Ukraine.

[Wolf]

They haven't gone away you know.......

German president calls for universal military conscription​

Frank-Walter Steinmeier has argued that volunteer enlistment may not be sufficient to meet the country’s military demands

File photo: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. © Picture alliance / Getty Images


German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged a nationwide debate about reinstating military conscription, stressing that Berlin needs to strengthen its armed forces amid what he described as escalating security threats in Europe.
Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011. Although inactive, the legal framework for a draft remains intact and can be reactivated by a simple parliamentary majority. A full-scale return, including women, however, would require changes to the constitution.
Speaking to ZDF on Sunday, Steinmeier said Germany must prepare for the possibility that voluntary enlistment will fall short of staffing requirements for the army.
“I am an advocate of conscription because I believe that with the changing security situation in Europe, with the fact that a war is taking place, and with the conclusions we have drawn from it to better protect ourselves, the personnel equipment of the Bundeswehr also needs to be adapted,” he said.

He expressed support for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ proposal to expand troop numbers and create a backup draft system. The plan aims for around 5,000 volunteer recruits annually, rising to 30,000 by 2029.
Legislation which is being prepared for cabinet review in August with possible enactment by early 2026 includes provisions to automatically reintroduce conscription if volunteer numbers fall short.
“We need this debate now, preferably with a positive outcome, so that if there are not enough volunteers, we will probably return to a different form of conscription than the one we have already abolished,” Steinmeier said.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Germany has been working to strengthen its military, citing what it sees as a security threat from Russia.
Moscow has rejected claims that it plans to attack NATO nations, dismissing them as “nonsense” and accusing Western leaders of intentionally alarming their citizens to justify increased defense budgets.

 

[clarke-connolly]

They haven't gone away you know.......

German president calls for universal military conscription​

Frank-Walter Steinmeier has argued that volunteer enlistment may not be sufficient to meet the country’s military demands

File photo: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. © Picture alliance / Getty Images


German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged a nationwide debate about reinstating military conscription, stressing that Berlin needs to strengthen its armed forces amid what he described as escalating security threats in Europe.
Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011. Although inactive, the legal framework for a draft remains intact and can be reactivated by a simple parliamentary majority. A full-scale return, including women, however, would require changes to the constitution.
Speaking to ZDF on Sunday, Steinmeier said Germany must prepare for the possibility that voluntary enlistment will fall short of staffing requirements for the army.
“I am an advocate of conscription because I believe that with the changing security situation in Europe, with the fact that a war is taking place, and with the conclusions we have drawn from it to better protect ourselves, the personnel equipment of the Bundeswehr also needs to be adapted,” he said.

He expressed support for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ proposal to expand troop numbers and create a backup draft system. The plan aims for around 5,000 volunteer recruits annually, rising to 30,000 by 2029.
Legislation which is being prepared for cabinet review in August with possible enactment by early 2026 includes provisions to automatically reintroduce conscription if volunteer numbers fall short.
“We need this debate now, preferably with a positive outcome, so that if there are not enough volunteers, we will probably return to a different form of conscription than the one we have already abolished,” Steinmeier said.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Germany has been working to strengthen its military, citing what it sees as a security threat from Russia.
Moscow has rejected claims that it plans to attack NATO nations, dismissing them as “nonsense” and accusing Western leaders of intentionally alarming their citizens to justify increased defense budgets.

Heil Germany's Next Hitler = = Maybe they have Cloned the Old Hitler ? !

 

[Wolf]

So Trump wants Russia to end the war in 50 days yet does a deal to sell more arms to the Dutch warmonger and his fellow travellers which will guarantee the war goes on indefinitely?

Thick cunt.

Trump gives Russia 50 days to resolve Ukraine war
https://www.rte.ie/news/us/2025/0714/1523343-trump-ukraine/

 

[Declan]

With the pounding Ukraine is getting for the last month, 50 might be enough. When Pokrovsk falls the Ukes are in big trouble

 

[Declan]

We are tired of your derailing

 

[Wolf]

Some sense at last.

Slovakia blocks EU move to impose new sanctions package on Russia – as it happened

EU foreign policy chief says ‘ball is in Slovakia’s court’ after leader Robert Fico blocked ‘imbecile’ proposal to ban Russian gas imports from 2028

www.theguardian.com

 

[Wolf]

Trump tells Zelensky not to attack Moscow​

The statement follows a media report that the US president had privately encouraged Kiev to step up long-range strikes deep into Russia

US President Donald Trump © Getty Images / Jean Catuffe / Contributor


US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he told Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky not to target Moscow with military strikes. The statement comes in response to media speculation that he had encouraged Kiev to carry out long-range missile attacks deep into Russia.
The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that Trump had privately asked Zelensky whether he could hit Moscow and St. Petersburg if Washington supplied long-range weapons. Zelensky reportedly replied that he could.
Asked by reporters whether Zelensky ought to fire missiles at Russia’s capital, Trump replied “No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the FT of twisting the president’s words, saying it is “notorious for taking words wildly out of context to get clicks because their paper is dying.”
Leavitt insisted that Trump was “merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing,” stressing that the president was “working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also weighed in on the report, noting that “as a rule, all of this usually turns out to be fake.” He added, however, that “sometimes there are indeed serious leaks, even in publications we once considered quite respectable.”
The FT report followed on Trump’s ultimatum to Moscow, in which he threatened to impose “severe” secondary tariffs on Russia’s trade partners if no progress towards peace is made within 50 days. Trump also announced future deliveries of advanced weapons systems to Ukraine, which are to be funded by European NATO members.
Since taking office in January, Trump has maintained that he wants the neighboring countries to make peace and has had several phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin that were focused on settling the conflict.
Moscow says it remains open to negotiating with Kiev but has yet to receive a response on when new peace talks will take place. The two sides have held two rounds of direct negotiations in Istanbul so far this year, but no breakthroughs were achieved, other than agreements to carry out large-scale prisoner exchanges.
READ MORE: Kremlin responds to Trump’s 50-day ultimatum
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Tuesday that EU and NATO leaders have put Trump under “improper pressure” to adopt a hardline stance on the conflict.

