим.
Песков отметил, что глава РФ и президент США Дональд Трамп все еще допускают встречу в будущем. При этом он отрицает, что саммит в Будапеште был сорван. По его словам, дату встречи изначально не назначали.
"Ни Трамп, ни Путин не хотят собираться только ради самой встречи. Для того, чтобы их встреча стала результативной, нужно, чтобы на уровне, как определили главы государств, министра иностранных дел России и госсекретаря США, была проделана работа. Да, президент Трамп заявил, что в настоящий момент он перестал думать о проведении саммита. Вместе с тем за последние два дня он уже несколько раз повторил, что не исключает проведение такого саммита в будущем. Эту точку зрения разделяет и президент Путин", - заявил спикер Кремля.
...
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Senators eye sanctions vote after Trump targets Russian oil.
But the top Foreign Affairs Republican said legislation remains a “work in progress.”
The bipartisan authors of sweeping Russia sanctions legislation are hoping the Senate is finally ready to consider their bill after President Donald Trump hit Moscow’s energy sector with penalties this week.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally and coauthor of legislation taking aim at Russian oil and gas revenue, said Congress “should continue the pressure.” He said the Senate could schedule a “Russia week” in which it takes up several bills related to Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have been pressing for months for a vote on their measure to implement steep tariffs on countries that import Russian energy and secondary sanctions on foreign companies that aid in its energy production.
“We have the ability to create a sanction regime that would be beyond legal challenge,” Graham told reporters, explaining why congressional action would be prudent beyond Trump’s unilateral moves. He added that “Trump would be the quarterback.”
Majority Leader John Thune said last week he was ready to advance the long-stalled sanctions package, predicting last week the bill will be brought up within a month. But he struck a more cautious note Thursday.
“As you know, I’ve been interested for some time in getting the sanctions bill up on the floor,” he said. “We’re trying to do ... that in concert and coordination with the White House to make sure that we’re giving them the best possible opportunity to succeed in getting Russia to the table.”
Separately, Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called a potential vote on sanctions “a work in progress” Thursday.
Thune and Graham have worked with the White House to smooth over technical issues in the bill, but progress halted last week after Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced plans for a summit meeting in Hungary.
Those plans have since collapsed, prompting the Treasury Department to sanction Russia’s two largest oil companies Wednesday. Now, advocates for a tougher line against Putin want the Senate to follow up with the Graham-Blumenthal bill, which has more than 80 cosponsors.
“I think it establishes a trajectory for passing our sanctions bill, and there’s no excuse for delay,” Blumenthal said.
Asked if Trump supports the sanctions bill, Thune said as a “general matter, yes,” but added there were things the White House wants incorporated and that “we’re in conversation with them.”
Graham and Blumenthal floated the possibility that other bills could come to the floor, including measures allowing frozen Russian assets to be repurposed for Ukraine’s use and designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Thune said discussions are underway about votes on those bills.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, said off the floor Thursday that the Senate should advance “a strong, tough sanctions bill.”
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Trump does what Brussels couldn’t: Kill Russian oil in Europe.
New U.S. sanctions will be “catastrophic” for Lukoil’s operations across the continent, warns former company executive.
BRUSSELS — Donald Trump’s surprise move to sanction Russia’s largest oil companies won’t paralyze Vladimir Putin’s war machine — but it will help the EU kick Russian oil out of the bloc for good.
On Wednesday, Trump announced “tremendous” new sanctions targeting Russia’s Lukoil and its state-owned Rosneft, marking the first U.S. sanctions on Moscow since he took office.
The details of the new measures are still being worked out. But in theory, they threaten to force the two firms to sell their assets and end their remaining oil pipeline supplies to Europe.
“This is a significant step,” said Kimberly Donovan, a sanctions expert at the Atlantic Council think tank, “and it is going to force … European countries and companies that have been continuing to import energy to reconsider those transactions” by Nov. 21, when the sanctions kick in.
The announcement comes a month after Trump lambasted Europe for “inexcusably” continuing to buy energy from Russia, which in total provides a quarter of income for the Kremlin’s war chest.
At the time, he also issued an ultimatum to Europe, writing: “I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA.”
Now, he’s followed through.
Damage, not destroy
For Moscow, the new sanctions will mean immediate pain, but are unlikely to curtail its war effort in Ukraine.
Rosneft and Lukoil account for around two-thirds of the 4.4 million barrels of crude Russia exports each day, according to David Fyfe, chief economist at the Argus media consultancy.
The sanctions threaten to take out “half” of those supplies, he said, given the measures prevent the two firms from selling their cargoes in dollars, the currency used almost exclusively for trading crude internationally.
For Lukoil in particular, the sanctions “will hurt significantly,” said one former executive at the company, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about sensitive matters. The firm will likely have to sell its stakes in overseas projects from Egypt to Iraq, the person said, hitting up to 20 percent of its revenue.
But the majority of Chinese and Indian buyers, Russia’s two largest oil trading partners, are likely to continue importing from Moscow, said Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis at the Kpler commodities firm, given its cheaper prices and limited alternatives in the case of China.
After an initial period of hiatus, “most buyers would go back into buying,” he said, once they have found workarounds including purchasing cargoes via companies that obscure their Russian ownership.
“This will complicate exports and trade,” said Vladimir Milov, a former Russian deputy energy minister-turned-Putin critic. But “these companies ... already have alternative work schemes in place, so there will be damage but it’ll be limited.”
On Thursday, Putin himself admitted the new sanctions were “serious,” while blasting the move as an “unfriendly act that does nothing to strengthen Russian-American relations.”
Lingering presence
But one place where the measures are likelier to have a clear effect is Europe.
Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, the EU has strained to end its reliance on Russia for energy.
Brussels has slapped an embargo on Russian crude, fuel and coal entering the bloc by sea; and has whittled down the Kremlin’s share in the EU’s gas market from 45 to 13 percent. (It is now finalizing a bill that would bring that down to zero.)
Rosneft, which once owned refineries and controlled oil flows to Germany, has been largely dispossessed in Europe after Berlin took control of its local subsidiary in late 2022.
“We assume that the measures taken by the United States … are not intended to target Rosneft’s subsidiaries in Germany, which are held in trust by the German states,” said a spokesperson for the German economy ministry.
On Thursday, the EU also tightened its sanctions against the Kremlin-controlled company.
But it’s a different story with Lukoil. Russia’s largest private oil firm runs hundreds of gas stations across the EU, including around 200 in Belgium; operates giant refineries in Romania and Bulgaria; and retains a 45 percent share of a fuel processing plant in the Netherlands.
It also supplies oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which still rely on Moscow for between 86 and 100 percent of their imports. Exploiting a sanctions opt-out, the two countries have stubbornly resisted ditching Moscow — despite intense pressure from the EU.
So far, Brussels has repeatedly failed to target the company despite being linked to sanctions circumvention in the bloc.
Neither Rosneft nor Lukoil responded to POLITICO’s requests for comment.
Out of Lukoil
Now things are set to change.
The U.S. Treasury has said it “may” impose sanctions on anyone working with the Russian firms, meaning no bank will now handle payments for them in Europe, said Donovan, the sanctions expert.
“It’s going to be a huge signal to [European banks and businesses] that they really need to step away from this, or otherwise they’re exposing themselves to sanctions,” she said.
On Thursday, the European Commission said it too was mulling its own transaction ban against Lukoil.
For Hungary and Slovakia, in particular, the new sanctions are sparking anxieties that oil flows could be cut off entirely.
If enforced, it “would lead to the stopping of imports,” acknowledged one Slovak official, also granted anonymity to speak frankly, saying the government will “most likely” seek an exemption from Washington. Hungary’s foreign ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment.
In fact, the impacts of the measures are already starting to be seen. Finnish energy firm Neste on Thursday suspended fuel deliveries to Lukoil subsidiary Teboil after the U.S. and U.K. sanctions against the firm.
Romania’s state secretary for energy, Cristian Bușoi, told POLITICO that Lukoil will now have “an obligation” to sell its south-central Petrotel refinery before next month’s deadline. “We would be happy not to have Lukoil anymore,” he added.
The Dutch government, too, now sees a quick sale of Lukoil’s stake in its southwestern Zeeland refinery as “the most likely scenario,” according to a person familiar with the matter.
Bulgaria’s eastern Neftochim refinery will also “have to stop operation on Nov. 21” unless it is sold, added Martin Vladimirov, a senior energy analyst at the Sofia-based Center for the Study of Democracy think tank. The Bulgarian energy ministry declined to comment.
“They’ll have to be sold,” echoed the former Lukoil executive.
For the company, it will be “catastrophic,” the person added.
Trump terminates trade talks with Canada over ‘fraudulent’ Ronald Reagan tariff ad.
Furious Trump accuses country of ‘egregious behavior’ in social media post.
President Donald Trump has announced trade talks with Canada will cease, claiming the country “fraudulently” used an ad featuring the late Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.
“The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs,” Trump wrote on Truth Social late Thursday night.
He continued: “TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
Trump’s post came shortly after the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute released a statement, saying the Government of Ontario created an ad campaign “using selective audio and video” of Reagan that “misrepresents” a 1987 radio address from the former president.
Donald Trump announced steep global tariffs in April this year, including an additional 25 per cent levy on nearly all goods from Canada (AFP/Getty)
The foundation added that the Government of Ontario did not get permission to use or edit the remarks, and that it is “reviewing its legal options.”
