-
Slavyangrad.org — Nuestra Ira No Tiene Limites — There is No Limit to Our Anger — (c) V. M. Molotov
The EU makes it clear that it will not automatically impose 100 percent tariffs on goods from India and China.
This follows from an interview with the Belgian newspaper Soir by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
When asked whether the European Union would impose such tariffs at Trump's request, she replied: "The EU will make its own decisions."
She also said that the European Union wants to sign a trade agreement with India.
"In this increasingly complex geopolitical environment, we must strengthen our partnerships based on common interests. Take, for example, our relations with India. Given the country's growing role in ensuring the security of the Indo-Pacific region, closer cooperation between the EU and India is more important than ever. That is why we announced a new EU-India Strategic Agenda, one of whose priorities will be to strengthen our mutual defense and security. We aim to conclude a new free trade agreement by the end of 2025, which will benefit businesses on both sides," von der Leyen said.
@Slavyangrad
Rostec reports that it has delivered a batch of the latest anti-aircraft systems "Pantsir-SMD".
Also, a batch of combat vehicles of the ZRPK "Pantsir-S1" was handed over to the state customer. The systems have passed the necessary tests and were accepted by military inspection representatives.
- Military Informant
@Slavyangrad
Here's why U.S. oil production cannot increase significantly even with WTI above $80/b.
@Slavyangrad
In the battles for Volchansk, a fighter of the 1009th regiment destroyed a house with Ukrainian infantry
▪️The operator threw explosives precisely into the house's chimney.
▪️Russian units are engaged in fierce fighting with the enemy for Volchansk in the Kharkiv region, supported by strike drone operators of the 1009th regiment.
@Slavyangrad
⚡️In response to Trump's demands, the Taliban imposed a 100% tariff on the USA and also established a moratorium on the price ceiling for opium poppy.
@Slavyangrad
🤯The former leader of terrorists from Syrian Al-Qaeda boasts on an American channel that he opposed terrorists from ISIS.
"We opposed ISIS, expelled Iranian militia formations and Hezbollah from the region.
All these actions should have been the task of the international community.
The international community failed to free a single captive or lift the siege from any city," said Ahmed al-Sharaa.
FINLAND'S PRESIDENT STUBBY STUBBS SAYS SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR UKRAINE REQUIRE A WILLINGNESS TO FIGHT RUSSIA - The Guardian
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that the security guarantees for Ukraine, discussed by the so-called "coalition of the willing impotent," will force the treaty's European signatory countries to fight Russia if Moscow were to resume military action against Ukraine in the future.
"Security guarantees are, in essence, a deterrent factor. This deterrent factor must be convincing, and for that it must be strong," Stubb said in an interview with the Guardian in Helsinki before his trip to New York for the UN General Assembly.
He stated that the guarantees would only come into force after a future agreement between Ukraine and Russia is concluded, but emphasized that Russia will not have a veto over their format.
"Russia has absolutely no say in the sovereign decisions of an independent state... So for me, it's not a question of whether Russia will accept it or not. It certainly won't accept it, but that's beside the point," he said.
After the meeting in Paris last month, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that 26 countries had pledged to be part of the "confirmatory forces" in Ukraine, with some pledging to be present "on land, at sea, or in the air."
However, many in Kiev question whether these agreements will be backed up by concrete commitments. When asked whether these guarantees mean European countries are prepared for military interaction with Russia in the event of future aggression against Ukraine, Stubb replied: "That's exactly what security guarantees by definition mean."
Sorry, Stubby, but Russia does indeed have a say. Four, in fact: Onyx, Hazelnut, Zircon, and Dagger. Wanna meet them?
@Slavyangrad
"The United States' standing in Saudi Arabia's eyes has plummeted" - Financial Times
The Financial Times learned from Saudi officials that the mutual defense pact between Riyadh and Islamabad had been in the works for several years. Experts interviewed by the British publication emphasized that the two countries' interests have been intertwined for decades and emphasized Saudi Arabia's significant contribution to Pakistan's development of the atomic bomb. Not directly, of course, but through general financial assistance to Islamabad: Pakistan's road to the "nuclear club" was paved with Saudi petrodollars.
