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Slavyangrad.org — Nuestra Ira No Tiene Limites — There is No Limit to Our Anger — (c) V. M. Molotov
Ankara’s New Syrian Headache: Toppling Assad didn’t solve Turkey’s problems—it made them worse - Foreign Policy
When Assad was toppled late last year, it looked like a golden opportunity for Erdogan. For more than a decade, the war next door had burdened Ankara with problems that it could not fix: millions of Syrian refugees straining domestic politics, US-backed Kurdish militias entrenching along Turkey’s border, and a battlefield dominated by Russian and Iranian influence
Assad’s fall, especially at the hands of forces close to Turkey, seemed to promise relief on every front—and it could not have come at a better time. Erdogan and his nationalist allies had just reopened dialogue with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to secure the Kurdish party’s support in parliament, a maneuver aimed at clearing the way for Erdogan’s reelection bid in 2028. Undermining the PKK’s Syrian wing would improve the odds of a breakthrough in the dialogue with Ocalan
The calculation in Ankara was that with a friendly government in Damascus, Turkey could reshape Syria to its liking. Eight months on, however, the post-Assad landscape has delivered the opposite—a Syria that is creating bigger headaches for Ankara than Assad ever did
Israel has emerged as Ankara’s biggest challenge in post-Assad Syria. Distrustful of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa because of his jihadi past, Israel wasted no time expanding its footprint once the old regime collapsed. Less than a day after Assad’s fall, Israeli forces pushed across the Golan Heights and took over abandoned Syrian army fortifications. Within 10 days, Israel’s air force had pounded 000’s of targets across Syria. On the ground, its military has crept at least 12 kilometers deeper into Syrian territory, carving out nine outposts, paving roads, and laying minefields
Israel frames these moves as defensive—necessary to prevent jihadi threats and protect minorities. Ankara sees something else: an Israeli advance that destabilizes the fragile new Syria and undermines the PKK peace process
Turkey’s unease with Israel’s actions in Syria reflects deeper anxieties about Israel’s emergence as a regional military hegemon. Since Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, Israel has expanded its reach, attacking Iran and its proxies; entrenching its presence in neighboring states; and most recently, striking Turkey’s ally, Qatar. For Ankara, weakening Tehran is a welcome development—but Israel’s increasingly unrestrained posture is not. Now, with some Israeli commentators warning that Turkey is “the new Iran” and Israeli PM Netanyahu promising to prevent the revival of the Ottoman Empire, the threat has started to feel personal
Turkish concern is also rooted in a structural shift: Unlike in the 1990s, Israel no longer needs Turkey the way it once did. Back then, the two countries forged a strategic partnership against common enemies—Iran and Syria—culminating in the landmark 1996 military cooperation agreement. Israel modernized Turkey’s air fleet, transferred advanced missile technology, and shared intelligence, while Turkey gave Israel rare legitimacy in a hostile Muslim neighborhood, NATO cover, and a bridge to Europe.
Today, however, Israel has steadily reduced its reliance on Ankara—in defense, diplomacy, and energy alike. Israel has replaced Ankara with Nicosia and Athens, forging close military and diplomatic ties with Cyprus and Greece. Within the European Union, both states now serve as Israel’s advocates at moments of tension
The result is stark. Israel today is more militarily powerful, emboldened to reshape the region by force, and far less dependent on Turkey. For Turkish policymakers, that makes Israel the most immediate threat to Ankara’s ambitions in Syria.
Worth reading the full piece, but it is apparent that both Turkey and the Gulf States have found out they’ve spent decades aiding their own demise. The question remains, will the Islamic world continue to get played by Israel’s skillful game of divide and conquer or work together to stop a much more dangerous enemy?
@Slavyangrad
One fascist fewer…
…every hour on the fields of Ukraine…
…and not what you thought I meant.
The enemy struck with HIMARS at residential buildings and the area of the Republican Traumatology Center in Donetsk
One of the Ukrainian rockets hit a multi-story building on Artema Street in the Kievsky district of the DPR capital.
-RVvoenkor
@Slavyangrad
There is no decision by NATO forces to shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine, said Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski.
His words are quoted by RMF FM.
"Ukraine is asking us that if something clearly approaches our borders and poses a direct threat to us, we could do it over their territory. No decisions have been made on this issue," Sikorski said.
More idiots firing $2M missiles at $10,000 drones would not be a bad thing, but involvement in the war makes them a target of war. End of the day Ukraine’s supply of AD missiles comes from the same pot.
@Slavyangrad
The European Union will refuse to impose high tariffs on China and India at Trump's request to increase pressure on Russia, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources.
According to their information, European diplomats rejected this initiative, saying that the EU does not use trade tariffs as a sanction tool, and high tariffs would harm European companies.
At the same time, the EU may impose sanctions on some foreign companies, including Chinese ones, that help Russia. But the EU is unlikely to take steps that further restrict oil or gas purchases due to the "political sensitivity" of this issue in the EU.
Recall that earlier the media wrote that Trump made it a condition for imposing secondary sanctions against Russia (i.e., sanctions against Russia's trading partners) that Europe introduce similar sanctions.