Trump tells Zelensky not to attack Moscow

The statement follows a media report that the US president had privately encouraged Kiev to step up long-range strikes deep into Russia

www.rt.com

 

[Mad as Fish]

Apparently a few stray drones crashed into Lithuania over the weekend sending the leadership scurrying for the bunkers. Only once were they safely ensconced did they bother telling the rest of the country.

 

[Haven]

Gotta protect that minerals deal.

Trump Plans “Very Aggressive” Arms Deal for Ukraine, May Include Missiles That Reach Moscow

US President Trump is expected to announce a new comprehensive arms package for Ukraine, possibly including offensive weaponry, during a key NATO meeting.

united24media.com

 

[Wolf]

What a dirty corrupt kip.

Ukraine’s unity minister struck deal with FBI to avoid prison – ex-diplomat​

Ukraine’s cabinet reshuffle may be a cover-up for a graft scandal surrounding the unity minister, Andrey Telizhenko told RT

Ukraine’s embattled national unity minister, Aleksey Chernyshov, has struck a deal with the FBI to avoid prosecution in Ukraine, former Ukrainian diplomat Andrey Telizhenko claims, alleging that the true goal of Kiev’s government reshuffle is to bury the affair.
Last month, Chernyshov found himself at the epicenter of a major corruption scandal linked to a housing project that he had approved while serving as urban development minister. The minister, who is currently tasked with repatriating Ukrainians, was also accused of fleeing the country.
The allegation has been denied by both Chernyshov and the country’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky, who claimed the minister’s prolonged stay abroad was related to his work.
The true reason behind Chernyshov’s absence was an attempt to secure protection from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Telizhenko told RT on Tuesday. “He actually went outside of Ukraine for some time. And he spoke to the FBI, on my information, and tried to make a deal there, which he did,” the ex-diplomat stated.

Telizhenko said that Ukraine’s ongoing Cabinet reshuffle is being staged in order to draw attention away from the Chernyshov affair. According to Ukrainian media reports, the official’s unity ministry is set to be dissolved during the overhaul.
“That was the cause of pressuring Zelensky to go for not sending Chernyshov to prison and reshuffling the government so everybody would forget about this whole issue,” Telizhenko explained.
A lot of Ukrainian officials realize that “the Kiev regime is losing, and they are trying to fix their future political careers, and they’re trying to make a new deal with different political parties,” Telizhenko asserted. The Chernyshov affair is one sign of the political turmoil in Ukraine, which is now “quickly being destroyed more and more from within,” with corruption rampant on every level.
“If you don’t bring money upwards, to the Kiev regime, you will be put in prison as a corrupt official. Send the money upwards - you put something into your pocket, and you’d stay free, out of jail. This is how it works right now in Ukraine. Ukraine has become a Somalia right in the heart of Europe,”Telizhenko said.

 

[clarke-connolly]

What a dirty corrupt kip.

Ukraine’s unity minister struck deal with FBI to avoid prison – ex-diplomat​

Ukraine’s cabinet reshuffle may be a cover-up for a graft scandal surrounding the unity minister, Andrey Telizhenko told RT

Ukraine’s embattled national unity minister, Aleksey Chernyshov, has struck a deal with the FBI to avoid prosecution in Ukraine, former Ukrainian diplomat Andrey Telizhenko claims, alleging that the true goal of Kiev’s government reshuffle is to bury the affair.
Last month, Chernyshov found himself at the epicenter of a major corruption scandal linked to a housing project that he had approved while serving as urban development minister. The minister, who is currently tasked with repatriating Ukrainians, was also accused of fleeing the country.
The allegation has been denied by both Chernyshov and the country’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky, who claimed the minister’s prolonged stay abroad was related to his work.
The true reason behind Chernyshov’s absence was an attempt to secure protection from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Telizhenko told RT on Tuesday. “He actually went outside of Ukraine for some time. And he spoke to the FBI, on my information, and tried to make a deal there, which he did,” the ex-diplomat stated.

Telizhenko said that Ukraine’s ongoing Cabinet reshuffle is being staged in order to draw attention away from the Chernyshov affair. According to Ukrainian media reports, the official’s unity ministry is set to be dissolved during the overhaul.
“That was the cause of pressuring Zelensky to go for not sending Chernyshov to prison and reshuffling the government so everybody would forget about this whole issue,” Telizhenko explained.
A lot of Ukrainian officials realize that “the Kiev regime is losing, and they are trying to fix their future political careers, and they’re trying to make a new deal with different political parties,” Telizhenko asserted. The Chernyshov affair is one sign of the political turmoil in Ukraine, which is now “quickly being destroyed more and more from within,” with corruption rampant on every level.
“If you don’t bring money upwards, to the Kiev regime, you will be put in prison as a corrupt official. Send the money upwards - you put something into your pocket, and you’d stay free, out of jail. This is how it works right now in Ukraine. Ukraine has become a Somalia right in the heart of Europe,”Telizhenko said.

It always surprises me that some Americans swap in Graft for Grift ~ Grift is such a better word for Grifters / Hustlers / Con-Merchants ! ! !

 

[Wolf]

Do the idiots in the EU actually think they can get away with international theft without bring the whole system down?
These people are so fucking stupid.

EU plan to move frozen Russian money would be ‘expropriation’ – Euroclear​

The scheme would violate international law and trigger legal and market risks, the depository’s CEO has said

© Global Look Press/Nicolas Maeterlinck

European Union plans to move frozen Russian sovereign assets into riskier investments would amount to expropriation, the Belgium-based settlement house Euroclear has warned.
In an interview with the Financial Times published Wednesday, Euroclear Chief Executive Valerie Urbain said such a move could expose the EU’s financial system to both legal and systemic risks.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the US and EU have frozen more than $300 billion in Russian state assets. In May, the EU approved a plan to channel profits from those assets to support Ukraine, while some member states have pushed for outright confiscation.
Some $213 billion of the assets are held by Euroclear. The securities depository is currently reinvesting proceeds from Russia’s maturing assets – such as coupon payments and redemptions – primarily through central banks. The G7 is using those returns to support a $50 billion loan to Ukraine.
However, as profits have declined following interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank, the European Commission is reportedly considering moving the funds into higher-yield investments to boost Kiev’s funding.

