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Posted on 01/14/2026 11:30:14 AM PST by Navy Patriot
Ukrainian air defenses were in action around Kyiv on Wednesday morning as Russian forces launched another mass drone attack targeting the city's already ravaged power and heating infrastructure with multiple explosions heard downtown.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that following the raid -- the third major attack in five days -- 6,000 buildings, about half of all buildings, were without power amid freezing temperatures.
Deputy Energy Minister Mykola Kolisnyk said Tuesday that Russia was "going all in" to take out Ukraine's energy infrastructure after mass attacks targeting power and gas facilities overnight Monday and Jan. 9.
The state-run electricity network operator Ukrenergo said earlier that 70% of Kyiv had no electricity following Monday's attack.
The situation led Klitschko to appeal on Friday to residents with someplace else to go to get out of Kyiv temporarily to relieve pressure on emergency services and hospitals, as well as engineering crews scrambling to repair energy infrastructure and keep what remains working.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
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Even when they misspell Kiev.
Ukes living like Cavemen and Cavewomen.
Yes, they did Nazi that coming.
Evacuating Kiev.
As cold as it is (15-20deg F) pipes are going to freeze making the damage even worse.
Moscow and St. Petersburgh will be powerless and dark tonight.
Not too bright, are you?
You are depending on a dead person to speak for you.
Yup, funny how Ukes would rather temporarily live like Cavemen than permanently under Putin's totalitarian rule.
It’s a f-g war not a sweet 16 party. Honestly I am surprised Putin left the lights on as long as he did. I can only surmise that Russia either doesn’t have the capability to take out the grid (seems unlikely) or Putin just prefers a slow drip war.
Pound Sand, Tlozo.
Not funny how Russians would rather kill “brotherly” Ukrainians by the millions and erase their cities than live next to them. Something truely filthy and sick in the “Russian Soul”.
“or Putin just prefers a slow drip war.”
Putin thought he could take Ukraine in two weeks.
The last thing he wanted was another Afghanistan.
“Pound Sand, Tlozo.”
I see you got the memo.
Continue Pounding Sand, as Instructed.
“Continue Pounding Sand, as Instructed.”
As instructed:
AI Overview
According to various political analysts and news sources, Vladimir Putin is seen as “ruining” Russia through the significant human, economic, and geopolitical costs of his invasion of Ukraine, alongside the intensification of domestic autocracy and isolation.
Key areas where his policies are considered detrimental include:
Economic Strain: Russia’s economy is increasingly militarized, with over half the 2025 budget dedicated to defense spending, leading to high inflation (8% as of late 2025) and interest rates (above 16%). The withdrawal of over a thousand international companies, Western sanctions, and a reliance on discounted oil sales to China and India have made Russia a “pariah economy” and slowed economic modernization. The country is also facing a rising budget deficit and has lost access to about half of its foreign reserves held in Western banks.
Human and Demographic Crisis: The war has led to immense military casualties, with US intelligence estimating over 300,000 Russian soldiers killed or injured as of early 2024, and daily combat losses continuing at high rates. This, combined with the “Putin exodus” of hundreds of thousands of educated young professionals and potential conscripts fleeing the country, exacerbates existing labor shortages and a declining population.
Geopolitical Isolation and Weakened Standing: Russia’s reputation has suffered, with the country becoming an international pariah and facing widespread condemnation for its actions in Ukraine. His actions have also strengthened NATO, leading to new members like Finland and Sweden, the opposite of his stated goal of reducing NATO influence. Russia’s military has proven less capable than advertised, relying on equipment purchases from North Korea and Iran, and its influence among former Soviet republics has waned.
Domestic Repression: The political system has become an authoritarian dictatorship, with a severe crackdown on civil liberties, independent media, and political opposition. New laws impose severe prison sentences for spreading “fake news” about the military or calling for sanctions, creating a climate of fear and misinformation that isolates the Russian public from alternative viewpoints.
In essence, analysts argue that through his pursuit of an imperial legacy, Putin has undone three decades of post-Soviet economic and social gains, isolating the country and dimming its future prospects for generations.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+putin+is+ruining+russia
Continue Pounding Sand, as Instructed.
“Continue Pounding Sand, as Instructed.”
As instructed:
AI Overview
Vladimir Putin’s wealth is largely hidden but is believed to be amassed through a system of extorting oligarchs for shares/cash, rewarding loyalists with state contracts for kickbacks, and leveraging state resources to benefit his inner circle, creating a vast, hidden financial empire similar to a mafia structure. He reportedly controls immense assets, including palaces, jets, and yachts, often through proxies and shell companies, benefiting from lucrative deals facilitated by his power.
Methods of Accumulating Wealth:
Oligarch Extortion: Putin allegedly demands large percentages of wealth or shares from Russia’s billionaires in exchange for protection, with threats of arrest or asset seizure for non-compliance, according to CNN and reports cited by Forbes.
Patronage Network: He fosters a system where loyalists, childhood friends, and associates receive lucrative government contracts and business ownership, funneling kickbacks back to him, notes NDTV and USA Today.
State Asset Diversion: Using state resources, friends are made wealthy through overpriced state deals (like medical equipment for a palace), with funds then moving to Putin’s network, as detailed in a Reuters investigation.
Control Over State-Owned Enterprises: Power allows him to direct state companies to give assets to allies cheaply, notes Bloomberg Opinion columnist Leonid Bershidsky.
Hidden Assets & Methods:
Proxies: Using children, associates, and offshore companies to obscure ownership of luxury items like superyachts, private jets, and properties (e.g., the alleged “Putin’s Palace”).
Shell Companies: Funds are routed through various international shell companies and banks to hide their origin and destination.
The Power Dynamic:
Putin’s wealth isn’t just personal money; it’s about controlling vast state-linked assets and rewarding loyalty, creating a powerful, covert capitalist system that mirrors Stalinist methods, says CNN Business analysts.
The system effectively turns Russia’s business elite into “ATM machines” for the President and his inner circle, argue
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+putin+is+getting+rich
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