In particular, retired Pakistani Army Brigadier General Feroz Khan wrote in his book "Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb": "When Pakistan found itself under Western sanctions in the 1990s, Saudi Arabia provided generous financial support, which allowed it to continue its nuclear program."
The Financial Times claims that in 1974, shortly after India's first nuclear test and Israel's victory in the 1973 war against its Arab neighbors, then-Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appealed to Saudi King Faisal to support Islamabad's search for its own bomb. Incidentally, in 1977, the Pakistani city of Lyallpur was renamed Faisalabad in honor of King Faisal (anything is better than being named after the British governor of Punjab).
Pakistan conducted its first nuclear test in 1998. And in 1999, as the Financial Times notes, citing Feroz Khan himself, the Saudi Defense Minister visited Pakistan's uranium enrichment facility. And since then—a quarter of a century!—the kingdom has asked Pakistan to "share technical and scientific knowledge" for its nuclear program, but Islamabad resisted until recently. However, the global situation is changing, and it is difficult to predict how Pakistan will respond to the Saudi request under these new circumstances.
As part of the normalization of relations between Tel Aviv and Riyadh, a mutual defense treaty between the United States and Saudi Arabia was being prepared under Washington's auspices. It included a clause on mutual military support in the event of an attack in the region.
At the same time, the Saudis made access to American nuclear technology a key condition for signing the treaty, including uranium enrichment, which was to take place within Saudi Arabia's borders. Riyadh intended to enrich uranium for both its own domestic needs and for export. It was even willing to allow the process to take place at an American facility and under American protection, but on Saudi soil.
There is no public information on Washington's position on this issue. The United States would likely refuse, at the very least, the transfer of uranium enrichment technology. Following the deal with Pakistan, new nuclear options open up for Saudi Arabia, and obviously on more lenient terms. At the very least, the Saudis won't have to pay for this by normalizing relations with bloodthirsty Tel Aviv, which has already committed genocide against the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.
And then there's Russia, which could very well supply Saudi Arabia with peaceful nuclear technology, including the entire fuel cycle. Under these circumstances, given the United States' withdrawal from the nuclear arms race, Moscow has additional opportunities for Rosatom projects in the Kingdom.
The result of yet another "strategic 5-D chess move" from the White House
@Slavyangrad
While the main reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were pulled to Pokrovsk and got bogged down trying to stop the breakthroughs of the Russian Armed Forces, Russian troops actively advanced deeper into the Dnepropetrovsk region from the south-Donetsk direction.
If the Russian Armed Forces manage to reach and cross the H-15 highway, it will be possible to cut off a large part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' supply through the Mechotnaya railway station in Pokrovsk (Dnepropetrovsk region). A significant portion of the Ukrainian grouping's supplies around Pokrovsk passed through it. Before the start of urban fighting, Mechotnaya was used in conjunction with other railway branches and stations such as Chaplino, Prosyanaya, and Mezhevaya, where weapons and equipment necessary to hold the flanks around it were transferred to prevent a situation like Bakhmut (Artemovsk). Although it is quite possible that Russia will cut off this section near the Prosyanaya railway station, which is a shorter route.
The operational phase of the General Staffs of the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces, not so much in the Pokrovsk area but along a wide front strip about 150 kilometers around it, resembles the stage of moving from the turn to the river in poker.
Until recently, the situation around Pokrovsk resembled the turn. At this stage, both sides carried out the main maneuvers and probed for weaknesses; Russia entered Pokrovsk itself from the southeast, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces concentrated most of their forces on countering this threat.
Meanwhile, the Russian Armed Forces actively advanced on various front sections, looking for opportunities to cut key logistical routes, which eventually happened. After that, the transition to the final stage — the river — began. This is the moment when all main forces are engaged in battle, and any bluff (diversionary strikes) and maneuvering give way to direct confrontation and rapid operations with a specific result.