Urbain has warned that seeking higher returns could lead to retaliation from Moscow and compromise Euroclear’s central role in the global financial system. “If you increase the revenues, you increase the risks.”
Last year, Euroclear transferred €4 billion ($4.3 billion) to Ukraine, and so far this year it has paid €1.8 billion ($1.9 billion), according to Urbain. She said the EU may try to raise those amounts by creating a “special purpose vehicle” to channel Russian assets into higher-risk investments that could bring “more revenues.”
She cautioned that such a structure would involve “a lot of risks for Euroclear and for the European markets globally.” Legally, she said, the move would constitute “expropriation of the cash from Euroclear” without relieving the institution of its liability to the Russian central bank, “a position that we cannot bear.”
Moscow has repeatedly warned that seizing its funds would violate international law. Legal and political concerns - particularly over sovereign immunity and property rights - have so far prevented the EU from endorsing full confiscation.

EU plan to move frozen Russian money would be ‘expropriation’ – Euroclear

The move would violate international law and trigger legal and market risks, the depository’s CEO has told the FT

www.rt.com

 

[Wolf]

Zitler is like the degenerate jew in Tel Aviv, cling on to war in order to cling on to power.
These pair need to be executed.

Zelensky urges Trump to revisit Ukrainian missile proposal​

Kiev’s original request to host nuclear-capable, long-range Tomahawks was rejected under the Biden administration

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky in Rome, Italy, July 10, 2025. © Antonio Masiello / Getty Images

Vladimir Zelensky has called on US President Donald Trump to reconsider Ukraine’s proposal to host long-range American missiles.
The appeal comes in the wake of Trump’s pledge this week to provide advanced weapons systems to Kiev, with the caveat that the costs will be covered by other nations.
In an interview with Newsmax on Tuesday, Zelensky appealed for even more military aid, referencing part of his “victory plan,” which he had previously presented to both President Joe Biden and Trump in the lead-up to the 2024 US presidential election.
”I remember that we had a powerful deterrence package before President Trump became president. I wanted America to sell us such a package. But it was not done,” Zelensky said.
Previous media reports have suggested that Trump may deliver additional long-range weaponry to Ukraine as part of his new initiatives. Some outlets claimed he had encouraged Zelensky to target Moscow and St. Petersburg, though the White House has refuted them. Publicly, the US president has advised against attacks on the Russian capital.

Zelensky first presented his “victory plan” to the US in September 2024. According to leaked classified details of the proposal’s “deterrence package,” Kiev asked the US to station nuclear-capable Tomahawk cruise missiles in Ukraine. The Biden administration reportedly rejected the request outright.
Ukrainian lobbying efforts during the 2024 US election cycle drew scrutiny, particularly following Zelensky’s visit to an arms manufacturing facility in the swing state of Pennsylvania. He was accompanied by prominent Democrats during the trip, including Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Bob Casey, prompting Republican officials to take aim, accusing him of implicitly supporting the rival party.
Zelensky’s subsequent interactions with Trump were also marked by tensions. The planned signing of a minerals deal during his February visit to the White House – an offer of broad US access to Ukrainian natural resources that originally was part of the “victory plan” – erupted into a public dispute in the Oval Office. The agreement was ultimately signed in late April.
Moscow has accused Zelensky of prolonging hostilities with Russia despite mounting Ukrainian casualties in a bid to preserve his power through martial law despite his presidential term officially ending last year.

Zelensky urges Trump to revisit Ukrainian missile proposal

Ukraine’s first request to host nuclear-capable Tomahawks was rejected under the Biden administration

www.rt.com

 

[Declan]

MSN

If advanced weapons hit Moscow, I reckon Kiev will get a tactical nuke

 

[Mad as Fish]

MSN

If advanced weapons hit Moscow, I reckon Kiev will get a tactical nuke

No stepping back from nukes, doubt that it will happen.

 

[Wolf]

MSN

If advanced weapons hit Moscow, I reckon Kiev will get a tactical nuke

The Uki's haven't the intelligence to use these weapons.
If they're launched at Moscow then NATO countries will have been involved.
After that it's open season on all NATO members.
Dangerous times to have a cocaine addled cross-dressing gimp in power in Kyiv.

 

[Declan]

The one getting the nuke is the donkey, which is Ukraine. But maybe Pokrovsk will be catured in a matter of days and if so, the Ukes have to fall back to the new line they are trying to put together now.

 

[Mad as Fish]

The one getting the nuke is the donkey, which is Ukraine. But maybe Pokrovsk will be catured in a matter of days and if so, the Ukes have to fall back to the new line they are trying to put together now.

All the while believing that the US cavalry is about to come galloping over the horizon. They won’t be the first to be disappointed.

 

[Wolf]

The little Nazi is getting exposed again...

Zelensky becoming more authoritarian – FT​

Recent raids and cabinet reshuffles have reportedly fueled concerns over a crackdown on dissent in Kiev

Vladimir Zelensky. © Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is facing growing accusations of authoritarianism, according to Financial Times. The outlet has cited opposition politicians, civil society leaders, and diplomats as saying that Zelensky and his aides are using extraordinary powers granted under the martial law, in force since the escalation of the conflict with Russia, to “sideline critics, muzzle civil society leaders and consolidate control.”
Earlier this month, masked operatives raided the homes of prominent anti-corruption activist Vitaly Shabunin and former infrastructure minister, Aleksandr Kubrakov. Although authorities claimed the searches were part of ongoing corruption probes, both men described the actions as politically motivated and aimed at intimidating critics of Zelensky’s inner circle. They also denied the charges.
The raids followed sanctions against several high-profile politicians, including former President Pyotr Poroshenko, a longtime political rival of Zelensky who lost to him in the 2019 election and has remained a staunch critic.

