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  • Russian army doesn't 'trust' Putin as economic reality bites

    08/29/2025 3:05:27 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 17 replies
    Express US ^ | 8/29/2025 | John Varga, John O'Sullivan
    Russia is on the verge of political turmoil as its economy teeters on the brink of collapse and its war in Ukraine stumbles, warns a leading nationalist figure. Russian nationalists have been among the staunchest supporters of the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. Figures like Aleksandr Dugin have even argued that Ukraine's destruction is crucial for Russia's survival. In his 1997 book "The Geopolitical Future of Russia", he expressed his views bluntly, writing: "The existence of Ukraine within its current borders, and with its current status as a 'sovereign state,' is tantamount to delivering a monstrous blow to Russia's geopolitical security."...
  • Vladimir Putin embarrassed as expert outlines why Russia plan has 'failed'

    08/29/2025 5:30:23 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 50 replies
    Express US ^ | 8/29/2025 | John Varga, John O'Sullivan
    According to a military and security analyst, Russia's summer offensive in Ukraine has utterly collapsed. Julian Röpcke, a journalist for the German news outlet Bild, has been closely following the war since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. In a recent column, he outlined four primary reasons why he believes Putin's summer campaign in Ukraine has crumbled. One of Russia's main objectives in the east was to capture the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region - a crucial logistical hub for Ukraine's army. Despite positioning troops at the city's gates since January, Röpcke contends that all attempts to storm it...
  • Putin humiliated as oil-rich Russia runs out of petrol and drivers wait 8 hours to fill up

    08/20/2025 8:50:55 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 25 replies
    Express UK ^ | 8/20/2025 | John Varga
    Russia appears to be facing a fuel crisis with gas stations running out of petrol, as Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries sow chaos across the country. Multiple regions across Russia have reportedly been affected, with drivers forced to queue for hours in order to fill up. Some motorists have complained of having to wait for up to eight hours in queues stretching for kilometres. Images widely shared on social media show huge tailbacks as drivers wait patiently to get to the front of the line. Motorists have also seen petrol prices go through the roof as fuel supplies become...
  • Vladimir Putin desperation clear as Ukraine war impact prompts '1M Indians' call

    07/25/2025 5:36:56 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 35 replies
    Express US ^ | 7/25/2025 | John Varga, John O'Sullivan
    Moscow has reportedly struck a deal with New Delhi to bring in up to one million Indian workers to help ease manpower problems as the war in Ukraine continues. Russia has been compelled to bring in one million Indian workers to avert a complete breakdown of its workforce. Ever since the launch of the comprehensive war in Ukraine in February 2022, countless working-age Russians have been summoned for military service. The armed forces are facing tremendous strain to locate fresh recruits for deployment to the battlefront as replacements for those who have been killed or wounded. Russia has endured massive...
  • Putin humiliated as Russian Navy 'too scared' to hold flagship parade

    07/25/2025 8:28:31 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 54 replies
    Express UK ^ | 7/25/2025 | John Varga
    Russia's navy has been forced to cancel its annual flagship event in St Petersburg, in a humiliating blow for Vladimir Putin. Navy Day is a major national holiday and is held on the last Sunday of July, celebrated by the public and military alike. The event is used by the Kremlin to show off its latests ships and technology, as it attempts to project its naval power to the watching world. As the maritime capital of Russia, St Petersburg holds a Main Naval Parade along the River Neva, which is normally attended by the Russian president. Usually ships from the...
  • Putin humiliated as citizens forced to resort to desperate means amid water shortages

    07/23/2025 5:11:01 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 26 replies
    Express US ^ | 7/23/2025 | John Varga, John O'Sullivan
    The Russian-controlled territories of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine's east are teetering on the brink of a severe humanitarian crisis, with certain locales having been parched for four months straight. The dire water scarcity is attributed to rampant corruption and gross mismanagement by the Kremlin-backed leadership. Donetsk and Makiivka are bearing the brunt of the crisis, inciting residents' fears of potential disease outbreaks. In response, local officials have rolled out emergency water rationing for the nearly 1.3 million inhabitants of both cities. Andrey Chertkov, the interim head honcho of the self-proclaimed DPR government, cautioned citizens about the new tri-weekly water...
  • Russians mock Trump's 'deteriorating health' after turning on Putin - 'He's lost his mind!