In the ad, posted on X by Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, last Thursday, Reagan can be heard saying in a voiceover, “ When someone says, let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports, it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs... But over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.”
“ There’s a growing realization that the weight of prosperity for all nations is rejecting protectionist legislation and promoting fair and free competition. America’s jobs and growth are at stake.”
Reagan explaining his budget in 1981 (Getty)
What was not included in the ad was Reagan defending his decision to put new tariffs on some Japanese products after the Asian country didn’t enforce their trade agreement with the U.S. on semiconductors.
“We had clear evidence that Japanese companies were engaging in unfair trade practices,” Reagan said at the time. “We expect our trading partners to live up to their agreements. As I’ve often said: our commitment to free trade is also a commitment to fair trade.”
The Independent has reached out to Ford’s office for comment.
The Trump administration has echoed Reagan’s sentiments in its global trade war.
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, pictured at a conference in March this year (Getty)
When announcing Trump’s sweeping tariffs on April 2, which the president dubbed “Liberation Day,” the White House said, “President Trump refuses to let the United States be taken advantage of and believes that tariffs are necessary to ensure fair trade, protect American workers, and reduce the trade deficit.”
Ford said when launching Ontario’s ad campaign in the U.S., “The way to prosperity is by working together.”
Trump began sparring with Canada on tariffs shortly after his second term began. In early February, he put an additional 25 percent levy on nearly all goods from Canada, but the tariffs didn’t go into effect until early March. Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs.
In June, Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, of which Canada is a top supplier.
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Trump ends trade talks with Canada over ‘fake’ Reagan ad.
President accuses Canada of using anti-tariff campaign to meddle with U.S. courts.
Trump began sparring with Canada on tariffs shortly after his second term began. In early February, he put an additional 25 percent levy on nearly all goods from Canada, but the tariffs didn’t go into effect until early March. Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs.
In June, Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, of which Canada is a top supplier.
Бывший министр иностранных дел: моя дочь получила подарок на 18-летие от российского государства.
Тимо Сойни считает, что подарок был способом России показать, что они знают о нас всё.
Бывший министр иностранных дел Тимо Сойни рассказал в программе Ylen Jälkiviisaat, что Россия дарила неожиданные подарки его семье, как и экс-президенту Финляндии Саули Ниинистё.
Дочь Сойни получила на свое 18-летие подарок от заместителя министра иностранных дел России Владимира Титова.
– Ведь не было широко известно, когда у моей дочери день рождения – только в КГБ об этом могли знать. Вот именно об этом говорит Саули Ниинистё: такие российские намёки поступали. Мол, ”мы о вас всё знаем”.
Экс-президент Ниинистё написал о подарках, полученных от президента России Владимира Путина, в своей книге ”Все пути к безопасности” (Kaikki tiet turvaan). В ней он рассказывает, что скрытый смысл этих подарков неоднократно обсуждался в канцелярии президента.
Например, на Петербургском экономическом форуме в 2012 году Путин предложил своим почётным гостям мадеру. Вино 1845 года заставило российского президента вслух вспомнить, как тогда обстояли дела, а именно, что в то время Финляндия принадлежала России.
Сойни: грубые намёки
Сойни считает, что у Путина есть привычка шутить на темы, которые по сути могут быть довольно грубыми.
Подарок ко дню рождения дочери совпал с моментом, когда Сойни должен был выступить в посольстве России. Дата была известна за несколько месяцев.
По его словам, русские хотели посмотреть, как он отреагирует. После вручения подарка он выступил перед восемью послами с речью о безопасности Балтийского моря.
– Всё прошло хорошо, и рыбный суп был вкусный, но этот момент запомнился.
В своей книге экс-президент Ниинистё упоминает три подарка от Путина. Первый – знак отличия, который изначально был вручён сенатору Самуэлю Вернеру фон Тройлю, действовавшему в Финляндии в период русификации. Второй – книга под названием Pro Finlandia 1899 года. Третий – собрание писем семьи Маннергейма, переданные Ниинистё на его 70-летие.
Старший научный сотрудник Института международных отношений Юсси Лассила считает, что подарки Путина свидетельствуют о его одержимости историей. С помощью них он хочет напомнить, что Финляндия процветала под властью России.
Путин намекает, но также говорит прямо
Сойни отметил в программе Ylen aamu, что русские часто намекают, но умеют и прямо сказать, чего хотят.
Примером этого стала речь Путина в Мюнхене. На конференции по безопасности в начале 2007 года президент России выступил с речью, которая стала вызовом для Европы. В ней он критиковал Запад за политику силы и открыто угрожал Европе.
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С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Намек Трампу. Для чего Путин рассказал о «Буревестнике»?
Сегодня Путин заявил, что ракета с ядерной энергетической установкой «Буревестник» прошла испытание, пролетев 14 тысяч километров.
В российских пабликах уже идут трактовки этого события. По их версии, если «Орешник» (ракета средней дальности) стал «предупреждением» европейским странам, то «Буревестник» - «предупреждение» уже непосредственно американцам. Намек на готовность к эскалации, при наступлении определенных событий. Например – передачи Украине «Томагавков».
Впрочем, пока с «Томагавками» история поставлена на паузу. И главный удар США по России наносит в энергетической сфере, вводя санкции против крупнейших российских нефтяных компаний, а также побуждая другие страны отказаться от закупки энергоносителей из РФ. Трамп уже заявил, что будет на эту тему говорить на предстоящей встрече с Си Цзиньпином.
Россия, правда, постоянно находит способы как санкции обходить, но все равно тенденция для нее опасная. Так как хотя США подчеркивают, что новые санкции против нефтегазового сектора РФ вводятся лишь в качестве «меры принуждения к миру» и будут отменены в случае согласия Кремля на прекращение огня, все больше признаков того, что вопрос стоит куда шире и речь идет о системной стратегии Вашингтона по выдавливанию с мирового рынка российских нефти и газа с целью замещения их доли энергоносителями из США и союзных им стран. Европа, например, уже заявила, что откажется от российского газа и нефти даже если война в Украине закончится. Да и восстановить свои позиции на рынке других стран даже в случае отмены санкции России может быть непросто, если к тому времени туда зайдут по долгосрочным контрактам американские или ближневосточные поставщики.
Поэтому тема по санкциям против российских энергоносителей, если они будут ужесточаться, а их последствия для РФ расширяться, имеет эскалационный потенциал для отношений между США и Россией не меньший, а то и больший, чем поставки «Томагавков».
Не исключено, что в том числе и на это намекал Путин, рассказывая о «Буревестнике».
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Россия готовится испытать крылатую ракету «Буревестник» с ядерной энергетической установкой. Первоначально об этом сообщило издание the Barents Observer. Его журналисты ссылаются на предупреждение NOTAM, выпущенное Российской Федерацией. В документе указывается, что с 7 по 12 августа закрывается воздушное пространство над участком территории Новой Земли площадью 500 кв. км.
Также по данным the Barents Observer на аэродром Рогачево перелетели два самолета Ил-76, принадлежащие корпорации «Росатом». Как считается, эти борты используются для проведения испытаний «Буревестника».
Масла в огонь подлил и заместитель министра иностранных дел России Сергей Рябков. Комментируя выход России из моратория на размещение ракет средней и меньшей дальности, он заявил, что у нашей страны есть не только комплекс "Орешник", но и другие новейшие вооружения.
«Буревестник» – это самое загадочное изделие из «семерки Путина». Так называют новейшие системы вооружения, о которых Владимир Путин рассказал в ходе послания президента к Федеральному собранию в 2018-2019 гг. В этот перечень входят баллистическая ракета «Сармат», беспилотный подводный аппарат «Посейдон», гиперзвуковой боевой блок «Авангард», боевой лазер «Пересвет» и тд.
Но еще до того, как состоялось официальная презентация этих систем, про большинство из них так или иначе было известно. Но вот «Буревестник» стал полной неожиданностью. Более того, о продвижении работ по этому изделию официальной информации так и не появилось. А все, что сейчас известно, написано со ссылками на западных разведчиков и аналитиков, либо на источники сомнительной информированности.
Поэтому российская крылатая ракета с ЯЭУ сразу же обросла огромным количеством мифов:
1️⃣«Буревестник» – это летающая «Хиросима», она оставляет за собой радиоактивный след.
Полный бред. Принцип работы двигательной установки ракеты крайне прост. Реактор вырабатывает электричество, которое подается на нагреватели-тены. Они разогревают до температуры в нескольких тысяч градусов воздух, который идет через воздухозаборник. За счет этого ракета и летит. При этом реактор никак не взаимодействует с воздухом. И скорее всего полностью изолирован за счет специальной защиты.
2️⃣Настоящие название «Буревестника» – 9М730. И это тоже не правда. Официальное название КР никогда не озвучивалось и не всплывало в госконтрактах. А имя «Буревестник» было выбрано на общественном голосовании, как и «Посейдон» и «Пересвет». Индекс 9М730 появился в публикации одного федерального СМИ и является ошибочным. Хотя его тут же растащили по разным источникам.
В России два основных производителя КР – ГосМКБ «Радуга» и НПО «Новатор». Первому принадлежит семейство ракет Х-55 и Х-101. Вторая – это производитель морских «Калибров» и сухопутных Р-500.
По своем внешнему виду «Буревестник» имеет полное сходство с семейством Х-101. Более того, даже была версия, что КР с ЯЭУ имеет индекс Х-102. Но и это предположение является ошибочным.
