Posted on 02/24/2024 5:59:01 AM PST by SpeedyInTexas
Germany just began the process of purchasing the Army's new Typhon system that includes Tomahawk and SM-6. I don't see us ever giving Tomahawk to Ukraine, though they are developing their own long range strike capability, and likely getting some help from Germany, UK, US and maybe France. Germany, and other NATO allies, need to do more than buy a few Typhon batteries. They need to buy large quantities of missiles to feed them in time of war. Europe has a terrible habit of buying small quantities that are fine for brief, limited conflicts, but wholly inadequate for a real war.
I've heard Trump is considering giving UKR (selling to NATO countries to provide UKR) some of our older AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles to launch from their F-16 fleet. Russia would not like that.
Time for US arms manufactures to add more lines ...
“He” debates so well😂🍈
Projection at its best, is there any other country and leader that better emulates hitler and nazi germany than putin and russia. Russian mir
Poor souls will be slaughtered for dear leaders desires just like dolf did to the German people believers or not
That is huge, and a positive development. The idea that this is more Europe's problem than ours has some limited legitimacy; it's about bloody time them stepped up in a major way.
Long past time for that, as well. Slick Willie did us dirty shutting down and dismantling a lot of factories.
Few are aware that Russia is in a pump Yamal oil or die situation in the winter. The oil must be pumped and set flowing through pipes to its destinations. Which often are export terminals, with the crude shipped to China and India and others. If the oil is not flowing, then pipes and valves will freeze, burst and be destroyed. Due to the inescapable water content in the crude, that expands when it freezes.
During the 1990s Russian chaos many Yamal pipes valves burst. It took years to repair them, mostly done by European contractors. Who have exited, who no longer will service Russian oil problems.
Kremlin officials dismissed US President Donald Trump's demand that Russia agree to a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine within 50 days while promoting claims that Russia can withstand economic pressure and remains committed to achieving its war aims. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Kremlin newswire TASS on July 15 that Russia views any attempt to make demands of Russia, “especially ultimatums,” as “unacceptable.”[1] Ryabkov noted that Russia is ready to negotiate and prefers a diplomatic solution to its war in Ukraine, but will continue to pursue its war aims militarily if the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) do not take Russia's demands seriously. Ryabkov stated that Russia's position is “unshakable.” Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed Ryabkov's statements, claiming that Russia is ready to participate in a third round of Ukraine-Russia bilateral negotiations but blamed Ukraine for the lack of progress towards the next round of talks.[2] Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev posted on his English-language X (formerly Twitter) account, claiming that “Russia didn't care” about Trump's “ultimatum.”[3] Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed confidence that Russia will be able to cope with US tariffs, as Russia is already “coping” with prior sanctions.[4] A Just Russia Party Leader and Duma Deputy, Sergei Mironov, claimed that potential tariffs will not affect the course or goals of Russia's war in Ukraine.[5] Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to officially respond to Trump and is likely attempting to identify which narratives could convince Trump not to follow through with secondary tariffs in early September 2025.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's theory of victory continues to drive his unwillingness to compromise on his pre-war demand for Ukraine's capitulation. Reuters, citing three unspecified sources close to the Kremlin, reported on July 15 that Putin intends to continue the war in Ukraine until the West concedes to his demands, is unfazed by US President Donald Trump's threats of secondary tariffs, and may expand his territorial demands as Russian forces continue their advances on the battlefield.[6] Reuters’ sources noted that Putin is resolved to continue his war, as he believes Russia can endure any further economic hardship that the West imposes. One source told Reuters that Putin believes that none of Russia's diplomatic engagements thus far have included detailed discussions on a peace plan for Ukraine, so Putin “will continue until he gets what he wants.” The sources told Reuters that Putin's demands for a potential settlement are the same as his demands from 2021 and at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 - demands that the Kremlin has repeatedly cited throughout over three years of war.[7] ISW continues to assess that Putin holds a theory of victory that posits that Russia can achieve its war aims by continuing to make creeping gains on the battlefield indefinitely and outlasting Western support for Ukraine and Ukraine's ability to defend itself.[8] Western economic pressure, combined with sustained Western military support to Ukraine, is necessary to enable Ukrainian forces to inflict battlefield losses on Russia to force Putin to reassess his calculation and engage substantively in peace negotiations to end the war.[9]
Russia continues efforts to formalize Russian-Belarusian governmental integration. The Russian State Duma ratified a protocol on July 15 allowing Russian citizens permanently living in Belarus and Belarusian citizens permanently living in Russia the right to vote and run for local elections in their country of permanent residence.[72] Putin and Lukashenko signed the protocol on March 13, 2025, and Vladimir Putin submitted the bill to the Duma to ratify on July 1.[73]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-15-2025
Armenia has finally decided to “not give a damn about Russia.” We warned about this.
Last week, we wrote : Armenia wants to get closer to the West and, as the channel's source in the Kremlin put it, “not give a damn about Russia.” Unfortunately, our insider information was confirmed. Recently, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan met with the leaders of the European Union. There are several notable moments of this meeting. For example, it became known that Yerevan is now helping the West prevent the circumvention of the sanctions imposed against us. And the EU promised Armenia several billion in investments.
“Armenia spits on us, trying to escape from Russia, forgetting about all our historical closeness. Certain measures will definitely be taken against it. So far, however, there is not always enough time for this, too many problems have accumulated. But we will try not to lose Armenia,” our source in the Kremlin said on this matter. He did not say what measures might be taken.
Vladimir Vladimirovich will receive a pectoral cross with the initials of the patriarch (the head of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to follow the president's example and ordered a small batch of crosses to be made with his initials engraved on them) in the near future. The consecrated object will protect him from “the increased threat from internal and external enemies,” our source in the Church said.
The cross is made of pure gold and is currently in the possession of the patriarch. “12 prayers will be held over the relic, after which it will be handed over to Vladimir Vladimirovich. There are many threats now, internal enemies who want to prevent Russia's victory for the sake of their treacherous personal interests ( we wrote about such a threat , - ed.) may become more active. There is unrest in Moscow , some strange, anxious moods. Strong protection will definitely not hurt the president,” our source in the Russian Orthodox Church explained to us.
According to him, the cross will be handed over to Putin quite soon.
https://t.me/kremlin_secrets/5929
It certainly works, especially as it is made of gold paid for by the members of the Russian Orthodox Church.
They should learn from this:
Farmers have begun to destroy laying hens en masse due to falling egg prices and a decline in business profitability. According to Izvestia, one of the poultry farms in Krasnodar Krai simply stopped feeding the birds, and in Udmurtia, about 3,000 live laying hens were thrown out onto the street. The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing measures to improve the price situation, including setting a fixed price for eggs, while the department is not aware of any facts of a reduction in livestock.
“This is a market collapse.” Russian dealers are on the verge of bankruptcy, and they cannot survive without government support — head of ROAD. The car market is currently experiencing a catastrophe: sales have fallen by 27% in just six months. At the same time, the average price of a car has fallen, but people still don't want to buy them because of the high interest rate. In 2024, the volume of car loans has fallen by 53%. In 2012, every third Russian could buy a new car, in the first half of 2025 — only 16%.
This year, many car dealers will close, about 30% of companies are experiencing serious financial difficulties. About 200 centers closed in the first half of the year alone. “This is a market collapse. Even a cure such as price reduction does not work. Most companies sell cars at a loss. When selling Russian-brand cars directly, we lose 20-30 thousand rubles, 70 thousand on a Chinese car.”
Raising to golden calf status 😎
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