War in Ukraine

Even the members of SPECTRE do not want to be seen with those folks.

 

trump tried to force ukraine to take deported immigrants

i can hear donnie boy, they make great soldiers, small, can get in little tight spaces, don't eat much, work for cheap, natural killers, you're gonna love em

Trump team urged Ukraine to take U.S. deportees amid war, documents show

The Trump administration earlier this year urged the Ukrainian government to accept an unspecified number of U.S. deportees who are citizens of other countries, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post, an extraordinary request of a nation at war and dependent on American military and financial support for its survival.

The documents do not indicate how officials in Kyiv responded to the late-January proposal, relayed by a senior U.S. diplomat, that called for sending third-country nationals to Ukraine amid Russia’s deadly, devastating invasion — and despite the absence of a functioning airport there b continual air attacks. A Ukrainian diplomat informed the U.S. Embassy only that her government would offer a response once it formulated a position, according to the documents, which show that similar proposals were issued to a number of other countries around the same date.

Ukraine has not accepted any third-party nationals from the United States, and there is no indication that Kyiv seriously considered the American proposal. Two Ukrainian officials familiar with the matter, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss interactions with the Trump administration, said the topic never reached the government’s highest level. One of the officials said he was unaware of any “political demands” made by the United States regarding its desire for Ukraine to take in deportees.

 

Explosions heard, bridge closed: Russia reports missile attack on Crimea

The temporarily occupied Crimea is under a massive attack by unknown flying objects. Explosions are heard in various parts of the peninsula, and Russian air defense systems are active, according to the Krymskiy veter Telegram channel and the "governor" of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev.

Around 9:30 PM Kyiv time, Razvozhayev reported that an air raid alert had been declared in Crimea.

Almost immediately after this, monitoring channels began reporting that the peninsula was under a large-scale missile attack. Missiles were reportedly spotted over Sevastopol, Alupka, Sudak, and Feodosia.

In response, the Russians halted maritime transport in the peninsula and even closed the Crimean Bridge. Furthermore, Russia claims that the missiles attacking Crimea are Neptune missiles, and they have already stated their success in shooting them down.

 

Anyone know why Kyiv is so worked up about a victory over Nazis parade in Moscow?

I know I have an idea.

 

my question is why wasn't this done years ago? scared of oil shortages?

Europe Prepares New Blow to Putin's Shadow Fleet

Vessels Russia uses to dodge Western sanctions on its energy exports will be targeted in a suite of measures by the European Union, it has been reported.

The European Commission is looking to add over 100 vessels from Russia's "shadow fleet" to its latest sanctions package to punish Vladimir Putin for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Reuters.

Ukrainian advocacy group Razom We Stand told Newsweek it welcomed the measures but they do not go far enough. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment.

 

American hegemony nearing its sell-by date, waning military power and overuse of sanctions

The United States Has Overused Its Sanctions Weapon

 

Ukraine really starting to take the fight to Russia as their long range drone production increases and russian air defenses get battered.

they keep having to shut down the airport in Moscow they aren't going to be able to have a real victory parade

Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Russian defense plants, grounding flights in Moscow, security service says

Long-range drones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck two key Russian defense industry plants overnight, igniting fires and prompting mass flight disruptions in the Moscow region, sources within the SBU told the Kyiv Independent on May 7. According to the SBU, Ukrainian drones targeted the Bazalt plant in Krasnoarmeysk, Moscow Oblast, Russia’s primary manufacturer of munitions and weaponry for all branches of its military. Residents reported at least seven explosions followed by a large fire at the site.

Simultaneously, another strike hit the Splav plant in Tula, a city located about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of Moscow. Splav is reportedly the only facility in Russia responsible for designing and producing multiple-launch rocket systems and related ammunition. Footage from the scene appeared to show heavy smoke and flames engulfing part of the facility.

The strikes, according to the SBU, triggered heightened alert measures across the Moscow Oblast, forcing Russian authorities to enact “Plan Cover,” a security protocol that includes grounding civilian air traffic. Airports across Moscow and the surrounding oblast temporarily shut down, stranding thousands of passengers and forcing airlines to cancel or reroute hundreds of flights.

Pro-Kremlin sources, including the Telegram channel Mash, reported a near-total “collapse” of air operations across Moscow airports on the night of May 7. Around 350 flights were reportedly affected, with over 60,000 passengers impacted, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia. Some passengers were forced to wait on board planes for hours without food or clear information.

 

Drones strike military airfields in two Russian regions: Details

On the night of May 7, drones struck two airfields in Russia — Shaikovka and Kubinka. They are located in the Kaluga and Moscow regions, respectively, reports the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), Andrii Kovalenko.

"Two enemy airfields were hit," he said.