В свою очередь, 9М730 – это изделие из семейства ракета Р-500 для комплексов «Искандер». И никакого отношения к «Буревестник» оно не имеет. Даже по внешним признакам все «Р-пятисотки» даже близко не напоминают КР с ЯЭУ.
3️⃣«Буревестник» взорвался в на полигоне в Неноксе. И это тоже неправда. В 2019 году инцидент произошел с другим изделием. Сам же «Буревестник» отрабатывался в неядерном варианте на Капустином-Яре, а с ЯЭУ над Новой Землей.
Помимо ядерного реактора новейшая КР несет в себе еще одну загадку – как она будет отслеживать в полете свои координаты? По объективным причинам спутниковая навигация не подходит. Также нерабочим является вариант с коррекцией по экстремальным точкам, когда в заданой точке ракета подскакивает над землей и сличает картинку, заложенную в памяти с реальной местностью, и сопоставив данные, понимает на сколько она она отклонилась
Скорее всего в «Буревестники» используется некий новый принцип навигации, позволяющий выполнять полеты на глобальные дистанции. Но вот его технические характеристики пока неизвестны.
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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow tests new nuclear-powered cruise missile, says Putin’s top general
An intended summit in Budapest between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was called off on Wednesday.
Russia has tested a new nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missile named the Burevestnik, Russia's top general told president Vladimir Putin in remarks released on Sunday.
The missile travelled 14,000 km (8,700 miles) and was in the air for about 15 hours, General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff of Russia's armed forces, told Putin.
Putin has said the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) - dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO - is "invincible" to current and future missile defences, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path.
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Главные заявления начальника Генштаба РФ Герасимова на совещании с Путиным:
🟩группировка войск «Центр» завершила окружение противника в районе Красноармейска и Димитрова;
🟩в кольце ВС РФ на этом участке находится 31 батальон ВСУ;
🟩на направлении действия группировки войск «Запад» окружён Купянск. Завершается освобождение Ямполя;
🟩группировка «Север» освободила более 70% города Волчанска;
🟩группировка «Восток» развивает наступление в Запорожье и ДНР, освобождено шесть населённых пунктов.
Witkoff to meet Putin's envoy amid new U.S. sanctions on Russia.
[img]https://images.axios.com/QNVB2F0O0C-tcRS6TPCP7JJwmRs=/0x0:8430x4742/1920x1080/2025/10/24/1761308196167.jpg[/img]
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff looks on during a meeting at the White House on Oct. 17. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev is visiting the U.S. and is expected to meet White House envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami on Saturday, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of the plans.
Why it matters:
Dmitriev's visit comes amid renewed tensions between the U.S. and Russia over President Trump's efforts to stop the war in Ukraine.
• The Russians want preparations to resume for a second U.S.-Russia leaders summit after Trump canceled plans for a meeting with Putin in Budapest.
• CNN first reported news of the Russian envoy's visit.
Driving the news:
The U.S. on Wednesday imposed new sanctions against Russia's two biggest oil companies in an effort to press Putin to agree to a ceasefire.
• It was the first time the U.S. has imposed sanctions against Russia over the war with Ukraine since Trump took office.
• Trump said he "cancelled" his planned meeting with Putin because he felt it would not lead to any results. "We will do it sometime in the future," he said.
What we're watching:
It is not clear if Dmitriev is going to meet other U.S. officials.
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Nato member state shuts down capital airport and border crossings over helium balloon intrusions - amid fears of attack by neighbouring Russia and Belarus
NATO member Lithuania closed its capital airport late on Saturday and shut both crossings on the border with Belarus after helium weather balloons drifted into the Baltic country's territory for a second consecutive day.
Traffic at Vilnius Airport was suspended until 2 am local time while the Belarus border will remain shut until the same time, Lithuanian officials said.
European aviation has repeatedly been thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and the Baltic region.
The Vilnius airport also closed on Tuesday and Friday of this week and on October 5, each time due to balloons entering the capital's airspace, authorities have said.
Lithuania has said balloons are sent by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes, but it also blames Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, for not stopping the practice.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene on Friday said the country's National Security Commission will meet next week to assess the situation.
The airport closure comes after NATO jets were scrambled on Thursday after two Russian military planes were briefly spotted in Lithuanian airspace.
The aircraft, an Su-fighter and Il-78 refuelling tanker, were in the airspace for 18 seconds, with Spanish jets from NATO's Baltic division scrambled in response, according to the Lithuanian military.
Vilnius Airport closed on Saturday night after helium weather balloons drifted into Lithuanian territory for a second consecutive day
In this undated photo released by the State Border Guard Service, an officer inspects a balloon used to carry cigarettes into Lithuania, because Belarussian smugglers often use them to ferry the contraband into the European Union.
The Russian planes were possibly conducting a refuelling exercise over the city of Kaliningrad before they flew 700 metres into Lithuanian territory, according to local media.
The country's Ministry of National Defence said in a statement: 'Our forces acted quickly with NATO jets on patrol.
'Lithuania remains strong and ready. Every inch of our country is protected.'
President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the incident, stating: 'This is a cruel violation of international law and the territorial sovereignty of Lithuania, and we have to react to this.'
Earlier this month, the Lithuanian government told its citizens to start preparing bomb shelters as fears grow that the Baltic nation could be dragged into war with Russia.
The country, which borders Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad enclave, has been urging its residents to prepare for more than a year.
Its location is seen as a potential danger, given that Belarus is a close ally of Putin, and both countries conduct joint Zapad military drills.
This year, the government said: 'There are currently 6,453 bomb shelters in Lithuania that can accommodate approximately 1.5 million people, or about 54 percent of the country's population.'
In the country's capital, Vilnius, the basements of many buildings have been turned into shelters.
'People wanted to feel safe, to know that they could protect themselves in the event of bombing and war, for at least a few days,' said Vidas Magnavicius, a building manager. 'We agreed that we had to prepare for the worst.'
The warnings come as Vladimir Putin threatens swift retaliation against Europe, insisting Moscow will respond if provoked.
Reform MP apologises after slamming adverts ‘full of black people’.
Sarah Pochin said her comments were phrased poorly
Nigel Farage with Sarah Pochin, who won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election earlier this year.
Reform MP Sarah Pochin has apologised for any offence caused after saying “it drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people”.
She said her comments were “phrased poorly” but insisted that many adverts are “unrepresentative of British society”.
Labour said her comments were “completely unacceptable” and called on party leader Nigel Farage to condemn them.
The Runcorn and Helsby MP was responding to a viewer on TalkTV who complained about the demographics of advertising.
The MP said the viewer was “absolutely right” and “it drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people”.
She said: “It doesn’t reflect our society and I feel that your average white person, average white family is… not represented anymore.”
Ms Pochin blamed the situation on the “woke liberati” in the “arty-farty world”.
“It might be fine inside the M25, but it’s definitely not representative of the rest of the country,” she said.
In a later statement, she said she was trying to say the advertising industry had gone “DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) mad”.
She said: “My comments were phrased poorly and I apologise for any offence caused, which was not my intention.
“The point I was trying to make is that the British advertising agency world have gone DEI mad and many adverts are now unrepresentative of British society as a whole.
“I will endeavour to ensure my language is more accurate going forward.”
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said: “It’s astonishing that a senior Reform MP is spending her time counting the numbers of people with a different skin colour to her on TV adverts.
“Defining British people by the colour of their skin is completely unacceptable and shows once again that Reform are more interested in dividing our country than uniting it.
“Nigel Farage needs to condemn this now, and urgently clarify whether Sarah Pochin’s views on race are welcome in his party.”
A Liberal Democrat source said: "Sarah Pochin's half-hearted apology beggars belief. Instead of simply saying sorry, she's tried to double down and excuse herself.
"Nigel Farage must take action and condemn her remarks, or explain why he agrees with what she said.”
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God help us! Students given trigger warning about the Bible's death and violence - including Christ's crucifixion.
They came for great works by Homer, Shakespeare, and Dickens – and now woke warriors have slapped a trigger warning on the very word of God.
Students of English literature are being warned about violence and murder in the Bible, including Christ’s crucifixion.
Bizarrely, the University of Sheffield advises that the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John include scenes of ‘graphic bodily injury and sexual violence’ as they relate the events leading up to the death of Jesus.
Details of the guidance – issued to students studying biblical and classical sources in English literature – have been obtained by The Mail on Sunday under Freedom of Information laws.
Christians and historians last night said the warnings were ‘misguided’, ‘absurd’ and incompatible with discussions about morality.
One relates to the story of Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. In the Book of Genesis, Cain, the first person to be born, kills his brother, Abel, who becomes the first person to die.
But critics of the censorship point out that there is no mention in the Bible of how Cain kills Abel – and were at a complete loss to explain the inclusion of ‘sexual violence’ in the warnings.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: ‘Applying trigger warnings to salvation narratives that have shaped our civilisation is not only misguided, but absurd. Singling out the Bible in this way is discriminatory and deeply ill-informed. To suggest that the crucifixion story involves "sexual violence" is not just inaccurate, it’s a profound misreading of the text. The account of Jesus’s death is not a tale of trauma, it is the ultimate expression of love, sacrifice, and redemption, central to the Christian faith.’
