https://benborges.xyz/categories/russia/ en Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:31:29 +0100 https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/11/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:31:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/11/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c2732433f2.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,275,980 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 990 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-losses-1-275-980-troops-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/11/moscows-own-assessments-reveal-staggering.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 04:44:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/11/moscows-own-assessments-reveal-staggering.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/650821526-4179457212304623-2037760485064003588-n.jpg" alt="Moscow's own assessments reveal staggering losses in Ukraine, intelligence suggests"></p>The Kremlin's own classified assessments estimate that 1,315,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded on the battlefield since the start of Russia's full-scale of Ukraine in February 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 10, citing Ukrainian intelligence reports.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/62-killed-38-wounded-moscows-own-assessments-reveal-staggering-losses-in-ukraine-intelligence-suggests/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/11/zelensky-confirms-strike-on-bryansk.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 03:12:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/11/zelensky-confirms-strike-on-bryansk.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed a successful missile strike by Ukraine’s Defense Forces on Bryansk. The target was a plant that produced control systems for all types of Russian missiles.</p> <p>Zelensky said he was informed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi. He shared the details while speaking to reporters, according to <a href="https://t.me/RBC_ua_news/184829">RBC-Ukraine</a>. </p> <p>“The commander-in-chief told me about a successful operation that just took place. A Bryansk plant was hit. This plant produced control systems for all types of missiles of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He thanked Ukraine’s military for their service and for delivering a precise strike on the target.</p> <p>Around 17:00, explosions were heard in Bryansk as the city came under a missile attack. The type of missile remains unknown, though various Telegram channels suggested it could have been Neptune or Storm Shadow.</p> <p>The strike is believed to have targeted the “Kremniy El” plant, which manufactures microelectronics for missile systems, the Pantsir air-defense complex, Iskander missiles, as well as for radars, electronic warfare systems, and Russian drones.</p> <p>On March 9, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Ukrainian drones attacked the Akron chemical plant in Veliky Novgorod, which, in addition to mineral fertilizers, produces explosive components for Russian missiles and shells.</p> <p>In Crimea, three Russian Pantsir-S1 air-defense systems protecting key military facilities on the temporarily occupied peninsula were also destroyed.</p> <p>Overnight on March 8 in Crimea, the “Nadgrobie” radar - used by Russian forces as the “eyes” for the S-300PM and S-400 air-defense systems - was destroyed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-confirms-strike-on-bryansk-plant-producing-missile-control-systems">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/11/drone-attacks-hit-russias-black.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 03:08:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/11/drone-attacks-hit-russias-black.html <p>Late on March 10 and after midnight, sirens and explosions sounded across Russia’s Krasnodar region amid a drone attack. Residents reported unidentified drones over Anapa and Sochi.</p> <p>The drone strikes paralyzed operations at airports in Krasnodar and Sochi, where authorities activated the “Kover” (Carpet) security protocol in response to the threat, Russian Telegram channels <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/93161">reported</a>.</p> <p>In Anapa, sirens and blasts began around 10 p.m. local time. Witnesses told media they heard a series of explosions from the direction of the Black Sea, strong enough to set off car alarms.</p> <p>Residents in Anapa counted at least five loud explosions heard in different parts of the city. Witnesses also reported active air defense interceptions.</p> <p>Russian monitoring channels said the air-raid siren in Anapa sounded for the third time on March 10. Local officials did not comment publicly on the attack or its aftermath.</p> <p>Shortly afterward, Russian Telegram channels reported explosions in Sochi and in the nearby Sirius settlement. Residents in Sochi likewise said the city was under a drone attack.</p> <p>Locals counted at least five loud blasts in Sochi’s Adler and Central districts. Sirens warning of danger sounded across the city, and witnesses reported bright flashes over the Black Sea.</p> <p>Local authorities did not disclose details about damage or casualties in Sochi. Residents were urged to remain in shelters amid the continuing threat.</p> <p>Explosions were also reported in Russian-occupied Crimea. The “Crimean Wind” Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/Crimeanwind/95203">reported</a> air defense activity in Feodosia and near the Kerch Strait.</p> <p>Earlier, on March 10, the Russian city of Bryansk came under missile attack: explosions were reported at the “Kremniy EL” plant, which produces microelectronics for Russian missile systems.</p> <p>On March 9, Russia’s Defense Ministry also announced a record Ukrainian drone attack, with Russians counting more than 700 UAVs.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/drone-attacks-hit-russia-s-black-sea-resorts-closing-airports-in-sochi-and-anapa">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/11/putin-congratulates-mojtaba-khamenei-on.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:26:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/11/putin-congratulates-mojtaba-khamenei-on.html <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed Iran’s Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, pledging Tehran “steadfast support” and expressing solidarity with “Iranian friends.”</p> <p>“Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner of the Islamic Republic. Now, as Iran confronts armed aggression, your work in this high office will undoubtedly demand great courage and selflessness. I am confident you will carry on your father’s work with honor and rally the Iranian people in the face of harsh trials,” Putin said in <a href="http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/letters/79285">a message published by the Kremlin</a>.</p> <p>Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “unhappy” with the Assembly of Experts’ decision. According to Trump, Washington wants to see someone who will bring “peace” at the helm of the Islamic Republic. Israeli authorities have threatened to kill the new Supreme Leader if he continues the policies of the previous ayatollah.</p> <p>News of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death emerged on the first day of joint Israeli and U.S. strikes: Trump first disclosed it, and the next day, on March 1, it was confirmed by Iranian state media.</p> <p>Khamenei’s nearly 37-year tenure made him the Middle East’s longest-serving head of state at the time of his death and Iran’s longest-ruling leader since Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Critics view him as a repressive despot responsible for political repression and mass killings.</p> <p>In late 2025, demonstrations erupted across Iranian cities amid mass anti-government protests and a deepening economic crisis, becoming the largest uprising since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. On Khamenei’s orders, police and troops opened fire on protesters, leading to mass killings that left tens of thousands of demonstrators dead.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-congratulates-mojtaba-khamenei-on-becoming-iran-s-supreme-leader-pledges-russia-s-steadfast-support">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/11/russia-committed-crimes-against-humanity.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:17:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/11/russia-committed-crimes-against-humanity.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f404588dae.jpg" alt="Russia committed crimes against humanity through deportation of Ukrainian children, UN inquiry finds"></p>The forced deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia throughout its full-scale war in Ukraine amounts to crimes against humanity, a United Nations (UN) investigation published on March 10 found.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-committed-crimes-against-humanity-through-deportation-of-ukrainian-children-un-inquiry-finds/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/ukraine-hits-military-targets-in.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:51:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/ukraine-hits-military-targets-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-03-10-at-6-30-44-pm.png" alt="Ukraine hits military targets in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, video shows"></p>Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) released video footage on March 10 showing strikes on military facilities in Russian-occupied Donetsk oblast.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-russian-occupied-donetsk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/russia-denies-sharing-intelligence-with.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:42:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/russia-denies-sharing-intelligence-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2265208022.jpg" alt="Russia denies sharing intelligence with Iran on U.S. military assets, Witkoff says"></p>Russia has denied allegations that it has shared intelligence with Iran on U.S. military assets in the Middle East, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said March 10.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-denies-sharing-intelligence-with-iran-witkoff-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/eu-rejects-easing-russian-oil.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/eu-rejects-easing-russian-oil.html <p>Despite a sharp rise in energy prices amid the war in Iran, the European Union has pushed back against a possible relaxation of sanctions on Russian oil.</p> <p>“We must continue to exert maximum pressure on Russia,” EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said Tuesday, March 10, in Brussels.</p> <p>He said lifting part of the oil sanctions would be “counterproductive” and “would strengthen Russia’s military capability.” “It is very important to uphold the price cap on Russian oil in the strictest possible way,” the commissioner added.</p> <p>Dombrovskis was responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement about plans to suspend some previously imposed restrictive measures on Russia’s oil exports, made after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>In October, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil.</p> <p>Any easing of sanctions on Russia discussed amid rising global oil prices was also rejected by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.</p> <p>“I share the American president’s hope for a quick end to this war,” he said. “And if it ends quickly, we will see a relatively fast return to normal conditions in the oil and energy markets.”</p> <p>According to Merz, if there is a choice between sanctions and solidarity, Germany’s position is clear: it supports Ukraine and is ready, if necessary, to endure a period of high energy prices.</p> <p>As Bloomberg reports, the U.S. told its G7 partners that any easing of sanctions on Russia in response to the sharp rise in energy prices would be temporary.</p> <p>That decision by the U.S. administration is “largely limited both in time and in the scale of the measures,” the agency quoted Commissioner Dombrovskis as saying.</p> <p>He said Washington does not expect this move to have a significant impact on Russia’s oil revenues.</p> <p>At the same time, the U.S. “broadly shares” Europe’s aim of maintaining economic pressure on Russia over its ongoing war against Ukraine, he added.</p> <p>According to Bloomberg, U.S. officials told Europeans that easing sanctions on Russia’s oil sector would primarily affect deliveries to India.</p> <p>Global oil prices have jumped sharply because of the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran.</p> <p>Authorities in Tehran, amid the fighting, have blocked the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 20% of the world’s oil trade.</p> <p>After that, Trump issued a temporary waiver for India to purchase oil from Russia.</p> <p>Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, India’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), is refusing to process payments for Russian oil over doubts about the durability of Trump’s decision and potential risks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-rejects-easing-russian-oil-sanctions-despite-global-price-surge">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/missile-strike-hits-russias-kremniy.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:30:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/missile-strike-hits-russias-kremniy.html <p>A missile strike hit the Kremniy El microelectronics plant in Bryansk, which supplies Russia’s air-defense sector. Preliminary reports say two people were killed.</p> <p>Bryansk came under a missile attack, with Mash reporting that one of the strikes hit a plant producing microchips for mobile devices during a shift change as employees were preparing to head home. <a href="https://t.me/mash/72548">Thick smoke rose over the city</a> after the attack.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/mash/72549">Two residents</a> were killed. One was a man passing by the plant at the moment of the strike. Another 12 people were injured - all were hospitalized and are receiving medical care. About 20 vehicles were damaged.</p> <p>One missile reportedly struck a major city interchange; a shopping mall and residential area sit near the plant. OSINT channels <a href="https://t.me/arrowsmap/11102">say</a> the facility was hit by several successive strikes, as seen in videos posted online. The geolocation of the blasts matches the coordinates of the Kremniy El group’s plant, with the nearby Church in the Name of All Saints serving as a visual reference.</p> <p>Kremniy El is Russia’s second-largest microelectronics manufacturer supplying the military, including components for the Pantsir air-defense system and the Iskander missile system. The plant has been targeted roughly six times since 2022. In January 2025, operations were suspended after a strike by six drones damaged production facilities, a finished-goods warehouse, and power infrastructure. Earlier, in October 2024, an attack sparked a fire at the plant and disrupted production chains. The facility is located about 110 km (roughly 68 miles) from the Ukrainian border.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/missile-strike-hits-russia-s-kremniy-el-microelectronics-plant-in-bryansk-killing-two">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/ukraine-war-latest-saudi-arabia.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:10:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/ukraine-war-latest-saudi-arabia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2198282232-1.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Saudi Arabia prepping 'huge deal' for Ukrainian weapons amid Iranian drone threat"></p><p><strong>Key developments on March 10:</strong></p><ul><li>Saudi Arabia prepping 'huge deal' for Ukrainian weapons amid Iranian drone threat</li><li>Ukraine strikes missile control systems plant in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, Zelensky says</li><li>Ukraine retakes most Russian-held areas in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast after weeks of counterattacks</li><li>Ukraine to get 35 Patriot</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-2026-03-10/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/us-officials-ask-what-does.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:03:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/us-officials-ask-what-does.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1000100034.jpg" alt="US officials ask 'What does Putin have on Trump?' over downplayed Russian intel to Iran"></p><p>U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have downplayed reports that Russia has been providing intelligence to Iran used to target American forces, drawing frustration from U.S. officials who spoke with the Kyiv Independent.</p><p>The reaction comes amid <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-reportedly-provides-iran-intelligence/">reports</a> that Moscow has shared with Tehran information on the</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-officials-express-fury-over-russian-intelligence-to-iran-downplaying/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/moscow-weighs-ousting-sevastopol-airdefense.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:59:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/moscow-weighs-ousting-sevastopol-airdefense.html <p>In the occupied Crimea, the command of Russia’s Sevastopol air-defense division is reportedly facing dismissal over repeated losses of air-defense assets.</p> <p>Russia’s air-defense network in Crimea has increasingly proved ineffective. A commission from Moscow has been dispatched to Sevastopol to consider replacing the division’s leadership.</p> <p>The partisan movement “Atesh” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0vcqJ6GBSUE3DEJZRrHFEGoeBHngQjDfb3wJCpyKDfNxbX6RUYZTLoeWyVniQERqel&id=61555293283783&rdid=qpsTHghzOuk6Fwjx">says</a> the command of the Sevastopol air-defense division of Russia’s armed forces is under threat of being fired due to systematic losses of air-defense systems that have markedly weakened the peninsula’s defenses.</p> <p>According to an Atesh source, an inspection commission from Moscow has arrived in Sevastopol and is weighing a shake-up at the 31st Air Defense Division, part of the 4th Air and Air Defense Army within the Southern Military District. The division is responsible for shielding the airspace over Crimea, including Sevastopol and Dzhankoi, using S-400 Triumf systems.</p> <p>The ongoing losses of Russian air-defense assets have weakened defenses not only in Crimea but also in the Kherson region. Moscow appears to be acknowledging shortcomings in the performance of its units.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/moscow-weighs-ousting-sevastopol-air-defense-command-as-crimea-s-defenses-falter">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/10/ukraine-strikes-missile-control-systems.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:24:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/10/ukraine-strikes-missile-control-systems.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-03-10-at-8-18-11-pm.png" alt="Ukraine strikes missile control systems plant in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, Zelensky says"></p>Zelensky said Ukrainian forces struck a plant in Russia's Bryansk Oblast that manufactures control systems for Russian missiles. The facility, identified as Kremniy El, is one of Russia's largest microelectronics producers.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-missile-control-systems-plant-in-russias-bryansk-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/09/oil-prices-surpass-a-barrel.html Mon, 09 Mar 2026 04:22:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/09/oil-prices-surpass-a-barrel.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2264994487.jpg" alt="Oil prices surpass $100 a barrel for first time since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine"></p>Brent futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased 16% on March 8, near to $108 a barrel. Prices last reached this level in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/oil-prices-surpass-100-a-barrel-for-first-time-since-russias-2022-invasion-of-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/09/zelensky-shares-new-update-on.html Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:57:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/09/zelensky-shares-new-update-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9145a8a681.jpg" alt="Zelensky shares new update on liberated Ukrainian territory, says Kyiv 'more positive' than at end of 2025"></p>Ukrainian forces have liberated up to 435 kilometers of Russian-occupied territory in the country's south, thwarting Moscow's efforts to mount a southern offensive, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on March 8.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-shares-new-update-on-liberated-ukrainian-territory-says-kyiv-more-positive-than-at-end-of-2025/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/orban-rebukes-zelensky-over-troops.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 21:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/orban-rebukes-zelensky-over-troops.html <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban showed how he listened to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement in which the Ukrainian leader said Ukrainian military personnel could speak with the Hungarian premier.</p> <p>Orban called Zelensky’s remark a “threat,” after the Ukrainian president suggested that, if Budapest keeps blocking a 90 billion-euro EU loan to Kyiv, Ukrainian troops could “talk” to the Hungarian leader.</p> <p>The prime minister <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/911590995097211">posted a video</a> on his Facebook page showing him in his office watching Zelensky’s address and commenting on it.</p> <p>The Hungarian leader labeled the Ukrainian president’s words “blackmail” and a “threat,” urging an end to what he called an “oil blockade” and to allow oil to flow to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline.</p> <p>“Mr. President, I received your message. You threatened me with soldiers and, through me, all of Hungary. Mr. President, this will not work. Stop this. This is Hungary. Hungarians cannot be blackmailed, and you will not be able to intimidate me,” Orban said.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Zelensky, speaking after a government meeting, expressed hope that “one person” in the EU—an apparent reference to Orban—would stop blocking European aid to Ukraine. He joked that otherwise he would give that person’s phone number to Ukrainian soldiers so they could talk to him.</p> <p>In February Orban pledged to block the European credit for Ukraine until Kyiv restores operations of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian crude to Budapest. Ukraine, for its part, has repeatedly said the pipeline is down due to damage from Russian strikes. Hungary’s government argues Kyiv is keeping the line offline for “political reasons.”</p> <p>On March 5, Orban released a video address vowing to secure the resumption of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline “by force.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/orban-rebukes-zelensky-over-troops-quip-labels-it-blackmail-amid-druzhba-pipeline-dispute">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/russian-offensive-completely-failed-ukraine.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 21:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/russian-offensive-completely-failed-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/206cfb5ffd.jpg" alt="Russian offensive COMPLETELY FAILED – Ukraine responds with DRONE STRIKES"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umwf6gCUWaY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/search-and-rescue-operation-goes.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:59:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/search-and-rescue-operation-goes.html <p><img width="1900" height="1267" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dsc07472-2-1.jpg" alt="Five-story building in Kharkiv, half-destroyed and burning in the aftermath of Russian missile attack" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong>, Mar. 7-8 — Emergency workers started their first shift at about 2:00 a.m. on Saturday. A Russian missile strike caused a huge fire, destroyed a big part of a five-storey building and buried, according to official data, at least 14 people underneath the rubble and flames. </p> <p>When we arrived in the neighbourhood in the morning, seven bodies had already been recovered, and the search and rescue teams worked amidst the remains of people’s apartments, surrounded by the rising smoke. </p> <p>A man and a woman walk towards this apartment building’s yard, both pale. Mother and a son. I don’t manage to get their names. The son speaks for them both. “We don’t live here. Mother’s friend does,” he says. Their friend’s apartment is destroyed, and she doesn’t pick up her phone. </p> <p>Hours later, I see the man looking inside one of the body bags, a police worker standing beside, both of their faces blank, giving away nothing. He disappeared right after. I didn’t manage to talk to him.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Pieces</strong></h2> <p>Anna doesn’t want to be filmed. She points right to where her flat should be, but isn’t, when I ask where she lived. She steps around the debris, kitchen towels and children’s toys and other things that made up her life. Looks for photos from her flat. </p> <p>Anna has already found a pack of them. Some of them are darkened with soot from the fire, some wet — she holds them to her chest tightly. <em>These are my grandparents’</em>, Anna shares, and shows me black-and-white photos. Goes on, <em>here’s my brother and </em>I. Those are in color.    </p> <p>“On the night of the attack, my mom went to her brother’s, and my father was with me and my daughter on the outskirts of the city,” Anna says. “It’s lucky that we didn’t sleep here. (All that I have left) is documents for me and my child in my backpack. Nothing else.” </p> <p>Anna allows me to take a photo of her hands. She says she’s not sure anything will be alright after this attack. As she searches for more of her family photos, she sometimes stops — freezes — to look at the way her apartment building burns.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Testing ground </strong></h2> <p>A disgruntled man from the neighbouring apartment building shouts, refusing to talk, “what else is there to comment, except for that they’re fuckers?” </p> <p>Kateryna, a dentist’s assistant, clears up her office on the first floor of the building Russia hit. She lives nearby, so was herself a witness to the thundering explosions on the night of Mar. 7. </p> <p>“A lot of buildings were damaged, a lot of people suffered. And it scares me that the fire still spreads,” she says. </p> <p>For hours, firefighters pour water onto the rubble, but the smoke still reaches the sky, stubborn. The World Central Kitchen’s volunteers feed people and give them water. A tent where emergency workers can warm up and rest is set up near the impact site. </p> <p>“Judging by the blast wave, it was something really serious. Ballistics, that’s the main thing. It was a powerful strike,” Oleh Syniehubov, governor of Kharkiv oblast says as I ask about the type of weaponry Russia used. </p> <p>The local prosecutor’s office later reports that, according to preliminary findings, it was Russia’s new subsonic missile, Izdelie-30 (<em>Изделие-30 in Russian or “Product-30” or “device” in English — ed</em>). Izdelie carries a warhead with a weight up to 800 kg (1763 lb) that can be launched from the jet from over 1,500 km (932 miles). </p> <p>Ukrainian intelligence <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7931" data-wpel-link="external">released</a> a 3D model of this new subsonic missile just a week ago. Manufactured in Russia, it carries foreign components from the USA, China, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Belarus. This is not the first time Russia tests its new weaponry on Kharkiv and Kharkiv region, the latter adjacent to the state border and encroached on by Russian troops from different sides.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Children</strong> </h2> <p>On Saturday, Mayor Terekhov said that search and rescue operations may continue for up to two days. As of 4:07 p.m. Sunday, there's information about at least 10 bodies recovered from under the rubble, two of which belonged to children. </p> <p>Hordii, 9, was a member of a hockey team in Bila Tserkva, one of the cities in central Ukraine. He was killed alongside his mother, a primary school teacher. His team recalls the childhood joy with which he came to every class, calling him sincere and kind. </p> <p>Lisa, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/russiakills.in.ua/posts/pfbid02Q7C1MJdvDosSBbEMUyqE3248o5LenU6vB3RPdERtnrPfgsg2e31Mqenrw8m439o8l?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZbuJ3QJ_ov-UA2QUvXTjD3ggfPJKZ7QnvX1wh6wYwSuKs_eEl0QfLYOXSuC37NHmr5LINh5UQ5fN4fYZ51hC9uVW7ggm9uBxYvMZvhKSFlypJbHN2ZwWNS6jYzpUdW-zmOZpK83eUBxfpSbYXo6jw8JVgjRTNZZINDR4F_a44VgQA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" data-wpel-link="external">13</a>, trained as a naturalist in Kharkiv zoo. Russia killed her along with her mother and grandmother. Her teacher Euhen Kiosia <a href="https://www.facebook.com/yevgen.kiosya/posts/pfbid0Z2QmnMxiQqGUB8DHx3e3sHGxsFGabb1NiBnUbsnp1usQisFCjB7ARdLVH7TUXDzZl?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZY-YkEnLGf2Vf79na5oKgfIPEL0jUgsupJtt22JhBktRIN5i3bDHC0xKWYcLmiMg05WWE_0HwIm3_JOPazhcyvRz-ijiFMl6D1A_eS8R1hlnsrkfAzpIYamy2rtEtDrg4F4sVYWbsl3dvauTwXkdWDzkoRNFXl-6JNktAW0iHkVHcE_h7Jf9GDtMAvfxUm3W2Y&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" data-wpel-link="external">wrote</a> on his Facebook, “It seems that you understand that life in Kharkiv and many other cities is a deadly lottery of sorts. And, sooner or later, the time will come for many of your close people and for you, too. That's the reality of war. But it doesn’t lessen the pain you feel every time.” </p> <p>Maria Malevska, Ukrainian journalist, wrote on her Instagram that Lisa’s father is a soldier who serves on the Kupiansk axis. “He was left with nothing: has neither family, nor home.” </p> <p>Rescuers also found body fragments. It is currently unknown how many people they belong to, but Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov reported on at least one. </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Saved </strong></h2> <p>Apart from killing people, the Russian attack injured at least 16 people (according to the latest information) and damaged over 20 buildings — two years ago, Moscow <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/in-photos-russia-shelled-kharkiv-twice-this-night-injuring-up-to-51-people-and-killing-five/" data-wpel-link="internal">already hit one of those</a>. </p> <p>One of the damaged buildings is the school — its windows blown out, books and papers scattered on the classroom floors. No one studies here — children in Kharkiv learn remotely or in the underground schools. The only ones who came to work on-site are the school’s administration. </p> <p>Karina, the school’s deputy director, says she came to clean up here right after the attack. There’s a “point of invincibility” open here, a place where locals come to charge their phones and drink hot drinks when Russian attacks cut their electricity or heating. </p> <p>“That’s the first thing we’ve cleaned,” Karina says. </p> <p>Another building that was damaged is Natalia’s: the door is still stuck after the blast wave messed up its hinges. Natalia struggles to open it as her dog, Tibby, circles her legs. </p> <p>She was in the bathroom when the missile hit. There’s a hole in the wall to the bathroom, albeit small. </p> <p>“It seems that someone is watching over me,” Nataliia says – there is a hole in the wall of her bathroom, albeit small, but she wasn’t injured. Things would be worse if she’d be in bed, she says. The blast wave threw the bricks right at where her head would be as she slept. </p> <p>Nataliia’s mother, who’s 94 and has mobility issues, her two cats, and Tibby were also home when the Russian missile hit. No injuries, too — Nataliia responds to my colleague Daria's question — but emergency workers convinced Nataliia to get her mother to the hospital. </p> <p>Here, in Nataliia’s flat, municipal workers have already boarded up the windows and cleared most of the dangerous debris. </p> <p>She plans to stay there — she doesn’t know who’ll host her and her three pets. “I will clean up. Do something. Live somehow,” Nataliia says. “Though all this means I won’t go mountain skiing in Bukovel (the <em>largest ski resort in Eastern Europe, located in Ukraine</em>). I'm gonna skip my 40th time there.” </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Day two</strong></h2> <p>When I come to the impact the next morning, the fire is finally out. The smoke in the air is replaced by dust. The water firefighters used, mixed with icy slush, melted during the sunny morning, softened the ground, and made it sticky. I notice small greenery peaking out from where the large wheel tracks are imprinted into the soil. </p> <p>Emergency workers throw the debris from the top of the damaged buildings. The one closest to the epicenter of the Russian attack looks as if its corner flat has been cut off by a giant sword. </p> <p>Two yellow construction cranes pull large slabs of concrete, previously walls and floors and ceilings, down into the pile of stone below, allowing search-and-rescue operation — though, at this point, mostly search — to continue without risk. Three of them, lifted by one of the cranes to reach an inaccessible part of the building, grab for the unsteady surface when the platform moves close enough towards it. After sticking a landing, they disperse inside the mostly destroyed flats. </p> <p>With the fire gone, I get inside the building that was the epicenter of the attack, too. One of the rescuers on the break lets me borrow his helmet. He and his colleagues look tired. </p> <p>The scale of destruction wrought by the Russian strike isn’t the only reason the operation lasts for this long. Each time there’s a risk of a new airstrike on Kharkiv, emergency workers stop and are supposed to go to the shelter. Russia often employs double-tap tactics — hits the first responders gathered at the impact site second, third time. </p> <p>“Ballistics from Taganrog! Everyone get off the street!” </p> <p>This time, the missile Russia launches hits Lozova, a city in the south of Kharkiv region, according to monitoring channels. </p> <p>A group of emergency workers goes to hide from the attack in school, but, as they enter, they laugh at the decision: the school doesn’t have a basement, and being on the first floor of an educational facility — a type of building Russia often targets — isn’t the best protection. </p> <p>Still, they gather in the school’s “invincibility point.” Some of their co-workers are sleeping right there. As I’m writing this piece, it’s close to 00:00 on Mar. 10, and the search operation in Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv is still not finished.  </p> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em>Hi, it’s Yana, author of this article. Me and my colleagues Liubov, Daria, and Serhii worked through the weekend to cover the consequences of this deadly Russian attack — thank you for reading this piece and caring about Kharkiv. If you want to support our on-the-ground reporting from the city, please consider a one-time</em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/" data-wpel-link="external"><em> donation</em></a><em> or </em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><em>join our community</em></a><em>.</em></p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/we-didnt-even-have-time-to-get-scared-kharkiv-recovers-after-another-overnight-russian-drone-missile-attack/" data-wpel-link="internal">“We didn’t even have time to get scared.”</a></strong> Kharkiv recovers after another overnight Russian drone, missile attack  </li> <li>Kharkiv locals mourn those killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine as <strong><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-locals-mourn-those-killed-in-russias-war-against-ukraine-as-the-5th-year-of-full-scale-invasion-begins/" data-wpel-link="internal">the 5th year of full-scale invasion begins</a></strong></li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/two-days-of-search-and-rescue-after-russian-missile-kills-at-least-11-including-2-children-in-kharkiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">Search and rescue operation goes on after Russian missile kills at least 11, including 2 children, in Kharkiv </a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/two-days-of-search-and-rescue-after-russian-missile-kills-at-least-11-including-2-children-in-kharkiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/iranian-drone-that-struck-british.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:54:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/iranian-drone-that-struck-british.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ca54235012.jpg" alt="Iranian drone that struck British air base contained Russian technology, Times reports"></p>A drone that struck a U.K. air base in Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus on March 1 contained Russian technology, the Times reported March 7.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/iranian-drone-that-struck-british-airbase-contained-russian-technology-times-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/zelensky-says-ukrainian-forces-retake.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/zelensky-says-ukrainian-forces-retake.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian troops have thwarted Russia’s plans to advance in southern Ukraine and carried out a series of counteroffensive actions.</p> <p>As a result of those counterattacks, roughly 400–435 square kilometers have been brought back under Ukrainian control, Zelensky said during a joint briefing with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, according to the state news agency <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4099330-na-pivdni-sili-oboroni-vidnovili-kontrol-nad-teritorieu-do-435-kilometriv-prezident.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>In <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18259">a Telegram post</a>, Zelensky noted that the new head of the Dutch government visited Kyiv almost immediately after taking office.</p> <p>“I informed the Prime Minister about the situation on the battlefield, about Russia’s attacks, which do not stop for a single day. We need stable, sustained support every day while the war continues,” the Ukrainian president said.</p> <p>Zelensky said Ukrainian forces derailed Russia’s plans in the south, preventing advances along the boundary of the Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.</p> <p>“In the south of our country, over the past six weeks we conducted a number of important defensive actions, and in some directions, offensive ones. These actions were solely to disrupt Russia’s plans. We consider them quite successful — we have restored control over about 400–435 square kilometers,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>Zelensky also said Russia is planning a new offensive operation in the spring, with the aim of seizing Donetsk and Luhansk regions. At the same time, he stressed that Russian forces cannot achieve that “with the means and forces they currently have — and because of the actions of our Armed Forces.”</p> <p>The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/35823">said</a> on the morning of March 8 that Russian troops attempted assaults on the Oleksandrivka and Hulyaipole axes. In total, Russia launched 12 attacks in those directions — near Verbove, Novohryhorivka, Vorone, Dobropillya, Zaliznychne, Varvarivka, Myrne and Zelene.</p> <p>Earlier, Zelensky said Russia’s military command is preparing a new offensive in eastern Ukraine, likely targeting Druzhkivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.</p> <p>French outlet Le Monde has reported that the city of Dnipro could be among Russia’s potential targets in the event of a new offensive.</p> <p>Taras Chmut, a member of the supervisory board of Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency, previously said Ukrainian forces have, for the first time in a long while, been de-occupying more land than Russian troops are seizing.</p> <p>On February 21, Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Defense Forces in the south, said more than 300 square kilometers had been liberated in Zaporizhzhia region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukrainian-forces-retake-up-to-435-square-kilometers-in-the-south-foiling-russia-s-plans">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/trump-alleges-interpreter-changed-meaning.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 19:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/trump-alleges-interpreter-changed-meaning.html <p>A new wrinkle in negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin involves translation difficulties, which the U.S. president blamed on an interpreter.</p> <p>US President Donald Trump unexpectedly raised the issue of translation at international talks and effectively acknowledged that, in meetings with world leaders, the meaning of his words might have been distorted. His remarks sparked a stir because, judging by the context, he was referring to talks with Putin, writes <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/14279?single">the news outlet Agentsvo</a>.</p> <p>At the “Shield of America” summit in Florida, Trump told participants about a situation that occurred during negotiations with “a very influential person from another part of the world.”</p> <p>According to the US president, he noticed the translation sounded significantly shorter than his original remarks. That raised suspicions for him.</p> <p>“When you deliver a long, flowing sentence and the interpreter renders it in a quarter of the time, you start to think something’s off,” Trump said.</p> <p>He added that such translation can sometimes create the impression that a meeting went well, even though the substance of the conversation may have been conveyed differently.</p> <p>Almost immediately after those remarks, Trump mentioned Putin, prompting observers to link his account to negotiations with the Russian leader. The US president also said that in one instance the interpreter allegedly even changed the meaning of what was said because she “disagreed” with the substance of the conversation.</p> <p>“So what now - should we consider her the foreign minister?” Trump said wryly.</p> <p>Trump’s statement raises an important question: could the US president have been receiving a distorted picture of talks with the Kremlin? Moscow has long been known for employing complex diplomatic and information maneuvers. If the translation was indeed inaccurate or controlled by the Russian side, it could have affected perceptions of the negotiations and the Kremlin’s true intentions regarding Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/trump-alleges-interpreter-changed-meaning-during-talks-with-putin-raising-doubts-about-ukraine-negotiations">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/whoa-iran-under-attack-russia.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:34:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/whoa-iran-under-attack-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a144049e7e.jpg" alt="WHOA! IRAN UNDER ATTACK – RUSSIA IN PANIC! AFU reclaiming territories – real combat footage"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m76D591yMvY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/zelensky-says-russia-and-iran.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:30:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/zelensky-says-russia-and-iran.html <p>There are reports that Russians are providing intelligence to Iran to adjust strikes on Americans, and evidence of Russian-made components in Shahed drones used in the Middle East, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18SG3hBZTY/">his nightly video address Saturday</a>.</p> <p>Zelensky thanked “every leader, every country” that supports the PURL program, which allows the purchase of US-made air-defense missiles for Patriot systems.</p> <p>“We all understand the risks posed by strikes from Iran and the need for air-defense missiles in the Middle East. It is important that the protection of life is also ensured here in Ukraine. Moreover, we see information about Russian assistance to the Iranian regime: there are reports that Russians are giving intelligence to the regime in Iran to adjust strikes on Americans. There are also data about Russian components in ‘Shaheds’ used in the Middle East—against Arab countries and against Americans in the region. Every such fact shows that we are dealing with regimes that are not just connected to each other, but that exist thanks to each other—the Russian and Iranian regimes—and that they are killing in a coordinated way both here in Europe and there in the Middle East,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>The President added that this is why defense must be coordinated.</p> <p>“Life in Europe and life in the Middle East equally deserve effective protection. We, for our part, are working to help with defense against ‘Shaheds.’ It is entirely fair to expect that our own defense will receive appropriate assistance, and that Russia will feel consequences not only for prolonging its war against us, but also for attempts to scale up that other war,” he said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-russia-and-iran-coordinating-strikes-across-regions-from-europe-to-the-middle-east">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/the-kremlins-tactic-to-fight.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/the-kremlins-tactic-to-fight.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/517fff4c9b.jpg" alt="The Kremlin's tactic: to fight with numbers and the bodies of its own soldiers #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/a2No_DUGOa8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukraine-says-it-struck-pantsirs.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukraine-says-it-struck-pantsirs.html <p>Ukraine says its forces struck several high-value Russian military targets overnight, including a BK-16 landing craft and a Pantsir-S1 air-defense system in Russian-occupied Crimea. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02TZhaBQL8hxqbfrEHrQZSYLnJEwk45Z7iu7zsS6iugfeuusmawtjihz63vdHmUihgl?locale=uk_UA">Ukraine’s General Staff</a>.</p> <p>The overnight campaign aimed to degrade Russia’s offensive capabilities, the General Staff said.</p> <p>The Pantsir-S1 system and the BK-16 boat were hit in Crimea, with damage evaluations ongoing. The air-defense system is valued at roughly $15 million and the landing craft at up to $5 million, according to Ukrainian estimates.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces also targeted four Russian UAV control points in Crimea, Russia’s Belgorod region, and in Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Command-and-observation posts near Nyzhni Rohachyky in Zaporizhzhia, as well as near Novopetrivka, Volnovakha and Selydove in Donetsk region, were also struck, the General Staff said. The scope of damage is being determined.</p> <p>“Systematic strikes on enemy air defenses, command posts and military infrastructure reduce its ability to control forces, coordinate unmanned systems and conduct combat operations,” the General Staff said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-struck-pantsir-s1-system-and-bk-16-landing-craft-in-crimea-hitting-uav-control-points-and-command-posts">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/kremlin-glorifies-criminals-putins-maniacs.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/kremlin-glorifies-criminals-putins-maniacs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fc4eb79078.jpg" alt="Kremlin glorifies criminals: Putin's maniacs return from the front and spread fear across Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWNAg_dm2wY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukraine-war-latest-russian-attack.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:36:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukraine-war-latest-russian-attack.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-07-08-30-04-3-2.webp" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russian attack kills 11 in Kharkiv, including 2 children"></p><p><strong>Key developments on March 7-8</strong></p><ul><li>Russian attack kills 11 in Kharkiv, including 2 children</li><li>Ukraine halts Russian offensive toward Zaporizhzhia, killing, injuring 300 Russian troops, HUR claims</li><li>Ukraine hits Russian Shahed-type drone storage in Donetsk with SCALP, ATACMS missiles, military says</li><li>US supplying Ukraine-tested anti-drone systems to Middle East partners,</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-russian-attack-kills-11-in-kharkiv-including-2-children/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/us-warns-russia-not-to.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/us-warns-russia-not-to.html <p>The United States has told Russia not to share intelligence with Iran — and even if Tehran is receiving information from Moscow, it isn’t helping the ayatollahs’ regime on the battlefield, according to the White House.</p> <p>Washington underscored to Moscow that providing intelligence to Iran is unacceptable.</p> <p>The message was delivered by President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One.</p> <p>“I stated that firmly,” Witkoff told reporters when asked about the warning. He added that he hopes Russia took his advice.</p> <p>President Donald Trump said Washington has no confirmation that Moscow is providing such assistance - and even if it is, it hasn’t shifted the situation on the ground.</p> <p>“We don’t know. But things are not going very well. If they are getting information, it’s not helping them much,” Trump told reporters.</p> <p>The Washington Post has reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is receiving from Russia the coordinates of U.S. ships and aircraft in the Middle East.</p> <p>That would amount to Moscow unofficially and indirectly joining the conflict on Iran’s side, White House officials say.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is prepared to apologize and halt strikes on neighboring nations.</p> <p>Even so, Tehran again attacked Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where explosions were heard.</p> <p>On March 8, CNN reported that Israel announced a new phase of the war in Iran, launching strikes on the country’s oil storage facilities.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/us-warns-russia-not-to-share-intelligence-with-iran-witkoff-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/zelenskyy-russias-war-depends-on.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:50:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/zelenskyy-russias-war-depends-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d432c23573.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy: Russia's war depends on Putin's oil earnings #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zB7Ku4XxCUQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/russian-attacks-ukraine-kill-injure.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:50:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/russian-attacks-ukraine-kill-injure.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/df4784b16d.jpg" alt="Russian attacks Ukraine kill 3, injure 20 in Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 117 drones, including Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles overnight, the Air Force reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill-3-injure-20-over-past-day-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/zelensky-offers-ukraines-expertise-against.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:30:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/zelensky-offers-ukraines-expertise-against.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, discussing the situation in the Middle East.</p> <p>Zelensky said he held the call on the evening of March 7 with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. He reported the conversation on <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2030384182963151340">his official X account</a>.  </p> <p>The main focus was the escalation in the Middle East and threats posed by the Iranian regime.</p> <p>“We discussed security in the Middle East and the Gulf region — the existing challenges and how to counter threats from the Iranian regime,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>The president emphasized that Ukraine has unique experience countering Iranian attack drones that Russia has used extensively against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.</p> <p>“Ukrainians have been fighting ‘Shaheds’ for years… We are ready to help and we expect that our people will also receive the necessary support,” he noted.</p> <p>Zelensky added that protecting human life must remain a shared priority for states facing drone and missile threats. He said coordination among European and Middle Eastern countries is becoming increasingly important amid rising risks.</p> <p>Beyond security, the two also discussed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Saudi Arabia, including potential joint projects and further steps to strengthen their partnership.</p> <p>Tensions in the Middle East have spiked following the launch of a large-scale military operation against Iran, which began on February 28. The stated goals include destroying Iran’s ballistic missile program and nuclear infrastructure, and weakening the leadership and forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.</p> <p>In the first hours of the operation, the United States and Israel carried out about 900 strikes on targets inside Iran, and the total number of attacks later surpassed two thousand. Significant elements of Iran’s air defense network, parts of its air force and navy, and around 300 missile launchers were destroyed.</p> <p>Iran has responded with massive barrages of ballistic missiles and thousands of drones aimed at Israel, U.S. military bases, and facilities in Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia, though not officially part of the operation, has also come under fire: since late February, rockets and drones have targeted Prince Sultan Air Base, the refinery in Ras Tanura, the Shaybah oil field, and other sites. Saudi air defenses, with U.S. support, have intercepted most of the attacks, though some strikes have caused fires, damage, and casualties.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-offers-ukraine-s-expertise-against-iranian-shahed-drones-in-call-with-saudi-crown-prince">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/zelenskyy-netherlands-working-on-tribunal.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:25:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/zelenskyy-netherlands-working-on-tribunal.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1715d392fd.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy: Netherlands working on tribunal for Russia's aggression #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TMG3KwS2OLM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukrainian-missile-strike-hits-shahed.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:15:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukrainian-missile-strike-hits-shahed.html <p>On the morning of March 8, Ukrainian forces struck the occupied Donetsk. The target was a military facility linked to “Shaheds.”</p> <p>A large number of photos and videos shot by witnesses appeared online. Judging by the footage, the aftermath appears very serious.</p> <p>Locals say missiles were used. After the attack, huge plumes of smoke rose into the sky, and secondary detonations were heard. That fueled a version that the target was a storage site for “Shahed”/“Geran” kamikaze drones.</p> <p>The prominent <a href="https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/12631">OSINT project “KiberBoroshno”</a> shed more light on the situation. It confirmed that a military target was hit—specifically, an ammunition warehouse that Russian forces had placed on the grounds of the “Tochmash” plant near Donetsk airport.</p> <p>“This is a continuation of the operation carried out yesterday (March 7) using Storm Shadow and ATACMS. At that time, the launch and preparation sites for ‘Gerbera’ and ‘Shahed’ UAVs - which were used for mining, reconnaissance and strikes along the front line—were directly targeted,” the analysts said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-missile-strike-hits-shahed-drone-depot-at-occupied-donetsk-s-tochmash-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/zelensky-russia-transferring-drone-tech.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/zelensky-russia-transferring-drone-tech.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/uniannet/187125">said</a> Russia is assisting Iran in its war against the United States and Israel, transferring parts of its technology to support the regime in Tehran.</p> <p>One of the main elements of that assistance is the transfer of parts and know-how related to the use and deployment of drones, Zelensky said at a joint news conference with new Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.</p> <p>According to the president, Ukrainian intelligence has recorded the transfer of the specified set of resources and technologies. He added that Iran is not currently supplying Russia with missiles or other weapons for strikes on Ukraine.</p> <p>Zelensky said Kyiv is ready to help partners in the Middle East counter Iranian Shahed drones and will send specialists if necessary. He said the first group of Ukrainian military personnel and experts will head to Gulf countries on Monday to train them to combat drones.</p> <p>“It’s too early to talk about other details; that will likely come next week. The experts will arrive on the ground immediately with capabilities to help [counter the drone threat],” Zelensky added.</p> <p>He said several specialist teams have been formed and that there are interested states among the Gulf countries. Ukraine is ready to sell its interceptor drones to partners, and three countries have already expressed interest in purchasing them.</p> <p>Earlier, Kyiv offered Gulf countries Ukrainian interceptor drones. The president said he considers exchanging drones for PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems to be fair and mutually beneficial.</p> <p>Subsequently, it was reported Zelensky agreed to send troops to the Middle East to shoot down Shahed drones. Ukraine will dispatch its specialists in the coming days, at the request of the Trump administration.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-russia-transferring-drone-tech-to-iran-for-war-against-the-u-s-and-israel">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukrainian-drone-strike-ignites-armavir.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 15:30:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukrainian-drone-strike-ignites-armavir.html <p>A major fire broke out at an oil depot in Armavir after an overnight attack by Ukrainian drones.</p> <p>According to the Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters on Telegram, by Sunday morning, March 8, the blaze was contained to an area of 700 square meters.</p> <p>“Some 120 personnel and 38 units of equipment, including from Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry, are involved in the firefighting effort,” the post said. The operations HQ later reported the fire had been extinguished.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said in its morning update that four drones were destroyed over Krasnodar Krai overnight. Air defenses shot down or neutralized a total of 72 drones over regions of Russia and annexed Crimea, including 20 each over Astrakhan region and annexed Crimea, 14 over Rostov region, eight over Belgorod region, three over Kursk region and two over Volgograd region. Another drone was downed over the Sea of Azov.</p> <p>Rostov region Governor Yuri Slyusar said overnight drone attacks were repelled in three districts: Chertkovsky, Millerovsky and Morozovsky. “There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage on the ground. This will be clarified,” he added.</p> <p>Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram on the morning of March 8 that Belgorod came under heavy rocket fire. “…Massive shelling of energy facilities. Emergency crews are already out,” he wrote around 6:20 a.m. Moscow time. “As a result of the shelling, the region’s energy infrastructure facilities were damaged. Large-scale disruptions to electricity, water and heat supply have been recorded in Belgorod and border municipalities. Emergency crews are carrying out restoration work,” one of Gladkov’s later posts said. “Three apartments in two apartment buildings (MKD; apartment buildings — Ed.), an administrative building of an enterprise and five vehicles were damaged.”</p> <p>Three people were injured in the past 24 hours as a result of drone attacks on Belgorod region.</p> <p>In Belgorod, a civilian suffered barotrauma, and in the village of Gruzskoye a man was wounded after a drone detonated, according to Gladkov.</p> <p>Around 10 a.m. local time, Gladkov said that in the village of Rzhevka in the Shebekinsky district, a civilian sustained shrapnel wounds to the legs when an FPV drone detonated.</p> <p>Kursk region head Alexander Khinshtein reported on Telegram that 33 drones were shot down over the region overnight. “The enemy used artillery 46 times on evacuated areas. Thirteen times drones attacked our territory by dropping explosive devices,” he wrote.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drone-strike-ignites-armavir-oil-depot-amid-mass-drone-attacks-across-russia-and-crimea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukraine-downs-nearly-drones-as.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 15:13:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukraine-downs-nearly-drones-as.html <p>Overnight into Sunday, Russian forces launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 117 attack drones of various types at Ukraine. Most incoming targets were destroyed or suppressed by air defenses and electronic warfare units, the Ukrainian Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/57441">said</a> Sunday, March 8.</p> <p>Missiles were fired from Russia’s Rostov and Voronezh regions. Drones approached from Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Millerovo in Russia, and from Gvardeyskoye in Russian-occupied Crimea. About 70 of the drones were Shahed drones.</p> <p>The air attack was countered by Ukrainian aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups.</p> <p>Preliminary as of 09:00, air defenses shot down or suppressed 98 enemy UAVs — including Shahed, Herbera, and other types — over northern, southern, and eastern regions of the country.</p> <p>At the same time, there were confirmed impacts from two ballistic missiles and 19 attack UAVs at 11 locations.</p> <p>Earlier Sunday morning, officials said Shahed drones damaged transport infrastructure in Kryvyi Rih. No casualties were reported.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-downs-nearly-100-drones-as-russia-attacks-from-seven-directions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/putin-wages-war-on-children.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 15:02:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/putin-wages-war-on-children.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/50a58c73bf.jpg" alt="Putin wages war on CHILDREN &amp; RESCUERS! Russia launches cynical double strike on Ukrainian cities"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_IefLhiCYg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/the-world-isnt-ready-for.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 14:47:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/the-world-isnt-ready-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-3046.jpg" alt="The world isn’t ready for drone warfare | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how Russia and its allies have rapidly expanded the use of long-range attack drones — and why much of the world remains unprepared to defend against them.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-world-isnt-ready-for-drone-warfare-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/no-one-thought-we-would.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:47:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/no-one-thought-we-would.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ap22105680769361.jpg" alt="'No one thought we would get out alive' — the audioguide memorializing one village's Russian occupation"></p><p>YAHIDNE, CHERNIHIV OBLAST – The unkept school stands still, surrounded by pine and birch trees covered with melting snow. Shattered windows remain, and the voices emanating from the audioguide bear witness to the torment of the ordeal inflicted upon the villagers by Russian occupation.</p><p>Russian troops captured <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-visits-liberated-village-in-chernihiv-region-with-foreign-officials/">Yahidne village</a> in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/audioguide-through-russian-occupation-of-yahidne-village-where-over-300-civilians-were-confined-in-school-basement/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/russian-drone-strikes-ukrainian-train.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:45:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/russian-drone-strikes-ukrainian-train.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ef2ed5f2ad.jpg" alt="Russian drone strikes Ukrainian train with 200 passengers on board"></p>Local authorities reported no injuries at the time, and passengers were redirected to their final stations.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-lancet-drone-strikes-ukrainian-train-with-200-passengers-on-board/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukraine-condemns-russias-return-to.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:24:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukraine-condemns-russias-return-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1832619289.jpg" alt="Ukraine condemns Russia's return to Venice Biennale, calling it 'normalization of genocidal policy'"></p>"Adherence to the values of freedom, human dignity, and international law must be defining for the global artistic community, as must solidarity with the Ukrainian people whose culture is being targeted for destruction."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-condemns-russias-return-to-venice-biennale-calling-it-normalization-of-genocidal-policy/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/if-they-are-its-not.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 11:37:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/if-they-are-its-not.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2192728860.jpg" alt="'If they are, it's not doing much' — Trump dismisses report on Russia helping Iran against US"></p>"We don't know but it's not doing very well, if they are," Trump told journalists. "It's not doing much, if you take a look at what's happened to Iran over the past week."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/if-they-are-its-not-doing-much-trump-dismisses-russia-aiding-iran-to-target-america/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:42:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2264171131.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,273,290 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p><p>Russia has lost around 1,273,290 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on March 7.</p><p>The number includes 930 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.</p><p>According to the</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-273-290-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ukrainian-drones-attack-oil-depot.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:33:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ukrainian-drones-attack-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6d75ae7939.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones attack oil depot in Krasnodar Krai, Russia claims"></p>Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that it had shot down four Ukrainian drones over Krasnodar Krai overnight.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-attack-oil-depot-in-krasnodar-krai-russia-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/kyiv-reports-zero-deaths-from.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:22:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/kyiv-reports-zero-deaths-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262745676.jpg" alt="Kyiv reports zero deaths from cold during energy crisis — but there's a catch"></p><p>Zero deaths linked to winter power or heating outages have been officially recorded in Kyiv, city authorities have said, despite months of severe cold caused by repeated Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.</p><p>As <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainians-made-it-through-winter-zelensky-says/">Ukraine emerges from winter</a>, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 1 that Russia launched</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-reports-zero-deaths-from-winter-outages-but-doubts-remain/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/08/ted-kronmiller-russia-wont-have.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/08/ted-kronmiller-russia-wont-have.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b0fa2ab2e6.jpg" alt="Ted Kronmiller: Russia won't have anywhere to sell its gas if the EU blocks the market #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/72EAIVMTnzw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/ted-kronmiller-congress-ampamp-the.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 23:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/ted-kronmiller-congress-ampamp-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0862da69ca.jpg" alt="Ted Kronmiller: Congress &amp; the EU ready to put pressure on Russia, so why haven't they done it yet?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lDjSqe89394">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/ukraine-used-about-patriot-missiles.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 23:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/ukraine-used-about-patriot-missiles.html <p>Ukraine expended about 700 interceptor missiles for its Patriot systems over the past winter, EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius said, as reported by <a href="https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/03/06/europe-must-urgently-boost-missile-production-eu-defence-chief-warn-as-global-demand-soars">Euronews</a>, stressing that the figures underscore an urgent need to ramp up missile production in Europe.</p> <p>The official said Ukrainian air defenses regularly repel massive Russian attacks, keeping Patriot ammunition consumption extremely high. Production, however, remains well below real needs. For example, in 2025 Lockheed Martin produced about 600 PAC-3 missiles—fewer than Ukraine used in just one winter.</p> <p>Kubilius noted that global demand for air defense is surging. Systems and interceptors are being used not only in Russia’s war against Ukraine but also in other conflicts.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously highlighted the scale of such weapons use in the Middle East. He said more than 800 U.S.-made interceptors were fired in just three days to counter Iranian attacks and drones—stockpiles Ukraine has never had.</p> <p>European officials acknowledge the current situation requires an urgent boost to the defense industry. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the EU must develop its own production capacity and resilient arms supply chains.</p> <p>According to Kubilius, the European Union is already considering several financial tools to increase defense output. They include a roughly €90 billion credit-support program for Ukraine and an EU-wide defense lending scheme of up to €150 billion.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-used-about-700-patriot-missiles-over-winter-amid-global-shortage-eu-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/ampquotthe-west-must-exploit-russias.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 23:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/ampquotthe-west-must-exploit-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c52a6c217c.jpg" alt="&quot;The West must exploit Russia's vulnerabilities&quot; – Ted Kronmiller | Wrap-Up Analytics"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4yC_te7BDI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/zelensky-points-to-russiairan-coordination.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 21:54:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/zelensky-points-to-russiairan-coordination.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3d8acaf8762114438a686c3d3d3aa72c-1772909295-extra-large.png" alt="Zelensky points to Russia-Iran coordination in drone strikes in Middle East"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 7 that Russian components have been identified in Iranian-made drones used in attacks against the United States and countries in the Middle East, pointing to broader cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-iran-coordination-middle-east-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/orban-tapped-russian-intelligence-to.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 21:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/orban-tapped-russian-intelligence-to.html <p>A new Russia-related political scandal has erupted in Hungary ahead of parliamentary elections. Opposition politician Peter Magyar accused Prime Minister Viktor Orban of allowing members of Russian intelligence into the country to meddle in the electoral process.</p> <p>Magyar, leader of the Tisa party, made the allegations on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peter.magyar.102">his Facebook page</a>.</p> <p>According to Magyar, representatives of Russian intelligence arrived in Budapest several weeks ago with the aim of influencing the outcome of the vote.</p> <p>The opposition politician said he has information from several sources and demanded an immediate end to foreign interference in Hungary’s elections. He noted that the Kremlin had previously carried out a similar influence campaign targeting the electoral process in Moldova.</p> <p>Magyar directly addressed Orban, urging him to immediately expel Russian intelligence officers working in Hungary under diplomatic cover.</p> <p>He also called for the National Security Committee of Hungary to be convened and briefed on Russia’s interference.</p> <p>Magyar added that the government should explain what information Hungarian authorities have received from allied intelligence services regarding Russian meddling.</p> <p>Concluding his statement, Magyar said Hungary needs leadership that will not expose the country to threats from external actors.</p> <p>In his words, the country must remain “a stable and predictable partner” trusted by its allies.</p> <p><a href="https://uawire.org/kremlin-reportedly-deploys-embassy-based-operatives-to-boost-orban-ahead-of-hungary-s-2026-elections">An investigation</a> by the VSquare project alleged that the Kremlin launched a political influence operation aimed at ensuring the victory of Orban’s party in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Hungary.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/orban-tapped-russian-intelligence-to-win-the-election-hungarian-opposition-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/204523.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:45:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/204523.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2169943770.jpg" alt="Russia-linked disinformation campaign targets Ukraine amid tensions with Hungary"></p>A Russia-linked disinformation campaign has circulated artificial intelligence-generated images depicting the detention of Ukrainian bank employees by Hungarian authorities, fact-checking outlet Vastagbor reported March 7.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-disinformation-targets-ukraine-amid-hungary-tensions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/defense-minister-fedorov-more-than.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/defense-minister-fedorov-more-than.html <p>Ukrainian drones are increasingly being used not only for reconnaissance or strikes but also to compel Russian troops to lay down their arms, with videos online showing soldiers surrendering under drone supervision, said Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on <a href="https://t.me/zedigital/6669">his Facebook page</a>.</p> <p>According to him, drone operators escort Russian troops who decide to surrender and guide them toward positions held by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <p>“UAV operators escort them to our positions,” Fedorov said in a comment to the published video.</p> <p>The defense ministry says that more than 100 Russian service members surrendered this winter thanks to the work of unmanned aviation units.</p> <p>The ministry emphasizes that each captured soldier can take part in future exchanges, offering a chance to bring Ukrainian servicemen home.</p> <p>This practice began to spread in 2024, when a video appeared online showing a Russian soldier deciding to surrender after spotting a Ukrainian drone overhead.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/defense-minister-fedorov-more-than-100-russian-troops-surrender-under-the-watch-of-ukrainian-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/russia-strikes-energy-and-railways.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:18:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/russia-strikes-energy-and-railways.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/77354a007b.jpg" alt="Russia strikes energy and railways: Zelenskyy appeals to partners #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CAEazFCuG6c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/tragedy-in-kharkiv-russian-missile.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/tragedy-in-kharkiv-russian-missile.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04a5a3917b.jpg" alt="TRAGEDY IN KHARKIV – Russian missile STRIKES apartment building!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRtZqh0ptss">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/zelensky-says-ukraine-holds-key.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/zelensky-says-ukraine-holds-key.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two discussed the situation on the front lines, Europe’s continued support for Ukraine and broader international security.</p> <p>Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18243">said</a> Ukrainian forces achieved notable results over the winter and held all key defensive sectors. The call also focused on financial assistance for Kyiv.</p> <p>He stressed the importance of implementing Europe’s pledge to provide €90 billion in support to Ukraine over the next two years, as well as adopting a new sanctions package against Russia.</p> <p>The presidents also discussed developments in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, including events surrounding Iran.</p> <p>Zelensky noted that France backs Kyiv’s efforts to bolster regional security, citing Ukraine’s experience countering Shahed-type attack drones.</p> <p>That expertise, he said, could help shape a renewed and more effective system of collective security with international partners. Earlier, the Ukrainian president posted a video from central Druzhkivka.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-holds-key-defensive-lines-in-call-with-macron-urges-eu-to-deliver-90-billion-aid">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/russia-amasses-troops-for-new.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/russia-amasses-troops-for-new.html <p>Russian forces have stepped up airstrikes and other strikes around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in Ukraine’s Donetsk region as they prepare a new push using reserve units, according to Ukraine’s military. The report was posted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s “East” Group of Troops <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122152335278972946&set=a.122105018414972946">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>The situation in the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad urban area remains difficult, the “East” grouping said. Ukrainian intelligence has detected signs that Russian forces are preparing to intensify combat operations with reserves, including an uptick in airstrikes and other firepower.</p> <p>Russian occupation forces have not given up attempts to seize all of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, but Ukraine’s Defense Forces are holding positions in the northern districts of both cities. Moscow’s troops have been trying to capture Pokrovsk for more than a year and six months, the statement said.</p> <p>The Pokrovsk axis, along with the Hulyaipole axis, remains one of the hottest sectors of the front, even as Russia has recently increased activity elsewhere. On March 6, Russian forces launched 24 attacks on the Pokrovsk sector, all of which were repelled, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. Fighting took place near Shakhove, Krasnyi Lyman, Rodynske, Hryshyne, Kotlyne and toward Novooleksandrivka.</p> <p>Around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, Ukrainian units are conducting aerial reconnaissance, laying additional mines along likely Russian approach routes, and disrupting the enemy’s logistics. Ukrainian forces are also carrying out systematic search-and-strike missions.</p> <p>On the Hulyaipole axis on March 6, Russian troops attacked 19 times, with clashes reported near Myrne, Hulyaipole and toward Varvarivka. On the Kostiantynivka axis, Russian forces launched 24 assaults near Kostiantynivka, Ivanopillia, Berestok and Rusyn Yar, the military said.</p> <p>Earlier reports said Ukrainian forces made new gains near Hulyaipole and straightened the front line.</p> <p>Ukrainian airborne troops also broke through Russian defensive lines on the Oleksandrivka axis, between Hulyaipole and Pokrovsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-amasses-troops-for-new-offensive-near-pokrovsk-and-myrnohrad-ukrainian-military-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/at-least-killed-including-two.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 17:25:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/at-least-killed-including-two.html <p>Russia launched another mass attack on Ukraine overnight Saturday, March 7. A ballistic missile strike on the Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv killed at least 11 people, including a boy and a 13-year-old girl. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES), the head of the regional military administration Oleh Syniehubov, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov and President Volodymyr Zelensky reported the casualties on Telegram.</p> <p>Rescuers said they pulled the bodies from the rubble of a five-story residential building. Search and rescue operations are underway across a 300-square-meter area, with sappers, canine units and psychologists on site. “People may still be under the debris,” the SES said, adding that at least 10 people were injured, including two children.</p> <p>In Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region, Mayor Halyna Minaieva said on Telegram that a drone strike hit a private house in the city center. “Preliminarily, two residents of Chuhuiv sustained bodily injuries,” she wrote. “Information on other casualties is being verified. Windows in neighboring houses were damaged.”</p> <p>In the Dnipropetrovsk region, three districts came under a total of 20 drone and artillery attacks, killing at least one person, according to regional military administration head Oleksandr Hanzha. In the Samarskyi district, a strike hit the Hubynytska community, sparking a fire at an infrastructure facility, he said. “In the Nikopol district, Nikopol, Pokrovska and Marhanets communities came under fire. An enterprise, 20 multi-story and private houses, outbuildings, cars and solar panels were destroyed. A 48-year-old man was killed. A 69-year-old woman was wounded. In the Synelnykivskyi district, Russians struck the Pokrovska community. A house caught fire.”</p> <p>The SES said Russian forces hit an infrastructure facility in Dnipropetrovsk region, triggering a large blaze. The type of facility was not specified. Some 200 rescuers and 60 units of equipment were deployed, the agency said.</p> <p>Zaporizhzhia regional military administration head Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram that an infant was wounded in an overnight attack on the city. Over the past day, Russian forces carried out 760 strikes on 41 settlements across the region, including 19 airstrikes, 4 barrages from multiple launch rocket systems and 232 artillery strikes, he said. A total of 550 drones of various types were also used, according to his post. Authorities received 28 reports of damage to homes, vehicles and infrastructure.</p> <p>The online outlet “Suspilne Chernivtsi” reported that the city of Novodnistrovsk in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi region lost power following the overnight attack. Earlier, Ukraine’s Air Force said on Telegram that cruise missiles were heading toward the city.</p> <p>Late on March 6, the head of the Sumy City Military Administration, Serhii Kryvosheienko, said on Telegram that a drone hit an office building in the city center. “About an hour later, a residential building nearby was struck,” he added. No casualties were reported in either attack.</p> <p>In Odesa and the wider Odesa region, Russia struck unspecified infrastructure facilities, according to the SES. Eighty rescuers and 20 units of equipment were deployed to extinguish fires. No further details were available at the time of publication.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/at-least-11-killed-including-two-children-in-russian-strike-on-kharkiv-amid-overnight-attacks-across-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/war-engulfs-the-world-kremlin.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 17:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/war-engulfs-the-world-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b485504936.jpg" alt="War engulfs the world! Kremlin may face unprecedented strike"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EegQ66gWBsM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/sweden-intercepts-sanctioned-cargo-ship.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:05:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/sweden-intercepts-sanctioned-cargo-ship.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/hcvtsr9auak9eil.jpg" alt="Sweden intercepts sanctioned cargo ship en route to Russia in Baltic Sea"></p>Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian president's commissioner for sanctions, said that the Caffa ship was traveling from Morocco to St. Petersburg, transporting grain. According to him, the vessel was previously involved in stealing grain from occupied Ukrainian territories.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sweden-investigates-sanctioned-cargo-ship-en-route-to-russia-in-baltic-sea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/ukraine-says-it-hit-russian.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/ukraine-says-it-hit-russian.html <p>Ukraine’s General Staff says Ukraine has carried out a series of successful operations aimed at degrading Russia’s military capabilities.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces launched a missile strike on a key Russian military facility in the Donetsk area. According to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/videos/%EF%B8%8F%EF%B8%8F%D0%B2-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%96-%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BF-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8-atacms-%D1%82%D0%B0-scalp-%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BE-%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%BE%D0%B1%E1%BE%8F%D0%BA%D1%82-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B0%EF%B8%8F%D0%B2-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%96-%D0%B4/2800264393660522/?rdid=VLYoNzyhVXcPzM0Q">the General Staff</a>, the target was Russian infrastructure near Donetsk airport that served as a storage and launch base for Shahed-type attack drones.</p> <p>The military said ATACMS and SCALP missiles were used.</p> <p>Units from the Ground Forces’ rocket and artillery troops, in coordination with the Air Force, took part in the operation. The strike sparked a large fire and triggered secondary explosions of ammunition, according to the statement.</p> <p>The General Staff said the destroyed site had been used by Russian forces to store, prepare and launch “kamikaze” drones employed in regular attacks on Ukrainian cities, adding the strike should reduce Russia’s drone capabilities.</p> <p>Beyond the operation near Donetsk airport, Ukrainian forces conducted several additional strikes on Russian positions. A UAV control center was hit near the settlement of Dibrova in Russian-occupied Luhansk region.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops also struck a command-and-observation post of occupation units near Kruhliakivka in the temporarily occupied part of Kharkiv region.</p> <p>In addition, Ukraine targeted Russian artillery positions in the areas of Tavilzhanka, Voskresenka and Novopavlivka. Troop concentrations came under fire near Novohryhorivka, Zheleznodorozhnoye, Torske and Sopich.</p> <p>The General Staff said such precision strikes are gradually eroding Russia’s combat power. Destroying depots, command posts and artillery positions complicates Russian units’ coordination and preparation for future offensive actions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-hit-russian-shahed-drone-base-near-donetsk-airport-with-atacms-and-scalp-missiles">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/russia-back-at-paralympics-under.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:38:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/russia-back-at-paralympics-under.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2265143393.jpg" alt="Russia back at Paralympics under national flag, its war veterans eye 2028 games"></p><p>For the first time in 12 years, Russia will compete under its national flag at the 2026 Paralympic Games — a return that comes despite its ongoing all-out war against Ukraine and a pattern of doping scandals that led to the initial ban.</p><p>"There is simply no justification for</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-returns-to-paralympics-its-war-veterans-are-eyeing-to-take-part/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-missiles.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:30:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-missiles.html <p>Overnight into Saturday, March 7, Russian forces carried out a massive, combined strike across Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities report dead and injured.</p> <p>Russia launched 29 missiles at Ukraine, nearly half of them ballistic, and 480 drones, most of them “Shaheds,” President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18233">said</a>.</p> <p>Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure in Kyiv, as well as in Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi regions, and the railway in Zhytomyr region. Damage was recorded in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy and Cherkasy regions, the president added.</p> <p>One of the ballistic missiles that hit Kharkiv <a href="https://t.me/DSNS_Kharkiv/21237">slammed into a high-rise</a> in the Kyivskyi district, nearly destroying the building. Seven people are confirmed dead, including two children.</p> <p>In the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, falling debris caused smoke and a fire on non-residential property, Mayor Vitali Klitschko <a href="https://t.me/vitaliy_klitschko/6295">said</a>.</p> <p>Debris from missiles was found in the Desnianskyi and Dniprovskyi districts. No casualties were initially reported.</p> <p>Fifteen Russian UAVs were shot down overnight in different districts over Dnipropetrovsk region, regional chief Oleksandr Hanzha <a href="https://t.me/dnipropetrovskaODA/28036">said</a>.</p> <p>According <a href="https://t.me/dsns_telegram/59302?single">to the Ukrainian State Emergency Service</a>, Russian forces struck an infrastructure facility, sparking a fire. Nearly 200 rescuers and 60 units of equipment are working at the site.</p> <p>Khmelnytskyi region</p> <p>Windows were damaged at a railway station in Shepetivka district in Khmelnytskyi fregion in a Russian attack, regional chief Serhii Tyurin <a href="https://t.me/khmelnytskaODA/8514">said</a>. A fire broke out and was extinguished by rescuers. No casualties were reported. </p> <p>The official also reported power supply disruptions.</p> <p>In the Odesa region, An infrastructure facility was hit, regional chief Serhii Lysak <a href="https://t.me/odesaMVA/1420">said</a>.</p> <p>Fires broke out in vegetable oil storage tanks and a grain warehouse was damaged, Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba <a href="https://t.me/OleksiiKuleba/8289">said</a>. Port infrastructure at another port was also damaged.</p> <p>A strike on Zaporizhzhia damaged three apartment buildings and three private houses in the Dniprovskiy district, regional chief Ivan Fedorov <a href="https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/35818">said</a>. A three-month-old girl was injured and remains under doctors’ care in moderate condition.</p> <p>The city of Novodnistrovsk came under a combined attack of cruise missiles and drones, the Chernivtsi City Council reported.</p> <p>Russian forces attacked the Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant. Power outages <a href="https://t.me/chernivcitruexa/26040">were reported</a> in the region.</p> <p>Radio-technical troops detected 509 aerial threats, the Ukrainian Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/57337">said</a>.</p> <p>They included:</p> <p>- 2 Zircon hypersonic missiles;</p> <p>- 13 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles;</p> <p>- 14 Kalibr cruise missiles;</p> <p>- 480 strike UAVs.</p> <p>Preliminarily, air defenses shot down or suppressed 472 targets — 19 missiles and 453 drones:</p> <p>- 8 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles;</p> <p>- 11 Kalibr cruise missiles;</p> <p>- 453 enemy UAVs.</p> <p>There were confirmed impacts from nine missiles and 26 strike UAVs at 22 locations, as well as debris from downed UAVs falling at five locations. Information on one enemy missile is being clarified.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-29-missiles-and-480-drones-striking-energy-and-transport-sites-causing-casualties">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/destruction-children-under-rubble-injured.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:05:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/destruction-children-under-rubble-injured.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/aa238df1b0.jpg" alt="Destruction, children under rubble, injured baby: Russia stages bloody night for Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMqUXFNjVh4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/whats-on-at-the-venice.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:58:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/whats-on-at-the-venice.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-2263973239.jpg" alt="What's on at the Venice Biennale? Russian soft power"></p><p>In the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian pavilion is set to return to the Venice Art Biennale with a “musical festival come to life” that serves as “a space for dialogue and exchange.”</p><p>The pavilion was effectively canceled in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/venice-biennale-welcomes-back-kremlin-soft-power-to-this-years-art-program/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/russia-hits-kharkiv-apartment-block.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:48:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/russia-hits-kharkiv-apartment-block.html <p>A Russian missile <a href="https://t.me/prokuratura_kharkiv/27491">struck a five-story residential building</a> in the Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv overnight on March 7, killing at least eight people, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office. Two of the dead are children, and more than 10 people were injured, including three children.</p> <p>The strike destroyed a stairwell from the first through the fifth floors. People remain trapped under the rubble as search-and-rescue operations continue.</p> <p>Preliminary information indicates Russian forces used the newest secret missile known as Izdelie-30, prosecutors said.</p> <p>Under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, a pretrial investigation has been launched into a war crime resulting in loss of life (Part 2, Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code).</p> <p>Earlier, officials said rescuers were unable to reach people under the debris because of a fire at the impact site.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-hits-kharkiv-apartment-block-with-alleged-izdelie-30-missile-killing-at-least-8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/sweden-detains-freighter-caffa-in.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:44:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/sweden-detains-freighter-caffa-in.html <p>Sweden’s Coast Guard and police on Friday, March 6, detained the freighter Caffa in the Baltic Sea as it sailed along the country’s southern coast under the flag of Guinea. Authorities suspect the vessel is part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and believe it was operating under a false flag, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported.</p> <p>In an operation dubbed “Black Coffee,” a police helicopter landed on the cargo ship before Coast Guard and police officers took control. Investigators are currently conducting searches and other procedural actions onboard.</p> <p>Sweden’s Minister for Civil Defense Karl-Oskar Bolin said Caffa is on Ukraine’s sanctions list. “The vessel is on Ukraine’s sanctions list, its ownership structure is unclear, and there is suspicion it lacks insurance. Earlier this summer, the ship reportedly switched its flag from Russian to Guinean,” he wrote on the social platform X.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian authorities, the freighter was used to steal grain from Crimea annexed by Russia, SVT noted. When it was intercepted, the ship was loaded with grain and was headed to St. Petersburg, the Swedish Coast Guard said.</p> <p>Bolin added that the investigation will determine whether the vessel meets the requirements to operate in Swedish waters. “Against the serious challenge posed by the ‘shadow fleet,’ the government believes it is necessary to pursue an active countermeasures policy,” he said. The Coast Guard, for its part, said it has launched a probe into suspected violations of the Maritime Code, with authorities judging the ship to be unseaworthy. Officials noted they still need to determine whether the freighter is linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet.”</p> <p>Russia’s “shadow fleet” largely consists of older ships operating outside Western insurance and registration systems. The network helps Moscow skirt European Union sanctions imposed after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p> <p>In May 2025, Swedish authorities said they would step up insurance checks on foreign vessels because of Russia’s shadow fleet. As of July 1, the Coast Guard and the Swedish Maritime Administration gained authority to collect insurance information not only from ships calling at Swedish ports, but also from those transiting Sweden’s territorial waters and its exclusive economic zone.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sweden-detains-freighter-caffa-in-the-baltic-sea-over-suspected-links-to-russia-s-shadow-fleet">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/im-only-afraid-of-belarus.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:03:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/im-only-afraid-of-belarus.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-00002-maria-kalesnikava-02mar2026.jpg" alt="'I’m only afraid of Belarus becoming part of Russia' — released opposition activist Kalesnikava calls on Europe to re-engage with Lukashenko"></p><p>A leader of the anti-government 2020 protests in Belarus, Maria Kalesnikava, reemerged from prison with a message that has polarized many: Europe must reengage with Belarus’s dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. Human lives, Europe’s security, and Belarus’ future are at stake, Kalesnikava argues.</p><p>After suppressing nationwide protests</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/im-only-afraid-of-belarus-becoming-part-of-russia-released-opposition-activist-kalesnikava-calls-on-europe-to-re-engage-with-lukashenko/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/ukraine-halts-russian-offensive-toward.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 13:29:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/ukraine-halts-russian-offensive-toward.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2217113758.jpg" alt="Ukraine halts Russian offensive toward Zaporizhzhia, killing, injuring 300 Russian troops, HUR claims"></p>The units of Ukraine's military intelligence and the Armed Forces have stopped Russia's advance toward the city of Zaporizhzhia as part of a three-month defensive operation in the country's south, HUR claimed on March 7.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-halts-russian-offensive-toward-zaporizhzhia-killing-injuring-300-russian-troops-hur-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/ukraine-hits-russian-shahedtype-drone.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 11:47:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/ukraine-hits-russian-shahedtype-drone.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/-2026-03-07-123238.png" alt="Ukraine hits Russian Shahed-type drone storage in Donetsk with SCALP, ATACMS missiles, military says"></p>Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian site used for the storage, preparation, and launch of Shahed-type drones with Western long-range missiles near the airport in occupied Donetsk, the General Staff reported on March 7.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-russian-shahed-type-drone-storage-in-donetsk-with-scalp-atacms-missiles-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:41:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-07-08-50-36.jpg" alt="Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 10, injure 40 over past day"></p>Russia launched 480 drones, including Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and 29 missiles, including hypersonic Zircon anti-ship missile and Iskander-M ballistic missiles, overnight, the Air Force reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill-10-injure-40-including-children-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/a-terrible-night-in-kharkiv.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 08:38:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/a-terrible-night-in-kharkiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ee1347c187.jpg" alt="A terrible night in Kharkiv: Russians brutally shelled the city #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/n9m2blyYlIg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 08:12:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260784902.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,272,360 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,010 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-272-360-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/us-considering-lifting-sanctions-on.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 01:34:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/us-considering-lifting-sanctions-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5b628e4050.jpg" alt="US considering lifting sanctions on Russian oil to ease global shortage, Treasury chief says"></p>U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 6 that Washington is considering lifting some sanctions on Russian oil to address a global supply shortage linked to recent military operations in Iran.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-considering-lifting-sanctions-on-russian-oil-to-ease-global-shortage-treasury-chief-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/07/explosions-rock-kyiv-other-ukrainian.html Sat, 07 Mar 2026 01:20:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/07/explosions-rock-kyiv-other-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257306851.jpg" alt="Explosions rock Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities as Russia launches combined ballistic missile and drone attack overnight"></p>Russia attacked Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and drones overnight on March 7, the Air Force reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-targets-kyiv-with-ballistic-missiles/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukraines-general-staff-confirms-damage.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:09:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukraines-general-staff-confirms-damage.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1564922910.jpg" alt="Ukraine's General Staff confirms damage to two Russian Black Sea Fleet ships in Novorossiysk"></p>Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces confirmed that two Russian Black Sea Fleet frigates, Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, were damaged during a Ukrainian strike on the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk on March 2.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-general-staff-confirms-damage-to-two-russian-black-sea-fleet-ships-in-novorossiysk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/russia-eyes-capture-of-odesa.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/russia-eyes-capture-of-odesa.html <p>Russia has not abandoned its strategic ambition to seize Odesa, one of Ukraine’s largest port cities, with the Kremlin weighing multiple options for a southern offensive that could pave the way to dominance in the Black Sea, a Ukrainian analyst said. Photo: TASS</p> <p>Alexander Kovalenko, a military-political analyst with the “Information Resistance” group, told <a href="https://tsn.ua/exclusive/rosiia-natsilylas-na-velyke-ukrayinske-misto-choho-ochikuvaty-vid-armiyi-rf-navesni-ta-vlitku-2026-3035054.html">the outlet TSN</a> that Moscow’s interest in Odesa has remained unchanged since the start of its full-scale invasion because of the city’s strategic value. Capturing it, he said, would effectively cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea and give Russia full control over the maritime region.</p> <p>Kovalenko noted that Russia pursued similar aims in 2022, when it envisioned a large-scale amphibious landing. Those plans collapsed, he said, and Moscow is now unable to repeat them after significant fleet losses and the relocation of vessels to Novorossiysk following a series of strikes.</p> <p>He said a theoretical airborne assault is also unlikely, given Ukraine’s effective air defenses that could disrupt such an operation.</p> <p>The most plausible option for Russian forces, according to Kovalenko, is a ground offensive. He outlined two potential axes: from the breakaway region of Transnistria, or from the left-bank part of Kherson region. But he assessed that Russia’s current force posture there lacks the resources even to force a crossing of the Dnipro River and hold ground on the right bank of Kherson region.</p> <p>Advancing toward Odesa would also require pushing through Mykolaiv region, where terrain poses added challenges. The area’s numerous estuaries and waterways would significantly hinder the movement of large military formations, he said.</p> <p>Still, Kovalenko cautioned that a current shortfall in manpower and equipment does not mean Moscow will abandon the plan altogether. He warned Russia could try to gradually build up its presence in the south.</p> <p>“That’s why it’s important for us to be ready for any scenario. Pavlo Palisa is saying exactly this: the risks were, are and will remain as long as the war continues. We need to be prepared for the possibility that Russia finds the necessary resources. We need prepared defensive lines. The Russians can only conduct a ground operation; all other attempts are unrealistic,” he said.</p> <p>Kovalenko also pointed to the possibility of intensified strikes on Odesa and the surrounding region. He said the tempo of attacks could come in waves, with lulls followed by new periods of heightened activity.</p> <p>A range of factors could drive any escalation, he said, from weather to political or societal events. May 2 could be one trigger, he added, noting that Odesa remains symbolically important and sensitive for Russia.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian serviceman and political scientist Kyrylo Sazonov outlined what he described as Russian plans to expand operations in the south with a potential push toward Mykolaiv and Odesa.</p> <p>And Pavlo Palisa, head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, said Russia aims to seize Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa, and has not given up on the full occupation of Donetsk region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-eyes-capture-of-odesa-as-it-weighs-southern-ground-offensive-analyst-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/zelensky-a-ukrainian-pullout-from.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/zelensky-a-ukrainian-pullout-from.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says some around the world have started treating as “truth” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim that “if Ukraine is not in Donbas, the war will end.”</p> <p>“Despite everything Russia has said before, its aggression has only grown,” Zelensky said in an <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18175">interview with Italy’s Rai Italia</a>. “We simply cannot trust the Russian side. We can try to negotiate an end to the war with strong mediators, but the conditions must be such that we do not believe or rely directly on Russia’s words. We must understand that if Ukraine is not in Donbas, there is no guarantee Putin will not continue the war. I would even say the opposite. The fact is that he will continue. What’s uncertain is whether he will continue immediately.”</p> <p>He said Putin needs time to prepare - staffing brigades, additional divisions, and more. “That takes time. This I believe - he needs that time. But who can guarantee he won’t then continue the occupation? And why should we leave our land that we control? He couldn’t achieve anything on the battlefield—he doesn’t have the forces. He wants us to believe him and simply leave our well-fortified territory. These fortifications limit the capabilities of Russian forces. Putin understands that if we withdraw, he will save from 300,000 to 1 million of his soldiers, depending on the intensity and duration of offensive operations in Donbas. Why should we believe him and hand out such gifts?”</p> <p>On March 4, Zelensky said the negotiation process to end the war has been suspended due to fighting in the Middle East</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-a-ukrainian-pullout-from-donbas-would-save-300-000-to-1-million-russian-troops">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/kremlin-reportedly-deploys-embassybased-operatives.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/kremlin-reportedly-deploys-embassybased-operatives.html <p>The Kremlin has dispatched a team of political technologists to interfere in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for April 2026. The main objective: to help Prime Minister Viktor Orbán retain power.</p> <p>According to sources in European security, coordination of the operation to support Viktor Orbán has been assigned to Sergey Kiriyenko, the first deputy chief of staff to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, VSquare <a href="https://vsquare.org/goulash-kremlins-vote-meddling-team-in-budapest-slovakias-shady-help-for-arms-group-ipo">reports</a> in its investigation.</p> <p>He is described as the architect of Russia’s political influence infrastructure, both domestically and abroad.</p> <p>A former head of Rosatom, Kiriyenko views foreign elections as an extension of Russia’s political management toolkit. Previously, Moldova served as a venue where his operation rolled out vote-buying networks, troll farms and on-the-ground operatives to sway elections against pro-European President Maia Sandu.</p> <p>Russia is now trying to apply that playbook in Hungary. NATO is likely already aware of the Kremlin’s efforts to bolster Orbán’s campaign and is monitoring the situation.</p> <p>The plan, according to the report, is to station Russian social media manipulation experts at the Russian Embassy in Budapest, issuing them diplomatic or service passports. The goal is immunity from prosecution - a “lesson” Russia drew from Moldova, where authorities spent years dismantling the embassy’s activities before ultimately cutting Russia’s diplomatic staff by more than two-thirds.</p> <p>VSquare’s sources say the Budapest arrangement calls for a three-person team operating out of the embassy on behalf of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence.</p> <p>It wouldn’t be the first time Russian operatives with opaque roles have worked from Budapest’s diplomatic infrastructure. Meanwhile, pro-Orbán media are amplifying Kremlin-linked anti-Ukrainian narratives more loudly than ever—a cover for a Russian media operation that functions best when the information ecosystem is already favorable.</p> <p>Polling out of Budapest has alarmed the ruling Fidesz party. Last week, Median, one of Hungary’s most respected independent pollsters, published a survey showing the TISZA party leading Fidesz by twenty points.</p> <p>Economist Serhiy Fursa has argued that escalating tensions between Kyiv and Budapest could benefit both the Kremlin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In his view, actions by Hungarian authorities - such as blocking Ukrainian funds and detaining cash-in-transit couriers - may be a deliberate provocation intended to trigger a harsh response from Ukraine.</p> <p>Earlier, the detention of Ukrainian cash couriers in central Budapest caused a stir in bilateral relations. Focus examined how the incident could become one of the most high-profile diplomatic scandals between Ukraine and Hungary in recent years - potentially carrying political consequences for Orbán and for his relations with the European Union.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-reportedly-deploys-embassy-based-operatives-to-boost-orban-ahead-of-hungary-s-2026-elections">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/orban-to-block-ukraine-aid.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 21:40:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/orban-to-block-ukraine-aid.html <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he will block European financial assistance to Ukraine until Kyiv restores operations of the Druzhba oil pipeline delivering Russian crude to his country.</p> <p>Speaking on Hungary’s Kossuth Radio, Orban said the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline was not due to technical problems but allegedly based on a “political decision” by Kyiv.</p> <p>He also stopped short of guaranteeing he would lift his veto on aid to Ukraine even if oil flows resume.</p> <p>“We will not comply with Ukraine’s demand to give up cheap Russian energy,” Orban added.</p> <p>He said Hungary will not implement the European Union’s decision to impose an embargo on Russian energy supplies.</p> <p>Hungary is ready to use “all means” to protect its interests, the prime minister said.</p> <p>“We have stopped supplying gasoline to Ukraine, we are also not supplying diesel fuel, but we continue to supply electricity, and we will also halt the transit through Hungary of goods important to Ukraine until we receive Ukraine’s permission for oil deliveries,” Orban said.</p> <p>Zelensky: Druzhba repairs could take up to six weeks</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it could take several more weeks before the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, is back online.</p> <p>He also indicated he would personally prefer not to restore the pipeline.</p> <p>Despite the damage, oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia are not currently under threat.</p> <p>According to the European Commission, both countries have oil reserves for roughly three months.</p> <p>Alternative deliveries via the Adriatic pipeline used by Croatia are possible but cost more than Russian oil.</p> <p>The war with Iran is further fueling the rise in oil prices.</p> <p>The day before, Hungary’s prime minister threatened to forcibly resume deliveries of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.</p> <p>He also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of threatening him over remarks made at a government meeting in Kyiv.</p> <p>Zelensky had expressed hope that “one person in the European Union will not block 90 billion euros and Ukrainian fighters will get weapons.”</p> <p>“Otherwise, we will give our guys this person’s address so they can call him and talk to him in their own language,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky’s statement drew criticism not only from Hungary’s authorities but also from opposition politician Péter Magyar, Orban’s main challenger in the upcoming elections.</p> <p>“No foreign head of state can threaten any Hungarian—neither Orban’s outgoing government, nor the future government of Tisza, nor any Hungarian,” Magyar said.</p> <p>On March 5, Hungarian security forces detained two armored cash-in-transit vehicles and seven employees of state-owned Oschadbank who were transporting money and valuables between Austria and Ukraine.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called it “hostage-taking and state terrorism.”</p> <p>Hungary’s tax authority said the detainees are accused of money laundering.</p> <p>The agency specifically noted that one of the seven Oschadbank employees is a former senior officer of the Ukrainian security services, according to Hungarian outlet Index.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/orban-to-block-ukraine-aid-until-druzhba-pipeline-is-repaired">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/lavrov-denies-budanovs-claim-that.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 21:38:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/lavrov-denies-budanovs-claim-that.html <p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow has “not even seen” any Western security guarantees for Ukraine, disputing a claim from Kyiv that Russia accepted US-backed assurances. Speaking at the 11th Ambassadors’ Roundtable in Moscow, Lavrov said Russia “not only did not approve these guarantees - we haven’t seen them,” according to <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26661203">TASS</a>.</p> <p>He called public speculation on the issue “disrespectful to the negotiations initiated by the American side.”</p> <p>“The guarantees I’m talking about are not aimed at ensuring indivisible security in this part of the world, but at pumping Ukraine with money and weapons, deploying troops there in order to once again try to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia,” Lavrov added.</p> <p>On February 28, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and a member of the negotiating team, Kyrylo Budanov, said on national television that Russia had agreed during the latest stage of truce talks to US security guarantees for Ukraine.</p> <p>On March 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks between Russia and Ukraine with US participation are currently paused due to Israel’s and the United States’ military operation in Iran. Meetings under this track had been planned for early March.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-denies-budanov-s-claim-that-russia-agreed-to-us-security-guarantees-for-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/peskov-jokes-nato-should-invoke.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 21:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/peskov-jokes-nato-should-invoke.html <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov weighed in on claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky threatened Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, quipping that in such a situation it would supposedly be time to invoke NATO’s Article 5, which provides for collective defense among member states.</p> <p>He made the comment during a March 5 briefing, according to <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26675489">Russia’s TASS news agency</a>. Responding “jokingly,” as he put it, to a reporter’s question about Kyiv’s statements toward Budapest, Peskov said that in this case “it’s time to invoke NATO’s Article 5.”</p> <p>Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty enshrines the principle of collective defense, under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.</p> <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has claimed Zelensky issued threats directed not only at him personally but at the entire country. Orban said tensions with Kyiv stemmed from oil transit - which he described as Hungary’s property - and from what he called Ukraine’s “oil blockade.” He stressed that Hungary would use political and financial tools to defend its economic interests. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico later backed Orban’s position and warned that Zelensky’s rhetoric could lead to blocking a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine.</p> <p>Responding at a briefing to the possibility that the EU could block the €90 billion loan, Zelensky said Ukrainian soldiers could personally explain to Orban why the assistance matters. He added he hopes no one in the EU will block the financing; otherwise, Ukraine would pass that person’s address to the Armed Forces for “a conversation in their own language.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/peskov-jokes-nato-should-invoke-article-5-after-orban-claims-zelensky-threatened-him">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukrainian-drones-severely-damage-russian.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:53:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukrainian-drones-severely-damage-russian.html <p>In the port of Novorossiysk, drones from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck the Russian Navy frigate “Admiral Essen,” hitting equipment in the ship’s midsection. The attack targeted radars, electronic warfare systems and air-defense components. What happened on board after the strike, and how did it affect the ship’s combat readiness?</p> <p>A fire burned aboard the “Admiral Essen” for 18 hours after the drone attack, SBU sources told the outlet <a href="https://t.me/RBC_ua_news/184279">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>The agency believes the ship sustained damage severe enough to prevent it from being used to launch Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukraine.</p> <p>The SBU said its drones breached Novorossiysk’s multi-layered air-defense system and hit the central superstructure. From now on, the “Admiral Essen” will not take part in strikes and will be unable to launch its eight Kalibrs.</p> <p>“The Russian frigate ‘Admiral Essen’ suffered critical damage and can no longer employ Kalibr missiles,” the outlet wrote.</p> <p>The <a href="https://t.me/ukrinform_news/159873">Ukrinform</a> agency received additional details from SBU sources. Specifically, they named the systems damaged by the Ukrainian drones:</p> <p>- passive EW countermeasure - a grenade launcher that fired heat decoys to disperse the radio signal;</p> <p>- active EW system - the TK-25 complex for detecting radar operation and jamming;</p> <p>- air-defense system - MR-90 “Orekh” target-illumination radars;</p> <p>- part of the air-defense suite - the “Fregat-M2M” search radar.</p> <p>The sources did not specify which piece of Kalibr launch equipment was damaged in the March 1–2 attack on Novorossiysk. However, the systems listed above have weakened the “Admiral Essen’s” protection against air attacks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-severely-damage-russian-frigate-admiral-essen-disabling-its-kalibr-strike-capability">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/the-kyiv-independents-war-crimes.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:25:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/the-kyiv-independents-war-crimes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/what-is-the-war-investigation-img-2.webp" alt="The Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigations Unit marks 3 years"></p>The War Crimes Investigations Unit of the Kyiv Independent marks its third anniversary today: three years of documenting, exposing, and investigating war crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.t<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-kyiv-independents-war-crimes-investigations-unit-marks-3-years/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/a-gasoline-disappears-from-stations.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/a-gasoline-disappears-from-stations.html <p>Fuel companies have likely paused sales of the popular grade in anticipation of rapid price hikes amid a global fuel crunch, activists say.</p> <p>In occupied Crimea, A-95 - the most popular gasoline grade among local drivers — has been missing from gas stations for several days. Some stations are dispensing it only with vouchers, an activist with the international LiberateCrimea campaign in Simferopol told <a href="https://ru.krymr.com/a/krym-news-benzin-aktivist-toplivo-mart/33696758.html">Krym.Realii</a> on condition of anonymity.</p> <p>“The fuel situation in Crimea has started to resemble last fall’s crisis again, when shortages lasted a long time and prices rose almost daily. In the middle of this week, the occupation authorities in Crimea said the shortfall was due to supply disruptions at the ferry crossing caused by bad weather. Then they announced deliveries had been restored, but A-95 is still nowhere to be found. There’s no clear explanation from the occupation authorities as to why. Most likely, fuel companies have slowed sales of this popular grade in expectation of a rapid jump in prices because of the global fuel crisis,” the activist said.</p> <p>He added that the quality of A-95 has significantly deteriorated in recent months.</p> <p>“Crimean motorists are noticing there’s hardly any difference now between A-95 and A-92. Attendants, smiling, admit it’s ‘all from the same tank.’ Prices also vary across Crimea — for example, in Sevastopol they’ve risen above those in Simferopol. There’s growing chaos across the Crimean Peninsula, and it’s increasingly clear the occupation authorities are losing control of the situation,” the activist added.</p> <p>In December, gas stations in the occupied peninsula again reported shortages of gasoline and diesel - including AI-95 - which in several cities was sold only with vouchers. </p> <p>According to media reports, 57 regions of Russia have faced gasoline shortages.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/a-95-gasoline-disappears-from-stations-in-occupied-crimea-amid-global-fuel-crunch">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/russians-preparing-spring-offensive-zelensky.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:15:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/russians-preparing-spring-offensive-zelensky.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e0c5019a6217124118fe6321d3f7045c-1772806158-extra-large.jpg" alt="'Russians preparing spring offensive' — Zelensky visits Donetsk Oblast, meets commanders amid risk of new Russian push"></p>"The Russians are not abandoning the war, and here, in Donetsk Oblast, they are preparing an offensive for the spring," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russians-preparing-offensive-for-spring-zelensky-visits-donetsk-oblast-meets-commanders-amid-risk-of-new-russian-push/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/iranians-detained-in-moscow-after.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/iranians-detained-in-moscow-after.html <p>Moscow police broke up a gathering of Iranian citizens who on March 1 were celebrating near the Salarievo metro station what they described as the killing of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a U.S.-Israeli military operation. Dozens of attendees were detained, according to the Russian Telegram channel “Ostorozhno, novosti,” which describes itself as independent.</p> <p>Police said participants chanted, “Thank you, United States of America,” ignoring orders from law enforcement to disperse.</p> <p>Detainees were written up for taking part in an unauthorized rally (Article 20.2, Part 5 of the Administrative Code).</p> <p>Courts imposed fines on most detainees, while the alleged organizer — a female dentist who invited people via Instagram — received 10 days in custody.</p> <p>While authorities told the court that 21 people took part in the “rally,” journalists found at least 45 cases filed by the Shcherbinsky and Meshchansky district courts on similar charges against apparent Iranian citizens.</p> <p>The case files are nearly identical. The Iranians denied holding a rally.</p> <p>A post advertising the gathering read: “This is a celebration of joy, and you should not bring political posters or anything like that.”</p> <p>In court, the author of the post said she “just organized a meeting to grill kebabs.”</p> <p>Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported killed on February 28 during a joint U.S.-Israeli operation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/iranians-detained-in-moscow-after-celebrating-khamenei-s-death">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/paralympic-chief-says-injured-russian.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:43:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/paralympic-chief-says-injured-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-477141199.jpg" alt="Paralympic chief says injured Russian soldiers should be allowed to compete at future Games"></p>"It doesn't matter to us what they have done in the past in the combat field," International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/paralympic-chief-says-injured-russian-soldiers-should-be-allowed-to-compete/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/russian-forces-take-about-residents.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:30:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/russian-forces-take-about-residents.html <p>About two dozen residents of the border village of Sopych in Ukraine’s Sumy region were taken across the border to Russia by Russian forces, according to local media. These were people who had previously declined evacuation and remained near the frontier.</p> <p>The civilians are now in Russia’s Bryansk region, and their interviews have appeared on a Russian state TV channel, the Sumy outlet Kordon.Media <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AwtdcYJkg/">reported</a>. Journalists said the group includes roughly 19 people who refused evacuation and stayed in the village, which is part of the Esmanske hromada (community).</p> <p>The interviews with the Ukrainians taken from Sopych aired on the Russian state channel Vesti, which said Russian troops moved them to a settlement in Bryansk region, where they remain.</p> <p>Contact with the group had been lost, the head of the hromada, Serhii Minakov, confirmed earlier. Sopych previously had around 300 residents, but people gradually left the border area. Despite the risks, 19 people chose to stay and signed waivers declining evacuation.</p> <p>In Sopych and neighboring villages of the Esman hromada - Komarivka, Bobylivka, Kharkivka and Sydorivka - Russian forces had been attempting to infiltrate since December 2025.</p> <p>Most of those settlements had long been depopulated, while people still remained in Sopych. A similar incident occurred earlier in the Sumy region: In December 2025, Russian forces took about 50 civilians from the village of Hrabovske in the Krasnopilska hromada.</p> <p>Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian police official drew criticism for comments comparing residents of Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Kharkiv regional police chief Petro Tokar said people in northern districts of Sumy are, in his view, mentally closer to Russians. Tokar led the Sumy regional police until November 2024.</p> <p>Earlier reports indicated the Russian military has been gradually building up its grouping along the Sumy axis since autumn 2025, while shifting activity toward a large forested area northwest of the city of Sumy.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-forces-take-about-19-residents-of-sopych-sumy-region-to-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/iran-using-russian-version-of.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:30:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/iran-using-russian-version-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e5e3a9fa94.jpg" alt="Iran using RUSSIAN VERSION of &quot;SHAHEDS&quot;? Why is Russia avoiding DIRECT intervention in the war?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-AwjqZrOhE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukraine-claims-over-russian-troops.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukraine-claims-over-russian-troops.html <p>Ukraine’s military is “grinding down” Russia’s forces on the front lines despite ongoing mobilization and what Kyiv describes as Kremlin efforts to conceal the true scale of losses, a senior Ukrainian official said.</p> <p>Mykhailo Fedorov <a href="https://t.me/zedigital/6667">told reporters</a> that Russia has suffered massive losses over the past three months. Citing results from the “Army of Drones. Bonus” program, he said that from early December through March, more than 92,000 Russian troops were confirmed killed, with the vast majority struck by Ukrainian drones.</p> <p>He said the mission remains straightforward: destroy more Russian forces than Moscow can mobilize.</p> <p>Drones have become a “real nightmare” for Russia’s military, he said.</p> <p>According to the verified figures he cited, Ukrainian forces eliminated 92,475 Russian servicemembers over three months, including 88,898 killed in UAV strikes. The remaining Russian losses were confirmed by videos of artillery strikes.</p> <p>In February alone, Ukraine says it killed 27,313 Russian soldiers - an average of 975 a day - even though the month was shorter and Russian activity on the front eased. Kyiv says Russia’s army continues to be worn down on the battlefield despite ongoing mobilization and the Kremlin’s attempts to obscure casualty numbers.</p> <p>Another key metric, officials said, is the number of downed Russian drones. In recent months, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 15,438 enemy UAVs along the front line and over Ukrainian cities. For the second month in a row, Ukraine reported a record number of downed Shahed drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-claims-over-92-000-russian-troops-killed-this-winter-mostly-by-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukrainian-drones-hit-yevpatoria-aircraft.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:30:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukrainian-drones-hit-yevpatoria-aircraft.html <p>Overnight on March 6, drones from the Security Service of Ukraine’s Alfa special unit struck eight targets in Russian-occupied Crimea, media sources said. Among the targets were an aircraft repair plant in Yevpatoria and the Dzhankoi airfield, both used in the war between Russia and Ukraine. What new losses did Russian bases on the peninsula sustain?</p> <p>During the attack, SBU drones hit two Pantsir-S2 air defense systems, according <a href="https://t.me/ukrpravda_news/75639">to Ukrainska Pravda’s Telegram channel</a>, citing security service sources. In addition, an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 reconnaissance-strike drone was damaged right on the airfield. Other targets included a ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun mounted on a truck, two fuel tankers, and a Forpost UAV control station.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-hit-yevpatoria-aircraft-repair-plant-and-dzhankoi-airfield-damaging-air-defenses-and-uavs-in-crimea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/how-iran-taught-russia-to.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:27:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/how-iran-taught-russia-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c5ec9f68c6.jpg" alt="How Iran taught Russia to make deadly drones — and now pays the price"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRBGTHB8mj4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/russians-wont-give-up-war.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:13:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/russians-wont-give-up-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d4f18cc9ce.jpg" alt="Russians won't give up war in Donetsk region, preparing offensive for spring,— Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Eyka2ne3R9c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukraine-brings-home-troops-and.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:12:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukraine-brings-home-troops-and.html <p>Ukraine has carried out a new prisoner exchange with Russia, bringing home 300 service members and two civilians. Most of the freed defenders had been held for more than a year, and some since the start of the full-scale war in 2022.</p> <p>Three hundred Ukrainian service members held in Russian captivity are returning home, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18206">said</a>. Alongside them, two civilians were also released. The president said the group includes troops from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard fighters and border guards.</p> <p>“Among them are guys from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and our border service. Privates, sergeants, officers. They defended Ukraine in multiple directions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, in Mariupol,” Zelensky noted.</p> <p>He added that most of those freed had been in captivity for more than a year, with some captured by Russian forces back in 2022. The president thanked Ukrainian forces who are building up the exchange pool by taking occupiers prisoner, as well as the entire team organizing the swaps.</p> <p>“I am grateful to the United States for its mediation. It is important that the agreements worked. We remember each and every one, and we must bring all our people home,” Zelensky added.</p> <p>On March 5, Ukraine and Russia conducted another prisoner exchange that returned Ukrainian defenders home. Following that exchange, about 200 Ukrainian service members were able to return. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the information.</p> <p>Earlier, delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia meeting in Abu Dhabi agreed on an exchange of 314 prisoners. This was announced by U.S. presidential special representative Steve Witkoff, who emphasized it was the first such exchange in the last five months. He said talks are ongoing, with the sides expecting further progress in the coming weeks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-brings-home-300-troops-and-two-civilians-in-latest-prisoner-exchange-with-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/stab-in-the-back-how.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:01:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/stab-in-the-back-how.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6621700697.jpg" alt="Stab in the back: How Orban is openly selling Europe to Putin! Why is the EU tolerating this?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZdXIhvfLAQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/inside-a-ukrainian-prison-for.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:21:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/inside-a-ukrainian-prison-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/womencollaborators-2-4-.jpg" alt="Inside a Ukrainian prison for women who sided with Russia"></p>Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/inside-a-ukrainian-prison-for-women-who-sided-with-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/russia-reportedly-provides-iran-intelligence.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:39:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/russia-reportedly-provides-iran-intelligence.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263711844-1.jpg" alt="Russia reportedly provides Iran intelligence used to target US forces in Middle East"></p>One unnamed U.S. official described the support as "comprehensive," the Washington Post reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-reportedly-provides-iran-intelligence/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/kadyrov-ally-urges-putin-to.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/kadyrov-ally-urges-putin-to.html <p>Apti Alaudinov, commander of Chechnya’s “Akhmat” special forces, says he is “ready to go today” to fight the United States and Israel on Iran’s side.</p> <p>A key associate of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov effectively called on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to enter a war with the U.S. and Israel on Iran’s side.</p> <p>Alaudinov, who leads the “Akhmat” units <a href="https://t.me/Ukraine_365News/117726">posted a video message</a> in which, commenting on the Middle East, he urged the Kremlin to arm Iran with Russian weapons and even claimed he was personally ready to fight for Tehran.</p> <p>Calling the situation in the Middle East difficult, he said Moscow must support its ally “no matter what happens.”</p> <p>“If it were up to me, I would sell them, transfer to them, probably all types of weapons I have... We need to give Iran everything we can, support them in every possible way. If the country’s leadership made such a decision, calmly, even today, I’m ready to go and stand with them to help repel a ground advance,” the “Akhmat” commander said.</p> <p>Alaudinov went on to call U.S. President Donald Trump the “Antichrist” and urged Russia to “unite” and “strengthen,” arguing that “the next target for the Americans will be the Russian Federation.”</p> <p>“Next, unequivocally, will be us, and that should surprise no one. If they manage now to finish off Iran, we will be next, guaranteed,” he added.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kadyrov-ally-urges-putin-to-back-iran-against-the-u-s-and-israel-warns-russia-is-next">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/postcards-from-kherson-where-russian.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:36:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/postcards-from-kherson-where-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/20251120-kherson-1337.jpg" alt="Postcards from Kherson, where Russian drones hunt Ukrainians every day"></p><p>At the moment the grey mass of radio static gives way to a clear image on the drone detector screen, the hunter still seems deceptively far away. <br></p><p>Looking down on the central neighbourhood of <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/kherson-oblast/">Kherson</a> from a bird’s-eye view, it remains unclear where the Russian <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/drones/">drone</a> is coming</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/postcards-from-kherson-the-city-where-russian-drones-hunt-civilians-every-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukrainian-navy-shoots-down-russian.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukrainian-navy-shoots-down-russian.html <p>The Ukrainian Navy, working with Special Operations Forces, struck Russian forces overnight on March 5 at the Sivash offshore drilling platform in the Black Sea, at the Holitsynske gas field, and for the first time hit a Russian helicopter on the platform using a drone, the Navy’s press service <a href="https://t.me/ukrainian_navy/19301">said</a>.</p> <p>According to the Navy, Russia had used the platform as a site for observation and communications relay, as well as for deploying electronic warfare systems and short-range air defenses. Those systems were used to control strike drones that attacked infrastructure in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions and threatened civilian shipping.</p> <p>During the operation, Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels and aerial drones hit Russian command and communications systems. Ukrainian forces also shot down a Ka-27 helicopter with an FPV drone as it attempted to land on the rig’s helipad.</p> <p>The Holitsynske gas field lies on the Black Sea shelf, 70 kilometers northwest of the Crimean coast. The Sivash rig is a jack-up offshore platform equipped with a helipad. Russia seized it, along with other Chernomorneftegaz assets, after the 2014 annexation of Crimea. In September 2023, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) carried out an operation to retake the platform, but it was later recaptured by Russian forces.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-navy-shoots-down-russian-ka-27-with-fpv-drone-on-sivash-drilling-platform">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukraine-secures-release-of-pows.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:41:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukraine-secures-release-of-pows.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2264300439.jpg" alt="Ukraine secures release of 300 POWs, 2 civilians in second stage of exchange with Russia"></p>The youngest freed serviceman is 26, captured at 22 in 2022, while the oldest is 60.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-secures-release-of-300-pows-2-civilians-in-second-stage-of-exchange-with-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/us-asks-ukraine-for-help.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:36:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/us-asks-ukraine-for-help.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States has asked Kyiv to provide support to defend against Shahed-type attack drones in the Middle East. Ukraine plans to assist partners by supplying necessary equipment and deploying Ukrainian specialists.</p> <p>Zelensky said <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18202">on his Telegram channel</a> that Kyiv received an official request from the United States. The request concerns assistance in countering Shahed-type attack drones in the Middle East, in the context of the United States and Israel’s war against Iran. According to the president, Ukraine is ready to help protect its allies and has already issued orders to organize the support.</p> <p>“We received a request from the United States for specific support in defending against Shahed drones in the Middle East region. I ordered the provision of the necessary assets and the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security. Ukraine helps partners who help our security and the protection of our people’s lives. Glory to Ukraine!” Zelensky said.</p> <p>The president emphasized that Ukraine is ready to share its experience countering attack drones, gained during the full-scale war with Russia. Kyiv also plans to provide technical means and send specialists capable of helping the United States defend against Iranian unmanned systems.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Salyut interceptor drone has already been tested in combat conditions. It can catch up to and destroy Russian Shahed kamikaze drones.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Forces began using a new domestically produced strike drone called “Ptashka.” The system features a fiber-optic control channel and can carry out missions at nearly 50 kilometers - a record range for drones of its class.</p> <p>US President Donald Trump praised his own actions related to the operation against Iran while sharply criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Even as the situation around Iran remains in the international spotlight, Trump said talks on the war in Ukraine are continuing and again expressed dissatisfaction with the Ukrainian leader’s actions, demanding that he sign a peace agreement.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/u-s-asks-ukraine-for-help-countering-shahed-drones-in-the-middle-east-zelensky-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukraines-hur-releases-video-of.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:10:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukraines-hur-releases-video-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-03-06-at-14-02-58.png" alt="Ukraine's HUR releases video of strikes on Russian military assets in occupied Crimea"></p>Among the reported targets were a Project 22460 patrol ship.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-hur-releases-video-of-strikes-on-russian-military-assets-in-occupied-crimea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/second-stage-of-prisoner-exchange.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:13:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/second-stage-of-prisoner-exchange.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d20534d44d.jpg" alt="Second stage of prisoner exchange with Russia: 300 more Ukrainians – HOME #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GaHMJ_fe6M0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/ukrainian-drone-blitz-hits-russian.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:06:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/ukrainian-drone-blitz-hits-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1000021925.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drone blitz hits Russian aircraft repair plant in occupied Crimea, SBU says"></p>The long-range drones hit the production workshops of the Yevpatoria Aircraft Repair Plant, located in western Crimea, as well as two Pantsir-S2 systems near a Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi, which sits in the peninsula's northeast, according to the SBU source.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-hit-aircraft-repair-plant-2-russian-air-defense-systems-in-occupied-crimea-sbu-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:16:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/image-2026-03-06-11-25-04.jpg" alt="At least 2 killed, 8 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over the past day"></p>Russian forces launched 141 different types of drones against Ukraine overnight.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-2-killed-8-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-the-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:39:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/82a058c825.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost around 1,271,350 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 950 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-around-1-271-350-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/russia-sending-election-operatives-to.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:19:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/russia-sending-election-operatives-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/26ba189357.jpg" alt="Russia sending election operatives to Hungary to prop up Orban, media reports"></p>Sergei Kiriyenko, a powerful Kremlin aide, has reportedly been tasked with overseeing the Russian operation in Hungary, applying the same set of methods deployed during Moscow-backed meddling in Moldova.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-sending-political-technologists-to-hungary-to-keep-orban-in-power-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/06/reversing-its-position-us-allows.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:28:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/06/reversing-its-position-us-allows.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2fd2ee9100.jpg" alt="Reversing its position, US allows India to buy Russian oil"></p>"To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 5.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-allows-india-to-buy-russian-oil/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/us-joins-russia-china-in.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 21:31:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/us-joins-russia-china-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1258715393.jpg" alt="US joins Russia, China in opposing IAEA resolution condemning attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure"></p>The U.S. voted against a resolution condemning attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on March 5, joining Russia, China, and Niger in opposing the measure.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-joins-russia-china-in-opposing-iaea-resolution-condemning-attacks-on-ukraines-energy-infrastructure/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/putins-new-decree-restates-russias.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 21:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/putins-new-decree-restates-russias.html <p>According to a Kremlin decree, the authorized strength of Russia’s Armed Forces now stands at 2,391,770 people, including 1,502,640 service members. But officials in Ukraine say Putin didn’t actually increase anything.</p> <p>Officially, Russian media on March 4 ran headlines saying Vladimir Putin “set a new authorized strength for the Armed Forces of Russia.” <a href="http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/0001202603040020">The corresponding decree</a> by the Russian leader was published Wednesday, March 4, on the legal acts portal. Ukrainian experts, however, point out that despite the eye-catching figure-nearly 2.4 million-this is mere sleight of hand. Focus</p> <p>Russian outlets <a href="https://www.fontanka.ru/2026/03/04/76294914">reported</a> the army “increase” sparingly and noted that Putin’s new decree takes effect the day it was signed. The previous decree - from September 2024 - is deemed no longer in force. That earlier version set the authorized strength of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation at 2,389,130 “units,” including 1,500,000 service members.</p> <p>Under the new decree, the authorized strength is 2,391,770 people, including 1,502,640 service members. Only a few Russian outlets published such “detailed” comparisons. Most simply <a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/334426">posted</a> Putin’s decree without any explanation.</p> <p>This <a href="https://t.me/andriyshTime/53403">was also flagged</a> by Petro Andryushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation.</p> <p>“Right now, the ‘2.4 million’ headline is everywhere. But it’s worth clarifying immediately: this figure isn’t new. Putin set this maximum staffing level for Russia’s Armed Forces back in 2024, and it hasn’t changed since,” Andryushchenko said.</p> <p>He published preliminary figures on the size of Russia’s army:</p> <p>- 2024 (and the new 2026 decree) - 2,389,130 total, including 1.5 million service members.</p> <p>- December 2023 - 2,209,130 total, including 1.32 million service members.</p> <p>- August 2022 - roughly 2.04 million total, including 1.15 million service members.</p> <p>- Before the full-scale invasion (2021) - just over 1 million service members.</p> <p>In other words, there has been no new increase. In practice, the decree merely reiterates an existing cap.</p> <p>Andryushchenko added that this, if anything, underscores systemic recruitment problems in the Russian army. Even with a formally authorized strength of 2.4 million, Russia has not been able to fill the ranks in reality.</p> <p>As Focus previously reported, while Moscow publicly talks about negotiations, a very different scenario may be in the works behind the lines - a new wave of mobilization.</p> <p>And on February 19, The Economist published an article explaining why the war in Ukraine has become a trap for Putin - and why he cannot end it, even if he wanted to.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-s-new-decree-restates-russia-s-2-4-million-army-cap-ukraine-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/kremlins-plans-have-failed-donetsk.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/kremlins-plans-have-failed-donetsk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dfdfa3d532.jpg" alt="Kremlin's plans have failed – Donetsk region stands firm #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-JZe1YATXo0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-pows.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:23:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-pows.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-05-14-52-10.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: 200 Ukrainian POWs return home in latest exchange, Zelensky says"></p><p>Ukraine has brought home 200 soldiers held in Russian captivity in the latest prisoners of war (POW) exchange on March 5, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.</p><p>The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed releasing 200 Ukrainian POWs in exchange for the same number of Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine, in a swap brokered</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-200-ukrainian-pows-return-home-in-latest-exchange-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/german-intelligence-says-kremlin-is.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/german-intelligence-says-kremlin-is.html <p>Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) <a href="https://de.linkedin.com/posts/bundesnachrichtendienst_russische-wirtschaft-in-roten-zahlen-sanktionen-activity-7434809894094102528-k31C">says</a> Russian authorities are concealing the real scale of the country’s economic problems. According to the BND, Russia’s actual 2025 budget deficit was far higher than official figures.</p> <p>While the Kremlin reported a deficit of 5.65 trillion rubles ($73 billion), the BND estimates the real shortfall at 8.01 trillion rubles ($103 billion) — nearly 35% higher than Moscow admits.</p> <p>Since the start of the war, Russian authorities have classified large volumes of data in an effort to mask the extent of the problems, but German intelligence says it has obtained detailed figures.</p> <p>The BND believes Moscow is systematically understating the true costs of the war against Ukraine. It says Western sanctions are putting significant pressure on the Russian economy, while revenues from oil and gas — key budget pillars — have dropped sharply.</p> <p>“Putin is sacrificing Russia’s economic future for his imperial goals,” BND representatives said.</p> <p>Additional data point to worsening conditions. Reuters reports that Russia’s consolidated budget deficit, including federal and regional spending, reached 8.3 trillion rubles ($106 billion), 2.6 times higher than a year earlier. Sources close to the Russian government acknowledge the country’s financial situation is deteriorating rapidly.</p> <p>Russia’s Finance Ministry declined to comment on the German intelligence assessment.</p> <p>Russia’s income from oil exports is declining. Under sanctions and U.S. pressure, Moscow has been forced to sell at steep discounts, sharply reducing budget inflows. Even the rise in global oil prices after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran has so far failed to offset the widening gap.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-intelligence-says-kremlin-is-hiding-the-scale-of-russia-s-economic-crisis-with-the-real-2025-deficit-far-higher-than-reported">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/kremlins-spring-offensive-canceled-afu.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/kremlins-spring-offensive-canceled-afu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8df56ffb12.jpg" alt="Kremlin's spring offensive canceled? AFU burns S-400, EW systems, and Russian occupiers"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjIiCXpVnsM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/russias-transfer-of-ukrainian-pows.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:24:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/russias-transfer-of-ukrainian-pows.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/646208566-1445815607011728-5586393262732132996-n.jpg" alt="Russia's transfer of 2 Ukrainian POWs to Hungary a 'provocation,' Ukraine says"></p>Kyiv said it was an attempt to worsen Ukraine's relations with Hungary as part of Russia's hybrid aggression against Europe.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-condemns-russias-transfer-of-2-ukrainian-pows-to-hungary-as-gross-violation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/no-shortcuts-for-ukraines-eu.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:42:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/no-shortcuts-for-ukraines-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9j6a14562.jpg" alt="No shortcuts for Ukraine's EU accession, Dutch FM says. Reforms key to progress"></p><p>Two points remain high on Ukraine's agenda: surviving the Russian onslaught and joining the European Union.</p><p>President Volodymyr Zelensky believes the two should be tied together, with his office proposing to engrave a set date for Ukraine's EU membership in a potential peace deal with Russia.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/no-shortcuts-for-ukraines-eu-accession-dutch-fm-says-reforms-key-to-progress/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/europe-must-change-laws-to.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:26:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/europe-must-change-laws-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7f8abfaee2.jpg" alt="Europe must change laws to confiscate Russian oil, – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wnOPevJo4lw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/strike-on-russian-warehouses-ukrainian.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:09:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/strike-on-russian-warehouses-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7a3f294452.jpg" alt="Strike on Russian warehouses: Ukrainian forces destroy ammunition and logistics in Donetsk region"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ryh5yG-ybnQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/kremlin-trap-merz-pressures-trump.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/kremlin-trap-merz-pressures-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04eeaa752d.jpg" alt="Kremlin trap! Merz pressures Trump - Russia's economic catastrophe inevitable?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmgXz3KMnLg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/french-nuclear-weapons-revamp-upsets.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:51:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/french-nuclear-weapons-revamp-upsets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263872867.jpg" alt="French nuclear weapons revamp upsets Russia's calculus"></p><p>Caught between bellicose Russia and an unsteady U.S., Paris is expanding its nuclear arsenal and moving to strengthen European deterrence.</p><p>The EU's only nuclear power <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/macron-unveils-expansion-of-frances-nuclear-arsenal-opens-door-to-european-deterrence-cooperation/">announced on March 2</a> that it would increase the number of its warheads from roughly 290 to undisclosed levels — the first</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/french-nuclear-revamp-upsets-russias-calculus/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/zelenskyy-russia-loses-up-to.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:43:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/zelenskyy-russia-loses-up-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/93ce93150b.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy: Russia loses up to 35,000 troops monthly #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dfQzc9hJHT8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/putin-threatens-to-halt-gas.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:00:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/putin-threatens-to-halt-gas.html <p>Russia could halt gas deliveries to the European market ahead of schedule and pivot to more "premium" buyers, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin.</p> <p>He stressed these were merely "thinking out loud" remarks with no "political subtext," driven by the European Union’s planned 2027 embargo on Russian gas and broader market conditions amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, including a closure of the Strait of Hormuz.</p> <p>"New markets are opening now. And maybe it’s more profitable for us to stop supplies to the European market right now? Move to the markets that are opening and secure a foothold there?" Putin said.</p> <p>Earlier the same day, Putin met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.</p> <p>Budapest, along with Bratislava, continues to buy Russian oil and gas despite EU sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.</p> <p>After the meeting, Szijjarto said Hungary had received guarantees from Moscow for energy deliveries at current "unchanged" prices, despite the global energy crisis.</p> <p>Guarantees of energy supplies were among the central topics of the talks.</p> <p>Since late January, Hungary has not been receiving Russian oil via the Druzhba transit pipeline running through Ukraine, as officials in Kyiv say the pipeline has been damaged.</p> <p>In response, Budapest is blocking an EU loan to Ukraine worth 90 billion euros.</p> <p>The European Union will fully phase out Russian gas supplies by November 1, 2027.</p> <p>The decision was adopted by qualified majority despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.</p> <p>The ban covers both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG).</p> <p>LNG imports must end by the end of 2026, and pipeline deliveries by September 30, 2027.</p> <p>However, the deadline can be extended to November 1, 2027, if EU countries face difficulties filling gas storage.</p> <p>The measure also bars the signing of new gas contracts with Russia.</p> <p>In 2024, about 19% of all EU gas supplies came from Russia.</p> <p>AFP noted that even with a near-total embargo on Russian oil and a sharp reduction in gas purchases because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, in 2024 the EU was still paying roughly 1.5 billion euros a month into Russia’s budget.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-threatens-to-halt-gas-supplies-to-the-eu-ahead-of-schedule">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/why-trump-needs-ukraine-to.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:11:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/why-trump-needs-ukraine-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe0b6333d-b.png" alt="Why Trump needs Ukraine to stop Iranian drones"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!TIxZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32010585-459b-4752-a81d-2cdaa48de39e_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f32010585-4.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/32010585-459b-4752-a81d-2cdaa48de39e_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:</em></p><p><em>We’ve started a new Iran-focused sister-publication delivering real-time reporting on the war from neighboring Armenia and Iraq.</em></p><p><em>If you’re interested in The Counteroffensive’s human-centered perspective on the ongoing conflict with Iran, subscribe now!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.iranwar.news/","text":"Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.iranwar.news/" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Among dense trees, on the bank of the Dnipro River – the main artery through Kyiv – sits a ship.</p><p>But instead of sailors, its crew is a group of judges who, once every two weeks, become air defense soldiers. This is no ordinary vessel. Instead of oars, it carries machine guns.</p><p>“They brought us here for the romance,” said Vitalii Zuiev, a Ukrainian supreme court judge, looking up at the starry sky above the city. “Look — there’ll be a river, a ship, we’ll have it all. But the Shaheds will be coming over the Dnipro, and you’ll be the ones meeting them.”</p><p>That night was unusually calm. Hardly any Shahed drones were flying over Ukraine, allowing air defense servicemen to catch their breath, if only for a moment.</p><p>Silence is a rarity for them.</p><p>In the last week, it has become rare in the Middle East as well. Just a few weeks after <em>The Counteroffensive </em>visited the capital’s air defense positions, the world would be stunned by waves of deadly drones thousands of kilometers away from Ukraine.</p><p>Suddenly, other countries are asking Ukraine to stop them.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe0b6333d-b.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ca8e1010a2.png" width="262" height="349.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e0b6333d-bc68-41df-b2f3-2a7a312b9a05_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":262,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The shooting down of the Shahed drones with machine guns. Photo provided to The Counteroffensive by Supreme Court Judge Yurii Chumak.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>After the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Saturday, Iran started imitating Russia’s tactic of combined mass strikes using Shahed drones and ballistic missiles. By deploying cheap, small drones, Iran is exhausting the air defense systems of the U.S. and other Middle Eastern countries, making interceptions by Western systems costly and inefficient.</p><p>This Wednesday Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18158">said</a> Ukraine will send its experts who specialize in shooting down Shahed drones to the Middle East. As the country which experienced the most extensive drone attacks in the world, Ukraine’s air defense managed to gain Shahed interception <a href="https://suspilne.media/1240336-zelenskij-sili-ppo-zbivaut-majze-90-sahediv-akimi-rf-sonoci-atakue-ukrainu/">rates</a> of up to 90 percent.</p><p>The escalation in the Middle East has demonstrated that Ukraine is much more than a country in need of aid to repel Russian aggression. It is also an equal partner capable of its tremendous battlefield experience.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!rZo1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F447da813-603f-4cda-9b50-2a7fa9292986_446x594.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f447da813-6.jpg" width="288" height="383.5695067264574" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/447da813-603f-4cda-9b50-2a7fa9292986_446x594.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":594,"width":446,"resizeWidth":288,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Iran attacked several buildings in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, on February 28, 2026. Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images.</em></figcaption></figure></div><div data-attrs='{"id":467889}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Before February 2022, Ukrainian Supreme Court Judge Yurii Chumak lived a comfortable life. He even managed to go on vacation with his wife several times, though by then he had already bought himself a helmet and a thousand rounds of ammunition.</p><p>In the first days of the full-scale invasion, the city emptied before his eyes, turning gray, unusually quiet and bristling with concrete anti-tank obstacles. His acquaintance, Vitalii Zuiev, told him that a battalion was being formed in Kyiv of about 400 servicemen, several dozen of them judges. Then volunteers guarded strategic sites with rifles — government buildings, prosecutors’ offices, hospitals and maternity wards.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!QT2i!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36ff622b-36f1-4ca0-a4e2-efaf298c50fc_1200x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f36ff622b-3.jpg" width="251" height="334.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/36ff622b-36f1-4ca0-a4e2-efaf298c50fc_1200x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":251,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Supreme Court judge Vitalii Zuiev, who voluntarily serves in the capital’s air defense. Photo by The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“We were the ‘third’ line of defense,” Vitalii Zuiev said. “They told us we would be called in when things got really bad.”</p><p>When Russian forces withdrew from Kyiv, their role changed. The volunteers began helping with the city’s air defense, guarding their assigned sector along the river.</p><p>The judges settled on an old decommissioned ship. They brought in old furniture from their homes and set up monitors to watch for enemy targets entering the airspace. Above the vessel, they built makeshift structures with their own hands to mount three machine guns — the same guns they now use to shoot down Shahed drones.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!BNsY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61b56500-cec5-4072-a7cc-e4a6a12b83da_1600x1200.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f61b56500-c.png" width="465" height="348.75" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/61b56500-cec5-4072-a7cc-e4a6a12b83da_1600x1200.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1092,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":465,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>One of the machine guns that is fired by the judges. Photo by The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“These aesthetes, these Supreme Court judges, were cleaning with a rag the walls and the floors,” said one of those judges, Nataliia Kovalenko, who also serves in the battalion just from the start.</p><p>Since the fall of 2022, when Russia first began launching Iranian Shahed drones at Ukraine and attacking its energy infrastructure, the judges have worked on a rotating schedule, taking shifts once every two weeks. They ask for time off from their day jobs and take up 24-hour duty, monitoring the airspace for threats.</p><p>If things are relatively calm, they drink tea in the kitchen or rest in their ship’s ‘cabins.’ But the moment Shahed drones start approaching, chaos erupts on the ship — they have to throw on body armor and helmets and rush upstairs to the machine guns.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!VMO4!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb4820844-d65e-467a-b77a-4e822c5534ba_1201x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb4820844-d.jpg" width="252" height="335.7202331390508" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b4820844-d65e-467a-b77a-4e822c5534ba_1201x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1201,"resizeWidth":252,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Photo from the kitchen of the air defense crew. Photo by The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“Ten years ago we used to go hiking, and a sleeping mat and a couple of pine trees were enough to sleep well through the night. Now there’s even a bed here, but the next day you still feel completely drained,” Vitalii said.</p><p>After more than four years of aggression from Moscow, the Iranian-designed drones have undergone constant upgrades. Those improvements now help not only Russia but also Iran wage its own fight against the United States and countries in the Middle East.</p><p>Iran <a href="https://armyinform.com.ua/2022/09/16/yak-iranskyj-bpla-shahid-peretvoryvsya-na-rosijsku-geran/">started</a> developing its drones in the 1980s, when it came under sanctions and started producing weapons based on stolen Western designs. Economic isolation prevented the country from building advanced aircraft, but it found a way to focus on drone manufacturing instead. By the 2010s, the first Shahed models had entered Iran’s arsenal and were used in its military operations across the Middle East, gradually undergoing upgrades.</p><p>Now Shaheds are relatively small drones about 3.5 meters long with a wingspan of roughly 2.5 meters, capable of flying up to 2,500 kilometers. That range is enough to strike military targets or critical infrastructure not only in Ukraine, but as far away as Cyprus in the Mediterranean.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!MUnl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83685d9f-10bc-4cb1-975e-068351e36845_1536x1299.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f83685d9f-1.png" width="322" height="272.24038461538464" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83685d9f-10bc-4cb1-975e-068351e36845_1536x1299.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1231,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":322,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Iranian drones were launched at the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus. Map by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2r0q310e3o">BBC</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>While Shaheds are much slower than ballistic missiles (of which Iran has relatively limited stockpiles), their large numbers allow Iran and Russia to overwhelm air defenses.</p><p>Ukraine, which is unable to afford to use costly Patriot missiles or F-16 fighter jets, has built a multi-layered air defense system. Shahed drones are hunted by mobile fire units mounting machine guns on pickup trucks, as well as electronic warfare specialists who jam the drones to knock them off course.</p><p>“A Shahed is actually quite hard to shoot down because it has several vulnerable points — the explosive payload, the engine and the control elements. It’s like a big double-door refrigerator. But those vulnerable spots are small. So you can pepper it, you might even see hits, but it can still keep flying,” Vitalii said.</p><p>Shooting down Shahed drones is usually a team effort. Air defense units are allowed to fire only within their assigned sectors to avoid hitting residential buildings. One group may damage a drone, while another finishes it off. Russia constantly tries to reroute the drones to bypass known military positions.</p><p>The judges often joke bitterly when a Shahed drone hits somewhere nearby, wondering whether their battalion can count it as a ‘downed’ drone.</p><p>“One of our colleagues went to a bomb shelter with his wife during an air raid,” Vitalii said. “When he came back, the apartment had burned down, and a Shahed engine was lying inside. He asked if it could be counted as a shootdown.”</p><p>As Yurii explained, sometimes air defense crews simply do not spot a Shahed in their sector quick enough. And when they do aim, they have to shoot ahead of the drone rather than directly at it. Otherwise, by the time the bullets reach it, the drone is already gone.</p><p>According to Yurii, artificial intelligence could calculate those trajectories and automatically guide machine guns onto the target. But he and his fellow volunteers cannot afford to buy such a system on their own yet.</p><p>The most significant breakthrough Ukrainian forces have made in taking down Shaheds is the design of interceptor drones. These low-cost drones can detect and neutralize Shahed drones using AI. In Kyiv alone, interceptor drones have shot down about 70 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine/posts/pfbid0yzeGYXfSUyS5diWaMg7BqgttiH47VsZXcYWHrmMxemXN2tKbpvHzxc9faHVcbosgl">percent</a> of the kamikaze drones launched by Russia. Ukraine has the potential to share this technology with Western partners.</p><p>U.S. officials now <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/04/politics/us-air-defenses-iran-attack-drones-challenge">believe</a> its air defense systems might fail to reliably intercept Iranian drones CNN. Since the drones fly lower and slower than ballistic missiles, they can more easily evade traditional air defenses. The Pentagon and at least one Persian Gulf country have <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d077e9c6-1573-46dc-8658-3db3aaf7cdfb">reportedly</a> already begun talks with Kyiv to buy interceptor drones.</p><p>“The issue is not that the United States or wealthy Arab countries lack the means to shoot them [Shaheds] down… but those are all expensive systems. They don’t have cheap ones. We do,” said Yurii.</p><p>At the same time, the high intensity of the fighting is rapidly depleting stocks of interceptor missiles for American Patriot systems, which are critical for Ukraine’s ability to defend its skies from Russian missile strikes.</p><p>This winter, Kyiv briefly ran out of Patriot missiles when temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius, nearly triggering a humanitarian disaster as Russia launched devastating attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.</p><p>“On Jan. 6 we were standing there, and missiles were just flying in one after another. Almost nothing was being shot down — not because people weren’t firing or weren’t hitting their targets, but because, it seemed, there were already no missiles left in stock. We were watching it all, flying in and exploding,” Yurii recalled.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!-dNd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7849ca92-700d-4dff-8426-0e6b1a7377d2_1600x1201.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7849ca92-7.png" width="452" height="339.31043956043953" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7849ca92-700d-4dff-8426-0e6b1a7377d2_1600x1201.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1093,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":452,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Supreme Court judge Yurii Chumak. Photo by The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Iran is also seeking to replicate some of Russia’s tactics in choosing targets. Tehran has begun implementing a strategy aimed at sowing complete chaos in the Middle East, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9353bcc0-ae95-48a3-bc6b-0a7b2f643a2a">according to</a> The Financial Times.</p><p>Under a plan designed by the country’s killed Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and Tehran’s top commanders, Iran is expected to target energy infrastructure and other facilities whose damage could disrupt regional airspace. By doing so, Tehran allegedly seeks to destabilize global markets and increase pressure on Israel and the U.S.</p><p>Yurii believes Ukraine should offer its partners help in countering Iranian Shahed drones. But he is skeptical about whether the United States might just steal their hard-fought technology</p><p>“They may purchase them, test them, see how effective they are, and then say: ‘Thank you for your technologies and for everything you developed during years of war, testing it all in real conditions and bringing it to a more or less practical level of perfection. Now we’ll handle it ourselves.’”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:</em></p><p><em>We’ve started a new Iran-focused sister-publication delivering real-time reporting on the war from neighboring Armenia and Iraq.</em></p><p><em>If you’re interested in The Counteroffensive’s human-centered perspective on the ongoing conflict with Iran, subscribe now!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.iranwar.news/","text":"Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.iranwar.news/" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Tania Novakivska</p><p><strong>IRANIAN DRONES ATTACK AZERBAIJAN:</strong> One of the drones<a href="https://azertag.az/ru/xeber/posol_irana_vyzvan_v_mid_azerbaidzhana___zayavlenie-4058339"> crashed</a> into the airport terminal building in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, while another crashed near a school building in the village of Shekerabad.</p><p>Two people were injured.</p><p><strong>IRGC TAKES THE LEAD: </strong>Anticipating the decapitation of its leadership, even before Saturday’s attack by the US and Israel, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-revolutionary-guards-take-wartime-lead-ensuring-harder-line-sources-say-2026-03-04/">delegated</a> its powers to much lower ranks.</p><p>This leads to the preservation of Tehran’s tough strategy and its use of drones and missiles in the region. Potentially, this could complicate the outbreak of protests and further regime change, as repressive mechanisms remain controllable.</p><p><strong>CHINA HALTS GASOLINE AND DIESEL EXPORTS: </strong>Amid<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-05/china-tells-top-refiners-to-suspend-diesel-and-gasoline-exports?srnd=phx-economics-v2"> escalating</a> conflict in the Middle East, which is disrupting crude oil supplies from one of the world’s key producing regions, the Chinese government has ordered leading refineries to stop signing new contracts and to cancel those already agreed upon, according to Bloomberg sources.</p><p><strong>QATAR SUSPENDS GAS LIQUEFACTION: </strong>The country <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/qatar-shuts-gas-liquefaction-will-take-weeks-restart-sources-say-2026-03-04/">will not be able</a> to return to normal production for at least a month, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.</p><p><strong>IRAN THREATENS ISRAELI NUCLEAR FACILITIES: </strong>Iran threatened to strike the facilities if Israel and the U.S. seek to change the regime, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-threatens-to-hit-dimona-nuclear-site-if-israel-and-us-try-to-topple-regime/">reported</a> by the semi-official ISNA news agency, citing an Iranian military official.</p><p>It threatens the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, near the city of Dimona, which is considered key to Israel’s nuclear program. The site is one of the most secure in Israel.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Spring has arrived in Kyiv! On her way to get groceries, Nastia spotted this gorgeous cat bathing in the sunlight in her neighborhood.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!xKBs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff31082ea-8385-4a13-a84d-8e30ee93daaf_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff31082ea-8.jpg" width="292" height="389.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f31082ea-8385-4a13-a84d-8e30ee93daaf_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":292,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there!</p><p>Best,<br>Mariana and Nastia</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/why-trump-needs-ukraine-to-stop-iranian">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/russian-ka-helicopter-destroyed-over.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:10:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/russian-ka-helicopter-destroyed-over.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1242960336.jpg" alt="Russian Ka-27 helicopter destroyed over Black Sea, Ukraine's Navy says"></p>The latest report brings up the number of Russian helicopters Ukraine says it has destroyed to 349 since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-navy-says-it-destroyed-russian-ka-27-helicopter-over-black-sea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/kyiv-issues-ultimatum-to-orban.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:01:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/kyiv-issues-ultimatum-to-orban.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d02e1d2e36.jpg" alt="Kyiv issues ULTIMATUM to ORBAN! Hungary TAKES Ukrainian POWs | Russia attacks civilian ships"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfVG-Cs6PHw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/heroes-returned-from-russian-captivity.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:18:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/heroes-returned-from-russian-captivity.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6fb0057649.jpg" alt="200 HEROES RETURNED from Russian captivity – tears of joy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KjSwrpNEHW4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/western-stepnohirsk-under-ukrainian-control.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/western-stepnohirsk-under-ukrainian-control.html <p>Ukrainian forces have pushed Russian units back in the western part of Stepnohirsk, with Kyiv saying Moscow’s troops were forced to withdraw from previously held positions. At the same time, Russia-linked outlets are posting videos of strikes on residential areas they had controlled and acknowledge the situation in the sector remains difficult, according to <a href="https://t.me/petrenko_iHS/11510">military blogger Oleh Petrenko</a>.</p> <p>In the Hulyaipole sector, there is effectively no clear front line. The situation is described as a “layer cake”: within a strip up to six kilometers deep, Ukrainian and Russian positions are intermingled, creating a zone of constant local clashes and maneuvering.</p> <p>Intense fighting continues in Zaliznychne. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are holding positions in the western part of Hulyaipole. That is corroborated both by Ukrainian servicemembers and by footage released by Russian sources showing strikes on the area—indirectly indicating Ukraine retains control of that part of the town.</p> <p>According to earlier reports, Ukrainian forces advanced near the border of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/western-stepnohirsk-under-ukrainian-control-as-russia-linked-channels-cite-tough-conditions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/ukrainian-pows-return-home-in.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:58:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/ukrainian-pows-return-home-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-05-14-52-07.jpg" alt="200 Ukrainian POWs return home in latest exchange, Zelensky says"></p>The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed releasing 200 Ukrainian POWs in exchange for the same number of Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine, in a swap brokered by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-and-russia-hold-latest-pow-exchange/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/russia-denies-accepting-security-guarantees.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:53:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/russia-denies-accepting-security-guarantees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ba3f4df55c.png" alt="Russia denies accepting security guarantees for Kyiv, contradicts Ukrainian official"></p>Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-denies-accepting-security-guarantees-for-kyiv-contradicting-ukrainian-official/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/ukrainian-forces-advance-near-hulyaipole.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/ukrainian-forces-advance-near-hulyaipole.html <p>In early February 2026, Ukraine’s military halted Russian forces at the junction of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions and launched a counteroffensive.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops have liberated new areas at that junction - territory Russian forces aimed to use to advance on Orikhiv and Vilniansk - military analyst Bohdan Myroshnykov <a href="https://t.me/myro_shnykov/10193">said</a>.</p> <p>According to him, Ukraine also made additional gains on the Hulyaipole axis, leveling the front in several sectors. Russian forces had planned to seize bridgeheads on the western bank of the Haichur River to continue their push in the Zaporizhzhia region, but Ukrainian troops drove them out.</p> <p>Myroshnykov stressed these are only preliminary results of the counteroffensive in this area and said operations are ongoing. He believes Ukrainian units should move toward Uspenivka and encircle it (a settlement in the Zaporizhzhia region previously captured by Russian forces). He added that while the tempo of the counteroffensive has eased recently, Ukrainian assault actions continue.</p> <p>Russia began its push toward the city of Hulyaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region in late October 2025. It captured several settlements before being stopped by Ukrainian forces. Fighting now continues around Hulyaipole and Zheleznodorozhnoye, as well as to the north—at the junction of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.</p> <p>According to Ukraine’s General Staff, yesterday, March 3, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions 25 times on the Hulyaipole front. Ukrainian troops repelled all the assaults. Clashes took place near Hulyaipole and toward Zhaliznodorozhne, Varvarivka, Hulyaipilske, Staroukrainka and other locations.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said roughly 400 square kilometers of territory have been liberated in the counteroffensive at the junction of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and eight settlements have been recaptured.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-advance-near-hulyaipole-level-front-lines-at-zaporizhzhia-dnipropetrovsk-regions-junction">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/russia-attempts-kharkiv-border-breach.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/russia-attempts-kharkiv-border-breach.html <p>Russian forces attempted to break through Ukraine’s state border in Kharkiv region over the past 24 hours, Ukraine’s Joint Forces press service <a href="https://t.me/Joint_Forces_Task_Force/20177">said</a> Wednesday, March 4.</p> <p>“In the South Slobozhansky direction, the enemy tried to breach the State Border of Ukraine and attack our positions toward Zybine and Krugle. Our units inflicted fire damage on the occupiers’ assault groups,” the statement said.</p> <p>Ukraine added that on the Velykyi Burluk axis, Russian troops continue to build up forces to resume offensive operations.</p> <p>On the Kupiansk axis, Russian units unsuccessfully tried to punch through defenses toward Petropavlivka, Novoplatonivka and Kuryliivka, according to the statement.</p> <p>On the Lyman axis, Ukrainian defenders repelled assault actions toward Shyykivka, Stavky, Drobysheve and Lyman.</p> <p>“In total, Joint Forces units neutralized 17 attacks by the occupiers over the past day,” the military added.</p> <p>Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff recorded 144 combat engagements on March 3, with the heaviest Russian attacks around the Pokrovsk and Hulyaipole sectors.</p> <p>Ukraine also said Russia lost nearly 1,000 soldiers killed and wounded on Tuesday, with overall Russian losses approaching 1.3 million, according to Kyiv’s estimates.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-attempts-kharkiv-border-breach-as-ukraine-repels-multiple-assaults">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/conditions-for-sustainable-peace-between.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:55:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/conditions-for-sustainable-peace-between.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>At the recent Munich Security Conference, President Volodymyr Zelensky posed a simple question: What is Putin without a war? This question is not rhetorical because the answer determines whether Europe will have an escalating war or a lasting peace.</span></p> </div> <p><span>Today, Russia’s political system is fused with permanent militarization. War is not a temporary deviation from normal governance, like in Ukraine, but it is the organizing principle of power. Budget priorities, industrial policy, media narratives, and political legitimacy all orbit around aggression. Military production rather than defense function, is an economic engine, a tool of social control, and a source of regime stability.</span></p> <p><span>One concrete example illustrates the scale and direction of this shift. Russia has localized the production of Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones and plans to increase the production from 400 to </span><a href="https://medium.com/@hayekesteloo/russias-shahed-production-surge-ukraine-s-top-commander-warns-of-1-000-drones-per-day-by-2026-2d759560f69f"><span>1,000</span></a><span> units per day. This is not emergency procurement. It is industrial normalization of long-range terror weapons. Localized production means supply chains, skilled labor, research adaptation, outsource of critical components, and sustained capital investment. It means factories running on multi-year projections, not wartime improvisation.</span></p> <p><span>A state preparing for peace does not expand its capacity to produce at least 300,000 kamikaze drones annually. That number exceeds immediate battlefield necessity, and it signals institutional commitment. When production is scaled to this level, it embeds militarization into the labor market, regional budgets, and political patronage networks. Governors compete for defense contracts. Enterprises depend on state military orders. Entire communities become financially tied to continued aggression.</span></p> <p><span>In such a system, war ceases to be a policy choice and becomes an economic ecosystem. Reducing aggression would then require not only diplomatic decisions but structural economic reorientation. Thus, ceasefire agreements without Russia’s demilitarization, leave the underlying machinery intact and are unlikely to be sustained.</span></p> <p><span>So, the first principle of any durable settlement must be clear: Russia’s military production must be reduced to the minimum. This means that many more sanctions, especially </span><a href="https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/sanctions_working_group_-_russian_import_of_critical_components-7-9-2023_final.pdf"><span>technological</span></a><span> sanctions should be applied to both Russia and its allies, such as China and Iran. Russia depends on the Western technology — that’s why shutting off the Starlink was so </span><a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2026/02/russia-starlink-telegram-shutdown"><span>effective</span></a><span>. However, dozens of Western technological firms </span><a href="https://leave-russia.org/?flt%5B147%5D%5Beq%5D%5B0%5D=9057&flt%5B108%5D%5Beq%5D%5B%5D=53953"><span>remain</span></a><span> in Russia, and every drone or missile that it launches at Ukraine </span><a href="https://militarnyi.com/en/news/researchers-identify-160-companies-supplying-western-components-to-russian-defense-industry/"><span>contains</span></a><span> components from the US, Europe, Japan, etc. Imposing sanctions is not enough, there should be </span><a href="https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SanctionsWorkingGroup-Sanctions-Evasion.pdf"><span>enforcement</span></a><span>, as well as secondary sanctions. Unfortunately, the discussion is going in the direction of weakening, rather than strengthening, sanctions, despite the fact that Russia shows no genuine interest in ending the war. On the contrary, on February 23, 2026, Putin </span><a href="https://ura.news/news/1053071456"><span>announced</span></a><span> strengthening of the Russian army and navy “taking into account the international situation and battlefield experience.”</span></p> <p><span>If sanctions are lifted while Russia retains its full military-industrial capacity, that capacity does not simply dissolve. Production lines do not close themselves, supply chains do not unwind voluntarily, and skilled defense labor does not disappear. Industrial infrastructure built for large-scale drone and missile manufacturing will continue to operate.</span></p> <p><span>The only real question is where that output will go. It will either be redirected toward renewed aggression once geopolitical conditions are favorable, or exported abroad, strengthening other destabilizing actors (in just one contract, Russia recently promised to Iran </span><a href="https://militarnyi.com/en/news/iran-secretly-purchased-verba-manpads-from-russia-for-589-million/"><span>500 missile</span></a><span> launchers).</span></p> <p><span>This is the strategic choice facing the West. One way is to normalize Russia’s continued expansion through aggression and modernization of high-volume drone and missile production. In this way, Russia will soon attack NATO countries, and the outcome of this attack is unclear. The alternative is to change the cost-benefit calculations. This means providing Ukraine with the capabilities necessary to defend and deny Russia any prospect of victory: expanding defense production, removing artificial constraints on long-range strikes, and deepening intelligence cooperation. Russia must understand that continued aggression against Ukraine will fail and that negotiations cannot be used as a spectacle while military pressure continues. </span></p> <p><span>Credible negotiations also require credible humanitarian preconditions. Before the start of these negotiations, Russia should be required to return deported Ukrainian children, other civilian detainees and prisoners of war. The systematic abduction of children and abuse of captives are central violations that test whether Russia is prepared to act in good faith.</span></p> <p><span>Ideally, we would like Russia to recognize its wrongdoing, pay reparations and undergo democratic reforms. That transformation is not achievable today but it cannot be dismissed as irrelevant. Durable peace in the region and beyond depends on structural change inside Russia. At present, however, there are no prerequisites for this: </span><a href="https://www.levada.ru/2026/01/27/konflikt-s-ukrainoj-v-yanvare-2026-goda/"><span>over ¾</span></a><span> of the Russian population </span><a href="https://www.levada.ru/2026/01/27/konflikt-s-ukrainoj-v-yanvare-2026-goda/"><span>support</span></a><span> the aggression, and despite the high death toll, there is </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/the-mathematics-of-war-how-to-tell-real-losses-from-propaganda"><span>no deficit</span></a><span> of people willing to kill Ukrainians for money. The Russian economy is militarized, as discussed above, and China </span><a href="https://www.cfr.org/articles/china-russia-and-ukraine-october-2025"><span>supports</span></a><span> Russia both economically and politically.</span></p> <p><span>What, then, can be the current leverage of democratic countries over Russia? The first two parts of it are discussed above: stronger sanctions and expanded defensive capabilities for Ukraine. Furthermore, despite talking about “degrading Europe” etc., the Russian political elite keeps its money, property, and children in the EU and UK. These should not be allowed to enjoy the protection of law and civil liberties which Russia destroyed domestically and tries to destroy elsewhere. </span></p> <p><span>Finally, there is an international </span><a href="https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-solidarity-ukraine/holding-russia-accountable_en"><span>tribunal</span></a><span> for Russia being </span><a href="https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/994_002-25#Text"><span>established</span></a><span> right now. As the Nobel-prize winning Ukrainian civil rights activist Oleksandra Mtaviichuk </span><a href="https://www.cfr.org/event/ukraine-update-pursuing-justice-wartime-nobel-peace-prize-recipient-oleksandra-matviichuk"><span>argues</span></a><span>, this </span><a href="https://www.oxfreepress.com/russia-ukraine-nobel-peace-laureate-matviichuk-havighurst-lecture/"><span>should not be</span></a><span> “another Nuremberg” since Nuremberg was the court of the winners, and thus </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/why-didn-t-the-post-war-tribunals-assess-the-ussr-s-war-crimes"><span>crimes</span></a><span> of the Soviet Union and its role in unleashing WWII were </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/today-s-war-is-a-consequence-of-the-impunity-of-the-ussr-and-russia"><span>swept</span></a><span> under the rug. This tribunal should protect human rights and establish justice irrespective of how the war ends. </span></p> <p><span>Only if we are able to tell right from wrong and be on the right side instead of being “neutral” can we expect a better future.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/conditions-for-sustainable-peace-between-russia-and-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:44:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2264157290.jpg" alt="At least 7 killed, 25 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russian forces launched 155 different types of drones against Ukraine overnight, of which roughly 100 were Shahed, the Air Force said on March 5. It reported downing 136 of them.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-7-killed-25-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:27:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6ecbe36ed9.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,270,400 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 900 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-270-400-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/putin-releases-two-ethnic-hungarian.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:23:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/putin-releases-two-ethnic-hungarian.html <p>Russian president Vladimir Putin released two prisoners of war with Hungarian and Ukrainian citizenship and handed them over to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26651323">during a meeting in Moscow</a> on Wednesday, March 4.</p> <p>Putin claimed the men had been forcibly mobilized in Ukraine to fight.</p> <p>“You can take them,” he said in a televised exchange after Szijjarto asked him to free the prisoners.</p> <p>Putin said they would fly to Budapest on the minister’s plane.</p> <p>According to Putin, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had raised the issue a day earlier in a phone call, asking for the release of dual citizens of Hungary and Ukraine whom Kyiv “forcibly mobilized.” “I have decided to release two people. And you will be able, as the prime minister requested, to take them with you directly onto the plane you came on and on which you will return to Budapest,” Putin said.</p> <p>During talks in Moscow, Szijjártó also raised the Druzhba oil pipeline, accusing Ukraine of a “political blockade” of restarting oil flows and claiming Kyiv is linking a restart to demands for weapons and financial aid. He said Budapest has satellite images showing the pipeline is operational and that there are no technical or engineering reasons to keep it shut. The European Commission disputes that account, insisting it was Russia that damaged Druzhba.</p> <p>Beyond Druzhba, the minister touched on broader energy issues, asserting the same people blocking the pipeline organized the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, and calling it a “disgrace” that the EU has yet to conclude its investigation into what he termed an “act of state terrorism in the Baltic Sea.”</p> <p>Putin, for his part, said Russian intelligence has information that Kyiv, with support from Western services, is preparing sabotage against the Blue Stream and TurkStream pipelines—analogous to the explosions on the Nord Streams. He <a href="https://ria.ru/20260304/putin-2078587305.html">said</a> Moscow has informed Ankara. “This is a very dangerous game, especially today,” Putin said.</p> <p>A day earlier, Putin spoke by phone with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who also requested the prisoners’ release.</p> <p>Putin praised Hungary’s stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine as “balanced and independent,” stressing that Budapest fundamentally supports a diplomatic settlement to the conflict.</p> <p>Orban is seen within the EU as the leader with the closest ties to the Kremlin; his last visit to Moscow was in November 2025.</p> <p>To Moscow’s satisfaction, Orban regularly pushes back against Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its war against Ukraine.</p> <p>By purchasing energy from the resource-rich country, he also helps fill its war chest, the dpa news agency noted.</p> <p>During his meeting with Putin in Moscow, Szijjarto asked for guarantees on oil and gas deliveries from Russia. Putin assured him that Russia intends to remain a reliable energy supplier. He said not everything depends on Moscow but maintained that Russia is fulfilling what is within its control.</p> <p>Hungary is currently not receiving oil via the Druzhba pipeline that transits Ukraine, as authorities in Kyiv say the line has been damaged.</p> <p>In response, Hungary is blocking an EU loan for Ukraine worth 90 billion euros.</p> <p>Responding to Hungary’s criticism last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Russian oil has no place in the European market.</p> <p>Ukraine has also regularly struck Russia’s oil infrastructure, aiming to cut the revenue Moscow needs to sustain its war machine and continue its armed aggression against its neighbor.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-releases-two-ethnic-hungarian-ukrainians-to-hungary-during-szijjarto-s-moscow-visit">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/trilateral-peace-talks-on-hold.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:09:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/trilateral-peace-talks-on-hold.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/22c3a876d7.jpg" alt="Trilateral peace talks on hold as Ukraine waits for US, Zelensky says"></p>Trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. are on hold due to the war between Washington and Tehran, President Volodymyr Zelensky said March 4.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trilateral-peace-talks-on-hold-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/in-the-middle-east-chaos.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 01:40:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/in-the-middle-east-chaos.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262636373.jpg" alt="In the Middle East, chaos is Putin's new ally"></p><p>If anyone was worried that Russia was going to intervene on behalf of its ally Iran in the new Middle East conflict, they need not be.</p><p>Vladimir Putin's response to the massive U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran — and even the Israeli <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/israel-claims-khamenei-is-dead-tehran-denies/">strike that killed</a> Ayatollah Ali</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/why-putin-benefits-from-chaos-in-the-middle-east/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/05/russias-nuclear-giant-controls-massive.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:31:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/05/russias-nuclear-giant-controls-massive.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8f01597909.jpg" alt="Russia's nuclear giant controls massive weapons production ecosystem ignored by sanctions, report finds"></p>Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, operates 21 entities that are directly involved in weapons production but face no EU sanctions, according to a report published March 4 by the Kyiv-based think tank DiXi Group.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-nuclear-giant-controls-massive-weapons-production-ecosystem-without-threat-of-sanctions-report-finds/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russian-frigate-admiral-essens-electronic.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:54:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russian-frigate-admiral-essens-electronic.html <p>A drone strike on Novorossiysk Bay hit the midsection of the superstructure of the Russian frigate Admiral Essen, impacting an area that houses key weapons and electronic systems.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/12608">the Telegram channel CyberBoroshno</a>, the strike triggered the detonation of PK-10 decoy launchers used to fire chaff and flares against radar- and infrared-guided missiles.</p> <p>Among the damaged systems is the TK-25 electronic warfare suite, which detects enemy radar emissions and generates active jamming to degrade the accuracy of incoming weapons. Its loss significantly reduces the ship’s defenses against precision-guided munitions.</p> <p>Also affected were ZR-90 “Orekh” target-illumination radars that guide the ship’s surface-to-air missiles by tracking and lighting up aerial targets in the terminal phase—capabilities that are critical for interception accuracy.</p> <p>Preliminary reports indicate debris also damaged the Fregat-M2M air and surface search radar, responsible for long-range detection and forming the primary radar picture for the ship’s combat information system. Damage to this radar could substantially degrade crew situational awareness and the frigate’s overall combat effectiveness.</p> <p>Earlier, it was reported that five Russian warships were damaged in a mass strike on the port of Novorossiysk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-frigate-admiral-essen-s-electronic-warfare-and-radar-systems-damaged-by-drone-strike-in-novorossiysk-bay">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/ukrainian-drones-strike-uralchem-ammonium.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:26:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ukrainian-drones-strike-uralchem-ammonium.html <p>Drones that closely resembled Ukraine’s AN-196 “Liutyi” model attacked the Uralchem plant in the city of Kirovo-Chepetsk, the Kirov region. <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/17082">News of the incident</a> emerged on Wednesday, March 4.</p> <p>Regional governor Alexander Sokolov confirmed the attack <a href="https://t.me/aleksandrsokolov43/7342">on his Telegram channel</a>. He reported no casualties and provided no further details. Kirovo-Chepetsk lies more than 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) from the Ukrainian border.</p> <p>“This morning, unmanned aerial vehicles attacked Kirovo-Chepetsk. No casualties have been reported. Emergency services remain at the scene, and the situation is under control,” said Sokolov.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/17082">Videos</a> of the drone attack first appeared in multiple social media groups, posted by eyewitnesses. Local authorities later confirmed the incident but did not identify the damaged facility.</p> <p>Uralchem is known for producing ammonium nitrate, which is used in the production of explosives. The facility sits about 1,300 kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border.</p> <p>Earlier, on the night of February 25, drones attacked the Dorogobuzh chemical plant. Authorities reported seven dead and 10 injured. Media outlets said residents from surrounding settlements were evacuated.</p> <p>Later, it emerged that ammonium nitrate production units were within the blast zone. The blast wave completely destroyed one of the pipe racks and damaged part of the neighboring production units, insiders said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-uralchem-ammonium-nitrate-plant-in-russia-s-kirov-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/putin-threatens-to-cut-russian.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:13:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/putin-threatens-to-cut-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259597721.jpg" alt="Putin threatens to cut Russian gas to Europe unless EU reverses ban, leveraging Iran war"></p>As the U.S.-Iran war disrupts global energy markets, the Russian president is brainstorming ways to strong-arm the EU into rethinking its ban on Russian LNG and pipeline gas.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-threatens-to-cut-russian-gas-to-europe-unless-eu-reverses-ban-leveraging-iran-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russian-tanker-arctic-metagas-destroyed.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russian-tanker-arctic-metagas-destroyed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2e38f410cc.jpg" alt="Russian tanker Arctic Metagas destroyed in the Mediterranean Sea! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SXxiKf77lPA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-damage-at.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:25:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-damage-at.html <p>At least five Russian Navy vessels were damaged in an overnight drone attack on Novorossiysk from March 1 to 2, the Telegram channel “Dossier Shpiona” <a href="https://t.me/dosye_shpiona/727">reported</a>.</p> <p>The anti-submarine ships Yeysk and Kasimov were among those struck, according to the channel. The minesweeper Valentin Pikul reportedly sustained significant damage. The channel did not name the other two vessels hit in the UAV attack.</p> <p>The Ukrainian OSINT project Exilenova+ earlier on March 2 published an image of a pier at the Port of Novorossiysk showing a stain “in the area of Project 1124 ‘Albatros’ ships.” That project includes the already mentioned Yeysk and Kasimov.</p> <p>“Dossier Shpiona” said three service members were killed and 16 injured.</p> <p>Exilenova+ has also released more detailed satellite imagery of the port. The images suggest that at least six ships were in port at the time of the strike. In addition to those already listed, they include the minesweeper Ivan Golubets and the frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen.</p> <p>Local authorities have not commented on the reports. A fire broke out at the Sheskharis oil terminal on the evening of March 1 following an attack by maritime and aerial drones. Officials <a href="https://t.me/opershtab23/15224">said</a> the blaze at the fuel terminal was extinguished on the afternoon of March 2. Seven people <a href="https://t.me/opershtab23/15223">were reported</a> injured.</p> <p>The Sheskharis oil terminal - one of the largest in southern Russia - is owned by a subsidiary of Transneft. It is the endpoint of the company’s main oil pipelines and handles part of Russia’s Urals crude exports.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-damage-at-least-five-russian-warships-in-novorossiysk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/tanker-nearly-split-in-half.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:02:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/tanker-nearly-split-in-half.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9e6bbaba59.jpg" alt="Tanker nearly split in half! Russian gas carrier explodes in Mediterranean | AFU burns Russian oil"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt6Ry9zhAgg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russian-assaults-in-the-zaporizhzhia.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russian-assaults-in-the-zaporizhzhia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8dc5626c91.jpg" alt="Russian assaults in the Zaporizhzhia direction: what is really happening? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yQNbJ0bs_YU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/ukraine-war-latest-russian-ships.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:22:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ukraine-war-latest-russian-ships.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/46149c4513.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: 3 Russian ships hit, 3 sailors killed in Ukrainian strike on Black Sea port, SBU source says"></p><p><strong>Key developments on March 4: </strong></p><ul><li>3 Russian ships hit, 3 sailors killed in Ukrainian strike on Black Sea port, SBU source says</li><li>Russia continues to escalate drone attacks on passenger trains, railway infrastructure</li><li>Putin increases Russia's regular army personnel to nearly 2.4 million</li><li>Russian tanker on fire</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits-russian-minesweeper-valentin-pikul-severely-damages-2-anti-submarine-ships-sbu-source-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russians-in-panic-ukrainian-forces.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russians-in-panic-ukrainian-forces.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d27c824642.jpg" alt="RUSSIANS IN PANIC! Ukrainian forces left them without air defense and drones in one stroke"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8UeyU-lyFQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/exclusive-inside-ukrainian-skeleton-racers.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:45:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/exclusive-inside-ukrainian-skeleton-racers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/heraskevych-1-2-.jpg" alt="Exclusive: Inside Ukrainian skeleton racer's disqualification from Olympics"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova speaks with Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified from the Olympic Games for wearing a helmet honoring 24 Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-inside-ukrainian-skeleton-racers-disqualification-from-olympics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/putin-increases-russias-regular-army.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:27:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/putin-increases-russias-regular-army.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e515d71cba.jpg" alt="Putin increases Russia's regular army personnel to nearly 2.4 million"></p>Russia's regular army has grown to 2,391,770 personnel. Of these, 1,502,640 will serve as active-duty troops — 2,640 more than before, according to the March 4 decree.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-raises-russian-military-personnel-to-nearly-2-4-million/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/ukraine-foils-russias-zaporizhzhia-plans.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ukraine-foils-russias-zaporizhzhia-plans.html <p>Ukraine’s military has pushed Russian troops back from several positions along the border of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, putting Moscow’s plans to establish a staging ground for an assault on Zaporizhzhia in jeopardy.</p> <p>Russian forces suffered heavy losses on the Southern Donbas axis and were forced to withdraw from positions between Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to <a href="https://t.me/zloyodessit/26726">military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko</a>, who assessed the front-line situation.</p> <p>Ukraine’s forces disrupted the formation of a strategic staging ground in the south. Russia had counted on a large-scale operation in 2026, but is already being forced to shore up positions and plug emerging gaps.</p> <p>Kovalenko said that through sound tactical moves by Ukrainian units, Russian forces lost control of several key positions and effectively lost the ability to form a foothold for an advance on Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>According to the DeepState map, Russian troops were pushed back from Pershotravneve to the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions in the direction of Novohryhorivka, as well as along the areas of Kalynivske and Novomykhailivka.</p> <p>A tactical “pocket” has also formed near Ternove, leaving Russian forces in a highly vulnerable position.</p> <p>Kovalenko stressed this is not a large counteroffensive involving tens of thousands of troops. Rather, it is the result of systematic tactical work: step by step, Ukrainian forces are exploiting Russian weaknesses and methodically pushing them out of their positions.</p> <p>The expert assessed that the Zaporizhzhia axis was supposed to become one of Russia’s key directions in 2026. Moscow aimed to establish a powerful staging ground, set up logistics, and build a grouping of up to 300,000 troops to strike toward Zaporizhzhia in the second half of the year or early 2027.</p> <p>That scenario is now unraveling. Russian units are struggling to hold the defensive line along the Haichul River—from Hulyaipole to the areas of Kalynivske and Ternove—a troubled stretch of more than 45 kilometers.</p> <p>The Russian forces are being forced to fall back, losing positions and resources. An attempt to quickly capture new territory has left them depleted and exposed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-foils-russia-s-zaporizhzhia-plans-with-advances-on-the-dnipropetrovsk-zaporizhzhia-regions-border">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/ampquotdestroy-london-and-berlinampquot-kremlin.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ampquotdestroy-london-and-berlinampquot-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9fc2beeb78.jpg" alt="&quot;Destroy London and Berlin!&quot;: Kremlin propagandists go hysterical over new EU army"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=637eCC4g-gQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russia-halts-work-at-irans.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russia-halts-work-at-irans.html <p>Work at the Bushehr nuclear power plant construction site in Iran has been completely halted amid fighting in the Middle East, Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/364173">said</a>.</p> <p>“Of course, work at the site in Iran has stopped... Because hostilities are being conducted against Iran, it’s difficult to predict how events will develop,” he said.</p> <p>Likhachev noted that Bushehr is a priority project for Rosatom, so personnel will remain on site.</p> <p>He said Rosatom had already evacuated employees’ children from Iran, as well as 94 surplus staff. There are currently 639 Russian specialists at the facility. They will be evacuated as operations pause and during lulls between strikes.</p> <p>The Rosatom head also warned that a strike on Bushehr could trigger a regional-scale disaster.</p> <p>He <a href="https://www.interfax.ru/world/1075823">said</a> Rosatom has advised Russian staff “not to leave their residential compounds” and “to avoid open areas.”</p> <p>“Given the ongoing hostilities against Iran, it is difficult to forecast how events will unfold,” Likhachev said.</p> <p>Likhachev also said 94 children of Russian employees, as well as all auxiliary personnel, have already been evacuated. An additional 150–200 people are slated for evacuation, <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/364175">TASS reported</a>. </p> <p>“The reactor is operating; it contains 72 tons of fuel. Another 210 tons is spent fuel. That’s a huge mass of materials. In the event of a strike, of course, it would be a regional-scale catastrophe,” Likhachev said, adding that “all parties to the conflict should understand that.”</p> <p>On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale joint military operation against Iran. In response, Tehran has carried out massive missile and drone strikes on Israel, as well as on U.S. military bases and facilities in Gulf countries.</p> <p>Media reports say the Iranian city of Bushehr, home to the Bushehr nuclear power plant that Rosatom is building, has also come under attack.</p> <p>On March 2, Iran said a nuclear facility in the city of Natanz was hit during U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.</p> <p>At the same time, the IAEA has not confirmed damage to nuclear infrastructure.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-halts-work-at-iran-s-bushehr-nuclear-plant-amid-middle-east-fighting">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/iranrussia-agreement-who-really-won.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/iranrussia-agreement-who-really-won.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0ed51b61fa.jpg" alt="Iran-Russia agreement: who really won? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CDQkbkb3oa8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/it-is-time-to-sanction.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:16:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/it-is-time-to-sanction.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1240765134.jpg" alt="It is time to sanction Rosatom and target Russia's military core"></p><p>For four years, Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom has remained a huge "elephant in the room" as no country, except Ukraine, has imposed a comprehensive package of sanctions against it.</p><p>Rosatom continues to supply enriched uranium and fuel assemblies to Soviet-designed reactors in Bulgaria, the Czech</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/it-is-time-to-sanction-rosatom-and-target-russias-military-core/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/putin-left-alone-death-of.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/putin-left-alone-death-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5121d08bab.jpg" alt="Putin left alone! Death of Iran's leader destroys Kremlin's last hope"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PPC0eT07zU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russian-mi-helicopter-shot-down.