    07/16/2025 5:19:06 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 26 replies
    Express UK ^ | 7/16/2025 | John Varga
    Russia has stepped up its attacks to discredit Donald Trump, as relations between Washington and Moscow go south. -snip- Appearing on Solovyov live, former New York Times journalist and pro-Russian commentator John Varoli laid into Trump following his meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte over the weekend. "Unfortunately yesterday we witnessed and became totally convinced that President Trump's health is drastically worsening," he said. "He isn't able to speak clearly, coherently or intelligently. The situation with Donald Trump's health is very, very serious. We understand that Donald Trump has truly lost his mind." As evidence, he cited the fact that...
  • Putin reeling as Ukraine launches 'deepest' attack of war 620 miles inside Russian border

    07/02/2025 8:06:21 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 92 replies
    Express UK ^ | 7/2/2025 | John Varga
    A series of explosions are heard inside the plant, with workers rushing and screaming as they try to get to safety. Ukrainian drones attacked a military-industrial complex in the Russian city of Izhevsk on Tuesday, in one of the deepest strikes inside the country since Putin's full-scale invasion. UAVS struck the Kupol Electromechanical Plant, causing a major fire to break out at the site. Video images circulating on social media channels show the dramatic moment of impact as the deadly drones zeroed in on their target. In one clip, an explosion can be heard, and then a giant ball of...
  • Russian priest warns Muslims will 'slaughter Christians' as Putin braces for religious war

    06/11/2025 6:19:57 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 26 replies
    Express U.S. ^ | 6/11/2025 | John Varga
    A Russian Orthodox priest has sparked controversy with his provocative claim that Russian Muslims could be mobilized to commit violence against Christians. The statement was made as Moscow's Muslim community celebrated the holy festival of Eid al-Adha on Sunday. Schema-abbot Gavriil, during his sermon, referred to the Muslims congregating on Peace Avenue in Moscow for the festivities: "The entire space is covered with people. And these are healthy men, who do not drink alcohol, who wrestle and go to gyms for training." He made an alarming assertion: "This is a whole army. And if, one fine day, a mullah orders...
  • Putin army reeling as Ukraine destroys £82m planes armed with deadly hypersonic missiles

    06/09/2025 5:05:21 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 36 replies
    Express UK ^ | 6/9/2025 | JOHN VARGA
    Ukraine's military launched another attack on a Russian airbase, thousands of miles from the frontlines. The attack took place overnight and targeted Savasleyka airfield in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The airbase is home to a number of fighter jets, including the MiG-31 K, which can fire lethal Kinzhal ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s army said the attack had wiped out a MiG-31 K and a SU-30/34 aircraft, which are regularly used to launch aerial bombardments on the country. The airbase is home to a number of fighter jets, including the MiG-31 K, which can fire lethal Kinzhal ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s army said...
  • Russian military expert stuns Kremlin hawks with 'frightening' Ukraine army assessment

    05/26/2025 9:28:14 AM PDT · by MinorityRepublican · 67 replies
    Express Newspapers ^ | Sun, May 25, 2025 | John Varga
    A Russian military expert stunned Kremlin hawks when he revealed that Ukraine's army currently enjoys a significant advantage over Putin's army. There is growing confidence among Russia's pro-war faction that Vladimir Putin can achieve all his military goals in Ukraine. Western analysts believe that Putin's aims have not changed since he launched his full-scale invasion of the neighbouring country, and that he is more than ever determined to seize all of Ukraine. With Donald Trump seemingly unwilling to get tough with Russia, many Kremlin supporters are starting to smell victory. However, Andrey Klintsevich warned that Ukraine's army was still a...
  • Ukraine LIVE: NATO war jets scramble as Putin's forces shoot kids and plane of tourists

    05/25/2025 7:28:06 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 101 replies
    Express UK ^ | 5/25/2025 | JON KING, WILL STEWART, JOHN VARGA
    NATO scrambled its war planes today in self defence amid Vladimir Putin’s heaviest strikes on Ukraine in months, leading to multiple civilian deaths including three children. Russia was also hit hard with Ukrainian strikes, leading to the Kremlin’s air defences firing in panic - but missing - an Airbus A320-251N packed with its own tourists from Turkish resort Bodrum, according to reports. At least 10 Russian government aircraft used for high-ranking state and military officials fled Moscow flying east. It was not immediately clear if the exodus was a drill for an emergency evacuation or the real thing amid an...
  • Russian economic meltdown as oil runs out and Kremlin stops paying pensions

    05/14/2025 9:30:04 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 28 replies
    Express UK ^ | 5/14/2025 | John Varga
    Russia's supply of cheap oil is running out, another major blow for Vladimir Putin as he continues to grapple with a growing economic crisis. Businesses and consumers across the country are reeling under the effects of spiralling inflation and high interest rates. In April, the Central Bank confirmed it would keep the key interest rate at 21% for the foreseeable future, much to the bitter disappointment of the Kremlin and business leaders. Many firms are fighting to stay afloat, as they attempt to pay back bank loans originally secured during more favourable economic times. -snip- Gazprom Neft CEO Alexander Dyukov...
  • Russia reeling as £38m fighter jet shot down by Ukrainian sea drone in world first