Students of English literature are being warned about violence and murder in the Bible, including Christ’s crucifixion
Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali, the former Anglican Bishop of Rochester who converted to Catholicism, said: ‘Knowing the Bible is essential if you are studying English literature.
‘Students have to be exposed to what is unpleasant and frightening so they can learn to deal with that. The Bible is very restrained in how it describes both the murder of Abel by Cain and the crucifixion, particularly if you compare the accounts of the Evangelists with something like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.’
Jeremy Black, the author of A Brief History of History, said: ‘Biblical and Classical narratives oppose good and evil, in the cosmos, in society and within individuals. These struggles are elemental and fundamental... Students need to be exposed to the power of the texts, their uncompromising character, and the violence of the passage into redemption. There is no need for trigger warnings when morality is concerned.’
The University of Sheffield said: ‘A content note is a standard academic tool used to signpost when sensitive or graphic content will be discussed. It’s purpose is to ensure subjects can be highlighted and discussed openly and critically, while preparing students who might find such details difficult.’
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С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Применительно к заявлениям российского Генштаба о блокировании/окружении части Красноармейской группировки в Красноармейской агломерации, ресурсы противника решительно отрицают наличие полноценного котла, но столь же решительно признают продвижение российских войск в самом Красноармейске и в Родинском, ввиду чего 2 основных дорог из агломерации уже давно непригодны к использованию для полноценной логистики, а попытки снабжения через горловину между Гришино и Родинским по большей части купируются российскими дронами, которые уничтожают технику которой пытаются обеспечить снабжение и хоть какой-то подвоз людей.
Очевидно, что редкие прорвавшиеся машины (дороги забитые сгоревшей техникой к западу и северо-западу от Красноармейской агломерации мы еще увидим и не раз), подвоз с помощью тяжелых дронов или наземных роботов, полноценно не может занимать нормальную логистику по нормальным дорогам. Проблемы со снабжением - классический признак оперативного окружения, которое противник будет естественно отрицать, также как он отрицал аналогичные ситуации перед падением Угледара, Селидово, Суджи. Последняя особенно показательна, так как именно иссушение снабжения после взятия под контроль нашими дроноводами трассы Суджа-Юнаковка во многом предопределила (вместе с операцией "Труба" и другими активными действиями) катастрофу ВСУ в южных районах Курской области.
Касательно количества потенциально окруженных частей, то стоит помнить, что еще в сентябре 2025 года средняя комплектность бригад ВСУ в Красноармейской агломерации практически не превышала 40% от штатной численности. К октябрю, от многих из заявленных 31 батальона остались ошметки. Поэтому огромных цифр пленных там не ожидается - существенная часть их личного состава уже в земле и ждет, когда их после освобождения агломерации погрузят в рефрижераторы и передадут на границе Белоруссии обратно на Украину.
Тем не менее, шапкозакидетельских настроений следует избегать - оставшееся время до полного освобождения агломерации противник будет стремиться к затягиванию своей агонии с целью выигрыша времени для укрепления обороны Доброполья, пока агломерация сковывает существенные силы российских войск. Противник вполне готов разменять часть своей группировки на время
Легкой прогулки там не будет. Но даже в этом случае, Красноармейск и Димитров будут освобождены, а далее настанет очередь Доброполья.
Цитата:
Цитата:
По спорам вокруг окружения Красноармейской группировки противника.
1. Фактически, на сейчас мы наблюдаем оперативное окружение части сил противника удерживающих Красноармейскую агломерацию. Горловина по которой снабжается часть группировки удерживающей Красноармейский выступ после потери части позиций в Родинском, опасно сузилась. Она оценивается в 4,5-5,5 км.
Напомню, что при таких показателях угледарская группировки ВСУ начала драпать из Угледара после обвала флангов.
2. Чем уже горловина, тем опаснее становится любая попытка доставить подкрепления, грузы, боеприпасы в агломерацию.. Фактически, логистика нарушена уже сейчас, а это и есть оперативное окружение, хотя возможность формально выходить на северо-запад под ударами дронов и артиллерии еще существует, как это было скажем в Дебальцевским котлом, где часть окруженной группировки уходила полями из котла.
3. При этом, есть и другая опция, когда из Киева скажут держаться любой ценой, затягивая агонию Красноармейской агломерации и жертвуя блокированными в ней частями. Тем более такие приказы ранее отдавались и во время окружения Дебальцево и во время окружения Мариуполя.
4. Так что торопиться с тем, что завтра вся группировка вдруг сдастся или уйдет на прорыв, я бы не стал. Впереди еще хватает тяжелой работы. Ну а операторам наших дронов работающих по горловине я бы пожелал хорошей охоты - целей там будет много.
Цитата:
Сегодня Путин заявил об окружении Покровска, а его генералы - что в городе и его окрестностях блокировано более пяти тысяч украинских военных.
Украинский Генштаб не подтвердил окружения, хотя и признал российское присутствие в Покровске.
Что происходит в городе на данный момент?
Cудя по карте украинского военного паблика Deep State, в последние дни вокруг Покровска расширилась «серая зона». Она выдвинулась к северо-западу от города с одной стороны и к северу с другой (район Красного Лимана и Родинского). Между обеими «клешнями» - расстояние менее шести километров (карта 1). Причем «клешни» к северо-западу от Покровска подходят вплотную к ключевой дороге, по которой снабжается и Покровск, и Мирноград. А некоторые российские паблики (см третью карту) пишут, что буквально в течение последних суток эта дорога была уже перекрыта. А еще севернее российские войска совершили бросок к Новоалександровке, что действительно грозит почти полной блокадой (Украина и ряд российских пабликов это не подтверждают).
Если «серая зона» (согласно карте DeepState) превратится в устойчивый контроль РФ, то такой коридор будет насквозь простреливаться и контролироваться дронами, что может вызвать крупные потери как при снабжении, так и при выводе украинских сил - причем, не только из Покровска, но также из соседнего Мирнограда и обширного "мешка" южнее.
При этом, другие украинские источники говорят, что в том же Красном Лимане уже не серая зона, а полноценный российский контроль.
Российские паблики утверждают, что наиболее боеспособная часть украинских сил из Покровска уже выведена, но украинские источники этого не комментировали.
В самом Покровске, судя по карте DeepState, бои охватили уже большую половину города.
На карте украинского паблика микрорайон Собачевка в Покровске обозначен под украинским контролем, хотя бойцы ВСУ пишут, что он почти полностью захвачен. И, если это так, то даже по консервативным оценкам Deep State, серая зона охватила всю основную часть городской застройки Покровска.
Возвращаясь к флангам вокруг Покровска - на севере, как сообщает украинский боец с позывным «Мучной», россияне вывесили флаг в восточной части Родинского и развивают наступление в этом городе.
«Вероятно, город (Родинское - Ред.) уже полностью потерял связь с нашими позициями, на карте он выглядит как мозаика серых зон, где контроль меняется буквально по улицам. Окончательного закрепления врага ещё нет, но ситуация на грани», - пишет «Мучной».
ВСУ при этом активно атакуют севернее Родинского - на Добропольском выступе, где россиян выбили из ряда населенных пунктов. В теории это может сказаться на северном фланге российского наступления на Покровск, хотя пока этого не происходит, и ситуация там меняется не в пользу ВСУ.
К востоку от Покровска усиливается российское наступление на Мирноград. Россияне заявляют о захвате там села Проминь, а немецкий военный обозреватель Юлиан Репке - о потере Украиной Новоэкономического и Николаевки (ничего этого Киев не подтверждал). Также российские и ряд украинских военных пабликов пишут и о боях в самом Мирнограде в районе шахты 5/6.
Как уже сообщали украинские военные, логистика Мирнограда «подвешена» на Покровск, и ситуация там ухудшается следом за тем, как россияне продвигаются в Покровске.
То есть, положение Покровска и Мирнограда сейчас действительно очень опасное. Напомним, об этом еще в пятницу писали украинские СМИ, отмечая как продвижение россиян в Покровске, так и крайне угрожающую ситуацию для логистики ВСУ.
Косвенно сложность обстановки подтвердил и главком Сырский, который вчера провел совещание с командирами, воюющими на Покровском направлении. Среди прочего главком потребовал от них не врать в докладах наверх.
«В очередной раз подчеркнул командирам всех уровней недопустимость искажения и сокрытия информации о реальной ситуации в докладах. Нечестность имеет слишком высокую цену — жизни наших воинов», - заявил Сырский.
Это предупреждение от главкома довольно показательно - обычно, комментируя положение на других направлениях, он не упоминал о лжи командиров.
Как повлияет на войну в Украине встреча Трампа и Си Цзиньпина?
На следующей неделе в Южной Корее должны встретиться президент США Трамп и лидер Китая Си Цзиньпин. Это будет их первая личная встреча с момента инаугурации Трампа на его второй срок.
К ней приковано всеобщее внимание в мире, так как от ее результатов, как считается, будет зависеть дальнейшее развитие отношений Китая и США, что прямо повлияет на глобальные экономические и геополитические процессы.
Много прогнозов и о том, что встреча может резко изменить и расклады по войне Украине. Собственно, об этом уже сказал и сам Трамп, заявив, что намерен призвать Си Цзиньпина отказаться от покупки российских энергоносителей, чтоб оказать давление на Путина и побудить его согласиться на прекращение огня по линии фронта.