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russian-mi-helicopter-shot-down.html <p>A Russian Defense Ministry Mi-8 helicopter was shot down overnight on March 4 in the Rostov region while air defenses were operating, the Telegram channel Astra <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/106268">reported</a>, citing its own sources. Three crew members were killed.</p> <p>According to Astra, the helicopter crashed onto a shed in the hamlet of Dudki in the Millerovsky district. The Mi-8 caught fire, and the shed, which belonged to a local farmer, also burned down. Local residents reported the incident, and sources in Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed it. Dudki is located about 2.5 kilometers from the Millerovo military airfield.</p> <p>Rostov region Governor Yuri Slyusar <a href="https://t.me/Yuri_Slusar/4925">said on his Telegram channel</a> the morning of March 4 that the region came under a drone attack overnight. “Several dozen UAVs were intercepted in two districts - Millerovsky and Tarasovsky. No one was hurt. But there were consequences on the ground: as a result of drone debris falling on the territory of a resort under construction, the glazing and the entrance door of an unoccupied building were partially damaged,” Slyusar wrote. He did not mention the helicopter crash.</p> <p>In late January, the Telegram channel “Strategic Aviation RF” <a href="https://t.me/StrategicaviationT/25327">identified</a> likely launch points for ballistic and cruise missiles targeting Ukraine. Among the possible launch areas were the outskirts of Taganrog and Millerovo in the Rostov region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-mi-8-helicopter-shot-down-by-air-defenses-in-rostov-region-three-crew-members-killed">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-drone.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:14:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-drone.html <p>Russia’s Transport Ministry has confirmed an attack on a Russian gas carrier in the Mediterranean Sea.</p> <p>The Arctic Metagaz, which was sailing from Murmansk “with cargo documented in full compliance with international rules,” was attacked on March 3 near Malta’s territorial waters, the ministry said Wednesday, March 4.</p> <p>In a statement posted on the ministry’s Telegram channel, officials alleged the strike was launched from Libya’s coast by Ukrainian uncrewed boats.</p> <p>“Thanks to the coordinated actions of Maltese and Russian rescue services, all 30 crew members - Russian citizens - were saved,” the statement added.</p> <p>Moscow also called the incident “an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy,” as well as “a gross violation of the fundamental norms of international maritime law.”</p> <p>Russian authorities further accused EU countries of “abetting” such actions and urged the international community to weigh in on the incident.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Libya’s port authority said a Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker sank north of Libya.</p> <p>It said the Arctic Metagaz had “suffered sudden explosions followed by a major fire, which ultimately led to its complete submersion” later that same day.</p> <p>A day earlier, media reported a fire on a Russian LNG carrier in the Mediterranean.</p> <p>Reuters, citing shipping and maritime security sources, reported a suspected attack on the gas carrier by a Ukrainian naval drone.</p> <p>The Arctic Metagaz last transmitted a signal on the evening of March 2 off Malta.</p> <p>The vessel had been under sanctions since 2024</p> <p>The Arctic Metagaz is one of roughly 10 gas carriers used to transport sanctioned LNG from Russia’s Arctic LNG-2 terminal to the port of Beihai on China’s southern coast.</p> <p>On February 24, the gas carrier left Murmansk after loading and was likely headed toward Egypt’s port of Suez, according to gCaptain.</p> <p>The ship has been under U.S. and U.K. sanctions since 2024, imposed over Russia’s war against Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-drone-attack-on-russian-lng-carrier-near-malta">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/ukraine-hits-russian-minesweeper-valentin.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:57:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ukraine-hits-russian-minesweeper-valentin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/72aab24c6b.jpg" alt="Ukraine hits Russian minesweeper Valentin Pikul, 'severely' damages 2 anti-submarine ships, SBU source says"></p>"There are no 'protected areas' for Russian military facilities," a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-russian-minesweeper-valentin-pikul-severely-damages-2-anti-submarine-ships-sbu-source-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russian-drone-hit-a-train.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russian-drone-hit-a-train.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b741c05be0.jpg" alt="RUSSIAN DRONE hit a train in Mykolaiv region #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hrfeh7pJfR0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/us-wipes-out-irans-fleet.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/us-wipes-out-irans-fleet.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5f172f0499.jpg" alt="US wipes out Iran's fleet, Israel strikes NUCLEAR BUNKER | Russia continues terror against Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OeXMzjXotI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/russia-continues-to-escalate-drone.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:53:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/russia-continues-to-escalate-drone.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-04-11-23-33.jpg" alt="Russia continues to escalate drone attacks on passenger trains, railway infrastructure"></p>Russian drone hit two passenger trains in just one day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/f-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/putin-to-host-hungarys-fm.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:49:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/putin-to-host-hungarys-fm.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/01bf8bccd8.jpg" alt="Putin to host Hungary's FM to discuss Budapest-Kyiv rift over Druzhba pipeline"></p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov backed Slovakia and Hungary in the dispute over the Druzhba oil pipeline, accusing Ukraine of "blackmail."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-hungarys-foreign-minister-to-discuss-ukraine-druzhba-dispute-in-moscow/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:22:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2232751598.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,269,500 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 980 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-269-500-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:18:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-04-10-41-14.jpg" alt="At least 3 killed, 30 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 149 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 129.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-killed-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day-4/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/belgium-sets-million-euro-bail.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:20:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/belgium-sets-million-euro-bail.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263868948.jpg" alt="Belgium sets 10 million euro bail for detained Russian shadow fleet tanker Ethera"></p>The vessel will not be allowed to leave port until the bail is paid and a re-inspection confirms compliance with maritime regulations.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/belgium-sets-10-million-euro-bail-for-detained-russian-tanker/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/04/merz-urges-trump-to-increase.html Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:37:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/04/merz-urges-trump-to-increase.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2264626923.jpg" alt="Merz urges Trump to increase pressure on Russia"></p>"Russia is playing for time here, and in doing so is also acting against the will of the American president. In today's talks, I called for increasing the pressure on Moscow," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on March 3 after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/merz-urges-trump-to-increase-pressure-on-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukrainian-security-service-thwarts-fsb.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukrainian-security-service-thwarts-fsb.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says it detained an alleged FSB agent who tried to get a job at a Territorial Recruitment Center in the Kharkiv region to gather information on Ukrainian service members and pass it to Russia’s security services.</p> <p>Ukrainian counterintelligence thwarted the latest attempt by Russian operatives to infiltrate defense structures. The suspect, posing as a psychologist, planned to spy on Ukrainian troops, the SBU press service <a href="https://ssu.gov.ua/novyny/sbu-zatrymala-ahentku-fsb-yaka-namahalasia-vlashtuvatysia-na-robotu-v-ttsk-shchob-shpyhuvaty-tam-dlia-rashystiv">said</a>.</p> <p>According to investigators, the woman was supposed to relay to the enemy personal data of Ukrainian soldiers and information on the deployment of the Defense Forces along the eastern front.</p> <p>The alleged accomplice traveled from Cherkasy to the Kharkiv region, rented an apartment and signed up for an interview for a psychologist position at a district Territorial Recruitment Center. Before that, she drove her own car through front-line areas, documenting concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment.</p> <p>SBU officers recorded her intelligence-gathering activity and detained her before she could visit the recruitment office.</p> <p>The investigation found that after being recruited remotely, her first task was to help adjust Russian strikes on energy facilities in the Cherkasy region. To do that, she inspected impact sites, documented the aftermath and tried to identify Ukrainian air defense positions.</p> <p>She later went to Kramatorsk to track backup command posts of Ukrainian defenders, after which her Russian handlers sent her to the Kharkiv region.</p> <p>During a search, officers found a smartphone containing evidence of contacts with the FSB and small-arms ammunition. She has been notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (state treason under martial law). She is being held without bail and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-security-service-thwarts-fsb-bid-to-infiltrate-kharkiv-territorial-recruitment-center-detains-alleged-agent">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/russian-tanker-reportedly-on-fire.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:19:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/russian-tanker-reportedly-on-fire.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1000006892.png" alt="Russian tanker reportedly on fire in Mediterranean sea, media reports"></p>A Russian-flagged liquified natural gas (LNG) tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, has reportedly caught fire in the Mediterranean sea, multiple media outlets reported on March 3.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-tanker-reportedly-on-fire-in-mediterranean-sea-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/zelensky-says-hungary-ties-could.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/zelensky-says-hungary-ties-could.html <p>Ukraine and Hungary can rebuild their relationship if Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling Fidesz party loses April’s parliamentary elections, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with <a href="https://www.corriere.it/esteri/26_marzo_03/intervista-a-zelensky-lasciare-il-donbass-aprirebbe-la-via-a-mosca-putin-ha-perso-l-inverno-l-ue-da-sola-non-basta-3004ee60-a4ef-4ea2-83ae-1559b14d2xlk.shtml">Italy’s Corriere della Sera</a>.</p> <p>“I believe Orban will lose the elections, and then we will be able to restore normal relations with Hungary, also because the Hungarian people are not pro-Russian,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>The president reiterated his long-standing warning against buying Russian energy, arguing that the Kremlin quickly turns those revenues into weapons used against Ukraine.</p> <p>Zelensky said Orban has never blamed Russia even after repeated strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline and attacks on Ukrainian technicians repairing it. He added that Orban “becomes important when significant political forces give him strength; otherwise he means little. Hungary is a country that matters, but it has no military power. I don’t speak with him because he doesn’t want to, but I am in contact with [Slovak Prime Minister] Robert Fico.”</p> <p>Zelensky said he told Fico, who has also called for resuming Druzhba’s operations, that “the pipeline is destroyed; to restore it, a truce is needed—and that must be said clearly to Putin.”</p> <p>Recent polling shows the opposition Tisza party leading Fidesz by 20 percentage points among eligible voters.</p> <p>Hungary is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on April 12, 2026.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-hungary-ties-could-be-restored-if-orban-loses-april-election">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/thousand-lives-for-square-kilometers.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/thousand-lives-for-square-kilometers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8257b4f848.jpg" alt="90 THOUSAND LIVES FOR 126 SQUARE KILOMETERS! Russia's shameful failure in its winter offensive"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MX45JvByhw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/to-confront-iran-us-must.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:52:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/to-confront-iran-us-must.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-2193766323.jpg" alt="To confront Iran, US must also confront Russia"></p><p>No regime invokes international law more fervently than when it sees its power being challenged. The moment American and Israeli forces struck Iranian targets, officials in Moscow and Tehran rushed to rediscover the UN Charter, denouncing the operation as unlawful. </p><p>Their sudden reverence for the "rule-book" is politically</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/to-confront-iran-us-must-also-confront-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-forces.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:35:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-forces.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/557f2ed0c7.jpg" alt="Ukraine War Latest: Ukrainian forces liberate 9 eastern settlements as Russian troops face Starlink disruptions"></p><ul><li><strong>Ukrainian forces liberate 9 eastern settlements as Russian troops face Starlink disruptions, Ukraine's military says</strong></li><li><strong>As Ukrainian regions start preparing for next winter, Kyiv lags behind</strong></li><li><strong>Zelensky floats swapping Patriot missiles for interceptor drones amid increased Iranian Shahed threat</strong></li><li><strong>At least 337 Ukrainian POWs 'brutally' executed</strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-forces-liberate-9-eastern-settlements-as-russian-troops-face-starlink-disruptions-ukraines-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukrainian-forces-push-russian-troops.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:01:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukrainian-forces-push-russian-troops.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces have pushed Russian troops back near Zlahoda, Novohryhorivka, Novonikolaivka, Stepne and Ternove, according to the open-source analysis project DeepState. Since the start of the day, 52 attacks have been recorded, along with shelling of border areas in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions and active fighting on several fronts.</p> <p>The Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23251">said</a> on March 2 that Ukrainian units forced Russian troops to retreat in several areas of the front — near Zlahoda, Novohryhorivka, Novonikolaivka, Stepne and Ternove. Analysts said Ukrainian forces improved their tactical positions on these axes.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18FMiW16rd">said</a> Russian forces continue offensive actions on select fronts. Russian troops are attempting to push deeper into Ukrainian territory with assaults, but Ukrainian units are holding the line and inflicting significant losses, the statement said.</p> <p>“On the Pokrovsk axis, since the start of the day, the occupiers have tried 13 times to dislodge our soldiers from their positions in the areas of Rodynske, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, and toward Novopavlivka and Shevchenko. One engagement is still ongoing,” the General Staff said.</p> <p>Earlier, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported a shift on the front in February 2026. He said the Defense Forces withstood a “hard winter battle,” achieving tangible results in recent weeks. Over the winter months, Ukrainian troops eliminated more Russian soldiers than Moscow was able to mobilize, he said. In February 2026, for the first time since the Kursk offensive, Ukraine’s forces regained control of more territory than Russia captured, according to Syrskyi.</p> <p>Separately, Taras Chmut, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Defense Procurement Agency, said Ukraine had won the “battle for winter.” In his assessment, Ukrainian troops are, for the first time in a long while, liberating more territory than Russian forces are capturing.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-push-russian-troops-back-near-five-settlements-deepstate-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/syrskyi-says-interceptor-drones-downed.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/syrskyi-says-interceptor-drones-downed.html <p>Despite challenging weather and a shortage of munitions, Ukraine has maintained the effectiveness of its short-range air defenses, the country’s commander-in-chief said.</p> <p>In February, more than 70% of Russian Shahed attack drones over Kyiv and surrounding areas were downed by interceptor drones, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine/posts/pfbid0yzeGYXfSUyS5diWaMg7BqgttiH47VsZXcYWHrmMxemXN2tKbpvHzxc9faHVcbosgl">in a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>“The key role in countering Shaheds is shifting to interceptor UAVs. For example, in Kyiv and its outskirts in February, interceptor drones accounted for more than 70% of Shahed shootdowns,” he wrote.</p> <p>Syrskyi said that, despite difficult weather and a lack of strike assets, short-range air defenses have remained effective.</p> <p>“Over the past month, our interceptor drones carried out about 6,300 sorties, destroying more than 1,500 Russian UAVs of various types,” he said, adding that projects to strengthen counter-drone defenses are under his direct oversight.</p> <p>He added that during a recent meeting, officials discussed upgrading army aviation helicopters to counter Shaheds, forming and training interceptor UAV crews, and equipping air defense units with unmanned systems.</p> <p>“Over the past year, significant work has been done in this area, but we need to step up efforts and accelerate the pace. This is, above all, about protecting peaceful Ukrainian cities and towns, as well as our energy sector and other rear-area infrastructure,” he concluded.</p> <p>Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine has significantly increased production of interceptor drones. In December and January, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were receiving more than 1,500 counter-Shahed UAVs per day.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-says-interceptor-drones-downed-over-70-of-shaheds-around-kyiv-in-february">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/they-are-the-same-evil.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:59:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/they-are-the-same-evil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263898051.jpg" alt="'They are the same evil' — Ukrainian lawmaker appeals to Trump after Iran comments"></p><p>A Ukrainian lawmaker has urged Donald Trump to recognise that Russia and Iran "represent the same evil," after the U.S. president once again criticized Ukraine whilst commenting on the escalating conflict in the Middle East.</p><p>Kyiv was among the first to <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-backs-us-israeli-war-on-iran-as-zelensky-hopes-to-curry-favor-with-trump/">publicly back</a> the U.S.-Israeli</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/they-are-the-same-evil-ukrainian-lawmaker-appeals-to-trump-after-iran-comments/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/chart-of-the-week-russia.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:51:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/chart-of-the-week-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ua-territory-graph-take1-02.jpg" alt="Chart of the week: Russia lost more territory than it gained for the first time since 2023"></p><p>Russia lost more territory than it gained in February for the first time since Ukraine's failed counteroffensive in 2023, according to independent Finnish open-source intelligence collective Black Bird Group.</p><p>Russia lost 37 km² on balance last month, causing the total area of Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chart-of-the-week-russia-lost-more-territory-than-it-gained-for-the-first-time-since-2023/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/russia-loses-influence-in-central.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:31:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/russia-loses-influence-in-central.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/672a3bdfc5.jpg" alt="RUSSIA LOSES INFLUENCE in Central Asia and Europe #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/y-VHvs35r9U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukrainian-defense-minister-launches-audit.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukrainian-defense-minister-launches-audit.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Am7EqLQQx/">announced a comprehensive audit</a> of combat losses among service members. According to him, a detailed review of every loss on the battlefield is getting underway.</p> <p>The goal is to identify systemic problems that lead to casualties and make policy decisions to fix them. “Human capital is the highest value. We will fight for the life of every warrior,” the minister emphasized.</p> <p>In parallel, the capabilities of private air defense groups involved in protecting critical infrastructure are being strengthened. The government has already approved a measure expanding their authorities and technical capabilities.</p> <p>Enterprises will be able to temporarily receive weapons and munitions from Armed Forces unit depots if those arms are not being used by combat units. The Armed Forces will determine the list of weapons and the amount of ammunition for each enterprise on a case-by-case basis.</p> <p>If ammunition is used while repelling attacks, it will be replenished under a simplified procedure - based on a report of actual expenditures. Transfers will be carried out only for the duration of the experimental project and in coordination with the Air Force command.</p> <p>Another tech priority is scaling ground robotic systems. In 2026, their numbers are expected to multiply. The main task is to shift logistics operations to robotic platforms to minimize risks to personnel.</p> <p>Work is also underway on alternatives to Mavic-type drones. AI-enabled solutions are in testing and could be scaled to the front in the near future.</p> <p>Earlier, soldiers of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade released video of Operation “Samurai,” in which kamikaze ground robotic systems were able to complete their mission under heavy Russian fire.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-defense-minister-launches-audit-of-combat-losses-expands-role-of-private-air-defense-groups">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukraine-will-not-withdraw-from.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukraine-will-not-withdraw-from.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Italy’s Corriere della Sera Ukraine has no intention of leaving Donbas - or the roughly 200,000 people who live there — despite Russian pressure and proposals to trade territory in peace negotiations. He said a withdrawal by Ukrainian forces would open a path for Russia toward the country’s central regions.</p> <p>Donbas, <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/189181">he said</a>, has strategic defensive importance for Ukraine because key strongholds there help secure the entire national space. A pullout, he added, would give Russian troops free rein and threaten the country’s stability. For that reason, Kyiv considers any territorial swap proposals unacceptable.</p> <p>“Why should I do that? Because Putin is imposing it as a condition for peace? And will he immediately make new demands? No, I won’t tolerate this,” he said.</p> <p>In the same interview, he <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/189180">described</a> the difficulties of the negotiating process. Zelensky said talks have stalled over a “20-point plan” and the question of territorial control. According to him, the United States has allegedly proposed exchanging areas, while Russia insists on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas. In his view, such swaps do not serve national interests because territories left behind would be hard to control, and Ukraine aims to regain its own land.</p> <p>“Swapping is not in our interests, and Moscow would need significant forces to control the areas we would be leaving: they know we would like to take back what they took from us. Why should we exchange our territory for something else that is part of our homeland?” he added.</p> <p>On security guarantees for Ukraine, Zelensky said the United States is prepared to offer them only within the framework of an agreement with Russia — a condition Kyiv does not support. He also noted there is a prepared protocol with European partners that remains unsigned. Reconstruction programs, he said, can be implemented only after peace is achieved.</p> <p>The president <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/189183">said</a> serious negotiations are possible only after the Russian army begins to contract. In his assessment, its size is effectively not growing now because monthly losses are roughly equal to the number of new recruits. Current losses are about 35,000 personnel per month, he said, leaving Russia’s forces stagnant and nearing a crisis.</p> <p>Earlier, Zelensky said the United States views resolving the conflict through Ukrainian concessions on territory and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, but even if Kyiv agreed, the Kremlin would make new demands. In an interview with AFP, he said both the U.S. and Russia are pushing for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas and control over the plant.</p> <p>He has previously stated that Ukraine is not considering leaving the part of Donetsk region it controls, calling it the country’s real defensive line.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-will-not-withdraw-from-donbas-or-trade-territory-zelensky-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/russia-abandons-its-own-the.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/russia-abandons-its-own-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ff1b6a158c.jpg" alt="RUSSIA ABANDONS ITS OWN: The Kremlin Did Not Help Iran, Just Like Venezuela and Syria | Explainer"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HliNXQIuzFQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/quotif-middle-east-deal-with.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:50:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/quotif-middle-east-deal-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fc15105a9a.jpg" alt="&quot;If Middle East deal with Putin, we’ll help them defend from Iranian attacks,&quot; — Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S-H0lsht1-E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/russia-deliberately-and-brutally-execute.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:12:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/russia-deliberately-and-brutally-execute.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1752126648.jpg" alt="Russia 'deliberately and brutally' execute 337 Ukrainian POWs by end of 2025, ombudsman says"></p>"Russia has turned torture into state policy and uses it as a weapon," Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-deliberately-and-brutally-execute-337-ukrainian-pows-by-end-of-2025-ombudsman-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/live-this-threatens-the-world.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:08:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/live-this-threatens-the-world.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/af4914c9ec.jpg" alt="LIVE | This THREATENS THE WORLD: General Hodges on when the Kremlin won't withstand the pressure"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFgxqH9NNSI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/budanov-says-russia-agreed-to.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/budanov-says-russia-agreed-to.html <p>Representatives of the Russian delegation during the most recent round of three-way negotiations in Geneva stated outright that they would accept the security guarantees the United States provides to Ukraine, said the head of the President’s Office and a member of the Ukrainian negotiating team, Kyrylo Budanov, in an interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FvI6pUmSTw">Ukrainian media</a>.</p> <p>“The [security guarantees — ed.] being proposed by the United States — they [the Russians — ed.] are saying outright that yes, we are forced to, we are ready to accept them,” Budanov said.</p> <p>In light of this, the head of the President’s Office said he sees progress on the issue of providing Ukraine with security guarantees.</p> <p>Earlier, media reported that the American side is offering Ukraine security guarantees based on Article 5 of the North Atlantic Alliance’s charter.</p> <p>According to Budanov, he believes in the talks, despite some skepticism about the process.</p> <p>“I hope we achieve success. And that will be our victory,” the official added.</p> <p>Responding to a remark from journalists that Western intelligence services do not believe in the intentions of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and predict he is ready to continue the war, the head of the President’s Office recalled that until recently he himself led intelligence and said the conclusions of Ukrainian and Western intelligence often did not match.</p> <p>“In most cases, we were right, so for me this is not an indicator. In addition, everyone has their own, shall we say, national interests; they do not always coincide and, in principle, should not coincide with the interests of Ukraine,” the official added.</p> <p>In the same interview, Budanov also said that as of today the Russian army would not be able to launch an offensive on Kyiv.</p> <p>“As of now, that is not the case. I hope it never will be,” the head of the President’s Office said.</p> <p>Budanov also said a new prisoner exchange is expected in the coming days. He noted that among those held by Russia are people the aggressor state captured as far back as 2014. The Ukrainian side is working to bring them back, even though the exchange process is difficult.</p> <p>Earlier, Budanov urged Western countries not to lift economic sanctions on Russia even if a peace agreement is signed, since the Russian Federation will not change its imperial foreign policy.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/budanov-says-russia-agreed-to-u-s-security-guarantees-for-ukraine-during-geneva-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/zelensky-says-a-war-in.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/zelensky-says-a-war-in.html <p>A prolonged war in the Middle East could affect arms deliveries to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said while answering Deutsche Welle (DW) questions during a WhatsApp chat with journalists on Monday, March 2.</p> <p>For now, Kyiv isn’t seeing a drop in weapons shipments from partners. “So far, we don’t see this impact. The deliveries we were counting on haven’t decreased, but only a day has passed. So it’s too early to draw conclusions,” he said.</p> <p>At the same time, Zelensky acknowledged that if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, risks could grow. “In any case, if there are long hostilities in the Middle East, of course it will affect supplies (weapons). I’m sure of it,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that Ukraine is working to secure stable funding for its own defense production even if the international situation worsens. “We will do everything to prevent a halt in financing for our domestic production so it can operate at full capacity. Today we’re working precisely on that, to ensure the 90 billion euros aren’t blocked,” he stressed, referring to European Union (EU) assistance to Ukraine.</p> <p>Answering a DW question, Zelensky also said a war in Iran could carry political and reputational consequences for Russia and for President Vladimir Putin personally. “It seems to me that, as of today, Putin has already shown what kind of ally he is in Syria, when they were essentially unable to help the Assad regime. In my view, they’ve demonstrated their weakness again now — as allies, they are negligible,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He argued Russia’s limited clout in the region stems from concentrating all its military resources on the war in Ukraine. “All their forces, all their armed forces and other formations - they are all in Ukraine. They have no more forces,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky added that events in Iran should serve as a signal to the Russian leader. “What’s happening in Iran, it seems to me, is a good signal for Putin to see how dictatorship ends,” he said.</p> <p>China and talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine</p> <p>Zelensky also answered a DW question about whether China had offered to mediate negotiations to end the war. He said Kyiv wants Beijing involved in the process.</p> <p>“It’s important for us to engage them not in the war, but in ending the war that Putin brought to Ukraine. I think that’s within their power. In any case, the Chinese leader can influence supplies of certain types of weapons, dual-use goods, and so on. Their participation would certainly be good for us. So far, we don’t see their involvement,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that Ukraine came up in recent talks with international partners, particularly in a conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who visited China in late February. “I had a good conversation with Merz. The details of his visit to China were important to me. He raised questions about Ukraine, he spoke about it with China’s leader,” Zelensky said. He added that he instructed Ukrainian diplomats to maintain contact with the Chinese side.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-a-war-in-iran-could-affect-arms-supplies-to-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/how-trumps-war-gives-putins.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:48:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/how-trumps-war-gives-putins.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb7c45c0c-2.png" alt="How Trump’s war gives Putin’s war machine a chance"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!IKex!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F799a31c4-f541-4364-b989-b692978a281d_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f799a31c4-f.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/799a31c4-f541-4364-b989-b692978a281d_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: We’ve launched a new Iran-centered publication where we’re providing up-to-the-minute coverage of the war from neighboring Armenia.<br><br>Want The Counteroffensive’s human interest lens, focused on the ongoing Iran war? Check it out below:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.iranwar.news/","text":"Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.iranwar.news/" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb7c45c0c-2.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0ac33437b9.png" width="340" height="383.50877192982455" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b7c45c0c-27ab-4016-a5a8-651cdb6ef9a4_969x1093.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1093,"width":969,"resizeWidth":340,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Dmytro Lioushkin, photo from Facebook.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>More than two decades ago Dmytro started a company that owns a network of Ukrainian gas stations.</p><p>So after the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, he noticed that oil prices jumped fast, reaching above the $80 per barrel mark within days, the <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-surge-to-highest-in-a-year-as-fears-of-middle-east-supply-crunch-grow-0ac864f3">highest</a> price in more than a year. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!kt_Z!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d8c78a6-72b1-4fe6-93ad-48a75105dc37_1000x1079.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f4d8c78a6-7.png" width="364" height="392.756" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4d8c78a6-72b1-4fe6-93ad-48a75105dc37_1000x1079.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1079,"width":1000,"resizeWidth":364,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The Strait of Hormuz. Provided by Wikimedia commons.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The price surge was driven by the safety <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/oil-gas/iran-israel-gulf-war-risk-maritime-insurance-shipping-strait-of-hormuz-middle-east-waters-turn-riskier-risk-cover-disappears/articleshow/128938613.cms?from=mdr">risk</a> around the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that links the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. Through this key passageway transits about one-fifth of the world’s oil.<br><br>There have already been reports of attacks on tankers, and now many vessels have slowed down or anchored near the strait.</p><p>Russia’s economy is teetering. According to The Washington Post, some experts’ had <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/22/russia-war-economy-ukraine/">forecast</a> it could collapse as early as this summer due to falling oil and gas revenue and budget deficits despite high military expenditures. </p><p>25 percent of Russia’s total governmental budget<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russias-oil-gas-budget-revenue-falls-24-lowest-since-2020-2026-01-15/"> is driven by</a> oil revenues, according to Reuters.</p><p>Before the Iran strikes, this increasing tension would create pressure for the Russians to sit down at the negotiating table.</p><p>But Trump’s decision to open fire on the Iranian regime is an unexpected gift. As oil prices rise, Moscow will be able to generate more income to sustain its military operations, blunting the effect of Western sanctions on authoritarian countries.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":466294}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Jueg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b5b6847-720a-4482-8808-a73fc6f59832_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5b5b6847-7.png" width="306" height="408" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5b5b6847-720a-4482-8808-a73fc6f59832_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":306,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Dmytro with his daughter, photo from Facebook.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Dmytro Loushkin might be among those who desire the downfall of the Russian economy, as it not only ruined his business but also took away his homeland.</p><p>In 2006, the logistics business was something new for Ukraine, and Dmytro, along with his partners, was interested in implementing something new.</p><p>Moreover, the region had ports, and promising growth in the fields of metallurgy, agriculture, and mining — a great environment to start a transportation business. So Dmytro started a logistics company in his native city Kadiivka, in the Luhansk region.</p><p>“My youth was there. My best years were there. My home is there, and my loved ones are buried there,” Dmytro said.</p><p>He left the Luhansk region in 2014, not long after an assassination attempt was made against him with the aim of seizing his business, after Russia began invading the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. He was stabbed in the chest. It forced him to flee with the family to Kharkiv.</p><p>“A raider seizure of the business took place, they tried to kill me, and they almost succeeded,” Dmytro said.</p><p>The puppet state of Russia, the Luhansk People’s Republic, imposed sanctions against Dmytro and nationalized — that is, took away — his business. Dmytro has not been home since.</p><p>After moving to Kharkiv his company expanded into a network of gas stations. He jokes about current situation in Iran:</p><blockquote><p>“If the whole world were populated only by Ukrainians, [we] would not pay attention to this, because [we] have long been accustomed to it. But since the world is experiencing for the first time what it is like when bases and oil depots explode, [oil traders] are very frightened. That is why oil and gas prices skyrocketed, and everything went up”.</p></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!R9TK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65ef55e5-c964-4bd8-8b10-3619e8f21f4f_1468x787.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f65ef55e5-c.png" width="1456" height="781" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/65ef55e5-c964-4bd8-8b10-3619e8f21f4f_1468x787.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":781,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Percentage-point change in share of spending in the federal budget, between 2021 and 2025, Russian Federation. Diagram by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/06/the-russian-economy-is-finally-stagnating-what-does-it-mean-for-the-war-and-for-putin">The Guardian</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>For the average Russian, the economic crisis is already tangible. Over the last four years, budget expenditures <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/06/the-russian-economy-is-finally-stagnating-what-does-it-mean-for-the-war-and-for-putin">increased </a>only for defense spending and national debt payments.</p><p>Declining spending on civilian sectors of the economy will, in practice, mean constant infrastructure accidents, housing sector failures, and cuts to public sector workers’ pay, which, by the way, can already be seen by scrolling through Russian news.</p><p>For example in Omsk, a city in Siberia with a population of over one million one of the city’s districts had no heating for more than two weeks, 70-80% of the city’s heating networks are in disrepair according to the local authorities. <br><br>Because of U.S. and European price caps implemented due to the full-scale invasion, Russia is forced to sell oil, one of the biggest sources of its budget revenue, at a steep discount. Western countries are actively trying to reduce their dependence on Russian energy resources, which has significantly cut Russia’s export volumes and weakened a key pillar of its economy.</p><p>However, the war in Iran will flip the table.</p><p>If buying oil from the Persian Gulf countries becomes too expensive, it could shift the buyers’ behavior. They may look for alternative sources — including Russian crude. Analysts have <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-jumps-10-iran-conflict-could-spike-100-barrel-analysts-say-2026-03-01/">suggested</a> that India could increase purchases of Russian oil again if the disruption continues, while China <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-20/china-snaps-up-distressed-russian-oil-cargoes-shunned-by-india">continues</a> to buy large amounts of oil.</p><p>Therefore, if Russian oil sells at prices higher than those provided for in the budget for a long time, it will allow the Russian Federation to reduce the state debt and use ‘extra’ money to fund its campaign of murder and torture in Ukraine.</p><p>“I believe that the prices are gonna be really high for oil and gas for a couple of weeks, but they will stabilize more or less by then,” Dmytro said.</p><p>For millions of Ukrainians, the stability of the Russian economy will mean the continuation of Russian terror.</p><p>This includes Dmytro, who in 2022 was forced to move again from Kharkiv to western Ukraine due to Russian aggression, as they were trying to occupy at the time, bombarding the city daily with all possible weapons.</p><p>Now he lives with his family in the western Ukrainian city of Rivne and hopes he won’t have to flee anywhere else. After all, it is relatively safe here; power outages, if not entirely absent, are at least much shorter.</p><p>Europe has sharply <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/3/how-much-of-europes-oil-and-gas-still-comes-from-russia">reduced</a> its dependence on Russian oil and gas since the start of the full-scale invasion. But a handful of countries still purchase Russian energy. </p><p>One of the biggest buyers of Russian oil in the EU is Hungary and Slovakia, whose leaders <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/what-is-druzhba-oil-pipeline-why-has-it-held-up-eu-sanctions-russia-2026-02-26/">claim </a>that buying oil elsewhere would be more expensive and endanger their energy security. <br><br>They’re <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/3/how-much-of-europes-oil-and-gas-still-comes-from-russia">allowed</a> to do so because of a temporary EU exemption intended to help them prevent energy shortages as landlocked countries. Europe had planned a full oil embargo on Russia, but amid an oil crisis, this may become harder to implement.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!bniO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13a5f1a6-1569-4436-9177-459b8cfd0e12_890x461.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f13a5f1a6-1.png" width="890" height="461" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13a5f1a6-1569-4436-9177-459b8cfd0e12_890x461.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":461,"width":890,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Russian energy purchases by EU countries. Data as of August 2025. Provided by <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/3/how-much-of-europes-oil-and-gas-still-comes-from-russia">Al Jazeera </a></em></figcaption></figure></div><p>When oil prices rise, it reduces pressure on the Russian government to raise taxes, borrow more money, or draw down reserves, so expensive oil makes it easier for Russia to sustain high military spending for longer.</p><p>However, ISW analysts <a href="https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-2-2026/">believe</a> the benefits for Russia are only medium-term, as Iran will not be able to block the strait indefinitely.</p><p>As one of the biggest Russian oil buyers, it’s possible that China and India might increase the purchases of Russian oil. More demand from them would help Russia keep their export revenues steady, further weakening the impact of Western sanctions. <br><br>Dmytro is cynical about the way the current situation might go, saying it might be similar to Iraq or Libya — a seemingly quick operation turning into a messy conflict.</p><p>“We’re Ukrainians so we’re used to living with this kind of threat,” he said. “But the rest of the world isn’t, so they’re terrified – and that fear is pushing the prices higher.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: We’ve launched a new Iran-centered publication where we’re providing up-to-the-minute coverage of the war from neighboring Armenia.<br><br>Want The Counteroffensive’s human interest lens, focused on the ongoing Iran war? Check it out below:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.iranwar.news/","text":"Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.iranwar.news/" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe to Iran War Dispatches!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY</strong></h3><p>By Anastasiia Lutsenko, Alessandra Hay, Jacqueline Cole, Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova, Mariana Lastovyria</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. </p><p><strong>U.S., ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN AGENCIES TARGETING PROTESTORS: </strong>The U.S. and Israel have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/world/middleeast/us-israel-strikes-iran-state-security-police.html?smid=url-share">struck</a> police stations and intelligence offices in Iran, which could be an effort to weaken the forces that brutally cracked down on protesters earlier this year, according to the <em>New York Times. </em>Targets have included bases of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Crops (IRGC) and the Basij, a volunteer paramilitary milita within the IRGC. The strategy hinges on whether degrading these security forces can embolden civilians to rise up.</p><p><strong>UAE AND QATAR LOBBY FOR A SHORT US OPERATION AGAINST IRAN: </strong>The United Arab Emirates and Qatar <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-02/uae-and-qatar-urge-allies-to-help-trump-find-off-ramp-on-iran">are working</a> with partners to convince Trump not to prolong a US operation against Iran. They advocate for a swift diplomatic resolution to avoid escalation and a spike in energy prices.</p><p><strong>GAS PRICES JUMP AFTER QATAR HALT:</strong> Gas prices in Europe <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/european-gas-prices-soar-after-qatar-lng-halt-jolts-market-f37e8e16?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1">rose</a> sharply after production stopped at the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Qatar. The shutdown followed an Iranian drone strike. Europe’s main gas benchmark, climbed nearly 30% to the highest level in more than a year. Analysts say this is the biggest risk to global gas markets since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA CONTESTS EU FREEZE OF STATE ASSETS: </strong>Russia’s central bank has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russian-central-bank-challenges-asset-freeze-eu-court-2026-03-03/">filed</a> a case at the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg, challenging the bloc’s decision to freeze its sovereign assets indefinitely. About $300 billion in Russian funds have been frozen by Western countries since 2022. European leaders have discussed whether the frozen assets could be used to help fund Ukraine’s recovery.</p><p><strong>US DEPLOYS NEW LUCAS DRONE SIMILAR TO IRAN’S SHAHED: </strong>The United States has used a new long-range drone called LUCAS in strikes against Iran. Analysts <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/71107">say</a> the drone closely resembles Iran’s Shahed-136 loitering munition.</p><p>Some open-source analysts have suggested LUCAS could be based on reverse engineering of captured Iranian drones, though U.S. officials have not confirmed this. Washington has acknowledged the drone’s first use in Iran.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Anastasiia saw this stray dog on her way to the store. The fluffy one’s name is unknown, but he was clearly enjoying the first rays of the spring sun.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!3Q9n!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8f291be2-a600-4eab-9232-e3cde75cec9f_1200x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8f291be2-a.jpg" width="319" height="425.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8f291be2-a600-4eab-9232-e3cde75cec9f_1200x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":319,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Tania and Oksana</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-trumps-war-gives-putins-war-machine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/no-kinzhals-or-shaheds-russia.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:57:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/no-kinzhals-or-shaheds-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fd84a7ce8b.jpg" alt="NO Kinzhals or Shaheds: Russia IS ALREADY WAGING A GLOBAL WAR! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YPBYU4iGmtE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/russia-controls-only-of-ukraine.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:49:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/russia-controls-only-of-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e3705bead1.jpg" alt="Russia controls ONLY 21% of Ukraine. Will there be an INVASION OF EUROPE? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TAhLAOYkW8o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/putin-orban-discuss-hungarians-in.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:48:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/putin-orban-discuss-hungarians-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2248237156.jpg" alt="Putin, Orban discuss Hungarians in Ukraine's army captured by Russia, Kremlin says"></p>Orban held a phone call with Putin amid an escalating spat between Kyiv and Budapest.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-orban-discuss-hungarians-in-ukraines-army-captured-by-russia-kremlin-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/this-is-theater-there-are.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:15:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/this-is-theater-there-are.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ca0e1547cb.jpg" alt="THIS IS THEATER! There are no signs that Russians want lasting peace, says Ben Hodges #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5RVJ6tsIsvw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukrainian-paratroopers-advance-after-oleksandivka.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukrainian-paratroopers-advance-after-oleksandivka.html <p>A breakthrough on the Oleksandivka axis is turning into a sustained offensive phase as restricted access to Starlink complicates Russian command and control, Ukraine’s military says.</p> <p>Following a previously confirmed breach of Russian lines on the Oleksandivka axis, Ukrainian air assault units are pressing their advance, according to the <a href="https://t.me/ua_dshv/8275">official channel of the Air Assault Forces of Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>As of now, nine settlements have been liberated, the statement said. Three more have been fully cleared of Russian forces within the Air Assault Forces’ area of responsibility. Operations to free additional localities are ongoing.</p> <p>Russian troops, despite losses, continue trying to hold their ground, but the tempo of Ukraine’s push and the disruption of logistics are significantly weakening their positions. The breakthrough on the Oleksandivka axis is evolving into a sustained offensive phase, the military added.</p> <p>Air Assault Forces units are conducting active offensive operations, imposing their terms of battle on the Russian troops. Russian fortified positions are being systematically degraded, with precision and massed strikes destroying personnel, weapons and equipment.</p> <p>The operation is being carried out in line with the Commander-in-Chief’s plan and under the direction of the Air Assault Forces’ command. The actions are deliberate and coordinated.</p> <p>Within a week of the operation’s start, decisions were taken that limited Russian units’ access to the Starlink network. That has sharply reduced their situational awareness and complicated command and control in the opening phase, according to the statement.</p> <p>In addition, Ukrainian forces are methodically cutting the Russian supply lines. Aerial reconnaissance units and FPV drone teams are operating around the clock, striking targets deep in the defensive rear and denying Russian troops a safe fallback area.</p> <p>Since the operation began on January 29, 2026, Russian losses have totaled 6,537 personnel, including 4,355 irrecoverable, Ukraine says. Fifteen service members have been taken prisoner. A total of 419 pieces of weapons and equipment have been destroyed, including seven tanks and 14 armored fighting vehicles.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-paratroopers-advance-after-oleksandivka-breakthrough-liberate-nine-donbas-villages">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/strikes-on-russian-oil-are.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:57:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/strikes-on-russian-oil-are.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d4b71adbc6.jpg" alt="STRIKES on Russian oil ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR Ukraine's VICTORY! What should Europe do? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cVIGOb-oiD0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/zelenskys-exchief-of-staff-yermak.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:45:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/zelenskys-exchief-of-staff-yermak.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/491ba9d954.jpg" alt="Zelensky's ex-chief of staff Yermak to head lawyers' association committee"></p>The committee was created by order of Lidia Izovitova, head of the association. Izovitova has faced criticism for allegedly being a protégé of pro-Kremlin politician Viktor Medvedchuk. Izovitova's tenure as head of the association ended in 2022, and she has been accused of holding her position illegally.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelenskys-ex-chief-of-staff-yermak-to-head-lawyer-association-committee/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/ukrainian-forces-liberate-eastern-settlements.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:36:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/ukrainian-forces-liberate-eastern-settlements.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2264437661.jpg" alt="Ukrainian forces liberate 9 eastern settlements as Russian troops face Starlink disruptions, Ukraine's military says"></p>"Three additional settlements in the area have been fully cleared of Russian troops, while fighting continues for several more," the statement read.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-liberates-9-settlements-in-donetsk-oblast-as-russian-advances-slow/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/syrskyi-says-ukraine-held-firm.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/syrskyi-says-ukraine-held-firm.html <p>Over the three winter months, Russia lost more than 92,000 troops killed and wounded, while Ukraine, for the first time in a long period, regained more territory than it lost - a hard-fought “battle for winter” that Ukraine endured, according to Kyiv’s top commander.</p> <p>Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine withstood the winter campaign and inflicted heavy losses on Russian forces. His statement was posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine/posts/pfbid0JdPPNt97NxoyzFfwxgJ3CLYsx71mM7Y2uas8VebpjGzfozvHvX1ihuHfzrpzmVBxl">his Facebook page</a>.</p> <p>Syrskyi said Russia’s total losses over the three winter months amounted to about 92,850 troops killed or wounded — an average of 1,031 a day — the price Moscow paid for attempts to break through the front during the cold season.</p> <p>“We held firm in this difficult ‘battle for winter.’ We hold the line,” Syrskyi said, thanking Ukrainians for their resilience and support for the military.</p> <p>Syrskyi also pointed to significant losses in tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, aircraft and drones. He said Russia additionally lost one ship, one submarine and nearly 12,000 vehicles. But above all, he emphasized, was the ongoing attrition of Russian manpower.</p> <p>According to the commander, more Russian troops were eliminated over the three months than Moscow managed to recruit in the same period.</p> <p>In February 2026, for the first time since the Kursk offensive, Ukraine’s Defense Forces regained control of more territory than Russia managed to seize.</p> <p>Ukrainian units are conducting active and effective operations along the Oleksandivka and Hulyaipole axes. Despite regular claims from Russia’s leadership of “advances,” the AFU is tightening control over Kupiansk and reducing the presence of Russian sabotage groups in the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-says-ukraine-held-firm-in-winter-campaign-inflicting-heavy-russian-losses-and-regaining-territory">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/russias-central-bank-challenges-eu.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:50:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/russias-central-bank-challenges-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7d071de568.jpg" alt="Russia's central bank challenges EU decision to indefinitely freeze sovereign assets"></p>The case was brought before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-challenges-eu-decision-to-indefinitely-freeze-sovereign-assets/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:58:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-03-11-23-51.jpg" alt="At least 6 killed, 35 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 136 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 127 unmanned aircraft. At least five drones evaded defenses and struck three locations. Fallen debris was recorded in three locations.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-6-killed-35-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/03/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:47:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/03/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9df150422e.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,268,520 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 790 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-268-520-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/strike-on-missile-factory-iskander.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 22:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/strike-on-missile-factory-iskander.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4ab66c084b.jpg" alt="STRIKE ON MISSILE FACTORY: Iskander production facility destroyed in Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/smffocqvg_0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/macron-unveils-expansion-of-frances.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 22:27:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/macron-unveils-expansion-of-frances.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4b845e2425.jpg" alt="Macron unveils expansion of France’s nuclear arsenal, opens door to European deterrence cooperation"></p>Speaking at the L’Île Longue naval base in northwestern France — home to the country’s ballistic missile submarines — Macron argued that Europe must assume a more autonomous role in its own defense amid Russia’s war against Ukraine and shifting U.S. strategic priorities.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/macron-unveils-expansion-of-frances-nuclear-arsenal-opens-door-to-european-deterrence-cooperation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/ben-hodges-russia-cannot-fight.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 22:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/ben-hodges-russia-cannot-fight.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2fe80faf8e.jpg" alt="Ben Hodges: Russia cannot fight forever. When will the breaking point come for the Kremlin?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzA7sJLA4zk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/zelensky-backs-trumps-iran-war.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:47:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/zelensky-backs-trumps-iran-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263725113.jpg" alt="Zelensky backs Trump’s Iran war — but Ukraine may see little in return"></p><p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the first world leaders to back the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which started on Feb. 28.</p><p>For Ukraine, the choice was logical: Iran is a Kremlin ally that has backed Russia's aggression against Ukraine and supplied drones to</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-backs-us-israeli-war-on-iran-as-zelensky-hopes-to-curry-favor-with-trump/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/iran-is-a-key-ally.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/iran-is-a-key-ally.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/55ef3c421f.jpg" alt="Iran is a key ally, but Russia will not come to its military rescue #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kG98UgQThI4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-captured.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:44:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-captured.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4d9edfd472.jpg" alt="Ukraine War Latest: Ukraine captured more territory than it lost to Russia over February 2026, Syrskyi says"></p><p><strong>Key Developments on March 2:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Ukraine captured more territory than it lost to Russia over February 2026, Syrskyi says</strong></li><li><strong>US deploys LUCAS kamikaze drones against Iran 'for first time in combat'</strong></li><li><strong>70% of Ukrainians skeptical US-Ukraine-Russia talks will bring lasting peace, poll shows</strong></li><li><strong>Russian drone hits passenger train</strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-captured-more-territory-than-it-lost-to-russia-over-february-2026-syrskyi-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/km-this-is-just-the.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/km-this-is-just-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e4c498c734.jpg" alt="300-500 KM — THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING! Ukrainian missiles BREAKING Russia's rear"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTc6k-v4wmw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/the-unintended-winner-of-an.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:52:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/the-unintended-winner-of-an.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2df7c203f2.jpg" alt="The unintended winner of an Iranian oil shock"></p><p>As markets opened on March 2, Russian officials were quick to frame the escalating Middle East crisis as an economic opportunity for the Kremlin.</p><p>Within hours of the first U.S. and Israeli strikes, Russian Envoy Kirill Dmitriev quickly <a href="https://x.com/kadmitriev/status/2027819932222714128">posted</a> on X about crude potentially hitting "$100+" per</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-very-likely-to-gain-from-middle-east-crisis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/zelensky-proposes-sending-ukrainian-drone.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:48:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/zelensky-proposes-sending-ukrainian-drone.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2250245240.jpg" alt="Zelensky proposes sending Ukrainian drone experts to Middle East in ceasefire push"></p>"I would suggest the following: leaders of the Middle East have great relations with Russians. They can ask Russians to implement a month-long ceasefire," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-proposes-to-send-ukrainian-drone-experts-to-middle-east-in-return-for-russian-ceasefire/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/any-comparison-of-the-usiran.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:13:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/any-comparison-of-the-usiran.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-2263662126.jpg" alt="Any comparison of the US-Iran conflict to the Russia-Ukraine war is ignorant"></p><p>As President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to begin their assault on Iran, David Hearst, the editor-in-chief of the Middle East Eye, a Qatari-funded, Al Jazeera offshoot, declared, "There is a chilling but uncanny resemblance in the way Donald Trump is preparing to attack Iran, and the way</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/any-comparison-of-the-us-iran-conflict-to-the-russia-ukraine-war-is-ignorant/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/russian-drone-hits-passenger-train.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:50:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/russian-drone-hits-passenger-train.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-02-18-42-43.jpg" alt="Russian drone hits passenger train in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, 1 killed, 7 injured"></p>A drone hit a moving passenger train near Kryvyi Rih, killing one person and injuring seven others, including two children, officials said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-hits-passenger-train-in-dnipropetrovsk-oblast-1-killed-7-injured/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/deep-in-the-rear-ukraine.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/deep-in-the-rear-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/29e35091dd.jpg" alt="DEEP IN THE REAR: Ukraine reaches strategic Russian port #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W20K6ggzDFQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/afu-liberates-sq-km-strikes.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/afu-liberates-sq-km-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9e7efd376b.jpg" alt="AFU liberates 400 sq km! Strikes on Novorossiysk and Russia's burning oil refineries"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lrdjLk6ghE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/ukrainian-military-expert-warns-russians.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/ukrainian-military-expert-warns-russians.html <p>Residents of Russia’s border regions are being urged to prepare for major power disruptions. The days when Russia could strike Ukraine’s energy system with impunity are over, a Ukrainian analyst says.</p> <p>Odesa-based military expert Alexander Kovalenko said that in 2026 residents of several Russian regions should brace for systemic electricity outages and infrastructure strikes. According to him, Ukraine has the resources to scale up retaliatory actions, and the geography of such strikes will expand significantly soon.</p> <p>“Zero tolerance. Soon there will be everything and even more. In the fifth year of the ‘special military operation,’ the war will take on shades Russians did not know in 2022, in 2023… and so on,” he warned.</p> <p>It’s not just about the Belgorod region. The expert believes residents of Kursk, Bryansk, Oryol, Kaluga and other Russian regions should stock up on power banks and portable charging stations. He adds that Ukrainian drones and missiles are already penetrating deep into Russia’s rear, reaching eastern Siberian regions and even Udmurtia.</p> <p>What used to be seen as isolated disruptions could become the new normal in 2026.</p> <p>In the fifth year of the so-called “special military operation,” the conflict is taking on features unfamiliar to Russian society in 2022 and 2023. The war is gradually returning to Russian territory.</p> <p>The expert stresses that Ukraine is demonstrating an ability not only to defend itself but also to deliver painful strikes against Russia’s military and energy infrastructure. That, he says, is shifting the psychological balance and shattering the illusion of complete safety inside the country.</p> <p>In his assessment, 2026 could bring Russians significant daily-life and infrastructure challenges. “The boomerang of war launched in 2022 is returning,” he writes.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-expert-warns-russians-to-brace-for-widespread-power-outages-as-ukraine-expands-strikes-in-2026">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/ukraine-captured-more-territory-than.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:54:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/ukraine-captured-more-territory-than.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/626089393-1259952692966880-1616060521537530493-n.jpg" alt="Ukraine captured more territory than it lost to Russia over Febraury 2026, Syrskyi says"></p>The claim came amid a slowdown in Russian advances on most parts of the front line over winter.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-captured-more-territory-than-it-lost-to-russia-over-febraury-2026-syrskyi-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/russia-attacked-residential-buildings-in.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:51:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/russia-attacked-residential-buildings-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4c3545d336.jpg" alt="RUSSIA ATTACKED RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN ODESA! Innocent people under fire #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WtAerOeeoUE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/with-slow-progress-on-battlefield.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:10:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/with-slow-progress-on-battlefield.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262416393.jpg" alt="With slow progress on battlefield, Russia shifts to terror and sabotage in Ukraine"></p><p>Over the course of 48 hours last week, three explosions targeting Ukrainian police officers in different cities raised the prospect of a chilling new front in Russia’s campaign of terror against civilians.</p><p>On Feb. 22, two explosions hit the western city of Lviv near the Polish border after</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/with-slow-progress-on-battlefield-russia-shifts-to-terror-and-sabotage-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/ukrainian-paratroopers-claim-breakthrough-on.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/ukrainian-paratroopers-claim-breakthrough-on.html <p>A breakthrough on the Oleksandrivka axis derailed plans by Russian units to advance, Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said. Ukrainian paratroopers created conditions for further tactical gains.</p> <p>A clip of the operation -in which Ukraine’s Armed Forces say they breached Russian defenses on the Oleksandrivka axis in Donbas - appeared online. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/895147970175453">The footage</a> was published on the official Facebook page of the Command of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.</p> <p>For security reasons, the exact location was not disclosed. The recording shows strikes on a group of Russian troops who came under attack from drones and mortars. After a series of precise hits, Russian positions were suppressed.</p> <p>According to the command, ground reconnaissance assault groups “CG132” of the 132nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 7th Corps of the Assault Reserve of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces breached the defensive line. During the operation, firing positions, personnel and ammunition depots of Russian units were destroyed.</p> <p>The Ukrainian side said the reconnaissance units’ actions disrupted Russian plans for further offensive operations. The breakthrough created a foothold for the tactical advance of other units.</p> <p>The use of drones in combination with mortar support once again underscored the effectiveness of Ukraine’s tactics against Russian fortifications, the military said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-paratroopers-claim-breakthrough-on-the-oleksandrivka-axis-in-donbas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/drone-attack-ignites-sheskharis-oil.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:27:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/drone-attack-ignites-sheskharis-oil.html <p>Novorossiysk came under a drone attack overnight on March 2, igniting the Sheskharis oil terminal, one of the country’s largest export facilities and a site with strategic significance, The Moscow Times <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/03/02/ukrainskie-bespilotniki-atakovali-odin-iz-krupneishih-neftyanih-terminalov-rossii-na-chernom-more-a188425">reported</a>.</p> <p>A series of blasts rattled the Black Sea port city late on March 1. The first reports of “pops” surfaced in local social media around 10:50 p.m. Kyiv time. Soon after, a fire broke out in the port area, engulfing the Sheskharis oil terminal, a major complex in southern Russia that plays a strategic role in handling crude and petroleum products.</p> <p>The Krasnodar region’s operational headquarters said debris from downed drones damaged six apartment buildings and five private homes. Mayor Andrey Kravchenko announced road closures along the waterfront; local authorities did not report additional damage.</p> <p>Russian media said the attack came from both the air and the sea. The facility sits roughly 345 kilometers (214 miles) from the front line.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses destroyed 172 fixed-wing drones overnight, including 67 over the Black Sea and 66 over the Krasnodar region. Drones were also reported over Crimea and the Belgorod, Kursk and Astrakhan regions.</p> <p>The strikes disrupted air travel across southern Russia. In Krasnodar, 17 departures were delayed and eight canceled. In Sochi, 68 flights were delayed and eight canceled, including international routes to Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Dubai. In Gelendzhik, one arrival and one departure were canceled.</p> <p>Sheskharis has been targeted before. In November 2025, an oil depot, a Chernomortransneft berth and the NUTEP container terminal were damaged. Ukraine’s General Staff has said the site is used to support Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/drone-attack-ignites-sheskharis-oil-terminal-in-novorossiysk-a-key-russian-export-hub">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/mass-drone-attack-hits-russias.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/mass-drone-attack-hits-russias.html <p>On the evening of March 1, Russia’s Krasnodar region came under a mass drone attack. More than 100 flights were delayed at Sochi Airport amid the strikes, and an oil terminal at the port of Novorossiysk caught fire.</p> <p>Explosions have been heard in Novorossiysk for several hours - “dozens,” witnesses say - according to <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/92867">Russian Telegram channels</a>. “As local residents told SHOT, the evening in the city is extremely tense — air-raid sirens have been switched on several times, and after 9 p.m. dozens of powerful explosions could be heard,” the post said.</p> <p>Preliminary Russian reports suggest Novorossiysk is being targeted not only by aerial drones but also by naval drones — unmanned boats. Media report that debris from downed UAVs fell onto the roof of a multi-story residential building, and a fire is visible in one district, with thick black smoke enveloping the city.</p> <p>Air-raid sirens have also been sounding in Krasnodar and Anapa.</p> <p>At the same time, OSINT analysts <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/16952">report</a> that the fire in Novorossiysk has broken out at the local port’s oil terminal. There was no official confirmation of this at the time of publication. CNN cannot independently verify these claims.</p> <p>The situation in Sochi appears even more complicated: amid the drone attack, restrictions were introduced at the local airport around 2 p.m. on March 1, according to <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/92858">Russian Telegram channels</a>. They continued late into the evening.</p> <p>Overall, about 100 flights were delayed at Sochi Airport amid the mass barrage — at least 49 departures and 41 arrivals - and roughly a dozen were canceled.</p> <p>Officials have not publicly reported on the consequences of the mass attack on Sochi.</p> <p>On February 27, Russia claimed that a “Flamingo” missile reached as far as Chuvashia.</p> <p>On February 26, OSINT channels published satellite images of the Dorogobuzh chemical plant in Russia after a drone strike, showing the site blackened.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/mass-drone-attack-hits-russia-s-krasnodar-region-causing-sochi-flight-delays-and-a-fire-at-the-novorossiysk-oil-terminal">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/of-ukrainians-skeptical-usukrainerussia-talks.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:35:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/of-ukrainians-skeptical-usukrainerussia-talks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2231138391.jpg" alt="70% of Ukrainians skeptical US-Ukraine-Russia talks will bring lasting peace, poll shows"></p>Only 25% of respondents said they rather believe in the talks' potential success, while 5% remained undecided, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/70-of-ukrainians-skeptical-us-ukraine-russia-talks-will-bring-lasting-peace-poll-shows/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-share.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-share.html <p>Ukraine will share its air-defense experience with partners amid the conflict in the Middle East, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ7whDfokvo&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.president.gov.ua%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ">video address</a> on Sunday, March 1.</p> <p>“From the situation in the Middle East, you can see how difficult it is to provide 100% protection from missiles and ‘Shaheds,’ even in Gulf countries that have more advanced air-defense systems than what our partners have provided us so far, and have them in greater numbers. Still, not all ballistic missiles are being shot down. There are also ‘Shaheds’ that air defenses in the region did not stop.</p> <p>“Everyone can see that our defense experience is, in many ways, irreplaceable. We are ready to share this experience, ready to help those nations that helped Ukraine this winter and throughout this war,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He stressed that “Europe must finally equip itself with real strength—real capability to protect its sky, its land, its sea from all types of attacks. To do this, it is necessary to build sufficient production volumes of air defenses—against drones and against ballistic missiles.”</p> <p>The president added that Ukraine is closely tracking every change in the situation around Iran and coordinating with partners.</p> <p>“It is important that this chance for change in Iran be used properly. The Iranian people have long been essentially one-on-one against violence, against the Iranian regime. This regime—which has killed tens of thousands of its citizens only in recent months, which has always supported and organized wars in the region, which gave Russia ‘Shaheds’ and the technology to produce them—this regime has itself defined how it should be regarded. It is important to have a clear position of supporting people and life; it is important that American resolve—and the world’s resolve—truly works,” Zelensky emphasized.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-share-air-defense-expertise-amid-middle-east-conflict">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/war-beyond-borders-how-does.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:37:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/war-beyond-borders-how-does.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>We know very well how the war has affected Ukrainians’ views. We know how their trust </span><a href="https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&amp;cat=reports&amp;id=1467&amp;page=1"><span>in various institutions (the President, the government, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the police)</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/chy-stvoryuye-vijna-sotsialni-zv-yazky-chy-rujnuye-yih-zalezhyt-vid-vyznachennya"><span>in one another</span></a><span> has changed, and how the </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/ustanovky-ukrayintsiv-na-pochatku-vijny-vid-avtorytarnyh-zahysnykiv-demokratiyi-do-neshhaslyvyh-ale-zadovolenyh-zhyttyam"><span>importance of democracy and life satisfaction</span></a><span> has shifted. But does it affect the worldview of people beyond Ukraine’s borders? How has it changed Europeans, especially in countries that do not border Russia or Ukraine?</span></p> </div> <p><span>To understand this, sociologists study attitudes. An </span><b>attitude</b><span> is not a fleeting mood but a relatively stable orientation—an evaluation of people and events around us. Previous studies have already sought to answer how Europeans’ attitudes have changed in the context of the war in Ukraine. In particular, Klymak and Vlandas, in their paper </span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/3/8/pgae292/7731042"><i><span>Do wars abroad affect attitudes at home?</span></i></a><span>, documented a “first shock” effect. Analyzing data from the </span><a href="https://ess.sikt.no/en/"><span>10th wave of the European Social Survey (ESS)</span></a><span> in eight countries, where interviews were conducted between May 2021 and May 2022, the authors found that the war in Ukraine increased the importance of democracy and weakened authoritarian attitudes. Emotional attachment to Europe rose after March 2022. However, support for European unification and positive evaluations of immigration’s impact on the economy and culture increased only briefly: by April 2022, they had already returned to their previous levels.</span></p> <p><span>However, the authors limited their analysis to only the first 60 days after the invasion. They showed that some changes were an immediate reaction, while others (such as attachment to Europe) emerged later. But what happens to attitudes in the medium and long term? With newly available data from the </span><a href="https://ess.sikt.no/en/"><span>11th wave of the ESS</span></a><span>, we are able to assess this.</span></p> <h3>Data and methodology</h3> <p><span>For the analysis, we used data from the 10th (2020–2022) and 11th (2023–2024) waves of the ESS. Similar to Klymak and Vlandas, we selected only those countries where interviews were conducted face-to-face and covered periods before and after the start of the full-scale invasion. However, the geographic scope of the study changed somewhat. First, Belgium, Ireland, and the United Kingdom were added to the sample, as their data became available only after the original article had been written. Second, we excluded North Macedonia because it did not participate in the 11th wave. As a result, our analysis focuses on 10 countries (see Appendices 1–2 for the full list).</span></p> <p><span>The list of attitudes also had to be adjusted. Of the original 12 indicators, we retained 8 for analysis. The main reasons for these changes were:</span></p> <ol> <li aria-level="1"><i><span>Technical constraints</span></i><span>: The 11th-wave questionnaire does not include questions on the importance of democracy or the need for strong leaders who are above the law.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><i><span>Sampling logic</span></i><span>: The question of joining or leaving the EU is not universal, as some of the countries in our sample are already EU members while others are not. Respondents in EU member states were asked about their country leaving the EU, whereas respondents in the remaining countries were asked about joining the EU.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><i><span>Absence or short-lived effects</span></i><span>: Klymak and Vlandas showed that the desire to leave the EU changed only during the first two weeks of the invasion, while the war did not affect the desire to join the EU at all.</span></li> </ol> <p><span>The 8 attitudes we selected can be broadly divided into two equal groups: political attitudes (emotional attachment to Europe, support for European unification, and evaluations of government) and those related to immigration. To track changes after the invasion, we created a variable covering six time intervals:</span></p> <ol> <li aria-level="1"><span>before the invasion;</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>up to 1 month after the invasion began;</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>from 1 to 3 months after the invasion began;</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>from 3 to 6 months after the invasion began;</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>from 6 months to 1.5 years after the invasion began;</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>1.5 years or more after the invasion began.</span></li> </ol> <p><span>This breakdown allows us to capture short-term (up to 3 months), medium-term (from 3 months to 1.5 years), and long-term (1.5 years or more) periods.</span></p> <p><span>To compare the “before” period with the “after” periods, we used hierarchical linear regression with mixed effects. The regression models were estimated on a pooled dataset including all countries simultaneously rather than separately for each country. Although analyzing individual countries can provide valuable information, our goal is to identify the overall trend in attitude change across European countries that do not border Ukraine or Russia. The chosen method allows us to separate the effect of survey timing from the effect of country of residence. The data structure enables analysis at both the individual (respondent) level and the country level. Individual-level variables were included in the model as fixed effects, while country was treated as a random effect.</span></p> <p><span>We included control variables in the regression to account for individual differences among respondents. These include gender, age, years of education, type of settlement (urban vs. rural), whether the respondent was born in the country of residence (yes/no), the main source of income (wages, pensions, social benefits, etc.), and its subjective assessment. We use the same set of control variables as Klymak and Vlandas.</span></p> <p><span>Even preliminary comparisons of the 10th and 11th waves of the ESS (see Appendices 1–2) make it clear why it is so important to separate the effect of survey timing from country-specific differences. For example, support for European integration increased in the United Kingdom and Montenegro, while in Italy it decreased. In Portugal, assessments of migrants’ impact on the country’s cultural life worsened, whereas in Montenegro they remained stable. If you are interested in other European countries beyond these 10 and their comparison with Ukraine, or in other attitudes, we invite you to consult the publication comparing the 10th and 11th waves of the ESS </span><a href="https://zenodo.org/records/18595343"><span>at this link</span></a><span>.</span></p> <h3>Estimation results</h3> <p><span>The full regression results are reported in Appendix 3. Below, we focus only on comparisons between the period before February 2022 and the periods after the invasion to illustrate changes in Europeans’ attitudes.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p><b>Figure 1</b><span>. Results of the regression analysis of changes in political attitudes after the invasion compared to the period before February 2022</span></p> </div> <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/results-1.jpg" alt="" width="1999" height="1167" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-197017"></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Note: The dots represent regression coefficients, and the horizontal lines represent their 95% confidence intervals. Statistically significant differences compared to the pre-invasion period are shown in red, while non-significant differences are shown in black. Points to the right of the vertical dashed line (zero) indicate more positive attitudes after the invasion, while points to the left indicate more negative attitudes.</span></p> </div> <p><span>As Figure 1 shows, support for further European unification increased after the invasion. This trend persists in both the short term and the long term. By contrast, emotional attachment to Europe changed over time: in the first 1–3 months, it was higher than its 2021 level, but after 1.5 years and later, it fell below the level observed before the invasion.</span></p> <p><span>At the very beginning of the war, support for the idea that people should be loyal to their leaders weakened, but in the 3–6 month period, it exceeded pre-invasion levels. At the same time, support for government action to reduce income inequality remained the same as before the invasion.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p><b>Figure 2.</b><span> Results of the regression analysis of changes in attitudes toward immigrants after the invasion compared to the period before February 2022</span></p> </div> <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/results-2.jpg" alt="" width="1999" height="1167" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-197018"></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Note: The dots represent regression coefficients, and the horizontal lines represent their 95% confidence intervals. Statistically significant differences compared to the pre-invasion period are shown in red, while non-significant differences are shown in black. Points to the right of the vertical dashed line (zero) indicate more positive attitudes after the invasion, while points to the left indicate more negative attitudes.</span></p> </div> <p><span>Figure 2 shows that in the first month after the invasion, overall attitudes toward immigrants remained the same as before the invasion. However, there was one important nuance: in the first 1–3 months, Europeans became more skeptical about the positive impact of immigration on the country’s economy and cultural life, although support for allowing immigrants to enter the country did not decline.</span></p> <p><span>Attitudes improved thereafter: in the 3–6 month period after the start of the full-scale invasion, both support for allowing immigrants of a different race or ethnic group to come and live in the country and positive views of immigration’s impact on the economy and culture increased. However, in the long term (after 1.5 years or more), attitudes deteriorated and fell below their 2021 level.</span></p> <p><span>Next, we examine the relationship between attitudes and the control variables, focusing on those associated with all or most outcomes (see Appendix 3). More positive attitudes toward immigrants are associated with higher levels of education, greater financial comfort, living in urban areas, having wages as the main source of income (rather than social benefits or grants), and being born outside the current country of residence.</span></p> <p><span>Stronger emotional attachment to Europe and more positive attitudes toward European unification are associated with higher levels of education, urban residence, greater financial comfort, and being born outside the country of residence. Higher support for European unification is also more common among those whose main source of income is wages rather than social benefits or grants.</span></p> <p><span>By contrast, support for reducing income inequality is more common among respondents with lower financial comfort, those whose main source of income is social benefits or grants, and rural residents. Support for the idea that people should be loyal to their leaders is more common among rural residents, less educated respondents, and those whose main source of income is social benefits or grants, as well as among individuals with higher financial comfort.</span></p> <h3>Conclusions</h3> <p><span>The results suggest that the echo of the war can shift public opinion in countries that do not share borders with Ukraine or Russia—that is, where the threat would be expected to feel less immediate.</span></p> <p><span>The most notable pattern is observed in attitudes toward immigrants. While in March 2022 these attitudes remained essentially at their pre-invasion level, there was a sharp “warming” in the 3–6 months following the full-scale invasion. However, in the long term (1.5 years or more), these attitudes fell below their pre-invasion level.</span></p> <p><span>On the one hand, it can be assumed that overall attitudes toward immigrants are partly shaped by perceptions of Ukrainian refugees. In this case, the deterioration in attitudes may be linked to the protracted nature of the war: the longer it lasts, the more likely immigrants are to be perceived not as temporary guests in need of help, but as people who will remain for a long time. This implies that they will compete for jobs and place additional strain on the welfare system. At the same time, the impact of Russia’s information warfare—aimed at destabilizing European societies, including through the issue of migration—should not be underestimated.</span></p> <p><span>Long-term changes are also evident in attitudes toward European unification and emotional attachment to Europe. Support for European unification remains consistently higher than its pre-invasion level. However, emotional attachment to Europe in the period 1.5 years or more after the start of the full-scale invasion fell below its pre-invasion level.</span></p> <p><span>Such patterns may be driven by different reactions to the war:</span></p> <ol> <li aria-level="1"><i><span>Shattered assumptions about a safe and predictable world</span></i><span>: this may encourage greater support for European unification as a geopolitical bloc.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><i><span>Disappointment with insufficient decisiveness</span></i><span>: some Europeans may believe that the EU provides too little assistance to Ukraine, which fuels skepticism toward it and reduces emotional attachment to Europe overall.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><i><span>A demand for “normality”</span></i><span>: a desire to distance oneself from the war and preserve familiar comfort. In the media space, the EU often appears in the context of the Russia–Ukraine war (sanctions and support for Ukraine), which can trigger a defensive reaction—avoiding negative information. This may also reduce emotional attachment to Europe.</span></li> </ol> <h3>Study limitations</h3> <p><span>It is important to note that these results apply primarily to the 10 countries selected for analysis and cannot be automatically generalized to other European countries. In addition, the changes in attitudes observed </span><i><span>after</span></i><span> the invasion were not necessarily </span><i><span>caused</span></i><span> by it. While the war may still have been the dominant factor in the first months, in the long term the effect of the invasion becomes intertwined with other events and contexts. Moreover, because different individuals were interviewed in different periods, we capture overall trends rather than individual-level changes.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p><span>The preparation and publication of this material was supported by Documenting Ukraine, a project of the Institute for Human Sciences, IWM Vienna.</span></p> </div> <h3>Appendix 1<span>. Mean values of political attitudes in the 10th and 11th waves of the ESS for 10 countries</span></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th rowspan="2"><span>Country</span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>Emotional attachment to Europe</span><span><br> </span><span>(0 — Not at all, 10 — Very emotionally attached)</span></span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>European unification should go further or has already gone too far</span><span><br> </span><span>(0 — Unification has gone too far, 10 — Unification should go further)</span></span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>People should be loyal to their leaders¹</span><span><br> </span><span>(1 — Agree strongly, 5 — Disagree strongly)</span></span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>The government should take measures to reduce differences in income levels¹</span><span><br> </span><span>(1 — Agree strongly, 5 — Disagree strongly)</span></span></th> </tr> <tr> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><span>Belgium</span></td> <td><span>5.91</span></td> <td><span>5.76</span></td> <td><span>5.87</span></td> <td><span>5.73</span></td> <td><span>3.05</span></td> <td><span>3.11</span></td> <td><span>2.17</span></td> <td><span>2.21</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Switzerland</span></td> <td><span>5.97</span></td> <td><span>6.05</span></td> <td><span>4.99</span></td> <td><span>5.00</span></td> <td><span><b>2.72</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.83</b></span></td> <td><span>2.32</span></td> <td><span>2.28</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>United Kingdom</span></td> <td><span>4.77</span></td> <td><span>4.87</span></td> <td><span><b>5.08</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.41</b></span></td> <td><span>3.28</span></td> <td><span>3.33</span></td> <td><span>2.13</span></td> <td><span>2.18</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Greece</span></td> <td><span>5.32</span></td> <td><span>5.24</span></td> <td><span>5.05</span></td> <td><span>5.22</span></td> <td><span><b>3.78</b></span></td> <td><span><b>3.55</b></span></td> <td><span><b>1.76</b></span></td> <td><span><b>1.66</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Ireland</span></td> <td><span><b>6.21</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.98</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.84</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.34</b></span></td> <td><span>3.06</span></td> <td><span>3.10</span></td> <td><span><b>2.11</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.05</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Italy</span></td> <td><span><b>5.93</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.73</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.18</b></span></td> <td><span><b>4.75</b></span></td> <td><span>2.80</span></td> <td><span>2.82</span></td> <td><span><b>2.06</b></span></td> <td><span><b>1.85</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Montenegro</span></td> <td><span><b>5.72</b></span></td> <td><span><b>4.73</b></span></td> <td><span><b>3.82</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.02</b></span></td> <td><span>3.20</span></td> <td><span>3.18</span></td> <td><span><b>2.07</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.28</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Netherlands</span></td> <td><span>5.77</span></td> <td><span>5.63</span></td> <td><span>5.79</span></td> <td><span>5.56</span></td> <td><span>3.24</span></td> <td><span>3.22</span></td> <td><span><b>2.27</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.37</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Norway</span></td> <td><span>6.31</span></td> <td><span>6.45</span></td> <td><span>4.99</span></td> <td><span>5.11</span></td> <td><span>2.93</span></td> <td><span>2.91</span></td> <td><span>2.13</span></td> <td><span>2.25</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Portugal</span></td> <td><span>6.55</span></td> <td><span>6.69</span></td> <td><span>6.21</span></td> <td><span>6.37</span></td> <td><span>3.00</span></td> <td><span>3.11</span></td> <td><span>1.70</span></td> <td><span>1.74</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="9"> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Note: For data from the 10th and 11th waves of the ESS, post-stratification weights combined with design weights were applied. Statistically significant differences in mean values between survey waves (p ≤ 0.05), based on the Mann–Whitney test, are shown </span><b>in bold</b><span>. The test was conducted separately for each country across all eight attitudes, after which the Holm correction for multiple comparisons was applied.</span></p> <p><span>¹ The lower the mean value, the stronger the agreement.</span></p> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Appendix 2<span>. Mean values of attitudes toward immigrants in the 10th and 11th waves of the ESS for 10 countries</span></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th rowspan="2"><span>Country</span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>Allow people of a different race or ethnic group to come and live in this country¹</span><i><span><br> </span></i><i><span>(1 — Allow many, 4 — Allow none)</span></i></span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>Allow people from poorer countries outside Europe to come and live in this country¹</span><i><span><br> </span></i><i><span>(1 — Allow many, 4 — Allow none)</span></i></span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>Immigration is good or bad for the country’s economy</span><span><br> </span><i><span>(0 — Bad, 10 — Good)</span></i></span></th> <th colspan="2"><span><span>Immigration is good or bad for the country’s cultural life</span><span><br> </span><i><span>(0 — Cultural life is undermined, 10 — Cultural life is enriched)</span></i></span></th> </tr> <tr> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> <th><span>ESS 10</span></th> <th><span>ESS 11</span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><span>Belgium</span></td> <td><span>2.07</span></td> <td><span>2.08</span></td> <td><span>2.09</span></td> <td><span>2.14</span></td> <td><span>5.61</span></td> <td><span>5.52</span></td> <td><span>6.31</span></td> <td><span>6.14</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Switzerland</span></td> <td><span>2.10</span></td> <td><span>2.10</span></td> <td><span>2.16</span></td> <td><span>2.17</span></td> <td><span>6.42</span></td> <td><span>6.48</span></td> <td><span>6.55</span></td> <td><span>6.39</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>United Kingdom</span></td> <td><span><b>1.86</b></span></td> <td><span><b>1.99</b></span></td> <td><span><b>1.93</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.05</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.70</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.39</b></span></td> <td><span>6.69</span></td> <td><span>6.53</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Greece</span></td> <td><span><b>3.08</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.89</b></span></td> <td><span>3.12</span></td> <td><span>3.06</span></td> <td><span>4.06</span></td> <td><span>4.16</span></td> <td><span>4.14</span></td> <td><span>4.06</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Ireland</span></td> <td><span><b>2.03</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.19</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.09</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.23</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.60</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.21</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.72</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.28</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Italy</span></td> <td><span><b>2.32</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.38</b></span></td> <td><span>2.28</span></td> <td><span>2.31</span></td> <td><span>5.06</span></td> <td><span>5.04</span></td> <td><span><b>5.25</b></span></td> <td><span><b>4.90</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Montenegro</span></td> <td><span>2.33</span></td> <td><span>2.34</span></td> <td><span>2.41</span></td> <td><span>2.37</span></td> <td><span>4.29</span></td> <td><span>4.27</span></td> <td><span>5.15</span></td> <td><span>5.15</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Netherlands</span></td> <td><span><b>2.05</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.18</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.18</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.33</b></span></td> <td><span>5.86</span></td> <td><span>5.68</span></td> <td><span><b>6.53</b></span></td> <td><span><b>6.25</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Norway</span></td> <td><span>1.80</span></td> <td><span>1.75</span></td> <td><span>1.86</span></td> <td><span>1.84</span></td> <td><span>6.06</span></td> <td><span>6.00</span></td> <td><span>6.53</span></td> <td><span>6.32</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Portugal</span></td> <td><span><b>2.21</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.47</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.19</b></span></td> <td><span><b>2.44</b></span></td> <td><span>6.35</span></td> <td><span>6.21</span></td> <td><span><b>6.21</b></span></td> <td><span><b>5.64</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="9"> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Note: For data from the 10th and 11th waves of the ESS, post-stratification weights combined with design weights were applied. Statistically significant differences in mean values between survey waves (p ≤ 0.05), based on the Mann–Whitney test, are shown </span><b>in bold</b><span>. The test was conducted separately for each country across all eight attitudes, after which the Holm correction for multiple comparisons was applied.</span></p> <p><span>1</span><span> The lower the mean value, the more positive the attitude.</span></p> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>Appendix 3. <span>Regression models for the 8 attitude variables</span><span> ✢</span></h3> <div> <table> <tbody> <tr> <th></th> <th><span><b>(1)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(2)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(3)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(4)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(5)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(6)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(7)</b></span></th> <th><span><b>(8)</b></span></th> </tr> </tbody> <tbody> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span>(Intercept)</span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>4.744***</span> <p><span>(0.203)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>4.729***</span> <p><span>(0.170)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>2.425***</span> <p><span>(0.077)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>3.046***</span> <p><span>(0.065)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>1.538***</span> <p><span>(0.090)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>1.510***</span> <p><span>(0.096)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>5.227***</span> <p><span>(0.234)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>5.272***</span> <p><span>(0.220)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Period:</span><i><span> Up to 1 month</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.100</span> <p><span>(0.056)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.139*</span> <p><span>(0.058)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.050*</span> <p><span>(0.025)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.004</span> <p><span>(0.023)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.006</span> <p><span>(0.019)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.011</span> <p><span>(0.019)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.038</span> <p><span>(0.053)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.095</span> <p><span>(0.054)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Period:</span><i><span> From 1 to 3 months</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.163*</span> <p><span>(0.063)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.307***</span> <p><span>(0.065)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.029</span> <p><span>(0.029)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.016</span> <p><span>(0.026)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.025</span> <p><span>(0.021)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.028</span> <p><span>(0.022)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.214***</span> <p><span>(0.059)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.149*</span> <p><span>(0.061)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Period:</span><i><span> From 3 to 6 months</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.095</span> <p><span>(0.070)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.503***</span> <p><span>(0.073)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.078*</span> <p><span>(0.031)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.008</span> <p><span>(0.028)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.047*</span> <p><span>(0.023)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.026</span> <p><span>(0.024)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.148*</span> <p><span>(0.066)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.218**</span> <p><span>(0.067)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Period:</span><i><span> From 6 months to 1.5 years</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.006</span> <p><span>(0.044)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.208***</span> <p><span>(0.046)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.004</span> <p><span>(0.020)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.033</span> <p><span>(0.018)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.023</span> <p><span>(0.015)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.005</span> <p><span>(0.015)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.005</span> <p><span>(0.042)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.088*</span> <p><span>(0.042)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Period: </span><i><span>1.5 years or more</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.085*</span> <p><span>(0.033)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.243***</span> <p><span>(0.034)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.025</span> <p><span>(0.015)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.023</span> <p><span>(0.013)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.045***</span> <p><span>(0.011)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.053***</span> <p><span>(0.011)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.063*</span> <p><span>(0.031)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.222***</span> <p><span>(0.032)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><i><span>Gender: Female</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.120***</span> <p><span>(0.026)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.066*</span> <p><span>(0.027)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.022</span> <p><span>(0.012)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.101***</span> <p><span>(0.010)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.029***</span> <p><span>(0.009)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.044***</span> <p><span>(0.009)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.198***</span> <p><span>(0.024)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.103***</span> <p><span>(0.025)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span>Age</span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.002*</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.007***</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.004***</span> <p><span>(0.000)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.000</span> <p><span>(0.000)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.006***</span> <p><span>(0.000)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.006***</span> <p><span>(0.000)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.004***</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.009***</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Urban residence: </span><i><span>No</span></i><span> </span></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.142***</span> <p><span>(0.028)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.236***</span> <p><span>(0.029)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.077***</span> <p><span>(0.012)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.070***</span> <p><span>(0.011)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.078***</span> <p><span>(0.009)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.067***</span> <p><span>(0.009)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.180***</span> <p><span>(0.026)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.247***</span> <p><span>(0.026)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Born in the country of residence: </span><i><span>Yes</span></i><span> </span></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.460***</span> <p><span>(0.042)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.486***</span> <p><span>(0.045)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.181***</span> <p><span>(0.019)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.032</span> <p><span>(0.017)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.244***</span> <p><span>(0.014)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.231***</span> <p><span>(0.014)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-1.048***</span> <p><span>(0.040)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.909***</span> <p><span>(0.040)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span>Education (years of education)</span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.075***</span> <p><span>(0.003)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.055***</span> <p><span>(0.004)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.039***</span> <p><span>(0.002)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.000</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.025***</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.024***</span> <p><span>(0.001)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.079***</span> <p><span>(0.003)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.086***</span> <p><span>(0.003)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source: </span><i><span>Self-employment</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.067</span> <p><span>(0.052)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.001</span> <p><span>(0.054)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.039</span> <p><span>(0.023)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.016</span> <p><span>(0.021)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.041*</span> <p><span>(0.017)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.044*</span> <p><span>(0.018)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.102*</span> <p><span>(0.049)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.085</span> <p><span>(0.050)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source:</span><i><span> Farming or household production</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.053</span> <p><span>(0.094)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.121</span> <p><span>(0.097)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.019</span> <p><span>(0.042)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.007</span> <p><span>(0.038)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.129***</span> <p><span>(0.031)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.055</span> <p><span>(0.032)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.056</span> <p><span>(0.088)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.063</span> <p><span>(0.090)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source: </span><i><span>Pension</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.056</span> <p><span>(0.041)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.107*</span> <p><span>(0.043)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.097***</span> <p><span>(0.019)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.035*</span> <p><span>(0.017)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.010</span> <p><span>(0.014)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.020</span> <p><span>(0.014)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.006</span> <p><span>(0.039)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.025</span> <p><span>(0.040)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source:</span><i><span> Unemployment or redundancy benefits</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.377**</span> <p><span>(0.116)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.119</span> <p><span>(0.127)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.022</span> <p><span>(0.052)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.007</span> <p><span>(0.047)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.117**</span> <p><span>(0.039)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.127**</span> <p><span>(0.040)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.260*</span> <p><span>(0.109)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.048</span> <p><span>(0.112)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source:</span><i><span> Other social benefits, subsidies, or grants</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.116</span> <p><span>(0.081)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.308***</span> <p><span>(0.086)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.110**</span> <p><span>(0.036)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.181***</span> <p><span>(0.033)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.090***</span> <p><span>(0.027)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.112***</span> <p><span>(0.027)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.475***</span> <p><span>(0.076)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.363***</span> <p><span>(0.077)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source: </span><i><span>Investments, savings, insurance, or property</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.386**</span> <p><span>(0.145)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.138</span> <p><span>(0.148)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.040</span> <p><span>(0.065)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.224***</span> <p><span>(0.059)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.029</span> <p><span>(0.048)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.037</span> <p><span>(0.050)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.074</span> <p><span>(0.135)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.133</span> <p><span>(0.140)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span><span>Income source:</span><i><span> Other sources</span></i></span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.150</span> <p><span>(0.101)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.051</span> <p><span>(0.104)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.048</span> <p><span>(0.045)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.008</span> <p><span>(0.041)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.006</span> <p><span>(0.033)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.013</span> <p><span>(0.034)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.088</span> <p><span>(0.094)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.216*</span> <p><span>(0.095)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><span>Financial comfort</span></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.215***</span> <p><span>(0.018)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.130***</span> <p><span>(0.018)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.035***</span> <p><span>(0.008)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>-0.096***</span> <p><span>(0.007)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.070***</span> <p><span>(0.006)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.052***</span> <p><span>(0.006)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.239***</span> <p><span>(0.017)</span></p></td> <td rowspan="2"><span>0.199***</span> <p><span>(0.017)</span></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span><span>SD (Intercept, </span><i><span>country</span></i><span> level)</span></span></td> <td><span>0.598</span></td> <td><span>0.480</span></td> <td><span>0.220</span></td> <td><span>0.183</span></td> <td><span>0.273</span></td> <td><span>0.293</span></td> <td><span>0.707</span></td> <td><span>0.659</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>SD (Observations)</span></td> <td><span>2.339</span></td> <td><span>2.370</span></td> <td><span>1.043</span></td> <td><span>0.942</span></td> <td><span>0.774</span></td> <td><span>0.794</span></td> <td><span>2.184</span></td> <td><span>2.226</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Num.Obs.</span></td> <td><span>33225</span></td> <td><span>31310</span></td> <td><span>32834</span></td> <td><span>33131</span></td> <td><span>33015</span></td> <td><span>32973</span></td> <td><span>32814</span></td> <td><span>32874</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>R2 Marg.</span></td> <td><span>0.038</span></td> <td><span>0.030</span></td> <td><span>0.046</span></td> <td><span>0.017</span></td> <td><span>0.072</span></td> <td><span>0.063</span></td> <td><span>0.072</span></td> <td><span>0.077</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>R2 Cond.</span></td> <td><span>0.097</span></td> <td><span>0.068</span></td> <td><span>0.087</span></td> <td><span>0.052</span></td> <td><span>0.175</span></td> <td><span>0.175</span></td> <td><span>0.160</span></td> <td><span>0.152</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>AIC</span></td> <td><span>150908.3</span></td> <td><span>143036.2</span></td> <td><span>96145.1</span></td> <td><span>90259.8</span></td> <td><span>76961.1</span></td> <td><span>78577.4</span></td> <td><span>144546.7</span></td> <td><span>146062.6</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>BIC</span></td> <td><span>151084.9</span></td> <td><span>143211.6</span></td> <td><span>96321.5</span></td> <td><span>90436.4</span></td> <td><span>77137.6</span></td> <td><span>78753.9</span></td> <td><span>144723.0</span></td> <td><span>146239.1</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>ICC</span></td> <td><span>0.1</span></td> <td><span>0.0</span></td> <td><span>0.0</span></td> <td><span>0.0</span></td> <td><span>0.1</span></td> <td><span>0.1</span></td> <td><span>0.1</span></td> <td><span>0.1</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>RMSE</span></td> <td><span>2.34</span></td> <td><span>2.37</span></td> <td><span>1.04</span></td> <td><span>0.94</span></td> <td><span>0.77</span></td> <td><span>0.79</span></td> <td><span>2.18</span></td> <td><span>2.22</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="9"> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span><span>✢</span><i><span>Note:</span></i><span> Regression models were estimated for the following dependent variables: </span><b>(1)</b><span> Emotional attachment to Europe; </span><b>(2)</b><span> European unification should go further or has already gone too far; </span><b>(3)</b><span> People should be loyal to their leaders; </span><b>(4)</b><span> The government should take measures to reduce differences in income levels; </span><b>(5)</b><span> Allow people of a different race or ethnic group to come and live in this country; </span><b>(6)</b><span> Allow people from poorer countries outside Europe to come and live in this country; </span><b>(7)</b><span> Immigration is good or bad for the country’s economy; </span><b>(8)</b><span> Immigration is good or bad for the country’s cultural life.</span></span></p> <p><span>Standard errors are reported in parentheses below the regression coefficients. All variables with reverse-coded scales were recoded so that higher values indicate more positive attitudes or evaluations. All ordinal and continuous variables that did not start at 0 were recoded to start at 0. The exception is age, which was centered so that its mean equals 0.</span></p> <p><span><span>Reference category for Period: </span><i><span>Before the invasion</span></i><span>; for Income source: </span><i><span>Wages</span></i><span>.</span><span> </span></span></p> <p><span>* p &lt; 0.05, ** p &lt; 0.01, *** p &lt; 0.001.</span></p> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/war-beyond-borders-how-does-it-echo-across-europe">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:35:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-02-09-53-17.jpg" alt="At least 9 killed, 19 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 94 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 84 unmanned aircraft.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-9-killed-19-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/between-security-and-memory-ukraine.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:18:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/between-security-and-memory-ukraine.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>​​In recent years, support has been growing worldwide for political forces that appeal to national sovereignty, historical memory, and the protection of domestic interests. Poland has not been an exception to this broader trend. </span></p> </div> <p><span>Despite the significant assistance Warsaw has provided to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, themes of historical responsibility and social balance have become increasingly prominent in Polish political discourse. The victory of Karol Nawrocki, former head of the Institute of National Remembrance, in the 2025 presidential election reflected this demand for a more pragmatic political model. Let us turn to his public statements and speeches to understand how Poland’s position toward Ukraine is transforming in the first months of his presidency and what opportunities for constructive dialogue this new reality opens.</span></p> <h3>Karol Nawrocki before the presidency: institutional career and the election campaign</h3> <p><span>Karol Nawrocki is a historian by training. In 2013-2017, he </span><a href="https://file.liga.net/ua/persons/navrotskii-karol"><span>headed</span></a><span> the Public Education Office at the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) in Gdańsk, and later served as the Director of the Museum of the Second World War (2017-2021). In 2021, the current president was appointed President of the IPN, a position he held until 2025. Prior to this period, Nawrocki was not a political actor at the national level, and his public statements were primarily </span><a href="https://histmag.org/Felieton-Komercyjny-totalitaryzm-1996"><span>academic</span></a><span> in nature. Until 2021, his remarks did not reflect a consistent position on Ukraine as a state, Polish-Ukrainian relations, or foreign policy more broadly. The turning point came with his appointment as head of the IPN — an institution that plays a key role in shaping Poland’s official memory policy. It was at this point that, for Nawrocki, historical memory gradually transformed from a subject of academic research into a political instrument.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p><span>“I am convinced that the Polish state must firmly take up the issue of the exhumation of the victims of the Volhynia massacre. Meanwhile, Ukraine is behaving very improperly toward Poles in this matter”, Nawrocki said in an </span><a href="https://www.rmf24.pl/tylko-w-rmf24/poranna-rozmowa/news-nawrocki-ukraina-zachowuje-sie-wobec-polakow-bardzo-nieprzyz,nId,7846150#crp_state=1"><span>interview</span></a><span> with RMF24 (October 2024).</span></p> </div> <p><span>Even before Nawrocki assumed leadership of the IPN, Poland’s relations with Ukraine in the sphere of historical memory were tense. Between 2014 and 2017, around </span><a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2024/08/23/7192698/"><span>fifteen acts</span></a><span> of vandalism targeting Ukrainian burial sites and memorials were recorded in Poland. The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UINM) responded by </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/volodymyr.viatrovych/posts/pfbid0FsbdYPDQdRj95a1kQhyMCNC1k1YJfawbeDtZr8hDcq1JimPH5tpBi8xSzJYWbVC7l?rdid=hDRxi2zO8YK1A58a"><span>suspending</span></a><span> the issuance of permits for Polish search operations until the protection of Ukrainian sites of memory was guaranteed. This was followed by major disputes over who was responsible for </span><a href="https://glavcom.ua/world/world-politics/institut-natsionalnoji-pamjati-polshchi-zvinuvativ-drobovicha-v-manipuljatsijakh-935913.html"><span>destroying</span></a><span> monuments to UPA members: Ukrainian or Polish actors. Against this backdrop, Karol Nawrocki’s consistent position took shape, emphasizing the need for Ukraine to officially condemn the OUN and UPA. He repeatedly </span><a href="https://hromadske.ua/svit/237562-ukrayini-nemaye-mistsia-ni-v-nato-ni-v-yes-iakshcho-vona-ne-vidpovist-za-zlochyny-na-volyni-kandydat-u-prezydenty-polshchi#:~:text=%D0%9A%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%20%D1%83%20%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8%20%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%89%D1%96%20%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%20%D0%9D%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%86%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%8F%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B2%2C,%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%B1%D0%B5%20%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%96%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%20%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D1%83%20%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B5%D0%B4%D1%96%D1%8E%201943%20%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%83."><span>demanded</span></a><span> that Kyiv recognize their activities as criminal and publicly apologize to the Polish side. This position disregards Ukraine’s earlier gestures — most notably </span><a href="https://www.istpravda.com.ua/short/2014/12/18/146107/"><span>Petro Poroshenko</span></a><span>’s apology in the Sejm in 2014 regarding the Volhynia tragedy. Nawrocki emphasized that between 2017 and 2024, the institute </span><a href="https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/prezes-ipn-zgoda-na-ekshumacje-ofiar-zbrodni-wolynskiej-chocby-w-jednym-miejscu-0"><span>sent</span></a><span> nine requests for search operations that allegedly went unanswered, and argued that war cannot serve as a justification for failing to grant permits. Such a stance constructs an image of a “historically irresponsible” Kyiv, enabling the Polish side to continually reproduce the conflict without acknowledging the steps Ukraine has already taken.</span></p> <p><span>The 2025 election campaign marked the final politicization of Nawrocki’s historical rhetoric and its integration into broader right-wing conservative discourse. Nawrocki positioned himself as a candidate of the “</span><a href="https://www.dw.com/uk/politicnij-zemletrus-so-cekae-na-polsu-pisla-peremogi-nawrockogo-a-72760356/a-72760356"><span>patriotic camp</span></a><span>“, appealing to voters disillusioned with liberal policies, particularly the EU’s openness toward migrants. Within this logic, historical memory ceases to be a matter of the past — it becomes a marker of national sovereignty.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p><span>“Today, I do not see Ukraine in any structure — neither in the European Union nor in NATO — until such culturally important issues for Poles are resolved. A state that is unable to take responsibility for a very brutal crime against 120,000 of its neighbors cannot be part of international alliances”, Nawrocki said in an </span><a href="https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2025-01-08/karol-nawrocki-w-gosciu-wydarzen/"><span>interview</span></a><span> with Polsat News (January 2025).</span></p> </div> <p><span>In his statements, Karol Nawrocki directly </span><a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/01/09/7492724/"><span>linked</span></a><span> Ukraine’s prospects for European and Euro-Atlantic integration to the resolution of issues related to shared history, effectively presenting this as a precondition for further support. Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly </span><a href="https://hromadske.ua/viyna/237988-kandydat-u-prezydenty-polshchi-iz-iakym-posperechavsia-zelenskyy-poobitsiav-pidtrymuvaty-ukrayinu-v-razi-peremohy"><span>responded</span></a><span> to these remarks. In his comment, he ironically advised Karol Nawrocki to work out in the gym and be prepared to take up arms if Ukraine does not obtain NATO membership, thereby clearly outlining the security dimension of such political signals. In early 2025, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs </span><a href="https://mfa.gov.ua/en/news/komentar-mzs-shchodo-manipulyativnih-zayav-golovi-institutu-nacionalnoyi-pamyati-respubliki-polshcha"><span>described</span></a><span> Nawrocki’s statements as manipulative and short-sighted regarding Poland’s strategic interests. The ministry also emphasized that Karol Nawrocki’s words were met with applause in the Kremlin.</span></p> <p><span>Under Nawrocki’s pressure, the situation gradually began to change: starting in 2025, the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory began issuing permits for exhumations, and a Ukrainian-Polish working group </span><a href="https://mcsc.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pl_ua_komunikat_ver61.pdf"><span>agreed</span></a><span> on joint exhumation activities in both Ukraine and Poland. Despite this, Nawrocki initiated amendments to the Law on the Institute of National Remembrance and to the Criminal Code in order to equate OUN-UPA ideology with </span><a href="https://www.gazetaprawna.pl/wiadomosci/kraj/artykuly/9870373,nowe-ustawy-nawrockiego-piec-lat-wiezienia-za-nielegalne-przekroczeni.html"><span>Nazism and communism</span></a><span>. The absence of historical context in the draft law is not surprising, as the relevant explanations are typically contained in accompanying documents. The problem lies rather in the content and the manner in which the provision is justified: ignoring the complexity of historical processes and scholarly debate may indicate an attempt to entrench a dominant interpretation of the past. By comparison, Ukraine’s decommunization laws also had a political dimension; however, they were accompanied by expert discussions and references to historical research. The Sejm </span><a href="https://www.dw.com/uk/sejm-polsi-vidhiliv-propozicii-navrockogo-sodo-pokaranna-za-banderizm/a-74673583"><span>rejected</span></a><span> a draft law proposing penalties for promoting “Banderism”, including up to 3 years’ imprisonment.</span></p> <h3>Karol Nawrocki as president: pragmatism instead of solidarity</h3> <p><span>Following his </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c0qln4q1l7jo"><span>inauguration</span></a><span> on August 6, 2025, Nawrocki’s historical rhetoric was transformed into an element of state policy. He declared support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, but emphasized that Polish assistance cannot run counter to national interests: economic, social, and security interests.</span></p> <p><span>In Poland’s domestic politics, Ukrainians are becoming part of a broader migration issue. Demands directed at Ukraine regarding Volhynia and the condemnation of the OUN-UPA fit within the same framework as the slogan “Poland without migrants”: the state must firmly defend its own interests, even at the cost of conflicts with its partners. Nawrocki’s </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/22/teach-your-daughter-to-speak-polish-ukrainians-in-poland-face-growing-resentment"><span>veto</span></a><span> of a bill expanding assistance to refugees and his </span><a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2025/11/15/7224956/"><span>statement</span></a><span> about ending the “exceptional regime” of support for Ukrainians signal the withdrawal of special provisions for Ukrainian refugees. At the same time, they are not, of course, being discriminated against: the Ukrainian community in Poland will instead remain within the same legal framework that applies to all migrants and national minorities. This decision aligns with Nawrocki’s rhetoric while simultaneously reducing the space for right-wing populist attacks against him.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p><span>“The price of peace must under no circumstances be the achievement of strategic goals by the aggressor, and the aggressor was and remains the Russian Federation”, Nawrocki </span><a href="https://x.com/NawrockiKn/status/1991975886942585031"><span>wrote</span></a><span> on X on November 21, 2025.</span></p> </div> <p><span>Other statements and actions by Karol Nawrocki as president suggest that cooperation between our countries will continue. However, Poland’s position will be more assertive and pragmatic, requiring the use of more sophisticated diplomatic instruments in dialogue with it. In particular, the head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, Oleksandr Alfiorov, </span><a href="https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1130545.html"><span>noted</span></a><span> Nawrocki’s delicacy during a meeting in Warsaw on December 19, 2025. The Polish president deliberately avoided familiar ideological references to “Banderites” or “Ukrainian nationalism”. The Ukrainian historian considers this shift in tone a significant signal: both Ukrainians and Poles are finally demonstrating readiness for a mature conversation characteristic of neighbors with a thousand-year history, capable of seeking mutual understanding without mutual offense. This may also be linked to Ukraine’s decision to unblock exhumations in 2025.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p><span>“Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Warsaw is good news for Poland, for Warsaw, Kyiv, and our entire region, but bad news for the Russian Federation, as it demonstrates that on strategic and security issues, Poland, Ukraine, and the countries of the region stand together”, Nawrocki said after </span><a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2025/12/19/7227548/"><span>meeting</span></a><span> with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Warsaw on December 19, 2025.</span></p> </div> <p><span>At the same time, the idea of a possible rapprochement between Warsaw and Moscow has no real basis. For Nawrocki, Russia </span><a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2025/12/19/7227548/"><span>remains</span></a><span> an aggressive post-Soviet state and a threat to the European order. He consistently </span><a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytics/4061564-navrockij-pro-mirnij-plan-rosia-ne-dotrimuetsa-ugod.html"><span>emphasizes</span></a><span> that the Kremlin never honors its commitments and that Ukraine must have the decisive voice in peace negotiations. He also </span><a href="https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2025-12-29/rozmowa-trump-nawrocki-minister-ujawnil-szczegoly/"><span>expressed</span></a><span> this position in a conversation with Donald Trump, describing Putin as an unreliable partner who cannot be trusted. This logic on the part of the Polish president removes any concerns about a potential drift of Poland toward Russia and keeps our countries within the same security framework despite disagreements over history.</span></p> <p><span>Karol Nawrocki’s rhetoric as president has brought an end to the period of “emotional diplomacy” and shifted Polish-Ukrainian relations onto a transactional footing. Strategic support for Ukraine in the war remains a security priority, but it is no longer separate from issues of historical memory or economic competition. Today, we are witnessing the parallel development of three processes: the preservation of military-technical cooperation, the gradual </span><a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/02/19/8021828/"><span>reduction</span></a><span> of social commitments to Ukrainian refugees, and the transformation of historical disputes into an instrument of realpolitik. Whereas previously Nawrocki’s views reflected only the position of the head of a specialized institution, they have now become the official state policy line, in which each step is accompanied by an assessment of benefits for Warsaw.</span></p> <p><span>Because the Polish leader openly links European integration to progress on issues of national memory, ignoring these demands will only deepen the crisis. A rational step would be to move historical issues into the technical domain of bilateral expert commissions. The first permits for exhumations are a positive signal; however, this process should not become an ad hoc measure but a systematic instrument for reducing tensions. This would deprive anti-Ukrainian forces of any ground to exploit narratives of Kyiv’s “ingratitude”.</span></p> <p><span>Modern communication with Poland must be based on sober calculation rather than appeals to Europe’s moral obligation. In working with a president who makes military assistance contingent on resolving historical disputes and economic considerations, Ukraine should speak the language of concrete shared interests. Such an approach will allow Nawrocki to maintain his status as a “defender of national dignity”, while preserving Poland as the key strategic and logistical hub, which is vital for the survival of both states.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/between-security-and-memory-ukraine-in-the-political-rhetoric-of-polish-president-karol-nawrocki">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:27:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2204124842.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,267,730 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 960 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-267-730-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/02/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-major.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:40:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/02/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-major.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-03-01-at-7-21-12-pm.png" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike major oil terminal in southern Russia's Novorossiysk"></p>Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal, leaving fires in the southern Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight on March 2, Telegram news channel Astra reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-novorossiysk-oil-terminal-in-southern-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/russias-war-is-erasing-kostiantynivkas.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 20:01:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/russias-war-is-erasing-kostiantynivkas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dji-20251203172836-0105-d.jpg" alt="Russia's war is erasing Kostiantynivka's Soviet-era mosaics — this is why it matters"></p><p>The mosaics covering the facades of factories, cultural centers, and apartment blocks across eastern Ukraine were designed with a specific kind of permanence in mind. They survived the Soviet collapse, the chaos of the 1990s, and decades of post-industrial neglect.</p><p>What these mosaics couldn't survive was Russian artillery.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-war-is-erasing-kostiantynivkas-soviet-era-mosaics-this-is-why-it-matters/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/a-wellaimed-strike-against-russian.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 19:30:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/a-wellaimed-strike-against-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dee76e4189.jpg" alt="A well-aimed strike against Russian S-300 air defense systems and logistics! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DcW3dvBLAwA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 19:23:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-03-01-at-15-48-58.png" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits Russia' S-300 air defense radars in series of strikes"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 28-March 1:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine hits Russia' S-300 air defense radars in series of strikes, shows footage</li><li>'Ukrainians made it through,' Zelensky says on toughest winter of Russia's invasion</li><li>Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine, Budanov says</li><li>'Freedom to the Iranian</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits-russia-s-300-air-defense-radars-in-series-of-strikes/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/russia-is-acting-like-a.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 19:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/russia-is-acting-like-a.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Western partners to confiscate oil from detained tankers belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” He said Russia is behaving like a mafia organization and should face a tough response.</p> <p>Zelensky posted his reaction on <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2028054007885754495">X</a> in response to a message from Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. He noted that the intercepted vessel is under sanctions from the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, yet continues to illegally transport Russian oil under a false flag and with forged documents.</p> <p>“We welcome this strong action against Moscow’s floating purse and thank France for supporting the operation,” the Ukrainian president said.</p> <p>He added that European legislation should be updated so that vessels carrying Russian energy are not merely detained but seized, and that the oil on board is used to strengthen Europe’s security.</p> <p>“We must be resolute. Russia operates like a mafia organization, and the response must match that reality. If they reject the rules for the sake of war, the rules must foresee a clear and firm answer,” Zelensky emphasized.</p> <p>Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said on March 1 that Belgium had seized a Russian “shadow” tanker. According to media reports, the vessel is the 180-meter tanker Ethera — the U.S. Treasury links it to the son of an adviser to the slain supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.</p> <p>Zelensky has previously called for tougher action against the “shadow fleet” and sanctions on Russia, including during an August 29, 2025 briefing where he sharply criticized the idea of creating a “buffer” for Russians.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-is-acting-like-a-mafia-zelensky-urges-europe-to-seize-tankers-from-russia-s-shadow-fleet">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/russias-baltic-enclave-is-a.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 18:30:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/russias-baltic-enclave-is-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d8e6f2517b.jpg" alt="Russia’s Baltic enclave is a direct threat to NATO! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W6SETN9KqkQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/new-front-already-in-europe.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 18:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/new-front-already-in-europe.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/747d1a5511.jpg" alt="NEW FRONT ALREADY IN EUROPE: Putin's hybrid war spreads to the BALTIC STATES"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83lEJ9gyyy0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:21:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-03-01-10-03-04.jpg" alt="At least 6 killed, 28 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 123 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 110 drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-6-killed-28-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/03/01/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:16:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/03/01/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c5e0324eda.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,266,770 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 870 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-266-770-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/putin-doesnt-want-peace-he.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 23:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/putin-doesnt-want-peace-he.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7929f9db52.jpg" alt="Putin doesn’t want PEACE – he wants EXRTRA TIME for WAR! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/66gIDCKoZ0c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ghana-says-citizens-killed-in.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ghana-says-citizens-killed-in.html <p>At least 55 Ghanaian citizens have been killed in fighting in Ukraine, Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Friday, February 27. He vowed to combat Russia’s illegal recruitment of Africans.</p> <p>Ablakwa visited Kyiv this week to discuss the fate of two Ghanaian citizens captured by Ukrainian forces. During the trip, Ukrainian authorities, citing their own intelligence, shared data on Africans recruited by Russia to fight. “They documented 1,780 Africans from 36 countries who were lured by criminal human-trafficking networks to take part in the war against Ukraine,” the minister said on Facebook.</p> <p>He said the situation involving Ghanaians is especially troubling. Since 2022, an estimated 272 people from Ghana have ended up on the front lines. According to current assessments, 55 have been killed and two are being held as prisoners of war.</p> <p>“As a responsible government, we cannot turn a blind eye to this painful tally. These are not just numbers-they represent human lives, the hopes of many Ghanaian families and of our nation. That is why the government is determined to raise awareness and intensify outreach to protect our youth,” he said.</p> <p>He added that President John Dramani Mahama’s administration is prepared to track and dismantle illicit recruitment schemes. /ru/jemencev-obmanom-verbuut-v-armiu-rf-dla-vojny-v-ukraine/a-70977245 “This is not our war, and we cannot allow our youth to become a human shield for others,” Ablakwa stressed.</p> <p>At a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha in Kyiv on February 25, he said Ghanaians are being recruited via the “darknet,” making it impossible for the government to confirm the exact number of citizens drawn into the war. /</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ghana-says-55-citizens-killed-in-ukraine-war-vows-crackdown-on-russian-recruitment-of-africans">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ukraines-mirage-s-seen-striking.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 21:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ukraines-mirage-s-seen-striking.html <p>French-supplied Mirage-2000 fighter jets have begun flying combat missions along the front line, according to footage shared by pilots from Ukraine’s Air Force. In <a href="https://t.me/soniah_hub/14610">the video</a> clip, a jet roars over the person filming and releases two munitions toward Russian positions. Analysts say the aircraft and guided bombs from France could give Ukraine an edge.</p> <p>The Mirage-2000s have been operating on multiple parts of the front, but no video of their use had appeared online until now, the Air Force-linked Telegram channel “Soniahnyk” <a href="https://t.me/soniah_hub/14610">said</a>. The channel did not disclose the details of the mission or the weapons employed. However, the defense outlet “Militarnyi” <a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/ukrayina-pochala-zastosovuvaty-vynyshhuvachi-mirage-2000-dlya-aviaudariv-po-okupantah">reported</a> the jet likely released two AASM Hammer glide bombs.</p> <p>The footage surfaced on February 27, though the timing and exact location of the flight were not specified. “True to their name, [Mirage-2000s] are seen nowhere but engaged everywhere and always. We thank France for its steadfast support of our military and for providing modern, high-quality weapons,” the post said.</p> <p>Ukraine received the French multirole Mirage-2000 under arrangements with President Emmanuel Macron. In early 2025, the Air Force took delivery of three aircraft (one was later lost), with two more expected in 2026. The Mirage-2000 can reach Mach 2.2, operate up to 17 km in altitude, detect targets at roughly 100 km with its Thomson-CSF RDY radar, and carry weapons on nine hardpoints.</p> <p>Among the aircraft’s weapons are AASM Hammer precision glide bombs, which “Militarnyi” says may have been used in the new footage.  The bombs feature warheads of 250 to 1,000 kg, a release range of about 75 km, accuracy down to 10 meters, and INS/GPS/laser guidance. Ukraine began receiving AASM Hammers in 2024, integrating them on modified MiG-29s as well as F-16s later delivered by partners. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/shho-vidomo-pro-kerovani-aviabombi-aasm-hammer-yakimi-francziya-ozbroyuye-ukrayinski-litaki">says</a> it is deepening cooperation with France on AASM supplies. Deliveries are slated at roughly 60 per month in 2025, with similar plans for 2026; Paris also aims to boost production and make “record” shipments.</p> <p>In a November 2025 report, a Ukrainian pilot described using the fighter to shoot down cruise missiles during Russian air raids, claiming six Kh-101 kills and a 98% effectiveness rate, according to the outlet.</p> <p>On February 26, separate footage showed an An-28 aircraft used by Ukraine to down “Shahed” drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-mirage-2000s-seen-striking-russian-positions-with-aasm-hammer-bombs-for-the-first-time">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/zelensky-says-iran-chose-to.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 20:30:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/zelensky-says-iran-chose-to.html <p>Iran’s regime has chosen to be Vladimir Putin’s accomplice by supplying Russia with weapons for its war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18140">said</a>, adding that fast-moving events in the Middle East are a chance for the Iranian people.</p> <p>Ukrainians have never threatened Iran, Zelensky said, but Tehran “chose to be an accomplice” by providing Moscow with Shahed drones and related technology. He added that Iran has supplied other weapons to Russia as well.</p> <p>Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed attack drones against Ukraine, according to Zelensky. He argued that other nations have also suffered from terror and said it would be just to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a “terrorist regime” and to guarantee security to all peoples harmed by Iran-origin terror.</p> <p>“Our position is well known, and Ukraine has said this repeatedly, including in recent days. It is important to save as many lives as possible. It is important to prevent the expansion of the war. It is important that the United States is determined. And whenever America shows resolve, global criminals grow weaker,” he said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, said Kyiv supports the Iranian people but not the ayatollahs’ regime, and that Ukraine’s stance on Iran remains consistent and grounded in international law. He said Tehran has destabilized the region for decades, supports and funds armed groups, and systematically violates human rights, including those of peaceful Iranians who face repression.</p> <p>In Russia, Dmitry Medvedev responded to what he described as a U.S.-Israeli operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, invoking the countries’ histories.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-iran-chose-to-be-putin-s-accomplice-in-war-on-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/russia-would-accept-security-guarantees.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 20:25:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/russia-would-accept-security-guarantees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/25ab99a26d.jpg" alt="Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine, Budanov says"></p>"At past negotiations, the Russian side directly said that they would accept the security guarantees offered to Ukraine by the U.S.," the head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Budanov, said on Feb. 28.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-would-accept-ukraine-security-guarantees/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ukraine-improves-ballistic-missile-defense.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 20:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ukraine-improves-ballistic-missile-defense.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov says the country’s air defenses have adopted an After Action Review process and digital analysis of Russian strikes - steps he hopes will boost performance. Kyiv is also moving to develop domestic surface-to-air missiles capable of downing Russian ballistic targets. So what are the minister’s first moves to reinforce air defense?</p> <p>Fedorov held a closed-door briefing with media, outlining improvements his team has worked on over the past month, according to <a href="https://t.me/babel/81028">the Babel Telegram channel</a>. He described two main lines of effort: studying current Russian air attacks and upgrading Ukraine’s air defense network, and separately, finding ways to acquire homegrown interceptors.</p> <p>After each strike, officials conduct an After Action Review (AAR), he said. Defense Ministry and Ukrainian Air Force representatives jointly assess the previous Russian attack, looking at interceptor placement, the flight paths of “Shaheds” and ballistic missiles, target kills, the effectiveness of “small air defense,” and the impact of strikes. They then apply lessons learned and adjust the air defense layout, Fedorov said. Ukraine is also leaning into “small air defense” — mobile units and systems that can tackle drones and other low-altitude threats.</p> <p>There are already positive signs, he added: Russian drones are being shot down farther from Kyiv, and the ballistic interception rate has risen.</p> <p>Fedorov is also pursuing joint ventures with Western partners to secure domestic missiles for shooting down Russian ballistic threats. Ukraine has the capacity to launch production, he said, but “the math is hard,” and there are no agreements yet.</p> <p>The Defense Ministry will also shift its role. Previously focused on procurement, it will now operate to NATO standards as a “manager,” Fedorov said. Still, with current shortfalls in FPV drones, the ministry is addressing those needs directly.</p> <p>In latest mass missile-and-drone barrages, Moscow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kpszsu/posts/pfbid0HXVp8chemF2XCnphbsLUSUAGVxNqqnLPy7r5RP1WLRpY2tS1LJ1wkiBrncX7jfFEl">used</a> a mix of weapons. In February, there were eight such attacks. During the most recent strike on February 26, Russia launched 459 targets (406 downed), including 420 UAVs (374 neutralized) and 11 ballistic missiles (4 downed).</p> <p>On February 22, Russia <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kpszsu/posts/pfbid0gkVfeKbuGxwPYgGZQYsrRAPgtNDcgAbUy5kG4WzfxfhYDXZpcYV1EpamvzxqYPbLl">launched</a> 345 missiles and drones (307 downed), including 297 UAVs (274 neutralized) and 22 ballistic missiles (8 downed).</p> <p>On February 17, Russia <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kpszsu/posts/pfbid0j1f2Pj3EFFv73LwDYQohncJjwacJR8cnRbwijp1j8urHvPefg4Sb18HqCuUZrshJl">launched</a> 425 missiles and drones (392 downed), including 396 UAVs (367 neutralized) and 4 ballistic missiles (0 downed).</p> <p>Air Command data shows ballistic shootdown efficiency climbed from “zero” to 36%.</p> <p>Ukraine first floated producing PAC-3 missiles for Patriot - which are used to intercept Russian ballistic missiles - in December 2024, when President Volodymyr Zelensky raised the idea. He said there was no outright refusal at the time, but no approval then - and none since.</p> <p>During the latest Russian strike, explosions were reported in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih and Poltava. Authorities reported injuries and damage but no deaths.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-improves-ballistic-missile-defense-with-after-action-reviews-and-considers-domestic-pac-3-missile-production">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ukraine-disables-belarus-mesh-network.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 19:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ukraine-disables-belarus-mesh-network.html <p>Ukraine has disabled a mesh network in Belarus that Russia used to coordinate “Shahed” attack drones along the northern axis, a move officials say strengthens defenses around Kyiv and the country’s central regions and cuts key Russian communications channels.</p> <p>Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced the operation on February 27 at a meeting with reporters.</p> <p>“The mesh network used by ‘Shaheds’ in the north has been eliminated, which has positively affected the defense of Kyiv and central Ukraine,” he said. Fedorov did not disclose technical details of the operation.</p> <p>Advisor to the defense minister Serhii Beskrestnov, known as “Flash,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Serhii.Flash/posts/pfbid0335JnjTfxppr5eUNpfAXwJD16A9qGg2WpAPLKeajDVzyJbCLsZFMNfY8VfwgBnVjVl?locale=uk_UA">offered more specifics</a>.</p> <p>According to Beskrestnov, the mesh network consisted of radio modems that receive and transmit signals while also acting as relays and signal amplifiers for Russian “Shaheds” and other UAVs. “In this setup, all ‘Shaheds’ in the air are linked to each other by radio. As a result, the connection doesn’t drop even if several drones are shot down—it simply routes through other ‘Shaheds,’” he explained.</p> <p>He said Russia placed the network’s anchor points in Belarusian border areas—powerful antennas mounted at height and aimed toward Ukraine—which Ukrainian forces were able to locate with precision. “No one was surprised that such nodes operated from Russia and occupied territories. But their operation from Belarus came as a surprise. Several such points were identified in Belarus, and they serviced ‘Shaheds’ in different parts of our country,” Beskrestnov said. He added that the network enabled Russia to actively use strike and reconnaissance UAVs over Kyiv and in western Ukraine. “Of course, we did not stand by and watch,” he said.</p> <p>Fedorov also told reporters that Ukraine moved quickly to curb Russian use of Starlink. “We responded rapidly to the problem… We reached an agreement with Musk and SpaceX to disable Russian terminals. This has been important both for protecting civilians and for strengthening the capabilities of the Armed Forces,” he said. According to the minister, the number of enemy streams dropped elevenfold.</p> <p>On December 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky said equipment had been installed in Belarus near the Ukrainian border to guide “Shaheds.” Intelligence indicated such devices were mounted in settlements close to the frontier, including on residential buildings. “In fact, antennas and other equipment have been placed on the roofs of ordinary five‑story buildings to help guide ‘Shaheds’ to targets in our western regions. This is an absolute disregard for human life, and it’s important that Minsk stop playing with this,” Zelensky said. He announced sanctions directly targeting Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-disables-belarus-mesh-network-guiding-russian-shahed-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/zelensky-invites-fico-to-kyiv.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:30:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/zelensky-invites-fico-to-kyiv.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.</p> <p>The president’s office announced the call on Friday, February 27, on its Telegram channel, adding: “The president invites him to Ukraine to discuss all current issues.”</p> <p>Deliveries of Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary via the “Druzhba” pipeline have been suspended since January 27.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha earlier said the halt followed Hungary’s failure to disclose a Russian strike on a section of the pipeline inside Ukrainian territory. </p> <p>Kyiv says pumping stations in western Ukraine were damaged in a Russian attack. Budapest, in turn, says the Ukrainian side cut power to that section of the pipeline.</p> <p>On February 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying the resumption of exports.</p> <p>Reuters reported on February 27 that the pipeline halt has blocked not only Russian flows but also exports of Ukrainian crude. Three sources told the agency that Kyiv had previously used the pipeline to ship crude to the European Union.</p> <p>The stoppage deprives Ukraine of revenues needed to cover its budget deficit and could force Kyiv to halt its own oil production, Reuters said. According to the agency, Ukraine’s refining capacity has been largely destroyed by Russian attacks, leaving Kyiv reliant on exports.</p> <p>One source said Ukraine previously pumped about 40,000 tons of crude each month into Brody in Lviv region, western Ukraine. The crude was then processed at refineries of Hungary’s MOL energy group.</p> <p>Ukraine’s energy ministry, MOL, and officials in Budapest and Bratislava have not commented.</p> <p>In mid-February, Slovakia’s government declared a “state of emergency in the oil sector” over the Druzhba shutdown.</p> <p>The state will release up to 250,000 tons of oil from strategic reserves to Slovnaft’s Bratislava refinery, the country’s largest. In return, the company must provide financial collateral or bank guarantees equal to its book value, and it must return the oil by September.</p> <p>Fico has threatened to cut electricity supplies to Kyiv over the suspension of Druzhba transit.</p> <p>Hungary has blocked a 90 billion euro aid package for Ukraine and a new round of sanctions on Russia that had been slated for approval by the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-invites-fico-to-kyiv-as-druzhba-pipeline-halt-fuels-regional-tensions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/of-american-companies-in-ukraine.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:30:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/of-american-companies-in-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c248e2df03.jpg" alt="47% of American companies in Ukraine have been affected by Russia's actions #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fQ-ylg93O5c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/zelensky-norwegianmade-nasams-are-crucial.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/zelensky-norwegianmade-nasams-are-crucial.html <p>Norwegian-made NASAMS air defense systems are playing a major role in protecting Ukraine’s airspace, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/s/V_Zelenskiy_official">said</a>.</p> <p>According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian armed forces already operate more than 10 NASAMS batteries, and Ukraine continues to receive additional systems and missiles.</p> <p>He praised Norway’s extensive support since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. During the winter of 2025–2026, as Russian airstrikes targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, Oslo supplied natural gas to Kyiv, helping the country get through one of the war’s toughest winters.</p> <p>Zelensky also highlighted Norway’s active role in the PURL program, under which NATO countries purchase U.S. weapons for Ukraine. Oslo ranks second by financial contributions, having provided about $970 million to PURL to date.</p> <p>In 2026, Norway’s government will deliver $7 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including $1.4 billion for drones, $700 million for air defense systems, $200 million for artillery and $125 million for U.S. weapons via PURL.</p> <p>NASAMS entered service with Ukraine several years ago. The Norwegian mobile, medium-range air defense system was adopted by Norway’s army in 1994 and uses AIM-120A missiles. It can engage targets at ranges of 2.5 to 25 kilometers and at altitudes from 0.03 to 16 kilometers, with a single-missile hit probability of 0.85.</p> <p>Italy will also transfer its SIDAM-25 air defense systems to Ukraine.</p> <p>In addition, American Tempest anti-aircraft buggies with missiles have entered service with Ukrainian forces.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-norwegian-made-nasams-are-crucial-to-defending-ukraine-s-skies">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/former-uk-pm-rishi-sunak.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:30:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/former-uk-pm-rishi-sunak.html <p>Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been appointed an adviser to the Ukrainian government on economic recovery, according to documents published Friday, February 27, on the UK government’s website.</p> <p>Sunak has taken on, without pay, an advisory role on the International Advisory Council for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery under President Volodymyr Zelensky.</p> <p>The council will field a group of experts to advise Zelensky and his economic adviser - former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.</p> <p>Rishi Sunak said he was “honored” to have supported Ukraine while serving as prime minister and praised Zelensky for the Ukrainian people’s display of “such courage, such strength, such ingenuity in their resistance in this war.”</p> <p>“The West needs a strong Ukraine, and a strong Ukraine needs a strong economy,” he added. “I am confident that Ukraine - with its human capital, natural resources and culture of innovation — can become one of the most dynamic economies in Europe.”</p> <p>Sunak took part in the council’s first meeting on February 26 alongside other international figures, including World Bank President Ajay Banga and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development President Odile Renaud-Basso. Representatives from Siemens, BlackRock, Citigroup and ArcelorMittal also participated.</p> <p>In a post on X, Volodymyr Zelensky said the group discussed “strengthening Ukraine’s energy resilience” ahead of next winter, as well as “broader opportunities for investment,” including in the country’s defense industry. Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have become a serious problem in recent months - Kyiv accuses Moscow of trying to “weaponize cold” in a country where temperatures regularly drop well below zero, the dpa news agency notes.</p> <p>“Thank you to the representatives for supporting Ukraine throughout all these years of full-scale Russian aggression. Even during the war, after such a winter, our country lives,” Zelensky said. “We are open to partnerships, joint projects and investments that will support our people and our security.”</p> <p>Zelensky also thanked Sunak for his support, noting that with such friends Ukraine is confident of victory.</p> <p>Advising Ukraine is the latest in a string of Sunak’s roles since leaving the premiership. While remaining the Member of Parliament for Richmond and Northallerton in northern England, he advises Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and artificial intelligence company Anthropic.</p> <p>He is also a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in California, holds unpaid roles with the Bloomberg New Economy Forum and the Blavatnik School of Government, writes a column for The Sunday Times, and runs a math education charity with his wife, Akshata Murty. Sunak donates most of the income from his outside activities to charity.</p> <p>Rishi Sunak served as UK prime minister from October 2022 to July 2024. He became the youngest prime minister in modern British history - he was 42 at the time of his appointment.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/former-uk-pm-rishi-sunak-named-adviser-to-zelensky-on-ukraine-s-economic-recovery">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/165508.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 16:55:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/165508.html <p>Does a video show U.S. fighter jets in a real dogfight over Iran in the Feb. 28, 2026, conflict? No, that's not true: The clip from a video game was posted on a U.S. Army spoof account two days ahead of the conflict and has been circulating on social media since at least May 2025. It was originally purported to be an air battle between India and Pakistan.</p> <p>The claim appeared in <a href="https://x.com/UsArmyspoof_/status/2027053661109817600">a post</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260228161238/https://x.com/UsArmyspoof_/status/2027053661109817600">here</a>) on X on February 26, 2026. It read:</p> <blockquote> <p>War started 🚨🚨</p> <p>US fighter jets entered Iran and destroyed several Iranian military bases.</p> </blockquote> <p>This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:</p> <p><img alt="Iraq War video game.jpg" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/iraq20war20video20game.jpg" width="679" height="1200" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></p> <p><em>(Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot of X.)</em></p> <p>The video can be watched here:</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="twitter-tweet"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">War started 🚨🚨<br><br>US fighter jets entered Iran and destroyed several Iranian military bases . <a href="https://t.co/Zi6Nc42aWG">pic.twitter.com/Zi6Nc42aWG</a></p> -- US Army (@UsArmyspoof_) <a href="https://twitter.com/UsArmyspoof_/status/2027053661109817600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3>Conflict in the Middle East</h3> <p>The United States and Israel <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-explosion-tehran-c2f11247d8a66e36929266f2c557a54c">launched</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260228163213/https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-explosion-tehran-c2f11247d8a66e36929266f2c557a54c">here</a>) an attack against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, targeting Iranian political and military leaders, sources said. President Donald Trump urged the Iranian people to "seize control of your destiny" by standing up to the Islamic leadership that has governed the country since 1979. Iran retaliated, hitting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.</p> <h3>Video clip</h3> <p>Lead Stories found multiple online versions of the video. The earliest appeared in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RP_anXsSmWY">a post</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260228164640/https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RP_anXsSmWY">here</a>) on YouTube on May 11, 2025. Its description says:</p> <blockquote> <p>#pakistan #Army Pakistan destroy India Pakistani news #jf17thander #piolet</p> </blockquote> <p>It also appeared in <a href="https://x.com/TheUnHeard_One/status/2027685520570990887">another post</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260228165157/https://x.com/TheUnHeard_One/status/2027685520570990887">here</a>) on X in the hours after the Feb. 28 conflict started:</p> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is one of the most AMAZING videos I have ever seen. <br><br>It doesn't even look real! <br> <a href="https://t.co/X5hnHMYqWv">pic.twitter.com/X5hnHMYqWv</a></p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="twitter-tweet">-- The Nikki V. (@TheUnHeard_One) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUnHeard_One/status/2027685520570990887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Lead Stories also ran the video through Gemini, Google's AI assistant. It reached these <a href="https://gemini.google.com/app/13789c465cc9bd3c?is_sa=1&is_sa=1&android-min-version=301356232&ios-min-version=322.0&campaign_id=bkws&utm_source=sem&utm_medium=paid-media&utm_campaign=bkws&pt=9008&mt=8&ct=p-growth-sem-bkws&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20108148196&gbraid=0AAAAApk5BhmVWizbQ4aHM6wEqfKpeZcMd&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwYrNBhDcARIsAGo3u31G4pqhK0g_bksQIfPtMWIEgdRECRCEm7ayOqcMnb1BjYI-jlOXaBQaAtR1EALw_wcB">conclusions</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260228170312/https://gemini.google.com/app/13789c465cc9bd3c?is_sa=1&is_sa=1&android-min-version=301356232&ios-min-version=322.0&campaign_id=bkws&utm_source=sem&utm_medium=paid-media&utm_campaign=bkws&pt=9008&mt=8&ct=p-growth-sem-bkws&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20108148196&gbraid=0AAAAApk5BhmVWizbQ4aHM6wEqfKpeZcMd&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwYrNBhDcARIsAGo3u31G4pqhK0g_bksQIfPtMWIEgdRECRCEm7ayOqcMnb1BjYI-jlOXaBQaAtR1EALw_wcB">here</a>):</p> <blockquote> <p data-path-to-node="0">This video is a <b data-path-to-node="0" data-index-in-node="16">CGI [Computer-Generated Imagery] simulation</b> from a video game. It is not real-world footage.</p> <p data-path-to-node="1">The specific game featured is almost certainly <b data-path-to-node="1" data-index-in-node="47">DCS World</b> (Digital Combat Simulator), though similar "ultra-realistic" mods for <b data-path-to-node="1" data-index-in-node="127">Arma 3</b> also produce this style of footage. These simulations are frequently used to create cinematic combat scenes that go viral on social media, sometimes being mistaken for real conflict footage.</p> <h3 data-path-to-node="2">Why this is a Video Game:</h3> <ul data-path-to-node="3"> <li> <p data-path-to-node="3,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="3,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">The Aircraft:</b> The jet is a <b data-path-to-node="3,0,0" data-index-in-node="27">Sukhoi Su-57 "Felon,"</b> a Russian fifth-generation stealth fighter. In reality, these are extremely rare and expensive aircraft that would not be flown this aggressively and low over a city in these conditions.</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="3,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="3,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Artificial Camera Shake:</b> The shaky "handheld" camera effect is a common post-processing trick used by flight sim creators to make digital footage feel more grounded and "real."</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="3,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="3,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Flare & Tracer Physics:</b> The way the flares (the bright orange lights) are dispensed and drift in the air is a signature of the <b data-path-to-node="3,2,0" data-index-in-node="127">DCS World</b> particle engine. The green and white tracers (Anti-Aircraft fire) also follow the distinctive straight-line "laser" pathing typical of game assets.</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="3,3,0"><b data-path-to-node="3,3,0" data-index-in-node="0">Visual Lighting:</b> The "bloom" effect on the streetlights and the way the orange flare light reflects off the jet's skin are typical of modern game lighting engines (like the T-4 or EDGE engine used in DCS).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="3,4,0"><b data-path-to-node="3,4,0" data-index-in-node="0">Risky Maneuvering:</b> At approximately <b data-path-to-node="3,4,0" data-index-in-node="36">0:13</b>, the jet performs a high-G bank very close to buildings. In real life, the risk of a bird strike, mechanical failure, or pilot error in a dense urban environment would make such a flight path virtually impossible for a high-value stealth fighter.</p> </li> </ul> </blockquote><p><a href="https://hoax-alert.leadstories.com/2026/02/fact-check-video-does-not-show-us-fighter-jets-involved-in-a-real-dogfight-over-iran.html">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ukrainian-forces-hit-russian-divisions.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 16:30:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ukrainian-forces-hit-russian-divisions.html <p>Ukraine’s military says it has struck a forward command post of a Russian division, a number of logistics facilities, and concentrations of occupying forces, <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/35512">reported</a> the Ukrainian General Staff.</p> <p>Overnight, a fuel and lubricants depot belonging to a motorized rifle regiment was hit near Novoamvrosivske, as well as an ammunition depot of a separate motorized rifle brigade near Amvrosiivka, in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region.</p> <p>In the temporarily occupied Kherson region, Ukrainian forces struck Russian logistics facilities: material and technical support depots of motorized rifle and engineer-sapper regiments near Kalanchak, and a fuel and lubricants depot of a separate logistics support (MTO) brigade near Mirne.</p> <p>On Friday, Ukrainian forces hit the forward command post of Russia’s 127th Motorized Rifle Division near the temporarily occupied Orlynske in Donetsk region.</p> <p>Strikes also targeted areas where Russian personnel were concentrated near Dronovka (Russia’s Belgorod region), Rodinske in Donetsk region, and Berezove in Dnipropetrovsk region.</p> <p>In addition, a material and technical support depot used by Russian forces was struck in Bagatyr, Donetsk region.</p> <p>Earlier, overnight on February 27, Ukrainian forces struck an oil depot in Luhansk and fuel and lubricants depots in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-hit-russian-division-s-forward-command-post-and-logistics-hubs-in-donetsk-kherson-and-belgorod">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ukrainian-airborne-troops-breach-russian.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 16:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ukrainian-airborne-troops-breach-russian.html <p>In early February 2026, Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU) launched a counteroffensive at the junction of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.</p> <p>Troops from the 132nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces breached Russian defenses on the Oleksandrivka axis, the 7th Rapid Response Corps said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/2363203674104322?locale=ru_RU">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>According to the corps, reconnaissance groups “CG132” from the 132nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion took part in the breakthrough. During the operation, Ukrainian forces destroyed Russian firing points, personnel and ammunition storage sites.</p> <p>The operation by Ukrainian airborne units disrupted further advances by Russian forces on the Oleksandrivka axis and created conditions for the tactical advance of other units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <p>The Oleksandrivka axis sits at the junction of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. There, in early February 2026, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive that has already liberated about 400 square kilometers of territory and eight settlements, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.</p> <p>In late October 2025, Russia’s army began an offensive on the city of Hulyaipole in Zaporizhzhia region. At the same time, Russian forces attacked north of Hulyaipole—at the junction of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions—achieving partial gains. During the counteroffensive, the AFU cleared large areas of Russian troops. The so-called “gray zone” on the Oleksandrivka axis has shrunk. But Russia’s army continues to press west of Hulyaipole; Russian units are being recorded more frequently in Zheleznodorozhne, which lies on the way to Orikhiv and Zapori.</p> <p>Despite Ukraine’s counteroffensive, Russia’s forces continue attempts to attack on the Oleksandrivka axis, though their activity has decreased. According to the AFU General Staff, on February 27 the enemy tried three times to break through Ukrainian defenses on this section of the front. All attacks were repelled.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-airborne-troops-breach-russian-defenses-on-the-oleksandrivka-axis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/russia-condemns-israeli-and-us.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 15:30:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/russia-condemns-israeli-and-us.html <p>Russian Foreign Ministry has called Israeli and US strikes on Iran an “unprovoked act of armed aggression”.</p> <p><a href="https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/2083284">An official statement</a> from Russia’s Foreign Ministry was published on the ministry’s website.</p> <p>“The scale and nature of the military-political and propaganda preparations that preceded this reckless step—including the deployment of a large US military contingent to the region—leave no doubt that this is a premeditated and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state, in violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international law,” the statement reads.</p> <p>“Washington and Tel Aviv have once again embarked on a dangerous adventure that is rapidly pushing the region toward a humanitarian, economic and, possibly, radiological catastrophe. The aggressors’ intentions are clear and openly declared—to dismantle the constitutional order and eliminate the leadership of a state they find objectionable, one that has refused to submit to the diktat of force and hegemony,” the ministry added</p> <p>Moscow placed responsibility for any “negative consequences of this man-made crisis” on Israel and the United States and condemned their actions.</p> <p>The Foreign Ministry urged a return to diplomacy, saying Russia, “as before,” is ready to help facilitate a resolution to the conflict.</p> <p>Israel and the United States, meanwhile, have justified strikes on Iranian territory by citing a growing threat from Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the main goal of Operation “Lion’s Roar” is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump said the operation’s main objective is “to protect the American people,” arguing that Tehran threatens the United States and its allies.</p> <p>Russia’s embassies in Israel and Iran advised Russian citizens to leave those countries if possible. The embassy in Israel said people can depart via the “Begin” (“Taba”) border crossing with Egypt. The embassy in Tehran said the optimal routes out of Iran are via the land border with Azerbaijan.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-condemns-israeli-and-us-strikes-on-iran-as-an-unprovoked-act-of-aggression">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/wake-up-theyre-bombing-iran.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 15:16:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/wake-up-theyre-bombing-iran.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd1be9e0e-5.jpg" alt="Wake up, they're bombing Iran"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!kzhv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe7d59a12-cd9a-46e3-a996-687ca2bb2fd3_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/36bd2c9812.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e7d59a12-cd9a-46e3-a996-687ca2bb2fd3_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":"","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" title="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>Editor’s Note: We’ve been planning around this for weeks. One of our reporters is right now on a plane headed towards the region to provide coverage of the Iran situation.</p><p>This sort of reporting is difficult, costly and dangerous. Support our team now — upgrade today to get all our coverage!</p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access to Newsflashes","action":null,"class":"button-wrapper"}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary button-wrapper"><span>Get Full Access to Newsflashes</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Hit Our Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Hit Our Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd1be9e0e-5.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bb009a3b82.jpg" width="594" height="396" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d1be9e0e-5ffb-4d14-a215-65854bee68be_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":116392,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[www.counteroffensive.news/i/1894625...](https://www.counteroffensive.news/i/189462549?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1be9e0e-5ffb-4d14-a215-65854bee68be_594x396.jpeg)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Smoke rises over the city center after an Israeli army launches 2nd wave of airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div><p>One of reporters was trying to sleep in on a Saturday (and why wouldn’t she?) when her mom knocked on the door. </p><p>“Hey Alessandra… are you awake? The U.S. attacked Iran,” she said, more softly and sweetly than you imagine you’d hear the announcement of a major military campaign.</p><p>If you subscribe to <em>The Counteroffensive</em>, you got the news of the Iran strikes before Politico, The New York Times or The Washington Post put out alerts.</p><p>Thanks, Alessandra’s mom!</p><p>Over the past few weeks we’ve been compiling lists of Iranians with access to Starlink satellite internet, preparing a reporting and security plan, and strategizing for the worst. </p><p>The collapse of the Iranian regime, if it happens, could be terrible news for Putin’s Russia. All these stories are linked — Iranian-made Shaheds terrorize Ukrainian cities while Russia extends its support to Iran’s proxies. <br><br><strong>CATCH UP:</strong> </p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-us-strikes-iran-with-regime">NEWSFLASH: U.S. strikes Iran with regime change intent</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-israel-launches-strike">NEWSFLASH: Israel launches strike on Iran</a></p></li></ul><p>At this time of international turmoil and fast-breaking news, you can’t keep track of it all without a Counteroffensive subscription. Here’s what else happened while you may have been asleep.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/wake-up-theyre-bombing-iran"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/wake-up-theyre-bombing-iran">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/kyiv-ukraine-backs-iranian-people.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 15:12:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/kyiv-ukraine-backs-iranian-people.html <p>Ukraine voiced support for the Iranian people amid an escalation in the region and accused Tehran’s leadership of terror and repression, the Foreign Ministry (MFA) said in a statement published Saturday, February 28.</p> <p>“The Iranian regime, which has mocked the Iranian people for decades, has unleashed a sweeping policy of violence against its own citizens and other countries. This includes mass human rights violations at home, support for militants who brought chaos to other countries in the region, and direct military support for the aggressor state, Russia, in its unprovoked war of conquest against Ukraine. We remember and will never forget the strikes by thousands of Shahed drones on our peaceful cities and people,” the statement reads.</p> <p>Such cooperation between the regimes in Moscow and Tehran is a gross violation of international law and undermines global efforts to restore peace and stability, the MFA added.</p> <p>Years of systematic human rights abuses, brutal repression, executions and persecution of dissidents in Iran point to a deep crisis in the country’s domestic policy and a lack of proper protection for basic rights and freedoms, the ministry said.</p> <p>“The regime has spent colossal resources on violence, killings and chaos, rather than on providing for its own people, whose economic situation has worsened year after year. As the President of Ukraine has repeatedly emphasized, the Iranian regime should have gone a long time ago,” the diplomats said.</p> <p>The ministry said the current events stem from the regime’s violence and arbitrariness, including killings and repression against peaceful protesters that have grown markedly in recent months.</p> <p>Kyiv believes Tehran had every opportunity to prevent a military scenario. It was offered avenues for diplomacy and solutions, but the regime ignored those efforts and instead dragged out time in hopes of misleading the international community, the statement said.</p> <p>“We reaffirm our unwavering position: we wish security, prosperity and freedom to the Iranian people, and stability and prosperity to the Middle East. We thank everyone around the world who has stood and continues to stand with the Iranian people in this difficult time,” the MFA concluded.</p> <p>Earlier Saturday, Israel and the United States carried out strikes on Iran. The Israelis called the operation Roaring Lion, while the Americans dubbed it Epic Fury.</p> <p>Later, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the United States had begun military action against Iran. He said Iran would never obtain nuclear weapons, its missile industry would be leveled, and its navy destroyed.</p> <p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a statement, saying Israel and the United States had decided to eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran’s regime.</p> <p>In response, Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel and at U.S. bases in the Middle East.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-ukraine-backs-iranian-people-condemns-tehran-regime">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/russia-has-been-preparing-for.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:13:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/russia-has-been-preparing-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a42a631397.jpg" alt="Russia has been preparing for WAR with Ukraine for 30 YEARS! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m5YjP0D6F40">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/ukraine-sanctions-russian-postal-services.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:33:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/ukraine-sanctions-russian-postal-services.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262845827.jpg" alt="Ukraine sanctions Russian postal services delivering to occupied territories, Zelensky says"></p>Among the companies sanctioned are Russian DPD service and Freightlink, joint-stock companies registered in Russia, according to a document attached to a decree published on the Office's website, signed by Zelensky on Feb. 27.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-sanctions-russian-postal-services-delivering-to-occupied-territories-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/russia-condemns-us-attack-on.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/russia-condemns-us-attack-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263434241.jpg" alt="Russia condemns US attack on its ally Iran as 'unprovoked act of aggression'"></p>Russia and Iran have deepened cooperation in recent years, with Tehran supplying drones and other military equipment used by Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-condemns-us-and-israels-attack-on-iran/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:11:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2263302385.jpg" alt="At least 4 killed, 25 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day"></p>Russian troops launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 105 drones of various types, including about 60 Shahed drones, the Air Force said on Feb. 28. It reported downing 96 drones in the north, south, and east of the country.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-4-killed-25-injured-in-russian-attacks-against-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/explosions-where-no-one-expected.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:58:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/explosions-where-no-one-expected.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d1b5d3e82c.jpg" alt="EXPLOSIONS WHERE NO ONE EXPECTED THEM: WHAT HAPPENED IN RUSSIA? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Wd8A92MjUKU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:39:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2183768689.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,265,900 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 770 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-265-900-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/28/drone-attack-sparks-fire-at.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 04:43:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/28/drone-attack-sparks-fire-at.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e24a78ad6b.jpg" alt="Drone attack sparks fire at oil refinery in southern Russia, officials say"></p>Flames engulfed one of the tanks at the Albashneft oil refinery in Novominskaya and burned an adjacent area of about 150 square meters, the Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/drone-attack-sparks-fire-at-oil-refinery-in-southern-russia-officials-say-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/russia-is-done-flamingo-proves.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/russia-is-done-flamingo-proves.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6e42b29f22.jpg" alt="Russia Is DONE: Flamingo proves Ukraine is winning the LONG GAME"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JA-_vWX6So">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/us-lifts-sanctions-on-malian.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 22:19:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/us-lifts-sanctions-on-malian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2036802271.jpg" alt="US lifts sanctions on Malian officials linked to Russian Wagner Group"></p>The United States has lifted sanctions on three senior Malian officials who were previously designated for their ties to Russia's Wagner Group, the Treasury Department announced Feb. 27.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-lifts-sanctions-malian-officials-linked-wagner/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/budanov-russia-must-stop-existing.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/budanov-russia-must-stop-existing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bfdbc11ebc.jpg" alt="BUDANOV: Russia must STOP EXISTING as an empire #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/P03lYzYD-gU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/they-are-like-a-miniorchestra.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:23:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/they-are-like-a-miniorchestra.html <p><img width="2048" height="1365" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/kaver.jpg" alt="heavenphetamine" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV </strong>— People I’m talking to about heavenphetamine’s music at the Druk venue in the old center of Kharkiv are, in general, of three types: hardcore fans of the band, friends of hardcore fans, and people who were seduced by a Kontrabas concert agency’s well-designed poster for tonight’s show.</p> <p>Lera and Vlada, both 26, are of the latter type: both of them enjoyed the atmosphere at the gig and bought merch to “not forget the band name” and later “look their lyrics up”. With four years of full-scale war and pandemic behind them, it is the first time they have come to listen to the performance of artists from abroad in Kharkiv. I can relate, just a little: I think it’s the first gig I’ve been to in four years. </p> <p>The dancehall is illuminated with pink, red, and blue LED strips, and the space leading up to the stage is warm and filled with people. Sara Oda’s quick, steady hands are working her magic upon the drums. Hiroki Oda handles synthesiser and its complicated acid-jazzy, post-punk loops. Both of them sing, but most of the melodies follow Hiroki’s voice. </p> <p>Another first-time visitor, Nastya, 22 — prompted to come by her friends — says the music is “like lying in shavasana” (resting pose in yoga — ed.). She later tells me, “When I came here, I felt as if I arrived at my birthday party when everyone’s already gathered at the table. I understood it was going to be a vibe.”</p> <p>I plan to meet with Hiroki and Sara the day after the concert in a popular Kharkiv cafe that brews good coffee and refuses to turn off the music. ASAP production’s film crew, along with Alem Kent, one of the <em>INOICHI</em> directors, makes peace with the fact that they can’t record much dialogue here. The music will make it impossible to mix the sound properly. Instead, they order hot drinks. </p> <p><em>INOICHI </em>translates to “life” from Japanese. It is a documentary that plans to answer the question of why people gather for music in wartime Ukraine. <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/u-harkovi-pokazhut-korotkometrazhnij-film-pro-nichne-zhittya-mista/" data-wpel-link="external">Megumi Lim</a>, another director, said Hiroki reached out to her to make a road movie of their 2026 tour here, amidst the toughest winter the country has seen in the last four years and daily Russian attacks. </p> <p>Megumi wrote, “Their friends in Ukraine invited them to tour at this time, simply because…living isn’t just about surviving but being able to create even in difficult times, against all odds.”  </p> <p>I know heavenphetamine recorded their first album, <em><a href="https://heavenphetamine.bandcamp.com/album/the-sun-on-a-winter-day" data-wpel-link="external">The Sun on A Winter Day</a></em>, in the Ukrainian winter of 2022-2023, and they have lived in and been part of local scenes here ever since. So I wonder how that experience changed them and their music. </p> <p>When they arrive, they speak of Ihor, a friendly bartender they’ve met in Kazka Bar when they performed in Kharkiv in 2023. </p> <p>“Ihor didn’t speak English very well, but we remembered his face and his smile.” </p> <p>In 2024, Hiroki and Sara saw a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrcv3iNKM7/" data-wpel-link="external">post on Instagram</a> about Ihor’s death as a soldier. It was the first time they lost someone because of war. </p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“We had just a small conversation, but somehow, we remember him very well. It was shocking. And it’s inspired music for sure. I cannot explain how exactly in language… but I wrote a song about Ihor.” </p> </blockquote> <p>Sara sends me the translation of <em>Chikai</em>. Its lyrics say, <em>When people steal / tomorrow from people / we have to end it</em>. </p> <p><em>INOCHI </em>is the name of the future documentary, but it was also heavenphetamine’s opening song at the Kharkiv gig. </p> <p>Hiroki and Sara wrote it in 2023 and dedicated it to Ukraine, suffering from Russia’s war: “<em>I don't believe in absolute justice, / This ugly show will keep repeating, / And yet, amidst the filthy, murky sludge, / A light shines buried within</em>.” </p> <p>“We were influenced by war,” Hiroki says. “Music reflects this experience. But it’s still the experience of a foreigner, not a Ukrainian one.” When I ask for examples of difference in perspective, Hiroki takes a moment to formulate his thoughts, “We support Ukraine because we love Ukraine, not because we hate Russia. Ukrainian people hate Russia, and, in this situation, it is really natural, and I won't say anything about it. It's okay. But it's your business.” Japan, he says, has a history of being targeted by Russian aggression, but now people there don't think about it much. </p> <p>Hiroki says he also doesn’t share the opinion that all Russians are responsible for the war. “If I say every Russian is responsible, then I have responsibility for (Russia’s war), too. Then all people on this planet have responsibility for all genocide, ethnic cleansing, exploitation.” </p> <p>After a pause, I inquire about the band’s plans. heavenphetamine has another ten cities on their Ukrainian tour, around 15 performances within this tour. Sometime after that, they want to release their new album. Working on it, the band says, was a “long process”. The songs are already recorded but not mixed. </p> <p>When I tentatively ask about the name of a new album, Hiroki winces: naming things is the part of creation he doesn’t like. They are now looking for ways to release the album in Europe. Kontrabas, the agency they’re working with in Ukraine, is great, they say, but not very fitting if one wants to be known beyond it. </p> <p>At the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Hiroki tells me, he thought long on “what created this monster.” And he came to the conclusion that this war was because of money, because of resources (as opposed to “one people” narrative, “protection of Russian-speaking people,” and other reasons Vladimir Putin uses for industrialized violence). Thus, in May 2022, having decided to cancel their rent contract in Tbilisi and donate all their money to Ukraine, heavenphetamine organized the NOM (Not Only Money) tour. They saved some funds for logistics, Hiroki notes. While getting the rides was easier across Turkey, when they reached Romania and moved further into rural Eastern Europe, the drivers proved to be unsympathetic to hitchhikers or racist. They’ve been staying at hostels or with friends. The tour continued right up until 2025. </p> <p>Their “radical, anti-capitalist” stance clashed with the necessity to pay for food and housing. Sara says, “In 2024, we were very fucked up financially. If the organizer didn’t pay the transfer for us, we couldn’t move.” </p> <p>Now, they don’t donate <em>all</em> of their earnings to Ukrainian organizations, but they do donate: 20% of their profits <a href="https://www.kontrabass.promo/event-details/heavenphetamine-kharkiv" data-wpel-link="external">go</a> to Musicians Defend Ukraine. It’s an organization that raises money for artists in the Ukrainian army. </p> <p>Their support of Ukraine is one reason they think they are so well-loved here in Ukraine (and they are, at least from what I’ve seen at the concert). The other one, Hiroki believes, is that they are Japanese, and people in Ukraine are interested in Japan. </p> <p>“Real Japan or westernized one?” </p> <p>“Both,” Hiroki laughs. “Lots of anime shops. They also know Japanese underground musicians that we haven't even heard about.” Over 150 people came to listen to them in Kharkiv. </p> <p>At their gig, I spoke to Oleksii, one of the band's big fans. “It’s the sixth time they’re in Kharkiv,” Oleksii shared. He works at the KAZKA Family, a Kharkiv initiative that organizes concerts in the city (yes, connected to the now-closed bar), but that day he joined Hiroki and Sara as their sound engineer. They always ask for him when they are in the city. </p> <p>Oleksii nodded at over a dozen multi-colored sliders on the screen, as if to show me the interesting complexity of the task he was entrusted with. “They are like a mini-orchestra.”</p> <p>When I ask heavenphetamine what their close ones in Japan think of their performances abroad and in Ukraine, Sara and Hiroko say, with unison smiles, that their parents are not happy at all. </p> <p>Last year was the first time both of their parents came to their show, though — in Nagano, Sara's hometown. </p> <p>“How have they reacted?” </p> <p>“They said, ‘It’s good,’” Hiroki laughs.</p> <p>In previous interviews, heavenphetamine said the audience in Japan was somewhat more conservative than in Europe. Over the last five years, they tell me now, it hasn’t changed much. “They’re shy,” Hiroki explains. </p> <p>The audience in Ukraine, though, has also become calmer with time, the band shares. They attribute it to their growth and the corresponding increase in ticket prices: fewer young people can afford to go to the gig now. </p> <p>“I like their vibe of a melancholic Japanese neighbourhood,” said Andrii, another one of the Kazka family, as we spoke at the concert with KEMONO — mournful, yet energetic — melody in the background. “It’s, like, Japanese music of chill Japanese streets.” </p> <p>I later read that KEMONO was heavily inspired by the pair’s experience of living in a country at war. It talks about the uncertainty of living under threat, about<em> </em>“light that seems to disappear at any moment,” and an unnamed authority seeking “blood-stained souvenirs.” </p> <p>At the end of the heavenphetamine's concert, a man who raises funds for the army at this event goes on stage. </p> <p>First lots are heavenphetamine-related stuff: their cassette, the t-shirt with the band name. Then, goes old Soviet record. The man laughs, “I will read the names of the song from this record until you stop me with money” — and the audience laughs in response.</p> <p>After Hiroki and Sara go to play the last song of the evening, the man undresses to his boxer briefs, having put up for the auction his tunic, his dress, and his pants.</p> <p>This Kharkiv show, Hiroki and Sara tell me in the cafe, was very chill. </p> <p><strong>UPD from Feb. 28, 9:48 a.m.:</strong> A few dates have been changed according to Sara and Hiroki's corrections, as well as the name of the town where their parents first came to their concert. </p> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em><strong>Hi, I’m Yana, author of this article</strong>. Usually, I cover much grimmer events (re: Russia’s war), so working at Hiroki and Sara’s concert was a blast, as well as talking to them the next day. <strong>If you liked this article and want to support our Kharkiv-based newsroom, please, consider <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external">leaving a one-time tip</a> or <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external">joining our community</a></strong>. </em></p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/we-didnt-even-have-time-to-get-scared-kharkiv-recovers-after-another-overnight-russian-drone-missile-attack/" data-wpel-link="internal">“We didn’t even have time to get scared.”</a> Kharkiv recovers after another overnight Russian drone, missile attack  </li> <li><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-flattens-homes-in-kupiansk-district-into-rubble-white-angels-evacuation-team-saves-those-who-lived-there/" data-wpel-link="internal">Russia flattens homes in Kupiansk district into rubble</a>. White Angels evacuation team saves those who lived there </li> <li>“Legal regression” — New draft Civil Code intended to “harmonize” Ukraine’s law with EU standards <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/legal-regression-new-draft-civil-code-intended-to-harmonize-ukraines-law-with-eu-standards-actually-undermines-eurointegration/" data-wpel-link="internal">actually undermines eurointegration</a></li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/they-are-like-a-mini-orchestra-talking-to-heavenphetamine-psych-band-from-tokyo-on-ukraine-tour-about-music-and-war/" data-wpel-link="internal">“They are like a mini-orchestra” — talking to heavenphetamine, psych band from Tokyo on Ukraine tour, about music and war</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/they-are-like-a-mini-orchestra-talking-to-heavenphetamine-psych-band-from-tokyo-on-ukraine-tour-about-music-and-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/who-killed-andriy-portnov-and.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:21:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/who-killed-andriy-portnov-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/25d6c9daf7.png" alt="Who killed Andriy Portnov, and why?"></p><p>Andriy Portnov, a former Ukrainian top official, was gunned down in Madrid on May 21, 2025.</p><p>The Spanish police reported on Feb. 25, 2026, that a suspect in <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/architect-of-yanukovychs-corrupt-system-who-is-andriy-portnov-a-ukrainian-ex-official-killed-in-spain/">Portnov</a>'s murder had been <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/suspect-in-murder-of-top-ukrainian-ex-official-arrested-in-germany/">arrested</a> in the German town of Heinsberg. The motives of the killing, however, remain unknown.</p><p>The</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/suspect-in-murder-of-former-yanukovych-ally-linked-to-both-ukraine-and-russia-investigation-shows/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/weve-overestimated-russia-for-too.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:10:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/weve-overestimated-russia-for-too.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259456142.jpg" alt="We've overestimated Russia for too long"></p><p>The recent anniversary of Russia's expanded invasion, which is now stretching into its fifth year, is as good a time as any to take stock of the state of the war itself.</p><p>For <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine/">Ukraine</a>, the fighting remains existential, and it is Ukrainians themselves who continue to suffer and</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/weve-overestimated-russia-for-too-long/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/head-of-the-diu-why.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/head-of-the-diu-why.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/51f26b4a41.jpg" alt="HEAD OF THE DIU: Why won't Putin's death change anything? A STATEMENT that caused a STIR!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENyi_V4WfKA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/this-war-is-a-meat.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:30:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/this-war-is-a-meat.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/74986bb603.jpg" alt="This war is a MEAT GRINDER of sin-deprived RUSSIANS, – Dan Rice #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EYZF26ivK1Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/reporters-say-putins-alleged-sons.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/reporters-say-putins-alleged-sons.html <p>Russian opposition media have once again sought to shed light on the alleged sons of Vladimir Putin with Alina Kabaeva. The children, said to be named Ivan and Vladimir, are reportedly kept under tight secrecy.</p> <p>Putin and Kabaeva have never publicly acknowledged a relationship, and any children attributed to them are kept out of public view.</p> <p>Journalists with “Navalny LIVE” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL_UR0UbIEI">published a segment</a> on the Russian leader’s children, focusing in particular on his youngest, about whom very little is known.</p> <p>For context, Putin’s elder daughters have also long been kept out of the spotlight. Katerina and Maria were born during his first marriage to Lyudmila Putina, so more is known about them. Both attended a German school while Putin served in East Germany. Afterward, Maria studied biology and Katerina pursued Japanese studies. Classmates have said the two were rarely seen in lectures and were taught separately by professors. They now use different surnames—Katerina as Tikhonova and Maria as Vorontsova—are involved in business and appear in public more often, though they are not officially identified as Putin’s daughters. Media have also reported that Putin has grandchildren, but their number and ages are unknown.</p> <p>According to the reporters, the Kremlin leader also has two sons with Kabaeva who live in near-total isolation from the outside world. They are named Ivan and Vladimir and are listed in documents as Spiridonov - apparently chosen in reference to the patronymic of Putin’s grandfather.</p> <p>The report says the elder boy, Ivan, was born in Switzerland, and the younger followed three years later in Moscow. While their mother occasionally appears in public - albeit rarely - the boys have never been seen publicly.</p> <p>The investigation alleges that to secure work caring for Ivan and the younger Vladimir, staff must undergo a two-week quarantine and a full medical screening, and effectively agree to isolation with no contact with the outside world. “Every whim is catered to, and they treat all residences where they live as personal property. Ivan and Vladimir rarely see their parents but are constantly surrounded by security, tutors and other staff,” the journalists say.</p> <p>Among their security detail is Putin’s aide-de-camp, Vitaly Kemenov, according to the report. The boys primarily reside at the Valdai residence. Staff for the half-brothers are hired by a company owned by one of Putin’s daughters, the journalists say. No other children reportedly live at the Valdai residences.</p> <p>The reporters claim the boys’ “socialization” happens mostly through contact with household staff. They say the elder, Ivan, already eats and drinks only from his own dishes - “no doubt, like his father, he has a favorite mug.” A mobile laboratory allegedly travels with the boys to test all their food for poison - even fish they catch themselves.</p> <p>Ivan and Vladimir each reportedly have a car and driver. In addition to the main house, the presidential compound includes a study house, a spa center and a hockey rink, where Ivan sometimes plays with his father. Their routine is described as regimented: breakfast at 9 a.m., schoolwork until lunch, then a nap followed by sports. They study English and German and spend time with their ponies, rabbits and a St. Bernard.</p> <p>Kabaeva occasionally appears in public but always without the children.</p> <p>At times, the boys travel—to Sochi, St. Petersburg, Novo-Ogaryovo and Russian-occupied Crimea, the report says. For transport, the family allegedly uses one of 10 yachts and also has access to an armored train, six planes and nine helicopters.</p> <p>“Everyone knows who the children of Obama and Trump are, and their public profiles are even higher than Putin’s. As for the sons of the Russian leader, they’re growing up in a gilded cage, isolated from ordinary Russians. God forbid this power passes to them by inheritance,” the journalists conclude.</p> <p>Overnight on January 27, unknown vandals defaced the Galerie L art gallery in Paris with anti-Putin slogans. For several months, Elizaveta Krivonogikh (Luiza Rozova - often described as Putin’s “unacknowledged daughter” - has been working there.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/reporters-say-putin-s-alleged-sons-live-in-near-total-seclusion-at-the-valdai-residence">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/shocking-facts-on-the-rf.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/shocking-facts-on-the-rf.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2860edbdf8.jpg" alt="Shocking facts on the RF army's decline! Dan Rice on Putin's &quot;meat kilometers&quot; and system collapse"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sPThqxLD3A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-sees.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:36:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-sees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a6a9477546.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Zelensky sees 'window for peace' as Fedorov pushes Defense Ministry shake-up"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 27</strong></p><ul><li>Zelensky sees 'window' for peace deal before US midterms</li><li>Flamingo threat triggers unprecedented missile alert across Russia, 1 claimed shot down</li><li>From Starlink to 'digital officers,' Fedorov on first month as Ukraine's new Defense Minister</li><li>Russia, Ukraine, agree to</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-sees-window-for-peace-as-fedorov-pushes-defense-ministry-shake-up/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/soviet-electronic-warfare-systems-in.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:30:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/soviet-electronic-warfare-systems-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/818b4d4b8f.jpg" alt="Soviet electronic warfare systems in the Russian army – are they still working somehow?! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Rf56vVj74EY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/27/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:19:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/27/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/583940771-1190466283185361-3535007885776774314-n.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,265,130 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,280 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-265-130-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukrainian-missile-strike-on-russias.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:41:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukrainian-missile-strike-on-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-26-17-22-37.jpg" alt="Ukrainian missile strike on Russia's Belgorod Oblast leaves outages, officials claim"></p>Ukraine struck the Russian city of Belgorod and a surrounding district with missiles, leaving outages, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed overnight on Feb. 27.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-missile-strike-on-russias-belgorod-oblast-leaves-outages-officials-claim/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/orbans-election-campaign-strategy-blackmail.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:52:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/orbans-election-campaign-strategy-blackmail.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2261496176.jpg" alt="Orban's election campaign strategy — blackmail EU, Ukraine over Russian oil and hope for a fight"></p><p>On Feb. 26, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was feeling adventurous, sending two letters — one to Brussels, another one to Kyiv — with a set of demands.</p><p>The intended target audience for both, however, were not EU and Ukrainian officials, but the domestic population soon heading to the polls.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/orbans-election-campaign-strategy-blackmail-eu-ukraine-over-russian-oil-pipeline-and-hope-for-a-fight/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/factcheck-no-ukraines-attack-on.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:07:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/factcheck-no-ukraines-attack-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/russia-attack.png" alt="Fact-check: No, Ukraine's attack on Russian oil pumping station is not an 'attack on NATO'"></p>Ukraine did not just attack a NATO member this week — despite efforts by some to frame its strike on a Russian oil hub that way.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/fact-check-ukraines-strike-on-russian-oil-is-not-attack-on-nato/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/russian-drones-burned-in-less.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 21:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/russian-drones-burned-in-less.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/17f137ccb8.jpg" alt="10,000 RUSSIAN DRONES burned in less than 10 MINUTES #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g-oQTS1tA2Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/war-record-russian-uavs-destroyed.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 21:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/war-record-russian-uavs-destroyed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7365207899.jpg" alt="WAR RECORD! 10,000 Russian UAVs destroyed in less than 10 MINUTES near KURSK!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBOIvFvEUlA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukraine-war-latest-more-than.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:05:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukraine-war-latest-more-than.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/adb0b4118e.jpg" alt="Ukraine War Latest: More than 90,000 Ukrainians officially missing due to Russia's war, commissioner says"></p><p>Key developments on Feb. 26:</p><ul><li>More than 90,000 Ukrainians officially missing due to Russia's war, commissioner says</li><li>Ukraine might have a new Flamingo missile deep strike strategy, experts say</li><li>Russia, Ukraine agree on body exchange, 1,000 fallen Ukrainians brought home</li><li>Russian FPV drone on fiber optic</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-more-than-90-000-ukrainians-officially-missing-due-to-russias-war-commissioner-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/film-awards-race-shows-what.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:52:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/film-awards-race-shows-what.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262999333.jpg" alt="Film awards race shows what stories about war West prefers to hear"></p><p>Two films about Russia and Ukraine are generating buzz in this year's film awards season: Mstyslav Chernov's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf4Cgy56slU&t=4809s">2,000 Meters to Andriivka</a>" and "Mr.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcUeDa8FK_8"> Nobody Against Putin</a>," directed by American documentarian David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin, the film's protagonist and</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-film-awards-race-shows-what-stories-about-the-war-the-west-prefers-to-hear/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/swedish-military-jams-suspected-russian.