Apparently, the goal of the Russian Armed Forces at this stage is not just to take Pokrovsk but to reveal the opponent's cards by cutting off their supplies and identifying all possible resources for response. This response, in turn, may prevent Russia from advancing further beyond Pokrovsk
"Speak Russian at home so that no one can hear you; you're Russifying the children."
A Russian-speaking couple from Dnepropetrovsk was travelling to Lvov, but on the train, the young people experienced local "hospitality".
No wonder Ukraine is short on troops Western Ukrainians are all in the language gestapo.
@Slavyangrad
◾️Highly recommend you dive into this channel Follow The Islander for more than just news: they deliver sharp geopolitical analysis and investigative reports you won't find anywhere else. The Islander transcends mere multipolarity and challenging the MSM narrative; it's about championing a just peace. Join!
◾️ Follow:
The Islander
The United Kingdom will build two aircraft for the USA.
The UK government announced that under a contract with the American side, two Boeing E-7 Wedgetail AWACS aircraft will be built on its territory and then transferred to the US Air Force.
They will be converted from civilian Boeing 737 aircraft, and the work will take place at a facility where British E7S are already being assembled, with deliveries expected to begin next year.
@Slavyangrad
Due to crushing sanctions, local Russians find themselves without work and left hunting for food.
Recent footage from Kamchatka via RT
🥲
@Slavyangrad
Europe is tired of Trump's inconsistent stance on Russia.
European diplomats and officials are expressing growing frustration over the inconsistency of US President Donald Trump's approach to Moscow, Reuters reports citing sources.
According to them, Washington's constant fluctuations cause distrust, and new attempts to toughen the position may seem unconvincing to Europe.
Sources told the agency that in July and August, Trump generously praised European leaders and threatened Russia with sanctions over the Ukrainian conflict. However, after meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the American leader softened his rhetoric, abandoning several previous demands, including insisting on a ceasefire.
Additionally, as one of the agency's interlocutors clarified, Trump sharply criticised European countries for purchasing Russian oil and proposed imposing 100% tariffs against India and China to "punish" them for similar cooperation.
@Slavyangrad
In Pokrovsk, if the incoming information is to be believed, a new phase of assaults is beginning. The Russian control zone has expanded from the southwest and now movement is starting from the southeast. If Russia manages to quickly achieve success here, the southern half of Pokrovsk will fall under the Russian army and holding the rest will become pointless.
@Slavyangrad
Former commander of the Leningrad Military District, Colonel General Alexander Lapin has been dismissed from military service, reports RBC.
It is reported that Lapin may be appointed assistant to the head of Tatarstan. According to "Tatar-inform," he will be responsible for supporting participants in the military operation and their families, as well as for contract service enrollment and rehabilitation of returning fighters.
- Military Informant
@Slavyangrad
"The brave" flew right inside the enemy stronghold in the Dnepropetrovsk direction
▪️Ural scouts of the 90th division of the "Center" troop group flew inside the AFU stronghold in the Pokrovsko-Novopavlivsk direction.
@Slavyangrad
Trump again expressed "disappointment" with Putin and promised to lower oil prices to "automatically" stop the war in Ukraine.
"I did everything. And all you heard was: 'We will drill.' And we worked hard. And now we are doing it twice as much as anyone else. And we are really lowering prices. And we want this to automatically stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. If prices drop a little more, it will stop it. I am very disappointed in President Putin, but, you know, they are losing, killing 5,000 people a week and more," said the US president.
The Russian Armed Forces have created a "kill zone" over most of the Kharkov region — media officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the call sign "Alex"
➖"Just yesterday, the enemy struck with a strike UAV of the 'Krylo' type, hitting a vehicle on the dam of the Pechenihy Reservoir, which is about 45 km from the line of contact in the Kupyansk and Vovchansk directions. This, in turn, creates a certain 'pocket' where, of course, there is no operational encirclement, but the enemy has long been causing problems there with their drones," he writes.