Более того, вчера Трамп сказал, что Индия уже отказалась от закупок российской нефти, а Китай их сильно сократил. Ряд источников СМИ подтверждают, что обе страны могли взять паузу в закупках российской нефти. Другие это опровергают. Но даже если пауза и взята, то это, не исключено, временное явление – для переоформления потоков российской нефти на неподсанкционных поставщиков. Как это уже не раз бывало в прошлом после введения очередных санкций.
Но вернемся к Китаю.
Пекин и ранее постоянно назывался экспертами ключевым игроком, способным повлиять на ход войны.
Но каким именно образом - на этот счет существует две противоположные точки зрения.
Первая гласит, что Китай может оказать влияние на Россию с целью побудить ее к уступкам по войне в Украине. Так как экономическая зависимость РФ от Китая велика.
Вторая же исходит из того, что Китаю продолжение войны в Украине выгодно, так как чем дольше идет война, тем больше Россия отдаляется от Запада и сильнее привязывается к Китаю. В рамках этой версии рождаются и совсем уж экзотические теории вроде заявлений Рютте летом этого года о том, что Китай, если захочет атаковать Тайвань, может попросить Россию напасть на Европу, чтоб отвлечь силы НАТО.
Где правда?
Начнем с последней версии – о том, что продолжение войны в Украине выгодно Китаю. Она, очевидно, не имеет отношение к действительности.
Любые выгоды, которые, теоретически, может приобрести Китай за счет сближения с ним России и увеличения доли на ее рынке, с лихвой перекрываются потенциальными проблемами с его основными рынками сбыта – ЕС, США и с союзными им странами азиатско-Тихоокеанского региона.
Более того, санкции, введенные из-за войны против России, сильно мешают развитию российско-китайской торговли, так как Пекин вынужден учитывать эти ограничения и ему приходится тратить усилия на их обход.
И хотя все эти проблемы пока не являются сколько-нибудь критичными для экономики Китая, вряд ли Пекин отказался бы от того, чтоб они исчезли.
Кроме того, что самое важное, война в Украине привела к резкому сближению США и Европы, кардинально затруднив осуществление главного геополитического проекта Пекина – отрыв ЕС от США. И чем дольше идет война в Украине, и чем больше разговоров о грядущей большой войне в Европе, тем это сближение все теснее.
Прямая выгода Китая от продолжения войны только одна – резкий рост продаж дронов и комплектующих к ним как в Украину, так и в Россию, так как БПЛА сейчас – главное оружие войны и почти все они делаются из китайских деталей. Но в общих объемах китайского экспорта это не такие уж значительные цифры.
Исходя из всего сказанного выше, Китай, в целом, заинтересован в скорейшем завершении войны в Украине на любых условиях кроме разгрома и поражения России (в последнем случае политика Москвы, скорее всего, будет определяться полностью Западом, чего Китаю, понятное дело, не надо).
А так как остановка войны по линии фронта разгромом РФ не является, а станет формально ее военной победой (фиксация захвата части территории Украины), то такой вариант Пекин также устраивает.
Тем более, что именно он и содержался в мирной инициативой Пекина, объявленной еще в феврале 2023 года (и тогда, к слову, против нее выступил Киев и Запад, а Россия, наоборот, поддержала).
Возможно, вариант, при котором итогом войны станет изменение курса Украина с прозападного на пророссийско-прокитайский для Пекина был бы ещё выгоднее. Но его перспектива пока туманна и выглядит, как минимум, не близкой.
А скорейшее окончание войны возможно только в виде прекращения огня по линии фронта.
Но означает ли это, что Китай будет как-то давить на Россию с целью побудить Кремль на него согласиться (чего и добивается Трамп)?
Исключать в нынешние времена ничего нельзя. Риск для России, что Китай, а также другие страны «глобального юга», ради сохранения и нормализации торгово-экономических отношений с Западом, решат подключиться к изоляции РФ, с 2022 года всегда был одним из основных.
Однако, до сих пор он не реализовался. И на то были свои причины.
Во-первых, как оказалось, у Запада не так уж много столь сильных рычагов воздействия на Китай, чтоб побудить его к действиям против РФ из-за войны в Украине. Поэтому, хоть Китай и заинтересован в скорейшем окончании войны, однако этот вопрос для него в контексте отношений с США и с Россией сам по себе пока не столь важен, чтоб идти ради его решения на резкие шаги.
Во-вторых, сценарий, когда Китай подключается к давлению на РФ с целью принуждения ее к неким действиям по Украине, был бы более реален в случае, если б Китай и США слились в некоем стратегическом альянсе, договорившись между собой по всем глобальным вопросам.
Однако такой ситуации пока не наблюдается и близко. Особенно после того, как к власти в США пришел Трамп, команда которого настроена жестко антикитайски и противостояние между двумя крупнейшими державами мира приобретает экзистенциальный характер.
Поэтому ни о каких стратегических договоренностях США и Китая сейчас вообще не идет речь. Пекин на переговорах решает исключительно тактические задачи – не допустить резкого обвала отношений двух стран, чтоб выиграть время для постепенного снижения зависимости от США по технологиям и рынку сбыта.
Но в стратегии Китая эта зависимость должна, так или иначе, стремиться к нулю в рамках подготовки к противостоянию с Америкой.
И в этом противостоянии для Китая важен «крепкий тыл» в лице России. Главная уязвимость КНР – зависимость от критического импорта (энергоносители и прочее сырье, продовольствие). Сейчас большая его часть поставляется в Китай морем. В случае обострения отношений, США могут попытаться при помощи своего военно-морского флота заблокировать внешнюю торговлю КНР. Однако, если Пекин будет иметь гарантии поставок всего необходимого сухопутным путем из РФ, то морская блокада не станет для него катастрофой.
Поэтому разменивать вопросы отношений с «тылом» в стратегическом противостоянии с США на какие-либо тактические договоренности с Вашингтоном (скорее всего, временные) Пекин вряд ли готов.
Тем более, у него есть и другие аргументы для дискуссии с Трампом, помимо вопроса энергоносителей из РФ. Например – редкоземельные металлы.
Впрочем, также маловероятно, что и Трамп, учитывая экзистенциальный характер противостояния США с Китаем, будет готов идти на какие-либо огромные уступки Пекину ради снижения им закупок российских энергоносителей.
Для КНР есть ещё и имиджево-геополитический момент.
В нынешней ситуации любые шаги Китая в том направлении, которое от него требует Трамп (закупать меньше российской нефти, давить другим способом на Путина) будут выглядеть как подчинение Пекина приказам Вашингтона (хотя Китай до того постоянно говорил, что никто ему не может указывать, с кем торговать, а с кем нет). И это может стать болезненным ударом для отношений КНР со всеми остальными потенциальными союзниками в мире. Так как Пекин покажет себя «несамостоятельной геополитической единицей» и государством с ограниченным суверенитетом, которое вынуждено отказываться от торговли с другими странами из-за требований США. Более того, подобные меры затем американцы смогут использовать и против самих китайцев, принуждая другие страны под угрозой санкций отказываться от импорта продукции из КНР.
Наконец, даже если допустить вариант, что по каким-то причинам Китай все ж таки решит сократить или вообще прекратить закупки российских нефти и газа, то это никак не гарантирует, что Путин примет условия и война остановится по линии фронта. Зато возникает риск, что Москва пойдет на резкую эскалацию, вплоть до ядерной войны в качестве «последнего аргумента», что Китаю точно не нужно. А намеки на такую возможность из РФ идут постоянно. В том числе и сегодняшнее заявление Путина по завершившимся испытаниям ракеты «Буревестник».
Если подытожить – вероятность того, что Китай согласится подключиться к давлению Трампа на Россию после запланированной встречи в Южной Корее может быть и не равняется нулю, но невелика. По крайней мере на данный момент.
Некие краткосрочные меры по ограничению закупок у РФ (что уже бывало периодически и ранее) возможны, но не более того. Да и то лишь при условии, что Трамп пойдет на значительные уступки Пекину по другим вопросам, что далеко не факт.
Пекин, как писалось выше, действительно хочет скорейшего окончания войны, но не хочет, чтоб это выглядело как однозначная победа Трампа, который «всех, включая Пекин, прогнул и заставил играть по своим правилам».
Поэтому Китай, возможно, выдвинет встречные предложения по условиям завершения войны, отчасти, не исключено, совпадающие с требованиями Путина.
Либо второй вариант – Пекин возьмет паузу, а затем выступит со своей собственной инициативой по прекращению огня по линии фронта, которую Путин может принять. Особенно, если к тому времени его армия сможет достаточно далеко продвинуться в Донецкой области и в других регионах Украины.
Параллельно Пекин может начать свою игру и с Киевом – предлагая ему гарантии того, что Россия никогда больше не нападет, а также обещая инвестиции на восстановление страны в размере кратно большие, чем может себе позволить переживающая финансовый кризис Европа.
Шансы на успех этой игры кажутся, на первый взгляд, сейчас мизерными, с учетом огромной зависимости Киева от поддержки Запада в условиях войны.
Однако, стоит отметить, что в определенной части политических кругов (в том числе и близких к власти) уже некоторое время распространяется теория, что единственная страна, которая может дать гарантии того, что РФ более на Украину не нападет – это Китай, имеющий огромное влияние на Москву. Кроме того, украинская элита всегда тяготела к многовекторности. И если вторым вектором, балансирующим влияние Запада, более не может быть Россия, то им, теоретически, может стать Китай.