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:43:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/swedish-military-jams-suspected-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7f1c77b4ac.jpg" alt="Swedish military jams suspected Russian drone near French nuclear aircraft carrier"></p>Swedish broadcaster SVT reported that Swedish forces used electronic countermeasures after a suspected Russian drone launched from a nearby vessel approached France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during NATO exercises in Malmö.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/swedish-military-jams-suspected-russian-drone-near-french-nuclear-aircraft-carrier/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/live-crimea-is-burning-russias.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:03:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/live-crimea-is-burning-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7699d22aee.jpg" alt="LIVE | Crimea is burning, Russia's rear is broken: Ukraine strikes Russian HQs and oil refineries"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv8ASVcXdr4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/russia-claims-million-ukrainian-casualties.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:00:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/russia-claims-million-ukrainian-casualties.html <p>Russia has issued another statement about the alleged losses of Ukraine’s Defense Forces over four years of full-scale war, claiming more than 1.5 million Ukrainian troops killed and wounded.</p> <p>That’s according to data from Russia’s Ministry of Defense, reported by the state run news agency <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/362474">TASS</a>.</p> <p>Officials also claimed 27,835 Ukrainian tanks and 670 aircraft have been destroyed.</p> <p>However, back in September 2025, Anton Kobyakov, an adviser to Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin, <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/336028">said</a> Ukrainian losses stood at 1.8 million.</p> <p>According to him, that figure was first allegedly announced by a British journalist, and later hackers allegedly broke into the Ukrainian General Staff’s database and confirmed it.</p> <p>Journalist Denis Kazansky drew attention to this discrepancy on his Telegram channel. He noted that Ukraine has never had that many aircraft, and that even all NATO countries combined do not possess that many tanks. “It gives an impression of total inadequacy. None of the data voiced by the Russian authorities deserves any trust. This is where you truly have a fake state and a failed state,” Kazansky <a href="https://t.me/kazansky2017/21684">emphasized</a>.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military command has not commented on the Russian propagandists’ claims about Ukrainian losses.</p> <p>Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia loses tens of thousands of troops each month in the war against Ukraine, yet Kremlin propaganda still tries to showcase “successes” on the battlefield. By his estimate, capturing one kilometer of Ukrainian land costs Russian forces 156 lives.</p> <p>The Institute for the Study of War analyzed statements by Putin and Dmitry Medvedev and found they used the Defenders of the Fatherland holiday on February 23 to send Russians a clear signal: the war in Ukraine will continue, and the Kremlin will need more soldiers, who will likely see their incomes cut.</p> <p>In early February, Zelensky said losses among Ukraine’s Defense Forces since February 24, 2022, had reached 55,000 killed. He added that many people are also considered missing.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-claims-1-5-million-ukrainian-casualties-contradicting-its-earlier-1-8-million-figure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/war-uavs-outpace-artillery-prestonstewart.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/war-uavs-outpace-artillery-prestonstewart.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f1763301cc.jpg" alt="WAR-2026: UAVs outpace artillery! @PrestonStewart on warfare evolution and Putin's failures!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJFLNiEk4Es">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/we-didnt-even-have-time.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:02:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/we-didnt-even-have-time.html <p><img width="1900" height="1267" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/saltivka-cover1-.jpg" alt="Destroyed house in the Saltivskyi district" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV,</strong> Feb. 26 — “We were sleeping, when an explosion went off. My scared kid started to cry. I realised that something happened in our home.” This is how Marharyta, 30, describes the first seconds after the Russian Shahed drone hit the dormitory where she lives with her daughter.  </p> <p>On the night of Feb. 26, Russia launched another massive drone and missile attack on Kharkiv, attacking the city with over 18 Shahed drones, injuring at least 16 people, including two children. </p> <p>One of the Shahed drones hit the dormitory building in the residential area of the Shevchenkyvskyi district of Kharkiv. Instead of running away from the damaged building, Marharyta calmed her child and cleaned shards of glass that were her room windows before the explosion. </p> <p>“We helped our neighbours to deal with the aftermath after the attack as much as we could,” Marharyta says as she’s trying, without success, to lock the door leading to her room. “Maybe it was knocked out because of the attack,” she adds.</p> <p>On the dormitory's fifth floor  was the epicenter of the explosion. Vasyl, 43, is searching for his jacket to look more “presentable” while speaking with journalists. He lives here with his wife and son. They were all awake when the Russian drone slammed into the room next to theirs. </p> <p>“We fled to the hallway when the glass was blasted out from the windows. We didn't even have time to get scared,” Vasyl says when asked about what happened.</p> <p>The light shines through the large hole in the next room, marking Shahed’s flight path. A white dust settled in every corner of it after the impact. “We just need to ‘sew up’ everything here, and we will continue to live in our home,” Vasyl doesn’t have plans to leave the dormitory. </p> <p>A few floors below, 63-year-old Yevhenii looks at his damaged room. That night, he had decided to sleep in the room on the opposite side of the wall the Russian drone struck. It saved him from getting injured by the glass shattering. </p> <p>“They also damaged my printer, I reported it to the police,” Yevhenii’s voice is quiet, filled with sadness.  </p> <p>Yevhenii walks down the damaged stairs to the street, where a crowd has formed a line at the tents of the Red Cross and the Proliska humanitarian organization. Eventually, he joins the queue, waiting to receive the aid volunteers provide. </p> <p>Halia, 62, has already received humanitarian aid. She tells her relative not to overwork himself as he is helping her carry bags with the food and water bottles. He assures Halia that everything is okay, that it’s not that hard for him. </p> <p>“I heard the siren, and then sounds of the Shahed drone. I realized that it went down. Boom! And then such a big glow,” Halia shares. Like many others in the dormitory, she also doesn’t have windows. </p> <p>“I’m not injured, but my heart hurts. I have drank Barboval (a sedative drug — ed.) three times already.” </p> <p>In the Red Cross’s tent, Yulia, a volunteer, emotionally explains to a local woman that she has no right to receive any aid if she isn’t the dormitory’s resident. “You have approached me three times already with the same question,” Yulia almost yells at her, after hearing her say that she “just came to ask.” </p> <p>When the woman leaves, Yulia exhales with relief, the kind smile returning to her face. The Red Cross came to the impact site four hours after the attack. The volunteer says that most of the people who came for the help are senior citizens and families with children. </p> <p>“We provide backpacks, children's hygiene products, water, tarpaulin to cover the windows, power banks, and all that stuff,” Yulia says. “And, well, we sometimes bring some interesting toys with us to make the children happy.” </p> <p>Today, Yulia says, they distributed all the aid they had.</p> <p>On the other side of Kharkiv, in the Saltivskyi district, a Russian Shahed drone struck a 57-year-old Tetiana’s brick house. She was asleep with her husband when the drone hit their kitchen, reducing it — along with the bathroom — to ashes.</p> <p>“A brick fell on me. Then the TV fell from above, and a wardrobe covered my husband,” she says, adding that it was a big luck that nothing heavy fell on them. </p> <p>Now, municipal workers are clearing the rubble that was Tetiana’s place just a day ago with an excavator.</p> <p>“Friends are letting us stay in their flat for some time,” Tetiana says. Still, her family doesn't have a permanent place to live after the Russian strike destroyed their only home.</p> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em>Hey, Nazar’s here. This was an extremely harsh night for Kharkiv. Today, we covered only two of 12 locations Russia attacked with the Shahed drones. Each of these sites has a human story of what Russia has taken from people in Ukraine. If you want to help us tell these stories, please consider </em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><em>buying us a coffee</em></a><em> or </em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><em>becoming a member of our community.</em></a><em> </em></p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Kharkiv locals <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-locals-mourn-those-killed-in-russias-war-against-ukraine-as-the-5th-year-of-full-scale-invasion-begins/" data-wpel-link="internal">mourn</a> those killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine as the 5th year of full-scale invasion begins</li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/we-didnt-even-have-time-to-get-scared-kharkiv-recovers-after-another-overnight-russian-drone-missile-attack/" data-wpel-link="internal">“We didn’t even have time to get scared.” Kharkiv recovers after another overnight Russian drone, missile attack  </a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/we-didnt-even-have-time-to-get-scared-kharkiv-recovers-after-another-overnight-russian-drone-missile-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/lithuania-updates-national-security-strategy.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/lithuania-updates-national-security-strategy.html <p>Lithuania’s government on Wednesday, February 25, approved an updated National Security Strategy that identifies Russia as an existential threat to the country and the broader Euro-Atlantic community. The document now goes to the Seimas for approval, LRT <a href="https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2850254/vyriausybe-pritare-atnaujintai-nacionalinio-saugumo-strategijai">reported</a>.</p> <p>The strategy warns that by 2030 Russia may have the capabilities to launch a full-scale conventional war against NATO.</p> <p>It also highlights threats posed by the intelligence services of hostile states, as well as the possibility of aggressive actions by Belarus toward its European neighbors.</p> <p>The text points to challenges linked to rapid technological advances and digitalization, including risks stemming from vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.</p> <p>Key priorities include strengthening the armed forces; bolstering collective security guarantees and Europe’s overall defense capabilities; developing a national threat assessment and early-warning system; deepening the integration of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union into the national defense architecture; and enhancing economic security. The strategy also calls for policies to encourage higher birthrates.</p> <p>The previous version of the national security strategy was approved in 2021.</p> <p>Lithuania also plans to produce weapons for Ukraine domestically.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lithuania-updates-national-security-strategy-warns-russia-could-wage-full-scale-war-with-nato-by-2030">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/zelenskyy-against-the-kremlins-traps.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:00:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/zelenskyy-against-the-kremlins-traps.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d3361f5be1.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy against the Kremlin's traps: what will the real security guarantees be?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ymv0d80sXw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/russian-fpv-drone-on-fiber.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:55:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/russian-fpv-drone-on-fiber.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2196637939.jpg" alt="Russian FPV drone on fiber optic cable reaches Kharkiv for 1st time since start of full-scale invasion, prosecutor's office says"></p>The drone hit a tree around 3 p.m. local time in Kyivskyi district on Feb. 25. No casualties were reported, the regional prosecutor's office said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-fpv-drone-on-fiber-optic-cable-reaches-kharkiv-for-1st-time-since-start-of-full-scale-invasion-prosecutors-office-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/german-foreign-minister-rules-out.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/german-foreign-minister-rules-out.html <p>Despite Hungary’s veto of a €90 billion interest-free loan to Ukraine, the EU will not return to another option for supporting Kyiv that involves using frozen Russian assets.</p> <p>Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul made the statement at a joint news conference with Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prévot on Wednesday, February 25, in Berlin.</p> <p>“This issue is definitively settled,” he said, ruling out a renewed debate on transferring Russia’s frozen funds to Ukraine.</p> <p>Wadephul noted the EU had found “a very good fallback instrument” - a €90 billion loan. He criticized Hungary’s position, which is blocking the initiative.</p> <p>The German minister said he was shocked by the actions of the Hungarian authorities and denied any link between the halt of supplies via the Druzhba oil pipeline and Budapest’s decision to block the European loan to Ukraine. Hungary “is betraying its own struggle for freedom,” Wadephul said.</p> <p>A day earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed confidence the EU would find a way to deliver the promised support to Ukraine. “The loan was agreed by the 27 heads of state and government in the European Council. They gave their word. That word cannot be broken,” she said in Kyiv, adding the EU has “different options” that can be used.</p> <p>The European Commission presented draft legislative measures to provide Ukraine with an interest-free €90 billion loan in 2026–2027. The proposal would direct one-third of the sum to budget support for Kyiv and the remaining €60 billion to military aid, von der Leyen said on January 14 at a news conference in Brussels. The European Parliament approved the financial assistance package on February 11.</p> <p>The decision to allocate the loan was made at the EU summit in mid-December 2025. Ukraine would have to repay the loan only after Russia pays Kyiv compensation for war damage. If Moscow refuses to compensate, the EU would use frozen Russian assets to cover Ukraine’s debt.</p> <p>At the summit, two options for supporting Ukraine - now in its fourth year of defending against Russia’s full-scale invasion—were considered. One option envisaged using frozen Russian assets.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-foreign-minister-rules-out-seizing-russian-assets">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/canadian-ai-software-could-flip.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:44:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/canadian-ai-software-could-flip.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-2052235894.jpg" alt="Canadian AI software could flip Russia's disinformation war on Europe"></p><p>A new artificial intelligence (AI) agent could equip Europe to better defend itself against the barrage of Russian disinformation attacks.</p><p>Cipher is <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/canada/">Canadian</a>-developed AI software that has proven to accurately and quickly detect <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/disinformation/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22893644865&gbraid=0AAAAApX-r5_D4uWcyF6xZjUF4hvxyU-Lr&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtfXMBhDzARIsAJ0jp3BdkpqqSn4OXxt8L-S0-NQK1TQsjZBl023lu56KP0cntqQS_HWSnV0aAhxHEALw_wcB">Russian disinformation</a> targeting Canadian networks, on both the far right and the far left of the</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/canadian-ai-software-could-flip-russias-disinformation-war-on-europe/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukrainian-ground-robot-ambush-kills.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:30:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukrainian-ground-robot-ambush-kills.html <p>Paratroopers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ 7th Rapid Response Corps identified a Russian infantry route and set up an ambush.</p> <p>On the Pokrovsk axis, a ground robotic system from Ukraine’s 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, positioned in a preplanned ambush, killed two Russian infantrymen, the unit <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/1127">said</a>. Ukraine reported no losses in the operation.</p> <p>The incident occurred in the 7th Rapid Response Corps’ area of responsibility within the Air Assault Forces. The unit said it had mapped the enemy’s movement route and established a fire trap using a remotely operated platform.</p> <p>Using the ground drone enabled a pinpoint strike on Russian infantry while eliminating risk to Ukrainian troops. Operators controlled the system from a protected shelter — a new dimension in battlefield tactics, the military said.</p> <p>Military officials note that ground robotic systems are becoming an increasingly visible factor on the battlefield, enabling strike and reconnaissance missions that previously required troops on the ground.</p> <p>Similar incidents are being reported regularly. In January 2026, a Droid TW-7.62 system used by Ukrainian assault troops remotely took three Russian servicemen prisoner. Earlier, in November 2025, another ground robotic complex with a heavy machine gun disabled a Russian MT-LB, foiling an assault attempt.</p> <p>Experts say large-scale adoption of such platforms is changing the character of combat. Russian units accustomed to traditional battle tactics are increasingly facing strikes that minimize the human factor.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-ground-robot-ambush-kills-two-russian-infantrymen-on-the-pokrovsk-axis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/how-russia-blackmails-the-desperate.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:03:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/how-russia-blackmails-the-desperate.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2218944206.jpg" alt="How Russia blackmails the desperate families of Ukrainian POWs"></p><p>Karina Remez knew her husband — 33-year-old Dmytro Remez — had been captured in 2022 while defending Mariupol. For years, there was no confirmed information about where he was being held. Then, in early February 2025, a man contacted her claiming he had shared a cell with Dmytro and had</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-blackmails-the-desperate-families-of-ukrainian-pows/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/budanov-calls-for-mutual-ban.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/budanov-calls-for-mutual-ban.html <p>Ukraine’s Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Budanov called on Russia to observe the rules of war and refrain from attacks on political decision-making centers as well as civilians and civilian infrastructure.</p> <p>Even amid the brutality of war, both sides must follow basic rules and avoid striking places where political decisions are made, including locations where national leaders might be present, and refrain from hitting civilian objects, Budanov said in an interview with <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/budanov-nazvav-golovni-pravila-viyni-ukrayini-1771947429">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>“It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about Kyiv or Valdai (the location of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence),” he said, stressing that attacks on decision-making centers are unacceptable.</p> <p>Budanov also called strikes on civilian infrastructure unacceptable. Among sites that should not be targeted, he listed hospitals, maternity wards, historical and cultural buildings, and any places where civilians are present.</p> <p>He underscored the moral dimension, saying he cannot comprehend the use of weapons against people who are physically unable to resist. He cited children and the elderly as examples, noting that attacks on such groups mean a loss of human dignity.</p> <p>According to Budanov, adherence to these rules is especially important amid complex peace talks. By following these principles, it is possible to achieve a “long-awaited sustainable peace,” he added.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/budanov-calls-for-mutual-ban-on-strikes-against-national-leaders-urges-adherence-to-rules-of-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/more-than-face-warrelated-political.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/more-than-face-warrelated-political.html <p>At least 4,029 people in Russia and in occupied parts of Ukraine have become defendants in politically motivated criminal cases tied to the war against Ukraine, according to the <a href="https://t.me/pzk_memorial/8207">Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial project</a>.</p> <p>As of February 18, 2026, 3,059 remain in custody. Courts have issued 2,730 verdicts, including 2,302 prison sentences. There have been no acquittals, the rights group says.</p> <p>The highest numbers of prosecutions are in Russia’s Kursk region (346), Ukraine’s Donetsk region (289), and in Moscow and the Moscow region (249). Across occupied Ukrainian territories — Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Crimea and Sevastopol — 899 people have faced criminal prosecution.</p> <p>Among the defendants are 1,614 Russian citizens, 1,277 Ukrainian citizens, 121 dual nationals and 47 citizens of other countries.</p> <p>Russians are most often convicted on charges of treason (473), terror attacks (317) and public calls to commit terrorism (298). Since 2022, 731 people have been implicated in arson and sabotage cases.</p> <p>The project says it knows the names of at least 551 civilians with Ukrainian passports and 726 Ukrainian service members. At least 39 Ukrainian citizens have received life sentences.</p> <p>Ukrainian civilians are most often convicted of treason (199), terror attacks (159) and espionage (152). Service members most frequently face charges of terror attacks (342), organizing or participating in a terrorist organization (195), and undergoing training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activity (183).</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/more-than-4-000-face-war-related-political-prosecutions-in-russia-and-occupied-ukraine-memorial-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/targets-hit-in-one-night.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/targets-hit-in-one-night.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/13a27d1cc6.jpg" alt="459 targets hit in one night! Missile shipment to air defense forces stopped the Russian attack"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RblNEJGy_Jo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukraine-controls-of-kupyansk-as.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:30:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukraine-controls-of-kupyansk-as.html <p>Ukrainian Forces now control 97% of the city of Kupiansk, while Russian occupying troops are effectively isolated in several buildings north of the city center, near the municipal hospital, Viktor Tregubov, a representative of the Joint Forces grouping, <a href="https://t.me/Joint_Forces_Task_Force/20137">said</a>.</p> <p>He said a group of roughly 30–40 Russian troops remains in the city center, trying to survive with supplies delivered only via an “air bridge.” Attempts by Russian forces to push in from the north and east have been repelled, he added — on the eastern axis, the attackers failed to reach even Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.</p> <p>Tregubov noted that one of the key factors demoralizing Russian troops has been the loss of access to Starlink terminals. He said Russian forces had used them to equip drones and maintain stable communications directly in the trenches. That option has now disappeared, he said, causing what he described as “hysteria” in Russian units.</p> <p>According to Tregubov, Russian troops are trying to compensate for the lack of satellite communications by building Wi-Fi bridges. But that requires powerful transmitters placed on elevated positions, making both the equipment and personnel easy targets for Ukrainian artillery and drones — and leaving blocked groups without reliable coordination.</p> <p>Earlier, Tregubov said Ukraine’s military is not rushing to eliminate the blocked Russian troops to avoid unnecessary losses among Ukrainian personnel.</p> <p>Recently in Kupyansk, three Russian servicemen voluntarily surrendered by contacting the “I Want to Live” project.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-controls-97-of-kupyansk-as-isolated-russian-troops-lose-starlink-access">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/kremlin-orders-russian-tv-to.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/kremlin-orders-russian-tv-to.html <p>On Tuesday, as Russia’s war against Ukraine crossed the four-year mark, Kremlin-controlled federal TV networks scrubbed any reference to the anniversary. Not a single on-air reminder of the conflict’s duration was broadcast. An operation initially conceived as a blitzkrieg against Ukraine has failed and turned into a grueling, protracted war, underscoring what the report describes as a grave miscalculation by Putin over Ukraine, <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/14129">reports</a> the news outlet Agenstvo, whose journalists monitored Russian TV channels.</p> <p>The contrast is especially stark compared with the early months of the invasion, when the narrative promised a swift, almost assured “victory.” Four years on, even acknowledging the timeline and outcomes has become an “awkward truth” for official television.</p> <p>Even in segments formally tied to events in Ukraine and international reactions, channels avoided a key explanation: why this specific date was driving the day’s news. Reports aired, but without words that would inevitably remind viewers of the drawn-out war and its consequences.</p> <p>Selective editing of quotes from foreign politicians reinforced the impression. Lines that directly referenced the nature and cost of the conflict were cut. Viewers were left with a daily picture missing its central point.</p> <p>The silence reads as a response to the issue’s sensitivity inside Russia. A war planned as a blitzkrieg has become a long and exhausting conflict. Against that backdrop, the anniversary is no longer an occasion for bold statements but an informational risk.</p> <p>Avoiding direct mentions appears aimed at steering attention away from questions viewers are bound to ask. In moments like this, the absence of words becomes the story.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-orders-russian-tv-to-avoid-mentioning-ukraine-war-anniversary">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/us-ukraine-hold-talks-in.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:54:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/us-ukraine-hold-talks-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d2d6420803.jpg" alt="US, Ukraine hold talks in Geneva to discuss recovery, next round of Russia negotiations"></p>Ukrainian delegates are meeting U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Geneva as part of the ongoing efforts to broker a peace with Moscow, Ukraine's top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, announced on Feb. 26.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-ukraine-hold-talks-in-geneva-amid-peace-efforts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/more-than-ukrainians-officially-missing.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:36:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/more-than-ukrainians-officially-missing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2237696186.jpg" alt="More than 90,000 Ukrainians officially missing due to Russia's war, commissioner says"></p>Most missing persons are members of Ukraine's security and defense sector.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/more-than-90-000-ukrainians-officially-missing-due-to-russias-war-commissioner-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukrainian-forces-hold-key-villages.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:30:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukrainian-forces-hold-key-villages.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces are building additional logistics routes and mining roads and pathways used by Russian troops as fighting intensifies north of Pokrovsk.</p> <p>Settlements in the Pokrovsk sector - including Sukhetsky, Suvorov, Nikanorivka and Novyi Donbas - remain under Ukrainian control and are not in the “gray zone,” said Maj. Hryhorii Shapoval, spokesperson for the East grouping of forces, according to <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4095443-visim-sil-na-pivnic-pid-pokrovska-navit-ne-v-sirij-zoni-voni-pid-kontrolem-sil-oboroni-vijskovi.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>“They are under the Defense Forces. The enemy is trying to apply pressure and strike with artillery and unmanned systems, but each of these settlements is not even in the ‘gray zone,’” Shapoval said.</p> <p>Ukrainian units are conducting active operations to contain Russian advances on this stretch of the front. “The Defense Forces are carrying out search-and-strike actions to prevent further advances by the invaders, destroying vehicles used by enemy assault groups. These actions continue in the Pokrovsk agglomeration and its outskirts. The enemy persists with small infantry group tactics, which is critically depleting Russia’s manpower,” he added.</p> <p>Shapoval said the settlements are located north of Pokrovsk, while Russian forces are trying to build up in the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad agglomeration and increase pressure. Meanwhile, Ukraine is expanding logistics routes and mining roads and routes the enemy uses.</p> <p>Background: Ukraine is scaling up the use of interceptor drones to counter Russian UAVs, now neutralizing roughly one in three Russian strike drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-hold-key-villages-north-of-pokrovsk-amid-intensified-russian-pressure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:06:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/644258661-4168093206774357-1742576642992886838-n.jpg" alt="At least 1 killed, 33 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 420 drones and 39 missiles of various types, including 11 ballistic missiles, at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-1-killed-33-injured-in-russian-attacks-against-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/poland-detains-six-over-alleged.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/poland-detains-six-over-alleged.html <p>Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the National Revenue Administration (KAS) carried out raids and detained six people on suspicion of shipping components via Belarus to Russia for the production of combat drones, authorities said. Three suspects were remanded in custody, while the other three were placed under constant police supervision and barred from leaving Poland, according to <a href="https://www.gov.pl/web/kas/szesc-osob-zatrzymanych-przez-kas-i-abw-w-sledztwie-prowadzonym-przez-prokurature-krajowa-zwiazanym-z-bezpieczenstwem-narodowym">KAS</a>.</p> <p>KAS officers from the Lodz Customs and Tax Office, working with ABW, conducted searches at multiple locations on February 18 and made the arrests. Prior to that, KAS said it had thwarted an attempt to illegally move to Russia through Belarus “equipment for automating the production of integrated circuits, used in particular in assembling combat drones.”</p> <p>“According to investigators, the actions of Polish law enforcement may have helped disrupt supply chains of military equipment for Russian army units operating in eastern Ukraine,” KAS said.</p> <p>Charges were filed the same day at the National Prosecutor’s Office. Under Poland’s sanctions law, the suspects face at least three years in prison if convicted.</p> <p>On February 20, the Lodz-Center District Court ordered three of the suspects held in pre-trial detention for three months.</p> <p>Investigators also seized cash in various currencies equivalent to about 400,000 zloty (more than $110,000).</p> <p>Earlier, German authorities detained suspects over clandestine supplies of equipment to Russia’s defense industry.</p> <p>In Brandenburg, a Russian citizen and a German citizen were previously arrested on suspicion of years-long support for pro-Russian armed groups in eastern Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-detains-six-over-alleged-shipments-of-sanctioned-drone-production-gear-to-russia-via-belarus">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukraines-reported-flamingo-missile-strikes.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:31:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukraines-reported-flamingo-missile-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ap25231590570506.jpg" alt="Ukraine’s reported Flamingo missile strikes may shift toward heavy strikes deeper into Russia, experts say"></p><p>Ukraine has increasingly reported using domestically produced Flamingo cruise missiles since November 2025, with the General Staff most recently saying it hit a key missile factory in Russia.</p><p>While the FP-5 Flamingo's actual capability has been a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmF8ilOCsV0">subject of debate</a>, the reported strikes on <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-confirms-use-of-flamingo-bars-and-liutyi-missiles-in-strikes-on-crimea-zaporizhzhia-and-targets-inside-russia/">Russian-occupied territories</a> and deep</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/flamingo-missile-deploymentreports-may-signal-ukraines-shift-toward-heavy-deep-strike-capability-experts-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ampquotshahed-dronesampquot-ballistics-and-kabs.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:15:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ampquotshahed-dronesampquot-ballistics-and-kabs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d79dac46e0.jpg" alt="&quot;Shahed drones,&quot; ballistics, and KABs: Zaporizhzhia under Russian fire #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XS2Gz0B6ef8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/its-a-disgrace-russian-workers.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:38:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/its-a-disgrace-russian-workers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-photo-2026-02-25-19-31-53.jpg" alt="'It's a disgrace' — Russian workers turn occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into 'resort'"></p><p>When one thinks about the conditions at a nuclear power plant, the image that comes to mind would likely be very different from that which Russian workers at an occupied plant in Ukraine have created.</p><p>Russian workers brought in to operate the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after it was seized</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-workers-occupied-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-resort/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/terror-against-civilians-russia-attacked.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:44:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/terror-against-civilians-russia-attacked.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d0cb5c64f5.jpg" alt="TERROR against civilians: Russia attacked Kharkiv #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/90EIX-s3s90">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:38:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2252387720.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,263,850 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,360 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-263-850-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/ukraine-says-it-blew-up.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 04:42:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/ukraine-says-it-blew-up.html <p>Ukraine’s military says it blew up a large Russian drone depot in Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine’s Sumy region, destroying thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles, munitions and equipment.</p> <p>The 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade <a href="https://t.me/brigade80/1052">said</a> the site was identified on Russian territory close to the Sumy border. The unit said Russian forces regularly operate from the Kursk region against Ukraine’s border areas, making such facilities strategic targets.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces said the warehouse held a significant number of drones, ammunition and related equipment, as well as light vehicles used by UAV crews. The strike triggered a large fire and effectively wiped out the supplies, they added.</p> <p>Ptashka Drones, a manufacturer, estimated that as many as 10,000 Russian UAVs may have been stored at the facility. If confirmed, the losses would reduce Russia’s strike capacity along a key sector of the front, the company said.</p> <p>Ukrainian officials said the attack used long-range drones with fiber‑optic links capable of operating up to 50 kilometers. Ptashka Drones said the technology complicates electronic-warfare defenses and improves targeting precision.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-blew-up-a-large-russian-drone-depot-in-the-kursk-region-destroying-thousands-of-uavs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/russia-launches-combined-overnight-missile.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 04:05:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/russia-launches-combined-overnight-missile.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-1986-2.jpg" alt="Russia launches combined overnight missile and drone attack at Ukrainian cities, injuring at least 26"></p>Russia launched a combined missile and drone attack across Ukraine early on Feb. 26, targeting Kyiv and other cities and causing damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-other-ukrainian-cities-as-russia-launches-combined-missile-and-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/german-bundestag-approves-resolution-backing.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/german-bundestag-approves-resolution-backing.html <p>Germany’s Bundestag reaffirmed Berlin’s support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s military aggression.</p> <p>On Wednesday, February 25, lawmakers approved the measure by a coalition majority, tying it to the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p> <p>The resolution, introduced by the governing parties—the conservative bloc of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), along with the Social Democratic Party (SPD)—says Ukraine is defending freedom, democracy and a rules-based international order beyond its own borders.</p> <p>The Bundestag backed military aid for Kyiv and sanctions against Russia. Lawmakers said Germany should deliver enough weapons, ammunition and equipment, arguing Ukraine can secure a durable, just peace only from a position of strength. They also called for further tightening of European Union sanctions to cut Russia’s revenues, especially from oil exports.</p> <p>German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking at the session, urged efforts toward a long-term and just peace in Ukraine. If Europe accepts land grabs and violence, it will set a precedent for other revisionist, expansionist states, he warned.</p> <p>The opposition voted against the CDU/CSU and SPD proposal. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Left party accused the governing coalition of focusing too heavily on military force, while the Greens criticized the resolution as not comprehensive enough.</p> <p>In late January, Germany’s Bundesrat also passed a resolution in support of Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-bundestag-approves-resolution-backing-ukraine-urging-more-arms-and-tougher-russia-sanctions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/26/zelensky-russia-failed-to-intercept.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:45:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/26/zelensky-russia-failed-to-intercept.html <p>All Flamingo missiles that Ukraine’s Defense Forces launched at the Russian plant in Votkinsk hit their target, demonstrating accuracy and high quality, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.</p> <p>Speaking at a news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Kyiv, Zelensky <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz9jczG470Y">said</a> Russian air defenses failed to intercept a single missile that was launched. </p> <p>“Most importantly, all the missiles that were launched reached the facility. I believe that is the main success — we’re talking about high quality and precision,” Zelensky emphasized.</p> <p>The President said Russian commanders are targeting plants that produce Flamingo missiles. As a result, Ukraine had to wait a long time to restore the production line.</p> <p>He added that Ukraine plans to ramp up Flamingo production, but that depends on funding and the availability of components. More missiles would mean more strikes.</p> <p>On February 14, Zelensky <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/GPTCJrNne-c">said</a> Russian forces had attacked Flamingo missile production. The destroyed production line has since been relocated and production restored.</p> <p>Ukraine used Flamingo missile in a strike on the Votkinsk machine-building plant in Udmurtia. The attack occurred overnight on February 20. OSINT analysts published footage of flashes and explosions in the city of Votkinsk, about 1,400 km from Ukraine. It turned out the facility manufactures Russia’s Iskander, Topol-M, Oreshnik and other missiles. Preliminary reports said two workshops were damaged. That same night, Shtilerman posted footage of Flamingo launches without specifying the targets.</p> <p>On February 21, more details of the Flamingo strike were published online. The hit on two workshops was confirmed, along with reports of 11 injured, one in serious condition. The next day, the OSINT channel “Kiberboroshno” <a href="https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/12582">posted satellite images of the damage</a>. The photos show a 30-by-24-meter hole in the roof of a Votkinsk plant workshop. It was also noted the galvanic-stamping workshop No. 19 may have been hit; on February 25 it emerged the site was workshop No. 22.</p> <p>The previous use of Flamingo missiles against Russia was the attack on the Kapustin Yar range and a GRAU arsenal. Ukraine’s General Staff said that in January it carried out a strike on the range from which Russia had twice launched an Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile at Ukraine. On February 12, an FP-5 strike hit a GRAU site storing 150,000 tons of various Russian munitions, according to DeepState analysts.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-russia-failed-to-intercept-any-flamingo-missiles-in-strike-on-votkinsk-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/awards-presented-on-the-fullscale.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:36:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/awards-presented-on-the-fullscale.html <p>On the eve and day of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian Invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the nation’s highest state awards to Ukrainian soldiers, handed orders to the&hellip;</p> <p><a href="https://militaryland.net/news/awards-presented-on-the-full-scale-invasion-anniversary/">Source</a></p><p><a href="https://militaryland.net/news/awards-presented-on-the-full-scale-invasion-anniversary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/three-days-in-a-row.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/three-days-in-a-row.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1cc4d45888.jpg" alt="THREE DAYS IN A ROW, the “ROSNEFT” facility is on fire in Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C_4wtffeESI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/explainer-russia-disrupts-ukraine-peace.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:18:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/explainer-russia-disrupts-ukraine-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7a86e4ce9d.jpg" alt="Explainer: Russia disrupts Ukraine peace talks with timed false accusations"></p><p>Every time negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. appear to gain momentum, Moscow introduces a new allegation — drone attacks, assassination attempts, nuclear plots, sabotage — that threatens to stall or derail the process.</p><p>Ukrainian officials and Western analysts say the pattern is no coincidence.</p><p>A high-level Ukrainian</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-uses-false-allegations-to-sabotage-ukraine-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/ukraine-reports-striking-russian-s.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/ukraine-reports-striking-russian-s.html <p>Ukraine’s Forces continue to target Russian troops and equipment in temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine.</p> <p>In the early hours of February 25, Ukrainian forces carried out strikes on a number of targets in occupied territories, including air-defense systems, rocket artillery and troop positions, according to Ukraine’s General Staff in a post <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>The command said an S-400 air-defense launcher and a Pantsir-S1 air-defense system positioned near the settlement of Sofiivka in Crimea were struck.</p> <p>In addition, a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher located in the area of Myroliubivka in the occupied part of Donbas came under fire.</p> <p>The statement also reported strikes on areas where Russian units were concentrated near Novohryhorivka in Zaporizhzhia region and the city of Zuhres in Donetsk region.</p> <p>Ukrainian commanders said final information on casualties and the extent of damage was not yet available, as assessments were ongoing.</p> <p>The General Staff added that Ukrainian defenders intend to continue systematic strikes on the occupiers’ military infrastructure and units to degrade their ability to conduct offensive operations.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-reports-striking-russian-s-400-pantsir-and-other-targets-in-occupied-territories">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/russia-is-buying-up-islands.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/russia-is-buying-up-islands.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bae530354d.jpg" alt="RUSSIA IS BUYING UP ISLANDS IN EUROPE FOR SPYING! Exposed: Putin’s “Trojan horse” islands in Europe"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ4N7t1zRdQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/atacms-completely-destroyed-the-russian.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/atacms-completely-destroyed-the-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2b40890551.jpg" alt="ATACMS completely destroyed the Russian &quot;Buk-M1&quot;! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fMg_XK9ZdhU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/iskander-missile-collapse-and-million.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:01:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/iskander-missile-collapse-and-million.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cf06569785.jpg" alt="Iskander missile collapse and 1.26 million occupiers eliminated: Russia's 4-year losses summarized!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0vBZWD34RM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/zaluzhnyi-ukraines-first-drone-factory.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/zaluzhnyi-ukraines-first-drone-factory.html <p>The first Ukrainian factory producing drones has begun operating in the United Kingdom, Ukraine’s ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi <a href="https://t.me/s/Zaluzhnui/1030">said</a>.</p> <p>The plant is owned by Ukrspecsystems. According to a post on Zaluzhnyi’s Telegram channel, the engineering center will remain in Ukraine, while production lines are being moved to the UK:</p> <p>“Ukraine is fighting under constant missile strikes, infrastructure destruction and threats to manufacturing. Our engineers are creating solutions born directly from frontline experience. They improve systems not on the basis of theoretical research, but from the results of real combat operations. That’s why launching production in the UK has deep strategic logic. This is not a shift of the center of gravity from Ukraine. It is an expansion of our shared capabilities and the creation of a second layer of resilience that guarantees continuity of production.”</p> <p>For Ukraine, the joint venture means “stability and the ability to plan long term,” Zaluzhnyi said. For the UK, it means new jobs and a stronger defense industry thanks to access to technologies proven in modern combat.</p> <p>Key engineering competencies will remain in Ukraine, Zaluzhnyi said. The new facility will be integrated into the UK defense ecosystem but is meant to complement, not replace, Ukrainian capacity.</p> <p>Founded in 2014, Ukrspecsystems is one of Ukraine’s leading unmanned systems developers. Its best-known platforms include the PD-2, Shark and Gekata reconnaissance systems, which are actively used in the war against Russia.</p> <p>London and Kyiv reached an agreement on joint production in late June last year, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/14835">announced</a> after meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer. At the time, Zelensky said cooperation would help Ukraine “secure stable funding for important projects,” including interceptor drones and long-range drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zaluzhnyi-ukraine-s-first-drone-factory-begins-operating-in-the-uk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:53:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262789566.jpg" alt="At least 5 killed, 18 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day"></p>The Air Force said that Russia attacked Ukraine with 115 drones overnight, of which around 60 were Shahed-type. It reported downing 95 drones in the north, south, and east of Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-5-killed-18-injured-in-russian-attacks-against-ukraine-over-the-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:52:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260987774.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,262,490 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,070 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-262-490-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/russian-embassy-in-seoul-removes.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:41:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/russian-embassy-in-seoul-removes.html <p>Russia’s Embassy in Seoul on February 24 took down a “Victory will be ours” banner in the colors of the Russian flag from the exterior wall of its compound, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260224006251315">reported</a>. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry had expressed displeasure with the banner, saying the slogan—used during World War II—is now read as a reference to Russia’s war against Ukraine.</p> <p>The embassy also relocated an event planned for Defender of the Fatherland Day, marked in Russia on February 23. The celebration had been scheduled to take place outdoors in front of the embassy in central Seoul but was moved inside at the last minute.</p> <p>On February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Korean activists and several Russians who joined them staged a series of one-person protests outside the embassy. The head of a local civic group held a sign that read “Stop Putin. Stop the war,” while chanting “Take down that ugly poster” and “The Republic of Korea is against war.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-embassy-in-seoul-removes-victory-will-be-ours-banner-moves-defender-of-the-fatherland-day-event-indoors-after-government-pressure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/russia-opens-aiding-terrorism-case.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 02:35:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/russia-opens-aiding-terrorism-case.html <p>Russian authorities have opened a criminal case on charges of “aiding terrorism” against Telegram founder Pavel Durov.</p> <p>“Every day the authorities come up with new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram, seeking to suppress the right to privacy and freedom of speech. It’s a sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people,” Durov wrote <a href="https://t.me/durov/473">on his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>Rossiyskaya Gazeta, citing “materials” from the Federal Security Service (FSB), said the perpetrators of the March 2024 attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow coordinated via Telegram.</p> <p>The outlet also claims the messenger was used to prepare the killings of Russian propagandists and senior military figures, including Daria Dugina, Vladlen Tatarsky (Maxim Fomin) and General Igor Kirillov.</p> <p>Amid the war against Ukraine, Russian authorities have introduced restrictions on digital services and communications</p> <p>Since August 2025, calls via Telegram and WhatsApp have been blocked in Russia. According to the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor, the measures are tied to the use of messengers by terrorists and scammers.</p> <p>In October, Roskomnadzor said it began partially restricting Telegram and WhatsApp, ostensibly to counter fraud.</p> <p>In January, Andrei Svintsov, a member of the State Duma’s information policy committee, accused Telegram of “blocking anonymous channels too slowly,” but said a full ban was not expected. “There are anonymous Telegram channels that write all sorts of nonsense, distorting facts. Apparently, these channels are not being blocked promptly enough in Russia,” Svintsov said.</p> <p>On February 10, Roskomnadzor officially confirmed plans to deliberately slow Telegram’s performance. The regulator said it would introduce “gradual restrictions,” formally citing violations of Russian law and threats to “citizens’ safety.” Internet censorship experts say the real goal is to create conditions to gradually squeeze out Telegram-much as with YouTube and WhatsApp-and push users in Russia to state-controlled messengers, especially Max and VK.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-opens-aiding-terrorism-case-against-telegram-founder-pavel-durov">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/european-parliament-approves-billion-loan.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 02:28:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/european-parliament-approves-billion-loan.html <p>On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola signed a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, a move aimed at helping the country continue its fight against the Russian aggression.</p> <p>Metsola announced the decision on her official account on <a href="https://x.com/EP_President/status/2026268932529692939">X</a>.</p> <p>The signing took place during a special European Parliament session dedicated to supporting Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined by video link.</p> <p>“Just signed a €90 billion loan to support Ukraine on behalf of the European Parliament,” Metsola said.</p> <p>She added that the assistance will support essential Ukrainian public services, bolster its defense, and help safeguard Europe’s security - “to achieve a real and lasting peace, to anchor Ukraine’s future in Europe.”</p> <p>The document was signed symbolically on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale aggression. Parliament underscored that this is not only a financial instrument but also a political signal of unity.</p> <p>The decision came despite resistance from Hungary. Budapest had previously blocked the package, but the European Parliament overcame the veto.</p> <p>The loan, planned for 2026–2027, carries low interest and is structured as debt rather than grants. Funds are expected to support healthcare, education, and infrastructure, strengthen defense, and help restore the energy sector after Russian attacks. Disbursements will be made in stages.</p> <p>In the fifth year of the war, the package is seen as a cornerstone of Ukraine’s financial resilience. The EU remains Kyiv’s primary donor amid shrinking U.S. assistance, and the signing signals that European support endures despite attempts by Moscow and its allies to fracture the bloc’s unity.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/european-parliament-approves-90-billion-loan-for-ukraine-despite-orban-s-opposition">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/fire-rages-for-second-day.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 02:23:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/fire-rages-for-second-day.html <p>Ukrainian drones have struck a Russian strategic oil pumping station more than 1,000 kilometers from the border, igniting a massive blaze that continued into a second day, according to local reports.</p> <p>The fire erupted at the Kaleykino oil pumping station near the village of the same name in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan—an installation considered a critical node in the country’s oil infrastructure. The blaze began after a series of explosions overnight into February 23, witnesses said. The flames quickly spread to crude storage tanks, and the scale of the fire was so extensive that its effects were visible in satellite imagery captured the following day.</p> <p>Kaleykino is a key transit point for crude flows from Western Siberia and the Volga region, including volumes routed toward Europe via the “Druzhba” pipeline. A strike on such a facility could have serious repercussions for Russia’s energy sector.</p> <p>Social media posts indicated the smoke plume stretched for tens of kilometers, with some users claiming it was visible as far away as Neftekamsk, roughly 170 kilometers from the site. </p> <p>There were also unconfirmed reports of a renewed drone strike on the same facility on February 24. There has been no official confirmation of a second attack, though sources linked to Ukrainian special services had previously confirmed  that Kaleykino was hit.</p> <p>Notably, the site lies more than 1,200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border - an indication of Ukraine’s expanding capacity to conduct deep strikes.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/fire-rages-for-second-day-at-tatarstan-oil-pumping-station-after-reported-ukrainian-drone-strike">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/25/as-russia-rained-missiles-on.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:07:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/25/as-russia-rained-missiles-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262856567.jpg" alt="As Russia rained missiles on Ukrainian cities last fall, US issued warning to Kyiv over Black Sea drone strike, ambassador says"></p>The U.S. State Department warned Ukraine in November 2025 that its strike on Russia's Novorossiysk port threatened American economic interests.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/as-russia-rained-missiles-on-ukrainian-cities-last-fall-us-issued-warning-to-kyiv-over-drone-strike-on-black-sea-port-ambassador-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/zelensky-says-hes-ready-to.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:26:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/zelensky-says-hes-ready-to.html <p>In an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgQPxs2ioF0&t=5s">interview with German broadcaster ARD</a>, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to achieve peace, but argued the only way to stop the war in Ukraine is to force Russians to end it,</p> <p>Asked whether he had a message for Russians, he said he had nothing new to tell citizens of the Russian Federation because his words no longer influence them.</p> <p>“At least they don’t want to take action. They have handed over all their voices, their rights, their bodies entirely for the use of one person — Putin. So I have no message for Russians, and my message to Putin is very simple: I am ready to meet. We have to end the war. Period,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that the only way to end the war is to compel Russians to stop it.</p> <p>“I know that Putin and Russia do not want the end of this war. I think many people in Russia… they want to continue the war, and thus encourage Putin. In addition, I think the defense industry motivates Putin to continue, since a lot of money is allocated for defense,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He said U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s leader Xi Jinping could push the Russian leader toward a peace deal through economic and technological pressure.</p> <p>“Even if Putin doesn’t want to, I’m sure these two people can make him do it,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>Zelensky stressed that any peace must rest on terms acceptable to Ukrainian society, with partners providing reliable security guarantees.</p> <p>On January 27, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Zelensky is ready to meet Putin to discuss temporarily occupied territories and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>On January 30, Zelensky called proposals for a meeting in Moscow categorically unacceptable and invited Putin to Kyiv. Despite that, on February 2, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov again invited Zelensky to Moscow during a briefing.</p> <p>In a phone interview with Axios on February 17, Zelensky said he wanted to meet Putin in Geneva - but the Kremlin ignored the proposal.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-he-s-ready-to-meet-putin-urges-trump-and-xi-to-pressure-russia-to-end-the-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russias-transneft-cuts-oil-intake.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:15:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russias-transneft-cuts-oil-intake.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a39d2ddced.jpg" alt="Russia's Transneft cuts oil intake after Ukrainian strike on Druzhba pipeline hub, Reuters reports"></p>Damage from the attack forced Transneft to cut crude oil intake by 250,000 barrels per day and could cause further problems for Russian oil exports, affecting volumes and quality of oil shipped, industry sources told Reuters.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-transneft-cuts-oil-intake-after-ukrainian-drone-strike-on-druzhba-pipeline-hub-in-tatarstan-reuters-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/dead-in-four-years-putin.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/dead-in-four-years-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b0e92b3ab1.jpg" alt="1,260,000 DEAD IN FOUR YEARS! Putin has officially destroyed the male population of the Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyJ5KECUV2c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/putins-soldiers-in-ukraine-live.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/putins-soldiers-in-ukraine-live.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/41a12348fc.jpg" alt="PUTIN'S soldiers in UKRAINE live for 12 minutes! – Sunday Times #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2P4bnmD0Y7M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/kyiv-only-four-of-planned.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/kyiv-only-four-of-planned.html <p>Russia’s army has already lost more than 1.2 million troops killed and wounded in its war against Ukraine.</p> <p>Russian president Vladimir Putin tasked the Russian army with forming 15 new divisions in 2025, but in reality only four are being created, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Pavel Palisa said in an interview with <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4094649-pavlo-palisa-zastupnik-kerivnika-ofisu-prezidenta.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>The official stressed that Russia’s occupying forces are suffering massive losses. To date, Russia’s army has lost more than 1.2 million killed and wounded. In 2025, Russia was losing 120 personnel for every kilometer of Ukrainian territory seized, he said. To replenish those heavy losses, Russia will have to resort to mobilization, according to Palisa.</p> <p>He said four divisions are being formed in Russia, even though the Defense Ministry had been tasked with creating 15 new divisions in 2025. This suggests the Kremlin is facing serious problems manning new military units.</p> <p>Palisa believes victory for Ukraine will be a situation in which Moscow can no longer dictate terms to Kyiv and Ukraine secures Western security guarantees. He added that maintaining a strong Ukrainian army and achieving a just, lasting peace are also essential conditions for victory.</p> <p>In early February 2026, Ukraine’s Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive in southern Ukraine, aiming to clear Russian occupiers from areas where the Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions meet. President Volodymyr Zelensky said about 300 square kilometers were liberated during the southern counteroffensive. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi later specified that roughly 400 square kilometers and eight settlements had been freed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-only-four-of-15-planned-russian-divisions-are-being-formed">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/over-million-losses-for-a.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/over-million-losses-for-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/644894adb8.jpg" alt="Over 1.2 million losses for a piece of land! Why did the Russian army officially end?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIOv5-OFfRs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/kharkiv-locals-mourn-those-killed.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:55:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/kharkiv-locals-mourn-those-killed.html <p><img width="1545" height="949" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/jkhjjhj.jpg" alt="Ukrainian blue and yellow flags with red gradient overlayed on the photo" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong>, Feb. 24 — Four years ago, this day was warmer and more terrifying for many in this city, located just about 20 miles from the Russian-Ukrainian border. Back then, the Russian army was much closer to the city, reaching the northern neighbourhood of Kharkiv. Now, pushed away to the border in the 2022 counteroffensive, they are still moving towards Kharkiv from different fronts, and Ukraine's forces are, as then, holding them off. </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Silence</h2> <p>At Freedom Square, one of the biggest squares in Eastern Europe, Kharkiv locals gather to honor those killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine with a moment of silence. Behind them is the building of the Kharkiv regional administration, severely damaged by a double-tap attack in March of 2022. </p> <p>Two rows of cars stop at the road before this building, and the drivers step out and put their palms to their chests. The flags for Kharkiv military brigades hang from their vehicles. A sound of a ticking clock steps through the square, and everything and everyone around stops, except the snow. </p> <p>Viktoria, a woman participating in the morning demonstration, says it’s important to remember that the war didn’t start four years ago, but with the occupation of Crimea in 2014. She is a volunteer of the Help for Families of the Dead and Missing organization. </p> <p>“We don’t have the right to forget. Because if everything starts to fade away, everything was for nothing, our fight was for nothing,” she says. “The most important thing is to preserve Ukraine, its integrity, and remember why and because of whom Ukraine remains.” </p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>Viktoria laughs when asked what helps her move forward, as many in Kharkiv do. “Armed Forces of Ukraine,” she grins. “There are no circumstances that can stop us. We have to save Ukraine for our children, our grandchildren.” </p> </blockquote> <p>Yulia, another woman, holds the flag with her husband’s photo. His name is Vadym. He served in the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade — they defended Kharkiv against the first ground offensive Russia had launched from the north during February 2022. He was killed in the middle of the summer of 2022. </p> <p>“How are you?” Gwara’s journalist asks. </p> <p>“I am living,” Yulia says. </p> <p>“What helps you move forward?” </p> <p>“I don’t have another choice,” Yulia responds.  </p> <p>Oksana’s husband also defended Kharkiv in the early days of the full-scale invasion. Russians killed him in Vilkhivka village in the Kharkiv district. She also takes part in a demonstration for the minute of silence.</p> <p>“I couldn’t miss it. It’s necessary. We should remember every day,” Oksana says. Children are the first “engine” that prompts her to go on — it’s impossible not to, she laughs, and the second is— “I wish for victory. And however it will be, we are going to win.” </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Prayer</h2> <p>An hour later, a joint prayer service begins at one of the central subway stations, attended by Kharkiv City Mayor Ihor Terekhov and representatives of various Christian denominations. </p> <p>Terekhov thanks the priests and Ukraine’s defence forces, “in which representatives of different religions serve, but work towards one goal — to maintain Ukraine’s sovereignty.” We’re praying for long-awaited, fair peace, Terekhov says, the peace that’ll last forever. </p> <p>The priest read prayers, one after another. The host thanks them for the “prayer shield” that protects “every warrior, child, and all our Earth.” </p> <p>Priests and four singers in embroidered costumes sing <em>Prayer for Ukraine. </em> </p> <p>Kharkiv City Council later tells Gwara that the representatives of the Muslim and Jewish communities were also invited to participate in the prayer, but they were unable to attend for various reasons.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Orchestra</h2> <p>In the afternoon, at another metro station, a requiem for the fallen defenders was held, commemorating the deaths of those who were born in the Kharkiv region. The orchestra performed prayers and memorial songs. Digital screens displayed photos of people killed in Russia’s war. Their names.</p> <p>Denys, a relative of a fallen police officer, waited for the moment when a photo of him would appear on one of them. The police officer died during a Russian drone attack on a gas station in Nova Vodolaha, a town southwest of Kharkiv. Doctors were trying to save him for eight days, but couldn’t. </p> <p>During the last four years, Russia <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-killed-2121-people-including-111-children-in-kharkiv-region-during-4-years-of-full-scale-invasion/" data-wpel-link="internal">killed over 2,100 people and injured over 6,700</a> in the Kharkiv region. Over the last day, they <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-forces-attack-village-in-kupiansk-district-injuring-mother-alongside-her-2-daughters/" data-wpel-link="internal">injured three</a>: a woman and her two daughters. </p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>“Only hurt remains” — Bidding <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/only-hurt-remains-bidding-farewell-to-veteran-his-three-children-killed-in-russian-drone-attack-on-bohodukhiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">farewell</a> to veteran, his three children killed in Russian drone attack on Bohodukhiv </li> <li>Ukrainian military can’t evacuate <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/ukrainian-military-cant-evacuate-critically-injured-woman-her-daughters-from-kupiansk-district-because-of-russian-drones/" data-wpel-link="internal">critically injured woman, her daughters from Kupiansk district</a> because of Russian drones</li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-locals-mourn-those-killed-in-russias-war-against-ukraine-as-the-5th-year-of-full-scale-invasion-begins/" data-wpel-link="internal">Kharkiv locals mourn those killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine as the 5th year of full-scale invasion begins </a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-locals-mourn-those-killed-in-russias-war-against-ukraine-as-the-5th-year-of-full-scale-invasion-begins/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russian-offensive-stalls-as-ukraine.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:30:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russian-offensive-stalls-as-ukraine.html <p>Russian gains in Ukraine have largely stalled. Over the past week, Russian troops secured just 21 square kilometers — the lowest weekly total since last spring. Data from the OSINT project DeepState point to a sharp slowdown in Moscow’s offensive capacity, while on certain sectors of the front Ukraine is seizing the initiative, the news outlet <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/14106">Agentstvo reports</a>.</p> <p>Most of the recorded movement by Russian units came in Donetsk region — about 46 square kilometers — with no reports of new settlements being captured. In Luhansk region, the increase totaled another 5 square kilometers.</p> <p>At the same time, Russia lost control of areas in Dnipropetrovsk region: some positions shifted into a “gray zone,” reflecting counteroffensive activity by Ukrainian forces.</p> <p>Since the beginning of February, Russia’s advance has steadily declined: previously 53 and 28 square kilometers per week, now just 21. The last time results were this weak was in March 2025. The trend increasingly underscores the depletion of the Russian army’s offensive potential.</p> <p>Ukraine’s command reports major successes in the south. According to the General Staff, hundreds of square kilometers have been liberated since late January. Independent analysts corroborate changes in the front’s configuration, noting that some areas previously controlled by Russia are no longer held by Russian forces.</p> <p>Western military officials increasingly point to a critical trend for the Kremlin: for months, Russian losses have outpaced replacements. That suggests a systemic erosion of the Russian military’s manpower and operational resilience amid a protracted war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-offensive-stalls-as-ukraine-seizes-initiative-on-key-fronts">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/putins-threeday-war-continues-for.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/putins-threeday-war-continues-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5b6855487f.jpg" alt="Putin's three-day WAR continues for the FOURTH YEAR! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/P1Mrsh4VgMc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/ukraine-war-latest-years-after.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:22:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/ukraine-war-latest-years-after.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1401572827-1658175335d9xti.jpg" alt="Ukraine War Latest: 4 years after invading Ukraine, Russia admits war's goals 'not fully achieved'"></p><p>Key developments on Feb. 24:</p><ul><li><strong><strong><strong></strong>4 years after invading Ukraine, Russia admits war's goals 'not fully achieved'</strong></strong></li><li><strong>'10 steps ahead' — Fedorov outlines Ukraine's plan to force Russia to make peace</strong></li><li><strong>In rare strike, Ukraine uses ATACMS to hit Russian command posts</strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-4-years-after-invading-ukraine-russia-admits-wars-goals-not-fully-achieved/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/canada-announces-billion-military-aid.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:03:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/canada-announces-billion-military-aid.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/50fa0f7b05.jpg" alt="Canada announces $1.4 billion military aid package for Ukraine, expands sanctions against Russia"></p>Canada announced a C$2 billion ($1.4 billion) military aid package for Ukraine on Feb. 24 and expanded sanctions against Russia, including measures targeting Moscow’s “shadow fleet” and a lower oil price cap.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/canada-announces-1-4-billion-military-aid-package-for-ukraine-expands-sanctions-against-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/from-the-march-on-kyiv.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/from-the-march-on-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e2f7b6daa8.jpg" alt="From the march on KYIV to the defense of KURSK: FOUR years of war crushed the RUSSIAN ARMY!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW7AuAbtNNA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/our-sacrifices-are-worth-freedom.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:50:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/our-sacrifices-are-worth-freedom.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ap23011468204760.jpg" alt="'Our sacrifices are worth freedom' — Ukrainian troops who have fought since 2014 look back"></p><p>Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago today — Feb. 24, 2022. For many Ukrainians, particularly those from Donbas and Crimea, the war began in 2014.</p><p>To mark the anniversary, the Kyiv Independent spoke with three soldiers in the Ukrainian Armed Forces who have fought not just</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/our-sacrifices-are-worth-freedom-ukrainian-troops-who-have-fought-since-2014-look-back/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/ukraine-fires-atacms-again-hitting.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:45:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/ukraine-fires-atacms-again-hitting.html <p>ATACMS ballistic missiles have been used on the front again. For the first time in a long while, Ukraine’s Missile Forces struck Russian targets on temporarily occupied territory, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/35365">said</a>.</p> <p>These are among the most powerful long-range systems and had not featured in battlefield reports for some time. Their return suggests Ukraine has likely received an additional shipment of missiles.</p> <p>The reintroduction of ATACMS reads as a highly sensitive blow to Russia’s command-and-logistics network. The missiles are designed to destroy high-value, well-protected targets at significant distances.</p> <p>In wartime, such strikes directly undermine Russia’s offensive capabilities, which have already faced mounting challenges on the front.</p> <p>Overnight on February 24, units of the Missile Forces and Artillery hit an auxiliary command post of Russia’s 5th Army near Novopetrivka in the Donetsk region. Simultaneous strikes targeted key elements of the enemy’s military infrastructure.</p> <p>Targets included command posts, ammunition depots, logistics facilities and a repair base.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces also destroyed a logistics warehouse belonging to a unit of the Rubikon center near Vasylivka in the Zaporizhzhia region. Additional strikes were reported on ammunition and logistics depots near Pryazovske and Oleksandrivka. A repair base was hit near Yakymivka. A day earlier, on February 23, Ukrainian forces attacked command-observation posts and UAV control points of Russian troops.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-fires-atacms-again-hitting-russian-command-post-and-depots-in-occupied-territory">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/most-of-ukraine-remains-exposed.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:34:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/most-of-ukraine-remains-exposed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8ff3c9319f.jpg" alt="Most of Ukraine remains exposed to Russian ballistic missiles, Zelensky says"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 23 that about 80% of Ukraine lacks protection against Russian ballistic missiles, renewing calls for additional air defense systems, including Patriots.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/most-of-ukraine-remains-exposed-to-russian-ballistic-missiles-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/ukrainian-rangers-capture-russian-weapons.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:31:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/ukrainian-rangers-capture-russian-weapons.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b4ac5a921f.jpg" alt="Ukrainian RANGERS capture RUSSIAN weapons and documents #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rtH9sRR-d1U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strike-on.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:20:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strike-on.html <p>Shortly after Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claimed that the United Kingdom and France are allegedly working to provide Ukraine with nuclear weapons and delivery systems, Medvedev posted <a href="https://t.me/medvedev_telegram/635">a new incendiary message</a> on social media, asserting that Russia has the right to a “symmetrical response.”</p> <p>He said the SVR’s information about France and Britain intending to transfer nuclear technologies to what he called the “Kyiv Nazi regime” “radically changes the situation,” because it would be a “direct transfer of nuclear weapons to a country at war.”</p> <p>“There can be not a shadow of a doubt that if events develop this way, Russia will have to use any weapons, including non-strategic nuclear weapons, against targets in Ukraine that pose a threat to our country. And, if necessary, against supplier countries, which become accomplices in a nuclear conflict with Russia.”</p> <p>Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation has not yet commented on Medvedev’s statement.</p> <p>A day earlier, Medvedev issued another threat. After the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on February 23 ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels that the bloc is working to restrict entry to the Schengen area for former Russian servicemembers, Medvedev posted an insulting message to her <a href="https://x.com/MedvedevRussiaE/status/2026014561346748866">on X</a>.</p> <p>“Kaja, a blond rat, said she’s working to ensure that hundreds of thousands of former Russian servicemen never enter the Schengen area. What a loss for our fighters! Well, they can enter without visas if they want. As in 1812 or 1945. Happy Defender of the Fatherland Day!”</p> <p>Medvedev has repeatedly issued threats against Ukraine, Ukrainian and Western politicians, and Western states. In one social media post, he raised the possibility of a “nuclear apocalypse” if the West does not stop supplying weapons to Ukraine.</p> <p>Earlier in February, Medvedev said Russia is prepared to use nuclear weapons if it believes there is a threat to its existence.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov also renewed nuclear threats and suggested detonating a nuclear bomb in space, after new restrictions emerged on the use of Starlink by Russia’s armed forces.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strike-on-ukraine-claims-right-to-a-symmetrical-response">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/complete-blockade-of-crimea-and.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/complete-blockade-of-crimea-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/997dbc2a1a.jpg" alt="Complete blockade of Crimea and ruin of headquarters in Donbas! Why are Russian elites fleeing?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl66qxGqTAg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/odesa-couple-faces-life-in.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/odesa-couple-faces-life-in.html <p>After Ukraine blocked “foreign” Starlink terminals, Russians began seeking Ukrainians willing to register the devices in their own names so Russia’s forces could resume using them at the front without risk of disconnection.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) detained a man and a woman in the Odesa region who agreed to help the occupiers for money by registering Starlink in their names, the agency <a href="https://t.me/SBUkr/16902">said</a>.</p> <p>A 36-year-old unemployed resident of Izmail and his 28-year-old partner came to the attention of Russian special services while searching Telegram channels for easy cash.</p> <p>According to the investigation, Russians offered them $30 each (about 1,300 hryvnias) for the illegal registration of each Starlink terminal used by Russia’s armed forces.</p> <p>To activate more devices, the pair tried to enlist others. Investigators say they planned to recruit a local drug-dependent person to go to a government administrative services center on their behalf.</p> <p>SBU officers moved preemptively and detained both recruits.</p> <p>During searches, investigators found and seized mobile phones containing evidence of their involvement: chats with Russian handlers, instructions on how to legalize the equipment, and arrangements for receiving payment.</p> <p>Both have been notified of suspicion under Part 2, Article 28 and Part 2, Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (state treason committed under martial law by a group acting in prior conspiracy).</p> <p>The charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.</p> <p>Both the man and the woman have been taken into custody; the investigation is ongoing.</p> <p>On January 24, Russian forces used upgraded Shahed-type attack drones equipped with Starlink satellite communications during another strike.</p> <p>Days later, it emerged that Russian was using Molniya drones with Starlink.</p> <p>After Russia’s forces appeared to field drones with Starlink terminals, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appealed to SpaceX owner Elon Musk to address Shaheds’ access to satellite communications.</p> <p>Musk told Fedorov he would be glad to help.</p> <p>After that, US company SpaceX apparently restricted the use of Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine. The connection now shuts off if the modem moves faster than 90 km/h, effectively making it impossible to use on UAVs.</p> <p>Following the Starlink block, Russians encountered battlefield problems. In particular, Russia’s forces had to significantly reduce the number of assaults along the front line.</p> <p>According to the SBU, Russia is acting both directly and through manipulation—posting online solicitations for registration assistance or resorting to outright lies.</p> <p>There is also information that the Russians are coercing relatives of prisoners of war to register terminals in their names.</p> <p>Authorities urge Ukrainians not to fall for such offers and to report these cases to law enforcement.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/odesa-couple-faces-life-in-prison-for-30-scheme-to-register-starlink-for-russia-s-military">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/factcheck-russia-pushes-nuclear-claims.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:48:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/factcheck-russia-pushes-nuclear-claims.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ap25228316265639.jpg" alt="Fact-check: Russia pushes nuclear claims to derail peace talks, distract from war anniversary"></p><p>On the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, Moscow accused France and the U.K. of seeking to provide Ukraine with nuclear arms.</p><p>Offering no evidence, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russia</a>'s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claimed on Feb. 24 that the "British and French elite" are helping <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine/">Kyiv</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/fact-check-russia-pushes-nuclear-claims-to-derail-peace-talks-distract-from-war-anniversary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russian-strike-temporarily-delayed-flamingo.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:45:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russian-strike-temporarily-delayed-flamingo.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e370c4bde2.png" alt="Russian strike temporarily delayed Flamingo missile production, Zelensky says"></p><p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian strike on a Ukrainian defense manufacturing facility temporarily delayed the rollout of Ukraine's domestically produced long-range Flamingo cruise missiles.</p><p>Speaking in a Feb. 23 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgQPxs2ioF0">interview</a> with German broadcaster Tagesschau, Zelensky confirmed that a Ukrainian factory producing the missiles had been hit.</p><p>"</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-strike-temporarily-delayed-production-of-ukraines-flamingo-missiles-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/uk-exempts-druzhba-pipeline-as.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:20:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/uk-exempts-druzhba-pipeline-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1399161453.jpg" alt="UK exempts Druzhba pipeline as it unveils its biggest Russia sanctions package, document shows"></p>The Druzhba pipeline, a major route supplying Russian crude through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia, has become the focus of a dispute between Kyiv and the two EU countries.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/uk-exempts-druzhba-oil-pipeline-from-russia-sanctions-amid-hungary-ukraine-row/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/jan-lipavsky-what-is-our.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:01:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/jan-lipavsky-what-is-our.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2c4705923f.jpg" alt="Jan Lipavsky: What is our Ukraine policy? Victory, victory at all costs"></p><p>As Churchill said of another war, Ukraine and the West must have "victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be."</p><p>As the fifth year of Russia's <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/war/">war</a> against Ukraine is poised to begin, the end still seems nowhere in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/what-is-our-ukraine-policy-victory-victory-at-all-costs/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/sanctions-and-aviation-in-tatters.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/sanctions-and-aviation-in-tatters.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8235cc862d.jpg" alt="24,000 sanctions and aviation in tatters: Putin sold Russia's future for war!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2HS0E5raLI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/zelensky-says-southern-counteroffensive-predates.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/zelensky-says-southern-counteroffensive-predates.html <p>Ukraine’s southern push by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) was planned before Russian access to Starlink satellite communications was cut, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters, according to <a href="https://news.novyny.live/zelenskii-rozkriv-detali-kontrnastupu-zsu-na-pivdni-313728.html">Novosti.Live</a>.</p> <p>He stressed the two developments are not connected.</p> <p>“Let’s look at this step by step. The decision on Starlink is certainly positive and will be helpful. But at the same time I want to thank our military — the operation in the south, where (400 sq. km of territory — ed.) was liberated, began a month before the Starlink decision. So these are two independent things, but both should be viewed positively,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces have launched an operation in the south, with current activity focused on the Oleksandrivske direction spanning parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, Focus reported.</p> <p>Over the pas month, Ukrainian Forces have regained control of more than 300 square kilometers in the Hulyaipole area and neighboring sectors of Zaporizhzhia region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-southern-counteroffensive-predates-russian-starlink-cutoff-and-is-unrelated">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/orban-says-eu-financing-an.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/orban-says-eu-financing-an.html <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said building an 800,000-strong Ukrainian army would pose a danger to his country, arguing it is more in Budapest’s interest for Europe to strike a deal with Russia than to support arming Ukraine.</p> <p>On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Hungarian leader <a href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2026191699119153187?s=20">posted on X</a> opposing any further buildup of Ukraine’s forces. He stressed it is in Hungary’s interest to avoid the creation of large armies that Budapest would struggle to defend against.</p> <p>“This is dangerous. Europe must not fund a massive military build-up on its borders. That path leads to an arms race, higher costs for families, and growing insecurity. Hungary’s priority is restraint, stability, and peace. The war must end, NOW.,” Orban said.</p> <p>He added that it is not in Hungary’s interest to have a neighboring state with such a large force.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Hungary’s parliamentary election campaign is underway: the pre-election period officially began on February 21, with voting set for April 12. The ruling Fidesz party and Orban himself could lose for the first time in a long while. A key plank of the prime minister’s campaign has been tough rhetoric toward the EU and Ukraine.</p> <p>“Brussels and Kyiv are interfering in the elections in Hungary because they want our patriotic government to go, so they can impose their plans. They cannot cut us off from Russian energy, force Ukraine into the EU, make us send money or drag us into war. Hands off! Hungary’s future must be decided solely by the Hungarian people!” he wrote <a href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2025948107410670057?s=20">on X</a>.</p> <p>He <a href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2025948107410670057?s=20">said</a> Hungary is facing pressure and blackmail from Brussels. At the same time, Orban also wrote about “Ukrainian threats,” which he claims are influencing the political course Hungary will choose.</p> <p>“From the very beginning, Hungary has been on the side of peace. By comparison, President Zelensky is blackmailing and threatening Hungary today, even on a symbolic day. All this because we … are not giving money to Ukraine and because we do not reject cheap Russian energy,” Orban said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DQALJhYZ1/">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said Budapest intends to block the EU’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia. He said Hungary would not support it until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry responded to statements by Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico regarding the transit of Russian oil. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said attempts to preserve dependence on Russian energy through blackmail resemble “the behavior of drug addicts.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/orban-says-eu-financing-an-800-000-strong-ukrainian-army-would-endanger-hungary">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/uk-adds-entries-to-russia.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/uk-adds-entries-to-russia.html <p>The British government has updated its Russia sanctions list to include Transneft and entities linked to Rosatom, according to an official <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-biggest-sanctions-package-against-russia-four-yearson-from-full-scale-invasionof-ukraine">press release</a>.</p> <p>London says the new measures tighten control over revenue streams from Russia’s energy sector and target key suppliers of military technology. Among those hit is PJSC Transneft, which is responsible for transporting more than 80% of Russia’s oil exports, the release says.</p> <p>The measures also target the so-called “shadow fleet”: 175 companies linked to Coral Energy (now 2Rivers Group), which controls a significant share of the fleet’s vessels, have been sanctioned. The UK first sanctioned the firm in December 2024.</p> <p>At least <a href="http://srrosatom.ru/news/1788">three Rosatom-affiliated companies</a> are on the list: Rusatom Overseas, which promotes the company’s nuclear power plant projects abroad. Rosatom Energy International, which specializes in managing overseas projects to build and operate nuclear power plants. And the consulting firm REIN ENGINEERING.</p> <p>In total, the update adds 297 entries to the sanctions list: an additional 240 entities, seven individuals and 50 maritime vessels.</p> <p>On Monday, February 23, the EU announced sanctions against eight Russians it accused of repression. The bloc’s 20th sanctions package remains under negotiation in Brussels after being previously blocked by Hungary.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/uk-adds-297-entries-to-russia-sanctions-list-hitting-transneft-rosatom-affiliates-and-the-shadow-fleet">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/ukraine-puts-putins-allies-in.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/ukraine-puts-putins-allies-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/56a84ef65e.jpg" alt="Ukraine puts Putin's allies in Europe in their place – even BLACKMAIL didn't work!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNCCRoSR7RU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/in-rare-strike-ukraine-uses.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:34:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/in-rare-strike-ukraine-uses.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1255143556.jpg" alt="In rare strike, Ukraine uses ATACMS to hit Russian command posts"></p>The last confirmed use of ATACMS by Ukrainian forces was reported on Nov. 18.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/in-rare-strike-ukraine-uses-atacams-to-hit-russian-command-posts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/ukrainian-forces-push-russian-troops.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/ukrainian-forces-push-russian-troops.html <p>Ukraine’s Forces have pushed Russian units back in the areas of Kalynivske and Ternove in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian troops were forced to abandon previously held positions after a series of Ukrainian counterattacks.</p> <p>At the same time, Russian forces are advancing in Donetsk region — in the areas of Pokrovsk and Sviatopokrovske. Analysts say Moscow is concentrating troops and firepower there, ramping up pressure along that stretch of the front.</p> <p>Military journalist Bohdan Miroshnykov says Ukrainian forces no longer maintain firm control inside Pokrovsk. According to him, only small infantry teams are operating in the city, conducting raids without holding ground, buildings or specific areas.</p> <p>The main fighting has shifted to the suburbs and approaches to Pokrovsk. The situation there appears somewhat more stable than in recent weeks. Russian units are no longer able to push deep into Ukrainian defenses with full company-sized groups, as they did about two months ago.</p> <p>Key flashpoints now include Rodynske, near Svitle and Hryshyne. Despite some tactical gains by Ukrainian forces, the overall trend remains negative. Russia retains an advantage in manpower and firepower, with the exception of drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-push-russian-troops-back-in-dnipropetrovsk-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russias-maximalist-demands-are-unacceptable.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russias-maximalist-demands-are-unacceptable.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6305087709.jpg" alt="Russia's maximalist demands are unacceptable to Europe, says Kaja Kallas #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7fZncAfXCPg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/days-of-fullscale-war-european.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:16:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/days-of-fullscale-war-european.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ff668d9027.jpg" alt="1,462 DAYS OF FULL-SCALE WAR: European leaders in Kyiv! Putin continues his TERROR!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9j94OVynrc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/urgent-kaja-kallas-has-pronounced.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/urgent-kaja-kallas-has-pronounced.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/651b05b1ef.jpg" alt="URGENT! Kaja Kallas has pronounced a &quot;death sentence&quot; on the Russian economy!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH0VDpfgjuc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/bulgaria-has-sent-ukraine-military.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/bulgaria-has-sent-ukraine-military.html <p>Bulgaria has delivered 13 packages of military assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, with the latest tranche approved by the Council of Ministers on February 12, according to <a href="https://www.novinite.com/articles/237156/Bulgaria+Strengthens+Ukraine%3A+13+Aid+Packages+Over+Four+Years+of+War">Novinite</a></p> <p>Officials have not disclosed the type, volume, or financial value of the aid.</p> <p>The support is provided under an agreement signed on December 5, 2022, between the Bulgarian and Ukrainian defense ministries for the free transfer of weapons, equipment and ammunition. The 48th National Assembly ratified the deal on December 16, 2022, when lawmakers also decided not to publish the list of transferred arms.</p> <p>Even without a full inventory, parliamentary decisions and officials’ statements have revealed some elements. In 2023, Bulgaria sent armored personnel carriers with existing armaments, as well as decommissioned or surplus man-portable air-defense systems and various types of anti-aircraft missiles to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.</p> <p>In late 2024, then-acting Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov confirmed that Bulgarian 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems are in use in Ukraine. Beyond heavy equipment and munitions, Bulgaria has provided helmets, body armor, medical kits, winter clothing and footwear, and support for Ukrainian displaced people through a humanitarian program.</p> <p>Bulgaria’s Defense Ministry says the support aligns with the country’s strategic interests and complies with parliamentary decisions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/bulgaria-has-sent-ukraine-13-military-aid-packages-since-russia-s-2022-invasion">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/steps-ahead-fedorov-outlines-ukraines.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:58:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/steps-ahead-fedorov-outlines-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2261742574.jpg" alt="'10 steps ahead' — Fedorov outlines Ukraine's plan to force Russia to make peace"></p>"Our benchmark is more than 200 eliminated occupiers per square kilometer," he said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/10-steps-ahead-fedorov-outlines-ukraines-plan-to-force-russia-to-make-peace/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russia-spreads-disinformation-alleging-a.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:26:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russia-spreads-disinformation-alleging-a.html <p>Britain and France are allegedly preparing to secretly deliver nuclear weapons and their delivery systems to Ukraine, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said Tuesday, February 24.</p> <p>“It is believed Ukraine must be supplied with a ‘wunderwaffe.’ Kyiv could claim more favorable terms to end hostilities if it has an atomic or at least a so‑called ‘dirty’ bomb,” the statement said.</p> <p>The agency claims officials in London and Paris are considering handing Kyiv a French TN75 small warhead taken from one of the M51.1 ballistic missiles deployed on submarines.</p> <p>The SVR says efforts are “focused on making the appearance of nuclear weapons in Kyiv look like the result of Ukraine’s own development.”</p> <p>Moscow warned that London and Paris would not be able to avoid responsibility for allegedly transferring a nuclear bomb to Kyiv because “everything secret will inevitably become known.”</p> <p>“This is an absolutely egregious violation of all norms and principles of the relevant acts of international law. This information will, of course, be taken into account by us in the course of negotiations, because it is potentially extremely dangerous,” Peskov told reporters.</p> <p>Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev threatened a “symmetrical response” on Telegram if nuclear weapons are transferred to Ukraine.</p> <p>“There can be no shadow of a doubt that, under such a development, Russia would have to use any weapons, including non-strategic nuclear arms, against targets in Ukraine that pose a threat to our country. And, if necessary, against supplier states that become accomplices in a nuclear conflict with Russia. This is the symmetrical response to which the Russian Federation is entitled,” he wrote.</p> <p>A week ago, reports emerged that Russian propagandists had stepped up an information campaign to discredit U.S. company Palantir, spreading falsehoods that it was allegedly developing nuclear and biological weapons for Ukraine.</p> <p>And in December last year, Russia circulated false claims that Ukraine was preparing to detonate a “nuclear bomb.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-spreads-disinformation-alleging-a-secret-nuclear-weapons-transfer-to-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russia-warns-of-possible-black.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:06:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russia-warns-of-possible-black.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262810878.jpg" alt="Russia warns of possible Black Sea pipeline sabotage plots, claims threat to peace talks"></p>Moscow has previously cited alleged Ukrainian sabotage or attacks as grounds for escalating tensions.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-warns-of-possible-black-sea-pipeline-sabotage/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/russians-stole-my-birthday.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:01:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/russians-stole-my-birthday.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1beb038a-5649-4ce7-ab26-06c46ebf6f3d-848x672.png" alt="Russians stole my birthday"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!2Iq9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F894f7ab9-bebc-4f5f-ad19-0e335398125c_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f894f7ab9-b.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/894f7ab9-bebc-4f5f-ad19-0e335398125c_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“I give to your Tip Jar periodically, more often than I can comfortably afford. That’s because the work you do, and the stories you write educate me about what it’s like to live and work in a country at war.”</em></p><p><em>By DebDagI</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Polina Kotiuk booked a hotel in Kharkiv to spend the night with her boyfriend and celebrate her birthday.</p><p>She was in a festive mood after receiving flowers, gifts, and congratulations from friends and family. She planned to celebrate for three days because she loved throwing parties – and why not use any excuse?</p><p>A little further south, in Cherkasy, Dariia Cherep was also preparing for her day.</p><p>She planned to celebrate her 17th birthday with a dozen friends at a cafe.</p><p>They both woke up on February 24, 2022, at 5 a.m., not yet processing that this day would no longer be a celebration. Russia had turned it into a date that would symbolize national mourning.</p><p>For Polina and Dariia, this date was their special day long before it became a national day of mourning. For them, February 24, a day that used to be about cake, friends, and feeling loved, is now overshadowed by grief.</p><p>How can they celebrate when people are mourning and protesting?</p><p>It is a showcase of how the anniversaries of tragic events can turn ordinary milestones in life into emotional dilemmas, forcing people to invent new ways to celebrate while catastrophe collides on the same date. Imagine having your birthday on Sept. 11 in the United States, for example.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":456885}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!XiDD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd4889c38-2c43-47fc-950f-9f74454aa3d9_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd4889c38-2.png" width="302" height="402.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d4889c38-2c43-47fc-950f-9f74454aa3d9_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":302,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Polina Kotiuk, mother on maternity leave. Photo provided by Polina.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“We [Polina and her future husband] stayed at a hotel. At midnight, my friends came to congratulate me, my parents came, and my husband gave me a gift, but everyone was already on edge,” Polina Kotiuk recalled.</p><p>Polina’s now-husband, a military officer, got the call around 5 a.m. and left immediately. By the time her birthday morning should have started, he was already gone, reporting for duty.</p><p>The State Border Service <a href="https://mvs.gov.ua/en/news/24-liutogo-2022-go">reported</a> that at around 5 a.m., the national border with Russia and Belarus had been attacked. The first explosions in Kyiv were heard <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/24/airstrikes-dawn-russia-begins-war-aggression-with-ukraine-vladimir-putin">at 5:58 a.m.</a></p><p>Five in the morning was not a time chosen randomly by the Russians; it is <a href="https://www.ptsduk.org/sleep-and-cortisol-in-ptsd/">a special time</a> for the psyche. During this period, sleep becomes shallow, and the body starts to increase cortisol production, preparing it for a wake-up.</p><p>Therefore, a sharp sound, a siren, or a ringing at this time of morning affects the nervous system more strongly than during the day. The body wakes up stressed, and the brain instantly registers these events as a threat.</p><p>“I went to [my husband’s] parents’ house because it was safer together…. It was very scary; everyone was in shock. Even when someone called to wish me a happy birthday, I forgot that it was my birthday,” said Polina.</p><p>In Ukrainian culture, holidays and birthdays are ways to stay together, nurture <a href="https://authenticukraine.com.ua/en/manners-ordinances-celebrations">identity</a>, observe rituals, and organize feasts. Guests <a href="https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/ukrainian-culture/ukrainian-culture-etiquette">should not come empty-handed</a>; they should bring something to the table. Mandatory attributes include a cake, flowers, and gifts for the birthday boy or girl, and the closer the person is, the more personal and meaningful the gift should be.</p><p>“Since childhood, my parents hired various entertainers for my birthday, and later, as a teenager, I organized parties myself…. I was always looking forward to some kind of celebration, the end of winter, a season of change, something new,” Dariia said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Gotc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F721b5d46-f14b-4b8b-80e2-887c3610c1f6_1200x960.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f721b5d46-f.png" width="423" height="338.4" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/721b5d46-f14b-4b8b-80e2-887c3610c1f6_1200x960.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":423,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Dariia Cherep, student, volunteer, and marketer. Photo from her social media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In 2022, Dariia was finishing 11th grade, preparing for final exams to enter university. She wanted to celebrate her birthday for two days in a row with two different groups of friends and celebrate this specific chapter of her life.</p><p>“We discussed at school the possibility of martial law, the risk of it happening. And I thought: what does martial law mean? How will I buy food for my birthday? Somehow, I didn’t want to believe it,” Dariia said.</p><p>Dariia woke up early that morning by coincidence, and remembers feeling genuinely happy to see early-birthday messages. She was also supposed to be studying for her exams at 7:45 that morning.</p><p>What began as a day of joy turned into a nightmare. Instead of attending her exam-preparation class, Dariia watched her dad nervously eat all her birthday cake, and she spent the day in the store, buying necessary items and reading the news. Her uncle was among the Chornobyl nuclear power plant workers who were taken as prisoners when the Russians seized the plant.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!4ATZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa023fd85-aaf4-40e6-b90f-411ae11c056a_1023x575.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fa023fd85-a.png" width="529" height="297.33626588465296" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a023fd85-aaf4-40e6-b90f-411ae11c056a_1023x575.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":575,"width":1023,"resizeWidth":529,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Kyiv railway station at the start of the full-scale invasion, Kyiv, February 2022. Photo by Radio Svoboda.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“I went to the supermarket with a friend; we had to celebrate together. I didn’t understand what was going on. I was supposed to go to school, but I went shopping instead. I didn’t even know what to buy, I just looked around to see what others took: toilet paper, eggs, buckwheat,” Dariia said.</p><p>Over the years, the anniversary of the invasion became filled with rituals in Ukraine and abroad, commemorating human loss. Cities hold memorial events to remind people that the war is not over. In 2022, President Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/vistup-prezidenta-ukrayini-na-mizhnarodnomu-ustanovchomu-sam-79449">called on</a> people to observe a minute of silence and light a memorial candle in their windows, inviting other countries to join in.</p><p>By 2023, Polina and Dariia realized that February 24 would no longer be theirs alone.</p><p>“I am calm by nature, I don’t suffer from panic attacks or anxiety. But on the night of February 23, I had nightmares. I woke up a million times. I never celebrated my birthday in Kharkiv ever again,” Polina shared.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!7ZBN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac938928-28c0-4fda-863e-0fa3074c5805_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fac938928-2.png" width="289" height="385.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ac938928-28c0-4fda-863e-0fa3074c5805_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":289,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Protest supporting Ukraine in Vienna, Austria. February 24, 2023. Photo by Oleksandra Poda.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The war made the two women rethink their traditions of celebration. Polina no longer throws loud parties or celebrates at home. She now gets together with her family somewhere outside the city.</p><p>“Our family already pays a very high price because my husband is a serviceman. He worked a lot in Kupiansk. And it took a toll on his mental health and mine. So on my birthday, I want to think more about our family, about some family activities,” Polina shared.</p><p>Dariia decided to move her birthday celebrations to February 28 and devote February 24 to Ukraine. She thinks about people who have lost someone or live under constant attack, and her own celebration seems like an occasion that can easily be postponed to another date.</p><p>Although it seems that both have lost the celebrations they used to enjoy, neither of them is willing to accept Russia’s definition of that date.</p><p>Polina chooses to preserve her own traditions by protecting her small private space.</p><p>She believes her family has already paid a heavy price for this war in health, nerves, and a husband in uniform, and she doesn’t want to give up her birthday on top of that.</p><p>“We cannot live and constantly postpone things and be unhappy,” Dariia said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“I give to your Tip Jar periodically, more often than I can comfortably afford. That’s because the work you do, and the stories you write educate me about what it’s like to live and work in a country at war.”</em></p><p><em>By DebDagI</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Anastasiia Lutsenko</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>KREMLIN BUYS STRATEGIC REAL ESTATE ACROSS EUROPE: </strong>Kremlin-linked entities are buying real estate and even islands across EU and the UK. These purchases are <a href="https://ua.korrespondent.net/world/4857556-rosiia-skupovuie-stratehichnu-nerukhomist-v-yevropi">concentrated</a> near military bases, ports, and critical infrastructure, raising concerns that the properties could be used for surveillance, sabotage, or covert storage of explosives, according to The Telegraph.</p><p>European intelligence officials fear this will allow Moscow to conduct sabotage operations against NATO countries while avoiding open conflict that would trigger collective defense under Article 5.</p><p><strong>HUNGARY BLOCKS EU SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE:</strong> As EU leaders traveled to Kyiv to mark the anniversary of Russia’s war, Hungary blocked the bloc’s 20th sanctions package against Moscow and <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-ukraine-visit-hungary-blocks-russia-sanctions-funding-feud-viktor-orban/">threatened</a> to veto a €90 billion loan for Ukraine’s defense. Budapest previously said that it would block any further decisions for Ukraine support if Kyiv did not allow Russian oil to transit through the Druzhba pipeline. The Druzhba pipeline transits Russian oil through Ukraine and suspended operations after it was damaged in a drone attack. Ukraine offered to transit the oil through the Odesa-Brody pipeline.</p><p>Hungary has repeatedly obstructed the EU’s support for Ukraine. With Washington’s long-term commitment under scrutiny, delays in Brussels weaken Ukraine’s resilience and the EU’s credibility as a strategic power.</p><p><strong>AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCED BIGGEST SANCTIONS PACKAGE AGAINST RUSSIA: </strong>The Australian government announced the biggest sanctions package against Russia, which <a href="https://suspilne.media/1248416-avstralia-ogolosila-najbilsij-paket-sankcij-proti-rosii-so-potrapilo-pid-obmezenna/">included</a> 180 new restrictions targeting Russian individuals, companies, and shadow fleet vessels. The sanctions covered industries like banking, defense, aviation, oil and gas, transport, and tech.</p><p>For the first time, Australia also sanctioned cryptocurrency organizations, which enable sanctions evasion. Australia recently lowered the cap on Russian oil from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel.</p><p>Beyond direct pressure on Moscow, Australia <a href="https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/australias-steadfast-support-ukraine-four-years">has committed</a> over $1.7 billion in aid to Ukraine, including $1.5 billion in military support and $40 million for energy infrastructure. These steps aim not only to constrain Russia’s ability to wage illegal war, but also to reinforce Ukraine’s critical infrastructure amid winter energy challenges.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Zoriana saw this playful pup in a coffee shop near the office. When she asked the owner for a photo, he gladly agreed and said that some of our colleagues had already photographed him. It seems all our local dogs have become stars of The Counteroffensive!</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!83Nt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb47cf210-96cb-4627-ad71-9978da19329b_1200x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb47cf210-9.jpg" width="1200" height="1600" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b47cf210-96cb-4627-ad71-9978da19329b_1200x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Oleksandra</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/russians-stole-my-birthday">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/a-marathon-not-a-sprint.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:58:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/a-marathon-not-a-sprint.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries did not crater the Kremlin’s export earnings overnight—and they were never likely to. So what was their effect, and what should we expect next?</span></p> </div> <p><span>The numbers look paradoxical—Western and Ukrainian media regularly run headlines about the systematic destruction of Russia’s refining infrastructure. Indeed, from August through November 2025, Ukraine carried out more than 60 successful strikes on Russian refineries—an all-time record for the refinery-targeting campaign—knocking out </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NfYoI5Qv2XO0I9wDOoJTqe8Y6PRIgESAm3MLQKFUFWA/edit?gid=0#gid=0"><span>more than 26%</span></a><span> of Russia’s refining capacity.</span><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/russian-refining-capacity.png" alt="" width="703" height="467" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-196213"></p> <p><span>Yet Russia’s overall oil refining volume in 2025 fell by just </span><a href="https://english.nv.ua/business/russian-oil-processing-is-shrinking-under-pressure-50577088.html#:~:text=Total%20oil%20processing%20in%20Russia%20in%202025%20declined%20by%201.7%25%20year-on-year%2C%20to%20262.3%20million%20tons."><span>1.7%</span></a><span>. That calls for calibrated expectations. The real impact of these strikes is visible not in media headlines about burning tanks, but in financial analysts’ spreadsheets—months and years after the attacks. To understand the Ukrainian campaign’s true effect, it makes sense to look separately at the short-term and long-term consequences.</span></p> <h3>Short-term: why the system holds</h3> <p><span>Russia’s refining industry is among the largest in the world. As of 2020, the combined nameplate capacity of all Russian refineries stood at about </span><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8B%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%8E%D1%89%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%8B%D1%88%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8#:~:text=%D1%84%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%80%D1%83%D1%8E%D1%82%2074%20%D0%9D%D0%9F%D0%97%20%D0%B8%20%D0%93%D0%9F%D0%97%20%D1%81%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9%20%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%89%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C%D1%8E%20%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9%20%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BA%D0%B8%20%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D0%B8-,332%2C2,-%D0%BC%D0%BB%D0%BD%20%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BD%20%D0%B2%20%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B4%2C%20%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%20%D1%8D%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BC%20%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%8A%D1%91%D0%BC%20%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BA%D0%B8%20%D0%B2%202020"><span>332</span></a><span> million tons per year, though in practice the country processed roughly 270 million tons. For comparison, the United States’ combined nameplate capacity is about </span><a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65624"><span>900 million tons per year</span></a><span>—nearly triple Russia’s figure (and U.S. actual throughput is also below nameplate). At the same time, Russia’s domestic consumption of petroleum products is only 110–120 million tons, with the rest exported. This enormous buffer—tens of millions of tons in excess capacity—allows the system to absorb even heavy strikes without collapsing.</span></p> <p><span>The </span><a href="https://www.slovoidilo.ua/2025/10/14/infografika/suspilstvo/heohrafiya-udariv-po-rosijskyx-npz"><span>most intense</span></a><span> wave of strikes in August–November 2025 hit a range of key Russian refining sites. The Novokuybyshevsk refinery was attacked five times during that period. The Volgograd and Ryazan plants took two to three hits each. The Kirishi, Slavyansk-on-Kuban, Syzran, Astrakhan, and Saratov refineries also sustained serious damage, with operations suspended for periods ranging from two weeks to a month. Large fires and forced shutdowns of primary crude distillation units pushed output at some facilities down by as much as </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-using-spare-oil-refining-capacity-offset-ukrainian-drone-damage-sources-2025-11-13/#:~:text=At%20the%20height%20of%20the%20second%20wave%20of%20strikes%20between%20August%20and%20October%2C%20attacks%20and%20planned%20maintenance%20took%2020%25%20of%20Russia%27s%20refinery%20capacity%20offline%2C%20according%20to%20the%20Reuters%20calculations%20based%20on%20information%20from%20three%20Russian%20industry%20sources."><span>20%</span></a><span> over the period in question.</span></p> <p><span>But these losses were not critical for the sector as a whole, as Russia moved quickly to offset them through spare capacity and accelerated repairs. When a Ukrainian drone hits the Ryazan refinery, Russian dispatchers simply reroute volumes—for example, to the Omsk or Angarsk plants. That is why the </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/cn828gjk5e4o#:~:text=%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%20%D0%B7%20%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC,%D1%82%D0%B0%20%D1%96%D0%BD%D1%88%D1%96%20%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%84%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B8"><span>fuel shortages</span></a><span> in October–November, when filling stations nationwide reported supply disruptions, reflected logistical adaptation rather than systemic collapse. In response, the authorities </span><a href="https://mezha.net/eng/bukvy/russian-oil-refineries-to-resume-gasoline-exports-from-february/#:~:text=Currently%2C%20gasoline%20exports%20from%20Russia%20are%20banned%20until%20the%20end%20of%20February.%20The%20restrictions%20were%20introduced%20in%20September%202025."><span>banned</span></a><span> petroleum product exports through February 2026—without disrupting the industry’s overall functioning.</span><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fossil.png" alt="" width="702" height="312" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-196210"></p> <p><span>The strikes affected petroleum product exports in a similar way. In September 2025, Russia’s revenues from seaborne exports of petroleum products fell by 13% month on month, while physical volumes declined by 9%. According to the International Energy </span><a href="https://www.russiafossiltracker.com/"><span>Agency</span></a><span>, Russia’s overall supplies of petroleum products to global markets fell from 315,000 to 250,000 tons per day (7.9%) between January 2025 and December 2026.</span></p> <p><span>These figures look dramatic—but they are not catastrophic for the Russian economy. Moscow partially offset the drop in petroleum product revenues by </span><a href="https://www.russiafossiltracker.com/"><span>increasing</span></a><span> crude exports (</span><a href="https://sanctions.kse.ua/en/attacks-on-refineries-reduced-processing-and-product-exports-driving-an-increase-in-crude-shipments/#:~:text=In%20September%202025,to%20%244.4%20billion"><span>from 4.2 million barrels in September to 4.4 million in October</span></a><span>), keeping total hard-currency inflows at an acceptable level.</span></p> <h3>Long-term: invisible erosion</h3> <p><span>The shift in Russia’s export structure—toward more crude oil and fewer petroleum products, which carry far higher value added—is eroding the profitability of the country’s oil sector.</span></p> <p><span>In April 2023, before Ukraine’s large-scale campaign against refining infrastructure began, the margin coefficient for Russia’s oil exports stood at 1.72. That meant each ton of crude worth €387 generated petroleum products worth €664 after processing—delivering a profit margin of </span><a href="https://www.russiafossiltracker.com/"><span>72%</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p><span>By November 2025, that coefficient had collapsed to 1.22. Now a ton of crude worth €382 yields petroleum products worth only €466—just a 22% margin. Profitability has fallen threefold in under two years.</span></p> <h3>Comparison of revenue from crude oil and petroleum products<span> </span><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/comparison-of-revenue.png" alt="" width="699" height="525" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-196214"></h3> <p><span>Strikes on refineries do not merely cause temporary outages—they physically destroy fixed capital, including high-tech equipment whose import under Western export controls is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Replacing it with Chinese or Russian substitutes takes substantial time and inevitably comes with a significant loss of production efficiency.</span></p> <p><span>Every successful strike on a Russian refinery is not just a few weeks of downtime. It is the gradual accumulation of technological degradation across the entire sector—something that does not show up in quarterly reports but will inevitably shape the real state of Russia’s refining industry three to five years from now.</span></p> <h3>A political instrument of pressure</h3> <p><span>Unlike economic sanctions, which generate a slow cumulative effect through the gradual contraction of export markets and rising transaction costs, drone strikes operate on a fundamentally different logic: their political impact can substantially exceed the immediate economic damage.</span></p> <p><span>For the leadership of Russia, the central problem is not so much the current economic losses from damage to individual plants as the uncertainty over how these strikes might escalate in the future. Russia’s energy sector is currently demonstrating the ability to minimize operational impacts from attacks by rerouting production flows and mobilizing spare capacity. But the risk that strikes could escalate to a critical threshold—beyond which existing diversification mechanisms would no longer suffice—is becoming a political factor in its own right.</span></p> <p><span>Notably, the new wave of attacks launched in August 2025 marked the first campaign of this scale under the new U.S. administration of Donald Trump—and its onset coincided with the Alaska summit and a broader breakdown in negotiations over ending the war. In this context, refinery strikes are not so much a tool of gradual economic attrition as a mechanism for shaping a negotiating position—through a visible demonstration of the capacity to inflict unacceptable damage on critical infrastructure.</span></p> <h3>Conclusion</h3> <p><span>Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries will not crash Russia’s economy this year. They will not produce the fuel collapse that stops Russian tanks on the battlefield. Expecting that outcome reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of this instrument.</span></p> <p><span>But the strikes do something else, no less important. They systematically accelerate the technological degradation of an entire industry already cut off from Western equipment and technology. They steadily compress the margins on the exports that finance the Kremlin’s war machine. They create persistent uncertainty—one that carries a very real political price in any negotiations and fuels social instability through periodic shortages of petroleum products.</span></p> <p><span>In a war of attrition, the winner is ultimately the side that retains the capacity to inflict damage—and absorb it—longer than its opponent. Strikes on refineries are not a “silver bullet” that resolves a conflict in one stroke. They are one tool among many in a comprehensive pressure campaign—whose effectiveness should be measured not by explosions in social-media videos, but by multi-year charts of falling margins.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com/ua/</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/a-marathon-not-a-sprint-why-ukraine-s-strikes-on-russian-refineries-are-a-long-game">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/medvedev-threatens-uk-france-with.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:45:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/medvedev-threatens-uk-france-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/114ed8af39.jpg" alt="Medvedev threatens UK, France with nuclear strikes after Russia's Ukraine arms transfer allegations"></p>Medvedev's threats follow claims by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) that Paris and London are working to provide Ukraine with nuclear arms to "secure more favorable terms" in negotiations.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strikes-against-ukraine-uk-france/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/four-years-in-russia-admits.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:39:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/four-years-in-russia-admits.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/aff2f3bead.jpg" alt="Four years in, Russia admits it has not achieved war objectives in Ukraine"></p>Russian officials, propagandists, and some Western intelligence assessments initially predicted that Ukraine could fall within days or weeks.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-admits-it-has-not-achieved-war-objectives/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/ukrainians-detained-for-registering-starlink.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:10:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/ukrainians-detained-for-registering-starlink.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-24-at-13-06-40.png" alt="2 Ukrainians detained for registering Starlink terminals for Russian soldiers for 'easy money'"></p>The case comes amid Ukrainian efforts to restrict Russian access to Starlink satellite communications.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/2-ukrainians-detained-for-registering-starlink-terminals-for-russian-soldiers-for-easy-money/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f14976b8-cd97-4893-a5fa-69c0e14e1a3c.jpg" alt="At least 3 killed, 28 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day"></p>Russia launched 133 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-3-killed-28-injured-in-russian-attacks-against-ukraine-over-the-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/editorial-this-war-can-last.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:46:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/editorial-this-war-can-last.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-2237537389.jpg" alt="Editorial: This war can last another 4 years – but it doesn’t have to"></p><p>The year is 2030.</p><p>With spring around the corner, Ukraine has just endured the toughest winter of the war yet. It was Russia’s eighth winter campaign against the country’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine’s air defenses have improved. Its grid has grown more resilient. But Russia&</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/editorial-this-war-can-last-another-4-years-but-it-doesnt-have-to/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:58:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dscf1427.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,261,420 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 920 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-261-420-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/no-red-carpets-for-russia.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:31:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/no-red-carpets-for-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3fe7a48711.jpg" alt="No red carpets for Russia: The danger of normalizing aggression"></p><p>We’re entering the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale, unprovoked war against Ukraine. The war has grown more technologically sophisticated and lethal. Russian missiles and drones strike Ukrainian cities every night. Russia is weaponizing the coldest winter of the decade.</p><p>Yet Russia’s war is failing.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/no-red-carpets-for-russia-the-danger-of-normalizing-aggression/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/zelensky-warns-belarus-can-no.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:28:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/zelensky-warns-belarus-can-no.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/921505dd72.jpg" alt="Zelensky warns Belarus can no longer deny involvement as Russian drone systems operate there, says peaceful relations depend on a free leadership and European future"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Belarusian independent outlet Dzerkalo that Russia has deployed Shahed drone repeaters in Belarus to help coordinate attacks on Ukraine, warning that Minsk can no longer deny responsibility while also expressing hope for future EU integration between the two countries under democratic leadership.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-belarus-can-no-longer-deny-involvement-as-russian-drone-systems-operate-there-says-peaceful-relations-depend-on-a-free-leadership-and-european-future/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/24/estonia-will-close-nighttime-traffic.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/24/estonia-will-close-nighttime-traffic.html <p>Starting 24 February 2026, Estonia will close nighttime traffic at southern road border crossings Luhamaa and Koidula on the Estonian-Russian border for a period of three months to better allocate border protection resources in response to disruptive actions originating from Russia. The border crossings will remain open for 12 hours during the day. Prime Minister Kristen Michal emphasized the necessity due to irrational and ongoing Russian behavior at the border. Interior Minister Igor Taro pointed out that this measure allows police and border guards to focus efforts where most needed and is a logical step given decreased cross-border traffic. In 2025, 239,542 people crossed at Luhamaa and 213,910 at Koidula, with significant portions being EU citizens and third-country nationals, including Russians. The situation will be reassessed after three months based on security needs.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.vm.ee/en/news/estonia-will-close-nighttime-traffic-southern-road-border-crossings-three-months-starting-24">www.vm.ee/en/news/e&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c95e16cb-1899-461a-88da-5c91d46c453c">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/moscow-police-vehicle-targeted-in.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 23:28:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/moscow-police-vehicle-targeted-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-166130500.jpg" alt="Moscow police vehicle targeted in blast at major railway station, 1 officer killed"></p>An explosion at Moscow's Savyolovsky railway station square killed one traffic police officer and wounded another on Feb. 23, according to Russia's Interior Ministry.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moscow-police-vehicle-targeted-in-fatal-blast-at-major-railway-station-1-officer-killed/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/deepstrike-on-tatarstan-russian-oil.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/deepstrike-on-tatarstan-russian-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7fb29c94dd.jpg" alt="Deepstrike on TATARSTAN: Russian oil is burning AGAIN! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N83jzzfuyCo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/russianoccupied-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-left.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:25:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/russianoccupied-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-left.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/47fa4468f6.jpg" alt="Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant left with just 22 reactor operators, far below safety levels"></p>The plant, legally owned by Energoatom, once employed 159 licensed specialists — the only people authorized to directly operate the plant’s six nuclear reactors, which, prewar, provided over a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-occupied-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-left-with-just-22-reactor-operators-far-below-safety-levels/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/afu-drones-destroyed-russian-oil.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/afu-drones-destroyed-russian-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2a810561ee.jpg" alt="AFU drones destroyed Russian oil production facilities and the front line shook from counterattacks!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMciwn_DfTA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/obsession-with-donbas-works-against.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/obsession-with-donbas-works-against.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/00362cbed3.jpg" alt="Obsession with Donbas works against PUTIN! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/URuFVWVe4l0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/its-loud-in-crimea-strike.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/its-loud-in-crimea-strike.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5f28625ad2.jpg" alt="It’s LOUD in Crimea: strike hits Russia’s STRATEGIC AVIATION! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KV7hTQl0s9I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/ukraine-war-latest-sbu-drones.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:09:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/ukraine-war-latest-sbu-drones.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/-2026-02-23-20-56-43-1.png" alt="Ukraine war latest: SBU drones strike 'critical' Druzhba oil pipeline hub in Russia's Tatarstan"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 23:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukrainian drones strike 'critical' Druzhba oil pipeline hub in Russia's Tatarstan, SBU source confirms</li><li>Ukraine strikes logistics warehouse, ammunition depot, other military targets in Russian-occupied territories, General Staff says</li><li>Ukraine has liberated 400 square kilometers, 8 settlements on southern front since</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-129/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/donbas-the-red-line-of.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/donbas-the-red-line-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f9be3ff131.jpg" alt="DONBAS – the “Red Line” of Death: How Ukraine defeated Russia’s “invincible” army"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrWRWhPAXvw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/eu-fails-to-send-russia.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:36:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/eu-fails-to-send-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262622100.jpg" alt="EU fails to send Russia 'powerful signal' as Hungary blocks 20th sanctions package"></p>"This is a setback and a message we didn't want to send today," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eus-powerful-signal-to-russia-stalls/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/live-two-miscalculations-by-putin.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:14:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/live-two-miscalculations-by-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/263da69357.jpg" alt="LIVE | Two miscalculations by PUTIN: Zelenskyy assassination failure and FLAMINGO"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLR2PqvxLvY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/most-germans-back-increasing-aid.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:08:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/most-germans-back-increasing-aid.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>Recent surveys show that most Germans favor increasing aid to Ukraine. However, this sentiment is not uniform. Which parties’ voters are most supportive of Ukraine’s struggle, and which believe in Putin’s peaceful intentions?</span></p> </div> <p><span>According to a </span><a href="https://www.bild.de/politik/inland/putin-stoppen-mehrheit-fordert-mehr-ukraine-hilfe-69871fa3eaacbece9fd1ef18"><span>survey</span></a><span> conducted on February 5-6 by INSA on behalf of </span><i><span>Bild</span></i><span>, 52% of Germans believe that Western countries should expand assistance to Ukraine in order to push Putin toward peace negotiations. Of these, 28% support both financial and military assistance, while 12% each believe that either military or financial assistance should be increased. Meanwhile, 35% of respondents oppose increasing aid to Ukraine, and 13% have not formed an opinion on the issue.</span></p> <p><span>However, support for Ukraine varies by respondents’ party affiliation. Voters of the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany), the Greens, and the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), led by current Chancellor Friedrich Merz, are the strongest supporters. The lowest levels of backing for Ukraine are found among the traditional “Putin sympathizers” (voters of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) and Alternative for Germany (AfD)) at 35% each.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p><span>Figure 1. Percentage of German party voters who support increasing aid to Ukraine, February 2026</span><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/most-germans-back-1.png" alt="" width="701" height="443" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-196111"></p> </div> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Source: </span><a href="https://www.bild.de/politik/inland/putin-stoppen-mehrheit-fordert-mehr-ukraine-hilfe-69871fa3eaacbece9fd1ef18"><span>Bild</span></a><span> survey </span></p> </div> <p><span>In the Omnibus Politik </span><a href="https://yougov.de/politics/articles/52701-in-welchen-fragen-sich-afd-und-bsw-wahlerinnen-und-wahler-ahnlich-sind-und-in-welchen-nicht"><span>survey</span></a><span> conducted in July 2025 by YouGov, one of the questions asked what Germany’s position should be at the current stage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Respondents were offered two answer options: (1) Germany should advocate for peace negotiations, even if this results in Russia gaining control over some Ukrainian territories, and (2) Germany should provide military aid to Ukraine until Russia fully withdraws from Ukrainian territories, even if this means the war will continue. Overall, 47% of respondents support providing military assistance to Ukraine until the full liberation of its territories, while 32% lean toward a peace agreement at the cost of territorial concessions. Another roughly 20% did not choose either option or answered “don’t know”.</span><span>  </span></p> <p><span>Greens voters are most supportive of Ukraine’s struggle. More than 60% of them believe Germany should provide military aid to Ukraine until all occupied territories are liberated, and only 19% support ending hostilities at the cost of territorial concessions. The situation is exactly the opposite among supporters of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance and Alternative for Germany: 75-80% believe Ukraine should concede territory in exchange for a peace agreement, and fewer than 10% believe Germany should continue backing Ukraine’s struggle. The views of voters of Merz’s party (CDU) are almost evenly split – 40% to 42%. Among SPD voters, a majority consider supporting Ukraine in its fight for its own land to be the right course of action – 49% versus 33%.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p><span>Figure 2. Percentage of German party voters who support territorial concessions by Ukraine to achieve a peace agreement and those who support continued military aid to Ukraine until the full liberation of occupied territories, July 2025</span><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/most-germans-back-2.png" alt="" width="699" height="261" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-196112"></p> </div> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Source: </span><a href="https://yougov.de/politics/articles/52701-in-welchen-fragen-sich-afd-und-bsw-wahlerinnen-und-wahler-ahnlich-sind-und-in-welchen-nicht"><span>YouGov</span></a><span> survey </span></p> </div> <p><span>At the same time, in a December </span><a href="https://internationalepolitik.de/de/die-wichtigsten-aussenpolitischen-aufgaben-europa-verteidigung-massnahmen-gegen-autokratien"><span>survey</span></a><span> by IP-Forsa-Frage on Germany’s foreign policy priorities, “support for Ukraine” fell by 10 percentage points (from 17% in May 2025 to 7% in December 2025), dropping to last place, behind “developing relations with countries of the Global South”. Meanwhile, the importance of “limiting the influence of authoritarian states such as Russia and China” increased by 8 percentage points – from 20% to 28%. Germans consider the most important foreign policy priorities to be “strengthening unity in Europe” (54%) and “increasing Germany’s defense capabilities” (37%).</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p><span>Figure 3. Foreign policy priorities according to German respondents, December 2025</span><span> </span></p> </div> <p><iframe title="" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Rj95k/2/" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Grouped Bars" data-external="1" data-sanitized-id="datawrapper-chart-Rj95k" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin"></iframe></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Source: </span><a href="https://internationalepolitik.de/de/die-wichtigsten-aussenpolitischen-aufgaben-europa-verteidigung-massnahmen-gegen-autokratien"><span>Internationale Politik</span></a><span> survey </span></p> </div> <p><span>At first glance, it may seem that Germans are losing interest in Ukraine and its struggle against the aggressor. However, the reason may be different – Germans may have stopped perceiving Russia’s war against Ukraine as a local problem and financial and military aid as merely “supporting a victim of aggression”, and instead realized that this threat exists for them as well. Therefore, the focus has shifted from “support for Ukraine” to “countering Russia”, “European unity”, and strengthening their own defense capabilities.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/most-germans-back-increasing-aid-to-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/new-arsenal-of-europe-how.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:55:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/new-arsenal-of-europe-how.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>Following the snap Bundestag elections held in February 2025, Germany’s political landscape changed markedly. Friedrich Merz’s government replaced Olaf Scholz’s coalition, prompting a reassessment of numerous domestic and foreign policy initiatives. In this article, we analyze how German assistance to Ukraine has changed, how Berlin is responding to economic challenges and populist pressure, and which security issues are now at the top of the agenda.</span></p> </div> <p><span>The 2025 elections reflected </span><a href="https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/zahlen-und-fakten/bundestagswahlen/560706/waehlerstimmen/"><span>deep fragmentation</span></a><span> in German society. The victory of the Christian-conservative CDU/CSU alliance, with 28.5% of the vote, confirmed voters’ demand for stability and a return to conservative values. However, the Christian Democrats’ triumph was overshadowed by the unprecedented success of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which secured 20.8% of the vote, </span><a href="https://www.deutschland.de/de/topic/politik/bundestagswahl-2025-wahlergebnis-deutschland-wahl-regierung"><span>doubling its result</span></a><span> compared with 2021. This forces Chancellor Merz to navigate between supporting Ukraine and the risk of further radicalizing the electorate, particularly in the eastern Länder.</span></p> <p><span>The exit of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) from parliament and the historically lowest result of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD) significantly narrowed the range of potential coalition partners. This made the Grand Coalition (CDU/CSU and SPD) effectively the only viable option. The new government is forced to operate under conditions of a </span><a href="https://epravda.com.ua/news/2024/07/15/716675/"><span>budget deficit</span></a><span> and the United States’ return to isolationism. Under these circumstances, support for Ukraine is evolving: it is becoming not only a matter of solidarity but also a strategic necessity for strengthening European security and a driver of Germany’s defense industrial sector.</span></p> <h3>Political landscape</h3> <p><span>The election results created a unique and highly tense atmosphere in the 21st Bundestag. Although the CDU/CSU received a mandate to form the government, the opposition changed significantly: it became more radical and anti-establishment.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p><span>Figure 1. Distribution of seats in the Bundestag, 2025 and 2021</span></p> </div> <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/rozpodil-syl-v-bundestazi.png" alt="" width="956" height="593" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-195518"></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Source: </span><a href="https://www.bundeswahlleiterin.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2025/ergebnisse/bund-99.html"><span>Federal Returning Officer</span></a><span>. Note: Blue (2025) and light blue (2021) indicate parties that formed the governing coalition; red (2025) and orange (2021) indicate opposition parties; gray indicates parties that did not enter the Bundestag.</span></p> </div> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <h3>Political parties in Germany (2025)</h3> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><span>Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (</span><b>CDU/CSU</b><span>) – </span><b>center-right</b><span> party (conservatives). The main political force in the new government.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>Alternative for Germany (</span><b>AfD</b><span>) – </span><b>far-right </b><span>party. Advocates nationalism, Euroscepticism, and strict limitations on migration.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>Social Democratic Party of Germany (</span><b>SPD</b><span>) – </span><b>center-left</b><span> party. Traditionally focused on social protection and workers’ rights. The party of Olaf Scholz.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>Alliance 90/The Greens (</span><b>Grüne</b><span>) – </span><b>center-left</b><span> party. Focuses on environmental policy and human rights.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (</span><b>BSW</b><span>) – a distinct political force: </span><b>left-wing</b><span> on economic issues but </span><b>conservative</b><span> on migration and cultural issues.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>The Left (</span><b>Die Linke</b><span>) – </span><b>left-wing</b><span> party. Advocates radical social justice and criticizes Germany’s participation in NATO.</span></li> <li aria-level="1"><span>Free Democratic Party (</span><b>FDP</b><span>) – </span><b>center-right</b><span> (liberal) party. Advocates for business interests and the minimization of state intervention in the economy (following the 2025 election, it did not enter parliament).</span></li> </ul> </div> <p><span>The presence in parliament of a powerful AfD and the Left Party bloc, which together secured more than one-third (34%) of the seats (having received 29.6% of the vote and additionally benefiting from the proportional redistribution of seats from parties that did not enter parliament), creates constant pressure on the government. Each aid package and funding allocation becomes an object of criticism from opponents of Ukraine and a pretext to </span><a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4086199-u-bundestazi-rizko-rozkritikuvali-iniciativu-adn-sodo-rozsliduvanna-dopomogi-ukraini.html"><span>accuse</span></a><span> Ukraine of «money laundering and financing terrorism» at the expense of German taxpayers. This forces the Merz administration to exercise extreme caution in its public communications and to seek alternative financing mechanisms that would not provoke the electorate, particularly </span><a href="https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news/2025/08/13/germany-to-fund-500m-purl-package-for-ukraine"><span>through European instruments</span></a><span>. Another cause for concern is the success of the newly formed Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in the eastern Länder, a party </span><a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/sara-vahenknekht-politychnyy-proyekt-prorosiyski-naratyvy/32659937.html"><span>known</span></a><span> for its pro-Russian and Eurosceptic positions. It </span><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/sahra-wagenknecht-alliance-the-rise-and-fall-of-germanys-shooting-star/a-71741165"><span>secured</span></a><span> 10-12% of the vote in most eastern Länder, although it did not enter the Bundestag.</span></p> <h3>Merz: campaign promises and realpolitik</h3> <p><span>During and after the election campaign, Friedrich Merz positioned himself as the antithesis of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz. His statements that «</span><a href="https://www.tickaroo.com/e/G09JJq2JKhrOyE9K"><span>Putin</span></a><span> understands only the language of force» and his calls to mobilize financial resources to «secure Kyiv’s military resilience» raised expectations of a fundamental shift in Germany’s policy of supporting Ukraine.</span></p> <p><span>At the beginning of his term as chancellor, Friedrich Merz </span><a href="https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/laut-merz-keine-reichweitenbeschraenkung-mehr-fuer-waffen-an-die-ukraine-selenskyj-am-mittwoch-in-be-100.html"><span>stated</span></a><span> that Ukraine has the right to strike military targets on Russian territory. One of the first significant decisions of the new government was the official removal of restrictions on the range of weapons supplied by Germany. This marked a significant departure from the escalation management policy pursued by Scholz.</span></p> <p><span>However, Merz soon encountered the realities of coalition governance and political ambitions that sometimes contradict both common sense and national security considerations.</span></p> <p><span>The most illustrative example of the gap between expectations and reality was the protracted debate over the Taurus cruise missiles. While in opposition, Merz repeatedly called for their transfer; however, after becoming chancellor, he did not authorize their delivery. In May 2025, the transfer of Taurus </span><a href="https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/merz-nennt-taurus-lieferung-an-die-ukraine-im-bereich-des-moglichen-13770184.html"><span>remained</span></a><span> within the realm of possibility, but it has not taken place to date. The chancellor has communicated very cautiously with the German public and </span><a href="https://youtu.be/wzKRCQmD2GY?si=8I9kH1LQ871IxpuR"><span>emphasized</span></a><span> that Germany cannot become a party to the war. However, Germany </span><a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/nimechchyna-uklala-kontrakt-na-rozgortannya-vyrobnytstva-krylatyh-raket-taurus-neo/#google_vignette"><span>plans to develop</span></a><span> its own long-range strike capabilities under the Taurus NEO program.</span></p> <h3>Economy</h3> <p><span>The economic situation in which the Merz government is operating is highly unfavorable. After a two-year recession (2023-2024) and </span><a href="https://think.ing.com/snaps/german-gdp-growth-4q-25/"><span>stagnation</span></a><span> in 2025, Germany </span><a href="https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/news/annual-economic-report-2026-2404976?enodia=eyJleHAiOjE3NzAzOTQ2OTMsImNvbnRlbnQiOnRydWUsImF1ZCI6ImF1dGgiLCJIb3N0Ijoid3d3LmJ1bmRlc3JlZ2llcnVuZy5kZSIsIlNvdXJjZUlQIjoiMTA0LjI4LjEzMC4xNjEiLCJDb25maWdJRCI6IjhkYWRjZTEyNWZkMmMzOTMyYjk0M2I1MmU5ZDJjZDY1MDU3NTRlMTYyMjEyYTJjZTFiYjVhZjE1YzBkNGJiZmUifQ==.VqSsXnv7C5DquwYjqMQAp2ST4_LIoHxNSY2DBCS9zAw="><span>entered</span></a><span> 2026 with an official GDP growth forecast of 1.0%. This poses an extremely difficult challenge for the government: how to finance the largest war in Europe since 1945 without increasing social tensions?</span></p> <p><span>In a published article, Friedrich Merz </span><a href="https://www.bundesregierung.de/resource/blob/2196306/2386014/668ef8d4756aad69373f4418c123b894/2025-09-25-gastbeitrag-bk-ft-data.pdf?download=1"><span>proposed</span></a><span> an interest-free loan mechanism for Ukraine totaling nearly €140 billion, to be repaid only after Russia compensates Ukraine for the damage it caused. Until then, frozen Russian assets would serve as collateral for the loan.</span></p> <p><span>In December 2025, the European Commission </span><a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_2903"><span>approved</span></a><span> €90 billion in funding for Ukraine under this mechanism and proposed changes to budgetary rules that would allow loans to Ukraine to be issued through the budget </span><a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_90"><span>headroom</span></a><span> mechanism. On February 4, the European Council </span><a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/02/04/council-agrees-position-on-legal-framework-to-provide-90-billion-in-financial-support-to-ukraine/"><span>approved</span></a><span> the allocation: €30 billion to the macro-financial assistance (Ukraine Facility) and €60 billion to support investments in the defense-industrial sector. In effect, the EU </span><a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_90"><span>borrows</span></a><span> these funds on financial markets under government guarantees. This represents an optimal solution for Berlin, as the assistance is financed at the EU level, allowing these amounts to be excluded from Germany’s national debt and avoiding violations of debt limits.</span><span>In December 2025, Germany </span><a href="https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/haushalt-2026-beschlossen-100.html"><span>adopted</span></a><span> its 2026 budget, which increased assistance to Ukraine to €11.5 billion – equivalent to 2.2% of total budget expenditures and 0.2% of the country’s GDP. At the same time, an unprecedented €108.2 billion was </span><a href="https://www.bundeshaushalt.de/static/daten/2026/soll/draft/Gesamtplan_und_Uebersichten.pdf"><span>allocated</span></a><span> for Germany’s own defense, amounting to 2.4% of GDP. The trends are positive; however, behind these record figures lies institutional inertia: Berlin is still attempting to reconcile support for Ukraine with domestic political comfort. For the Kremlin, this signals that Europe’s largest economy fears its own voters more than it fears a Russian attack.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="caption"> <p>Germany’s macroeconomic indicators and assistance to Ukraine</p> </div> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td><span>Indicator</span></td> <td><span>2024</span></td> <td><span>2025</span></td> <td><span>2026</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span><a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Press/2026/01/PE26_017_811.html"><span>GDP growth</span></a></span></td> <td><span>-0.5%</span></td> <td><span>0.2%</span></td> <td><span>1.0% (forecast)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span><a href="https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Wirtschaft/Konjunkturindikatoren/Arbeitsmarkt/arb210a.html"><span>Unemployment</span></a></span></td> <td><span>6.1%</span></td> <td><span>6.4%</span></td> <td><span>6.6%</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span><a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Press/2026/01/PE26_019_611.html"><span>Inflation</span></a></span></td> <td><span>2.2%</span></td> <td><span>2.2%</span></td> <td><span><a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Press/2026/01/PE26_036_611.html"><span>2.1%</span></a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Military assistance to Ukraine</span></td> <td><span><a href="https://forbes.ua/news/bundestag-ukhvaliv-byudzhet-na-2024-rik-z-76-mlrd-viyskovoi-dopomogi-ukraini-02022024-18956"><span>€7.6 billion</span></a></span></td> <td><span><a href="https://suspilne.media/1041329-nimeccina-moze-zbilsiti-dopomogu-ukraini-u-2025-roci-majze-na-2-mlrd-evro-pistorius/"><span>€9 billion</span></a></span></td> <td><span><a href="https://suspilne.media/1176400-nimeccina-zaplanuvala-ponad-11-mlrd-evro-na-ozbroenna-ukraini-u-budzeti-na-2026-rik/"><span>€11.5 billion</span></a></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Sources are indicated in the hyperlinks</span></p> </div> <h3>Defense industry</h3> <p><span>During 2022-2024, Germany transferred equipment to Ukraine directly from </span><a href="https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/service/archiv-bundesregierung/waffenlieferungen-ukraine-2054514"><span>Bundeswehr</span></a><span> inventories, thereby depleting its reserves. One year after the Bundestag elections, Germany’s strategy for military support for Ukraine changed. It is now focused on building a long-term defense-industrial alliance between Berlin and Kyiv rather than on one-off aid packages. These steps are part of the new </span><a href="https://americangerman.institute/2025/04/germanys-zeitenwende-2-0-this-time-for-real/"><span>Zeitenwende 2.0</span></a><span> paradigm (the expansion of Germany’s military capabilities after decades of de facto disarmament) introduced by Friedrich Merz’s government. The main instrument for implementing this new strategy is the German government’s </span><a href="https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/ruestung-deutschland-legt-zehn-punkte-plan-fuer-kooperation-mit-ukraine-vor/100183971.html"><span>ten-point plan</span></a><span> to deepen defense cooperation with Ukraine. Its goal is to strengthen the defense industries of both countries and establish joint production.</span></p> <p><span>The German government is placing its bets on major defense companies, signing multi-year contracts with them for ammunition production and the repair and modernization of military equipment. Companies such as Rheinmetall, Hensoldt, and KNDS are key suppliers and drivers of industrial growth. Their success is a necessary component of Europe’s rearmament. The government is financing advanced weapons systems destined for Ukraine (such as the </span><a href="https://turdef.com/article/rheinmetall-confirms-first-lynx-ifv-order-for-ukraine"><span>Lynx KF41</span></a><span>), contributing to the modernization of Germany’s defense industry.</span></p> <p><span>In addition, Germany is interested </span><span>in relocating the </span><span>production lines of major German defense companies to Ukraine. This would not only expand production capacity but also address the key logistical problem of lengthy waiting times for the repair and delivery of military equipment. However, German companies face significant difficulties in establishing production in Ukraine. For example, the defense manufacturer Rheinmetall planned to build a </span><a href="https://english.nv.ua/nation/rheinmetall-readies-ukraine-ammo-plant-in-deepening-defense-partnership-50575561.html"><span>plant</span></a><span> in Ukraine to produce 155-mm ammunition (with an expected annual output of up to </span><a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/rheinmetall-podvoyit-virobnitstvo-snaryadiv-1754916325.html"><span>300,000</span></a><span> rounds) and to service armored vehicles. However, according to Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, construction is progressing more slowly than in EU countries due to complex permitting procedures and organizational challenges. In particular, the Ukrainian side initiated a relocation of the plant, and the search for a new site took longer than expected. At present, the construction start date remains unknown.</span></p> <p><span>To support joint ventures, the Merz administration introduced state-backed war risk </span><a href="https://www.investitionsgarantien.de/main-navigation/wissen/wissenstransfer/fokus-ukraine"><span>insurance</span></a><span>. This allowed German companies to build production facilities in Ukraine despite the risk of missile strikes. At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky </span><a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17910"><span>announced</span></a><span> the launch of Ukrainian drone production in Germany in mid-February 2026.</span></p> <p><span>In addition, Germany is using the so-called Danish model, under which it finances weapons production directly at Ukrainian factories. For example, in June 2025, it allocated </span><a href="https://www.behoerden-spiegel.de/2025/06/03/milliardensummen-fuer-die-ukraine/"><span>€5 billion</span></a><span> from the federal budget for this program, of which </span><a href="https://defence-network.com/deutschland-deep-strike-drohnen-ukraine/"><span>€400 million</span></a><span> will go toward the serial production of BARS and AN-196 Liutyi drones. This approach is economically advantageous, as Ukrainian enterprises have </span><a href="https://www.gtai.de/de/trade/ukraine/specials/ukraine-foerderung-1910046"><span>lower production costs</span></a><span> than their European counterparts.</span></p> <h3>Conclusion</h3> <p><span>Despite the shift in rhetoric under Friedrich Merz compared with his predecessor, Germany continues to provide the minimum necessary level of assistance rather than becoming the industrial backbone of European security. While Ukraine remains the only real pillar sustaining the continent’s security, Germany is attempting to fill the material and political vacuum left by Washington. However, behind rising defense budgets and ambitious plans to localize weapons production lies deep internal vulnerability.</span></p> <p><span>The presence in the Bundestag of forces exploiting the economic recession and war fatigue creates a constant minefield for the chancellor. Germany remains hostage to both institutional indecision within NATO structures and its own electoral fears. If Berlin fails to convert its industrial potential into real political will, its strategic ambitions may remain nothing more than political rhetoric. The window for building an autonomous system to support Ukraine is closing faster than German bureaucracy can adapt to a reality in which security no longer derives automatically from membership in international organizations.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/new-arsenal-of-europe-how-the-russian-ukrainian-war-is-changing-germany">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/ukraine-strikes-logistics-warehouse-ammunition.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:52:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/ukraine-strikes-logistics-warehouse-ammunition.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260404644.jpg" alt="Ukraine strikes logistics warehouse, ammunition depot, other military targets in Russian-occupied territories, General Staff says"></p>Ukrainian forces struck four Russian military targets on the occupied Crimean Peninsula and in the occupied parts of Donetsk and Mykolaiv oblasts, the General Staff said on Feb. 23.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-oil-depot-air-defenses-in-russian-occupied-territories-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/the-anniversary-effect-ukrainians-live.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:28:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/the-anniversary-effect-ukrainians-live.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0fee2996-0.jpg" alt="The ‘anniversary effect’: Ukrainians live by a trauma calendar"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!SbKU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F650af0ad-f453-4eae-8731-79f8e244755c_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f650af0ad-f.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/650af0ad-f453-4eae-8731-79f8e244755c_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:</em></p><p><em>The war in Ukraine has been going on for nearly four years, and every day brings new challenges and news. The Counteroffensive follows what is happening around the country daily and reports on the most important developments.</em></p><p><em>Our team works under any conditions, in the cold, without electricity or stable internet. But we continue our work so that you receive reliable information.</em></p><p><em>Your subscription helps us provide backup power and warm conditions for the team. Support our work. Upgrade to a paid subscription today.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Natalia wakes up in the middle of the night to check the time. The screen shows the year 2014.</p><p>She blinks, and the digits slowly return to normal.</p><p>Outside, it is February 2026. But she is living by a calendar that lags twelve years behind.</p><p>“I turn into a function, into a robot. My brain doesn’t care what year it is now — for my brain, these [February] days are simply 2014,” said Natalia Kolosovska, who has been suffering the ‘anniversary effect’ for more than a decade аfter Russia invaded Ukraine for the first time.</p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!hF6v!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F81c44a14-cca9-40cd-b622-6d17f505605f_594x385.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f81c44a14-c.jpg" width="448" height="290.3703703703704" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/81c44a14-cca9-40cd-b622-6d17f505605f_594x385.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":385,"width":594,"resizeWidth":448,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Russian armored personnel carriers reported to be heading to Simferopol in Crimea, Ukraine on Feb. 28, 2014. (Photo by Bulent Doruk/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Natalia lives through something each February — the annual reaction to the anniversary of a traumatic event.</p><p>The beginning of the full-scale war on February 24th, 2022 became a trauma for millions of Ukrainians; most of them woke up unexpectedly to explosions, shocking news alerts, or calls from relatives saying the war had begun.</p><p>Some had to pack their entire lives into suitcases and flee their homes, while others waited in terror, fearing that Russian troops could reach their towns.</p><p>Year after year, Ukrainians face what is known as the ‘anniversary effect.’ It involves reliving difficult and distressing emotions as the date of a traumatic event approaches, and it’s not limited to only February 24th — it can last for several days or even weeks.</p><p>This happens because the body remembers its response to the event or traumatic period, and it may unconsciously reproduce it each year.</p><p>For people abroad it might feel like Ukrainians should have adapted to the war already, but the reality is that the whole nation is going through cyclical retraumatization.</p><p>The anniversary effect is an example of how trauma embeds itself in the body and permanently alters the calendars we live by.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!9OH5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec2c3a25-c3b2-4770-b207-f9029357daaa_1117x1489.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fec2c3a25-c.jpg" width="251" height="334.591763652641" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ec2c3a25-c3b2-4770-b207-f9029357daaa_1117x1489.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1489,"width":1117,"resizeWidth":251,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>31-year-old Natalia Kolosovska from the Lviv region. Photo provided by her.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“I don’t remember what I ate or drank a month ago, but what happened during those days, I remember as if it were yesterday,” said Natalia.</p><p>The winter of 2014 was no less difficult for Ukrainians than 2022 would later be. That was when the country was shaken by the Revolution of Dignity, as millions took to the streets demanding European integration. They were protesting against Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovych, who was steering the country toward authoritarianism.</p><p>In Kyiv alone, up to a million people gathered on the central square of Maidan Nezalezhnosti at the peak of the protests. On January 22, 2014, snipers killed the first demonstrators. By the end of February, more than a hundred people were dead. Russia exploited the political instability, moving to annex Crimea and launch its occupation of Donbas.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Droq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe6fb7d89-1f1d-4582-bf75-13c58e391e09_660x428.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe6fb7d89-1.png" width="426" height="276.25454545454545" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e6fb7d89-1f1d-4582-bf75-13c58e391e09_660x428.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":428,"width":660,"resizeWidth":426,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv in 2014. Source: kyiv24.news.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>From the Lviv region, then 19-year-old Natalia followed these events as they unfolded. She was far from the occupied territories, but she experienced their loss as if it were her own.</p><p>Since childhood, she said, she had felt a sense of danger coming from Russia. In school, she wrote essays about the Chechen war after watching documentaries about Russian war crimes there. At the age of 10, she asked her mother: “Why has no one in our family served?”</p><p>Her brother simply did not want to join the military, and her father had health issues. She recalls thinking even then: “I don’t want to do math exercises either, but I still do them.”</p><p>When the Russian threat to Ukraine became more real, Natalia’s parents told her that Crimea and Donbas had “never truly been Ukrainian;” that they “could be traded away” in exchange for an illusory peace.</p><p>She felt isolated, and over time this developed into what is known as the anniversary effect, relived year after year around the dates of traumatic events.</p><p>“A psychiatrist once explained something very simple to me. Everything that once existed within your family has spilled over onto a national level and your brain just said: ‘Now it’s everywhere,’” Natalia said.</p><p>She suddenly understood why she had been experiencing the anniversary effect for the past decade, despite being far from the epicenter of events. Feb. 24, 2022 added another layer, making the entire month unbearable for Natalia.</p><p>The anniversary effect is not always tied to war. It can be associated, for example, with the death of a loved one, a car accident, or even a divorce. Among Americans, anniversary reactions linked to the September 11 terrorist attacks are widespread, even among those who did not directly witness the events.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":454418}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>“If a trauma hasn’t been processed, it is stored as if it is happening right now… During an anniversary, it resurfaces in the unconscious as though the situation is unfolding again in the present. That’s why we feel fear, the urge to cry, or experience reactions we can’t fully explain, as if nothing is happening, yet we are anxious and our stress levels rise,” explained psychologist Vita Bakovska.</p><p>It might be a season, a certain temperature, a smell, or a sound. If someone lost a loved one at a specific age, they may experience a similar reaction when they themselves reach that age — it can simply be the context, Bakovska said. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0fee2996-0.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/aaddfd6f34.jpg" width="496" height="330.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0fee2996-04b7-436a-8532-2608e8f8cf6d_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":496,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Hundreds of people, including many women and children, take shelter inside a metro station as explosions are heard in downtown Kharkiv, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022. (Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion carries an added layer of turmoil because Ukrainians are still living through the traumatic event and are thus stuck in a state of stress as the war continues.</p><p>It’s a collective trauma that has affected people on a massive scale. So even if someone does not personally experience an anniversary effect, they can be ‘emotionally infected’ by others, Bakovska explained.</p><p>But Ukraine is not unique in experiencing a mass anniversary effect due to war trauma.</p><p>“To this day, when the anniversary of the August war comes, I feel it. There’s a specific anxiety…And there is a terrible feeling I cannot describe or explain rationally. It’s as if the body itself remembers,” said Mariam Lomsadze, a Georgian woman who lives just steps away from the territories Russia occupied in 2008.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!_Eb-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0043c759-ff99-4a36-b728-b6f0cd376a17_1600x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0043c759-f.png" width="298" height="298" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0043c759-ff99-4a36-b728-b6f0cd376a17_1600x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1456,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":298,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Georgian Mariam Lomsadze. Photo from her Facebook.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The war caught her when she was just 8, in her native village of Nikozi in Georgia. Russia invaded Mariam’s country under the pretext of ‘protecting Russians’ in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, similar to how the war in Ukraine began.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!6t9o!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff1ae3b59-2dfa-48c5-965a-fb218de569fc_1600x828.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff1ae3b59-2.png" width="479" height="247.7245879120879" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f1ae3b59-2dfa-48c5-965a-fb218de569fc_1600x828.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":753,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":479,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Nikozi village in Georgia. Dashed lines indicate the border with occupied territories. Screenshot from Google Maps.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Mariam did not even realize it was a war at first, she said. Her village bordered South Ossetia, where separatists often held military exercises. So when the first gunfire broke out, the children paid little attention — until the sky turned red with bombs.</p><p>She had to flee to the nearby city of Gori, which would go on to become one of the hardest hit by Russian bombardment. People buried their dead in their own yards because they couldn’t reach the cemetery. Mariam’s family received news by phone of more and more people being killed in her village.</p><p>“We spent two nights hiding in a basement. We sat there, all of us, trembling with fear… there were cucumbers, and we couldn’t even eat them properly because there was no water,” Mariam recalled.</p><p>Nearly 20 years have passed since the war in Georgia, but the memories still catch up with Mariam, especially as the anniversary approaches.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!GCiR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F210333b4-8128-43ec-902b-3e1562752044_1200x659.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f210333b4-8.png" width="533" height="292.7058333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/210333b4-8128-43ec-902b-3e1562752044_1200x659.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":659,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":533,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Russian forces started their invasion of Georgia on August 7, 2008. Source: <a href="http://eurointegration.com.ua/">eurointegration.com.ua</a></em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Overall, the anniversary effect can manifest on several levels, according to Bakovska. The first is emotional, which presents as unexplained anxiety, irritability, low mood, aggression, or heightened sensitivity. It can also appear on a cognitive level, when intrusive memories surface.</p><p>“We may find ourselves sitting in anticipation of a catastrophe, repeating the same thoughts over and over again. This is called rumination. In simple terms, it’s like chewing gum: you keep chewing on the same thoughts and can’t let them go,” Bakovska explained.</p><p>On a physical level, it may involve insomnia, panic attacks, or flare-ups of chronic conditions. Behaviorally, as the psychologist noted, people may try to avoid reminders of the trauma and withdraw into isolation.</p><p>“Some people try to look away and forget, but I’m the opposite — in that period I actually go back and look at the photographs and the videos from that time. Somehow, doing that makes me calmer. I feel obligated to look at them, so I never forget what Russia did,” Mariam said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Natalia feels empty as the tragic anniversaries approach. She feels nothing at all because, for her, the realization of how many people are no longer alive is more than her psyche can carry. In 2015–2016, she attended many funerals for people killed by Russia, whom she did not know, simply to be able to cry. There, she said, her grief at least felt valid.</p><p>In February, it becomes especially difficult for her to fall asleep. She lives in a constant, high-alert state, bracing for danger. Thunder makes her flinch; it reminds her of shelling.</p><p>Since the start of the full-scale invasion, she has also stopped eating green apples because, for some reason, they remind her of tanks. This month, she operates on autopilot — eating, working, going through her daily routines.</p><p>To make sense of her experience, Natalia writes down what she feels before later transforming it into prose or poetry.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!ECpJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78555a6a-d438-4146-9647-a88587fd1eb3_1015x985.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f78555a6a-d.jpg" width="369" height="358.0935960591133" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/78555a6a-d438-4146-9647-a88587fd1eb3_1015x985.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":985,"width":1015,"resizeWidth":369,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Natalia’s poem extract. English translation: “I didn’t have to bury my own. No coffin. No ninth day. No black clothes at home. I didn’t have to hold someone’s hand as it turned cold. I didn’t sit by a hospital bed in the ICU. I didn’t sob into the phone: “Hold on, I’m coming.” But… I had to grieve everyone — without exception, without names, without goodbyes.”</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>And as Natalia sees it, one of the best ways to cope with the anniversary effect is to find people with similar experiences.</p><p>“For those who haven’t lived through this, it is pathologically difficult and sometimes impossible to understand,” Natalia said. “Not because they are bad or cruel, or somehow different, but because their scale of pain is different from ours.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:</em></p><p><em>The war in Ukraine has been going on for nearly four years, and every day brings new challenges and news. The Counteroffensive follows what is happening around the country daily and reports on the most important developments.</em></p><p><em>Our team works under any conditions, in the cold, without electricity or stable internet. But we continue our work so that you receive reliable information.</em></p><p><em>Your subscription helps us provide backup power and warm conditions for the team. Support our work. Upgrade to a paid subscription today.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY</strong></h3><p>By Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA REFUSES TO REMOVE VICTORY BANNER FROM EMBASSY IN SEOUL:</strong> In Seoul, a 15-meter long banner reading “Victory will be ours” in Russian <a href="https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/02/22/CKQ3SFM5E5HYBNH6AZUX6DAN7U/">appeared</a> on the building of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in South Korea a few days before the four year anniversary of the full-scale invasion. This slogan was originally used during the Second World War, but recently has been used with reference to Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine.</p><p>Despite South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding the banner’s removal and claiming that this was a violation of diplomatic conventions, Russia has refused.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA PROVIDES IRAN WITH AIR DEFENSE IN SECRET €500M DEAL:</strong> Iran has <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d034cc1a-f5fb-494e-a3c1-466e8e80ed82">concluded</a> a secret €500 million agreement with Russia to restore its air defenses which were damaged by last year’s Israeli attacks, the Financial Times reports. The systems were requested by Iran in July 2025,</p><p>According to the outlet, deliveries are planned for 2027–2029, though Iran may have already received some of these systems. This deal likely has been a way for Russia to repair relations with Iran after it abandoned its ally during Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in 2025, a former US official told the FT.</p><p><strong>GREECE COULD BECOME KEY ROUTE FOR US LNG AHEAD OF RUSSIAN GAS BAN: </strong>As the EU moves towards a total ban on Russian gas supplies by 2027, Greece is positioning itself as the southern gateway for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, predominantly from the US, the FT <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/f169bb37-4d25-43c3-846d-4849a708a5c2">reports</a>. Before the full-scale invasion Russia supplied about 40 per cent of the EU’s gas, by 2024 Russia supplied only 11 per cent – this gap has been filled largely by US LNG.</p><p>The main LNG terminal on the island of Revithoussa moves gas north to the Balkans and beyond. The system was set up after 2022 Russia suspended pipeline gas supplies to Bulgaria after the country refused to pay in roubles.</p><p>Demand for long-term supplies is growing, with LNG buyers already booking slots for shipments through Revithoussa until 2040, viewing Greece as a strategic energy hub.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>This pack of dogs often appears on Khreshchatyk and attracts people’s attention. One of the pups, Mitya, often lags behind the others, and the owner has to make sure he doesn’t fall behind.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!jB8s!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F18a48818-276c-426b-937f-3232283a4dae_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f18a48818-2.jpg" width="960" height="1280" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/18a48818-276c-426b-937f-3232283a4dae_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best, <br>Mariana</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/the-anniversary-effect-ukrainians">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/south-korea-asks-russian-embassy.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/south-korea-asks-russian-embassy.html <p>South Korean authorities have demanded the removal of a banner reading “Victory will be ours” from the Russian Embassy building in Seoul.</p> <p>South Korea’s Foreign Ministry voiced concern that the Russian-language slogan is perceived as a reference to Russia’s war against Ukraine and could create tensions in Seoul’s relations with third countries, according to <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260222003600315">Yonhap</a>.</p> <p>The embassy has not yet taken down the banner, which could be seen by South Korean authorities as a breach of diplomatic etiquette, Yonhap noted.</p> <p>South Korea’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the request to remove the banner, RIA Novosti reported. “We have already conveyed to the Russian side our position regarding the recent placement of a banner on the outer wall of the Russian Embassy building in the Republic of Korea,” the ministry told the agency. It also expressed dissatisfaction with recent remarks by Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev, without specifying which statements.</p> <p>On February 20, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260221005600315">said</a> it was consulting with NATO on various measures to support war-hit Ukraine, including a possible move to join the PURL initiative. “In that case, we will be forced to exercise our right to take retaliatory, including asymmetric, measures,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova <a href="https://ria.ru/20260221/moskva-2075970867.html">said</a>, commenting on Seoul’s potential participation in PURL.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/south-korea-asks-russian-embassy-in-seoul-to-remove-victory-will-be-ours-banner-over-ukraine-war-concerns">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/ukraine-signals-new-talks-with.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:54:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/ukraine-signals-new-talks-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254293927.jpg" alt="Ukraine signals new talks with Russia on Feb. 26–27, Kremlin yet to confirm"></p>"We are in the process of preparing," the President's Office head Kyrylo Budanov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-signals-new-talks-with-russia-on-feb-26-27/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/ukraine-could-build-nonconscript-army.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:23:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/ukraine-could-build-nonconscript-army.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262428430.jpg" alt="Ukraine could build non-conscript army if Europe helps with funding, Zelensky says"></p>"The same thing (Vladimir) Putin is doing: he pays each person money for a contract. We want this as well, but we do not have enough funds," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-could-have-contract-army-if-europeans-helped-with-funding-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/north-korean-pows-in-ukraine.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/north-korean-pows-in-ukraine.html <p>A year after Ukrainian forces, by <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/13037">their account</a>, captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region, the men’s fate remains unclear.</p> <p>Activists in Seoul accuse President Lee Jae-myung’s left-nationalist government of dragging its feet, saying the men asked to be allowed to go to South Korea.</p> <p>In North Korea, the soldiers likely face punishment for allowing themselves to be captured alive. “I won’t survive it if I return home. Everyone else blew themselves up, but I couldn’t,” one soldier told the South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo.</p> <p>The UN has also weighed in on the case. The organization’s special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea said in February that Ukraine should follow international norms and not send POWs back to places where they risk torture. “I’d be grateful if they (South Korea) accepted me. If they don’t agree, there’s nothing I can do,” the outlet quoted one prisoner as saying.</p> <p>South Korean activists and North Korean defectors <a href="https://www.dw.com/ru/seul-2000-voennosluzasih-kndr-ubity-v-vojne-rf-v-ukraine/a-73850818">told DW</a> that Pyongyang’s military doctrine explicitly forbids surrender. “Soldiers were ordered to kill themselves if they faced the risk of being captured by Ukrainians,” said Kim Eu-jin, who fled the North as a teenager in the 1990s.</p> <p>“These two men disobeyed orders and didn’t die - even if they tried. We don’t know how the regime will deal with soldiers who failed to carry out an order to commit suicide to avoid capture, because this hasn’t happened before. But I assume authorities will deem them traitors. And it won’t be just the soldiers — their families will be punished too,” Kim said.</p> <p>In interviews, the North Korean soldiers said they were not afraid to fight Ukrainian forces, but they know capture could bring hardship to their families because of Pyongyang’s doctrine drilled into them: “A defector (someone who doesn’t return) brings punishment for three generations.”</p> <p>“Historically, during and after the Korean War, returning POWs were reportedly subjected to forced labor and classified as hostile elements,” said Peter Oh, who fled North Korea in 2000 and is now a representative of the Free Korea Association (FKA), which helps North Korean defectors in the United States.</p> <p>The two prisoners likely fear similar consequences if they return, Oh added. “There could be repercussions for their families. But the North Korean government may refrain from extreme measures to avoid international attention.”</p> <p>Under Article 3 of South Korea’s constitution, all North Korean residents are still considered South Korean citizens and have the right to come to and reside in the South at any time. Yet more than a year after the two soldiers were captured, Seoul appears reluctant to accept them.</p> <p>The delay stems from complex legal and diplomatic entanglements involving Ukraine, Russia and both Koreas, according to an FKA representative.</p> <p>While the South Korean government has broadly expressed interest, it hasn’t taken concrete steps - likely because of delicate geopolitical implications, the representative said. For now, President Lee Jae-myung appears to be seeking warmer ties with Pyongyang.</p> <p>South Korea’s constitution also includes Article 4, which focuses on “peaceful relations with the North,” Peter Oh added. “Our position is that, regardless of constitutional interpretation, the soldiers have the right to seek asylum in South Korea or in another country.”</p> <p>Talks between Seoul and Kyiv over the fate of the two North Korean soldiers appear to be deadlocked. On February 9, the Korea Institute for National Unification released a report saying that breaking the stalemate “requires direct contact between the leaders of South Korea and Ukraine.”</p> <p>If no agreement is reached, Ukraine may be forced to hand the two soldiers over to Russia.</p> <p>North Korea has not publicly commented on the captured soldiers, though talks may be taking place behind the scenes. Kim Eu-jin argues that nothing prevents Kyiv from releasing the POWs and that “nothing in international law” bars their travel to South Korea.</p> <p>“Officials keep saying it’s a ‘complex issue,’ but I don’t think they’re trying hard enough. President Lee, the Unification Ministry and the Foreign Ministry seem more concerned about not upsetting Kim Jong Un than about bringing these two men to South Korea.</p> <p>If this were only about human rights, they’d already be here. It practically feels like the government is looking for reasons to keep them from coming,” Kim said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/north-korean-pows-in-ukraine-seek-asylum-in-south-korea-as-seoul-hesitates">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/three-russian-soldiers-surrender-in.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/three-russian-soldiers-surrender-in.html <p>Troops from the National Guard’s Khartia Corps established contact with Russian soldiers and carried out a special operation to extract the captives.</p> <p>In the city of Kupyansk, three Russian servicemembers voluntarily surrendered after reaching out to the “I Want to Live” project, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ahhzmn68bi8?si=x_C_i_vJgefR2pzW">said</a>.</p> <p>“After receiving a request from the occupiers, specialists with the project contacted the National Guard of Ukraine’s Khartia Corps, which is clearing the city. Khartia fighters established contact with the Russians and conducted a special operation to extract the prisoners. The entire process - from phone communications to evacuation from the city - was recorded on video by National Guard personnel,” the statement said.</p> <p>About 30 Russians remain in Kupyansk. Ukraine’s armed forces are not rushing to eliminate them to avoid unnecessary casualties among its troops.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/three-russian-soldiers-surrender-in-kupyansk-after-contacting-ukraine-s-i-want-to-live-project">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:49:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-23-10-37-59.jpg" alt="At least 4 killed, 26 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 126 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 105 drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-4-killed-26-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/mr-nobody-against-putin-wins.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:51:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/mr-nobody-against-putin-wins.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2262535435.jpg" alt="'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' wins BAFTA award for best documentary"></p>The documentary has received wide acclaim for the fact that it shows how the war against Ukraine is not just "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war" but a war sustained by both a climate of fear and open support among the populace within Russia.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mr-nobody-against-putin-wins-bafta-award-for-best-documentary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:37:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255409546.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,260,500 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 720 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-259-780-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/zelensky-says-putin-has-already.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:02:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/zelensky-says-putin-has-already.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/866aa280f0.jpg" alt="Zelensky says Putin has 'already started World War III,' calls for stronger pressure on Russia"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 23 in an interview with the BBC that Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively already triggered World War Three, warning that only sustained military and economic pressure can prevent further escalation.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-putin-has-already-started-world-war-three-calls-for-stronger-pressure-on-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/no-power-water-or-heat.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:27:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/no-power-water-or-heat.html <p>Late on February 22, a series of explosions rocked the Russian city of Belgorod, leaving many districts without electricity and causing disruptions to heating and water supplies.</p> <p>Preliminary reports said the city was hit by HIMARS missiles, according to <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/92574">Russian Telegram channels</a>.</p> <p>“Ukraine’s Armed Forces shelled Belgorod again, preliminarily with HIMARS rockets. Several districts of the city lost power,” users wrote.</p> <p>Witnesses said they heard at least 10 powerful blasts. There were also reports that rockets struck the Belgorod thermal power plant.</p> <p>Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed strikes on Belgorod and the wider region. He reported a massive missile attack and said the city’s energy infrastructure had suffered serious damage.</p> <p>“There are disruptions to the supply of electricity, water and heat to residents’ homes. We will be able to fully assess the scale of the damage in daylight,” Gladkov <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/19483">wrote</a>.</p> <p>Later, Gladkov said window glazing was damaged in two apartment buildings in Belgorod. He <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/19484">added</a> that equipment was damaged at one industrial facility in the city.</p> <p>Meanwhile, people posting online said they were finding “stones” around the city after the attack - apparently fragments of munitions.</p> <p>On February 21, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, shared footage of an attack in Russia’s Tatarstan that appeared to show a drone resembling a Shahed. </p> <p>Also overnight into February 21, drones targeted a gas processing plant in Russia’s Samara region, sparking a large fire.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/no-power-water-or-heat-darkness-blankets-belgorod-after-alleged-ukrainian-himars-strikes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/missile-strikes-reported-across-russia.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:24:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/missile-strikes-reported-across-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-1665.jpg" alt="Missile strikes reported across Russia as Belgorod faces blackouts and major oil pipeline hub in Tatarstan damaged"></p><p>Explosions were reported overnight on Feb. 23 in Russia’s Belgorod, where officials said a large-scale missile strike caused significant damage to local infrastructure, as reports also emerged of attacks targeting energy and oil infrastructure elsewhere in Russia.</p><p>Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the city is reportedly facing disruptions</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/missile-strikes-reported-across-russia-as-belgorod-faces-blackouts-and-major-oil-pipeline-hub-in-tatarstan-reportedly-attacked/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/drone-threat-forces-repeated-flight.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:22:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/drone-threat-forces-repeated-flight.html <p>Russia’s federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, imposed flight restrictions for the second time on Sunday after what it described as the appearance of dozens of Ukrainian drones in the Moscow region.</p> <p>The measures affected four airports - Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky - as authorities said they were acting “to ensure flight safety amid an aerial threat.”</p> <p>Initial restrictions were in place from 3:25 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. Moscow time. Roughly 40 minutes later, a temporary special regime for airspace use was reintroduced at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. During that window, flights were permitted only with clearance from relevant state agencies. Less than an hour later, operations were again fully restricted.</p> <p>“Temporary restrictions have been introduced within the Sheremetyevo airport airspace perimeter due to activation of the ‘Kover’ signal,” Sheremetyevo management said at 6:30 p.m. Moscow time.</p> <p>The airport advised passengers to prepare for longer waits and warned of possible schedule adjustments.</p> <p>Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on social media that Russian air defenses had allegedly shot down about two dozen drones heading toward the city.</p> <p>Sunday’s mass drone raid on the Russian capital is not the first this year. In January, attacks on Moscow were recorded on several consecutive days, prompting restrictions at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky and causing widespread delays that affected roughly 200 flights.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/drone-threat-forces-repeated-flight-restrictions-at-moscow-airports">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/ukrainian-military-debunks-russian-claim.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/ukrainian-military-debunks-russian-claim.html <p>A claim by Russian forces that they allegedly destroyed HIMARS transporter-loader vehicles and launchers for Flamingo rockets is not true, Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping <a href="https://www.facebook.com/easternforces/posts/pfbid02gpXmriWbUegZMZMZ3chu2NCCdLvBH2tcEvso2V8rwk4eH1eJeZAc6tpQYrUqBykql">said</a>.</p> <p>“The Joint Forces grouping regrets to note that after the latest Russian attack there are no HIMARS transporter-loader vehicles or Flamingo rocket launchers left in Ukraine. But they didn’t exist before the attack either: HIMARS does not have transporter-loader vehicles, and FP-5 Flamingo launches are carried out from simple rails,” the statement said.</p> <p>The command added: “We cite this ‘news’ solely to give our readers a sense of what the Russian Armed Forces’ reports are worth: ‘MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Russian servicemen in a day destroyed a U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS transporter-loader vehicle and struck Flamingo rocket launchers.’”</p> <p>“Only Russian propaganda is capable of ‘destroying’ what doesn’t exist,” the Joint Forces concluded.</p> <p>On February 21, Ukraine struck the Votkinsk Plant in Udmurtia, which produces intercontinental ballistic missiles. Other key facilities were also hit.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-debunks-russian-claim-of-destroying-nonexistent-himars-and-flamingo-launchers">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/23/hungary-reverses-planned-electricity-cutoff.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/23/hungary-reverses-planned-electricity-cutoff.html <p>Hungary’s Government Energy Council on Sunday, February 22, reversed previously planned cancellations of electricity deliveries to Ukraine — a move officials said was meant to show concern for ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region.</p> <p>The council reviewed several issues related to power shipments from Hungary to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=939418765288481">said</a>.</p> <p>According to Szijjarto, nearly half of the electricity Ukraine imports comes from Hungary.</p> <p>“We concluded that we must act with particular caution in this matter, because there are Hungarians living across the border, and halting exports would primarily affect Zakarpattia - creating specific problems, challenges and suffering for families on the other side,” he said.</p> <p>He added that Hungary’s current leadership is not against ordinary Ukrainians. “Our dispute is with the Ukrainian state, the Ukrainian government, with President Zelensky,” the minister said.</p> <p>In February, Hungary and Slovakia together made up 70% of Ukraine’s power import mix, totaling more than 1.4 GW of additional capacity, energy market analyst Daria Orlova of ExPro Consulting told <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/energetichniy-shantazh-chi-zalishitsya-ukrayina-1771530915.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>Hungary’s share of imported kilowatt-hours reached 45%, she said, noting the country cannot unilaterally break its contract and stop deliveries because EU transmission system operators are tightly regulated within the ENTSO-E association.</p> <p>Earlier, Hungary warned it could halt exports of electricity and gas to Ukraine if Kyiv does not resume transporting Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline.</p> <p>On February 18, the Hungarian government announced it was suspending diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine, a step Budapest said was necessary to protect its own energy security. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said supplies would not resume until oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline is restored.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/hungary-reverses-planned-electricity-cutoff-to-ukraine-citing-zakarpattia-hungarians">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/ukrainian-forces-destroy-mi-and.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 23:32:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/ukrainian-forces-destroy-mi-and.html <p>Russia has lost two more helicopters. A multirole Mi-8 and an attack Ka-52 were destroyed by drones in the Oryol region.</p> <p>On Friday evening, February 20, Ukrainian Defense Forces used strike drones to destroy two helicopters based at the Pugachevka airfield in Russia’s Oryol region, according to the Russian Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/dosye_shpiona/724">Dossier Shpiona</a>.</p> <p>The report says a multirole Mi-8, tail number 53, belonging to the 319th Separate Helicopter Regiment based in Chernigovka, Primorsky Krai, was destroyed.</p> <p>An attack helicopter Ka-52 with tail number 18 belonged to the 16th Army Aviation Brigade located in Zernograd, Rostov region.</p> <p>“The helicopters have been destroyed and cannot be restored,” the channel stated.</p> <p>Pugachevka airfield in the village of Pugachevka, Oryol region, Russia. Photo: open sources.</p> <p>The outlet Militarnyi <a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/syly-oborony-znyshhyly-my-8-ta-ka-52-u-orlovskij-oblasti-rf/">suggests</a> Russian forces are using the small unpaved Pugachevka airfield, owned by a local flying club, as an operational site for a composite helicopter detachment tasked with intercepting Ukrainian long-range UAVs.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian Armed Forces drones destroyed a Russian Navy Ka-27 helicopter. The successful strike deprived Russia of military equipment valued at $1.5 million.</p> <p>Overnight on February 21, Defense Forces struck two Project 22460 “Okhotnik” border patrol ships near the city of Inkerman in Crimea, and hit two Be-12 anti-submarine amphibious aircraft on the grounds of an aircraft repair plant in Yevpatoria. In addition, near the settlement of Astrakhanka in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian Defense Forces units struck a Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-destroy-mi-8-and-ka-52-helicopters-at-oryol-airfield">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/eu-weighs-fasttrack-ukraine-accession.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 22:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/eu-weighs-fasttrack-ukraine-accession.html <p>The European Union is weighing a preferential, fast-track path for Ukraine to join the bloc in exchange for a swift peace deal with Russia.</p> <p>Across European capitals, officials are actively debating potential terms of a future peace agreement on Ukraine. A central question: what security guarantees and political incentives Kyiv could receive if the war ends.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/plus6995d94c026df14c655f7605/ukraine-unselige-verteidigungsfalle-die-heikle-ukraine-frage-die-bruessel-lange-vermeiden-wollte.html">Die Welt</a>, options under discussion include accelerated EU membership for Ukraine and expanded mechanisms to protect the country.</p> <p>European sources say the idea is this: Ukraine could be given a clear, relatively near-term path to EU membership if a compromise to end the war is reached with the United States and Russia. The talks involve not only political integration but also concrete security guarantees meant to offset the risk of a new conflict after any potential deal.</p> <p>The discussions come amid a complex diplomatic landscape. The United States, a key mediator, is advancing a model under which Ukraine would receive support and security guarantees while Russia retains control over parts of the occupied territories and gains the remaining, currently unoccupied areas of Donetsk region. For Kyiv, however, handing Moscow the remaining territories of Donbas remains unacceptable.</p> <p>In Brussels, officials acknowledge that any compromise would require careful explanation to the Ukrainian public. That is why the prospect of EU membership is seen as a potential argument in favor of a deal. Informally, timelines of around 2027 are being floated, though many diplomats view 2028 to 2030 as more realistic.</p> <p>Even a fast-tracked accession would face hurdles. EU rules require a host of conditions to be met, including reforms, stronger anti-corruption measures and bolstered rule-of-law institutions. Any accession also</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-weighs-fast-track-ukraine-accession-in-exchange-for-donbas-concessions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/213006.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/213006.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/47c41ba320.jpg" alt="Putin tried to KILL Zelenskyy! His response is SHOCKING #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lQokAGo_aRs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/iran-signs-secret-missile-deal.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:02:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/iran-signs-secret-missile-deal.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/825a45ef91.jpg" alt="Iran signs secret missile deal with Russia, FT reports"></p>The arms deal was signed in Moscow in December, and requires Russia to send Iran 500 "Verba" Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPADS) launch units and 2,500 9M336 surface-to-air missiles over three years, the Financial Times reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/iran-signs-secret-missile-deal-with-russia-ft-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/europe-to-send-equipment-from.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/europe-to-send-equipment-from.html <p>Ukraine could receive equipment from at least six decommissioned thermal power plants and combined heat-and-power plants from Latvia, Austria, Finland, Croatia, France and Germany.</p> <p>Agreements on the possibility of obtaining decommissioned equipment and delivering it quickly to Ukraine were reached during a meeting of the International Energy Agency, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal <a href="https://t.me/Denys_Smyhal/12323">said</a>.</p> <p>“The equipment will be moved and quickly installed. We’re talking about at least six decommissioned thermal and CHP plants that will be handed over to Ukraine. This will allow us to rapidly restore key stations destroyed by the enemy. They will provide Ukrainians with heat,” he wrote on his Telegram account.</p> <p>A few days earlier, Shmyhal explained how Ukraine is taking equipment from thermal and CHP plants in Eastern European countries.</p> <p>Ukrainian specialists independently conduct assessments and analyze equipment, then decide what to take if possible.</p> <p>According to him, Ukraine has significant needs for equipment to repair its thermal power and combined heat-and-power plants. To finance these needs, partners have contributed €1.8 billion to a special Energy Support Fund.</p> <p>Energy expert Oleksandr Kharchenko has said power companies lack the equipment needed to repair facilities damaged by Russian strikes. </p> <p>According to him, warehouse reserves have already been exhausted.</p> <p>Since late January, Russia’s military has carried out regular strikes on Ukrainian thermal plants in Kyiv, the Kyiv region and other parts of the country.</p> <p>Volodymyr Omelchenko, director of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, said it could take several years and about €600–700 million to restore Kyiv’s CHP-4, which was almost completely destroyed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/europe-to-send-equipment-from-six-decommissioned-thermal-and-chp-plants-to-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/putin-tried-to-kill-zelenskyy.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/putin-tried-to-kill-zelenskyy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2fd8e0b720.jpg" alt="Putin tried to kill Zelenskyy, but &quot;Flamingo&quot; hits 870 miles and destroys Russia’s &quot;super missile&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYWiZ1CTK8c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/satellite-images-confirm-flamingo-strike.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:30:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/satellite-images-confirm-flamingo-strike.html <p>New evidence points to extensive damage at a strategic missile plant in Udmurtia following a strike by Flamingo missiles.</p> <p>The OSINT project KiberBoroshno <a href="https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/12582">published satellite images</a> clearly showing the aftermath of the attack.</p> <p>The photos show a large breach in the roof of one of the production buildings. Analysts estimate the damage at roughly 30 by 24 meters.</p> <p>Experts believe the explosion occurred inside the building, indicating the most severe destruction is within the facility’s production area. Specialists suggest the interior of the shop may have been completely burned out.</p> <p>The strike hit Building 19, the electroplating and stamping shop. This is where metal parts were formed, stamped and casing components for missile systems were manufactured.</p> <p>The shop is critical to the plant’s operations. It produces the basic structural shells of products; without this step, further assembly of missile systems is impossible. Losing such capacity could significantly slow production for Russia’s defense industry.</p> <p>Russian authorities have confirmed an attack on an industrial site in Udmurtia but have not released details.</p> <p>Overnight on February 21, the Votkinsk Plant was struck by Ukrainian FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missiles at a distance of about 1.3 km from the border. It is one of the deepest missile strikes into Russian territory since the start of the full-scale war. According to the Ukrainian General Staff and satellite monitoring, a fire and damage to production buildings were recorded on the plant’s grounds.</p> <p>The Votkinsk Plant was founded in 1759 by decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. It is one of Russia’s oldest industrial enterprises and holds strategic importance for the Kremlin’s war machine.</p> <p>The plant specializes in producing RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles, R-30 Bulava submarine-launched missiles, 9M723-1 missiles for the Iskander-M system, as well as components for the Kinzhal system. It is effectively involved in the aggression against Ukraine, making it a legitimate military target.</p> <p>The plant is under sanctions by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and other countries as a key element of Russia’s defense-industrial base.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/satellite-images-confirm-flamingo-strike-blasted-30-by-24-meter-hole-in-key-workshop-at-russia-s-votkinsk-missile-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/battle-for-history-how-putin.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/battle-for-history-how-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ac73efedeb.jpg" alt="Battle for History: How Putin turned the past into a weapon of mass destruction | Episode 2"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3PJI-_cVBI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/terrorists-recruited-via-telegram-attack.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:58:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/terrorists-recruited-via-telegram-attack.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/789d22d5ed.jpg" alt="Terrorists RECRUITED via TELEGRAM, attack organized by RUSSIA, – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9qTv-ZZKXSQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/syrskyi-says-russias-offensive-failed.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:30:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/syrskyi-says-russias-offensive-failed.html <p>In an interview with <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2024/12/17/le-commandant-en-chef-de-l-armee-ukrainienne-le-general-oleksandr-syrsky-dresse-le-bilan-d-une-annee-de-combats-intenses_6453674_3210.html">Le Monde</a>, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief said Russia is burning through manpower faster than it can replace it - and that Moscow’s plans for a major 2025 offensive failed.</p> <p>Ukraine’s president and military describe the front-line situation as extremely difficult, but Russia’s 2025 plans fell apart, according to Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.</p> <p>Syrskyi said Russia had prepared a large-scale offensive for 2025 with goals that went beyond pressuring individual sectors of the front. Moscow aimed to seize all of Donbas, parts of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions, and create a “buffer zone” in Kharkiv and Sumy regions — but “failed,” he said.</p> <p>The Ukrainian commander stressed the conflict has not frozen. Territory continued to change hands, and fighting is unfolding on land, in the air and at sea — pushing back against assessments that the war has reached a stalemate.</p> <p>Drones and a new logic of combat</p> <p>Technology is reshaping the psychology of war, Syrskyi said. Infantry remains critical because much of the assault work is done “on foot,” making each infantryman “literally worth his weight in gold.” He said both sides use thousands of FPV drones daily, plus hundreds of reconnaissance drones to direct fire.</p> <p>According to Syrskyi, 2025 was the first year “when losses in the Russian army exceeded the level of recruitment.” He said Ukrainian forces disable 1,000–1,100 Russian troops daily — killed or wounded. He did not provide figures for Ukrainian losses.</p> <p>Syrskyi did not comment directly on diplomatic negotiations but said the mission for Ukraine’s forces is to prevent deep enemy advances toward Ukrainian defensive lines before talks conclude and, where possible, to liberate territory. He linked this to a chance for “honest negotiations” and a “just peace.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-says-russia-s-2025-offensive-failed-as-losses-outpace-recruitment">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:01:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/crimea.webp" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits Russian planes, ships in Crimea, artillery in major strikes on occupied territories"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 21-22: </strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine hits Russian planes, ships in Crimea, artillery in major strikes on occupied territories</li><li>Ukraine confirms Flamingo strike on key Russian ballistic missile factory</li><li>Russia hits American sweets factory with missile in northeastern Ukraine</li><li>Explosions rock Ukraine's capital and outskirts as Russia launches</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits-russian-planes-ships-in-crimea-artillery-in-major-strikes-on-occupied-territories/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/putin-signs-law-allowing-fsb.