Free Republic

Everyone agrees: it's getting worse. The people of Kyiv have, like the citizens of other Ukrainian cities, been through a lot. After three and a half years of fluctuating fortunes, they are tough and extremely resilient. But in recent months, they have been experiencing something new: vast, coordinated waves of attacks from the air, involving hundreds of drones and missiles, often concentrated on a single city. Last night, it was Kyiv. And the week before too. In between, it was Lutsk in the far west. Three years ago, Iranian-supplied Shahed drones were a relative novelty. I remember hearing my first,...

Vladimir Solovyov threatens America

Americans all too often presume that everyone else aspires to live and think as we do. Others must share our values, if only in secret, or at least be eager to learn them. This is a dangerous attitude to take with any nation or culture, but perhaps especially so with Russians—and never more so than when the topic is war. As Gregory Carleton observes in his superb 2017 study Russia: The Story of War, war is an indispensable part of how Russians see the world and their place in it. The extent to which World War II and all previous...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he had held a "substantive" conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, in Rome shortly after Trump pledged to send more defensive weapons to Kyiv. "We discussed weapons supplies and strengthening air defense. Given the increase in Russian attacks, this remains one of our top priorities," Zelenskiy wrote on the X social media platform. "We also covered the purchase of American weapons, joint defense manufacturing, and localization efforts in Ukraine," he added. Both men were in Italy ahead of a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term...

The dominant Western narrative that Europe can arm Ukraine to victory against Russia is a “dangerous fantasy.” Europe’s defense industrial base is too hollowed out, its weapons production timelines too long, and its political will too fragile to offset Russia’s formidable military and industrial might.

At President Trump's direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops. Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities.

@Mylovanov Trump: We had a strong, strategic call with Zelenskyy — we continue our support. The situation is tough. My call with Putin was disappointing. He seems determined to keep the war going. Not good.

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Dutch and German intelligence agencies have gathered evidence of widespread Russian use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, including dropping a choking agent from drones to drive soldiers out of trenches so they can be shot, they said on Friday. Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. "The main conclusion is that we can confirm Russia is intensifying its use of chemical weapons," he told Reuters. "This intensification is concerning because it is part of a trend we have been observing for several years now, where Russia's use of chemical weapons in...

Did Russia Help America in the Revolutionary War? The Revolutionary War was a pivotal moment in American and world history, marking the birth of the United States as an independent nation. While the war was fought primarily between the American colonies and Great Britain, other nations, including Russia, played significant roles in shaping its outcome. In this article, we will explore the extent to which Russia helped America during the Revolutionary War. Early Relations between Russia and the American Colonies Before delving into the specifics of Russian-American relations during the Revolutionary War, it is essential to understand the early history...

Zelensky described the conversation with the US leader as "very important and useful"MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky discussed air defense and the situation on the front line with US President Donald Trump amid reports about a pause in Washington’s weapons supplies to Kiev. "We discussed air defense opportunities and agreed to work toward increasing the protection of the skies. And we agreed to hold a corresponding meeting between our teams," Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel following a phone call with Trump. Zelensky described the conversation as "very important and useful" and said that Trump "is very well...

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...

These protests are, in his words, advantageous for the West, which is reluctant to cooperate with the Serbian president, who, despite being oriented toward the EU, "holds a principally different position, defends Serbia’s sovereignty," and acts in the interests of his countryMOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. The kindling for a color revolution in Serbia was laid in 2024, and now it is burning slow, with the authorities at risk of being ousted, Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said. "Anti-Serbian forces, mainly from abroad, used these protests in their vile interests," he said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel....

"This violent mutiny did not emerge in a vacuum; it is directly tied to the hopeless bloodbath unfolding near the Kupiansk front, specifically at the Pischane funnel. For months, Russian forces have tried and failed to break through Ukrainian defenses here. The Ukrainians have created a deadly trap by controlling the flanks, exposing any Russian assault to relentless drone and artillery fire from both sides. Yet commanders continue to send wave after wave of infantry into the funnel, hoping to drive a wedge through Ukrainian lines. Every new wave knows exactly how it will end, as almost no one from...

A witness said it was a black Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van that went up in flames after the explosion on 23rd Street South in Arlington, Virginia. The cause of the explosion is unknown but nearby buildings did not catch fire. The smoke could be seen from the other side of the city in the northeast suburbs. More to come.

THE Russian invasion of Ukraine has been advancing at an incredibly slow pace - with Kyiv's "dronegrinder" warfare miring Putin's summer offensive. The rate at which Moscow is capturing land has been dubbed "slower than a snail" - all while the human cost of Russian casualties is sky high. After 448 days of fighting inside Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, the Russians reportedly only managed to take control of 50 per cent of the city. Which means the troops, on average, are only able to take 0.00629 square miles of land per day - which is a painfully low conversion...

Housing and utility bills in some parts of Russia are expected to soar by up to 25% as the country's economic meltdown worsens. Russian media reports that tariffs on housing, gas, water and electricity will go up by an average of 11.9% on July 1, but some regions will see an increase between 23% and 25%. Mortgage rates have also soared to 25% in recent months. One Russian newspaper, translated into English by the BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg and shared on social media, says the increase will be "painful for many families". The same publication reports the experience of...

More than four months after nine bikers were killed May 17 during a shootout outside the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, troubling questions stand before us, while clarity remains elusive. The mass arrest of 177 people has created a legal morass, and complicated an already complex investigation. An overly broad gag order is feeding suspicion that more than complexity is delaying the release of information about the investigation. And while autopsy reports on the nine bikers killed were released in August, ballistics testing reportedly continues. Without ballistics evidence the question of who shot whom increasingly generates harmful speculation. The embarrassing...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was kicked off the House floor by the Sergeant of Arms on Tuesday afternoon. After surviving a lawfare impeachment trial two years ago, Paxton really angered the Texas RINOs after he announced a run for US Senate as Cornyn’s challenger. Tuesday is deadline day to take up Senate bills in the Texas House and instead of dealing with priorities, the Texas RINOs are using their time and resources to remove Ken Paxton. It is unclear what led to Paxton’s removal.

A woman who won an $83.5 million Texas lottery jackpot in February has filed a lawsuit after allegedly not receiving her prize amid controversy over the use of third-party couriers for buying tickets. Howry, Breen & Herman, LLP, an Austin-based law firm representing the woman, who chose to remain anonymous, announced the suit on Wednesday, May 21, against Sergio Rey in his official capacity as acting deputy executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission. “It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to get paid when you win the lottery,” according to the complaint, which was filed in Travis County District Court and...

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas. (Gray News) - A Texas sheriff’s office is mourning the loss of four deputies who died by suicide in just six weeks, according to officials. On March 19, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced that a retiree had died “from an apparent suicide,” according to a post on Facebook. Gonzalez says that it marked “three for us within the span of a week.” “Our hearts are heavy,” he said. “We extend our deepest condolences to their families, colleagues, and friends. It’s a painful reminder that life is fragile and time is not promised. May they Rest in...