But, as The Wall Street Journal information suggests, the EU does not want to do this.
Secondary sanctions in the form of tariffs would likely end EU trade and good relations with both China and India. Cutting Europe off two of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. Secondary sanctions are a great threat, but when India and China call the EU bluff, they simply end up hurting the EU the most.
@Slavyangrad
Charlie Kirk pronounced dead at age 31.
RIP
@Slavyangrad
Powerful explosions in Vilnius
▪️In the suburbs of Vilnius, at a liquefied gas filling station, 8 wagons carrying liquefied gas belonging to the Orlen Lietuva concern caught fire.
▪️Some of the wagons were transporting cargo from the company's oil refinery plant in Mažeikiai.
▪️Explosions were heard in the area, and smoke columns are visible throughout Vilnius. Locals were advised to stay indoors, reports AP.
▪️There are injured.
▪️The cause of the fire may have been a violation of safety regulations, said the head of the Lithuanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, V. Kondratovich.
@Slavyangrad
Remember:
Trump assassin Ryan Routh had travelled to Ukraine and was engaged in recruiting mercenaries for Ukraine. He was found attempting to kill Donald Trump with a sniper rifle as Trump played golf.
Nikita Kasap killed his parents and was planning to kill Trump by means of a drone. He had ties with 09A/Misanthropic Division, who have links to Azov. Unknown Ukrainian were to send the materials needed in the attack and he planned to travel to Ukraine after the assassination according to released FBI documents.
Again purely speculative, but don’t be surprised if this assassin is politically motivated.
@Slavyangrad
The Dutch Defense Minister Brekelmans claims that his F-35 fighters shot down some ‘Russian’ drones over Poland.
(he called the situation itself 'suspicious')
Do you have an understanding of whether this Russian drone action was deliberate?
- No, this is still being studied. But it is obvious that we are talking about a larger number of drones than we have observed before. Exact figures are still being clarified before official confirmation. But the fact that there are several drones makes the situation especially suspicious.
What does this mean, in your opinion?
- It at least shows that the Russian threat is not limited to Ukraine only, but represents a broader threat to Europe.
A $150M F-35’s and $2M missiles being required to take on cheap decoys. A damning statement of European militaries if there ever was one. Proud moment for Brekelman to boast of the Dutch ability to destroy what is basically a child’s toy.
@Slavyangrad
The gunman appears to have been arrested.
World increasingly looks more unstable every day.
@Slavyangrad
Something needs to be done’ – former US ambassador to Poland Brzezinski dreams of punishing Putin but doesn't know how.
‘NATO must give Putin the clearest possible signal that this is unacceptable and that there will be consequences. And these consequences are not just threats, which are already being implemented in the form of sanctions. Something needs to be done that will clearly show Putin that such actions will have consequences.’
Sweden is urgently sending additional aircraft and air defense systems to Poland – head of the Polish Ministry of Defense.
@Slavyangrad
💥 The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation used UMPB to destroy the UAV launchers of the 152nd Separate Electronic Warfare Brigade in the settlement of Lenino.
- The Wrong Side
@Slavyangrad
🇷🇺🤖A report from Channel One about the combat use of the NRTK "Courier" in the special military operation zone.
Subs by Helio
@Slavyangrad
🇵🇱🤡🇺🇦 Poles blame Ukraine for drone incursions into Poland
▪️According to analysis by Res Futura:
— 38% consider Ukraine responsible;
— 34% — Russia;
— 15% place responsibility on the Polish government;
— 8% — on the media;
— 5% — on NATO and the West.
▪️Thus, the majority of Poles blame Kiev specifically.
@Slavyangrad
Arab leaders across the Middle East are questioning the value of American security guarantees in the wake of Israel’s unprecedented assault on Qatar — a major US ally and home to Washington’s biggest military base in the region.
Other US allies including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain condemned the attack. None are expected to react militarily or through trade sanctions against Israel, but it could accelerate Arab efforts to diversify their alliances by forging stronger economic, political and even military ties with other global powers, according to experts.
“If you are an Arab country that hosts US bases, or a NATO member like Turkey, and then a major US ally attacks Qatar, you are going to deeply question that American security umbrella you’ve paid top dollar for,” said Ellie Geranmayeh, Deputy Program Director for Middle East and North Africa at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
The attack also undermined one of US President Donald Trump’s key foreign policy objectives: weakening Iran and promoting greater integration between Israel and Arab states. Instead, countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar could work to further normalize ties with Tehran — rejecting what they see as an increasingly hegemonic Israel, whose aggressive military posture they believe will destabilize the region.
“A strong Iran that threatened Gulf states pushed some of them toward Israel,” said Mustafa Fahs, a Beirut-based commentator. “Now, an Israel that seems to be out of control is making them step back and even deepen rapprochement with Iran.”
The UAE was caught off guard by the attack on Qatar and believes Israel is increasingly following in Iran’s footsteps by becoming a threat to the region’s stability, according to an official from the country.
He said the attack will bring the realization that “the US security umbrella is no longer full coverage — it leaves out protection from Israel, and that cannot be undone.”