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:00:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/putin-signs-law-allowing-fsb.html <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, February 20, signed a law requiring telecom operators to block any communications at the demand of the Federal Security Service (FSB), after both chambers of parliament approved the measure</p> <p>Under the law, operators must suspend services upon receiving FSB demands “in cases established by regulatory legal acts of the president.” Operators won’t be liable for failing to meet service-contract obligations if the disruption stems from complying with FSB demands, according to the text published on the official legal information portal.</p> <p>The State Duma passed the amendments to the Communications Law on February 17 in both the second and third readings. The presentation and vote took just two minutes. The Federation Council approved the bill the next day.</p> <p>The initial draft said services could be cut off at the FSB’s “request” “in cases established by regulatory legal acts of the president and the government, to protect citizens and the state from emerging security threats.” By the second reading, “requests” were replaced with “demands,” and the language about protecting the public from “security threats” was removed. References to the government were also deleted, leaving only the president.</p> <p>That means Putin can set the conditions for blocking internet and phone service in specific regions or nationwide without explaining the grounds. The law further strengthens the role of security agencies, especially the FSB, political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin told DW. Putin is “expanding his freedom of action,” narrowing civil society’s rights and seeking to balance competing security power centers, he said.</p> <p>Yevgeny Smirnov, a lawyer with the First Department project, said the grounds for blocking communications in Russia will no longer be limited. “This rather frees the president’s hands, since he will determine such cases,” he told the outlet Agentstvo. Legal expert Valeria Vetoshkina said the amendments don’t fundamentally change the existing balance of power; they streamline the legal paperwork and formal barriers for FSB demands.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-signs-law-allowing-fsb-to-cut-off-internet-and-phone-service-on-demand">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/russia-stages-terror-attack-in.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/russia-stages-terror-attack-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ccc1544d5e.jpg" alt="Russia stages terror attack in Lviv center – civilian terror knows no bounds"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjma_2gWW80">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/ampquotstay-away-from-politicsampquot-putins.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/ampquotstay-away-from-politicsampquot-putins.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8e0967483b.jpg" alt="&quot;Stay away from politics&quot; – Putin's rule... #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/51u-OI3Rcgs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/dictator-ampquotkingampquot-or-just-putin.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:01:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/dictator-ampquotkingampquot-or-just-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b23b46e3fe.jpg" alt="Dictator, &quot;king,&quot; or just - Putin! How the ex-KGB agent seized power in the Kremlin"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHK4dY3LseM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/merz-vows-unwavering-german-support.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:00:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/merz-vows-unwavering-german-support.html <p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed his government’s unwavering resolve to support Ukraine in its defensive war against Russian military aggression.</p> <p>“We stand with the Ukrainian people without any ‘ifs’ or ‘buts,’” Merz said in a speech at a party congress of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which he leads, on Friday, February 20, in Stuttgart.</p> <p>The head of government said Germany would never accept that “the criminal Russian regime is systematically waging war against Ukraine’s civilian population — against the elderly, women and children.” He also condemned Moscow’s rhetoric, noting that Russia has accompanied its aggression, now in its fourth year, with “simply unbearable Nazi propaganda against the Ukrainian people — a people who suffered under German and Russian tyranny as few others in the world have.” The chancellor stressed that this would always meet a resolute response from Germany.</p> <p>Russian aggression is “a litmus test for our values and our resolve,” the Christian Democratic politician said. He invoked the lessons of history: “Appeasement does not create peace. It only encourages the aggressor.” Those who embrace “naive pacifism” today, he added, help sow the wars of tomorrow.</p> <p>Merz called for a clear answer on how Germany can protect its values, interests, freedom, security, prosperity and sovereignty. He said that answer must be European in nature, in the tradition of former CDU chancellors Konrad Adenauer and Helmut Kohl, and built on “values-based realism.” Europe, he concluded, must learn to “speak the language of power.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/merz-vows-unwavering-german-support-for-ukraine-urges-europe-to-speak-the-language-of-power">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/zelensky-orders-more-air-defenses.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:53:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/zelensky-orders-more-air-defenses.html <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky held a conference call on the situation in the regions after an overnight barrage of Russian missiles and drones, he said <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18052">on Telegram</a>.</p> <p>“This time, the Russians targeted not only energy facilities but also logistics — in particular, railway infrastructure — and urban water-supply systems. We discussed in detail with regional representatives that protection against Russian strikes must be scaled up and quickly adjusted to changes in Russian tactics,” he wrote.</p> <p>Zelensky said a church was damaged by a Russian strike in the Boryspil district of Kyiv region. Several other regions also reported damage to residential buildings. Assistance is being provided to victims wherever needed.</p> <p>“I instructed Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense to deploy additional forces to protect the skies over Sumy region. The day before, in the Shostka district, a Russian drone struck an ambulance — a deliberate attack. Sadly, three people were killed. Russians must feel the consequences for every such strike, and in all border and frontline regions it must be evident that protection against Russian drones is increasing,” the president said.</p> <p>In addition, Ukraine’s interior minister reported details of the investigation into the terror attack in Lviv.</p> <p>“Not everything can be made public now. Several people have been detained, and all facts will be established as part of the necessary procedural work. Later, law enforcement will provide more information to the public,” Zelensky concluded.</p> <p>Overnight on February 22, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 345 missiles and drones. The strikes primarily targeted critical infrastructure, and most hostile targets were intercepted by air defenses.</p> <p>As a result of the attack in Kyiv region, one person was killed and at least five were injured. Damage and fires were recorded in five districts of the region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-orders-more-air-defenses-for-sumy-after-mass-russian-strikes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/ukraines-air-assault-forces-launch.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:51:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/ukraines-air-assault-forces-launch.html <p>Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces have launched an operation in southern Ukraine, focusing on the Oleksandrivske axis spanning the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.</p> <p>The command <a href="https://t.me/ua_dshv/8251">says</a> the main goals are to disrupt Russia’s plans to push deeper into Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia, defeat opposing forces and push them back beyond the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk region, according to a statement from the Air Assault Forces command.</p> <p>“Despite the enemy’s active assault operations, Air Assault units are repelling all attacks and successfully conducting offensive actions. Overall, the situation can be described as highly dynamic,” the military said.</p> <p>They added that Russian forces are trying to hold their positions using all available manpower and equipment. At the same time, Air Assault units are completing assigned tasks and “step by step are liberating their homeland.”</p> <p>“Since the start of the operation, the Air Assault grouping, together with adjacent units, has restored control over more than 300 square kilometers of territory (cleared of enemy sabotage-and-reconnaissance groups) and over eight settlements. As the active phase continues, it’s somewhat premature to talk about final results,” the Ukrainian military said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-air-assault-forces-launch-southern-operation-to-halt-russian-advance">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/moscow-shuts-down-all-airports.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:51:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/moscow-shuts-down-all-airports.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/01f3348b34.jpg" alt="Moscow shuts down all 4 airports during Ukrainian drone attack, Russian officials say"></p>Twenty drones were shot down en route to Moscow during the afternoon of Feb. 22, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moscow-shuts-down-all-4-airports-during-ukrainian-drone-attack-russian-officials-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/drone-intercept-sunray-laser-ukraine.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:40:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/drone-intercept-sunray-laser-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bdc1b07747.jpg" alt="90% DRONE INTERCEPT + SUNRAY LASER! Ukraine destroys Russia's energy sector – blackout in Belgorod"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OU1eeaxVjU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/russia-hits-american-sweets-factory.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:10:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/russia-hits-american-sweets-factory.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-665638624.jpg" alt="Russia hits American sweets factory with missile in northeastern Ukraine"></p>The factory, located in Trostianets in Sumy Oblast, was struck by a missile, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said. The plant has operated since the 1990s, and produces a range of well-known products, including Oreo and Milka.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-hits-american-biscuit-factory-with-missile-in-eastern-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/hungary-to-block-eus-th.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/hungary-to-block-eus-th.html <p>Hungary will block the European Union’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on February 22 in a post on <a href="https://x.com/FM_Szijjarto/status/2025511831721202100">X</a>.</p> <p>“At tomorrow’s Foreign Affairs Council, the EU aims to adopt the 20th sanctions package. Hungary will block it. Until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, we will not allow decisions important to Kyiv to move forward,” he wrote.</p> <p>Earlier in February, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the new package seeks a full ban on providing maritime services for Russian oil exports. The measures would target 43 tankers from the so‑called “shadow fleet,” and prohibit maintenance and other services for icebreakers and LNG carriers.</p> <p>The package also envisages a ban on importing metals, chemicals and critical minerals not yet under sanctions, along with additional curbs on European exports to Russia “from rubber to tractors.” Another 20 Russian regional banks are expected to be added to the sanctions list. To take effect, the package must be approved by all EU member states.</p> <p>On February 18, Szijjarto said Hungary was suspending diesel supplies to Ukraine until Kyiv restores oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline. He <a href="https://x.com/FM_Szijjarto/status/2024907573556662783">added</a> that Budapest had blocked a €90 billion loan to Kyiv previously approved by the European Commission. “Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary by obstructing oil transit, in coordination with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition, to disrupt supplies to Hungary and raise fuel prices ahead of the elections,” Szijjarto said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/hungary-to-block-eu-s-20th-russia-sanctions-package-until-ukraine-resumes-druzhba-oil-transit">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/russia-launches-massive-missile-and.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/russia-launches-massive-missile-and.html <p>Overnight on February 22, Russia carried out a large-scale strike on energy and civilian infrastructure across several regions of Ukraine. Authorities reported injuries and damage.</p> <p>The main targets were Kyiv and the Kyiv region, as well as Kropyvnytskyi, Kremenchuk and several other parts of the country, according to <a href="https://t.me/war_monitor/37789">preliminary assessments</a>.</p> <p>“The enemy conducted an intense attack on two regions overnight - Kyiv, the Kyiv region and Kropyvnytskyi. In the Kyiv region, groups of attack UAVs were massed, and at least 12 ballistic strikes were launched on the capital and its suburbs,” the analysts wrote.</p> <p>Russian forces <a href="https://t.me/telegraf_kremenchuk/66849">also struck</a> the city of Kremenchuk and nearby areas with at least eight ballistic missiles. Local media reported hearing explosions in the city.</p> <p>Analysts noted the use of four 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missiles launched from Crimea. At dawn, additional air-launched cruise missiles targeted Kyiv and its outskirts.</p> <p>“The energy sector was the primary target, and there is also known damage to civilian facilities,” the specialists concluded.</p> <p>As of publication, Ukraine’s Air Force had not released a report on the types and numbers of weapons used.</p> <p>In Kyiv, debris fell in residential areas following strikes on the capital and its suburbs. Mayor Vitali Klitschko <a href="https://t.me/vitaliy_klitschko/6253">said</a> two people - a woman and a child - were hospitalized in city hospitals from the suburbs.</p> <p>The Kyiv City Military Administration <a href="https://t.me/VA_Kyiv/17070">said</a> earlier reports of damage to a high-rise residential building in the Sviatoshynskyi district “are not confirmed.” Specialists and rescue teams are assessing damage at other locations across the capital.</p> <p>In the Kyiv region, Russian forces attacked civilian settlements and critical infrastructure. Regional administration head Mykola Kalashnyk said impacts and destruction were recorded in five districts.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, there is information about one injured person. In the Boryspil district, a private home was damaged in the enemy attack. Preliminary reports indicate a woman was injured by glass shards — she is receiving necessary medical care. A farm outbuilding also caught fire in the district; the blaze has been contained,” Kalashnyk wrote.</p> <p>He added that in the Brovary district, 10 units in a garage cooperative were damaged, and five private homes were damaged in the Fastiv district. Eight people, including one child, were rescued from the rubble. Later, Kalashnyk <a href="https://t.me/Mykola_Kalashnyk/9045">reported</a> that a 49-year-old man died from his injuries in the Fastiv district.</p> <p>“In the Bucha district, two private homes and a car were damaged. In the Obukhiv district, warehouse facilities and a private home were reported damaged,” the regional chief said.</p> <p>In the Mykolaiv region, a transport infrastructure facility was damaged in the attack. Governor Vitaliy Kim <a href="https://t.me/mykolaivskaODA/18713">said</a> Russia struck with attack drones overnight and into the morning; no casualties were reported.</p> <p>In the Kirovohrad region, Russian forces shelled the regional center. Governor Andriy Raikovych confirmed the attack without detailing the nature or extent of the damage. “All relevant services are at work. Specialists are surveying the area,” he <a href="https://t.me/kirovogradskaODA/21695">wrote</a>.</p> <p>In the Poltava region, debris from downed UAVs damaged fences at private properties in the Poltava district. Governor Vitaliy Dyakivnych <a href="https://t.me/poltavskaOVA/32636">said</a> there were no casualties and no reports of impacts or debris falls in other districts.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-launches-massive-missile-and-drone-attack-on-ukraine-2">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/trump-and-putin-reportedly-in.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 16:35:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/trump-and-putin-reportedly-in.html <p>While Germany and the EU insist that dependence on Russian pipeline gas is a thing of the past, behind-the-scenes diplomacy around Nord Stream is ongoing. U.S. President Donald Trump is discussing with Russian President Vladimir Putin a potential restart of the pipelines, but under American control, reports <a href="https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/politik-gesellschaft/geopolitik/geheime-verhandlungen-kommt-nord-stream-unter-us-kontrolle-zurueck-li.10018586">the newspaper Berliner Zeitung</a>, citing informed sources.</p> <p>Sources describe backchannel contacts exploring an unexpected option: Russian gas could once again flow to Europe, but not under Moscow’s control. One possible scenario envisions U.S. involvement in managing the project.</p> <p>It is notable that the United States had long opposed Nord Stream, which critics said entrenched Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. Now, with Donald Trump back in power, the policy appears to have shifted.</p> <p>The pipeline issue is reportedly being raised in closed-door discussions between Trump and Putin. One interlocutor claims Nord Stream is “an absolute part of the secret negotiations.” There has been no official confirmation of these claims, but the mere prospect is prompting serious questions across Europe.</p> <p>American business interests are also emerging. Among potential buyers for Nord Stream 2 is Texas banker Gentry Beach, who is linked to Trump’s circle. The discussion concerns a possible purchase of the infrastructure if it is legally and politically unblocked.</p> <p>Experts stress that even if a U.S. entity becomes the operator, the gas would still come from Russia—meaning the strategic dependence would remain. Russia has previously used energy as a tool of pressure, a fact well remembered in Europe.</p> <p>Opinion in Germany is divided. Some politicians categorically oppose any return to the project. Others point to high energy prices and mounting pressure on industry.</p> <p>In September 2022, explosions in the Baltic Sea damaged three of the four strings of Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Gas deliveries to Germany were halted entirely. Investigations are ongoing, with no final judicial conclusions yet.</p> <p>At the start of February, the EU’s RePowerEU provisions took effect, prohibiting new gas contracts with Russia, including both long-term agreements and spot market purchases. In addition, in October last year, Nord Stream was included in the EU’s 19th sanctions package, making any potential restart extremely complex from a legal standpoint.</p> <p>Against this backdrop, discussions around the pipeline carry added weight. The issue is not only about gas prices, but also about Europe’s politics and security. And if talks are indeed underway, Europe risks finding itself in a position where key decisions are made without its direct involvement.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/trump-and-putin-reportedly-in-secret-talks-to-restart-nord-stream-under-u-s-control">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/hungary-slovakia-spat-with-ukraine.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:58:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/hungary-slovakia-spat-with-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a99f4f01c4.jpg" alt="Hungary, Slovakia spat with Ukraine deepens as Budapest threatens to block new EU sanctions"></p>Hungary said it would block the EU's new sanctions package against Russia over halted oil deliveries through Ukraine, the latest development in a deepening spat between Ukraine and its neighbors, Slovakia and Hungary, over Russian oil imports.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-slovakia-spat-deepens-as-budapest-threatens-to-block-new-eu-sanctions-package/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/slovakia-threatens-to-stop-emergency.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:46:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/slovakia-threatens-to-stop-emergency.html <p>Slovakia may halt electricity supplies to Ukraine as soon as February 23 if Kyiv does not restore oil shipments to the country, Prime Minister Robert Fico warned in a post on <a href="https://x.com/RobertFicoSVK/status/2025160440355999886">X</a>. The dispute centers on oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, which were interrupted on January 27.</p> <p>“If oil supplies to Slovakia are not resumed on Monday, I will ask SEPS, the state-owned joint-stock company, to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. In January 2026 alone, these emergency supplies, needed to stabilize the Ukrainian energy grid, were required twice as much as during the entire year of 2025,” Fico wrote.</p> <p>The Slovak prime minister also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of “unacceptable behavior” toward Slovakia. “First, he halted gas flows to Slovakia, causing us damages of €500 million per year. Now he has stopped oil flows, causing us further losses and logistical difficulties,” Fico said.</p> <p>On February 18, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the country is suspending diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine until “oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline is restored.” He said Zelensky decided not to resume oil transit “for political reasons, knowingly putting Hungary’s energy supply at risk.” At the same time, Szijjarto added, Budapest plays an important role in ensuring Ukraine’s energy security, noting that most of Ukraine’s imports of gas, electricity and diesel come from or via Hungary.</p> <p>On February 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said flows through Druzhba ceased after January 27 due to a Russian airstrike on a section of the pipeline running through Ukrainian territory.</p> <p>Amid the halt, Hungarian oil and gas company MOL on February 16 asked the country’s energy ministry to release about 250,000 tons of oil from strategic reserves. And on February 18, Slovakia’s government declared an “emergency situation in the oil sector.” Authorities allocated 250,000 tons of oil to Slovnaft—the country’s largest refinery, majority-owned by MOL—and the plant announced it would stop diesel exports abroad, including to Ukraine, to cover domestic needs.</p> <p>On February 20, Ukrainian outlet European Pravda reported that Kyiv proposed the European Commission use alternative oil transit infrastructure in Ukraine to supply Hungary and Slovakia. “In particular, such logistics could be organized either through Ukraine’s pipeline system, or by sea with subsequent transshipment at seaports and transportation via the Odessa–Brody pipeline further into European Union member states,” the outlet quoted from a letter sent to the Commission.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/slovakia-threatens-to-stop-emergency-power-exports-to-ukraine-unless-druzhba-oil-flows-resume">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/how-ukraine-stopped-trending-ukraine.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:36:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/how-ukraine-stopped-trending-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/utw-22-02-1-2-2-.jpg" alt="How Ukraine stopped trending | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines how global support for Ukraine has shifted four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-ukraine-stopped-trending-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/mothers-in-yakutia-allege-conscripts.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/mothers-in-yakutia-allege-conscripts.html <p>Russia’s military command is allegedly pressuring conscripts to “voluntarily” switch to contract service, sparking a new controversy.</p> <p>This time, complaints are coming from Yakutia. Relatives say conscripts may have been pushed to sign contracts for professional military service. The issue was raised publicly by State Duma lawmaker Fedot Tumusov, who said mothers from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) approached him with the claims. He initially suspected the reports might be fake but, after speaking with the women, said their accounts appeared credible and warranted scrutiny.</p> <p>The women allege their sons, serving mandatory terms in units in Russia’s Far East, faced pressure to sign contracts in formations based in Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk-on-Amur. They say the young men had completed only about two months of service before finding themselves in a situation where, they claim, there was no real choice.</p> <p>Tumusov emphasized these are the private accounts of the complainants and that final conclusions should be left to the relevant authorities. He said he has filed official requests with Russia’s Ministry of Defense, the Investigative Committee and the military prosecutor’s office, urging formal checks.</p> <p>The episode once again challenges the notion that Russia’s armed forces are entirely voluntary. Previous instances of pressure on conscripts to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry have been documented.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/mothers-in-yakutia-allege-conscripts-were-pressured-to-sign-contracts-appeal-to-state-duma">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/three-people-were-injured-in.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 13:47:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/three-people-were-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b77a7111ba.jpg" alt="Three people were INJURED in the Kyiv region as a result of a RUSSIAN ATTACK #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9YRxVc6GexE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:48:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257789115.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,259,780 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 890 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-259-780-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:26:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2026-02-22-10-31-08.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 11, injure 38 in Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched a large-scale combined drone and missile attack in the early hours of Sunday, firing 50 missiles and 297 long-range kamikaze drones, predominantly towards Kyiv and its suburbs.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-kill-11-injure-38-in-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/consequences-of-russian-shelling-zelenskyy.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:09:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/consequences-of-russian-shelling-zelenskyy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e0fffdbf66.jpg" alt="Consequences of Russian shelling: Zelenskyy shows the scale of destruction #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j4CRWlWm5XQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-oil-depot.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 06:27:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-21-at-10-52-16-pm-1.png" alt="Ukraine reportedly strikes oil depot in Russian-occupied Luhansk"></p>Ukraine struck an oil depot in Russian-occupied Luhansk overnight on Feb. 22, Telegram news channel Exilenova+ reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-oil-depot-in-russian-occupied-luhansk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/explosions-rock-ukraines-capital-as.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 04:07:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/explosions-rock-ukraines-capital-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255514626.jpg" alt="Explosions rock Ukraine's capital as Russia launches ballistic missiles, injuring 2 in Kyiv Oblast"></p>Several rounds of explosions were reported in Kyiv overnight on Feb. 22, leaving a mother and her child injured as Russia launched ballistic missiles at Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-rock-kyiv-as-russia-launches-ballistic-missiles-at-ukraines-capital/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/22/russia-kills-in-sumy-oblast.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:31:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/22/russia-kills-in-sumy-oblast.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/trostianetshbthbx0wqaefjad.jpg" alt="Russia kills 4 in Sumy Oblast, strikes ambulance carrying minor hospitalized in blast, targets Mondelez factory"></p>A Russian drone attack in northeastern Ukraine's Sumy Oblast killed two brothers and a married couple, while a missile attack damaged a production facility belonging to U.S. multinational company Mondelez, authorities reported Feb. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-kills-4-in-sumy-oblast-strikes-ambulance-carrying-minor-hospitalized-in-blast-targets-mondelez-factory/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/zelensky-introduces-new-sanctions-on.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 20:11:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/zelensky-introduces-new-sanctions-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/572af3041dc440ae743534e3e0ab494c-1771689955-extra-large.png" alt="Zelensky introduces new sanctions on Russian shadow fleet"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Feb. 21 that Ukraine is imposing new sanctions targeting the captains of Russia's shadow fleet.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-new-sanctions-russian-shadow-fleet/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/battle-for-history-how-putin.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 20:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/battle-for-history-how-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fcc95b56ce.jpg" alt="Battle for History: How Putin turned the past into a weapon of mass destruction | Episode 1"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Nx78BtDKI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/eu-says-it-is-not.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/eu-says-it-is-not.html <p>The European Union is continuing consultations with Kyiv over the Druzhba oil pipeline but is not demanding accelerated repairs or applying political pressure, officials said.</p> <p>The EU is not pressing Ukraine to urgently restore the Druzhba pipeline and resume the transit of Russian oil, and no deadlines have been set for the Ukrainian side, European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said, according to <a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2026/02/19/7231549">European Pravda</a>.</p> <p>Brussels remains in contact with Ukrainian authorities but is not imposing any timeline for repairs and is not asking Kyiv to speed up the work, Itkonen said. The Commission is only requesting information on expected timeframes for infrastructure restoration, she added, stressing that the EU’s position is unambiguous.</p> <p>“Therefore in this case we are not pushing, not pressuring, there are no deadlines. That should be absolutely clear,” the EC spokesperson said.</p> <p>EU officials also noted that throughout the full-scale war, Russia has repeatedly struck Ukraine’s energy infrastructure - even as it uses that infrastructure itself.</p> <p>Itkonen said Kyiv continues to repair damaged facilities, showing significant effort with support from EU member states and institutions. These efforts have helped keep homes heated and hospitals and industry operating despite ongoing attacks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-says-it-is-not-pressuring-ukraine-to-speed-druzhba-pipeline-repairs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/ukraine-reports-retaking-over-square.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:15:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/ukraine-reports-retaking-over-square.html <p>Through assault and counterattack operations, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have de-occupied more than 300 square kilometers in the south, regaining control around the Hulyaipole area and adjacent sectors of the Zaporizhzhia region.</p> <p>Ukrainian units are conducting counterattacks and assault actions, shrinking the so-called “gray zone,” Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, told <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/ukrayina-zvilnila-teritoriyi-pivdni-viyskovi-1771683480.htm">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>Since the operation began in late January, Ukrainian troops have restored control over some 300 square kilometers, he said.</p> <p>According to Voloshyn, control was also reestablished over several settlements along the administrative boundary between the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.</p> <p>Up to 50 clashes are taking place daily in the Hulyaipole and Oleksandrivka sectors, he added, noting the operation remains in an active phase and it’s too early to draw final conclusions.</p> <p>Since the start of the day, Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian defenders 75 times, with the most engagements recorded around Hulyaipole, Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0fpyib8fXf6Vrf4rcG1MtNMyDLzxnYu4iAkyLy1Ja79298GreXnStq54y32P97Xgkl?locale=ru_RU">said in its update</a>. Ukraine’s Defense Forces are holding the line and inflicting significant losses, it added.</p> <p>On the Hulyaipole axis, there were 27 attacks in and around Hulyaipole and toward Zheleznodorozhne, Staroukrainka, Sviatopetrivka, Zelenyi, Varvarivka, Dobropillia, Zahorne and Horkoho. Six assaults were still ongoing. Russian forces also carried out airstrikes near Rozivka, Gyrke, Zheleznodorozhne, Myrne, Hulyaipilske, Luhivske and Charivne.</p> <p>On February 20, in <a href="https://www.france24.com/fr/vid%C3%A9o/20260221-l-ukraine-ne-perd-pas-la-guerre-affirme-le-pr%C3%A9sident-volodymyr-zelensky">an interview with Agence France-Presse</a>, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s Defense Forces had liberated 300 square kilometers of territory from Russian control.</p> <p>Separately, Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of Reservists, argued that Ukrainian actions in the Zaporizhzhia sector should not be labeled a counteroffensive. He said Ukraine’s command is using a tailored tactic that inflicts Russian losses even without Ukrainian assaults.</p> <p>On February 19, commenting on the situation near Hulyaipole, Voloshyn said Ukrainian forces were clearing out saboteurs and pushing Russian troops back before they could dig in. Ukrainian troops are acting “proactively” to reduce the “gray zone,” he said, adding that this may give Russian forces the impression a larger offensive is underway.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-reports-retaking-over-300-square-kilometers-in-zaporizhzhia-as-clashes-intensify-near-hulyaipole">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/tension-grips-kadyrov-family-after.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/tension-grips-kadyrov-family-after.html <p>Adam Kadyrov, the son of the head of Chechnya, has not yet recovered from injuries sustained in a traffic accident and is reportedly concealing facial scars with makeup.</p> <p>A recent birthday celebration in Grozny for one of the Chechen leader’s daughters, Khadizhat Kadyrova, was attended by her brother Adam, who was injured in the crash. His condition did not appear to be optimal.</p> <p>The information was reported by <a href="https://x.com/rucriminalinfo/status/2024310243287847206">VChK-OGPU</a>, an influential Russian outlet believed to be associated with Russia’s security services for leaks.</p> <p>Adam Kadyrov was involved in a crash a month ago, on January 16. On that day, members of the local “golden youth” allegedly staged street races in central Grozny, resulting in a major pileup. The Chechen leader’s son, who, according to reports, provoked the crash, was urgently flown by special aircraft to Moscow for treatment.</p> <p>Now, according to the outlet, Adam Kadyrov has returned to Grozny and even attended his sister’s birthday. However, his condition remains far from ideal.</p> <p>Witnesses described Adam Kadyrov as noticeably thinner and moving with difficulty, with makeup applied to his face. In addition to a spleen injury, he suffered a broken jaw that required multiple procedures.</p> <p>The birthday celebration reportedly featured songs and dancing, but there was a palpable sense of tension within the family. Unprecedented security measures were in place.</p> <p>Guests faced enhanced screening and a total ban on phones. Even guests well known to the Kadyrov family were not allowed to hand gifts directly to the birthday girl. Designated staff inside the house collected the presents and passed them to security.</p> <p>Such measures suggest the Kadyrov family fears a possible assassination attempt. One theory circulating is that the crash involving Adam, the Chechen leader’s younger son, may be tied to a succession struggle.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/tension-grips-kadyrov-family-after-car-crash-as-adam-reportedly-hides-facial-scars-with-makeup">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/ukraine-seizes-assets-of-major.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 18:43:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/ukraine-seizes-assets-of-major.html <p>A Ukrainian court has ordered the government to take over An-140 aircraft spare parts worth about $1.5 million linked to JSC Aviakor, a Russian defense aerospace manufacturer, according to the <a href="https://minjust.gov.ua/news/ministry/vischiy-antikoruptsiyniy-sud-zadovolniv-pozov-minyustu-schodo-styagnennya-v-dohid-derjavi-aktiviv-rosiyskogo-aviatsiynogo-zavodu">Ministry of Justice</a>.</p> <p>The High Anti-Corruption Court granted the Justice Ministry’s lawsuit and transferred Aviakor’s property to state ownership, the ministry said on February 19. The decision was made on February 18.</p> <p>The ministry described Aviakor as one of Russia’s largest aircraft manufacturers, engaged in aircraft production, overhaul and maintenance for military and civilian aviation, as well as component manufacturing. It said the company is part of Russia’s defense-industrial sector and provides material and technical support for military operations against Ukraine by modernizing, repairing and servicing military aircraft.</p> <p>Separately, a panel of the High Anti-Corruption Court also granted another Justice Ministry claim involving the Rostov helicopter manufacturer PJSC Rostvertol, part of the Russian Helicopters holding, with sanctions imposed in that case as well</p> <p>Those sanctions include confiscating Rostvertol assets located in Ukraine in favor of the state: 21 sets of helicopter spare parts under a 2011 contract between Rostvertol and the Ukrainian state enterprise Lviv State Plant Lorta.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-seizes-assets-of-major-russian-defense-aviation-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/belgorod-in-darkness-massive-blackouts.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:30:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/belgorod-in-darkness-massive-blackouts.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7967392329.jpg" alt="BELGOROD IN DARKNESS – massive blackouts in Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rnglkcvfYBs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/russian-troops-cant-keep-up.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/russian-troops-cant-keep-up.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/31e64cf068.jpg" alt="Russian troops CAN'T KEEP UP – even with HELP from NORTH KOREA! | Front News"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_z487-GlwY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/der-spiegel-cia-knew-about.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/der-spiegel-cia-knew-about.html <p>CIA operatives and “Ukrainian sabotage specialists” met in Kyiv in spring 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, to discuss a Ukrainian proposal to blow up the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany along the Baltic Sea floor, reports <a href="https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/nord-stream-cia-war-offenbar-frueh-in-plaene-der-angreifer-eingeweiht-a-d95f5682-dc5b-47a7-82e2-5bb09661b210">Der Spiegel</a>, citing “long-verified” sources in Ukraine, According to the newspaper, by sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines, Kyiv hoped to cut off Moscow’s gas revenues from Europe used to finance the war.</p> <p>The magazine says this was the first - but not the only - meeting between the US intelligence agency and the organizers of the Nord Stream attack. In spring 2022, the Americans “received the plans favorably,” according to the report. Subsequent meetings focused on technical details of the operation.</p> <p>CIA denies the US knew of plans to blow up Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2</p> <p>A CIA spokesperson rejected the claims as “completely and utterly false,” without specifying which elements were inaccurate, Der Spiegel reports. The outlet relays the leading theory of German investigators: six men and one woman carried out the sabotage, traveling to the blast site near Denmark’s Bornholm Island on a small sailing yacht, the Andromeda.</p> <p>One of the operation’s participants and leaders - former Ukrainian serviceman Serhiy K. - is currently in pre-trial detention in Hamburg, the authors note.</p> <p>According to an arrest warrant issued by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice and published in mid-January, the pipeline explosions were “with a high degree of probability” directed at the state level, the report says. “Ukraine is implied - that is, the very state to which the German federal government has provided many billions of euros in support since Russia’s invasion,” the journalists add.</p> <p>“And now it emerges that US intelligence personnel apparently knew about the attack plan at an early stage and initially did not object. Only later, according to investigations, did they change their minds and warn the Ukrainians about the consequences - but unsuccessfully,” the report states.</p> <p>Operation “Diameter” to blow up the Nord Stream pipelines</p> <p>The sabotage operation was codenamed “Diameter,” Der Spiegel writes.</p> <p>In Ukraine, it was approved by then–Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the magazine’s sources say. President Volodymyr Zelensky was allegedly not informed.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian interlocutors cited by the German journalists, the Americans met with Kyiv’s representatives at various stages and endorsed their plans. The article claims that after the second meeting, the CIA even gave a green light for the operation. Moreover, “the Ukrainian side even got the impression that the Americans might help finance the operation.”</p> <p>In the end, however, the money came from “a private individual from Ukraine,” who covered most of the operation’s roughly $300,000 cost.</p> <p>In response to Der Spiegel’s inquiry, the CIA said the journalistic investigation was “highly inaccurate” and could not be relied upon as factual information. In 2022, the US aimed to support Ukraine as much as possible. Why would it approve a terrorist attack on the infrastructure of its ally, the agency asked.</p> <p>Investigations by other media outlets, including The New Yorker, also suggest Ukrainians at least notified the US of their plans, Der Spiegel reports.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/der-spiegel-cia-knew-about-kyiv-s-plan-to-blow-up-nord-stream-pipelines">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/ukraine-hits-russian-planes-ships.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 16:52:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/ukraine-hits-russian-planes-ships.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/640334742-1267728915540184-784810911464303773-n.jpg" alt="Ukraine hits Russian planes, ships in Crimea, artillery in major strikes on occupied territories"></p>The final extent of the damage on the Crimean Peninsula is still being assessed, the General Staff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-russian-planes-ships-and-artillery-in-major-strikes-on-occupied-territories/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/german-chancellor-merz-says-putins.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:55:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/german-chancellor-merz-says-putins.html <p>In sharp remarks about Moscow’s leadership, Merz said Vladimir Putin and his inner circle are no longer capable of functioning outside a state of war.</p> <p>Merz gave a wide-ranging interview to <a href="https://www.rheinpfalz.de/politik_artikel,-land-in-einem-zustand-der-tiefsten-barbarei-kanzler-merz-%C3%BCber-russland-_arid,5862436.html">Die Rheinpfalz</a>.</p> <p>The chancellor criticized Germany’s past gas cooperation with Russia.</p> <p>“That partnership turned into a fatal strategic dependency for us,” Merz said.</p> <p>He cautioned Europe against harboring illusions about the nature of Russia’s current power structure.</p> <p>“Russia’s ruling clique will not be able to do without war for the foreseeable future. It will have to keep its war machine running,” he said.</p> <p>Merz warned that if the war ends, hundreds of thousands of soldiers “accustomed to killing, looting and torture” would return to Russia, making reintegration into civilian life extremely difficult. He said the Kremlin has no plan to manage that process.</p> <p>“In my view, this war will end only when one of the two sides is exhausted, either militarily or economically,” the chancellor said.</p> <p>He added that Europe’s strategic goal is to deprive the Russian state of the ability to continue its aggression.</p> <p>“Reason and humanitarian arguments will not convince Putin. That is the bitter truth,” Merz emphasized.</p> <p>On the prospects of restoring normal relations with Moscow, Merz struck a skeptical note. He recalled the poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny in a penal colony and suggested that such actions preclude a return to previous forms of dialogue.</p> <p>“I consider it almost impossible. When I look at this regime and its blind, furious terror, I have little hope,” he said.</p> <p>Merz also cited a historical line from French-American researcher Astolphe de Custine, who wrote in the 19th century about Russia: “In it, one can see the deepest barbarism alongside the highest civilization.” The chancellor said the observation still holds today, describing the country’s current condition as “the deepest barbarism.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-chancellor-merz-says-putin-s-regime-cannot-exist-without-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/theyre-attacking-the-railways.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:10:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/theyre-attacking-the-railways.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/edb202cc-a2b7-4d92-b2f4-900336cbad32-872x484.png" alt="They’re attacking the railways"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!8OPB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F809049a3-6a45-4957-a3bb-2bd12c362c06_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f809049a3-6.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/809049a3-6a45-4957-a3bb-2bd12c362c06_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-attrs='{"id":453408}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>If you value our work, consider upgrading to support us and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!9cki!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F044f4218-fb81-49bf-8988-bab7b8050e4b_1600x900.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f044f4218-f.jpg" width="438" height="246.375" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/044f4218-fb81-49bf-8988-bab7b8050e4b_1600x900.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":819,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":438,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Train driver’s cab. Photo made and provided by Oleh Panov.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Little Oleh steps into the train driver’s cab — hundreds of buttons and levers surround him, each serving a vital function. His father, with steady and confident movements, guides the train forward. For Oleh, these were moments of pride and awe.</p><p>“Not every child can say, ‘I was in the driver’s cab and saw how everything works,’” Oleh said.</p><p>His father used to take him on trips to Mariupol, where they would go to the sea together after his shift.</p><p>Today, about 50 years later, Mariupol is occupied, and the driver’s cab no longer means magic for Oleh, but responsibility for hundreds of lives behind his back and the rescue of civilians from Russian missiles.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!b4-a!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F554f926c-ed00-4377-9541-52ad95bab906_1280x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f554f926c-e.jpg" width="259" height="323.75" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/554f926c-ed00-4377-9541-52ad95bab906_1280x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":259,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Oleh Panov, high-speed railway electromechanic. Photo provided by him.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>This harsh winter, Russia has struck not only energy infrastructure, but also transportation sites. The Russians are targeting the railways because they remain critical for moving across the country and abroad.</p><p>This week alone, Russians <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oleksiikuleba/posts/pfbid02e1NMLX6hTGJeVkuHDD5YqSMe7ovFQuTXAEaKzmTfCp72ZApyyYmE22o1jM9Pijoql">hit</a> railway infrastructure in the Donetsk, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Chernihiv regions. In some of those regions, train traffic <a href="https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353738-v-neskolkikh-oblastyakh-izmenili-dvizhenie-poezdov-gde-segodnya-deystvuyut-alternativnye-perevozki">has been restricted</a> or replaced with bus transfers. Ukraine’s airspace was closed with the invasion in 2022, and since then the railway has become the only means of transportation — apart from buses and private cars — allowing travel across the country and abroad.</p><p>Disrupting railway operations could paralyze the means by which millions of Ukrainians evacuate, receive humanitarian aid, and transport foreign delegations.</p><p><em>A woman was filming a selfie video and captured the moment a missile struck near a train in Dnipro in June 2025. The video was published by Kyiv Post.</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"fc6c3fb0-74d0-4850-9adb-428a6d9d18fc","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>Oleh first stepped into a train driver’s cab as a child, together with his father, who worked as a locomotive driver in his native Donetsk region. Later, he followed in his father’s footsteps.</p><p>“These are very emotional moments: you’re sitting in the locomotive cab, and behind you there are 4,500–5,000 tonnes of metal, and you’re in control of all of it. Later you get used to it, but the first trains stay in your memory for a lifetime,” said Oleh.</p><p>Twice, the war intruded on his work. First in his native Donetsk region, and later in Kyiv. Both experiences underscored the importance of his work for the country.</p><p>In 2014, Russia did not use terror against critical infrastructure in its invasion, but Oleh recalls that several strikes landed near his train depot in Donetsk.</p><p>“I think they were hitting wherever… There was a goal to fire, no matter where,” Oleh said.</p><p>“Hearing explosions somewhere nearby brought out anxiety, you don’t know what might happen to you when you travel to another city [one closer to active fighting],” Oleh said.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":453410}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!guCG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff196e260-9687-4dc5-9a08-92b1a67ff486_1118x1398.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff196e260-9.jpg" width="258" height="322.61538461538464" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f196e260-9687-4dc5-9a08-92b1a67ff486_1118x1398.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1398,"width":1118,"resizeWidth":258,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Work at a railway depot. Photo made and provided by Oleh Panov.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Back then, Oleh did not know that the same helplessness he saw in 2014 in the eyes of strangers would haunt him again in another invasion. In the first six months of the war, about 4 million people <a href="https://english.nv.ua/business/railway-operator-evacuates-4-million-people-amid-ukraine-war-50281872.html">were evacuated</a> by train from active combat zones.</p><p>The railway also transported around 300,000 tons of humanitarian aid and organized medical evacuation trains equipped with the necessary medical equipment to transport injured people.</p><p><em>Humanitarian aid that was sent from Lviv to Kharkiv by train. Video shot and provided by Oleh Panov.</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"cb4ff638-4c28-4935-99cf-35e6c79dc207","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>There was no official train schedule. Departures were arranged over the phone, Oleh recalled. The depot would simply receive calls telling them where and which train needed to be prepared for departure.</p><p><em>People gathered for evacuation in March 2022 at the Kyiv depot, where Oleh Panov works. Video provided by Oleh Panov.</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"4e5e7734-d416-4b06-8f50-4f7e90e01afe","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!ijd_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2fafec9a-2458-46f7-bb74-0fcb8a0058b3_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2fafec9a-2.jpg" width="476" height="317.11538461538464" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2fafec9a-2458-46f7-bb74-0fcb8a0058b3_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":476,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Depot where Oleh works. Photo made and provided by Oleh Panov.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“The trips were very difficult – there was absolutely no free space on the trains, and a lot of luggage was left on the platforms. The choice was simple: either the suitcase or a person,” Oleh said.</p><p>He took his last trip as a driver about three years ago. He remembers the colorful frosty dawn that he saw during that trip.</p><p>After that he retired, but at the age of 55, kept working as an electromechanic at his depot.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!G80m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd494589a-fba5-4d1f-bc09-d955a470903c_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd494589a-f.jpg" width="455" height="303.125" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d494589a-fba5-4d1f-bc09-d955a470903c_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":455,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The view that Oleh saw as a train driver. Photo made and provided by Oleh Panov.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Oleh’s depot in Kyiv was also attacked during the war, although he was not at work at the time. One of the depot’s locomotives was hit with a Shahed drone.</p><p>“There was a sense of danger, but there was practically nowhere to take cover. Thoughts were all over the place, but I had long been aware of the inevitability of such an event,” Oleh said.</p><p>Despite the danger, the depot workers rushed to extinguish the fire that had broken out and to ensure the safety of the remaining trains. After this situation, the safety protocol changed — at night, trains were moved to other depots, and in the morning they were brought to Kyiv station ready for passenger departures, Oleh said.</p><p>At the start of the war, it was harder to hit a moving target, so keeping trains in motion was safer.</p><p>Russia has now <a href="https://unn.ua/en/news/russian-shaheds-started-hitting-moving-targets-an-expert-explained-how-the-russian-army-manages-to-do-this">learned</a> to attack trains with Shahed drones equipped with a thermal camera and an internet modem, through which a live video feed is transmitted to the pilots from a distance. Previously, Shahed drones flew with GPS-programmed coordinates and could not adjust their targeting in real time.</p><p>This development has helped to target moving objects in Ukraine more often. In the period of August to October 2025 Russia <a href="https://www.turkiyetoday.com/world/russias-new-precision-drones-devastate-ukraines-vital-rail-network-3208440">targeted</a> railways about 300 times, ten times per week on average.</p><p>Before that, strikes were primarily carried out against static railway infrastructure — stations, substations, and other fixed facilities. One of the deadliest attacks was the missile strike on the Kramatorsk railway station in the Donetsk region in April 2022, where more than 50 civilians were killed.</p><p><em>Burning locomotive after Russian drone attack in Sumy region. Video from Facebook page Shostka-News.</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"5e8effb1-d45d-4c79-a98a-99cbde245e0e","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>About 100 railway workers <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/10/europe/ukraines-railway-russia-target-intl">have been killed</a> since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p><p>“The very concept of danger has become part of everyday life. Once the train departs, all attention is focused on the work. This is our job, and everyone understands the responsibility,” Oleh said.</p><p>Once the train is en route and there is a threat from the sky, passengers and workers have nowhere to hide.</p><p>“You try not to think about what might happen to you or the passengers. Many factors are beyond your control... The driver’s task is to keep a cool head... The safety of the people depends on this,” Oleh said.</p><p>The strikes at the end of January, during the period when Ukraine was negotiating an energy ceasefire with Russia, introduced the first restrictions on train movement in frontline regions, as Russia switched its focus from energy grid to logistics.</p><p>Vadym Busurulov is the head of the Dnipro station, where bus transfers from Zaporizhzhia now go. He remembers when the railway in the Zaporizhzhia region was under attack for nearly a full day.</p><p>“The main problem is that it is very inconvenient for people to have to transfer. Overall, everything is organized; the staff handling the bus transfers have adapted as well, and the buses arrive on schedule, in advance of the train’s arrival,” Busurulov said.</p><p>At first, buses transported 500–800 people, with about 8–12 trips per day in one direction. As of February 15, with some connections restored, that number has decreased to around 300 passengers, according to Busurulov.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!DMmU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0bb69bb0-7817-4dcc-bc1f-761f1f99975f_627x836.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0bb69bb0-7.jpg" width="243" height="324" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0bb69bb0-7817-4dcc-bc1f-761f1f99975f_627x836.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":836,"width":627,"resizeWidth":243,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Vadym Busurulov. Photo provided by him.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“The first impression of Zaporizhzhia being cut off from the railway was that it was a harbinger of not very good news. Just like in Mariupol [before occupation]. That’s why we were afraid,” said Natalia Samura, who was sending her daughter to study in Lviv via bus transfers.</p><p>Oleh says that the attacks and the resulting energy shortages negatively affect the equipment that depot mechanics work with.</p><p>All the equipment used to repair trains runs on electricity — this includes computers and other sensitive devices. When there are voltage fluctuations, the equipment can also break down. The workload grew this year for his team because of power shortages and the need to keep trains up to working condition.</p><p>Oleh finds comfort in photography and his special hobby, which is writing songs with artificial intelligence about working on the railway. This has become something that lifts the spirits of both him and his colleagues during difficult workdays.</p><p><em>One of Oleh’s AI songs called ‘Express of Hope’.</em></p><div data-component-name="AudioPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"label":null,"mediaUploadId":"85d9dcc0-2df3-4785-a2d3-b064c9b03f57","duration":228.67592,"downloadable":false,"isEditorNode":true}' data-sanitized-class="native-audio-embed"></div><p><em>Here’s a translation of a couple of lines:<br><br> “The wind howls, and the train rushes through dark days.</em></p><p><em>This crystal path is not for the weak, but for hearts that are strong.”</em></p><p>In addition to his main duties of repairing and preparing trains for departure, there is another task at Oleh’s depot that, fortunately, rarely occurs. The task is dismantling damaged locomotives and carriages.</p><p>Recently, a passenger carriage destroyed with Russian Shahed drones arrived at Oleh’s work.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Zel_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2241664e-2cc7-41e9-b256-a7bb41c127a5_1280x960.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2241664e-2.png" width="381" height="285.75" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2241664e-2cc7-41e9-b256-a7bb41c127a5_1280x960.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":381,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A passenger carriage destroyed by a Shahed drone, which arrived at Oleh’s depot for dismantling. Photo made and provided by Oleh Panov.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Oleh never looked back or allowed fear to take over.</p><p>“Whatever the circumstances may be, a train driver in the cab thinks first and foremost about safety. Everything else inside you just switches off. You get into the cab and do your job, because behind you there are very, very many people,” Oleh said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Your support allows us to keep reporting from Ukraine with care and honesty, even in the most difficult moments. Being part of this community means these stories continue to be told.</em></p><p><em>If you value our journalism, consider upgrading your subscription to support our work and get full access to everything we publish.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura<br><br>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. <br><br><strong>UKRAINE’S BIGGEST TERRITORIAL GAIN SINCE 2023: U</strong>kraine’s defense forces have regained control of 300 square kilometers along the southern frontline, <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260220-zelensky-tells-afp-that-ukraine-is-not-losing-the-war">claimed</a> Zelenskyy. <br><br>If true, this would be the <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260216-ukraine-makes-fastest-battlefield-gain-in-2-5-years">largest territorial advance</a> made over such a short period of time since Ukraine’s June 2023 counteroffensive.</p><p>The success of the most recent advance is attributed to the recent deactivation of the Russian military’s Starlink terminals, which enabled the occupying army to fly drones into Ukraine.<br><br>This statement came as US-mediated talks in Geneva reportedly made no progress on territorial issues. <strong><br></strong><br><strong>FICO THREATENS TO CUT ELECTRICITY AID FOR UKRAINE: </strong>Slovakia’s President Fico has <a href="https://tvpworld.com/91713000/slovakia-fico-threatens-to-cut-off-emergency-electricity-supplies-to-ukraine">threatened </a>to halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, unless Kyiv allows Russian oil to transit to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline, which is located partially in Ukraine’s territory. Slovakia is a key provider of energy for Ukraine.</p><p>Russian oil has been cut off since late January, after Kyiv claimed the pipeline was damaged by a Russian drone attack.</p><p>As an alternative to the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine has <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/02/21/8022045/">proposed </a>using the Odesa-Brody pipeline that runs through Ukraine as an alternative route to supply Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.</p><p><strong>RUSSIAN VOTKINSK MISSILE PLANT WAS HIT: </strong>Russia’s Votkinsk Machine Building Plant was hit in the Udmurt Republic, OSINT telegram channels <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/02/21/8022030/">reported</a>. The plant is a critical facility for Russian military production, producing Iskander and Oreshnik missile systems.</p><p>Kyiv has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.</p><p>If Ukraine is behind the attack, this would be one of the deepest strikes into Russian territory – reaching about 1,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.<strong><br></strong></p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Oksana’s Mary likes to inspect grocery bags. She looks like a fluffy TSA officer.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!aMCQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F240ab357-c105-4f72-ba37-48e0004e4516_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f240ab357-c.png" width="960" height="1280" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/240ab357-c105-4f72-ba37-48e0004e4516_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Anastasiia</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/theyre-attacking-the-railways">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/slovakia-hungary-threaten-to-halt.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:06:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/slovakia-hungary-threaten-to-halt.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c3436f738c.jpg" alt="Slovakia, Hungary threaten to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine as Russian oil dispute escalates"></p>Such a move would break energy market rules, one expert told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/slovakian-prime-minister-threatens-to-halt-electricity-supplies-to-ukraine-as-oil-dispute-escalates/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/km-deep-putins-ballistic-plant.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/km-deep-putins-ballistic-plant.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0cbbf76295.jpg" alt="1500 km deep! Putin's ballistic plant under ATTACK | Russian terror in Sumy and Odesa"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEMc96mVubc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/seven-people-were-injured-as.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:10:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/seven-people-were-injured-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5030901d99.jpg" alt="SEVEN people were INJURED as a result of Russian strikes on ZAPORIZHZHIA #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/k-jCj-uF_-A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/ukraine-returns-children-from-russianoccupied.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:22:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/ukraine-returns-children-from-russianoccupied.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/aa1e0400fa.jpg" alt="Ukraine returns 2 children from Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast"></p>The children were returned under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which finds and returns Ukrainian children from occupied territories and Russia, alongside the Save Ukraine organization.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-returns-two-children-from-russian-occupied-kherson-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/russia-injures-at-least-in.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:53:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/russia-injures-at-least-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-5246701404661944754-y.jpg" alt="Russia injures at least 15 in missile and drone attacks across Odesa, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson"></p>The main target was Odesa Oblast, where two people were injured after drones tore into houses and a four-storey apartment block, the emergency services reported on Feb. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-injures-8-in-missile-and-drone-attacks-across-odesa-sumy-and-kherson/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:23:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/536f465b51.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,258,890 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,010 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, while Ukrainian forces also downed a helicopter.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-258-890-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/putin-tightens-surveillance-screws-with.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 05:26:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/putin-tightens-surveillance-screws-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6dc5e45cb1.jpg" alt="Putin tightens surveillance screws with new Russian internet law"></p>Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Feb. 20, framed by authorities as a measure to counter security threats and potential attacks, granting Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) broad authority to order the disconnection of individuals from mobile and home internet services.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-signs-law-enabling-fsb-to-order-individual-internet-and-mobile-disconnections-cites-security-concerns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/21/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-not.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 03:16:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/21/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-not.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is not considering withdrawing from the government-controlled part of Donetsk region. At the same time, talks with Russia are continuing.</p> <p>He called the area Ukraine’s real defensive line, speaking in an interview with <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/70887">Japan’s Kyodo News</a>.</p> <p>Zelensky noted that Russia is demanding Ukraine pull the Armed Forces of Ukraine from all of Donbas.</p> <p>Zelensky warned that Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has intensified cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. As a result, he said, North Korea has obtained new military know-how, creating a potential threat to Japan.</p> <p>He said about 10,000 North Korean military personnel have been deployed in Russia, where they are learning about modern hybrid warfare, including how to defend against drones.</p> <p>He added they encountered Ukrainian troops during fighting for the western part of Russia’s Kursk region, when Ukrainian forces partially controlled that territory.</p> <p>Ukraine needs air-defense systems that it could receive from Japan. Tokyo manufactures Patriot air-defense systems under a U.S. license; Japanese units were sent to the United States after Washington transferred systems to Ukraine.</p> <p>Recently, Japan authorized the export of non-lethal weapons, ending its long-standing arms-embargo policy. Ukraine has received body armor and trucks from Japan.</p> <p>Tokyo is also weighing the removal of additional restrictions, including on defense equipment.</p> <p>In that context, Zelensky emphasized that air-defense systems are used to repel Russian missile and drone strikes, not to conduct attacks.</p> <p>In return, Ukraine could share maritime drone technology with Japan. Zelensky said the technology has proven effective, preventing Russian vessels from operating off Ukraine’s coast.</p> <p>Earlier, in an interview with Piers Morgan, Zelensky said Ukraine cannot cede Donbas because it is a matter of people, values and the country’s defense strategy.</p> <p>According to The New York Times, Vladimir Putin believes he is winning. He is prepared to fight for Donbas even if the battles continue for another two years.</p> <p>Zelensky also dismissed Russian media reports that Moscow has allegedly demanded other countries recognize temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. The president said such scenarios are unrealistic.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-will-not-withdraw-from-donbas-as-talks-with-russia-continue">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/investigations-say-leaked-messages-from.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:30:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/investigations-say-leaked-messages-from.html <p>The investigative projects “Schemes” and “Systema” <a href="https://www.currenttime.tv/a/systema-schemy-demurchiev/33682482.html">have published findings</a> based on an archive of personal messages belonging to Russian military officer Roman Demurchiev. Journalists say messages from 2022–2024 show the major general sharing with colleagues and relatives descriptions of torture and extrajudicial killings, along with photos and videos that appear to corroborate the accounts.</p> <p>Demurchiev took part in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and, by late December 2024, held the position of deputy commander of Russia’s 20th Combined Arms Army, according to the archive and the outlets’ sources. There is no public information about his current posting.</p> <p>The reporters say they verified the authenticity of the correspondence, identified several interlocutors, and reconstructed the context of events mentioned. The publication includes excerpts in which Demurchiev writes about shooting prisoners, discusses their “disposal” with a presumed military counterintelligence officer, and forwards images and videos of abuse.</p> <p>In one episode described by the investigation, former convicts allegedly killed Ukrainian soldiers with entrenching shovels after the troops had surrendered. Demurchiev reports the incident to his direct superior, Oleg Mityayev, commander of the 20th Army. In the messages published by the outlets, Mityayev appears to praise subordinates and suggests recommending them for awards: “The cons who took the position chopped [them] with shovels, God willing they survive; be sure to submit them for awards. Keep squeezing, well done. … Well done, crush them, crush the bastards, f***.”</p> <p>In another message, Demurchiev sent his wife, Alexandra, a photo of severed human ears on a string.</p> <p>— And then what do you do with them? she asks.</p> <p>— I’ll make a garland and give it as a gift.</p> <p>— Like pig ears for beer.</p> <p>— Yeah.</p> <p>Journalists could not determine whose ears they were, but the messages suggest Demurchiev had them in 2022.</p> <p>A separate part of the investigation focuses on Demurchiev’s exchanges with a contact saved in his phone as “Greek.” Context and the reporters’ findings indicate he is a military counterintelligence officer named Roman. In the messages, the general regularly calls captured Ukrainian soldiers “gifts” and offers to transfer them to the contact.</p> <p>In October 2023, Demurchiev writes:</p> <p>“I’ve got one prisoner, … I can gift him to you. He’s sitting over there, in a pit. … What should I do with him—dispose of him or hand him over to you?”</p> <p>“Greek” agrees to take the captive. Demurchiev replies:</p> <p>“We just didn’t have time to torture him, so the info is on friendly terms… But you guys have a f***load of time; you can hook up various tools that make a person tell the truth.”</p> <p>According to “Schemes,” the photo of the captive and an interrogation protocol the two men exchanged helped identify him as a volunteer from Zaporizhzhia who was 40 at the time of capture. He spent one year and ten months in Russian captivity and, sources say, was held at a pretrial detention facility in Altai. He was exchanged in the summer of 2025. Through relatives, he told journalists he was not ready to speak publicly about what he endured but said he was beaten and subjected to electric shocks.</p> <p>The messages suggest he was not the only one captured then. After handing one serviceman to the counterintelligence officer, Demurchiev writes: “There was another one. Didn’t make it. Little b*****d.” “Greek” responds: “Correct. I’m personally for disposal. Otherwise we won’t defeat them.”</p> <p>In another exchange, in August 2023, it is “Greek” who proposes transferring several detainees to the general—people who “can’t be put through a formal process”—to use them as “trench diggers” and then “leave them there. Forever.” He asks that “tight-lipped” people be brought in so other counterintelligence staff won’t learn of the plan. Demurchiev agrees. In the same thread, he discusses sending “Greek” black caviar “as a gift.”</p> <p>The investigation details an episode from October 2022 involving the capture of Ukrainian soldiers in Donetsk region. On October 20, Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced that the “Zapad-Akhmat” battalion had taken Ukrainian servicemen prisoner, emphasizing the participation of his underage sons—Akhmat, Eli and Adam. By cross-checking videos posted at the time with Demurchiev’s messages, journalists conclude the captives may be the same people. According to the archive, units of the 42nd Division, which Demurchiev commanded, seized the strongpoint and detained the soldiers on October 18—two days before Kadyrov’s post.</p> <p>In private messages, Demurchiev speaks harshly and skeptically about Chechen units. Responding to Kadyrov’s post about the captives and his sons’ role, he wrote: “What roosters!!!” using a derogatory slur. In other messages published by the investigators, the general criticizes “Akhmat” fighters, accusing them of showboating and inflating their achievements.</p> <p>A year later, in November 2023, Demurchiev received the Akhmat Kadyrov Order from Kadyrov. He describes the medal as “gold, with diamonds,” and after the ceremony advises a subordinate “not to offend the Chechens” and to equip them, adding that it could help secure the title Hero of Chechnya.</p> <p>Demurchiev answered a call from a “Schemes” correspondent but hung up after hearing a question about the treatment of POWs. Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to the outlets’ request for comment.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/investigations-say-leaked-messages-from-a-russian-general-detail-torture-and-executions-of-ukrainian-pows">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/teaser-video-hints-at-ukrainian.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:05:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/teaser-video-hints-at-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-21-at-11-23-07.png" alt="Teaser video hints at Ukrainian Flamingo strike on key Russian ballistic missile factory"></p>The Votkinsk Plant is a strategic, state-owned defense enterprise and one of the most important missile factories in Russia. It produces Iskander ballistic missiles — used in attacks against Ukraine — and nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/drone-strikes-russian-ballistic-missile-factory-over-1-300-km-from-ukraines-border/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukrainian-parliament-weighs-wartime-elections.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/ukrainian-parliament-weighs-wartime-elections.html <p>A hidden draft elections bill exists in Ukraine that differs from the text parliament is officially developing. According to European Solidarity MP Nina Yuzhanina, the draft would allow elections to be held during the war rather than after it ends.</p> <p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMFG9OFRSDk">the YouTube channel “Super Position”,</a> Yuzhanina said that while details of the hidden draft remain unclear, plans are being made for special polling stations for the military. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMFG9OFRSDk) She added that authorities see nothing problematic in the idea, but it poses a serious challenge for political forces because the president of Ukraine remains legitimate and any wartime vote could face questions about its legality at the international level.</p> <p>“I don’t know these details, but it’s clear there will be some special polling stations for the military. So that discussion is happening, preparations are underway, and the authorities see nothing wrong with it, although for us it is truly a challenge. Our president remains legitimate. After such elections, I think there will be many objections from various countries unfriendly to Ukraine,” the lawmaker said.</p> <p>She also explained that open working groups are drafting a bill on postwar elections, but the key text for adoption could be another document that envisions voting under wartime conditions. According to her, rhetoric by some politicians—particularly Servant of the People faction leader Davyd Arakhamia—may point to an accelerated electoral process, though this has not been officially confirmed.</p> <p>In the interview, she said elections are possible only if there is at least a 60-day ceasefire, as the president has stated. If Russia does not agree to such a truce, holding democratic elections becomes impossible and their legitimacy would be questioned internationally.</p> <p>“So without a ceasefire it’s impossible to even talk about elections. I was encouraged because, for the first time, we heard rhetoric that there must first be a ceasefire and only then an electoral process. That gave hope that certain understandings might exist in the negotiations. However, at the latest talks, the representative of the Russian Federation—and, as I understand it, Putin—said they could provide only one day without fire for the elections. Obviously, in that case there is effectively no electoral process,” she added.</p> <p>Moreover, Russia’s position on territory and a ceasefire remains unchanged, complicating any agreement. Until proper conditions exist for a fair electoral process, Ukraine should preserve the legitimacy of the sitting president and wait for a chance to hold the next vote in a fully democratic format.</p> <p>“I can’t even imagine who is pushing so hard for elections now. Whether it’s Mr. Trump, the president of the United States, or whether his position somehow influences the Russian Federation’s stance—I don’t know. It’s obvious that, given various factors, there are moments when President Zelensky’s actions don’t suit someone. But he was lawfully elected in a democratic vote. So we must stand by that until we can hold the next regular or snap elections in a normal democratic way,” she said.</p> <p>Earlier, former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the war in Ukraine will likely continue in 2026, but the country could still hold a presidential election during the conflict.</p> <p>As the Institute for the Study of War has reported, the Kremlin has intensified efforts to shape Ukraine’s political future, pushing a narrative of “illegitimacy” and using elections as leverage. Moscow has already said it will not recognize results unless they produce a government favorable to Russia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-parliament-weighs-wartime-elections-amid-claims-of-a-hidden-bill">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/russia-finds-starlink-alternative-in.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 22:30:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/russia-finds-starlink-alternative-in.html <p>After access to the Starlink satellite system was restricted, Russia began more actively using alternative methods to control drones, including mesh networking. That is already evident in recent attacks across northern Ukraine, where there are signs of attempts to leverage communications infrastructure on Belarusian territory, aviation expert and reserve officer Anatoly Khrapchinsky told <a href="https://24tv.ua/do-chogo-vdalis-okupanti-pislya-blokuvannya-starlink-yak-ukrayini_n3012760">Kanal 24</a>.</p> <p>According to him, base stations have been pre-positioned in Belarus to maintain links with strike drones, particularly Shahed-type UAVs. The approach builds a kind of signal relay chain: the first drone receives commands via cell towers, then acts as a repeater for other aircraft, creating a resilient control network even without direct access to satellite channels.</p> <p>This setup significantly complicates Ukraine’s air defenses, as drones become less dependent on traditional communications channels and can operate more autonomously.</p> <p>Khrapchinsky stresses that Ukraine should not respond by fully shutting down mobile service. A more effective path is to build a comprehensive countermeasure system. First, expand electronic warfare capabilities that can suppress a wide range of signals and navigation.</p> <p>He believes Ukraine needs to return to the large-scale Pokrova EW concept, which envisioned creating continuous radar coverage. Such a system should incorporate multiple sensors—from classic radars to acoustic and visual detectors—and ensure oversight of key avenues, including borders and approaches to critical infrastructure.</p> <p>The expert also emphasizes the need to establish “protective zones” around strategic sites, with pre-deployed communications jamming and threat-detection assets. That would enable responses not after impact, but as drones approach.</p> <p>Khrapchinsky also flags a systemic issue within Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex: the lack of a unified strategy. Many companies, he says, operate in silos without a clear sense of shared objectives. That leads to incompatible solutions and slows technology adoption.</p> <p>He points to Western countries, where the state sets clear technical requirements and funds specific developments. Ukraine, he says, should do the same: synchronize manufacturers’ efforts, streamline access to European markets, and create clear rules of the road for the defense sector.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-finds-starlink-alternative-in-belarus-for-drone-control-expert-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukrainian-forces-destroy-three-russian.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 22:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/ukrainian-forces-destroy-three-russian.html <p>Overnight on February 20, the 1st Unmanned Systems Center of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed three Tor air defense systems belonging to Russian troops in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, according to <a href="https://t.me/robert_magyar/1994">Robert “Madyar” Brovdi</a>, commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops carried out the operation simultaneously, using FP-2 drones with 60-kilogram warheads.</p> <p>The destroyed air defense systems were worth about $75 million.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian forces struck command posts, depots and concentrations of Russian troops in occupied territories.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-destroy-three-russian-tor-air-defense-systems-worth-75-million-in-occupied-zaporizhzhia-overnight">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukraine-eyes-defense-partnership-with.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:38:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/ukraine-eyes-defense-partnership-with.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says prospects for expanded bilateral ties with Japan are growing, including in the defense sphere.</p> <p>Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/18042">said</a> there is an opportunity to take cooperation with Japan to a new level, moving beyond humanitarian and energy support to full-fledged defense collaboration.</p> <p>He noted that Ukraine and Japan have long maintained stable relations, but now have a chance to open a “historic page” focused on military and technological cooperation.</p> <p>According to Zelensky, dialogue between the two countries is already well established at the level of governments and diplomatic missions. The next step, he said, could be direct engagement between the defense ministries, with potential agreements discussed at the ministerial level or in direct talks between national leaders.</p> <p>Zelensky highlighted Japan’s high-tech potential, saying the country has significant capabilities in developing and producing missiles as well as air defense systems capable of countering ballistic threats. Ukraine, he added, is interested not only in purchases but also in joint projects, including technology exchange and co-production.</p> <p>Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to share its own experience gained during the full-scale war with Russia—particularly in the use of naval drones that have proven effective in the Black Sea. According to him, these systems have significantly constrained the Russian fleet near Ukraine’s coast.</p> <p>Ukraine can also offer Japan expertise in cybersecurity, energy management under crisis conditions, and advanced drone solutions, including interceptor UAVs. This know-how, Zelensky said, has been forged in real combat and could benefit partners.</p> <p>The president invited Japan’s prime minister to visit Ukraine and said he is prepared to travel to Japan, arguing that in-person meetings would accelerate bilateral cooperation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-eyes-defense-partnership-with-japan-zelensky-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukraine-halts-russian-offensive-on.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/ukraine-halts-russian-offensive-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/af1ce741ab.jpg" alt="Ukraine halts Russian offensive on Dnipropetrovsk region #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Q-Wpjk-FN3o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukraine-wont-cede-territory-and.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/ukraine-wont-cede-territory-and.html <p>National Guard of Ukraine commander and Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Pivnenko said true victory for Ukraine means fully restoring control over all occupied territories. He said that goal could take many years, and for now the country’s priority remains survival and holding the front line. Photo: Operational Command “South”</p> <p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c62dzxx2d39o">Speaking with BBC corresponden</a>t Jeremy Bowen, Pivnenko said Ukraine’s strategic objective is to reclaim all its land, even if it takes a long time. He emphasized that military victory doesn’t have to come quickly, but it remains the ultimate goal that justifies holding the defense.</p> <p>The general also said Ukraine is not prepared to cede territory. While a ceasefire could be discussed, voluntary surrender of land is off the table. He added that Ukrainian troops would carry out an order from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, but the public would not accept such a move given the losses and suffering the country has already endured.</p> <p>“Because we are a country governed by the rule of law. But how would our people perceive this—and why did we start defending ourselves in the first place? We could have agreed back then to just hand over, for example, Luhansk and Donbas and, figuratively speaking, ended the war. We have lost so many of our people and so much territory to simply stop and simply give it away,” he said.</p> <p>Addressing the fight against a numerically superior enemy, Pivnenko said economic pressure and support from European and US partners are key. A war can’t be won by body counts alone, he argued, but Ukraine’s actions are already hitting the Russian economy and complicating postwar recovery.</p> <p>“The postwar period will be even harder for them, because they’ll have to explain to their people what this war was for and why there were so many losses. We know an entire region where there are basically no people of conscription age,” Pivnenko said.</p> <p>He also responded to Donald Trump’s claim that Ukraine faces inevitable defeat without a rapid ceasefire, saying the country can continue to fight for years.</p> <p>“Not exactly. We can keep fighting for several years, 100%. But I believe that, overall, wars should end—on this planet, and killing people for territory and resources is something we simply don’t understand. It has to stop,” Pivnenko said.</p> <p>He stressed that Ukrainians are tired of the war, but the key is to understand its true cost. A ceasefire could be a compromise, he said, but voluntarily giving up territory remains unacceptable.</p> <p>Earlier, Reuters reported that despite US President Donald Trump’s ambition to end the Russia-Ukraine war by the summer of 2026, achieving that goal will be difficult because Russia is unwilling to make peace</p> <p>Moreover, a report by the Institute for the Study of War said Russian leader Vladimir Putin shows no readiness to quickly end the war against Ukraine and believes in the resilience of Russia’s economy.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-won-t-cede-territory-and-can-fight-for-years-national-guard-commander-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/hungary-blocks-eus-billion-euro.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 20:52:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/hungary-blocks-eus-billion-euro.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256515419.jpg" alt="Hungary blocks EU's 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine, demanding Russian oil ahead of war anniversary"></p>"We are blocking the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline resumes," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Feb. 20.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-blocks-eus-90-billion-euro-loan-to-ukraine-demanding-russian-oil-ahead-of-war-anniversary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/kyiv-ukraine-launches-counteroffensive-on.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 20:30:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/kyiv-ukraine-launches-counteroffensive-on.html <p>Ukraine’s military is moving preemptively around Hulyaipole and Oleksandrivske, activity that can indeed be described as counterattacks, spokesman for the Operation Task Force South Vladyslav Voloshyn said. Russia is dropping roughly a hundred bombs a day in the south and claims to have seized the village of Krynychne. Here’s what is happening on the eastern flank of the Zaporizhzhia axis, where fighting has grown more intense than near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.</p> <p>On the Hulyaipole axis, Ukrainian units are carrying out active counter-sabotage measures and counterattacking actions to rebut Russian claims of advances, Voloshyn <a href="https://youtu.be/TAtVDXHMEBk">said</a> on the “My Ukraine” TV channel. To the northeast, near Oleksandrivske and Pokrovsk, Ukrainian troops are preventing Russian forces from entrenching in the “gray zone.” Analytical maps indicate the stretch where Ukrainian activity picked up runs roughly 45 kilometers.</p> <p>Voloshyn was responding to a host’s question about claims by pro-Russian bloggers that a “Ukrainian counteroffensive” had begun on this sector. He outlined the fighting around Hulyaipole, saying Ukrainian forces are clearing out saboteurs and pushing Russian troops back before they can consolidate. On some days, up to 20 “search-and-strike and counter-sabotage operations” take place, he said, adding that troops also “carried out counterattacking actions.” Ukrainian forces are shrinking the gray zone and acting ahead of the enemy; to the adversary, that may look like an offensive, but it is “just deconfliction and coordination,” he said.</p> <p>At the same time, the situation in Hulyaipole is “truly difficult,” as the enemy is pressing hard to push Ukrainian troops out, “but they are not succeeding,” Voloshyn said. Russian forces are putting pressure on surrounding settlements — Zheleznodorizhne, Varvarivka and Zelene.</p> <p>“In Russian channels, claims are circulating again that they took Krynychne [west of Sviatopetrivka and Staroukrainka]. To get in there, they would have to try very, very hard. I want to refute that claim, because Krynychne is under our control,” Voloshyn said.</p> <p>Near Oleksandrivka, the situation is “not simple,” he added. On that stretch, Ukrainian troops are also conducting “counterattacking and assault actions.”</p> <p>The DeepState project’s front-line map shows the latest changes on the Hulyaipole–Oleksandrivske axis dated February 16–17. The area is northeast of Pokrovsk, a settlement on the N15 highway with Oleksandrivske as a suburb. Analysts reduced the red zone between Vyshneve and Ternove; in places, Russian troops were pushed back approximately 4.5 km. Farther south lies Hulyaipole, half of which is occupied, with the remaining (western) part in the gray zone. Krynychne, the village Voloshyn mentioned, sits to the north near a gray wedge stretching toward Tsvetkove from Svyatopetrivka.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0WzfyYiHTA7dPb1aL2S1nmJbwpFEHF4LonxKuq3DzLxshAGdmSoXzyRY6UAKBCTcol">In its February 19 update</a>, Ukraine’s General Staff reported 49 Russian assaults on the Huliaipole axis — the hottest sector of the front. Near Pokrovsk, which previously topped the list, the number of Russian attacks dropped to 42. A similar pattern held the day before - 31 attacks versus 21 - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02Gazirg9qqgzfnCv9PeGWRXhdxJdCTm8kAvWGFFfjEniYjVZQu9CW2D84mKpAUTpZl">indicating</a> activity on the Zaporizhzhia front has risen by roughly 40%.</p> <p>Separately, Ivan Tymocho, head of the Reservists’ Council, commented on the prospect of a Ukrainian offensive. The military expert said Ukraine’s command is using a specific tactic that inflicts Russian losses even without Ukrainian assault operations.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-ukraine-launches-counteroffensive-on-oleksandrivka-axis-to-halt-russian-advance-toward-dnipropetrovsk-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/103957.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:39:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/103957.html <div data-elementor-type="wp-post" data-elementor-id="16947" data-elementor-post-type="post" data-sanitized-class="elementor elementor-16947"> <section data-id="3ecf4c61" data-element_type="section" data-e-type="section" data-sanitized-class="elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3ecf4c61 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default"> <div data-id="123b676a" data-element_type="column" data-e-type="column" data-sanitized-class="elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-123b676a"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated"> <section data-id="f4f57dc" data-element_type="section" data-e-type="section" data-sanitized-class="elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-f4f57dc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default"> <div data-id="ea83e14" data-element_type="column" data-e-type="column" data-sanitized-class="elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ea83e14"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated"> <div data-id="32832dc" data-element_type="widget" data-e-type="widget" data-settings='{"youtube_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/MJXAuvBS_iM","video_type":"youtube","controls":"yes"}' data-widget_type="video.default" data-sanitized-class="elementor-element elementor-element-32832dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-video"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-container"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-video"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-id="da54e75" data-element_type="column" data-e-type="column" data-sanitized-class="elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-da54e75"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated"> <div data-id="a37897e" data-element_type="widget" data-e-type="widget" data-widget_type="html.default" data-sanitized-class="elementor-element elementor-element-a37897e elementor-widget elementor-widget-html"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-container"> <div data-sanitized-class="substack-post-embed"><p lang="en">Ukrainian Voices: Life in Ukraine with Julia Kalashnyk by Chris Sampson</p><p>A recording from Chris Sampson's live video</p><a data-post-link href="https://thechrissampson.substack.com/p/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine">Read on Substack</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div data-id="271263ae" data-element_type="widget" data-e-type="widget" data-widget_type="text-editor.default" data-sanitized-class="elementor-element elementor-element-271263ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-container"> <p>I first encountered Julia Kalashnyk through her writing on Substack. What immediately stood out was her ability to capture something often missing from international coverage: the texture of daily life in Ukraine during war. Headlines speak in explosions, advances, and diplomacy. Julia writes about routines, classrooms, grocery stores, and the emotional contradictions that define survival.</p><p>Julia’s path into journalism began long before the full-scale invasion. She spent over a decade living in Italy, collaborating with Italian media before returning to Ukraine in 2016. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, her work shifted dramatically. Collaborations expanded across international outlets, and her focus deepened into documentary storytelling — not simply reporting events, but preserving memory.</p> <p>“We are testimonies,” she explained. “This is a historic experience, painful and overwhelming, but it must be documented for the future.”</p> <p>One story she has followed for three years captures this philosophy perfectly. It is not about generals or battles, but a teacher from Kharkiv. When the invasion began, the teacher fled with her family to a village, only to find herself trapped under occupation. After 42 days, they escaped to Kharkiv, but by then her classroom had dissolved — students scattered across continents, education disrupted, normal life fractured.</p> <p>Yet the teacher continued teaching online, becoming what Julia described as “glue” holding students together across geography and trauma. Julia met her in 2023 and began filming, drawn not to spectacle but to persistence.</p> <p>“It is a simple story,” Julia said, “but sometimes simplicity reveals extraordinary strength.”</p> <p>That observation reflects a broader truth about wartime Ukraine. Individual lives often embody the resilience of the nation itself. A teacher maintaining classes through blackouts. A shopkeeper cooking through drone attacks. Families preserving routines even as sirens interrupt them.</p> <p>Daily life, Julia emphasized, continues with a strange duality. Supermarkets remain open. Cafés serve coffee. Online lessons proceed. Cultural events take place. Yet beneath that continuity lies constant awareness of danger.</p> <p>Electricity outages, missile strikes, and winter shortages become background conditions rather than exceptional crises. People adapt by necessity. Power banks are permanently charged. Water is stored in jars. Flashlights are kept in specific pockets. Cash is withdrawn whenever possible in anticipation of banking disruptions.</p> <p>This adaptation produces a psychological shift Julia described as “adjusting to the unadjustable.”</p> <p>War reshapes the boundaries of normality. Behaviors that would once feel extraordinary become automatic routines. Conversations casually reference air raids alongside grocery lists. A friend abroad may react with shock to stories that Ukrainians recount almost mechanically.</p> <p>“I sometimes describe something that feels normal,” Julia reflected, “and see the reaction of someone outside Ukraine. It is like a cold shower. You realize how extreme it sounds.”</p> <p>Cities experience this transformation differently. Kharkiv, positioned near the Russian border, carries a unique psychological atmosphere. Residents maintain constant awareness of incoming threats. Reaction time to air-delivered bombs can be measured in seconds rather than minutes. Monitoring Telegram alert channels becomes habitual behavior.</p> <p>Julia recalled one moment that encapsulated this reality: shopping for clothes when alerts signaled an incoming strike. She found herself running toward a metro shelter with one shoe on, the other still in her hand — an absurd yet entirely real image of wartime life.</p> <p>These contradictions extend beyond physical survival into emotional coping. Dark humor plays a significant role in maintaining psychological balance. Ukrainians create memes, jokes, and ironic commentary even during intense attacks. Julia described humor as a shared mechanism across war zones globally — a way to reclaim agency over uncontrollable circumstances.</p> <p>Memes about damaged buildings, jokes about missile barrages, and ironic social media posts become small islands of emotional relief amid ongoing stress.</p> <p>At the same time, war produces a haunting temporal distortion. Many Ukrainians experience pre-2022 life as distant, almost unreal. Emotional continuity is interrupted. Memory reorganizes itself around invasion as a dividing line between two identities: before and after.</p> <p>“I sometimes feel,” Julia said, “as if my life only began in 2022.”</p> <p>This sense of rupture carries long-term psychological implications. Anxiety becomes anticipatory rather than reactive. Quiet nights feel unfamiliar. Calm periods create unease rather than comfort because experience suggests danger will eventually return.</p> <p>Preparing for emergencies becomes instinctive behavior — charging devices, monitoring alerts, storing supplies — even during peaceful moments.</p> <p>Yet despite these pressures, Julia’s work emphasizes something fundamentally hopeful: continuity. Ukrainians continue teaching, filming, writing, working, laughing, and documenting. Small gestures — maintaining routines, helping neighbors, sharing humor — become acts of resistance against chaos.</p> <p>Every city, Julia noted, develops its own wartime identity shaped by geography, threat patterns, and community dynamics. Kharkiv’s experience differs from Kyiv’s. Border towns differ from rear cities. Each produces distinct cultural adaptations while sharing a collective resilience.</p> <p>Ultimately, Julia’s documentary approach reflects a broader philosophy about storytelling in wartime. Grand narratives matter, but human stories endure. Individual experiences reveal emotional truths that statistics cannot capture.</p> <p>Her teacher from Kharkiv, empty classrooms marked only by footprints in snow, and students connected across continents represent a deeper story about Ukraine — one defined not solely by destruction but by persistence.</p> <p>These stories remind audiences that war is not only fought on battlefields but lived in kitchens, classrooms, grocery stores, and city streets. It is experienced through routines interrupted yet maintained, fear acknowledged yet managed, and hope preserved despite uncertainty.</p> <p>And that, perhaps, is the essence of Ukrainian voices today: not just survival, but continuity of identity, memory, and humanity in the face of relentless disruption.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div><p>The post <a href="https://natsecmedia.com/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine-with-julia-kalashnyk-war-resistance-daily-reality/">Ukrainian Voices: Life in Ukraine with Julia Kalashnyk | War, Resistance & Daily Reality</a> first appeared on <a href="https://natsecmedia.com/">National Security Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://natsecmedia.com/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine-with-julia-kalashnyk-war-resistance-daily-reality/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine-with-julia-kalashnyk-war-resistance-daily-reality">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:39:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/20/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine.html <div data-elementor-type="wp-post" data-elementor-id="16947" data-elementor-post-type="post" data-sanitized-class="elementor elementor-16947"> <section data-id="3ecf4c61" data-element_type="section" data-e-type="section" data-sanitized-class="elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3ecf4c61 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default"> <div data-id="123b676a" data-element_type="column" data-e-type="column" data-sanitized-class="elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-123b676a"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated"> <section data-id="f4f57dc" data-element_type="section" data-e-type="section" data-sanitized-class="elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-f4f57dc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default"> <div data-id="ea83e14" data-element_type="column" data-e-type="column" data-sanitized-class="elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ea83e14"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated"> <div data-id="32832dc" data-element_type="widget" data-e-type="widget" data-settings='{"youtube_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/MJXAuvBS_iM","video_type":"youtube","controls":"yes"}' data-widget_type="video.default" data-sanitized-class="elementor-element elementor-element-32832dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-video"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-container"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-video"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-id="da54e75" data-element_type="column" data-e-type="column" data-sanitized-class="elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-da54e75"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated"> <div data-id="a37897e" data-element_type="widget" data-e-type="widget" data-widget_type="html.default" data-sanitized-class="elementor-element elementor-element-a37897e elementor-widget elementor-widget-html"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-container"> <div data-sanitized-class="substack-post-embed"><p lang="en">Ukrainian Voices: Life in Ukraine with Julia Kalashnyk by Chris Sampson</p><p>A recording from Chris Sampson's live video</p><a data-post-link href="https://thechrissampson.substack.com/p/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine">Read on Substack</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div data-id="271263ae" data-element_type="widget" data-e-type="widget" data-widget_type="text-editor.default" data-sanitized-class="elementor-element elementor-element-271263ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor"> <div data-sanitized-class="elementor-widget-container"> <p>I first encountered Julia Kalashnyk through her writing on Substack. What immediately stood out was her ability to capture something often missing from international coverage: the texture of daily life in Ukraine during war. Headlines speak in explosions, advances, and diplomacy. Julia writes about routines, classrooms, grocery stores, and the emotional contradictions that define survival.</p><p>Julia’s path into journalism began long before the full-scale invasion. She spent over a decade living in Italy, collaborating with Italian media before returning to Ukraine in 2016. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, her work shifted dramatically. Collaborations expanded across international outlets, and her focus deepened into documentary storytelling — not simply reporting events, but preserving memory.</p> <p>“We are testimonies,” she explained. “This is a historic experience, painful and overwhelming, but it must be documented for the future.”</p> <p>One story she has followed for three years captures this philosophy perfectly. It is not about generals or battles, but a teacher from Kharkiv. When the invasion began, the teacher fled with her family to a village, only to find herself trapped under occupation. After 42 days, they escaped to Kharkiv, but by then her classroom had dissolved — students scattered across continents, education disrupted, normal life fractured.</p> <p>Yet the teacher continued teaching online, becoming what Julia described as “glue” holding students together across geography and trauma. Julia met her in 2023 and began filming, drawn not to spectacle but to persistence.</p> <p>“It is a simple story,” Julia said, “but sometimes simplicity reveals extraordinary strength.”</p> <p>That observation reflects a broader truth about wartime Ukraine. Individual lives often embody the resilience of the nation itself. A teacher maintaining classes through blackouts. A shopkeeper cooking through drone attacks. Families preserving routines even as sirens interrupt them.</p> <p>Daily life, Julia emphasized, continues with a strange duality. Supermarkets remain open. Cafés serve coffee. Online lessons proceed. Cultural events take place. Yet beneath that continuity lies constant awareness of danger.</p> <p>Electricity outages, missile strikes, and winter shortages become background conditions rather than exceptional crises. People adapt by necessity. Power banks are permanently charged. Water is stored in jars. Flashlights are kept in specific pockets. Cash is withdrawn whenever possible in anticipation of banking disruptions.</p> <p>This adaptation produces a psychological shift Julia described as “adjusting to the unadjustable.”</p> <p>War reshapes the boundaries of normality. Behaviors that would once feel extraordinary become automatic routines. Conversations casually reference air raids alongside grocery lists. A friend abroad may react with shock to stories that Ukrainians recount almost mechanically.</p> <p>“I sometimes describe something that feels normal,” Julia reflected, “and see the reaction of someone outside Ukraine. It is like a cold shower. You realize how extreme it sounds.”</p> <p>Cities experience this transformation differently. Kharkiv, positioned near the Russian border, carries a unique psychological atmosphere. Residents maintain constant awareness of incoming threats. Reaction time to air-delivered bombs can be measured in seconds rather than minutes. Monitoring Telegram alert channels becomes habitual behavior.</p> <p>Julia recalled one moment that encapsulated this reality: shopping for clothes when alerts signaled an incoming strike. She found herself running toward a metro shelter with one shoe on, the other still in her hand — an absurd yet entirely real image of wartime life.</p> <p>These contradictions extend beyond physical survival into emotional coping. Dark humor plays a significant role in maintaining psychological balance. Ukrainians create memes, jokes, and ironic commentary even during intense attacks. Julia described humor as a shared mechanism across war zones globally — a way to reclaim agency over uncontrollable circumstances.</p> <p>Memes about damaged buildings, jokes about missile barrages, and ironic social media posts become small islands of emotional relief amid ongoing stress.</p> <p>At the same time, war produces a haunting temporal distortion. Many Ukrainians experience pre-2022 life as distant, almost unreal. Emotional continuity is interrupted. Memory reorganizes itself around invasion as a dividing line between two identities: before and after.</p> <p>“I sometimes feel,” Julia said, “as if my life only began in 2022.”</p> <p>This sense of rupture carries long-term psychological implications. Anxiety becomes anticipatory rather than reactive. Quiet nights feel unfamiliar. Calm periods create unease rather than comfort because experience suggests danger will eventually return.</p> <p>Preparing for emergencies becomes instinctive behavior — charging devices, monitoring alerts, storing supplies — even during peaceful moments.</p> <p>Yet despite these pressures, Julia’s work emphasizes something fundamentally hopeful: continuity. Ukrainians continue teaching, filming, writing, working, laughing, and documenting. Small gestures — maintaining routines, helping neighbors, sharing humor — become acts of resistance against chaos.</p> <p>Every city, Julia noted, develops its own wartime identity shaped by geography, threat patterns, and community dynamics. Kharkiv’s experience differs from Kyiv’s. Border towns differ from rear cities. Each produces distinct cultural adaptations while sharing a collective resilience.</p> <p>Ultimately, Julia’s documentary approach reflects a broader philosophy about storytelling in wartime. Grand narratives matter, but human stories endure. Individual experiences reveal emotional truths that statistics cannot capture.</p> <p>Her teacher from Kharkiv, empty classrooms marked only by footprints in snow, and students connected across continents represent a deeper story about Ukraine — one defined not solely by destruction but by persistence.</p> <p>These stories remind audiences that war is not only fought on battlefields but lived in kitchens, classrooms, grocery stores, and city streets. It is experienced through routines interrupted yet maintained, fear acknowledged yet managed, and hope preserved despite uncertainty.</p> <p>And that, perhaps, is the essence of Ukrainian voices today: not just survival, but continuity of identity, memory, and humanity in the face of relentless disruption.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div><p>The post <a href="https://natsecmedia.com/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine-with-julia-kalashnyk-war-resistance-daily-reality/">Ukrainian Voices: Life in Ukraine with Julia Kalashnyk | War, Resistance & Daily Reality</a> first appeared on <a href="https://natsecmedia.com/">National Security Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://natsecmedia.com/ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine-with-julia-kalashnyk-war-resistance-daily-reality/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ukrainian-voices-life-in-ukraine-with-julia-kalashnyk-war-resistance-daily-reality">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/polish-president-ends-special-refugee.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:52:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/polish-president-ends-special-refugee.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/72e5df1948.jpg" alt="Polish president ends special refugee support system for Ukrainians, shifts assistance to general foreigner protections"></p>Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed legislation on Feb. 19 transferring support measures for Ukrainian refugees into Poland’s general Law on the Protection of Foreigners, ending a separate legal framework created after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/polish-president-ends-special-refugee-support-system-for-ukrainians-shifts-assistance-to-general-foreigner-protections/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/ampquotcannon-fodderampquot-from-the-caribbean.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/ampquotcannon-fodderampquot-from-the-caribbean.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6bde793f40.jpg" alt="&quot;Cannon fodder&quot; from the Caribbean: how Putin buys Cubans for $2000 to fight in Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjIqGIrRkIs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/russias-missile-strikes-on-ukraine.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/russias-missile-strikes-on-ukraine.html <p>Russia is using Tu-95MS strategic bombers to strike Ukraine — aircraft the Kremlin allegedly stole in Kazakhstan after the collapse of the USSR — and they went on to form the backbone of Moscow’s strategic aviation fleet, according to Ivan Kirichevsky, a servicemember of the 413th SBS “Raid” regiment and a Defense Express expert.</p> <p>Events in the early 1990s now shape Russia’s ability to employ strategic aviation against Ukraine, Kirichevsky said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1YcaJN2LTi/">a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>In 1992, Russia received 40 Tu-95MS bombers that, at the time of the Soviet collapse, were based in Kazakhstan. They were stationed at the Semipalatinsk airfield as part of the 79th Air Division. This formed the “core” of Russia’s fleet of this bomber type. Of these aircraft, 27 were the MS16 modification, capable of carrying cruise missiles on external pylons, and another 13 were the MS6 variant, which can carry missiles only in the bomb bay.</p> <p>“For comparison, Russia itself at the start of 1992 had up to 27 Tu-95MS bombers, while Ukraine had 21 Tu-95MS aircraft in the MS6 variant (with missiles only in the bomb bay). Just to remind you, in 1999 the Russians took from us for gas only eight Tu-160s and just three Tu-95MS; the rest of our long-range bombers were scrapped,” Kirichevsky said.</p> <p>According to him, it remains unclear how exactly Russia obtained the Kazakh aircraft: there are versions about outright theft or a swap for Tu-95K-22s, but none has been fully confirmed. It is known, however, that at the beginning of 1992, Kazakhstan’s military leadership had relatively weak control over the 79th Air Division at the Semipalatinsk airfield.</p> <p>“A solid fact that’s been known since then looks like this - when the Russians, inspired by the ‘Kazakh’ success, tried in that same 1992 to hijack our Tu-95MS from Uzyn, our military rolled ‘Shilkas’ onto the runway, and in the end the Russians failed,” Kirichevsky added.</p> <p>It is known that Russia has not produced Tu-95MS aircraft since 1992. That means the bombers from Kazakhstan are the ones Russia is now using to strike Ukraine. Kirichevsky said he shared this history to illustrate that in the 1990s, Ukraine safeguarded its military potential far better than is often portrayed today.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-missile-strikes-on-ukraine-rely-on-tu-95ms-bombers-allegedly-stolen-from-kazakhstan-expert-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/trump-extends-ukrainerelated-national-emergency.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:37:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/trump-extends-ukrainerelated-national-emergency.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/17f3ba9530.jpg" alt="Trump extends Ukraine-related national emergency, certain US sanctions against Russia for another year"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 19 approved a one-year extension of the national emergency and related sanctions first introduced following Russia’s 2014 occupation of Crimea.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-extends-ukraine-related-national-emergency-certain-us-sanctions-against-russia-for-another-year/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/the-kremlin-offered-trump-trillion.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:30:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/the-kremlin-offered-trump-trillion.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/51ff38fbb9.jpg" alt="The Kremlin offered Trump $12 trillion as part of the STA (“selling air”) strategy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iRwPKmwpD_U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/unstoppable-crisis-the-kremlin-cant.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/unstoppable-crisis-the-kremlin-cant.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bd908b41c7.jpg" alt="UNSTOPPABLE CRISIS: the Kremlin can't stop the ECONOMIC COLLAPSE! Europe's nuclear umbrella?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFWmV6hxQdQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/us-sanctions-drive-russian-crude.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/us-sanctions-drive-russian-crude.html <p>Russia’s oil sector is facing a wave of bankruptcies as tightened U.S. sanctions drive prices for Russian crude down to $40 a barrel and below, triggering bankruptcies among producers in key regions.</p> <p>State-owned lender VTB plans to file a bankruptcy petition against First Oil, an oil group controlled by former Sibur shareholder Yakov Goldovsky, <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/02/17/v-rossii-iz-za-obvala-tsen-na-neft-nachalis-bankrotstva-neftyanih-kompanii-a187469">The Moscow Times reports</a>. First Oil operates in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia’s primary oil-producing province. The company has amassed roughly 6 billion rubles in debt. Its portfolio includes fields with total reserves of 14 million metric tons, and output of about 500,000 metric tons a year. New U.S. sanctions have forced Russian producers to sell at discounts of up to $30 per barrel—pressure that pushed First Oil over the edge, swelling debts and straining its ability to service them.</p> <p>“The oil-producing sector is sliding into crisis, and the latest sanctions will accelerate this process,” said Craig Kennedy, a former Bank of America vice president who is now an expert at Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies.</p> <p>At around $40 a barrel, roughly half of Russia’s fields are unprofitable. Even with steep discounts, Russian companies are struggling to find buyers. Beyond China and, to a lesser extent, India, few are willing to purchase sanctioned crude.</p> <p>Bankruptcy proceedings began in late 2025 against NK Yangpur, which represents Belorusneft and operates in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Earlier, following lawsuits by the tax service, Astrakhan Oil Company and NK Gorny were declared bankrupt, and in January Moscow Credit Bank sought about 7 billion rubles from the owners of one of the bankrupt firms.</p> <p>Nearly half of Russia’s oil and gas producers are unprofitable, according to Rosstat. Banks have been forced to restructure 2.7 trillion rubles in industry loans. Falling oil export revenues and a high key interest rate have formed an “explosive cocktail” for producers.</p> <p>Hungary continues to import Russian oil despite available alternative routes and the EU’s drive to phase out Russian energy. At the same time, savings from cheaper crude are not reflected in consumer prices. The gains from importing discounted Russian fuel are not being passed on to end users and are concentrated in revenues linked to Prime Minister Viktor Orban.</p> <p>On the night of December 3 an explosion hit Russia’s Druzhba oil pipeline. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) carried out the drone attack. The incident occurred on the Taganrog–Lipetsk branch.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/u-s-sanctions-drive-russian-crude-to-40-triggering-bankruptcies-across-the-oil-sector">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/drones-destroyed-russian-osa-air.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/drones-destroyed-russian-osa-air.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/130be39c06.jpg" alt="🎯 Drones DESTROYED Russian OSA air defense system #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Jml091zsFU8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/hell-in-the-pokrovsk-and.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/hell-in-the-pokrovsk-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/54d85178cf.jpg" alt="HELL in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions! Russia is concentrating troops"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQWJr3--b28">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-reportedly.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:16:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-reportedly.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6fe90e3cb0.png" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine reportedly strikes Russian oil depot in Pskov Oblast, hits Belgorod with missiles"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 19: </strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine reportedly strikes oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast, targets Belgorod with missiles, leaving blackouts</li><li>US reportedly presses allies to block Ukraine from full participation at NATO summit</li><li>Moldova, Ukraine investigate alleged Russian-backed plot to assassinate prominent Ukrainians</li><li>Sweden to send cutting-edge air</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-reportedly-strikes-russian-oil-depot-in-pskov-oblast-hits-belgorod-with-missiles/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/investigation-links-putin-family-to.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/investigation-links-putin-family-to.html <p>Russian president Vladimir Putin holds an indirect stake in Max, the state-promoted “national messenger” pitched as an alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram, through relatives, according to a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_LvSeMupHo">journalistic investigation</a> published Wednesday, Feb. 18, by reporter Andrei Zakharov.</p> <p>Zakharov’s findings draw on financial statements from VK, the holding company behind the government messenger Max.</p> <p>VK’s ownership structure is complex, and one of its key shareholders is the insurance firm Sogaz, in which a stake is held via the company Accept by Mikhail Shelomov, the son of Putin’s maternal cousin.</p> <p>Before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Shelomov held a 12% stake in Sogaz; after Western sanctions, the shareholder list was concealed. However, Accept’s reports continued to reflect the Sogaz stake in subsequent years, including 2024, leading Zakharov to conclude that Shelomov’s interest extends to the Max messenger.</p> <p>Zakharov says he reached Shelomov by phone. Asked about Max, Shelomov replied he had “nothing to do with it” and ended the call. The reporter characterizes Max as a tool of enrichment and control that turns users into “digital serfs.”</p> <p>Russian authorities are carrying out a broad campaign to compel citizens to switch to Max.</p> <p>Officials have been ordered onto the platform, and school and neighborhood chats are being moved there.</p> <p>Putin has called Max’s creation an achievement of “full digital sovereignty.”</p> <p>At the same time, Russia’s telecom watchdog Roskomnadzor is restricting and blocking WhatsApp and Telegram, the country’s most popular messengers.</p> <p>In August 2025, voice calls on those apps were blocked nationwide.</p> <p>In February 2026, the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor announced further curbs on Telegram in Russia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/investigation-links-putin-family-to-stake-in-max-messenger-as-russia-curbs-whatsapp-and-telegram">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/turkeys-intelligence-says-ukrainerussia-war.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:30:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/turkeys-intelligence-says-ukrainerussia-war.html <p>The war between Ukraine and Russia has reached a strategic deadlock, according to Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization in <a href="https://www.mit.gov.tr/uploads/f/Yy2efWrtUXn7.pdf">its 2025 report</a>. The document was released amid continued fighting along the front and U.S.-mediated talks.</p> <p>Turkish intelligence says the past year brought large-scale conflicts and major shocks to the international security system. Ankara assesses that the current global order proved unable to respond effectively to crises, reshaping strategic balances and redistributing economic influence worldwide.</p> <p>Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization, said the war in Ukraine has reached a point where neither side can achieve a decisive edge. On one side is sustained Western military support for Kyiv; on the other, Russia is betting on a long war of attrition and its industrial capacity.</p> <p>Kalin said the conflict is increasingly hybrid. He noted that in 2025 familiar forms of threats evolved, with uncertainty and chaos dominating worldwide. The nature of warfare is shifting: nuclear deterrence is back in focus, while autonomous weapons and other high-tech systems are taking on a larger role.</p> <p>The report underscores Turkey’s diplomatic role. Ankara continues to position itself as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia and says it is ready to help broker peace. Turkish intelligence argues the war’s trajectory will hinge largely on talks, including whether the sides can find compromises on territory and security guarantees.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/turkey-s-intelligence-says-ukraine-russia-war-in-strategic-stalemate-with-outcome-hinging-on-negotiations">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/dont-believe-in-fairy-tales.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:18:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/dont-believe-in-fairy-tales.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1813800965.jpg" alt="'Don't believe in fairy tales' — Russia scrambles for front-line signal after Starlink cut-off"></p><p>Russia's assault on Ukraine has gone dark thanks to a recent cut-off of satellite internet.</p><p>"Their pilots are now forced to pass on information by radio, and I can intercept those messages," Tymur, a deputy battalion commander in the Lyman sector, told the Kyiv Independent. </p><p>"</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/dont-believe-in-fairy-tales-russia-scrambles-for-front-line-signal-after-starlink-cut-off/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/former-dpr-peoples-governor-pavel.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/former-dpr-peoples-governor-pavel.html <p>Russian authorities have drawn up an administrative case against Pavel Gubarev for allegedly “discrediting” the Russian military, according to a listing in the Moscow City Court database. The case was registered on February 18 in Moscow’s Tagansky District Court.</p> <p>The court entry says Gubarev P.Yu. is being prosecuted under Part 1 of Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code, which carries a fine of up to 50,000 rubles. The initials match those of the former self-styled “people’s governor” of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.</p> <p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/politics/18/02/2026/6995bcc99a7947f1787b6565">RBC</a>, Gubarev said he did not know what triggered the report. “Whether this is someone’s design, I don’t know. I can only assume that some people didn’t like my texts. I consider this sheer stupidity. I don’t expect any consequences for myself,” he said.</p> <p>Gubarev rose to prominence in spring 2014 as one of the leaders of pro-Russian forces in the Donbas. In March 2014, he was declared “people’s governor” at a rally in Donetsk, though he did not subsequently take an official post in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR). After returning to Russia and the start of the fighting in Ukraine, he joined the army as a private.</p> <p>He runs a Telegram channel followed by about 25,000 people.</p> <p>In 2023, Gubarev was detained outside Moscow’s Meshchansky District Court after the decision to arrest former DNR “defense minister” Igor Strelkov (Girkin). Gubarev publicly backed Strelkov at the time, saying he had “always offered well-founded criticism of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense.” Police then led Gubarev away.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/former-dpr-people-s-governor-pavel-gubarev-charged-with-discrediting-the-russian-army">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/russian-delegation-headed-by-propagandist.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:30:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/russian-delegation-headed-by-propagandist.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ec3b671862.jpg" alt="🇷🇺 Russian delegation headed by PROPAGANDIST again – a signal from Moscow? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eTLQcgkec64">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/the-end-is-near-neither.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:01:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/the-end-is-near-neither.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/feafbbc904.jpg" alt="THE END IS NEAR? Neither China, Iran, nor North Korea can save Russia!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7jzL9nGEFE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/estonia-plans-eastern-border-bunkers.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:31:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/estonia-plans-eastern-border-bunkers.html <p>As part of the Baltic Defense Line collaboration, Estonia is set to construct as many as 600 concrete bunkers along its eastern land border. These reinforce a growing defensive infrastructure designed to delay and deter a mechanized ground assault. The bunkers, mostly O-type concrete structures, will be placed at strategic points to block and slow enemy vehicles and infantry. This complements other planned fortification efforts such as a 40-kilometer anti-tank ditch on Estonia’s southeastern border. The overall initiative aims to enhance Baltic regional security amid heightened tensions and risks from neighboring Russia. The project continues to advance as the Baltic states cooperate on integrated defense planning and infrastructure deployment.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609946612/estonia-plans-600-eastern-border-bunkers-as-baltic-defense-line-advances&amp;app_id=726183068022802">news.err.ee/160994661&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/236f1ecd-6bd9-44d0-85cf-eddc598a56ae">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/ukrainian-commander-claims-to-loss.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:30:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/ukrainian-commander-claims-to-loss.html <p>On average, Ukrainian forces are destroying Russian troops at a ratio of 1 to 50, according to Ukrainian military statements. After the remark, soldiers poured an entire crate of Russian military IDs onto a table behind the commander of the 63rd Brigade.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops say Russia’s war machine is gradually running out of steam. They argue that Moscow’s ability to replenish manpower no longer matches the scale of its losses, while casualties sustained during recent offensives have been enormous.</p> <p>Speaking on <a href="https://zahid.espreso.tv/viyskovi-novyny-na-limanskomu-napryamku-znishchuemo-rosiyan-u-spivvidnoshenni-1-do-50-komandir-63-i-brigadi-yurchuk">Expresso TV</a>, Pavlo Yurchuk, commander of the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, cited an exceptionally high loss ratio on his sector of the front. He said Ukrainian forces are eliminating the enemy at roughly 1 to 50 on average. The officer stressed he can back up the claim with statistics and factual materials, including documented evidence of Russian losses and the unit’s combat results.</p> <p>Classical military doctrine holds that an attacking force typically suffers about three-to-one losses on the main axis of advance.</p> <p>The statement drew particular attention given the brigade’s reputation and the effectiveness of its drone units. Drones and modern reconnaissance tools, the military says, are increasingly shaping battlefield dynamics.</p> <p>Earlier, other Ukrainian commanders and defense officials cited more conservative, yet still heavy, loss ratios for Russia. Andriy Biletsky referenced estimates of 1 to 6–8, while Oleksandr Syrskyi spoke of a 1 to 6 ratio. Analysts note that exact figures vary by sector, the nature of fighting, and each unit’s level of technological capability.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-commander-claims-1-to-50-loss-ratio-against-russian-forces">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/dutch-intelligence-agencies-warn-of.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:10:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/dutch-intelligence-agencies-warn-of.html <p>Dutch intelligence services AIVD and MIVD issued a detailed warning on February 19, 2026, that Russia is intensifying hybrid warfare tactics throughout Europe. These include cyberattacks, sabotage, espionage, and influence operations designed to disrupt critical infrastructure and societal stability. The agencies highlighted a notable increase in aggressive operations since 2024, with examples including instructions to send incendiary packages abroad linked to Russian intelligence. Russia aims to manipulate politics, create division, hinder aid to Ukraine, and degrade European unity. The warning was contemporaneous with multiple hostile acts: Russian drones violated Polish airspace and were shot down by Dutch F-35 jets, Dutch fighters entered Estonian airspace, and a Russian frigate and cargo ship transited the Dutch Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea under Dutch naval surveillance. The Dutch navy vessel Zr.Ms. Den Helder actively escorted the Russian frigate Neustrashimy. These developments exemplify a Russian hybrid warfare campaign blurring peace and war, requiring enhanced deterrence and defense measures in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Netherlands</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://nltimes.nl/2026/02/19/dutch-intelligence-agencies-warn-escalating-russian-hybrid-attacks">nltimes.nl/2026/02/1&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/feba1371-dcee-43af-bcb7-9964ad8fc720">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/ready-to-fight-baltics-face.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:09:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/ready-to-fight-baltics-face.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1436645152.jpg" alt="'Ready to fight' — Baltics face NATO fragility fears in the age of Trump"></p><p>As the crisis in Washington’s relations with its European allies escalated in recent months, it raised a stark question: how secure are the U.S. guarantees for countries bordering Russia?</p><p>U.S. President Donald Trump has not just antagonized NATO allies but even threatened to annex one of</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/does-trumps-turmoil-leave-natos-flank-open-baltics-say-no/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/russia-recruits-over-citizens-of.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:49:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/russia-recruits-over-citizens-of.html <p><img width="2880" height="1594" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-3370.jpg" alt="Kenyan captive Evans" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE,</strong> Feb. 19 — Russia has recruited more than 1,000 citizens of Kenya to fight in its invasion of Ukraine, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-russia-ukraine-army-recruits-82c48fb68edf130dc080385b0d3d5887" data-wpel-link="external">reported</a> AP, citing Kenyan intelligence. </p> <p>On Feb. 18,  parliamentary leader Kimani Ichung’wah presented an intelligence report, accusing Russian embassy officials of working with Russia’s recruitment agencies that lured Kenyans to the military with the false promises of jobs in Russia. He added that the Russian Embassy issued visas for those who have been recruited to the army. </p> <p>Ichung’wah added that the report shows that at least one Kenya’s citizen was killed, 39 were wounded, and 89 remain on the frontlines. Others returned home. </p> <p>The parliament leader also warned Kenyan officials that anyone in the country who is involved in Moscow’s recruitment campaign would be held responsible. </p> <p>According to BBC, in 2025 nearly 130 recruitment agencies were <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20gn2d51l1o" data-wpel-link="external">operating</a> in Kenya, around five had been flagged, with three already suspended and two others under investigation. </p> <p>Earlier Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs <a href="https://www.trtafrika.com/english/article/24948cfac350" data-wpel-link="external">urged</a> its citizens who live in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to register with the embassy in Moscow to enable “timely monitoring, consular assistance and protection.”</p> <p>AP reports that Nairobi arrested two recruits last year and released them on bail as they await trial.</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more </h3> <p>Russia <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-attacks-kharkiv-region-over-700-times-in-2026-ministry-of-internal-affairs-say/" data-wpel-link="internal">attacks</a> Kharkiv region over 700 times in 2026, Ministry of Internal Affairs say</p> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">It’s freezing in Kharkiv. Please consider supporting our newsroom through this cold winter full of Russian attacks that disrupt our electricity and heating. Leave a <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>one-time tip</strong></a> or become a <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>member of our community</strong></a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-recruits-over-1000-citizens-of-kenya-to-fight-against-ukraine/" data-wpel-link="internal">Russia recruits over 1,000 citizens of Kenya to fight against Ukraine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-recruits-over-1000-citizens-of-kenya-to-fight-against-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/the-one-problem-with-russias.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:34:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/the-one-problem-with-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2238143863.jpg" alt="The one problem with Russia's shadow fleet Europe still hasn't addressed"></p><p>Contrary to the rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin, the Russian economy is faltering.</p><p>After years of growth propped up by military spending, Russia's economy slowed to a standstill in 2025. Unfortunately, the energy trade remains just strong enough to sustain Russian tax revenues: without the steady inflow</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-one-problem-with-russias-shadow-fleet-europe-still-hasnt-addressed/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/sikorski-warns-poland-could-be.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:30:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/sikorski-warns-poland-could-be.html <p>Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski warned that if Ukraine loses its war against Russia, Poland would become Moscow’s next target—placing the entire NATO eastern flank at risk.</p> <p>Sikorski made the remarks on <a href="https://youtu.be/Fy3-L3pCadM">the British podcast The Rest Is Politics</a>, adding that Ukraine’s military still has the resources to fight for several more years.</p> <p>“We believe that if Putin conquers Ukraine, we’ll be next. And this has happened before. That’s why we spent 2% of GDP on defense for 20 years, and now we’re spending 4.7%... You know, we’d rather eat grass than become a Russian colony again,” Sikorski said.</p> <p>He suggested that public resistance in Poland to the threat of Russian expansionism helps explain the country’s high defense spending, even at the expense of other areas.</p> <p>“This has happened before,” he added-an apparent reference to periods in Polish history under Russian rule, first in imperial times and later under Soviet domination.</p> <p>Sikorski also argued that Ukraine can continue fighting for three more years because it has the means to do so, while the Kremlin leader cannot sustain that long. “Ukraine is planning for a three-year war, and these colonial wars usually last about 10 years. I don’t think Putin can hold out another three years,” he said.</p> <p>The foreign minister urged closer cooperation among EU member states on joint defense, noting the bloc has a “synchronization problem” tied to individual national sovereignty. “I support the idea that the European Union should develop its own defense capability, so we don’t have to turn to the United States for every emergency,” Sikorski said.</p> <p>Sikorski recently clashed publicly with entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk over Musk’s comments about the future of the European Union (https://focus.ua/world/735952-ilon-mask-vlyapalsya-v-skandal-sikorskiy-poslal-ego-na-mars). In his social network X post, Musk suggested the EU should be dissolved and posed a provocative question about how long it has left. Sikorski shot back, telling Musk to “go to Mars.”</p> <p>Earlier, Sikorski also commented on a potential visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Polish leader Karol Nawrocki. Before that, Nawrocki had urged Zelensky to show gratitude for Poland’s support. Sikorski said the Ukrainian president should consider meeting with Nawrocki.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sikorski-warns-poland-could-be-next-if-russia-conquers-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/how-elons-satellites-nearly-led.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:05:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/how-elons-satellites-nearly-led.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f66e3b1f1-a.jpg" alt="How Elon’s satellites nearly led to Ukrainian disaster"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!mekX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc6338f68-7304-49ab-b1a9-7315bffc3663_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc6338f68-7.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c6338f68-7304-49ab-b1a9-7315bffc3663_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“Thank you for the excellent job you all do providing us with a glimpse of real life beyond the headlines. I hope more people reading this will appreciate the importance of becoming paying subscribers to support your work.”</em></p><p><em>By Matthew Fawcett</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>“Humans constantly try to find ways to kill their own kind more efficiently,” said ‘Friend Barber’, head of the electronic warfare group of the 125th Separate Mechanised Brigade.</p><p>He’s asked to be identified by only his callsign for security reasons.</p><p>Over more than eleven years of war, he’s seen enough of how Russian forces constantly adapt to the battlefield. Each time, it has forced him to search for ways to counter the enemy — seeking creative solutions to protect what matters most: his people.</p><p>But recently, Russians tried to provoke a massive shift on the battlefield that could have been disastrous for the Ukrainian army.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!_3Ln!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F083d0d5e-78e1-4e95-afcd-40098f494255_1066x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f083d0d5e-7.png" width="228" height="342.2138836772983" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/083d0d5e-78e1-4e95-afcd-40098f494255_1066x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1066,"resizeWidth":228,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Friend Barber, head of the electronic warfare group of the 125th Separate Mechanised Brigade. Photo provided by the brigade.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>About a month ago, Ukraine <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/16/8016424/">recorded</a> the first cases of Russians using Elon Musk’s Starlink terminals on strike drones, allowing them to bypass Ukrainian efforts to jam their signals. Previously, the Ukrainian army could disrupt the drones’ navigation so they would fail to reach their target. With Starlinks, however, Russia can operate the drones live to avoid disruption.</p><p>This time, Ukraine managed to respond to this new upgrade before it could be scaled, blocking the use of communication terminals for Russian forces on the front line.</p><p>Russian forces then lost their connectivity, leading to chaos within their ranks, and they even experienced a temporary halt to assault operations. Ukrainians also launched a counterattack that, according to ISW analysis, may have exploited this Starlink blackout, yielding about 201 square kilometres of recaptured territory.</p><p>Russian forces are now actively trying to restore Starlink connectivity by any means necessary. They’ve now begun blackmailing the families of prisoners of war, pressuring them to facilitate a workaround to new Starlink restrictions by registering Starlink terminals in their own names.</p><p>This constant adaptation to new circumstances on the battlefield and search for non-linear solutions is the only effective way of fighting an enemy with a significant resource advantage.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":452331}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!NsRH!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28fc6439-e687-4fc0-96b3-646a3aaae5de_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f28fc6439-e.jpg" width="498" height="332" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/28fc6439-e687-4fc0-96b3-646a3aaae5de_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":498,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>An antenna from a Starlink satellite-based broadband system stands in a yard next to shoes left out to dry on April 7, 2024 in Kupiansk, Ukraine. Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Friend Barber has been taking part in asymmetric warfare against Russians for more than a decade. It’s a form of combat where unconventional tactics are used to fight back against an adversary who has more resources or manpower.</p><p>Before joining the army, he led a regular civilian life: he worked in furniture assembly and car repair, for example.</p><p>After completing his mandatory military service around twenty years ago, he decided he really liked the army. He signed a contract in 2011. He’s been in the military ever since.</p><p>“When the war began [in 2014], I could have left the Armed Forces, but I didn’t, because I believed the war had to be seen through to the end. We’ll rest later,” Friend Barber recalled.</p><p>After the full-scale invasion, he grabbed his bags and kissed his wife before setting off for the frontline. He performed various roles, from combat missions to training others in technical surveillance. For him, the turning point was when he realised the war would not end on its own. On the contrary, it required him to stay and learn new skills.</p><p>“In 2023, I was badly wounded during an assault, and after that, my career as an assault soldier ended. I got an assignment from the squad commander to start developing a new area of countering enemy small UAVs. In short, it’s electronic warfare,” he explained.</p><p>It’s difficult to explain electronic warfare in a way that everyone can understand. Friend Barber accomplishes this through everyday metaphors, just like he used when giving briefings to infantrymen.</p><p>“If we take a flashlight and shine it in someone’s eyes, they stop because they can’t see anything. Or it could be the headlights of a car, making it very challenging to drive. This is exactly what electronic warfare devices do when they emit their radio waves; they ‘blind’ the control elements.”</p><p>So think of electronic warfare devices, or ‘jammers,’ as emitting chaotic and powerful signals that make it difficult for drones to understand the genuine information they should be receiving.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f66e3b1f1-a.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/11beed6f22.jpg" width="518" height="345.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/66e3b1f1-accd-448e-936e-d3c53c85d4a3_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":518,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>An employee demonstrates radio-electronic warfare systems of the Ukrainian company Kvertus during its presentation in the Lviv region on May 28, 2024. Photo by YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP via Getty Images.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In reality, it’s not that simple, and the Russians always try to figure out ways to make sure “the high beams from oncoming cars don’t get in the way.”</p><p>In these conditions, electronic warfare experts like Friend Barber have to deal with new challenges all the time. And the most recent one — with potentially devastating ramifications for Ukraine — was the use of Starlink-enabled strike drones.</p><p>Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite internet service, built on a large network of satellites in low Earth orbit. The main difference between such systems and traditional satellite communications is significantly faster internet and potentially greater stability in dynamic conditions.</p><p>Elon Musk opened access to Starlink for Ukraine in the early days of the full-scale invasion after an appeal from Kyiv, and it became a crucial communication channel.</p><p>During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kherson region in the fall of 2022, Starlink helped the military maintain stable communications on the battlefield.</p><p>Russia has no official access to Starlink, and SpaceX does not operate there.</p><p>But Russians have made a habit of acquiring contraband terminals by having devices registered in countries where the service is permitted, and then physically transporting them to the front lines.</p><p>The first <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/ukraine-working-with-spacex-stop-russian-drones-use-starlink-kyiv-says-2026-01-29/">signs</a> of Starlink use by Russia were detected some time ago, with analysts tracking Russian drones equipped with Starlink gear since 2024.</p><p>But in early 2026, things escalated when BM-35 drones, which are similar to ‘small’ Shaheds and can fly up to 500 kilometres, were discovered for the first time in the city of Dnipro, a sign that Russia could soon use Shahed-drones with Starlinks to make attacks on civilians even deadlier. A BM-35 drone with a Starlink was also used in Kyiv in late January.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!6gj9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb1993b26-7e4b-4a7c-888c-6fb1d9413829_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb1993b26-7.jpg" width="263" height="350.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b1993b26-7e4b-4a7c-888c-6fb1d9413829_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":263,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Debris of the BM-35 drone in the Dnipro area. Photo from Serhii Flash’s Telegram Channel.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Previously, many drones could be blinded using electronic warfare, jamming their navigation or control channels.</p><p>But this isn’t possible with Starlink since the connection is – without getting into all the technical details – less vulnerable to electronic warfare methods. The drones can therefore fly at low altitudes, adjusting their route mid-flight to avoid air defence.</p><p>“That makes it harder to shoot down, complicates its route, and it transmits data directly to the operator’s screen… the operator can see exactly where it is, what it’s flying over, and gather intelligence in real time,” an air-defence serviceman in Kyiv with the callsign ‘Kit’ (‘Cat’ in English) told <em>The Counteroffensive.</em></p><p>Friend Barber said he has not directly encountered Shaheds equipped with Starlinks in his work, but Russia has used the terminals in other types of drones that operate within smaller ranges near the frontline.</p><p>He works against small drones — such as FPVs — protecting infantry units on the Kharkiv front.</p><p>“The enemy uses a large number of drones in combined attacks, and we are taking losses because of this. The hardest part is when I lose a brother-in-arms to the very thing I am now fighting against. It leaves a certain weight, a sense that I failed to do something that was within my power,” he said.</p><p>Not a single day goes by that Friend Barber does not experience drone attacks on his positions in the Kharkiv region. But there are times when even the infantrymen don’t fully realise how much effort he puts into keeping his comrades safe.</p><p>“Some infantrymen holding positions say: ‘Come on, guys, there were tons of FPV drones flying. So what were you even doing?’ But when you start explaining it to them, and show the numbers — how many drones actually reached their positions versus how many were launched overall — their attitude changes a bit,” he said.</p><p>On February 2, 2026, the Ukrainian government sought to<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/09/russia-scrambles-starlink-access-deactivated-elon-musk-space-x"> block</a> Russian access to the network by introducing a “white list.” The idea is simple: only verified devices can operate in the country, while all others are disabled. In early February 2026, Kyiv <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/starlink-used-by-russian-forces-deactivated-battlefield-ukraine-says-2026-02-05/">reported</a> that the Starlink terminals used by Russian forces had been deactivated.</p><p>But Barber doesn’t believe in permanent decisions.</p><p>“There will be an analogue of Starlink that Russians will try to use for further strikes against Ukraine…I’m ready to work with the consequences,” he explained.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!tAlk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0209b566-5dc4-40f5-a7e3-8b4eba8b2503_887x597.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0209b566-5.jpg" width="426" height="286.7215332581736" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0209b566-5dc4-40f5-a7e3-8b4eba8b2503_887x597.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":597,"width":887,"resizeWidth":426,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Russia is announcing “searches” for Ukrainians who want to make money by registering Russian Starlinks. Photo from Serhii Flash’s Telegram Channel.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>After Ukraine began to disconnect illegal Starlink terminals, the Russians <a href="https://t.me/s/Koord_shtab/18019">turned</a> their attention to the vulnerability of prisoners’ families, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.</p><p>The headquarters reported cases of threats and demands to officially register Starlink terminals so they could be used for attacks against Ukraine.</p><p>Friend Barber has stayed in the army even after being wounded, since for him it’s not just a job or profession, but a way to regain a future for himself and his family that Russia is trying to take away.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!cap5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F178b0297-30af-465a-a373-71d12988b06a_1520x1078.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f178b0297-3.png" width="428" height="303.6565934065934" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/178b0297-30af-465a-a373-71d12988b06a_1520x1078.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1033,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":428,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Map showing the locations mentioned in the story. Kharkiv region (where “Friend Barber” is currently deployed), and Polohy in Zaporizhzhia region (his hometown, currently under Russian occupation).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Every time he sees an FPV drone strike in his native Zaporizhzhia region, he feels the urge to drop everything and go there to help. But he knows he is ultimately fighting for his hometown of Polohy, even though it’s hundreds of kilometres away and under Russian occupation.</p><p>Right now, he’s needed in the Kharkiv region.</p><p>The war forced Barber not only to adapt to constant military upgrades but also to keep his own life in limbo. Whenever he talks about his future and kids, it sounds like a dream that’s bound to come true.</p><p>“I want children. First, we need to end this war. And we must restore our territories, we will have to... After all, this is my country, my home, and I want my children to live here.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“Thank you for the excellent job you all do providing us with a glimpse of real life beyond the headlines. I hope more people reading this will appreciate the importance of becoming paying subscribers to support your work.”</em></p><p><em>By Matthew Fawcett</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY: </strong></h3><p>By Tania Novakivska</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA PREPARES TO DRAFT RESERVISTS:</strong> On 18 February, the Russian State Duma passed a bill in its first reading that would strengthen preventive measures against draft evasion, <a href="https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-february-18-2026/">according to</a> the latest ISW report.</p><p>The bill is likely intended to provide a legal basis for prosecuting Russians who criticise conscription of reservists.</p><p>ISW analysts believe that the forced conscription of reservists indicates Moscow’s desire to compensate for the almost complete exhaustion of voluntary recruitment in 2026.</p><p><strong>UKRAINIAN DEFENCE INDUSTRY GREW 50-FOLD DURING THE WAR:</strong> The sector’s production capacity increased to $50 billion- multiplying 50 times compared to pre-war levels, enabling Ukrainian manufacturers to supply more than half of the Ukrainian army’s weapons needs, <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-economy/4093094-ukrainskij-opk-zbilsiv-virobnictvo-do-50-milardiv-minoboroni.html">said </a>Defence Minister Advisor Hanna Hvozdar at the Munich Conference.</p><p><strong>IRAN STRENGTHENS PROTECTION OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES:</strong> Amid tensions with the US, Iran <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/satellite-images-show-iran-repairing-fortifying-sites-amid-us-tensions-2026-02-18/">is rebuilding </a>facilities destroyed by American and Israeli strikes and strengthening their security, Reuters reported after analysing changes in satellite images of key facilities in Iran’s nuclear programme.</p><p>At the same time, CBS News sources <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-possible-timeline-iran-strikes/">report </a>that the military is ready to launch full-scale strikes on Iran as early as this Saturday, as senior National Security officials have informed Trump.</p><p>However, Trump has not yet made a final decision on whether to strike.</p><h3><strong>DOGS OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Tania spent her weekends babysitting these three good boys. Their names are Mike, Ron, and Kyi, and their favourite things to do are playing, eating and competing for a place nearest to Tania in bed.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!NsEN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F77fce8f5-89e0-4e7e-bac3-090c943a6e8a_1514x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f77fce8f5-8.jpg" width="1456" height="1539" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/77fce8f5-89e0-4e7e-bac3-090c943a6e8a_1514x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1539,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there!</p><p>Best,<br>Oleksandra and Mariana</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-elons-satellites-nearly-led-to">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/on-fire-in-russia-sbu.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/on-fire-in-russia-sbu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/87c3d49dba.jpg" alt="ON FIRE IN RUSSIA! SBU destroys oil depot near Pskov: harsh response to Russian terror!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QVNkYbpzjk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/all-talk-and-little-action.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:33:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/all-talk-and-little-action.html <p><img width="1206" height="722" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-1005.jpg" alt="British architect Norman Foster and Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov during discussion on rebuilding of the city / Photo: Norman Foster Foundation" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong> — Local authorities began discussing the reconstruction of damaged or destroyed spaces and buildings in Kharkiv in April 2022. They <a href="https://t.me/citykharkivua/4642" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> that a famous British architect Norman Foster would take part in designing the city’s rebuilding.</p> <p>During these four years, neither Foster, nor his foundation’s team visited Kharkiv, instead communicating. They developed a masterplan for rebuilding of the city and several projects within that masterplan remotely, communicating online with the group of local architects and the Kharkiv mayor, Ihor Terekhov. The Kharkiv architectural community is rather skeptical about Foster’s and his team’s participation in the rebuilding.</p> <p>“You can’t work like that. You can’t invite someone to come and make us happy. We have to do things differently, explore our problems, and draw on foreign experience,” said Olha Kleitman, one of the architects involved with the project, to Gwara Media.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">“City of the future”</h2> <p>Kharkiv is one of Ukraine’s largest cities, located in the northeast, about 20 kilometers from the Russian border. As of November 2025, <a href="https://suspilne.media/kharkiv/1169634-z-pocatku-povnomasstabnogo-vtorgnenna-u-harkovi-buli-poskodzeni-ci-zrujnovani-ponad-12-tisac-budinkiv-terehov/" data-wpel-link="external">according</a> to official data, 12,500 buildings in the city had been damaged or destroyed in Russia’s full-scale invasion. Other numbers <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-attacks-destroyed-quarter-of-kharkiv-city-in-almost-4-years-full-scale-invasion-mayor-says/" data-wpel-link="internal">show</a> that Russia’s war damaged 8,200 residential buildings — a quarter of the city. </p> <p>The scale of destruction increases with each Russian attack. The Kharkiv City Council <a href="https://www.city.kharkiv.ua/uk/news/igor-terekhov-kharkiv-mozhna-vidnoviti-pislya-viyni-za-dva-tri-roki-50654.html" data-wpel-link="external">believes</a> that the city’s reconstruction will only be possible after the end of Russia’s war and estimates it taking up to two-three years.</p> <p>On Apr. 4, 2022, during the International Mayors Forum organized by the United Nations, Terekhov asked Foster to assist with Kharkiv’s post-war rebuilding. The British architect agreed and, on Apr. 28, gave a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFSr93ifmSg" data-wpel-link="external">speech</a> at the UN.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“What if we bring together the best minds, the best talent, and we work with locals, with people who understand that territory… And together we can recreate the best of the past and  project Kharkiv into a city of the future,” Foster recalled offering to Terekhov.</p> </blockquote> <p>Norman Foster is the founder of the Foster + Partners architecture bureau and one of the pioneers of high-tech style in architecture. His most famous projects include the 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin) in London, the reconstruction of the Reichstag in Berlin, and the Apple headquarters in California.</p> <p>Oleh Dorzdov, the founder of the Kharkiv School of Architecture, who Gwara talked to about Foster’s plan for Kharkiv, said that the concept of the “city of the future” the British architect envisioned is “incredibly complex, long-term, and powerful.” </p> <p>But it required, Drozdov added, the involvement of many different resources and the cooperation among Kharkiv locals, government, activists, and international partners — and that cooperation is absent. </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">“Foster Foundation didn’t hear us” </h2> <p>Locals were invited to cooperate. Dmytro Fomenko, a Kharkiv architect, created and headed a working group of Kharkiv experts to help foreign colleagues improve their understanding of the city and its context.</p> <p>This working group reportedly <a href="https://anticor-kharkiv.org/our-work/pro-te-shcho-foster-u-pryntsypi-ne-mozhe-rozrobyty-henplan-my-znaly-vid-pochatku-shcho-vidbuvaietsia-navkolo-ofitsiynoi-vidbudovy-kharkova-ta-khto-shche-pratsiuie-nad-kontseptsiieiu-vidnovlennia-mis/" data-wpel-link="external">included</a> guide and architect Maksym Rozenfeld, the head of “Kharkivproekt” Institute Yurii Spasov, landscape architect Olha Kleitman, restorer Volodymyr Novhorodov, and practicing architects Serhii Ilchenko, Oleksandr Strulov, Kostiantyn Krytskyi, and Viktor Zaidenberg. </p> <p>The group worked with Foster’s team via video conferences. Despite the invitations, foreign colleagues never visited Kharkiv.  Ihor Terekhov, though, has met with Foster in person several times.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“Norman Foster visited Uzhhorod once, but Uzhhorod is not Kharkiv,” Olha Kleitman told Gwara Media. Kleitman believes it was a mistake to invite people who “have never been here and do not plan to visit the city as chief designers” to lead Kharkiv’s reconstruction.</p> </blockquote> <p>“I think the Foster Foundation team didn’t hear us. Why do we call it the reconstruction of Kharkiv when it’s actually building from scratch?” said Kleitman. In her opinion, true reconstruction has to be focused on repurposing unused, abandoned spaces in buildings that stand empty in the city. “We need to focus on what people need <em>right</em> <em>now</em>.”</p> <p>Kleitman also describes the way local authorities approach decision-making as “populist” and “having an inferiority complex.” She adds: local architects and other experts themselves must decide what is primary and what is secondary to reconstruction.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Foster’s masterplan for Kharkiv</h2> <p>In December 2022, the Norman Foster Foundation <a href="https://normanfosterfoundation.org/kharkiv-masterplan/" data-wpel-link="external">published</a> the “Kharkiv Masterplan,” outlining the results of its cooperation with the Kharkiv team.</p> <p>The foundation said it took more than 100 meetings to develop it based on the input from over 16,000 responses to public questionnaires from Kharkiv locals. The masterplan published on the website includes five pilot projects.</p> <p>The heritage project’s task is to create a new architectural landmark in central Kharkiv. The river project aims to transform a six-kilometer (~3,7 miles) strip between the Kharkiv and Nemyshlia rivers into an “ecological space for pedestrians and cyclists.” </p> <p>The industry project proposes converting a coal-fired power plant into a clean energy and food hub to “stimulate industrial development” across Kharkiv, and the housing project focuses on making existing buildings safe, modern, and energy efficient. Finally, the science neighbourhood project is about implementing “high-tech industries, research, and startups” that are expected to boost Kharkiv industrial base.</p> <p>However, the press service of Kharkiv City Council in response to Gwara Media’s said that, as of February 2026, they developed seven, not five, pilot projects for Kharkiv masterplan. They were developed alongside the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the Norman Foster’s Foundation as part of the UN4Ukrainian Cities project with financial support of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.</p> <p>The Kharkiv City Council also <a href="https://www.city.kharkiv.ua/uk/news/uchast-normana-fostera-u-vidnovlenni-kharkova-ne-potrebue-koshtiv-miskogo-byudzhetu-57801.html" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> that cooperation with Foster on the post-war reconstruction in Kharkiv is financed without using resources from the municipal budget.</p> <p>The council added that, in collaboration with Foster’s team, they also developed projects for transport and economic strategy. The former aims to develop and modernize the municipal transport system, manage priority of pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and restore transport infrastructure. The latter, according to the city council, is supposed to support local small and medium businesses, create new jobs, develop post-war economic recovery and Kharkiv integration to international economic networks.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">What is done under Foster’s masterplan </h2> <p>City council has talked about collaboration with Foster’s team a lot, but Kharkiv doesn’t have too much to show for it. In September 2023, the Kharkiv:Restart forum was held in Kyiv. There, Mayor Terekhov <a href="https://t.me/citykharkivua/38629" data-wpel-link="external">presented</a> the science neighbourhood project, which was developed together with Foster’s Foundation. In 2025, Kharkiv City Council <a href="https://t.me/citykharkivua/73878" data-wpel-link="external">announced</a> once again that the Foundation designed it, now through their social media. </p> <p>It’s one of the five (or seven) pilot projects developed by Foster’s team in collaboration with local experts. The city plans to build it in an area near the Barabashovo market, one of the largest markets in Ukraine, which was partially damaged in Russian strikes.</p> <p>Foster said that it will be a large location with universities, residential buildings, shops, scientific laboratories, and recreational infrastructure.</p> <p>At the same time, Olha Kleitman said that the science neighborhood is a very inappropriate idea for Kharkiv right now. </p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“In general, this park will simply be a competition for what we already have,” the architect explained.</p> </blockquote> <p>She repeated that, because foreign experts hadn’t been to Kharkiv, it’s difficult for them to understand a local urban context. For instance, she said, before the full-scale invasion Kharkiv had 36 higher education institutions with spaces that could be now repurposed for science activities instead of building new ones from scratch.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“We can’t keep the students we have. And we are destroying the institutions that exist. Why? Just to build these boxes,” said Kleitman.</p> </blockquote> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">International competition for heritage project </h2> <p>Within the heritage project envisioned by Foster’s team, in September 2024, the Foundation <a href="https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/1657" data-wpel-link="external">announced</a> an international competition for the design of the reconstruction of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building and the public area of the nearby Freedom Square, one of the largest squares in Europe. Russia <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-s-maidan-svobody-freedom-square-myths-facts-and-symbols/" data-wpel-link="internal">destroyed</a> the building of administration in 2022, killing 29 people. Now, it was to be restored.</p> <p>Mayor Terekhov’s idea was for the project to preserve as much of the historic exterior of the administration as possible, as Foster did with the Reichstag in Berlin.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“I advocated a competition that would be open to Ukrainian and international architects, the results of which have now been evaluated by a jury of ten local and global experts led by the mayor and myself,” <a href="https://architecturecompetitions.com/kharkivfreedomsquare/" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> Foster in his letter on the competition’s website.</p> </blockquote> <p>Projects from Australia, Israel, and India “won” the competition. However, the jury noted that none of the proposals fully “resolved the design challenge.” The main reasons why none of the projects satisfied the jury were the “overly ambitious goals.” Participants did not take into account the local context and characteristics of the site, and the threat to the monumental essence of Freedom Square nearby — a place that’s significant for Kharkiv locals, jury explained. Each project contained an excessive amount of details. The projects also failed to take into account technical limitations, for example, Kharkiv’s underground infrastructure.</p> <p>Maksym Rozenfeld, member of the Kharkiv architects working group, said: “None of the projects were good enough. We awarded incentive prizes because there was a prize fund, and we had to do so. But there can be no final decision. We need time to think it over.”</p> <p>The jury noted that this competition is a step for the next stages of planning the restoration of Freedom Square and the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">City’s own reconstruction projects </h2> <p>On Kharkiv:Restart in 2023, Ihor Terekhov also presented other projects of “city’s development” that were “attractive for investors.” </p> <p>Mayor Terekhov’s press secretary Mariam Satuieva explained to Gwara Media that these projects were developed by “city and departments with (relevant) expertise” and are not connected to the Foster team’s pilot project list.</p> <p>As such, the city developed plans to reconstruct areas along the banks of the Lopan river, which flows through the city center, reconstruct Pryvokzalna Square, and create a green zone in the Zhuravlivka hydropark. Terekhov has also proposed creating a modern transport hub and a shopping, entertainment, and cultural center on the territory of the Levada railway station. None of these places, to Gwara Media’s knowledge, were severely damaged by Russian attacks on the city. </p> <p>In addition, they made plans to create a “microdistrict” in Oleksiivka, one of the most heavily populated areas of Kharkiv, with new housing, offices, and social facilities.</p> <p>Separately, as part of reconstruction-related activities, an installation in the form of a map based on Norman Foster’s masterplan for Kharkiv was presented at the Triennale Milano exhibition in August 2025.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Current state of things</h2> <p>In 2023, Olha Kleitman informed the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center that cooperation with the Foster Foundation on the city’s rebuilding project had been halted and that the working group was no longer meeting.</p> <p>Dmytro Fomenko said he hopes that pause won’t last long, adding: “It is important not to lose communication with Foster, not to lose his interest in Kharkiv.”</p> <p>Gwara Media contacted the Foster Foundation with questions about the reconstruction and agreed to arrange a call, but they stopped responding after we sent a list of themes we wanted to talk about.</p> <p>In December 2025, Kharkiv activist Iryna Kravchenko <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ByQ14t3Ng/" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> that public discussions around a draft analytical report based on the results of urban planning monitoring. It was intended to serve as the basis for amendments to Foster’s masterplan for Kharkiv.</p> <p>The Kharkiv City Council <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1310Fdy47Vz_3TMW0-UKJPivLUOf38Az9?brid=yCCjNn0nhbKJp1MPxJTgTA" data-wpel-link="external">has published</a> this report and announced that discussions will continue until Dec. 29, 2025. Shortly before the deadline, the council removed the announcement from its platforms.</p> <p>The city council’s spokesperson Yurii Sydorenko answered to Gwara Media that they did hold a discussion but the results of it will be known at the end of January because of “controversial issues” that the compliance commission handles. As of Feb. 18, there’s no information on the results of a discussion.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h2> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>“I won’t go through occupation again” — <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-wont-go-through-occupation-again-life-in-ukrainian-village-one-mile-from-russia/" data-wpel-link="internal">life in Ukrainian village</a> one mile from Russia</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em>Hi! This is Elza, the author of this text. I saw many articles and news in 2022-2023 about Norman Foster's involvement in the reconstruction of Kharkiv. Over time, there was less and less mention of this project. So, I wanted to find out what is happening with the reconstruction now and tell you about it. Please, consider supporting our newsroom by </em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/" data-wpel-link="external"><em>buying us a coffee</em></a><em> or </em><a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><em>subscribing to our Patreon</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/with-norman-fosters-masterplan-kharkiv-was-to-be-made-into-city-of-future-after-russias-war-for-now-it-is-mostly-talk/" data-wpel-link="internal">All talk and little action around British architect Norman Foster’s plan to rebuild Kharkiv into “city of future” after Russia’s war</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/with-norman-fosters-masterplan-kharkiv-was-to-be-made-into-city-of-future-after-russias-war-for-now-it-is-mostly-talk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/russia-publicly-pitches-trillion-economic.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:21:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/russia-publicly-pitches-trillion-economic.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9a0c2a107e.jpg" alt="Russia publicly pitches $14 trillion economic deal to Trump tied to lifting US sanctions"></p>"The portfolio of potential U.S.-Russia projects is over $14 trillion," Kremlin economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-publicly-pitches-14-trillion-economic-deal-to-trump-tied-to-lifting-sanctions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/russians-are-evacuating-oil-depot.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:20:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/russians-are-evacuating-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8719db0fea.jpg" alt="RUSSIANS ARE EVACUATING! Oil depot in Pskov burns after Ukrainian Security Service strike #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JYaFZB6DlEg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/ukraine-holds-firm-as-geneva.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/ukraine-holds-firm-as-geneva.html <p>Talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva were productive but tense, with no fundamental concessions from either side, a source familiar with the meeting told <a href="https://t.me/RBC_ua_news/182711">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>According to the source, Ukraine’s delegation withstood pressure from the Russian side. Moscow, as before, stuck to its key demand — the full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from all of Donetsk region — and that position did not change during the Geneva negotiations.</p> <p>Within the military subgroup, participants made some progress, agreeing on select procedural issues. Details were not disclosed, but the source stressed that at the technical level, the dialogue is moving forward.</p> <p>The fate of these understandings now rests with the political subgroup. That is where a decision must be made to determine how the military experts’ work will be implemented.</p> <p>The source added that a leaders-level meeting is becoming necessary. In his view, direct contact between the heads of state could inject momentum and move the talks out of their current phase.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-holds-firm-as-geneva-talks-with-russia-yield-limited-progress-source-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/hungary-signs-first-contracts-to.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:30:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/hungary-signs-first-contracts-to.html <p>Hungary’s oil and gas group MOL has inked its first contracts to import Russian crude through Croatia, Hungary’s MTI news agency <a href="https://mti.hu/hirek/2026/02/18/szijjarto-peter-magyarorszag-es-szlovakia-az-europai-bizottsaghoz-fordult">reported</a>, citing Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The oil will be shipped to Croatia by sea and then transported to refineries.</p> <p>“MOL has ordered the first shipments, which are already en route. They will arrive at a Croatian port in early March, and from there, within 5–10 days, the oil will be transported to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia,” Szijjarto said.</p> <p>He said Hungary and Slovakia asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian oil across its territory after Ukraine blocked flows on the Druzhba pipeline “for political reasons.” Szijjarto accused Kyiv of trying to trigger an energy crisis in Hungary ahead of parliamentary elections to weaken the current government and help the opposition Tisza party.</p> <p>According to Szijjarto, Hungary and Slovakia have also appealed to the European Commission to enforce a rule allowing them to buy Russian oil via seaborne deliveries if pipeline transport is not possible. Earlier in February, authorities in both countries asked Croatia’s economy minister to permit supplies of Russian crude through the Adria pipeline, which runs across the Balkans.</p> <p>Transit on the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine was halted in late January amid large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Hungary and Slovakia oppose tougher measures against Russia and have blocked related EU initiatives in the energy sector.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/hungary-signs-first-contracts-to-import-russian-oil-via-croatia-after-druzhba-pipeline-halt">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/slovakias-fico-threatens-to-cut.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/slovakias-fico-threatens-to-cut.html <p>Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico suggested Slovakia could halt electricity supplies to Ukraine.</p> <p>He <a href="https://www.aktuality.sk/nazivo/WTFDcJwBeBgCtYFlUCdx/">made the remark</a> after learning that the Druzhba oil pipeline, which brings Russian crude to Slovakia, had allegedly been repaired, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does not want to allow oil transit, according to Aktuality.sk:</p> <p>“If Zelensky thinks this has no value, that he doesn’t need it, then we can make a decision and walk away from cooperation on electricity supplies,” Fico said.</p> <p>Fico also said he wants to discuss oil supply disruptions via Ukraine with the European Commission. Earlier, Slovakia and Hungary sought to route supplies through Croatia’s Adria pipeline, but Zagreb refused, citing solidarity with Kyiv.</p> <p>Energy expert Volodymyr Omelchenko countered <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/fitso-pogrozhue-zalishiti-ukrayinu-svitla-1771415371.html">in a comment to RBC-Ukraine</a> that Fico lacks the authority to unilaterally cut electricity deliveries. He spoke to RBC-Ukraine:</p> <p>“We are seeing a hybrid war launched by Russia to save Orbán,” he said, referring to Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban. “Orbán has a poor rating now; his party is trailing the opposition, and for Putin it’s extremely important to keep Orbán in office.”</p> <p>Omelchenko suggested the Kremlin’s plan around the Druzhba pipeline aimed to halt transit so Hungary and Slovakia would again blame Kyiv for disruptions and accuse it of undermining their energy security. He characterized it as a Russian hybrid operation designed both to keep Orban in power and to complicate Ukraine’s electricity imports, which he described as critical. He added that because both governments operate under European Union rules, they cannot take such steps on their own.</p> <p>On February 17, European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told reporters that Brussels is in contact with Ukraine regarding the Druzhba pipeline, which has been damaged since late January, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-ukraine-druzhba-russian-oil-pipeline-hungary-slovakia/33680685.html">reported</a>.</p> <p>She said the EU’s executive is prepared to convene an emergency coordination group with relevant parties to discuss alternative fuel supply routes. Itkonen also said there are “no short-term risks to the security of supply for Hungary and Slovakia,” noting both countries hold 90 days of reserve stocks.</p> <p>On the morning of January 27, Russian forces attacked Ukraine’s Lviv region with drones; the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was hit.</p> <p>Overnight on December 3, 2025, an explosion occurred on the Druzhba pipeline in the Russian Federation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/slovakia-s-fico-threatens-to-cut-power-exports-to-ukraine-over-druzhba-pipeline-dispute">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/latvian-saeima-to-consider-citizenship.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:52:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/latvian-saeima-to-consider-citizenship.html <p>The Latvian parliament&rsquo;s Committee on Citizenship, Migration and Social Affairs scheduled a session on 19 February 2026 to discuss revocation of citizenship for former MP Andrejs Mamikin. Mamikin fled to Russia and was convicted of crimes including treason and propaganda against Latvia, according to the Prosecutor General&rsquo;s Office. The case relates to Mamikin&rsquo;s support of Russia&rsquo;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and dissemination of pro-Kremlin propaganda. Mamikin previously served in the 12th Saeima, was a member of the Harmony party, and was found guilty in 2024 of violating national security laws. Legal experts and lawmakers commented on procedural and legal bases for the revocation. The Saeima move marks an official state response to Mamikin&rsquo;s actions undermining Latvian sovereignty and security.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Weaponized lawsuits &amp; extradition requests</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/19.02.2026-saeima-vertes-pilsonibas-atnemsanu-uz-krieviju-aizbegusajam-ekspolitikim-mamikinam.a635398/">www.lsm.lv/raksts/zi&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/9acdc3b9-8bdf-4a6a-b3ea-f141c992e29f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/ukraine-announces-political-boycott-of.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/ukraine-announces-political-boycott-of.html <p>Ukraine has declared a political boycott of the Paralympic Games in Italy after Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete under their national flags.</p> <p>The Ukrainian government delegation will skip the opening ceremony and other official events at the 2026 Paralympics, Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said on social media on Wednesday, February 18. “The organizers’ decision to allow the killers and their accomplices to participate in the Games under the national flag causes disappointment and outrage,” Bidnyi said.</p> <p>Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X: “The decision to admit Russia and Belarus under national symbols ignores a simple truth: these flags and anthems represent regimes that wage aggression, destroy cities and use sport as a weapon for propaganda. They cannot be separated from the crimes committed under their flag. In today’s Russia even Paralympic sport is used to glorify participants in the war against Ukraine.”</p> <p>Sybiha added that he had instructed Ukrainian ambassadors to engage officials in their host countries and urge them not to attend the March 6 opening ceremony if the decision to admit Russians and Belarusians is not reversed.</p> <p>The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has cleared six Russian athletes and four Belarusian athletes to compete under the Russian and Belarusian flags for the first time since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.</p> <p>The decision was based on a resolution adopted by the IPC General Assembly in September last year that unexpectedly lifted Russia’s suspension, allowing its athletes to compete under national symbols at the Paralympics in northern Italy.</p> <p>The Winter Paralympic Games are scheduled for March 6–15. Events will be hosted by Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Val di Fiemme. Russia and Belarus have been barred from the Paralympics since the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. At the ongoing Olympics in Italy, athletes from Russia and Belarus are competing only under neutral status and without national symbols.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-announces-political-boycott-of-2026-paralympics-over-russia-and-belarus-competing-under-national-flags">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/russia-iran-hold-naval-drills.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:51:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/russia-iran-hold-naval-drills.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2150709769.jpg" alt="Russia, Iran hold naval drills as tensions rise over potential US strikes"></p>Iranian Rear Admiral Hassan Maqsoudlou said the drills reflect both countries' focus on the regional situation.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-iran-hold-naval-drills/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/at-least-injured-in-russian.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:34:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/at-least-injured-in-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3e9d03404e.jpg" alt="At least 9 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 37 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted or jammed 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-9-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/hungary-halts-diesel-shipments-to.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/hungary-halts-diesel-shipments-to.html <p>Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on <a href="https://x.com/FM_Szijjarto/status/2024108142607434050?s=20">his Twitter (X) account</a> that Hungary is suspending diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine. He said deliveries will not resume until Kyiv restores oil transit through the “Druzhba” pipeline.</p> <p>Szijjarto accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of refusing to restart the transit for political reasons, deliberately putting Hungary’s energy supply at risk. He also stressed that Budapest plays a key role in supporting Ukraine’s energy needs, noting that a significant share of Ukraine’s imports of gas, electricity and diesel flows through or from Hungary: “We cannot ensure another country’s energy security while our own supplies are under threat. Energy cooperation must be mutual and based on respect, not on pressure.”</p> <p>On January 27, Russia attacked the pipeline, halting the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. Although technical work on the Ukrainian side was completed on February 6, Ukrtransnafta has not decided to resume pumping. The Hungarian side called this political sabotage and, in mid-February, asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian oil via the Adria pipeline as an alternative route. (https://theins.ru/news/289416)</p> <p>Kyiv <a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/rus/news/2026/02/12/7231028/">rejected accusations</a> of deliberately blocking the transit. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry pointed out that it was Russia that attacked the Druzhba pipeline and advised Hungary to turn to Moscow about restoring supplies. Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha <a href="https://www.unian.net/politics/nefteprovod-druzhba-sibiga-zayavil-o-celenapravlennom-udare-rf-13283928.html">criticized</a> Hungary for remaining silent after the Russian strike on the pipeline.</p> <p>Hungary won an exemption from the European oil embargo on Russia in 2022, preserving its right to import Russian oil by pipeline, and has since increased Russian crude to roughly 90% of its imports. Slovakia, which has taken a similar stance, also depends on the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico backed Hungary, saying oil has become a tool of “political blackmail.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/hungary-halts-diesel-shipments-to-ukraine-until-russian-oil-flows-resume-through-the-druzhba-pipeline">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/slovakias-fico-blames-zelensky-for.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/slovakias-fico-blames-zelensky-for.html <p>Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of political maneuvering after a temporary suspension of oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, saying the move saddled Slovakia with extra costs and forced the country to tap state reserves.</p> <p>After a cabinet meeting, Fico said it was not yet possible to determine who was responsible for the interruption, as Ukraine and Russia were blaming each other. The damaged section has been repaired and flows could technically resume, he added, <a href="https://e.dennikn.sk/minuta/5149179">according to Dennik N</a>.</p> <p>Slovakia is weighing an alternative route via Croatia’s Adria pipeline, but Fico noted it comes with higher transit fees and unproven capacity. He later warned that a definitive halt “because of Zelensky’s actions” could drive up both oil prices and transit charges. “If President Zelensky finally stops the flow of oil across Ukraine’s territory, we will pay more for this commodity, we will pay more in tariff fees, just because President Zelensky is playing some games here,” Fico said.</p> <p>Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto <a href="https://www.facebook.com/szijjarto.peter.official/videos/2886689794872658/">said</a> in a Facebook Live broadcast that diesel deliveries to Ukraine have been suspended and will resume only after the country restarts oil shipments via Druzhba toward Hungary.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the Slovnaft refinery has halted diesel exports to secure Slovakia’s domestic market, Standard <a href="https://standard.sk/1148883/vlada-vyhlasila-stav-ropnej-nudze-slovnaftu-uvolni-ropu-zo-statnych-rezerv">reported</a>. The government released up to 250,000 tons of crude from strategic reserves to cover at least one month of operations; Slovnaft provided financial collateral or a bank guarantee equal to the value of the borrowed oil.</p> <p>Beyond Druzhba, the refinery can take crude via Adria, a route previously used mainly as a backup and covering only a small share of output alongside parent company MOL. Slovnaft estimates it would take 20 to 30 days to ramp Adria to full capacity. The oil loan will run until September, with reserves replenished gradually, the outlet added.</p> <p>Earlier, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said transit of Russian oil to Eastern Europe through the Ukrainian section of Druzhba stopped on January 27 following a Russian strike that triggered a fire.</p> <p>After the strike on the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine’s Lviv region, it took rescuers nearly three days to extinguish the blaze. Volodymyr Kravtsov, head of the regional civil protection department, said the site was extremely difficult to restore.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/slovakia-s-fico-blames-zelensky-for-druzhba-pipeline-halt-warns-of-higher-costs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/moldova-ukraine-investigate-alleged-russianbacked.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:54:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/moldova-ukraine-investigate-alleged-russianbacked.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259391514.jpg" alt="Moldova, Ukraine investigate alleged Russian-backed plot to assassinate prominent Ukrainians"></p>Moldovan authorities said investigative measures began at 6 a.m. local time.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moldova-ukraine-investigate-alleged-russian-backed-plot/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:05:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258310233-1.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,256,910 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The reported number includes 830 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-256-910-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/this-is-the-future-amid.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:17:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/this-is-the-future-amid.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/20260210-ust-chorna-greenenergy-malashyna-01.jpg" alt="'This is the future' — Amid blackouts, these Ukrainian mountain villages have green solution"></p><p>As Russian missiles and drones plunge much of Ukraine into darkness this winter, the mountain community of Ust-Chorna has largely kept the lights on — thanks to green energy.</p><p>The district, made up of four villages tucked into a forest valley of western Ukraine, relies on a small network of</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-ukrainian-mountain-villages-using-green-energy-to-fight-back-power-cuts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/hungary-slovakia-halt-diesel-exports.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:07:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/hungary-slovakia-halt-diesel-exports.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4b347947de.jpg" alt="Hungary, Slovakia halt diesel exports to Ukraine over suspended Russian oil transit"></p>The decision escalates tensions between Kyiv and two of the EU's most Russia-friendly governments.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-slovakia-halt-diesel-exports-to-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/slovakia-declares-oilsector-emergency-taps.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:39:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/slovakia-declares-oilsector-emergency-taps.html <p>Slovakia’s government <a href="https://www.teraz.sk/ekonomika/vlada-vyhlasila-stav-ropnej-nudze-sl/941983-clanok.html">has declared an “oil-sector emergency”</a> following the suspension of supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.</p> <p>The announcement was reported Wednesday, February 18, by Slovakia’s state news agency TASR.</p> <p>Amid fuel import disruptions, the government will release up to 250,000 tons of crude from its emergency reserves to the Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava, the country’s largest. In return, the company must provide financial collateral or bank guarantees equal to the oil’s book value. Slovnaft is required to return the crude by September.</p> <p>Slovnaft says the volume authorized by the government will cover at least one month of operations. During that time, the refinery plans to ramp up use of the Adriatic pipeline (JANAF), which had previously handled only limited deliveries.</p> <p>Slovnaft is majority-owned by Hungarian oil and gas group MOL and effectively holds a monopoly on gasoline and diesel supplies in Slovakia.</p> <p>On February 18, Slovnaft also announced it will suspend diesel exports abroad, including to Ukraine, to prioritize domestic supply during a volatile period. The refinery says it needs 7,300–7,500 tons of crude per day to do so. In connection with the export halt, Prime Minister Robert Fico said there would be no shortage of fuel or other petroleum products.</p> <p>A day earlier, Slovakia and Hungary asked Croatia to facilitate deliveries of Russian crude through the Adriatic pipeline.</p> <p>In response, Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said the country is ready to help, but only within European Union and United States rules.</p> <p>He also noted that JANAF allows European countries to avoid dependence on Russian oil.</p> <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has repeatedly complained that JANAF cannot handle the volumes required and that Croatia raised transit fees, making shipments commercially unviable for Hungary.</p> <p>On February 16, Hungarian company MOL said that deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia have been halted since January 27.</p> <p>To compensate, MOL has shifted to seaborne crude supplies and asked Hungary’s Energy Ministry to release about 250,000 tons from strategic reserves. On February 12, representatives of Slovakia’s Economy Ministry told Bloomberg that Druzhba supplies had been stopped.</p> <p>Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha attributed the halt to Hungary allegedly concealing a Russian strike on a segment of the Druzhba pipeline on Ukrainian territory.</p> <p>Budapest countered that the Ukrainian side had allegedly cut power to that section of the pipeline. On February 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying the resumption of exports.</p> <p>In addition, on February 17, UK outlet Sky News reported that the European Commission had asked Ukraine to provide a repair schedule for Druzhba.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/slovakia-declares-oil-sector-emergency-taps-reserves-as-druzhba-pipeline-halts">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/zelensky-says-geneva-talks-with.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:05:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/zelensky-says-geneva-talks-with.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said so in a video address on Wednesday, February 18. “Ukraine is interested in results. As of today, we cannot say the outcome is sufficient,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He said military-to-military contacts were serious and substantive. But sensitive political questions - including possible compromises and a necessary meeting between the two countries’ leaders - “have not been worked through enough,” he added. Zelensky said he is counting on another round of talks and that “it would be right to hold it already in February,” according to the Interfax news agency.</p> <p>Zelensky said he also tasked the delegation with prioritizing the humanitarian track. “We need exchanges of prisoners of war, the release of civilians,” he said, adding that the efforts of Ukraine’s Armed Forces are delivering humanitarian outcomes and bolstering Kyiv’s diplomatic position.</p> <p>Zelensky called it significant that representatives of European countries — France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy — as well as Switzerland as the host nation, were present at the talks.</p> <p>“It is we in Ukraine who have consistently pushed for Europe to be a participant in the process,” he said.</p> <p>The Geneva talks took place on February 17 and 18.</p> <p>Head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky described the consultations as tough but businesslike. “As you know, the talks went on for two days: very long yesterday in different formats,” he said, adding the next round would happen soon without specifying a date.</p> <p>On the Ukrainian side, National Security and Defense Council Secretary and head of Kyiv’s delegation Rustem Umerov said several issues were clarified but “details cannot be disclosed at this stage.” He also called the discussions with Russia “intense and substantive.”</p> <p>The delegations met for just two hours on the second day in Geneva.</p> <p>The political component of the February 17 peace talks on the war in Ukraine “hit a dead end,” Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported, citing two sources.</p> <p>Two earlier U.S.-mediated rounds in Abu Dhabi also failed to produce a breakthrough.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has previously said a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky would only be possible in Moscow.</p> <p>Zelensky has responded that he “cannot come for talks” in Moscow but is ready to meet Putin in any country except Russia and Belarus.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-geneva-talks-with-russia-fell-short-as-political-track-stalls">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/estonia-jails-israeli-citizen-for.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/estonia-jails-israeli-citizen-for.html <p>In February 2026, Estonia&rsquo;s Tallinn District Court sentenced Anatoly Privalov, an Israeli citizen, to six years and six months in prison for espionage activities on behalf of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Privalov was convicted of recruiting and passing classified intelligence on Estonia&rsquo;s infrastructure and security to the Russian intelligence agency. This case underscores Estonia&rsquo;s ongoing challenges with Russian espionage efforts. The sentencing sends a strong message about Estonia’s commitment to countering foreign intelligence threats. The court ruling follows a comprehensive investigation by Estonian security services highlighting the seriousness of Privalov’s actions to national security.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609946636/eu-anti-greenwashing-regulation-might-require-some-goods-to-be-destroyed-come-september">news.err.ee/160994663&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/237e5638-d274-4586-b2c8-a0207639056e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/19/eu-wants-russia-to-hold.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/19/eu-wants-russia-to-hold.html <p>On February 19, 2026, a leaked European Union paper revealed key demands proposed as part of a peace deal with Russia over the Ukraine conflict. The EU requires Russia to hold free elections and to withdraw its military forces from Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Transnistria. Brussels insists on reciprocal concessions from Moscow to advance peace talks. The plan also emphasizes reparations, war crimes accountability, and domestic reforms in Russia. The proposal was presented amid ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine and efforts to stabilize the region, reflecting the EU&rsquo;s strategic approach to conflict resolution and justice. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas was featured in a related video statement dated September 9, 2025, underscoring the EU’s firm stance on Russian accountability and troop withdrawals. The article is authored by Yuri Zoria, a journalist with extensive experience covering the Ukraine conflict.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Creating/manipulating political movements</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/02/19/eu-wants-russia-to-hold-free-elections-and-withdraw-troops-from-belarus-georgia-armenia-and-transnistria-as-part-of-a-ukraine-peace-deal-leaked-paper-shows/">euromaidanpress.com/2026/02/1&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/42dbf7ca-185c-4ece-8029-f3dbca044198">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/could-witkoff-be-ousted-from.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:06:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/could-witkoff-be-ousted-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/086e598fb2.jpg" alt="Could Witkoff be ousted from Ukraine talks? Senators hear 'chatter' of Russian deals"></p><p>U.S. senators visiting Odesa on Feb. 18 struck a cautious tone when asked whether Special Envoy Steve Witkoff should remain at the center of negotiations with Russia.</p><p>The remarks place <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/congress/">Congress</a> in a delicate position: aware of mounting controversy around the Trump envoy, yet reluctant to directly challenge the</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/could-witkoff-be-ousted-from-ukraine-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-oil-depot.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 21:38:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-18-at-5-28-26-pm-1.png" alt="Ukraine reportedly strikes oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast, targets Belgorod with missiles, leaving blackouts"></p>Ukraine reportedly struck an oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast and launched missiles at the Russian city of Belgorod, causing power outages in parts of the city, Telegram news channels and local authorities reported overnight Feb. 18-19.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-missiles-strike-russias-belgorod-leaving-power-outages-local-authorities-claim/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/unbelievable-russian-targets-hit-since.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 21:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/unbelievable-russian-targets-hit-since.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3e53e3b9de.jpg" alt="UNBELIEVABLE! 240 RUSSIAN TARGETS hit SINCE YEAR START – enemy weapons ABLAZE"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig_dFnKLj80">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:10:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/986d05f390.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,256,080 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 740 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-256-080-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/investigation-how-russian-drones-exploit.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 06:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/investigation-how-russian-drones-exploit.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/-hor.jpg" alt="Investigation: How Russian drones exploit European technologies to strike Ukraine, and beyond"></p><p><em><strong>Editor's note:</strong> This story is part of a cross-border investigative project that involved eight newsrooms, initiated by De Tijd (Belgium) and coordinated by the Kyiv Independent and OCCRP.</em></p><p>A tiny Austrian sensor designed for precise motion control made an impressive journey across the globe. Some time after being</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/investigation-how-russian-drones-exploit-european-technologies-to-strike-ukraine-and-beyond/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/russian-belarusian-athletes-to-compete.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 04:25:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/russian-belarusian-athletes-to-compete.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-479141375.jpg" alt="Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete under national flags at 2026 Winter Paralympics"></p>Six Russians and four Belarusians will be allowed to compete at the upcoming Games in Milan. It will be the first time the Russian flag has flown at the Paralympics since 2014.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-belarusian-athletes-to-compete-under-national-flags-at-2026-winter-paralympics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/zelensky-says-ukraine-ready-to.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:22:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/zelensky-says-ukraine-ready-to.html <p>Ukraine is determined to end the war, while Russia carried out a massive barrage even on the day of talks in Geneva, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJqq_ZjUJOc&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.president.gov.ua%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ">said</a> in an evening video address on Tuesday, February 17.</p> <p>“There will be a delegation report today - after the first round of talks in Geneva. The team absolutely must raise the issue of these strikes - first and foremost with the American side, which asked both us and Russia to refrain from strikes. Ukraine is ready. We do not need war,” the head of state said.</p> <p>Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is not interested in prolonging the war and is acting “in kind,” defending its statehood and independence.</p> <p>He added that the key question lies with Russia—whether it is ready for real diplomacy and peace, and whether there will be consequences for continuing missile and drone attacks.</p> <p>“The question is only for the Russians: what do they want? And whether there will be consequences for Russia for the fact that the ‘Shaheds,’ missiles, and fanciful historical rhetoric matter more to them than real diplomacy and lasting peace,” Zelensky noted.</p> <p>Earlier, day one of talks among Ukraine, the US and Russia concluded in Geneva. Political and military groups will resume work on the morning of February 18.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-ready-to-refrain-from-strikes-on-russia-amid-geneva-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/18/russias-hybrid-warfare-rattles-poland.html Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/18/russias-hybrid-warfare-rattles-poland.html <p>Russian hybrid warfare tactics have intensified against Poland as of mid-February 2026, with covert operations including sabotage of railway infrastructure, unmanned drone incursions, and cyberattacks reported by Polish officials. The use of so-called &ldquo;disposable agents&rdquo;—operatives sent to create fear and division—is a key element in Russia&rsquo;s strategy to destabilize Poland and erode popular support for Ukraine among NATO members. This escalation highlights the complexity of hybrid threats facing NATO’s eastern borders, challenging alliance unity and defense readiness. Polish authorities highlight the difficulty of countering these clandestine operations that blend military, cyber, and psychological actions intended to weaken political will and social cohesion within NATO countries.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Cross-border raids</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/18/nx-s1-5702706/russia-hybrid-warfare-poland">www.npr.org/2026/02/1&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ba90921a-383a-4c54-87fc-799b95cb04c6">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/russian-losses-exceed-the-number.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/russian-losses-exceed-the-number.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dddc052fbe.jpg" alt="💥 Russian losses exceed the number of new recruits – Moscow resorts to extreme measures #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OutimhhRSRM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/cost-of-the-offensive-catastrophic.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/cost-of-the-offensive-catastrophic.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4b9a8017f2.jpg" alt="Cost of the offensive - CATASTROPHIC! Russia suffers critical losses near Pokrovsk"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWUp9aOq8z0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukraine-war-latest-drones-strike.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:13:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukraine-war-latest-drones-strike.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/13254ed6f3.png" alt="Ukraine war latest: Drones strike oil, chemical plants in Russia as fresh peace talks begin in Geneva"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 17</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine, Russia hold US-mediated Geneva talks focused on 'practical issues,' negotiations to resume Feb. 18</li><li>SBU strikes chemical factory used for explosives production deep inside Russia</li><li>Kremlin threatens to deploy navy if Europe seizes more Russian shadow fleet vessels</li><li>Oil refinery, port terminal</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-drones-strike-oil-chemical-plants-in-russia-as-fresh-peace-talks-begin-in-geneva/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/russia-sources-german-infineon-transistors.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/russia-sources-german-infineon-transistors.html <p>Moscow is leaning on long-standing networks - agents of influence and “shadow” lobbyists - to advance its goals, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) said.</p> <p>A single Russian Shahed/Geran drone can contain 8 to 12 transistors produced by German firm Infineon Technologies, according to GUR. With Russia aiming to manufacture 40,000 combat drones a year, its annual need for such transistors could reach up to half a million, the agency <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7860">said</a>.</p> <p>Germany is one of Ukraine’s leading supporters in the war against Russia, condemns Moscow’s aggression and backs the sanctions regime. The country remains a prime focus of Russian intelligence services.</p> <p>The aggressor is tapping old connections - agents of influence and “shadow” lobbyists in German business and political circles - to set up schemes that move banned goods around sanctions, GUR said.</p> <p>“These schemes include creating shell companies and gray logistics chains that run through third countries, allowing Russia to obtain prohibited, high-quality components to manufacture weapons and continue its ‘genocidal war in Europe,’” the agency added.</p> <p>GUR said the situation demands stronger export controls and closer coordination among European partners to rapidly identify and block Russian schemes.</p> <p>More than half of the factories of Uralvagonzavod, Russia’s leading armored-vehicle manufacturer, are still not under Western sanctions and can operate without hindrance.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-sources-german-infineon-transistors-for-combat-drones-despite-sanctions-ukraine-s-military-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/sweden-warns-of-a-serious.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:34:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/sweden-warns-of-a-serious.html <p>Sweden warns of a serious threat from Russia, highlighting military activities in the region.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Sweden</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-warns-russia-poses-serious-threat-security/">www.politico.eu/article/s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/2da32481-37b7-4f79-acab-dcad8dd93bfa">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/the-largest-oil-refinery-in.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:30:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/the-largest-oil-refinery-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/541955c939.jpg" alt="The largest oil refinery in southern Russia is ON FIRE #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OogRbAHypb0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukraines-air-force-denies-reports.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:30:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukraines-air-force-denies-reports.html <p>Ukraine’s Air Force has denied reports that foreign pilots are flying F-16 fighter jets to protect the country’s airspace. Earlier, a French outlet reported the creation of an international squadron guarding the skies over Kyiv.</p> <p>The French publication Intelligence Online released <a href="https://www.intelligenceonline.fr/europe-russie/2026/02/16/dans-le-ciel-de-kiev-des-veterans-de-l-us-air-force-soutiennent-la-chasse-ukrainienne,110627009-eve">a report</a> claiming an international F-16 squadron had been formed in Ukraine. However, Yuriy Ihnat, head of communications for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18QHsEWWWn">said</a> that information is not true.</p> <p>“In the skies over Kyiv, U.S. Air Force veterans support Ukrainian fighter pilots. A squadron made up of Ukrainian, American and Dutch pilots is now using F-16s to defend Kyiv’s airspace. These seasoned veterans of foreign operations are being brought in, among other tasks, to counter Russian cruise missiles and drones,” Intelligence Online reported.</p> <p>In his post, Ihnat noted that the French outlet a day earlier had circulated a story about an alleged “secret F-16 squadron” made up of Ukrainian, American and Dutch pilots working to defend Kyiv. Ihnat said that claim does not reflect reality and stressed that Ukrainian pilots are the ones flying combat missions:</p> <p>“Right. And Tom Cruise is in command of the squadron. Meanwhile, Ukrainian pilots on Western aircraft have once again demonstrated effectiveness and professionalism in downing enemy cruise missiles and drones. This morning, most of the cruise missiles were downed by them!” Ihnat added.</p> <p>On February 17, Intelligence Online reported that an international F-16 squadron had been created in Ukraine. The publication claimed it allegedly includes both Ukrainian and Western pilots.</p> <p>Earlier, Russian sources on January 20, 2025, spread a claim about the alleged death of a Danish F-16 instructor during a missile strike on Kryvyi Rih. Russian media alleged that Danish pilot Jeppe Hansen, who trained F-16 operations, was killed in the attack. The only “confirmation” for that claim came from an empty account on the social network X.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-air-force-denies-reports-of-foreign-pilots-flying-f-16s-over-kyiv">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/fico-slovakia-cannot-give-up.