    05/03/2025 6:53:40 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 87 replies
    Express UK ^ | 5/3/2025 | John Varga
    An unmanned Ukrainian sea drone shot down a Russian SU-30 fighter jet near the port of Novorossiysk - home to the Kremlin's Black Sea Fleet. The downing of the £38 million jet was carried out by Group 13 on May 2, a special unit within Ukraine's military intelligence. The sea drone was reported to be equipped with a R-73 air-to-air missile, which struck the jet in midair. The SU-30 crashed into the sea. Reports suggest that the crew were able to eject from the stricken jet and were later picked up by a civilian cargo ship. In a statement confirming...
  • Russian airfield up in flames after devastating Ukrainian attack as Putin ramps up defence

    05/02/2025 5:20:14 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 12 replies
    Express UK ^ | 5/2/2025 | Charlie Bradley John Varga
    An airfield belonging to Russian forces in occupied Crimea has been left in flames after a devastating Ukrainian drone strike, according to reports. Footage shared online purportedly shows the fire at Kacha airfield following a huge round of strikes from Kyiv's forces. Reports suggest Ukraine launched a massive aerial bombardment overnight on the Ukrainian peninsula, which has been occupied by Russian forces since 2014 and illegally annexed by Moscow. Loud explosions were heard near the Saky airfield in Novofedorivka, as well as at the Belbek air base near Sevastopol. A missile base in the Hvardiiske area was also reported to...
  • Panic in Russia as supporters ‘turn on Putin’ over huge influx of migrants into Moscow

    04/03/2025 6:24:03 AM PDT · by marcusmaximus · 54 replies
    Express UK ^ | 4/3/2025 | JOHN VARGA
    A Russian militia leader claimed the population was dying out and all the Kremlin could do was "to bring in migrants". A prominent Russian pro-war Telegram Channel has launched a scathing attack on Vladimir Putin's immigration policy. The Rybar Telegram Channel was founded by Mikhail Zvinchuk and has more than 1.3 million subscribers. -snip- The clip alleged terrorist recruiters were active at a Moscow junk market where weapons and Russian passports could be bought. The channel also identified the locations of “ethnic brothels” and illegal mosques. The video ends with the on-screen message: “So, who benefits from this breeding ground...
  • Putin disaster as 'entire Russian command obliterated' in devastating Ukraine strike

    02/08/2025 7:50:31 AM PST · by marcusmaximus · 54 replies
    Express UK ^ | 2/8/2025 | John Varga
    Ukraine is reported to have wiped out the entire command of Russia's 35th Brigade in a deadly missile strike. The attack was carried out using HIMARS missiles on the brigade's headquarters in the eastern town of Selydove. The town was captured by the Russians in October last year and lies just 11 miles northwest of the strategically important city of Pokrovsk. The attack was filmed by Ukrainian drones hovering close to the building, housing the headquarters. In a video posted to social media, a huge ball of flames rises from a building after the impact of the missiles. Thick black...
  • Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump meeting looms as planning 'at an advanced stage'

    02/06/2025 5:38:54 AM PST · by marcusmaximus · 11 replies
    Express UK ^ | 2/6/2025 | Alice Scarsi John Varga
    Preparations for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are at an "advanced stage", Russian state news agency RIA has claimed. The state-owned news agency quoted senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, who is head of the Duma's international affairs committee. Mr Slutsky claimed the meeting could take place soon, as early as in February or March. -snip- During his inauguration in Washington DC, the US leader called on Putin to begin talks to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said: "He should make a deal. I think he’s destroying...
  • Vladimir Putin facing pressure from key Russian group over 'colonization' fears

    01/29/2025 6:55:21 AM PST · by marcusmaximus · 14 replies
    Irish Star ^ | 1/29/2025 | JOHN O'SULLIVAN, JOHN VARGA
    Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing a backlash from within the Kremlin over his pro-China policy, with elites fearing that Moscow is becoming a 'colony' of Beijing. Vladimir Putin is facing intense criticism from rival factions within the Kremlin over his China policy, which could worsen Russia's economic crisis, with earlier reports suggesting China is 'bailing' Russia out by buying distressed assets. Since the start of the Ukraine conflict - where Russia have endured huge personnel losses - in February 2022, Putin has strengthened political and economic ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, boosting their bilateral trade to a record...
  • Russia burns as humiliating multi-pronged drone attack devastates key targets

    01/24/2025 2:36:15 AM PST · by marcusmaximus · 27 replies
    Express UK ^ | 1/24/2025 | ALICE SCARSI, Deputy World News Editor, CIARAN MCGRATH, Senior News Reporter, JOHN VARGA
    Several explosions were reported in Russia overnight as a result of a massive drone attack, with extraordinary images showing the night sky being lit up by fierce flames. Astonishing footage circulating online shows huge blazes enveloping the Ryazan Oil Refining Company as well as the nearby Novo-Ryazan Thermal Power Plant. Regional Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed a drone attack had targeted the region in the early hours of Friday, and added that a private home in Ryazan caught fire due to an air strike. He said the fire has already been extinguished, and there are no casualties. The governor added drones...