Подобные идеи витали в Киеве и до вторжения. И, при определенных обстоятельствах, к ним ещё могут вернуться.
Впрочем, пока все это теоретически выкладки. Ставки в предстоящих переговорах Трампа и Си очень велики. Однозначно можно сказать, что вопросы по Украине и Россия на них также будут занимать не последнее место. По крайней мере, их будет ставить Трамп.
И ответ на эти вопросы Си действительно во-многом определит дальнейшее развитие ситуации.
Согласие Китая на ограничение или прекращение закупок энергоносителей из РФ может ухудшить экономическую ситуацию в России, а также дать старт новым американским санкциям для усиления эффекта давления. Цель этого - побудить Путина к остановке войны по линии фронта, но как писалось выше, может дать обратный эффект - резкую эскалацию вплоть до ядерной со стороны Москвы.
Отказ Си открывает перед Трампом четыре сценария.
Первый - начать давить на Китай, что может резко ухудшить отношения между двумя странами, сорвать торговую сделку, а также спровоцировать ещё большее сближение Москвы и Пекина (в том числе и в военной сфере).
Второй - Китай не трогать, но продолжать расширять санкции и прочее давление против РФ, что, при сохранении экономических связей между Россией и Китаем, критического воздействия на способность россиян продолжать войну не окажет.
Третий - не делать вообще ничего, постепенно отходя от темы войны в Украине, не давя более ни на Путина, ни на Зеленского, ни на Китай.
Четвертый - давить на Зеленского, чтоб тот согласился на условия Путина.
Цитата:
Trump sanctions have swift impact but will world stop buying Russian oil and gas?
Analysts say president’s war on Russia’s fossil fuel revenues is a chance to bring peace to Ukraine and profit to US.
Donald Trump’s stated mission to broker peace in Ukraine could come down to this simple question: can the US president convince the world to stop buying Russia’s fossil fuels?
Last week, Trump imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in an effort to damage Moscow’s ability to fund its war machine.
Tom Keatinge, the founding director of the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS) at the defence thinktank Rusi, said: “The US has been more effective in 24 hours than the EU has been in the last six months. Trump is willing to say what many others are too timid or too diplomatic to say out loud. For the longest time people have been calling for Trump to pull out the sanctions hammer. It could be very significant.”
The sanctions mean companies buying Russian oil risk losing access to the dollar-based financial system. This could have particularly large consequences for India and China, which have emerged as the largest importers of Russian oil and gas since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three and a half years ago.
‘Economic coercion’
The impact has been swift. Within hours, the sanctions had triggered a 6% rise in the global oil price and reports were emerging of an immediate pause of Russian oil deliveries to the biggest refineries in India, Moscow’s biggest crude customer, and to China’s biggest state-owned oil companies.
Luke Wickenden, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea), said a significant decline in Asia’s fossil fuel imports would be “devastating” for the Kremlin’s export revenues.
“Between January and September this year, 86% of Russia’s crude oil exports – including pipeline deliveries – went to China and India. If Moscow lost access to these markets, it could forfeit approximately $7.4bn in monthly revenue, translating to roughly $3.6bn in tax receipts per month flowing directly into the Kremlin’s war chest,” Wickenden said.
“There is some hope, however. In September, Russian crude imports by India’s state-owned refineries dropped to their lowest levels since May 2022, falling by 38% month on month. If India alone were to cut its imports of Russian crude, the Kremlin could lose roughly $1.6bn in monthly tax revenues.”
Russia’s monthly fossil fuel export revenues slipped by 4% last month to the lowest since the full-scale invasion and are now half of what they were in September 2022.
But while revenues are significantly lower than they were, they remain propped up by purchases of oil and gas from buyers in Asia and eastern Europe and shipments of seaborne liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the EU. Russia is also understood to export millions of tonnes of crude via so-called “shadow tankers”, a fleet of ageing vessels used to circumvent western sanctions.
Trump’s latest move to starve Putin’s war machine of fossil fuel revenues came after he received a tepid response to his demands for India and China to cut their Russian energy imports or face tougher trade terms as a consequence.
China denounced the Trump administration’s “unilateral bullying” and “economic coercion” over what it described as its “legitimate” oil purchases from Russia and vowed to take “firm countermeasures” if its national interests were harmed.
Trump said India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, had assured him during a phone call this week that Delhi was “not going to buy much oil from Russia” as he too “wants to see the war end with Russia-Ukraine”. But while Modi has acknowledged the call, on which Trump wished the prime minister a happy Diwali, he has not publicly confirmed plans to limit India’s crude imports from Russia.
‘Disgraceful stain’ on EU
For Trump, the mission to break Russia’s energy dominance has twin benefits, according to Keatinge. “There is an opportunity here to bring peace to Ukraine and profit to the US,” he said.
The US has become Europe’s biggest supplier of LNG since the war in Ukraine caused pipeline imports of Russian gas to run dry and seaborne shipments of gas to slow. It accounted for more than 55% of the EU’s LNG imports last year, from negligible volumes in 2019.
Trump can expect US gas exports to Europe to increase after the EU agreed last week to phase out all imports of Russian gas, including LNG, by the beginning of 2027. Although Europe’s reliance on Russian energy has slumped, the continent is still funding the Kremlin through purchases of Russian oil and gas, which Keatinge said was “a disgraceful stain” on the EU.
The EU remains the largest buyer of Russian LNG, according to data from Crea, and has bought half of Russia’s total LNG exports, followed by China (22%) and Japan (18%). The bloc is also the largest buyer of pipeline gas, buying 35% of Russia’s pipeline gas, followed by China (30%) and Turkey (29%).
Hungary and Slovakia were the EU’s largest importers of Russian gas last month, buying €393m- and €207m-worth of Russian fossil fuels respectively. France, Belgium and the Netherlands having continued to import Russian gas, too.
France was the EU’s third largest buyer of Russian gas last year, importing €153m of Russian fossil fuels, all in the form of LNG, some of which was subsequently delivered to Germany. Belgium was the fourth biggest importer, importing €92m of Russian LNG, while the Netherlands bought €62m of LNG.
Keatinge said: “The EU has been quick to say they’re bringing forward the day they stop to January 2027, but how many Ukrainians will die before then? Some European countries were able to find a way to go without Russian imports almost immediately – this should have come three years ago. We should hold India and China to account, of course, but we should look at our own, too.”
The long-term impact of Trump’s war on Russia’s fossil fuel revenues, and whether it can bring peace to Europe and profit to the US, remains to be seen. Industry observers have warned that much will depend on how strictly the sanctions are enforced and how those still reliant on Russia’s fossil fuels respond.
In the meantime, Keatinge is optimistic. “Never bet against Trump,” he said.
В пабликах противника с негодованием обсуждается крылатая ракета «Буревестник».
Один из аргументов неправдивости существования данного изделия звучит примерно так:
"Ракета не могла пролететь 14000 км ,т.к. длина России около 10000 км , значит это обман".
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С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Первый комментарий Украины по предложенному РФ перемирию в районе Покровска и Купянска для допуска прессы.
Спикер МИД Георгий Тихий заявил, что Киев не доверяет этой инициативе, а журналисты, которые посетят эти города со стороны армии РФ, нарушат украинское законодательство.
«Откровенно говоря, я не рекомендую журналистам доверять каким-либо предложениям Путина относительно коридоров в зоне боевых действий. Я своими глазами видел, чем заканчиваются такие предложения – 29 августа 2014 года в Иловайске. Я также напоминаю всем СМИ, что любые визиты на оккупированную Россией территорию без разрешения Украины являются нарушением нашего законодательства и международного права. Они будут иметь долгосрочные репутационные и юридические последствия. Мы внимательно следим за этим», - заявил Тихий.
Цитата:
Минобороны РФ заявляет, что Путин «приказал обеспечить беспрепятственный проезд иностранных журналистов в районы блокирования ВСУ» в Покровске, Мирнограде и Купянске.
Москва заявляет, что готова прекратить боевые действия в этих районах на 5-6 часов.
Киев этого предложения не комментировал.
Напомним, Украина отрицает окружение ВСУ в этих городах.
В российской блогосфере уже начали выдвигать версию, что цель этого - продемонстрировать Трампу, что именно российская версия конфигурации фронта наиболее достоверная.
По слухам, вокруг президента США идет борьба разных информационных потоков по поводу того, какое на самом деле положение Украины на фронте. И в этом смысле заявление Путина, как считают российские блогеры - попытка склонить Трампа в сторону российского видения ситуации.
Очевидно, что даже если Киев откажется от допуска журналистов (что скорее всего), РФ будет это трактовать как попытку "скрыть реальное положение дел".
Путинский «Буревестник». Что означает проведенное Россией испытание ядерной крылатой ракеты?
Владимир Путин на днях заявил об успешном испытании «Буревестника»: первой в мире крылатой ракеты с ядерной двигательной установкой. По обнародованным Минобороны РФ данным, в ходе испытания ракета провела в воздухе около 15 часов, преодолев за время полёта 14 тысяч километров. Для сравнения, расстояние от Москвы до Вашингтона составляет всего 8 тысяч километров. Данные о проведении испытаний на Новой Земле уже подтвердила разведка Норвегии.
Что же такое ядерный российский «Буревестник», чем он отличается от прочих крылатых ракет и может ли его появление изменить расстановку ядерных сил в мире?
В общем и целом, идея ядерных крылатых ракет уже давно носится в воздухе.