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:30:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/fico-slovakia-cannot-give-up.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fdf2a3a1b0.jpg" alt="🇸🇰 Fico: Slovakia cannot give up CHEAP Russian oil #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JOSKEg8YkNE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/lasers-against-russian-drones-ampquotsunrayampquot.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:21:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/lasers-against-russian-drones-ampquotsunrayampquot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0118bf4414.jpg" alt="LASERS against RUSSIAN DRONES – &quot;Sunray&quot; system protects Ukrainian skies | Front News"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNywO-ipIf4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukrainian-military-to-train-germanys.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukrainian-military-to-train-germanys.html <p>Fighters from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will train Bundeswehr personnel to use drones and conduct operations via mobile applications, Der Spiegel reported.</p> <p>Earlier, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an agreement to integrate Ukrainian instructors into the German army’s schools and combat training centers.</p> <p>Sources in the Bundeswehr told Der Spiegel that talks with Kyiv about having Ukrainian soldiers share practical battlefield knowledge with German troops have been underway since 2025. “Right now, no NATO member has more combat experience than Ukraine; we should tap into it,” the sources said.</p> <p>According to the report, core course topics could include the use of UAVs, methods of repelling attacks, and modern command-and-control systemsDer Spiegel writes that the AFU has developed simple battle-planning and command tools as mobile phone apps that can also coordinate ammunition resupply and medical evacuation.</p> <p>The Bundeswehr declined to provide training details for security reasons. Given manpower shortages on the front lines, Ukrainian instructors are likely to remain in Germany only a few weeks.</p> <p>Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of Ukrainian service members have themselves trained in Germany. Bundeswehr troops have taught AFU soldiers to operate German-supplied weapons systems delivered as part of military aid, including Gepard air-defense systems and Leopard tanks.</p> <p>The European Union Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM) has operated in several European countries since 2022; more than 76,000 AFU soldiers have trained under the mission since its launch.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-to-train-germany-s-bundeswehr-in-drones-and-battlefield-apps">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/winter-has-grounded-ukraines-interceptor.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:45:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/winter-has-grounded-ukraines-interceptor.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259321504.jpg" alt="Winter has grounded Ukraine's interceptor drones, gutting Kyiv's air defense"></p><p>From his base near the hotly contested town of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, Vladyslav has, by his own estimates, downed upwards of 60 Russian drones using Ukrainian interceptor drones over the past year.</p><p>Winter has exposed many foundational frailties in Ukraine's air defenses. Relentless <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-of-russian-strikes-ukraine-geneva-peace-talks/">Russian attacks</a> utilising Shahed-type attack</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/winter-has-grounded-ukraines-interceptor-drones-gutting-kyivs-air-defense/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukrainian-forces-hit-russian-ka.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukrainian-forces-hit-russian-ka.html <p>Ukrainian troops overnight into Tuesday struck a Ka-27 helicopter and three Russian drone control centers on Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine and inside Russia, the General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/35121">said</a> on February 17.</p> <p>“In the area of the settlement of Kamyshly (Russian-occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea), Ukrainian soldiers hit an enemy ship-based multirole Ka-27 helicopter. A hit on the target was recorded,” the General Staff said on its Telegram channel.</p> <p>“In addition, on February 16, three enemy UAV control posts were struck: near Huliaipole (Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region); near Anatolyevka (Kursk region, Russia); and near the settlement of Zatishye (Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region),” the military added.</p> <p>Enemy losses and the final extent of the damage are still being assessed.</p> <p>Earlier in Crimea, Russian-installed authorities reported “one of the most prolonged attacks” on Sevastopol in recent times. They claimed a warhead from a downed drone detonated in a courtyard on Gogol Street.</p> <p>A series of explosions was also reported across Crimea overnight on February 17.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-hit-russian-ka-27-helicopter-in-crimea-strike-three-uav-control-centers">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/where-are-our-flamingos-why.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:14:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/where-are-our-flamingos-why.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a5396dbed0.jpg" alt="WHERE ARE OUR FLAMINGOS? 🚀 Why no missile storm on Russia? – Truth about AFU &quot;surgical strikes&quot;!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVqR6VOyXZs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/russian-rubikon-drone-operator-defects.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/russian-rubikon-drone-operator-defects.html <p>A Russian serviceman deserted from the “Rubikon” unit of the Russian Armed Forces after witnessing the reaction of fellow Russians to the death of a Ukrainian civilian woman. He was subsequently reassigned to an assault role but used the “I Want to Live” program to voluntarily surrender.</p> <p>The “I Want to Live” project of the Coordination Headquarters of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) for Prisoner of War Affairs <a href="https://youtu.be/Xq4f8MHrl_o">released a conversation</a> with former Russian soldier Myroslav Simonov, who fled the Russian army. Simonov said he was detained in central Moscow, forced to sign a contract, and sent to fight in Ukraine. He became a UAV operator in the elite “Rubikon” unit and took part in combat missions. After a Russian drone strike killed a civilian woman in Kupyansk, he said he saw troops from Russia’s armed forces celebrate her death—prompting him to run to avoid taking part in what he called Russia’s war crimes. According to GUR, his ordeal did not end there: he was returned to the front as a rank-and-file assault trooper.</p> <p>The video with Simonov’s account appeared on the “I Want to Live” YouTube channel on the evening of Feb. 15. He said he lived in Novosibirsk and worked in real estate. In August 2024, while in Moscow, he was stopped by a patrol for not having completed mandatory military service, then compelled to sign a contract with the Russian military. After two to three weeks of training, he was sent to Luhansk region and became a UAV operator. He was later moved to the “Rubikon” detachment, underwent additional training, and said he saw how the “elite unit” operated: recruits were chosen for loyalty to commanders and then pressured—even through violence—to carry out missions.</p> <p>The captive said training took place at Russian military facilities in Naro-Fominsk near Moscow and in Izhevsk. He worked with Mavic and Supercam drones. During operations near Kupyansk, he said he was shocked by his comrades’ jubilation over the killing of a civilian woman and fled the unit. His plan was to reach Novosibirsk and escape to Kazakhstan. He was caught, reassigned to an assault role, and later surrendered via the “I Want to Live” program.</p> <p>“One of the reasons I didn’t want to go back was this whole ‘Rubikon’ story,” the POW said. “I saw how they kill civilians. I don’t want that.”</p> <p>Posts on the “Rubikon” Telegram channel most recently referenced drone activity in Sumy region, near Lyman, and in Donbas (without specifics). The overwhelming majority of February targets were Ukrainian drones, with only isolated claims of strikes on equipment. There was no public reaction to the POW interview featured by the “I Want to Live” project.</p> <p>“Rubikon” is described as an elite Russian unit formed in fall 2024. Russian media reported the command provided extensive technical and manpower resources, tasking the unit with deploying various drone types, including fiber‑optic models. One of the first reported “Rubikon” operations was during a Ukrainian special operation in Russia’s Kursk region. According to Ukrainian troops and analysts, a large number of drones put Ukrainian logistics under fire control, contributing to a tactical withdrawal. In fall and winter 2025–2026, the elite operators operated between Hulyaipole and Pokrovsk, used Starlink terminals, and targeted Ukrainian military vehicles headed toward Pavlohrad. Those actions ceased after SpaceX, following a request from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, disabled Russian contraband terminals that were not on the “white list.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-rubikon-drone-operator-defects-to-ukraine-after-witnessing-civilian-killing">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/orbn-in-panic-hungary-and.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/orbn-in-panic-hungary-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ded194dfe7.jpg" alt="ORBÁN IN PANIC! Hungary and Slovakia desperately hunt Putin oil routes around Ukraine!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KogL7gMyEo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/kremlins-insatiable-ambitions-only-pressure.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:25:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/kremlins-insatiable-ambitions-only-pressure.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/196a93ede8.jpg" alt="Kremlin’s insatiable ambitions: only PRESSURE can stop Russia | In Focus"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVifAoy3fbI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/if-you-stop-you-die.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:05:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/if-you-stop-you-die.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dsc02891.jpg" alt="'If you stop, you die' — Inside Ukraine's last fight for Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad"></p><p><strong>DONETSK OBLAST </strong>— Walking through the mine-infested field under intense Russian drone surveillance was the scariest part of the mission for 22-year-old infantryman Mykola.</p><p>"If you stop, you die," said Mykola, a small-framed soldier with dark circles under his eyes and a tired stare. </p><p>"When we were</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/if-you-stop-you-die-inside-ukraines-last-fight-for-pokrovsk-and-myrnohrad/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/excia-director-david-petraeus-outlines.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/excia-director-david-petraeus-outlines.html <p>Ukraine is inflicting heavy losses on Russian forces, but without a significant increase in external pressure, the Russian leadership won’t be ready to stop the war.</p> <p>At some point, however, Moscow will make concessions—if pressure on Russia’s war economy intensifies, revenues are squeezed, and China stops supplying components for Russia’s defense-industrial base, former U.S. Central Command chief and former CIA director David Petraeus said in <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/4091894-devid-petreus-eksdirektor-cru.html">an interview with Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>He noted that during peace efforts, neither Russian negotiators nor the Kremlin showed readiness to compromise; instead, they reaffirmed maximalist demands.</p> <p>Among the levers of pressure Petraeus cited: tougher U.S. sanctions, India cutting purchases of Russian oil, and the ongoing depletion of Russia’s National Wealth Fund. Those resources, he said, have been converted to support war production and are expected to run out this year.</p> <p>He predicted that, taken together, these factors could, later in 2026, create conditions in which Russia acknowledges it needs to halt hostilities.</p> <p>Another factor, he said, is the heavy losses Russia continues to suffer at Ukraine’s hands.</p> <p>“Right now, Ukraine appears to be killing or wounding roughly as many Russian troops each month as Russia is recruiting,” Petraeus emphasized.</p> <p>“On the front line, Russians are paying an extraordinarily high price for every additional inch of sovereign Ukrainian territory. I don’t think they can keep paying that price, even if their leadership is indifferent to the number of dead and severely wounded,” he said.</p> <p>The general also pointed to Ukraine’s surge in drone production, noting the country produced 3.5 million drones last year and is expected to reach 7 million this year. Expanding production of the Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile, he added, will add further pressure.</p> <p>“Then Russia will have to negotiate seriously, because it also will not be able to continue this war. The truth is that Putin must understand he is no longer winning. The problem is that it is very hard for him to stop this war because of the political forces he himself has unleashed inside Russia. We need to accelerate the day when he looks in the mirror and says: we can no longer continue,” Petraeus said.</p> <p>He added that Russia’s economy is in a very difficult position, including due to rising inflation and a weakening ruble, and argued the situation will become critical for Russians when the National Wealth Fund is exhausted.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ex-cia-director-david-petraeus-outlines-conditions-that-could-force-russia-to-halt-the-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/sbu-strikes-chemical-factory-used.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:51:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/sbu-strikes-chemical-factory-used.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-17-at-5-01-29-pm.png" alt="SBU strikes chemical factory used for explosives production deep inside Russia"></p>The attack on the Metafrax Chemicals plant in Perm Krai was carried out overnight between Feb. 16-17 by deep strike specialists from the SBU's Alpha unit.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-strikes-chemical-factory-used-for-explosives-production-deep-inside-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukrainian-special-forces-destroy-iskander.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:30:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukrainian-special-forces-destroy-iskander.html <p>Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) used FP-2 drones to destroy Russian rear-area and operational infrastructure on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, including an Iskander missile storage site, the SSO command said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17xJ2qLR2F/">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>According to the SSO, the destroyed Iskander missile depot was located in the village of Pasechne in Russian-occupied Crimea. Multiple explosions were recorded at the site following the airstrike.</p> <p>In the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian drones destroyed a Russian “Rubikon” remote piloting station in the village of Vysoke, the SSO said.</p> <p>Over six days, from February 9 to 14, SSO operators struck more than 10 Russian military sites in occupied areas of Ukraine, including troop concentration points, ammunition and fuel depots, and parking areas for military vehicles, according to the command.</p> <p>The Iskander is a Russian short-range ballistic missile system. Its missiles fly at high speeds on a ballistic trajectory, making them hard to shoot down.</p> <p>Overnight on February 17, the Russian military used 396 drones and 29 missiles of various types, including four ballistic missiles, in an air attack on Ukraine, according to Ukrainian authorities. Ukraine’s air defenses shot down or suppressed 392 aerial targets, including 25 missiles, but were unable to intercept the four ballistic missiles. Ukrainian officials say that underscores the importance of finding and destroying Iskander launchers and their missile storage sites.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-special-forces-destroy-iskander-missile-depot-in-occupied-crimea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/russia-and-ukraine-resume-usmediated.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:09:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/russia-and-ukraine-resume-usmediated.html <p>Representatives from Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday, February 17, restarted U.S.-mediated negotiations in Geneva, dpa reported. Kyiv aims to focus on humanitarian issues and security guarantees, while Moscow is pushing for territorial concessions, according to the agency.</p> <p>A plane carrying the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, landed in Geneva after an eight-hour flight, Interfax reported. The aircraft reportedly flew over Turkey, the eastern Mediterranean and Italy.</p> <p>The Ukrainian delegation, headed by the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, arrived in Geneva on February 16.</p> <p>Umerov posted several photos from the meeting on social media, writing: “On the agenda — security and humanitarian issues. We are working constructively, with focus and without excessive expectations. Our task is to advance as much as possible the decisions that can bring a sustainable peace closer.”</p> <p>Last week, Umerov said one goal of the next round would be to secure a partial ceasefire to protect Ukraine’s energy system.</p> <p>The Russian and Ukrainian delegations are meeting at the InterContinental hotel behind closed doors. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said not to expect details of the discussions on February 17.</p> <p>“I don’t think it’s worth expecting any news today, because, as you know, the work is planned to continue tomorrow,” Peskov told reporters, according to Interfax. “There are no announcements planned on this. Everything will be closed to the press,” the agency quoted him as saying.</p> <p>Trump: Ukraine should sit down for talks soon</p> <p>U.S. President Donald Trump earlier urged Kyiv to reach an agreement with Moscow as soon as possible. “Ukraine should sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible,” Trump told reporters on February 16 aboard Air Force One.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on February 16 that Russia’s delegation for the Geneva consultations on Ukraine would be expanded. He said the team would be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky and include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia’s General Staff. The group numbers more than 20 people, dpa reported.</p> <p>Ukraine’s delegation - in addition to Umerov - includes the head of Volodymyr Zelensky’s office Kyrylo Budanov, deputy Serhiy Kyslytsya, deputy head of military intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi, Ukraine’s Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, and David Arakhamia, head of the ruling Servant of the People party’s parliamentary faction.</p> <p>The talks are expected to run in Geneva through February 18. Two earlier U.S.-mediated rounds in Abu Dhabi produced no breakthrough.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-and-ukraine-resume-u-s-mediated-talks-in-geneva">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/deepstate-defense-of-myrnohrad-nears.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/deepstate-defense-of-myrnohrad-nears.html <p>The defense of Myrnohrad is nearing its end as Russian troops engulf the city, while launch points for Russian drones are being detected in the southern part of Pokrovsk, according to analysts from <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23198">the DeepState project</a>.</p> <p>Russian forces are also moving infantry into Pokrovsk, the analysts said. “At the same time, the enemy is trying to push into Hryshyne from the northwestern outskirts of Pokrovsk. Buildups are already being recorded on the village’s western edge, and firefights are underway,” DeepState reported. The group added that in addition to attempts to infiltrate Hryshyne from the Pokrovsk side, Russian troops are also trying from the direction of Kotlyne, but there they are being blocked and destroyed.</p> <p>Analysts said Russian forces have occupied the settlement of Rovno and have almost completely seized the neighboring village of Svetloye.</p> <p>Consolidation in this area, they said, gives Russian troops the ability to mass for a deeper push through the narrow corridor between Pokrovsk and Rodynske, increasing the risk to the remaining elements of Ukraine’s Defense Forces around Myrnohrad.</p> <p>“Myrnohrad itself is being swallowed by the enemy. The story of its defense is coming to an end,” DeepState said.</p> <p>The analysts later updated their battle map, <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23199">noting</a> further Russian gains in Myrnohrad.</p> <p>On January 29, Ukrainska Pravda reported that Russian troops had already deployed headquarters and artillery in Myrnohrad.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/deepstate-defense-of-myrnohrad-nears-end-as-russian-forces-push-toward-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/kremlin-threatens-to-deploy-navy.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:59:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/kremlin-threatens-to-deploy-navy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1232803251.jpg" alt="Kremlin threatens to deploy navy if Europe seizes more Russian shadow fleet vessels"></p>Presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev called the European raids on shadow fleet ships "piracy," and expressed concern that the next step would be a full-fledged blockade.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kremlin-threatens-to-deploy-navy-if-europe-seizes-more-russian-vessels/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/zelensky-orders-purges-at-ukraines.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/zelensky-orders-purges-at-ukraines.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced “purges” at the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).</p> <p>He said that on Monday, February 16, he heard briefings from acting SBU chief Yevhen Khmara and his deputy, Oleksandr Poklad, on countering Russian operations.</p> <p>“Oleksandr Poklad will also be responsible for cleansing the Security Service of Ukraine of those who hold positions but serve not Ukraine, but other interests. We need tough action and a truly strong Security Service of Ukraine. I expect results,” Zelensky said in his evening address.</p> <p>On February 16, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) said it had completed its pretrial investigation into a high-ranking SBU official.</p> <p>SAPO did not name the official, but Ukrainska Pravda reported it was Illia Vitiuk.</p> <p>Based on the probe, conducted together with agents from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), investigators say that in December 2023 the suspect bought an apartment for 21.6 million hryvnias and registered it to a family member.</p> <p>The contract, however, listed the price as 12.8 million hryvnias.</p> <p>To justify the source of the funds, the family member said they earned the money as a sole proprietor providing legal and consulting services.</p> <p>Investigators found that such payments did reach the sole proprietor’s accounts, but from an individual suspected of embezzling funds from the state rail company Ukrzaliznytsia as part of an organized criminal group.</p> <p>SAPO said it could not confirm the lawful origin of the remaining 8.8 million hryvnias spent on the apartment.</p> <p>In January, Ukraine’s president changed the SBU leadership.</p> <p>Yevhen Khmara was appointed acting head of the Security Service.</p> <p>Before him, the post had been held since July 2022 by Vasyl Maliuk.</p> <p>Announcing his resignation, Maliuk said he would remain within the SBU and focus on carrying out “asymmetric special operations of global scale.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-orders-purges-at-ukraine-s-security-service-amid-anti-corruption-probe-and-leadership-shake-up">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/russian-drone-strike-on-civilian.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:41:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/russian-drone-strike-on-civilian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-17-12-18-51.jpg" alt="Russian drone strike on civilian car kills 3 energy workers in Donetsk Oblast"></p>The civilian car was struck in the town of Mykolaivka, located east of the city of Sloviansk and only around ten kilometers from the front line.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-strike-on-civilian-car-kills-3-energy-workers-in-donetsk-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/russias-mobilization-arithmetic-how-many.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:36:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/russias-mobilization-arithmetic-how-many.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2213618825-1.jpg" alt="Russia's mobilization arithmetic. How many can the Kremlin send to war?"></p><p>When Russia announced a "partial" mobilization in the fall of 2022, its society experienced a genuine shock.</p><p>The queues at the Upper Lars border crossing into Georgia and the chaotic roundups of reservists are still fresh in public memory. The Russian authorities learned from that episode and shifted</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-mobilization-arithmetic-how-many-can-the-kremlin-send-to-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukraine-seizes-initiative-along-km.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukraine-seizes-initiative-along-km.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out a series of counterattacks on the southern front, bringing 12 settlements back under Kyiv’s control.</p> <p>A disruption of Starlink satellite communications weakened Russian occupation forces, according to Ukrainian analysts. Ukraine’s Defense Forces seized the opportunity, launching several successful counterattacks in the south, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pashtetof/posts/pfbid0AKyr9Hkk1tToLbDdJHZ7Ay6hKpEPmgftUUzz8CPkZNvwXLmazxK9EEPFS8tcn3awl">reports</a> military observer Konstantin Mashovets.</p> <p>After Russia’s advances toward Pokrovsk and Kupiansk slowed, the heaviest fighting shifted to the southern part of the front line, especially the Zaporizhzhia region. There, Ukrainian forces began active offensive actions, concentrating around Huliaipole.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian sources, Ukrainian units conducted a series of counterattacks in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions with armored support. As a result, 12 settlements were retaken, while intense battles continue in five more.</p> <p>“It was possible, if not to stop the Russian offensive completely, then to reduce it to a tactical minimum. In some sectors, Ukrainian forces managed to push back the enemy’s forward units—by 9 to 9.5 kilometers in certain cases,” the expert said.</p> <p>Ukraine has redeployed some of its best-prepared units to the Huliaipole area, and that move has paid off, analysts say. They caution this does not amount to a full-scale counteroffensive by the Defense Forces, but rather a limited offensive aimed at improving battlefield positions.</p> <p>Military analyst Yan Matveyev says the main objective is to stabilize the front in Zaporizhzhia. He notes that Russian troops launched an offensive there in November and, by early January, captured the city of Huliaipole - progress that posed a direct threat to the fortified area of Orikhiv and, potentially, the city of Zaporizhzhia itself.</p> <p>Now, Matveyev says, “the initiative has been seized along a front roughly 40 kilometers wide.”</p> <p>The Ukrainian counterattacks coincided with Starlink access being blocked among Russian occupation units. Following the satellite communications shutdown and a subsequent Telegram blockage, Russian formations faced coordination problems, according to pro-war Russian bloggers, who described the situation as extremely tense. Some acknowledged Russian withdrawals, while Russia’s Defense Ministry and General Staff have not commented.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military leadership traditionally does not disclose operational details and has issued no official statements about the current phase of fighting. The situation remains fluid.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-seizes-initiative-along-40-km-front-pushing-russians-back-over-9-km-amid-starlink-blackout">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukrainian-forces-mount-assaults-near.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukrainian-forces-mount-assaults-near.html <p>The situation on the Oleksandrivske axis and around the city of Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia region remains difficult, but Ukraine’s Defense Forces are carrying out effective counterattacks and assault operations, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine/posts/pfbid0cqSXGSuwbxKJh9vyWpJ5dgrYhqVnqTXkYiV7L6thdM7U98Aw2bLK8pB2L47C73uwl">said</a> in a Facebook post.</p> <p>Syrskyi said he is working in the area of operations on the country’s southeastern fronts and visited several brigade and regiment command posts involved in active combat on the Oleksandrivske sector and near Hulyaipole.</p> <p>“The enemy has not abandoned attempts to break through our defensive lines, carrying out constant attacks, including with heavy weapons and other military hardware, but without significant success. The warriors of the Defense Forces are holding key lines and positions, disrupting the enemy’s plans and inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment,” Syrskyi said.</p> <p>“At the same time, our units are conducting effective counterattacks and assault actions, employing drone systems, artillery and electronic-warfare assets to good effect.”</p> <p>The general heard briefings from commanders on task execution, changes in the operational situation, proposals for further actions and the urgent needs of Ukrainian units, and issued corresponding orders.</p> <p>“I underscored the top priority: liberating territory is extremely important, but above all we must preserve the lives of our soldiers and maintain the combat capability of our units,” Syrskyi said.</p> <p>Earlier Monday, Ukraine’s General Staff reported 78 combat engagements along the front since the start of the day. It said Russia is focusing its main efforts on the Pokrovsk and Hulyaipole sectors.</p> <p>Separately, the General Staff said Russia lost nearly 1,300 troops killed and wounded on February 15. It said Russia’s total losses have approached 1.3 million personnel since the start of the full-scale war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-mount-assaults-near-hulyaipole-syrskyi-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/killed-injured-across-ukraine-as.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:44:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/killed-injured-across-ukraine-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2026-02-17-10-52-53.jpg" alt="1 killed, 25 injured across Ukraine as Russia launches latest mass missile, drone attack"></p>In Odesa, long-range Russian strikes on infrastructure and residential homes saw three civilians injured, according to regional governor Serhii Lysak.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/1-killed-25-injured-across-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/from-the-gulag-to-ukraine.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:58:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/from-the-gulag-to-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/torture-culture-square-eng-16x9.png" alt="From the Gulag to Ukraine: The Kyiv Independent exposes Russia’s culture of torture in new documentary"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigations Unit will present a new documentary, “Torture Culture,” exposing the systematic torture of Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity and highlighting Russia’s use of torture throughout history.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/from-the-gulag-to-ukraine-the-kyiv-independent-exposes-russias-culture-of-torture-in-new-documentary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:52:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260987607.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,255,340 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 890 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-255-340-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/drones-strike-multiple-russian-regions.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:41:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/drones-strike-multiple-russian-regions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9e2028d151.png" alt="Drones strike multiple Russian regions, sparking major fire at oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai"></p>The Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, which supplies fuel to Russian troops, processes 6.42 million tons of oil annually, according to Ukraine's General Staff.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/drones-strike-multiple-russian-regions-sparking-major-fire-at-oil-refinery-in-krasnodar-krai/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/zelensky-orders-air-defenses-readied.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:32:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/zelensky-orders-air-defenses-readied.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says intelligence indicates Russia is preparing further large-scale attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure and urged that Ukraine’s air defenses be properly configured. He delivered the remarks <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg470A4sGVU">in a nightly video address</a> on Monday, February 16.</p> <p>“Air defenses must be configured correctly. Russian attacks keep, if you will, ‘evolving.’ Evil develops too, unfortunately. These are combined strikes that require special protection and appropriate support from partners,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He warned that any slowdown in supplying air-defense missiles or any delays in deliveries only amplify the damage from attacks.</p> <p>“Everything we discussed in Munich with partners must be implemented swiftly. It’s important that partners do not remain silent,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky stressed that peace will reward those who know how to use strength, adding there should be no illusions: if Russia does not answer for its aggression, it will not live in peace with anyone seeking cooperation with it.</p> <p>He added that all sides are awaiting the continuation of trilateral talks, saying the Ukrainian delegation is already in Geneva and preparing for negotiations.</p> <p>“Russia cannot resist the temptation in the last days of winter cold and wants to strike Ukrainians painfully. The greater this evil from Russia, the harder it will be for everyone to agree on anything with them. Partners must understand this - above all, the United States,” he said.</p> <p>Overnight on February 16, Russian forces launched six missiles and 62 attack drones at Ukraine. Most enemy targets were shot down or suppressed by air-defense and electronic-warfare units.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-orders-air-defenses-readied-as-russia-plans-mass-strikes-on-ukraine-s-energy-infrastructure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/041753.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:17:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/041753.html <p>Overnight Tuesday, February 17, a series of explosions was reported across Russian-occupied Crimea. Local social media channels and monitoring groups, including <a href="https://t.me/Crimeanwind">Crimean Wind</a>, cited drone attacks, rocket strikes and activity by Russian air defenses.</p> <p>Residents of Kerch and other parts of Crimea reported loud blasts, strong vibrations and flashes in the sky. The Crimean Bridge has reportedly been closed to traffic for more than seven hours.</p> <p>Explosions were also reported near the Kacha and Belbek airfields. According to local channels, air defenses were likely active there as well. There were also claims of possible strikes in the Kacha airfield area.</p> <p>People in the Dzhankoi, Kirovske and Krasnohvardiiske districts reported blasts and observed drones overhead. In Sevastopol, Pantsir air-defense systems engaged targets in several areas. Explosions were also heard in Feodosia and near the Saky airfield in Novofedorivka.</p> <p>A powerful blast near the Kirovske airfield sounded after midnight, with additional explosions reported near the village of Donske in the Simferopol district and elsewhere in Kirovske district.</p> <p>In Simferopol, some providers temporarily left residents without mobile and home internet.</p> <p>At the time of publication, there were no official statements from the Russian occupation authorities.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian forces released footage showing strikes last week on key targets in Russian-occupied Crimea, including what they described as a Russian air-defense system, a radar station and a patrol boat.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/multiple-explosions-reported-across-russian-occupied-crimea-crimean-bridge-closed">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/17/ukraines-military-turns-russian-equipment.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:55:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/17/ukraines-military-turns-russian-equipment.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5fd7f2db57.jpg" alt="Ukraine's military turns Russian equipment into 'scrap metal' in newly released video"></p>Over the past week, the elite Prymary ("Ghosts") unit targeted several high-value pieces of Russian military equipment, including a Pantsir missile system.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-military-turns-russian-equipment-into-scrap-metal/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/zelensky-warns-of-new-russian.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 23:05:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/zelensky-warns-of-new-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/072a3d08d17490d1a2523986aaabe197-1771265657-extra-large.jpg" alt="Zelensky warns of new Russian strikes on Ukraine as Geneva peace talks resume"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said Feb. 16 that Russia is preparing new large-scale attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure as Kyiv's negotiating team arrived in Geneva for another round of peace talks with the United States and Russia.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-of-russian-strikes-ukraine-geneva-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/aid-to-ukraines-energy-sector.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/aid-to-ukraines-energy-sector.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cca55cd651.jpg" alt="Aid to Ukraine's energy sector &amp; Kremlin Pressure – Interview with EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPFUYNoGh8g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/putin-deploys-his-mercenaries-to.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/putin-deploys-his-mercenaries-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6d346a170c.jpg" alt="Putin deploys his MERCENARIES TO EUROPE? Poland wants to launch NUCLEAR PROGRAM"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFjKEsWlLtw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/russians-got-duped-occupiers-starlinks.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:46:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/russians-got-duped-occupiers-starlinks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2e66e5310e.jpg" alt="Russians GOT DUPED – occupiers' Starlinks BLOCKED! Major aid package for Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeNEcGRGwKA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/russians-are-preparing-new-energy.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:22:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/russians-are-preparing-new-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/16127f5613.jpg" alt="Russians are preparing new energy strikes, — Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NQ6ZPI8iTis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/russia-attempts-pincer-move-to.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/russia-attempts-pincer-move-to.html <p>Russian forces are intensifying pressure from the Kotlyne and Rodynske areas of Donetsk region and attempting a pincer movement to encircle the Pokrovsk agglomeration, according to the 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces (DShV), which also <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/1101">posted video of the operations on Telegram</a>.</p> <p>“Units in the area of responsibility of the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the DShV, together with other elements of the Defense Forces, are countering these intentions by stepping up aerial reconnaissance and additionally mining likely enemy routes of advance,” the statement said.</p> <p>Ukraine says Russian troops continue probing with small assault groups from the northwestern part of Pokrovsk toward Hryshyne, where they are being detected and destroyed.</p> <p>“Recently, north of Pokrovsk, an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group was recorded infiltrating near farm facilities. As a result of countermeasures, Ukrainian service members detected and eliminated the enemy,” the DShV added.</p> <p>Over the past week, Ukraine’s Defense Forces say they killed or wounded 255 Russian soldiers and destroyed or damaged 19 vehicles, 29 UAV launch sites, 36 shelters and depots, and 575 attack drones.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Forces have reduced the gray zone near Verbove in Zaporizhzhia region, pushing back Russian troops and preventing them from consolidating after assault operations.</p> <p>Military observer Bohdan Myroshnykov has noted that the situation on the Pokrovsk axis remains tense, especially around Hryshyne and Rodynske, and that supply constraints are making it increasingly difficult for Ukrainian units to hold their positions.</p> <p>Analysts at DeepState have also said the last battles for Pokrovsk are ongoing, with about 95% of the city under Russian control. At the same time, Ukrainian forces still hold isolated positions in the “gray zone,” so full occupation has not yet occurred.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-attempts-pincer-move-to-encircle-pokrovsk-ukraine-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/armenia-vows-not-to-extradite.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/armenia-vows-not-to-extradite.html <p>Yerevan has publicly refused to hand over to Russia citizens prosecuted on political grounds, a statement that comes amid Armenia’s deepening drift from Moscow.</p> <p>Armenia has officially said it will not extradite to Russia individuals pursued for political reasons. The strong message came from parliamentary speaker Alen Simonyan.</p> <p>“I guarantee you: not a single person will be detained or expelled to any third country for political reasons. I officially guarantee it,” <a href="https://t.me/moscowtimes_ru/42530">said</a> parliamentary speaker Alen Simonyan.</p> <p>According to him, despite some detentions at Moscow’s request, “zero people have been deported from Armenia.”</p> <p>The statement comes against the backdrop of noticeably cooling relations between Yerevan and Moscow. Armenia has been steadily distancing itself from Russia for several years: authorities have announced a freeze on participation in the CSTO, skipped a number of post-Soviet integration formats and intensified contacts with the European Union and the United States.</p> <p>For the Kremlin, which has traditionally viewed Armenia as part of its sphere of influence, such rhetoric is especially painful. Former allies are increasingly showing a willingness to pursue an independent policy, regardless of Moscow’s position.</p> <p>Observers also noted the platform where the statement was made. Simonyan gave an interview to the Russian-language TV channel Dozhd, which is banned in Russia. Many saw this as an additional political signal.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/armenia-vows-not-to-extradite-politically-persecuted-individuals-to-russia-in-public-rebuke-to-moscow">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/ukraine-knocks-out-power-in.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 18:30:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/ukraine-knocks-out-power-in.html <p>The Russian city of Bryansk has faced large-scale outages for the first time this winter after drone attacks. Regional authorities called it “the most powerful and massive attack” by Ukraine since the start of the war.</p> <p>According to the outlet <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/13982">Agentstvo</a>, Ukraine is systematically expanding the geography of strikes on Russia’s power grid, knocking out the energy system of a fifth regional capital. That’s according to the outlet Agentstvo.</p> <p>Power and heating disruptions were recorded in Bryansk following strikes on the region’s energy infrastructure. It’s the first time since the start of winter the city has seen outages on this scale, making it another Russian regional capital where civilians have felt the impact of the war.</p> <p>The problems were reported by Bryansk region Governor Alexander Bogomaz. He said parts of the city were left without electricity and heat on Sunday evening, with similar disruptions in several other municipalities.</p> <p>Regional authorities described the incident as “the most powerful and massive attack” since the war began. According to official figures, from Sunday morning to Monday morning, 229 Ukrainian drones targeted Bryansk region.</p> <p>Russian officials claim the targets were energy infrastructure facilities. Ukrainian sources reported a repeat strike on the Novobryanskaya substation in the settlement of Vygonichi. Substations are among the most vulnerable links in power transmission: disabling them cuts all downstream segments off the grid.</p> <p>The geography of strikes is expanding. Bryansk has become another Russian regional capital experiencing outages after air attacks. Similar incidents previously occurred in Belgorod, Kursk, Oryol and Voronezh, in some cases causing significant disruptions to electricity, heating and water supply.</p> <p>Observers note that Ukraine is increasingly striking deeper into Russian territory, focusing on military and energy infrastructure. The tactic is seen as a response to Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy system that have continued since the fall of 2022.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-knocks-out-power-in-bryansk-the-fifth-russian-regional-capital-hit-by-energy-strikes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/the-mathematics-of-war-how.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 18:14:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/the-mathematics-of-war-how.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><span>On the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this war has definitively become the bloodiest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. According to </span><a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine"><span>estimates</span></a><span> by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the combined casualties of both sides—killed, wounded, and missing—have reached approximately 1.8 million and could cross the 2 million mark in spring 2026.</span></p> </div> <p><span>In a conflict of this kind, every casualty figure becomes a weapon. Both Russia and Ukraine classify information about their own losses while actively publishing data on the enemy’s losses. In this “fog of war,” where every number is an instrument of an information operation, the search for truth requires scientific methods.</span></p> <p><span>This article offers an analysis for a broad readership: who is lying, who is exaggerating, and where an objective picture can be found. We will examine three questions in turn: whether Russian military briefings can be trusted, what the real price of the war is for Russia, and what we know about Ukraine’s losses.</span></p> <h3>Part 1. The psychology of numbers and Benford’s law</h3> <p><span>To test the reliability of quantitative indicators, one of the most effective tools is Benford’s law, also known as the law of the first significant digit. It is a mathematical regularity that describes the probability that a particular digit will appear in the first position of numbers drawn from real, naturally generated (“organic”) datasets that reflect complex cumulative processes.</span></p> <p><span>Contrary to the intuitive assumption that all nine digits (from 1 to 9) should appear as the first digit of a random number with equal probability (about 11.1%), Frank Benford found that in large-scale datasets digits are distributed according to a logarithmic law. Mathematically, the probability P(d) </span><span>that the first significant digit of a randomly selected number is d </span><span>(where d ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}</span><span>) is given by the formula:</span></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/formula-e1771250589372.png" alt="" width="1260" height="118" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-195495"></p> <p><span>Accordingly, the theoretical distribution of first digits in an organic dataset is as follows: the digit 1 appears in the first position in 30.1% of cases; 2—17.6%; 3—12.5%; 4—9.7%; 5—7.9%; 6—6.7%; 7—5.8%; 8—5.1%; and 9—only 4.6% of cases.</span></p> <p><span>This law is a widely recognized tool in global forensic accounting, auditing, and macroeconomic analysis for detecting signs of falsification in corporate financial statements, </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/local-elections-2015-any-trace-of-fraud-ua"><span>election protocols</span></a><span>, tax declarations, and epidemiological statistics.</span></p> <p><span>The psychological basis for the effectiveness of Benford’s law is simple: when a person (or group of people) attempts to fabricate statistical data or invent “random” numbers, they are guided by a false notion of randomness. They subconsciously try to distribute digits evenly, often choosing numbers that begin with 4, 5, 6, or 7, while avoiding excessive use of ones and twos, intuitively perceiving them as “too obvious” or insufficiently “convincing.”</span></p> <h4>A mathematical deconstruction of propaganda: analyzing Russian Ministry of Defense briefings on Ukraine’s losses</h4> <p><span>From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Russia’s political and military leadership adopted a strategy of total dominance in its domestic information space. The Russian Ministry of Defense </span><a href="https://voennoedelo.com/en/posts/id1669-russian-mod-issues-new-daily-report-on-ukrainian-losses"><span>publishes</span></a><span> daily, extraordinarily detailed reports on the destruction of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and equipment. These briefings—long associated with Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov and later transformed into daily written summaries—are intended to create within Russian society a durable illusion of an inevitable and rapid victory, as well as to convince the international community of the futility of further support for Kyiv.</span></p> <p><span>The daily briefings of Russia’s Ministry of Defense contain figures, precise to the individual, for Ukrainian service members reported “destroyed.” Analysis of these data for the period from February 2022 through February 2026 makes it possible to form a representative control sample. For example, official Ministry of Defense statements feature typical figures such as: “up to 1,075 Ukrainian service members </span><a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/332824?single"><span>destroyed</span></a><span>” in one day on a single axis; total Ukrainian Armed Forces losses for January 19, 2026 are </span><a href="https://ria.ru/20260120/udar-2068992545.html"><span>claimed</span></a><span> at “1,240 soldiers”; the “Center” group of forces </span><a href="https://t.me/donbassr/97982"><span>reports</span></a><span> the destruction of “480 personnel” or “295 personnel,” the “South” group—“</span><a href="https://t.me/OdessaRussi/183896"><span>305</span></a><span> personnel” or “145 personnel,” the “East” </span><a href="https://t.me/ukr_2025_ru/225463"><span>group</span></a><span>—“up to 960 service members,” and the “West” </span><a href="https://t.me/notes_veterans/26850"><span>group</span></a><span>—“more than 150 personnel” per day. Aggregate daily enemy loss figures are regularly reported at levels such as </span><a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/321588"><span>1,495</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/313697"><span>1,245</span></a><span>, or </span><a href="https://t.me/ukr_2025_ru/293166"><span>1,070</span></a><span> personnel. Overall, as of late 2024 through early 2026, Russia’s Ministry of Defense estimates Ukrainian army losses at more than 1 million killed and wounded.</span></p> <p><span>When applying Pearson’s chi-square (x²</span><span>) statistical test, which makes it possible to determine the statistical significance of deviations between empirical data and a theoretical model, the distribution of first digits in the reported figures of “Ukrainian Armed Forces service members destroyed” shows a significant deviation from Benford’s law.</span></p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td><span><b>First significant digit (d)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Benford theoretical distribution (%)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Empirical distribution in Russia’s Ministry of Defense data (%)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Deviation (%)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Deviation assessment</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>1</span></td> <td><span>30.1%</span></td> <td><span>~ 14.5%</span></td> <td><span>15.60%</span></td> <td><span>Critical underrepresentation (statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>2</span></td> <td><span>17.6%</span></td> <td><span>~ 19.2%</span></td> <td><span>-1.60%</span></td> <td><span>Deviation (not statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>3</span></td> <td><span>12.5%</span></td> <td><span>~ 18.7%</span></td> <td><span>-6.20%</span></td> <td><span>Artificial clustering (statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>4</span></td> <td><span>9.7%</span></td> <td><span>~ 16.4%</span></td> <td><span>-6.70%</span></td> <td><span>Artificial clustering (statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>5</span></td> <td><span>7.9%</span></td> <td><span>~ 10.1%</span></td> <td><span>-2.20%</span></td> <td><span>Deviation (not statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>6</span></td> <td><span>6.7%</span></td> <td><span>~ 5.2%</span></td> <td><span>1.50%</span></td> <td><span>Deviation (not statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>7</span></td> <td><span>5.8%</span></td> <td><span>~ 7.8%</span></td> <td><span>-2.00%</span></td> <td><span>Artificial clustering (statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>8</span></td> <td><span>5.1%</span></td> <td><span>~ 5.5%</span></td> <td><span>-0.40%</span></td> <td><span>Deviation (not statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>9</span></td> <td><span>4.6%</span></td> <td><span>~ 2.6%</span></td> <td><span>2.00%</span></td> <td><span>Deviation (not statistically significant)</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Note: The empirical distribution in the table is an averaged representation of the time-series analysis of Russia’s Ministry of Defense briefings.</span></p> </div> <p><span>The statistical test shows that the deviation of the observed distribution of first digits from the theoretical one is nonrandom (p – value &lt; 0.001</span><span>). It can be assumed that Russian staff officers and spokespersons responsible for compiling these reports subconsciously avoid “overly round” or “overly small” leading digits in an effort to create an illusion of extraordinary precision, operational activity, and combat intensity. Numbers such as “480,” “305,” “295,” or “1,075” are generated either algorithmically or manually to match target indicators for enemy losses set by the political leadership.</span></p> <p><span>A statistically significant deviation in the frequency of digits 1, 3, 4, and 7 from Benford’s law can be regarded as an indicator of falsification, turning statistics into an instrument of reflexive control aimed at a domestic audience to sustain the myth of the relentless success of the so-called “special military operation.” As shown in Part 3 below, Russia’s leadership significantly overstates Ukraine’s losses.</span></p> <p><span>But there is a caveat. </span><b>Benford’s law is a powerful tool, but it has limitations</b><span>. For Benford’s law to work properly, the data must span several orders of magnitude (for example, from 10 to 10,000). In the case of Russia’s briefings on Ukrainian Armed Forces losses, daily figures vary within a narrow range and are often presented with “up to” or “more than” qualifiers, which makes them interval rather than exact values. Under such conditions, conclusions based on Benford’s law are better understood as risk indicators rather than proof of falsification. In political statistics, this is </span><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/3B1D64E822371C461AF3C61CE91AAF6D/S1047198700012808a.pdf/div-class-title-benford-s-law-and-the-detection-of-election-fraud-div.pdf%D1%84"><span>described</span></a><span> as the forensic pitfall: Deckert, Myagkov, and Ordeshook (2011) show that Benford’s law, as a detection tool, should be applied cautiously—as a red flag, not proof of guilt.</span></p> <h4>Bureaucratic schizophrenia: verifying Russia’s real losses through its own civilian administrative records</h4> <p><span>Because Russia’s information space operates under conditions of strict autocratic censorship, an objective analysis of Russian Armed Forces losses requires a different approach. Russia’s Ministry of Defense ceased regular publication of official data on its own military losses in September 2022 (when it </span><a href="https://meduza.io/en/news/2022/09/21/shoigu-says-5-937-russian-soldiers-have-died-in-ukraine"><span>reported</span></a><span> a figure of 5,937 killed), on the eve of announcing the so-called “partial mobilization.” Since then, the ministry’s official communication regarding its own losses has been reduced to zero. Moreover, Russian legislation has </span><a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-derzhduma-rosii-zakonoproiekt-pozbavlennia-voli-za-feiky-pro-armiu/31735732.html"><span>criminalized</span></a><span> any attempts to independently count losses within the country, classifying such efforts as “discrediting” the armed forces or “spreading false information,” offenses punishable by multi-year prison terms.</span></p> <p><span>However, the Kremlin’s authoritarian system faces a phenomenon that can be described as “bureaucratic schizophrenia.” The state can classify operational General Staff briefings, but it cannot halt the functioning of a vast civilian bureaucratic apparatus without triggering a total collapse of the social system. To stimulate recruitment, Russia’s government has undertaken to pay relatives of the fallen financial compensation on a colossal scale by the standards of Russia’s provinces (“coffin payments,” insurance payouts, and loan write-offs). Receiving these funds requires strict compliance with legal procedures: obtaining a death certificate (more than 300,000 forms of which have been </span><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-orders-307-900-death-certificates-for-soldiers-families-since-2022-media-reports/"><span>ordered</span></a><span> since 2022), opening an inheritance case with a notary, and filing documents with the Social Fund of Russia (SFR). Thus, each death of a Russian soldier inevitably leaves a digital and bureaucratic trace in state databases.</span></p> <p><span>To ensure that Russia’s authorities were not falsifying these civilian data as well, journalists and researchers aggregated statistics from the National Register of Inheritance Cases of the Federal Notary Chamber of Russia (the number of cases opened for men of conscription age by municipality and region) and official demographic reports from the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) on excess mortality. This dataset was also subjected to verification using Benford’s law.</span></p> <p><span>Unlike Russia’s Ministry of Defense briefings, civilian data are not generated centrally in the offices of military propagandists but are the result of decentralized actions by thousands of independent actors across Russia: notaries, civil registry officials, and social welfare employees. When the first significant digit was extracted from data on opened inheritance cases and excess mortality, the empirical distribution showed an extremely high correlation with Benford’s theoretical logarithmic curve.</span></p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td><span><b>First significant digit (d)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Benford theoretical distribution (%)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Empirical distribution from inheritance register and Rosstat data (%)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Deviation (%)</b></span></td> <td><span><b>Deviation assessment</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>1</span></td> <td><span>30.10%</span></td> <td><span>29.80%</span></td> <td><span>0.3%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>2</span></td> <td><span>17.60%</span></td> <td><span>18.20%</span></td> <td><span>-0.6%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>3</span></td> <td><span>12.50%</span></td> <td><span>12.10%</span></td> <td><span>0.4%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>4</span></td> <td><span>9.70%</span></td> <td><span>9.50%</span></td> <td><span>0.2%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>5</span></td> <td><span>7.90%</span></td> <td><span>8.30%</span></td> <td><span>-0.4%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>6</span></td> <td><span>6.70%</span></td> <td><span>6.50%</span></td> <td><span>0.2%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>7</span></td> <td><span>5.80%</span></td> <td><span>6.10%</span></td> <td><span>-0.3%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>8</span></td> <td><span>5.10%</span></td> <td><span>5.00%</span></td> <td><span>0.1%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>9</span></td> <td><span>4.60%</span></td> <td><span>4.50%</span></td> <td><span>0.1%</span></td> <td><span>Not statistically significant</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span>The correlation coefficient (R²</span><span>) between the empirical and theoretical distributions exceeds 0.95. This indicates that the statistical probability of manipulation of these administrative data approaches zero. The conformity of data generated by Russia’s civilian bureaucratic apparatus to the mathematical laws of random variables demonstrates that these figures are an objective reflection of Russia’s social and demographic reality. Therefore, analysis based on these sources can be considered reliable.</span></p> <h3>Part 2. Arithmetic absurdity: how Russia fabricates statistics</h3> <p><span>The fabricated nature of Russia’s military briefings on Ukrainian losses is demonstrated not only by statistical analysis but also by violations of the fundamental laws of arithmetic in the calculation of cumulative losses of Ukrainian military equipment.</span></p> <p><span>As of February 15, 2026, </span><a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/61174"><span>according to</span></a><span> Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Russian forces have destroyed a colossal quantity of Ukrainian weaponry, including more than 670 military aircraft, 283 helicopters, more than 114,000 unmanned aerial vehicles, 650 surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, and 27,704 tanks and armored fighting vehicles.</span></p> <p><span>To understand the absurdity of these figures, it is sufficient to consult international databases of military capabilities. According to the </span><i><span>World Air Forces 2022</span></i> <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=83735"><span>reference</span></a><span>, before the full-scale invasion the Ukrainian Air Force had only 318 aircraft in total, including Soviet-era platforms. Of these, 98 were combat aircraft and 112 were helicopters. Even if one adds to this list all aircraft and helicopters transferred to Ukraine by partner countries since 2022 (OSINT analysts at Oryx </span><a href="https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/04/answering-call-heavy-weaponry-supplied.html"><span>estimate</span></a><span> this at roughly 150+ units), the total size of Ukraine’s aviation has never even approached 953 units. Russia’s Ministry of Defense has thus officially “destroyed” Ukraine’s air force at least three times over.</span></p> <p><span>A similar situation applies to armored vehicles. When the Armed Forces of Ukraine </span><a href="https://novayagazeta.eu/about"><span>had</span></a><span> a total of about </span><a href="https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/06/16/something-doesnt-add-up-en"><span>8,165 tanks</span></a><span> and armored fighting vehicles (including Soviet-era equipment and the first tranches of military aid), Russia’s army had already officially reported (on July 12, 2023) the “destruction” of </span><a href="https://t.me/swodki/270996"><span>9,915</span></a><span> such vehicles. The </span><a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/61174"><span>claim</span></a><span> of 27,704 destroyed armored vehicles as of February 15, 2026 is a mathematical impossibility, as this figure substantially exceeds the entire available fleet of tanks and armored fighting vehicles not only of Ukraine but also of the combined forces of many European NATO member states prior to their rearmament.</span></p> <p><span>As for personnel, as early as mid-2022—when the war had lasted only a few months—the cumulative figures of “destroyed” Ukrainian service members in Russia’s Ministry of Defense briefings had reached levels that would have implied the loss of combat effectiveness of 80% of the entire Ukrainian Armed Forces. The fact that Ukraine’s army in 2026 continues to conduct large-scale defensive operations, inflicting catastrophic losses on the enemy and even holding footholds on Russia’s territory (Kursk region), demonstrates that Russia’s Ministry of Defense data bear no relation to battlefield reality.</span></p> <h4>The scale of confirmed Russian losses based on internal data</h4> <p><span>Based on the mathematically demonstrated reliability of Russia’s registries, the projects </span><a href="https://meduza.io/feature/2023/07/10/47-tysyach-pogibshih-rossiyskih-soldat"><span>Mediazona</span></a><span> and BBC Russian Service, with support from </span><a href="https://zona.media/article/2023/07/10/stats"><span>Meduza</span></a><span>, systematically aggregate Russia’s irrecoverable losses.</span></p> <p><span>Their methodology consists of two components: a name-by-name list of the dead and a statistical estimate based on the Register of Inheritance Cases.</span></p> <p><span>By monitoring open sources—statements by regional governors, obituaries in the local press, photographs from cemeteries, as well as analysis of database leaks (such as lists from the Wagner Group and leaks from motor rifle brigades)—as of February 13, 2026, researchers had verified the names of 177,433 dead Russian soldiers. In just the first two weeks of February 2026, more than 9,000 names were added to this list through the processing of accumulated archival data. Among those </span><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/over-177-000-russian-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-identified-by-media-investigation/"><span>identified by name</span></a><span> are 6,414 officers, including 12 generals of Russia’s army. The largest absolute losses have been recorded among natives of Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Sverdlovsk region, and Krasnodar Krai.</span></p> <p><span>Because not every death is reported in newspapers or announced by governors, the name-by-name list represents only a lower bound of total losses. To establish a more accurate picture, researchers used data on the excess number of inheritance cases opened for men under the age of 50 compared with the prewar period. Taking into account the proportion of men who leave no property, this mathematical model showed that as of August 2025 the total number of dead Russians was about 219,000, and by preliminary estimates, by the end of 2025 this figure had reached approximately 300,000 irrecoverable losses. This estimate correlates with Rosstat reports, which recorded cumulative excess mortality among Russian men aged 20–54 at 138,500 in just the first two years of the full-scale war (2022–2023).</span></p> <p><span>In addition, beginning in mid-2024, a mass wave of court petitions filed by Russia’s Ministry of Defense military units seeking to have missing soldiers declared dead has been recorded (around 90,000 such cases by the end of 2025). This allows the army to avoid evacuating bodies from the battlefield while formally completing bureaucratic procedures, which further increases the total number of deaths.</span></p> <h4>Intelligence consensus: everyone sees the same thing</h4> <p><span>Official Ukrainian </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0E7iCupeC493E35AQQbDWrYdmeqK36Wsek9GdwNLU6C9uQ9YPEz5rBmJkWke4KnQ6l?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZYDXiLgoqSJE_ua5OAbTmtLk0gc3YSUdirCLO1GHVhiAfKT0-HVVzBHdX_dnICmjHFloIbzyEIzo5_aHwWMjhpoGgVVL_C5a98gq7_PVBg-4BtZ2YpEJaHbIL3SUlkrLdX42nrbjp_UQIgkVZ7T8Gy2dIYVrvdJuPXcyAQmcsU7Ww&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R"><span>data</span></a><span> (more than 1.25 million), which Russia </span><a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26271779"><span>calls</span></a><span> an “invention of the Kyiv regime,” in fact underpin the consensus estimates of leading think tanks. For example, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in a </span><a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine"><span>report</span></a><span> published in early 2026, estimates Russia’s total losses (killed, wounded, and missing in action) at 1.2 million. Of that number, irrecoverable losses (killed) amount to up to 325,000 soldiers.</span></p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td><span>Source</span></td> <td><span>Estimated total Russian losses</span></td> <td><span>Date</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington</span></td> <td><span>about 1.2 million</span></td> <td><span>January 2026</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff</span></td> <td><span>more than 1,252,000</span></td> <td><span>February 2026</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>UK Ministry of Defence</span></td> <td><span>1,168,000—1,213,000</span></td> <td><span>December 2025—January  2026</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>William J. Burns, Former Director of the CIA</span></td> <td><span>about 1.1 million</span></td> <td><span>January  2026</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service</span></td> <td><span>about 1 million</span></td> <td><span>February 2026</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span>Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), United Kingdom</span></td> <td><span>about 1 million (240,000 killed)</span></td> <td><span>September 2025</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span>Moreover, this figure follows logically from </span><a href="https://meduza.io/feature/2025/08/29/2000-chelovek-v-nedelyu-stolko-teryala-rossiya-na-pike-svoego-nastupleniya-v-donbasse"><span>mathematical calculations</span></a><span> based on Russia’s civilian registries (219,000–300,000 confirmed deaths). Given the standard ratio of killed to wounded in modern conflicts (approximately 1:3 to 1:4), 300,000 irrecoverable losses imply total losses of more than 1 million. Thus, Ukrainian and international estimates of Russian losses are close to accurate.</span></p> <p><span>The Dutch Oryx project, which uses the most conservative and rigorous methodology (recording only equipment losses with clear photo or video confirmation and geolocation), has </span><a href="https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-equipment.html"><span>documented</span></a><span> Russia’s loss of 24,099 units of heavy military equipment. Of these, 13,887 armored vehicles were destroyed, damaged, or captured, including 4,334 tanks of various types (from older T-54/55 models to the most modern T-90M).</span></p> <p><span>Ukrainian Armed Forces estimates of Russian equipment losses (~11,672 tanks </span><a href="https://www.zsu.gov.ua/"><span>as of</span></a><span> February 15, 2026) are higher than Oryx’s visually confirmed figures (4,300 tanks), because OSINT captures only the lower bound of losses, as many vehicles destroyed in rear areas or in tree lines are never recorded on video, especially given the scale of FPV drone use and long-range artillery.</span></p> <h3>Part 3. What we know about Ukraine’s losses</h3> <p><span>The question of Ukrainian losses is the most sensitive aspect of this analysis. Kyiv long adhered to a policy of information silence, which is understandable: in an existential war for survival, any information about its own losses can be used by the enemy to plan military and information operations. However, estimates by international institutions, official statements, and foreign intelligence services now largely converge.</span></p> <p><span>In February 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlzsddedMvM"><span>France 2</span></a><span> that 55,000 Ukrainian service members had been killed on the battlefield. He added that a “large number” of service members are still considered missing in action (according to estimates by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the number of missing Ukrainians ranges from 35,000 to 84,500). Earlier, at the end of 2024, he cited a figure of 43,000 killed and 370,000 wounded.</span></p> <p><span>In January 2026, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) </span><a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine"><span>published</span></a><span> an estimate according to which Ukraine’s total military losses (killed, wounded, and missing in action) amount to 500,000–600,000. Within that number, irrecoverable losses (killed) are estimated at 100,000–140,000 (assuming a killed-to-wounded ratio of 1:4). This estimate correlates with counts by the independent </span><a href="https://ualosses.org/uk/soldiers/"><span>UALosses</span></a><span> project, which maintains a name-by-name list of Ukrainian losses based on public obituaries: as of early 2026, it had confirmed the names of more than 92,000 dead Ukrainian service members. </span><a href="https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2025/07/09/russias-summer-ukraine-offensive-looks-like-its-deadliest-so-far"><i><span>The Economist</span></i></a><span>, in summer 2025, also estimated the number of dead Ukrainians at 73,000–140,000.</span></p> <p><span>Regardless of which specific figure is considered most accurate, the main conclusion remains unchanged: even by the highest estimates, Ukrainian Armed Forces losses are at least 2–2.5 times lower than Russia’s losses (600,000 versus 1.2 million). This indicates significantly higher effectiveness of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</span></p> <h3>Part 4. Nonobvious consequences: what lies behind the numbers</h3> <h4>The erosion of Lanchester’s square law and the “drone war” paradox</h4> <p><span>Classical military theory (including </span><a href="https://x.com/trenttelenko/status/1814759906102096052?s=46"><span>Lanchester’s square law</span></a><span>) holds that in combined-arms combat, an army’s combat power is proportional to the square of its manpower, provided there is a concentration of massed firepower and a mechanized breakthrough. However, in modern warfare this law no longer holds: the widespread proliferation of FPV drones, aerial reconnaissance systems, and Starlink integration has led to a dramatic degradation of Russia’s ground tactics, negated its numerical advantage, and made any concentration of equipment lethal. West Point (the U.S. Military Academy) analysts have </span><a href="https://mwi.westpoint.edu/the-return-of-the-tactical-crisis/"><span>described</span></a><span> this as a “return of the tactical crisis”—a situation in which firepower once again exceeds the capacity for maneuver, as it did in the late nineteenth century.</span></p> <p><span>It has been visually confirmed that Russia has </span><a href="https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-equipment.html"><span>lost</span></a><span> more than 13,800 armored vehicles (more than its entire </span><a href="https://carnegie-production-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/files/Massicot-Reconstitution-final.pdf"><span>prewar</span></a><span> active fleet) and</span> <span>has been forced to abandon massed mechanized assaults and shift to “meat assaults”: continuous attacks by small infantry groups of 2–5 soldiers. Tanks have been replaced by golf carts, ATVs, motorcycles, and even horses. The sole objective is to cross the “gray zone” under drone strikes at any cost. This “adaptation” has a shocking and nonobvious consequence: for Russia, the war is becoming far cheaper in material and financial terms, but far more costly in human lives.</span></p> <h4>The price of territory</h4> <p><span>Tactical degradation to the level of a frontal war of attrition reminiscent of World War I has produced extreme statistics on the “cost” of territory. According to analysts, in 2024–2025 Russia’s army </span><a href="https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-december-31-2025/"><span>lost</span></a><span> an average of 102 soldiers killed and wounded for every square kilometer of Ukrainian territory captured. In 2025, this figure averaged 78 soldiers, although in some of the most intense months of fighting (in particular from January to April 2025) it reached 99 per square kilometer.</span></p> <p><span>Thus, innovations by Ukraine’s Defense Forces in unmanned systems have effectively “broken” Lanchester’s law for Russia’s army, turning it into a slow-moving force capable of advancing (for example, </span><a href="https://www.russiamatters.org/news/russia-ukraine-war-report-card/russia-ukraine-war-report-card-feb-11-2026"><span>capturing</span></a><span> less than 1% of Ukraine’s territory in 2025—about 0.93%) only at the cost of enormous losses.</span></p> <h4>“Deathonomics” and the Kremlin’s social engineering</h4> <p><span>A question that often concerns Western analysts is why astronomical human losses (more than 1 million killed and wounded) have not led to a mass social explosion or antiwar protests in Russia. The answer lies not only in the effectiveness of the FSB’s repressive apparatus but also in the Kremlin’s creation of a unique macroeconomic model. Researcher Vladislav Inozemtsev, in a </span><a href="https://www.ifri.org/en/papers/deathonomics-social-political-and-economic-costs-war-russia"><span>report</span></a><span> for the French think tank IFRI (February 2026), described this phenomenon as “Deathonomics”—an “economy of death.”</span></p> <p><span>Russia’s political leadership has deliberately transformed the war into an unprecedented mechanism for the redistribution of national wealth. Geographic and demographic analysis of losses confirmed through obituaries (including Mediazona </span><a href="https://en.zona.media/article/2026/02/13/casualties_eng-trl"><span>data</span></a><span>) reveals a cynical policy of social engineering. Russia’s “blood tax” is paid by the poorest, economically depressed regions—ethnic republics of Siberia and the Far East (the Republic of Tuva, Buryatia, and Chukotka), where the risk of death for local men is 25 times higher than for residents of Moscow or St. Petersburg. Bashkortostan and Tatarstan also suffer enormous absolute losses. Putin’s regime is effectively buying the population’s loyalty by paying astronomical sums for the deaths of their sons and husbands, which has produced a paradoxical </span><a href="https://www.ifri.org/en/papers/deathonomics-social-political-and-economic-costs-war-russia"><span>consumption “boom”</span></a><span> in Russia’s villages and small towns. Death has thus become the most profitable business.</span></p> <p><span>But this model is a financial pyramid scheme. The loss of hundreds of thousands of working-age men has created an acute labor shortage. The defense industry operates around the clock in three shifts, producing equipment that is subsequently destroyed in Ukraine. Trillions of unbacked rubles are fueling an inflationary spiral. Even according to official data, GDP growth has fallen to a meager 1% (compared to 4.3% in 2024), forcing the government to raise taxes and drastically cut funding for civilian sectors such as education and healthcare. Although oil revenues and China’s support, including through sanctions evasion, allow the Kremlin to continue financing the war, they cannot conceal a deep structural internal deficit.</span></p> <p><span>Another nonobvious consequence of the “Deathonomics” is the rapid aging of Russia’s army. Because the younger mobilization pool has largely been exhausted (or has left the country—</span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65790759"><span>estimates</span></a><span> range from half a million to more than a million people who relocated in 2022 alone), in 2025–2026 the army has been replenished primarily by older “commercial volunteers” attracted by financial incentives.</span></p> <p><span>According to </span><a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2024/10/09/tri-chetverti-stariki-v-rossiiskoi-armii-nachali-zhalovatsya-na-nabor-slishkom-vozrastnih-kontraktnikov-a144398"><span>statistical</span></a><span> data, the average age of a Russian soldier killed at the front is approaching 50, and the most common category of fatalities is men aged 46–52. Russia has thus turned its army into an “army of old men,” sending them into continuous, exhausting assaults.</span></p> <h4>A geopolitical game: Munich 2026</h4> <p><span>According to analysts, the intensification of Russia’s offensive in late 2025 and early 2026 (especially on the Pokrovsk and Kupiansk axes), accompanied by record losses (30,000–35,000 killed and wounded per month for minimal advances of only a few square kilometers), was aimed less at achieving a strategic military breakthrough than at creating a cognitive illusion of invincibility among Western leaders.</span></p> <p><span>The Kremlin is deliberately demonstrating to the world its willingness to expend an unlimited number of its own citizens’ lives. This “madman strategy” is intended to convince the U.S. administration and European leaders that Ukraine’s military resistance is futile, since no level of losses will stop Russia. At the same time, Russia continues its systematic campaign to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, reinforcing the narrative that Ukraine cannot sustain a war of attrition.</span></p> <p><span>This information-psychological strategy has achieved a degree of success in the West. In the information space (for example, through media leaks in outlets such as the </span><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/50d3d86b-2d2a-4d06-845e-a4e089382cad?shareType=nongift"><i><span>Financial Times</span></i></a><span> or </span><i><span>Axios</span></i><span>) significant pressure is building on Ukraine to compel it to make territorial concessions (including recognition of the loss of the Donbas and the relinquishment of Crimea) in exchange for promises of Western security guarantees or a freezing of the conflict until summer 2026. Calls have also emerged for elections in Ukraine in exchange for a ceasefire.</span></p> <p><span>In response to this pressure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/2OKPcElOq7c"><span>speaking</span></a><span> at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2026, criticized the idea of “appeasing” the aggressor. He directly called Vladimir Putin a “slave to war” and compared attempts by Western partners to pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions in exchange for an illusory peace to the shameful Munich Agreement of 1938, when the surrender of Czechoslovakia to Hitler failed to prevent a much larger war.</span></p> <p><span>Zelenskyy emphasized that for Kyiv, any approach that demands concessions solely from Ukraine while Russia continues its terror and wages a hybrid war against Europe is categorically unacceptable. Insisting on firm 20-year security guarantees from the United States before signing any agreements, he made clear that the war will not end on terms of capitulation. Ukraine’s official public disclosure of its significant losses (55,000 killed), though many times smaller than those of its adversary, is itself a strategic move. It is intended to demonstrate to the West the extraordinary effectiveness of Ukraine’s Defense Forces and to show that, provided Western military and financial support is maintained and strengthened, the exhaustion of Russia’s “Deathonomics” will occur long before the Ukrainian nation’s will to resist is broken. Put in plain terms: we are fighting more effectively—support us, and the aggressor’s exhaustion, and thus a durable peace, will come sooner.</span></p> <h3>Conclusions</h3> <p><span>The information space of the Russia–Ukraine war is deeply asymmetric. Russia’s official military statistics, published by its Ministry of Defense, are an instrument of psychological operations and are fully fabricated. The combined evidence of mathematical testing of daily briefings using Benford’s law, independent investigations (such as those by Mediazona), and basic arithmetic logic demonstrates that these figures are artificially generated, violate the expected distribution of random variables, and bear no relation to actual battlefield events. Claims of the destruction of more than 27,000 Ukrainian armored vehicles or 953 aircraft and helicopters are arithmetically impossible. Data analysis indicates irrecoverable losses of Russia’s army in the range of 250,000–325,000 killed, corresponding to total losses (including wounded) of more than 1.2 million personnel. Comparative analysis shows that the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Staff’s estimates of Russian losses (more than 1.25 million) align with the consensus assessments of Western intelligence services (CIA, UK Ministry of Defence) and think tanks (CSIS).</span></p> <p><span>The war in Ukraine has triggered irreversible transformations in military strategy and tactics. Technological battlefield transparency enabled by drones has undermined the traditional laws of mechanized warfare (including Lanchester’s law), forcing Russia to shift to bloody infantry infiltration assaults, in which each square kilometer of Ukrainian territory costs the aggressor 80–90 soldiers’ lives. To sustain this self-destructive model, the Kremlin has constructed a “Deathonomics,” buying the loyalty of the poorest regions through relatively high compensation payments for the deaths of their residents. However, this strategy is a financial pyramid scheme that is already fueling an inflationary spiral, depleting the labor force, and leaving the country with a deteriorating economy and a rapidly aging army.</span></p> <p><span>On the geopolitical stage, particularly during the 2026 Munich Security Conference, Moscow’s willingness to expend hundreds of thousands of Russian lives in the furnace of war remains its principal lever in attempts to pressure the West into forcing Ukraine to capitulate. However, even the most conservative Western estimates confirm that Ukraine’s personnel losses are at least 2–2.5 times lower than Russia’s. Together with Kyiv’s firm position, this indicates that the Kremlin’s war of attrition is steadily approaching its critical breaking point.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Photo: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/the-mathematics-of-war-how-to-tell-real-losses-from-propaganda">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/yandex-maps-blurs-cemeteries-to.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 18:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/yandex-maps-blurs-cemeteries-to.html <p>The Russian platform “Yandex Maps” has begun blurring cemeteries in the same way it obscures military sites, in an apparent attempt to conceal losses in the war against Ukraine.</p> <p>Russia’s army is taking such massive losses in Ukraine that the scale is visible from space. In Russia, the Kremlin-controlled service “Yandex” has started to blur cemeteries on its maps.</p> <p>Ukrainian military blogger Necro Mancer, who compiles information on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, <a href="https://x.com/666_mancer/status/2022916065022599199">drew attention to the change</a>.</p> <p>He found that Yandex Maps applied blurring to the New Cemetery in Severomorsk, treating it like a military site.</p> <p>The location is roughly 1,800 kilometers from Ukraine. Severomorsk is the main base of Russia’s Northern Fleet, and burials at the New Cemetery are clearly linked to Russian military losses in Ukraine.</p> <p>Satellite imagery shows the cemetery has expanded dramatically since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, additional land has been allocated for future burials.</p> <p>Russian military losses are a state secret. The Kremlin tightly guards casualty figures from this war. Still, it is known the toll runs into the hundreds of thousands—a record in the country’s modern history.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0E7iCupeC493E35AQQbDWrYdmeqK36Wsek9GdwNLU6C9uQ9YPEz5rBmJkWke4KnQ6l">According to Ukraine’s General Staff</a>, the aggressor’s total irrecoverable losses over four years of war have already exceeded 1.2 million people. This figure includes, among others, the wounded.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/yandex-maps-blurs-cemeteries-to-hide-record-russian-losses-in-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/croatia-rejects-transporting-russian-oil.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:48:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/croatia-rejects-transporting-russian-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/633940983-1431509145109041-5340485677101228728-n.jpg" alt="Croatia rejects transporting Russian oil to Hungary, Slovakia as flows via Ukraine halted"></p>"A barrel bought from Russia may appear cheaper to some countries, but helps fund war and attacks on Ukrainian people. It’s time to stop that war profiteering," Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/croatia-rejects-transporting-russian-oil-to-hungary-slovakia-as-flows-via-ukraine-halted/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/wow-tech-victory-of-ukrainian.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:02:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/wow-tech-victory-of-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/760a62387a.jpg" alt="WOW! TECH VICTORY OF UKRAINIAN ARMY: Russia out of oil, UAVs downed, NATO in shock after &quot;Hedgehog&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnKSEjlCR-U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/war-continues-despite-talks-ukraine.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/war-continues-despite-talks-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d146781479.jpg" alt="WAR CONTINUES DESPITE TALKS! Ukraine methodically destroys Russia's energy sector"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRycxBEOGs8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/russia-scales-up-offensive-from.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:42:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/russia-scales-up-offensive-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5dfc17423f.jpg" alt="Russia scales up offensive from north of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian military says"></p>The 7th Corps report comes as Ukraine clings to its last positions in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in eastern Donetsk Oblast, both of which have mostly been occupied by Russia, Emil Kastehelmi, a military analyst with the Black Bird Group, told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-scales-up-offensive-from-north-of-pokrovsk-ukrainian-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/moscow-condemns-usarmenia-nuclear-plant.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:39:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/moscow-condemns-usarmenia-nuclear-plant.html <p>The signing of a U.S.-Armenia agreement to build an American-designed nuclear power plant has drawn a sharp reaction from Moscow.</p> <p>The Kremlin publicly criticized the deal between Washington and Yerevan, which provides for $9 billion in investment to construct a U.S. nuclear power station in Armenia.</p> <p>Former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and now secretary of Russia’s Security Council, weighed in with a statement carried by Russian media.</p> <p>The agreement was announced during U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Yerevan.</p> <p>It envisions a new U.S.-built nuclear plant in Armenia that could eventually replace the Metsamor station, which supplies about 40% of the country’s electricity. That facility is currently controlled by Moscow, leaving Armenia heavily dependent on Russia. Closer cooperation between Yerevan and Washington would deprive the Kremlin of a key lever of pressure.</p> <p>“In the event that construction of small reactors using American technology on Armenian territory moves into a practical phase, we, (...), and the population of Armenia itself will be forced to take these new nuclear safety risks into account... Right next door, (...), American experiments in atomic technologies will be carried out... This should be regarded as a threat,” he said.</p> <p>According to Shoygu, Russia has several fundamental objections to the project.</p> <p>He also sought to pressure Armenia by invoking the country’s difficult energy situation in the early 1990s. “Although things were very hard in Russia then, we managed to find a way to help our Armenian friends,” he said.</p> <p>Shoygu further questioned the project’s economics. He said that if it involves NuScale Power’s 77‑megawatt modules, “it was precisely the high cost of energy that caused the failure of its project in the state of Utah.” He added that spent nuclear fuel would be stored in Armenia and argued that the deal resembles a purchase of a plant rather than full-fledged investment in the national economy.</p> <p>Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova had earlier claimed the United States is offering Yerevan allegedly untested solutions whose eventual cost could exceed initial estimates.</p> <p>The agreement is part of a broader U.S. strategy to strengthen its position in the South Caucasus. Months earlier, Donald Trump acted as a mediator in preparing a draft peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The document provides for a transit corridor through Armenian territory called the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.” It had previously been assumed that Moscow could gain control of the so‑called Zangezur Corridor. Russia has since lost that opportunity.</p> <p>Amid the new energy project, Russia’s influence in Armenia’s nuclear sector is in question. Construction of a U.S. plant could significantly shift the regional balance, reducing Yerevan’s economic and technological dependence on Moscow. For the Kremlin, that would mark another geopolitical setback.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/moscow-condemns-u-s-armenia-nuclear-plant-agreement-as-shoygu-warns-of-risks-and-experiments">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/only-hurt-remains-bidding-farewell.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:39:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/only-hurt-remains-bidding-farewell.html <p><img width="1900" height="1267" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dsc06169-2.jpg" alt="Vessel for holy water with aspergillum inside, behind him — a small white coffin. Priests to the left, people gathered for the funerals to the right." data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, SKOVORODYNIVKA </strong>— The biers for the ceremony were set up in advance. </p> <p>First, funeral workers carried out Hryhorii Shykula’s coffin, the largest of the four. He was 34 when the Russian kamikaze drone hit their new family house in Bohodukhiv and killed him and his children, about two years after a Russian mine explosion took his foot. Next, Vladislav and Ivan’s twin coffins were brought out, both wrapped in the deep blue fabric like their father’s. They were two years old. Myroslava’s coffin is the last. It’s small and covered in white. She was born on Jan. 1, 2025. </p> <p>At least a hundred people attended the funeral on Feb. 13. Nine priests came from different parishes of the Zolochiv community of Kharkiv oblast, adjacent to the border with Russia and constantly hit with their drones and glide bombs. </p> <p>“On Feb. 11, we buried a family — Svitlana and her 10-year-old son Mykhailo. And now, this family has died. They slept in the house they bought, the house they’ve dreamed about. And it became fatal for them,” said Father Stephan to Gwara, his grey eyes wet. Today, along with other priests, he will perform a funeral service in Russian, as it’s often held in Ukraine Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate*, but speak the words of comfort to friends and relatives of Hryhorii’s family in Ukrainian. </p> <p>Olha Krivohub, 35, couldn’t come to the funeral of her husband and children — 35 weeks pregnant, she was hospitalized with a head injury after the attack. During that night on Feb. 11, she left Hryhorii with the kids while they played and fell asleep on another couch. The Russian drone strike threw Olha on the roof. A neighbour had found her and carried her away, burnt and concussed and crying for her sons. Then, the flames spread after the strike reached the gas pipes and triggered another explosion. </p> <p>“She is in pain,” Oleksandra, Olha’s sister-in-law, said to the question of Olha’s current state. She was trying to hold her tears in long pauses between words. “The entire world, all warmth was taken away from her. Only hurt remains.” Olha hoped for the war’s end, Oleksandra shares, and named her daughter to honor this feeling. “Myroslava,” translated from Ukrainian, means ‘glory to peace’. “The war isn’t over. The war took them away.” </p> <p>“Who could have raised their hand and dared to kill this family? I can’t imagine. They are not warriors… They are inhuman,” Viktor Kovalenko, the head of the Zolochiv regional military administration, spoke at the service. His voice was rough, cracking with emotion. Ukraine’s soldiers who serve at the frontline in the northern Kharkiv region “will avenge” the family, he added. He knelt near the twins' coffins and put his hand on one of them. “Lord, take them to you.” </p> <p>Anatolii Yeliseiev, starosta of Hryhorii’s community, said both Hryhorii and Olha wanted a big family, like the one they had growing up. After Hryhorii’s injury on the battlefield, he went through hospital, subsequent rehabilitation, and then finally returned to his wife and sons waiting for him. “All of them wanted to live.” </p> <p>They didn’t even manage to get the official documents that they owned the new house, Yeliseiev added. Spent a single night there, and the next night, Russian drones hit Bohodukhiv. </p> <p>The priests read psalms. They called the family “slain innocents” (nevynnoubiienni, “невинноубієнні” in Ukrainian). They read from Thessalonians: that the dead in Christ will rise first. “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Lord in the air.”** The Russian Federation destroys families like this one, Father Stepah said. “These families couldn’t threaten anyone.” </p> <p>Ivan, Hryhorii’s brother, was the first to approach the dead to say goodbye. According to starosta, Hryhorii had followed his example to go to the army. Both of them were demobilized. Ivan laid red carnations on the blue of his brother's coffin and pressed a kiss to it.</p> <p>Other soldiers who came to the funerals didn't speak much. They stood in small groups, sticking to the edges of the crowd. Making way for others. </p> <p>“They were happy, fun, friendly, what can I say?” one of Hryhorii’s brothers-in-arms says, after refusing to share his name. “He only did good.” </p> <p>The man and his children were being buried next to Hryhorii and Ivan’s father. The post-it notes are put onto coffins. Each with the gentle, short version of the name of the person inside written on it: a clue for funeral workers. Priests put holy water into the graves. Asked everybody to throw a handful of freshly dug earth into the graves next. </p> <p>The edges of graves were slippery, the snow around them overtaken with a thin, icy layer. Ivan went first again. Threw his four handfuls of soil. Like many after him, he used the snow to wash the cemetery from his hands.</p> <p>From where the family’s house was located, one can see half of the city of Bohoduhiv. Almost four days after the Russian drone hit here, what remains of the home Hryhorii and Olha wished for still smells like things burnt and ashen. </p> <p>Workers are already rebuilding the neighbouring house. Installing a new carcass for the roof. Covering it with a protective layer of film to guard against the rain and snow. They're shouting instructions and precautions to each other, loud in the quiet of the street.  </p> <p>Halyna, a woman who lived in the house, tells Gwara that, seconds before her home was destroyed, her cat bothered her and she went to let him go outdoors. She believes that saved her from a Russian drone. Halyna didn’t get to meet her new neighbours properly. They had just moved in at the beginning of last week and, a few days later, she saw their house burn down. </p> <p><em>Photo credit</em>: Vessel for holy water with aspergillum in front of the line of coffins standing on the biers between the priests and those who gathered on the funeral of Hryhorii Shykula and his three infant children, killed by a Russian drone attack on Bohodukhiv. Feb. 13, 2026 / Gwara Media, Polina Kulish</p> <p><em>* Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (<a href="https://kiis.com.ua/?lang=eng&cat=reports&id=1443&page=1" data-wpel-link="external">6% of respondents to a poll</a> in Ukraine go to UOC-MP’s churches). It was banned in 2024. </em></p> <p><em>** (1 Thessalonians 4:17). </em></p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Read more</strong></h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>“Train of invincibility” keeps Kharkiv rail passengers <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/train-of-invincibility-keeps-kharkiv-rail-passengers-warm-during-coldest-winter-since-russias-full-scale-invasion/" data-wpel-link="internal">warm during coldest winter since Russia’s full-scale invasion</a> </li> <li>“I followed the order.” Kharkiv court sentences Russian soldier <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-followed-the-order-kharkiv-court-sentences-russian-soldier-who-killed-ukrainian-pows-in-vovchansk-to-life-imprisonment/" data-wpel-link="internal">who killed Ukrainian POWs in Vovchansk to life imprisonment</a></li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/only-hurt-remains-bidding-farewell-to-veteran-his-three-children-killed-in-russian-drone-attack-on-bohodukhiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">“Only hurt remains” — Bidding farewell to veteran, his three children killed in Russian drone attack on Bohodukhiv </a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/only-hurt-remains-bidding-farewell-to-veteran-his-three-children-killed-in-russian-drone-attack-on-bohodukhiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/britain-and-germany-call-for.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:11:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/britain-and-germany-call-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2868bc6775.jpg" alt="Britain and Germany call for PREPARATIONS for war with Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QQEfjaNHC-o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/ukrainian-forces-hit-several-important.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:22:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/ukrainian-forces-hit-several-important.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d57a834dab.jpg" alt="Ukrainian forces hit several 'important' Russian military targets in 3 regions, General Staff says"></p>The strikes targeted areas where Moscow had concentrated its troops, along with a Russian communications hub and a drone control center, the report read.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-hit-several-important-russian-military-targets-in-3-regions-general-staff-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/how-the-kyiv-international-school.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:33:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/how-the-kyiv-international-school.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d9a5e82534.jpg" alt="How the Kyiv International School continues to learn, care, and lead in the hardest days"></p><p>Over the past several weeks, Kyiv has once again been pushed to its limits.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/no-russias-attacks-on-energy-infrastructure-are-not-retaliation-for-ukraines-strikes-on-oil-refineries/">Massive Russian attacks</a> crippled infrastructure across the city and surrounding  region, leaving thousands <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/over-1-500-apartment-buildings-remain-without-heating-in-kyiv-local-authorities-say/">without stable electricity, heat, or water</a>. The strikes coincided with some of the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chart-of-the-week-ukraine-sees-its-coldest-january-in-16-years/">harshest winter conditions this season</a> — plunging  temperatures,</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-the-kyiv-international-school-continues-to-learn-care-and-lead-in-the-hardest-days/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/over-apartment-buildings-remain-without.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:17:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/over-apartment-buildings-remain-without.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d8516f6343.jpg" alt="Over 1,500 apartment buildings remain without heating in Kyiv after Russian attacks, local authorities say"></p>Two districts on the east bank of the Dnipro River were the most affected, leaving 1,100 residential buildings without heating, Kateryna Pop, a spokesperson for the Kyiv City Military Administration, said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/over-1-500-apartment-buildings-remain-without-heating-in-kyiv-local-authorities-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/investigation-european-companies-keep-the.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:13:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/investigation-european-companies-keep-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/eremenko-improved-.jpg" alt="Investigation: European companies keep the motors of Russia's war machine running"></p><h2 data-sanitized-id="key-findings">Key findings:</h2><ul><li>Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has sought supplies of motor oil additives and lubricants from third countries to maintain its military-industrial capacity and keep vehicles and heavy machinery running.</li><li>Russian private companies continue to utilize European logistics chains to secure a steady supply of essential</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/investigation-european-companies-keep-the-motors-of-russias-war-machine-running/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/at-least-injured-in-russian.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:57:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/at-least-injured-in-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2261384754.jpg" alt="At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russian forces attacked Ukraine with four Zirkon anti-ship hypersonic missiles, an Iskander-M ballistic missile, a Kh-31 medium-range missile, and 62 drones, of which about 40 were Shahed-type, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-13-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/in-germany-ukrainian-veterans-role.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/in-germany-ukrainian-veterans-role.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2231514802.jpg" alt="In Germany, Ukrainian veteran's role in Nord Stream attack tests wartime law"></p><p>A former Ukrainian officer, Serhii Kuznietsov, spends his days in near-total isolation at Hamburg's detention center. He is accused by Germany of destroying Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines months after the start of the all-out war.</p><p>Arrested in August while on vacation with his family in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/in-germany-a-ukrainian-nord-stream-suspect-becomes-a-test-for-wartime-law/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:51:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2183768979.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,254,450 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,180 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-254-450-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/16/russian-attacks-on-sumy-oblast.html Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:57:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/16/russian-attacks-on-sumy-oblast.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e23db1d427.jpg" alt="Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast injure 4, damage 'medical infrastructure'"></p>Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhoriv reported that a Russian drone targeted unspecified "medical infrastructure" in the city of Sumy overnight on Feb. 14-15, causing damage to the target.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-on-sumy-oblast-injure-4-damage-medical-infrastructure/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukraine-says-it-hit-tamanneftegaz.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:40:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukraine-says-it-hit-tamanneftegaz.html <p>Ukraine’s General Staff said it successfully struck an oil terminal in Russia’s Krasnodar region.</p> <p>The General Staff shared details of deep-rear operations over the past 24 hours, saying a key target was an enemy oil terminal in the Kuban region.</p> <p>Details were published on February 15 on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid033B68Vg5WSCUPZeNRHe8xkNfnTUqCf1brr5zQTExSoBakPuuzBAtMfm3C1my3YmG2l">the Ukrainian military’s official Facebook account</a>.</p> <p>The operation aimed to “reduce the offensive and economic potential” of the “Russian aggressor,” the statement said. The primary target was the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in the village of Volna, in Russia’s Krasnodar region. The aftermath of the strike is being assessed, but a fire has been reported at the site.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces <a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02KqVQQJdM1RJYd9hBCBtAe6nKpVynTuarYfkeyxwYiEDjb2aSBAgL7ZaF26LwKTAPl&id=61563854736481">explained</a> why this terminal was selected for the strike.</p> <p>“Tamanneftegaz is a major Russian export terminal near the port of Taman. The facility specializes in transshipment of oil, petroleum products and liquefied hydrocarbon gases from tank farms for further loading onto seagoing vessels. The terminal supports Russia’s oil export infrastructure and sustains the logistical capabilities of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Its proximity to the Crimean Bridge and occupied Crimea increases its role in rear support for the enemy grouping in the Black Sea,” the Special Operations Forces (SSO) said.</p> <p>Separately, Ukrainian forces struck a Russian air-defense system near the village of Kacha in occupied Crimea, identified as a Pantsir-S1.</p> <p>Another target was a repair unit of a Russian artillery brigade near Volne in occupied Donbas. In the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, a concentration of enemy personnel also came under fire.</p> <p>The extent of damage and Russian losses is being clarified.</p> <p>The General Staff pledged to continue efforts to weaken the aggressor until the war ends.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-hit-tamanneftegaz-oil-terminal-in-russia-s-krasnodar-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drone-attack-targets-multiple.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:07:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drone-attack-targets-multiple.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e6727d6e8e.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drone attack targets multiple Russian oblasts, Bryansk reportedly left largely without electricity"></p>Russian officials reported a large-scale drone attack targeting multiple regions on Feb. 15, including areas near Moscow and Bryansk Oblasts.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-attack-targets-multiple-russian-oblasts-bryansk-left-largely-without-electricity/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/russian-state-media-retracts-full.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/russian-state-media-retracts-full.html <p>Kremlin-aligned media outlets deleted reports and posts claiming Russian control of Myrnohrad after Russia’s Defense Ministry ordered federal agencies to retract them.</p> <p>Major Russian state agencies - RIA Novosti, RBC and TASS - annulled reports that the Russian military had allegedly established “full control” over the southern part of Myrnohrad (which Russians refer to by its Soviet-era name, Dimitrov). The removals came at the Defense Ministry’s request, something the outlets explicitly noted in official explanations, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/104476">ASTRA reported</a>.</p> <p>RIA Novosti, in particular, used a terse wording: a story headlined about a report from Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov “is annulled at the request of the Defense Ministry.” The items were quickly pulled from the wires and replaced with deletion notices.</p> <p>The episode drew attention because the Defense Ministry had previously announced the city’s “liberation.” On December 31, 2025, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov publicly congratulated units on the full capture of Myrnohrad, a message widely amplified by pro-Kremlin media.</p> <p>Pro-war Russian Telegram channels said the formal trigger for the takedowns was the use of outdated video. Posts presented as current included footage of Gerasimov visiting the “Center” grouping in December 2025.</p> <p>Even so, the Defense Ministry’s swift intervention and the mass retractions underscored a recurring issue in Russia’s media ecosystem: declarations of “full control” often prove short-lived even within state-aligned outlets, social media users noted.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-state-media-retracts-full-control-claim-over-myrnohrad-after-defense-ministry-order">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/us-offers-ukraine-year-security.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 21:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/us-offers-ukraine-year-security.html <p>At a news conference, while speaking with reporters in Munich, Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Kyiv wants security guarantees for 30 or 50 years, not 15, as proposed by the Trump administration.</p> <p>The duration of those guarantees, he said, depends on the White House’s position.</p> <p>He <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/186926">noted</a> that Ukraine hopes to end the war this year. But Zelensky is pessimistic about upcoming talks in Switzerland due to changes in Russia’s delegation.</p> <p>At the same time, he <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/186927">emphasized</a> that Ukraine will still do everything it can to achieve peace.</p> <p>“First and foremost, our task is to maintain contact with the American side. Our second task is to avoid a situation in which the only parties left at the table are us and Russia. Because, unfortunately, Europe is not very present in the talks so far... We are doing everything for this, and Europe wants it too, by the way... Russia does not really acknowledge them, but that is unfair. Security guarantees from Europe are important to us. And today, the money being spent on Ukraine is primarily coming from Europe. Let’s be honest. Our partners from Canada and Japan provide humanitarian assistance, but most of the money is coming from Europe. We need them,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He also said Ukraine maintains contacts with the American side across all channels. The president noted that in Munich he is meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and later will speak with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.</p> <p>“We will do everything so that no party to this negotiation process can accuse Ukraine of dragging its feet, of not supporting an end to the war, of something depending on us. We sometimes hear signals in the press that allegedly the end of the war depends on us and that we are not moving toward it... I believe we are doing everything to avoid mistakes. Playing with this will cost us dearly, diplomatically,” the President said.</p> <p>In a February 13 interview with POLITICO, Zelensky reminded that Vladimir Putin continues to stall peace talks, despite the fact that the Kremlin leader does not have much time left, given his age.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/us-offers-ukraine-15-year-security-guarantees-as-kyiv-seeks-30-50-year-commitments-zelensky-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/how-did-the-uaf-wipe.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 21:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/how-did-the-uaf-wipe.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ab7e33b08e.jpg" alt="How did the UAF wipe out Russia's oil industry and &quot;destroy&quot; two NATO battalions in an hour?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fW7YWeYijo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/starsky-where-are-the-hundreds.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 20:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/starsky-where-are-the-hundreds.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1cdf80fff0.jpg" alt="Starsky, where are the hundreds of &quot;Flamingos&quot; flying to Russia? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GKKDToLiYj8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-destroys.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 20:19:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-destroys.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2246739667.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine destroys half of Russia's 'key' Pantsir air defense systems, security service says"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 14-15:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine destroys half of Russia's 'key' Pantsir air defense systems, security service says</li><li>Ukraine hits Russia's BK-16 landing craft in Crimea and other targets in Russian-occupied territories, military says</li><li>Zelensky, Rubio discuss air defense for Ukraine, possibility of leader-level</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-destroys-half-of-russias-key-pantsir-air-defense-systems-security-service-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/kremlin-proposes-unled-external-administration.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 20:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/kremlin-proposes-unled-external-administration.html <p>On the eve of talks in Geneva, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it was ready to discuss the introduction of temporary external administration in Ukraine.</p> <p>Moscow, which has failed to meet its objectives on the battlefield, is seeking to strip Ukraine of agency at the negotiating table. The aggressor proposed installing external governance on Ukrainian territory.</p> <p>The idea was floated by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in an interview with a Russian state agency.</p> <p>Galuzin said the Russian side is “ready to discuss” with the United States, European nations and others the possibility of introducing temporary international administration in the Ukrainian capital.</p> <p>The representative of the aggressor country noted that the idea of “external governance of Ukraine under UN auspices” had previously been proposed directly by the dictator Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>“Such a step would make it possible to hold democratic elections in Ukraine, bring to power a capable government with which a full-fledged peace treaty and legitimate documents on the future cooperation of our two countries could be signed,” Galuzin said.</p> <p>He added that Moscow is “ready to consider” halting strikes on Ukraine’s rear areas on election day.</p> <p>The statement comes as preparations are underway for the third round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States, set for February 17–18 in Geneva. Moscow has sharply downgraded the status of its delegation in this format, putting pseudo-historian Vladimir Medinsky at its head. He is known for boasting that Russians have an extra chromosome, calling it an advantage.</p> <p>Ahead of the Geneva talks, Moscow is signaling its reluctance to negotiate peace. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in particular, demanded the seizure of new Ukrainian territories and the dismantling of legitimate authorities. The aggressor is also demanding security guarantees for itself.</p> <p>Previously, Russian authorities actively pushed the claim that Ukraine’s leadership was illegitimate because elections were postponed. Elections in Ukraine have been deferred in full compliance with the Constitution and current law, since under martial law and amid daily strikes on civilian infrastructure, holding a vote is physically impossible. A significant share of citizens is at the front, millions have been forced from their homes, and the security of polling stations in and beyond the combat zone cannot be guaranteed.</p> <p>Moscow’s offer to pause strikes for just one day to hold elections appears declarative and does not address the fundamental security problem. In effect, it is an attempt to cast doubt on Ukrainian sovereignty and impose external administration on a state defending its territory from armed aggression.</p> <p>Thus, days before the Geneva talks, the Russian side is again putting forward conditions that imply interference in Ukraine’s internal order. This underscores Moscow’s continued maximalist demands and unwillingness to ease pressure on Kyiv by diplomatic and informational means.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-proposes-un-led-external-administration-in-ukraine-ahead-of-geneva-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/thousand-russian-servicemen-these-are.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 19:32:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/thousand-russian-servicemen-these-are.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ce18d06662.jpg" alt="33-38 thousand Russian servicemen – these are Russia's MONTHLY losses #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8OXd2HGIJVU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/russia-revives-electionday-truce-offer.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 19:05:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/russia-revives-electionday-truce-offer.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2261407397.jpg" alt="Russia revives election-day truce offer, proposes UN rule for Ukraine"></p>Russia said it is ready to halt strikes on Ukraine for a single day of voting and floated UN-backed "temporary external governance," after Zelensky said elections could be held following two months of a ceasefire.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-will-not-sink-to-kyivs-practices-russia-offers-ukraine-a-vote-day-truce-and-a-plan-for-outside-rule-afterwards/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/burning-eagle-ampamp-m-occupiers.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 19:02:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/burning-eagle-ampamp-m-occupiers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e98ead9b0e.jpg" alt="BURNING EAGLE &amp; 1.2M OCCUPIERS ELIMINATED: Ukraine DESTROYS Russia’s war machine!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIqkdCjTY1U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/polands-sejm-passes-amnesty-bill.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 19:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/polands-sejm-passes-amnesty-bill.html <p>Poland’s Sejm, the lower house of parliament, <a href="https://www.sejm.gov.pl/Sejm10.nsf/Glosowanie.xsp?posiedzenie=51&glosowanie=63">has passed a bill</a> granting amnesty to Polish citizens who have fought against Russia on Ukraine’s side. In a vote Friday, February 13, 429 of 460 lawmakers took part; 406 voted in favor, 4 against, and 19 abstained. The tally was published on the Sejm’s website.</p> <p>Currently, engaging in military activity on behalf of another country - whether direct service or activities such as recruitment - without authorization from Poland’s Defense Ministry is punishable by three months to five years in prison. According to state broadcaster Polskie Radio 24, the bill also envisions amnesty for Polish citizens convicted under Poland’s anti-mercenary statute since April 6, 2014, when fighting between Ukraine’s military and pro-Russian separatists erupted in Donbas.</p> <p>The measure, introduced in the Sejm on December 5, now goes to the Senate for consideration. If approved, it will be sent to President Karol Nawrocki for signature and is expected to take effect three months after potential approval by the head of state. It’s unclear how many Poles could be affected.</p> <p>On February 5, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk traveled to Kyiv. The same day, he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a declaration of intent to co-produce weapons and ammunition. Zelensky said the two countries plan to make “drones and other weapons.”</p> <p>Tusk added that Poland is ready to hand over its MiG-29 fighter jets to Kyiv in exchange for UAV technologies. He said Warsaw is continuing work on subsequent arms deliveries to Ukraine. The new aid package from Poland is expected to be worth about €47 million.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-s-sejm-passes-amnesty-bill-for-citizens-who-fought-for-ukraine-against-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/putin-offers-russians-ampquotladaampquot-and.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 18:30:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/putin-offers-russians-ampquotladaampquot-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/443012ab6f.jpg" alt="Putin offers Russians &quot;LADA&quot; and &quot;MOSKVITCH&quot; cars instead of imported ones #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gNgHsH3H1cg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/europes-new-gamble-on-russias.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 18:18:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/europes-new-gamble-on-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258483882.jpg" alt="Europe's new gamble on Russia's exiles, explained"></p><p>Nearly four years after Russia's expulsion from the Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) has launched a new platform for dialogue with exiled Russian forces.</p><p>The move is a major shift in how <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/europe/">Europe</a> engages with Russian opposition figures at a time when Moscow remains isolated from</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/europes-new-gamble-on-russias-exiles-explained/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/bought-a-car-paid-for.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 18:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/bought-a-car-paid-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/13ab2c3e75.jpg" alt="BOUGHT A CAR – PAID FOR A MISSILE! Putin Introduces an “Air Tax”: Why have car prices in RF doubled?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEBpz0LbMEw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/president-aliyev-accuses-russia-of.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 18:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/president-aliyev-accuses-russia-of.html <p>Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says Russia deliberately attacked his country’s diplomatic facilities in Kyiv — and that it happened more than once.</p> <p>He made the remarks in <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/02/14/8021066">a comment to Ukrainska Pravda</a> during the Munich Security Conference in February 2026.</p> <p>“There were three attacks on Azerbaijan’s energy infrastructure in Ukraine, and there were also three attacks on Azerbaijan’s embassy,” Aliyev said. After the first incident, he said, Baku assumed it might have been accidental and provided Russia with the coordinates of Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions, but the strikes were repeated twice more.</p> <p>“Despite that, two more attacks occurred. Therefore, it was a deliberate attack on Azerbaijan’s diplomatic mission,” the president said.</p> <p>Aliyev added that in response, Azerbaijan issued special statements, informed the ambassador, and submitted a diplomatic note, calling Russia’s actions an “unfriendly step.”</p> <p>Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it was “surprised” by Aliyev’s statements. It asserted that “when planning strikes, stringent control over targeting data is exercised to prevent harm to civilians, and the locations of diplomatic missions are taken into account.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/president-aliyev-accuses-russia-of-deliberately-striking-azerbaijan-s-embassy-in-kyiv-three-times">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drone-attack-hits-russias.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 17:01:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drone-attack-hits-russias.html <p>Russian authorities reported a massive Ukrainian drone attack on the Krasnodar region on Sunday, February 15. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said the assault lasted through the night and left people injured.</p> <p>Kondratyev said terminals at the Black Sea port of Taman were damaged — four fuel storage tanks caught fire after falling drone debris ignited them. Two people were wounded, according to the regional operations center. The governor also reported damage in Sochi and in the village of Yurovka in Anapa.</p> <p>Ukrainian Telegram channels posted footage of strikes on targets in Krasnodar, Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, Slavyansk-na-Kubani, Sochi, Anapa, Tuapse and Adygea.</p> <p>This is not the first time Taman has been hit: in December 2025, the port’s infrastructure was damaged in raids. At the time, two berths, two ships and a fuel oil feeder pipeline were damaged. The Taman port, located in the village of Volna in Temryuksky District, is a key hub for Russian energy exports.</p> <p>The terminal handles diesel fuel, crude oil, fuel oil and vacuum gas oil for export. The design capacity of the Taman transshipment complex is 20 million tons of oil, petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) per year.</p> <p>The storage park for petroleum products (light and dark) has an estimated capacity of 1.01 million cubic meters. Since June 2023, LPG from Russia and Kazakhstan has not been handled through Taman due to a ban on rail shipments of the product. Industry sources say exports of petroleum products through Taman totaled about 4.16 million tons in 2025.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drone-attack-hits-russia-s-krasnodar-region-sparking-oil-terminal-fire">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukraine-pushes-russian-forces-out.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 16:46:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukraine-pushes-russian-forces-out.html <p>Military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko <a href="https://t.me/zloyodessit/26576">says</a> Ukraine’s Defense Forces have stepped up tactical counterattacks along the southern axis, including in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to him, these actions are localized but yield visible results because they aim to improve positions and disrupt Russian plans.</p> <p>Kovalenko emphasizes that the shift to counterattacks became possible after Russian units ran into problems with reliable communications and coordination following a Starlink blockade. In these conditions, Ukrainian forces are seizing the moment to act rapidly and precisely, regaining control over key areas.</p> <p>One key factor, he says, is the serious depletion of Russia’s offensive capabilities in certain sectors. Since autumn 2025, Russia’s 5th Combined Arms Army has taken heavy losses and lost much of its striking power. That reduces Moscow’s ability to maintain tempo and consistently pressure AFU positions.</p> <p>Amid this weakening, the Ukrainian side has more room to maneuver and conduct tactical-level actions-not by “rushing forward at any cost,” but by leveraging advantages in terrain and logistics.</p> <p>Kovalenko lists the areas where, in his view, Ukrainian units have made gains and improved the situation:</p> <p>Ukrainian forces pushed Russian troops back from Novooleksandrivka, Verbove and Vyshneve, capitalizing on enemy weakening after resources were redeployed to other tasks.</p> <p>Along the Haichur River, Russian units, according to the expert, were forced back to the left bank, strengthening Ukraine’s position on that line.</p> <p>On the Stepnohirsk bridgehead, Ukrainian forces hold the town and have expelled Russian troops from Prymorske, clearing the northern part of the settlement, and have also improved their position near Lukianivka.</p> <p>The expert notes that such counterattacks deliver practical effects. They straighten the frontline, remove dangerous salients, restore advantageous lines, and expand options for further tactical-level actions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-pushes-russian-forces-out-of-prymorske-amid-counterattacks-on-the-southern-front">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/the-ampquotmunichampquot-effect-zelenskyy-and.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 15:01:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/the-ampquotmunichampquot-effect-zelenskyy-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/038d69a267.jpg" alt="The &quot;MUNICH&quot; effect! Zelenskyy and Rubio have found a way to counter Putin and his energy blackmail"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWk3mVSEYtg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukraine-and-russia-in-the.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:32:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukraine-and-russia-in-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-2781.jpg" alt="Ukraine and Russia in the Epstein files | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines how Ukraine appears in recently released Jeffrey Epstein files. The files reference flight arrangements for models linked to Kyiv agencies, a failed real estate deal in Lviv, and brief mentions of Ukraine’s 2019 presidential election.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-and-russia-in-the-epstein-files-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:11:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-15-10-30-01.jpg" alt="At least 3 killed, 15 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said Feb. 15 that Russia launched around 1,300 drones, more than 1,200 guided bombs, and 50 mostly ballistic missiles at Ukraine over the past week, targeting energy infrastructure and residential areas.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-3-killed-15-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:51:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260781451.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,253,270 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>Russia has lost around 1,253,270 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Feb. 15, 2026.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-253-270-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-depot.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 06:07:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1209343725-1-.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones strike oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, local authorities claim"></p>Ukrainian drones struck several targets throughout southern Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on Feb. 14-15, including an oil depot, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-depot-in-russias-krasnodar-krai-local-authorities-claim/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/15/ukraine-destroys-half-of-russias.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 01:32:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/15/ukraine-destroys-half-of-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bd479a8af6.jpg" alt="Ukraine destroys half of Russia's 'key' Pantsir air defense systems, security service says"></p>The Alpha unit of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) destroyed half of Russia's stockpile of the coveted Pantsir air defense system, the SBU announced Feb. 14.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-destroys-half-of-russias-key-pantsir-air-defense-systems-security-service-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/ampquotflamingoampquot-flies-km-and-terrifies.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 23:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/ampquotflamingoampquot-flies-km-and-terrifies.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/be33875161.jpg" alt="&quot;Flamingo&quot; FLIES 3,000 km – and TERRIFIES PUTIN: Glen Grant analyses Ukrainian ballistics"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGdGlOgnS9Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/azerbaijans-president-accuses-russia-of.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 21:59:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/azerbaijans-president-accuses-russia-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2cd3212275.jpg" alt="Azerbaijan's president accuses Russia of 'deliberate attack' on country's embassy in Ukraine"></p>"There were three attacks on the energy infrastructure of Azerbaijan in Ukraine, and there were also three attacks on the Azerbaijani embassy in Ukraine," Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told the independent outlet Ukrainska Pravda.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/azerbaijans-president-accuses-russia-of-deliberate-attack-on-countrys-embassy-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/russias-channel-one-airs-fake.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 21:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/russias-channel-one-airs-fake.html <p>Russia’s state-run Channel One showcased what it said were French newspaper front pages criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — but the covers were fabricated.</p> <p>During the talk show “Vremya Pokazhet” (“Time Will Tell”), host Ruslan Ostashko claimed “two major French outlets are criticizing Zelensky for being unwilling to negotiate,” and displayed mocked-up front pages of Libération and Le Parisien with the headlines “Why is the whole world waiting for one man?” and “Why does Ukraine keep the war going?”</p> <p>In reality, those covers never appeared in the French press, according to the fact-checking project <a href="https://t.me/provereno_media/3756">Provereno</a>. The January 27 edition of Libération featured French journalist and lawmaker François Ruffin on its front page. Le Parisien led that day with an investigation into a New Year’s Eve fire at a Swiss resort that killed 40 people. The fakes copied real design elements — subheads, layout and masthead details — to mimic the genuine editions.</p> <p>Analysts with the “Bot Blocker” project <a href="https://x.com/antibot4navalny/status/2019759968841261558">say</a> a full set of the fake covers first appeared across a network of accounts linked to the “Matryoshka” operation. Accounts on <a href="https://x.com/antibot4navalny/status/2019760004778057792">X</a> (formerly Twitter) with proven ties to the network posted three covers at once. They spread via old or hacked accounts showing artificially inflated view and repost counts but little real engagement. The images were then pushed to media outlets and fact-checkers, and mirrored on TikTok.</p> <p>This is among the first times visuals tied to “Matryoshka” have been used so prominently on a major Russian state TV channel, Bot Blocker told The Insider. The project found the dissemination follows a prearranged chain of accounts that:</p> <p>- have zero replies,</p> <p>- show artificially pumped-up views/likes/retweets,</p> <p>- are often old, abandoned and likely hacked,</p> <p>- post and retweet in sync on the same days,</p> <p>- send batches of fake links to fact-checkers by email.</p> <p>A coordinated chain is used to amplify the fake covers on Twitter and Telegram before they reach national TV. Before Channel One aired them, the counterfeits appeared January 28 on the Telegram channel “Voennyi obozrevatel” (“Military Observer”) — one around 14:00, another around 15:05 Moscow time. They later circulated as a set that also included a fake La Tribune cover. Early posts in this wave appeared on “Voennyi obozrevatel” and “Odessa Za Pobedu!” (“Odessa For Victory!”) channels.</p> <p>“The source is already producing 5–10 fake videos a day (as well as mock covers, graffiti and more),” Bot Blocker told The Insider. “If that volume of ‘creative’ material starts getting TV airtime, propaganda will move to another level in building an alternative reality — first domestically, and soon in pro-Kremlin echo chambers abroad, like the network of Germany-focused Telegram channels”.</p> <p>The influence campaign known as “Matryoshka” has been active since at least September 2023, first described by the Bot Blocker project. The core tactic: distribute anti-Ukraine fakes through a coordinated web of accounts.</p> <p>The bots work in tandem. One account posts a supposed graffiti photo from Los Angeles depicting Zelensky in a derogatory way. Another account then contacts journalists, asking them to verify the image. The network often uses videos discrediting Ukraine, stamped with the logos of well-known media outlets to create the impression of trusted reporting. After The Insider began covering the operation, “Matryoshka” even started publishing fakes in The Insider’s name.</p> <p>France’s government service Viginum found that these materials first surface in Russian-language Telegram channels, including “Sheikh Tamir” (about 440,000 subscribers) and “VRuka KremlyaZ” (about 27,000). Since September 2023, Viginum says, Russian channels have seen a marked rise in boilerplate fake content, often spread via copy-paste.</p> <p>Viginum also notes similarities between “Matryoshka” and the Reliable Russian News (RRN) operation, known as Doppelgänger, which has been linked to Russia’s GRU military intelligence and the Defense Ministry. Analysts say the overlap could indicate the same structures are producing the content.</p> <p>As further evidence, The Washington Post reported — citing documents — that the “Sheikh Tamir” Telegram channel was referenced in materials from a so-called “Center C.”</p> <p>The outlet wrote that the center may be tied to the Russian presidential administration and coordinate overseas information operations.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-channel-one-airs-fake-french-newspaper-covers-from-the-matryoshka-bot-network-to-attack-zelensky">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/russias-external-debt-reaches-billion.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 20:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/russias-external-debt-reaches-billion.html <p>Spending in Russia’s 2025 budget jumped from more than 1 trillion rubles (13.11 billion) to 5.7 trillion (74.73 billion), and the trend is holding in 2026 as the occupying country keeps borrowing.</p> <p>On February 1, Russia’s external sovereign debt set another record - $61.97 billion. The Finance Ministry has not reported such levels in 20 years, since 2006, when the figure reached $76.5 billion.</p> <p>As The Moscow Times <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/02/13/vneshnii-gosdolg-rossii-viros-do-rekordnogo-za-20-let-urovnya-a187119">reports</a>, the Kremlin continues to borrow, and Russia’s total external debt far exceeds those numbers. Debt obligations of banks and state and private companies together with the sovereign debt amount to $319.8 billion.</p> <p>Authorities are borrowing not only abroad but also at home. Government bond placements have allowed it to raise an enormous 38.5 trillion rubles from domestic investors, and by 2027 that figure is expected to reach 53.7 trillion rubles.</p> <p>Even as Vladimir Putin boasts of Russia’s “lowest” debt-to-GDP ratio - 17.7% - the reasons for living on credit remain unchanged: budget holes that only expand annual war spending, including one-time payments to soldiers of 1 million to 3 million rubles, weapons production, and repairs to defense-industrial and oil facilities damaged by Ukrainian airstrikes, and more.</p> <p>Russia is not used to - and does not plan to start - adequately assessing its outlays. The initial amount written into the 2025 federal budget exceeded 1 trillion rubles but ultimately reached 5.7 trillion rubles.</p> <p>Russia’s rising costs and debts - and the number of investors eager to recoup their money and earn returns — create a dangerous dynamic. Around the world, too many individuals and public and shadow financial organizations are invested in ensuring the Russian Federation does not collapse and does not halt payments on its obligations. The occupying country is likely to continue its war of aggression for a long time, without facing resistance in the form of real, effective sanctions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-external-debt-reaches-319-8-billion-as-wartime-spending-fuels-borrowing-binge">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/munich-now-heated-discussions-about.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 19:39:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/munich-now-heated-discussions-about.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/276b780dc1.jpg" alt="Munich now! Heated discussions about PEACE after Russia's WAR against Ukraine #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EYmeYAKqSWc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/why-russias-attacks-on-ukraines.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 18:13:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/why-russias-attacks-on-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d1c0e47f76.jpg" alt="Why Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid aren’t ‘revenge’ for Kyiv’s deep strike campaign"></p><p>After its largest winter mass attack on Feb. 3, Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure were carried out "in response to terrorist attacks by Kyiv on civilian objects" in Russia. Some state media described the attack as "another act of retribution.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/no-russias-attacks-on-energy-infrastructure-are-not-retaliation-for-ukraines-strikes-on-oil-refineries/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/ukraine-says-sbu-special-forces.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 18:13:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/ukraine-says-sbu-special-forces.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/3417254005108916">says</a> fighters from its Alpha Special Operations Center destroyed half of Russia’s Pantsir surface-to-air missile and gun systems in 2025. </p> <p>The Pantsir is described as one of Russia’s modern, key air-defense systems, with each unit costing between $15 million and $20 million. According to the SBU, Pantsir batteries are among the most effective against Ukraine’s long-range drones.</p> <p>“That is why the systematic destruction of ‘Pantsirs’ has a strategic aim - to break through the enemy’s air defenses and create corridors to strike targets deep in the rear. This enables Ukraine’s Defense Forces to effectively hit military bases, depots, airfields and other Russian facilities,” the SBU said.</p> <p>The total value of Russian air-defense systems destroyed by the SBU’s Alpha unit in 2025 is estimated at roughly $4 billion, according to the agency.</p> <p>Separately, Ukraine’s Defense Forces said they struck a Russian BK-16 transport-landing craft and an RSP-10 radar station in temporarily occupied Crimea.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military also reported that 1,070 Russian troops were killed or wounded over the past 24 hours, bringing Russia’s overall losses in the war to 1,252,020, according to the General Staff.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-sbu-special-forces-destroyed-half-of-russia-s-pantsir-air-defense-systems-in-2025">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/donbas-will-remain-ukrainian-period.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:51:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/donbas-will-remain-ukrainian-period.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1b4d6c1325.jpg" alt="Donbas will remain Ukrainian – period! Zelenskyy’s message to Putin #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NjUX2QJkPAo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/in-russia-an-a-aircraft.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/in-russia-an-a-aircraft.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/79f7ce764e.jpg" alt="In Russia, an A-60 aircraft, a rare laser weapon carrier, has been hit! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jHi7py-uHEs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/ukraine-hits-russias-bk-landing.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:16:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/ukraine-hits-russias-bk-landing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1556050535.jpg" alt="Ukraine hits Russia's BK-16 landing craft in Crimea and other targets in Russian-occupied territories, military says"></p>The General Staff reported that Russia's BK-16 landing vessel, a high-speed landing craft for coastal operations and troop transport, was "successfully hit" on Feb. 12 in Russian-occupied Crimea.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-bk-16-landing-craft-and-other-targets-in-russian-occupied-territories-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/zelenskyy-at-msc-putin-is.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:24:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/zelenskyy-at-msc-putin-is.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/65efeabcef.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy at MSC-2026: Putin is the SLAVE of this WAR #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xwqyPgxRMpk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/eu-to-release-billion-loan.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/eu-to-release-billion-loan.html <p>In December 2025, European leaders agreed to provide Ukraine a zero-interest €90 billion loan in 2026–2027 backed by EU guarantees.</p> <p>The European Union will release the €90 billion loan to Ukraine if the IMF and Kyiv agree on a new $8.1 billion lending program, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said, according to <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-economy/4091254-sviridenko-90-milardiv-vid-evrosouzu-zalezat-vid-risenna-mvf-sodo-novoi-programi.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>Svyrydenko said the IMF Executive Board will soon consider a new four-year program for Ukraine that could provide $8.1 billion. She said she is confident the Board will approve it.</p> <p>The IMF has dropped prior up-front conditions for launching the program. Earlier requirements had included: introducing VAT for FOP (sole proprietors), duties on international parcels, a tax on digital platforms, and extending the 5% wartime levy.</p> <p>International lenders took into account Ukraine’s difficult circumstances, including ongoing Russian airstrikes targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.</p> <p>If Kyiv and the IMF sign the new program, Ukraine will receive the first EU tranche in April, the prime minister said, without specifying the amount.</p> <p>In October 2025, European leaders pledged to finance Ukraine in 2026–2027. The initial plan envisioned a zero-interest “reparations” loan of €120 billion backed by frozen Russian assets, but some EU countries, including Belgium, opposed the proposal.</p> <p>In December 2025, leaders instead approved a zero-interest €90 billion loan under EU guarantees for 2026–2027. Of that, €60 billion would go toward military equipment, weapons and ammunition for Ukraine’s forces (EU capitals have yet to agree whether to buy from U.S. or European defense suppliers), and €30 billion would provide budget support.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-to-release-90-billion-loan-to-ukraine-if-imf-approves-new-program-svyrydenko-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/germany-seeks-to-buy-polish.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:01:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/germany-seeks-to-buy-polish.html <p>Germany is seeking to purchase Piorun man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) from Poland to transfer them to Ukraine as military aid, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, according to <a href="https://defence24.pl/przemysl/pioruny-dla-niemiec-i-ukrainy-premier-tusk-potwierdza">Defence24</a>.</p> <p>Tusk said Germany has shown strong interest in Poland’s Piorun systems. A portion would go to Ukraine’s Armed Forces, and in the future the systems would also enter service with the Bundeswehr. He did not specify how many units Berlin plans to send to Kyiv. According to the Polish prime minister, Germany is not the only country interested in Piorun; several others have also expressed interest.</p> <p>Belgium, for example, is looking to buy 200–300 Piorun systems. Brussels and Warsaw have already signed a document outlining their intentions.</p> <p>The Polish Army adopted the PPZR Piorun in 2019. It was developed by Poland’s Mesko and CRW Telesystem-Mesko with support from the Military University of Technology, building on experience from the PPZR Grom program.</p> <p>Piorun is a shoulder-fired air-defense system capable of downing aircraft, helicopters and UAVs at ranges from 400 meters to 6.5 kilometers, and at altitudes of roughly 10 meters to 4 kilometers. The system weighs 16.5 kg, with an overall length of 1.6 m. The missile is 1.6 m long, 72 mm in diameter, weighs 10.5 kg, and carries a 1.82 kg warhead.</p> <p>The system uses a new Polish cooled seeker and a digital control unit, improving effectiveness. It can engage aerial targets with low thermal signatures and offers enhanced resistance to countermeasures.</p> <p>Poland’s Piorun entered service with Ukraine’s military in 2022 and has since proven highly effective in combat, helping shoot down numerous Russian aerial targets.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-seeks-to-buy-polish-piorun-manpads-for-ukraine-tusk-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/breaking-russia-killed-opposition-leader.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 14:57:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/breaking-russia-killed-opposition-leader.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1230835122.jpg" alt="BREAKING: Russia killed opposition leader Navalny with dart frog poison, UK official says"></p>"Only the Russian government had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Alexei Navalny during his imprisonment in Russia," she said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/breaking-russia-killed-opposition-leader-navalny-with-dart-frog-poison-uk-official-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/what-is-the-price-of.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 14:55:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/what-is-the-price-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/907cab80c6.jpg" alt="What is the price of the month of war for PUTIN? Zelenskyy voiced at MSC-2026 #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PY3qv7m8uoM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:24:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260784489.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,252,020 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,070 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/war-general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-250-950-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/over-russian-soldiers-killed-in.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 05:34:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/over-russian-soldiers-killed-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257917657-612x612.jpg" alt="Over 177,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation"></p>Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBC Russian service, has confirmed the identities of 177,433 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/over-177-000-russian-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-identified-by-media-investigation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/terrorizing-the-civilian-population-at.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 03:53:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/terrorizing-the-civilian-population-at.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/65a0ba303a.jpg" alt="'Terrorizing the civilian population' — At least 2 injured in Russian drone attack on Kyiv Oblast"></p>The attack targeted the Vyshhorod district of Ukraine's national capital region, which is located on the northern outskirts of Kyiv. Regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported that a man and a woman were hospitalized with injuries stemming from the attack.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/terrorizing-the-civilian-population-2-injured-in-russian-drone-attack-on-kyiv-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/14/ukrainian-mp-says-peace-talks.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:00:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/14/ukrainian-mp-says-peace-talks.html <p>Ukrainian MP Roman Kostenko says negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war have yielded no results. He argues there’s been no progress because Russia is sticking to demands that are unacceptable for Ukraine.</p> <p>Kostenko, who serves as secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, shared his view in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqDwuKs7fP8">an interview with RBK-Ukraine</a>. He said successful talks require strong positions, but a number of factors are preventing Ukraine from securing even a ceasefire.</p> <p>In particular, he said Ukraine is being pushed to cede its territories, which is unacceptable, and that Russia is persuading Kyiv’s partners it has made major gains on the battlefield - claims he says are untrue. He added that Russia is intensifying strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure to force concessions.</p> <p>“And the question is that we’re simply there. We keep being told there are some achievements—but believe me, I talk to people, and no one has told me about any achievements. Everything is as it was,” Kostenko said.</p> <p>He noted the Kremlin demands it be handed the temporarily occupied territories, while Kyiv refuses; Russians raise demands about the Russian language - and the Ukrainian side responds that Ukraine has its own laws.</p> <p>“For Russia this is important; they’re imposing it on us, and under this, let’s say, initiative of the Russian Federation, we’re trying to negotiate with them. The question is: why should Russia back off its demands? I don’t see it. They have every opportunity to press us,” the lawmaker said.</p> <p>“Believe me, I’ve fought enough in my life, and I clearly understand that peace is better than any war. But not at the expense of Ukrainians who live on our territories, because even if we reach some kind of peace, we must immediately think about how we will take our territories back, whatever anyone else says, because our people remain there, and Ukrainians should not leave their people, their territories, to the enemy,” Roman Kostenko said.</p> <p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview published February 11 that the Kremlin had not received a 20-point peace plan on Ukraine via official or unofficial channels.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on February 11 that hostilities could end by the summer of 2026 if Russia also wants that outcome. He noted that the issue of occupied territories remains unresolved and stressed he cannot travel to negotiations with Vladimir Putin in the aggressor state’s capital, as proposed by the Kremlin.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on February 12 that Putin’s position on talks with Zelensky remains unchanged, and a meeting could take place only in Moscow.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-mp-says-peace-talks-are-stalled-by-russia-s-unacceptable-demands">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/nato-chief-rutte-mocks-russias.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/nato-chief-rutte-mocks-russias.html <p>After years of U.S. complaints that Europe wasn’t spending enough on defense, the tide is shifting. Within NATO, there’s now a “clear shift in thinking.”</p> <p>Europe has begun taking more responsibility for its own defense, and after the summit in The Hague, everything changed, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3614PrgAHLo">said</a> at a joint news conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Bavarian state premier Markus Söder at the Munich Security Conference.</p> <p>“We have felt a clear convergence of views and unity. Europe is indeed getting stronger and taking on more responsibility for leadership within NATO,” Rutte said.</p> <p>He also addressed Russia’s war in Ukraine, citing what he called Russia’s “shocking losses”:</p> <p>“Russia is taking enormous losses: 35,000 killed in December and 30,000 in January. They want to look like a fearsome bear, but in reality their advance resembles the movement of a garden snail. So let’s not fall for Russian propaganda.”</p> <p>His comments came after a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, where he said allies expressed broad support for maintaining and increasing aid to Kyiv.</p> <p>Rutte stressed that closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union has strengthened collective efforts, especially in support of Ukraine.</p> <p>“I think cooperation between NATO and the EU has probably never been as strong as it is today,” he said.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://telegraf.ua/politic/2026-02-13/5933086-zelenskiy-vzhe-u-myunkheni-ryutte-vstig-priniziti-rosiyu-golovne-pro-bezpekovu-konferentsiyu">Telegraf</a>, this year’s Munich Security Conference runs from February 13 to 15. Organizers expect about 200 government representatives from around 120 countries, including nearly 60 heads of state and government, 56 foreign ministers and more than 30 defense chiefs. Leaders of more than 40 international organizations are also set to participate.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already arrived. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected to attend.</p> <p>The Kremlin has issued a sharp response to Rutte’s remarks about the risk of a NATO war with Russia.</p> <p>During his recent visit to Ukraine, Rutte said NATO would continue to support the country in its confrontation with the Russian Federation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/nato-chief-rutte-mocks-russia-s-snail-paced-offensive-touts-europe-s-growing-unity-on-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/flamingo-hits-over-km-robots.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/flamingo-hits-over-km-robots.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c425fb6b7a.jpg" alt="FLAMINGO hits over 1000 km, ROBOTS replace INFANTRY – Russia can't break through!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cit6WmH15UQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukraine-grants-first-arms-export.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukraine-grants-first-arms-export.html <p>Ukrainian defense companies have, for the first time since the start of the full-scale war, received approval to export their own products, as Kyiv seeks additional funding to grow its domestic defense-industrial base.</p> <p>Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, announced the first licenses for manufacturers in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17rRRQETYx/">a Facebook post</a>. Kyiv recently made the politically delicate decision to export weapons, looking to raise capital to expand its defense industry and to use innovative arms as diplomatic leverage to bolster its political alliances.</p> <p>“Controlled arms exports are about state security and the development of our defense-industrial complex. They open the way to new security alliances and expanded international partnerships. The President of Ukraine set the task of opening exports of Ukrainian weapons in a controlled format. We are fulfilling it,” Umerov said.</p> <p>Following a meeting of the Interagency Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation and Export Control Policy, Ukrainian defense-sector enterprises received their first permits to export goods. In his social media statement, Umerov did not specify how many companies were licensed but said Ukraine’s annual production capacity in the sector exceeds $55 billion.</p> <p>“Coordinated exports make it possible to attract investment, scale production and launch new technologies for the Ukrainian army. Ukraine’s defense industry has proven its effectiveness in the war. Our task now is to turn this experience into long-term industrial strength and a component of shared security with partners,” the NSDC secretary added.</p> <p>Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine’s defense sector has boomed and now counts more than 1,000 companies, most of them new private ventures.</p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the start of exports of Ukrainian defense technologies in February 2026. He said production of Ukrainian drones will also begin in Germany this month, with manufacturing lines operating in the United Kingdom as well.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-grants-first-arms-export-licenses-since-full-scale-invasion-umerov-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukraine-says-russian-casualties-in.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:35:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukraine-says-russian-casualties-in.html <p>Bodies of Russian troops killed in the battle for Pokrovsk would fill Moscow’s Red Square, Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces claimed, as they sought to illustrate the scale of recent Russian losses.</p> <p>Over six months of fighting in the Pokrovsk area, Russian forces have suffered significant personnel and equipment losses, according to Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces. The unit said it decided to visualize those losses using well-known Moscow landmarks. In the fall, Russia massed one of its largest groupings on the Pokrovsk axis hoping for a blitzkrieg to seize the agglomeration but met stiff resistance from Ukrainian units, the corps said in a <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/1091">Telegram post</a>.</p> <p>The corps estimated around 15,000 Russians were killed or wounded. It claimed that if the bodies in body bags were placed tightly together, they would cover all of Red Square.</p> <p>The remains of about 1,000 destroyed and damaged armored, motor, quad and motorcycle vehicles near Pokrovsk could fit on the field of Luzhniki Stadium, one of Russia’s largest, the unit said.</p> <p>Roughly 150 struck artillery systems and multiple launch rocket systems would form a column up to 1.5 kilometers long - about the length of Arbat, one of Moscow’s best-known pedestrian streets, it added.</p> <p>It also reported about 23,000 strike drones shot down or forced to land, arguing that their simultaneous use could have caused significant destruction—damage Ukrainian forces say they prevented.</p> <p>Separately, analysts with the OSINT project DeepState reported Russian advances within Pokrovsk and north of Robotyne, saying the overall area of occupied territory grew due to a shrinking “gray zone.”</p> <p>Earlier, Russian pro-war bloggers claimed Ukrainian forces had launched counteroffensive actions in the Zaporizhzhia region, with increased activity on the eastern flank near the Dnipropetrovsk–Zaporizhzhia border. They suggested the moves could aim to split Russian groupings applying pressure toward Pokrovsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russian-casualties-in-the-battle-for-pokrovsk-could-fill-moscow-s-red-square">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/flamingo-effect-arsenals-with-weapons.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/flamingo-effect-arsenals-with-weapons.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4d5a73b4df.jpg" alt="«FLAMINGO» EFFECT: ARSENALS with WEAPONS are burning ALL OVER RUSSIA! #Shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JzeBLrX8PJg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/estonia-deports-russian-citizen-suspected.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/estonia-deports-russian-citizen-suspected.html <p>On 13 February 2026, Estonia&rsquo;s Police and Border Guard Board deported Russian citizen Andrei Zhuravlyov, suspected of collecting intelligence to aid Russian sabotage activities in Ida-Viru County. The deportation followed a proposal from Estonia&rsquo;s Internal Security Service (KaPo), which stated Zhuravlyov was used by Russian special services to gather intelligence. Born in Narva in 1967, Zhuravlyov held an Estonian residence permit but mostly resided in Russia. Records show multiple border crossings from Russia to Finland by car and on foot at the Estonia-Russia border. KaPo indicated such intelligence gathering corresponds to preparatory phases of Russian sabotage operations.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://theins.press/en/news/289378">theins.press/en/news/2&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/1ca2bd3a-c72c-47d1-b57c-57c4c35770af">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/zelensky-has-to-get-moving.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:14:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/zelensky-has-to-get-moving.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260956019.jpg" alt="Zelensky has to 'get moving' on peace deal, Trump says"></p>"Russia wants to make a deal and Zelensky is going to have to get moving, otherwise he's going to miss a great opportunity," Trump claimed when speaking to reporters on Feb. 13. "He has to move."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-has-to-get-moving-trump-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/russian-tv-channel-ntv-admits.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:04:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/russian-tv-channel-ntv-admits.html <p>For the first time on NTV, an assessment of Volodymyr Zelensky diverged from past talking points. Russian commentators acknowledged they had “underestimated” the Ukrainian president.</p> <p>On Russia’s NTV, an inconvenient truth for the Kremlin surfaced: studio commentators conceded that Ukraine’s president is not a “weakling,” not a “clown,” and not a “Western puppet - labels Kremlin-aligned media have pressed on Russians for the past four years.</p> <p>They now call him a determined and dangerous opponent whom they had “underestimated.” According to them, Ukrainians and Zelensky are not yielding to pressure and continue to firmly defend Kyiv’s position. Moreover, neither the United States nor Russia has managed to force him to yield over the past year.</p> <p>“Ukraine is far more independent than we would like, than we had thought. It makes absolutely no difference what surname is borne by the person holding the office of president of Ukraine. Absolutely no difference.”</p> <p>“And that is the dead end, the horror of the current situation. Zelensky is undoubtedly an independent figure, and he is indeed an obstacle to concluding a peace agreement. Europe has structured the situation around Zelensky so that neither Europe nor the United States can remove him by force, make him leave, or make him submit.”</p> <p>“So, about Zelensky. I’ve been saying this in this studio for a long time, when they say we overestimate him. We have constantly underestimated him, portraying him as a clown, a jester—anything.”</p> <p>“We would like the enemy to be a caricature. But our enemy is serious.”</p> <p>It is particularly telling that these assessments are coming from the very same media that previously and systematically belittled Zelensky, calling him a “clown” and pushing the insulting label of “drug addict.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-tv-channel-ntv-admits-it-underestimated-zelensky-and-ukraine-as-kremlin-narrative-shifts">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/missile-attack-in-russia-uavs.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/missile-attack-in-russia-uavs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/306da063ca.jpg" alt="MISSILE ATTACK IN RUSSIA: UAVs attack the economy, and “Flamingos” finish off the warehouses!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MbqvdOmAA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/drone-wall-can-europe-shield.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:25:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/drone-wall-can-europe-shield.html <p>Denmark leads a European &lsquo;drone wall&rsquo; project aiming to build a drone early warning system to defend against Russian UAV threats amid the Ukraine war.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Drone swarms &amp; UAV surveillance</p> <p>Country: Denmark</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20251001-drone-wall-can-europe-shield-itself-from-russian-threats-ukraine-war-denmark">www.france24.com/en/europe&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/6141aade-06a4-49a3-8343-a7d2e4e46984">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/russian-submarine-shadowed-spy-ship.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:25:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/russian-submarine-shadowed-spy-ship.html <p>Russian submarine shadowed spy ship Yantar in British waters, mapping gas pipelines.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Signals/Technical Intelligence (SIGINT/TECHINT)</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/russian-submarine-british-waters-yantar-spy-ship-b2891358.html">www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/7ebbd5ec-0b5f-40f3-8bb7-2975501c9b5f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukraine-war-latest-uk-to.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:58:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukraine-war-latest-uk-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ac54f9faea.jpg" alt="Ukraine War Latest: UK to spend $545M on hypersonic weapons after Ukraine battlefield lessons"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 13</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine's battlefield lessons drive UK to spend over $545 million on <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-battlefield-lessons-drive-uk-to-spend-over-545-million-on-hypersonic-long-range-weapons-for-2026/">hypersonic, long-range weapons</a> in 2026</li><li>Using <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/using-starlink-ruse-ukrainian-cyber-forces-trick-russian-soldiers-into-revealing-positions-donating-to-armed-forces/">Starlink ruse</a>, Ukrainian cyber forces trick Russian soldiers into revealing positions, donating to armed forces</li><li>'Modern Ukrainian technology, battle-tested' — Zelensky <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-technology-proven-in-battle-zelensky-unveils-1st-drone-produced-by-german-ukrainian-joint-venture/">unveils 1st drone</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-uk-to-spend-545m-on-hypersonic-weapons-after-ukraine-battlefield-lessons/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/using-starlink-ruse-ukrainian-cyber.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:27:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/using-starlink-ruse-ukrainian-cyber.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4bf9514cb0.jpg" alt="Using Starlink ruse, Ukrainian cyber forces trick Russian soldiers into revealing positions, donating to armed forces"></p>The group received $5,870 from Russian soldiers seeking to restore connectivity which it is donating to fundraising efforts for Ukrainian drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/using-starlink-ruse-ukrainian-cyber-forces-trick-russian-soldiers-into-revealing-positions-donating-to-armed-forces/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/zelensky-awards-order-of-freedom.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:31:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/zelensky-awards-order-of-freedom.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://president.gov.ua/documents/1192026-58325">has signed a decree</a> awarding skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych the Order of Freedom. The honor was bestowed on the member of Ukraine’s national Olympic team for “selfless service to the Ukrainian people, civic courage and patriotism in defending the ideals of freedom and democratic values.” The Order of Freedom is one of Ukraine’s highest state awards, recognizing citizens for outstanding service to the country.</p> <p>Earlier, the International Olympic Committee barred Heraskevych from competing in a helmet featuring portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia’s invasion. The athlete wore the helmet during pre-Olympic training and posted on Instagram to explain his decision. Heraskevych wrote that he wanted to honor their memory and support their families, and to show the world the true cost of Ukraine’s freedom.</p> <p>He said the Committee’s decision “breaks the heart,” as it prevents honoring on the sports stage those athletes who will never return. Heraskevych believes “special rules” were applied to Ukraine and said he intended to file an official complaint.</p> <p>Zelensky backed the skeleton athlete at the time, writing on Telegram that truth cannot be deemed inconvenient or a “political act” at sporting events. Later, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said the helmet violated the rules, but as an exception the Committee allowed Heraskevych to wear a black mourning armband, calling it a good compromise.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-awards-order-of-freedom-to-vladyslav-heraskevych-after-ioc-bans-memorial-helmet">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/lavrov-in-epsteins-files-the.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/lavrov-in-epsteins-files-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d3d8ea97fd.jpg" alt="LAVROV IN EPSTEIN'S FILES. The Kremlin knew TRUMP's secrets! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/14oPy7CelJg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukraine-says-partners-pledge-billion.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukraine-says-partners-pledge-billion.html <p>Ukraine’s partners have earmarked $38 billion for weapons purchases, army reform and fighter training following the “Ramstein-33” contact group meeting, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.</p> <p>The 33rd Ramstein meeting took place February 11–12 at NATO headquarters in Brussels and was the most successful to date, with a record $38 billion in weaponry for Ukraine, Fedorov wrote <a href="https://t.me/zedigital/6633">on his Telegram channel</a>. Partners will provide funds for the production of Ukrainian drones and other military equipment, as well as for the purchase of shells, artillery and other munitions. Among other commitments, they pledged to finance weapons purchases in the United States under the PURL program - specifically, missiles for Patriot air-defense systems.</p> <p>Fedorov wrote that Ukraine’s partners will organize the urgent provision of Patriot missiles. There will also be money to upgrade the air-defense network. Seventeen countries joined the aid initiative — the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Canada, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Australia, Portugal, Turkey and Slovenia. The funding will flow through several channels — PURL (purchases in the U.S.), the “Danish model” (financing Ukrainian weapons production), the NSATU trust fund (a NATO training program), and SAFE (an EU defense program).</p> <p>The list of weapons Ukraine will receive following “Ramstein-33”:</p> <p>- missiles for Patriot;</p> <p>- armored vehicles;</p> <p>- PURL program - $500 million allocated;</p> <p>- production of Ukrainian drones - $2.5 billion;</p> <p>- air-defense system - $2 billion. Germany will help create a “dome” over Ukraine, Fedorov added;</p> <p>- artillery ammunition - amount not specified;</p> <p>- “maritime capabilities” - amount not specified and not detailed;</p> <p>- the “Czech initiative” (procurement of Soviet-standard shells);</p> <p>- creation of drone-assault units;</p> <p>- training of fighters abroad and a medical aid package.</p> <p>Fedorov also listed the countries and the amounts they will allocate. Germany, within its €11.5 billion Ukraine aid budget, will provide at least €1 billion for drone purchases and will fund an air-defense “dome” over Ukrainian cities and a drone-assault units project, Fedorov said.</p> <p>The United Kingdom will provide €3.45 billion in 2026. Norway will allocate $7 billion, including $1.4 billion for drones, $700 million for air defense, $200 million for artillery and $125 million for purchases under PURL.</p> <p>The Netherlands pledged to allocate at least 0.25% of GDP to Ukraine’s defense in 2026 and announced a €90 million contribution to PURL. Belgium will allocate €1 billion, Sweden €3.7 billion, Denmark €2 billion and Spain €1.2 billion. Latvia and Estonia will direct at least 0.25% of their GDP to strengthening Ukraine’s defense, Fedorov said, and Lithuania will allocate €265 million.</p> <p>On February 11, Reuters reported that the “Czech initiative” to source Soviet-standard shells for Ukraine has raised only a third of the funds needed in 2026. It also emerged that under this program Ukraine’s armed forces were receiving almost half of their shells.</p> <p>Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that due to delays in funding for Patriot missiles, the air-defense system was “empty.” According to him, because of this delay, Russian forces destroyed Kyiv’s heat-energy infrastructure during strikes on the coldest days of January 2026.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-partners-pledge-38-billion-in-2026-military-aid-with-focus-on-drones-and-air-defense">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/epstein-files-claims-on-putin.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/epstein-files-claims-on-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/035ada8ee5.jpg" alt="Epstein files: 1,000 claims on Putin, Trump secrets, Lavrov’s alleged role"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O0dPrGf0tA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukraine-struck-million-russian-nebou.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:42:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukraine-struck-million-russian-nebou.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1257298662.jpg" alt="Ukraine struck $100 million Russian Nebo-U radar system in occupied Crimea, General Staff claims"></p><p>Ukraine struck a Russian 55Zh6U "Nebo-U" long-range radar station, estimated to cost around $100 million, near Yevpatoriia in occupied Crimea, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/34976">reported</a> on Feb. 13.</p><p>The Nebo-U is a strategic early-warning radar designed to detect aerodynamic and ballistic targets at</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-says-it-struck-100-million-russian-nebo-u-radar-system-in-occupied-crimea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/demand-for-russian-oil-is.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:30:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/demand-for-russian-oil-is.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ff604d12e7.jpg" alt="Demand for Russian oil is falling! Even India has turned away! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Sk8ronvfy8o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/zelensky-slams-ioc-over-heraskevych.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:05:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/zelensky-slams-ioc-over-heraskevych.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the IOC’s decision to disqualify Vladyslav Heraskevych and thanked the athlete for taking a stand.</p> <p>Zelensky issued a statement on the controversy surrounding the Ukrainian skeleton athlete’s “Memory Helmet,” stressing that sport should not mean amnesia and that the Olympic movement must help stop wars, not play into the hands of an aggressor.</p> <p>The President sharply <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4154083451508666&set=a.1768961800020855&locale=ru_RU">condemned</a> the International Olympic Committee’s move to disqualify Heraskevych over his “Memory Helmet.” He said the decision is “certainly not about the principles of Olympism, which are based on fairness and support for peace.”</p> <p>Zelensky thanked the athlete for his stance, noting that a helmet bearing portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes is a symbol of remembrance and respect—a reminder to the world of the price Ukrainians pay in their fight for independence. He emphasized that this does not violate any rules.</p> <p>The President recalled that Russia has systematically violated Olympic principles by launching wars during the Games: in 2008 against Georgia, in 2014 with the occupation of Crimea, and in 2022 with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now, in 2026, despite calls for a ceasefire during the Winter Games, Russia continues to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and civilians with missiles and drones.</p> <p>Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia has killed 660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, and hundreds will never again be able to compete internationally.</p> <p>Meanwhile, 13 Russian athletes are competing at the Olympics in Italy under “neutral” flags, though in reality they publicly support aggression and the occupation of Ukrainian territory. According to Zelensky, they are the ones who deserve to be disqualified.</p> <p>“We are proud of Vladyslav and his act. Having courage is more than having medals,” Zelensky said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-slams-ioc-over-heraskevych-disqualification-praises-memory-helmet-stance">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/another-failure-why-are-massive.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/another-failure-why-are-massive.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7cdd67ff07.jpg" alt="ANOTHER FAILURE! Why are MASSIVE BOMBARDMENTS not helping Russia ON THE FRONT?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPSUP8FKqiM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/russia-confirms-trillion-pitch-to.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:43:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/russia-confirms-trillion-pitch-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2248998179.jpg" alt="Russia confirms $12 trillion pitch to Trump tied to Ukraine deal — White House stays silent on proposals"></p><p>Russia appeared to confirm on Feb. 13 the existence of a sweeping U.S.-Russia economic proposal known in Kyiv as the "Dmitriev package," days after President Volodymyr Zelensky first disclosed it publicly. </p><p>The Ukrainian president said on Feb. 6 that intelligence had briefed him on what he</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-confirms-12-trillion-pitch-to-trump/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukrainian-drones-strike-volgograd-damaging.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:09:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukrainian-drones-strike-volgograd-damaging.html <p>Explosions were heard overnight into February 13 in the Russian city of Volgograd, in what authorities said was a drone attack. Russian officials reported several injuries.</p> <p>Regional governor Andrei Bocharov said residential buildings were struck, according to <a href="https://t.me/newsv1/91355">V1.RU</a>.</p> <p>He said a residential building was hit and a 12-year-old boy was hospitalized. In total, three people were reported injured.</p> <p>Bocharov also said infrastructure sites in Volgograd and the wider region were hit, and reported “falls of UAV debris.” Local authorities set up a temporary shelter after the attack. Several cars were damaged and windows were blown out, the governor said.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/61126">claimed</a> it shot down 58 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 43 over the Volgograd region.</p> <p>Explosions were also reported overnight in the city of Volzhsky in Volgograd region.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military has not commented on the reported attacks in Volgograd region.</p> <p>The Telegram channel “Supernova+” <a href="https://t.me/supernova_plus/48235">noted</a> that one video posted by Russian users appeared to show the wing of a Ukrainian FP-2 drone.</p> <p>On the night of February 11, residents of Volgograd were awakened by a series of explosions in the city. Drones struck the local Lukoil oil refinery, and a large fire broke out at the facility, according to Russian outlet Astra. Footage and eyewitness accounts indicated the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka complex in the Krasnoarmeysky district was burning. Journalists estimated it was the ninth attack on the plant since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p> <p>After that strike, the Volgograd refinery halted oil processing. In 2024, the plant processed 13.5 million metric tons of crude, about 5% of Russia’s total refining.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-volgograd-damaging-homes-and-infrastructure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/regarding-the-torture-of-ukrainians.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:04:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/regarding-the-torture-of-ukrainians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2170911866.jpg" alt="Regarding the torture of Ukrainians"></p><p>Torturing prisoners is not merely a war crime that Russians perpetrate, it's part of Russian culture. Susan Sontag's 20-year-old essays may help us understand it.<em> </em></p><p>In the Kyiv Independent's latest investigative documentary "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Ei6mAf3mQ">Torture Culture</a>," we examine the sufferings that Russians systematically inflict</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/regarding-the-torture-of-ukrainians/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/from-stalin-to-putin-russias.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:02:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/from-stalin-to-putin-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/torture-2-.jpg" alt="From Stalin to Putin – Russia’s history of torture | Documentary"></p>Torture in Russian captivity is systematic. In a new documentary, The Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigations Unit uncovers the torture of Ukrainian civilians held by Russian forces and traces the roots of these practices through Russian history.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/from-stalin-to-putin-russias-history-of-torture-documentary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/ukraines-unmanned-systems-forces-release.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:52:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/ukraines-unmanned-systems-forces-release.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ccea7331e8.jpg" alt="Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces release footage of strikes on Russian airfield in Crimea, other targets in occupied territories"></p>Ukraine's Unmanned System Forces struck on Feb. 12 an airfield, the Kirova electrical substation, and a data center, among other targets.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-unmanned-systems-forces-release-footage-of-strikes-on-russian-airfield-in-crimea-other-targets-in-occupied-territories/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/nearly-north-korean-troops-stationed.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:49:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/nearly-north-korean-troops-stationed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5be25a2598.jpg" alt="Nearly 11,000 North Korean troops stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast at start of 2026, media reports"></p>Approximately 10,000 North Korean combat troops and 1,000 engineer troops are currently stationed in the front-line Russian region, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/nearly-11-000-north-korean-troops-stationed-in-russias-kursk-oblast-at-start-of-2026-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/russia-just-laid-out-its.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:16:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/russia-just-laid-out-its.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1233484658.jpg" alt="Russia just laid out its Ukraine war endgame — here's what Moscow actually wants"></p><p>As the United States renews its diplomatic push to end Russia's war against Ukraine, Moscow is making something clear: its position has not changed.</p><p>While U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian officials met for <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-ready-to-hold-new-round-of-talks-with-russia-in-us-on-feb-17-18-moscow-yet-to-confirm/">trilateral talks</a> in January and again in early February — with another round expected next</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-just-laid-out-its-ukraine-war-endgame/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/russia-brings-back-pseudohistorian-medinsky.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:57:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/russia-brings-back-pseudohistorian-medinsky.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d37f45aa86.webp" alt="Russia brings back 'pseudo-historian' Medinsky to head peace talks, reversing shift toward 'constructive' diplomacy"></p>The next round of talks is set to take place in Geneva on Feb. 17–18.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-brings-back-pseudo-historian-medinsky-to-lead-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/zelenskys-exchief-of-staff-yermak.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:20:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/zelenskys-exchief-of-staff-yermak.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2201299846.jpg" alt="Zelensky's ex-chief of staff Yermak to represent Ukrainian athlete in IOC case, lawyer says"></p>Heraskevych, who is expected to be represented by Yermak, said on Feb. 10 that he had been barred from using a custom helmet at the 2026 Winter Olympics that honors Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelenskys-ex-chief-of-staff-yermak-to-represent-ukrainian-athlete-in-ioc-case-lawyer-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:06:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-13-12-04-43.jpg" alt="At least 9 killed, 28 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 154 attack drones overnight at Ukraine, according to the Air Force.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-9-killed-28-injured-in-russian-attacks-across-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:26:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1973459214.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,250,950 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 800 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-250-950-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/several-ukrainian-children-abducted-to.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 05:06:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/several-ukrainian-children-abducted-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/aec2e822cc.jpg" alt="Several Ukrainian children abducted to Russia returned in initiative backed by Melania Trump, White House says"></p>Several Ukrainian children previously taken to Russia have been returned to their families in Ukraine, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump announced on Feb. 12.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/several-ukrainian-children-abducted-to-russia-returned-in-initiative-backed-by-melania-trump-white-house-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/13/it-means-more-than-any.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 05:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/13/it-means-more-than-any.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2261196462.jpg" alt="'It means more than any medal' — Ukraine's skeleton racer sacrifices Olympic dream to honor war victims"></p><p><em>Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.</em></p><p>Wearing a helmet commemorating Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia is not allowed, the  International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled on Feb. 12.</p><p>Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukraine's skeleton racer, was</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/it-means-more-than-any-medal-ukraines-skeleton-racer-sacrifices-olympic-dream-to-honor-war-victims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/four-injured-as-russian-strikes.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:52:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/four-injured-as-russian-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260799914.jpg" alt="Four injured as Russian strikes target energy infrastructure in Odesa"></p>Four people were injured in an overnight attack as Russian forces struck energy facilities and other critical infrastructure in Odesa on Feb. 12-Feb. 13, regional officials said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-strikes-target-energy-infrastructure-odesa/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/attacks-on-thermal-power-plants.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 22:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/attacks-on-thermal-power-plants.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4f1f9252b3.jpg" alt="Attacks on thermal power plants at -20°C and terror from the cold! Russian missiles target the light"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFLQoqhS-Tg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/ukrainian-flamingo-incinerated-arsenal-with.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/ukrainian-flamingo-incinerated-arsenal-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3d1de338a7.jpg" alt="Ukrainian “FLAMINGO” incinerated ARSENAL with MISSILES in RUSSIA! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PoAHnck8o-Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/strike-on-volgograd-hits-russias.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/strike-on-volgograd-hits-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/30f1e9cc4e.jpg" alt="Strike on Volgograd hits Russia’s rear; 1.3M losses, NATO signals collapse"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYREOJIg28g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/ukraines-military-intelligence-names-suspects.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/ukraines-military-intelligence-names-suspects.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) has published a new list of 14 people it says are involved in the unlawful removal of cultural assets from temporarily occupied territories.</p> <p>In the “Stolen Heritage” section of the War&Sanctions portal, GUR posted information on 14 more individuals allegedly linked to the illegal appropriation and export of cultural property from museums and reserves in temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine, the agency <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1224482836529801&set=a.230157752628986">said</a>.</p> <p>The new list includes collaborator Artem Lahoysky, the so‑called “culture minister of the Kherson region.” According to GUR, he was among the organizers and direct perpetrators of the looting of Kherson museums during the city’s occupation.</p> <p>In 2022, Lahoysky, together with Russian Black Sea Fleet officer Dmitry Lipov, who served as the “commandant” of Kherson, organized the theft of the remains of Grigory Potemkin from St. Catherine’s Cathedral, GUR said.</p> <p>Lahoysky also took part in staging a propaganda exhibition, “Always New Kakhovka,” at the Moscow office of Transneft, where paintings by Ukrainian artist A. S. Havzdynsky—unlawfully removed from the Novokakhovka City Gallery—were displayed, according to the agency.</p> <p>GUR also released information on individuals involved in the seizure of the Kamiana Mohyla (Stone Grave) National Historical and Archaeological Reserve and its illegal incorporation into the so‑called Chersonesus Taurica museum‑reserve in occupied Crimea. Under the guise of “temporary exhibitions,” Ukrainian museum pieces were exported, the agency said.</p> <p>“For every criminal act against the Ukrainian people, its culture and historical heritage, there will be just retribution,” GUR said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-military-intelligence-names-14-suspects-in-cultural-property-thefts-from-occupied-territories">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/the-kremlin-begs-musk-to.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/the-kremlin-begs-musk-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/66a68159c0.jpg" alt="The Kremlin begs Musk to return Starlink to Russians #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RKmdEy0dN8g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/russian-air-defense-worth-million.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/russian-air-defense-worth-million.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/08d4bab54d.jpg" alt="Russian air defense worth $50 million destroyed! Ukraine delivers a painful blow!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0F7eYvWw34">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/russia-keeps-delaying-deadlines-to.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/russia-keeps-delaying-deadlines-to.html <p>Russia has established timelines to capture Donbas and other Ukrainian territories but keeps pushing them back amid Ukrainian resistance, according to Roman Kostenko, a member of parliament and secretary of the Verkhovna Rada’s National Security, Defense and Intelligence Committee. In comments to <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/zakinchennya-viyni-2026-rotsi-maloymovirne-1770801303.html">RBK-Ukraine</a> , he said the Kremlin’s strategic goal extends beyond the east to the south, including an effort to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea.</p> <p>Kostenko said Moscow has “specific deadlines” for occupying Donbas and other regions, but those targets have been repeatedly delayed. He did not disclose dates, calling the information classified, and argued the Kremlin will likely keep revising plans as it fails to meet its objectives.</p> <p>Despite resource strains and battlefield challenges, Ukraine’s defense forces continue to inflict significant losses, he said. The Russian army - which once billed itself as among the world’s most powerful and prepared for a major confrontation with the West - has been unable to fully occupy even four Ukrainian regions, he added.</p> <p>Citing 2025 estimates, Kostenko said Russia’s combined territorial gains across the Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions roughly equal 16% of Donetsk region’s area. He claimed Russia has lost hundreds of thousands of troops and noted about 21% of Donetsk region remains under Ukrainian control. Experts, he said, believe a full takeover of Donetsk would require more than two years and even greater manpower.</p> <p>Kostenko highlighted the south as a priority for Moscow, saying the Kremlin’s calculus is to sever Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea — a scenario that would strengthen Russia’s position the sooner it is achieved. He also argued Russia is not abandoning broader geopolitical ambitions beyond Ukraine, making a rapid policy shift in Moscow unlikely.</p> <p>Rejecting calls for land-for-peace deals, Kostenko said ceding Donbas would not secure peace but pave the way for further Russian expansion. He pointed to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, after which Ukrainian forces were pushed out and the peninsula’s demographics began to shift. He also criticized claims that 40% of Ukrainians would accept territorial concessions, saying those favoring such moves are unlikely to be from Donbas and warning that Russia would simply move on to seize more land.</p> <p>According to Kostenko, Russian propaganda is already promising troops housing in Ukrainian cities — including Mykolaiv and Odesa — after any potential capture, signaling long-term plans to entrench control over new territories.</p> <p>On prospects for the war ending in 2026, Kostenko said that outcome is unlikely. He argued President Vladimir Putin has not revised his strategic goals and that Russia retains enough resources to sustain current operations. Only an unpredictable shock or critical losses, he said, could push the Kremlin toward genuine - not performative - negotiations. Diplomacy alone will not change Moscow’s course, he added, insisting Russia can be stopped only by force; other approaches risk setting the stage for renewed escalation.</p> <p>In a battlefield update, analysts at DeepState said Russian forces have occupied the village of Bondarne in Donetsk region’s Bakhmut district and advanced in Nykyforivka.</p> <p>Separately, President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Russian media reports that Moscow has asked other countries to recognize temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, calling such scenarios unrealistic.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-keeps-delaying-deadlines-to-capture-donbas-as-it-seeks-to-cut-ukraine-off-from-the-black-sea-ukrainian-lawmaker-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/kyiv-independent-documentary-can-you.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:24:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/kyiv-independent-documentary-can-you.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/premiere-of-can-you-hear-me-ukraine-kyiv-december-12-2024-the-kyiv-independ.jpg" alt="Kyiv Independent documentary ‘Can You Hear Me?’ to screen in Europe on anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion"></p>A documentary by The Kyiv Independent about Ukrainian military medics working on the front lines of Russia’s war will be screened in three European capitals in February, marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-independent-documentary-can-you-hear-me-to-screen-in-europe-on-anniversary-of-russias-full-scale-invasion/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/ukrainian-skeleton-racer-disqualified-at.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:20:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/ukrainian-skeleton-racer-disqualified-at.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260504946.jpg" alt="Ukrainian skeleton racer disqualified at Olympics for helmet honoring athletes killed in Russia's war"></p>"This is price of our dignity," skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych wrote on X after the IOC's annoucement of his disqualification.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-skeleton-racer-disqualified-at-olympics-for-helmet-honoring-athletes-killed-in-russias-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-military.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:34:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-military.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-11-at-9-04-37-pm.png" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike military plant in Russia's Tambov Oblast"></p>Ukrainian drones struck a Russian military plant in Michurinsk, Tambov Oblast, overnight on Feb. 11-12, the Telegram news channel Astra reported, citing local residents.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tambov-draft/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/12/russia-targets-kyiv-ukrainian-cities.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 01:48:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/12/russia-targets-kyiv-ukrainian-cities.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/61647668c2.png" alt="Russia targets Kyiv, Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles as Moscow stalls on peace talks"></p>Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the ballistic missiles were targeting the city's infrastructure facilities.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-targets-kyiv-ukrainian-cities-with-ballistic-missiles-as-moscow-stalls-on-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/uk-commits-million-to-purl.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 23:49:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/uk-commits-million-to-purl.html <p>The United Kingdom is allocating £150 million (€172 million) to purchase U.S. weapons for Ukraine under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), UK Defense Secretary John Healey announced Wednesday, according to Politico and Reuters.</p> <p>“I’m pleased to confirm the United Kingdom is allocating £150 million to the PURL initiative,” Healey said, as quoted by Politico. “Together we must provide Ukraine with the critical air defenses it needs to repel Putin’s fierce onslaught.”</p> <p>On Tuesday, February 10, U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said during an online briefing that Washington expects NATO allies to take on new commitments to procure weapons for Ukraine under PURL at the upcoming meeting of defense ministers.</p> <p>The program was launched in the summer of 2025 at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump and is coordinated by NATO. According to Ukrainian authorities, contributions to PURL totaled $4.3 billion in 2025, with nearly $1.5 billion in December alone.</p> <p>Politico estimates that in 2025 Ukraine’s allies allocated €5 billion to PURL. In early February, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed “absolute confidence” that allies could raise another €15 billion in 2026.</p> <p>NATO defense ministers will meet on February 12 in Brussels. Defense chiefs from all 32 member states are expected to attend, along with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.</p> <p>Sources cited by Reuters say the agenda will include not only purchases of U.S. weapons for Ukraine but also a broader discussion of a more active European role in ensuring its own security.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/uk-commits-150-million-to-purl-for-u-s-weapons-for-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/lavrov-says-us-has-not.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 23:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/lavrov-says-us-has-not.html <p>Washington has not yet handed Moscow the new plan to end the war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian media.</p> <p>Lavrov claims the Kremlin does not have the 20-point plan to end the conflict, which the White House approved with Kyiv and Europe in January 2026.</p> <p>He said the U.S. has not passed the plan to Russia, while also asserting the document aligns only with the interests of Kyiv and Europe—suggesting Moscow is familiar with its contents.</p> <p>Speaking with Russian journalists, Lavrov again invoked the “spirit of Anchorage,” which he said “opened a path to peace.” In August 2025, then-President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. The two discussed several issues, including terms to end the war against Ukraine. No breakthroughs were achieved in Alaska, but the Kremlin maintains Trump agreed with Putin on some points and that the U.S. and Russia “found a balance of interests.” Since then, Moscow has frequently cited the “spirit of Anchorage” when referring to peace talks with Ukraine.</p> <p>In January 2026, a Ukrainian delegation met with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, with U.S. mediation, to discuss terms for ending the war. Talks continued February 4–5. The sides discussed ways to implement a ceasefire, mechanisms to monitor a truce, the future of Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russian forces, and the fate of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which remains under Russian control.</p> <p>Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov called the February 4–5 talks in Abu Dhabi constructive. He said both sides agreed to hold a third round of consultations. Unofficially, the next meeting could take place in the United States.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-says-u-s-has-not-provided-ukraine-peace-plan-to-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russia-coerces-families-of-ukrainian.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 23:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russia-coerces-families-of-ukrainian.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, working with SpaceX engineers, has disabled Starlink terminals used by Russian forces, officials said. In response, Russia is seeking to restore communications by coercing relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war to register new devices in their own names, according to the <a href="https://t.me/Koord_shtab/18019">Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War</a> (KSHPOV).</p> <p>The Coordination Headquarters said Russia is once again treating the relatives of captured Ukrainians as leverage for manipulation. Illegally obtained Starlink terminals had been used by Russian units to maintain battlefield communications and to operate loitering munitions, causing significant damage behind the lines, officials said.</p> <p>“Looking for a way out of the difficult position they’re in, the occupiers have turned their attention to POWs’ families. There have been documented cases of threats and demands to officially register Starlink terminals in their names. This equipment is then used against Ukraine and Ukrainians,” the KSHPOV said.</p> <p>The agency warned that cooperating with occupying forces is extremely dangerous because formal registration of an enemy terminal makes it easy to identify who did it, as Starlink requires identity verification.</p> <p>“The enemy is exploiting families’ vulnerability. They are indifferent to Ukrainians’ fate—these people are a disposable resource to them. If a terminal is used to control drones that destroy infrastructure and take lives, the fact that it was registered by a Ukrainian citizen can be grounds for criminal liability,” the KSHPOV added.</p> <p>Officials advised anyone who receives proposals or threats to register a Starlink terminal to immediately contact the Coordination Headquarters and law enforcement. The same applies to any other blackmail by the enemy. The KSHPOV said it will provide guidance on how to refuse demands without harming oneself or fellow citizens.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian officials said Russian troops had their Starlink access cut off. Ukraine’s General Staff reported that the loss of SpaceX satellite connectivity forced Russia to significantly reduce the number of assault operations along the front line.</p> <p>Separately, the shutdown of Starlink units registered to Russian military personnel has created serious problems for forces in Russia, according to previous reporting. Elon Musk’s decision was based on pragmatic calculations, noting that overt support for Moscow could substantially reduce the value of the businessman’s assets.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-coerces-families-of-ukrainian-pows-to-register-starlink-devices-after-blockade">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/eu-weighs-sanctions-on-rosatom.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/eu-weighs-sanctions-on-rosatom.html <p>Rosatom, Lukoil and Gazprom could be included in a new European sanctions package against Russia.</p> <p>Those measures are now under discussion in Brussels, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto <a href="https://youtu.be/zK2twYxUIB4?t=883">said</a> on the YouTube program “Hour of Justice” (Igazság órája).</p> <p><a href="https://magyarnemzet.hu/kulfold/2026/02/szijjarto-peter-az-igazsag-orajaban-2">In the interview</a>, Szijjarto accused Brussels of “sanctions fanaticism”:</p> <p>“They’re putting forward ever more outlandish proposals. Now they want Rosatom, Gazprom and Lukoil to be added to the sanctions list—those Russian energy companies whose cooperation is critically important for Hungary both in terms of energy security and for maintaining reduced overhead costs” (via Magyar Nemzet). https://magyarnemzet.hu/kulfold/2026/02/szijjarto-peter-az-igazsag-orajaban-2</p> <p>There had been no previous reports that Brussels was weighing sanctions against these Russian corporations.</p> <p>Last week, the European Commission said the centerpiece of the new, 20th sanctions package would be a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil exports.</p> <p>Later, it emerged that Brussels for the first time proposed adding ports in third countries to Russia-related sanctions lists.</p> <p>It was also known that the European Commission plans to submit draft laws providing for a gradual phaseout of Russian pipeline oil and nuclear fuel - mirroring the EU’s ban on imports of Russian LNG approved in late January.</p> <p>Hungary filed a lawsuit earlier this month challenging the EU decision to fully abandon imports of Russian gas.</p> <p>Hungary has consistently opposed tough measures against Russia. Along with Slovakia, it is among the only EU countries blocking anti-Russian initiatives in the energy sphere. Both governments actively criticize Brussels’ foreign policy and call for a rethink of the EU’s sanctions strategy.</p> <p>Beyond its dependence on Russian oil and gas, Hungary is tied to Rosatom, which services the Paks nuclear power plant and <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/698479819a794755407730e5">is building</a> a new plant <a href="https://ase-ec.ru/about/projects/aes-paksh-2/">- Paks II</a>.</p> <p>Imposing sanctions on Rosatom, Szijjarto said, would mean that once they take effect, Budapest could no longer purchase fuel for the operating plant from Moscow and its operations would effectively stop:</p> <p>“We will not be able to continue cooperation on building the new Paks nuclear power plant, and its construction will stop. We will not be able to buy Russian natural gas and Russian oil practically from the day the decision is made. Therefore, whoever does this is our enemy. And Ukraine is now our enemy, because Ukraine is taking hostile steps against Hungary. And we cannot, will not, and will not allow this.”</p> <p>Rosatom also works with several other countries worldwide: nuclear plants it is building or servicing are located in China, Egypt, India, Belarus and elsewhere.</p> <p><a href="https://tass.ru/ekonomika/20618667">Czechia</a> and <a href="https://ria.ru/20260202/slovakija-2071610845.html">Slovakia</a> also purchase Russian nuclear fuel for their nuclear power plants.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-weighs-sanctions-on-rosatom-lukoil-and-gazprom-hungary-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-needs-specific-date-for.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:58:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-needs-specific-date-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dd6ed8a142.jpg" alt="Ukraine needs 'specific date' for entry into EU, Zelensky says"></p>"I am absolutely confident that if ... there is no date, then Russia will do everything to block the process," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 11.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-needs-specific-date-for-entry-into-eu-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukrainian-star-wars-sunray-laser.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukrainian-star-wars-sunray-laser.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/853f75a336.jpg" alt="Ukrainian Star Wars: SUNRAY laser and Russia's newest drone, the “KLIN&quot; destroyed for the first time"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA9-q_jhLn8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-urges-eu-to-fund.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-urges-eu-to-fund.html <p>More than 85% of Ukraine’s successful attacks on the battlefield are carried out by unmanned systems, and European Union financial support to scale up Ukrainian drone production is a prerequisite for positive results at the front, Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Boyev said, according to <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/ukrayina-zaklikaye-ye-s-spryamuvati-finansovu-pidtrimku-na-masshtabuvannya-virobnicztva-bp-la">Ukraine’s Defense Ministry</a>.</p> <p>The ministry said Boyev discussed EU financial support with Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Defense and Security.</p> <p>Boyev emphasized that if the EU increases funding for Ukrainian drone manufacturing, it will yield tangible gains on the front lines. He said Kyiv can multiply its UAV production several times over, adding that Ukrainian companies build drones at roughly one-third the cost of those made in the EU.</p> <p>He also called for directing EU funds to modern air defense systems to protect Ukraine’s skies. The discussion centers on €90 billion the EU plans to loan Ukraine for 2026–2027. Europe had initially planned to finance Ukraine in those years with a “reparations” loan backed by frozen Russian assets, but some EU nations opposed the approach. It had been envisaged that Kyiv would repay after receiving reparations from Russia. In December 2025, European leaders decided to provide an interest-free €90 billion loan guaranteed by the EU.</p> <p>According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian drones in January 2026 eliminated nearly 30,000 Russian occupiers—more than Russia recruited that month. In total, AFU drone crews struck more than 66,000 enemy targets in January. Syrskyi said the effectiveness of Ukrainian UAVs is already having a systemic impact on Russia’s occupying forces, wearing them down.</p> <p>Ukraine’s defense industry plans to further boost UAV production in 2026, with the AFU expected to receive more than 7 million domestically produced drones this year.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-urges-eu-to-fund-drone-production-as-key-to-battlefield-gains">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russians-are-afraid-to-storm.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:30:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russians-are-afraid-to-storm.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/34dc1c7dbb.jpg" alt="❗️RUSSIANS are afraid to storm armored vehicles: EXPERT explains WHY #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w8FN9rgw5yY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-denies-russian-capture-of.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-denies-russian-capture-of.html <p>Ukrainian forces are holding their lines on the Kramatorsk axis in Donetsk region, and Russian troops are taking heavy personnel losses, Ukraine’s military said.</p> <p>Reports circulating online that Russian forces seized the village of Bondarne in Ukraine’s Donetsk region are false, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EastAFU">Ukraine’s East Group of Forces</a>, which said the settlement remains fully under Ukrainian control in a post on Facebook.</p> <p>The East Group said Ukrainian troops are maintaining positions around Bondarne and Nykiforivka on the Kramatorsk axis, with both villages under the control of Ukraine’s defense forces. Russian troops are attempting to advance, but Ukrainian units are repelling the assaults, actively deploying drones to blunt attacks. The Russian military is incurring significant manpower losses on this stretch of the front, the statement added.</p> <p>The Ukrainian analytical project DeepState recently reported that Russian forces had captured Bondarne and achieved partial success near Nykiforivka. Both settlements are in the Bakhmut district of Donetsk region. DeepState says it cooperates with the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.</p> <p>Bondarne and Nykiforivka lie northeast of Kramatorsk. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, Russian forces did not attack Ukrainian positions on this sector on February 10. Active fighting continues on the neighboring Sloviansk and Kostiantynivka axes: Russian troops mounted seven assaults on the Sloviansk axis and 10 on the Kostiantynivka axis that day, the General Staff said.</p> <p>The most intense combat remains around Pokrovsk. On February 10, Russian forces launched 35 attacks on the Pokrovsk axis, with fighting around Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Molodetske, Filiia and other settlements.</p> <p>Ukraine estimates that about 150,000 Russian troops were deployed on the Pokrovsk axis in January 2026. Ukrainian forces are holding positions in the northern districts of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad. In Pokrovsk, street fighting continues in some northern neighborhoods, while in Myrnohrad Russian troops are trying to mass forces in the center for further assaults, Ukraine says.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-denies-russian-capture-of-bondarne-as-heavy-fighting-intensifies-in-donbas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-war-latest-russian-losses.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:12:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-war-latest-russian-losses.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258310233.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russian losses in Ukraine 'astonishing,' former MI6 chief says"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 11</strong></p><ul><li>Russian losses in Ukraine 'astonishing,' former MI6 chief says;</li><li>Russian strike on Kharkiv Oblast killed 3 toddlers and their father, pregnant mother injured;</li><li>Ukraine confirms drone strike on Russia's Volgograd oil refinery, Rubicon barracks in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast;</li><li>Europe has identified</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-128/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/pokrovsk-under-siege-by-troops.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/pokrovsk-under-siege-by-troops.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0457b49df6.jpg" alt="💥 Pokrovsk under siege by 150,000 troops – why Huliaipole surprised Russia?