Meanwhile, Zelensky has been reshaping the Ukrainian government. In the latest reshuffle, First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, a trusted ally, has replaced long-serving Prime Minister Denis Shmigal.
Concerns about creeping authoritarianism have already been raised in the Western press. The Economist has recently reported that the government in Kiev has become entangled in “palace politics,” with internal purges and infighting threatening to fracture the state from within.
Earlier this week, Ukraine’s parliament extended martial law for another 90 days at Zelensky’s request, marking the 16th such extension since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022. Under martial law, Zelensky suspended national elections and chose not to step down when his presidential term expired in 2024.
A recent public opinion poll suggested that if there were a run-off election between Zelensky and former armed forces commander Valery Zaluzhny, one of several influential figures sidelined under the current administration, the latter would likely beat Zelensky.
READ MORE: Ukraine plagued by ‘palace politics’ and purges – Economist
Moscow, for its part, has declared Zelensky illegitimate, arguing that any future peace agreement signed under his name could later be invalidated due to the expiration of his term and the suspension of democratic processes.

 

[Wolf]

Zitler will have them back on the front line in a week.

Russia hands Ukraine bodies of 1,000 soldiers
https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0717/1523951-russia-ukraine/

 

[Wolf]

HomeRussia & FSU

‘Obvious similarity’ between Ukraine and Nazi Germany – Medvedev​

Kiev is showing signs of dictatorship and economic degradation like the Third Reich before it fell, the former Russian president has said.

Ukraine bears similarities to the Nazi state at the end of World War II and should undergo “demilitarization,” “denazification,”and “democratization” in a manner similar to postwar Germany, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has told TASS.
He spoke to the Russian news agency on Thursday, the 80th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference, which began on July 17, 1945. The conference was the last wartime meeting between leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It laid the groundwork for postwar Europe, including plans for Germany’s demilitarization and denazification.
Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, explained that the concept of the “three D’s” had originally been formulated for Nazi Germany, which he described as an aggressor state that had disrupted the international order, according to TASS.
“The 1945 Reich and modern Ukraine are, of course, very different - in scale, global role, and even (formally) in state ideology. But there is also obvious similarity.”

READ MORE
Zelensky has a Nazi problem. He can’t lie his way out of it
Medvedev said Ukraine shares its “crisis of identity” with Hitler’s Germany and engages in the “open use of Nazi symbols,” while showing signs of dictatorship and economic degradation. “All this makes the idea of applying the three D’s relevant,” he stated.
He added that demilitarization for Ukraine should not be seen as punishment, but rather as “a chance to stop being a pawn in someone else’s bloody geopolitical games.”
He described denazification or “debanderization” as a long-term effort involving public consciousness and historical memory. Democratization, he said, involved not only elections but also the restoration of legal institutions, free media, political competition, and the separation of powers.
Many historic ultranationalist leaders, including Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) Stepan Bandera, a notorious Nazi collaborator, are widely revered by Ukrainians today.
Russia has repeatedly condemned Kiev’s elevation of these collaborators to national hero status and has demanded the “denazification” of the country as part of a negotiated peace agreement. Russia has accused Western governments of deliberately ignoring continued neo-Nazi activity in Ukrainian ranks.

 

[jpc]

No stepping back from nukes, doubt that it will happen.

Next best thing.
One hypersonic to London, Berlin,Brussels and Paris.

 

[Wolf]

That Nazis are looking for revenge....

German general urges Ukraine to strike Russian airfields​

Moscow earlier suggested that Berlin is becoming “dangerous again” while accusing it of supporting the West’s militarization

FILE PHOTO: Major General Christian Freuding. © Sean Gallup / Getty Images


Ukraine should consider striking Russian airfields and weapons factories deep inside the country to alleviate pressure on the front, a senior German general has suggested.
Speaking during a Bundeswehr podcast on Saturday, Major General Christian Freuding, who oversees Germany’s military assistance to Ukraine, gave Kiev advice on weakening Russia’s offensive power.
“You can also indirectly affect the offensive potential of Russian strike forces before they are deployed,” Freuding said. “Use long-range air warfare assets to strike aircraft and airfields before they are used. Also, target weapons production facilities.”
Freuding also lamented that despite Western sanctions, Russia has increased its production of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic systems. “We must reconsider whether our economic measures have been sufficient and where we can apply further pressure, particularly to limit Russian production capabilities,”he said.

The general also pointed to the limitations of US-made Patriot air defense missiles against waves of Russian drones. “It [a drone] costs around €30,000-50,000 ($34,000–58,000) depending on the model. It’s wasteful to shoot it down with a Patriot missile costing over €5 million. We need countermeasures that cost €2,000–€4,000, especially as Russia aims to further increase its production capacity,” he explained.
Last year, the administration of former US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use American long-range weapons to strike inside Russia, though with significant restrictions on range and target selection. Media reports at the time indicated that Kiev was not allowed to hit major Russian airfields.
Meanwhile, Freuding confirmed earlier this month that Ukraine would receive the first batch of long-range missiles financed by Berlin before the end of July. Germany, however, has been reluctant to send Taurus long-range missiles due to escalation concerns.
Earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Germany was becoming “dangerous again,” after German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Bundeswehr troops must be prepared to “kill” Russian soldiers if necessary. Moscow also accused the German leadership of supporting “confrontation” and pursuing an “aggressive mobilization of Europe against Russia.”

 

[Wolf]

Moscow cancels landmark military agreement with Berlin​

Germany is “becoming dangerous again,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has recently said

FILE PHOTO: A German Leopard tank on display in Moscow, April 28, 2024. © Sputnik / Ramil Sitdikov


Russia has terminated its decades-old military-technical cooperation agreement with Germany, which has become one of Ukraine’s main sponsors and weapons suppliers amid the conflict with Moscow.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin instructed the Foreign Ministry to inform Berlin that the 1996 pact – which has guided defense collaboration for nearly three decades – is no longer valid, according to a resolution signed on Friday.
In July, the ministry said the agreement lost its relevance due to what it described as Germany’s “openly hostile” policy and increasingly aggressive military ambitions. It accused Berlin of indoctrinating its population to view Russia as the primary adversary.
The Kremlin signaled growing unease with German rhetoric earlier this week. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Berlin is “becoming dangerous again” after Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that German troops are ready to kill Russian soldiers “if deterrence doesn’t work and Russia attacks.”