Satellite images show fires at the Kubinka air base in the Moscow region and Shaikovka in Kaluga — home to Tu-22M3 bombers and storage for missiles, including Kh-22.

 

For Ukrainians, with friends like Zelensky …

Ukrainian Dictator Zelenskyy’s Catastrophic Leadership: How Ukraine’s Comedian-Turned-President Plunged a Nation into Apocalypse

 

Ukraine Drone Raids Spark Chaos in Russia

Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, said drones struck Russian strategic defense industry facilities, including weapons and military technology sites.

He said a drone strike hit a plant in Saransk, in the Mordovia region, which produces fiber-optic systems used in military communications, with fires and explosions reported by local residents. Local authorities announced the closures of schools, colleges and universities on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian telegram channel Exilenova+ reported drones attacked the Kubinka military airfield which hosts Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets.

Scenes of chaos and drunken violence all over Russia today as over 350 flights are grounded or canceled due to drone attacks. Airports across Russia, including Moscow’s are shut down, leaving at least 60,000 passengers and aircraft stranded. At several airports, furious and drunken passengers have begun fighting with staff. Russia’s war is coming home.

 

Saudi Arabia Deals a Blow to Russian Economy

A fall in oil prices following a decision by the OPEC+ to accelerate production has added economic pressure on Russia, which relies on the lucrative export.

The U.S. benchmark oil price traded below $60 a barrel on Monday, down from $65 in mid-April, after the cartel of oil producers—of which Saudi Arabia is the de facto leader—said it would increase oil production hikes for a second consecutive month.

A four-year low in global oil prices adds pressure on Russia's economy as it faces turbulence due to sanctions imposed because of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Last month, Russia's Economic Development Ministry reduced this year's forecast for the average price of Russian Urals crude to $56 per barrel, the lowest since the pandemic caused a collapse in demand and well below the estimated $69 price the country's budget is based on.

 

another blow, delivered too softly, too late,

The EU wants to end all Russian gas imports. Moscow's friends in the bloc say it's a 'serious mistake'

The European Commission announced plans on Tuesday to phase out Russian gas, nuclear energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by the end of 2027, saying the move "paves the way to ensure the EU's full energy independence from Russia."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted the EU to ban most seaborne imports of Russian oil, coal and refined petroleum products, but reducing gas flows has proved more difficult. In 2024, almost 19% of the EU's gas and LNG imports still came from Russia, according to data from the European Commission, although that's down from 2021 when 45% of the region's gas came from the major oil and gas exporter.

The EU's latest proposals have already prompted a furious response from eastern European nations which have traditionally been more reliant on cheaper energy supplies from Russia, and which repeatedly warn of higher energy prices for consumers as a result of banning such supplies.

Slovakia and Hungary, whose governments have maintained warm ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine, described the EU's latest plans as a "serious mistake" that would harm the region.

 

It’s always helpful to address the person you’re attempting to negotiate with as a war criminal.

 

the infrastructure wasn't in place to go cold turkey at the time. lots has changed since then

 

India and Pakistan Air Wars: How Two Air Forces Compare

The Indian Air Force possesses three major fighter aircraft to execute strikes and defend the country's airspace. According to the specialist outlet FlightGlobal, the Rafale fighter aircraft is the "highest profile asset" for New Delhi's air force, which has received 36 jets in total. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said the downed Indian fighter jets included the Rafale, while the country's army said it shot down three Rafales.

India operates about 260 Russian-made Su-30MKI and 65 MiG-29 fighter jets. Russia has historically been a major weapon supplier to India, which was the biggest arms exporter to the South Asian power between 2019 and 2023, accounting for 36 percent of total imports.

Pakistan's major fighter jets are related to China, including the Chinese-made J-10CE and the JF-17, which was developed jointly by the two countries. According to Chinese media, Pakistan has ordered 36 J-10CE jets, of which the first 20 have been in service. Pakistan's foreign minister said that the J-10CE jets were employed to shoot down Indian fighter aircraft, and the Chinese ambassador was informed about the military action.

 

This latest oil price war might break russia

The Russian economy in free fall due to sanctions and oil prices

The economic situation in Russia has significantly deteriorated since 2025. GDP growth rates are declining, inflation is rising, and the budget deficit is widening. After stagnating for the first three years of the war, the Russian economy has started to show signs of recession. The stagnation in production and trade is gradually turning into decline.

Clearly negative trends are now recognised not only by international experts but also confirmed by reports from Russian economic experts.

According to the Russian Centre for Macroeconomic Analysis in a report from the first quarter of 2025: "The industry is stagnating. After an increase at the end of 2024, industrial production sharply fell in January to mid-2023 levels and then stabilised. When considering the dynamics of industrial production excluding sectors of the military-industrial complex, one can speak of a transition to recession."