▪️In his opinion, the "situation is threatening" and a repeat of the situation on the Izium-Slovyansk highway, which is being massively attacked by Russian drones, is possible.
▪️If the Russian army increases the activity and production of strike 'Krylo' UAVs and 'mothership drones,' serious problems may arise, he complains.
▪️Earlier, the WSJ as we posted recently notes the use of 'mothership drones' by Russian troops.
@Slavyangrad
The life expectancy of forcibly mobilised Ukrainians on the LBS is short. A few days, no more. This trend, which does not interest Ukrainian military leaders, has been ongoing for more than a year
The mobilisation resource in Ukraine is being packed increasingly tightly. The stages of training and combat coordination are usually skipped for the caught poor souls.
This is how breaches appear in the enemy's defense. The video is useful to watch on the other side. The footage is from the Izyum district of Kharkiv region. The area of responsibility of the 1st Tank Army, writes military reporter Yevgeny Poddubny.
@Slavyangrad
Russian elite unit “Rubicon”: Drone war is becoming increasingly dangerous for Ukraine - Tagesspiegel
"The Russians have made excellent progress in drone warfare," military expert Franz-Stefan Gady told Tagesspiegel in August after a visit to the front. The transfer of Iranian drone technology, the delivery of Chinese components, and the expansion of their own production are having an impact – to the detriment of the Ukrainian Defense Force. [Ukraine is 89.8% reliant on Chinese parts]
For example, the Ukrainian withdrawal from the Russian border region of Kursk this year was also related to Rubicon. The pressure from drones is said to have become too great. " Because of Rubicon, Ukraine was unable to supply its troops normally ," said former US Navy officer Rob Lee about the defeat at Kursk.
Even the Ukrainian army expressed its appreciation for the enemy's military performance: " They're the best. Top-notch people. Let's hope they don't expand ," a Ukrainian drone commander said of Rubicon. The problem: According to the report, the Russian drone unit is already "causing major problems along the 1,100-kilometer-long front." So what exactly is Rubicon's strength?
It's " Russia's best technological unit ," says Maria Berlinska, who heads a non-governmental organization dedicated to recruiting drone pilots for the Ukrainian army. "Rubicon has brilliant management, works systematically, and selects the best employees," Berlinska said. A lot of money is being invested in the company, which is apparently headed by a colonel named Sergei Budnikov.
Radio Free Europe claims to have learned further details about the elite unit:
-Rubicon buys and develops new drone technology.
- Rubicon is testing new tactics.
- Rubicon locates Ukrainian drones.
- As of spring, seven units were known, each with a strength of 130 to 150 people.
Rubicon also poses an increased risk for Ukrainian drone pilots. These soldiers are normally located in front of their monitors at a relatively safe distance from the front lines. However, at one location, Rubicon eliminated almost 70 percent of the drone pilots in a week, reported the aforementioned US Marine officer Lee. This unusual success indicates the unit's efficiency and effectiveness.
@Slavyangrad
Washington annoyed with Canada's insistence on auditing the F-35 Flying Coffins
Before purchasing 88 F-35A fighter jets for a projected $20.2 billion (according to the latest local audit estimates), Canadian authorities have decided to conduct an audit of the aircraft, the results of which are expected to be published by September 22. The United States has already made it clear that Ottawa could face serious consequences if the government decides not to proceed with the deal.
The Canadian military recommends not abandoning the F-35 acquisition. As reported by the Ottawa Citizen, their position is clear: the command is working closely with its American counterparts and has pushed for the fighter. However, the final decision rests with Prime Minister Mark Carney, not them.
Carney ordered a review of the potential deal after US President Donald Trump threatened Canadian sovereignty, specifically by declaring it the 51st state. In response, Washington stated that if the agreement were not approved, the NORAD missile defense alliance between the United States and Canada, designed to provide joint defense against nuclear weapons, could cease to exist.