Moscow has dismissed speculation that Russia plans to attack NATO as “nonsense.” President Vladimir Putin said Western states are deceiving their populations to bloat their military budgets and cover up their economic failures.
Berlin has announced plans to increase its overall military budget to €153 billion by 2029, up from €86 billion this year. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a nationwide debate on reinstating universal military conscription, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the German parliament on Wednesday that the “means of diplomacy are exhausted.”
Berlin has been the second-largest arms supplier to Kiev since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, surpassed only by the US. Kiev used Berlin-supplied Leopard tanks in its incursion last year into Russia’s Kursk Region – the site of the largest tank battle of WWII. In late May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Berlin’s “direct involvement in the war is now obvious,” warning that “Germany is sliding down the same slippery slope it already followed a couple of times in the last century.”
READ MORE: German defense minister says troops ready to kill Russians
Russia has denounced the Western weapons deliveries, saying they will not change the overall course of the conflict, and merely serve to prolong the bloodshed and risk further escalation.

 

[Wolf]

A Boyd-Barret talking sense...

Russiagate only tip of iceberg in Western demonization of Russia – expert​

Western powers have artificially stoked anti-Russia sentiment since the late ‘90s as NATO expanded eastward, Oliver Boyd Barrett says

US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s revelations about the role of former President Barack Obama’s administration in the Russiagate scandal are “shocking,” but they expose only the surface of a broader Western anti-Russia campaign, Professor Oliver Boyd-Barrett has told RT.
On Friday, Gabbard released newly declassified documents describing a coordinated effort by senior Obama-era officials – led by Obama himself – to falsely accuse Donald Trump of colluding with Russia during the 2016 election. The documents indicate that Obama ordered officials to discard intelligence assessments that found no Russian involvement in Trump’s campaign and replace them with claims blaming Moscow based on fabricated data. The scandal led to the years-long Trump-Russia probe known as ‘Russiagate.’
“This is an extraordinary moment, that the head of intelligence in the US has made such a bold, in some ways shocking, statement of the truth,” Boyd-Barrett, a professor at Bowling Green State University and author of an in-depth study of Russiagate, said on Saturday. He noted the moment was especially striking as Gabbard called for prosecution of those involved in what she described as a “coup”attempt.

Boyd-Barrett, however, emphasized that to “fully comprehend” Russiagate, it must be viewed as only a small part of a broader Western campaign to demonize Russia, “that goes decades back.”
“It’s part of a much deeper agenda – we’re talking Russia narrative… the broader context of an anti-Russian campaign that was stoked artificially around the time of the late 90s when the West had so clearly decided that NATO was going to move eastwards regardless of whatever anyone in Russia or anyone in the US had to say,” he said. He also warned against reducing Russiagate to a personal political ploy, noting that blaming it solely on Obama or Hillary Clinton’s election anxiety is “too simple an explanation.”
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in the US electoral

 

[Mad as Fish]

Moscow cancels landmark military agreement with Berlin​

Germany is “becoming dangerous again,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has recently said

FILE PHOTO: A German Leopard tank on display in Moscow, April 28, 2024. © Sputnik / Ramil Sitdikov


Russia has terminated its decades-old military-technical cooperation agreement with Germany, which has become one of Ukraine’s main sponsors and weapons suppliers amid the conflict with Moscow.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin instructed the Foreign Ministry to inform Berlin that the 1996 pact – which has guided defense collaboration for nearly three decades – is no longer valid, according to a resolution signed on Friday.
In July, the ministry said the agreement lost its relevance due to what it described as Germany’s “openly hostile” policy and increasingly aggressive military ambitions. It accused Berlin of indoctrinating its population to view Russia as the primary adversary.
The Kremlin signaled growing unease with German rhetoric earlier this week. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Berlin is “becoming dangerous again” after Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that German troops are ready to kill Russian soldiers “if deterrence doesn’t work and Russia attacks.”

Moscow has dismissed speculation that Russia plans to attack NATO as “nonsense.” President Vladimir Putin said Western states are deceiving their populations to bloat their military budgets and cover up their economic failures.
Berlin has announced plans to increase its overall military budget to €153 billion by 2029, up from €86 billion this year. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a nationwide debate on reinstating universal military conscription, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the German parliament on Wednesday that the “means of diplomacy are exhausted.”
Berlin has been the second-largest arms supplier to Kiev since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, surpassed only by the US. Kiev used Berlin-supplied Leopard tanks in its incursion last year into Russia’s Kursk Region – the site of the largest tank battle of WWII. In late May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Berlin’s “direct involvement in the war is now obvious,” warning that “Germany is sliding down the same slippery slope it already followed a couple of times in the last century.”
READ MORE: German defense minister says troops ready to kill Russians
Russia has denounced the Western weapons deliveries, saying they will not change the overall course of the conflict, and merely serve to prolong the bloodshed and risk further escalation.

Too late. Firing a few missiles into Russia is going to make no difference at all now.

 

[Wolf]

The gowls do not want peace.
These scumbags are total psychopaths.