Обычная ракета летает на химическом топливе: смесь этого топлива и атмосферного воздуха воспламеняется в камере сгорания, превращаясь в раскалённый газ, который под собственным давлением выталкивается из сопла, образуя реактивную струю. По закону сохранения импульса, сам аппарат при этом толкает в противоположную сторону – так и реализуется реактивная тяга.
Однако запас топлива, которое ракета (или любой другой летательный аппарат) может взять на борт ограничен: в ходе своего полёта энергия, вырабатывающаяся в ходе сгорания некоей порции топлива, тратится в том числе и на разгон масс топлива, которые будут сожжены на последующих этапах полёта. Именно поэтому дальность полёта классических крылатых ракет не превышает 2500 километров.
Дальше летают баллистические ракеты, двигатель которых работает преимущественно на начальном этапе траектории: за несколько минут после старта ракета набирает скорость и ложится на определённую траекторию, значительная часть которой пролегает в разреженных слоях атмосферы или же вообще за её пределами, что позволяет поразить цели практически в любой точке земного шара.
Ещё один плюс этой ракеты - большая скорость. Именно поэтому баллистические «Кинжалы», «Искандеры» и «Ониксы» украинскому ПВО сбивать гораздо труднее, чем крылатые «Калибры».
Однако у таких ракет есть и минусы – их траектория в значительной степени определяется на самом начальном этапе полёта, и существенно изменить её сложно: полёт ракеты оказывается предсказуемым, а значит, её – по крайней мере, теоретически – можно перехватить. Особенно если ракета запускается не из Брянской области по Киеву, а из Сибири по США и у расчетов ПВО есть время для подготовки отражения удара.
Именно на такой «предсказуемый перехват» рассчитано действие большинства современных систем противоракетной обороны.
Идея ядерной двигательной установки заключается в том, чтобы заменить нагрев за счёт энергии сгорания ядерного топлива нагревом за счёт энергии радиоактивных распадов. В этом случае куда меньшая масса делящегося вещества в реакторе на борту ракеты может выделить куда больше энергии, обеспечив ракете беспрецедентную дальность хода и время, которое такая ракета может провести в воздухе: теоретически летательный аппарат с ядерным двигателем может находиться в полёте на протяжении недель или даже месяцев.
Проблема в том, как это реализовать. В изначальных проектах ракет с ядерным двигателем предполагалось непосредственно обдувать раскалённую активную зону реактора атмосферным воздухом – это так называемый прямоточный ядерный ракетный двигатель. Это позволяло обеспечить нужный нагрев и реактивную тягу, но проблема была в том, что в результате контакта с активной зоной реактора, этот воздух становился очень радиоактивным, и за ракетой с ядерным двигателем неизбежно будет тянуться широкий след заражённой радиацией местности. Именно поэтому в своё время и США, и СССР свернули разработки ядерных прямоточных ракет из соображений «экологической этики».
Можно пойти иным путём и не допускать прямого контакта воздуха с активной зоной, вместо этого предусмотрев промежуточный контур охлаждения, который будет снимать тепло с реактора и передавать его воздуху, а затем совместить всё это с тем или иным реактивным двигателем – например, турбореактивным вроде тех, что используются в современных самолётах и крылатых ракетах. Однако технически это довольно сложная процедура: речь идёт о температурах в районе 2-2,5 тысяч градусов, и материалы, из которых будет сделан двигатель, должны обеспечивать надёжную работу в этих условиях.
До сих пор это считалось практически невозможным. России эту и другие сложности, похоже, преодолеть удалось: согласно официальной информации Минобороны РФ, «Буревестник» снабжён как раз-таки турбореактивным двигателем (хотя на Западе нередко высказываются подозрения, что на самом деле там всё-таки стоит «грязный» прямоточник).
Когда «Буревестник» станет частью ядерного арсенала России, в сфере, которую обычно политкорректно называют сферой ядерного сдерживания, изменится если не всё, то многое. «Буревестник» станет первой крылатой ракетой, способной достичь любой точки США (или какой-либо другой страны) из любой точки России. И не просто достичь, а достичь, двигаясь по самой сложной и непредсказуемой траектории: скажем, стартовав с территории России, такая ракета сможет улететь, например, в Антарктиду, там развернуться и атаковать цель в Северной Америке, пролетев над Южной, войдя в воздушное пространство противника там, где её никто не ждёт. Причём лететь такая ракета сможет в том числе и на сверхмалой высоте, двигаясь за пределами зоны обнаружения большинства радаров, прежде всего – радаров систем раннего оповещения. То есть, «Буревестник» (или аналогичные ракеты, если их создадут другие страны) по сути ломает все существующие концепции противоракетной обороны, на развитие которых страны НАТО, в первую очередь, США, потратили уже миллиарды долларов. А самое главное – удар, нанесённый «Буревестниками», может стать совершенным сюрпризом для атакованной стороны, и если он будет достаточно мощным, то сможет сильно ослабить будущий ответный удар атакованного противника. Иными словами, «Буревестники» годятся в том числе и для так называющего «обезглавливающего удара» - по сути единственного способа по крайней мере в теории выиграть ядерную войну. Именно эту концепцию, в частности, ещё со времён Холодной войны развивают США: в ней для обезглавливаюшего удара предполагалось использовать ракеты те самые ракеты малой и средней дальности, размещённые вблизи границ «наиболее вероятного противника». России подобное было недоступно, так как её ракеты малой и средней дальности чисто географически не могли добить до США. С появлением «Буревестника» это может измениться. Правда, в настоящее время «обезглавливающий удар» не предусматривается военной доктриной РФ, но кто знает, не изменится ли это теперь, когда для нанесения такого удара появляется реальная возможность?
«Буревестник» является первым летательным аппаратом на ядерной тяге, так что уже хотя бы с этой точки зрения его появление само по себе является маленькой технологической революцией. Отсюда возникает вопрос: а сможет ли эта технология найти мирное применение, чтоб с ядерными двигателями летали не только ракеты, но и, например, самолёты или космические корабли?
Теоретически это возможно, но сложно.
Во-первых, ядерные двигательные установки наверняка будут достаточно дорогими, так что не факт, что их коммерческое использование банально окупится. Во-вторых, речь идёт всё-таки о ядерном реакторе, а эксплуатация таких устройств сопряжена со множеством сложностей и ограничений. Те же самолёты время от времени падают и крушение летательного аппарата с ядерным реактором на борту может вызвать куда более тяжкие последствия в виде радиоактивного заражения местности, в том числе и территории крупных городов.
Перспективнее выглядит использование ядерных двигательных установок в космосе.
Необходимость вести с собой на борту большой запас химического топлива для традиционных ракетных двигателе сегодня является главным фактором, сдерживающим освоение космоса, а ядерный двигатель позволяет обойти эту проблему.
Собственно, и в США, и в России уже давно работают над созданием космических кораблей с ядерным двигателем: проект российского ядерного космобуксира «Зевс» был анонсирован ещё в 2020 году, а его запуск запланирован на 2030-й. Но просто «в лоб» перенести технологию «Буревестника» в космос не получится по объективным причинам.
Как мы уже говорили, двигателю «Буревестника» для работы необходима атмосфера: именно её воздух он нагревает и впоследствии выталкивает наружу в качестве реактивной струи. В космосе воздуха нет, так что турбовинтовой реактивный двигатель для космического корабля не годится. Правда, от компактного реактора можно запитыватьне только турбореактивные двигатели: можно, к примеру, использовать его для выработки электроэнергии, а затем уже эту энергию использовать в так называемых электрореактивных двигателях, в которых вещество реактивной струи будет так или иначе разгоняться с помощью электромагнитных полей.
Собственно, «Зевс» как раз и должен был иметь электрореактивный (ионный или плазменный) двигатель на ядерной тяге, однако даже с тем, чтобы перенести сам реактор «Буревестника» в космос имеются определённые сложности, главной из которой является проблема охлаждения реактора и отвода выработавшегося тепла.
В «Буревестнике» это происходит за счёт теплообмена с окружающей средой – всё тем же воздухом атмосферы. Однако в космосе воздуха нет, и обмениваться теплом не с чем.
Единственным вариантом является охлаждение за счёт электромагнитного излучения, которое излучают все нагретые тела: именно тепловое излучение мы ощущаем как тепло, исходящее от Солнца или, к примеру, от пламени костра.
Но ядерный реактор вырабатывает по-настоящему много тепла, которое надо отводить, и для того, чтобы делать это, космический корабль с ядерной двигательной установкой должен иметь антенны-излучатели очень большой площади, а значит, и массы, что грозит свести на нет все преимущества ядерного двигателя. Создатели «Зевса» предлагали несколько потенциальных вариантов решения этой проблемы с использованием различных технологий, но о её окончательном решении пока так и не сообщалось, и создание «Буревестника» это решение
не приближает.
Впрочем, факт остаётся фактом: успешные испытания «Буревестника» уже открыли новую эру в ракетостроении, и лишь время покажет, станет ли «Буревестник» первой ласточкой новой технологической эпохи, или же всадником Апокалипсиса мировой термоядерной войны.
Цитата:
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kremlin responds to Trump’s nuclear testing after flaunting Poseidon submarine
News of Moscow’s latest test comes days after Trump warned the US has a nuclear submarine off Russian shores
Moscow has said that if the US resume nuclear weapons testing it will do so too, sparking fears of a renewed arms race.