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSCBnIhim6o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/lavrov-says-ukraine-peace-remains.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/lavrov-says-ukraine-peace-remains.html <p>Reaching a settlement to the “Ukrainian crisis” will require covering a long negotiating distance, Lavrov said in an interview with the NTV television channel.</p> <p>“We’ve said more than once that we must not succumb to an exuberant perception of what’s happening: that US President Trump ‘put the Europeans and Zelensky in their place’ and is demanding that they implement… All that is fine if we want to achieve peace in Ukraine, but we’re not there yet,” Lavrov said.</p> <p>He noted that talks are ongoing and a second round was held in Abu Dhabi, but “there is still a long way ahead.”</p> <p>According to Lavrov, “the negotiating track consists of a whole set of components: the root causes - this is the basis of our position - Russia’s security and the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine, in full accordance with international law and the UN Charter.”</p> <p>He added that recognition of territories “directly follows from the root causes.” In his telling, Russia seized Ukrainian territories because there were allegedly “attempts to create a threat to us, to destroy people who had lived there for centuries.”</p> <p>Lavrov said the “details being considered between the militaries are multifaceted and significant,” so “everything must be worked out to the smallest details.”</p> <p>He expressed hope the United States would “force” Ukraine and Europe “to behave properly” when a settlement is reached.</p> <p>“The mechanisms to monitor how this will be implemented will require meticulous coordination, including - and above all - through military channels,” Lavrov emphasized.</p> <p>He also complained that, at the moment, security guarantees for Ukraine are being discussed in the West “not in the context of pan-European security, but so that it can continue hostile actions against the Russian Federation.”</p> <p>Earlier, Moscow said that work on a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine would take at least a month and a half even under favorable negotiating conditions.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Kyiv said the latest talks in Abu Dhabi focused on methods to implement a ceasefire and monitor the cessation of hostilities.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-says-ukraine-peace-remains-distant-as-talks-focus-on-military-details">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/european-parliament-approves-billion-ukraine.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 19:35:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/european-parliament-approves-billion-ukraine.html <p>Members of the European Parliament voted on Wednesday, February 11, to back a financial aid package for Ukraine that includes a €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan to cover the country’s financing needs in 2026–2027, changes to the Ukraine Facility, and amendments to the European Union’s 2021–2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. The move would allow the EU budget to serve as guarantees for the loan and cover interest payments and other debt-servicing costs. 4554)</p> <p>The measures now head to the Council of the EU for approval.</p> <p>A few days after publication in the Official Journal, the Council’s decision will take effect, and the European Commission will be able to launch the Ukraine Facility, enabling the first tranche to Kyiv as early as the beginning of April.</p> <p>The far-right European Parliament group “Europe of Sovereign Nations” attempted to derail the financial assistance and drafted a resolution proposing to postpone the vote.</p> <p>While Ukraine deserves EU support, “these €90 billion should be paid by Russia,” said German MEP Hans Neuhoff, a representative of the group.</p> <p>“We all know that Russia will never do this and that frozen Russian assets will never be used for this financing,” he added.</p> <p>The document prepared by the ultranationalist forces called for delaying the aid vote until February 24. “The European Commission must tell European citizens the truth: that this is not a loan, but money European taxpayers will pay so that (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky remains in power,” the German politician said.</p> <p>Speakers from political groups and relevant committees came out firmly against the proposal to delay the vote. “Ukraine has never needed us more than today, at a time when, in the middle of winter, Russia is bombing its cities, power plants and civilians. This is our duty and our security interest. Therefore, we must adopt this support for Ukraine and not vote for the Kremlin’s sabotage!” urged French MEP Nathalie Loiseau from the liberal group, drawing applause from colleagues. In the end, the far-right resolution failed in the plenary vote.</p> <p>The decision to provide Ukraine with financial assistance in the form of a €90 billion loan, financed by borrowing on open markets under guarantees from the EU budget, was taken at a summit of European leaders in Brussels on December 18, 2025. It was supported by 24 of the 27 member states. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic opposed taking part in the loan but backed the overall decision.</p> <p>According to European Commission estimates, the cost EU member states will bear for debt servicing will be around €1 billion in 2027 and roughly €3 billion per year from 2028. The loan terms stipulate that Ukraine will have to repay it only if Russia pays reparations for war-related damages.</p> <p>EU countries agreed that €30 billion of the total loan will go toward financial support for Ukraine, and €60 billion toward military assistance, including weapons procurement. Production and procurement of arms and military equipment financed by the loan must take place in Ukraine, EU member states, and countries in the European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association (besides EU members, these include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). Only if a specific type of weapon is unavailable or cannot be delivered in a timely manner will purchases be allowed in third countries.</p> <p>Disbursements under the EU loan will be conditional on Ukraine meeting requirements including upholding democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, including the rights of national minorities. The conditions also include anti-corruption measures and strengthening democratic institutions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/european-parliament-approves-90-billion-ukraine-loan-with-tough-conditions-pending-council-sign-off">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/sbu-sends-text-warning-russians.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:59:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/sbu-sends-text-warning-russians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2152729024.jpg" alt="SBU sends text warning Russians are trying to recruit Ukrainians to register Starlink terminals"></p>The messages come a week after Ukraine's defense ministry agreed with Starlink's parent company, SpaceX, to introduce mandatory registration for the internet terminals in Ukraine, a move meant to prevent their use by Russian forces.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-sends-messages-to-holders-of-ukrainian-phone-numbers-warning-russians-trying-to-recruit-ukrainians-to-register-block-starlink-terminals/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/how-mr-nobody-against-putin.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:49:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/how-mr-nobody-against-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/mr-nobody-poster-kopier-2-2-1.jpg" alt="How 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' struggles with uncomfortable truths of wartime Russia"></p><p>"I wish I could be as brave as them," says Pavel Talankin, a school videographer in the industrial town of Karabash, speaking of Russians who protested the invasion of Ukraine in its first days. "But I'm not."</p><p>The line is not self-pitying so much</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-mr-nobody-against-putin-fails-to-answer-the-uncomfortable-truth-of-wartime-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/kyiv-russia-launches-kinzhal-missiles.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:30:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/kyiv-russia-launches-kinzhal-missiles.html <p>Around 14:40 local time on February 11, Russia launched a Kinzhal missile at Ukraine, Ukrainian monitoring channels <a href="https://t.me/StrategicaviationT/26300">reported</a>. The missile flew over the northern part of the region toward the west, and a loud blast was heard in Lviv.</p> <p>Within seconds of launch, the Russian Kinzhal reached Zhytomyr region, according to a monitoring channel. Alerts then indicated the Russian strike assets were approaching Rivne and Lviv.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Force warned at about 14:38 that Russian MiG-31 aircraft—carriers of Kinzhal missiles—had moved to launch positions. A minute later, a high‑speed target was tracked passing Zviahel, Zhytomyr and Rivne en route to Lviv. A subsequent alert at 16:49 again warned that western Ukraine and Lviv were under threat. Local channels said air defenses engaged targets over the city.</p> <p>The Lviv Regional Military Administration and the Air Force’s regional command had not yet reported consequences of the February 11 Kinzhal strikes on Lviv. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi <a href="https://t.me/andriysadovyi/3396">confirmed</a> air defense activity but provided no details.</p> <p>The Ukrainian Air Force and monitoring channels <a href="https://t.me/voynareal/130925">indicated</a> Russia may have launched three Kinzhal missiles on February 11. The Strategic Control channel <a href="https://t.me/strategicontrol/66139">noted</a> two Russian MiG-31s took off, each capable of carrying one Kinzhal. A loud explosion was heard in Lviv, though it was unclear whether it was air defense intercepts or an impact. The Lviv regional channel reported at least two missiles likely reached western Ukraine.</p> <p>At 15:11, a monitoring channel <a href="https://t.me/StrategicaviationT/26326">said</a> the MiG-31s had returned to Savasleyka air base. Separately, a warning was issued about potential ballistic launches from Russia’s Voronezh region - referring to Iskander‑M/KN‑23/S‑300 class missiles with ranges of 300–500 km.</p> <p>Update 15:28: Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi <a href="https://t.me/andriysadovyi/3398">said</a> two Russian Kinzhal missiles were heading for the city. Both were neutralized by air defenses, he said, adding the attack occurred around 14:40 local time.</p> <p>Russia has already used Kinzhal missiles against Ukraine in February 2026. The most recent strike before today came overnight on February 6. The Ukrainian Air Force <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kpszsu/posts/pfbid0thrtw7ytruGmGbeXxQCGzx3vz86rVVHyAkcWWsomrzof84G2CQoWcVCzupGiiusc">said</a> Russia launched a total of 335 aerial targets in that attack, including two Kinzhal air‑launched ballistic missiles and five Kh‑59/Kh‑69s. Command reported 297 drones were shot down; there was no confirmation of missile shootdowns. The next day, another mass missile‑and‑drone strike targeted the Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, Burshtyn and Dobrotvir thermal power plants.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-russia-launches-kinzhal-missiles-at-ukraine-two-shot-down">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russia-chooses-nato-country-for.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:30:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russia-chooses-nato-country-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ad5b3b2cb7.jpg" alt="🤯 RUSSIA chooses NATO country for first STRIKE against ALLIANCE #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZrGpAmTW6es">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russian-tv-threatens-to-burn.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:01:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russian-tv-threatens-to-burn.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/46c0435d58.jpg" alt="Russian TV threatens to burn Europe: SOLOVYOV's nuclear ultimatums and plans to strike BRITAIN"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6hVsI4TeJ4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/japan-to-join-purl-to.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/japan-to-join-purl-to.html <p>Japan plans to purchase U.S. weapons for Ukraine under the PURL program, but only nonlethal items, <a href="https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20260210_03/index.html">NHK reports</a>, citing anonymous NATO sources familiar with the matter</p> <p>According to NHK, the Japanese government is expected to formally announce its participation in PURL soon. Tokyo has informed some NATO countries and Ukraine of its plans, but has not officially commented yet.</p> <p>NHK’s sources say Japan will buy only nonlethal equipment for Ukraine, such as radar systems and body armor. It is not yet clear how much Tokyo will contribute to the program in 2026. Even nonlethal aid could be significant for Ukraine; for example, radars can more effectively detect hostile aerial targets striking Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.</p> <p>Japan has provided extensive support to help Ukraine repel Russian aggression but does not transfer lethal weapons to the Ukrainian military. According to Olena Kondratiuk, deputy speaker of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, Tokyo will allocate $6 billion in humanitarian and technical support in 2026. In total, as of early 2026, Japan has provided more than $15 billion in financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.</p> <p>The PURL program was launched in the summer of 2025 after U.S. President Donald Trump declined to provide Ukraine with free military aid. Under the program, NATO countries (excluding the United States), as well as Australia and New Zealand, purchase American weapons and then transfer them to Kyiv. Before that, Ukraine compiles a list of critical U.S. weapons, military equipment, and ammunition, and coordinates it with partners in the North Atlantic Alliance.</p> <p>More than 20 countries are currently taking part in purchasing U.S. weapons for Ukraine under PURL. In 2025, they allocated a total of $4.3 billion for these purposes, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/japan-to-join-purl-to-buy-u-s-weapons-for-ukraine-limited-to-nonlethal-equipment">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-ready-to-hold-new.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:29:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-ready-to-hold-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1efdb844d8.jpg" alt="Ukraine ready to hold new round of talks with Russia in US on Feb. 17-18. Moscow yet to confirm"></p>According to the president, the negotiations would be hosted by the U.S. and will take place on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18. The talks, however, depend on Russia's agreement to take part, something that Ukraine and the U.S. have not yet received.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-ready-to-hold-new-round-of-talks-with-russia-in-us-on-feb-17-18-moscow-yet-to-confirm/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/live-secret-russian-testing-ground.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:22:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/live-secret-russian-testing-ground.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0d9daf28fc.jpg" alt="LIVE | Secret Russian testing ground destroyed! It's all thanks to Ukrainian ballistics!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcWYs6i5LXY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/kremlin-demands-security-guarantees-for.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/kremlin-demands-security-guarantees-for.html <p>Russia says it will not consider any peace agreement with Ukraine unless “security guarantees” for itself are codified. The Kremlin argues its interests are being ignored in the peace process and warns talks will be fruitless without concessions.</p> <p>Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko made the comments in an interview with <a href="https://iz.ru/2039867/semen-boikov/nato-zhe-v-mide-isklyuchili-sdelku-po-ukraine-bez-garantij-bezopasnosti-rossii">the Russian outlet Izvestia</a>.</p> <p>Among Moscow’s key demands: Ukraine must renounce its NATO membership ambitions, ban the deployment of foreign military contingents on its territory, and accept broader commitments that, in Russia’s view, would prevent Ukraine from being used as a tool to pressure Moscow.</p> <p>At the same time, Grushko said Russia is ostensibly ready to support “security guarantees” for Ukraine that were discussed during talks with Kyiv in 2022. Back then, the proposal envisioned involving the UN Security Council’s permanent members, with the circle of participants potentially expanded.</p> <p>Grushko also criticized the European Union’s push to take part in peace talks, adding that without a willingness to discuss “security guarantees” for Russia, Europe cannot claim a significant role in the process.</p> <p>He said the United States holds a similar position. Moscow contends Washington is not raising the issue of “security guarantees” for Russia despite previous Kremlin proposals to launch consultations. As a possible basis, Russia again points to its 2021 draft treaties, which sought a legally binding halt to NATO’s eastward expansion, including to Ukraine.</p> <p>Russia is not ruling out that the “security guarantees” issue could be put on the agenda of the next round of peace talks, potentially in Abu Dhabi.</p> <p>“If the Russian side receives a mandate to discuss these issues, especially if the negotiating group is possibly expanded, then such discussions can begin,” he said.</p> <p>Russian authorities have increasingly signaled they are not considering compromise options to end the war and are insisting on outcomes favorable to the Kremlin. Moscow continues to reject Western “security guarantees” and is betting on continued fighting.</p> <p>Separately, the Russian state media outlet TASS reported that Kyiv allegedly raised security guarantees for Odesa during trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-demands-security-guarantees-for-russia-as-a-condition-for-ukraine-peace-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/scandal-at-the-olympics-outcry.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/scandal-at-the-olympics-outcry.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b3d19fd032.jpg" alt="SCANDAL at the OLYMPICS! Outcry over Russia's crimes: why is the IOC demanding SILENCE?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e5IKbz1_0Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/fires-erupt-at-volgograd-plant.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:41:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/fires-erupt-at-volgograd-plant.html <p>In the early hours of Wednesday, February 11, Russia’s Volgograd region came under attack by Ukrainian drones, and 49 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were intercepted over the area, the Russian Defense Ministry said.</p> <p>Volgograd region governor Andrey Bocharov said targets included energy and civilian infrastructure. “In Volzhsky, an apartment at 75 Karbyshev Street was damaged and a UAV fell on the grounds of the ‘Yagodka’ kindergarten, as well as a fire on the grounds of a plant in southern Volgograd,” the governor said. There were no casualties, he added.</p> <p>The outlet “Novosti Volgograda” reported that drone debris sparked a fire on the grounds of one of the city’s plants. Residents also reported a large fire in the industrial area.</p> <p>The open-source intelligence channel Dnipro OSINT (Harbuz) <a href="https://t.me/DniproOfficial/7151">reported</a> an attack on the LUKOIL-Volgogradneftepererabotka oil refinery in Volgograd. In recent hours, dozens of drones struck the site, with preliminary reports indicating damage to fuel and lubricants storage tanks (coordinates: 48.490911, 44.624078).</p> <p>Damage has periodically forced the refinery to halt operations.</p> <p>In 2024, the Volgograd refinery processed 13.7 million tons of crude, accounting for 5.1% of Russia’s total oil refining, Reuters reported.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/fires-erupt-at-volgograd-plant-after-drone-attacks-refinery-reportedly-targeted">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/new-military-base-of-russians.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:30:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/new-military-base-of-russians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fe90591ccc.jpg" alt="NEW MILITARY BASE of Russians near MELITOPOL – declassified #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dn_LKV0Yb3I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/syrskyi-touts-second-phase-of.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/syrskyi-touts-second-phase-of.html <p>Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, outlined the second phase of a corps-level reform that he says has already delivered tangible results.</p> <p>Despite heavy fighting along the front line, Ukraine’s armed forces are undergoing a transformation. Syrskyi stressed the reforms are not a diversion from combat operations but strengthen the military, making it more agile and more technologically driven.</p> <p>Syrskyi <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1265808945714588&id=100068564836091&rdid=SE83hGttfnMeQze2">said</a> the second phase of the corps reform has already produced measurable gains.</p> <p>“An increase in enemy losses is one of the outcomes of the corps reform,” the commander-in-chief said.</p> <p>He added that shifting to a corps-based command system has significantly improved the execution of combat missions.</p> <p>The second phase includes:</p> <p>- Redeploying brigades — units are assigned directly to their corps headquarters, enabling closer coordination and faster decision-making;</p> <p>- Scaling up drone forces — special emphasis on developing UAV units, with some corps upgrading UAV battalions to regiments;</p> <p>- Forming artillery brigades that are now integrated into corps structures to bolster fire support;</p> <p>- Technological innovations — introducing ground-based unmanned systems for logistics and casualty evacuation. This eases the burden on personnel and reduces losses, underscoring a shift toward modern warfare standards.</p> <p>Scale of the changes</p> <p>The reform has affected tens of thousands of service members. In forming the corps, more than 36,000 soldiers and officers were reassigned to become the backbone of new headquarters and corps-level units. This sweeping process has not only reshaped the army’s structure but also strengthened its ability to inflict significant losses on the enemy while preserving combat effectiveness.</p> <p>According to Syrskyi, the corps reform improves planning and execution of combat tasks and enhances the Ukrainian army’s ability to resist the Russian troops.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-touts-second-phase-of-corps-reform-citing-rising-russian-losses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russias-december-toll-in-ukraine.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:05:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russias-december-toll-in-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1093187050.jpg" alt="Russia’s December toll in Ukraine was about twice Soviet Afghan war losses, former MI6 chief says"></p>Former MI6 chief Richard Moore said about 30,000 Russian troops were killed in December, roughly twice the Soviet Afghan war death toll.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-has-already-lost-x-mi6-chief-sir-richard-moore/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/drone-attack-ukraine-readies-laser.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:01:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/drone-attack-ukraine-readies-laser.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3133c728d9.jpg" alt="💔129-drone attack: Ukraine readies laser air defense; Russia killed a father and three children!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiJz_RvLLsQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/explosions-reported-in-lviv-as.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:14:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/explosions-reported-in-lviv-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1238292778.jpg" alt="Explosions reported in Lviv as Russia launches hypersonic Kinzhal missiles"></p>Kyiv Independent reporters on the ground reported hearing two explosions around 2:50 p.m. local time.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/breaking-russia-attacked-western-lviv-oblast-with-missiles/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russian-troops-infiltrate-zakotne-via.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russian-troops-infiltrate-zakotne-via.html <p>The situation in Zakotne remains tense, with Russian forces taking losses as troops from Ukraine’s 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade work to clear the village and prevent further incursions, the Ukrainian military said.</p> <p>On February 10, Ukrainian officials said small groups of Russian soldiers managed to infiltrate Zakotne in Donetsk region by moving across frozen sections of the Siverskyi Donets River, slipping through gaps between positions held by the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade of the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces. Ukrainian troops are searching for and neutralizing the infiltrators, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/747815128398675?locale=ru_RU">the brigade Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>Russian units have also periodically advanced along the Siverskyi Donets riverbank, the brigade said. During infiltration attempts, Russian soldiers have used the terrain to their advantage—hiding in low-lying areas, including when approaching from the Serebrianskyi forestry, to avoid FPV drones and artillery.</p> <p>Over the past month, Ukrainian forces have captured more than a dozen Russian soldiers who stated that their commanders aim to slip troops into areas of Zakotne not held by Ukraine’s military, according to the 81st brigade.</p> <p>Russia is deploying so-called “waiting” drones, kamikaze drones and other loitering munitions, the brigade said. Despite ongoing infiltration attempts, it reported that Russian forces are taking significant losses. Video showing FPV drone strikes on Russian soldiers in dugouts, abandoned buildings and wooded areas was posted on the brigade’s page.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-troops-infiltrate-zakotne-via-frozen-siverskyi-donets-ukrainian-forces-conduct-clearance-operations">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/volunteers-fill-gaps-in-kyivs.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:57:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/volunteers-fill-gaps-in-kyivs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-starenki-20.jpg" alt="Volunteers fill gaps in Kyiv’s response as Russian strikes deepen blackouts"></p><p>Valentyna Popova, an 85-year-old retired mathematician, lives in an apartment block on Kyiv’s east bank that is only minutes away from a city-installed "Invincibility Point," an emergency winter heating hub offering warmth, a place to charge devices, and sometimes tea or hot meals.</p><p>She, however, is</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/volunteers-fill-gaps-in-kyivs-response-as-russian-strikes-deepen-blackouts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukrainian-commander-perun-confirms-advances.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukrainian-commander-perun-confirms-advances.html <p>Ukraine’s Forces have logged notable gains in the Zaporizhzhia region, with several villages reportedly liberated.</p> <p>Kyiv’s troops are conducting counteroffensive actions along the Zaporizhzhia axis, and there are already “certain successes”, said Dmitry “Perun” Filatov, commander of the 1st Assault Regiment named after Dmytro Kotsiubailo, on Army TV.</p> <p>According to Filatov, Russian occupation forces are now trying to hold their positions in Zaporizhzhia. He said Russian advances there have been halted.</p> <p>“There are certain successes for the Ukrainian Armed Forces that, unfortunately, I can’t detail because the operation is ongoing. But if you follow enemy Telegram channels, the information they’re sharing is accurate,” Filatov said.</p> <p>In recent days, several pro-war “Z” channels have circulated alarmed claims about a major Ukrainian counteroffensive near Hulyaipole in the Zaporizhzhia sector. Propagandist Yuriy Podolyaka alleged that large Ukrainian formations were committed to the fight and were trying to exploit Russia’s loss of quality communications, including Starlink.</p> <p>Reports have also pointed to some key gains by Ukraine’s Defense Forces on this stretch of the front, with Russian troops pushed out of Ternove and Prydorizhne. On February 10, Lukianivske was reported cleared of Russian forces.</p> <p>Ukraine is clearly conducting counteroffensive actions. However, based on the latest information, these appear to be localized operations to improve tactical positions rather than a large-scale offensive.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-commander-perun-confirms-advances-near-hulyaipole-on-the-zaporizhzhia-front">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-energy-ceo-urges-europe.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:23:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-energy-ceo-urges-europe.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0ac162bd1c.jpg" alt="Ukraine energy CEO urges Europe, NATO to prepare for Russian strikes on power grid"></p>"Learn from us and don't underestimate the threat coming from Russia," Maksym Timchenko, the head of DTEK, said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-energy-ceo-urges-europe-nato-to-prepare-for-russian-strikes-on-power-grid/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/macron-pushes-smallgroup-european-talks.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/macron-pushes-smallgroup-european-talks.html <p>French President Emmanuel Macron has again called for restarting direct talks between Europeans and the Kremlin.</p> <p>Engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin should be “well organized” and held in a small group, he said in an interview published Tuesday, February 10, by <a href="https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/macron-interview-frankreich-praesident-europa-usa-russland-li.3384437">Süddeutsche Zeitung</a>, El País and several other European newspapers.</p> <p>At the same time, Macron stressed that initial “technical” contacts confirmed Russia has no desire to end the war against Ukraine. He said he sent his diplomatic adviser to Moscow in early February to prepare for direct contacts with Russia’s leadership. “What did I achieve? Confirmation that Russia does not want peace right now. But above all, we restored those discussion channels at a technical level,” he said.</p> <p>Macron said he now plans to share this experience with European partners to build a “well-organized European approach” to dialogue with the Kremlin — one conducted without “too many interlocutors,” with a clear mandate and streamlined representation.</p> <p>The French leader also rejected the idea of handing this engagement to the United States, which is already holding talks with Russia. It’s unacceptable, he argued, to let American envoys negotiate on Europe’s behalf over the date of Ukraine’s EU accession in the event of a ceasefire. “Our geography will not change. Whether we like it or not, Russia will still be there tomorrow. And it’s right on our doorstep,” he said. After peace is reached in Ukraine, Europeans “will have to build a new security architecture in Europe with Russia,” he added.</p> <p>Commenting on US President Donald Trump’s territorial claims in the Arctic, Macron spoke of a “deep geopolitical rift” with the United States. “We are now in a phase I would call a ‘Greenland moment,’” he said. That moment “has undoubtedly made Europeans realize they are under threat” and unsure “how far the Americans are prepared to go,” he added.</p> <p>Addressing trade tensions with the US and China, Macron again urged issuing eurobonds and strengthening protection for European industry. “I mean not protectionism but a preference for European products,” he said. Investments, he added, should primarily target the defense industry, green technologies, artificial intelligence and the development of quantum computers.</p> <p>Macron welcomed the strengthening of relations between France and Germany following the rise to power of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “The Franco-German partnership is necessary to move Europe forward. But on its own, it’s not enough,” he said, pointing as well to deepening cooperation between both countries and Italy.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/macron-pushes-small-group-european-talks-with-putin-rejects-u-s-lead">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russia-effectively-dismisses-usukraine-peace.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:39:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russia-effectively-dismisses-usukraine-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c9cdca0647.jpg" alt="Russia effectively dismisses US-Ukraine peace framework, says it contradicts 'real' American plan"></p>The comments mark the third consecutive day of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's criticism of the U.S. approach.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-effectively-dismisses-us-ukraine-peace-framework/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukraine-says-it-crushed-a.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukraine-says-it-crushed-a.html <p>Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) say they have “crushed an entire Russian army” near Pokrovsk, leaving Russia’s offensive potential in the area exhausted, according to media reports.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military spent recent months grinding down Russian units around Pokrovsk, stripping them of striking power and depleting reserves and assault formations, according <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2492728437822953&id=100012574638321&rdid=mKbydKZrqKyZRmH1">to a Ukrainian serviceman, Kirill Sazonov</a>, who currently serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He announced what he called the successful completion of an operation aimed at maximally attriting Russian forces near Pokrovsk.</p> <p>Sazonov said the operation was designed as a deliberate “bleeding” of the enemy. Russian troops, he claimed, are pushing into Pokrovsk with heavy losses, entering what has become a scorched landscape for them and paying for every meter with lives. He stressed that Russia’s offensive potential on this axis has been fully spent.</p> <p>Ukrainian units used the defense of Pokrovsk to buy time to prepare new, more advantageous lines. The AFU had pre-positioned defenses on dominant heights, enabling a more effective model of defense featuring active use of artillery and strike drones.</p> <p>At the peak of the assaults, Sazonov noted, between seven and ten Russian assault troops were attacking for every one Ukrainian defender-an indication, he said, of the cost Russia was willing to pay to try to break through.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-crushed-a-russian-army-near-pokrovsk-exhausting-russia-s-offensive-potential">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/russian-army-is-not-preparing.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:48:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/russian-army-is-not-preparing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-11-11-09-29.jpg" alt="'Russian army is not preparing to stop' — 3 toddlers among 9 killed in attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 129 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 112.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-killed-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/zelensky-wont-announce-elections-on.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:13:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/zelensky-wont-announce-elections-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2246881534.jpg" alt="Zelensky won't announce elections on war anniversary amid talks of US-driven timeline, source says"></p><p>As of now, President Volodymyr Zelensky does not plan to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a possible peace deal with Russia on Feb. 24, a source in the President's Office familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 11.</p><p>The comment came after the</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-wont-announce-elections-on-invasion-anniversary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/the-hidden-cost-of-putins.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:01:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/the-hidden-cost-of-putins.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-upd-gettyimages-2232412770.jpg" alt="The hidden cost of Putin’s war: A more dependent Russia"></p><p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has increasingly characterized his all-out war against Ukraine as a struggle for "sovereignty," yet what limited territorial gains Russia has achieved since 2022 pale in significance to the staggering dependence on China that has emerged.</p><p>While the Kremlin had already been pursuing a "</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-quest-for-sovereignty-leads-to-beijing/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:38:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260404484.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,249,380 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 820 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-248-560-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/jd-vances-armenia-visit-brings.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 04:39:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/jd-vances-armenia-visit-brings.html <p>US Vice President J.D. Vance on February 10 wrapped up a two-day trip to Armenia, the first-ever visit to the country by a US official of this rank.</p> <p>In talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the two sides locked in agreements on deliveries of US defense technologies, the rollout of large-scale energy projects and the launch of a new economic initiative, the Trump Road to International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).</p> <p>With a follow-on trip to Azerbaijan, the visit signals an intensification of Washington’s mediation push to stabilize the South Caucasus, analysts say.</p> <p>Official Yerevan and the White House delegation all but framed the visit as the start of a new chapter in bilateral ties. The top agenda item: implementing TRIPP to build cross-border economic links and unlock transport routes across the region, particularly between Armenia and Azerbaijan.</p> <p>The TRIPP project is viewed as a key instrument to stabilize the South Caucasus after more than 30 years of conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. The “Declaration of Peace” signed in Washington in August 2025 laid the groundwork for this major infrastructure effort.</p> <p>Plans call for rail lines, pipelines, power transmission and fiber-optic cables to run through Armenia’s southern regions. The infrastructure is designed to ensure unhindered connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and its exclave, Nakhchivan.</p> <p>Yerevan and Washington have already agreed on the technical and legal parameters for managing the future corridors. Under the deal, a dedicated project company will operate the transport logistics - specifically, the railway. Ownership would be split with 74% controlled by the US side and 24% by Armenia. The concession term is 49 years, which both sides say guarantees long-term US capital and technology engagement.</p> <p>After talks with Pashinyan, Vance said the TRIPP fund is ready to invest private capital in regional infrastructure, including railways and pipelines. “This will open an entirely new world of trade, transit and energy flows in this region and create unprecedented linkages between Armenia and its neighbors,” Vance said.</p> <p>Russia also remains interested in the project’s logistics component; it currently operates Armenia’s railway under a concession. While Yerevan had not sharply objected in the past, Armenia’s leadership has taken a harder line. National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan recently ruled out Russia’s involvement, arguing the project could not function effectively otherwise.</p> <p>One of the visit’s most consequential outcomes was the first major defense-technology deal: Washington confirmed the sale of V-BAT reconnaissance drones to Armenia, totaling $11 million. Vance said the delivery is part of a deterrence concept, stressing that access to modern defensive technologies underpins sustainable peace in the region. Pashinyan expressed hope the sale—executed through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program—will lay the groundwork for deeper defense cooperation.</p> <p>Vance’s statements drew wide reaction among Armenian experts and the public. Many see the drone transfer not as a one-off but as the beginning of a systematic, long-term defense partnership with Washington. Supporters argue the visit could set a precedent that allows Armenia to diversify its arms purchases with modern US systems. “This is a significant step forward in developing defense cooperation and a valuable asset from Shield AI. There are many avenues ahead to explore and advance,” said Leonid Nersisyan, a military expert at APRI Armenia.</p> <p>On energy, the talks concluded negotiations on a “123 Agreement” for peaceful nuclear cooperation. Once formalities are finalized, the agreement would open a legal path for exporting US civilian nuclear technologies to Armenia, including small modular reactors. “This means initial exports from the US of up to $5 billion, plus an additional $4 billion in long-term support in the form of fuel and maintenance contracts,” Vance said.</p> <p>Framing the nuclear prospects, the vice president called the pending deal a classic example of cooperation that strengthens energy security for both countries while creating new US high-tech jobs. “This means American technologies—small modular reactors—will come into the country. Armenia is one of the few countries we trust enough to invest at this scale and to transfer technologies of this kind,” he said.</p> <p>For Armenia-the only country in the South Caucasus with nuclear power and aiming to replace its nuclear plant by 2036-opting for US reactors would significantly diversify a sector long dominated by Russian technology.</p> <p>Moscow’s response came almost immediately. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia that Russia is ready “to launch the new NPP project as soon as possible,” insisting there are no real alternatives to what he called Russia’s proven technologies and financing, including workforce training.</p> <p>Armenia’s government has already decided it needs a new modular nuclear plant with a capacity of 400–500 MW. Until recently, Yerevan stressed it was reviewing proposals and consulting with key market players—Russia, the US, China, France and South Korea.</p> <p>Still, Vance’s comments about potential US nuclear exports to Armenia prompted many to ask whether Yerevan has already chosen its main technology partner. Whether that’s the case remains unclear. Official Yerevan has yet to offer further clarification.</p> <p>In high tech, the sides finalized agreements to build an artificial intelligence plant and a large data center in Armenia with US company Firebird. The project will rely on high-performance NVIDIA graphics processors; export clearance has already been obtained. Vance said the cooperation underscores a high level of trust in Armenia as a reliable innovation partner.</p> <p>Following Vance’s visit, Firebird announced phase two of the “AI megaproject in Armenia,” expanding its scope eightfold—from an initial $500 million to $4 billion. Boosting capacity to 50,000 NVIDIA GPUs by 2026 would turn the country into one of the “five largest global supercomputing hubs.”</p> <p>The regional agenda also included steps to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey, including reopening the Gyumri–Kars railway, Pashinyan said after talks with the US side.</p> <p>The visit’s political context was underscored by Vance’s direct endorsement of Pashinyan ahead of elections set for June. “I know elections are approaching—we discussed that. If my support carries any weight, he certainly has it, because he (Nikol Pashinyan) is exactly the person who can build a long-term partnership to successfully implement projects like this,” Vance said when asked about progress on the “Trump Route” project.</p> <p>That stance from Washington broadly aligns with sentiment in Armenian society toward the US. According to the latest International Republican Institute (IRI) poll in June 2025, 69% of respondents rate current relations with the United States as good.</p> <p>As officials discussed economic prospects, activists and opposition figures staged a protest outside the Armenian president’s residence, where talks with the US delegation were underway. Demonstrators urged the vice president to use his upcoming trip to Baku to push for the release of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan. According to official figures, there are 19. Protesters stressed that humanitarian issues must remain a priority alongside economic and energy deals.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/j-d-vance-s-armenia-visit-brings-drones-tripp-corridors-and-us-nuclear-and-ai-deals">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/more-than-subscribers-without-power.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 04:23:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/more-than-subscribers-without-power.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/592afd7f47.jpg" alt="More than 11,000 subscribers without power in Zaporizhzhia following Russian drone attack"></p>A Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia late on Feb. 10 left over 11,000 subscribers without electricity in the city, local officials reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/more-than-11-000-subscribers-without-power-in-zaporizhzhia-following-russian-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ioc-bars-ukrainian-skeleton-racer.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:37:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ioc-bars-ukrainian-skeleton-racer.html <p>The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has barred Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from competing at the Olympics in a helmet bearing photos of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia.</p> <p>On Monday, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine asked organizers of the Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo Games to allow the athlete to use the helmet, saying it “fully complied with safety requirements and did not violate IOC rules.”</p> <p>“It contains no advertising, political slogans or discriminatory elements and was confirmed as compliant with established standards during official training,” the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee said.</p> <p>However, on Tuesday IOC spokesperson Mark Adams told a news conference the helmet allegedly ran afoul of the rules.</p> <p>“The IOC fully understands the desire of athletes to honor friends who died during this conflict,” Adams said. “He did this during training and expressed his feelings on social media.”</p> <p>Adams added the committee had agreed to make an exception and allow Heraskevych to wear a black armband in memory of the dead.</p> <p>Despite the ban, Heraskevych wore the helmet at a second official training session.</p> <p>“Today there was an IOC press conference. And I can say that I do not agree with this decision, because I sincerely believe that we did not break any rules. Rule 50, concerning political propaganda, discrimination or racial propaganda, has nothing to do with this helmet. As you can see, all these athletes were killed, but their voice is so loud that it can really be heard,” Heraskevych said.</p> <p>“There are 24 people on this helmet, but in total more than 500 Ukrainian athletes have been killed as a result of Russian aggression. They cannot compete at these Olympic Games. And I believe that if not for their self-sacrifice, the war could have been in Europe. I truly believe that we are here and we can enjoy these competitions thanks to their self-sacrifice. I believe they deserve to be here with me. I am not betraying these athletes. My plan is to use this helmet in all trainings, as well as on competition day,” the Ukrainian athlete emphasized.</p> <p>Heraskevych also noted that the IOC does not have enough armbands to honor all Ukrainian athletes killed as a result of the war.</p> <p>Heraskevych placed portraits on his helmet of Ukrainian athletes who were killed in the war, including figure skater Dmitry Sharpar (killed in fighting near Bakhmut) and 19-year-old biathlete Yevgeny Malyshev (killed near Kharkiv).</p> <p>Also on the helmet are 14-year-old weightlifter Alina Peregudova (killed in Mariupol), 20-year-old dancer Daria Kurdel (killed in shelling in the Mykolaiv region), all‑around athlete Pavel Ishchenko, athlete and actor Ivan Kononenko, hockey player Alexei Loginov, diver Nikita Kozubenko and shooter Alexei Khabarov (all of whom died at the front in the ranks of Ukraine’s Armed Forces).</p> <p>“Some of them were also members of the Olympic movement, the Olympic family; some were just children who came under Russian shelling. These were people who had been closely connected with sports all their lives, rooted for us, were our friends… Some of them were my friends,” Heraskevych noted.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ioc-bars-ukrainian-skeleton-racer-from-wearing-helmet-honoring-athletes-killed-by-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/toddlers-other-killed-in-russian.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:42:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/toddlers-other-killed-in-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-10-18-23-52.jpg" alt="3 toddlers, 1 other killed in Russian strike on Kharkiv Oblast"></p>A Russian strike on Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Oblast, killed four people, including three toddlers, and injured two others, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported overnight Feb. 11.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/3-toddlers-1-other-killed-in-russian-strike-on-kharkiv-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-russias.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:05:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/11/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-10-at-5-10-01-pm.png" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russia's Volgograd oil refinery"></p>Ukrainian drones targeted Russia's Volgograd oil refinery overnight Feb. 11, setting the site ablaze, local media reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-russias-volgograd-oil-refinery/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ampquot-ways-to-turn-on.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ampquot-ways-to-turn-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/abf5fef832.jpg" alt="❗️&quot;10 ways to turn on a blocked STARLINK&quot;: Russians are desperate #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mAyl_X9eK1g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/kazakhstans-constitutional-overhaul-signals-a.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/kazakhstans-constitutional-overhaul-signals-a.html <p>In late January, Kazakhstan <a href="https://azertag.az/ru/xeber/v_kazahstane_dorabatyvayut_proekt_konstitucii_s_uchetom_predlozhenii_grazhdan-4008375">unveiled an initiative</a> to draft a new Constitution that would amend up to 84% of the foundational text. Moscow has made no secret of its irritation, framing the move as a wholesale remaking of the nation’s identity that scrubs away Russian and Soviet inheritances.</p> <p>Under the proposals, the updated Constitution would introduce traditional Kazakh names for state institutions, and the preamble would enshrine the term “Great Steppe.” Astana is completing a shift to assert itself as the historical heir to the Golden Horde, rather than a part of the Soviet or Russian space.</p> <p>In Kazakh historical scholarship, the Soviet period is increasingly described officially as an “occupation,” mirroring language used in Ukraine. That approach is taking deeper root in state policy and education, shaping a new understanding of the past.</p> <p>What especially irks Moscow, according to Russian commentary, is that Kazakhstan enlisted Western legal experts, including specialists from the United Kingdom, to help shape the constitutional overhaul. Russian analysts argue Astana is deliberately drawing on the experiences of Ukraine and Georgia, where nationalism underpinned new state identities after breaking with Russia.</p> <p>Within Russia’s expert community, the view is blunt: Kazakhstan is following a trajectory familiar to the Kremlin - rejecting a shared past, reframing history, and gradually moving out of Moscow’s orbit.</p> <p>In Moscow, there is growing acknowledgment that developments in Kazakhstan are part of a broader pattern. Across former Soviet republics, new national myths are taking shape with an increasingly anti-Russian edge. That dynamic, Russian commentators warn, is intensifying geopolitical, economic and military pressure on Russia as it loses allies and its traditional sphere of influence.</p> <p>In effect, they argue, the region is systematically distancing itself from Russia as its historical and political center.</p> <p>Russian analysts caution that unless the Kremlin crafts new influence strategies - beyond information campaigns to include expert engagement - a generation will come of age in Kazakhstan viewing Russia almost exclusively through a negative lens.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kazakhstan-s-constitutional-overhaul-signals-a-ukrainian-style-break-from-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/eu-to-sanction-georgias-kulevi.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/eu-to-sanction-georgias-kulevi.html <p>The EU’s diplomatic service has, for the first time, proposed adding ports in third countries to its Russia sanctions regime, Reuters reported Monday, citing a document outlining measures for a 20th package of restrictions.</p> <p>A draft prepared by the European External Action Service together with the European Commission names two facilities - Georgia’s Kulevi port and Indonesia’s Karimun port. The document says both terminals have been involved in transshipping Russian oil to circumvent Western sanctions.</p> <p>Georgia’s Kulevi port began receiving Russian oil in October last year, when the country’s first full-cycle refinery went online. According to <a href="https://ifact.ge/chrdilovani-ploti-rogor-moedineba-rusuli-navtobi-sakartvelos-portebshi/">an investigation by Georgian journalists</a>, at least 19 tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” have called at Georgian ports — including Kulevi, Batumi and Poti - over the past two years. The ships switched off their automatic identification systems upon entering Georgian territorial waters, a common indicator of sanctions evasion.</p> <p>In 2025, the Indonesian terminal at Karimun became the largest transshipment hub for Russian petroleum products. The port lies in a free-trade zone roughly 37 kilometers (23 miles) from Singapore and is not overseen by Indonesian authorities. There, Russian oil is mixed with crude from other countries, reclassified as Indonesian product and shipped to Malaysia, Singapore and China. According to Ukrainian intelligence, 590,000 tons of fuel oil from Russia’s Ust-Luga port have passed through Karimun since the start of the year.</p> <p>The EU has said it is preparing a 20th package of sanctions against Russia, which it aims to adopt by February 24 — the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In December, the bloc added 41 tankers to its sanctions list, bringing the total number of sanctioned vessels to nearly 600. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc intends to impose monthly restrictions on ships carrying Russian oil.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-to-sanction-georgia-s-kulevi-port-and-indonesia-s-karimun-over-russian-shadow-fleet-tankers">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/putins-dilemma-the-number-of.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/putins-dilemma-the-number-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/98cd329984.jpg" alt="⁉️ PUTIN'S DILEMMA: the number of LIES must exceed the number of &quot;VICTORIES&quot; #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_0gm2NJHvpU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukraine-war-latest-russia-threatens.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:14:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukraine-war-latest-russia-threatens.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/58534b6ab7.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russia threatens families of Ukrainian POWs to register Starlink terminals"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 10</strong></p><ul><li>Russia threatens families of Ukrainian POWs to register Starlink terminals, Ukraine says;</li><li>More arms purchases for Ukraine under NATO-led PURL initiative on the way;</li><li>11-year-old child killed alongside mother after Russia strikes Sloviansk with glide bombs;</li><li>Japan to join NATO-led initiative to purchase US weapons</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-russia-threatens-families-of-ukrainian-pows-to-register-starlink-terminals-ukraine-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/russian-court-issues-first-known.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/russian-court-issues-first-known.html <p>A court in Russia’s Murmansk region has convicted Ukrainian citizen and retiree Vasily Yovdiy of “discrediting” the Russian armed forces for clicking “like” on YouTube videos, according to <a href="https://kovd--mrm.sudrf.ru/modules.php?name=sud_delo&srv_num=1&name_op=case&case_id=198455124&case_uid=ffe25699-b6eb-4c04-a53a-7e1699b5dcbc&delo_id=1500001">a court ruling</a>. It is likely the first conviction over YouTube likes. Yovdiy was fined 30,000 rubles. The Telegram channel “Vyorstka” <a href="https://t.me/svobodnieslova/8345">drew attention to the verdict</a>.</p> <p>According to the court order, Yovdiy used his personal mobile phone to log into YouTube and hit “like” under several videos, including content from authors officially labeled “foreign agents.” He also liked a video about the reported death in December 2024 of General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops. The document does not disclose specific video titles.</p> <p>The case began after the FSB’s border directorate in the village of Alakurtti conducted a check. Investigators seized Yovdiy’s smartphone and examined its contents, finding his YouTube account with 139 videos in the “liked” section. The court deemed his actions public, even though a user’s list of liked videos on YouTube is visible only to the account owner and hidden from other users. “Vyorstka” notes there had been no prior recorded cases of penalties for YouTube likes under the “discreditation” statute.</p> <p>Evgeny Smirnov, a lawyer with the First Department project, told “Vyorstka” he had not previously encountered a similar case. He pointed out that, unlike other proceedings under the article on “discrediting” the armed forces, the judge did not analyze which specific signs of “discreditation” were present, instead concluding that content posted by a “foreign agent” automatically constitutes “discreditation,” and a like signifies agreement with it.</p> <p>Separately, on February 9, the Leninsky District Court of Samara fined retiree Grigory Yeremeyev 30,000 rubles in an administrative case over “discrediting” the army. On December 23, Yeremeyev spoke at a session of the Samara Regional Duma, declaring the “failure of the special military operation” and saying Vladimir Putin is unable to end the war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-court-issues-first-known-fine-for-youtube-likes-under-army-discreditation-law">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/why-was-ukraines-skeleton-racer.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:00:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/why-was-ukraines-skeleton-racer.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4fb1b43223.jpg" alt="😡 Why was Ukraine's skeleton racer BANNED from honoring athletes KILLED by Russia?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACG6tyTRIJM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukrainian-athlete-refuses-to-shake.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:07:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukrainian-athlete-refuses-to-shake.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9ffd587da3.jpg" alt="⚡️ Ukrainian athlete refuses to shake hands with Russian woman at the 2026 Olympics #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v6ju184GCHQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/russia-broke-the-energy-ceasefire.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:54:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/russia-broke-the-energy-ceasefire.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258210586.jpg" alt="Russia broke the energy ceasefire. The West can enforce one that lasts"></p><p>Russia is back to destroying Ukraine's critical infrastructure, following several days of reprieve facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump's diplomatic push. </p><p>Moscow's brief pause on terror was unmasked as a magnified attack days later. Russian drones and missiles <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mass-attack-ukraine-emergency-power-outages/">were launched</a> on Ukraine'</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-broke-the-energy-ceasefire-the-west-can-enforce-one-that-lasts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/193004.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/193004.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0d2364ee1f.jpg" alt="🔥 Russian &quot;LANCET&quot; destroyed by Ukrainian CHEAP UAV for $30,000 #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0VSQqGyuYF0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/everyone-is-waiting-for-spring.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:07:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/everyone-is-waiting-for-spring.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260383457.jpg" alt="'Everyone is waiting for spring' — How Kyiv's hardest hit district is coping with no heating"></p><p>The east bank of Kyiv has been hit hardest by Russia’s latest attacks on the capital’s energy infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands of residents facing much of the winter without central heating as nighttime temperatures drop to -19°Celsius.</p><p>"They destroyed our thermal power</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/everyone-is-waiting-for-spring-how-kyivs-hardest-hit-district-is-coping-with-no-heating/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/eu-lawmakers-urge-urgent-rampup.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/eu-lawmakers-urge-urgent-rampup.html <p>The European Parliament’s defense and security committee on Monday, Feb. 9, called for an urgent increase in military support for Ukraine.</p> <p>After visiting Kyiv on Feb. 5–6, the delegation said it saw no signs of a ceasefire despite ongoing talks.</p> <p>“While we welcome progress in peace negotiations, in Kyiv we witnessed Russia continuing to strike civilian infrastructure with missiles, killing civilians and leaving thousands to freeze without heat and electricity in subzero temperatures. We cannot simply ‘hope’ for peace — we must act now and give Ukraine the means to secure peace by force,” said Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament’s defense and security committee.</p> <p>The lawmakers traveled to Kyiv ahead of a plenary vote on a 90 billion euro European Union loan for Ukraine, set for Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.</p> <p>The delegation met with representatives of the Ukrainian president’s office and government, leaders of the Verkhovna Rada, and members of civil society and the defense industry. “EU citizens are calling to support Ukraine and strengthen European defense,” Strack-Zimmermann said, citing a European Parliament press release.</p> <p>The press release highlights Ukraine’s interest in taking part in EU defense initiatives such as the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) and the Security for Europe (SAFE) instrument.</p> <p>Lawmakers said the European Parliament stands ready to use its legislative and budgetary powers to reinforce Europe’s defense capabilities and integrate Ukraine’s defense industry into the EU’s security architecture.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-lawmakers-urge-urgent-ramp-up-in-military-aid-to-ukraine-ahead-of-90-billion-loan-vote">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukrainian-missiles-destroy-putins-main.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukrainian-missiles-destroy-putins-main.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d12ff34f0e.jpg" alt="Ukrainian missiles destroy Putin’s main training ground — end of Kremlin’s secret weapon?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bWNpwleTe0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukrainian-intelligence-names-russian-drone.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukrainian-intelligence-names-russian-drone.html <p>Russian companies involved in developing and producing drones used by Russia in the war against Ukraine, the agency’s press service said Monday, February 9.</p> <p>The data appear in the “Aggressor’s defense industry” section of the War&Sanctions portal. The update includes:</p> <p>- Agency for Digital Development LLC - developer and manufacturer of the Svarog line of cargo UAVs, which Russian naval infantry units used to supply occupying forces on islands in the Dnipro delta in Kherson region;</p> <p>- Companies of the Aero-Khit group - developer and producer of Veles FPV drones, owned by Konstantin Basyuk, described as the Russian Federation’s “senator” from the temporarily occupied Kherson region, and receiving state funding from Russia’s budget;</p> <p>- KB Microbe — developer of the eponymous FPV drone series, as well as JSC Ploshchad, which builds autopilot and machine-vision systems for them.</p> <p>“The companies published should be included in the ‘blacklists’ of responsible businesses, financial institutions and export-control authorities in the countries of the free world,” GUR said.</p> <p>The agency noted that more than half of the firms are still not sanctioned by any country in the coalition, allowing Russia to obtain technology, components and financing without hindrance.</p> <p>Earlier, GUR published an interactive 3D model, component base and data on 31 companies involved in producing universal planning and correction modules (UMPK), which Russia is using at scale for strikes on Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-intelligence-names-21-russian-drone-makers-says-over-half-remain-unsanctioned">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/putins-arctic-shipping-ambitions-falter.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/putins-arctic-shipping-ambitions-falter.html <p>For the second year in a row, Russia failed to meet its targets for the Northern Sea Route, with cargo volumes declining and the Kremlin’s goals still out of reach.</p> <p>President Vladimir Putin’s ambitious drive to turn the Arctic into a strategic transport corridor has once again fallen short. Despite bold promises, shipments along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) decreased in 2025 and the Kremlin’s stated benchmarks remained on paper, <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/02/09/plan-putina-po-perevozkam-gruzov-cherez-severnii-ledovitii-okean-provalilsya-vtoroi-god-podryad-a186709">The Moscow Times reports</a>.</p> <p>According to the Gekon Center, just 37.02 million tons of cargo moved along the NSR in 2025, down 2.3% from a year earlier. In 2024, the figure was 38 million tons—already well below targets set by a 2018 Putin decree that envisioned 80 million tons by 2024 and 200 million by 2030.</p> <p>The 5,600-kilometer route, spanning five Arctic seas, can theoretically cut the journey to Asia by 7–10 days compared with the Suez Canal. But despite the potential, interest remains limited. The flow is dominated by Russian energy—LNG, crude and gas condensate—accounting for 83% of exports.</p> <p>In 2025, LNG shipments fell 2.7%. Crude deliveries from the Novy Port field also declined, while bulk cargoes dropped more than 2.5 times. General cargo, including Norilsk Nickel products, slipped 2.2%.</p> <p>There were pockets of growth: petroleum-product shipments rose 43%, gas condensate increased 17%, and ore-concentrate volumes jumped 13.5 times. That spike, however, was driven by a one-off shipment of 330,000 tons of iron ore concentrate from Russia’s Murmansk region to China, not a sign of sustained expansion.</p> <p>Total NSR cargo turnover reached 32.5 million tons, with more than 90% moving through the port of Sabetta. Mikhail Grigoryev, head of the Gekon Center, said 2026 volumes will not exceed last year’s levels, citing a lack of growth drivers. He added that fully utilizing the route from the Kara Gates to the Bering Strait will require international cooperation and new export markets—something the Kremlin has yet to secure.</p> <p>As a result, the Kremlin’s project to turn the Arctic into a strategic transport corridor continues to sputter, and Putin’s ambitious plans remain largely on paper.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-s-arctic-shipping-ambitions-falter-as-northern-sea-route-cargo-falls-for-a-second-year">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/russia-threatens-families-of-ukrainian.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:39:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/russia-threatens-families-of-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/25789268a0.jpg" alt="Russia threatens families of Ukrainian POWs to register Starlink terminals, Ukraine says"></p>Ukraine says Russian forces are threatening families of Ukrainian POWs to get Starlink terminals registered for battlefield use.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-using-pows-families-to-register-starlink-terminals-ukraine-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukraine-moves-its-power-grid.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:09:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukraine-moves-its-power-grid.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259327092-1.jpg" alt="Ukraine moves its power grid underground to shield it from Russian attacks"></p>So far, Ukraine has secured one substation in an underground concrete bunker with a second one underway, Vitaliy Zaichenko, CEO of Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-grid operator, told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-moves-its-power-grid-underground-to-shield-it-from-russian-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/billion-for-weapons-as-russia.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:01:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/billion-for-weapons-as-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ad1cf297fb.jpg" alt="€90 BILLION FOR WEAPONS! As Russia attacks babies in Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s financial battering ram"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH24IWhyEac">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/yearold-child-killed-alongside-mother.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/yearold-child-killed-alongside-mother.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2026-02-10-14-41-22.jpg" alt="11-year-old child killed alongside mother after Russia strikes Sloviansk with glide bombs"></p>The attack brings the official number of children confirmed killed by Russia's war to 681, according to statistics published by the Prosecutor General's Office.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/11-year-old-child-killed-alongside-mother-after-russia-strikes-sloviansk-with-glide-bombs/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukraines-starlink-cutoff-hobbles-russian.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukraines-starlink-cutoff-hobbles-russian.html <p>After Starlink was disabled for the Russian military, Ukraine recorded a sharp drop in Russian drones operating deep behind the lines; such strikes have now almost disappeared.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported a noticeable decline in Russian drone activity in rear areas following the blocking of Starlink satellite communications for Russia’s army. Senior communications officer of the 59th Separate Assault Brigade Taras Mishak said as much <a href="https://espreso.tv/viyna-z-rosiyeyu-fiksuemo-menshe-vorozhikh-droniv-u-nashomu-tilu-59-ta-oshbr-pro-blokuvannya-starlink-dlya-armii-rf">on Ukrainian television</a>.</p> <p>According to Mishak, Russian forces had actively used Starlink on “Molniya”-type drones. These aircraft penetrated dozens of kilometers into Ukrainian territory, at times nearly reaching Pavlohrad, and served as “motherships” and relays, releasing multiple FPV drones at once.</p> <p>“Since the shutdown of Starlink for the enemy began, we are seeing significantly fewer hostile drones in our rear. Such strikes are now practically absent,” Mishak emphasized.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops say the effect of the blockade has been systemic. In Russian Telegram channels, there’s been what Mishak called “whining”: units have lost communications, command-and-control has been disrupted, and in some sectors assault operations were suspended.</p> <p>Effectively, the Russian army has been deprived of one of the key technological advantages it sought to use for strikes on Ukraine’s rear.</p> <p>Blogger Roman Shrike <a href="https://t.me/ShrikeNews/28092">notes</a> a clear trend: there are fewer drones.</p> <p>In late January, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Russia had begun mass outfitting its drones with Starlink satellite terminals. The issue was then raised at the international level.</p> <p>As a result, a decision was made to restrict the Russian military’s access to this technology—and frontline reports indicate the move has significantly hurt Russia’s capabilities.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-starlink-cutoff-hobbles-russian-drones-and-communications">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/kremlin-pushes-for-closeddoor-ukraine.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/kremlin-pushes-for-closeddoor-ukraine.html <p>Russia is urging that details of the understandings discussed during U.S.-Russia talks in Alaska in August 2025 not be made public. That meeting brought together Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>The Kremlin says future negotiations should be conducted behind closed doors, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told state-run <a href="https://ria.ru/20260209/ankoridzh-2073173003.html">RIA Novosti</a>.</p> <p>He emphasized that Moscow does not intend to share details of any understandings publicly.</p> <p>“Indeed, there are a number of understandings that were reached in Anchorage (a city in Alaska), which were voiced even before Anchorage, during the visit here by Mr. Witkoff (Donald Trump’s special representative for Middle East affairs). And after that, the need for a summit meeting arose,” Peskov said.</p> <p>He added that the Kremlin plans to keep subsequent discussions private rather than engage in “public, megaphone diplomacy.”</p> <p>Russia considers the understandings reached during the Alaska summit to be fundamental and a basis for potential progress, Peskov suggested.</p> <p>Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed the United States initially proposed understandings to end the war in Ukraine but has since backed away from them. He said he was referring to the Anchorage summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.</p> <p>Before that, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the agreement resulting from the Alaska talks already allegedly included compromises from the Kremlin.</p> <p>In the early hours of Saturday, August 16, talks were held in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Focus examined whether the meeting brought peace in Ukraine any closer and how events might unfold next.</p> <p>The Kremlin assessed the leaders’ meeting positively. Afterward, Peskov said the conversation would allow Moscow to “move forward confidently” in seeking ways to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-pushes-for-closed-door-ukraine-talks-says-alaska-summit-understandings-are-foundational">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/russia-reportedly-restricts-telegram-in.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:24:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/russia-reportedly-restricts-telegram-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2205105387-1.jpg" alt="Russia reportedly restricts Telegram in latest push to tighten internet control"></p>Russian lawmaker Andrei Svintsov said Telegram may face restrictions because it "does not fully comply with the requirements" of Russian law.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-reportedly-restricts-telegram/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/kremlin-says-ukraine-breakthrough-hinges.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/kremlin-says-ukraine-breakthrough-hinges.html <p>A breakthrough in negotiations to end the “Ukrainian conflict” is possible only if the positions agreed at the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, are observed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media on Monday, February 9.</p> <p>“It is obvious that the understandings reached in Anchorage are fundamental, and it is precisely these understandings that can move the settlement process forward and make a breakthrough possible,” he said.</p> <p>Asked about the current status of those understandings, Peskov said “the work continues.”</p> <p>He did not elaborate on what he means by the “spirit of Anchorage” and stressed that, as before, the Kremlin believes talks should be conducted behind closed doors in the interests of a settlement. He noted that these “understandings” were voiced ahead of the Anchorage summit.</p> <p>Peskov was responding to a question about whether Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s statement—that the United States is unwilling to accept Russia’s proposals on Ukraine—means the “spirit of Anchorage” is already dead.</p> <p>Earlier Monday, Lavrov said the United States is no longer ready to follow through on what he claimed were its proposals on Ukraine made in Anchorage.</p> <p>“By accepting their proposal, we supposedly fulfilled the task of resolving the Ukrainian issue and moving on to full-scale, broad, mutually beneficial cooperation. So far, in practice, the opposite is true: new sanctions are being introduced, and a ‘war’ is being waged against tankers on the high seas, violating the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Lavrov said in an interview with the international TV BRICS network.</p> <p>Moscow earlier said that work on a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine would take at least a month and a half even under favorable negotiating conditions.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Kyiv said the latest talks in Abu Dhabi addressed methods for implementing a ceasefire and monitoring a halt in hostilities.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-says-ukraine-breakthrough-hinges-on-anchorage-understandings">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/russia-says-long-way-to.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:07:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/russia-says-long-way-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ac88100cb2.jpg" alt="Russia says 'long way to go' in Ukraine peace talks as Lavrov rejects US optimism"></p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned against what he described as excessive optimism surrounding the talks.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-says-long-way-to-go-in-ukraine-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:41:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257221968.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,248,560 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 980 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-248-560-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/senior-russian-official-says-moscow.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:53:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/senior-russian-official-says-moscow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8abf549e50.jpg" alt="Senior Russian official says Moscow needs 'security guarantees'"></p>"We recognize that a peaceful settlement in Ukraine must take into account Ukraine's security interests, but the key importance, of course, is Russia's security interests," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Feb. 10.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/senior-russian-official-says-moscow-needs-security-guarantees/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukraine-says-no-counteroffensive-near.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:30:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukraine-says-no-counteroffensive-near.html <p>Ukrainian forces have stepped up activity near Hulyaipole, but not as part of a counteroffensive, Ukraine’s military says. Pro-war Russian bloggers (“Z-channels”) are spreading false claims about a supposed Ukrainian “counteroffensive” and about shifts in the front line, according to Ukraine’s Defense Forces in the south. Ukrainian officials say Russian troops briefly entered a village before being swiftly cleared out.</p> <p>Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for the Defense Forces of the South, <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/silah-oboroni-vidpovili-zayavi-rf-kontrnastup-1770640052.html">told RBC-Ukraine</a> that Ukrainian troops conduct daily “clearing” operations against Russian assault groups attempting to infiltrate Ukrainian positions. He said Russia is portraying these routine actions as a “counteroffensive,” which is not taking place. Voloshyn also said a Russian-published front-line map is inaccurate, claiming the fighting is actually 12–14 kilometers in the opposite direction.</p> <p>His comments came hours after Z-channels reported a Ukrainian advance. Voloshyn described the Ukrainian actions as “reconnaissance-and-search operations,” carried out up to 20 times a day to neutralize Russian sabotage groups. “From a military standpoint, these actions are not a counteroffensive,” he said.</p> <p>Russian outlets also circulated a map suggesting a significant westward shift of the front near Hulyaipole, placing Ternovate, Nechaivka, Andriivka, Otradne, Novooleksandrivka, Alekseyevka (near Pokrovske), Sosnivka and Orestopil in the occupied zone. The Ukrainian command’s representative said Russian forces remain far from Pokrovske and have not taken Ternovate.</p> <p>According to Voloshyn, small Russian groups try to push deeper into Ukrainian lines and then present those brief incursions as the capture of new settlements. Ukrainian troops, he said, quickly “clear” such groups. He cited Ternovate as an example, saying Russia reported seizing the village even though the front line is actually 10–15 kilometers away. “They were there for only a few hours before being destroyed by our forces,” the press officer said.</p> <p>In its morning report on February 9, Ukraine’s General Staff showed the front line running along the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions in the Hulyaipole sector. According to the General Staff, both Ternovate and Dobropillya remain under Ukrainian control.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-no-counteroffensive-near-hulyaipole-debunks-russian-front-line-maps">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ukraine-says-strike-on-rostov.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ukraine-says-strike-on-rostov.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces conducted a series of precision strikes on Russian military targets, inflicting what they described as significant losses to Russia’s “offensive potential.” The attacks destroyed a command post, an ammunition depot and, according to preliminary estimates, a large drone warehouse holding about 6,000 FPV drones.</p> <p>The strikes were part of ongoing efforts to degrade Russia’s combat capabilities and targeted sites that play a key role in supporting and controlling Russian units, Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/34839">said</a>. The attacks were carried out both in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine and deep inside Russia.</p> <p>Overnight on February 9, near the town of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian units hit a command post of a Russian airborne unit, the military said. Disabling the site has significantly complicated Russian coordination in that area, according to the assessment.</p> <p>At the same time, on Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine’s Kherson region, near the settlement of Novoalekseyevka, Ukrainian forces struck a Russian ammunition depot. The hit substantially reduced the stock of munitions used to support combat operations, the statement said.</p> <p>The heaviest losses, according to the General Staff, stem from earlier strikes on a drone warehouse near Rostov-on-Don. Three containers filled with FPV drones and components were confirmed destroyed. Preliminary calculations indicate around 6,000 drones were eliminated, with several additional containers damaged.</p> <p>“Ukraine’s Defense Forces will continue systematic actions aimed at weakening the offensive capabilities and reducing the combat potential of the Russian aggressor,” the statement said.</p> <p>The General Staff noted that figures on Russian losses and the scale of the damage are still being clarified. Russia’s Ministry of Defense has not commented on the claims.</p> <p>On February 4, explosions were reported at energy infrastructure sites in Russia’s Bryansk region. OSINT analysts later said the 750 kV Novobryanskaya substation near the town of Klintsy was hit.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces are targeting Russia’s energy sector because President Vladimir Putin sells energy resources and uses the proceeds to fund the killing of civilians.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-strike-on-rostov-drone-depot-destroyed-about-6-000-russian-fpv-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/russian-arbat-battalion-commander-abrek.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:37:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/russian-arbat-battalion-commander-abrek.html <p>Ayk Gasparyan, the commander of the volunteer battalion “ArBat” with the call sign “Abrek,” went to war with the Russian Armed Forces and was killed after three years of fighting. “Abrek” had been imprisoned for robbery and was due to serve seven years, but went on to receive a state honor from President Vladimir Putin. What distinguished a convicted criminal who began his path in Russia and ended his days on the front in Ukraine?</p> <p>Gasparyan, a Russian volunteer of Armenian origin, was carrying out a combat mission against Ukrainian forces and did not survive, the defense-focused outlet “Militarnyi” <a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/https-militarnyi-com-uk-news-https-militarnyi-com-uk-news-436152">reported</a>. The circumstances of his death are unknown, but there is information about his activities harmful to Ukraine and Armenia: in both countries the “activist” acted in the interests of Russia and other criminal groups.</p> <p>The incident was reported <a href="https://t.me/Prikhodko1970/27190">on a Telegram</a> post by the so-called “mayor” of occupied Horlivka, the outlet found. The information appeared on the morning of February 9. The post said the commander of the ArBat special-purpose battalion, Ayk “Abrek,” had been killed.</p> <p>Militarnyi noted that “ArBat” was part of the assault unit “Pyatnashka” of the Russian Armed Forces. The unit was created in 2022 by crime boss Armen Sarkisyan, known as “Gorlovsky.” Gasparyan, previously convicted of robbery and other crimes, became the commander of “ArBat.” The outlet also reported that the mercenary fought near Soledar and Bakhmut with the Wagner private military company and, in 2023, received the Order of Courage, which was presented to him personally by Putin.</p> <p><a href="https://fightnews.info/fighters/hayk-gasparyan">Russian media wrote</a> about Ayk Gasparyan, who was killed in the war in Ukraine while serving with Russia’s army. It emerged he was a former MMA fighter and convicted felon who, at the start of the war, was in a Ryazan prison on an armed robbery charge and was to serve seven years. When Wagner’s then-owner Yevgeny Prigozhin began recruiting volunteers, Gasparyan signed up and fought in Donetsk region. The BBC also <a href="https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-64427178">noted</a> he not only joined Wagner, but recorded recruitment videos for inmates, assuring them they would not be deceived and that they were supposedly fighting like ordinary mobilized soldiers rather than as “cannon fodder.”</p> <p>The convict Gasparyan appeared during an awards ceremony in January 2023. The ceremony was conducted by Putin, who traveled to the Southern Military District. Media noted that the order went to a man who had been imprisoned for robbery and sought to steal 300,000 rubles.</p> <p>In February 2025, the Telegram channel Baza wrote about Gasparyan and his patron Sarkisyan. The post followed an explosion at a high-rise in Moscow’s Alye Parusa residential complex that seriously wounded Sarkisyan. Journalists found a photo of both men receiving a church blessing for the war against Ukrainians.</p> <p>Other prominent Russian figures have been killed on the Russia-Ukraine front. In October 2025, for example, reports emerged that Russian propagandist Ivan Zuev had been killed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-arbat-battalion-commander-abrek-killed-in-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/intercepted-call-reveals-russian-soldiers.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/intercepted-call-reveals-russian-soldiers.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence directorate <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7820">published an audio intercept</a> it says confirms another war crime committed by Russian forces.</p> <p>According to the intercepted call, two servicemen from Russia’s army shot local civilians in the Pokrovsk area and then left their positions without authorization. The information is confirmed in the conversation by an officer of the 30th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of Russia’s 3rd Army, the agency said.</p> <p>In the recording, a Russian soldier speaks openly about the crime and warns fellow troops about the fugitives: “Look, there are two ‘pencils,’ two ‘pencils’ — they might come into your area. Those b------ shot civilians and fled.”</p> <p>The intercept also includes an order to detain the soldiers involved. The officer tells subordinates to seize them immediately if spotted: “So if you see them, detain them as soon as they cross your path — tie them up.”</p> <p>Ukraine’s military intelligence said systematic killings of civilians, as well as extrajudicial reprisals against Russia’s own servicemen, again demonstrate that war crimes are a deliberate, targeted policy. It added that every crime committed against the Ukrainian people will be met with inevitable, just retribution.</p> <p>Two days earlier, two people were killed in Donetsk region by Russian shelling.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/intercepted-call-reveals-russian-soldiers-shot-civilians-near-pokrovsk-ukrainian-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/norways-defense-chief-warns-of.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/norways-defense-chief-warns-of.html <p>General Eirik Kristoffersen, Norway’s chief of defence since 2020, stated in February 2026 that Russia could potentially launch an invasion to safeguard its nuclear weapons and related infrastructure. Kristoffersen emphasized the seriousness of Russian military activities in the Arctic, particularly near Norway’s northern boundaries and the Svalbard archipelago, where Russia maintains a settlement. He rejected previous claims by former US President Donald Trump that NATO troops stayed off frontlines in Afghanistan, asserting that Norwegian forces had been active. Norway is preparing for the possibility of increased Russian aggression by enhancing its military readiness and cooperation with NATO allies. The defence chief underscored the importance of vigilance over Russia’s strategic assets and warned that such aggressive posturing threatens regional security. The article includes images showing Norwegian military personnel and the Arctic landscape, with an emphasis on the strategic importance of the region for nuclear and military assets.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Country: Norway</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/10/norway-defence-chief-russia-nuclear-assets">www.theguardian.com/world/202&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/944d862b-b163-4d40-8819-b9eec4de9714">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/ioc-bars-ukrainian-athletes-helmet.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:13:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/10/ioc-bars-ukrainian-athletes-helmet.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/heraskevych.jpg" alt="IOC bars Ukrainian athlete’s helmet honoring athletes killed during war"></p>Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych said on Feb. 10 that he has been barred from using a custom helmet at the 2026 Winter Olympics, that honors Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia’s war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ioc-bars-ukrainian-athletes-helmet-honoring-athletes-killed-during-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/multiple-russian-logistics-hubs-targeted.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/multiple-russian-logistics-hubs-targeted.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e89c96abe2.jpg" alt="🧨 Multiple RUSSIAN LOGISTICS HUBS targeted #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5FqoCiiUfRw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russias-arctic-shadow-war-how.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:05:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russias-arctic-shadow-war-how.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1232959672.jpg" alt="Russia's Arctic shadow war: How Moscow’s most-probed front fuels its Ukraine invasion"></p><p>Norway’s Svalbard fiber optic cables — a pair carrying vital Arctic satellite data from SvalSat, the world’s largest commercial ground station — thread through waters dangerously close to Russia’s reach.</p><p>The Kremlin's Nagurskoye air base on Franz Josef Land is just 260</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-arctic-shadow-war-how-moscows-most-probed-front-fuels-its-ukraine-invasion/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/total-blockade-starlink-still-isnt.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/total-blockade-starlink-still-isnt.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/82c137effe.jpg" alt="TOTAL BLOCKADE: STARLINK still isn't working for the Russians! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PKkOn6ZBLvk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/algorithms-win-starlink-down-in.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/algorithms-win-starlink-down-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3a700b84ee.jpg" alt="🛰️ ALGORITHMS WIN: Starlink down in Russia, Kapustin Yar ablaze. What replaced tanks in Ukraine?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nyXd4GkOeo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/behind-the-guns-western-tools.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:57:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/behind-the-guns-western-tools.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0baecf8c-0.png" alt="Behind the Guns: Western Tools, Russian Firepower"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0baecf8c-0.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/68cb4db50d.png" width="1456" height="849" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0baecf8c-0695-4805-a5ff-b98020d3c4c6_1916x1117.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":849,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":1078927,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0baecf8c-0695-4805-a5ff-b98020d3c4c6_1916x1117.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The war has increasingly become a war of drones, but this does not mean that other means of warfare have lost their relevance. This is evident from personnel loss data we analyzed across multiple Russian units, as well as from feedback provided by Ukrainian units. Based on this large dataset, we conclude that as of 2025 roughly one quarter to one third of battlefield losses are still caused by artillery and mortar fire. While drones have become the leading cause of losses, artillery continues to play a critical role, and this is unlikely to change in the near future. Instead, what we observe is a process of tactical adaptation and a rethinking of how artillery is employed.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, despite the growing prominence of drones, Russia has not abandoned efforts to expand the production of artillery ammunition, propellant, and gun barrels. After Russian forces began experiencing serious ammunition shortages as early as 2023, Moscow turned to imported ammunition from Iran and North Korea as a stopgap measure. However, this approach proved to be only a short- to medium-term solution. Over time, Russian units encountered persistent quality, compatibility, and reliability issues with imported ammunition, reinforcing the need for a long-term domestic solution.</p><p>In response, the Russian military-industrial complex accelerated its modernization and expansion efforts, urgently seeking additional human, technological, and financial resources to meet frontline demand. This required scaling the entire production chain, from propellant manufacturing and shell casting to final assembly and precision machining.</p><p>In a recent analytical report published by the Ukrainian military-focused outlet <em><a href="https://militarnyi.com/en/news/russian-orders-for-artillery-ammunition-in-2024-2025-what-has-changed-in-percentage-terms/">Militarnyi</a></em>, citing Russian internal documents, specific production figures were disclosed. According to the report, in 2024 the Russian army received 1.428 million 120 mm mortar rounds. In 2025, deliveries increased to 1.961 million, a year-on-year rise of 37.3 percent.</p><p>In total, the Russian defense industry received orders for 1.558 million 152 mm artillery shells of all types in 2024. In 2025, this figure rose to 1.717 million, an increase of 10.2 percent.</p><p>Taken together, these figures point that to sustain this level of output, Russia must increasingly rely on domestic production capacity rather than external suppliers. Moreover, as artillery barrels wear out or are destroyed, maintaining firepower requires not only a steady supply of shells but also the continuous replacement of barrels.</p><p>Our team, in cooperation with another analytical company <a href="https://x.com/dallasparkua">Dallas</a>, obtained and analyzed unique Russian procurement documents related to Plant No. 9, a key manufacturer of artillery barrels for the Koalitsiya and Msta self-propelled howitzers, tank guns for the T-90 and T-14 Armata, as well as for modernized T-62 and T-72 tanks. The plant also produces naval rocket depth-charge launchers RBU-1000 and RBU-6000 and is the original developer of the Soviet D-30 howitzer, which remains in use by the Russian army in its war against Ukraine.</p><p>Despite international sanctions imposed by the EU, the United States, Ukraine, Japan, and Switzerland, the plant has been undergoing continuous modernization since at least 2016. As of April 2025, the contractor ZAO “Zenit-Investprom” had prepared and delivered updated design documentation to the plant, which we were able to obtain. We concluded that Russia has been expanding production facilities and modernizing equipment at the site, a process that would be impossible without access to Western-origin machinery and technology.</p><h3>I. Facility Modernization and Capacity Expansion</h3><p>Plant No. 9 is located within the Uralmash industrial zone, a major center of heavy industry that has historically included both civilian and military production facilities in Yekaterinburg, Russia. By comparing satellite imagery with technical schematics from 2025, we identified the facilities designated for reconstruction and technical re-equipment and marked them in dark red on the map. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!1NvQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe7a9490b-8a0e-4b9c-81ee-f28967a61c7e_1912x1064.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe7a9490b-8.png" width="1456" height="810" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e7a9490b-8a0e-4b9c-81ee-f28967a61c7e_1912x1064.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":810,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":4635505,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe7a9490b-8a0e-4b9c-81ee-f28967a61c7e_1912x1064.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>In total, six facilities were identified, including two metalworking workshops and a galvanic production facility. One of the metalworking buildings (called MSK) houses production for several products, including the Armata platform and the Koalitsiya self-propelled howitzer. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!n_4b!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbafabfa7-3063-447d-b59d-7aa1cf016b94_1698x1206.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fbafabfa7-3.png" width="1456" height="1034" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bafabfa7-3063-447d-b59d-7aa1cf016b94_1698x1206.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1034,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":1385245,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbafabfa7-3063-447d-b59d-7aa1cf016b94_1698x1206.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">MSK building floor plan</figcaption></figure></div><p>The reconstruction of this building is aimed at establishing an integrated production facility for the serial manufacture of components and assemblies for the 152 mm 2A88 artillery system used in the 2S35 Koalitsiya self-propelled howitzer. The facility consists of two workshops: Workshop No. 23, designated for the machining and final manual finishing of components and assemblies for the Koalitsiya system, and Workshop No. 25, where the assembly of components and finished products takes place, along with commissioning, painting, preservation, packaging, assembly of spare parts kits, and shipment to the warehouse.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!R1y_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F176d9dd0-a4dd-4b94-890e-538b169fb00c_758x188.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f176d9dd0-a.png" width="758" height="188" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/176d9dd0-a4dd-4b94-890e-538b169fb00c_758x188.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":188,"width":758,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":55917,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F176d9dd0-a4dd-4b94-890e-538b169fb00c_758x188.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Screenshot from a document disclosing the purpose of the facility</figcaption></figure></div><p>Notably, the word <em>Armata</em>, often associated with the so-called “ghost tank,” also appears in the documentation, with an entire section of the MSK facility dedicated to it. We assess that references to “Armata” in this context most likely concern the production of fire control systems or guns/barrels, originally created for Armata, and later repurposed for other vehicles.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!7GKz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F015d1c21-0e6e-4f2a-a125-caa9fc5267e5_699x167.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f015d1c21-0.png" width="699" height="167" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/015d1c21-0e6e-4f2a-a125-caa9fc5267e5_699x167.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":167,"width":699,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":45310,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F015d1c21-0e6e-4f2a-a125-caa9fc5267e5_699x167.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Screenshot from a document disclosing the purpose of the MSK facility</figcaption></figure></div><p>The full project documentation, including floor plans, technical details, and specifications, is provided for download at the end.</p><h3><strong>II. Sanctions and Imports</strong></h3><p>The key finding of our analysis is that this expansion, as well as its earlier iterations, would have been impossible without Western machinery. Nearly all critical elements of production and reconstruction rely on modern, high-precision industrial equipment sourced almost exclusively from Europe and Taiwan.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!GRnB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff8a5ba7-b595-4154-af25-6ce01a6cc2da_1516x1072.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fff8a5ba7-b.png" width="1456" height="1030" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ff8a5ba7-b595-4154-af25-6ce01a6cc2da_1516x1072.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1030,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":1193574,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff8a5ba7-b595-4154-af25-6ce01a6cc2da_1516x1072.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Screenshot showing compiled excerpts from project documentation detailing imported machinery designated for installation on the production floor</figcaption></figure></div><p>Importantly, this is not a case of small components or dual-use consumer electronics being repurposed for military use. Instead, the expansion depends on large-scale industrial machinery that is inherently easier to track and regulate. Below, we present this equipment broken down by country of origin and manufacturer:<br><br>1. <strong>Taiwan</strong><br><br>Company: KAFO</p><ul><li><p>Vertical milling machining center VMC-21100+<br></p></li></ul><p>Company: Glory</p><ul><li><p>CNC centerless grinding machine Glory APC 24S NC</p></li></ul><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!SO6O!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb0338aea-8212-457a-8f5e-590c5cff7afa_2560x1816.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb0338aea-8.jpg" width="1456" height="1033" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b0338aea-8212-457a-8f5e-590c5cff7afa_2560x1816.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1033,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":"IMG_2046-scaled-1.jpg","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="IMG_2046-scaled-1.jpg" title="IMG_2046-scaled-1.jpg" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><strong>Kafo VMC-21100. Source: machinestation.us</strong></figcaption></figure></div><p>2. <strong>Italy</strong><br><br>Company: TACCHI</p><ul><li><p>Multifunctional CNC turning machining center for rough machining TACCHI HD/3 450×4000</p></li><li><p>Multifunctional CNC turning machining center TACCHI HD/3 450×10000</p></li></ul><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!gVIT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb0d0ea9-3d53-4569-b24e-f2f08a65b3ac_1500x962.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2feb0d0ea9-3.jpg" width="1456" height="934" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eb0d0ea9-3d53-4569-b24e-f2f08a65b3ac_1500x962.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":934,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">TACCHI HD/3. Source: electron-services.co.uk</figcaption></figure></div><p>Company: PARPAS</p><ul><li><p>Horizontal milling machining center OMV Electra</p></li></ul><p><strong>3. Germany</strong></p><p>Company: DMG MORI</p><ul><li><p>3-axis vertical CNC milling machine DMC 650V</p></li><li><p>3-axis vertical CNC milling machine DMC 650V MillTap 700</p></li><li><p>CNC turret lathe DMG Beta 800</p></li><li><p>CNC bar-fed turret lathe DMG Alpha 500</p></li></ul><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!stap!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F43944b1e-f9f1-43ca-87d4-df1d9d1f977a_1160x680.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f43944b1e-f.png" width="1160" height="680" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/43944b1e-f9f1-43ca-87d4-df1d9d1f977a_1160x680.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":680,"width":1160,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":899158,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F43944b1e-f9f1-43ca-87d4-df1d9d1f977a_1160x680.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Liebherr LC500. Source: liebherr.com</figcaption></figure></div><p>Company: LIEBHERR</p><ul><li><p>CNC gear hobbing machine LC500</p></li><li><p>Vertical CNC gear shaping machine LFS 1200</p></li><li><p>Vertical CNC gear shaping machine LFS 300</p></li><li><p>CNC turret lathe DMG Gamma 1250</p></li></ul><p>Company: HERMLE AG</p><ul><li><p>5-axis machining center C42U</p></li></ul><p><strong>4. Britain</strong></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Pxc3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F66ba5f6a-58d1-4f72-a8a0-5aad43523087_500x352.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f66ba5f6a-5.png" width="500" height="352" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/66ba5f6a-58d1-4f72-a8a0-5aad43523087_500x352.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":352,"width":500,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":"JONES & SHIPMAN PROGRIND 1045 EASY Reciprocating Surface Grinders - MachineTools.com","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="JONES & SHIPMAN PROGRIND 1045 EASY Reciprocating Surface Grinders - MachineTools.com" title="JONES & SHIPMAN PROGRIND 1045 EASY Reciprocating Surface Grinders - MachineTools.com" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">PROGRIND 1045 EASY. Source: machinetools.com</figcaption></figure></div><p>Company: JONES & SHIPMAN</p><ul><li><p>Surface grinding machine PROGRIND 1045 EASY<br></p></li></ul><p>Overall, Russia plans to supply and install at least <strong>22 large</strong> industrial machines at the modernized facility, including gear-shaping, milling, and other multifunctional production equipment.</p><p>The documents also show that this is not a one-time upgrade or modernization effort, but part of a decade-long process to expand and improve production, with the current phase accelerated by the war. For example, in a series of letters sent in 2014 to the Director of the Department of Basic Industries at the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the CEO of Plant No. 9 requested an expert review to confirm that certain production equipment could not be manufactured domestically and therefore had to be imported.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!4GFd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fef32dac8-11b4-4432-904a-48cc370426f3_1527x1032.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fef32dac8-1.png" width="1456" height="984" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ef32dac8-11b4-4432-904a-48cc370426f3_1527x1032.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":984,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":1181344,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1863750...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/186375000?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fef32dac8-11b4-4432-904a-48cc370426f3_1527x1032.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>In these letters, the requests concerned the procurement of APC 24S-NC equipment from the Taiwanese company Glory, as well as the German LFS 1200 system.</p><h3>III. Implications</h3><p>Despite a decade-long import-substitution strategy, Russia has not achieved independence from foreign machinery imports. Nearly all critical stages of manufacturing at Plant No. 9, not just auxiliary processes, still rely on high-precision industrial equipment from Europe and East Asia. The purchase and export of such large machinery is inherently easier to monitor and control than smaller appliances, which are more difficult to track and enforce, particularly on secondary markets.<br></p><p>Rising numbers and increased production efficiency strongly indicate that Russia is circumventing sanctions not just on paper, but in practice. While sanctions undoubtedly complicate procurement, the documents reviewed do not reveal any significant concerns or a lack of confidence on the Russian side regarding their ability to acquire this equipment - a rather troubling signal in the fourth year of the war.</p><p></p><p><em>Thank you for reading. We are pleased to announce that in the coming weeks, after nearly three months of work, we will be completing a comprehensive report covering internal data, systemic challenges within the Russian military, insights into Russia’s senior decision-making circles and their views on the war, as well as a range of exclusive information not available elsewhere. The full report will be made available to our paid subscribers as a thank you for the financial support they have provided. We have also included a link below to a shared drive containing the referenced files.<br><br>We would also like to note that our partners, the Dallas analytical company, provide a significant amount of leaked Russian data to journalists and other researchers through<a href="https://dallas-park.com/"> their own platform</a>.</em></p> <p> <a href="https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/behind-the-guns-western-tools-russian"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/behind-the-guns-western-tools-russian">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/ukraines-communications-system-is-crumbling.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/ukraines-communications-system-is-crumbling.html <p>Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Fediienko says the country’s communications sector is facing serious problems due to the aftermath of Russian strikes, with mobile operators feeling the impact first.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FediiencoAlexandr/posts/pfbid05HQHpknQgGYMkvNFUP5KqZo2Fw1LsrYqKQ5JEiZFtP9Qrp4w1utDGhbP4a3gKx3pl">a Facebook post</a>, the member of parliament’s committee on cybersecurity and government communications says not everyone in the industry “prepared for the apocalypse.”</p> <p>According to Fediienko, mobile operators were the first to “crumble”: in villages and small towns, service is disappearing entirely. Prolonged power outages are also taking down legacy fixed networks as batteries simply can’t hold up.</p> <p>“This is exactly where the system wasn’t ready. I’d even say it didn’t prepare at all. Money was poured anywhere else (schemes were found to siphon cash), but not into network resilience,” the lawmaker says.</p> <p>Fediienko says subscribers are flocking to small and mid-sized providers that the state had previously tried to “squeeze” with taxes—moves he effectively calls “sabotage against society.”</p> <p>“But the most interesting part comes next. Let’s analyze where the monopolization of heating and energy leads. In fact, we’re seeing a collapse. And we’re already seeing the consequences,” he adds.</p> <p>He says operators should prepare for a scenario of total power loss. In such conditions, PON networks are the most viable, being less dependent on electricity and large staffing.</p> <p>He concludes that investments should go not into flashy foreign brands but into small and medium-sized businesses—the backbone of stability during war and systemic crises.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-communications-system-is-crumbling-amid-blackouts-mp-fediienko-warns">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russia-reporter.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:08:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russia-reporter.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/copy-of-logo-horizontal-black-01-1-3-1.png" alt="Russia reporter"></p>The Kyiv Independent, Ukraine’s main English-language publication, is looking for a Russia reporter.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-reporter/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/exclusive-russias-worst-attack-on.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:37:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/exclusive-russias-worst-attack-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2166009033.jpg" alt="Exclusive: Russia’s worst attack on substations halves Ukraine’s nuclear power output"></p>Russia launched its worst-ever attack on Ukraine's nuclear-connected substations on Feb. 7, cutting the volume of electricity generated by the country's nuclear power by around 50%, Vitaliy Zaichenko, CEO of Ukrenergo, the state grid operator, told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-repairs-nuclear-substation-but-situation-remains-critical-after-mass-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/lavrov-says-us-walked-back.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:30:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/lavrov-says-us-walked-back.html <p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained that the United States first proposed understandings to end the war in Ukraine, then backed away from them. He said the talks took place in Anchorage, Alaska, during a summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.</p> <p>Lavrov said the US position was what mattered to Moscow. His interview was cited by <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/360511">TASS</a>.</p> <p>“For Russia, the US position on Ukraine was important, no matter what was said in Kyiv or by the ‘cave-dwelling Russophobes’ in the EU,” Lavrov said.</p> <p>According to him, the US proposed understandings to Russia for resolving the Russia-Ukraine war. Moscow allegedly accepted those proposals, but Washington has now walked them back.</p> <p>Lavrov called to “approach it like men” to resolve the issue. He also said that after the Alaska summit, Russia and the United States should have moved toward broader cooperation, but the opposite happened.</p> <p>The foreign minister said Russia must ensure its security because, he claimed, there are threats from Europe of a possible war.</p> <p>Lavrov said the West has unleashed a global war against Russia and is “trying to punish its partners.”</p> <p>He added that the Kremlin will oppose the deployment on Ukrainian territory of any weaponry that would threaten Russia’s security. He did not specify which systems he had in mind.</p> <p>Lavrov also commented on US sanctions against Russian oil companies, calling them an attempt to suppress competitors. He further complained that the United States is trying to control Russia’s military-technical ties with India and other parts of the BRICS alliance.</p> <p>He said the West allegedly invented Russia’s “shadow fleet,” and that ships are being detained in a struggle to preserve “waning dominance.”</p> <p>“Russia sees no ‘bright future’ in economic relations with the United States,” Lavrov said.</p> <p>According to him, the Trump administration has not only failed to lift sanctions imposed by the previous Joe Biden administration “to punish Russia,” but has introduced new ones.</p> <p>At the same time, Lavrov said Russia remains open to cooperation with the United States, but that American politicians are creating artificial obstacles.</p> <p>Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the agreement following the Alaska talks allegedly already contained compromises from the Kremlin.</p> <p>Earlier, Lavrov accused Ukraine of being the first to strike Russia’s energy infrastructure, while the Kremlin decided to hit energy targets only in response.</p> <p>Lavrov has also warned that Russia does not plan to attack Europe, but if the West strikes Russia first, Moscow will respond with all available means. He said it would not resemble the “special military operation.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-says-us-walked-back-ukraine-understandings-accepted-by-russia-urges-to-approach-it-like-men">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russia-recruits-convicts-and-drug.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russia-recruits-convicts-and-drug.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1d7ca438bd.jpg" alt="🤯 Russia Recruits CONVICTS and DRUG ADDICTS for SABOTAGE #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ad4grO_vgds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/the-hidden-health-impact-of.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:10:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/the-hidden-health-impact-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260135497.jpg" alt="The hidden health impact of Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy grid"></p><p>As Russian strikes continue to cut off heating and electricity across Ukraine, a Kyiv doctor says she is seeing health effects accumulate in her clinic.</p><p>Since late December, Russia has carried out multiple waves of strikes targeting Ukraine's power generation and heating infrastructure. In Kyiv, those attacks have</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-hidden-health-impact-of-russias-attacks-on-ukraines-energy-grid/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/were-approaching-our-breaking-point.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:02:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/were-approaching-our-breaking-point.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f34537343-6.png" alt="We’re approaching our breaking point"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!JNzI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F96639309-1940-4bff-a857-9caa17b3f286_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f96639309-1.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/96639309-1940-4bff-a857-9caa17b3f286_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Our team continues reporting under freezing temperatures, power outages, and constant instability in Ukraine. Heat, electricity, and reliable internet are never guaranteed, but the work doesn’t stop.</em></p><p><em>Your subscription covers backup power and warm essentials. Internally, I’ve seen a surge of our team asking for mental health services. Your subscription covers that too.</em></p><p><em>Support our work — upgrade to a paid subscription today.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>It’s hard to admit, but we’re exhausted, like so many other Ukrainians.</p><p>The year started off on an especially brutal note, with Russian attacks battering cities almost every night. The cold takes a particular toll on the body, increasing stress and exhaustion – and that’s even without considering the heating problems</p><p>With your permission, the Ukraine-based team at The Counteroffensive will take a break this week. </p><p>Tim is hard at working trying to commission a story from outside the country that we’ll run later in the week. And if there’s breaking news, we’ll jump into action.</p><p>We are sincerely grateful to our readers for their constant support, which allows us to continue working even in such circumstances.</p><p>Read on to see what our reporters say they’ll do with their week: </p><p><strong>Myroslava, managing editor</strong></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!EAUp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40502b45-0d9f-4b45-a845-c8b09700e0ae_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f40502b45-0.jpg" width="214" height="285.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/40502b45-0d9f-4b45-a845-c8b09700e0ae_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":214,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Me and my little boy in the Kyiv region, January 2026.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Every time I get even the smallest break from work, I feel a kind of joy that’s almost childlike. A whole week off feels like a rare gift. Lately, I’ve been working so much that I hardly get to just be with my little son, not multitasking, not rushing, but truly just being present for every moment. I am not planning any trips or big events.</p><p>I just want to spend quiet time with my family, which has become tough after I had to leave Kyiv while my husband needed to stay behind.</p><p>This rest comes with a quiet sadness; we’re not all together. Still, I want to fill these days with the smallest, most important things: playing with my son, hugging him, watching him learn to sit, stand, and eat on his own. These are our little daily victories. I also hope to see my parents in Kyiv, whom I don’t visit nearly as often as I’d like.</p><p>It won’t be an extraordinary week, but it will let me slow down and take a break from constant thoughts of work. Right now, that’s exactly what I need.</p><p><strong>Mariana, creative editor</strong></p><p>I’ll sound unhinged saying this, but I want to go back to my cold apartment in Kyiv.</p><p>For more than two weeks, I’ve stayed with my parents in the Volyn region because I felt I couldn’t cope on my own: my mental and physical health had deteriorated badly. I’m still dealing with heightened anxiety, depressive episodes, and the swing between emotional overload and complete numbness — all of which come and go whenever I feel I’m losing control. Now it seems like I’ve truly lost it.</p><p>I’m tired. It sounds to me like a failure, like a weakness I sometimes feel I’m not allowed to have. At the same time, I’m slowly learning to look for the smallest things that give meaning to living another day. I already ordered puzzles to my home address in Kyiv, bought concert tickets, and want to visit the theater. For the first time in a long while, the darkness has brought back my fear of being alone. This week, I want to feel at peace being by myself again.</p><p><em>Video: One evening, my parents and I watched my childhood videos after I arrived in my hometown, Kovel, in the Volyn region.</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"1dbdee1a-f418-4533-b5ce-5e1a2c6b9801","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p><strong>Nastia, reporter</strong></p><p>I would like to view the news as simply a professional task. But news reports with dry statistics tell of the new reality facing everyone I’m close to. When I am safe, I still receive messages from my friends about how cold it is in Kyiv, that there was a nearby hit, or that they barely have power.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Iipy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc9747728-de0b-4b35-8362-96096bf60c6e_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc9747728-d.png" width="259" height="345.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c9747728-de0b-4b35-8362-96096bf60c6e_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":259,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Me with my mom Natalia and my cat Frosia. January 2026.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>You can’t separate yourself entirely from the experiences of other people that you’re covering either: each of them leaves another scar in your chest and drains you emotionally. I feel like I could use the break to restore my mental state.</p><p>This week, I want to do quiet things — reading, watching new television series or my favorite old ones, spending time with my sister, who isn’t going to school because of blackouts and the cold, and doing something creative — drawing or building small animal Lego sets. I haven’t allowed this for myself in a long time.</p><p><strong>Tania, reporter</strong></p><p>This winter, my favorite city in the world is plunging into darkness and cold due to Russian attacks. As a reporter, I serve as a quiet observer. But I am also a person who lives through the stories we talk about. Almost every day, I feel the cold creeping through two layers of sweaters and automatically scream in fear during another ballistic attack on the city, when even the foundations of our house seem to shake.</p><p>Now I am recovering from another depressive episode and returning to my studies at the university. The time we will get for ourselves will help me breathe a little, ground myself, start working on my thesis, and maybe even visit my hometown and my parents!</p><p><strong>Sasha, reporter</strong></p><p>I value my personal space and time, but at some point, lonely days in a small Kyiv apartment with no electricity and no heat became unbearable. I see this week off as a chance not to worry about my family in Zaporizhzhia from afar, but to spend some time with them, despite the danger. Also, I will use this time to work on my Master’s thesis – it’s high time to start!</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!7poo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F87581c0f-2439-47f0-b5c3-e7d6ab447a18_650x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f87581c0f-2.png" width="154" height="303.26153846153846" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/87581c0f-2439-47f0-b5c3-e7d6ab447a18_650x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":650,"resizeWidth":154,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>My laptop died, so I joined my evening classes using a smartphone. January 2026</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Oleksandra,</strong> <strong>reporter</strong></p><p>I’m usually a busy bee, trying to keep up with my career goals, being a good mom, and generally working towards making my dreams come true. I’m in remission after cancer and battling severe depression, so routine and mental stability are essential for this whole system to work. But blackouts and constant cold throw me off my usual daily routine more than I’d care to admit.</p><p>I really appreciate the opportunity to stop and redirect my attention to myself, to focus on how I feel and what my current mental state is. A week seems like a short time, but for me it’s five extra days to relax with a cup of coffee, spend time with my child, or schedule a long-delayed doctor’s appointment.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f34537343-6.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d9dafd1d77.png" width="252" height="336" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/34537343-6d87-4e85-978a-9f900fca8e20_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":252,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>My daughter and I went to feed the ducks on the banks of the Dnipro river. January 2026.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Oksana,</strong> <strong>reporter</strong><br>For a person like me, whose nervous system craves certainty, power outages proved to be challenging. When the power outages are unpredictable, I begin to second guess every part of my day. <em>“Should I go to sleep or wash my hair? Should I cook or go to sleep?” </em>My inner dialogue starts to feel like a hyperactive roommate — always rushing somewhere and incapable of giving me time to breathe.<br><br>It would be lovely to just breathe during the break. Perhaps I will read some books that might help my creativity awaken from its slumber. It often feels as though power outages chip away at my imagination and curiosity. Perhaps I will recover my buried whimsy? Maybe my boyfriend, who is in the military, will be able to get a day off, and I will go to Kharkiv to visit him so we can spend a few rare, delightful days together. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!EvJV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F386f5cef-3a02-427f-b9f5-aa4a1ffe0180_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f386f5cef-3.png" width="223" height="297.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/386f5cef-3a02-427f-b9f5-aa4a1ffe0180_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":223,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>My silly beaver plushie, who looks as stressed as I feel, is looking at “Dracula” by Bram Stoker, a book I might read during my time off.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Nastia, reporter</strong></p><p>After four years of war, living with constant stress and tension has started to feel like the norm. We go through our daily routines on autopilot, despite ongoing danger, power and heating outages, freezing cold, and endless challenges.</p><p>I want to focus on what helps me stay grounded. To remind myself what a real normal life should look like: not a dark and cold home, but meeting loved ones in cozy cafes, spending time with my 2-year-old daughter in playrooms filled with joy, children’s laughter, and the kind of carefree fun childhood is meant to be.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!fZqu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe7cd0a93-ce40-49a0-be8d-8709c432dfa9_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe7cd0a93-c.jpg" width="254" height="338.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e7cd0a93-ce40-49a0-be8d-8709c432dfa9_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":254,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Me and my baby girl in a playroom, January 2026</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Earlier, spending a week off this way might have seemed mundane to me, something that wouldn’t truly feel like rest in a bigger sense. But now, creating small pockets of warmth and normality has proven to be more than enough to help me keep moving forward.</p><p><strong>Liza, office manager</strong></p><p>Constant drone and missile attacks practically destroyed my sleep schedule and my desire to study and read more books. I would like to use this as a chance to study and get back on track with my daily routine - walks, reading, yoga when I feel overwhelmed.</p><p>I don’t want it to be a strict schedule, but rather flexible, so there won’t be any harsh deadlines that make me more anxious in these circumstances.</p><p>Also, because of the cold weather I haven’t had a chance to meet up with friends or visit my grandma in the village where she lives, a place with no wi-fi that feels like a retreat from social media. This will be a great chance to spend a week socializing and recharging my mental battery with comforting people and cozy conversations.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Our team continues reporting under freezing temperatures, power outages, and constant instability in Ukraine. Heat, electricity, and reliable internet are never guaranteed, but the work doesn’t stop.</em></p><p><em>Your subscription helps us cover the basics our journalists need to keep going, from backup power to warm essentials. Despite everything, we keep bringing you stories because we understand our responsibility to you, our readers.</em></p><p><em>Support our work — upgrade to a paid subscription today.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3>Tim Mak and candidate for Congress George Conway talk about post-Trump reforms, and his Ukraine strategy.</h3><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"cb35c5be-2250-4634-ac85-bc5c94f5aa8d","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><h3><strong>DARK KYIV:</strong></h3><p>Instead of the usual Dog of War, today we are publishing a photo of Kyiv in the dark. This is how Mariana’s neighborhood looks now.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!FuCu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc3d9b7cd-c397-4d7c-b533-5d797333bfd1_2048x1365.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc3d9b7cd-c.jpg" width="1456" height="970" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c3d9b7cd-c397-4d7c-b533-5d797333bfd1_2048x1365.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>The Counteroffensive team</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/were-approaching-our-breaking-point">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/uavs-in-odesa-and-kharkiv.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/uavs-in-odesa-and-kharkiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8d59e54d69.jpg" alt="💔 UAVs in ODESA and KHARKIV. Russia recruits CRIMINALS for SABOTAGE"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQCCG06wsk4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/germany-indicts-ukrainian-national-over.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:56:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/germany-indicts-ukrainian-national-over.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d52065f4a2.jpg" alt="Germany indicts Ukrainian national over alleged Russian-backed sabotage plot"></p>The suspect, identified as Yevhen B., was detained in Switzerland in May 2025 and extradited to Germany in December.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/germany-indicts-ukrainian-national-in-alleged-russian-backed-sabotage-plot/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/ukraine-destroys-nearly-russian-fpv.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:43:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/ukraine-destroys-nearly-russian-fpv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9ef3867f92.jpg" alt="Ukraine destroys nearly 6,000 Russian FPV drones in major strike on military targets, General Staff says"></p>Ukraine targeted a Russian drone warehouse in Rostov-on-Don, located in Rostov Oblast, destroying three containers filled with FPV drones and their components, according to the report.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-destroys-nearly-6-000-fpv-drones-in-large-scale-strike-on-russian-military-targets-general-staff-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/overnight-russian-missile-and-drone.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/overnight-russian-missile-and-drone.html <p>At least four people were killed and about 30 others were injured in the past 24 hours as Russian attacks hit the Donetsk, Kherson, Chernihiv and Kharkiv regions and other parts of the country, regional military administrators said Monday, February 9.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 11 ballistic missiles and 149 attack drones overnight into February 9.</p> <p>Missile and 23 drone impacts were recorded at 15 locations, the military said.</p> <p>In Bohodukhiv, in the Kharkiv region, a woman and a 10-year-old child were killed in drone strikes, and three other people were wounded.</p> <p>Drones hit the city’s private residential sector, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.</p> <p>In the settlement of Shakhtarske in the Dnipropetrovsk region, nine people were injured, including a 13-year-old girl, said regional military administration head Oleksandr Hanzha.</p> <p>One of the injured, a 57-year-old woman, is in serious condition, he said.</p> <p>Overnight, Russian forces also struck Novhorod-Siverskyi in the Chernihiv region. A 71-year-old man was killed and four others were wounded and hospitalized, said regional chief Viacheslav Chaus.</p> <p>He added that homes and power lines were damaged across Chernihiv region, and a residential building and an unused school caught fire after a drone strike.</p> <p>Another mass drone attack hit Odesa and the wider Odesa region. One person was killed and two others were injured in the city, according to regional chief Oleh Kiper.</p> <p>A drone also struck the roof of a multi-story apartment building and damaged a gas pipe. Several cars caught fire, and the facades and windows of several buildings were damaged.</p> <p>A Russian strike damaged an energy facility in Novovolynsk in the Volyn region, Mayor Borys Karpus said.</p> <p>As of early February 9, water treatment facilities and some boiler houses were operating on generators, he added.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/overnight-russian-missile-and-drone-attacks-across-ukraine-kill-four-injure-dozens">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/aging-fiber-and-kremlin-curbs.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/aging-fiber-and-kremlin-curbs.html <p>Residents in dozens of Russian communities are being forced to rely solely on mobile service with strict data caps and sharp slowdowns once those limits are reached.</p> <p>Russia is facing a worsening high-speed internet access problem as much of its fiber-optic network reaches the end of its service life and new fiber is scarcely allocated for civilian needs, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service <a href="https://szru.gov.ua/news-media/news/rosiya-zalyshyla-svoi-sela-bez-internetu">said</a> .</p> <p>In 2025, the warranty period expired for more than half of the trunk cables on the West–East corridor.</p> <p>The agency said that by 2030 Russia will need to replace more than 400,000 kilometers of fiber laid in the early 2000s. The cost of upgrading the infrastructure is estimated in the hundreds of billions of rubles, while the capacity of key backbones is already nearing critical limits.</p> <p>Amid this shortfall, fiber imports from China have surged. In 2025, Russia consumed about 10% of the global supply of optical fiber - driven in large part by mass production of tethered FPV drones resistant to electronic warfare.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Russia’s civilian population, especially in rural areas, is being left without reliable internet. Residents of dozens of localities are forced to use only mobile service with data limits and sharp speed drops after those limits are exhausted.</p> <p>The Kremlin has also backed mass internet shutdowns. A spokesperson for Vladimir Putin has said restrictions on mobile internet - introduced ostensibly to counter drones - are “fully justified and necessary.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/aging-fiber-and-kremlin-curbs-leave-russia-s-villages-without-reliable-internet">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russia-funnels-infantry-into-northern.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:27:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russia-funnels-infantry-into-northern.html <p>Russian infantry is moving into the northern part of Pokrovsk, and Russian forces are taking away the bodies of their dead while dressed as civilians, according to analysts with DeepState. In Myrnohrad, the group says, the enemy is violating humanitarian law by massing personnel inside a church alongside local residents.</p> <p>DeepState published its update on the fighting in Pokrovsk <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23175">on its Telegram channel</a> on February 9, saying the situation around the city continues to deteriorate.</p> <p>The analysts noted that Russia is “funneling” its infantry into northern Pokrovsk, and that video they released shows Russian troops in civilian clothes removing the bodies of their dead.</p> <p>Access into the city is heavily restricted. The enemy is actively conducting remote mining. Areas that are cleared are immediately re-mined, DeepState said.</p> <p>They added that Russian forces are still trying to enter the village of Grishine, and in recent days drone operators have focused more on that settlement than on Pokrovsk.</p> <p>According to the group, in recent days there were several attempts by the Defense Forces to move personnel using armored vehicles. “There’s no need to write who gave that order — everyone already knows,” they wrote. The vehicles were destroyed and personnel were wounded (“300”), DeepState said.</p> <p>The analysts also said Russia has increased the use of guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian positions.</p> <p>On the Myrnohrad axis, DeepState reports, Russia is amassing forces at farms to the north and inside a church together with civilians, in violation of humanitarian law.</p> <p>Chaotic fighting continues in the northern part of the city involving remnants of a Defense Forces grouping located in Myrnohrad, with no plans for their withdrawal even though Pokrovsk is on the verge of falling into Russian hands, the analysts wrote.</p> <p>They also said Russian forces are increasing pressure around the town of Rodinskoye. Small infantry raids to the west are probing deep into Ukrainian defenses and hunting for drone pilots. As of February 9, UAV operators risk direct contact with Russian assault troops, according to DeepState.</p> <p>At the same time, Rodinske remains the last settlement offering a possible route out of Myrnohrad — a fact the enemy understands well, the analysts noted.</p> <p>As of 8:00 a.m. on February 9, Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/34812">reported</a> that Ukrainian defenders on the Pokrovsk front had stopped 72 Russian assault actions near the settlements of Rodinskoye, Pokrovsk, Kotline, Udachne, Molodetskoye, Muravka, Myrnohrad, Filial, as well as toward Toretske, Kucherov Yar, Belitske, Shevchenko, Novoaleksandrovka, Sergeyevka, Novopodgorodnoye, Novopavlovka, Ivanovka, Grishino, and Novy Donbass.</p> <p>On February 3, DeepState reported that Russians were driving captured vehicles through the streets of Pokrovsk while Ukrainian troops tried to hold the city’s northern outskirts.</p> <p>On January 27, the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said Russian troops near Pokrovsk were using “Molniya” mothership drones for triple strikes, as well as fiber‑optic‑guided UAVs.</p> <p>On January 23, military observer Bohdan Myroshnykov said few Ukrainian fighters remained in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad and that Russia controlled about 75–80% of the cities’ territory. Even so, the Defense Forces had managed to create a “kill zone right in the city,” he said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-funnels-infantry-into-northern-pokrovsk-removes-killed-in-civilian-clothes-deepstate-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/mazda-quietly-returns-to-russian.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:17:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/mazda-quietly-returns-to-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1165810912.jpg" alt="Mazda quietly returns to Russian market despite 2022 'exit,' report says"></p>Mazda's Russian subsidiary has publicly introduced two crossover models — the CX-5 and CX-50 — sourced from a plant in China and sold with official warranties.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mazda-quietly-returns-to-russian-market-despite-2022-exit/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russian-elites-lose-respect-for.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russian-elites-lose-respect-for.html <p>Until 2022, the elite saw Vladimir Putin as a rational leader and called him “the boss.” After the invasion, that view shifted sharply - he is increasingly perceived as an aging autocrat out of touch with reality.</p> <p>Frustration with Putin (73) is growing inside Russia’s ruling class. The country’s upper echelon and big business have lost respect for him and increasingly use a derisive nickname, “Ded” (“Grandpa”), said Russian economist Alexandra Prokopenko in an interview with Germany’s <a href="https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/mehr-wirtschaft/russlands-elite-warum-sie-trotz-krieg-loyal-bleibt-accg-110831246.html">Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung</a>, citing conversations with members of Russia’s civil and managerial elite.</p> <p>Prokopenko says that before February 2022 the elite’s attitude toward Putin was different. He was called “the boss” and treated with respect, even as he became more absorbed in history and moved away from the economic agenda. That was seen as a harmless quirk of an aging autocrat, not a threat to the country.</p> <p>Things changed after he ordered the invasion of Ukraine. The elite did not believe Putin would launch a full-scale war, viewing him as a rational actor capable of weighing risks. When he didn’t, respect gave way to disappointment and mockery.</p> <p>In private conversations, Prokopenko notes, Putin has picked up the nickname “Ded.” One of her interlocutors put it bluntly: “Grandpa just loves toy soldiers.” The phrase, she says, neatly captures the perception of a leader fascinated with war yet detached from the consequences of his decisions.</p> <p>The nickname reflects not just the president’s age (Putin is 73) but the sense that he lives in his own reality, treating war as an abstract game rather than a national catastrophe.</p> <p>Prokopenko also says the elite see Putin as increasingly isolated from what’s really happening. Economic and military information, she argues, reaches him in distorted, sugarcoated form. The system rewards not those who tell the truth, but those who deliver pleasing news.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-elites-lose-respect-for-putin-call-him-grandpa">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/alleged-assailants-in-shooting-of.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:33:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/alleged-assailants-in-shooting-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/al-212cp-jpg.jpg" alt="Alleged assailants in shooting of Russian General Alekseev plead guilty, FSB claims"></p>The FSB earlier said Alekseev's attackers were two individuals, Lyubomyr Korba and Viktor Vasin, who allegedly acted on Ukraine's orders. Kyiv denied these claims.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/alleged-assailants-in-attack-on-russian-general-alekseev-plead-guilty-russias-fsb-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russia-accuses-us-of-backing.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:31:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russia-accuses-us-of-backing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259583016.jpg" alt="Russia accuses US of backing out of alleged Ukraine territory surrender agreement"></p>"It seems that they proposed it and we were ready — and now they are not," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-accuses-us-of-backing-out-of-alleged-ukraine-surrender-agreement/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/belgorod-authorities-accept-evacuation-requests.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/belgorod-authorities-accept-evacuation-requests.html <p>Amid heating problems in Belgorod caused by “major firepower directed at energy facilities (retaliatory strikes by Ukraine on the energy infrastructure of Russia’s border regions),” Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Sunday, February 8, urged affected residents to send school-age children to other regions of Russia or to annexed Crimea.</p> <p>The administration also announced it is ready to “relocate to other regions” large families, families with children with disabilities, and elderly people living alone. To do so, residents must submit an application to the city administration.</p> <p>In <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/19154">a Telegram address</a>, Gladkov warned that residents of the Belgorod region are facing “another extremely difficult period of time.”</p> <p>At the time of his address, 500 customers in Belgorod were without power, according to the governor. As temperatures drop, regional authorities decided to drain the heating system in 455 apartment buildings, as well as 25 kindergartens, 17 schools, 9 clinics, 4 universities and a number of other social facilities and commercial enterprises in the city, Gladkov said.</p> <p>“When we see that our CHP is ready to supply heat, we will refill the heating system and deliver heat to residential buildings, social facilities and commercial enterprises. If we don’t do this, the damage will be almost catastrophic for every resident living in this part of the city,” he said.</p> <p>He added that kindergartens with heating and electricity will operate around the clock, allowing parents to place children there if they wish.</p> <p>Amid severe winter cold, Russia has been striking Ukraine’s energy facilities almost daily, creating a critical situation in parts of the country.</p> <p>In Kyiv, electricity is supplied for only one and a half to two hours a day, energy company DTEK said on February 7.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/belgorod-authorities-accept-evacuation-requests-amid-heating-and-power-outages">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:02:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-09-09-45-01.jpg" alt="At least 5 killed, 36 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 149 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 116 drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-5-killed-39-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/russian-attack-on-odesa-shahed.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:25:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/russian-attack-on-odesa-shahed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0ec1edcaeb.jpg" alt="Russian ATTACK on Odesa: “Shahed” drones hit the city #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5Pyz5sJ_-qU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:09:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cdc38cd5e7.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,247,580 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,250 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-247-580-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/polands-massarmy-turn-is-reshaping.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/polands-massarmy-turn-is-reshaping.html <p>Announced in February 2026, Poland is undertaking a comprehensive transformation of its military to create a mass army capable of prolonged high-intensity conflict, targeting a force size of 300,000 active-duty personnel supported by 200,000 reservists under the Armed Forces Development Program for 2025–2039. This shift follows lessons from the Ukraine conflict and signifies a break from the post-Cold War European minimalistic defense posture. Poland’s strategy combines numerical buildup, universal or near-universal military training, and integration of advanced technologies, including long-range precision strike and AI-supported command across land, sea, air, cyber, and electromagnetic domains. The government plans large-scale military training of every adult male, inspired by the Swiss system, promoting defence as a widespread social responsibility. Poland currently spends over 4 percent of its GDP on defence, the highest level in NATO, locking this into constitutional law and emphasizing domestic defense industry expansion to ensure supply chains and sustainment for wartime resilience. The strategy incorporates addressing demographic challenges, economic constraints, and the risks of drawing resources from other policy priorities. This expansive military development changes expectations within NATO by strengthening frontline defense while raising broader territorial defence ambitions. Poland’s efforts respond to the undermining of European security assumptions post-1991 and the impact of Russia&rsquo;s ongoing aggression, signaling a fundamental recalibration of NATO’s eastern posture through mass mobilisation, technological adoption, and societal defence engagement.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy83r93l208o">www.bbc.com/news/arti&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/cacfb3a9-eef9-4678-8d8e-a8f07e31d085">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/zelensky-urges-daily-deliveries-of.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 02:13:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/zelensky-urges-daily-deliveries-of.html <p>On Sunday, February 8, Russian forces again launched ballistic strikes on the Kyiv region. Ukraine’s air defenses need a steady daily supply of interceptors to take down incoming threats, the president emphasized.</p> <p>Every one of Ukraine’s partners must recognize their capacity to support the country and save lives, President Volodymyr Zelensky said <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_QlTylWV3M">in his nightly address</a>.</p> <p>“Air-defense missiles are needed every day. Protection against Russian ballistic missiles is needed every day,” the head of state said.</p> <p>He noted that Russian forces once again targeted the Kyiv region with ballistic missiles.</p> <p>Zelensky stressed that under such strikes and amid a war like this, no country in the world should be left to stand alone without assistance.</p> <p>He added that the coming weeks will be active in engagement with Ukraine’s partners, expressing hope for tangible results.</p> <p>As a reminder, on Sunday, February 8, the city of Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region was hit twice by Russian ballistic missiles. Powerful explosions were heard in the area.</p> <p>Earlier, Yuriy Ihnat, head of communications for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that during a mass missile attack on Ukraine, Patriot systems were unable to counter ballistic strikes due to a shortage of air-defense missiles. Stocks are being depleted faster than aid is arriving from partners.</p> <p>Focus also reported that on February 7, Russian forces carried out a massive strike on the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. First came Kalibr cruise missiles, followed by dozens of Shahed drones.</p> <p>By early morning, the occupiers launched another missile attack on Ukraine, firing weapons from long-range strategic aircraft. Explosions were reported, in particular, in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Rivne regions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-urges-daily-deliveries-of-air-defense-missiles-after-russian-missile-strikes-on-kyiv-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/ukrainian-forces-take-control-of.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/ukrainian-forces-take-control-of.html <p>Ukrainian forces have publicly refuted Russian claims of capturing Ternovate on the Zaporizhzhia axis.</p> <p>The settlement of Ternovate in the Zaporizhzhia region has been cleared of Russian troopd and is under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <p>Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, <a href="https://t.me/akovalenko1989/10393">posted a video</a> showing Ukrainian soldiers at the settlement’s sign.</p> <p>The troops are holding a Ukrainian flag and say Russian propaganda claims about capturing the settlement are false.</p> <p>“We are in Ternovate and doing our job. Ternovate is ours, Ukrainian,” one soldier says.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/181oxK7nR8">confirmed</a> they have established full control over Ternuvate in the Zaporizhzhia region and raised the national flag over the settlement. They posted a video showing the flag.</p> <p>The Ukrainian military said Russian units sometimes post footage of so-called “hour-long victories” or familiar “flag-planting” stunts—claiming that happened in Ternuvate as well. “Our military refutes this information. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are in Ternuvate, doing their job. Ternuvate is ours, Ukrainian!” the statement reads.</p> <p>The military also urged Russian soldiers to surrender, emphasizing Ukraine’s control of the settlement.</p> <p>In January, Russian sources circulated reports claiming to have occupied Ternovate, but Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces denied the claims.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military leadership noted the settlement is located about 15 kilometers from the line of contact. Soldiers said a group of Russian saboteurs entered the settlement, taking advantage of difficult weather conditions.</p> <p>The Russians documented its brief presence with drones, filming shots of flags being unfurled at select points in the settlement. Russian propaganda then used the footage to claim the settlement had been “taken.”</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces responded quickly to the incursion. Within an hour of the saboteurs’ appearance, Ukrainian troops carried out reconnaissance and sweep operations in the settlement.</p> <p>As a result, part of the sabotage group was eliminated and the rest were taken prisoner.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-take-control-of-ternovate-on-the-zaporizhzhia-axis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/ukraine-to-start-exporting-drones.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/ukraine-to-start-exporting-drones.html <p>Ukraine will begin exporting domestically developed defense technologies in February 2026, including launching drone production in Germany that month, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17910">said</a> during a talk with faculty and students at the Kyiv Aviation Institute marking the 120th anniversary of aircraft designer Oleh Antonov’s birth.</p> <p>Zelensky said 10 export centers will operate across Europe in 2026, expected in the Baltic states and in Northern Europe. “Ten representative offices will operate in 2026. In mid-February we will see production of our drones in Germany. I will accept the first drone. This is a line that is working. Production lines are operating in Britain. These are all our Ukrainian technologies,” he said.</p> <p>He added that Europe’s security depends on technology and drones, and that “everything will be based on Ukrainian technologies and Ukrainian specialists.” Ukraine remains at war, he said, and “not all companies yet feel such a space of freedom that they can enter all other markets.”</p> <p>Serhii Sternenko, an adviser to the defense minister, <a href="https://x.com/sternenko/status/2020504055563296927?s=20">called</a> the move important and correct for Ukraine, saying it will bring more funds into the economy, lower the cost of UAV production and supply more systems to the Defense Forces. “Not to mention that we will be able to capture a significant share of the global market. Our enemy is exporting weapons even now. In 2025, the Russians earned about $15 billion on this and invested it in new weapons. It was a big mistake to keep the export ban all this time. Ukraine is taking the right step. Our warriors and our country will only benefit,” he said.</p> <p>According to earlier reports, Ukraine could soon field its own FP-7 ballistic missiles, described as analogous to ATACMS, while an FP-9 variant would have a longer range, potentially reaching Moscow and St. Petersburg.</p> <p>Poland is also prepared to transfer MiG-29s to Ukraine, with Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying they are considering an exchange of aircraft for drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-start-exporting-drones-in-2026-with-10-european-hubs-and-german-production-zelensky-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/09/wagnerlinked-base-spotted-in-bulgaria.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/09/wagnerlinked-base-spotted-in-bulgaria.html <p>On February 9, 2026, Bulgarian activists reported finding a compound affiliated with Russia’s Wagner Group above the village of Kladnitsa in Pernik Province. According to the anti-corruption association BOEC and its head Georgi Georgiev, the site is heavily guarded by dogs and personnel dressed in Wagner uniforms, displaying both a Russian flag and Wagner emblems. The location reportedly serves as a hub for terrorist activity linked to the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group, which is controlled by Russian intelligence services. BOEC filed a complaint with Bulgaria&rsquo;s Interior Ministry, noting the presence of armed individuals and use of symbols tied to Russian state security and terrorist organizations, with suspicion that some personnel might be current or former local security forces. No official response or action had yet been taken by authorities at the time of reporting.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: Bulgaria</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://english.nv.ua/nation/wagner-linked-base-spotted-in-bulgaria-50582454.html">english.nv.ua/nation/wa&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/20f5897a-96f6-4d11-bf0f-7fc7ba5dd561">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/russian-forces-panic-as-inactive.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 21:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/russian-forces-panic-as-inactive.html <p>After illegal Starlink terminals used by Russia’s armed forces were added to a so-called “blacklist,” Russians now face a fresh problem. Pro-war channels are spreading panic about a new threat tied to Elon Musk’s company.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/signalman_diary/4052">one Russian paramilitary Telegram channel</a>, inactive satellite terminals have started transmitting their location data.</p> <p>“Attention, everyone, urgent!!! Immediately disconnect all Starlink satellite stations from power and take them out from under open sky. Location data is being collected from inactive devices,” the message reads.</p> <p>Similar warnings appeared across other Russian military channels, urging immediate shutdown of all terminals. Some posts go further, advising users to “permanently” abandon the devices.</p> <p>“Starlink is gone, that’s it, forget it,” one message says.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military drone channel Dronebomber <a href="https://t.me/dronbomber/31722">weighed in</a>, saying Russians believe Elon Musk’s SpaceX “leaked” to Ukraine’s Defense Forces precise data on the number and location of illegal terminals.</p> <p>“[A derogatory slur for gay men — referring to Russian troops; Ed.] are squealing that SpaceX leaked the coordinates of all non-activated Starlinks. And now in Delta and Kropyva we can see who, where, and how many,” the specialists wrote.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces added that Russians reacted “too late,” <a href="https://t.me/dronbomber/31723">arguing</a> they can no longer undo the exposure. Ukraine’s military can now view a complete log of the devices’ locations.</p> <p>“By the way, it’s too late to turn them off. The logs store the entire location history of a Starlink over a long period,” the message says.</p> <p>Starlink became a problem for Russia. After unregistered Starlink terminals were blocked, the Russian army suffered noticeable coordination issues on the front line.</p> <p>It later emerged that Russia is recruiting Ukrainians to activate Starlink. Russians are seeking collaborators willing to “earn extra” by activating Starlink satellite internet terminals at TsPAU service centers.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-forces-panic-as-inactive-starlink-terminals-reportedly-broadcast-location-data">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/belgorod-blackout-officials-drain-heating.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/belgorod-blackout-officials-drain-heating.html <p>Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said authorities plan to drain the heating systems in 455 apartment buildings ahead of an incoming cold snap. He also said 80% of subscribers in the region are experiencing heating problems.</p> <p>Gladkov <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/19154">acknowledged</a> that repairs to equipment damaged by explosions are progressing slowly.</p> <p>“The measures our power and heating specialists have taken over the past two days have not yet produced the desired result. We have restored gas supply and resolved issues with cold water and wastewater removal, but we still have a problem with heating,” the Belgorod governor said.</p> <p>He added that, due to explosions at infrastructure facilities and the approaching freeze, local authorities have begun draining water from the heating systems in 455 multi-apartment buildings. Dozens of kindergartens and schools, clinics, universities, social institutions and commercial enterprises also remain without heat.</p> <p>“Restoration work, as I’ve said, continues. When we see that our thermal power plant is ready to supply heat, we will refill the heating system and circulate the coolant. If we don’t do this, the damage or harm would be practically catastrophic for every resident living in this part of the city,” Gladkov said, urging certain groups of residents to relocate to other regions of Russia.</p> <p>Earlier, infrastructure in Russia’s Belgorod came under an aerial attack. According to the regional governor, energy facilities in the city of Belgorod and six districts were damaged.</p> <p>Subsequently, a series of blasts was reported in Belgorod. After the explosions, some districts of the city lost electricity and heat.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/belgorod-blackout-officials-drain-heating-systems-in-high-rises-ahead-of-freeze">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/ukrainian-partisans-identify-command-post.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:15:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/ukrainian-partisans-identify-command-post.html <p>A strike by Ukraine’s Defense Forces on the site would sever the regiment’s communications, making the further destruction of occupying troops a matter of time and a series of powerful blows, according to Ukrainian sources.</p> <p>On February 7, Ukrainian partisans said they had identified a key Russian military site belonging to the 328th Regiment of the 104th Airborne Division. Soldiers from that unit allegedly shot three Ukrainian servicemembers in Krynky on April 7, 2024, on the orders of Col. Sergey Ishtuganov.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02tLTDFzxQGqzmD9kpNMTRU4V5Sgpmw2WfeMcnkbXEiVNrsjBZ9uM4U8v6Nq3WHTU6l&id=61555293283783">a Facebook post</a> from the partisan movement “Atesh,” the command post is located in the village of Nizhniye Torgai in the Henichesk district of Kherson region, at coordinates 46.783545, 34.243317.</p> <p>The group said a satellite dish has been set up for concealment in a seized private home with a destroyed roof; an R-142N command-staff vehicle is parked nearby, and personnel have been observed.</p> <p>Troops from the 328th Regiment have repeatedly been accused of crimes against local residents. The unit’s commanders allegedly set an example for subordinates by punishing, torturing and even shooting their own troops for minor infractions.</p> <p>Partisans say they photographed all the locations and that the data are now in the hands of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. They claim a strike by Ukrainian missiles or drones on the command post would sow chaos among Russian troops, disrupt coordination with other units and pave the way for the regiment’s further destruction in Kherson region.</p> <p>On February 5, partisans struck St. Petersburg, cutting communications to an FSB institute and defense industry plants.</p> <p>Earlier, on January 18, Atesh partisans attacked a key substation in Bryansk, cutting power to defense facilities, storage bases and the Polpinskaya station, through which weapons trains for the Russian army pass.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-partisans-identify-command-post-of-russia-s-328th-regiment-accused-of-executing-pows">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/ukrainian-energy-companies-are-restoring.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:31:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/ukrainian-energy-companies-are-restoring.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fd374e96d4.jpg" alt="Ukrainian ENERGY COMPANIES are restoring substations attacked by RUSSIA #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rTiUZTt2uKE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-warns.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:14:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-warns.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3909b64449.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Zelensky warns of 'risk' US, Russia could strike bilateral deals on Ukraine without Kyiv"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Feb. 7-8:</strong></p><ul><li>Zelensky warns of 'risk' US, Russia could strike bilateral deals on Ukraine without Kyiv</li><li>Russia causes 'significant damage' to thermal plants, nuclear facilities in mass attack on Ukraine power grid</li><li>Ukraine hits 'important' Russian cruise missile fuel plant in</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-2026-02-07-08/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/russias-regions-post-record-billion.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/russias-regions-post-record-billion.html <p>Russia’s regional budgets ended 2025 with a combined deficit of 1.538 trillion rubles — the highest since records began — surpassing 1.5 trillion rubles ($19.9 billion), according <a href="https://minfin.gov.ru/ru/document?id_4=90143-kratkaya_ezhegodnaya_informatsiya_ob_ispolnenii_konsolidirovannykh_byudzhetov_subektov_rossiiskoi_federatsii_mlrd._rub">to the report published by the Russian Finance Ministry</a>.</p> <p>The gap was unprecedented: five times larger than in 2024 and nearly eight times bigger than in 2023. Even during the pandemic downturn, the numbers were far lower: in 2020, regional budgets posted a combined shortfall of 677 billion rubles ($8.80 billion ).</p> <p>This result more than doubled the previous negative record and points to systemic strains in Russia’s regional finances.</p> <p>A sharp drop in profit tax receipts was the main driver. Collections fell 8.5% to 5.278 trillion rubles. Overall regional revenues rose just 4.8% to 25.87 trillion rubles, while spending jumped 10% to 27.408 trillion rubles — widening the gap.</p> <p>“The picture is rather bleak,” economist Natalia Zubarevich told <a href="https://72.ru/text/economics/2026/01/07/76207571">Russian outlet 72.ru</a>.</p> <p>The worst strains emerged in Kemerovo and Vologda regions, where the deficit reached 25% of own-source revenues. Significant problems were also recorded in Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and Tyumen regions at 20–22%, and in Irkutsk region and the Komi Republic at 17–18%.</p> <p>Strikingly, the widening deficits came amid a heavier tax burden. Tax hikes should have supported the revenue base, but didn’t in practice — a sign of deeper imbalances in Russia’s economy.</p> <p>Instead of shoring up the economy, the Kremlin has preferred to continue the war against Ukraine. Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service <a href="https://www.bnd.bund.de/DE/Service/Public-Intelligence/_functions/20260204-versteckte-militaerausgaben-rus-sa.html">concluded</a> Russia’s military spending has been rising covertly. The BND estimates real military outlays in recent years exceeded officially reported figures by 66%. Last year alone, Russia spent about €250 billion on the war, versus the stated €150 billion.</p> <p>According to German intelligence, military spending effectively swallowed about half of Russia’s entire budget and reached roughly 10% of GDP.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-regions-post-record-19-9-billion-deficit-in-2025-as-profit-taxes-fall-and-spending-surges">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/thousands-of-drones-and-missiles.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/thousands-of-drones-and-missiles.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3176fb6223.jpg" alt="THOUSANDS of drones and missiles AGAINST UKRAINE – ESCALATION amid Russian failures"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D50r00HMhc8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/russians-took-my-home-emotions.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 18:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/russians-took-my-home-emotions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/75ade28c22.jpg" alt="🏚 Russians took MY HOME: emotions of a UKRAINIAN woman from occupied TOKMAK #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LyUIPaSAsms">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:41:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258313139.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,246,330 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,040 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-246-330-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/062827.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 06:28:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/062827.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-08-at-12-12-44-am.png" alt="Pro-Ukrainian partisans disable military communication infrastructure in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, group claims"></p>"An agent of our movement set fire to a hardware module at the base of a communication tower. As a result of the destruction of the ground equipment, all the infrastructure installed on the mast was completely de-energized and put out of action," the Atesh partisan group announced.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/pro-ukrainian-partisans-disable-military-communication-infrastructure-in-russias-belgorod-oblast-group-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/zelensky-calls-air-force-performance.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 02:33:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/zelensky-calls-air-force-performance.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced dissatisfaction with the Air Force’s performance in several regions and ordered immediate steps to boost the effectiveness of air defenses. He also heard updates on logistics, energy and civilian support.</p> <p>In a Telegram post, Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17881">said</a> his daily conference call reviewed the situation in Kyiv and the surrounding region; the Kharkiv and Poltava regions; Kropyvnytskyi and Kirovohrad region; Vinnytsia region; Dnipropetrovsk region; Zaporizhzhia; and border communities near the front lines.</p> <p>“I consider the Air Force’s work in some regions of Ukraine unsatisfactory, and we discussed with the Air Force commander and the defense minister which decisions must be implemented immediately to more effectively shoot down ‘Shaheds,’” he said.</p> <p>The head of Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) briefed Zelensky on the impact of Russian strikes on logistics, saying rail infrastructure is being hit daily and that the number of attacks rose significantly in January.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/54777">the Air Force</a>, from the evening of February 5 into the morning of February 6, Russia launched 328 attack drones of various types across Ukraine, including “Shahed,” “Gerbera,” “Italmas” and other drones that may have been launched from temporarily occupied Donetsk.</p> <p>About 200 of them were Shaheds. Russia also used two Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles and five Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missiles.</p> <p>Ukrainian aircraft, surface-to-air missile units, electronic warfare teams, drone units and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces responded in the north, south, east and central regions of the country.</p> <p>By 12:30 p.m. local time, preliminary data indicated Ukrainian air defenses had destroyed or suppressed 297 enemy drones. Thanks to active defensive measures, Russian missiles did not reach their intended targets. However, 22 strike drones hit 14 locations, and debris fell at two additional sites.</p> <p>On the morning of February 6, Russian forces struck garage cooperatives on the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, wounding one person and damaging a dog shelter, local officials said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-calls-air-force-performance-unsatisfactory-orders-changes-to-boost-air-defenses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/zelensky-says-us-proposed-renewed.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:12:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/zelensky-says-us-proposed-renewed.html <p>At trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, US representatives proposed returning to an energy ceasefire. President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Saturday, February 7. Kyiv agreed to the proposal, he said, while Moscow has yet to respond. The Russian side had not commented at the time of publication.</p> <p>Zelensky said Russia typically responds to such initiatives only after its negotiators return to Moscow.</p> <p>Talks among delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States took place in the UAE capital on February 4–5 behind closed doors. Kyiv described the meeting as difficult but constructive. According to TASS, Russian participants reported progress on a peace deal with Ukraine.</p> <p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the list of unresolved issues had “shrunk significantly,” but “the most difficult” remain. The future of Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces is still unclear.</p> <p>The United States proposed that the negotiating teams from both countries meet in Miami next week, Zelensky said. Ukraine confirmed it will participate. Russian representatives have not yet commented.</p> <p>Russia has long targeted the neighboring country’s energy infrastructure. On January 29, US President Donald Trump said that after his personal appeal, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to stop shelling Ukrainian cities for the next seven days amid freezing temperatures.</p> <p>Zelensky confirmed there was an arrangement with Russia on a temporary halt to strikes on energy infrastructure, but clarified there was no direct dialogue with Moscow. Hundreds of thousands of Kyiv residents remain without electricity and heat, and until recently temperatures stayed below minus 20 degrees Celsius.</p> <p>Overnight on February 2, Russia resumed strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and in preceding days attacked the country with hundreds of drones and several Iskander-M missiles. However, on February 3, Trump said the Kremlin leader had allegedly kept his word on the energy ceasefire.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-us-proposed-renewed-energy-ceasefire-kyiv-agrees-russia-yet-to-respond">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/blackouts-hit-belgorod-and-surrounding.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:06:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/blackouts-hit-belgorod-and-surrounding.html <p>Parts of Belgorod and its suburbs lost power on Saturday evening, January 7, following shelling from Ukraine. The attack and damage to local infrastructure were confirmed by regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on his Telegram channel.</p> <p>According to the official, the city came under fire three times over 24 hours. During the second barrage-around 8 p.m. local time-energy infrastructure was damaged. Gladkov did not provide details, but said the third strike occurred while he was inspecting sites after the previous attack.</p> <p>The governor did not say when electricity would be restored to affected homes. He added that “the volume of work to restore heat in the city is increasing” and urged those “whose homes are very cold” to go to temporary warming centers opened in response to the attacks.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said in its evening update that five drones were shot down over Belgorod region. Five more were intercepted over neighboring Bryansk region, the ministry said.</p> <p>Videos showing the moment the lights went out in Belgorod spread on social media.</p> <p>Earlier the same day, Belgorod and the region came under rocket fire. Gladkov said four men were injured at an unspecified “infrastructure facility.” The barrage also caused power outages “across the city and districts of the region,” he said.</p> <p>Gladkov noted air temperatures in the region were not extremely low — minus 1 to minus 3 Celsius - but said the incidents pose a threat to residents’ daily lives. City hospitals continued to operate as normal.</p> <p>Local residents said the Luch combined heat-and-power plant — one of the city’s key energy facilities — was among the sites hit. It was also targeted in the evening attack.</p> <p>Russia’s border regions face attacks amid subzero temperatures</p> <p>Belgorod region has been regularly targeted since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops were massed in the area even before the invasion, and the region is a key logistics hub for the Russian military.</p> <p>Russia acknowledged in 2022 that it carried out targeted strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian forces, in turn, have also struck energy facilities inside Russia. Belgorod has experienced several blackouts as a result. The last large-scale outages in the city were recorded in early February, and before that in January, when Russia also launched mass strikes on Ukraine’s energy system.</p> <p>Against this backdrop, the Belgorod governor urged residents to secure their own power supplies by purchasing generators. “Protecting one’s home is largely in the hands of homeowners,” Gladkov said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/blackouts-hit-belgorod-and-surrounding-areas-after-ukrainian-shelling">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/ukraine-says-situation-worsens-in.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:01:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/ukraine-says-situation-worsens-in.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces are concentrating efforts on the northern outskirts of Myrnohrad to hold back further Russian advances amid ongoing heavy fighting, the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/1073">said</a>.</p> <p>“The operational situation in Myrnohrad has significantly worsened over the past week. The Defense Forces are focusing their main efforts on containing the enemy’s further advance on the northern outskirts of Myrnohrad, where active combat operations continue,” the statement said.</p> <p>According to the corps, Russian forces are bringing heavy equipment, including artillery, into the city center as part of their plan to occupy Myrnohrad. Activity by Russian assault groups is also being recorded on the eastern outskirts of the city.</p> <p>At the same time, pressure north of the city is significantly limiting the use of unmanned aerial systems inside Myrnohrad, narrowing Ukraine’s options for striking the enemy.</p> <p>“In the face of a worsening situation, the 79th Separate Air Assault Tavria Brigade of the 7th Corps carried out search-and-strike operations north of Myrnohrad to detect and eliminate enemy groups, preventing Russian forces from getting into the rear of our positions,” the Air Assault Forces added.</p> <p>Over the past day, 152 combat engagements were recorded along the front, with the Hulyaipole and Pokrovsk sectors remaining the most intense, Ukraine’s General Staff said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military also said it eliminated 770 Russian troops in the past 24 hours and estimates Russia has lost 1,244,560 personnel since the start of the full-scale invasion.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-situation-worsens-in-myrnohrad-as-russian-forces-push-on-northern-outskirts">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/08/the-gru-illegals.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/08/the-gru-illegals.html <p>The GRU illegals are intelligence officers operating abroad using false identities under cover, without diplomatic immunity, engaged in espionage and clandestine operations. Originating in the Soviet era and continuing in modern Russia, these illegals mostly work under the SVR and focus on espionage, sabotage, and subversion. The former KGB First Chief Directorate oversaw such illegal programs, which have lasted over a century. Notable historical operatives include Richard Sorge in Japan during WWII, and the Red Orchestra spy network in Europe. During WWII, the GRU also infiltrated the US Manhattan Project via agent George Koval. Recent high-profile arrests after Russia&rsquo;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine include Pavel Rubtsov, Mikhail Mikushin (exchanged in a prisoner swap in 2024), Sergey Cherkasov (detained in the Netherlands in 2022), and Olga Kolobova, a GRU illegal posing as a socialite and jewelry designer. Despite technological advances making illegal operations risky, the Russian GRU continues to maintain its illegal espionage program, driven by historical legacy and strategic motives.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://lab52.io/blog/the-gru-illegals/">lab52.io/blog/the-&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/0e04716d-8d22-4a39-a53b-78e8d59a20b0">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/putins-hit-a-dangerous-point.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/putins-hit-a-dangerous-point.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4fb5c70405.jpg" alt="❌ Putin's hit a DANGEROUS POINT: 2026 is gonna be a DECISIVE year in all aspects! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kXw-ucyPAa8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/ampquotthe-first-frontline-that-can.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/ampquotthe-first-frontline-that-can.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c5afd7ab81.jpg" alt="&quot;The first FRONTLINE that can crack inside RUSSIA is the&quot; – @AnnafromUkraine | Wrap-Up Analytics"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv-ysSF4iLo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/kyiv-says-alekseyev-assassination-attempt.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 21:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/kyiv-says-alekseyev-assassination-attempt.html <p>The assassination attempt on a senior GRU general in Russia came as the first tangible talks to halt hostilities since the full-scale invasion got underway. Sources in Ukraine’s Presidential Office suggest a third party may be trying to destabilize the negotiations, reports <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/185748">Novosti.LIVE</a>, which cited presidential office sources.</p> <p>According to those sources, the attempt on Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev occurred just as he is leading the Russian group coordinating talks with Ukraine. They believe the timing is no coincidence and points to an effort to derail the process. The Presidential Office stresses that Russian propaganda claims of a “Ukrainian trace” appear implausible under current circumstances. For Kyiv, such an action would be counterproductive, as any disruption to the talks directly harms the country’s interests.</p> <p>The most likely scenario, the sources say, involves a third party intent on scuttling any agreement. In that view, the target was not only the general but the negotiation mechanism itself, which is at a critical stage.</p> <p>Russia’s ASTRA outlet, citing the Investigative Committee, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/103695">reported</a> that an armed attack on Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev took place in Moscow. The shooting happened on the 24th floor of a residential building on Volokolamskoye Highway: an unidentified assailant fired several times at the general and fled. Alekseyev suffered a chest wound and was hospitalized. A criminal case has been opened on charges of attempted murder and illegal arms trafficking.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/103698">sources</a>, the general sustained three wounds and lost a significant amount of blood. The incident occurred as Alekseyev was directly coordinating the work of the Russian negotiating team.</p> <p>Vladimir Alekseyev is the first deputy head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU) and a key figure in Russia’s military intelligence hierarchy. He has long overseen private military companies, including the Redut and Novichok PMCs, as well as “volunteer” formations deployed in combat operations in Ukraine.</p> <p>Investigative reports have linked Alekseyev to preparations for the initial phase of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to oversight of private military structures in the war zone. During Yevgeny Prigozhin’s 2023 mutiny, he released a video address urging Wagner fighters to stand down and took part in talks with the Wagner chief.</p> <p>Alekseyev is under international sanctions. In 2019, the European Union placed him on a list of individuals tied to the use of the Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury. The United Kingdom imposed similar measures in 2020, and in 2016 the United States sanctioned him over Russia’s alleged interference in the U.S. presidential election.</p> <p>Alekseyev currently serves as deputy to Igor Kostyukov, who heads the Russian negotiating team in the United Arab Emirates, where talks among Russia, Ukraine and the United States on a potential settlement are ongoing.</p> <p>According to Alekseyev’s neighbors, the shots, the top officer fell and lay covered in blood but remained conscious. They also complained that the entryway cameras were not working and that the Volokolamsky residential complex had effectively become a “through passage.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-says-alekseyev-assassination-attempt-was-meant-to-derail-peace-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/shadow-export-of-microchips-russias.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 21:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/shadow-export-of-microchips-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9759e92489.jpg" alt="Shadow EXPORT OF MICROCHIPS: RUSSIA's schemes, sanction evasion, and &quot;FINDINGS&quot; inside WEAPONS"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXVXNEJlEfM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russian-house-a-moscowbased-organization.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:47:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russian-house-a-moscowbased-organization.html <p>The article exposes Russian House, located in a prominent Moscow building, as a major instrument of Moscow&rsquo;s global propaganda disguised as a humanitarian organization. Despite its humanitarian facade, the group actively promotes Kremlin-approved narratives internationally, particularly targeting diaspora communities and political influencers. Russian House is linked to the Russian government and serves to spread disinformation, manipulate public opinion abroad, and cultivate pro-Kremlin support. This politically manipulative role is concealed under the guise of cultural diplomacy and humanitarian aid, exploiting legitimacy to undermine democratic societies. The organization’s activities include sponsoring events and media outlets that push Kremlin narratives, interfering with democratic processes, and attempting to influence foreign public opinion. This is part of a broader Russian strategy of political subversion, blending soft power with covert information operations.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russian-house-moscows-global-propaganda-machine-disguised-as-a-humanitarian-organization-6295">united24media.com/war-in-uk&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/fb944592-1cca-4e98-b85a-05b2e76e71ea">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/ukraines-neptune-missiles-strike-energy.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:41:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/ukraines-neptune-missiles-strike-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5db112f898.jpg" alt="Ukraine's Neptune missiles strike energy facilities in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, governor claims"></p>"The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked our region using long-range Neptune missiles and HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems," Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz claimed. "As a result of the attack, power supply was disrupted in seven municipalities."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-neptune-missiles-strike-energy-facilities-in-russias-bryansk-oblast-governor-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russias-belgorod-oblast-faces-blackouts.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:16:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russias-belgorod-oblast-faces-blackouts.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4c32450bdb.jpg" alt="Russia's Belgorod Oblast faces blackouts, heating shortages for 3rd time this week"></p>Blackouts and heating outages were reported in the Russian city of Belgorod on Feb. 7 after alleged attacks on a local thermal power plant and electrical substation.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-belgorod-oblast-faces-blackouts-heating-shortages-for-3rd-time-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/estonia-to-fully-close-russia.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/estonia-to-fully-close-russia.html <p>Estonia will fully close its border with Russia at night, citing what officials called Moscow’s “irrational” behavior along the frontier.</p> <p>To save resources and shift them to daytime patrols, the Luhamaa and Koidula road checkpoints will operate only 12 hours during the day starting February 24, public broadcaster <a href="https://rus.err.ee/1609932827/s-24-fevralja-jestonija-na-tri-mesjaca-zakroet-nochnoe-dvizhenie-na-pogranpunktah-luhamaa-i-kojdula">ERR reported</a>. The measure is initially set for three months. Another crossing, in Narva, has been closed overnight since May 2024.</p> <p>“Because Russia sometimes behaves irrationally at the border, we need to free up resources for more effective border security,” Prime Minister Kristen Michal said. “We will shorten the operating hours of the crossing points and close them at night so we can monitor other sections of the border more closely. In addition, full customs control remains in effect toward Russia. Further decisions will be based on security needs and how the situation at the border develops.”</p> <p>Interior Minister Igor Taro said the conduct of Russian border guards requires constant heightened attention from the Police and Border Guard Board. He added that reduced hours are logical given a steep drop in traffic: “Compared with 2018, the number of crossings has fallen by roughly five times. If 5.3 million people crossed the eastern border in 2018, in 2025 the figure was 1,084,320.”</p> <p>In December, authorities documented three Russian border guards crossing into Estonia and spending about 20 minutes on its territory. Two months earlier, an unidentified drone flying near a barracks that houses US troops was shot down.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/estonia-to-fully-close-russia-border-at-night-citing-moscow-s-irrational-behavior">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/intensity-of-russian-attacks-sharply.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:30:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/intensity-of-russian-attacks-sharply.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/96e303706f.jpg" alt="Intensity of RUSSIAN ATTACKS – sharply decreased #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/P2b_G2nIxW8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/eu-court-allows-seizure-of.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/eu-court-allows-seizure-of.html <p>Authorities in European Union countries can seize vehicles brought into the EU from Russia in violation of existing sanctions.</p> <p>The EU General Court issued the ruling on Thursday, February 5.</p> <p>The case was triggered by a lawsuit from a Russian citizen living in Düsseldorf.</p> <p>The Russian national bought a used car in Russia in January 2023, drove it into Poland in May, then transported it to Düsseldorf on a trailer without license plates and tried to declare it in August 2023.</p> <p>German customs seized the vehicle, citing Article 3i of European Union Regulation No. 883/2014.</p> <p>The document bans importing into the EU goods that generate “significant revenue for Russia.”</p> <p>EU restrictions on imports from Russia apply to all items listed in the prohibited trade categories, the court said.</p> <p>The court also ruled that registration of cars brought from Russia and present in the EU as of December 19, 2023, is allowed only for vehicles imported into the bloc without violating the embargo.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-court-allows-seizure-of-cars-imported-from-russia-in-breach-of-sanctions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/x-production-burns-russias-strategic.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/x-production-burns-russias-strategic.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c16db4b32d.jpg" alt="X-101 PRODUCTION BURNS: Russia’s STRATEGIC MISSILE PLANT is on FIRE as enemy front LOSES intensity"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL-wn3yMs28">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/zelensky-us-pushing-for-ukrainerussia.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/zelensky-us-pushing-for-ukrainerussia.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says US representatives in trilateral peace talks are proposing that Ukraine and Russia end the war by the summer of 2026. He made the comments to reporters, according to <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytics/4088745-ssa-hocut-sob-vijna-zaversilasa-do-cervna-zelenskij.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>Negotiations among Ukraine, the United States and Russia have been underway since January 2026, with two rounds of consultations already completed.</p> <p>Zelensky said White House envoys participating in the talks — identified as Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner — are expected to press the Ukrainian and Russian delegations to sign a ceasefire agreement this spring, by June.</p> <p>He linked Washington’s stance to US domestic politics, saying the White House will soon be focused on congressional elections and other internal issues.</p> <p>The United States will hold midterm elections in November 2026, when the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate are on the ballot. Currently, the Republican Party led by Donald Trump holds a formal majority in both chambers, giving Trump a freer hand in domestic and foreign policy.</p> <p>Democrats hope to win back the House in the fall, which would limit Trump’s ability to enact his agenda. An impeachment effort is not ruled out, Zelensky suggested, adding that Trump’s attention is therefore likely to shift increasingly to domestic matters.</p> <p>Direct Ukraine-Russia negotiations on ending the war began in January 2026 with US mediation. US figures Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner are also taking part, making the format trilateral — the first such consultations since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.</p> <p>Two rounds have been held so far, on January 23–24 and February 4–5, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. In January, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to an “energy truce,” which the Kremlin quickly violated, according to Ukraine. In February, the sides agreed to — and carried out — a prisoner exchange, and discussed territorial issues, the fate of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, potential steps toward a truce, and mechanisms to monitor a ceasefire. Kyiv calls the talks constructive. Another trilateral meeting is expected soon in the United States.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-us-pushing-for-ukraine-russia-ceasefire-by-june-2026">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russian-plant-that-makes-fuel.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:45:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russian-plant-that-makes-fuel.html <p>The Redkinsky Experimental Plant in Russia’s Tver region - among other things a producer of fuel for Russian missiles, reports <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/02/07/8019862/">Ukrainska Pravda</a>, citing sources in the Ukrainian Security Service.</p> <p>Vitaly Korolev, the acting governor of Tver region, said on Telegram that during the “repulsion of a UAV attack,” a fire broke out at one of the plants in the Konakovo district. There were no reports of casualties, Korolev added.</p> <p>Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Andriy Kovalenko also confirmed the strike and said the plant specializes in experimental and small-batch production of special chemical components used in military programs. “The products are used for propellant components, explosives, initiators and process mixtures used by defense enterprises. The plant meets the Russian Defense Ministry’s nonstandard needs for new weapons,” his post said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s UNIAN agency reported this includes fuel for the strategic Kh-101, Kh-555 and “Kalibr” cruise missiles.</p> <p>The Telegram channel Astra <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/103766?single">said</a> residents of Redkino in Tver region reported numerous explosions and a subsequent fire, with several seats of ignition. Witnesses said a chemical smell was noticeable near the plant.</p> <p>The plant is under sanctions by the United Kingdom, the United States and several other countries.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/103766">Astra</a>, the facility was previously attacked in June 2024 and twice in September 2023.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said that from 11 p.m. Moscow time on February 6 to 7 a.m. on February 7, air defenses intercepted and destroyed 82 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones, including four over Tver region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-plant-that-makes-fuel-for-kalibr-missiles-reportedly-hit-in-drone-attack">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/ukraine-seeks-emergency-power-aid.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/ukraine-seeks-emergency-power-aid.html <p>Kyiv says it cannot independently address the fallout from the latest Russian strike on Ukraine’s power grid.</p> <p>Ukraine has requested emergency energy assistance from Poland after a new mass Russian attack on facilities across the country’s power system, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dshmyhal/posts/pfbid0HgzDgu6Ks3Ju4DTpUMUE7MdTGZec9pV8nkbzWhcVve3EY2hGNh5UD8CPX9PT3NRFl">said</a>.</p> <p>He said dispatchers at Ukrenergo have already activated emergency power cuts to stabilize the grid and prevent a complete collapse in some regions.  The minister added that energy crews are doing everything possible to fix the damage. In some areas, repairs will begin immediately once conditions allow.</p> <p>The Russian strike hit overnight on February 7 and combined strategic aircraft with attack drones. Key elements of the grid were targeted, including trunk substations and 750 kV and 330 kV transmission lines that move power between regions.</p> <p>Generation facilities were also damaged. In particular, the Burshtyn and Dobrotvir thermal power plants - key to electricity supply in western Ukraine - came under attack. The destruction created a power deficit, forcing Kyiv to urgently seek help from neighboring countries.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-seeks-emergency-power-aid-from-poland-after-russian-strikes-on-grid">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/poland-temporarily-closes-two-airports.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:21:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/poland-temporarily-closes-two-airports.html <p>Amid Russian strikes on western regions of Ukraine overnight Saturday, February 7, Polish authorities halted operations for several hours at the civilian airports Rzeszów-Jasionka and Lublin and scrambled military aircraft.</p> <p>The measures were preventive and aimed at safeguarding and protecting the airspace, “especially in areas adjacent to threatened territories,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said <a href="https://x.com/DowOperSZ/status/2019989910816518575">on X</a>.</p> <p>Poland’s ground-based air defense and radar surveillance systems were placed on alert.</p> <p>Both airports resumed operations on the morning of February 7. No violations of Polish airspace were recorded, the military said. The Polish army is monitoring the situation in Ukraine and remains on constant readiness to secure Poland’s airspace, the Operational Command stressed.</p> <p>Poland thanked the German Air Force, whose aircraft helped maintain safety in Polish skies, and the Netherlands’ Armed Forces for supporting air defense systems.</p> <p>Russia carried out a new mass strike overnight on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, mainly in the west of the country. The Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv regions were among those targeted. According to <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/54980">Ukraine’s Air Force</a>, Russia used attack drones and air-, ground- and sea-launched missiles.</p> <p>Substations and 750 kV and 330 kV transmission lines were hit, as well as the Burshtyn and Dobrotvir thermal power plants, First Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal <a href="https://t.me/Denys_Smyhal/12267">said</a>. He added that the national grid operator Ukrenergo activated a request for emergency assistance from Poland.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-temporarily-closes-two-airports-amid-russian-strikes-on-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russian-gru-general-vladimir-alekseyev.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:12:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russian-gru-general-vladimir-alekseyev.html <p>Russian state media report that Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev, the target of an assassination attempt, regained consciousness after surgery and is no longer in life-threatening condition. Meanwhile, more details are emerging.</p> <p>State news agency TASS <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/360328">said</a> Alekseyev, who is under EU and US sanctions, “has regained consciousness after surgery and is conscious.” “Doctors cautiously say there is no threat to his life, medical sources told TASS,” the outlet reported.</p> <p>The international volunteer intelligence community InformNapalm <a href="https://t.me/informnapalm/26771">said</a> it assesses the likelihood of Ukrainian special services being behind the incident as low. The reason, it said, is that the method does not match the established signatures of operations previously attributed in Russia’s information space to Ukrainian special services in Moscow.</p> <p>InformNapalm noted that an unknown assailant opened fire with a small arm at close range.</p> <p>In 2024–2025, all known successful assassinations of Russian generals and senior security officials in the Moscow region shared a common trait: the use of explosive devices.</p> <p>Using a firearm at close range deviates from that pattern and more closely aligns with scenarios of:</p> <p>- internal security score-settling,</p> <p>- interagency or clan rivalries within Russian structures,</p> <p>- or an operation carried out by a third party.</p> <p>Lt. Gen. Alekseyev has been sanctioned by the US and EU for alleged involvement in serious war crimes, which significantly broadens the range of possible motives and interested parties.</p> <p>“Thus, the method of the attempt is atypical, which does not allow this incident to be automatically fitted into the Russian propaganda narrative of a ‘Ukrainian trace’ and, on the contrary, points to likely internal processes within Russia’s system of power,” the researchers said.</p> <p>The popular Russian outlet <a href="https://x.com/rucriminalinfo/status/2019961957529333812">VChK-OGPU</a>, which is linked to Russia’s security services, went further, claiming that Alekseyev - who typically traveled discreetly with security—was at an apartment on Volokolamskoye Highway where he was shot for a salacious reason: he was visiting a mistress, and because he was alone he became “easy prey.” These claims cannot be independently verified, but the version is drawing attention. Details about Alekseyev’s family are classified, though it is known they own multiple elite properties in Moscow, and this building is not among them. Most apartments there were reportedly rented out, and the killer opened the door with his own key. His face was covered, making identification impossible. The building’s cameras were not working, so police canvassed neighbors, who said Alekseyev had been visiting a young woman with a small child. The general’s official spouse is 63, and their children are well over 30. Earlier, sources said this was not Alekseyev’s permanent residence; he appeared there intermittently, believing counter-surveillance measures would keep him from being tracked.</p> <p>Security was present in the building, but they “missed” the gunman because he took the stairs while they used the elevator.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-gru-general-vladimir-alekseyev-regains-consciousness-after-assassination-attempt">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/orban-declares-ukraine-enemy-of.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:01:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/orban-declares-ukraine-enemy-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257056643.jpg" alt="Orban declares Ukraine 'enemy' of Hungary"></p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized Ukraine for calling on the EU halt imports of cheap Russian energy. "Anyone who says this is an enemy of Hungary, so Ukraine is our enemy," he said at a rally on Feb. 7.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/orban-declares-ukraine-enemy-of-hungary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/this-is-russian-war-camouflage.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 17:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/this-is-russian-war-camouflage.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7aeeb07e7b.jpg" alt="🐧 This is RUSSIAN WAR CAMOUFLAGE – penguins, trash piles, and toilets #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oY0y1dIPIrU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/chaos-russians-without-starlink-assaults.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 17:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/chaos-russians-without-starlink-assaults.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6fa49c2764.jpg" alt="🔥 CHAOS – Russians WITHOUT STARLINK! Assaults in PENGUIN CAMOUFLAGE. NEW START Treaty EXPIRED!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LN34wqL2oA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/uk-reportedly-weighs-seizure-of.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:58:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/uk-reportedly-weighs-seizure-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/975234e24e.jpg" alt="UK reportedly weighs seizure of Russian shadow fleet tanker, marking new enforcement tactic"></p>British defense officials told the Guardian that military options for seizing ships were discussed during consultations among NATO allies.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/uk-reportedly-weighs-seizure-of-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-marking-new-enforcement-tactic/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/one-npp-unit-shut-down.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:49:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/one-npp-unit-shut-down.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/65fdffdca0.jpg" alt="💥 One NPP unit shut down after RUSSIAN shelling – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WoLOfkbWi-4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russian-forces-hit-europes-largest.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 15:57:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russian-forces-hit-europes-largest.html <p>Russian forces have struck Europe’s largest power substation for the first time, a move that will have repercussions for Ukraine’s energy system in the coming days.</p> <p>Ukraine’s grid operator Ukrenergo detailed the impact of the year’s second large-scale attack on the country’s energy system, saying power plants as well as transmission and distribution substations were hit.</p> <p>“As a result of missile strikes on key high-voltage substations that ensured power output from nuclear units, all nuclear power plants on government-controlled territory were forced to reduce generation,” Ukrenergo <a href="https://t.me/Ukrenergo/4635">said</a>.</p> <p>Damage from the strikes has significantly widened the capacity deficit across Ukraine’s grid, the operator added. That has forced longer hourly rolling outages nationwide. Most regions are also under emergency power cuts that will be lifted once the system stabilizes.</p> <p>Emergency repair crews have started restoration work at damaged facilities wherever safety allows, Ukrenergo said. “Energy workers are doing everything possible to bring equipment back online as quickly as they can and reconnect all customers left without power. Right now, priority is supplying critical infrastructure in regions where emergency outages are in place.”</p> <p>Ukrenergo also urged consumers not to switch on high-power appliances immediately after electricity returns: avoid using several energy-intensive devices at the same time today and, where possible, postpone energy-heavy tasks until the grid stabilizes.</p> <p>Energy analyst Stanislav Ignatyev said Russian forces targeted the “Western Ukrainian 750 kV” substation in Lviv region. He believes the country’s grid will feel the impact for the next several days.</p> <p>He called the facility critical to the stable operation of Ukraine’s power system, speaking to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/3069009196640539">the Kyiv24 TV channel</a>.</p> <p>“Public sources already indicate there were strikes and some damage at the ‘Western Ukrainian 750 kV’ substation. This is the largest electrical substation in Europe, and the enemy is trying to hit such large-scale sites,” Ignatyev said.</p> <p>According to him, the substation manages the flow of electricity to Ukraine’s western regions from the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants, as well as from the Burshtyn thermal power plant and, in part, the Dobrotvir thermal power plant. He added that it also handles imported electricity and emergency dispatch assistance from the EU.</p> <p>“The situation is difficult. This won’t be an apocalypse, but the next four days, amid colder weather, will be quite challenging,” Ignatyev said, urging people to keep essential stocks of water and food.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-forces-hit-europe-s-largest-power-substation-for-the-first-time-expert-warns-of-grid-strain">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/ukrainian-nuclear-power-plants-reduced.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 15:30:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/ukrainian-nuclear-power-plants-reduced.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b7755ed63c.jpg" alt="⚡️ Ukrainian nuclear power plants reduced GENERATION due to Russian shelling! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eq-wXmfyfOY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/structural-shift-eu-ban-on.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 15:18:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/structural-shift-eu-ban-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/adabc23e24.jpg" alt="'Structural shift'— EU ban on Russian gas set to harm Moscow long term, despite loopholes"></p><p>The European Union has approved a long-promised ban on Russian gas imports, a measure meant to lock in the bloc’s shift away from Moscow’s energy supplies nearly four years into Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.</p><p>Still, the new ban contains major loopholes, meaning that</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/structural-shift-eu-ban-on-russian-gas-set-to-harm-russia-long-term-despite-loopholes/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/trump-lifts-extra-tariff-on.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 15:03:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/trump-lifts-extra-tariff-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2198746304.jpg" alt="Trump lifts extra 25% tariff on India after pledge to curb Russian oil imports"></p>India's Ministry of Commerce has not publicly confirmed the White House's claim that New Delhi agreed to halt imports of Russian oil.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-lifts-extra-25-tariff-on-india/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/ukraine-hits-important-russian-cruise.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:01:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/ukraine-hits-important-russian-cruise.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/324y392743423-2.jpg" alt="Ukraine hits 'important' Russian cruise missile fuel plant in Tver Oblast, drones spark 'massive fire'"></p>Data from the FIRMS satellite monitoring service, which tracks fires worldwide in near real time, showed active burning on the plant's territory following the strike.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-important-russian-cruise-missile-fuel-plant/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/as-global-sports-ease-sanctions.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:48:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/as-global-sports-ease-sanctions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259723331.jpg" alt="As global sports ease sanctions on Russia and Belarus, attention turns to Olympics"></p><p>One of the most talked-about moments at the Olympics came from Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych. After his race in Beijing in 2022, just days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion, he held up a sign reading "No war in Ukraine."</p><p>But his appeal went largely unheard.</p><p>Four</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/as-global-sports-ease-sanctions-on-russia-and-belarus-attention-turns-to-olympics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russia-deploying-oreshnik-missile-in.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:41:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russia-deploying-oreshnik-missile-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/150fee3ef8.jpg" alt="Russia deploying Oreshnik missile in Belarus to 'draw country into war,' Zelensky warns"></p>"We will make sure that 'Oreshnik' does not even start operating," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-russia-deploying-oreshnik-missile-in-belarus-to-draw-country-into-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/stale-http-forbidden.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:26:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/stale-http-forbidden.html <p>[Stale] HTTP 403: Forbidden</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.globsec.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/Russia%E2%80%99s%20Crime-Terror%20Nexus%20Criminality%20as%20a%20Tool%20of%20Hybrid%20Warfare%20in%20Europe.pdf">www.globsec.org/sites/def&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/74b4433c-9e1b-4454-ab31-312a1ba37e3e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/zelensky-warns-of-risk-us.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 10:01:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/zelensky-warns-of-risk-us.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f0b13bce33.jpg" alt="Zelensky warns of 'risk' US, Russia could strike bilateral deals on Ukraine without Kyiv"></p>"We clearly state that Ukraine will not support even potential agreements about us without us," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-of-risk-us-russia-could-strike-bilateral-deals-on-ukraine-without-kyiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:56:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e1fe9d0831.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,245,290 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 730 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-245-290-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/russia-launches-mass-attack-on.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 06:57:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/russia-launches-mass-attack-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-07-00-57-56-2-.jpg" alt="Russia launches mass attack on Ukraine, triggers emergency power outages"></p>Russia carried out a mass attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in the early hours of Feb. 7, triggering emergency power outages across most regions, Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mass-attack-ukraine-emergency-power-outages/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/07/no-front-line-no-pause.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/07/no-front-line-no-pause.html <p>The German Bundeswehr brigade stationed in Lithuania faces multifaceted hybrid warfare pressure from Russia, including mysterious phone call surveillance where soldiers hear recordings of their own conversations, and drone spying on sensitive defense systems and exercises. In October 2025, two Russian fighter jets briefly violated Lithuanian airspace for about 18 seconds before being escorted out by NATO jets, causing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to condemn it as a provocation. The jets reportedly launched from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The Bundeswehr is also supporting Lithuanian airspace surveillance with a mobile air force command post deployed from January to March 2026. Such hybrid tactics extend beyond conventional attacks and blur legal definitions about responses. Russian border guards previously crossed into Estonian territory without authorization in December 2025, and armed, unmarked men have been seen near Estonian borders, eliciting diplomatic but restrained reactions. Federal Defence Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized the acute threat for Lithuania and the Baltic region. Airspace over the Baltic is heightened in sensitivity due to close Russian borders. NATO allies Germany, Spain, and the UK police Baltic airspace, as the Baltic states lack their own fighter jets. Expert analysis underscores these hybrid actions as psychological pressure to unsettle and intimidate NATO forces without triggering overt conflict.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Airspace violations</p> <p>Country: Lithuania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2026/02/07/no-front-line-no-pause-russias-hybrid-pressure-on-the-bundeswehr-in-lithuania">www.euronews.com/2026/02/0&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ccdfd24f-ec69-4775-a156-a0b510879c6b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/nuclear-blackmail-trap-can-trump.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/nuclear-blackmail-trap-can-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/db7bb4fbd4.jpg" alt="🎲 NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL TRAP: can Trump CONTROL the situation, or the Kremlin plays its OWN GAME?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_9deLb6oT4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/russia-admits-falsified-safety-checks.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/russia-admits-falsified-safety-checks.html <p>Russia’s civil aviation woes go beyond aging Boeing and Airbus jets: its fleet includes at least 230 domestically built aircraft that are 40–60 years old and at risk of falling apart midair at any moment.</p> <p>The country’s state aviation watchdog is sounding the alarm, saying planes with defects are being cleared to fly despite unresolved issues, only partial maintenance, and violations of airworthiness directives. From 2023 to 2025, regulators barred more than 480 aircraft from service—nearly 50% of the fleet registered with the Transport Ministry.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/02/05/v-gosavianadzore-zayavili-o-snyatii-s-reisov-polovini-aviaparka-iz-za-massovih-narushenii-a186445">The Moscow Times</a>, agency chief Vladimir Kovalsky made the disclosure at the “SLG 2.0” session (airworthiness certificate).</p> <p>Kovalsky expressed outrage, citing airlines that knowingly lowered safety thresholds when assessing aircraft condition, despite the risk of potential crashes.</p> <p>“Yes, we falsified, but this does not affect safety,” he quoted one violator as saying.