Free Republic

Retired Army Col. Douglas MacGregor believes Ukraine has already lost its war with Russia. But he thinks many Western leaders want to keep supporting Ukraine to accomplish their real goal of pulling the United States into a direct conflict with Russia. “Ukraine has lost this war. I would argue it lost it some time ago,” said MacGregor during an appearance on Judge Andrew Napolitano’s podcast, “Judging Freedom.” (Related: Ukraine is running out of ammunition as Russia continues to overpower its military.) “It’s now becoming so apparent that even the most ardent supporters of Ukraine’s war on Russia in London, Berlin,...

European natural gas prices rose after rallying 43% last week as Russia’s steep supply cuts put governments on high alert amid a mounting possibility of rationing. Benchmark futures rose as much as 8.1%, with shipments via the Nord Stream remaining at just 40% of capacity. Supply is likely to remain curbed with Gazprom PJSC’s chief Alexey Miller warning there’s no solution for now for issues with the gas turbines essential for the functioning of the pipeline. That’s forcing major European consumers to withdraw gas from the reserves they have been building for the winter when demand typically peaks. The government...

DONETSK OBLAST, Ukraine — The ambulances hurtled into the parking lot one after the other, each carrying wounded troops directly from the nearby front line. One young man stared straight ahead, his face swollen, his neck and back dripping with blood. Others lay silently under foil blankets.Some stumbled out the back doors and collapsed into wheelchairs as staff rushed to push them inside. Nearby, bloodied cots sat propped against a tent and other wounded soldiers lingered about, their faces grim, their heads, arms or legs bandaged as the sound of outgoing artillery boomed across the sky.About 10 wounded soldiers arrived...