Free Republic

-snip- HOW AN AMERICA FIRST FOREIGN POLICY REDUCED RISKS FROM RUSSIA DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION We believe the most important way the America First approach to national security could have affected the Ukraine War was to prevent it. A strong and decisive president who stood up to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a tough and coherent U.S. foreign policy for Russia, Ukraine, and NATO could have prevented Putin from ordering the February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In our view, tough and coherent policies implemented by President Donald Trump are why Russia refrained from invading its neighbors during his presidency...

Watch the incredible clips of Kyiv's powerful drones annihilating Mad Vlad's tankers as debris and flames take over the battlefield. THIS is the dramatic moment Ukrainian kamikaze drones blow up Russian tanks in the latest blow to Putin's failing forces. Spectacular footage shows Kyiv's fierce determination as the drones reduce the hodgepodge "Franken-tanks" to fiery wreckage. The drones are seen in the daylight mission smoothly descending until they hit Mad Vlad's tinderboxes with pinpoint accuracy. The clunky military vehicles are then seen engulfed by bright orange flames in a brutal inferno. As smoke was blown away, what once was a...

Synopsis: A discussion panel on Russia 1 (Russian state television) led by Vladimir Solovyov discusses nuclear attacks against Ukraine and Europe. The panel also discusses the notion of attacking Poland and the Baltics in the expectation that the USA and NATO will abandon these countries. At the 2:30 mark Andrey Gurulyov denies the existence of Ukraine and also states that a threat to Russian-occupied Kaliningrad is present. He promotes an attack on the coast of Holland, destroying dikes in order to flood the country. Andrey Gurulyov also promotes the notion of proxy war by employing hostile groups to shut down...

Vladimir Putin is furious after Ukraine's military staged a dramatic fightback and seized back control over most of a town that Russia thought they had captured in Kharkiv. Russia launched a surprise counteroffensive in Kharkiv earlier this month and many military sources within the Russian army had boasted that they had captured the pivotal town of Vovchansk. However, Ukraine's Defence Forces have now confirmed that Kyiv has regained control of 70 percent of the town, amid fierce ongoing street battles. Ukraine's Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn said that Ukrainian counterattacks, along with effective artillery and drone strikes, were thwarting Russia's efforts...

Ukraine has launched another stunning strike against Putin's army on the peninsula, inflicting crippling damage to the Kremlin's war machine. Vladimir Putin suffered a major setback after Ukraine launched more devastating attacks in the Crimea region. Ukraine has intensified its attacks on the peninsula and its immediate surrounding regions in the last few days. On Thursday, Ukrainian maritime drones destroyed seven Russian ships in a daring and spectacular attack. Kyiv's army bosses have now followed that up with another stunning strike that inflicted crippling damage on Putin's war machine in the region. Overnight, Ukraine fired US-supplied ATACM missiles at the...

Everyone expected Russia to launch a new offensive in Ukraine on May 9. That’s because May 9 is Victory Day in Russia – the day the country celebrates the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. It’s a symbolic day for a war of choice that’s less about territory or resources than it is about Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s conception of himself as a new Russian emperor lording over a thriving Russian empire. But Putin’s new Russian empire is a farce, albeit a nightmarishly bloody one. And his Victory Day offensive is a farce, too. Less than...

Synopsis: The Russian T-14 'Armata' has been deployed to active duty in the Russian army but will not see combat in Ukraine. The Russians cannot afford to have their latest tank destroyed in combat. Which makes the T-14 a very expensive parade vehicle and nothing more. The video also includes footage of Russian soldiers looting a Ukrainian village. BS is called on the Russian narrative about their 2022 'Peace Deal'. Residents of Mariupol complain that Russian colonists are taking over the new apartments in the city while the 'liberated' ethnic Russians continue to live in squalor. The video ends with...

Ukraine is facing "a new stage" in the Russia's full-scale war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting with border guards in Khmelnytskyi Oblast on May 3. Zelensky's statement came amid a deteriorating situation on the battlefield. Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), said that Ukraine should expect to face a renewed Russian offensive in late spring or early summer, with the offensive intensifying around eastern Donbas region. "The occupier is now preparing to expand its offensive. And all of us — Ukrainians, soldiers, state, partners — must do everything to disrupt Russia's offensive plan," Zelensky said.

The Pentagon could get weapons moving to Ukraine within days if Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That's because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe that already hold the ammunition and air defense components that Kyiv desperately needs. -snip- If about $61 billion in funding for the war-torn country gets the green light, “we have a very robust logistics network that enables us to move material very quickly,” Ryder told reporters Thursday. “We can move within days.”

Ukraine hit a key Russian airbase used for nuclear bombers in an overnight kamikaze drone strike as part of a consolidated aerial bombardment of several border regions. The 'explosions and fire' at the airbase came as pro-Putin sources also accused Kyiv of targeting a nuclear power plant in Kursk region. Explosions were heard at Engels air base in the Saratov region, home of Vladimir Putin's Tu-160 'Blackjack', Tu-95 'Bear' and Tu-22 strike aircraft, late last night. All of these planes are capable of carrying nuclear missiles but have been used to strike Ukraine with conventional bombs throughout the past two...

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) said Tuesday he will resign from Congress later this month rather than serve out the remainder of his term through 2024. Why it matters: The surprise announcement will cause House Republicans' already razor thin majority to dwindle even further

Russian libraries have one simple rule. And it is not "to be quiet" while others are present. The Ministry of Defense of Russia was hacked again. Did Shoigu visit "suspicious websites"? Russian air defense systems in Crimea were fully immobilized. Was this a result of a hack? Putin reveals his next potential invasion in Tucker Carlson's interview. Russia will not stop. 0:00 In today's episode 0:57 Russian libraries have one simple rule 1:39 Ministry of Defense of Russia was hacked 4:33 Russian air defense fully immobilized 10:25 Putin reveals his next potential invasion

A massive explosion from a secure site deep within Russia rocked the city if Izhevsk less than an hour ago, with rumors circulating about the origin and cause of the explosion. Russia is reportedly spending 4.5 Billion dollars on Shahed drones annually, and this is expected to be unsustainable. Europe is also preparing on sending around 1 Million artillery shells to Ukraine before the end of this year.

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then...