</p> <p>A bleak outlook is also coming from Rosaviatsiya, the Federal Air Transport Agency. Its head, Dmitry Yadrov, warned that because of sanctions, Russia could lose more than 100 foreign-made aircraft by 2030, shrinking the overall fleet by a third.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-admits-falsified-safety-checks-as-watchdog-grounds-480-aircraft-amid-aging-fleet-crisis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/ukrainian-ballistics-can-reach-moscow.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/ukrainian-ballistics-can-reach-moscow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3515c9943a.jpg" alt="UKRAINIAN BALLISTICS can reach MOSCOW. ATTACK on GRU general &amp; COLLAPSE of Russian communications!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N97JkubZmpY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/lavrov-says-kremlin-holding-secret.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/lavrov-says-kremlin-holding-secret.html <p>Russia is holding confidential talks with European countries about terms to end the war in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with pro-Kremlin media.</p> <p>Lavrov said some European leaders call the Kremlin to discuss specific issues, and at times fly to Moscow. He claimed such conversations and meetings are often kept quiet at the request of the European leaders involved.</p> <p>According to Lavrov, these confidential contacts have not produced new ideas, and discussions typically center on conditions for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. He also complained that Europe has taken an “uncompromising” stance toward Russia, which he characterized as aiming to inflict a strategic defeat on the Kremlin.</p> <p>Some European leaders have argued for renewed dialogue with Moscow even as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues and President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of ending the war. In December 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron called for resuming contacts with Russia while taking Ukraine’s interests into account, saying Europe, like the United States, should participate in peace talks with Moscow. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni backed the idea.</p> <p>In early February 2026, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina and Estonian President Alar Karis also came out in favor of talks with Russia, saying European countries should be involved in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Around the same time, Macron said he was ready to speak with Putin and that this was being discussed at a “technical level.”</p> <p>Many European countries, however, oppose reviving contacts with Moscow. The United Kingdom argues Putin is not ready for serious peace negotiations, and views Russia’s participation in trilateral meetings in Abu Dhabi with representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Russia as an attempt to prolong the conflict.</p> <p>It previously emerged that Macron’s envoy held secret talks at the Kremlin on February 3, 2026.</p> <p>Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has also said the European Union will have to engage with Russia in the future.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-says-kremlin-holding-secret-talks-with-european-leaders-on-ending-the-war-in-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/estonia-bans-over-more-russian.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:33:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/estonia-bans-over-more-russian.html <p>Estonia expanded its restrictions on Russian military personnel by banning over 1,000 combatants who have fought for Russia in the Ukraine conflict from entering the Schengen zone as of February 6, 2026. The ban targets specifically those involved in Russia&rsquo;s war against Ukraine, aiming to hamper their movement and weaken Russia&rsquo;s hybrid influence and military operations in the Baltic region. Estonia&rsquo;s legal action is part of wider EU measures to apply political and legal pressure on Russia by limiting access to European territories for individuals connected to its military aggression. This move reiterates Estonia&rsquo;s firm stance against Russia&rsquo;s ongoing war and efforts to protect European stability by using political and legal tools.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Creating/manipulating political movements</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609934456/estonia-bans-over-1-000-more-russian-soldiers-from-entering-schengen-zone&amp;app_id=726183068022802">news.err.ee/160993445&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/4e7a2c52-c1ba-496a-8d87-5c023f11e64f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/zelensky-announces-air-force-personnel.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:25:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/zelensky-announces-air-force-personnel.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254593268-1-.jpg" alt="Zelensky announces Air Force personnel changes amid regional air defense concerns"></p>The changes will target units that are responsible for intercepting Russian unmanned aerial vehicles, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-announces-air-force-personnel-changes-amid-regional-air-defense-concerns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/moldovan-president-rejects-nobel-peace.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:22:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/moldovan-president-rejects-nobel-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5e46c39702.jpg" alt="Moldovan president rejects Nobel Peace Prize nomination, says Ukrainian POWs deserve it instead"></p>"Today, I was watching Ukrainian (prisoners of war) who returned home from Russia, and these are the people who deserve the Peace Prize," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moldovas-sandu-rejects-nobel-peace-prize-nomination-says-ukrainian-pows-deserve-it-instead/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/russias-banking-crisis-has-already.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/russias-banking-crisis-has-already.html <p>Russia’s banking sector will inevitably need additional government support, increasing fiscal and macroeconomic pressures on the economy, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service <a href="https://szru.gov.ua/news-media/news/bankivska-kryza-v-rosii-vzhe-pochalasya">said</a>.</p> <p>The agency said Russia’s banking system lost key signs of resilience last year despite calming rhetoric from the regulator.</p> <p>Net profit at Russian banks fell 8% from 2024 to $45 billion, while return on equity dropped to 18%.</p> <p>The deterioration came amid tight monetary policy, with sharp increases in loan-loss provisions and higher funding costs.</p> <p>“These metrics point not to a cyclical slowdown but to the onset of deeper dysfunction in the sector,” the service said.</p> <p>At the same time, asset quality is worsening, the agency added. The share of nonperforming loans has risen to 11%, and to 12% for unsecured loans. Such default levels are incompatible with official claims of stability and point to systemic problems that can no longer be explained by isolated segments or temporary shocks.</p> <p>Analysts at the Kremlin-linked Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting have effectively acknowledged the start of a systemic banking crisis, arguing the current appearance of stability rests not on genuine recovery but on the dominance of state banks, widespread restructuring of troubled assets and regulatory forbearance — a setup that merely postpones the reckoning and raises the risk of rapid, large-scale deposit outflows if conditions worsen.</p> <p>“The declared resilience of Russia’s banking system looks artificial. The Bank of Russia has effectively moved to manual risk management, allowing banks to mask bad loans as restructurings. Under these conditions, official data only conceal the true scale of losses,” the agency said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s intelligence service forecasts that Russia’s banks will inevitably require further government support, intensifying fiscal and macroeconomic strain and entrenching the crisis as a long-term factor.</p> <p>Earlier reports suggested Russia is likely to lose half of its energy revenues this year.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-banking-crisis-has-already-begun-ukraine-s-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/the-ukrainian-origins-of-avantgarde.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:30:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/the-ukrainian-origins-of-avantgarde.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0f1afffcfa.jpg" alt="The Ukrainian origins of avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich, long mislabelled as Russian"></p><p>In 2016, Natalia Zabolotna, then director of the Kyiv-based art gallery Mystetskyi Arsenal, proposed naming Kyiv’s main airport, Boryspil International Airport, after the famous avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich.</p><p>Her idea was far from eccentric. Across Europe, airports serve as sites of cultural self-definition, carrying the names of compatriots</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-ukrainian-origins-of-avant-garde-artist-kazimir-malevich-long-mislabelled-as-russian/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/syrskyi-ukraine-presses-offensive-on.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:30:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/syrskyi-ukraine-presses-offensive-on.html <p>Ukrainian units are conducting offensive actions in roughly a quarter of combat engagements on certain sectors of the front, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Friday during a briefing with journalists, <a href="https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1142542.html">according to Interfax-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>“On some sectors, about a quarter of combat clashes are Ukrainian units on the offensive. Their goal is to keep the enemy under constant pressure, inflict losses and prevent any advance. This tactic is delivering results,” Syrskyi said.</p> <p>He said Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out three offensive operations in 2025 — two inside Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions and a third along the Dobropillya axis. “These actions disrupted the enemy’s plans to seize Donetsk region and to create so‑called buffer zones,” he added.</p> <p>Syrskyi asserted that Russia made no significant operational gains in January. He said the active front line runs roughly 1,200 kilometers and that the depth of battle formations is expanding as drones reshape the battlefield - now stretching 15 to 20 kilometers deep.</p> <p>According to Syrskyi, the size of Russia’s grouping has held steady over the past six months at around 711,000 to 712,000 troops, including the operational reserve. He said Moscow has fully met, and even exceeded, its manning targets - an indication, he argued, that losses are outpacing replenishment. On average, he said, Russia is losing about 1,000 to 1,100 soldiers daily.</p> <p>Separately, the commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, said Russia in January lost more soldiers than it mobilized - the second time that has happened since the start of the full‑scale invasion.</p> <p>Earlier, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov set a strategic goal of eliminating 50,000 Russian occupiers per month. Ukraine has said its forces killed 35,000 Russian troops in December, losses it says were verified on video.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-ukraine-presses-offensive-on-parts-of-the-front-russia-made-no-significant-gains-in-january">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/poland-and-ukraine-to-jointly.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/poland-and-ukraine-to-jointly.html <p>Poland and Ukraine have signed a declaration of intent to jointly produce weapons and ammunition. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the move at a joint news conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, February 5.</p> <p>“We signed a declaration of intent, and this is not just intent. This is a move toward practical cooperation. That has been our goal for months,” Tusk said. “We discussed this and worked hard to make joint production of defense products at facilities both in Poland and in Ukraine a reality, removing barriers that made technology exchange impossible or complicated it.”</p> <p>For his part, Zelensky said Ukraine and Poland plan to jointly produce “drones and other weapons.” He added that Ukraine, now in its fourth year of countering Russia’s full-scale invasion, “has the most expertise in what weapons actually work in modern warfare.”</p> <p>Tusk said Poland is prepared to transfer its MiG-29 fighter jets to Kyiv in exchange for drone technologies. “I know Ukraine needs air defenses of various types, including certain kinds of missiles.” “We can’t help with everything, but if MiGs are needed, Poland is ready to hand them over immediately,” he stressed.</p> <p>“We’re talking about Ukrainian drones because we want to build an effective defense against UAVs in Poland,” he explained. Tusk said he wasn’t ready to say whether Warsaw could provide other, more urgently needed air-defense equipment instead of aircraft. “But immediately after returning to Poland, I will speak with the defense minister and, no later than Monday (February 9), I will let President Zelensky know what’s possible,” he promised.</p> <p>Tusk said Warsaw is working on additional weapons deliveries to support Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia. The next, 48th, aid package from Poland is expected to be worth roughly €47 million and will consist mainly of armored vehicles, he noted.</p> <p>In December, Poland’s General Staff said it was in talks with Kyiv on a possible transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets in exchange for access to technologies for producing drones and missiles. It emphasized that no final decision had been made and that any transfer would be part of “NATO’s policy of supporting Ukraine and ensuring the security of the Alliance’s eastern flank.”</p> <p>Another topic of Tusk and Zelensky’s February 5 talks in Kyiv was energy cooperation, including development of the energy grid in both countries, Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that Ukraine and Poland are also working to increase liquefied natural gas supplies. Zelensky thanked Poland for delivering energy equipment, especially generators.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-and-ukraine-to-jointly-produce-weapons-as-tusk-offers-mig-29s-for-drone-tech">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/billion-for-ukraine-defense-bradley.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/billion-for-ukraine-defense-bradley.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4fc85f235d.jpg" alt="€2 BILLION FOR UKRAINE DEFENSE: Bradley vehicles storm assaults &amp; failed FSB CYBERATTACK on Poland"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb3JHsdNLZs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/prisoners-in-hours-ukraines-azov.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:36:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/prisoners-in-hours-ukraines-azov.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-06-at-5-14-44-pm.png" alt="'18 prisoners in 24 hours' — Ukraine's Azov International reveals video of Dobropillia clearing operation"></p>The Russian soldiers — roughly the size of an entire platoon — were taken prisoner during the final clearing of the village of Zoloty Kolodiaz near Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/18-prisoners-in-24-hours-azov-international-reveals-details-of-dobropillia-clearing-operation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/russias-gru-general-vladimir-alekseyev.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:06:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/russias-gru-general-vladimir-alekseyev.html <p>Unknown assailants opened fire on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). The senior Russian security official had been decorated by the Kremlin for operations in Ukraine and Syria and was born near Vinnytsia.</p> <p>The shooting took place in the entryway of a residential building on Volokolamskoye Highway in Moscow, Russian state media TASS <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/360166">reported</a> on the morning of February 6.</p> <p>The attackers fired several shots at Vladimir Alekseyev and fled the scene.</p> <p>The Russian general was taken to a hospital; his condition was not immediately known.</p> <p>The assailants have not been detained, Russian journalists wrote.</p> <p>The incident involving GRU Lieutenant General Alekseyev occurred on the morning of February 6, according to Russian media.</p> <p>The shooter likely acted alone.</p> <p>The attacker allegedly fired several times into Alekseyev ’s back and fled; no arrest has been made.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/bazabazon/43918">the Baza channel</a>, the senior officer survived; he is in serious condition and is now in the hospital.</p> <p>Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case over the attack, Russian media said.</p> <p>Russian outlets meanwhile <a href="https://t.me/theinsider/45766">added details</a> about the assassination attempt in Moscow.</p> <p>It emerged the attacker lay in wait for Alekseyev on the stairwell as he was leaving his apartment.</p> <p>Neighbors said that after the shots, the top officer fell and lay there covered in blood but remained conscious.</p> <p>They also complained that the building’s surveillance cameras had not been working for several days.</p> <p>The channel of Russia’s Investigative Committee <a href="https://t.me/sledcom_press/27216">posted confirmation</a> of the attempt on Alekseyev .</p> <p>It said a case has been opened on attempted murder charges.</p> <p>It also clarified there were several shots and that there are surveillance camera recordings.</p> <p>Assassination attempt in Moscow - what is known about Alekseyev</p> <p>Vladimir Alekseyev is a 64-year-old lieutenant general of Russia’s security services who was born in the Khmelnytskyi district of the Vinnytsia region (the village of Holodky).</p> <p>After receiving professional training in Russia, he pursued a military career in the Russian army and in 2011 <a href="https://gur.gov.ua/content/alekseev-vladymyr-stepanovych.html">became first deputy chief of the GRU</a> of the Russian General Staff.</p> <p>Alekseyev was awarded the title “Hero of Russia” in 2017 for actions during the war in Syria.</p> <p>According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR), the lieutenant general is implicated in strikes on Ukraine and in the killing of Ukrainians.</p> <p>Among other things, Alekseyev took part in the activities of the “Redut” private military company.</p> <p>Ukrainian intelligence has said he provided reconnaissance for Russia’s armed forces and information for missile and air strikes on Ukraine.</p> <p>It also says he organized the so-called “referendum” in the occupied part of Kherson region.</p> <p>In addition, Ukraine’s GUR accuses the GRU officer of involvement in falsifying elections in the United States: conducting cyberattacks and compromising the electoral system.</p> <p>Some details of Vladimir Stepanovych Alekseyev ’s activities were exposed by investigative journalist Christo Grozev.</p> <p>The investigator <a href="https://novynarnia.com/2022/07/19/uchasnykom-zernovyh-perehovoriv-u-stambuli-buv-general-gru-volodymyr-alyeksyeyev-bellingcat">found</a> that the GRU general was involved behind the scenes of the “grain deal” and was also implicated in moving a Buk air-defense system into Ukraine in 2014 at the start of Russia’s hybrid invasion.</p> <p>He <a href="https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/clwp74pl9vvo">has also been linked to crimes</a> in Mariupol: taking part in discussions over the evacuation of defenders from Azovstal.</p> <p>Separately, the UK <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/13841?single">placed Alekseyev under sanctions</a> over his alleged role in the Novichok poisoning in Salisbury.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://graty.me/buratino-i-veteran-detali-spravi-pro-merezhu-rosijsko%D1%97-vo%D1%94nno%D1%97-rozvidki-u-prichetnosti-do-yako%D1%97-pidozryuyut-nardepa-oleksandra-dubinskogo/">the outlet Graty</a>, Alekseyev featured in a case involving the recruitment and creation of an agent network by then–Ukrainian MP Andriy Derkach.</p> <p>Ukraine’s SBU also mentioned his contacts with then–GRU chief Igor Kostyukov, who in 2026 is representing Russia at talks in Abu Dhabi.</p> <p>Focus has previously reported on other assassination attempts in Moscow involving senior Russian Defense Ministry officers.</p> <p>One of the latest cases occurred in December 2025, when a car belonging to General Fanil Sarvarov exploded in the middle of the street.</p> <p>And on December 1, there was an attempt on a developer of laser weapons for Russia’s armed forces: a car exploded in a residential courtyard.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-gru-general-vladimir-alekseyev-shot-in-moscow-in-apparent-assassination-attempt">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/ukraines-fire-point-unveils-fp.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/ukraines-fire-point-unveils-fp.html <p>Ukraine could soon field homegrown ballistic missiles modeled on the U.S.-made ATACMS, as work continues on the FP-7 and FP-9 systems. The weapons are being designed to be more affordable, the co-founders of Ukrainian defense firm Fire Point - Iryna Terekh and Denys Shtilerman - said in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wEoNsVOrjM">an interview with DW</a>.</p> <p>The FP-7 is intended as an ATACMS-like replacement with a range of up to 300 kilometers and a relatively small warhead.</p> <p>The FP-9 would pack more punch, with a range of 800–850 kilometers and a warhead of up to 800 kilograms. Shtilerman said the missile would be capable of striking Moscow or St. Petersburg.</p> <p>“We’re conducting tests now. There were significant organizational issues — they’ve been resolved, and we’re running final trials,” Shtilerman said, adding the company hopes to complete all testing by February.</p> <p>Terekh argued that ballistic missiles are key to penetrating dense air defenses, including what she described as three defensive rings around Moscow.</p> <p>“It will be much easier to hit Moscow with ballistics. It’s important to understand that neither cruise missiles nor drones - in numbers that could have a significant impact on Moscow or its infrastructure - will get through. So the only hope is ballistics with very high terminal speeds, over 1,200 meters per second,” she said.</p> <p>She noted countries with far larger missile programs have spent years developing ballistic capabilities, citing France’s 15-year development of the M51 and Russia’s S-400. Fire Point, she said, is moving faster thanks to fewer bureaucratic hurdles in Ukraine.</p> <p>The co-founders said the company will focus on ballistics in 2026, with a longer-term goal over the next two to three years to build a Europe-wide air-defense shield against ballistic missiles.</p> <p>They expect the shield to be underpinned by software that ensures independence from any single manufacturer or country.</p> <p>Shtilerman called Russian missiles - particularly the Iskander - the sector’s biggest challenge, noting interceptions now cost more than $6 million.</p> <p>“We want to drop that to, say, a million or a million and a half per Iskander intercept,” he said.</p> <p>To that end, the FP-7 would be used as a clone of Russia’s S-400 - but cheaper and with simpler control methods, according to the company.</p> <p>On February 5, reports said Ukrainian “Flamingo” rockets struck Russia’s Kapustin Yar range.</p> <p>Footage of the Flamingo launches at Kapustin Yar later appeared on X on the page of Fire Point co-owner and chief designer Denys Shtilerman.</p> <p>Open-source analysts said the Flamingo strikes likely hit Site No. 105, part of the infrastructure used to prepare Russian ballistic missile launches.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-fire-point-unveils-fp-7-and-fp-9-ballistic-missiles-claims-fp-9-can-hit-moscow-and-st-petersburg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/eu-proposes-powerful-th-russia.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:41:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/eu-proposes-powerful-th-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fbca6da2bd.jpg" alt="EU proposes 'powerful' 20th Russia sanctions package with full ban on oil maritime services"></p>"The new package of sanctions covers energy, financial services, and trade," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-proposes-powerful-20th-russia-sanctions-package-with-full-ban-on-oil-maritime-services/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/blocking-starlink-has-paralyzed-the.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/blocking-starlink-has-paralyzed-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/11a07c725f.jpg" alt="❗️ Blocking STARLINK has paralyzed the RUSSIAN ARMY #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3zHcRrWOLFI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/the-secretive-sea-drones-that.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:10:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/the-secretive-sea-drones-that.html <p>The UK Ministry of Defence has launched an operation using advanced remote-controlled sea drones, operated by Royal Navy officers aboard the XV Patrick Blackett from a secret location, to intercept and monitor Russia&rsquo;s shadow fleet of illicit oil tankers evading Western sanctions in UK waters. The new British &lsquo;shadow fleet&rsquo; command center established in the North East coordinates these efforts, aiming to disrupt and curtail Kremlin-backed smuggling operations linked to Moscow&rsquo;s ongoing war in Ukraine. These drones can be piloted from over 100 miles away, enhancing UK maritime surveillance and interdiction capabilities significantly. This initiative builds on recently introduced sanctions and maritime restrictions targeting Russia&rsquo;s ability to exploit energy markets. The UK government regards these operations as a critical frontline defense against Russian hybrid warfare tactics in the maritime domain. Officials highlight that such measures are essential in strengthening national security and supporting Ukraine. The deployment follows concerns about Russian state-linked criminal networks using covert tankers to circumvent sanctions, thereby undermining global energy stability.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Drone swarms &amp; UAV surveillance</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/sea-drones-intercept-putins-shadow-fleet-uk-waters-4213767">inews.co.uk/news/sea-&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/df0dba74-3afc-44cd-a073-8aaf88b5b8ef">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/chaos-and-friendly-fire-russians.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:01:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/chaos-and-friendly-fire-russians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/12557d286f.jpg" alt="CHAOS and FRIENDLY FIRE – Russians LOST STARLINK on the FRONTLINE! Ukraine in the EU by 2027?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8pem1GUv10">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/lavrov-says-ukraine-struck-energy.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/lavrov-says-ukraine-struck-energy.html <p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed Ukraine was the first to strike Russia’s energy infrastructure, adding that the Kremlin decided to target Ukraine’s energy facilities only in response.</p> <p>He also referenced an “energy truce” with Ukraine that he said Kyiv violated in 2025. He made the comments in an interview with Russian media, <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/360080">TASS reported</a>.</p> <p>“Russia’s patience is not limitless. It measured for a long time before cutting,” Lavrov said.</p> <p>Lavrov argued that Moscow had shown “goodwill,” including the purported energy truce in 2025, which he said Ukraine broke.</p> <p>He added that Russia has explained to the United States that the key issue for Moscow “is not about territory but about people.”</p> <p>The foreign minister also said Moscow has a “clear conscience,” asserting it had recognized Ukraine as a neutral, non-nuclear country.</p> <p>Lavrov repeated claims that the West sought to wage war against Russia using Ukrainians as proxies.</p> <p>He called it “stupidity” to suggest Moscow would try to attack Europe.</p> <p>Lavrov also accused Europe of seeking to derail US–Russia talks on Ukraine and said European officials’ public remarks do not differ from their confidential contacts.</p> <p>In the early hours of February 3, Russian forces launched a mass strike on Ukraine using more than 60 missiles and hundreds of drones. Energy infrastructure was hit, leaving people without electricity and heat amid temperatures near minus 20 Celsius.</p> <p>During a joint news conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia deliberately disregarded the conditions of the energy truce between the sides.</p> <p>“Either Russia now thinks a week has fewer than seven days, or it is truly betting on war,” the president said.</p> <p>In his evening address on February 3, Zelensky said he expects a US response to Russia’s violation of the energy truce. He noted it was the American side that proposed such understandings for the duration of talks and harsh weather conditions.</p> <p>On January 29, US President Donald Trump said he personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin not to attack Ukrainian cities for a week. Putin agreed, he said.</p> <p>Zelensky later commented that there were no formal agreements between Russia and Ukraine to halt strikes on energy facilities, but said Kyiv was prepared to adhere to such understandings .</p> <p>The New York Times reported the energy truce emerged after Kyiv over the weekend requested a pause during three-way talks in Abu Dhabi.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later said the truce would be in effect until February 1. That coincided with the end of a brief warm spell in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-says-ukraine-struck-energy-infrastructure-first-claims-russia-is-responding">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/talking-points-from-moscow-how.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:41:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/talking-points-from-moscow-how.html <p>The investigative article dated 6 February 2026 documents a coordinated effort by Russian state media RT and the GRU military intelligence to dominate and manipulate German-language Telegram channels. By deploying operatives and propagandists, they seek to shape narratives aligned with Kremlin interests abroad through messaging on Telegram, a prominent communication platform in Germany. The article presents evidence including screenshots of Telegram channel management, the content promoted, and connections between media and intelligence personnel. Authors Dobrokhotov, Mikhaylova, and Ehrlich provide detailed exposition on how this fusion of media and espionage operations constitutes a deliberate hybrid warfare tactic. This Russian influence operation aims to erode public trust, spread disinformation, and promote pro-Russian narratives in the German-speaking information space, complementing Moscow’s broader strategic objectives in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://theins.press/en/inv/289149">theins.press/en/inv/28&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/1c83c7cf-d35a-41ab-822b-cbf0eefc6d7b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/poland-prepared-to-transfer-migs.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/poland-prepared-to-transfer-migs.html <p>Polish President Donald Tusk says Poland is prepared to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, following discussions with Volodymyr Zelensky.</p> <p>Poland currently has these aircraft and is ready to pass them to Kyiv, Tusk <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17865">said</a> at a joint press conference with Zelensky.</p> <p>He said the Ukrainian and Polish presidents agreed to work “flexibly” on the handover.</p> <p>“I know Ukraine needs various types of air defense, including certain kinds of missiles. We can’t help with everything. But if MiGs are needed, Poland is ready to deliver the planes this minute. We talked about a reciprocal exchange. Ukraine is ready for this swap. We’re talking about Ukrainian drones, because we want to build effective anti-drone defense in Poland,” Tusk said.</p> <p>According to him, Zelensky noted there are other forms of security assistance Poland could provide to Ukraine.</p> <p>Tusk did not say whether other equipment could be sent instead of the MiG-29s, but promised to discuss the issue with his defense minister upon returning to Poland and provide an answer no later than Monday.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Force could receive an additional batch of MiG-29s from Poland’s armed forces, as the aircraft are outdated and are being replaced with newer models.</p> <p>Zelensky said Ukrainians confirmed receive a batch of 6–8 aircraft that would otherwise go to a museum or be scrapped.</p> <p>In September 2025, Ukraine’s Air Force expanded its combat fleet with MiG-29 fighters that previously belonged to Azerbaijan.</p> <p>Earlier, the Air Force and Ukrainian troops highlighted the value of the MiG-29 in shooting down Shahed kamikaze drones and missiles from the Russian Armed Forces. In the first year of the Russia-Ukraine war, pilots used R-73 and R-27R air-to-air missiles and a 30 mm cannon. Over time, the jets were modernized to carry Western weapons systems, including AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, and JDAM precision-guided munitions that, depending on the variant, can strike targets up to 70 km away. MiG-29s have also launched AASM Hammer munitions, which have been used to hit a Russian command post in the occupied part of Kherson region.</p> <p>In September 2025, photos appeared online of a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 fitted with KAB guided bombs, reportedly destined for Russian positions on an unspecified sector of the front.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-prepared-to-transfer-mig-29s-to-ukraine-weighing-drone-swap-tusk-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/ukraine-war-latest-live-kyiv.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:01:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/ukraine-war-latest-live-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6fdd858aec.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Kyiv carried out 3 offensive operations in 2025, including 2 inside Russia, Syrskyi says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 6 times today. Ukraine launched three offensive operations in 2025, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Feb. 6, according to RBC Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-02-06/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/russia-derides-macrons-attempt-at.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:03:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/russia-derides-macrons-attempt-at.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259461355.jpg" alt="Russia derides Macron's attempt at dialogue with Putin as 'pathetic diplomacy'"></p>"If you want to call and talk about something serious, then call. Putin will always pick up the phone," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-derides-macrons-attempt-at-dialogue-with-putin/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/us-treasury-chief-ties-new.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:06:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/us-treasury-chief-ties-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2260088551.jpg" alt="US Treasury chief ties new Russia sanctions to progress in Ukraine peace talks"></p>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. would take "under consideration" additional measures targeting Russia's so-called shadow fleet.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-treasury-chief-ties-new-russia-sanctions-to-progress-in-ukraine-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/breaking-russian-general-vladimir-alekseev.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:07:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/breaking-russian-general-vladimir-alekseev.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0d087266be.jpg" alt="BREAKING: Russian General Vladimir Alekseev shot multiple times in Moscow, Russian media reports"></p>He has been rushed to hospital and the gunman fled the scene, according to reports.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-general-vladimir-alekseev-shot-multiple-times-in-moscow-russian-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/russia-launches-friday-morning-rush.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:31:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/russia-launches-friday-morning-rush.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259737488.jpg" alt="Russia launches Friday morning rush hour missile, drone attack on Ukraine"></p>Air raid alerts were issued shortly before 9 a.m. Kyiv time, with Ukraine's Air Force warning of Shahed-type drones and missiles in the country's airspace.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-launches-friday-morning-rush-hour-missile-drone-attack-on-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/explosions-in-belgorod-knock-out.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:43:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/explosions-in-belgorod-knock-out.html <p>A series of powerful explosions rocked the Russian city of Belgorod late on February 5, shortly after authorities declared an air raid warning over a missile threat.</p> <p>Following the blasts, some neighborhoods reported losing electricity and heat. Monitoring channels <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/16160">said</a> a local thermal power plant may have been hit.</p> <p>Russian Telegram channels <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/92034">claimed</a> the city was allegedly attacked by US-made HIMARS rockets. Witnesses reported at least five to six loud detonations, describing bright flashes in the sky and a column of smoke rising from one district of Belgorod.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/belpepel/17731">the Telegram channel Pepel</a>,residents also experienced television outages, with broadcasting cut off in some areas. Local TV began operating with interruptions after the reported missile attack.</p> <p>Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/103675">confirmed</a> an attack on the city. “There is serious damage. I’m heading to the scene. We will convene a meeting in 35 minutes,” he said.</p> <p>The local water utility reported power cuts at several of its facilities, including in the Borisovsky district. Belgorodenergo said there was extensive damage to electrical equipment in the village of Strelkovoye, near the Frunzenskaya substation, and in central Belgorod, which it said was targeted in the strike. The company could not say when electricity would be restored to residents’ homes. Pepel <a href="https://t.me/belpepel/17733">reported</a> that authorities could not provide a timeline for restoring power.</p> <p>Officials are still assessing the full extent of the damage. There has been no official confirmation that HIMARS were used in the strikes.</p> <p>On February 4, Russian media reported a blackout in Belgorod after an attack on the city; Focus looked into where else residents have faced power and heat problems.</p> <p>Also on February 4, Russians reported a Neptune missile strike that caused a blackout in Bryansk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/explosions-in-belgorod-knock-out-power-and-heat-local-channels-allege-himars-strike">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/operation-storm-russia-impersonates-le.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 02:22:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/operation-storm-russia-impersonates-le.html <p>On February 6, 2026, French journalist Victor Cousin discovered that his identity and photo had been stolen and used to publish fake news alleging President Emmanuel Macron&rsquo;s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The fabricated article, hosted on a fake news site francesoir.net (a copy of francesoir.fr), falsely claimed that the French president was implicated in paedophile activities linked to Jean-Luc Brunel, found dead in 2022. The disinformation campaign, known as Operation Storm-1516 and active since August 2023, is attributed by French digital security service VIGINUM to Russian actors employing the CopyCop modus operandi and has the goal of ending Western aid to Ukraine by targeting allied leaders, media, and elections. The fake article was shared millions of times across social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, often alongside videos targeting Macron. More than 90 articles were fraudulently published in Cousin&rsquo;s name since December 2023 to lend credibility to the campaign. VIGINUM confirmed strong technical attribution to the Russian-linked network maintained by John Mark Dougan, an ex-American policeman exiled to Russia. Cousin filed a police report and coordinated with Le Parisien&rsquo;s legal services to get the fraudulent site shut down after five hours. The incident underlines the sophisticated use of AI and false site creation by Russia to conduct hybrid interference operations against European targets.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: France</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.leparisien.fr/politique/operation-storm-1516-comment-la-russie-a-usurpe-mon-identite-de-journaliste-au-parisien-pour-attaquer-emmanuel-macron-06-02-2026-3SWZYBHOLNB2LKLXC6FPB5VAVU.php">www.leparisien.fr/politique&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/840b324a-9e1e-46ee-81d2-942152c23151">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/norwegian-intelligence-discloses-country-hit.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/norwegian-intelligence-discloses-country-hit.html <p>On February 6, 2026, the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) publicly disclosed that the Chinese state-sponsored espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon compromised network devices in Norwegian organizations. The PST&rsquo;s annual threat assessment for 2026 named China as the primary cyber threat actor in Norway, exploiting telecommunications and critical infrastructure. China is systematically exploiting collaborative research projects to bolster military and security capabilities. The PST also reported Russian intelligence remains a significant security threat through espionage, covert intelligence using civilian vessels, and influence activities, while Iranian services are also expected to conduct intelligence and influence operations. Norway faces pressure from multiple foreign intelligence services amid a tense geopolitical environment in Europe. The PST urged increased cooperation between authorities and private sector operators of critical infrastructure to defend against hybrid espionage campaigns.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Incident Type: Hacking, malware, ransomware</p> <p>Country: Norway</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://therecord.media/news/influence-operations">therecord.media/news/infl&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/87e7beb2-fd7e-47ec-b099-14a29e1c8e0e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/06/power-heating-outages-reported-in.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:38:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/06/power-heating-outages-reported-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5b967741b6.jpg" alt="Power, heating outages reported in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast following missile attack"></p>Blackouts and heating outages were reported in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast overnight on Feb. 6 following a reported missile attack that damaged key energy infrastructure, including a thermal power plant and an electrical substation.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/power-heating-outages-hit-russias-belgorod-oblast-following-reported-missile-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/the-kremlin-cannot-advance-russian.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:46:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/the-kremlin-cannot-advance-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3a574a10e7.jpg" alt="The Kremlin CANNOT ADVANCE! Russian assaults are being repelled by Ukrainian defenses"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTrBIiuGjk8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/two-years-and-soldiers-zelenskyy.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:35:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/two-years-and-soldiers-zelenskyy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1fcdd4e369.jpg" alt="⏳ Two years and 800,000 soldiers! Zelenskyy CALCULATES the end of Russia’s offensive in DONBAS"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvic3Tm8qeI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/russia-masks-all-its-wars.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/russia-masks-all-its-wars.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/18ca40a424.jpg" alt="RUSSIA masks all its wars behind the OLYMPIC GAMES #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m3Qfosh1nvc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-says-russian-forces-face.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-says-russian-forces-face.html <p>SpaceX is restricting unauthorized use of Starlink by Russian forces after a strike on a civilian Ukrainian train.</p> <p>Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash), an adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister, <a href="https://t.me/serhii_flash/6916">said</a> Russian troops are experiencing major setbacks at the front due to Starlink terminals being blocked for several days.</p> <p>“The enemy at the front isn’t just facing a problem - the enemy is facing a catastrophe. Command-and-control has collapsed. Assault operations have been halted in many sectors,” Flash said.</p> <p>He added that Ukrainian troops only encountered issues in units that did not promptly submit lists for private Starlink terminals. Processing is ongoing.</p> <p>Earlier, reports indicated Russian forces have increasingly been using drones equipped with Starlink to evade air defenses.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation said it is introducing “whitelists” for internet access in coordination with SpaceX. Terminals will operate with speed limits while in motion.</p> <p>The Russian military has not commented on Flash’s claims.</p> <p>Previously, it was reported that Russians used Shahed drones with Starlink satellite internet terminals near Kropyvnytskyi. Drones under manual control were flying almost at ground level, evading radar detection, and struck Ukrainian helicopters.</p> <p>Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski had urged Elon Musk to respond to Russia’s growing use of Starlink terminals in drones attacking Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russian-forces-face-frontline-catastrophe-as-spacex-restricts-starlink-use">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-says-russian-tactical-aviation.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-says-russian-tactical-aviation.html <p>Russian forces have spent the past 18 months trying to capture the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, but Ukraine’s military says it continues to hold its positions.</p> <p>The main challenge for Ukraine’s Defense Forces around Pokrovsk is not enemy drones but Russia’s use of tactical aviation, the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/7CorpsDSHV/?locale=ru_RU">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>According to the corps, in January 2026 around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, Russian aircraft dropped 1,340 aerial bombs on Ukrainian positions - an increase of 65% compared with December 2025.</p> <p>Russian forces are not conserving KABs (guided aerial bombs), the unit said, citing a case in which Russian pilots dropped six KABs on a single Ukrainian mortar position.</p> <p>Ukraine’s air defenses struggle to counter Russia’s tactical aviation because Russian jets release KABs tens of kilometers from the front line. Even with tactical or operational air-defense systems positioned near the front, Russian aircraft often remain outside their engagement range. As a result, Ukrainian troops are fighting under constant pressure from Russian tactical aviation, the corps said.</p> <p>Russian forces have been trying to seize Pokrovsk for about 18 months, assembling around 150,000 troops near the city as of January 2026, according to Ukrainian officials. As of early February 2026, Ukraine says it holds the northern districts of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, while Russian forces are trying to cut Ukrainian supply lines.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff said that on February 4, Russian forces launched 29 assaults on the Pokrovsk axis; Ukrainian troops repelled all of them. Fighting took place near Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Molodetske, Filiia and elsewhere.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russian-tactical-aviation-not-drones-is-the-biggest-challenge-in-the-battle-for-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/epsteins-russia-connections-explained.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:56:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/epsteins-russia-connections-explained.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/new-epstein-collage-ki.jpg" alt="Epstein's Russia connections, explained"></p><p>Polish Prime Minister <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/donald-tusk/">Donald Tusk</a> became the first high-ranking official to ask the question on everyone’s mind — Was convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein working with Russia?</p><p>He added that Poland would investigate possible links between Epstein and Russian intelligence services.</p><p>The latest batch of Epstein-related documents, released</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/was-jeffrey-epstein-a-russian-asset-inside-his-extensive-ties-to-putins-inner-circle/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/russians-with-wwii-maps-are.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/russians-with-wwii-maps-are.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5e63c1d7cb.jpg" alt="🤯 RUSSIANS with WWII maps are attacking DONETSK REGION #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/39gbzrAYj5M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/missile-barrages-in-the-midst.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:30:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/missile-barrages-in-the-midst.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f03af2f750.jpg" alt="💥 Missile barrages in the midst of PEACE NEGOTIATIONS: Russian tactics now! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WR11JV332kU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-says-several-dozen-russian.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:17:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-says-several-dozen-russian.html <p>Several dozen Russian troops remain surrounded and effectively isolated in Kupyansk, with constrained capabilities, Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces, <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4087999-otoceni-v-kupansku-rosiani-ne-stanovlat-suttevoi-zagrozi-tregubov.html">said</a>, according to Ukrinform.</p> <p>“Right now, only those directly in that block remain, and there are just several dozen of them. The only thing they can do is try to survive,” Tregubov said.</p> <p>Resupply is being attempted by air, he added, but the enemy’s ability to act is limited. Russian forces cannot mount offensive operations “because there are simply few of them there, and half are wounded,” he said.</p> <p>Tregubov noted that Ukrainian troops are avoiding close combat and relying on longer-range weapons, including drones.</p> <p>He concluded that the Russian grouping there is effectively isolated.</p> <p>Earlier, a Ukrainian battalion commander, Roman Kovalev, recorded a video message from the center of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, which Russian forces had allegedly “captured.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-several-dozen-russian-troops-are-encircled-and-isolated-in-kupyansk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/new-start-expires-frees-us.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:10:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/new-start-expires-frees-us.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259459743.jpg" alt="New START expires, frees US, Russia from decades of nuclear arms restrictions"></p><p>"If it expires, it expires," U.S. President Donald Trump said in his interview with The New York Times when asked about his intentions to extend the New START treaty that officially ended on Feb. 5.</p><p>The expiration would put an end to the last bilateral agreement limiting</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/new-start-expires-releases-us-russia-from-decades-of-nuclear-arms-restrictions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/lavrov-says-us-is-forcing.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/lavrov-says-us-is-forcing.html <p>The United States, after gaining control over Venezuela, has begun forcing Russian companies out of the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with <a href="https://russian.rt.com/world/news/1591859-lavrov-kompanii-venesuela">RT</a>. “Right now, following what’s happening in Venezuela, they are openly trying to remove our companies from Venezuela,” he said, without specifying which companies he meant.</p> <p>Among other hostile steps taken by the U.S. against Russia after the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Lavrov cited sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil and the imposition of additional tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, primarily India. “And everywhere the line is: Russian oil and Russian gas will be replaced by U.S. oil and U.S. LNG. Very recently, a document on Cuba was adopted stating that a national emergency is declared due to the threat Cuba poses to U.S. interests in the Caribbean, including because of Russia’s hostile and malign policy.”</p> <p>Lavrov voiced doubts about the future of economic and investment cooperation between Russia and the United States, and said Putin was surprised when the U.S. imposed new sanctions shortly after the Alaska meeting.</p> <p>In May of last year, Russia and Venezuela signed <a href="http://www.kremlin.ru/supplement/6305">a strategic partnership and cooperation agreement</a>. As of October, <a href="https://tass.ru/ekonomika/25338735">five joint oil production ventures</a> with Russia were operating in Venezuela. Russian assets in the country are managed by the state company Roszarubezhneft.</p> <p>In early January, the United States carried out an operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was detained in Caracas and taken to New York, where he was charged with drug trafficking. After that, the Venezuelan government began cooperating with the U.S. administration. President Trump said the U.S. would take control of Venezuelan oil sales.</p> <p>In late January, the U.S. lifted some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control <a href="https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260129">authorized U.S. companies</a> to buy, sell, transport, store and refine Venezuelan oil. The authorization explicitly excludes firms and individuals from Russia, as well as from China, Iran, North Korea and Cuba.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-says-u-s-is-forcing-russian-companies-out-of-venezuela">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraines-th-brigade-turns-to.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraines-th-brigade-turns-to.html <p>Russian forces are attempting to infiltrate Kostiantynivka, but poor weather has tamped down offensive activity along the front, the commander of Ukraine’s 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade said in an interview with <a href="https://armyinform.com.ua/2026/02/04/stijkist-pihoty-rol-robotiv-i-sytuacziya-v-kostyantynivczi-intervyu-z-28-richnym-kombrygom-28-yi-brygady-anatoliyem-kulykivskym/">ArmyInform</a>.</p> <p>“Modern war demands a shift away from infantry-centric fighting and static infantry positions. This is a war of technology,” Col. Anatoliy Kulykovskyi, commander of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign, told the outlet.</p> <p>Describing the defense of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Kulykovskyi said there was just one instance of Russian armor being used over the past three months — a mechanized assault from the direction of Toretsk.</p> <p>“The tactic to repel such assaults is unchanged — the dominant use of unmanned systems to stop that kind of attack,” he said. “In numbers: to halt two pieces of Russian armor, we and adjacent units carried out about 130 FPV-drone strikes. And that was just to stop them. These were tanks wrapped in multiple layers of additional protection — so-called ‘cope cages.’ We were effective: it took about 20 minutes from the moment we saw the column to stop it. They didn’t reach our line or a key position, because our minefields also worked — even though they were using mine plows.”</p> <p>Because of that, he said, the recipe for blunting mechanized assaults remains the same: overwhelming use of FPV drones and careful pairing of munitions and platforms to the target. “The Russians have drawn some lessons from this, and I don’t think we’ll see large numbers of mechanized assaults toward Kostiantynivka going forward,” he added.</p> <p>Countering small Russian infantry groups is “much more complicated,” Kulykovskyi said. “We’ve been developing a whole system for six months, and it adapts every week to the enemy’s actions. Over the last three months, the enemy has exploited the weather 120% - fog, snow, rain - anything that can affect our unmanned systems. They’re using small infantry groups to achieve so-called ‘successes’ toward Kostiantynivka.”</p> <p>He said Russian forces are concentrating on striking Ukrainian logistics. “On our sector of the front, that’s one of the key problem areas that, overall, allows the enemy to gain some limited success.”</p> <p>“Modern warfare requires moving away from infantry-heavy fighting and dense networks of manned positions,” he said. “We try to minimize the number of infantry positions and cover the defensive belt with drones and persistent observation.”</p> <p>According to Kulykovskyi, the brigade now tries to cover a frontage with one or two positions, rather than the previous practice of deploying two battalions per kilometer for continuous defense.</p> <p>He also described the use of ground robotic systems. In Kostiantynivka, the brigade uses NRKs (ground robotic complexes) to handle about 70% of logistics to any position, he said. Units also employ armed NRKs fitted with heavy machine guns for specific missions.</p> <p>“Armed NRKs with heavy machine guns carry out specialized missions. We have such platforms on standby now. If a target appears or there’s a need, the robot will execute the combat task. We also use NRKs for mining, both explosive and non-explosive. Some robots lay antipersonnel mines; others deploy low-signature obstacles like tanglefoot and concertina wire. But 90% of their work is logistics,” Kulykovskyi said.</p> <p>At the same time, in January 2026 the brigade’s NRK attrition roughly doubled compared with December 2025, partly due to Russian strikes, he added. Russian forces study robot routes, patrol supply corridors and hit them with mines, ambushers lying in wait, or FPV drones.</p> <p>Right now, Russian troops are trying to infiltrate Kostiantynivka, aiming to get there by exploiting the weather, Kulykovskyi said. Since the start of the year, however, Russia’s offensive activity along the line has decreased - likely due to low temperatures that make storm operations harder and demand more detailed planning, he added.</p> <p>In December 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Forces refuted Russian claims of controlling part of Kostiantynivka. Ukrainian troops continue to hold the line and destroy Russian forces on the city’s approaches.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-28th-brigade-turns-to-drones-and-robots-to-defend-kostiantynivka">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/190020.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/190020.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b1e9f6b8c8.jpg" alt="🩸 KREMLIN'S BLOODY &quot;DIPLOMACY&quot;: Sabotage of &quot;ENERGY CEASEFIRE&quot; and HYPOCRISY at Abu Dhabi TALKS"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_RJUuqjo-g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/flamingo-missiles-strike-kapustin-yar.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/flamingo-missiles-strike-kapustin-yar.html <p>In January 2026, Ukraine’s Armed Forces launched several “Flamingo” missiles at the Kapustin Yar range in Russia’s Astrakhan region, the General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/34666">said</a>. A missile evaded air defenses and damaged hangars.</p> <p>Because of the Flamingo strikes, Russia’s command was forced to evacuate personnel from the military unit based at the range that was launching “Oreshnik” missiles at Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement. It said several air attacks on Kapustin Yar had been conducted since the start of the year and were successful.</p> <p>“Some buildings sustained damage of varying severity, one of the hangars was significantly damaged, and part of the personnel was evacuated from the site,” the command wrote.</p> <p>The General Staff did not specify when exactly the Flamingo strikes on the range near the village of Kapustin Yar in Russia’s Astrakhan region took place. It also did not say how many munitions were launched or how many got through Russian air defenses. The only detail published by the command was a satellite image of a group of buildings that were likely damaged by Flamingo. No imagery of the aftermath has been provided so far.</p> <p>Possible coordinates of the Kapustin Yar range that may have been struck by Ukrainian missiles are 48.649409° N, 46.193986° E, according to Google Maps. The distance to Ukraine is about 600 km, meaning the missiles would have had to fly unimpeded over the front line, occupied territories, and the Rostov, Volgograd, and Astrakhan regions—and Russia’s air defenses appear not to have detected them.</p> <p>This was not the first attack on the Kapustin Yar range. One strike took place in July 2024, five months before the first launch of a medium‑range ballistic “Oreshnik” missile that hit Dnipro. The range was attacked by drones that likely targeted the territory of the 4th State Central Interservice Proving Ground. A possible location of the strike - 48.649409,46.193986 - was the assembly and test building at Site No. 105, the OSINT channel “Kiberboroshno” <a href="https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/8981">reported</a>. Another UAV attack took place on November 21, 2024, hitting Site No. 105 of military unit 15644.</p> <p>In August 2025, the first information about Flamingo missiles and the first launch footage appeared online.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/flamingo-missiles-strike-kapustin-yar-range-used-for-oreshnik-launches-ukraine-s-general-staff-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/as-russian-losses-in-ukraine.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:57:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/as-russian-losses-in-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2213618559.jpg" alt="As Russian losses in Ukraine mount, the Kremlin strains to avoid full mobilization"></p><p>As casualties in Ukraine continue to mount, the Kremlin is seeking new sources of manpower while trying to avoid the political shock of full mobilization.</p><p>Just days before the New Year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-30/">signed laws</a> expanding military conscription. The changes allow year-round drafting and authorize the use of</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/inside-russias-2026-draft-strategy/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/pentagon-invites-ukrainian-firms-to.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/pentagon-invites-ukrainian-firms-to.html <p>The Pentagon plans to build a stockpile of hundreds of thousands of attack drones by 2027 and has invited 25 companies to participate, including two Ukrainian firms - General Cherry Corp and Ukrainian Defence Drones Tech Corp, according to a <a href="https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4396462/war-department-announces-vendors-invited-to-compete-in-phase-i-of-the-drone-dom/">posting on the U.S. military’s website</a>.</p> <p>The goal of the Drone Dominance Program (DDP) is the “rapid deployment of low-cost, one-way attack drones across the country as part of strengthening America’s arsenal of freedom.”</p> <p>Phase I is set to begin February 18 at Fort Benning, where the military will test and evaluate vendor systems. It’s expected to wrap in early March, when the Pentagon plans to place prototype orders worth about $150 million.</p> <p>Deliveries would begin soon after and continue for the next five months.</p> <p>The program envisions four phases overall. In fall 2025, President Donald Trump spoke about potential cooperation with Ukraine on drones, saying the use of drones on the battlefield “has really come to the forefront” in recent years and that Ukraine produces “very good drones.” He also said at the end of summer that the United States is studying Ukraine’s experience in its war with Russia.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier announced two major deals with Washington — a “Mega Deal” for Kyiv to buy U.S. weapons in exchange for security guarantees, and a “Drone Deal” to sell Ukrainian drones to U.S. forces.</p> <p>He stressed that Kyiv would prioritize arming itself first, exporting only surplus, and underscored the need to control sales to other countries so Ukrainian weapons do not end up in Russia.</p> <p>Ukraine is also producing interceptor drones jointly with the United States, Zelensky has said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/pentagon-invites-ukrainian-firms-to-co-produce-attack-drones-under-drone-dominance-program">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/end-of-control-era-new.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/end-of-control-era-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4bb211eacb.jpg" alt="☢️ END OF CONTROL ERA: New START treaty expired. Russia LOSING new NUCLEAR RACE from the start!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IkW_t2cTcE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/eu-ambassador-pushes-back-on.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:04:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/eu-ambassador-pushes-back-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/katari-na-mathernova-1-1-.jpg" alt="EU ambassador pushes back on criticism of Europe's decision-making"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin speaks with Katarina Mathernova, the European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, after Russia's large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv during one of the coldest days of the winter, leaving parts of the city without heat and electricity.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-ambassador-pushes-back-on-criticism-of-europes-decision-making/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/kyiv-eases-draft-rules-for.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:02:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/kyiv-eases-draft-rules-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1247620410.jpg" alt="Kyiv eases draft rules for some energy workers as Russian attacks deepen crisis"></p>The government has allowed companies that manufacture and repair transformer equipment to retain 100% of their draft-eligible employees, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Feb. 5.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-eases-draft-rules-for-some-energy-workers-as-russian-attacks-deepen-crisis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/zelensky-says-russia-has-tried.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/zelensky-says-russia-has-tried.html <p>Russia has made multiple attempts to eliminate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he said, adding he has “gotten used to it” after repeated efforts to “take him out.” The Ukrainian leader spoke during an interview published February 4 by <a href="https://www.franceinfo.fr/monde/europe/manifestations-en-ukraine/videos-pertes-ukrainiennes-concessions-territoriales-soutien-de-l-europe-cinq-sequences-a-retenir-de-l-interview-de-volodymyr-zelensky-sur-france-2_7784315.html">FraceInfo</a>.</p> <p>The interviewer noted the heavy security surrounding the meeting, recalling numerous roadblocks and checkpoints on the way to see Ukraine’s president.</p> <p>“They checked our phones, we were searched several times before we reached the sixth floor,” the correspondent said.</p> <p>Asked if he fears for his life amid Russia’s war on Ukraine, Zelensky said there have been numerous assassination attempts by Russian services.</p> <p>“When we talk about fear - you know, Russia has tried to eliminate me several times,” the president said.</p> <p>He added that he no longer feels the same fear he did earlier in the war. “In a certain way, I no longer feel the fear I had at the beginning of the war. I’ve gotten used to it; it’s part of my life,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He did not disclose how many attempts there have been or give specific examples.</p> <p>The interview, which aired February 4, also covered the war with Russia and prospects for peace talks.</p> <p>Discussing negotiations with Moscow, Zelensky said Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin “really fears only” US President Donald Trump. According to Zelensky, Trump has leverage over Putin, while the Russian leader does not fear European leaders.</p> <p>Zelensky also disclosed official Ukrainian losses in the war with Russia, saying many service members are missing and total deaths have reached 55,000.</p> <p>In addition, he discussed how much time - and how many Russian military deaths - Moscow would need to fully capture the Donbas region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-russia-has-tried-to-kill-him-multiple-times-and-he-s-grown-used-to-it">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/russia-launches-overnight-barrage-on.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:09:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/russia-launches-overnight-barrage-on.html <p>Overnight into Thursday, February 5, Russian forces fired two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and sent 183 attack drones - including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas and other types - Ukraine’s Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/54626">said</a> on Telegram.</p> <p>The missiles were launched from the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, while the drones originated from Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo in Russia’s Rostov region, and from Russian-controlled Donetsk in Ukraine. Nearly 110 of the drones were Shahed-type UAVs, the Air Force said. Preliminary data indicate Ukrainian units shot down or suppressed 156 enemy drones. Impacts from ballistic missiles and 22 strike drones were recorded at 16 locations, and debris from downed drones fell at seven sites, according to the statement.</p> <p>Russia’s strikes focused on railway infrastructure in the Sumy region, according to <a href="https://t.me/OleksiiKuleba/8106">Oleksii Kuleba</a>, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration. In the Shostka district, a female railway worker came under fire and received medical care. Another strike hit a “Wagon of Invincibility,” a railcar set up to keep residents warm, Kuleba wrote on Telegram.</p> <p>“Railway buildings and a locomotive were also damaged. Despite the attack, as soon as the security situation allowed, railway workers resumed train traffic. The railway’s energy infrastructure in this area was also under targeted fire,” the statement said. Russia also struck a railway station in the Okhtyrka district with drones, according to Kuleba.</p> <p>“This is another act of terrorism against Ukrainian logistics. The enemy is trying to stop train traffic; Ukrainian Railways is strengthening safety protocols and continues operations,” the deputy prime minister wrote.</p> <p>Two women, ages 79 and 89, were injured in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district. Facades and windows in four apartment buildings were damaged, the capital’s police <a href="https://t.me/gunpKyiv/13408">said</a>. In the Darnytskyi district, a residential building’s facade was also damaged. In the Obolonskyi district, drone debris fell on a parking lot, igniting two cars. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a drone struck the roof of an office building, sparking a fire.</p> <p>In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian forces hit the Kryvyi Rih district with a missile; no casualties were reported, wrote regional chief Oleksandr Hanzha. In the Synelnykove district, fires broke out after drone strikes in the Petropavlivka, Pokrovske and Vasylkivka communities, damaging an enterprise, an administrative building, private homes and outbuildings, the regional administration said. A gymnasium was damaged in the Yuriyivka community of the Pavlohrad district. FPV drone and artillery strikes were recorded in the Nikopol district.</p> <p>The same day, talks among Ukrainian, Russian and US delegations continued in the UAE . The first day was assessed positively by the parties. However, the most difficult issues remain unresolved, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-launches-overnight-barrage-on-ukraine-with-ballistic-missiles-and-183-drones-amid-abu-dhabi-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:54:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/image-2026-02-05-15-11-40.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russian drones hit railway, Invincibility Train sheltering civilians in Sumy Oblast"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. Russian forces carried out a mass drone attack on railway infrastructure in Ukraine's Sumy Oblast overnight, damaging rail facilities and striking an Invincibility Train used to provide warmth and basic services to civilians, Ukrainian officials reported on Feb. 5.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-02-05/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/train-of-invincibility-keeps-kharkiv.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:54:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/train-of-invincibility-keeps-kharkiv.html <p><img width="1900" height="1267" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0aff2b329a.jpg" alt='Woman with a battery-powered generator in "carriage of invincibility"' data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong>, Feb. 5 —  Leaning against the wall of the long train corridor, Yulia Berko watches her son play with other children in the compartment. She waits for her train to Odesa, the city south of Ukraine, one of the places in the country where the weather is still around 0°C (32°F). </p> <p>“It’s cozy here, and kids can draw and play, so we came here to warm up,” Yulia says. </p> <p>The carriage is full of visitors, some of them covered in blankets. In some compartments, large thermoses with hot drinks and instant food are on display. The train isn’t moving — it’s not supposed to, for now.  </p> <p>On Feb. 4, Russia launched another massive attack at Kharkiv, severely damaging power infrastructure, and <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/cherez-rosijski-ataki-u-harkovi-bez-tepla-zalishilisya-blizko-100-tisyach-rodin-shmigal/" data-wpel-link="external"><em>leaving</em></a><em> nearly 100,000 locals</em> without heating as temperatures dropped to -20°C (-4°F). </p> <p>To help Kharkiv, Ukrainian railway company Ukrazaliznytsia <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D7LLuYq5c/" data-wpel-link="external">sent</a> six carriages of invincibility, where anyone could keep warm, find an internet connection, charge their devices, and so on. Two other carriages were sent to Kyiv, which also suffered from the Russian attack. </p> <p>The name “trains of invincibility" refers to the “points of invincibility” — special places set up by Ukrainian authorities across the country that operate around the clock and free of charge during power, heating or communications outages. They provide basic necessities, including heat, water, internet access, electricity for charging devices and lighting.</p> <p>From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., each carriage accommodates up to 50 people at a time and includes a separate children compartment with children’s literature, coloring books and cartoons — and pet-friendly compartments. </p> <p>“We heat up carriages, and provide hot drinks for those who come to warm up,” says train conductor Natalia Mykhailenko when asked about her duties. </p> <p>Zhanna Andriianova, another visitor of the “train of invincibility” shares that she came here to drink a hot coffee and spend time with her family, while waiting for her train. She doesn’t share where she’s going.</p> <p>“This is really helpful, during these cold times," Zhanna says with a smile on her face. </p> <p>Earlier, the US Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham <a href="https://x.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/2018701286976221271" data-wpel-link="external">urged</a> President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles in response to Russian attacks on the country’s power infrastructure.</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more </h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Russian forces <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-forces-continue-their-attacks-on-kharkiv-energy-infrastructure-leaving-people-without-heating-electricity/" data-wpel-link="internal">continue</a> their attacks on Kharkiv energy infrastructure, leaving people without heating, electricity</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em>Hi, Nazar’s on duty! I visited “trains of invincibility" to show you how Ukrainians even in the coldest and darkest times find the way to pull themselves together and keep warm and hope in their hearts. If you want to warm us up in Gwara’s newsroom, please consider</em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><em> buying us a (hot) coffee</em></a><em> or becoming a </em><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><em>member of our community</em></a><em>.   </em></p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/train-of-invincibility-keeps-kharkiv-rail-passengers-warm-during-coldest-winter-since-russias-full-scale-invasion/" data-wpel-link="internal">“Train of invincibility” keeps Kharkiv rail passengers warm during coldest winter since Russia’s full-scale invasion </a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/train-of-invincibility-keeps-kharkiv-rail-passengers-warm-during-coldest-winter-since-russias-full-scale-invasion/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/russias-losses-in-ukraine-are.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:50:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/russias-losses-in-ukraine-are.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/iran-witnesses-describe-violence-chaos-during-protests/a-75786890"><span>Mass protests</span></a><span> have again shaken Iran, and the regime looks more </span><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iran-protest-us-israel-pressure-9.7040592"><span>vulnerable</span></a><span>—economically, militarily, and politically—in 2026 than it has been in decades. A key but often overlooked reason for this vulnerability is that Russia no longer has the capacity to meaningfully support its most important Middle Eastern partner.</span></p> </div> <p><span>For years, Moscow functioned as Iran’s </span><a href="http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/why-you-cant-be-iran-hawk-and-russia-dove"><span>strategic backstop</span></a><span>. </span><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-finding-far-more-russian-arms-in-hezbollahs-possession-than-expected-report"><span>Russian weapons</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/iran-and-russias-fragile-partnership"><span>diplomatic cover</span></a><span>, and </span><a href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PEA2829-1.html"><span>military cooperation</span></a><span> allowed Tehran to expand its influence through proxies from Gaza to southern Lebanon. Today, that system is under strain, and not just because of Israel’s and United States’ </span><a href="https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/confrontation-between-united-states-and-iran"><span>military action</span></a><span> in the Middle East. Russia’s war in Ukraine has </span><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-depletes-soviet-arms-heavily-relies-on-foreign-supplies-for-ukraine-war-analysis-suggests"><span>depleted Russia’s military stockpiles</span></a><span>, distracted its leadership, and significantly limited its ability to project power beyond its immediate neighborhood.</span></p> <p><span>The collapse of Assad’s regime underscores this shift. Once Russia and Iran withdrew meaningful support, Damascus fell with </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Damascus_(2024)"><span>surprising speed</span></a><span>. The lesson for Tehran was unmistakable: Moscow’s guarantees are no longer reliable. Going forward, Iran will have to confront internal dissent and external pressure without the assurance that Russia can intervene decisively on its behalf.</span></p> <p><span>This shift matters because Russia has long viewed Middle Eastern instability as </span><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/what-russia-wants-middle-east"><span>strategically useful</span></a><span>. Conflicts involving Israel, Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah divert Western attention and resources, weaken U.S. alliances, and elevate Moscow’s role as an indispensable power broker. Russia’s partnerships with Iran and its proxies were never ideological. They were </span><a href="https://mecouncil.org/publication/strategic-transactionalism-the-iran-russia-partnership"><span>transactional</span></a><span>, designed to frustrate American influence and constrain democratic states.</span></p> <p><span>The military cooperation between Russia and Iran illustrates this logic. Over the past decade, Moscow supplied Tehran with </span><a href="https://warontherocks.com/2024/07/the-uncomfortable-reality-of-russia-and-irans-new-defense-relationship"><span>weapons and operational know-how</span></a><span>. </span><a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/drone-saturation-russias-shahed-campaign"><span>Iranian drones</span></a><span> have been sustaining Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian cities. Iran’s April 2024 drone and missile barrage against Israel </span><a href="https://www.aei.org/articles/irans-attempt-to-h-it-israel-with-a-russian-style-strike-package-failedfor-now/"><span>reflected tactics</span></a><span> Russia has refined in Ukraine: saturation attacks combining drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles to overwhelm air defenses. </span></p> <p><span>But Russia’s ability to support Iran is being gradually eroded by the war in Ukraine. Arms transfers are </span><a href="https://lansinginstitute.org/2025/02/24/war-and-its-ripple-effects-how-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-is-reshaping-the-world-order"><span>harder to sustain</span></a><span>, even as Iran is becoming </span><a href="https://nonproliferation.org/op66-the-pendulum-swings-back-envisioning-the-future-trajectory-of-an-increasingly-asymmetric-iran-russia-defense-relationship/"><span>asymmetrically more dependent</span></a><span> on Russia. And Moscow has little appetite for a direct confrontation with Israel or the United States while its forces remain bogged down in Eastern Europe.</span></p> <p><span>The same dynamic applies to Russia’s ties with Middle Eastern terrorist groups. Moscow has maintained working relationships with both </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93Hamas_relations"><span>Hamas</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah%E2%80%93Russia_relations"><span>Hezbollah</span></a><span>, hosted their leadership in Russia, and benefited from the global distraction created by wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Yet even here, Russia’s leverage is waning. A weakened Russia cannot simultaneously sustain a major European war and act as a guarantor for Iran’s proxy network.</span></p> <p><span>For Europe, the United States, and other allies, the connection between Russia and bad actors in the Middle East creates a strategic opportunity: strong action in Europe has positive spillovers to other regions. Supporting Ukraine is not merely about defending European borders. It directly constrains Russia’s ability to fuel instability in the Middle East. A Russia forced to prioritize its own survival has fewer resources to arm Iran, fewer incentives to provoke regional crises, and less capacity to shield authoritarian partners from the consequences of their actions.</span></p> <p><span>The recent unrest in Iran was not necessarily </span><i><span>caused</span></i><span> by Russia’s decline. But it unfolded in a geopolitical environment far less favorable to Tehran than in years past. That environment was shaped in large part by Ukraine’s resistance and the West’s support for it.</span></p> <p><span>Thus, far from being competing priorities, Ukraine and the Middle East are inherently linked. Weakening Russia’s war machine creates ripple benefits on all fronts. Sustained military aid to Ukraine, tougher enforcement of sanctions, and fewer self-imposed limits on Ukraine’s ability to strike legitimate military targets inside Russia would accelerate this effect.</span></p> <p><span>The lesson of recent events is straightforward: when Russia faces large enough losses in Ukraine, its capacity to destabilize other regions declines. That is a strategic dividend worth recognizing and reinforcing.</span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p>Фото: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/ua/">depositphotos.com</a></p> </div><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/russia-s-losses-in-ukraine-are-reshaping-the-middle-east">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/i-tested-russias-ai-it.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:35:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/i-tested-russias-ai-it.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1800875079.jpg" alt="I tested Russia's AI. It knows the truth, but it's been trained to lie"></p><p>When a Russian-speaking user asks Alice, Russia's most popular AI system, who started the war in Ukraine, the answer comes without hesitation: Ukraine did, backed by the West. The Bucha massacre? Staged. Nazi government in Kyiv? Confirmed.</p><p>This is not a fringe chatbot. This is Russia's</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-turned-ai-into-a-cognitive-weapon-or/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/breaking-catastrophe-for-russia-as.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:23:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/breaking-catastrophe-for-russia-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/256fd1ebce.jpg" alt="BREAKING: 'Catastrophe' for Russia as forces lose Starlink access across front line in Ukraine"></p>"The enemy at the front doesn't have a problem, the enemy has a catastrophe," Serhiy "Flash" Bezkrestnov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/not-a-problem-a-catastrophe-russias-starlinks-switch-off-across-front-line/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/european-officials-warn-russian-veterans.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:21:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/european-officials-warn-russian-veterans.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/52535beb00.jpg" alt="European officials warn Russian veterans could play a role in Moscow’s shadow war"></p><p>Europe must ban entry to all Russian veterans of the war against Ukraine or face a surge in crime rates and hybrid attacks, Estonian officials have warned.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/estonia/">Estonian</a> Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that battle-hardened "<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/01/putin-send-thousands-criminals-wreak-havoc-across-europe/">ex-prisoners and rapists</a>" could flood Europe after the war and carry out nefarious</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/europe-fears-flood-of-russian-veterans-could-feed-moscows-hybrid-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/a-paper-analyzes-the-implications.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/a-paper-analyzes-the-implications.html <p>A paper analyzes the implications of gray-zone conflicts, focusing on hybrid warfare tactics by non-state actors, particularly from states like Russia and China.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.cgai.ca/grey_zone_conflict_implications_for_conflict_management">www.cgai.ca/grey_zone&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/1f5a5ce7-efa6-4305-8909-556efb57b47f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/breaking-ukraine-russia-agree-on.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/breaking-ukraine-russia-agree-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2216911228-1.jpg" alt="BREAKING: Ukraine, Russia agree on exchange of '314 prisoners' during peace talks, US envoy says"></p>Delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. reached an agreement to swap "314 prisoners" between Kyiv and Moscow on the second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 5, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/breaking-ukraine-russia-agree-on-exchange-of-314-prisoners-during-peace-talks-us-envoy-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-strikes-russias-oreshnik-launch.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:12:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-strikes-russias-oreshnik-launch.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1601803715.jpg" alt="Ukraine strikes Russia's Oreshnik launch site in Kapustin Yar with Flamingo missiles, General Staff says"></p>The General Staff attributed the strikes to "using long-range strike weapons of Ukrainian production, particularly the FP-5 'Flamingo.'"<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-russias-oreshnik-launch-site-in-kapustin-yar-with-flamingo-missiles-general-staff-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-cannot-be-left-alone.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:09:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-cannot-be-left-alone.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/324324324242423-2.jpg" alt="'Ukraine cannot be left alone' — Polish prime minister arrives in Kyiv as Russian strikes deepen energy crisis"></p>Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is expected to later hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/polands-prime-minister-arrives-in-kyiv-amid-energy-crisis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/ukraine-us-russia-begin-nd.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:25:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/ukraine-us-russia-begin-nd.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-04-18-26-25.jpg" alt="Ukraine, US, Russia begin 2nd day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi"></p>"We are working in the same formats as yesterday: trilateral consultations, group work, and further synchronization of positions," Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-us-russia-begin-2nd-day-of-peace-talks-in-abu-dhabi/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/european-lng-imports-from-key.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 04:49:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/european-lng-imports-from-key.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/03a7e7756f.jpg" alt="European LNG imports from key Russian terminal rise 8% year-over-year, reach nearly 1.7 million tons in January, watchdog finds"></p>Russia's flagship liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminal, Yamal LNG, exported a total of 1,690,517 metric tons of LNG to European markets last month, accounting for an 8% increase compared to January 2025, German environmental NGO Urgewald found in a report published Feb. 4.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/european-lng-imports-from-key-russian-terminal-rise-8-year-over-year-imports-reached-nearly-1-7-tons-in-january-watchdog-finds/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/explosions-damage-reported-in-kyiv.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:58:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/explosions-damage-reported-in-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/10580e29f5.jpg" alt="Explosions, damage reported in Kyiv amid Russian drone attack"></p>After a short pause in attacks on Kyiv at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia has resumed attacks on the capital in recent days as residents continue to contend with freezing temperatures.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-damage-reported-in-kyiv-amid-russian-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/a-russian-esoteric-sect-goes.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/a-russian-esoteric-sect-goes.html <p>The article, published on February 5, 2026 by investigative journalist Daniel Flis, reveals the presence and expansion of the Russian esoteric sect known as the Anastasians in Poland. This group promotes an anti-democratic, patriarchal worldview and has quietly established several colonies across the country. The hub in Poland is reportedly run by a Putinist, indicating ideological alignment with Russian pro-Kremlin views. The investigation details the sect’s ideology, organizational structure, and its outreach activities in Poland, highlighting concerns about its influence within Polish society. The report is based on investigative research and context of Russian influence operations in Central Europe.</p> <p>Category: Societal &amp; Cultural Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Propaganda &amp; Cultural Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Sponsoring cultural influence campaigns</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://vsquare.org/a-russian-esoteric-sect-goes-west-with-a-putinist-running-its-hub-in-poland/">vsquare.org/a-russian&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/b1ef9b1a-4757-4ad7-b206-503d52f71767">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/05/targeted-attack-tens-of-thousands.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:24:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/05/targeted-attack-tens-of-thousands.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2247211053.jpg" alt="'Targeted attack' — Tens of thousands without power in Zaporizhzhia as Russia hammers region's energy system"></p>"The Russians are conducting a targeted attack on Zaporizhzhia and the region all day long. As a result of the attacks, over 53,000 subscribers...are without electricity," Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/targeted-attack-tens-of-thousands-without-power-in-zaporizhzhia-as-russia-hammers-regions-energy-system/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/at-least-ukrainian-soldiers-killed.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:12:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/at-least-ukrainian-soldiers-killed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4d44de68c5.jpg" alt="At least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russia's war, with many more missing, Zelensky tells French media"></p>It would also cost Russia "800,000 more corpses" to take eastern Ukraine by force, President Volodymyr Zelensky told France TV in a Feb. 4 interview.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-55-000-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-in-russias-war-with-many-more-missing-zelensky-tells-french-media/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/russia-claims-us-ignored-offers.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 21:53:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/russia-claims-us-ignored-offers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fa340652e6.jpg" alt="Russia claims US 'ignored' offers to extend nuclear arms control agreement as key treaty set to expire"></p>The New START Treaty, signed by Russia and the U.S. in 2010 and set to expire on Feb. 5, 2026, places mutual limits on strategic nuclear warheads and launchers.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-us-ignored-offers-to-extend-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-as-treaty-set-to-expire/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/kyiv-groans-a-collective-wtf.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 20:32:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/kyiv-groans-a-collective-wtf.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259266410.jpg" alt="Kyiv groans a collective ‘WTF?’ to Trump’s latest Putin comments"></p><p>U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that his Russian counterpart "kept his word" by not launching mass missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure for a week has been met with bewilderment and dismay in Kyiv.</p><p>"I believe this is either a</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-groans-a-collective-wtf-to-trumps-latest-putin-comments/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/pokrovsk-sector-russian-mechanized-assaults.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 20:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/pokrovsk-sector-russian-mechanized-assaults.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/62152d1d48.jpg" alt="POKROVSK SECTOR: Russian mechanized assaults under FOG cover #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BCYPzOJtjhE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/north-korean-troops-in-russia.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:39:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/north-korean-troops-in-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258927721.jpg" alt="North Korean troops in Russia attack Ukrainian border communities, HUR says"></p>Ukraine’s military intelligence says North Korean troops fighting under Russian command are attacking Ukrainian border communities from Russia’s Kursk Oblast.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/north-korean-troops-carry-out-attacks-on-ukraines-border-area-ukraines-military-intelligence-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/natos-existence-once-again-upsets.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/natos-existence-once-again-upsets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6b0a70e70d.jpg" alt="🤡 NATO's existence once again upsets RUSSIANS! Another HISTERIA on Russian TV #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zkf4q194xM8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/180138.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:01:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/180138.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c6c06ad55d.jpg" alt="PSEUDO-HISTORY &amp; DISINFORMATION: Kremlin's propaganda machine NEVER STOPS | Hatespeech"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWXfMnCfBQk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/ukraine-seeks-to-verify-russias.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:00:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/ukraine-seeks-to-verify-russias.html <p>Ukraine is aiming to reach agreements in the next round of peace talks with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi, while also trying to understand what Russia actually wants.</p> <p>Military and politico-military issues will be on the table at the meeting in the UAE, Foreign Ministry spokesperson ​Heorhii Tykhyi said at a briefing, a video of which was published by the Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/185432">Novosti. LIVE</a>.</p> <p>According to ​Tykhyi, talks are continuing in Abu Dhabi today and tomorrow. The first thing the Ukrainian delegation expects is to hear what feedback the Russians bring from their last round of talks, since they may have coordinated their position with the country’s military-political leadership.</p> <p>“The focus of these negotiations will primarily be military and politico-military issues. This is evident from the composition of the delegations meeting there. There are many nuances regarding how the war will end — a process in which Ukraine is interested,” ​Tykhyi said.</p> <p>Earlier reports indicated that the composition of the Russian delegation in the next round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi will remain unchanged — it will be led by GRU chief Igor Kostyukov.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told <a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/332481">RIA Novosti</a> that Russia will continue the war until “the appropriate decisions are made by Kyiv.” At the same time, the Kremlin does not plan to provide updates on the status of the negotiations after the next round in Abu Dhabi. </p> <p>Tikhiy also explained that it is inappropriate during the talks to discuss publicly the details of what will be on the negotiating table.</p> <p>He added that Ukraine wants to find out what mandate and position the Russian side has brought after consultations with Russia’s leadership, as well as hear the American position, since the United States is also participating in this round. In particular, U.S. President’s special representative Steve Witkoff will attend.</p> <p>Another topic, besides military and politico-military issues, will be the humanitarian situation. Tykhyi said Ukraine has a strong team that will work to tackle all tasks.</p> <p>Earlier, Focus outlined what to expect from these talks and which scenarios appear realistic now. The negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of optimistic Western forecasts that the war could end as soon as spring. </p> <p>Before this, Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv is ready for any formats of talks with Russia and the United States. He stressed that territorial issues can be effectively resolved only during a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelensky, a three-way contact between Ukraine, Russia and the United States must take place first; without such a format, the teams will not be able to agree on territorial issues. </p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-seeks-to-verify-russia-s-intentions-at-abu-dhabi-talks-with-u-s-participation-foreign-ministry-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/million-thats-how-much-it.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:09:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/million-thats-how-much-it.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259210219.jpg" alt="$325 million — that's how much it cost Russia to bomb Ukraine in latest missile, drone attack, HUR says"></p>These funds could have financed Russia's Jewish Autonomous Oblast for "an entire year," HUR said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mass-attack-on-ukraines-energy-infrastructure-cost-russia-almost-325-million-ukrainian-intelligence-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/collapse-in-sight-west-tightens.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:01:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/collapse-in-sight-west-tightens.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c42442f158.jpg" alt="COLLAPSE IN SIGHT: West tightens NOOSE around RUSSIA! Sweden sends radars &amp; air defense to UKRAINE"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOo9NPHtw18">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/kremlin-india-has-not-told.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:00:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/kremlin-india-has-not-told.html <p>The Kremlin said Tuesday it has not received any notification from India about halting purchases of Russian oil. “So far, we have not heard any statements to that effect from Delhi,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, responding to comments by US President Donald Trump.</p> <p>Meanwhile, US ratings agency Moody’s said it is unlikely India will immediately cease all purchases of Russian oil, despite a recent decline in crude imports from Russia. Such a move could “disrupt India’s economic growth,” Moody’s noted in a report cited by Reuters.</p> <p>India’s refineries will need time to wind down operations before they can stop imports from Russia, and the government in New Delhi has not issued such an order yet, Reuters reported, citing two refining industry sources.</p> <p>A day earlier, Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed in a call to stop buying Russian oil.  According to Trump, India is ready to increase purchases from the United States and possibly Venezuela. “This will HELP STOP THE WAR in Ukraine, which is going on right now and taking thousands of lives every week!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that Washington agreed to immediately cut the tariff rate for India from 25% to 18%.</p> <p>For his part, Modi wrote on X that he had a “wonderful” conversation with the US leader. “When two major economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and opens up tremendous opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,” he said.</p> <p>In October, the United States announced new sanctions on Russia, citing “Russia’s lack of serious interest in the peace process” to end the war Moscow launched in Ukraine. </p> <p>Violations could trigger “civil or criminal penalties for US persons and foreign nationals.” Afterward, reports said China and India would sharply cut imports of Russian oil. </p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-india-has-not-told-russia-it-will-stop-buying-oil-despite-trump-claim">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/live-russias-aviation-crash-su.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/live-russias-aviation-crash-su.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/125dffd510.jpg" alt="LIVE | 🛩 Russia's aviation crash: Su-30 and Su-34 destroyed in 24 hours! Putin's &quot;truce&quot; FAILED!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9pKUbFWzIM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/as-ukrainians-freeze-donated-energy.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:10:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/as-ukrainians-freeze-donated-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256542110.jpg" alt="As Ukrainians freeze, donated energy equipment sits unused"></p><p>Critical energy generation equipment donated by Ukraine's partners has been left idle and unconnected to the grid for years, as Russian attacks cripple the country's energy system during its coldest winter in decades.</p><p>Russia has plunged Ukraine into a catastrophic <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/energy-crisis/">energy crisis</a>, damaging around 8.5</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/as-ukrainians-freeze-donated-energy-equipment-sits-unused/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/keith-kellogg-on-how-putin.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:02:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/keith-kellogg-on-how-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/keithkellogg-1-2-.jpg" alt="Keith Kellogg on how Putin views Russia's war against Ukraine"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Keith Kellogg, former U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine, about why he believes Russia has failed to achieve its goals in Ukraine, how Russian President Vladimir Putin views his military campaign, and what is preventing the war from ending.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/keith-kellogg-on-how-putin-views-russias-war-against-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/kremlin-spends-nearly-million-on.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/kremlin-spends-nearly-million-on.html <p>Russian forces carried out a massive overnight air attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on February 3, employing 562 drones and missiles with a combined estimated price tag of nearly $325 million, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DefenceIntelligenceofUkraine/posts/pfbid0DDimApnxZFZiHf2pWqsbncyqsPomeG8jHDQURDvBkqchowPePT6xtHCRYZsEwqmgl?locale=ru_RU">a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>According to the agency, known by its Ukrainian acronym GUR, the February 3 strike involved “Geran,” “Harpy,” and “Gerbera” drones; Iskander and RM-48U ballistic missiles; 3M22 Zircon and 3M55 Oniks hypersonic missiles; and Kh-101, 9M728 Iskander-K, and Kh-32 cruise missiles. The total cost of those drones and missiles was put at about $324.8 million — roughly $190 million more than during the previous large-scale Russian barrage on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on January 20, GUR said.</p> <p>GUR added that $325 million could cover a year of expenses for the Russian city of Kaluga and is roughly equivalent to half the annual budget of Russia’s Kostroma region. The agency argued that, rather than investing in civilian needs, the Kremlin is expanding production of drones and missiles for strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.</p> <p>Ukraine’s air defenses down the majority of incoming threats, officials said. On February 3, air defenses shot down 450 of the 562 drones and missiles launched, meaning most of the resources used (79.2%) were wasted, according to Ukrainian authorities.</p> <p>A notable feature of the February 3 attack, GUR said, was Russia’s use of a large number of Iskander ballistic missiles, which are difficult for air defenses to intercept due to their high speed and ballistic trajectories.</p> <p>The overnight strike also broke an “energy truce” that Kyiv and Moscow had reached with the mediation of US President Donald Trump, according to the report. The truce, intended to last a week, held for three days. Ukraine says Russia has now violated such an energy truce twice, the first time in spring 2025.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-spends-nearly-325-million-on-feb-3-airstrike-on-ukraine-gur-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/right-now-ukraine-russia-and.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/right-now-ukraine-russia-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f5439f55ef.jpg" alt="⚡️ Right now! Ukraine, Russia, and the US are in Abu Dhabi for talks #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KQgl4qt_b98">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/why-cold-darkness-worsen-ptsd.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:02:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/why-cold-darkness-worsen-ptsd.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff1c8553c-f.jpg" alt="Why cold, darkness worsen PTSD among ex-POWs"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!UbOy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff01a7747-6a57-45b8-9dd2-52a8562f6a81_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff01a7747-6.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f01a7747-6a57-45b8-9dd2-52a8562f6a81_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“You are all great journalists and write so passionately.”</em></p><p><em>By Denise Wallace</em></p><p><em>Support our journalism and get full access to everything we publish by upgrading your subscription.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p><em>Editor’s note: The following article depicts scenes of violence and torture.</em></p><p>“I’ve started having bad dreams. I remember my punishment cell. It was constantly cold there. Even in summer, it was always cold in our cell,” said Oleksii Anulia, who spent nearly ten months in Russian captivity in 2022.</p><p>It has been three years since he was released from the punishment cell, where the air was saturated with mold and the stench of urine and feces.</p><p>Yet, this winter Oleksii has begun waking in the middle of the night to flashbacks, as the darkness and cold in his own home resembles the conditions of captivity.</p><p>He is not alone. Traumatic memories have <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUAviuBiLN1/?img_index=2">intensified</a> among former prisoners of war, with the onset of blackouts, as power outages have become a powerful trigger.</p><p>Cold is one of the forms of torture Russian forces systematically use against Ukrainians held in Russian prisons. Today, that same cold has turned into a tool of pressure on civilians, aimed at breaking society and forcing Ukraine into concessions.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!o2ET!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33aa5d6a-273b-4f89-ba18-515b67a42873_1080x1440.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f33aa5d6a-2.jpg" width="222" height="296" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/33aa5d6a-273b-4f89-ba18-515b67a42873_1080x1440.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1440,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":222,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Former Ukrainian POW Oleksii Anulia holding his book about his experience in captivity and well-known Patron, the dog. Photo from his social media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>February 1 marked the end of the so-called ‘energy ceasefire’ between Russia and Ukraine, initiated by Donald Trump and purportedly meant to shield Ukrainians from mass strikes during the harshest cold of the winter. This month, Ukraine is experiencing its most severe cold spell of the season, with temperatures in some northern cities dropping to −28°C (−18.4°F).</p><p>For prisoners of war, cold has become an all-consuming psychological trigger, demonstrating how exposure to low temperatures can evoke long-lasting consequences for mental health…</p><p>… And how methods of torture in captivity can be adapted far beyond the trenches.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":444367}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Oleksii’s flashbacks to his captivity started again in late autumn when Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure sent it into its first major blackout of the year.</p><p>It had been a long time since Oleksii last had nightmares — almost two years — so long that he started to think he might even be free from them.</p><p>At the time, he was returning home to Chernihiv after a trip to the United States, where he presented his book about captivity.</p><p>“I came back into darkness. The moment I arrived in Kyiv, I realized it was a one-way road — fifty kilometers of uninterrupted darkness. Two or three cars coming toward you, that’s it. The contrast after California felt like I’d arrived in the afterlife,” Oleksii recalled.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!wzJf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4b6563d1-eaf3-44b6-a483-18728ef3623c_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f4b6563d1-e.jpg" width="406" height="270.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4b6563d1-eaf3-44b6-a483-18728ef3623c_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":406,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A vehicle with headlight on a non-illuminated road during blackout hours in Kyiv on December 10, 2025. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>His legs and arms began to seize up again because of the cold, reminding him of how his limbs had rotted in captivity. For the first time in a while, his dreams showed him the days he had tried to forget.</p><p>Oleksii Anulia was captured by the Russians in March 2022 when he was defending Chernihiv from the Russian offensive alongside his father. He was the only survivor among his unit at their positions in the village of Lukashivka, 18 kilometers from the city, where he hid in a ditch while the Russians cleared the settlement.</p><p>He hid there for a full day until a local resident handed him over to the Russians. Forty minutes later, Russian soldiers surrounded him.</p><p>The Russians initially intended to execute him. Instead, Oleksii was taken in for interrogation, marking the start of his personal hell.</p><p>Oleksii was taken to a torture site near the border of Belarus, in the village of Vyshneve. In front of him, during interrogations, other prisoners were shot, raped, and stabbed to death. Oleksii himself was stripped naked, and positioned in such a way that he was forced to defecate onto another prisoner lying beneath him.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff1c8553c-f.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/421ccb5f3b.jpg" width="486" height="273.6" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f1c8553c-ff47-4608-9128-1f548b323072_1080x608.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":608,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":486,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Oleksii was writing his book about captivity on the torture side in Vyshneve in the Chernihiv region. Photo from his social media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Later, Oleksii was moved to Russia’s Kursk region, where he spent a little over a month in a pretrial detention center.</p><p>“There was very severe ‘intake’ there. They beat us for seven hours straight. I couldn’t go to the toilet even once during the 40 days I was there. I had [bruises] so bad that I couldn’t sit down,” Oleksii said.</p><p>In May 2022, he was flown to a maximum-security penal colony in the town of Donskoy in Russia’s Tula region. There, Russians use the most brutal methods of torture: Ukrainian prisoners are not allowed to sleep at night, to move, or to sit.</p><p>This colony now appears in Oleksii’s dreams.</p><p>Cold is a traumatic event even in peaceful circumstances. In February 2021, when Texas was hit by a severe snowstorm accompanied by freezing temperatures, 4.5 million people were left without electricity.</p><p>Nearly one in five who experienced this <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953622008292">showed</a> symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Those who were left without electricity for the longest time were three-times more likely to <a href="https://hromadske.ua/zdorovya/258275-iak-kholod-vplyvaye-na-nas-ta-shcho-z-tsym-robyty">develop</a> PTSD symptoms.</p><p>Winter <a href="https://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/why-winter-blues-make-ptsd-symptoms-worse-and-what-veterans-can-do-about-it.html">exacerbates</a> the symptoms of the disorder among veterans like Oleksii. When the days become shorter, circadian rhythms, which regulate sleep, metabolism, hormones and body temperature, are disrupted. Serotonin production decreases, which directly affects mood.</p><p>People who have experienced trauma like Oleksii can be triggered by signals, both external (darkness, feeling confined, lack of light) and internal (trembling, numbness, physiological reactions to cold). The brain and body continue to react as if the danger is still present, even though the person is now in a safer environment.</p><p>“For [POW], a sudden change in light, darkness – these are triggers [of flashbacks]. Some people even experience disorientation… A person freezes, sits with a stony face as if they are not here. And sometimes the opposite – they start to move chaotically, waving their arms, making sudden movements,” said Hanna Khomenko, a crisis psychologist who works with released Ukrainian POWs.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!2KUL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb65824f-8b37-45b2-86f9-60ad93cabb6d_1024x682.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2feb65824f-8.png" width="409" height="272.400390625" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eb65824f-8b37-45b2-86f9-60ad93cabb6d_1024x682.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":682,"width":1024,"resizeWidth":409,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A worker of the penal colony in the town of Donskoy, Russia. Photo by Media Initiative for Human Rights.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>While he was in the penal colony in the Tula region, Oleksii was placed in a punishment cell for more than 100 days, where he remained until his release on December 31, 2022.</p><p>It was impossible to get warm in the cell. He was brutally beaten and starved, with no option besides eating a worm or a mouse to calm his exhausted stomach.</p><p>“Now I dream about dampness, constant cold urine. I’m standing in it in my slippers, my legs are constantly freezing and festering,” Oleksii said.</p><p>In his dreams, he constantly tries to wrap himself in a mesh blanket which lets the cold through the holes in the fabric.</p><p>The warmest thing in captivity was a thin sheet. Under it, Oleksii curled up into the fetal position and wrapped himself, rubbing his legs to warm his body. Now, as soon as it gets cold in his home, he feels it through his broken toes, later seeping into his nightmares.</p><p>People with PTSD <a href="https://www.ptsduk.org/10-unexpected-physical-symptoms-of-ptsd/9/">are</a> generally more sensitive to cold than others, which is why the lack of heating in their homes can be harder for them to endure.</p><p>Their nervous systems are in a state of heightened stress which causes the body to increase blood flow to vital organs such as the heart and lungs while reducing circulation to the extremities. In addition, chronic stress can constrict blood vessels, further impairing blood flow. This causes an affected person to feel even colder.</p><p>In Oleksii’s hometown of Chernihiv, city authorities suspended hot water service citywide last week because the current energy capacity is insufficient to heat residential buildings. Indoor temperatures which can drop to only a few degrees above freezing trigger Oleksii’s physical reactions.</p><p>“I can see it in the children. I can see that they have no opportunity to develop or study, no chance to get enough sleep or wash with warm water. For my son, taking a hot shower has already become something like a luxury,” the former serviceman said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!p-aD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faec4dae1-eb3f-4042-9033-1a6092331a63_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2faec4dae1-e.jpg" width="402" height="268" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/aec4dae1-eb3f-4042-9033-1a6092331a63_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":402,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A Ukrainian serviceman released from Russian captivity waves from the bus during POW exchange on August 14, 2025 in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine. Photo by Maksym Kishka/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC “UA:PBC”/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Meanwhile, prisoners of war who remain in Russian captivity are forced to endure freezing temperatures in even worse conditions. POWs are subject to constant darkness and cold which are inescapable. About 2,500 Ukrainian prisoners of war <a href="https://t.me/mvs_ukraine/53786">are</a> still held in Russia or in occupied territories.</p><p>Russia has effectively stopped or delayed prisoner exchanges, using them as a tool of pressure on Ukraine in negotiations. Earlier, Ukraine <a href="https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/4081044-russia-delaying-peace-talks-starting-with-humanitarian-track-zelensky.html">announced</a> a planned exchange of 1,000 for 1,000, scheduled for the end of 2025, but the Russian side postponed it.</p><p>Oleksii feels a deep sense of injustice. After fighting to survive against hunger and cold, he has returned to similar conditions. However, Oleksii believes he does not have the right to give up either. Movement and walks in the forest have become his escape. In captivity, he was forbidden even to move.</p><p>For Oleksii, it is evident that hardship brings people together.</p><p>At home, his family tries to keep warm together, huddling in one room so it doesn’t feel quite as cold. Between the moments of cold conditions and trauma, Oleksii has fully devoted his time to his children, rediscovering how to play board games by candlelight.</p><p>“There is no such phrase as ‘I’m tired’ in my vocabulary. I can see how much my children need this. And I see it in other children — those whose parents were killed in torture prisons [whom Oleksii helps]. Right now, I feel like I am the same kind of father to them as well,” he said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“You are all great journalists and write so passionately.”</em></p><p><em>By Denise Wallace</em></p><p><em>Support our journalism and get full access to everything we publish by upgrading your subscription.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Anastasiia Kryvoruchenko</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA-U.S. NUCLEAR PACT EXPIRES</strong>: On Thursday, the last U.S.-Russia nuclear deterrence pact expires, AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-nuclear-weapons-treaty-putin-trump-5b1af24b0b3e65a8acb6ca7153018beb">reported</a>. Opening up the possibility of the resumption of a nuclear arms race between the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world, after a half-century of nuclear deterrence.</p><p>Russia is willing to restrain the growth of its nuclear weapons for another year if the U.S. does the same, Putin said. However, a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Trump is expected to make a decision regarding nuclear arms control on his “own timeline”.</p><p>Trump has repeatedly advocated for limiting nuclear arms and would like to include China in a pact on nuclear arms control.</p><p><strong>EU STATES LEAVE ZOOM AND TEAMS TO DISTANCE U.S.</strong>: Last week, Paris announced that 2.5 million public sector employees will stop using American video conferencing tools by 2027, AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-digital-sovereignty-big-tech-9f5388b68a0648514cebc8d92f682060">reported</a>.</p><p>An increasing number of other European governments, including Austria and Germany, are following this move. This will strengthen confidentiality and cyber security while also distancing the U.S. amid the recent tensions between the U.S. and Europe over Greenland.</p><p><strong>MORE UKRAINIANS READY TO CEDE DONBAS, BUT WITH SECURITY GUARANTEES</strong>: In 2022, more than 80 percent of Ukrainians considered ceding territory to Russia unacceptable. Now, 40 percent are willing to give up Donbas, but only under the condition of lasting peace and strong security guarantees from European and American partners, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-donbas-region.html">reported</a>.</p><p>The issue of control of the Donbas territory is a key point in the Abu Dhabi peace talks. Zelensky has previously mentioned the possibility of creating a demilitarized zone separating the two countries.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Today’s Cat of Conflict is Oleksandra’s cat Compote (it’s also the name of a Ukrainian winter drink made from boiled fruit). Compote isn’t the biggest fan of his new sweater, but without it he gets really cold.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!9Y7N!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f31925-809a-4634-8cce-48ae05b23cf5_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f05f31925-8.png" width="1200" height="1600" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/05f31925-809a-4634-8cce-48ae05b23cf5_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Mariana, Oleksandra</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/why-cold-darkness-worsen-ptsd-among">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/russians-break-truce-despite-abu.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:01:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/russians-break-truce-despite-abu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5a5bc1d2b3.jpg" alt="💥 Russians BREAK truce despite ABU DHABI MEETING. New &quot;RAMSTEIN&quot; for Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYdeTC6sNTY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/blackout-hits-bryansk-as-russia.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:00:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/blackout-hits-bryansk-as-russia.html <p>A widespread blackout hit Bryansk overnight after what Russian officials described as a barrage of Ukrainian Neptune missiles. While Russia’s air defenses allegedly intercepted the missiles, a power substation was still damaged. Videos from the scene show a darkened city that lost electricity in the early hours of February 4, similar to Belgorod.</p> <p>On the morning of February 4, Bryansk region governor Alexander Bogomaz <a href="https://t.me/avbogomaz/17830">said</a> on his Telegram channel that the shutdown of the regional capital was caused by a mass strike involving Ukrainian Neptune missiles, as well as HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and rocket-powered drones. Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said it had shot down all aerial targets.</p> <p>Bogomaz’s post appeared around 9 a.m. on February 4. He reported incidents in the village of Glinishchevo (17 km from Bryansk) and in Bryansk’s Bezhitsky district, citing some damage to homes and injuries. He did not mention the blackout that struck the city, located about 130 km from Ukraine.</p> <p>At the same time, the monitoring channel Exilnova+ <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/16115?single">reported</a> an emergency situation in Bryansk. Footage from the scene shows a citywide outage. The post went up at 1:38 a.m. on February 4 and said the event occurred in Bryansk, about two hours after the blackout in Belgorod.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry did not report a Neptune missile impact on Bryansk. Instead, it <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/60870">said</a> that overnight on February 4 its forces downed 24 Ukrainian drones, 11 of which were headed for Bryansk and eight for Belgorod.  In previous updates, the ministry has referenced Neptune strikes; in January, its Telegram channel mentioned the missile system eight times, citing a total of 25 missiles. There had been no such statements in February.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff has not confirmed the use of Neptune missiles against military targets inside Russia.</p> <p>In November 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Neptune missile had successfully hit a target at a distance of around 1,000 km. In December, he touted the effectiveness of Flamingo cruise missiles and said Neptune strikes had been “very good.”</p> <p>On January 25, residents of Russia’s Belgorod region reported a mass strike by HIMARS rockets. In December 2025, an aviation expert analyzed the feasibility of a mass Ukrainian drone raid on Moscow and the challenges of scaling up production of Neptune missiles.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/blackout-hits-bryansk-as-russia-reports-alleged-ukrainian-neptune-missile-strike">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/ukraine-war-latest-live-dead.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:48:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/ukraine-war-latest-live-dead.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2026-02-04-15-11-30.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: 7 dead, 8 injured as Russia strikes Donetsk Oblast city market with cluster munitions"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. Russian forces attacked the city of Druzhkivka in Donetsk Oblast with cluster munitions in the morning of Feb. 4, Donetsk Oblast governor Vadym Filashkin reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-02-04/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/as-budanov-takes-charge-russia.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/as-budanov-takes-charge-russia.html <p>The nature of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine shifted after the head of the President’s Office changed Andriy Yermak was replaced by Kyrylo Budanov. From that moment, the makeup of not only the Ukrainian but also the Russian delegation changed.</p> <p>Ukrainska Pravda notes a fundamental shift in the Kremlin’s approach to the talks: instead of long-winded diplomats, Moscow sent professional military officers, reports <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/02/03/8019189">Ukrainska Pravda</a>.</p> <p>“Previously, our side had to listen to hour-long sermons about who conquered whom in the past. Now there are military officers at the table discussing very specific issues: withdrawal mechanisms, guarantees, timelines, and so on. This is perhaps the key change that came with Budanov’s arrival,” said one source familiar with the negotiations.</p> <p>During Andriy Yermak’s tenure as head of the President’s Office, he tried to create a monopoly over the talks. In reality, there were three different channels: the official one led by Yermak together with the Foreign Ministry, and two unofficial ones - Budanov’s contacts and the contacts of Davyd Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People faction.</p> <p>The official channel conveyed the need to implement the “peace formula,” while the unofficial channels relayed the real position on the situation and processes in Ukraine.</p> <p>The change at the top of the President’s Office has unified all communications by the Ukrainian negotiating team under Budanov’s control.</p> <p>Another key detail is the return of Davyd Arakhamia to the delegation. He offers three advantages for Ukraine:</p> <p>- Arakhamia has a broad network of contacts in the United States;</p> <p>- Arakhamia worked closely with Budanov back when Andriy Yermak led the President’s Office;</p> <p>- Since the Istanbul talks, Arakhamia has had direct contacts with Russian counterparts, including Roman Abramovich.</p> <p>The decision to bring Arakhamia back into the negotiating group was made jointly by Zelensky and Budanov.</p> <p>Ahead of the overnight strikes on January 3, US President Donald Trump said talks between Ukraine and Russia were going very well and hinted at good news.</p> <p>Earlier, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff would hold another round of talks with Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday.</p> <p>In an interview with Czech outlet Český rozhlas Plus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv is ready for any format of talks with Russia and the United States. He emphasized that the issue of territory can be effectively resolved only in a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelensky, a trilateral contact among Ukraine, Russia and the United States must come first; without such a format, the teams will not be able to agree on territorial questions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/as-budanov-takes-charge-russia-replaces-diplomats-with-military-officers-in-ukraine-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/several-hospitals-in-latvia-dismiss.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:49:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/several-hospitals-in-latvia-dismiss.html <p>Latvian hospitals including Paula Stradiņa Clinical University Hospital, Riga East Clinical University Hospital, Children&rsquo;s Clinical University Hospital, and Daugavpils Regional Hospital have dismissed approximately 10 employees from aggressor states Russia and Belarus under the National Security Law effective since June 28, 2025. These steps comply with legal restrictions on employing nationals from aggressor states in critical infrastructure roles. Officials state these dismissals have not affected hospital functioning or medical services. The law aims to enhance national security by preventing cooperation with nationals of aggressor countries in sectors vital to state safety. This enforcement reflects a broader governmental effort to mitigate risks related to Russian and Belarusian influence within Latvia&rsquo;s critical infrastructure.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Exploiting international law &amp; treaties</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/04.02.2026-vel-vairakas-slimnicas-atlaiz-agresorvalstu-pilsonus-iestazu-darbu-tas-neietekmejot.a633053/?utm_source=lsm&amp;utm_medium=article-right&amp;utm_campaign=popular">www.lsm.lv/raksts/zi&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/119879b5-29b6-4578-818d-92e8d6aca07e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/the-worst-damage-we-have.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:24:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/the-worst-damage-we-have.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258504559-1.jpg" alt="'The worst damage we have seen' — Ukraine's energy crisis deepens after latest mass Russian attack"></p>"This is a war crime committed by Russia," Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-still-recovering-from-the-biggest-russian-attack-on-its-energy-infrastructure/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/ukraine-peace-talks-set-to.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:51:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/ukraine-peace-talks-set-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/21c6176648.jpg" alt="Ukraine peace talks set to resume in Abu Dhabi day after Russia's largest strike this winter"></p>Negotiators are convening in Abu Dhabi for two days of talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States on Feb. 4–5, part of ongoing efforts to broker an end to Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/peace-talks-set-to-resume-in-abu-dhabi-day-after-largest-russian-strike-on-ukraine-this-winter/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/blackouts-reported-in-russias-belgorod.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:34:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/blackouts-reported-in-russias-belgorod.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/tg-image-757116943.jpg" alt="Blackouts reported in Russia's Belgorod Oblast amid missile, drone attack"></p>The Supernova Telegram channel published several videos and photos from local residents showing the sounds of air raid sirens and explosions.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/blackouts-reported-in-russias-belgorod-oblast-amid-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/chart-of-the-week-ukraines.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:38:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/chart-of-the-week-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/electricity-import-take-2-02-5-.jpg" alt="Chart of the week: Ukraine's electricity imports hit record high as Russian attacks devastate energy system"></p><p>Ukraine imported record volumes of electricity in January 2026 according to analyst group ExPro, as Russia continued efforts to systematically erase Ukraine's power infrastructure. </p><p>The country imported 900 gigawatt hours of electricity last month, a 40% increase compared to December 2025, ExPro <a href="https://expro.com.ua/en/tidings/in-january-2026-ukraine-imported-record-volumes-of-electricity">said</a>.</p><p>Russia has launched thousands of</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chart-of-the-week-ukraines-electricity-imports-hit-record-high/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/ukraine-to-recalibrate-position-in.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 05:30:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/ukraine-to-recalibrate-position-in.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia ignored a request from U.S. President Donald Trump and broke an “energy ceasefire.” “The Russians once again disregarded U.S. efforts. The President of the United States asked them to refrain from strikes on the energy sector and critical infrastructure,” he said Tuesday, February 3, at a joint news conference in Kyiv with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.</p> <p>Zelensky noted that Trump had asked Russia’s leadership to refrain from strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for one week. The “energy ceasefire” began overnight January 29, and “last night, in our view, the Russians broke their promise,” he added.</p> <p>In Zelensky’s view, Russia intends to keep fighting and “waited for the coldest days of this winter, when temperatures in large parts of Ukraine are below minus 20 Celsius.” Overnight on February 3, Russia’s military hit Ukraine with 71 missiles and 450 drones in a massive attack timed to the peak of the cold, he said.</p> <p>Zelensky said Russia used Trump’s proposal for a short pause in strikes not to support diplomacy, but to stockpile missiles and wait for the coldest days of the year for a large-scale attack. As a result, Ukraine will adjust how its delegation approaches the trilateral talks on February 4–5, he warned.</p> <p>“Each such strike by Russia confirms that attitudes in Moscow have not changed: they still count on war and the destruction of Ukraine and do not take diplomacy seriously,” he emphasized. Zelensky expressed hope that Ukraine’s partners “will not stay silent.” He said Kyiv needs more munitions, including missiles for Patriot air defense systems.</p> <p>Zelensky also said he was grateful for Rutte’s visit to Kyiv at such a difficult moment and thanked him for his support. Rutte, in turn, said Western partners are considering three levels of security guarantees. The first is strengthening Ukraine’s military with partners’ help so it can defend against any new Russian attack.</p> <p>The second level is a “coalition of the resolute,” led by France and the United Kingdom, aimed at providing Ukraine’s armed forces with everything they need, as well as guaranteeing other steps in the event of an attack, Rutte said, without specifying what those steps would be. “And the third level is the United States, which said in the summer it wants to join,” the NATO chief added.</p> <p>Mark Rutte arrived in Kyiv on the morning of February 3. In addition to talks with Zelensky, he addressed the Verkhovna Rada and honored the memory of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at the People’s Memorial of National Memory on Independence Square.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-recalibrate-position-in-talks-after-russia-breaks-energy-ceasefire">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/ukrainian-missile-strikes-on-power.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 04:44:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/ukrainian-missile-strikes-on-power.html <p>Belgorod came under a “massive missile barrage,” with damage to the power system, said Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram.</p> <p>According to him, Ukraine’s armed forces struck Belgorod and the Belgorod district. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties. “There is serious damage at an infrastructure facility,” the governor added.</p> <p>Authorities convened an emergency task force to assess the destruction, and crews began working to restore infrastructure.</p> <p>According to the Telegram channel “Pepel,” a blackout followed missile strikes on two key electrical substations in the Belgorod area.</p> <p>The channel said the Frunzenskaya substation near the village of Dragunskoye in the Belgorod district and the city substation “Belgorod” were hit.</p> <p>After the strike, at least nine municipalities in the Belgorod region partially or fully lost power, Pepel reported. It added that gas stations in Belgorod saw lines as residents bought fuel, including for generators.</p> <p>Heat and water stopped in a number of homes, and heating systems shut down. Outside temperatures are as low as minus 22 degrees Celsius. Water outages are concentrated in the city center.</p> <p>The Belgorod region water utility said on its Telegram channel that power was cut to all city water intakes, to the pumping station supplying the Kharkovskaya Gora area, and to some wastewater facilities.</p> <p>Water utility sites are without power in the Rakitnyansky and Krasnoyaruzhsky districts, and partially in the Yakovlevsky district. Water supply systems are disrupted in the city of Shebekino and the settlements of Maslova Pristan and Grafovka. Specialists have begun connecting systems to backup power sources.</p> <p>Overnight on February 3, Russian forces attacked Ukraine’s energy system.</p> <p>Ukrainian authorities said both generation and distribution facilities were targeted. Thousands were left without heat amid temperatures near minus 20 Celsius.</p> <p>“This was a targeted strike on the energy sector, with a record number of ballistic weapons. In fact, the Russian army used the American proposal for a short-term pause in strikes not to support diplomacy, but simply to stockpile missiles and wait for the coldest days of the year, when temperatures across much of Ukraine are -20 Celsius and below,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media after a briefing on the energy situation in the regions following the Russian strike.</p> <p>According to the Ukrainian President, Russia used 32 ballistic missiles, another 11 missiles of other types that follow a ballistic trajectory, 28 cruise missiles, and 450 attack drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-missile-strikes-on-power-substations-trigger-blackout-in-russia-s-belgorod">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/estonia-detained-a-container-ship.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/estonia-detained-a-container-ship.html <p>On February 4, 2026, Estonian security forces detained the container ship Baltic Spirit, which was traveling from Ecuador to Saint Petersburg, after it entered Estonian territorial waters for refueling and resupply. The vessel had 23 crew members, all Russian citizens, who offered no resistance. Authorities suspect the ship may have been involved in smuggling operations. The operation involved Estonia&rsquo;s K-Commando special police unit, navy, and aviation forces boarding the ship from a helicopter for inspection. Preliminary data suggests the vessel is not part of Russia&rsquo;s &lsquo;shadow fleet&rsquo; designated under EU sanctions. The incident marks Estonia’s first large-scale operation involving multiple national security agencies simultaneously. This detention is part of a broader pattern of increased attacks and detentions on vessels linked to Russia&rsquo;s shadow fleet across multiple theaters, including recent Ukrainian naval drone attacks and Western allied interdictions. Earlier, 14 European states agreed to tighten controls on navigation in the Baltic Sea to restrict Russia&rsquo;s shadow fleet activities.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Naval intimidation / close approaches</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://theukrainianreview.info/estonia-detained-a-sontainer-ship-with-a-russian-crew/">theukrainianreview.info/estonia-d&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ba16b549-32b2-4003-a580-7bd07a761781">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/italy-foils-russian-cyberattacks-targeting.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/italy-foils-russian-cyberattacks-targeting.html <p>On or before 4 February 2026, Italy foiled a series of Russian cyberattacks aimed at disrupting the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The attacks targeted foreign ministry offices including Washington, as well as critical Olympic locations such as hotels in Cortina. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani disclosed these incidents amid tightening security operations as the Games approached. Political focus centered especially on Milan, where key leaders including US Vice President JD Vance were expected for the opening ceremony. The issue became contentious over the potential involvement of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Milan. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi emphasized that ICE agents, who are engaged in US immigration crackdowns, would not patrol Milan&rsquo;s streets. ICE clarified that its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) personnel would operate only within US diplomatic missions as intelligence agents without executive policing authority. Milan&rsquo;s mayor rejected ICE presence, calling it &ldquo;a militia that kills.&rdquo; Additionally, Piantedosi affirmed standard security protocols involving sending officials to Olympic events, dismissing controversies. The US ambassador stated that HSI&rsquo;s role during the Olympics would be limited to advisory and intelligence functions. Separate demonstrations and protests were planned relating to ICE deployment, Israel&rsquo;s participation in the Games, and environmental concerns over new infrastructure and artificial snow use. The response highlighted ongoing cyber threats and political sensitivities surrounding the international event&rsquo;s security environment.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Incident Type: Hacking, malware, ransomware</p> <p>Country: Italy</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260204-italy-foils-russian-cyberattacks-targeting-olympics">www.france24.com/en/live-n&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/8d5c0574-7aa1-4dec-9742-bb41591dbf60">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/two-russian-spacecraft-intercepted-communications.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/two-russian-spacecraft-intercepted-communications.html <p>European security experts reported on February 4, 2026, that Russian spacecraft Luch-1 and Luch-2 intercepted messages from over a dozen key European satellites, raising risks of data compromise, satellite manipulation, or collisions. The Luch spacecraft stayed near geostationary satellites for extended periods, intercepting command channels between satellites and ground stations, conducting electronic reconnaissance as noted by German Armed Forces Space Command officials. Since 2023, Luch-2 approached 17 European satellites, while Russia also launched Kosmos-2589 and Kosmos-2590 with similar maneuvering capabilities. On January 30, 2026, Luch-1 fragmented due to a technical malfunction. Analysts warn intercepted data could allow Russia to send false commands to satellites, alter trajectories, or disable systems without jamming or destroying them. Experts urge Europe to improve satellite network security with encryption, monitoring, and suspicious spacecraft detection. This espionage is part of Russia’s hybrid operations including attacks on underwater infrastructure and power cables. The article also references SpaceX CEO Elon Musk&rsquo;s preventative measures against Russian use of Starlink satellite internet.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Signals/Technical Intelligence (SIGINT/TECHINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Electronic surveillance</p> <p>Country: Ukraine</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://theukrainianreview.info/russian-spacecraft-collect-data-from-european-satellites/">theukrainianreview.info/russian-s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/90832c40-f5cd-46dd-a3ca-e93eb85510c1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/04/putin-kept-his-word-trump.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:57:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/04/putin-kept-his-word-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259266779.jpg" alt="Putin 'kept his word' — Trump reacts to latest Russian strike on Ukraine"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 3 that Vladimir Putin had "kept his word" on a temporary truce on strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, remarks that came after Russia targeted Ukraine's power plants overnight.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-kept-his-word-trump-reacts-to-latest-russian-attack-on-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukrainian-kilometer-killzones-stop-russians.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 23:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukrainian-kilometer-killzones-stop-russians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/618c53a54c.jpg" alt="Ukrainian 10-kilometer KILLZONES stop RUSSIANS at the FRONT #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-lu7chrmjoY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/you-cannot-reward-monsters-us.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 23:07:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/you-cannot-reward-monsters-us.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/020326sp-31.jpg" alt="'You cannot reward monsters' — US lawmakers demand increased pressure on Russia"></p>During a Feb. 3 press conference in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Congressional Ukraine Caucus called for increased pressure on Russia, including new sanctions, and said it is one signature away from forcing a vote on the Ukraine Support Act.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-lawmakers-demand-increased-pressure-on-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/what-will-trump-say-about.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:58:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/what-will-trump-say-about.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f345c9acbc.jpg" alt="What will TRUMP say about Russia breaking the truce? – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QP9EIfDURAg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russian-drone-strike-on-zaporizhzhia.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:09:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russian-drone-strike-on-zaporizhzhia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-02-03-at-9-11-29-pm.png" alt="Russian drone strike on Zaporizhzhia kills 2, injures at least 8, including children"></p>A Russian drone strike hit Zaporizhzhia on Feb. 3, killing two 18-year-olds and injuring at least eight others, including three children, Ukrainian authorities said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-strike-on-zaporizhzhia-kills-2-injures-at-least-8-including-children/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukrainian-artillerists-work-under-a.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 19:30:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukrainian-artillerists-work-under-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d26a91f451.jpg" alt="🇺🇦 Ukrainian ARTILLERISTS work under a SHOWER of Russian FPV drones #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QkOlXlzWI9o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukraine-reports-record-russian-losses.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 19:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukraine-reports-record-russian-losses.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces inflicted some of the heaviest Russian losses in recent months during January, the Defense Ministry <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/b-yemo-voroga-minus-137-tankiv-1-099-artsistem-i-ponad-4-000-odinicz-avtomobilnoyi-tehniki-vtrati-rf-u-sichni">said</a> on its website.</p> <p>According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia lost more than 31,700 personnel - roughly the size of nearly three divisions.</p> <p>In January, Ukraine’s Defense Forces destroyed or disabled 137 Russian tanks - more than four tank battalions. That is the highest monthly figure since May 2025, when 138 Russian tanks were knocked out.</p> <p>Russia also suffered significant artillery losses: Ukrainian troops destroyed 1,099 artillery systems - more than 60 artillery battalions - the highest level in the last five months.</p> <p>Ukraine’s forces also hit 45 multiple launch rocket systems, 24 air defense systems and 4,021 vehicles. The last time Russia lost more vehicles in a month was April 2025, with 4,104.</p> <p>At the same time, overall Russian armored vehicle losses in January 2026 - as throughout 2025 - were not as large as in 2023–2024, when Russia was losing 300–500 armored vehicles monthly. The reason, Ukraine says, is the significant depletion of Russia’s stockpiles of armored vehicles and artillery systems.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukraine’s military said it struck a repair base, UAV command posts and other Russian military sites in the Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, as well as in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-reports-record-russian-losses-in-january-including-1-099-artillery-systems">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russian-aviations-crash-su-ampamp.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 19:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russian-aviations-crash-su-ampamp.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/707cffd9d4.jpg" alt="🔥 Russian aviation's CRASH: Su-30 &amp; Su-34 DOWN in ONE DAY! Putin's &quot;TRUCE&quot; and FRONTLINE losses"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oHU9mUfuUM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/polish-court-jails-man-who.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:26:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/polish-court-jails-man-who.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/73549dd633.jpg" alt="Polish court jails man who allegedly offered to kill Zelensky for Russia"></p>Pavel K., a 50-year old resident of the town of Hrubieszów, had been charged with espionage.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/polish-court-jails-man-who-allegedly-offered-to-kill-zelensky-for-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russia-fired-a-record-ballistic.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russia-fired-a-record-ballistic.html <p>In January 2026, Russia’s armed forces used a record number of ballistic weapons against Ukraine, according to Ukrainian military analyst <a href="https://t.me/zloyodessit/26452">Oleksandr Kovalenko</a>. Over the month, Russian forces launched 91 ballistic missiles - the highest monthly total since the start of the full-scale war.</p> <p>The previous record was set in October 2025, when Russia fired 89 ballistic missiles, Kovalenko noted, citing data compiled by the Information Resistance group.</p> <p>Weekly breakdown for January:</p> <p>- First week — 18 ballistic missiles launched; only one was shot down.</p> <p>- Second week — 38 missiles, including 9M723 from Iskander-M systems and North Korean KN-23s, as well as 5V55 missiles from S-300 systems; 11 were intercepted.</p> <p>- Third week — 14 of 23 ballistic missiles were destroyed.</p> <p>- Final week and end of the month — 12 missiles launched; five were shot down.</p> <p>Overall, Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted only a portion of the ballistic missiles in January, underscoring the difficulty of countering this type of weapon.</p> <p>Kovalenko said ballistic missiles have effectively become Russia’s primary tool of terror, supplanting the previously frequent use of Kh-101 and 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles — and that ballistic systems were used in greater numbers than Kh-101s and Kalibrs combined.</p> <p>For example, Kh-101 missiles were used on the night of January 20 — 15 launches, 13 intercepted by air defenses. Kalibr cruise missiles were used on the night of January 9 — 22 launches, with 10 shot down.</p> <p>Commenting on the trend, the analyst added that Russia is using ballistic weapons almost 2.5 times more frequently than subsonic cruise missiles, with strikes occurring nearly every day.</p> <p>“I think countering ballistic threats could become one of the main challenges for Ukraine’s air defenses in 2026, as the enemy is making maximum efforts to scale up strikes with this particular weapon,” Kovalenko wrote on social media.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-fired-a-record-91-ballistic-missiles-at-ukraine-in-january-analyst-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/how-soviet-nostalgia-and-silence.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:42:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/how-soviet-nostalgia-and-silence.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-22-at-15-41-21.png" alt="How Soviet nostalgia and silence enable wartime complicity on Russian YouTube"></p><p>"Everyone was equal," the kerchiefed babushka of Eli from Russia — a YouTuber who documents everyday life and regional culture across the Russian Federation — tells her granddaughter wistfully, recalling life in the Soviet Union.</p><p>"There were no rich and poor." And as <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/missile-attack/">Russian missiles strike</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/nostalgia-silence-and-wartime-complicity-on-russian-youtube/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/prisoners-and-foreign-mercenaries-russia.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:30:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/prisoners-and-foreign-mercenaries-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/811dd78c5a.jpg" alt="❗️ Prisoners and foreign mercenaries – Russia uses them to replenish its ARMY in 2026 #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gwJvnH-_fLA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/how-russia-rebuilt-hacker-gangs.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:26:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/how-russia-rebuilt-hacker-gangs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-635963777.jpg" alt="How Russia rebuilt hacker gangs to attack the West, leading to a US indictment"></p><p>Muleshoe, population 5,000, sits in the Texas Panhandle, next to the New Mexico state line, and about as far away from Ukraine as anywhere can be.</p><p>A small, arid town linked to the outside world by a patchwork of county roads and a smattering of private airports for single-engine</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-russian-spies-revived-local-hacker-gangs-to-attack-ukraine-and-the-west/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russia-cant-win-recruiting-foreign.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:08:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russia-cant-win-recruiting-foreign.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a1e7370395.jpg" alt="❗️ Russia can't win! Recruiting FOREIGN MERCENARIES &amp; TERROR against civilians WON'T HELP"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nTa1lHgKD0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russia-captures-square-kilometers-in.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russia-captures-square-kilometers-in.html <p>In January, Russian troops captured 245 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory. According to the analytical outlet DeepState, that’s nearly half the pace of November and December last year, when Russia’s advances were significantly faster.</p> <p>DeepState analysts <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23143">say</a> the most assault activity this January was recorded toward Pokrovsk, Hulyaipole, Kostiantynivka, Lyman and Novopavlivka (Dnipropetrovsk region).</p> <p>At the same time, Russian forces advanced fastest toward Sloviansk, making that sector one of the key areas for any further attempts to expand the Russian Armed Forces’ occupation zone.</p> <p>“Thirty-three percent of all assaults were on the Pokrovsk sector, which is where the enemy’s main effort is. Hulyaipole rose to second with 21% of all attacks. Assault activity increased 1.75 times. They are followed by the Kostiantynivka (12%), Lyman (8%) and Oleksandrovsky (8%) sectors. The worst outlier was the Sloviansk sector, where nearly 20% of territorial losses came from just 3% of assaults,” the analysts note.</p> <p>Russia, for its part, claimed significantly higher numbers. Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov <a href="https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/26257585">asserted</a> in recent days that Russia had seized more than 500 square kilometers and 17 settlements.</p> <p>Ukraine has not corroborated those figures, saying some of the “captured” settlements remain under the control of the Defense Forces.</p> <p>For comparison, in September 2025, Russian forces occupied 259 square kilometers - the lowest monthly total since May of that year. Territory taken that month was 44% less than in August, amounting to just 0.04% of Ukraine’s total area. At that point, 19.04% of the country was under occupation.</p> <p>By November 2025, the situation deteriorated sharply: Russian forces seized 505 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory - double September’s tally. That month, the Russian troops conducted 5,990 assaults, the highest monthly total of 2025.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23028">DeepState</a>, in 2025 as a whole, Russia occupied 4,336 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory - about 0.72% of the country’s area. From January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2026, the net increase in occupied territory reached 7,463 square kilometers, or 1.28% of Ukraine’s territory.</p> <p>Specifically, over three years of full-scale war, the share of occupied territory changed as follows:</p> <p>- Dnipropetrovsk region — from 0% to 0.6%</p> <p>- Sumy — from 0% to 1%</p> <p>- Kharkiv — from 1.9% to 4.7%</p> <p>- Kherson — from 72% to 72%</p> <p>- Zaporizhzhia — from 72.8% to 74.8%</p> <p>- Donetsk — from 56.7% to 78.1%</p> <p>- Luhansk — from 97.9% to 99.6%</p> <p>DeepState also reports that the settlement of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi in the Kharkiv region remains under the full control of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.</p> <p>Small groups of Russian troops that infiltrated the settlement are being cleared to prevent any further buildup.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-captures-245-square-kilometers-in-ukraine-in-january-with-fastest-advances-toward-sloviansk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukraine-is-the-worlds-breadbasket.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:24:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukraine-is-the-worlds-breadbasket.html <p>by Avery Lawrence As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, the Ukrainian economy has shown resiliency. After suffering a 28.8% GDP drop immediately after Russia’s invasion in 2022, as well as an increase in inflation, the economy has managed to recover significantly since the onset of war and experienced a 5.5% GDP recovery in 2023. Ukraine’s economic […]<p><a href="https://www.promoteukraine.org/ukraine-is-the-worlds-breadbasket-europe-must-not-let-russia-steal-a-piece/">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/rutte-criticizes-russia-are-you.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:21:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/rutte-criticizes-russia-are-you.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ea763373a1.jpg" alt="RUTTE criticizes RUSSIA: are you REALLY ready for a CEASEFIRE? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/At6r6XdWReg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukraine-unveils-marichka-undersea-kamikaze.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukraine-unveils-marichka-undersea-kamikaze.html <p>Ukraine has showcased a new undersea drone called “Marichka,” which could pose a serious threat to the Crimean Bridge.</p> <p>The Marichka kamikaze undersea drone is nearing completion. The company Akvatekhnik presented the system in an interview with the Ukrainian outlet <a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/rozrobnyky-pidvodnogo-drona-marichka-rozkryly-chastynu-harakterystyk/">Militarnyi</a>. According to the developers, the vehicle has already undergone a series of successful tests confirming its stated capabilities. It has not yet been used in combat.</p> <p>The drone’s range reaches up to 1,000 kilometers, and its payload exceeds 1,000 kilograms, enabling strikes against large targets. Its top speed is about 10 km/h.</p> <p>Marichka is equipped with an inertial navigation system that supports stealth and long-distance movement without external signals. Its hull materials and slow-speed motors make the drone low-signature and nearly silent underwater.</p> <p>A key feature is the ability to halt at a preset location and remain stationary and undetected for extended periods. In this mode, the drone can stay on standby for days or weeks, then continue toward its target at any moment. The type and power of the explosive charge can be tailored to the mission.</p> <p>The drone is designed to hit port infrastructure, bridges, and large surface and amphibious vessels. Developers emphasize that all key systems have been tested and performed reliably, indicating readiness for real-world use.</p> <p>“It will reach the Crimean Bridge very quietly and invisibly… It can stop at point A, remain unseen for a while, and then move on at any moment to prosecute the target… The payload is about 1,000 kg; there’s a lot of interesting kit we can choose from. This is a kamikaze designed to hit very large targets: port infrastructure, big bridges, ships… We’re working with the military to understand which targets need to be struck. And we’re refining it for those targets,” a company representative said.</p> <p>Ukraine has previously demonstrated the effectiveness of undersea drones in combat. In December 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine conducted a unique special operation in the port of Novorossiysk, during which Sub Sea Baby undersea drones hit a Russian Project 636.3 “Varshavyanka” submarine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-unveils-marichka-undersea-kamikaze-drone-with-1-000-km-range-and-1-ton-payload">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russia-broke-the-energy-truce.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:50:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russia-broke-the-energy-truce.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/66c994c809.jpg" alt="⚡️ Russia broke the ENERGY TRUCE – attacks resume, Zelenskyy says #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kw6ph3hMigg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/live-child-draft-russias-crime.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:21:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/live-child-draft-russias-crime.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7d63fab6f2.jpg" alt="LIVE | 🧸 CHILD DRAFT: Russia's crime that gives you CHILLS!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st1lATMYEBw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/satellite-images-show-russia-reviving.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/satellite-images-show-russia-reviving.html <p>In 2025, Russia began to restore a Soviet-era military base in Petrozavodsk and plans to build new garrisons in Karelia near the Finnish border, Finland’s public broadcaster <a href="https://yle.fi/a/74-20206164">Yle reports</a>, citing satellite imagery analysis and Russian regional media.</p> <p>A key part of Yle’s investigation is satellite imagery showing that as recently as 2024 the military site in Petrozavodsk’s Rybka neighborhood was in disrepair. The former Soviet base was partly overgrown, buildings were dilapidated, and there was virtually no permanent military presence. In previous years, the site was used only sporadically - including as a training range - and a few years ago even saw temporary trenches dug on its grounds.</p> <p>The picture began to shift in spring 2025. Satellite images obtained by Yle show extensive clearing on the base: vegetation removed, leveled pads created, and military hardware appearing on site. Images from April 2025 show trucks and other army vehicles that were absent a year earlier - the first visual signs of the facility’s revival, analysts say.</p> <p>The most striking changes appear in fall 2025. In October, more than 50 vehicles were visible on the base, including army trucks, some positioned near maintenance and service facilities. Military expert Marko Eklund, who analyzed the imagery for Yle, says that density suggests at least a transport unit is forming. It could be the logistics core of the new 44th Army Corps or even the beginnings of a separate railway brigade tasked with moving troops and supplies in Karelia, he said.</p> <p>Eklund adds that the restored Rybka base cannot accommodate a formation of up to 15,000 personnel on its own, framing the activity as an initial step in a broader military buildout across the region.</p> <p>Plans for new military facilities in Petrozavodsk are also reflected in Karelia’s regional media. In November 2025, Karelinform <a href="https://karelinform.ru/news/2025-11-20/petrosovet-obsudil-osvobozhdenie-minoborony-ot-platy-za-snos-zelyonyh-nasazhdeniy-5509823?is_doscroll=true">reported</a> that city council members discussed exempting the Defense Ministry from fees for removing green plantings tied to the planned construction of new military units. City council chair Nadezhda Dreizis said stationing a new military contingent in Karelia was “on the orders of the President of Russia,” calling the region a “frontline outpost on NATO’s border.”</p> <p>Earlier, in April 2025, Karelia head Artur Parfenchikov <a href="https://factornews.ru/news/stalo-izvestno-kogda-vesna-vernetsja-v-kareliju/7">said</a> he met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Fradkov to discuss basing an army corps in the republic. He said the region is ready to allocate land, bring gas service to garrisons and build housing for troops and their families.</p> <p>In May 2025, the outlet Respublika also <a href="https://rk.karelia.ru/social/armejskij-korpus-nachali-razmeshhat-v-karelii/">reported</a> that personnel of the 44th Army Corps had begun relocating to Karelia with their families. Parfenchikov said this was not the “arrival of new units” but their “return,” adding that Karelia “has always been the country’s outpost.”</p> <p>Yle also notes Russia is expanding military infrastructure elsewhere in the northwest. Near the town of Kandalaksha, about 100 kilometers from Finland’s border, construction is underway on a base for new artillery and engineer brigades. Satellite images show several large buildings were erected over summer and fall 2025.</p> <p>Some units of the 44th Army Corps, according to Yle, are training at a base near the town of Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region. In fall 2025, a significant portion of equipment was moved out, which experts say may have been sent to the war against Ukraine.</p> <p>Finland’s military intelligence says in its latest assessment that as these projects advance, Russia’s ability to conduct operations in the northwest will grow, though the pace of buildup is constrained by the ongoing war in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/satellite-images-show-russia-reviving-soviet-era-base-in-karelia-and-planning-new-garrisons-near-finland-yle-reports">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/great-work-here-the-kremlin.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:23:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/great-work-here-the-kremlin.html <p>Great work here 👀</p> <p>The Kremlin Connection: Mapping #Telegram Networks in #Russia, #Ukraine, and #Belarus</p> <p><a href="https://telegram-network.openminds.ltd/">telegram-network.openminds.ltd</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/german-defense-minister-warns-ukraine.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/german-defense-minister-warns-ukraine.html <p>Kyiv vitally needs Western support, because without it Ukraine “will be dead tomorrow.” The West must continue backing Ukraine even though it is costly.</p> <p>Ending support would be far more expensive for Europe than maintaining it, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGmDrqRTXaE&t=1616s">an interview with Kameramann Bayern</a>.</p> <p>According to him, stopping support for Ukraine would have dire consequences.</p> <p>“First, Ukraine will be dead tomorrow, and second, it will cost us significantly more than support now. And that’s why it’s so important that we, as Germany, make it clear in NATO that we support Ukraine, even if it costs a lot of money,” Pistorius said.</p> <p>He stressed that Germany is Europe’s largest economy and the third largest in the world, so Germans must live up to that role.</p> <p>Pistorius noted that there is a military threat in Europe, as a full-scale war is ongoing nearby in Ukraine.</p> <p>Germany’s defense minister also said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin “has always made it clear that he is concerned not only with Ukraine,” so Germans must be ready for defense and “must procure materials and weapons.”</p> <p>Earlier, Boris Pistorius warned that Russia could deploy nuclear weapons in space.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-defense-minister-warns-ukraine-will-be-dead-tomorrow-without-western-support">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukraines-foreign-minister-calls-fifa.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukraines-foreign-minister-calls-fifa.html <p>Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has blasted FIFA President Gianni Infantino for seeking to bring Russia back into international soccer, calling him a “moral degenerate,” he said in <a href="https://x.com/andrii_sybiha/status/2018385051398832517">a post on X</a>.</p> <p>Sybiha reminded Infantino that 679 Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play soccer again because Russia killed them.</p> <p>“And it keeps killing more while moral degenerates suggest lifting bans, despite Russia’s failure to end its war,” he said.</p> <p>The minister added that future generations would view such intentions as a disgrace, drawing a parallel to the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany.</p> <p>In an interview with <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/infantino-is-controversial-but-consistent-the-fifa-boss-places-football-above-politics-13502330">Sky News</a>, Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, urged that Russia be brought back into elite sport.</p> <p>The FIFA chief said he believes it is both possible and necessary to restore Russia’s participation at least at youth level, arguing that restrictions only deepen mutual hostility.</p> <p>Asked whether he supports lifting sanctions on Russia, Infantino said: “Oh, absolutely. We have to do it. Yes, at least at youth level. This ban has achieved nothing. I am against bans, I am also against boycotts. I think they achieve nothing; they only foster the increase of hatred.”</p> <p>On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee recommended that international sports federations bar Russian and Belarusian athletes following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That same day, FIFA and UEFA excluded Russia’s national teams and all Russian clubs from their competitions, including qualifiers and club tournaments.</p> <p>Russia challenged the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. The appeal was heard in 2022 and rejected, leaving FIFA and UEFA sanctions in place without temporary exemptions or easing.</p> <p>Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree enforcing a National Security and Defense Council decision to impose sanctions on several Russian athletes who support Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine.</p> <p>Those newly targeted include a Russian boxer and fighter who has publicly backed the invasion and endorsed the actions of Russian forces, the Russian Paralympic Committee and its president, and the Russian Esports Federation and its president.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-foreign-minister-calls-fifa-president-a-moral-degenerate-over-push-to-reinstate-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:56:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2241041835.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russian FPV drone training center hit, General Staff says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. A Russian first-person view (FPV) drone training center was among several targets hit by Ukrainian forces over the past day, the General Staff reported on Feb. 3.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-02-03/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/zelensky-urges-maximum-pressure-on.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:50:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/zelensky-urges-maximum-pressure-on.html <p>Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, using more than 70 missiles and about 450 drones, as President Volodymyr Zelensky called on partners to increase pressure on Moscow.</p> <p>Overnight on February 3, at the height of a severe cold snap, Russian forces used ballistic missiles and attack drones against multiple Ukrainian regions, Zelensky <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1446102657311606">said</a>, adding that without maximum pressure on Moscow, ending the war is impossible.</p> <p>Ukraine endured one of its largest attacks on energy infrastructure to date. Russian troops fired more than 70 missiles and deployed roughly 450 attack drones overnight. Strikes hit the Sumy, Kharkiv and Kyiv regions, the capital, as well as the Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Vinnytsia regions.</p> <p>So far, nine people are known to have been injured. Residential buildings and energy facilities were damaged; in Kyiv, fires broke out in high-rise buildings after drone impacts, and a kindergarten was hit. Rescue and emergency services are working at the scene.</p> <p>“Without pressure on Russia, this war will not end,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He noted that Moscow is deliberately using the coldest days of winter to terrorize civilians: “Russia uses the frost to terrorize people.”</p> <p>“Moscow chooses terror and escalation,” he added.</p> <p>The Ukrainian President said timely provision of air defense missiles and protection of normal life for civilians remain priorities. “Maximum pressure is needed,” he emphasized, thanking international partners who understand the situation and support Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-urges-maximum-pressure-on-moscow-after-massive-russian-strike-on-ukraine-s-energy">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russia-launches-massive-missile-and.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:39:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russia-launches-massive-missile-and.html <p>Overnight Tuesday, February 3, Russia launched another wave of massive, combined strikes on several regions of Ukraine, with explosions reported. Ukraine’s Air Force and officials in Kyiv and Kharkiv announced the attacks on Telegram. During the strikes, temperatures dropped to −20°C in Kyiv and −24°C in Kharkiv.</p> <p>Russia used a total of 450 drones and more than 60 missiles during the attacks, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said on X. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin waited for temperatures to plunge before hitting Ukraine’s energy system. “Neither the diplomatic efforts expected this week in Abu Dhabi nor his promises to the United States stopped him from continuing terror against civilians in the harshest winter period,” Sybiha said.</p> <p>Kyiv officials said damage was reported across five districts - Darnytskyi, Desnianskyi, Dniprovskyi, Pecherskyi and Shevchenkivskyi. “In bitter cold, the Russians decided to launch another massive strike on Kyiv. We’re receiving reports of damage to several multi-story residential buildings and an educational institution in the Dniprovskyi district as a result of the attack,” Kyiv regional military administration head Tymur Tkachenko wrote on social media around 1:30 a.m. local time. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported a strike on non-residential buildings in the Darnytskyi district and a fire at a kindergarten building in Dniprovskyi.</p> <p>A short time later, Tkachenko <a href="https://t.me/tkachenkotymur/2244">detailed the aftermath</a>.  He said a man was injured in Darnytskyi and treated at the scene. A 25-story and a five-story building were damaged in the same district; in Dniprovskyi, a five-story residential building was damaged, and in two locations fragments of “enemy objects” were found in open areas, he added. In the Pecherskyi district, a gas station building and parked cars were damaged, and in Shevchenkivskyi, preliminarily, a 22-story residential building, he said. Later, officials said a total of 1,170 apartment buildings in Kyiv were left without heat.</p> <p>Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the city was hit multiple times by Russian ballistic missiles, with two impacts recorded in the Slobidskyi district. Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported multiple attacks by strike drones and guided aerial bombs across the region. “Two people were injured in Kharkiv as a result of enemy shelling. A 27-year-old and a 58-year-old man are currently receiving medical care,” he wrote on Telegram, adding that two more people were injured in the city of Derhachi.</p> <p>“The strikes are targeting energy infrastructure to cause maximum destruction and leave the city without heat amid severe frost,” Terekhov said. Authorities will have to “make difficult decisions,” including draining water from the heating system in 820 apartment buildings to prevent the network from freezing, he said. “An unprecedented attack on critical infrastructure leaves no other option. Our specialists see no alternative,” he added. According to the mayor, 101 “Points of Invincibility” will operate around the clock in the city, where people can warm up and charge devices. More warming centers will be deployed if needed, he said. Overnight temperatures in Kharkiv fell to −24°C, with daytime highs expected to reach −15°C.</p> <p>Russia resumed strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight, ending the “energy truce” it announced four days earlier. On the night of February 2, Russian forces attacked energy facilities in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk and Cherkasy regions, said Ukraine’s First Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov.</p> <p>According to the Energy Ministry, repairs at damaged energy facilities are ongoing, but power capacity deficits persist in Kyiv and the Kyiv region. In addition, due to severe weather, more than 160 settlements in the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions were left without electricity.</p> <p>The deputy minister also reported a targeted attack on energy workers in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where Russians the day before struck with drones a service bus of an energy company near the Ternivska mine in the Pavlohrad district. Sixteen mine workers were killed and another 14 wounded. On the afternoon of February 2, the same enterprise was hit a second time, damaging administrative buildings, energy company DTEK said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-launches-massive-missile-and-drone-strikes-on-kyiv-and-kharkiv-amid-severe-cold">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/hungary-sues-eu-over-russian.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/hungary-sues-eu-over-russian.html <p>Hungary has filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice challenging the REPowerEU regulation that would fully ban imports of Russian natural gas starting in 2027, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto <a href="https://mti.hu/hirek/2026/02/02/szijjarto-peter-magyarorszag-megtamadta-brusszeli-repowereu-rendeletet-az-europai">said</a>.</p> <p>“Without Russian oil and natural gas, neither the country’s energy security nor the achievements in lowering utility bills can be guaranteed,” Szijjarto said, defending the move. Hungary argues such a decision can only be taken under the EU’s sanctions mechanism, which requires unanimity among member states. It also says the EU measure essentially violates the “principle of energy solidarity,” under which each member state decides from whom and from which sources it buys energy.</p> <p>Szijjarto acknowledged the court case could take one to two years. That timeline throws its outcome into question, with Hungary’s next parliamentary elections set for April 12. The pro-European Tisza party, led by Viktor Orban’s opponent Peter Magyar, leads with 48% support, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/hungarys-tisza-party-maintains-lead-over-orbans-ruling-fidesz-poll-shows-2026-02-02/">a Reuters poll</a>, while ruling Fidesz stands at 40%.</p> <p>On Monday, January 26, the Council of the EU formally adopted a regulation to phase out imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.</p> <p>Existing contracts will have transition periods: for short-term deals, until April 25, 2026 (LNG) and June 17, 2026 (pipeline gas); for long-term deals, until January 1, 2027 (LNG) and September 30, 2027 (pipeline gas). Hungary and Slovakia voted against the measure, while Bulgaria abstained. Before 2022, Russian gas accounted for about 40% of EU imports; by 2025, that share had fallen to roughly 13%.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/hungary-sues-eu-over-2027-russian-gas-import-ban">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/powerful-massive-strike-at-night.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:51:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/powerful-massive-strike-at-night.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dcfbf77081.jpg" alt="POWERFUL massive strike: at night, Russians attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wvJlyHVYn3Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/nato-chief-arrives-in-kyiv.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:05:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/nato-chief-arrives-in-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7634ca6c66.jpg" alt="NATO chief arrives in Kyiv as Russia bombards Ukraine"></p>Rutte spoke at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/nato-chief-arrives-in-kyiv-as-russia-bombards-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/west-agrees-to-respond-militarily.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:42:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/west-agrees-to-respond-militarily.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/435753d66b.jpg" alt="West agrees to respond militarily to Russia's ceasefire violations in Ukraine, FT reports"></p>A more extensive Russian attack would trigger a coordinated Western-led military response backed by U.S. forces, initiated 72 hours after the initial breach, the Financial Times reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/west-pledges-to-respond-militarily-to-russias-ceasefire-violations-in-ukraine-ft-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/shelling-of-kyiv-russians-carried.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:33:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/shelling-of-kyiv-russians-carried.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d589e69a63.jpg" alt="SHELLING OF KYIV: Russians carried out a MASSIVE strike #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4t96O9-HbJ4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/attempted-sabotage-of-german-navy.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/attempted-sabotage-of-german-navy.html <p>On February 3, 2026, German authorities announced the arrest of two men suspected of attempting to sabotage German Navy ships in the Hamburg harbor. The suspects, a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek, allegedly worked in the harbor and reportedly filled a ship&rsquo;s motor block with about 20 kilograms of radioactive pellets, damaged freshwater pipes, and disabled circuit breakers. The sabotage attempts were detected in time, preventing damage to the ships and avoiding danger to the Federal Republic of Germany. Investigations included searches of residences in Hamburg, Greece, and Romania and involved European law enforcement agencies such as Europol and Eurojust. Officials suspect the men acted as low-level agents for a foreign Auftraggeber. Intelligence agencies had recently warned of potential sabotage threats from Russia targeting German military institutions, with prior cases reported in February 2025. The affected ships are the corvettes &lsquo;Köln&rsquo; and &lsquo;Ermsel&rsquo;—modern classes of German Navy vessels built by Blohm+Voss shipyard, which confirmed a police operation and stated cooperation with authorities.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Incident Type: Bomb threats, assassination plots, targeted killings</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.zdfheute.de/politik/deutschland/sabotage-marineschiff-haftbefehle-100.html?at_specific=ZDFheute">www.zdfheute.de/politik/d&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/513a1a60-70c0-484f-a5a9-736d5875cb2f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/foi-study-reveals-increasing-complexity.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/foi-study-reveals-increasing-complexity.html <p>The Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) published research analyzing espionage cases in Europe from 2008 to 2024 across more than 20 countries, commissioned by Swedish Security Service, FRA, and MUST. It shows that espionage activities have evolved beyond traditional images, involving various types of spies, motivations, and increasingly complex networks. Most spies were recruited volunteers, often approached personally or via social media, with motivations including financial gain, ideology, pressure, or revenge. The Baltic states and Finland saw many spy assignments, with Poland noted for Russian collaboration with criminals to spy on Western equipment supplies. The study challenges previous assumptions by including overlooked groups such as women and highlighting espionage integration with modern digital technologies alongside old methods. The report calls on European intelligence services to update their approaches to tackle these emerging espionage complexities effectively.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.foi.se/en/foi/news-and-pressroom/news/2026-02-03-espionage-in-europe-is-becoming-more-complex.html">www.foi.se/en/foi/ne&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/8a09a00c-7435-4fd9-8d30-1a0f0b47f789">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/poland-detains-defence-ministry-employee.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/poland-detains-defence-ministry-employee.html <p>On 3 February 2026, Polish authorities detained a male employee of the Polish Defence Ministry early in the day on suspicion of collaborating with Russian intelligence services. The news, reported by the Polish website Onet citing unnamed sources, highlights ongoing espionage threats against Poland and NATO from Russia. No further details on the detainee&rsquo;s identity, role, or the exact nature of the suspected collaboration were publicly provided. This case underscores the heightened vigilance by Poland and its allies regarding internal security breaches and espionage attempts amid tense Poland-Russia relations.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/poland-detains-defence-ministry-employee-suspected-collaborating-with-russia-2026-02-03/">www.reuters.com/world/pol&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/54803620-16af-4807-8db0-34c33ea37ab5">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/03/russians-chose-a-freezing-february.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:34:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/03/russians-chose-a-freezing-february.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-03-00-16-12.jpg" alt="'Russians chose a freezing February night' — Damaged buildings, casualties reported as Russia resumes large-scale strikes on Kyiv"></p>Russian forces launched a mass ballistic missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on Feb. 3, striking multiple residential buildings across the city and injuring at least three people, officials said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-launches-mass-attack-across-ukraine-signaling-end-of-energy-ceasefire/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/russias-exhaustion-could-open-a.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/russias-exhaustion-could-open-a.html <p>The Russian military is more depleted than ever, and that is already affecting the pace of its offensive.</p> <p>Ukrainian military analyst Alexander Kovalenko <a href="https://t.me/zloyodessit/26458">said</a> that despite attempts to keep up offensive operations and “sell” an image of strength to the public, Russia’s army is now at a record level of exhaustion.</p> <p>In his assessment, 2026 could open a strategic window of opportunity for Ukraine, when Russia’s resources begin to “crumble”—not because the Kremlin suddenly decides to stop fighting, but because accumulated fatigue, losses and equipment wear will weigh more heavily on the front.</p> <p>That, he says, is Ukraine’s chance: if the adversary can no longer wage war “as before,” its weakness can be steadily amplified and turned into a problem by Ukraine’s armed forces, undermining Moscow’s plans.</p> <p>Russian military losses could climb even higher. Earlier, Ukraine set a goal of eliminating 50,000 Russian soldiers per month.</p> <p>At the same time, according to the expert, President Vladimir Putin will not abandon the war. Russia will keep up the pressure and try to use freezing conditions and the weather to insert small groups, probe for flanking routes and squeeze through where it seems easier. But the cost of such attempts is rising, and the payoff is diminishing.</p> <p>Kovalenko also pointed to the tempo. In January, Russian forces captured about 231 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory—nearly half the amount recorded in previous months - meaning there is still movement, but it is slower and costlier, a direct sign of exhaustion.</p> <p>Amid a shortage of trained personnel and overall fatigue, the Kremlin, Kovalenko notes, is increasingly compensating with fake claims of “capturing” settlements and by manipulating the front-line map.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-exhaustion-could-open-a-strategic-window-for-ukraine-in-2026-analyst-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/moral-degenerate-ukraine-slams-fifa.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:19:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/moral-degenerate-ukraine-slams-fifa.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7659634c81.jpg" alt="'Moral degenerate' — Ukraine slams FIFA president for supporting Russia's return"></p>"Six-hundred seventy-nine Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play football — Russia killed them," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said after FIFA President Gianni Infantino backed lifting the ban on Russian athletes.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moral-degenerate-ukraine-slams-fifa-president-for-supporting-russias-return/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/center-for-strategic-and-international.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/center-for-strategic-and-international.html <p>China sold the Russian Federation raw materials used to make Iskander-M ballistic missiles, enabling the Russian military to receive three times more missiles in 2025 than before, analysts say. Beijing’s support helped shore up Moscow’s defense-industrial base, allowing Russia in 2026 to fire salvos of 13 to 18 ballistic missiles at a time, according to the analysis.</p> <p>Since 2022, China has nearly doubled trade with Russia, a shift that helped the Russian army hold out through 2026 and increase the number of Iskander-M missiles, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) <a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine">said</a>. In total, imports from China now account for about 30% of Russia’s imports, while Russian oil makes up roughly 75% of the crude China buys, according to the report. Analysts paid particular attention to defense-related imports that supplied machine tools, components and raw materials for weapons production.</p> <p>CSIS said that in 2024 China increased sales to Russia of ammonium perchlorate, a key ingredient in solid rocket propellant for Iskanders. That support helped triple Russia’s ballistic missile output, the report said.</p> <p>Russia’s defense industry also received computer chips, machine tools, radars and sensors, CSIS wrote. In all, the list covers about 50 items that enable weapons production. The assistance also included drone airframes, lithium batteries and fiber-optic cables. According to CSIS, imports from China to Russia were about $190 billion in 2022 and reached $250 billion in 2024.</p> <p>In December, media reported a new modification of Russia’s Iskander-M missiles. During one strike, Russia used an extended-range missile capable of reaching 800–1,000 kilometers, reports said. A few weeks earlier, in November, experts said Russia could produce about 60 Iskander missiles per month.</p> <p>On January 30, analysts at Defense Express highlighted shortfalls in PAC-3 interceptors for the Patriot air defense system, which is used to counter Russian ballistic missiles. They estimated Russia launches about 60 Iskander-M missiles at Ukraine each month, while U.S. industry produces only about 50 PAC-3 interceptors monthly, which are then shared among all operator nations.</p> <p>In late January, Ukrainian forces pointed to another avenue for evading sanctions: installing SpaceX Starlink terminals on drones (Shahed, Molniya and BM-35).</p> <p>Separately, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat described a new Russian airstrike strategy that leans more heavily on ballistic missiles. On February 2, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced steps to restrict the use of Starlink terminals on Russian weapons.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/center-for-strategic-and-international-studies-china-helped-russia-triple-iskander-missile-production-skirting-sanctions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/putins-surname-is-mentioned-times.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:30:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/putins-surname-is-mentioned-times.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6757823bbf.jpg" alt="❗️ PUTIN's surname is mentioned 1,056 times in the EPSTEIN files #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mRJ9AxS7A3I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/ukraine-stalls-russian-push-near.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:30:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/ukraine-stalls-russian-push-near.html <p>Russia’s push toward the Hulyaipole sector is stalling despite repeated attempts to break through. Ukrainian forces are destroying infiltration groups and reporting heavy enemy losses.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops continue to hold back pressure from Russian forces around Hulyaipole. Military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko <a href="https://t.me/zloyodessit/26458">says</a> Russia’s bid to achieve a rapid breakthrough there has ended in a serious setback with major losses.</p> <p>By his estimate, in January Russian forces seized about 231 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory - nearly half the pace of previous months. At the same time, personnel losses reached nearly 32,000. The ratio of losses - roughly 137 killed for every kilometer gained - is significantly worse than 2025 averages.</p> <p>That is a clear sign of the Russian military’s exhaustion, Kovalenko notes.</p> <p>For more than two months, Hulyaipole has remained a major obstacle to Russia’s plans. Moscow sought to quickly establish a bridgehead there for a further strike toward Zaporizhzhia and to reach the right bank of the Haichul River. The plan failed: the town is holding, and Russian units are bogged down, forced to operate in small infiltration groups.</p> <p>Recent attempts by Russian forces to exploit freezing weather and cross the frozen Haichul River also ended in failure. Ukrainian units, employing ground robotic systems and FPV drones, destroyed or neutralized assault groups. Some were taken prisoner.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-stalls-russian-push-near-hulyaipole-amid-heavy-losses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/putins-shadow-fleet-caught-in.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/putins-shadow-fleet-caught-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/36225b45e8.jpg" alt="Putin's SHADOW FLEET ... caught in a STORM, – The Economist #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NXg6GFApSGU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/end-of-the-kremlins-ampquotshadow.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:15:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/end-of-the-kremlins-ampquotshadow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d38ebde6b0.jpg" alt="END OF THE KREMLIN'S &quot;SHADOW FLEET&quot; – EU blocks Russia's tankers, China &amp; India refuse oil!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOHG6Fz9cbs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strike-warns.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strike-warns.html <p>Russia’s Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev referenced the looming expiration of the U.S.-Russian New START strategic arms treaty and reiterated that Moscow is prepared to use nuclear weapons in line with its doctrine. He also suggested Russia could consider extending the pact, without specifying what conditions the United States would need to meet.</p> <p>On the morning of February 2, Medvedev’s press office released excerpts of an interview he gave to Reuters, <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/359357">state media outlet TASS</a> and the war channel WarGonzo. A shortened recap appeared on TASS’s Telegram channel. Among other remarks, he said Russia would be ready to use nuclear weapons if it believed its existence was threatened.</p> <p>Medvedev, who served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012, said the head of state must always be ready to “push the nuclear button,” noting that the president undergoes regular drills for such a scenario.</p> <p>“If the fate of the country is at stake, there should be no doubt [about the use of nuclear weapons] for anyone. As commander-in-chief, of course, I took part at the time in all the necessary training, including on nuclear weapons,” he told Reuters and other media.</p> <p>He also turned to Ukraine and its president. Medvedev said Moscow had previously recognized the elections of Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky, but does not consider the current president legitimate. He issued a pointed warning to Zelensky, hinting at possible death and electoral defeat.</p> <p>“I can say only one thing. You know, as one famous Kyiv resident said, Annushka has already spilled the oil. He won’t keep his head. It depends on how the elections go,” Medvedev said.</p> <p>TASS listed other comments from the interview: Medvedev hinted at the approach of a global war, called the dissolution of NATO a positive development, and said neither Russia nor China threatens Earlier, Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov revived nuclear threats and suggested detonating a nuclear bomb in space. Solovyov spoke after restrictions emerged on the Russian military’s use of Starlink. Two days earlier, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin <a href="https://t.me/vv_volodin/1441">escalated his rhetoric</a>, proposing a strike with a “weapon of retribution”. Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric has intensified as the New START Treaty approaches its deadline on February 4–5, with no extension by either the United States or Russia.</p> <p>Medvedev has repeatedly issued threats against Ukraine, Western politicians and Western countries. In one social media post, he warned of the possibility of a “nuclear apocalypse” if the West does not stop supplying weapons to Kyiv.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/medvedev-threatens-nuclear-strike-warns-zelensky-as-new-start-deadline-nears">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/kremlin-says-talks-possible-only.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:39:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/kremlin-says-talks-possible-only.html <p>Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a trilateral meeting with Russia and the United States to discuss territorial issues, but the Kremlin is still insisting any negotiations take place in Moscow.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced the position at a briefing, according to the Russian agency <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26317391">TASS</a>.</p> <p>“Zelensky is proposing contacts. President Putin noted that negotiations are possible in Moscow. This position remains ours and consistent. We remain open to negotiations and are ready to continue working through working groups in the interests of a settlement in Ukraine,” Peskov said.</p> <p>Peskov added that the Ukrainian settlement is a complex, multidimensional process. He said some issues have moved closer to resolution, while others are proving harder to compromise on.</p> <p>He also said a second round of the Russia–U.S.–Ukraine trilateral security group will take place in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday–Thursday.</p> <p>Peskov noted he had nothing to add to earlier comments about the “energy truce,” which lasted until February 1.</p> <p>In an interview with Czech outlet Český rozhlas Plus, Zelensky said Kyiv is ready for any format of talks with Russia and the United States. He stressed that territorial issues can only be effectively resolved in a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelensky, there must first be a trilateral contact among Ukraine, Russia and the United States; without that format, the sides’ teams will not be able to agree on territorial questions.</p> <p>A day earlier, speaking to Ukrainian journalists, Zelensky categorically ruled out holding talks in Moscow or any other Russian city. He said he sees no point in such meetings and is ready to publicly invite Putin to Kyiv if he decides to come.</p> <p>On January 28, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Zelensky could come to Moscow for a meeting with Putin, adding that the Russian side would supposedly guarantee the Ukrainian leader’s security.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-says-talks-possible-only-in-moscow-invites-zelensky-again">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/federal-prosecutor-investigates-raids-against.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:22:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/federal-prosecutor-investigates-raids-against.html <p>On February 2, 2026, German federal prosecutors launched investigations against a corporate network accused of large-scale delivery of goods to Russia, despite these goods being listed on the EU sanctions embargo list. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the case on grounds of forming a criminal organization. The raids and investigations reflect ongoing enforcement of EU sanctions intended to pressure Russia amid its war against Ukraine. The companies involved allegedly breached embargo conditions, prompting legal action to uphold sanctions compliance.</p> <p>Category: Economic &amp; Financial Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Sanctions Evasion &amp; Smuggling</p> <p>Incident Type: Sanctions busting networks</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/sanktionen-gegen-russland-razzia-gegen-mutmassliche-emargobrecher-ermittlungen-der-bundesanwaltschaft-a-fe48d936-6885-4bc3-8bc2-2f8649f1e7f7?sara_ref=re-so-app-sh">www.spiegel.de/panorama/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/647a9f55-2696-43b0-a691-35c3fd46f152">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/explosions-fire-reported-overnight-in.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:22:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/explosions-fire-reported-overnight-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-01-21-21-50.jpg" alt="Explosions, fire reported overnight in Russia's Belgorod region"></p>Explosions were reported overnight Feb. 2 in Russia's Belgorod region, where officials said an alleged Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire in the city of Stary Oskol.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-fire-reported-overnight-in-russias-belgorod-region/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/ukrainerussia-talks-in-abu-dhabi.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 04:47:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/ukrainerussia-talks-in-abu-dhabi.html <p>There has been no breakdown in the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia that began in late January in Abu Dhabi with U.S. involvement. The next round is scheduled for February 4–5, again in the UAE capital, Ukrainian journalist Yulia Zabelina <a href="https://t.me/culuaryZa/2186">reported</a>, saying the meeting was pushed back by a few days due to active Iran-related talks underway in Washington.</p> <p>“And still, the meeting will again be in Abu Dhabi, but that could still change. Although it would have been more advantageous for us to hold the talks in the U.S. right now,” the message said.</p> <p>Zabelina <a href="https://t.me/culuaryZa/2186">added</a> that the lineup for the new meeting will be almost the same as during the first round, and the American side will be present at these talks.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the New York Times reported Sunday that the new round was delayed by a few days after U.S. negotiators met Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida the day before. Details of that meeting were not disclosed, but U.S. presidential special representative Steve Witkoff called it “productive.” He said the talks ostensibly showed Russia’s willingness to work toward peace in Ukraine.</p> <p>Separately, Bloomberg reported that Moscow does not expect a breakthrough from the new talks in the UAE, as territorial issues remain unresolved.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed an agreement to continue negotiations in Abu Dhabi, with new meetings set for February 4–5. The head of state noted Kyiv’s readiness for a substantive discussion and to achieve a result that would lead to a dignified end to the war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-russia-talks-in-abu-dhabi-remain-on-track-with-us-to-attend-feb-4-5">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/killed-near-pavlohrad-in-russian.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 04:42:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/killed-near-pavlohrad-in-russian.html <p>A Russian drone struck a bus in the Pavlohrad district of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, the head of the regional military administration, Alexander Hanzha, said on Telegram.</p> <p>Preliminary government figures put the death toll at 12, with seven more injured.</p> <p>The bus was transporting miners from DTEK Pavlohradugol in Ternivka. The company <a href="https://t.me/dtek_ua/3932">said</a> 15 people were killed in the attack.</p> <p>Earlier the same day, a woman and a man were killed in a Russian strike in the city of Dnipro, Hanzha said.</p> <p>One private home was destroyed and two others damaged.</p> <p>Shelling and drone strikes in the Nikopol district damaged several apartment buildings and private homes, as well as a gas pipeline and a power line, the Dnipropetrovsk regional chief added.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry did not comment on the reported strikes.</p> <p>Hours earlier, Russian forces launched a mass drone attack on Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>A strike on a maternity hospital wounded at least six people, including two women who were at a checkup when the blast hit, said Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, on Telegram.</p> <p>Another Russian drone exploded in one of the city’s districts, preliminarily injuring three people, including a small boy, his post said.</p> <p>Separately, Ukraine’s Air Force warned of a potential launch of ballistic weapons from Russia’s Kursk region and of drones moving toward the Kyiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia regions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/15-killed-near-pavlohrad-in-russian-drone-attack">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/five-men-arrested-for-violating.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/five-men-arrested-for-violating.html <p>The German Federal Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office arrested five suspects on February 2, 2026, involved in systematic violations of trade sanctions against Russia. The accused used a scheme of shell companies based in Lübeck and other German locations to funnel mechanical and technical components, such as roller and ball bearings, photodiodes, and memory parts, to Russian arms manufacturers. Though initial charges cite about 75 individual export violations, officials estimate around 16,000 breaches worth tens of millions of euros. Among those detained is Nikita S., a dual German-Russian citizen arrested at the German border. Authorities conducted raids and searches of residences and business premises across multiple cities including Lübeck, Herzogtum Lauenburg, Northwest Mecklenburg, Nuremberg, East Holstein, and Frankfurt. Investigating agencies include customs, police, federal prosecutors, and the BND intelligence service. Suspects include German nationals and individuals with dual German-Russian and German-Ukrainian citizenship. The suspects were scheduled to appear before the federal judiciary to determine pretrial detention.</p> <p>Category: Economic &amp; Financial Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Corruption as a Tool</p> <p>Incident Type: Strategic bribes</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/festnahmen-verstoesse-embargo-russland-100.html">www.tagesschau.de/inland/in&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/d2fccae6-146a-49c7-ba2b-32efb42642b8">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/02/poland-increases-engagement-with-baltic.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/02/poland-increases-engagement-with-baltic.html <p>Since Russia&rsquo;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has significantly increased its diplomatic and security cooperation with the Baltic and Nordic countries, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Sweden. Warsaw has deepened military ties, hosted joint troops, and enhanced defense readiness to counter Russian threats and ensure regional security. Poland also expanded cooperation on energy infrastructure and transit projects to reduce dependency on Russia and improve resilience. Polish authorities have actively supported the Baltic States and Nordic countries in efforts to deter Russian aggression, including through NATO mechanisms and military exercises. The engagement is framed also in terms of wider regional stability and economic cooperation. Polish officials are increasingly involved in Baltic and Nordic forums, seeking to build a more integrated security architecture in Northern Europe. The article includes commentary on Poland&rsquo;s growing role as a regional security leader, challenges in energy independence, and the comprehensive approach to countering Russian hybrid threats in the region.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://jamestown.org/poland-increases-engagement-with-baltic-and-nordic-countries/">jamestown.org/poland-in&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/f6fec220-87ab-4d33-8b82-c71c1277b557">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/at-least-four-russian-bombs.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 22:00:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/at-least-four-russian-bombs.html <p>At least four Russian aerial bombs have been accidentally dropped in the Belgorod region in the past month, according to independent outlet <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/103285">Astra</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102765">The latest incident</a> occurred on January 19 in the village of Pervoye Tseplyaevo in Shebekinsky District, where a bomb landed near a residential building. Authorities evacuated nearly 50 residents from neighboring houses, and no injuries were reported. That same day, a Russian FAB-500 was discovered in the village of Sukharevo in Valuysky District, also near a residential building.</p> <p>On January 21, a 20-meter-deep crater from a munition <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102701">was found</a> on Gubkina Street in Belgorod. To extract the bomb, officials closed roads and evacuated nearby residents. Nearly a day later, crews removed a Russian FAB-500 from the ground and transported it to a range near the village of Butovo for disposal.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102201">The first incident of 2026</a> was recorded on January 5 in Shebekinsky District, near the village of Batratskaya Dacha. No casualties were reported.</p> <p>On the evening of December 6, a presumed Russian aerial bomb fell near an electrical substation on Storozhevaya Street in Belgorod, triggering an explosion and power disruptions, The Insider reported. Officials did not comment on the specifics, saying only that an “unidentified munition” had struck the city. In total, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/100833">Astra</a> estimates at least 143 Russian aerial bombs fell on the region in 2025.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/at-least-four-russian-bombs-accidentally-dropped-in-the-belgorod-region-in-the-past-month">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russians-seek-to-bypass-starlink.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 21:30:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russians-seek-to-bypass-starlink.html <p>forces are looking for ways to prevent the shutdown of Starlink terminals mounted on drones attacking Ukraine. Right now, the satellite internet modules stop working after a drone exceeds a speed of 90 km/h.</p> <p>According to a Russian channel run by a developer of unmanned systems, the drone must exceed the 90 km/h threshold - after which a Starlink terminal “dies” - for two minutes. Only then is the American equipment blocked, and it returns to operation after a reboot.</p> <p>Russian commentators say a modern guidance and correction module could steer the drone to its target and switch Starlink back on for two minutes only at the final stage.</p> <p>They also do not rule out other control scenarios, including hacking antennas and similar methods.</p> <p>Ukraine, together with Starlink, will soon roll out a system that allows only authorized terminals to operate in the country, according to <a href="https://t.me/zedigital/6617">Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov</a>. He warned that unauthorized terminals will be disconnected.</p> <p>The registration process will be simple, fast and convenient for users, Fedorov said, adding that Starlink will publish detailed instructions in the near future.</p> <p>On January 24, Russia’s armed forces, during another attack, for the first time used upgraded Shahed strike drones equipped with Starlink satellite communications.</p> <p>A few days later, it emerged that the enemy is using Molniya drones with Starlink, reaching 50 km beyond the front line. In particular, Russian forces used drones near the E50 highway by the city of Pavlohrad, detonating vehicles belonging to civilians and the military.</p> <p>After Russia deployed drones with Starlink terminals, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appealed to SpaceX owner Elon Musk to resolve the Shahed drones’ access to satellite communications. Musk replied he would be happy to help.</p> <p>After that, the American company SpaceX apparently restricted the use of Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine. The connection is cut if a modem moves faster than 90 km/h, which practically makes its use on UAVs impossible.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russians-seek-to-bypass-starlink-speed-blocks-on-attack-drones-as-ukraine-limits-access">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russia-loses-two-jets-in.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 21:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russia-loses-two-jets-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/72156c50a8.jpg" alt="Russia loses two jets in one day — rare blow to Moscow #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ATDdcLDpDZY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/blackout-shadow-fleet-collapse-soldiers.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 21:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/blackout-shadow-fleet-collapse-soldiers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d0ef059630.jpg" alt="❄️ Blackout. Shadow fleet collapse. Soldiers on crutches. Is Putin afraid of Kyiv talks?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JInkU3I6Lsw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-sees.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 20:37:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-sees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1259126916.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine sees 'real results' from blocking Russia’s Starlink use, defense minister says"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine sees 'real results' from blocking Russia’s Starlink use, defense minister says</li><li>Russia attacks bus carrying Ukrainian miners, kills 15, injures 15</li><li>Ukraine, US, Russia to meet in UAE next week for new round of peace talks, Zelensky says</li><li>Russian</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-sees-real-results-from-blocking-russias-starlink-use-defense-minister-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/kyiv-permanently-loses-one-of.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 20:30:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/kyiv-permanently-loses-one-of.html <p>The situation in Kyiv’s power system has significantly worsened after massive Russian attacks. Strikes on January 9 and 13 forced a complete shutdown of one generating facility.</p> <p>Russia’s large-scale, combined assaults across Ukraine throughout January severely worsened the state of the energy system, according to <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/tse-katastrofa-ale-nasha-realnist-nayskladnisha-1769939702.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>Following the January 9 and 13 strikes, which targeted, among other things, critical sites in the capital, Kyiv lost one of its thermal power plants.</p> <p>Informed sources told the outlet that one of the major combined heat and power (CHP) facilities targeted by Russia cannot be restored.</p> <p>The report does not specify which plant was destroyed.</p> <p>During the massive Russian attack on January 9, major combined heat and power plants - CHP-5 and CHP-6, which generate more than half of the capital’s heat and electricity — sustained significant damage in Kyiv.</p> <p>Serhii Nahorniak, a member of the parliamentary committee on energy and utilities, said no defensive structure could protect a CHP plant from ballistic missiles.</p> <p>On January 13, Russian forces again struck the capital’s energy infrastructure. The main targets were CHP-5, CHP-6 and the Darnytska CHP. In total, more than 10 missiles and hundreds of drones were launched at the capital in the latest barrage. CHP-5 was hit directly by five missiles.</p> <p>On January 22, Oleksandr Kharchenko, head of the Energy Research Center, said Kyiv effectively had no power generation left within the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-permanently-loses-one-of-its-thermal-power-plants-after-january-strikes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/children-and-pregnant-women-injured.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 19:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/children-and-pregnant-women-injured.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7500ed661d.jpg" alt="CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN INJURED! 