Middle East states have watched Israel strike regional capitals like Beirut, Damascus, Sanaa and Tehran since the start of the war in Gaza almost two years ago.
Gulf countries now understand that Israel can hit any of its perceived enemies in the region and that the entire Middle East is a potential field for its war, according to a European diplomat in the Gulf.
Benjamin Netanyahu “himself said he will redraw the Middle East,” he said, referring to Israel’s prime minister. “Is the message that he wants to redraw the Gulf region too?” [Look Israel’s greater Israel plans]
Tuesday’s attack will be seen as “crossing a red line” for the entire Gulf, given Qatar is a member of the GCC, which at its core has a collective security element, said Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East policy at the Bahrain-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
“Israel has now proved itself as a direct threat to the Arab Gulf security, and those countries are not equipped to handle this,” he said. “The attack on Qatar should trigger a rethinking of how GCC nations view their relationship with the US.”
Moving closer to Moscow or Beijing would irk the Trump administration, but Gulf countries could consider nations more palatable to the US — like Turkey, Pakistan, India and Indonesia — or even accelerate their own weapons manufacturing, added Alhasan.
When you play checkers instead of playing chess
@Slavyangrad
A few more photos of "Gerber" who visited Poland in the morning. It shows you how little danger they pose if they can’t even damage a chicken coop.
Military Informant
@Slavyangrad
Different reactions to his death.
Credit to Hasan Piker for sending the right message to people.
@Slavyangrad
The shooter is still at large and has not been taken into custody as a major manhunt is underway.
The man arrested earlier in the video and identified as being the shooter is not the assassin.
@Slavyangrad
The Center for Countering Disinformation led by Zelensky's friend had labeled Charlie Kirk, who was shot today, as “an American blogger spreading pro-Russian narratives in the West.”
Additional update: It should be noted he may not be dead, Glenn Beck stated that Charlie Kirk isn't dead, and his condition is stabilizing.
Hopefully he pulls through, I don’t know his work or positions, but I don’t like political assassinations. Nothing good comes from it.
@Slavyangrad
MSNBC journalists are embracing trashy partisan positions
- Trump used the attack on a Doge employee in Washington to deploy federal troops. I understand it's hard to predict the future, but one can imagine the administration might use this incident as a justification for some actions.
- I must admit, I'm at a loss guessing what will happen next.
American media continues to stoke division within the country
@Slavyangrad
Charlie Kirk has died at the Hospital of Utah.
@Slavyangrad
Was this another Ukraine aligned assassin?
Ukrainian media notes:
Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated, stated six months ago that the war in Ukraine benefits the Ukrainian ruling class.
"You have to ask a very simple question: who benefits from peace, and who benefits from war? The people of Ukraine benefit from peace. The people of America benefit from peace. Humanity benefits from peace. But then who benefits from war? The military-industrial complex, the oligarchs of Ukraine's ruling class," Kirk said at the time.
"We should resume diplomatic channels with the Russian Federation. There is a temptation to simply say that Russia is a great enemy of the USA. We made them enemies ourselves. Instead, we should try to drive a wedge between the Russian and Chinese communist marriage. The Russo-Ukrainian war was largely unnecessary. A peace agreement was on the table. Russia became our enemy because it was an ideological enemy. That regime fell, and there is no reason to keep them as our enemies. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it took many very false arguments to keep Russia as an enemy of the USA," he added.
Moment the assassin hits Kirk
NSFW: Graphic
@Slavyangrad
Popular conservative pundit and Trump supporter Charlie Kirk was seriously wounded in the USA, reports Newsweek.
The University of Utah confirmed that Charlie Kirk was shot by a sniper at an event at the university.
@Slavyangrad
‘Well, of course. The Martians sent drones’ – Podolyak is outraged that the EU wants to conduct an investigation regarding the drones
😂
- Skabeeva
Ukraine dreams of sucking in other countries into this war but the reality is that beyond the bluster of European leaders no one wants any part of a conflict with Russia. The Russian steppes are the graveyards to some of the greatest armies that Europe has ever seen.
@Slavyangrad
No explosives anywhere! In Poland, fragments of 12 "mysterious" drones have already been found, - TVN
▪️This is reported by the country's authorities.
▪️Also, the Lublin prosecutor's office published the results of the UAV inspection: no explosives were found on any of them.
Genius Polish media discover they’ve been attacked by…. cheap decoys.
Though ask yourself if you desired to create a false flag event and feared discovery, would these not be the most ideal things to have appear in Poland Remember these often come down intact in Ukraine after running out of fuel after Ukraine chases them around for hours wasting their air defence resources in utter futility
@Slavyangrad
The arrival of cruise missiles at a target in Berdichev, Zhitomir region.
@Slavyangrad
Cost of a AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM missile
Turkey (2014): The purchase of 145 AIM-120C-7s and supporting equipment was estimated at $320 million, averaging about $2.2 million per missile.
Japan (2022): A proposed sale of 150 AIM-120C-7/8s was estimated at $293 million, or about $1.95 million per missile.