UK wants ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine – media​

Moscow has accused Britain and the EU of impeding efforts to settle the conflict

UK Defense Secretary John Healey. © Getty Images


UK Defense Secretary John Healey is set to urge Ukraine’s backers to launch a “50-day drive”to arm Kiev, local media have reported. The plan follows US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners within 50 days if no progress is made on resolving the conflict.
Healey is expected to make the appeal when he leads a virtual session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Monday. The minister is also poised to back Trump’s plan and pledge the UK’s support to “bolster Ukraine’s immediate fight.”
“The US has started the clock on a 50-day deadline for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to agree to peace or face crippling economic sanctions… We need to step up in turn with a ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table,” he is expected to say.
Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 50-day ceasefire deadline on Russia, warning of “very severe”new sanctions, including 100% “secondary tariffs” on countries buying Russian oil. He also announced new weapons deliveries to Ukraine, noting that the EU will foot the bill.
READ MORE
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump’s remarks “will be perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal to continue the war.”Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressed that Moscow will not cave in to any ultimatums but is still open to talks.
While the UK has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, Luke Pollard, the country’s armed forces minister, warned last autumn of dwindling stockpiles due to years of military deliveries.
Moscow has consistently denounced Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome. It has also accused the EU and UK of impeding ongoing peace efforts.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday voiced concern over what he described as declining interest among the British public in the Ukraine conflict. He added that the current government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer is “distracted” by “a lot of domestic issues.”

 

[Wolf]

BOOM!!!

Russian MOD confirms hypersonic strikes on Ukraine’s defense industrial base​

The attack, which involved Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, also hit military airfields, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said

FILE PHOTO. © Sputnik / Alexey Nikolskiy

Russian forces have carried out a coordinated overnight strike on Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and airfield infrastructure, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.
In a statement on Monday, the ministry reported that a group strike used long-range air-, sea-, and surface-launched precision weapons. It also included Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles and attack drones, officials added.
“The goal of the strike has been achieved. All designated targets have been hit,” the ministry stated.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky confirmed the strikes, reporting damage in Kiev and its surroundings, as well as in Kharkov and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. He also claimed that Ukrainian air defenses had downed drones in Sumy, Khmelnitsky, Kirovograd, Nikolayev, and Poltava regions, and in the Kiev-occupied part of Kherson Region.

According to Zelensky, the attack lasted all night and involved more than 420 drones and more than 20 missiles, resulting in two people dead and 15 injured.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian media and officials reported damage to non-residential facilities in Kiev, as well as a supermarket, a warehouse, and an uninhabited cottage complex in an undisclosed location.
Russian officials maintain the attacks are aimed solely at military-related facilities and never target civilians. Moscow has also said the strikes are retaliation for Kiev’s attacks deep into Russia, which often target residential buildings and critical infrastructure.

 

[Haven]

MSN

Ukraine continued to defend itself against Russian aggression this weekend and increased its attacks on the capital Moscow, sowing chaos and closing down airports there.

Russian media reported that thousands of passengers had been stranded after their flights were cancelled as a result of Kyiv's latest barrage of drones targeted Moscow.

Russia's Defense Ministry on Monday said it had downed 117 drones overnight, following 172 that it downed the night prior. It also said that it had downed 30 drones in the Moscow region on Saturday night and another 30 on Sunday.

The attacks on the capital were the heaviest since Russia launched its invasion of neighboring Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

To transport passengers, authorities added extra train service from Saint Petersburg to Moscow.

 

[jpc]

The gowls do not want peace.
These scumbags are total psychopaths.

UK wants ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine – media​

Moscow has accused Britain and the EU of impeding efforts to settle the conflict

UK Defense Secretary John Healey. © Getty Images


UK Defense Secretary John Healey is set to urge Ukraine’s backers to launch a “50-day drive”to arm Kiev, local media have reported. The plan follows US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners within 50 days if no progress is made on resolving the conflict.
Healey is expected to make the appeal when he leads a virtual session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Monday. The minister is also poised to back Trump’s plan and pledge the UK’s support to “bolster Ukraine’s immediate fight.”
“The US has started the clock on a 50-day deadline for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to agree to peace or face crippling economic sanctions… We need to step up in turn with a ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table,” he is expected to say.
Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 50-day ceasefire deadline on Russia, warning of “very severe”new sanctions, including 100% “secondary tariffs” on countries buying Russian oil. He also announced new weapons deliveries to Ukraine, noting that the EU will foot the bill.
READ MORE
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump’s remarks “will be perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal to continue the war.”Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressed that Moscow will not cave in to any ultimatums but is still open to talks.
While the UK has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, Luke Pollard, the country’s armed forces minister, warned last autumn of dwindling stockpiles due to years of military deliveries.
Moscow has consistently denounced Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome. It has also accused the EU and UK of impeding ongoing peace efforts.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday voiced concern over what he described as declining interest among the British public in the Ukraine conflict. He added that the current government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer is “distracted” by “a lot of domestic issues.”

Arm them with???
They are beyond description.

 

[Wolf]

Is there a bigger scab on the planet than this yank plant?
It's one massive money laundering scheme at this stage and it's no wonder the corrupt dirt in the EU want to keep it going.
We can only hope and pray that this is the scam that eventually destroys and dismantles the EU and its gowls.

Zelensky complains Western backers too slow to send money​

There is growing discontent in the EU against Brussels’ push for indefinite military support of Kiev

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky (front) and Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga meet Ukrainian ambassadors, Kiev, July 21, 2025. © www.president.gov.ua

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has complained that his country has yet to see any benefits from NATO’s plan to ramp up military spending.
At a recent summit in The Hague, most members of the US-led bloc committed to raising security-related expenditure to 5% of GDP. Kiev seeks to benefit from the surge, even as reluctance to commit to long-term funding of Ukraine is dwindling in the West.
“The EU has opened access to €150 billion. Member states can assume obligations to draw these funds and then transfer them to Ukraine,” Zelensky told Ukrainian ambassadors on Monday, according to remarks released by his office. “Ten countries have already expressed readiness to take this money, but we have not yet seen the result – that they have actually taken it and transferred it to us.”
Zelensky appeared to be referring to the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a €150 billion ($175 billion) borrowing instrument introduced in May to support the European Commission’s efforts for rapid militarization across the bloc.
SAFE offers member states and select partner countries access to low-interest loans for national defense efforts or joint weapons procurement. The program is part of a broader EU strategy to borrow €800 billion for military readiness investment. It is not designed to provide direct financial aid.