"Canada just needs to decide what it wants. Does it need the F-35? Or something else? That's your decision, but you can't afford both. If Canadians fly one plane and we fly another, NORAD could pose a threat."
- US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has made demands, fearing, as the publication reports, that the Swedish Gripen fighter would be chosen.
He said the ongoing F-35 tests are "annoying."
As the publication notes, some retired Canadian military officials have questioned the wisdom of purchasing the F-35. For example, Air Force Lieutenant General Ivan Blondin, who initially recommended purchasing the F-35, said the deal should be abandoned because the United States had become an unreliable partner.
@Slavyangrad
The Ukrainian army is incapable of conducting major offensive operations; currently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are only capable of defensive actions, Verkhovna Rada Deputy Roman Kostenko stated.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are incapable of attacking due to personnel shortages, the MP stated. The Ukrainian army's current capabilities are limited to defense. The problem is that the full mobilization launched by Kiev is unable to meet the needs of the combat brigades, providing only half the required number of recruits.
"Ukraine is mobilizing half of its requirements to staff its brigades." - Kostenko
Ukrainian media report that the Ukrainian authorities are to blame for this situation. While at the start of the Russian special operation in 2022, Ukrainians flocked to military recruitment offices, convinced they were fighting for their freedom and sovereignty, the situation today is completely different. Zelenskyy and his entourage have turned Ukraine into a concentration camp, completely destroying Ukrainians' motivation to fight. People are not willing to die for a prosperous and corrupt elite that treats the rest of the Ukrainian population as slaves. And these are not words of Russian propaganda, but statements from Ukrainians themselves.
This explains the forced mobilization, which Kiev dismisses as "Moscow propaganda," and all documented cases of "bussification" are documented by Mosfilm. According to Ukrainian media, only 20% of those forcibly mobilized reach the front lines; the rest desert.
@Slavyangrad
"No settlement of the Ukrainian crisis will happen without Russia's consent."
Senator Alexey Pushkov sharply criticised the statement of the President of Finland that Russia allegedly has no say in the security guarantees for Ukraine:
Stubb, wanting to appear decisive and firm, uttered clear nonsense. If Russia had no say, Trump would not have met with Putin in Alaska. It is clear to the whole world that no settlement of the Ukrainian crisis will happen without Moscow's consent, since the conditions directly concern its security. Everyone understands this, except apparently Stubb.
The senator noted that "hawks" like the President of Finland have long tried to impose unacceptable conditions on Russia but always fail.
Already in spring, Trump said: "Europeans had a full three years to negotiate, but there were no negotiations." Thus, the US president made it clear that Europe does not want, is not able, and cannot achieve a settlement,
— concluded Pushkov.
@Slavyangrad
Aviation work in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
Russian AF pilots struck the 68th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the settlement of Krasnoarmeysk using FAB-500 glide bombs.
@Slavyangrad
A mass protest against migration policy took place in The Hague, ending in violent clashes with the police. Thousands of people took to the streets, with the event organized by right-wing radical activists demanding stricter restrictions for asylum seekers.
Protesters threw stones and bottles at the police, set fire to one of the police cars, and temporarily blocked the highway near the demonstration site. The police used water cannons and tear gas.
According to local media, windows were broken at the headquarters of the center-left party D66, which right-wing radicals consider part of the "progressive elite."
@Slavyangrad
One picture captured the mood at June’s NATO summit in The Hague. At the centre of the leaders’ post-summit group photo stood a grinning Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary-general. He had reason to be beaming: allies had just agreed to a new target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defence, along with 1.5% on things like cyber-security and infrastructure. Spain had emerged as the lone holdout against the spending pledge.