The remarks by a Kremlin official on Thursday came after Donald Trump said he had ordered the US military to resume testing “immediately”.
Trump made the announcement after Vladimir Putin announced a successful test of a Poseidon nuclear-powered submarine torpedo which experts have warned is capable of causing a “radioactive tsunami”. The Russian president said the test of the weapon had been a “great success”, in a move that came days after Trump described Moscow’s test of a nuclear missile as a mistake.
There are few confirmed details about the Poseidon in the public domain but experts say it is capable of triggering radioactive ocean swells to render coastal cities uninhabitable, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
Putin last week held a nuclear launch drill and on Sunday announced that Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, a nuclear-capable weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield.
Цитата:
Nuclear saber-rattling from Trump and Putin signals a dangerous new era
Moscow — The Kremlin’s constant nuclear boasts may have finally struck a chord in the White House, with President Donald Trump ordering the resumption of US nuclear weapons tests.
“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” Trump wrote in a post on social media Thursday.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to a nuclear weapons test, or a test of a nuclear-capable weapons system. His announcement came shortly before a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, but he indicated China had not prompted his decision, telling a reporter later Thursday that “it had to do with others.”
Trump’s order came just hours after Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin, visiting a military hospital in Moscow, dropped his latest nuclear bombshell. Sitting alongside the chief doctor and a carefully selected cast of Russian servicemen wounded on the front lines of the brutal war in Ukraine, Putin claimed that another “invincible” Russian weapon had been successfully tested.
This time it was the Poseidon – an experimental nuclear-powered underwater torpedo which military analysts suggest may have a range of more than 6,000 miles (9,650 km) and which Putin revealed has now been test-launched for the first time.
“The Poseidon’s power significantly exceeds that of our most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile,” the Russian president told his already war-scarred audience. “It is unique in the world,” he added, while intercepting the weapon would be “impossible.”
Formidable arsenal
Putin mentioned, almost as an aside, that the long-anticipated and massive Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, popularly referred to as the “Satan 2,” will also soon be deployed – a low-key announcement of the arrival of what has been widely dubbed the world’s deadliest nuclear weapons delivery system.
It’s the second time in a week that Putin has boasted of new weapons of mass destruction poised to join Russia’s already formidable nuclear arsenal. The US and Russia agreed to limit their arsenals of nuclear arms under the New START treaty, which came into force in 2011. Under the agreement, both countries had seven years to meet defined limits on the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons they can have. The treaty, however, is due to expire in February 2026.
Just days before the Poseidon announcement, the Kremlin strongman announced that Russia had successfully tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik – or Storm Petrel – claimed by its military to be capable of flying at subsonic speeds, using nuclear fuel, for virtually unlimited time and distance.
Of course, there are serious technical doubts about the practicality of weapons that depend on notoriously unreliable, not to mention toxic, nuclear power. Their deployment, if it happens at all, is likely to be a long, long way off.
For its part, the Kremlin sees its nuclear saber-rattling less as a direct military threat and more of a diplomatic tool: a cost-effective and immediate way of getting the US and the West at large to take notice; to give Moscow what it wants in Ukraine, and to focus minds on the potential existential threat that a provoked or denied Russia could pose.
The Kremlin already feels both of those things over Ukraine: provoked most recently by the debate over whether or not to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, which would put targets in and around Russia’s biggest cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg under threat; and denied by the failure of Washington to force Ukraine and its European backers to accept Moscow’s maximalist terms to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Certainly, the timing of the latest threats, as diplomatic progress with the United States has stalled, has been less than subtle.
But for the Kremlin, the response from the White House has been unexpected.
As Trump – frustrated by the Kremlin’s consistent refusal to immediately end its war in Ukraine – hinted at canceling a planned Budapest summit with Putin, before imposing sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil companies, the Russian president made sure he was pictured overseeing what he insisted were “planned” nuclear triad drills in which long-range missiles were test-launched from land, sea and air.
It was a classic bit of Kremlin nuclear saber-rattling theater, but seemed to elicit little US response.
Loose talk
Days later, the Burevestnik cruise missile tests were announced by Putin dressed, somewhat unusually, in a military uniform. But even that was waved off by a dismissive White House.
“And I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying either, by the way,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Monday, on his way to Asia for a three-stop tour that included a landmark meeting with Chinese leader Xi.
“He ought to get the war ended, a war that should have taken one week is now in its fourth year, that’s what he ought to do instead of testing missiles,” Trump added.
But by ignoring that advice and then immediately announcing the testing of the nuclear-powered Poseidon torpedo, potentially capable of wreaking radioactive destruction on entire coastal regions of the United States, the Kremlin may have inadvertently edged the White House into that decision to resume nuclear weapons tests of its own.
It may be a lesson in the hazards of mixing loose talk with nuclear weapons in an increasingly volatile world. And what may have been intended by the Kremlin as a way of bolstering its arguments over Ukraine, has possibly plunged us all into new, dangerous and unpredictable era.
_________________
С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Еврокомиссия рассматривает альтернативу "репарационному кредиту" для Украины, пишет Euractiv со ссылкой на источники.
По его данным, рассматривается возможность покрыть дефицит финансирования Украины за счет средств от общего долга ЕС и двусторонних грантов стран союза.
Эти предложения будут изложены в документе, который направят государствам ЕС в ближайшие недели.
Издание добавляет, что эти заимствования станут дополнением к «репарационному кредиту» на €140 млрд, предполагающему использование замороженных российских активов, размещенных в бельгийском фонде Euroclear.
Но, хотя вариант "репарационного кредита" остается для Еврокомиссии приоритетным, он пока заблокирован Бельгией.
Премьер Бельгии Барт де Вевер уже предложил в качестве альтернативы использовать совместные заимствования, подчеркнув, что «в отличие от российских денег, с долгом хотя бы понятно, сколько, на сколько и кто отвечает».
О том, что новые долги стран ЕС рассматриваются как альтернатива "репарационному кредиту" ранее писало издание Politico.
Следующая встреча по теме «репарационного кредита» запланирована на 18-19 декабря.
По оценке МВФ, дефицит бюджета Украины на 2026–2027 годы составляет около $65 млрд.
Цитата:
В Европе начали размораживать российские активы.
Как сообщает российское государственное информагенство «РИА Новости» со ссылкой на финансовый источник в Брюсселе, такие операции теперь возможны в депозитариях ЕС без разрешения американского Управления по контролю за иностранными активами (OFAC).
По данным РБК, бельгийский депозитарий Euroclear уже приступил к разблокировке активов без лицензии OFAC. В пресс-службе Национального расчетного депозитария подтвердили, что получили от Euroclear разъяснения о порядке проведения таких операций.
Юрист компании NSP Law and Compliance Глеб Бойко рассказал, что известно о трёх успешных случаях разблокировки, осуществленных разными брокерами. По его словам, механизм был согласован с Euroclear около полутора месяцев назад и стал новой практикой на рынке: теперь при отсутствии участия американских физических лиц или финансовых институтов достаточно бельгийской лицензии.
2.45.
Команда Анджелины Джоли, посетившей Херсон, звонила в офис Зеленского, чтобы вызволить водителя актрисы. Об этом сообщает ТАСС со ссылкой на источник в пророссийском подполье.
Цитата:
1.30
Politico со ссылкой на украинского чиновника сообщает, что Анджелина Джоли «не информировала украинское правительство о своем намерении посетить страну», и что она якобы прибыла на Украину «пешком». При этом в ВСУ «не могут ни подтвердить, ни опровергнуть детали произошедшего».
«Высокопоставленный украинский чиновник сообщил Politico, что у одного из членов путешествующей группы Джоли произошел инцидент с местными военными вербовщиками на контрольно-пропускном пункте, но украинские власти до сих пор пытаются выяснить, что именно произошло. Чиновник также сообщил Politico, что Джоли не информировала украинское правительство о своем намерении посетить страну, и что она въехала пешком.
Кроме того, Сухопутные войска Украины поделились заявлением из четырех абзацев, в котором подробно изложили детали инцидента, в том числе о том, что человек, о котором идет речь, был водителем Джоли, но позже удалили свое заявление и сообщили Politico, что они не могут ни подтвердить, ни опровергнуть детали произошедшего.
Они сказали: «Информация, которая распространяется в СМИ, искажена, в настоящее время ведется расследование и выясняются все обстоятельства».
При этом, в военкомате Николаева «подтвердили Politico факт случившегося, сообщив, что водитель Джоли был военным резервистом и ему было приказано явиться на военную переподготовку».
Неясно, был ли водитель сразу отправлен на переподготовку или должен будет сдаться позже, отметило издание.
Цитата:
Цитата:
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Цитата:
_________________
С сожалением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Уровень доступа: Вы не можете начинать темы, Вы не можете отвечать на сообщения, Вы не можете редактировать свои сообщения, Вы не можете удалять свои сообщения, Вы не можете голосовать в опросах
Сегодня в отрасли только и разговоров о том, можно ли понять, что текст написал ИИ, а не человек. Можно. И довольно легко — если вы ежедневно работаете с контентом, видите сотни текстов, постов и коммерческих предложений. Хотя стоит признать — нейросети уже научились писать очень прилично. Иногда даже чересчур. Их стремительное развитие заставляет нас быть внимательнее и смотреть уже не на поверхностные огрехи, а на глубинные, структурные маркеры.
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