EU officials say the bloc is preparing for the possibility of Russian aggression – a claim Moscow has rejected as fearmongering based on false assumptions.
This month, the US offered to sell weapons to Ukraine, with other NATO nations covering the costs. While the proposal was hailed by Brussels, some major EU economies, including France and Italy, have reportedly opted out citing financial limitations or political reasons.
Brussels’ handling of the Ukraine conflict has exposed growing divisions within the EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a longtime critic of the pro-Kiev approach, denounced the European Commission’s draft seven-year budget, saying it appears primarily tailored to Ukraine’s needs.
“This budget would destroy the European Union,” Orban said last week, predicting that the Commission will likely have to withdraw or significantly revise the proposal within a year.

 

[Wolf]

Trump truly is laughing his bollix off at the idiot boys and girls in Europe now he has them exactly where he wants them.
Ching ching for the US military industrial complex and yank tax revenues!!

Germany agrees to deliver Patriots to Ukraine​

Berlin has committed to increasing military aid to Kiev despite domestic backlash

FILE PHOTO. MIM 104 Patriot surface-to-air defense system. © Getty Images / Dominika Zarzycka; NurPhoto


Germany has agreed to provide Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine “as quickly as possible,” officials confirmed on Monday. The plan was reportedly agreed with the US, after President Donald Trump said Washington would continue supplying weapons to Ukraine as long as European NATO countries pay for them.
While some members of the US-led military bloc have agreed to procure weapons for Kiev, others, including Italy, Hungary, and France, have opted out, citing limited resources and domestic security needs.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed that Berlin will deliver five Patriot systems from its own inventory, despite previous statements that the remaining stocks were too low to support additional transfers. He said the US has agreed to supply Germany with replacement systems originally ordered by Switzerland, though delivery is not expected until 2027-2028.
“We will coordinate closely in the coming days to determine how best to achieve this,” Pistorius said following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. He added that Germany will also provide air defense ammunition and fund Ukrainian-made long-range drones.
Berlin has already sent three of its 12 Patriot batteries to Ukraine. Two more are currently stationed in Poland, and others are used for NATO operations and training. Germany currently only has six, according to Pistorius.

Officials have not said when Ukraine will receive the new batch.
Germany’s commitment to increase military aid to Ukraine has been met with backlash. Opposition figures have slammed the government for spending billions on Kiev while domestic needs remain unmet.
While Patriot systems have been one of Kiev’s top demands from the West, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that the systems have struggled to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that it destroyed three Patriot launchers in Ukraine.
Moscow has criticized Western military aid to Ukraine, arguing that it only prolongs the conflict without altering the eventual outcome.

 

[Haven]

Western defence ministers meet to discuss providing Ukraine with arms

The talks come after Trump announced a plan whereby European nations would send US weapons — either from existing stockpiles or new arms — to Ukraine via NATO. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

 

[Myles O'Reilly]

Zelensky complains Western backers too slow to send money​

How much money has that crook personally pocketed since he came to power Sir?

 

[Wolf]

18 rounds of 'sanctions' against Russia which are only making EU citizens poorer and unsafe and the bootlicker still think Ukraine are 'winning'!

 

[Wolf]

LOL.

Ukraine ends independence of anti-graft bodies​

The controversial bill has triggered warnings by the EU that Kiev is undermining the rule of law and sparked protests in the country

© Getty Images / Ruslan Lytvyn


The Ukrainian Parliament has voted to end the independence of the country’s anti-corruption agencies. The ongoing crackdown has triggered international scrutiny and protests across the country.
The Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday approved legislation placing the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under executive oversight. Lawmakers opposing the bill reportedly shouted “shame!” as the results were read out.
Later in the day, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky reportedly signed the bill into law. The vote came just a day after the country’s domestic security service raided the NABU’s headquarters, arresting two investigators. The raids elicited concern from G7 ambassadors, who said they were monitoring the situation.

Anti-corruption activists called the timing deliberate. “This is about silencing NABU and SAPO as they close in on Zelensky’s inner circle,”the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Center stated.
The legislation was introduced by lawmakers from Zelensky’s ruling party and was initially aimed at changing Ukraine’s criminal code under martial law before last-minute amendments targeting anti-corruption bodies were added.
MP Anastasia Radina warned the changes would “effectively dismantle” anti-graft infrastructure, turning the NABU and SAPO into “purely decorative institutions … completely dependent on the will of the prosecutor-general.”
The agencies were created in 2015 as part of a Western-backed push to ensure prosecutorial independence – a key condition for Ukraine’s EU bid and international lending. The NABU received significant technical and equipment support from the US, UK, and EU.
European Commissioner Marta Kos condemned the “dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU’s independence as a serious step back” in the country’s reform trajectory, saying the rule of law remains central to Ukraine’s EU bid.
European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier called the agencies “crucial” for fighting corruption and maintaining public trust. He stressed that Ukraine’s accession would require “strong institutional resilience,” and noted that EU aid remains tied to reforms. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko dismissed the backlash, calling corruption concerns “overemphasized,” and signaled Kiev would seek more IMF support.
READ MORE: Ukrainian PM claims corruption problem ‘overemphasized’
Brussels has long viewed corruption as a key obstacle to Kiev’s EU ambitions. Ukraine’s reputation for endemic graft has deepened since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022. The defense sector has been hit by procurement scandals, while donors have pushed for greater transparency.

 

[Declan]

Good, the criwds are now gathering to string up Zellensky

 

[Wolf]

The revolt against the mandate-less Zitler and his undemocratic cronies is underway.

Mass protests against Zelensky’s crackdown on anti-graft bodies: What we know so far​

The decision to take over the NABU and SAPO has sparked outrage and accusations of authoritarianism

A protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kiev, Ukraine, July 22, 2025. © AP Photo/Alex Babenko


Hundreds of Ukrainians took to the streets across the country on Tuesday to protest Vladimir Zelensky’s crackdown on anti-corruption agencies. The campaign is seen by many as an authoritarian push by the Ukrainian leader towards consolidating power.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) were placed under executive oversight following security raids on the NABU, with Zelensky suggesting that the anti-corruption infrastructure was subject to Russian influence.