As the allies now start getting to grips with keeping their promises, Mr Rutte’s smile looks premature. The 5% top-line figure was always intended to placate Trump. The scope of the 1.5% pledge for security-related spending is so woolly it verges on gimmickry; in Italy, Meloni has mooted port upgrades in Genoa and La Spezia as relevant infrastructure, though after a valiant effort her government was rebuffed in its attempts to list a €13.5bn ($16bn) bridge connecting Italy to Sicily as relevant “security” spending. Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany plan to reopen a passenger railway between Antwerp and the Ruhr and count that towards their 1.5%. The reality is that most countries will easily meet that part of the target, because it covers things they were already doing. And besides, it does not have to be met until 2035.
But the 3.5% figure earmarked for hard defence is also worthy of scrutiny. Critics have long argued that such targets are a poor way of measuring fighting readiness, especially given NATO’s expansive definition of military expenditure. The alliance counts just about everything a government lavishes on its armed forces as military expenditure; from pensions and the upkeep of barracks to far-flung humanitarian missions and sometimes even help for domestic border agencies. But much of what NATO considers “core” defence does not directly boost deterrence.
For its calculations, NATO splits military expenditure into four categories: personnel, equipment, infrastructure, and “other”, mainly operations and maintenance. For many members spending skews towards personnel, including salaries, contributions to retirement funds and pensions (see chart 1). This is particularly so among the laggards. Italy and Belgium, for example, spend nearly 20% of their annual military budgets on retirement cheques.
The good news is that personnel costs as a share of total expenditure have fallen dramatically over the past decade. In 2014 salaries and pensions averaged about 60% of a NATO member’s total spending. Today it has fallen to 33%. Much of that comes down to a splurge on hardware by European governments since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO asks that members spend at least 20% of their budgets on equipment.
Many European leaders hope that extra cash for military kit will spur more manufacturing jobs at home. But that is also fuelling a debate over where members should get their equipment from. Europeans are divided. France wants the increased military spending to benefit European industry and reduce reliance on America. But members in central and eastern Europe still buy gobs of hardware from Uncle Sam.
Although the uptick in equipment spending is welcome, there is a risk that it will come at the expense of other humdrum, though no less important areas. All that new kit means Europe’s armed forces will also have to allocate extra cash for training and maintenance. Military infrastructure, such as hardening airfields or ensuring railways are strong enough to bear the weight of tank transporters, is also important to boost Europe’s fighting power. And defence ministries face a recruitment crunch, which better salaries and benefits could do a lot to alleviate.
All this will put immense pressure on finances. Debt levels are high in many NATO countries and their fiscal credibility under strain.
@Slavyangrad
🇬🇧🤡"MI5 to advise MP's on how to guard against foreign espionage": British MPs will be taught how to defend themselves against spies from Russia and China.
"In a document intended for 'high-risk individuals,' MPs will be warned about threats from 'hostile states' and offered various security measures. For example, it will include advice on hiring assistants, social media communication, and traveling abroad, including calls not to leave phones and laptops unattended in hotels.
The recommendations are suitable for protection against potential risks from any state, but British officials have made it clear that, in their view, the main threat of foreign interference comes from China and Russia."
@Slavyangrad
The loss of dominance is perceived by the West as a threat to its existence.
The West perceives the loss of dominance as an existential threat, not as a natural development. Its course towards confrontation has already gone beyond Russophobic rhetoric, which we warned the global majority about in the early stages of the aggressive campaign against Russia,
— noted Marat Berdyev, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to him, Western policy is aimed at suppressing dissent, turning the planet into a zero-sum game arena, and fighting without rules.
All independent states become targets of hybrid warfare and objects of destabilisation, which is characteristic of the actions of the G7 countries, NATO, the EU, and their allies,
— emphasised the diplomat.
Berdyev added that such a reaction of the West to the formation of a multipolar world cannot stop the historical process based on the balance of interests and the collegial responsibility of states.
@Slavyangrad
Moldova's opposition, if victorious in the elections, will return the country to the CIS and the EAEU, will obtain observer status in BRICS and SCO, said the former president, chairman of the Socialist Party Igor Dodon.
@Slavyangrad