Free Republic

Vladimir Putin’s “mistress” has saluted his war propagandists who regularly threaten nuclear war as being as important as Kalashnikov machine guns. Russians are engaged in a “fight for our country” almost a year after his disastrous invasion of Ukraine, warned Alina Kabaeva, 39. An Olympic gold-winning rhythmic gymnast who is believed to share a secret family with the dictator, 70, she normally shuns the limelight. But wearing what appeared to be a wedding ring plus a prominent Z-badge, symbol of Russia’s bloody war, she spoke at a Moscow event marking the founding of strongly pro-Putin National Media Group [NMG], which...

Ukraine is braced for a major new offensive that could begin within weeks. One of President Zelensky’s key insiders told The Daily Beast that they expect a looming Russian move to encircle the country with a simultaneous attack on three fronts.Rustem Umerov, a member of the team negotiating with Russia, said the Kremlin was preparing for a fresh advance which could begin as soon as February. The assault would come from the north, over the Belarusian border, from the Russian strongholds in the east of Ukraine, and from the south, where the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea was seized by...

Russian forces have cut the main north-south highway, that was a supply link for Ukraine forces, north of Bakhmut [Ukraine]. Soledar to the north of that Russian break-through, is in danger of complete encirclement.