What are the NABU and SAPO?​

The NABU and SAPO were established in 2015 as part of a Western-backed initiative to combat high-level corruption in Ukraine. Both agencies were seen as crucial conditions for EU membership talks and continued Western financial assistance. The NABU has also played a key role in investigating corruption in the Ukrainian military and procurement schemes.








While the agencies were designed to operate independently, with support from the US, UK, and EU, local media suggests they have links to the US Democratic Party.

How did it all start?​

Tensions escalated following recent NABU investigations into politically sensitive cases, including a probe into former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, former Unity Minister Aleksey Chernyshov, and former Vice Prime Minister Olga Stefanishina.
Earlier this week, security officials raided the NABU and SAPO, reportedly without court warrants and at the behest of top Zelensky aide Andrey Yermak. The raid resulted in the arrest of one senior official on suspicion of cooperating with Russia.








On Tuesday, the Ukrainian parliament approved legislation that placed the NABU and SAPO under the purview of the Prosecutor General, which was signed into law by Zelensky the same day.

Political schism at the top​

The move sparked backlash from MPs and Zelensky’s political rivals. MP Anastasia Radina warned that the reform would cripple Ukraine’s anti-graft system and render it “purely decorative.”

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, a critic of Zelensky, accused the government of “using the war as a pretext to dismantle the anti-corruption agencies” and pushing Ukraine toward authoritarianism. MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak warned that the two agencies would completely lose their independence.

Grassroots outrage​

Protests have taken place across Ukraine, with rallies in Kiev, Lviv, Dnepr, and Odessa. Demonstrators chanted “Veto the bill,” carrying signs reading “Shame!” “Treason!” and “We are not suckers!”
READ MORE: Ukrainian PM claims corruption problem ‘overemphasized’
Others shouted “Zelensky is devil” and “f**k Yermak,” referring to the Ukrainian leader’s powerful chief of staff.

Zelensky on the defensive​

The Ukrainian leader rejected the criticism, insisting that “the anti-corruption infrastructure will work – just without Russian influence.”

Vasily Malyuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), claimed that the authorities are fighting Russian intelligence, not the anti-corruption agencies – arguing that people in the agencies will be “delighted” by the changes.
Prominent MP Yulia Timoshenko said the move would shield the country from “colonialism” and Western influence.

Second Maidan?​

Opponents of the reform have drawn parallels with Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan protests, which paved the way for the Western-backed coup in Kiev and the ousting of then-President Viktor Yanukovich, with some protesters accusing Zelensky of “betraying” Ukraine.
READ MORE: Zelensky becoming more authoritarian – FT
The original Maidan protest began after Yanukovich – who also faced criticism over perceived authoritarianism – abruptly scrapped legislation for closer integration with the EU.

Discontent in the West​

The Group of Seven (G7) has said it has “serious concerns” about the situation regarding Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies. Katarina Mathernova, the EU’s ambassador to Ukraine, hinted that the bloc could reconsider its backing of Kiev, writing on X: “It is as important as ever to preserve the reform achievements to maintain the support needed to prevail over the enemy.”
READ MORE: Ukraine plagued by ‘palace politics’ and purges – Economist
The Wall Street Journal also argued that Zelensky’s political gamble could strip Ukraine of much-needed support in the conflict with Russia.
Meanwhile, an Economist report described the development as “a full-frontal assault on the Maidan-era reforms,” adding that it “implies that something sinister is at work.”
“The vote to undermine Ukraine’s most consequential anti-corruption reforms casts a shadow over the country’s future course,” it said.

Mass protests against Zelensky’s crackdown on anti-graft bodies: What we know so far

The decision to take over the NABU and SAPO has sparked outrage and accusations of authoritarianism

www.rt.com

 

[Wolf]

Beware the little despot.......

Zelensky becoming more authoritarian – FT​

Recent raids and cabinet reshuffles have reportedly fueled concerns over a crackdown on dissent in Kiev

Vladimir Zelensky. © Antonio Masiello/Getty Images


Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is facing growing accusations of authoritarianism, according to Financial Times. The outlet has cited opposition politicians, civil society leaders, and diplomats as saying that Zelensky and his aides are using extraordinary powers granted under the martial law, in force since the escalation of the conflict with Russia, to “sideline critics, muzzle civil society leaders and consolidate control.”
Earlier this month, masked operatives raided the homes of prominent anti-corruption activist Vitaly Shabunin and former infrastructure minister, Aleksandr Kubrakov. Although authorities claimed the searches were part of ongoing corruption probes, both men described the actions as politically motivated and aimed at intimidating critics of Zelensky’s inner circle. They also denied the charges.
The raids followed sanctions against several high-profile politicians, including former President Pyotr Poroshenko, a longtime political rival of Zelensky who lost to him in the 2019 election and has remained a staunch critic.

Meanwhile, Zelensky has been reshaping the Ukrainian government. In the latest reshuffle, First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, a trusted ally, has replaced long-serving Prime Minister Denis Shmigal.
Concerns about creeping authoritarianism have already been raised in the Western press. The Economist has recently reported that the government in Kiev has become entangled in “palace politics,” with internal purges and infighting threatening to fracture the state from within.
Earlier this week, Ukraine’s parliament extended martial law for another 90 days at Zelensky’s request, marking the 16th such extension since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022. Under martial law, Zelensky suspended national elections and chose not to step down when his presidential term expired in 2024.
A recent public opinion poll suggested that if there were a run-off election between Zelensky and former armed forces commander Valery Zaluzhny, one of several influential figures sidelined under the current administration, the latter would likely beat Zelensky.
READ MORE: Ukraine plagued by ‘palace politics’ and purges – Economist
Moscow, for its part, has declared Zelensky illegitimate, arguing that any future peace agreement signed under his name could later be invalidated due to the expiration of his term and the suspension of democratic processes.

Zelensky becoming more authoritarian – FT

Recent raids and cabinet reshuffles have reportedly fueled concerns over a crackdown on dissent in Kiev

www.rt.com

 

[clarke-connolly]

Zelensky could dangle yet ? !