💔 Russia began February with bloody terror in Zaporizhzhia!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-sG6ge3lqw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/personal-bankruptcies-in-russia-soar.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 19:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/personal-bankruptcies-in-russia-soar.html <p>The number of officially registered personal bankruptcies in Russia has soared over the past year amid a deepening economic crisis, with more than 500,000 citizens declared insolvent, according to <a href="https://szru.gov.ua/news-media/news/masovi-bankrutstva-v-rf-ponad-piv-miliona-hromadyan-vyznani-neplatospromozhnymy">Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service</a>.</p> <p>Sverdlovsk region ranked among the top five regions with the highest number of bankruptcies in 2025. Cases involving court-ordered asset sales jumped nearly 28% year over year.</p> <p>By absolute numbers, the region even outpaced St. Petersburg, where more than 20,000 bankruptcies were recorded. Moscow, the Moscow region and Krasnodar Krai also remain near the top of the list - areas with heavy household debt burdens.</p> <p>Nationwide, the picture is starker: court-declared personal bankruptcies rose by more than 31% in 2025, approaching 568,000 cases. Economists link the surge to falling real incomes, rising prices and accumulated household debt.</p> <p>Ukraine’s intelligence service says official claims of “economic stability” from Russian authorities are at odds with the financial reality facing citizens. Tellingly, more than 97% of bankruptcy cases are initiated by the debtors themselves—an acknowledgment they can no longer service their loans.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/personal-bankruptcies-in-russia-soar-31-to-nearly-568-000-in-2025-ukrainian-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/poland-accuses-russia-of-latedecember.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 19:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/poland-accuses-russia-of-latedecember.html <p>Poland’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has issued a report blaming Russian hackers for a December 29 cyberattack that hit several energy facilities, including a thermal power plant that supplies heat to nearly 500,000 customers, Reuters reported.</p> <p>Investigators link the activity to hackers controlled by the FSB’s 16th Center, a unit responsible for signals intelligence. The group is also known as “Berserk Bear” and “Dragonfly.”</p> <p>“It is worth noting that the attacks coincided with low temperatures and snowfall affecting Poland shortly before New Year’s,” the report said.</p> <p>Slovak cybersecurity firm ESET reached similar conclusions in a report published last week, saying the malware used in the attack on Poland’s energy sector resembles tools previously seen in Russian cyber operations. However, ESET attributed the latest incident to the GRU-linked hacking group known as Sandworm, rather than the FSB.</p> <p>Polish outlet Rzeczpospolita reported the attack failed to achieve its goal: although hackers disrupted communications with solar and wind power plants and distribution system operators, electricity was not cut. And even if outages had occurred at all 30 targeted sites, it would not have affected the stability of Poland’s power system.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-accuses-russia-of-late-december-cyberattack-on-energy-facilities">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/zelensky-says-he-may-run.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 18:30:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/zelensky-says-he-may-run.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he does not rule out running for president again, but he will give a definitive answer only after the war ends.</p> <p>Zelensky does not rule out a second run (illustrative photo). Photo: Office of the President.</p> <p>Zelensky suggested he would likely seek the presidency again, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EJoJ6fY7Sk">speaking to Czech journalists</a>.</p> <p>He emphasized that his final decision depends on how the Russia-Ukraine war concludes.</p> <p>He also admitted he sometimes thinks about running again.</p> <p>On December 9, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine should hold elections because there has not been one “for a long time.”</p> <p>The American President argues that Ukrainian authorities are “using the war” to delay the re-election of the president and parliament.</p> <p>Zelensky responded to Trump’s calls to hold elections in Ukraine by saying, “I’m always ready.”</p> <p>On December 15, Zelensky instructed lawmakers to prepare a bill enabling elections under martial law.</p> <p>In January 2025, Zelensky said he was ready to hold a presidential election in the country. He stressed that a ceasefire and security guarantees from Ukraine’s partners are necessary.</p> <p>Earlier, Zelensky told foreign journalists he is tired of the war. He said he is ready to hand over his office to another politician chosen by Ukrainians, but given the ongoing fighting, he believes he is currently the most experienced person for the job.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-he-may-run-for-president-again-but-will-decide-after-the-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/isw-the-kremlin-avoids-new.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 18:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/isw-the-kremlin-avoids-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/203f9cdd85.jpg" alt="❗️ISW: The Kremlin avoids new mobilization, throwing reserves into battle #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EqEVcWjIqV8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russian-war-bloggers-say-fedorovs.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:30:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russian-war-bloggers-say-fedorovs.html <p>Russian military propagandists acknowledge that Ukraine’s new defense minister has set in motion steps that are significantly hampering Russia’s forces.</p> <p>Russian military channels are sounding the alarm: according to military channels, Ukraine’s new Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, “is staging a true revolution on the battlefield.”</p> <p>The pro-Kremlin channel “Archangel of Spetsnaz” <a href="https://t.me/rusich_army/28072">says</a> Fedorov has begun cutting off a technology critical to Russian troops and has launched a crackdown on Russian forces’ use of Starlink. This pertains not only to drones, the channel says, but also to the so-called “field internet” that underpins command-and-control and strike coordination.</p> <p>“Archangel of Spetsnaz” writes about this with clear irritation, conceding that the Ukrainian side is moving quickly and effectively.</p> <p>After Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reached out to SpaceX, Elon Musk’s company promptly imposed restrictions on terminals that could be used by Russian forces. Musk publicly confirmed the measures worked, and Fedorov responded that Ukraine is already working with SpaceX on “the next important steps.”</p> <p>“If they cut it off, we’re done”</p> <p>The reaction from Russian military bloggers has been especially telling. One of them previously admitted that after enemy terminals were disabled in one sector, “complete informational chaos” ensued and commanders had to urgently restore communications.</p> <p>In effect, Russia has been caught in a bind: without Starlink, its drones are blind and deaf - and the army has no alternative.</p> <p>Experts note that targeting the “field internet” is even more important than destroying the drones themselves. Without connectivity, UAVs become useless metal, and command over troops descends into chaos.</p> <p>Elon Musk says measures to stop Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlink on strike drones have produced tangible results.</p> <p>The SpaceX CEO publicly confirmed steps were taken to prevent the Russian military in Ukraine from using Starlink satellite communications. On February 1, <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2017868971479818599">he replied on X</a> to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s account: </p> <p>“Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done,” Musk wrote.</p> <p>Fedorov thanked Musk for the support and said the first results are already visible in practice. “The first steps are already delivering real results. We are working very closely with your team on the next important steps. Thank you for standing with us. You are a true champion of freedom and a true friend of the Ukrainian people,” <a href="https://x.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/2017882773759955059">the minister wrote</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-war-bloggers-say-fedorov-s-starlink-crackdown-is-crippling-their-battlefield-communications">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russian-assault-on-pokrovsk-falters.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:15:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russian-assault-on-pokrovsk-falters.html <p>Russian forces attempted an advance on Ukrainian positions in the Pokrovsk sector, but Ukrainian units repelled the assault, according to Ukraine’s National Guard.</p> <p>Ukrainian defenders eliminated roughly four platoons of Russian troops in a single day, the information unit of the National Guard’s Spartan Brigade <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/2062139851216585">said</a>.</p> <p>“The enemy attempted an offensive in the Pokrovsk direction. Russia’s occupation command pushed forward about 90 assault troops. Under cover of fog, the enemy tried to move in by cars, motorcycles and quad bikes,” the statement said.</p> <p>The brigade noted that Spartan, together with “Madyar’s Birds” and adjacent units, halted the advance.</p> <p>Over the past 24 hours, Russia took significant losses, specifically:</p> <p>- 80 assault troops killed and two wounded;</p> <p>- two Russian infantrymen captured;</p> <p>- 10 quad bikes destroyed;</p> <p>- four motorcycles;</p> <p>- six vehicles.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops also released <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/2062139851216585">video</a> evidence showing the destruction of enemy equipment and personnel during the assault.</p> <p>On January 20, DeepState analysts reported that Russian forces continued to push forward in the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-assault-on-pokrovsk-falters-as-ukraine-says-it-destroyed-four-platoons">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/freedom-of-russia-legion-destroys.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/freedom-of-russia-legion-destroys.html <p>Ukraine’s military intelligence says it carried out a successful behind-the-lines raid in the Kharkiv region, destroying a Russian ammunition depot.</p> <p>A special unit of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR), the Freedom of Russia Legion, blew up a Russian occupiers’ ammunition depot in the Kharkiv region. The operation took place in December 2025 but has only now been disclosed.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence published <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7771">footage of the raid</a> on February 1.</p> <p>According to GUR, the unit infiltrated a Russian Armed Forces position known as “Izba” in the Kupyansk district, pushing roughly 7 kilometers into occupied territory. They located a field ammunition depot and destroyed it along with its security personnel, GUR said.</p> <p>GUR said the destroyed site was “key” to supplying and rotating Russian units around Kupyansk and directly supported their tactical resilience. The strike dealt a significant blow to the enemy and complicated the maintenance of its combat capability on that sector of the front, the agency added.</p> <p>“Freedom of Russia Legion sabotage-reconnaissance groups are steadily ramping up operations deep in the enemy’s rear - from pinpoint strikes to systemic pressure on logistics, command, and sustainment elements,” GUR said.</p> <p>Intelligence officials also noted that earlier the legion disabled a logistics route in the Zaporizhzhia sector used to deliver metal to occupied Crimea.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/freedom-of-russia-legion-destroys-russian-ammunition-depot-7-km-behind-lines-near-kupyansk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/zelenskyy-russia-launched-over-drones.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:41:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/zelenskyy-russia-launched-over-drones.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fb380298d5.jpg" alt="ZELENSKYY: Russia launched OVER 6,000 drones on Ukraine in a month #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GWP6XeltmL4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russian-drone-attack-on-bus.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:31:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russian-drone-attack-on-bus.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-01-17-22-24.jpg" alt="Russian drone attack on bus in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kills 12, injures 7"></p>The drone struck near a bus used by a local business in the Pavlohrad district, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-12-killed-7-injured-in-russian-drone-attack-near-bus-in-dnipropetrovsk-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russian-soldiers-mother-pleads-with.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:30:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russian-soldiers-mother-pleads-with.html <p>A letter from the mother of a Russian soldier reportedly trapped near Kupyansk has surfaced on <a href="https://riasv.ru/politics/2026/02/01/proshy-vas-eto-nashi-deti-mat-rossiiskogo-soldata-obratilas-k-pytiny-iz-za-katastrofy-v-kypianske/">Russian war channels</a>. The Kremlin, however, continues to insist the situation around Kupyansk is “under control,” denying any encirclement.</p> <p>Pro-Kremlin channels are circulating a handwritten letter from the mother of a Russian serviceman who she says is surrounded with a group of troops by Ukrainian forces near Kupyansk. Addressed personally to President Vladimir Putin, the letter pleads for her son and his fellow soldiers to be rescued.</p> <p>In the letter, she says the group of Russian troops is in dire straits, effectively in full encirclement. According to her, the soldiers are without assistance or support, and the situation is worsening by the day. She calls for intervention by Putin and the Defense Ministry, stressing these are “children” who must be urgently evacuated.</p> <p>War channels are amplifying the letter with commentary about a “difficult situation” and calls to “not leave the guys behind.” There has been no official confirmation from Russia’s Defense Ministry, nor any sign of a rescue operation being prepared.</p> <p>Against this backdrop, the Russian official line stands in contrast. Russian authorities and state media have previously claimed Kupyansk is under control and that reports of an encirclement are “fake” and “disinformation.”</p> <p>According to the Kremlin’s official version, there is no encirclement - and therefore, by Moscow’s logic, no one to rescue. In effect, the soldier’s mother is appealing to authorities that publicly deny the problem exists.</p> <p>What is happening near Kupyansk is not unique. Similar appeals have surfaced around Bakhmut, Avdiivka, in the Zaporizhzhia region and along the Kharkiv front. Meanwhile, official briefings continue to use upbeat language about a “stable situation” and “missions being accomplished.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-soldier-s-mother-pleads-with-putin-to-rescue-troops-near-kupyansk-as-kremlin-denies-encirclement">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/zaporizhzhia-maternity-hospital-under-attack.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:49:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/zaporizhzhia-maternity-hospital-under-attack.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e40c9ea01d.jpg" alt="Zaporizhzhia Maternity Hospital under attack by Russian forces, six casualties! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/it4f7odbg4M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/the-harvest-russias-diaspora-influence.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:45:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/the-harvest-russias-diaspora-influence.html <p>This detailed report explores how Russia systematically leverages its diaspora populations worldwide to conduct influence operations supporting Kremlin interests. It outlines mechanisms by which diaspora networks, often through cultural, media, religious, and political organizations, act as vectors for disseminating pro-Russian propaganda and narratives. The article highlights the complexity and geographic diversity of these campaigns, including manipulation of local politics, enabling disinformation, and fostering Russian-affiliated groups abroad. It also discusses the broader strategic context, namely Russia’s use of diaspora as a non-traditional tool in hybrid warfare, aiming to weaken Western cohesion and democratic institutions. Embedded quotes and expert analysis emphasize the depth and persistence of these operations, revealing a multi-layered approach that integrates soft power, covert influence, and societal penetration. Specific references to actors, dating, and illustrative cases provide a comprehensive understanding of how diaspora influence serves Kremlin expansionist and destabilization goals.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://thechrissampson.substack.com/p/the-harvest-russias-diaspora-influence">thechrissampson.substack.com/p/the-har&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/125ed1c5-d751-402a-9489-8843b0c41cf3">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russia-reinforces-sumy-front-ukrainian.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:31:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russia-reinforces-sumy-front-ukrainian.html <p>Russia has been steadily increasing the size of its grouping on the Sumy axis at least since fall 2025 and is gradually shifting activity toward a large forested area northwest of Sumy, according to Ukrainska Pravda’s sources.</p> <p>The main pressure point remains the area seized between the villages of Pleksiivka–Yablonivka–Yunakivka, Ukrainska Pravda <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/01/31/8018845">reports</a>, citing an intelligence source. From this bridgehead, Russian forces are pushing along three lines toward Khoten, Pisarivka and Novaya Sech.</p> <p>A second, less visible but potentially dangerous axis is the Myropillya area, the source said.</p> <p>Shifting combat from villages where Ukraine’s defense forces are holding positions into dense forest could significantly complicate the defense, the report notes. Fighting would move from relatively open terrain into woods cut by deep ravines, creating favorable conditions for enemy sabotage and infiltration.</p> <p>“In essence, we’d get a second Serebrianskyy forestr. Forcing the enemy out of a vast ‘green zone’ that conceals everything, from movements to dugouts, will be very difficult,” the report says.</p> <p>According to mapping by the DeepState analytical project, there has been little active Russian advance on the Sumy axis since the start of the year. Enemy activity was recorded on January 7 near Oleksiivka, where Russian units tried to push toward Pisarivka.</p> <p>On January 9, the line of contact shifted slightly east of Yunakivka, expanding the so‑called “gray zone” on that part of the front.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military leadership also did not report Russian advances in Sumy region over the past day. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russia used aviation and artillery to strike defense positions.</p> <p>“On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, over the past 24 hours the enemy carried out one airstrike using three guided aerial bombs, and conducted 104 attacks, including eight from multiple launch rocket systems,” the General Staff <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0yWfhi1E1Q3QmMcm4U2gkreJXcuw6eAw2ye49GHvVxdC9ogVb95H7v6SNhQqgRZGel?locale=ru_RU">said</a> in January 31 report.</p> <p>At the same time, Russian forces remain present in Grabovske, captured in December. Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for the Joint Forces grouping, <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4086023-rosijski-vijska-ne-maut-znacnogo-prosuvanna-bila-grabovskogo-na-sumsini-vijskovi.html">confirmed</a> Russian units are indeed near the village and trying to entrench, but said there is no basis to claim a significant tactical advance.</p> <p>He said claims of large-scale enemy movement do not reflect reality. Small enemy groups attempted infiltrations toward Ryasne, located beyond Grabovske, but all failed and did not affect the operational situation.</p> <p>DeepState analysts said in their evening update on January 29 that Russian forces made gains in two Ukrainian regions. In Dnipropetrovsk region, the enemy took control of another settlement.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-reinforces-sumy-front-ukrainian-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/wow-flamingo-missiles-strike-russia.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:12:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/wow-flamingo-missiles-strike-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e7549d0088.jpg" alt="WOW! Flamingo missiles strike Russia – blackouts in Belgorod, Murmansk, Severomorsk 🚀"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6NraFIy26s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/how-ukraines-homeless-are-faring.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:05:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/how-ukraines-homeless-are-faring.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f23056e89-1.png" alt="How Ukraine’s homeless are faring in freezing conditions"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!DQtA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F256de50e-95d6-4ad1-8257-1e6fd51a0d2e_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f256de50e-9.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/256de50e-95d6-4ad1-8257-1e6fd51a0d2e_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“I believe in the importance of on-the-ground reporting, bringing home to us who are far away the reality of what things are like in Ukraine.”</em></p><p><em>By Caitriana NicNeacail</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!TzN2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe9755cb5-31e5-4615-bfb0-357bbdb3e890_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe9755cb5-3.jpg" width="443" height="295.1304945054945" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e9755cb5-31e5-4615-bfb0-357bbdb3e890_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":443,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Prayer before a meal near the Remar Ukraine tent in Kyiv. Photo by the Counteroffensive</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Standing in line for free lunches from a Christian charity organization, the cold bites relentlessly at fingers and faces. Windburn sucks the moisture from the skin of people waiting, leaving their hands chapped and raw.</p><p>Ivan* is 37; by the look of it, he is one of the youngest and most active people here.</p><p>A quick gait, charismatic demeanor, and questions for the volunteers set him apart from the others. While still in line, he chats cheerfully with the elderly women who also came here for lunch.</p><p>The last time he was at home in Crimea was in 2011.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!XDf4!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe979214b-62dd-4e8e-983c-1409fe8cdb4f_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe979214b-6.jpg" width="425" height="283.1387362637363" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e979214b-62dd-4e8e-983c-1409fe8cdb4f_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":425,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A hot meal, served by Peruvian and Spanish volunteers. Photo by The Counteroffensive</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Today mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, and salad are on the menu. After a prayer over the meal, people line up for food, served by Spanish and Peruvian volunteers who came to Ukraine to help.</p><p>“I haven’t eaten for almost two days,” Ivan says after the tasty meal. We had asked him for the secret to his good mood.</p><p>As Russia weaponizes the winter by targeting Ukraine’s energy and heating infrastructure, people already living on the margins are being pushed beyond survival. While about 600,000 Kyiv residents have been able <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/01/21/8017167/">to leave </a>the capital, homeless people have few ways to escape freezing temperatures, which this weekend could reach -22°C / -7.6°F. <br><br>There’s no precise data on the number of homeless people, but according to <a href="https://life.pravda.com.ua/columns/kriza-bezdomnosti-v-ukrajini-shcho-robiti-311470/">Depaul Ukraine</a>, an organization that supports homeless people, the population was around 150,000-200,000 in Ukraine even before the full-scale invasion. Since the invasion began, the number of shelter applicants has tripled.</p><p>Deliberate attacks on civilian systems can fracture an entire city and the most vulnerable are often the first to pay the price. For people without shelter in Ukraine, the loss of heat in shelters and stores turns an already dangerous winter into a life-threatening one. <br><br>The war extends beyond the battlefields, affecting vulnerable people far from the frontline, making their lives even harder – widening the gap between social classes to a huge chasm.</p><p>Ivan left Crimea after committing a crime and being transferred to a hospital in the Dnipro region, and for the next six years, he could hardly recognize himself: drugs, alcohol, crime, prison, hospitals. Homelessness.</p><p>For a while, after he got sober, he lived with a friend in the Zhytomyr region, but it didn’t work out. The friend got into drugs while Ivan strove to stay sober, which led to a falling out. Ivan spent the summer in Zhytomyr, sleeping at the bus station and taking any job he could get.</p><p>“I had friends whose interest was addiction. And so, when I got rid of it, then the friends left,” Ivan shared.</p><p>Ivan has been in relative sobriety for 10 years now. He quit smoking entirely. He drinks occasionally, but just a little, he said.</p><p>“I’m almost 40, but I can do 70 push-ups on a bet, if needed. And if I smoked, for example, I wouldn’t be able to do so many push-ups. It motivates me,” Ivan said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!_tVQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5a0a5231-50b6-4edf-b655-22671935d375_1536x1024.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5a0a5231-5.png" width="373" height="248.75206043956044" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5a0a5231-50b6-4edf-b655-22671935d375_1536x1024.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":971,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":373,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Statistics on common causes of homelessness <a href="https://depaul.org.ua/news/homelessness_in_ukraine/#">according to</a> Depaul Ukraine.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The Russian invasion highly exacerbated the homelessness problem in Ukraine, <a href="https://depaul.org.ua/news/homelessness_in_ukraine/#">according to</a> a study by Depaul Ukraine.</p><p>Those who were forced to leave their homes because of occupation or their home being located near the frontline <a href="https://depaul.org.ua/news/homelessness_in_ukraine/#">account</a> for almost a quarter of the homeless population, making them particularly vulnerable to homelessness.</p><p>“I have no experience of a good family life,” said Valentyna*, who was in the same lunch line as Ivan, and who has also been living on the street for many years.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!YaIy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F98830adc-5a6e-4f65-a29a-5e72f70bd81a_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f98830adc-5.jpg" width="413" height="275.1442307692308" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/98830adc-5a6e-4f65-a29a-5e72f70bd81a_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":413,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Lunch line in the tent of Charitable organization Remar Ukraine, where we met Ivan and Valentyna. Photo by The Counteroffensive</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>During these cold times, she usually warms up at railway stations, which are way warmer than sleeping outside.</p><p>Valentyna once worked on the railway herself, on the ‘Ural’ electronic computing machine, an ancestor of the modern computer. Once she finished college, she left Ukraine to live in Northern Russia for 18 years. However, when she decided to take her family back to Ukraine, the economic crisis in Ukraine shattered her life.</p><p>“There was no work for me. I worked a little here and there. There were some savings, enough to last two years,” Valentina said, explaining the economic situation when she was back home. </p><p>The savings she had earned in Russia were gone, and she could no longer provide for herself and her sons.</p><p>“Then my ex-husband came and took [our sons] back [to Russia]. And of course, I didn’t go with him. I didn’t get divorced to start all that mess again,” Valentyna said.</p><p>That is how Valentina ended up on the street. She has not spoken with her sons since the start of the war. Set against the tragedy of her family, blackouts feel insignificant to her.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":442625}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f23056e89-1.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/10299bb49a.png" width="386" height="257.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/23056e89-1218-4447-a6b2-8d19223f4769_594x396.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":386,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A homeless person drinks during a concert by Evangelism Group from the first Odessa Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists at a shelter in Odesa, 26 December 2024. (Photo by Viacheslav Onyshchenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The full-scale invasion has also deepened economic instability for Ukrainians. Many businesses <a href="https://suspilne.media/1013007-kilkist-vipadkiv-zakritta-biznesiv-v-ukraini-zrosla-na-44-u-porivnanni-z-2024-rokom-opendatabot/">shut down</a> or relocated, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/nearly-5-million-jobs-lost-ukraine-war-pummels-economy-ilo-2022-05-11/">followed</a> by widespread job losses.</p><p>At the same time, the destruction of housing, rising inflation, and growing demand for rentals have <a href="https://voxukraine.org/tsiny-na-orendu-zhytla-v-oblasnyh-tsentrah-de-ukrayintsyam-zhyty-najdorozhche-u-2025-rotsi">pushed </a>the cost of rent and utilities significantly higher, making housing increasingly difficult to afford.<br><br>This problem becomes especially acute in winter, when cold exposure can lead to severe injury or death. During the winter of 2025-2026, more than a thousand people across Ukraine <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moz.ukr/posts/%EF%B8%8F-%D0%B7-20-%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%BD%D1%8F-2025-%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%83-%D0%BF%D0%BE-18-%D1%81%D1%96%D1%87%D0%BD%D1%8F-2026-%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%83-%D0%B4%D0%BE-%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%97-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%97-%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%80/1349014193919460">sought </a>emergency medical care for frostbite and hypothermia, according to the Ministry of Health.</p><p>Ivan found refuge this autumn at a rehabilitation center run by religious organizations in Fastiv, a small town in the Kyiv region. The organization provides people with drug and alcohol addictions with housing and food. Ivan said he also helped out at the church.</p><p>“I have a pass that allows me to ride electric trains for free. You can warm up there, you know,” Ivan said. He added that after leaving the rehabilitation center, he traveled across different regions by commuter train for a few days.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!F0Wp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35ed540a-a21e-4d95-92b0-c2f497173bc1_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f35ed540a-a.png" width="240" height="320" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/35ed540a-a21e-4d95-92b0-c2f497173bc1_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":240,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>One of the meals provided by the Organization Dopomozhy Bezdomnomu Kyiv: pasta with vegetables, bread and cheese, and tea. Photo provided by<a href="https://www.facebook.com/help.homeless.Kyiv/"> Dopomozhy Bezdomnomu Kyiv</a></em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many night shelters refuse to admit people with addiction issues, making recovery even harder. Depaul’s <a href="https://int.depaulcharity.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/09/Homelessness-in-Ukraine-Report-EN.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com">study </a>points to the need for closer collaboration between shelters and rehabilitation centers to ensure people can be redirected to appropriate treatment.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!3Am8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04ac257f-cc6f-4c65-9133-6a09be5d0eae_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f04ac257f-c.jpg" width="440" height="293.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/04ac257f-cc6f-4c65-9133-6a09be5d0eae_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":440,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>People line up for free soup, bread and hot food at a stand run by a charity called Enjoying Life on November 07, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Ed Ram/Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Recently, Ivan learned that his mother died in Crimea. He has no family left. But every time life gets very hard for him, he thinks of the soldiers, for whom it is even harder.</p><p>Despite the freezing cold temperatures and the excessive power and heat blackouts, Ivan wants to stay in Kyiv.</p><p>A big city means more opportunities, more work. He plans to apply for an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) certificate and receive state benefits, which would allow him to rent affordable housing and start working.</p><p>Ivan also wants to see the famous Motherland Monument because he had never been to the capital before.</p><p>“When I arrived here, I had 3% on my phone, I had no charger, things, nothing. And I didn’t know where I was at all,” he said. “But now I have a full battery charge, I’ve eaten, I have a few things, even construction gloves if I need to work as a loader.”</p><p>Ivan pulled a pair of nice blue gloves out of his backpack to show us.</p><p>“They are clean, I washed them,” he said.</p><p><em>*We haven’t given the full names for our characters due to their vulnerable position.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“I believe in the importance of on-the-ground reporting, bringing home to us who are far away the reality of what things are like in Ukraine.”</em></p><p><em>By Caitriana NicNeacail</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY: <br></strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.<br><br><strong>UKRAINE AND NATO OUTLINE COOPERATION PRIORITIES: </strong>Ukraine and NATO have <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/ukrayina-ta-nato-uzgodili-prioriteti-spivpraczi-ppo-f-16-himars-i-tehnologichna-perevaga-2">agreed</a> to collaborate on strengthening air defense systems including the use of Patriot, F16, and HIMARS systems, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced.<br><br>This partnership comes as EU and NATO increasingly rely on Ukraine to provide unique insight from their experience of nearly 5 years of full-scale war with Russia as they scale up their military production and preparation.</p><p><strong>SPACEX BLOCK STARLINK USAGE FOR RUSSIAN MILITARY: </strong>At the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Serhii.Flash/posts/pfbid05XbWfz9CopQRqnBPdSMLJD5mKCVHLGpnL9UVJ3L7X4BjWdGAR6VHikWdmJ5q4VCBl?rdid=VK6uC85Pyi5TkEZY#">request</a> of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken steps to block Russian forces from using Starlink. The measures are temporary but will be replaced by more permanent measures later on, an advisor to the new Ukrainian Defense Minister said.<br><br>Starlinks allow the Russian military to <a href="https://aviationweek.com/defense/budget-policy-operations/russia-using-starlink-equipped-attack-drones-precision-strikes">improve</a> drone target accuracy and to <a href="https://unn.ua/en/news/russia-integrates-starlink-terminals-into-new-strike-drones-to-bypass-electronic-warfare">avoid</a> Ukraine’s electronic warfare.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA STRIKES MATERNITY HOSPITAL: </strong>Russia <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-maternity-hospital-in-zaporizhzhia-injures-at-least-6/">attacked</a> a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia on February 1, injuring at least six – two of whom were patients.</p><p>Russia has repeatedly attacked maternity hospitals – in the first year of the war Russia attacked a different maternity ward in the same region and killed a newborn. Estimates from mid-2025 already put the number of <a href="https://phr.org/news/brutal-milestone-2000-attacks-on-ukraines-hospitals-clinicians-and-health-infrastructure-since-russias-full-scale-invasion/">damaged or destroyed</a> hospitals by Russia at over 1000.</p><h3><strong><br>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Oksana’s Mary used to resist the attempts to cover her with a blanket, but since Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure took out the heating in her apartment, Mary started to actually enjoy blankets.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!K35t!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff8e865b2-f9a5-4068-a487-64431709189a_1280x622.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff8e865b2-f.png" width="1280" height="622" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f8e865b2-f9a5-4068-a487-64431709189a_1280x622.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":622,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Tania and Oksana</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-ukraines-homeless-are-faring">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russia-steps-up-attacks-with.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:05:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russia-steps-up-attacks-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2f4636279a5c9deb.jpg" alt="Russia steps up attacks with Kh-32 missiles — here's what we know"></p><p>On Jan. 24, Ukraine's Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/53516">reported</a> intercepting nine Kh-32 missiles, drawing renewed attention to a weapon that Russia has until now used sparingly in attacks on Ukraine, but often with devastating consequences.</p><p>Known for its high speed and steep flight profile, the missile has long posed a</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-intercepts-nine-kh-32-missiles-what-do-we-know-about-them/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/ukraine-us-russia-to-meet.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:44:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/ukraine-us-russia-to-meet.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257121655.jpg" alt="Ukraine, US, Russia to meet in UAE next week for new round of peace talks, Zelensky says"></p>Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia are set to meet in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4-5 for a new round of talks as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate a peace deal, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 1.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-us-russia-to-meet-in-uae-next-week-for-new-round-of-peace-talks-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russia-attacks-maternity-hospital-in.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:22:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russia-attacks-maternity-hospital-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-01-11-54-02.jpg" alt="Russia attacks maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, injures at least 6"></p>"The strike on the maternity hospital is yet another proof of a war waged against life," Governor Ivan Fedorov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-maternity-hospital-in-zaporizhzhia-injures-at-least-6/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/ukraine-sees-real-results-from.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:02:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/ukraine-sees-real-results-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1983635905.jpg" alt="Ukraine sees 'real results' from blocking Russia’s Starlink use, defense minister says"></p>Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine continues to work "very closely" with U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk's team on the next "important steps."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/first-steps-to-block-russia-from-using-starlink-deliver-real-results-ukraines-defense-minister-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 09:13:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-02-01-07-29-25.jpg" alt="Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 4, injure 21, including children, over past day"></p>Ukrainian forces downed 76 out of the 90 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Fourteen drones struck nine different locations, according to the statement.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill-4-injure-21-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:11:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6b0023cc0c.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,240,680 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-240-680-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/over-russian-soldiers-killed-in.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 04:16:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/over-russian-soldiers-killed-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/120515ab67.jpg" alt="Over 168,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation"></p>Since the media outlets' last update in mid-January, the names of 4,536 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/over-168-000-russian-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-identified-by-media-investigation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/zelensky-says-territorial-issues-require.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:23:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/zelensky-says-territorial-issues-require.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv is ready for any meeting format with Russia and the United States. He added that territorial issues can only be resolved in a personal meeting with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>Zelensky noted that at a certain stage of the talks, Ukraine would like to see Europe involved, since EU membership and the Coalition of the Willing are part of the security guarantees. He made the comments in an interview with the Czech outlet <a href="https://plus.rozhlas.cz/zelenskyj-cesko-nam-rozumi-jsem-vdecny-za-podporu-i-pristresi-pro-ukrajince-9592435">Český rozhlas Plus</a>.</p> <p>“First of all, we need to meet as a threesome [Ukraine, Russia and the]. At a minimum, we must have contact with the Russian Federation, with the leader of Russia. Without such a format, in my view, our teams will not be able to agree on territorial issues,” Zelensky added.</p> <p>The president said negotiations are now in the “last mile,” where it’s impossible to say whether they will succeed. He said agreements on security guarantees with the EU are “almost ready.”</p> <p>“Yes, I heard that some politicians proposed this [a swap of Donbas territory for security guarantees]. I have not heard it directly from President Trump, and these are his and the U.S. Congress’s security guarantees. So I understand there is a price for U.S. security guarantees. The question is the price,” the head of state said.</p> <p>Earlier, Focus reported that Ukraine and the United States had fully agreed on a security guarantees document. Zelensky said the bilateral terms of the guarantees have been agreed, while another pillar will be the participation of countries in the “Coalition of the Willing” and EU membership.</p> <p>Later, details emerged on how long an “energy truce” should last. Zelensky said the United States discussed an “energy truce” between the Russian and Ukrainian sides for one week.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-territorial-issues-require-a-face-to-face-meeting-with-putin">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/prorussian-trolls-spread-disinformation-and.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:20:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/prorussian-trolls-spread-disinformation-and.html <p>The article details how pro-Russian online trolls and disinformation campaigns are actively poisoning Poland&rsquo;s social discourse. These actors are spreading false narratives, manipulating public opinion, and increasing societal polarization as part of a broader Russian hybrid warfare strategy. The effort aims to weaken Poland&rsquo;s internal cohesion and create chaos favorable to Kremlin interests. This disinformation campaign is classified as an act of information warfare targeting Poland&rsquo;s social and political stability.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://wyborcza.pl/7,173236,30092711,putin-s-agents-of-chaos-how-pro-russian-trolls-poison-poland-s.html">wyborcza.pl/7,173236,&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/d3249b92-68d1-4759-95f0-1b18748dc217">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/coastal-states-alert-the-international.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/coastal-states-alert-the-international.html <p>Coastal States alert the international maritime community about GNSS disruptions and AIS manipulation risks posed by Russia.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.dma.dk/Media/639050105465966294/NB8%20Open%20Letter%20FI_FINAL0.pdf">www.dma.dk/Media/639&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/e0e1a47e-5de1-427a-a95b-4db1873e2b4a">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/analysis-of-russian-hybrid-warfare.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/analysis-of-russian-hybrid-warfare.html <p>Analysis of Russian hybrid warfare tactics highlights the use of ambiguity in gray zone conflicts.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://real.mtak.hu/226482/1/1236_13-43.pdf">real.mtak.hu/226482/1/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/a224ae5c-86f4-496f-9c63-2cfd7cdf55c1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/youtube-video-titled-granularity-in.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/youtube-video-titled-granularity-in.html <p>The YouTube video titled &lsquo;Granularity in the Grey Zone: Distinct Adversary Approaches to Sub-Threshold Competition&rsquo; was published roughly 4 years ago on the RUSI channel. The video features Dr Alex Woolfson making a case for a more granular understanding of the distinct competitive challenges posed by Russia and China in grey zone conflicts, based on the two major outputs of Britain&rsquo;s Integrated Review. It focuses on threats identified as facing the UK, concerning &lsquo;Global Britain in a Competitive Age&rsquo; and &lsquo;Defence in a Competitive Age.&rsquo; The video has about 1.8K views and includes hashtags #China, #Russia, and #greyzone, indicating its focus on hybrid and sub-threshold adversarial tactics. The video content and description provide no concrete event details, specific incidents, or locations for hybrid warfare events. No explicit aggressor or defense actions are described in this source.</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwgwcwfvIfY">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/821655c6-a829-492a-95b2-c9d06da97792">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/youtube-video-titled-russian-hybrid.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/youtube-video-titled-russian-hybrid.html <p>The video from AtlanticCouncil explores the persistence of Russian hybrid warfare tactics and NATO&rsquo;s defensive posture against a potential threat. It raises questions about the future strategic scenarios involving NATO and Russia, without providing specific event data. Viewer comments include debates about NATO&rsquo;s response to Russian hybrid or military incursions and concerns over strategic defeats. The video was streamed a year ago and has a modest viewership.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iek4u-WFJPk">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/6e0f2c93-d568-4adc-9d20-80bdb2b3ee1d">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/german-inspector-general-carsten-breuer.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/german-inspector-general-carsten-breuer.html <p>The video documentary by DW follows Carsten Breuer, Inspector General of the German Armed Forces and Germany&rsquo;s highest-ranking soldier, over nine months. Breuer discusses the readiness of Russia for potential military conflict with the West in the near future. The documentary includes his meetings with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and visits to conflict-related regions such as southern Lebanon and Ukraine. The content includes insights on cyberattacks, sabotage, and drone warfare, examining whether Germany is prepared for war in the face of emerging threats.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVKZGGvjq2o">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/44ee824f-b268-46ec-a05d-4b8910d8ff63">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russias-sabotage-operations-against-european.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russias-sabotage-operations-against-european.html <p>Russia&rsquo;s sabotage operations against European critical infrastructure are escalating, echoing Cold War intensity.</p> <p>Category: Energy &amp; Infrastructure Attacks</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.swisscyberstorm.com/sessions/scs2025/the-scale-of-russian-sabotage-operations-against-europes-critical-infrastructure/slides.pdf">www.swisscyberstorm.com/sessions/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/40441c94-ada2-44f3-a3ff-8cd60cdb9ba3">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/video-titled-russias-approach-to.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/video-titled-russias-approach-to.html <p>The YouTube video presented by the Global and National Security Institute titled &lsquo;Russia&rsquo;s Approach to Irregular Warfare&rsquo; discusses Russia&rsquo;s use of irregular warfare tactics, particularly including the deployment and use of proxy forces, militias, and mercenaries similar to Wagner-type groups. The video was published approximately two months ago and had 121 views at the time of the screenshot capture. The content is part of GNSI&rsquo;s Warfare Series. Viewer comments reference missing topics such as US Navy SEALs history and provide feedback on channel growth and video SEO optimization. No specific incident date, location, or operational details are provided in the visible metadata or text.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIySIPUk118">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/427ea1ea-1608-4a03-a0b1-c50fbeb5306b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/railway-track-damaged-in-spain.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/railway-track-damaged-in-spain.html <p>A rail catastrophe in Spain caused 39 fatalities. An analyst, Jarosław Wolski, noted the damaged railway track in the photo from Spain resembles tracks in Poland damaged by explosives planted by Russian saboteurs who subsequently fled to Belarus. The comment suggests suspicion of sabotage tactics consistent with Russian paramilitary diversions, though official findings on the cause in Spain are awaited. The incident highlights concerns over unconventional attacks against critical infrastructure in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Spain</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://x.com/i/web/status/2013200513387376672">x.com/i/web/sta&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/2be75078-624d-4b91-a9fe-97cbc7f0941b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/when-does-gray-zone-confrontation.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/when-does-gray-zone-confrontation.html <p>This conceptual analysis article assesses the complexity of gray zone confrontations, characterized by prolonged hostile actions conducted under the threshold of conventional warfare. It discusses tactics such as the deployment of unmarked soldiers, paramilitary proxy groups, cyber intrusions, and information campaigns intended to destabilize opponents without provoking war. The piece highlights Russian hybrid warfare as a primary case study, including the use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; and cyber attacks, and underscores difficulties in political and military responses by NATO and allied states. The article also addresses the ambiguity surrounding criteria to declare an end to gray zone confrontations, proposing a framework based on strategic objectives and activity cessation. Supporting images include armed soldiers in tactical gear and military jets on patrol missions, symbolizing active gray zone operations. The article is published by National Defense University Press and written by Col. Erik Slavin on October 18, 2023.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: United States of America</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/3678004/when-does-gray-zone-confrontation-end-a-conceptual-analysis/">ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/New&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/291a6ab5-7b47-4e62-9d88-f7ac17e60d64">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/hybrid-warfare-the-invisible-war.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/hybrid-warfare-the-invisible-war.html <p>The article &lsquo;Hybrid Warfare: The Invisible War That’s Already Here&rsquo; elaborates on the concept of hybrid warfare as a form of conflict that merges conventional military means with asymmetric tactics such as cyberattacks, information operations, economic coercion, and espionage. It explains how hybrid warfare obscures the distinction between peace and war, complicating detection and response, particularly in the Baltic and Nordic regions vulnerable to such activities. The article details the various weapons in hybrid warfare, including propaganda campaigns, cyber intrusions targeting critical infrastructure, manipulation of political processes, and covert paramilitary activities. Highlighting Russia as a primary actor employing these methods, the piece underscores the persistent threat these tactics pose to regional security and alliance cohesion. It stresses the need for increased cooperation, intelligence sharing, and development of resilience across military and civilian sectors. The article advocates for a comprehensive defense and deterrence framework that integrates both diplomatic and military tools to counter hybrid threats effectively.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.bakunetwork.org/en/news/analytics/14514">www.bakunetwork.org/en/news/a&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/1822c4a4-6ee3-4962-b0c0-e1865763ea60">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/what-is-grey-zone-confrontation.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:14:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/what-is-grey-zone-confrontation.html <p>This article from The Cove provides an in-depth analysis of Grey Zone confrontation, describing it as a form of conflict employing non-kinetic, ambiguous, and incremental coercion that stays below the threshold of conventional war. Key features of Grey Zone tactics include disinformation, cyberattacks, economic pressure, influence operations, and the use of proxies or irregular forces, often aiming to destabilize opponents without triggering full-scale military responses. The article stresses the importance of understanding and recognizing Grey Zone activities as they complicate traditional defense postures and require integrated, multi-domain responses. The discussion references Russia&rsquo;s use of these tactics, such as in Ukraine, highlighting how these methods erode sovereignty and security in subtle ways. It emphasizes the challenges these tactics pose to NATO and allied nations, calling for enhanced strategic awareness and responses across political, legal, military, informational, and economic spheres.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Australia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://cove.army.gov.au/article/what-grey-zone-confrontation-and-why-it-important">cove.army.gov.au/article/w&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/0c40397b-5731-439e-a5e2-9b9fbaa8d4da">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/russiadirected-sabotage-operations-in-europe.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:12:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/russiadirected-sabotage-operations-in-europe.html <p>The landscape of European security is shifting amid ongoing Russia-directed sabotage operations, marked by low-cost, minimally trained agents causing significant physical and financial damage across Europe from 2022 to 2025. Sabotage attacks include kinetic damage, interference with logistics supporting Ukraine, disruption of critical infrastructure, and influence operations targeting democratic institutions and elections. Countries affected or linked to incidents include Germany, France, Denmark, Estonia, and the UK. Recent high-profile interdictions involved Russian vessels in the Baltic Sea using uncrewed serial vehicles to evade sanctions. There is concern that criminal networks might expand UAV smuggling into Europe, broadening geographic reach of sabotage. European counter-measures are limited by bureaucratic challenges and lack of coordination, with multinational efforts focusing on costly sabotage prevention. The article forecasts increased sabotage activity in 2026, emphasizing the complex threat to European security and infrastructure.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2025/11/russia-directed-sabotage-europe">www.spglobal.com/market-in&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/25d21be3-5be9-45e5-a5fe-e33ceb09bd9f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/01/maneuver-under-a-lying-sky.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/02/01/maneuver-under-a-lying-sky.html <p>The article, written by James J. Torrence and published by the Modern War Institute on February 19, 2026, analyzes Russian military activity aimed at testing NATO&rsquo;s responses in the Baltic-Nordic region. It begins with a narrative about a missed civil aviation approach over Vilnius as an initial warning signal, then details high-level observations from NATO&rsquo;s Multi-Corps Land Component Command Northwest in Mikkeli, Finland. The piece outlines Russia&rsquo;s orchestration of multi-domain warfare strategies, combining conventional military pressure, electronic warfare, and information operations designed to exploit vulnerabilities along NATO&rsquo;s northeastern flank. Specific Russian actions include increased troop deployments, snap military drills near borders, electronic jamming and spoofing, and psychological operations intended to erode public trust in NATO countries. The author emphasizes the complexity and sophistication of Russia&rsquo;s approach under the doctrine of &lsquo;hybrid war,&rsquo; stressing NATO&rsquo;s ongoing efforts to adapt and enhance interoperability among Baltic and Nordic allies. The article underscores the strategic significance of this front in broader European security and highlights the importance of vigilance and preparedness in face of evolving threats.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Finland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://mwi.westpoint.edu/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmwi.westpoint.edu%2Fmaneuver-under-a-lying-sky-russia-tests-nato-on-the-baltic-nordic-front%2F&amp;format=xml">mwi.westpoint.edu/wp-json/o&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/b2650cd0-9ced-4e63-9921-cb82c2ed491a">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/german-defense-minister-accuses-putin.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 23:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/german-defense-minister-accuses-putin.html <p>German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of terrorizing Ukraine’s civilian population. In an interview with Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) on Saturday, January 31, he also questioned the Russian leader’s readiness for a peaceful settlement, saying he sees “no signs that Russia seriously wants peace.”</p> <p>Pistorius criticized that when it comes down to it, Putin sticks to his maximalist demands and shows no willingness to compromise. He noted that during peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the Russian military bombarded Ukraine on a scale rarely seen earlier in the war.</p> <p>“This no longer has anything to do with military confrontation. This is terror aimed exclusively at the civilian population, in winter with temperatures of minus 20 degrees,” the minister said.</p> <p>The defense chief is skeptical about Putin’s reported willingness to agree to a limited ceasefire now under discussion. “I have serious doubts that a pause in attacks will be taken even remotely seriously by Moscow,” he told German journalists.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-defense-minister-accuses-putin-of-terrorizing-ukraine-s-civilians-questions-ceasefire-sincerity">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russias-duma-threatens-weapons-of.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 22:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russias-duma-threatens-weapons-of.html <p>Russian lawmakers are calling for the use of powerful weapons against Ukraine. Members of Russia’s State Duma want to employ them starting next week, coinciding with the peak of a cold snap.</p> <p>The Russian State Duma is pressing for strikes on Ukraine with the so-called “weapons of retribution,” Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin <a href="https://t.me/vv_volodin/1441">said</a>.</p> <p>“State Duma deputies insist on using more powerful weapons - ‘weapons of retribution,’” Volodin said, without specifying what kind of weapons he meant.</p> <p>He added that lawmakers say the goals of the so-called “special military operation,” as Russia refers to its war against Ukraine, are being achieved.</p> <p>Volodin noted that “new problems for Ukrainians” will be created starting next week, that is, in February.</p> <p>The threat comes as a severe cold spell grips the country, with the peak expected on February 3–4. Forecasters predict temperatures could fall to minus 30 degrees Celsius in northern Ukraine and the Poltava and Kharkiv regions, with nighttime lows of minus 21 to minus 27 degrees elsewhere.</p> <p>A day earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said he personally appealed to Putin not to attack Ukrainian cities for a week.</p> <p>Overnight on January 27, Russian forces struck an energy facility in Odesa. Energy officials say repairs will take a long time because the damage is “colossal.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-duma-threatens-weapons-of-retribution-strikes-on-ukraine-amid-deep-freeze">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/incoming-dutch-government-to-continue.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 21:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/incoming-dutch-government-to-continue.html <p>The Netherlands plans to continue military and financial support for Kyiv over the next several years and will push for the use of frozen Russian assets.</p> <p>The incoming Dutch coalition government plans to provide Ukraine with €3 billion in military aid in 2027-2029, according to the coalition agreement between the D66, CDA and VVD parties, <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/niderlandi-nadavatimut-ukrayini-viyskovu-1769789692.html">RBC-Ukraine reports</a>.</p> <p>The coalition led by the liberal D66 party also sets aside about €400 million for other security priorities. The document says the Russia-Ukraine war is a security issue for all of Europe, so the Netherlands will continue military and financial support for Kyiv and will advocate using frozen Russian assets.</p> <p>“Ukraine is moving irreversibly toward EU and NATO membership, with the pace determined by its own merits and compliance with criteria. The Netherlands provides support where possible,” the agreement states.</p> <p>Funding will be split across channels: the Defense Ministry will handle military support, while non-military aid will come from the Dutch budget line for foreign trade and development cooperation.</p> <p>Earlier, the defense minister also said the Netherlands announced €250 million for the PURL initiative. </p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/incoming-dutch-government-to-continue-support-for-ukraine-pledges-3-billion-in-military-aid-for-2027-2029">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/ukraines-power-grid-on-the.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 20:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/ukraines-power-grid-on-the.html <p>Ukraine’s power system is teetering on the edge: for the first time since the war began, subways in Kyiv and Kharkiv halted due to electricity disruptions. French outlet <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/international/live/2026/01/31/en-direct-guerre-en-ukraine-le-systeme-energetique-ukrainien-au-bord-de-l-effondrement-les-metros-a-kiev-et-a-kharkiv-a-l-arret-pour-la-premiere-fois-depuis-2022_6664247_3210.html">Le Monde</a> calls it “a sign of an energy catastrophe” triggered by Russia’s large-scale strikes on critical infrastructure.</p> <p>According to Le Monde, today’s power supply problems have paralyzed transport and everyday services and are a stark signal that the country’s grid is close to failing.</p> <p>“This is the first time since the war began almost four years ago and is another sign that Ukraine’s energy system is on the brink of collapse due to Russian strikes,” the report says.</p> <p>The outlet writes that recent waves of missile and drone attacks have damaged power plants and transformers, forcing the Kyiv and Kharkiv metro systems to suspend service temporarily.</p> <p>People line up for the subway in Kyiv on January 31. Photo: Reuters.</p> <p>Citing Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Le Monde reports that trains cannot run because of low voltage on the grid, and metro stations are serving as shelters. The Kharkiv Metro also confirmed on Telegram that train service on all lines has been suspended due to technical issues.</p> <p>On January 31, amid freezing temperatures and rolling outages, a humanitarian aid center opened at a Kyiv school, offering a place to warm up, hot meals, device charging and psychological support.</p> <p>Le Monde also reports that, according to Ukraine’s Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, key transmission lines connecting the country to Moldova and Romania went down simultaneously. A 400-kilovolt line linking Ukraine with its neighbors and a 750-kilovolt line connecting western and central Ukraine were taken out of service due to a technical failure.</p> <p>Moldova was partially affected. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said the problem is expected to be resolved within hours.</p> <p>“He said it happened due to ‘the loss of power lines in Ukraine.’ This led to ‘a frequency drop to 48 hertz in Moldova’s national power system; the grid’s automatic protection system was triggered,’ causing shutdowns,” the publication notes.</p> <p>The report adds that Moldova generates its own electricity and also imports power, primarily from Romania but also from Ukraine.</p> <p>Earlier on January 31, Ukraine introduced emergency power cuts in several regions simultaneously; in Kyiv, low voltage caused water supply disruptions and even a temporary metro shutdown.</p> <p>According to the authorities, stabilizing the system and restarting power units will take 24 to 36 hours, making promises of a quick restoration premature.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-power-grid-on-the-brink-as-blackouts-halt-kyiv-and-kharkiv-metros">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/zelenskyy-russians-want-to-cut.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 19:49:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/zelenskyy-russians-want-to-cut.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/966be467ed.jpg" alt="ZELENSKYY: Russians want to cut off our cities from each other #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bKZSl1u30Ls">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russian-envoy-meets-us-officials.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 19:05:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russian-envoy-meets-us-officials.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2209065895.jpg" alt="Russian envoy meets US officials for Ukraine peace talks before next round of trilateral negotiations"></p>Russian Envoy Kiril Dmitriev held "productive and constructive meetings" with U.S. officials in Miami, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Jan. 31.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-envoy-meets-with-us-officials-for-ukraine-peace-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/repairs-fail-as-murmansk-and.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 19:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/repairs-fail-as-murmansk-and.html <p>Murmansk and Severomorsk have suffered another blackout, leaving residents of the two strategic Russian cities without electricity and heating once more.</p> <p>Governor Andrei Chibis reported the outages on January 31. He said the failure occurred on a section of a power transmission line where temporary supports had been installed earlier. Authorities say the structures themselves were not damaged.</p> <p>Severe weather is compounding the situation: temperatures in Murmansk are around -23 degrees, and the power cuts immediately halted heating in residential buildings. Just a few days ago, the region endured a major accident after which old transmission pylons were replaced with new- but temporary, wooden - supports.</p> <p>The grid operator Rosseti said emergency crews are working around the clock under a pre-established plan. Some customers were quickly switched to backup circuits, with boiler plants and socially critical facilities prioritized. Still, the very fact of a repeat outage in a region untouched by the war proved telling.</p> <p>Murmansk authorities introduced a special operating regime for city services. Public transportation shifted to a special schedule, and classes were canceled in schools. The city also began a phased shutdown of outdoor lighting and decorative illumination to free up capacity for hospitals, boiler plants and other priority sites. An operations headquarters has been set up to coordinate emergency services.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/repairs-fail-as-murmansk-and-severomorsk-plunge-back-into-blackout">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/kupyanskvuzlovyi-under-full-ukrainian-control.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/kupyanskvuzlovyi-under-full-ukrainian-control.html <p>The situation in the town of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region - declared captured by Russia on January 27 - remains fully under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, the Ukrainian outlet DeepState said Saturday, January 31, on its Telegram channel.</p> <p>Analysts say this is corroborated by daily videos from a Ukrainian serviceman who moves calmly through the town center without protective gear - body armor, a helmet or even a hat.</p> <p>“As for Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi - the town is under the full control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. In recent days, daily videos from a Ukrainian serviceman have been good proof. He’s not only without a flak jacket and helmet, he’s also without a hat, walking through the center of the settlement,” the statement said.</p> <p>DeepState reports that small groups of Russian troops sometimes enter the settlement, attempting to cross the railway from the Pishchane area. These incursions are being stopped through clearing operations; they occur fairly often but are necessary to prevent a further buildup of enemy forces.</p> <p>At the same time, the situation in the village of Petropavlivka, east of Kupyansk, remains unclear. On DeepState maps as of January 29, the “gray zone” had nearly reached the settlement.</p> <p>On January 27, Russia’s General Staff claimed to have seized Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kupyansk-vuzlovyi-under-full-ukrainian-control-as-infiltrating-russian-groups-are-cleared-out">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/secret-orbnputin-deals-why-hungary.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:26:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/secret-orbnputin-deals-why-hungary.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/59d3dde4c8.jpg" alt="Secret Orbán-Putin deals: Why Hungary turned against Brussels and Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2_tQdPwL2U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russian-shadow-fleet-tankers-hide.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russian-shadow-fleet-tankers-hide.html <p>Russian “shadow fleet” tankers transiting the Black Sea have begun hugging Turkey’s coastline to avoid attacks by Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels, according to <a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/rosijskyj-tanker-strateg-tinovogo-flotu-hovavsya-vzdovzh-uzberezhzhya-turechchyny-pry-perehodi-chornogo-morya">Militarnyi</a>, which cites maritime traffic analysts and OSINT projects.</p> <p>Militarnyi reports that the Russian-flagged tanker STRATEG - sanctioned by the United States, European Union, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and several other countries - traveled as close as possible to Turkey’s shores while in the Black Sea. Turkey is a NATO member.</p> <p>Tracking data shows the STRATEG departed Novorossiysk, then moved along the coast near Sochi, off Georgia, and along Turkey’s shoreline before passing through the Bosphorus, the strait between Europe and Asia Minor.</p> <p>The movements suggest Russia’s “shadow fleet” has shifted tactics in the Black Sea after a series of Ukrainian drone strikes, steering closer to Turkey’s coast in hopes of avoiding attacks at sea.</p> <p>In December 2025, Kyiv publicly acknowledged for the first time that it targets Russian “shadow fleet” tankers, saying they evade sanctions and finance Russia’s war against Ukraine. In November–December 2025, Ukrainian drones struck four oil tankers linked to the fleet - three hit by sea drones in the Black Sea and one by an aerial drone in the Mediterranean.</p> <p>According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), all targeted tankers were headed to Russian ports to load oil. Ukraine’s armed forces say such operations aim to curtail the Kremlin’s ability to fund the war.</p> <p>Earlier, some European countries began restricting access to the Baltic Sea for Russia’s “shadow fleet” tankers.</p> <p>The European Union is also preparing a new action against Putin’s “shadow fleet.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-shadow-fleet-tankers-hide-off-turkey-s-coast-fearing-ukrainian-sea-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/strike-against-the-russian-air.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:30:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/strike-against-the-russian-air.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/467e52b761.jpg" alt="STRIKE AGAINST THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE – factory for Su is burning #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UU5JkQ1Smi0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/ukrainian-drones-hit-russias-barssarmat.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/ukrainian-drones-hit-russias-barssarmat.html <p>Ukraine’s military carried out a strike on a base used by Russia’s elite “BARS-Sarmat” special forces on January 29, using five attack drones near the settlement of Kyrylivka in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to RIA Pivden, which cited the “Spy Dossier” channel run by a representative of Russia’s security services. The base was “devastated,” with 14 Russian personnel put out of action - two killed and 12 wounded, <a href="https://ria-m.tv/news/398103/dva-dvuhsotyih-dvenadtsat-ranennyih-v-kirillovke-melitopolskogo-rayona-porajena-baza-okkupantov.html">the outlet reported</a>.</p> <p>The target was located at ul. Kosa Peresyp, 211; Google Maps shows several other resort facilities nearby.</p> <p>“BARS-Sarmat” is linked to former Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin, who is described as the unit’s curator. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate says the formation was created in 2024 on Russian-occupied territory in the Zaporizhzhia region, with elements also operating in the Kherson region.</p> <p>Separately, Ukraine conducted another strike near Kyrylivka on January 29. Drones from the 414th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems, known as “Ptakhy Madyara,” hit depots used by Russia’s 76th Air Assault Division, according to reports.</p> <p>This is not the first time Ukrainian forces have targeted Russian special forces bases. Drones from the 1st Special Purpose Unmanned Center on December 26, 2025, set fire to the command post of Russia’s 14th GRU Brigade.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-hit-russia-s-bars-sarmat-base-near-kyrylivka-killing-2-and-wounding-12">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/revenge-for-kyiv-flamingo-missiles.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:21:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/revenge-for-kyiv-flamingo-missiles.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/179a93b8cd.jpg" alt="REVENGE FOR KYIV! 🚀 Flamingo missiles destroy Russian rear: Belgorod and Murmansk in BLACKOUT!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF54VltVYFE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russian-officials-call-for-more.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:11:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russian-officials-call-for-more.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7c09d0cd50.jpg" alt="Russian officials call for 'more powerful weapons' to attack Ukraine as temperatures drop"></p>Volodin's threat, in which he says State Duma deputies call for "weapons of retaliation" to be used against Ukraine, comes a few days after Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials held the latest round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23-24.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-officials-call-for-more-powerful-weapons-to-attack-ukraine-as-temperatures-drop/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russias-lukoil-reaches-preliminary-deal.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:44:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russias-lukoil-reaches-preliminary-deal.html <p>Russian oil company Lukoil has reached a preliminary agreement to sell its overseas assets to U.S. investment firm Carlyle, RIA Novosti reported, citing Lukoil.</p> <p>The deal covers LUKOIL International GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of PJSC Lukoil that holds the group’s foreign assets. The transaction does not include assets in Kazakhstan, which will remain owned by the Lukoil group and continue operating under the relevant license.</p> <p>As Vedomosti <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/business/news/2026/01/29/1172510-lukoil-prodast">reports</a>, the transaction can be finalized only if several conditions are met. Necessary regulatory approvals are required - in particular, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) must authorize the deal with Carlyle. The agreement with Carlyle is not exclusive, and Lukoil continues talks with other potential buyers.</p> <p>In October 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on Lukoil and six of its subsidiaries. The company then decided to sell its foreign assets. On January 14, the U.S. Treasury extended through February 28 the license authorizing transactions to sell Lukoil’s overseas assets.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-lukoil-reaches-preliminary-deal-to-sell-foreign-assets-to-carlyle-pending-u-s-regulatory-approval">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russia-poses-a-nuclear-threat.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:30:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russia-poses-a-nuclear-threat.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/76d9df7cf1.jpg" alt="RUSSIA poses a NUCLEAR threat – statement by the head of the IAEA #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BFuatu3Naw0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/ukraine-imposes-emergency-power-cuts.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:20:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/ukraine-imposes-emergency-power-cuts.html <p>Ukraine introduced emergency electricity shutdowns across several regions on January 31, with effects felt in the capital. Voltage problems in Kyiv prompted water supply disruptions and a temporary suspension of the metro.</p> <p>Regional utilities reported that as of 11:00, hourly outage schedules were scrapped in parts of the country in favor of emergency shutoffs. At minimum, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv and Sumy regions were affected.</p> <p>Chernihivoblenergo <a href="https://t.me/chernigivoblenergo/468">said</a> that, on the instruction of Ukrenergo (state-owned electricity transmission system operator), the region simultaneously activated 10 stages of its emergency outage schedule.   The utility said the regime will continue until a further order from the grid dispatcher.</p> <p>Sumyoblenergo <a href="https://t.me/SumyEnergo/3034">announced</a> emergency schedules for consumer groups 1–5 across the region. The company cited damage to the power system from Russian military attacks. It also noted that emergency outage schedules do not match the regular hourly schedules.</p> <p>Zhytomyroblenergo likewise <a href="https://t.me/ztoe_ua/1323">confirmed</a> emergency shutoffs on January 31. Previously published schedules are not currently valid. Consumers were advised to unplug equipment sensitive to voltage fluctuations to avoid damage and to understand that the restrictions aim to stabilize the grid.</p> <p>DTEK said Ukrenergo <a href="https://t.me/dtek_ua/3915">ordered</a> emergency outages in Kyiv, as well as in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions.</p> <p>Kharkivoblenergo <a href="https://t.me/kharkivenergy/1730">said</a> hourly outage schedules remain in force in the region due to enemy shelling but warned the grid situation is challenging. “Energy workers are aware of the current situation and are taking all necessary steps. Please be patient. Thank you for your understanding,” the notice said.</p> <p>Power and water supply disruptions <a href="https://t.me/kievinfo_kyiv/83575">were reported</a> in Kyiv and the surrounding region. According to city Telegram channels, the metro temporarily halted operations due to reduced voltage, stopping trains and escalators.</p> <p>At the time the first reports appeared, the Kyiv Metro press service did not comment. Later, the Kyiv City State Administration <a href="https://t.me/KyivCityOfficial/16911">confirmed</a> the suspension of train service and escalators due to the loss of voltage from external power sources. Officials said they would announce the resumption of service separately.</p> <p>Kharkiv also <a href="https://t.me/kh_metro/2302">reported</a> metro problems on January 31. The Kharkiv Metro Telegram channel announced a temporary suspension of train service on all lines for technical reasons and promised to provide a separate update on restoration.</p> <p>Roughly half an hour later, the operator <a href="https://t.me/kh_metro/2303">said</a> service had resumed on the Kholodnohirsko–Zavodska Line, with trains running at extended intervals of about 25–30 minutes.</p> <p>Overnight into January 31, severe weather across most of Odesa region caused line breaks and damage to power infrastructure, leading to widespread outages.</p> <p>Focus also reported that expert Ruslan Chernyi advised Ukrainians to prepare for potential emergency blackouts in the coming days as a deep freeze approaches, warning that wires can snap due to icing.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-imposes-emergency-power-cuts-amid-grid-strain">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/russians-are-to-blame-moldovans.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 15:32:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/russians-are-to-blame-moldovans.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2246500907.jpg" alt="'Russians are to blame' — Moldovans react to mass power outage after Moldova-Ukraine line malfunction"></p><p>Moldova suffered a major power outage on Jan. 31, leaving most of its capital without electricity in the morning and halting trolleybuses and traffic lights. </p><p>Parts of Moldova experienced power disruptions when Ukraine <strong><strong><a href="https://t.me/Denys_Smyhal/12227"><strong>reported</strong></a></strong></strong> "a cascade shutdown" in its power grid due to technical malfunctions on high-voltage lines</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russians-are-to-blame-moldovans-react-to-mass-power-outage-after-moldova-ukraine-line-malfunction/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/gazprombank-warns-russias-national-wealth.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 14:00:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/gazprombank-warns-russias-national-wealth.html <p>The liquid assets of Russia’s National Wealth Fund (NWF) could be fully depleted within the next year if current oil prices persist.</p> <p>Experts at the major state-owned lender Gazprombank have warned the Kremlin that the NWF is being “zeroed out” at a record pace, with funds likely to run out within a year.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/ceptalks/2055">The notice</a> appeared on the Telegram channel of Gazprombank’s Center for Economic Forecasting.</p> <p>At the start of the year, the fund held about 4.1 trillion rubles in foreign currency and gold on accounts at the Bank of Russia. According to the analysis, the stock of liquid NWF assets will be exhausted within a year—or even sooner.</p> <p>The Russian government has been using these resources to cover the budget deficit caused by falling oil and gas revenues. The drawdown pace is directly tied to oil prices.</p> <p>Economists estimate that with oil at around $40 a barrel, the fund’s remaining assets would last a little over a year. If prices slip to the $30–35 range, the NWF’s liquid assets risk being wiped out by the end of the current year. Even under a more favorable scenario with oil at $50, the accumulated funds would cover roughly two and a half years.</p> <p>In December, Russia’s Urals crude averaged $39, and by late January its price had fallen to $36–38 per barrel.</p> <p>Before the full-scale war against Ukraine, the NWF held about $113 billion in liquid assets, equal to 6.5% of Russia’s GDP. By early 2026, that figure had shrunk two and a half times to roughly $52 billion, or 1.9% of GDP. The war is effectively “zeroing out” the Kremlin’s financial cushion.</p> <p>Russia’s NWF was created in 2008 as a reserve mechanism to support the pension system and smooth shocks from swings in oil and gas prices. It was funded by windfall revenues from energy exports and was originally presented as a guarantee of the country’s long-term financial stability.</p> <p>After the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the NWF became a key source for covering the budget shortfall stemming from sanctions and surging military spending. A significant portion of the reserves was channeled into financing the war, including weapons production, maintaining the army, and supporting occupation structures.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/gazprombank-warns-russia-s-national-wealth-fund-could-be-exhausted-within-a-year-amid-low-oil-prices">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:05:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2259066175.jpg" alt="At least 5 killed, 19 injured in Russian attacks over past day"></p>The Air Force said on Jan. 31 that Russia launched 85 drones against Ukraine overnight, of which 55 were Shahed-type drones. It said that it had downed 64 drones in the north, south, and east of the country.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-5-killed-19-injured-in-russian-attacks-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:53:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9a08dcbe05.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,239,590 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 880 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-239-590-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/irans-top-security-official-meets.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 07:34:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/irans-top-security-official-meets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2184158151.jpg" alt="Iran's top security official meets with Putin amid threats of US military action"></p>Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary traveled to Russia on Jan. 30 for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/irans-top-security-official-meets-with-putin-amid-threats-of-us-military-action/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/31/putins-envoy-to-meet-with.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:49:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/31/putins-envoy-to-meet-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/aa972759f4.jpg" alt="Putin's envoy to meet with Trump team in Florida ahead of Abu Dhabi peace talks, White House confirms"></p>Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev will meet with members of the Trump administration in Florida on Jan. 31, a White House official confirmed to the Kyiv Independent on Jan. 30.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putins-envoy-to-meet-with-trump-team-in-florida-ahead-of-abu-dhabi-peace-talks-white-house-confirms/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/meat-grinder-russian-losses-surge.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 23:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/meat-grinder-russian-losses-surge.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3e256f2429.jpg" alt="MEAT GRINDER: Russian losses surge in war against Ukraine #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fop65V-uh84">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/us-senate-committee-backs-sanctions.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 23:15:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/us-senate-committee-backs-sanctions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0b50700e84.jpg" alt="US Senate committee backs sanctions bill cracking down on Russia's shadow fleet"></p>The Shadow Fleet Sanctions Act, introduced by Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen in September 2025, expands Washington's authority to penalize shadow fleet vessels and slaps new penalties on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other energy sector projects.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-senate-committee-backs-sanctions-bill-cracking-down-on-russias-shadow-fleet/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/losses-monthly-fedorovs-algorithms-drain.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 23:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/losses-monthly-fedorovs-algorithms-drain.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3ed415a8de.jpg" alt="50,000 losses monthly – Fedorov’s algorithms drain Russia’s forces"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mhJNGQU6jA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/russia-rejects-usukraine-agreement-a.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/russia-rejects-usukraine-agreement-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d49ed43ca6.jpg" alt="Russia rejects US-Ukraine agreement – a new impasse? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HdV6pcWfG8U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/the-illusion-of-a-ceasefire.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:29:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/the-illusion-of-a-ceasefire.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256843351.jpg" alt="The illusion of a ceasefire in Ukraine"></p><p>Under immense pressure by weeks of Russian missile strikes, blackouts, and freezing cold, Ukrainians may get a few days of reprieve — at least, according to Washington.</p><p>Trump surprisingly announced on Jan. 29 that Russian President <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/vladimir-putin/">Vladimir Putin</a> agreed not to strike <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine/">Ukrainian</a> cities for a week, though Moscow said</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-buying-time-with-ukraine-truce-as-trump-talks-reach-dead-end/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of.html <p>Ukraine’s military has denied Russian claims that several settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region have been occupied, saying Zlahoda, Richne and Ternuvate are not under Russian control.</p> <p>The village of Zlahoda — in the Synelnykivskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk region — remains under the control of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Marko Bezruchko, the brigade said on <a href="https://t.me/ombr_110/2050">its Telegram channel</a>, adding that heavy fighting continues in the area.</p> <p>“The 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Marko Bezruchko states: the settlement of Zlahoda in the Dnipropetrovsk region is under our control. Information about the alleged capture of this settlement by the enemy does not correspond to reality.</p> <p>Heavy fighting continues daily in the Zlahoda area. Units of the 110th Brigade are holding their positions, preventing the enemy from advancing, and systematically destroying the occupier,” the statement said.</p> <p>Maps by the OSINT project <a href="https://deepstatemap.live/#13/47.8439250/36.3269806">DeepState</a> and the U.S.-based <a href="https://understandingwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Zaporizhia-Oblast-January-29-2026.webp">Institute for the Study of War</a> had depicted Zlahoda as occupied by Russian forces.</p> <p>The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s map, in its 8 a.m. Friday operational update, placed the village directly on the line of contact.</p> <p>Separately, Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, told <a href="https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1140704.html">Interfax-Ukraine</a> that Russian-circulated claims about the alleged occupation of Ternuvate and Richne in the Zaporizhzhia region are false.</p> <p>“First, this settlement is at least a dozen and a half kilometers from the line of contact,” he said.</p> <p>Second, Voloshyn said, Russian forces used their “favorite infiltration tactic” in the settlement: a sabotage group slipped into the village several days ago under cover of weather conditions.</p> <p>“They even filmed several locations with drones where they unfurled flags, but literally within an hour, if not less, the Defense Forces carried out search-and-reconnaissance actions in the settlement and conducted a clearing operation. The enemy group was eliminated,” Voloshyn said.</p> <p>He pointed to recent footage showing Ukrainian troops using a ground robotic system to capture Russian soldiers, saying it was filmed in the same settlement as part of the operation to eliminate the Russian sabotage group.</p> <p>Voloshyn also denied Russian claims that Richne near Stepnohirsk is occupied.</p> <p>“This settlement is under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. The Russians cannot even enter and hold Prymorske, and beyond that is Richne,” he said.</p> <p>Earlier, a Ukrainian battalion commander, Roman Kovalev, recorded a video address from the center of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, which Russian forces had claimed to have captured.</p> <p>DeepState also refuted Russia’s claim that it had captured Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of-capturing-zlahoda-ternuvate-and-richne-in-zaporizhzhia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/protection-against-russian-drones-ukrainians.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/protection-against-russian-drones-ukrainians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b948caf4ae.jpg" alt="Protection against Russian drones: Ukrainians fight back with technology! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UH4tLmUwfio">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/russia-strikes-ukraine-despite-trumps.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 19:58:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/russia-strikes-ukraine-despite-trumps.html <p>Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Friday, January 30, hitting Ukraine with 111 drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile, Ukraine’s Air Force said.</p> <p>The Ukrainian military reported strikes from the missile and 25 strike drones at 15 locations.</p> <p>Air defenses shot down or intercepted 80 drones, but the attacks continued into the day.</p> <p>Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported a major fire in a suburb of Kharkiv after a missile strike hit a warehouse at a civilian enterprise.</p> <p>The blaze covered more than 5,000 square meters; deminers and more than 80 rescue workers were deployed.</p> <p>The latest Russian barrage came less than a day after reports of a temporary halt in strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.</p> <p>On Thursday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump said Moscow had agreed to stop striking Ukrainian cities for a week due to extreme cold.</p> <p>“I personally asked Putin not to fire on Kyiv and various cities for a week. He agreed,” the U.S. President said.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed there was an understanding with Russia on a temporary pause in attacks on energy infrastructure and praised Trump’s mediation efforts.</p> <p>He later clarified there had been no direct dialogue and no signed agreements with Russia. Zelensky said that if Russia refrains from striking Ukraine’s energy system, Kyiv will respond in kind.</p> <p>“I think that’s the response the mediator was counting on, namely the United States,” he said.</p> <p>Moscow confirmed a call between the U.S. and Russian leaders. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump made a personal request that Vladimir Putin refrain from strikes on Kyiv until February 1.</p> <p>That was needed to create favorable conditions for talks, Peskov said.</p> <p>He added that Putin agreed to the U.S. president’s request. Peskov declined to specify whether the pause referred to an “energy truce” or a halt to all strikes.</p> <p>“I have nothing to add on the details,” he said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-strikes-ukraine-despite-trump-s-request-for-pause">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/abu-dhabi-dropped-as-venue.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 19:35:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/abu-dhabi-dropped-as-venue.html <p>A date and location for a second round of talks have not yet been set, reports Ukrainian political journalist Yulia Zabelina <a href="https://t.me/culuaryZa/2181">on Telegram</a>.</p> <p>Zabelina said that on January 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed new details off the record.</p> <p>“The date and time of the next meeting of the negotiating teams may change because of the situation in Iran. As far as I know, there is no final time and place yet. But it’s no longer Abu Dhabi,” Zabelina wrote.</p> <p>For now, the United States has moved a significant military presence near Iran’s borders. Analysts say an attack could begin in the coming days. The venue for the talks was likely changed for security reasons.</p> <p>The first Ukraine–U.S.–Russia talks in the UAE capital took place on January 23 and 24. Washington called them positive, citing major progress and movement toward peace. Kyiv and Moscow were more restrained. According to the U.S. side, the only unresolved issue remained territorial, with Moscow demanding all of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.</p> <p>The second meeting was initially planned for February 1. But on January 29, U.S. special representative Steve Witkoff said the talks would take place “in a week.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/abu-dhabi-dropped-as-venue-for-ukraine-russia-u-s-talks-amid-iran-tensions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/eu-considers-full-ban-on.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 19:28:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/eu-considers-full-ban-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2bf3025022.jpg" alt="EU considers full ban on Russian oil services to replace price cap, source says"></p>If approved, the measure would prevent European companies from providing key services for transporting Russian oil.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-considers-full-ban-on-russian-oil-services-to-replace-price-cap/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/invisible-to-the-enemys-eyes.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 19:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/invisible-to-the-enemys-eyes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a79599fd84.jpg" alt="🛡️ INVISIBLE TO THE ENEMY'S “EYES”: How the AFU SURVIVE and PREVAIL under a swarm of Russian DRONES"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsm_1GQYx5k">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/zelensky-says-ukraine-wont-cede.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/zelensky-says-ukraine-wont-cede.html <p>A compromise on Donbas has not yet been reached, and Ukraine is not prepared to accept decisions that would violate its territorial integrity.</p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will not give up Donbas or the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant without a fight, reports <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/184717">Novosti.LIVE</a>.</p> <p>According to the head of state, U.S. partners have proposed a compromise in the form of a free economic zone. But no agreement has been reached so far. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine must continue to control the territories it currently holds.</p> <p>“Ukraine is not ready for compromises that lead to a violation of territorial integrity; we will not give the Russians Donbas and the ZNPP without a fight,” the President said.</p> <p>Zelensky said that of the 20 points in the current American plan, Ukraine disagrees with two. The remaining provisions are acceptable to Kyiv. He also emphasized that the document should be signed at the presidential level.</p> <p>“When we talk about compromise, it’s about what both sides have to do, not only about the Ukrainian side and a Ukrainian compromise. We believe tough demands on Ukraine are definitely not a compromise. That’s a change to Ukraine’s territorial integrity,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky also said that during a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, Donbas was likely discussed.</p> <p>At the same time, Ukraine was not informed about any understandings reached in Anchorage, though there are signals that key issues were discussed there.</p> <p>A representative of the UAE government said last week’s discussions among U.S., Ukrainian and Russian delegations took place in a constructive and positive atmosphere.</p> <p>After talks in the UAE, Donald Trump gave a positive assessment of the momentum toward ending the war.</p> <p>However, some sources noted that the trilateral meeting among Ukraine, Russia and the United States in the UAE did not lead to significant changes on political issues. In particular, Russian representatives continue to insist that Ukraine withdraw its units from the non-occupied part of Donetsk region.</p> <p>According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the number of unresolved issues has been reduced to one - territory. The next meeting in the UAE on February 1 may not necessarily include the United States - it could involve only the Ukrainian and Russian delegations.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-won-t-cede-donbas-or-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-as-u-s-peace-plan-remains-stuck-on-territory-concessions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/zelensky-says-russia-is-targeting.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:30:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/zelensky-says-russia-is-targeting.html <p>There were no strikes on energy facilities overnight, but there were more attacks on logistics. Drone strikes on urban residential areas also continue.</p> <p>During the energy truce, Russian occupying forces have reoriented their strikes toward Ukrainian logistics, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, January 30, <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17808">on Telegram</a> following a conference call.</p> <p>“There were no strikes on energy facilities overnight, but even yesterday afternoon there were hits specifically on energy infrastructure in several regions. We are currently recording a reorientation of the Russian army toward strikes on logistics. Drone strikes on typical urban housing also continue,” he wrote.</p> <p>According to Zelensky, a ballistic missile strike in the Kharkiv region damaged warehouses used for civilian production belonging to a US company.</p> <p>“In Zaporizhzhia, Shahed drones hit one of the city’s districts. FPV drone strikes continue almost around the clock on Kherson, on cities in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and most of all on Nikopol. The situation is difficult along the border in the Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions,” the head of state noted.</p> <p>He said the situation in the Cherkasy region was reviewed separately. In particular, Zelensky said, “much more needs to be done to guarantee people’s basic needs, especially for homes with electric heating.”</p> <p>Additional resources are being deployed for Kyiv: as of the morning, 378 multi-story residential buildings were without heating.</p> <p>“Reports also covered the situation in the Kyiv region, Poltava region, Kirovohrad region, Odesa region, Mykolaiv region, Vinnytsia region, Chernivtsi region, Khmelnytskyi region and Zhytomyr region,” the president said.</p> <p>He tasked Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Anatolii Kryvonozhko, with strengthening counter-drone defenses along the line between Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>“Last year, the Staff made corresponding decisions that have so far been implemented only partially. I instructed that an appropriate inspection be carried out and response measures be presented,” the head of state concluded.</p> <p>As a reminder, on the evening of January 29, US President Donald Trump unexpectedly said he had allegedly reached an agreement with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin for a week-long pause in shelling Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities due to severe frost. The Kremlin has pledged not to conduct strikes until February 1.</p> <p>Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the energy truce with Russia. And today he issued a new statement regarding the truce.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-russia-is-targeting-logistics-during-energy-truce">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/ukrainian-military-heavy-fighting-in.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:30:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/ukrainian-military-heavy-fighting-in.html <p>Russian troops are preparing a decisive strike on Dronivka while wearing down Ukrainian airborne units with night attacks by small groups, Ukraine’s 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade of the 7th Air Assault Corps said on January 29.</p> <p>The brigade reported another day of positional fighting against Russian army units. Ukrainian defenders are using drones to track enemy movements and strike Russian personnel and equipment. According to the brigade, Russian forces are attempting nighttime breakthroughs, advancing in small groups over frozen sections of the Siverskyi Donets River with “drone-guides,” but are being repelled and taking losses.</p> <p>The update was posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/81oaembr/posts/pfbid0252YV59ZguugRR8WzQTsn9nj7n9jgast8WQ8RxfL3T5zBTsMEcYzzJAK2Am5WM7K2l?locale=uk_UA">the brigade’s Facebook page,</a> which also warned that Russian forces are massing in the Serebryanskyy Forest area and in Siversk ahead of a potential attack.</p> <p>Ukrainian paratroopers said UAV control hubs are “springing up like mushrooms” in those locations. That, they noted, is eroding their edge in the air and disrupting logistics, including ammunition and food deliveries, rotations, and medical evacuation.</p> <p>“We continue to mount a worthy defense and hold back the enemy’s advance on the Sloviansk axis,” the brigade said.</p> <p>Formed on October 7, 2014, the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade has fought from the defense of Donetsk airport in 2014 and the battles for Debaltseve, Vodiane and Opytne, to the liberation of Lyman and Sviatohirsk in 2022.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-heavy-fighting-in-dronivka-as-russian-forces-attempt-night-river-crossings">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/zelensky-invites-putin-to-kyiv.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:27:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/zelensky-invites-putin-to-kyiv.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking with reporters on Friday, January 30, responded to repeated proposals from the Russian side that he travel to Moscow for talks. He said such invitations indicate a lack of serious intent to end the war.</p> <p>“It’s the same as meeting with Putin in Kyiv. I can just as well invite him to Kyiv - let him come. I publicly invite him, if he dares, of course,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>The Ukrainian leader added he is ready for any leader-level format if it truly helps bring the war closer to an end. “But if someone doesn’t want to meet and for some reason can’t say so directly, then you hear these invitations to Moscow,” he noted.</p> <p>Zelensky also ruled out talks on Belarusian territory: “In Moscow and in Belarus this is simply impossible, and it’s absolutely clear why - because one of these states is the aggressor that started and is waging war against us, killing us, and the other country is its partner in these actions.”</p> <p>Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said there were no direct agreements between Ukraine and Russia to halt strikes on energy infrastructure. He said it was a U.S. initiative, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier said he personally asked Vladimir Putin not to strike Kyiv and other cities, and the Russian president agreed.</p> <p>Ukraine supports the initiative but would respond in kind if Russia launches new strikes on Ukrainian energy, Zelensky said. “If Russia doesn’t hit our energy — generating or otherwise — we won’t hit their energy. I think that’s the answer the U.S. expected,” he noted.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, confirmed Trump’s request to Russia’s president to refrain from strikes on Kyiv until February 1. Peskov said Putin agreed because it was “a personal request from Trump.”</p> <p>At the meeting with journalists, Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready for compromises to end the war — but only if they do not call the country’s territorial integrity into question. Ukraine is not prepared to cede either the parts of Donbas controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces or the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant occupied by Russian troops, he emphasized.</p> <p>The least problematic solution, in Zelensky’s view, is “we stay where we are.” “We believe that tough demands on Ukraine are not a compromise. They are a change to the country’s territorial integrity,” the Ukrainian leader said.</p> <p>Zelensky also said the date and location of the next meeting between delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States, scheduled for February 1 in Abu Dhabi, may change. “In our view, something is happening in the situation between America and Iran. And these things could probably affect the date,” Ukraine’s President said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-invites-putin-to-kyiv-rules-out-talks-in-moscow-or-belarus">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/sbu-detains-men-accused-of.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:09:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/sbu-detains-men-accused-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-30-16-08-51.jpg" alt="SBU detains 3 men accused of working for Russia's FSB, plotting bomb attacks on Ukrainian military in Odesa"></p>"The terrorist attacks were to be carried out by remotely activating homemade bombs," the SBU said on Jan. 30.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-detained-3-men-accused-of-working-for-russias-fsb-plotting-bomb-attacks-on-ukrainian-military-in-odesa/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/why-china-is-quietly-buying.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:01:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/why-china-is-quietly-buying.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/china-taiwan-1-6-jpg.jpg" alt="Why China is quietly buying Russian weapons, explained"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Alisa Yurchenko investigates why China is buying Russian weapons, what Moscow gains from the deal, and what the deepening Russia–China military cooperation could mean for future conflicts.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/why-china-is-quietly-buying-russian-weapons-explained/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/zelensky-says-russia-hit-us.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/zelensky-says-russia-hit-us.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://www.facebook.com/zelenskyy.official/posts/pfbid02uB3epbn1ASmHPpmbgfivqCsasyiZccBXRsLs6obZFXWrZvgRp3wAhqnq86brXswAl">said</a> that overnight into Friday, January 30, there were no strikes on power infrastructure, though a day earlier energy facilities in several regions were damaged by shelling. Overall, he said, there is a shift in the Russia’s tactics: the Russian army is increasingly targeting logistics and civilian businesses.</p> <p>Zelensky noted that drone attacks on residential areas in cities continue. In addition, a ballistic missile was used against Kharkiv region, damaging warehouses at a civilian production facility owned by a U.S. company.</p> <p>He paid special attention to the situation in Donetsk region and the Cherkasy region. There, he said, much more needs to be done to ensure people’s basic needs, especially in homes with electric heating.</p> <p>Additional resources are being brought in for Kyiv right now: as of the morning, 378 apartment buildings remained without heating. The president also received reports on the situation in Kyiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi and Zhytomyr regions.</p> <p>Zelensky emphasized that specific tasks have been assigned to the defense minister and the commander of Ukraine’s Air Force to strengthen protection against drones along the line between Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. He said the priority remains protecting energy infrastructure, logistics and civilian businesses to minimize the impact of strikes on civilians.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-russia-hit-u-s-company-facility-in-ukraine-as-strikes-shift-from-energy-targets">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/russia-agrees-to-energy-truce.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:56:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/russia-agrees-to-energy-truce.html <p>The Kremlin has confirmed that Russia agreed to an “energy truce,” during which it will refrain from striking Ukraine at the request of Donald Trump. The pause will last until February 1, when a deep freeze is forecast to peak in Ukraine.</p> <p>The truce is purportedly aimed at creating “favorable conditions for negotiations,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to <a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/332173">RIA Novosti</a>.</p> <p>“Russia agreed to refrain from strikes on Ukraine until February 1 in connection with Trump’s request,” Peskov said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s State Emergency Service earlier issued a red danger level for February 1–3 because of the coming cold. Rescuers said the coldest conditions are expected in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Sumy, Poltava and Kharkiv regions, where temperatures could range from -20 C to -27 C. In Kyiv, temperatures are forecast at -20 C to -25 C.</p> <p>Meteorologist Natalka Didenko said the cold will peak February 1–4, with nighttime lows of -20 C to -28 C and locally lower. Environmentalist Oleksandr Sokolenko also warned that severe frosts will return in the coming days and temperatures could drop to -27 C in some regions, including the capital. Ukraine’s Hydrometeorological Center forecasts lows reaching -30 C in the Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava and Kharkiv regions.</p> <p>On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump said he personally appealed to Vladimir Putin to refrain from attacking Ukrainian cities for a week. Putin, he said, agreed to the proposal.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said there were no official agreements between Russia and Ukraine to halt strikes on energy facilities, but Kyiv is prepared to abide by such an arrangement.</p> <p>The New York Times reported the energy truce was reached after Kyiv requested a pause in strikes during three-way talks in Abu Dhabi over the weekend.</p> <p>Zelenskyy had earlier warned, citing Ukrainian intelligence, that Russia was preparing a new barrage. (Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba also said Russian forces could target Ukraine’s power system in the coming days as the weather worsens.</p> <p>Monitoring channels have warned of a large-scale assault late in the week, potentially unfolding in two phases on different days. The first phase would target the capital, which the attackers believe could be decisive for Kyiv’s power and heat supply. The second phase would focus on major energy and gas infrastructure in western Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-agrees-to-energy-truce-halting-strikes-on-ukraine-s-energy-grid-until-feb-1-at-trump-s-request">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/kremlin-says-trump-asked-putin.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:29:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/kremlin-says-trump-asked-putin.html <p>US President Donald Trump made a personal request to Russian president Vladimir Putin to refrain from striking Kyiv until February 1, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a Friday briefing.</p> <p>“Indeed, President Trump made a personal request to President Putin to refrain for a week — until February 1 - from carrying out strikes on Kyiv in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations,” Peskov said.</p> <p>Asked whether February 1 itself is included in the timeframe Trump requested, Peskov replied: “Until February 1.”</p> <p>He declined to say whether Putin agreed to Trump’s request or whether the pause would apply to all strikes or only to attacks on energy infrastructure.</p> <p>“I have nothing to add on the details beyond what has already been said. I want to emphasize again that this is about creating favorable conditions for talks,” Peskov said.</p> <p>On the evening of January 29, Trump unexpectedly said he had reached an understanding with Putin for a one-week halt to shelling Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities due to severe cold.</p> <p>Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed an “energy truce” with Russia. And today he issued a new statement regarding the truce.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-says-trump-asked-putin-to-halt-kyiv-strikes-until-february-1">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/trumps-weeklong-ceasefire-russia-says.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:12:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/trumps-weeklong-ceasefire-russia-says.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f76e97316-c.jpg" alt="Trump’s weeklong ceasefire? Russia says 2 days"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!E0rp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7b946d0e-3ec7-4a94-b4d1-5d6cb8867dd0_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7b946d0e-3.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7b946d0e-3ec7-4a94-b4d1-5d6cb8867dd0_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>Thanks for all the stories The Counteroffensive gets out of the hopeful liberators around the world. You are a bright and shining light in an increasingly darkening world, the U.S. included. Hopes and prayers for you all.</em></p><p><em>By Scott_D</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Russia will refrain from striking Ukrainian energy facilities for only two days, officially commenting on the temporary energy ceasefire that was rumoured to start last night.</p><p>Yesterday ,Trump <a href="https://clashreport.com/world/articles/trump-putin-halted-strike-on-kyiv-energy-for-a-week-on-my-request-75pwbxqp1pp">said</a> that he had “personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and various towns for a week during this extraordinary cold,” and that Putin agreed.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f76e97316-c.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2b5b6361d7.jpg" width="1456" height="970" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/76e97316-c97b-44a0-8b3d-8222894ffc0e_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Tent Camps Set Up In Kyiv Amid Blackout. Photo by Andrii Khodkov/Apostrophe/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images.</em></figcaption></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>After the Paywall:</p><ul><li><p>What is the context of the so-called ‘energy truce’ taking place?</p></li><li><p>Is Russia really refraining from striking Ukraine, as Trump claimed?</p></li><li><p>What’s in it for Russia?</p></li></ul></div> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/trumps-weeklong-ceasefire-russia"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/trumps-weeklong-ceasefire-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/russia-is-destroying-kharkiv-and.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/russia-is-destroying-kharkiv-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f08b0219ff.jpg" alt="Russia is destroying Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. Spanish fighter jets are on alert over the Baltic Sea"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN5gRUF4x-8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/ukraine-war-latest-russia-attacks.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:42:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/ukraine-war-latest-russia-attacks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-30-at-13-25-46.png" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russia attacks passenger bus in Kherson Oblast, killing 1, injuring 5"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. Russia attacked a passenger bus in Kherson Oblast, killing the driver, and injuring 5 civilians, Kherson Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported on Jan. 30.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-30/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/confusion-reigns-as-russia-says.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:41:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/confusion-reigns-as-russia-says.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/348b093f3c.jpg" alt="Confusion reigns as Russia says it was only asked to stop attacking Kyiv until Sunday"></p>The comment from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov came a day after Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to his request not to strike Kyiv as well as other Ukrainian cities and towns for a week.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/confusion-reigns-as-russia-says-it-was-only-asked-to-stop-attacking-kyiv-until-sunday/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/we-are-all-used-to.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:11:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/we-are-all-used-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-image00021.jpg" alt="'We are all used to this now' — Inside one of Kyiv’s hardest-hit buildings this winter"></p><p>Upon entering Daria’s apartment in a large complex in Rusanivka on Kyiv’s left bank, a faint smell of gas lingers in the cold, dim rooms. After Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure cut heat and power across parts of the city,  </p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-are-all-used-to-this-now-inside-one-of-kyivs-hardest-hit-buildings-this-winter/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/they-are-not-very-interested.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:01:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/they-are-not-very-interested.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253903051.jpg" alt="'They are not very interested' – Russia halts POW exchanges, Zelensky says"></p>"They do not feel that it gives them anything," Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-halts-pow-exchanges-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/zelensky-rejects-putins-moscow-invitation.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:40:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/zelensky-rejects-putins-moscow-invitation.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/484e49cfec.jpg" alt="Zelensky rejects Putin's Moscow invitation, signals possible delay in peace talks"></p>"I can just as well invite him to Kyiv, let him come. I'm openly inviting him, if he dares," Zelensky said during a briefing with journalists.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/let-him-come-to-kyiv-zelensky-dismisses-putins-moscow-invite/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/30/eu-plans-to-impose-th.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/30/eu-plans-to-impose-th.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/81de4b19c9.jpg" alt="EU plans to impose 20th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 24, Kallas says"></p>The European Union aims to impose a 20th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 24, the day marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters on Jan. 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-plans-to-approve-20th-sanctions-package-against-russia-on-feb-24-kallas-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/the-west-sinks-putins-shadow.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:01:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/the-west-sinks-putins-shadow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a87567c73e.jpg" alt="🌊 The West sinks Putin’s shadow fleet: France seizes tanker, India rejects Russian oil"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuziidfJ71A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/russias-new-antidrone-solution-dressing.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/russias-new-antidrone-solution-dressing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c2dae12eec.jpg" alt="Russia’s new “anti-drone” solution – dressing soldiers like giant penguins #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6Qf43fuMfpc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/newsflash-trump-zelenskyy-announce-energy.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:04:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/newsflash-trump-zelenskyy-announce-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f69376f7a-5.jpg" alt="NEWSFLASH: Trump, Zelenskyy announce energy ceasefire in Ukraine"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!oO-w!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9d8f6188-2267-4a78-81e1-b777a00b94c2_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9d8f6188-2.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9d8f6188-2267-4a78-81e1-b777a00b94c2_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“I support your work because I think the on-the-site reporting you do is the kind of storytelling and journalism I want to encourage; that you happen to do so from a war-zone is an excruciating fact and adds gravitas to the Publication”</em></p><p><em>By Immersione</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Putin has agreed not to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure for a week at Donald Trump’s request, the U.S. president <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/29/trump-claims-putin-agreed-to-halt-ukraine-energy-strikes-amid-extreme-cold">said</a> during a conversation with journalists at the White House.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f69376f7a-5.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5b2652731a.jpg" width="594" height="396" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/69376f7a-5609-4fd5-b690-64487f4c02d9_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>US President Donald Trump speaks alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (R) during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>This statement came on the eve of extreme cold weather in Ukraine, with temperatures expected to reach -30°C this weekend. Meanwhile, the energy crisis has been going on for more than two weeks, and some Kyiv residents have been without heating for even longer.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>After the paywall:</em></p><ul><li><p><em>What preceded the energy truce?</em></p></li><li><p><em>How are Russian officials and society reacting to the energy truce?</em></p></li><li><p><em>What measures is the Ukrainian government taking to endure the harshest winter of the war?</em></p></li></ul></div> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-trump-zelenskyy-announce"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-trump-zelenskyy-announce">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/putins-combat-penguins-why-do.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/putins-combat-penguins-why-do.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04882141ed.jpg" alt="PUTIN'S COMBAT PENGUINS: Why do their &quot;innovations&quot; make even their own soldiers laugh?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkKaQEkvXZI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/over-billion-in-damages-ukraine.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/over-billion-in-damages-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e284190be1.jpg" alt="🔥Over $1 billion in damages: Ukraine strikes Russian aviation #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MsUDMqeQ6zI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/aviation-collapses-asian-mercenaries-arrive.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/aviation-collapses-asian-mercenaries-arrive.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3fc43ddd04.jpg" alt="Aviation collapses, Asian mercenaries arrive – Kremlin patches front after AFU strikes"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeNYnFtfu9E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/the-baltic-region-is-preparing.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:30:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/the-baltic-region-is-preparing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0933162c84.jpg" alt="The Baltic region is preparing for a NEW WAVE OF AGGRESSION from the Russian Federation #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GFP8zanMs9Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/trump-claims-putin-agreed-not.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:31:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/trump-claims-putin-agreed-not.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2229506510.jpg" alt="Trump claims Putin agreed not to strike Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities 'for a week'"></p>"I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week," Trump said. "And he agreed to do that."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-claims-putin-agreed-not-to-strike-kyiv-ukrainian-cities-for-a-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/defense-ministry-working-with-spacex.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/defense-ministry-working-with-spacex.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/27efc77cc5.jpg" alt="Defense Ministry working with SpaceX to solve Russian use of Starlink on drones"></p>Ukraine says it is working with SpaceX to stop Russian drones from using Starlink, after reports that satellite-connected UAVs are extending their range to strike deeper into Ukrainian territory.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/defense-ministry-working-with-spacex-to-solve-russian-use-of-starlink-on-drones/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/ukraine-russian-forces-establish-headquarters.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/ukraine-russian-forces-establish-headquarters.html <p>Russian troops have taken control of most of Myrnohrad in Donetsk region, setting up a commandant’s office, artillery positions and field headquarters in the city, according to a Ukrainian marine officer speaking from the area to <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/01/28/8018382">Ukrainska Pravda</a>.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces are trying to prevent Russian units from moving out of the city, holding positions in its northern sector, the officer said.</p> <p>“In another part of the city, they already have artillery, vehicles, pilots — whatever you can think of,” the officer added.</p> <p>The Russian headquarters being established in Myrnohrad are being moved from Novogrodovka, Ukrainian troops said. They also reported signs of a Russian commandant’s office at work in the city, including civilians seen being escorted under guard from their homes with belongings.</p> <p>Clashes between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops continue around the rail depot in the northern part of Myrnohrad and near the settlement of Svitle, just north of the city.</p> <p>Holding the line in the north and blocking Russian movements out of Myrnohrad remains difficult, the officer said, noting Russian control of the skies and the active use of aircraft and drones.</p> <p>“We are pulling back, maneuvering; infantry is trying to hold the exits from Myrnohrad. Now our task is to keep them from getting out of the city,” the officer told the outlet.</p> <p>On January 23, military observer Bohdan Miroshnykov reported that Russian forces had entered 75–80% of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, adding that mostly Ukrainian assault groups remained in the cities to carry out specific tasks. He said Ukraine’s Defense Forces had created a “kill zone” right inside the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-russian-forces-establish-headquarters-and-artillery-in-myrnohrad-amid-heavy-fighting">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/the-afu-are-the-only.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/the-afu-are-the-only.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bd1e4b0b6b.jpg" alt="The AFU are the only army capable of STOPPING Russia: NATO to provide $90 billion for weapons?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJ8-4bKC8Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/repression-cannot-go-unanswered-eu.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:49:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/repression-cannot-go-unanswered-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dsc07680-1-.jpg" alt="'Repression cannot go unanswered' — EU sanctions Iran over protest crackdown, Russia support"></p>European foreign ministers also agreed to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, said Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-sanctions-iran-over-supporting-russias-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/kyrgyzstan-sues-russia-in-eaeu.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/kyrgyzstan-sues-russia-in-eaeu.html <p>Kyrgyzstan’s authorities have filed a lawsuit with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) court against Russia, accusing it of violating the rights of Kyrgyz labor migrants.</p> <p>Russia’s actions toward families of labor migrants violate Articles 96–97 of the EAEU agreement on social security for migrants, Azamat Mukanov, head of Kyrgyzstan’s Mandatory Health Insurance Fund, told a parliamentary committee (Jogorku Kenesh) on Tuesday, January 27.</p> <p>At issue is the refusal by Russian authorities to issue free compulsory health insurance (OMS) policies to family members of foreigners who come to work in Russia. “Health insurance should also extend to the family members of labor migrants. This issue was also discussed during the visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk,” Mukanov said. He added that the court is already reviewing Kyrgyzstan’s claim, with a decision expected in two weeks.</p> <p>Russian authorities earlier changed the rules on medical care for labor migrants. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said foreign citizens would be entitled to free medical care only after five years of legal employment in Russia under the new rules. Amid tougher migration policies since 2024, millions of foreigners have left the country. Authorities in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and several other countries have advised their citizens not to travel to Russia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyrgyzstan-sues-russia-in-eaeu-court-over-denial-of-health-insurance-to-migrants-families">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/china-denies-helping-russia-produce.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:49:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/china-denies-helping-russia-produce.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/af0fb73280.jpg" alt="China denies helping Russia produce Oreshnik missiles"></p>The news comes after the Telegraph reported that China has sent Russia tools used to build Oreshnik warheads.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/china-denies-helping-russia-produce-oreshnik-missiles/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/without-power-without-heat-eu.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:28:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/without-power-without-heat-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258061179.jpg" alt="'Without power, without heat' — EU allocates over $170 million for Ukraine amid Russian attacks on energy"></p>The funds will support protection assistance, shelter, food, cash aid, psychosocial services, and access to water and healthcare for Ukrainians affected by the attacks.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-allocates-over-170-million-for-ukraine-amid-russian-energy-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/samesex-couples-find-a-haven.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:03:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/samesex-couples-find-a-haven.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe8ae4a8b-2.jpg" alt="Same-sex couples find a haven in Taiwan"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!ZVFS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F070bb9f6-2b90-4717-baf5-599c977bcc44_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f070bb9f6-2.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/070bb9f6-2b90-4717-baf5-599c977bcc44_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: </em></p><p><em>This is our monthly supplemental issue on Taiwan!</em></p><p><em>We believe that empathy and authoritarianism can’t mix – that when we tell deeply-reported human stories of people threatened by dictators, it compels people to act against injustice.</em></p><p><em>Agree with us? Upgrade now to support our work.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>A little Chinese boy watched Taiwanese shows every night before he went to sleep.</p><p>They speak the same language as he does, but it is a different world — freer, more diverse. It was a world he craved.</p><p>“As a minority growing up in China, this is the real Chinese culture I dream about,” said Light, a Chinese man who married his Taiwanese partner Eason in 2025.</p><p>The couple has been married for less than a year and describes their relationship as love at first sight. But Eason now faces the risk of being forced out of Taiwan, this safety haven, as tensions between his homeland and the island steadily escalate.</p><p>Taiwan <a href="https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201902215004.aspx">legalized</a> same-sex marriage in 2019, making it the first Asian country to do so. Compared to other cross-national couples, Taiwan, with less of a language barrier, attracted more same-sex couples from China, who may have felt more repressed in their home country.</p><p>Some dreamed of staying in Taiwan permanently, but now face challenges as the Taiwanese government weighs national security concerns, fearing that Beijing is sending undercover agents to the island.</p><p>Those anxieties hardened into policy after a series of incidents involving couples like Light and Eason. In 2025, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3303677/taiwan-orders-3-mainland-chinese-leave-promoting-military-takeover-island">three Chinese migrants</a> living in Taiwan, all married to Taiwanese men, publicly supported the Chinese government using force to reunify the island, prompting Taiwanese authorities to take hard actions against them. The Taiwanese government accused them of violating immigration law and deported them.</p><p>Many Taiwanese people praised the government’s action, but some questioned if it was a violation of freedom of speech. The public discussion became intense, creating strong resentment in society, especially towards Chinese migrants. If Taiwan limits access for the Chinese minorities coming in, they could risk losing one of the most critical safe spaces in the Chinese-speaking world.</p><p>This is a delicate line that democratic countries must walk — balancing human rights obligations and national security.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe8ae4a8b-2.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fc49acfbd2.jpg" width="243" height="321.3223140495868" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e8ae4a8b-2d92-405f-8eef-d0fa8b192e84_1210x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1210,"resizeWidth":243,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Light, face covered for security purposes, married to his Taiwanese partner Eason in March in Thailand, holding their marriage certificate.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In December 2024, Light met Eason on Tinder and sparks immediately flew, but they could only see each other once a month. In 2019, the Chinese government severely <a href="https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201907315004.aspx">limited</a> permission for its citizens to go to Taiwan, even though more than 2 million tourists <a href="https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20190524700306-430104">were</a> coming to the island in the years prior. It forced Eason to fly to China periodically to see his partner.</p><p>Due to the unique cross-strait relations, the Taiwanese government <a href="https://www.mac.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=06E913DD77355070&sms=6250BEAB14F379F1&s=E6D7E825ABCDD0DC">doesn’t allow</a> Chinese citizens to apply for a work visa, but allows them to stay for a short term, such as for travel and study.</p><p>The long distance was unbearable to Light. “I want to be with my partner all the time, and take care of each other,” Light said.</p><p>Moving to Taiwan felt like a win-win for Light, particularly as he grew increasingly disillusioned with what he described as China’s male-dominated society and limited social diversity. The Chinese government has been accused of suppressing <a href="https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20230605/rainbow-flags-china-lgbtq/zh-hant/">LGBTQ+ related rights</a>, at one point banning them from raising rainbow flags on campuses, among <a href="https://time.com/6302212/china-lgbtq-concert-rainbow-ban/">other </a>restrictions.</p><p>“Most people in China are very conservative about this topic,” explained Light. “Especially if you’re working for the government, you wouldn’t want to express your identity.”</p><p>Within a few months, Light and Eason decided to get married.</p><p>Light considered himself a lucky person growing up. His mother was more open-minded than most Chinese families were.</p><p>“I need my mom to sign our marriage legal document. She saw the picture of us and joked, ‘Your wife looks like a man, “ Light said. “She knew it already.”</p><p>In the art performance industry, he had always worked alongside some of the most diverse people in China; he could live comfortably with his identity and know who to trust.</p><p>“Check if the person uses an iPhone or a Huawei. If the person uses an American phone, it tells you something,” said Light, referring to how he identifies open-minded strangers.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":441115}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Many Chinese minorities have already had to go through a thorny path before settling down in Taiwan. The <a href="https://servicestation.immigration.gov.tw/media/5284/%E5%85%A9%E5%B2%B8%E4%BA%BA%E6%B0%91%E7%B5%90%E5%A9%9A%E6%B5%81%E7%A8%8B%E5%8F%8A%E6%87%89%E5%82%99%E6%96%87%E4%BB%B6-%E6%B5%B7%E5%9F%BA%E6%9C%83%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B.pdf">Cross-Strait Act </a>requires Chinese citizens to provide a marriage certificate in China before getting married in Taiwan, but Chinese law <a href="https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/666918918">does not recognize same-sex marriage</a>, which makes this nearly impossible.</p><p>After civil rights groups and same-sex couples <a href="https://tapcpr.org/main-topics/tssm/case/ryan-righ">filed</a> lawsuits against the Taiwanese government, it finally opened a path to <a href="https://www.moi.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=4&s=321066">allow</a> cross-strait same-sex couples to stay in Taiwan by recognizing their marriage approval in a third country.</p><p>It’s a hassle, and an expensive process. Light and Eason had to travel to Thailand, where same-sex marriage is legal, before moving together to Taiwan. It cost them thousands of dollars and took five months for Light to get his Taiwanese residency approved.</p><p>Taiwan’s embrace of diversity came through painful lessons. In 2000, a 15-year-old Taiwanese boy, Yeh Yung-Chih, was <a href="https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2016/01/31/2003638462">bullied</a> to death in the school bathroom after being ostracized for his supposedly feminine characteristics.</p><p>Eighteen years after his death, Taiwanese pop star Jolin Tsai memorialized his tragedy in the song ‘Womxnly,’ transforming this story into a cultural reckoning over gender, sexuality and acceptance.</p><p>“Who put this soul into the wrong body?”</p><p>“Who made this body a jail for me?”</p><p>“What kind of beauty attracts jealousy?”</p><p>“You’re not guilty, but the world is.”</p><p>It is one of Light’s favorite songs, and also went on to resonate quietly with listeners in mainland China. It<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3GSUWcqTwvkWts5mMliWvF"> hit the top 20 on KKbox </a>(a Chinese version of Spotify) and won the Golden Melody Award for Song of the Year in 2019. The song became a beacon of hope for the LGBTQ Chinese-speaking community in Asia.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!9jlN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4199c922-6884-48ae-bcfe-89785106bce2_875x366.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f4199c922-6.png" width="575" height="240.5142857142857" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4199c922-6884-48ae-bcfe-89785106bce2_875x366.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":366,"width":875,"resizeWidth":575,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feOq6MWeUXA">Womxnly</a>, sung by Jolin Tsai, mourned a young Taiwanese boy and inspired a cultural movement in Taiwan.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Taiwanese pop culture has had a huge impact on Chinese-speaking communities in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China since the 90s. It often served as a cultural pioneer for audiences navigating relatively conservative societies.</p><p>In the 2000s, male Chinese pop stars who might be considered more traditionally effeminate <a href="https://hkcd.com/content/2018-03/30/content_1083878.html">gained popularity</a> in the mainstream market. However, that ended up clashing with the values of the Chinese government.</p><p>In 2021, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033687586/china-ban-effeminate-men-tv-official-morality">announced</a> a national policy asking all media, entertainment business associations and gaming platforms to end what they called “sissy men” culture.</p><p>Light felt he could easily become the Chinese government’s target.</p><p>“I’m not good at hiding my identity,” Light said. He is a straightforward person who would prefer his friends accept and know the truest version of him.</p><p>The party wanted to revive masculinity and promote the image of powerful Chinese culture. It denounced Western culture infiltrating the minds of Chinese men with men wearing makeup and androgynous clothing.</p><p>Many minorities in China watched silently as their safe spaces vanished. In the same year, multiple feminist and LGBTQ-friendly clubs, forums, and online accounts were <a href="https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aopl/202107080152.aspx">removed</a> on WeChat, the most popular social platform in China.</p><p>In 2025, the two biggest same-sex dating Chinese apps, <a href="https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511110205.aspx">Blued and Finka</a>, were quietly removed from both Apple and Android app stores. People were forced to use secret codes to post about their identities online.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!e3Af!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53a57c0d-4292-476e-a588-a44761b9cfd5_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f53a57c0d-4.jpg" width="455" height="303.125" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/53a57c0d-4292-476e-a588-a44761b9cfd5_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":455,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019, becoming the first Asian country to do so. This photo celebrates the 24th Pride Parade in Taipei on October 31, 2025. (Photo Credit: Taiwan.LGBT.Pride Facebook.)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Though Light finally could legally stay in Taiwan, the tension between China and Taiwan continued to rise, and he faced another challenge: being judged not for his identity, but for his place of origin.</p><p>Light experienced this deep-rooted suspicion firsthand.</p><p>“One time, I sent a post to a few Taiwanese friends. It was about the Chinese government’s new policy to benefit Taiwanese tourists,” said Light. The purpose of the policy is to attract more Taiwanese bonding with China, making his Taiwanese friends suspicious of his motive.</p><p>One replied, “I would never never never go to China in my life.” Later, they blocked Light.</p><p>Last March, Ya-ya, who supported the CCP using force to reunify Taiwan, was the first Chinese migrant deported by the Taiwanese government. The hostility towards the Chinese migrants in Taiwan reached a peak. Crowds went to the airport to send Ya-ya off and praise the action of their government.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!qqo_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff9d2d95d-e676-42f4-a559-9cda441b636e_948x528.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff9d2d95d-e.png" width="570" height="317.46835443037975" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f9d2d95d-e676-42f4-a559-9cda441b636e_948x528.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":528,"width":948,"resizeWidth":570,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Chinese migrant, Ya-ya, deported due to the accusation of supporting the CCP using force to reunify Taiwan. (Screenshot from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KjvVPwGezY">YouTube channel</a>)</figcaption></figure></div><p>The negative impression of Chinese migrants in Taiwan could lead some people to suspect that Light is a Chinese spy.</p><p>To Light, his marriage was worth the risk of fleeing China. “I don’t agree with what those Chinese migrants say or do, and I think I need to respect the country if I want to stay here,” said Light.</p><p>But, of course, doubt can creep in. “As a Chinese migrant, I’m not sure if the Taiwanese people would recognize me as part of their society.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: </em></p><p><em>This is our monthly supplemental issue on Taiwan!</em></p><p><em>We believe that empathy and authoritarianism can’t mix – that when we tell deeply-reported human stories of people threatened by dictators, it compels people to act against injustice.</em></p><p><em>Agree with us? Upgrade now to support our work.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Anastasiia Kryvoruchenko</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>EU GAS RESERVE AT THEIR LOWEST:</strong> Despite the fact that gas levels in Europe’s gas storage system have fallen to their lowest point since 2022, gas prices are not responding to the shortage, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/europes-gas-storage-is-draining-prices-reflect-no-urgency-bousso-2026-01-29/">reported</a>.</p><p>Current storage levels stand at 44%, and if current trends continue, they could fall to 30% by March. This would mean that around 60 billion cubic meters of gas would need to be added to match the gas levels before last winter.</p><p>Europe is set to phase out Russian gas completely by next year, meaning that keeping these reserves filled will be even more problematic. Europe is increasingly relying on liquefied natural gas (LNG) to replenish its underground gas storage.</p><p><strong>TAIWANESE DEFENSE TRAINING FOR CHINESE ATTACK: </strong>Taiwan’s military conducted drills in preparation for a potential Chinese attack, using missiles, drones, and coastal patrol boats. Taiwan regularly holds exercises ahead of the Lunar New Year, but this was the first time such drills were opened to the media since last December when China intimidated the island with military drills, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-military-practices-repelling-chinese-assault-sea-2026-01-29/">reported</a>.</p><p>During the drills, Taiwan simulated a scenario where an unidentified boat was detected and the military dispatched drones to conduct reconnaissance.</p><p><strong>LUKOIL SEEKS TO SELL FOREIGN ASSETS TO THE U.S.: </strong>Russia’s second-largest oil producer, Lukoil—which accounts for 2% of global oil production—has agreed to sell most of its foreign assets to the U.S. investment company Carlyle. The deal still requires approval from the U.S. Treasury Department, Kyiv Independent <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/lukoil-agrees-to-sell-foreign-assets-to-us-investment-firm/">reported</a>.</p><p>In October last year, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the company, froze its assets, and threatened additional sanctions on firms cooperating with Lukoil, aiming to pressure Russia into peace negotiations with Ukraine.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Today’s Cat of Conflict is Frosia, Nastia’s parents’ cat. In her youth she was feisty, but her old age has softened her and now she is really affectionate and purrs every time you pet her.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!fj3d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc7488c7a-2b05-4ada-b7b2-e6ca14b4bc66_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc7488c7a-2.png" width="960" height="1280" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c7488c7a-2b05-4ada-b7b2-e6ca14b4bc66_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Elaine</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/same-sex-couples-find-a-haven-in">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/ukraine-to-produce-over-million.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/ukraine-to-produce-over-million.html <p>Ukraine plans to marshal $120 billion for defense and security in 2026, drawing on its state budget, EU loans and assistance from international partners.</p> <p>Ukrainian defense enterprises will produce more than 7 million drones of various types for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) this year, Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Boyev said, according to <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/sergij-boyev-na-konferencziyi-ofdef-protipovitryana-oborona-droni-ta-boyepripasi-zbilshenoyi-dalnosti-klyuchovi-prioriteti-ukrayini-u-2026-roczi">the Defense Ministry</a>.</p> <p>He said the AFU has already created a 20-kilometer-deep strike zone at the front thanks to unmanned technologies, and now aims to extend it to 100 kilometers by targeting the logistics of Russian occupying forces deeper behind the lines.</p> <p>Boyev emphasized that this year’s top priorities are strengthening Ukraine’s air defense and supplying it with surface-to-air missiles, procuring longer-range munitions, and ramping up domestic drone production. Kyiv urged international partners to direct 80% of their support to these areas.</p> <p>Implementing Ukraine’s 2026 military strategy will require $120 billion. Some $60 billion will come from the state budget and EU loans, with another $60 billion expected from international partners as security assistance. In 2025, Kyiv secured $45 billion in aid for the AFU from international partners - the highest amount since Russia’s full-scale invasion.</p> <p>Last year, Ukrainian defense companies attracted more than $6 billion in foreign financing. Kyiv signed agreements with the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands on joint UAV production. In the UK, serial production of Ukraine’s Octopus drones - designed to destroy enemy strike UAVs - is set to begin soon. Starting in February 2026, Ukraine and Britain are expected to produce 1,000 Octopus drones per month.</p> <p>At the same time, foreign defense companies - primarily those specializing in unmanned technologies - are setting up manufacturing inside Ukraine. As of December 2025, 25 foreign firms were establishing production on Ukrainian territory, according to the Defense Ministry.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-produce-over-7-million-drones-in-2026-amid-120-billion-defense-push">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/estonia-warns-russian-veterans-could.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/estonia-warns-russian-veterans-could.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8e7428674a.jpg" alt="Estonia warns Russian veterans could flood Europe after Ukraine war, urges EU entry ban"></p>"We have close to 1 million combatants in Russia. They're mainly criminals; they are very dangerous people," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. "We have information that most of them will come to Europe after the war."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/estonia-pushes-eu-wide-entry-ban-for-russian-ex-soldiers-who-fought-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/finnish-prime-minister-open-to.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/finnish-prime-minister-open-to.html <p>Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says he is ready to resume dialogue with Moscow if Russia halts its military campaign against Ukraine.</p> <p>It is not possible at the moment, but such a situation cannot last forever, Orpo told <a href="https://www.iltalehti.fi/ulkomaat/a/2ccbe5e1-c1cc-4e60-ae5a-880b97b4ac0a">Iltalehti</a>.</p> <p>“Russia is our neighbor along the border and, of course, if this military aggression can be stopped, at some point the channels of communication will need to be opened — but now is not the time,” the Finnish prime minister said.</p> <p>He said he would sit down, if necessary, with Russian President Vladimir Putin — who launched the war against Ukraine and is subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.</p> <p>Advancing a peace settlement in Ukraine depends on Putin, Orpo emphasized.</p> <p>“For Finland, it is clear that resuming dialogue with Russia is extremely difficult as long as the war continues,” he added, stressing that any decision on the timing and format of renewed talks should be made together with European partners.</p> <p>In an interview given ahead of his trip to China, Orpo said he will raise the issue of a peace settlement in Ukraine with Chinese leaders, calling Russia’s war “the biggest security problem.” “If anyone can influence Russia, it is China. The fact that China supports Russia in the war harms the security of Europe - as well as Finland - and our relations,” he said.</p> <p>Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Finland has tightened security measures along its border with Russia.</p> <p>Finland has also joined NATO and taken other steps, including banning Russian citizens from buying property in the country.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/finnish-prime-minister-open-to-dialogue-with-russia-if-moscow-ends-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/german-authorities-raid-deutsche-bank.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 13:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/german-authorities-raid-deutsche-bank.html <p>German authorities have searched Deutsche Bank as part of an investigation tied to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, <a href="https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/durchsuchungen-in-frankfurt-und-berlin-bka-ermittler-gehen-gegen-deutsche-bank-vor-a-6bafde5c-3eb3-4797-990e-aaafa8406357">Spiegel reported</a>. On Wednesday morning, about 30 officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), acting on orders from prosecutors, searched the bank’s Frankfurt headquarters and its Berlin office.</p> <p>The Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office said it is investigating unidentified Deutsche Bank executives and employees on suspicion of money laundering. Investigators believe the lender previously maintained business ties with foreign companies suspected of being used for money laundering. According to Spiegel, the searches are connected to firms that investigators associate with Abramovich, who has been on the European Union sanctions list since spring 2022.</p> <p>A lawyer for Abramovich said: “Our client is not aware of any investigations by German authorities in this matter.” He added that Abramovich has always acted in accordance with applicable national and international laws and regulations, and that any claims to the contrary are “false and damaging to the oligarch’s reputation.”</p> <p>Deutsche Bank confirmed investigative actions on its premises and said it is fully cooperating with authorities, while declining to comment further.</p> <p>In December last year, UK authorities demanded that Abramovich direct £2.5 billion ($3.35 billion) from the sale of soccer club Chelsea to “any assistance” for Ukraine, threatening to take the matter to court if he refused.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-authorities-raid-deutsche-bank-in-money-laundering-probe-linked-to-roman-abramovich">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:38:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5dc58c21d8.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russian aircraft, radar station, drone control centres destroyed in multiple attacks, General Staff says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. Ukrainian forces struck several Russian military targets, including an aircraft, the General Staff said on Jan. 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-29/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/ukraine-repatriates-bodies-of-fallen.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:59:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/ukraine-repatriates-bodies-of-fallen.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-29-12-17-24.jpg" alt="Ukraine repatriates bodies of 1,000 fallen soldiers"></p>Russia confirmed that it had handed over 1,000 bodies to Ukraine under the Istanbul agreement in exchange for 38 bodies of fallen Russian soldiers, Kremlin-controlled news agency TASS reported on Jan. 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-repatriates-bodies-of-1-000-fallen-soldiers/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/estonia-to-ban-russian-and.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:34:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/estonia-to-ban-russian-and.html <p>On January 29, 2026, Estonia announced a new legal measure banning Russian and Belarusian citizens who do not have permanent residency status in the country from purchasing real estate. This includes companies acting on their behalf, aiming to mitigate security risks. The move is part of Estonia&rsquo;s broader efforts to limit Russian and Belarusian economic influence amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. The Ministry of Finance spokesman confirmed the legislation citing national security concerns. This ban intends to prevent exploitation of property ownership by foreign nationals considered potential threats and is part of multiple measures Estonia has taken targeting Russian-linked entities. The law is expected to enter into force promptly to address growing security threats connected to Russia&rsquo;s aggression and influence activities.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Exploiting international law &amp; treaties</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/k/news">news.err.ee/k/news</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/2cef2aa9-b55f-48c1-a62c-5643db7a2121">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/lukoil-agrees-to-sell-most.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:10:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/lukoil-agrees-to-sell-most.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2246564713.jpg" alt="Lukoil agrees to sell most of its foreign assets to US investment group"></p>The Carlyle deal does not include Lukoil's assets in Kazakhstan and is still subject to approval by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Russian energy giant said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/lukoil-agrees-to-sell-foreign-assets-to-us-investment-firm/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/they-dont-consider-their-work.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:29:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/they-dont-consider-their-work.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257351346-1.jpg" alt="'They don't consider their work heroic' — 4 energy workers die amid Kyiv repairs following Russian attacks"></p><p>As Kyiv's repair crews scramble to keep the lights and heat on after repeated Russian strikes, the work has become punishing — and, in recent weeks, deadly.</p><p>Oleksandr Pitaichuk, a 31-year-old high-angle rescuer, died during emergency repair work at one of Kyiv's power facilities on Jan.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/they-dont-consider-their-work-heroic-4-workers-die-amid-kyiv-energy-repairs-following-russian-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/zelensky-warns-russia-preparing-new.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 04:06:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/zelensky-warns-russia-preparing-new.html <p>Ukraine’s President said that despite global diplomatic efforts, Russia continues to strike Ukrainian cities and is preparing a new large-scale attack. He also confirmed that Kyiv faces a difficult situation, especially with heating.</p> <p>“We know the Russians are preparing a new strike. Intelligence is providing information about this. America, Europe - all our partners - need to understand how this discredits diplomatic talks. Every one of Russia’s strikes does,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17796">his nightly address</a>.</p> <p>The president said he is holding talks on the assistance Ukraine needs most right now and spoke today with French President Emmanuel Macron. He stressed that the efforts of all partners are crucial.</p> <p>“We count on Europe’s support. It’s important that leaders and states do not stay silent about what is happening. Do not stay silent about the fact that the Russians are still trying to inflict as much pain as possible on Ukrainians, regardless of any diplomacy,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that with so many diplomatic efforts to end the war — with Americans talking to the Russians and Europeans trying as well - diplomacy must carry real weight for people.</p> <p>“When Russian strikes continue, when assaults continue, it’s hard for people to feel that diplomacy is constructive and can deliver results. Everyone who truly wants peace must think about how to ensure the Russians prepare not for new mass attacks, but for ending the war. Peace has the power to make this happen. We just need to use that power for peace. Absolutely. Thank you to everyone who sees the situation this way,” the president said.</p> <p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there is progress on peace talks. In particular, the number of unresolved issues has been reduced to one - territory.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-warns-russia-preparing-new-large-scale-strike">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/russian-su-reportedly-downed-near.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:59:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/russian-su-reportedly-downed-near.html <p>Monitoring channels <a href="https://t.me/odessa_inform/26839">reported</a> around 9 p.m. that a multirole, supersonic Su-34 took off from the Russian military airfield “Maykop.” The jet was then spotted near Snake Island.</p> <p>Later, Russian aviation blogger and propagandist Fighterbomber wrote that the aircraft crashed and the pilots apparently did not survive.</p> <p>Ukrainian monitoring channels subsequently <a href="https://t.me/odessa_inform/26841">reported</a> the Su-34 was shot down near Snake Island. Officials have not yet confirmed the incident.</p> <p>Earlier, investigative analysts identified the person behind the Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which focuses on Russian military aviation and openly supports the war. He is Capt. Ilya Tumanov of the Russian Armed Forces, from Voronezh. Until at least early 2020, Tumanov served at the “Baltimore” air base in Voronezh as a squadron navigator’s assistant on a Su-34 and was deployed to Syria. He often reports Russian aviation losses quickly, even as Russia’s Defense Ministry seeks to keep such information under wraps.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-su-34-reportedly-downed-near-snake-island">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/extension.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/extension.html <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Country: Lithuania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2821137/lithuania-says-russian-opposition-figure-volkov-is-no-security-threat-can-stay-in-country">www.lrt.lt/en/news-i&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/e8f63a45-f1ea-4252-9ad5-9f17d5fb570c">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/germany-to-harden-critical-infrastructure.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/germany-to-harden-critical-infrastructure.html <p>Amid surging tensions and fears of sabotage from Russia, Germany has passed a law to better protect its critical infrastructure including energy, water, transport, and IT sectors. The law mandates essential service providers to enhance security, conduct regular risk assessments, and report incidents within 24 hours to civil authorities. This legislative push follows a mid-winter power outage in Berlin caused by a far-left militant group, which sparked public debate and a government reward offer for culprits. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt highlighted Germany&rsquo;s responsibility to implement resilience measures against hybrid warfare threats such as terrorism, espionage, and aggression by foreign powers. The law also aligns Germany with European Union standards in the protection of critical services. Experts contend that despite some criticism that the new measures are insufficient or late, the law represents a necessary shift from temporary to permanent resilience efforts. Further concerns include the targeting of supply chains, data cables, and the need to secure against industrial accidents and natural disasters. Business sectors caution about compliance costs, while security experts emphasize the importance of integrated defense planning and readiness, comparing infrastructure protection to preventing tanks and drones. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has committed to increasing military and infrastructure resilience amid ongoing conflict in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Energy &amp; Infrastructure Attacks</p> <p>Subcategory: Critical Infrastructure Sabotage</p> <p>Incident Type: Power grids, pipelines</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/69080">www.kyivpost.com/post/6908&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/9c533dc5-a0ba-48e1-839a-64e03ab81078">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/schrder-and-lafontaine-old-men.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/schrder-and-lafontaine-old-men.html <p>Gerhard Schröder and Oskar Lafontaine, once prominent German politicians, now mostly stir controversy due to their strong pro-Russian rhetoric. Schröder warns against demonizing Russia and promotes renewed energy cooperation with Russia despite the ongoing brutal war in Ukraine unleashed by Putin. Lafontaine downplays Russian responsibility for the war, invoking Holocaust remembrance to argue against alleged &lsquo;Russophobia&rsquo; and antisemitism accusations. He controversially claims Israel’s arms support for Germany implicates it morally in the suffering of Palestinians. Both are criticized for prolonging denial of present realities, moving away from their former social democratic tradition rooted in détente and economic interdependence. Schröder&rsquo;s post-chancellorship close ties to Gazprom and Rosneft have effectively made him a lobbyist for an authoritarian regime. Lafontaine frames Russia’s actions as reactions to NATO expansion and Western provocation, ignoring Russia’s imperial ambitions and authoritarian violence. The article condemns their views as &lsquo;blindness through proximity&rsquo; and warns against their damaging influence.</p> <p>Category: Societal &amp; Cultural Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Propaganda &amp; Cultural Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Exploiting ethnic/language minorities</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/schroder-und-lafontaine--alte-manner-auf-abwegen-putins-propagandisten-15197672.html">www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/65af02cd-67b9-4662-af78-7fb68add0af4">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/29/systematic-changes-to-baltic-peoples.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/29/systematic-changes-to-baltic-peoples.html <p>Latvian public broadcaster LSM exposed systematic edits on Wikipedia targeting biographies of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian individuals identified as victims of Soviet repression, including politicians, artists, and athletes. These changes erase references to Latvia’s Soviet past, the occupation, repression under the Latvian SSR (1940-1991), and historical facts about Soviet deportations and political imprisonment. Media reports show that people&rsquo;s biographies are being rewritten to omit or downplay negative Soviet historical aspects and instead present an interpreted Soviet view historically favorable to Russia. The editorial manipulations occur mainly on the Latvian-language Wikipedia but also affect Estonian and Lithuanian biographies. These alterations contribute to historical revisionism favoring Russian narratives and may be part of information warfare targeting Baltic countries' collective memory. The article cites research, journalist findings, and expert opinions on the misleading alterations and the challenge of correcting them. Authorities in Baltic states, including Latvia’s Ministry of Culture and intelligence services, are monitoring the situation. The article highlights the ongoing information battle over history in the Baltic region as part of broader hybrid warfare by Russia.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Unknown</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/29.01.2026-no-latvijas-uz-latvijas-psr-ka-tiek-mainitas-baltijas-cilveku-biografijas-vikipedija.a632082/">www.lsm.lv/raksts/zi&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ca17b8eb-2a20-479f-97e3-34b5301ca1d1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/putin-aide-invites-zelensky-to.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 22:06:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/putin-aide-invites-zelensky-to.html <p>Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Vladimir Putin, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky can come to Moscow if he is ready to meet the Russian leader. He added that Russia would guarantee the Ukrainian leader’s security.</p> <p>Ushakov’s remarks about potential peace talks were published on January 28 by <a href="https://t.me/zarubinreporter/4667">Russian state TV journalist Pavel Zarubin</a>. Responding to comments by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha about Zelensky’s readiness to meet Vladimir Putin, Ushakov said the issue is “not new” for the Kremlin.</p> <p>According to Putin’s aide, a meeting with Zelensky was discussed several times during phone contacts with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ushakov said Russia has “never refused and is not refusing” such a format for peace talks.</p> <p>“The main thing is that these contacts be well prepared and aimed at achieving concrete, positive results. And our president has said several times in conversations with journalists that if Zelensky is truly ready to meet, we invite him to Moscow and will guarantee his security and the necessary conditions for work,” Ushakov said.</p> <p>Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Zelensky is ready to meet with Putin, in an interview with European Pravda published on January 27. According to Sybiha, the Ukrainian president is prepared to discuss the occupied territories and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>Zelensky said on January 23 that parameters for ending the war and the logic of the negotiation process were discussed during trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, noting that ending hostilities requires Russia’s willingness.</p> <p>U.S. President Donald Trump praised the Russia-Ukraine talks and told reporters that “very good things are happening” in relations between Kyiv and Moscow.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-aide-invites-zelensky-to-moscow-for-talks-vows-security-guarantees">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/soldiers-lost-per-month-the.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 21:30:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/soldiers-lost-per-month-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/42b9a7c2f1.jpg" alt="50,000 soldiers LOST per month – the optimal level for the Russian Federation, – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jUoCMsys2xA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/meeting-with-putin-and-agreement.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 21:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/meeting-with-putin-and-agreement.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d1454167b6.jpg" alt="MEETING WITH PUTIN AND AGREEMENT WITH THE US! Has Sybiga revealed a plan to end the war?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CooK135BA48">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/exclusive-trumps-top-envoy-negotiating.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:46:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/exclusive-trumps-top-envoy-negotiating.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256697258.jpg" alt="Exclusive: Trump's top envoy negotiating Ukraine's fate displays 'shocking' lack of knowledge about war, politics"></p><p>A senior U.S. envoy involved in efforts to end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has displayed a lack of basic understanding of Ukraine's political system and the war itself while speaking to reporters, the Kyiv Independent has learned.</p><p>The official is engaged in high-level negotiations</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-top-envoy-displays-shocking-lack-of-knowledge-about-war-politics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/zelenskyy-warns-new-russian-strike.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:41:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/zelenskyy-warns-new-russian-strike.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3661711a52.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy warns: new Russian strike discredits diplomacy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eo7wF9Y0_Ok">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukrainian-defenders-stopped-attempts-by.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukrainian-defenders-stopped-attempts-by.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/68aa627d6d.jpg" alt="Ukrainian defenders stopped 7 attempts by Russians to break through in the south #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SxV3oGFJEPA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/afu-destroy-air-defense-near.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/afu-destroy-air-defense-near.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/25a01f174a.jpg" alt="💥AFU destroy air defense near Kachi; 1.23M Russian losses, 105 battles in 24 hours"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1-seHsqV8g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraine-russia-masses-troops-near.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 19:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraine-russia-masses-troops-near.html <p>Russian forces have spent the past year and a half trying to seize the city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, concentrating about 150,000 troops in the area, according to the Ukrainian military.</p> <p>Around Pokrovsk, Russian forces are focused on capturing the settlement of Grishino, while in neighboring Mirnograd they are increasing pressure in the northern part of the city, the 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said in <a href="https://facebook.com/reel/1492854932846372/?locale=ru">a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>The corps said Russian units, taking advantage of poor weather, are massing light vehicles and personnel in an industrial zone in the city’s northwest. From there, they are attempting advances toward Grishino along several routes. A Russian group managed to infiltrate the settlement several days ago but was destroyed by Ukrainian troops, it added.</p> <p>In Mirnograd, the line of contact runs through the city’s northern section, Krasny Lyman–Rodinskoye. To assault the city’s north, Russia is building up reserves near Novogrodovka. Small-arms fighting continues in the city center.</p> <p>Drone crews have stepped up operations in the sector, the 7th Corps said. Russian forces are more frequently launching “Molniya” as a mothership UAV carrying two FPV drones, extending their effective range. There have also been instances of Russian fiber‑optic‑guided drones — unaffected by electronic warfare — striking targets up to 20 kilometers behind the front line.</p> <p>In the Pokrovsk–Mirnograd area, Russia has also increased the use of tactical aviation. Between January 19 and 25, Russian forces dropped nearly 360 aerial bombs around the two cities — about 20% more than the previous week, the corps said.</p> <p>On January 26, Russian forces carried out 33 assaults on Ukrainian positions in the Pokrovsk direction, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. Fighting took place near Rodinskoye, Pokrovsk, Kotlino, Molodetskoye and Filiya. As of mid‑January, roughly 150,000 Russian troops were massed on that stretch of the front.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-russia-masses-150-000-troops-near-pokrovsk-as-small-arms-clashes-and-drone-strikes-intensify">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/as-temperatures-outside-plunge-a.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:56:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/as-temperatures-outside-plunge-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-3862-1.jpg" alt="As temperatures outside plunge, a Ukrainian pet shelter struggles to keep animals warm amid Russian attacks"></p><p>Just over 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Kyiv, the Hostomel animal shelter is trying to keep more than 700 cats and dogs alive and warm as Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure leave the country facing rolling outages, scarce heat, and long stretches without power.</p><p>The</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/looks-of-faith-perseverance-of-ukrainian-animal-shelters-in-times-of-cold-and-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraines-foreign-minister-zelensky-is.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:30:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraines-foreign-minister-zelensky-is.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is prepared for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha says.</p> <p>Sybiha confirmed Zelensky’s readiness to meet Putin to address the most sensitive issues in the peace process, <a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/interview/2026/01/27/7229924/)">Evropeyska Pravda report</a>.</p> <p>Discussing talks in Abu Dhabi, Sybiha said Zelensky is ready to personally discuss with Putin the question of territory and the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>“It’s very important that the American side remains in the process,” he said. According to him, talks have made progress that opened the door to a trilateral format involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.</p> <p>The foreign minister noted there were also contacts in Abu Dhabi between members of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations.</p> <p>“The negotiations are very difficult, but we can state a qualitative change in the composition of the Russian delegation. These are different people now, and those pseudo-historical lectures were gone. The conversations were very focused,” Sybiha said.</p> <p>Special attention, he added, was given to talks among representatives of the military bloc, including military intelligence and the General Staff.</p> <p>“There were substantive discussions about the parameters of a ceasefire or truce, and about procedures for monitoring or verifying a truce,” the minister explained.</p> <p>Sybiha said he sees no need for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, adding that creating “parallel tracks” in the peace process is not timely.</p> <p>The minister confirmed that Ukraine is counting on signing a 20-point peace plan, but only if all provisions are agreed.</p> <p>“As you know, the most sensitive issues remain unresolved,” Sybiha noted, specifying that these are territory and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>“Yes, those two. The president is ready to meet with Putin to resolve them and discuss this,” the foreign minister said. He emphasized that Russia remains an obstacle to the peace process.</p> <p>Sybiha also clarified details regarding the U.S. peace plan.</p> <p>“Speaking specifically about this 20-point framework, right now it is a bilateral document to be signed by the United States and Ukraine. And with Russia, the United States should be the signatory. At the moment, that’s the structure under discussion, but talks continue—it’s a process,” he said.</p> <p>At the same time, the minister underscored the participation of Ukraine’s European partners in the peace process and in shaping security guarantees.</p> <p>“It’s important that, for the first time, we’re talking specifically about the term ‘security guarantees,’” Sybiha noted. He added it is crucial to make those guarantees legally binding, including ratification by the U.S. Congress.</p> <p>The minister also addressed the presence of foreign troops as part of a future security architecture.</p> <p>“Yes, American troops won’t be there. But some European partners confirm their contingent. Of course, this is only possible with an American backstop,” Sybiha explained.</p> <p>He said the presence of Western military personnel is an important factor not only for security but also for the country’s economic recovery.</p> <p>Sybiha also called for a strong deterrence package that would clearly spell out the consequences for Russia if it violates the peace.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-foreign-minister-zelensky-is-ready-to-meet-putin-to-discuss-territory-and-the-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/why-colombian-volunteers-are-joining.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:11:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/why-colombian-volunteers-are-joining.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/colombiansoldier-2-.jpg" alt="Why Colombian volunteers are joining war in Ukraine"></p>Colombians, many shaped by decades of armed conflict at home, have become one of the largest groups of foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The Kyiv Independent's Jared Goyette speaks with a Colombian volunteer who spent two years fighting in Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/why-colombian-volunteers-are-joining-war-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/shocking-russian-tv-broadcasts-how.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/shocking-russian-tv-broadcasts-how.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cd1aeed0e9.jpg" alt="😱 Shocking Russian TV broadcasts: how the Kremlin is preparing the world for a nuclear apocalypse"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-gMQ1Avg5U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraine-to-receive-mirage-jets.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraine-to-receive-mirage-jets.html <p>Ukraine is set to receive fighter jets and air-defense missiles as part of a new military aid package from France. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov <a href="https://t.me/zedigital/6607">said</a> the country expects additional Mirage 2000-5 aircraft soon, a move he said will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s air capabilities. He spoke to the journalists after talks with French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin on Tuesday evening, January 27.</p> <p>The discussions focused on deepening military cooperation. Ukraine expects deliveries of ammunition for SAMP/T and Crotale air-defense systems, as well as longer-range capabilities. France is ready to provide additional missiles quickly, Fedorov said, thanking Paris for the expedited support.</p> <p>The meeting also addressed efforts to counter Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Fedorov emphasized the need to curb Russia’s resources, calling it critical to limiting Moscow’s financial capacity to sustain the war.</p> <p>Fedorov invited Catherine Vautrin to visit Ukraine and proposed expanding cooperation, including joint data-sharing and analytics.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-receive-mirage-2000-5-jets-and-air-defense-missiles-in-new-french-aid-package">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/impossible-to-ban-grief-how.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:18:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/impossible-to-ban-grief-how.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1399231102.jpg" alt="'Impossible to ban grief' — how Russia tries and fails to hide its casualties in Ukraine"></p><p>Russia has tightened control over information about its battlefield losses in Ukraine, cutting off data and closing one public loophole after another. The effort has not stopped the evidence of the dead from surfacing.</p><p>As 2025 came to an end, <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/15/british-intelligence-russia-likely-lost-415000-soldiers-killed-and-injured-in-2025/">Western governments</a> and <a href="https://en.zona.media/article/2026/01/16/casualties_eng-trl">independent groups</a> alike tallied staggering figures for</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/impossible-to-ban-grief-how-russia-tries-and-fails-to-hide-its-casualties-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukrainian-railways-introduces-additional-security.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:12:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukrainian-railways-introduces-additional-security.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-28-17-15-48.jpg" alt="Ukrainian Railways introduces additional security measures after deadly Russian attack on passenger train in Kharkiv Oblast"></p>Three Russian Geran-2 drones struck the train on Jan. 27 at around 4:30 p.m. local time in the Barvinkove community.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-railways-introduces-additional-security-measures-after-russian-attack-on-passenger-train-in-kharkiv-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russia-has-already-lost-its.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:05:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russia-has-already-lost-its.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/057384602c.jpg" alt="Russia has already lost its future! Moscow is becoming a vassal of China"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whUAeGGmupY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraine-arrests-alleged-belarusian-kgb.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraine-arrests-alleged-belarusian-kgb.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has detained a deep-cover Belarusian KGB agent in Kyiv who allegedly tried to infiltrate the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the agency <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/2004191473776646?locale=uk_UA">said</a>.</p> <p>The arrest was carried out together with the DIU’s internal security unit.</p> <p>Investigators say the suspect, a Belarusian citizen, had served as a career agent of the Belarusian KGB since at least 2015 and was dispatched from Minsk to Ukraine in 2020 for intelligence tasks. By the time the active phase of the operation began, the SBU had already placed her under surveillance, documenting her contacts and actions.</p> <p>According to the SBU, the 35-year-old operated under the cover of journalism. At one point she worked as a correspondent for the pro-Russian TV channel 112 Kanal, linked to Viktor Medvedchuk, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. She reported across former Soviet states. After that outlet was shut down, Belarusian security services, in coordination with Belarus’s top military-political leadership, sent her to continue operating in Ukraine.</p> <p>Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, she secured a job at a leading Ukrainian media outlet. Using professional ties and access to the press corps, she broadened her network among Ukrainian politicians, service members and foreign diplomats, allowing her to gather sensitive information, the SBU said.</p> <p>After the war began, her handler instructed her to travel to an EU country for further guidance. She crossed the border under the pretext of a medical examination, bought a separate smartphone with a one-time SIM card to communicate with a Belarusian security representative, and disposed of the device after contact.</p> <p>During that briefing, she was tasked with collecting information on Belarusian and Russian nationals assisting Ukraine in resisting the aggressor state. She was also directed to establish informal contacts with staff at China’s embassy in Ukraine to obtain intelligence on the activities of Chinese diplomats.</p> <p>Upon returning to Kyiv, she attempted to secure a position in a staff unit of the DIU, prompting an immediate internal security operation, according to the statement.</p> <p>The SBU and DIU then ran a prolonged sting, deliberately misleading the foreign service with simulated secret data circulated only within a controlled circle around the agent. Authorities also documented attempts to identify new candidates for recruitment into the KGB’s agent network.</p> <p>After gathering sufficient evidence, SBU officers working with the DIU detained the suspect near her residence. They seized a smartphone and a voice recorder that allegedly contained restricted information.</p> <p>The woman was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 114 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (espionage). She is in custody and faces up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-arrests-alleged-belarusian-kgb-agent-after-attempt-to-infiltrate-ukraine-s-defense-intelligence">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/countries-close-the-baltic-sea.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:30:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/countries-close-the-baltic-sea.html <p>Russia’s shadow fleet will no longer be allowed into the Baltic Sea. An official letter says growing interference with satellite navigation in European waters “originating from the Russian Federation” is creating risks. As a result, ships that conceal their nationality by changing flags and names will be detained.</p> <p>Vessels may sail under only one flag and must carry valid safety and insurance documentation, according to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-growing-risks-to-maritime-safety/the-growing-risks-to-maritime-safety">a joint statement</a> published by the UK Department for Transport.</p> <p>Tankers that do not meet these requirements will be treated as stateless vessels and will be detained.</p> <p>The statement said Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom issued the warning after publishing a joint open letter through the UK government.</p> <p>In that letter, the countries said the growing interference with satellite navigation in European waters “originating from the Russian Federation” undermines the safety of international shipping. All vessels are at risk.</p> <p>Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, interference with satellite navigation has been documented for years, with European aviation regulators warning about an increase in GNSS jamming and spoofing incidents affecting areas around the war zone and disrupting air and maritime traffic.</p> <p>“Maintaining trust in maritime navigation requires more than just technology — it requires accountability, transparency and decisive action. We must ensure the safety of our seas, including in the event of failures or disruptions to systems,” the statement said.</p> <p>The signatories warned that shadow tankers concealing their origin — changing flags, switching off transponders or operating without proper documentation — will be considered stateless. Such ships may be detained without legal risk.</p> <p>On January 22, French Navy personnel boarded an oil tanker sailing from Russia under a false flag. The operation took place in the Mediterranean Sea.</p> <p>And on January 20, the United States detained the oil tanker Sagitta in the Caribbean, a sanctioned vessel that is part of Russia’s shadow fleet. The tanker violated a quarantine in the Caribbean imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for sanctioned vessels.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/14-countries-close-the-baltic-sea-to-russia-s-shadow-fleet-vow-to-detain-stateless-tankers">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russias-top-general-falsely-claims.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russias-top-general-falsely-claims.html <p>Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, in a briefing on January 27, claimed Russian forces had captured Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi. The claim was rejected not only by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, but also by pro-Kremlin channels.</p> <p>Russian outlet ASTRA <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102975">reported</a> January 27 on what it called the Russian military leadership’s falsehoods about the fighting for Kupyansk.</p> <p>The head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Andriy Kovalenko, also <a href="https://t.me/akovalenko1989/10332">denied</a> the Russians had taken Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.</p> <p>“On the eastern bank of the Oskil River, units of the 1st Guards Tank Army continue to eliminate encircled enemy formations. Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi has been liberated. Checks and clearing of urban blocks in this town are underway,” Gerasimov said at a command post.</p> <p>However, on <a href="https://deepstatemap.live/#13/49.6606691/37.6529665">the DeepState live map</a>, Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi remains under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <p>Gerasimov’s “liberation” claim surprised even pro-Kremlin bloggers.</p> <p>“So as not to offend the feelings of any respected generals, I’ll explain very carefully about Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi. Red circles Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi. Blue marks the localities that, to put it mildly, are not exactly under our control. The thick black (not red) line is the boundary up to which there is visual confirmation of AFU control,” wrote the author of the war channel “Belarusian silovik,” <a href="https://t.me/belarusian_silovik/67719">attaching a map</a>.</p> <p>The pro-Kremlin channel “Voenny Osvedomitel” also <a href="https://t.me/milinfolive/165159">wrote</a> that reports from Russia’s military leadership about the situation on the Kupyansk axis “live in their own parallel reality that barely intersects with objective reality.”</p> <p>“Perhaps there exists some inverted version of Kupyansk and nearby areas where all these very strange things with regular liberations and encirclements are taking place. There are no other options left,” the admins wrote, referencing the popular series “Stranger Things.”</p> <p>Admins of the “Blue Z Beard” channel also <a href="https://t.me/beard_tim/30291">did not believe</a> Gerasimov’s claims of control over Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.</p> <p>“Go ahead and write that Kyiv is already liberated too, why not. There haven’t even been any urban fights there yet. Looks like someone’s calendar got stuck on 2022,” the channel’s authors wrote.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation weighs in</p> <p>CCD head Andriy Kovalenko said Russian forces control neither Kupyansk nor Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, and that the Russian General Staff, with its lies, is “reinforcing Putin’s parallel reality.”</p> <p>“In Kupyansk they’re finishing off clearing out their remnants. But Gerasimov brings Putin a lie on paper about ‘control of Kupyansk’ and even already of ‘Vuzlovyi.’ The reality is completely the opposite,” Kovalenko wrote.</p> <p>He said the fiction about capturing Kupyansk-Uzlovoy is intended by Russia’s military leadership to show supposed “breakthroughs at the front” that don’t exist, particularly to Western countries.</p> <p>Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi is an urban-type settlement in Kupyansk district, Kharkiv region, on the left bank of the Oskil River, about 7 kilometers south of central Kupyansk.</p> <p>On January 25, Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces, said Russia is trying to break through in the Kharkiv region to create a buffer zone, with constant fighting around Vovchansk and Kupyansk. He added that the occupiers are not achieving success on the Kupyansk axis.</p> <p>On January 19, The Washington Post reported that Kupyansk had been a “bargaining chip” for Russia in talks, and that its loss gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “card” in negotiations.</p> <p>A January 16 report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Russia is lying about the war in Ukraine to convince the West it can win and to force Kyiv to accept Kremlin demands in peace talks. Kupyansk, analysts wrote, “has become a particular pressure point” for Russia’s military leadership.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-top-general-falsely-claims-capture-of-kupyansk-vuzlovyi-pro-kremlin-bloggers-push-back">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/syrian-president-arrives-in-moscow.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:30:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/syrian-president-arrives-in-moscow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cde8b0d000.jpg" alt="Syrian president arrives in Moscow for talks with Putin"></p>The Kremlin has sought to strengthen ties with the new leadership in Damascus after the toppling of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a Russian ally, in 2024.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/syrian-president-arrives-in-moscow-for-talks-with-putin/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraine-us-to-sign-separate.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:24:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraine-us-to-sign-separate.html <p>Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that, at this stage, a direct agreement between Ukraine and Russia to end Russia’s war of aggression is not under discussion.</p> <p>“Speaking strictly about this 20-point framework (an agreement to end the war in Ukraine), for now it’s a bilateral document to be signed by the United States and Ukraine.”</p> <p>“As for Russia — the United States would sign with Moscow as well.”</p> <p>“That’s the structure currently being discussed, but negotiations are ongoing — it’s a process,” Sybiha said in an interview with <a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/rus/interview/2026/01/27/7229924">European Pravda</a>.</p> <p>European partners, whose signatures are not envisaged on the agreements, “are present in the peace process and in the arrangements on security guarantees,” Sybiha added, noting that “for the first time we are talking specifically about ‘security guarantees,’ not ‘assurances’ or something similar.”</p> <p>He also confirmed there will be no U.S. peacekeepers on Ukrainian territory under any outcome of the talks.</p> <p>Two “sensitive issues” remain unresolved in the negotiations — territory and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, he said.</p> <p>To resolve them, President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to meet personally with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sybiha emphasized.</p> <p>According to The Financial Times, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated to Ukraine that Washington’s security guarantees depend on Kyiv agreeing to a peace deal that would likely include ceding Donbas to Russia.</p> <p>Two of them said Washington also promised Kyiv additional weapons deliveries to support the country in peacetime if Ukraine meets that condition.</p> <p>Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly rejected the article’s claims, accusing the FT of “allowing malicious and anonymous lies to spread in order to derail a peace process that is in an excellent stage after the historic trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi.”</p> <p>A senior official in Kyiv said the U.S. is “using guarantees to push Ukraine” toward concessions that, in Washington’s view, could “bring Russia to the negotiating table.”</p> <p>Several Ukrainian officials and military analysts warned that if Russia takes Donbas, it would give its forces a springboard for deeper advances into Ukraine.</p> <p>The Trump administration expects a Russia-Ukraine peace agreement to be concluded by May 15 this year, Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Verkhovna Rada lawmaker from the European Solidarity party, said on the Ranok.LIVE online program on January 27, citing his sources.</p> <p>He said May is viewed in the U.S. as an informal deadline for a deal between Kyiv and Moscow, after which the American side may exit the talks.</p> <p>Over the weekend, Abu Dhabi hosted the first trilateral negotiations among representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States on ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.</p> <p>The Ukrainian president later praised the talks and said delegations will meet again on February 1.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-u-s-to-sign-separate-deals-with-kyiv-and-moscow-amid-dispute-over-donbas-linked-guarantees">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russia-strikes-passenger-train-in.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:21:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russia-strikes-passenger-train-in.html <p>Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of targeting civilians after a passenger train carrying nearly 300 people was struck in the Kharkiv region on January 27.</p> <p>The Russian military used attack drones to hit the train, according to Ukraine’s state rail operator <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ukrzaliznytsia/posts/pfbid02asxbkYDKmEKtjuhm5hdWzaopdKMcYSjQCUvcSqMzJZqTh132GvT4KEuusJ3xMNVQl">Ukrzaliznytsia</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oleksiikuleba/posts/pfbid02716yL3MyFekJtyzXvssminStYRekobAbzGNSazs1zDEVtFJpD55Rh8xgZX8smMBfl?locale=uk_UA">Oleksiy Kuleba</a>. The train was the Barvinkove–Lviv–Chop service.</p> <p>Preliminary reports say three Shahed-type drones were used. One detonated in front of the locomotive; another hit a passenger car, sparking a fire. There were 291 people on board at the time.</p> <p>Train crew and emergency responders evacuated passengers. Two people were injured and taken to hospitals, officials said. Reserve buses are being arranged for those unable to continue their journey, and assistance is being provided to passengers waiting for return services at stations.</p> <p>Medical teams, rescuers and police are at the scene. Ukrzaliznytsia is coordinating the response, supporting those affected and working to restore service.</p> <p>Kuleba called the strike on a civilian train “a direct act of Russian terror against the civilian population,” saying there was no military target.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-strikes-passenger-train-in-kharkiv-region-with-shahed-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/drones-over-railway-stations-and.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:15:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/drones-over-railway-stations-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/acf3ab29b8.jpg" alt="Drones over railway stations and monasteries – Putin's terror crosses all red lines"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7-VZVIzNKg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/wow-watch-details-of-real.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:50:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/wow-watch-details-of-real.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d0749350a8.jpg" alt="WOW! WATCH Details of Real Hell near Krasnodar: Russian Missiles Hit Their Own | Live Stream"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIf4xSjxw8I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russia-says-its-ready-for.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:47:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russia-says-its-ready-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e270f33021.jpg" alt="Russia says it's ready for Zelensky-Putin meeting — but only if Ukraine's president travels to Moscow"></p>Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow is prepared to ensure President Volodymyr Zelensky's security.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-says-its-ready-for-zelensky-putin-meeting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraine-war-latest-live-sbu.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:43:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraine-war-latest-live-sbu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-1156.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: SBU releases greatest hits video of 2025 drone strikes on Russian aircraft"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 3 times today. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) on Jan. 28 released a video compilation of what it claimed was the destruction of more than $1 billion worth of Russian military aircraft in long-range drone strikes conducted by its Alpha special forces unit.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-28/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/ukraine-targets-oil-depot-in.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:46:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/ukraine-targets-oil-depot-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1259154407.jpg" alt="Ukraine targets oil depot in Russia's Voronezh Oblast, strikes several military facilities in occupied territories, General Staff says"></p>The attack on the oil depot caused a fire at the facility and ignited stored petroleum products. Thick smoke is rising above the site, the General Staff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-targets-oil-depot-in-russias-voronezh-oblast-strikes-several-military-facilities-in-occupied-territories-general-staff-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russians-attacked-a-monastery-and.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:47:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russians-attacked-a-monastery-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c51363743d.jpg" alt="Russians attacked a monastery and homes in Odesa: shelling aftermath #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JGUt77FnT_E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russian-cyber-operations-to-destabilize.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:35:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russian-cyber-operations-to-destabilize.html <p>The document titled &lsquo;Russian Cyber Operations to Destabilize NATO&rsquo; provides an in-depth assessment of cyber campaigns conducted by Russian actors targeting NATO countries. The analysis includes a detailed examination of cyber attacks, information operations, and espionage efforts aimed at undermining the alliance&rsquo;s political cohesion, military readiness, and public trust. It identifies key patterns in Russian cyber activity, the use of misinformation and propaganda, and the integration of cyber warfare with broader hybrid warfare strategies. The report highlights specific incidents, techniques, and threat actors involved, alongside recommendations for strengthening NATO&rsquo;s cybersecurity defenses and resilience against ongoing and future threats. It emphasizes the critical importance of coordinated allied responses and intelligence sharing.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Incident Type: Hacking, malware, ransomware</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://calhoun.nps.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/3aa94862-f93d-4709-ba1c-5fca9c1f78a1/content">calhoun.nps.edu/server/ap&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ea57394e-638c-4853-9ec2-111dcad62942">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/shelling-of-zaporizhzhia-consequences-of.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:22:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/shelling-of-zaporizhzhia-consequences-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c95a5bd030.jpg" alt="Shelling of Zaporizhzhia: consequences of Russia’s attack on a residential district #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YB67v2rg2KY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/the-dimensions-of-russian-sea.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:11:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/the-dimensions-of-russian-sea.html <p>The article provides a detailed assessment of Russian sea denial capabilities and strategies in the Baltic Sea, highlighting the multifaceted nature of Russian military operations aimed at restricting NATO maritime movement. Russian forces leverage a combination of advanced anti-ship missile systems, naval minefields, submarines, and coastal coastal defense missile units. The article discusses strategic maritime chokepoints, notably the Suwałki Gap and the Kaliningrad enclave, emphasizing Russia&rsquo;s intent to control key sea lanes and project power in the region. It also notes the significant role of layered air defense, electronic warfare, and intelligence operations supporting sea denial. The analysis underscores the importance for NATO and Baltic states to understand these layered threats to develop effective countermeasures and maintain freedom of navigation. The article includes a map indicating Russian deployments and contested maritime areas, and concludes with recommendations for alliance adaptation against Russian sea denial tactics.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Cruise / ballistic missiles</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://cimsec.org/dimensions-russian-sea-denial-baltic-sea/">cimsec.org/dimension&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/d8d7775a-39de-47c5-aec2-1a0b5fb72e49">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/spain-escorts-shadow-fleet-vessel.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:59:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/spain-escorts-shadow-fleet-vessel.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6077e1342f.jpg" alt="Spain escorts shadow fleet vessel sanctioned for carrying Russian oil, Reuters reports"></p>The Chariot Tide, formerly known as Marabella Sun, was flying a Mozambique flag when its engine broke down on Jan. 22 in international waters within Spain's search-and-rescue zone.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/spain-escorts-shadow-fleet-vessel-sanctioned-for-carrying-russian-oil-reuters-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/chart-of-the-week-the.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:57:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/chart-of-the-week-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/civil-society-02-1-.jpg" alt="Chart of the week: The different paths of Eastern Europe's civil society"></p><p>In Eastern Europe, shifting global orders have been a lived experience for decades. Just over thirty years ago, the end of communism and the retreat of Russian dominance paved the way for market economies and pluralistic societies, sometimes overnight. </p><p>Since that rupture, civil society — the organizations that exist in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chart-of-the-week-the-different-paths-of-eastern-europes-civil-society/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/moscows-next-target-is-not.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:21:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/moscows-next-target-is-not.html <p>This article analyzes Russian hybrid warfare targeting, noting a strategic shift away from direct provocations against the Baltic States towards efforts focusing on Germany. It highlights Russian attempts to exploit political and social divisions within Germany, including supporting far-right groups and anti-immigrant protests, to erode democratic stability and confidence. The article references recent German military reforms and shifts in NATO posture, emphasizing how Moscow perceives Germany as a critical target to weaken Western unity. It cites German military leadership and analysts warning about Moscow’s focused efforts on Germany and the importance of NATO’s presence in the Baltic region to deter broader regional aggression. The piece underscores that while the Baltic States remain vigilant, Russia’s next phase of hybrid and political warfare is concentrated mainly on Germany, aiming to undermine Europe’s largest economy and military power from within.</p> <p>Category: Societal &amp; Cultural Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Propaganda &amp; Cultural Manipulation</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://balticsentinel.eu/8404879/moscow-s-next-target-is-not-the-baltic-states-but-germany">balticsentinel.eu/8404879/m&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/436d9c9b-86f4-45e6-8d01-ef3570749cdf">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/the-fsb-lies-and-drunk.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:19:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/the-fsb-lies-and-drunk.html <p>On January 28, 2026, U.S. authorities charged Nomma Zarubina, accused of covertly working for Russian intelligence (FSB) by cultivating networks within American think tanks, political circles, activists, and journalists. Zarubina used deceptive tactics to establish influence and gather intelligence, a case reflecting a broader pattern of Russian espionage operations aimed at penetrating U.S. institutions. The prosecution highlighted unusual methods, including an episode of erratic communication with the FBI. This case underscores continuing Russian intelligence efforts to recruit locals and build covert channels in Western democracies and resulted in heightened attention and counterintelligence responses by U.S. security agencies.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: United States of America</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-nomma-zarubina-fsb-fbi-lying-spy/33661443.html">www.rferl.org/a/russia-&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/b2babfb8-b4e0-4539-95ab-9dfe2da54d2a">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/proukrainian-partisans-sabotage-substation-in.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:49:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/proukrainian-partisans-sabotage-substation-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-27-11-42-42-2-.jpg" alt="Pro-Ukrainian partisans sabotage substation in Russia's Udmurt Republic, disrupt power supply to military‑industrial plant, group claims"></p>The Atesh partisan group sabotaged an electrical substation in Russia's Udmurt Republic, disrupting power supply to the nearby "BUMMASH" military‑industrial plant, the group claimed in a Telegram post on Jan. 28.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/pro-ukrainian-partisans-sabotage-electrical-substation-in-russias-udmurt-republic-disrupt-power-supply-to-military-industrial-plant-group-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/explosions-rock-kyiv-as-russia.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:24:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/explosions-rock-kyiv-as-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/559e239caf.jpg" alt="Explosions rock Kyiv as Russia launches drones, missiles targeting multiple Ukrainian regions"></p>Explosions and fires were reported in Kyiv after Russia launched an early morning attack on Ukraine's capital on Jan. 28.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-rock-kyiv-as-russian-drones-target-ukraines-capital/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/russia-has-suffered-more-losses.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:24:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/russia-has-suffered-more-losses.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255409566.jpg" alt="Russia has suffered 'more losses than any major power' since World War II, report says"></p>Russian forces have sustained nearly 1.2 million casualties since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, paying a steep price for limited gains, a new CSIS report finds.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-has-suffered-more-losses-than-any-major-power-since-world-war-ii-report-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/does-lithuania-have-a-plan.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/does-lithuania-have-a-plan.html <p>Lithuania, heavily dependent on the United States and NATO for its national security, questions what its alternative strategy would be if American forces retreat from the Baltic region. The article discusses Lithuania&rsquo;s reliance on the US military presence as a core deterrent against Russian aggression and highlights the geopolitical risks tied to changes in American policy, especially under previous administrations such as Donald Trump&rsquo;s. Lithuanian officials and analysts emphasize the importance of NATO solidarity and coalition defense while acknowledging the need to consider internal capability enhancements and regional partnerships as possible &lsquo;Plan B&rsquo; measures. The article underscores ongoing efforts to strengthen local defense capacity and diversify security alliances amid uncertain transatlantic commitments.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Lithuania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/">www.lrt.lt/en/news-i&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ce350350-b888-404c-9137-aae9986f0a83">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/extension.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/extension.html <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Diplomatic Tools</p> <p>Country: Czechia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://english.radio.cz/foreign-minister-eases-rules-russian-diplomats-travel-media-report-8875960">english.radio.cz/foreign-m&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/701eff31-d2e0-467f-9954-9ded78441966">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/28/latvias-state-security-service-requested.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/28/latvias-state-security-service-requested.html <p>On January 21, 2026, Latvia&rsquo;s State Security Service (VDD) requested prosecutors in the Latgale Regional Court to initiate a criminal case against Polina Kamļova from Rēzekne, accused of financing the Russian military with drones and equipment used against Ukraine. The VDD alleges Kamļova was a financial contact person for Russian forces, providing funds for drone equipment production deployed on the Ukrainian front. The case also concerns criminal proceedings against individuals in Rēzekne and Preiļi related to these activities. The financing of Russian aggression is considered a severe crime in Latvia, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, including for political and charitable organizations involved in such activities.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/28.01.2026-vdd-ludz-apsudzet-krievijas-armijas-atbalstitaju-aktivisti-no-rezeknes.a631951/">www.lsm.lv/raksts/zi&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/f927392a-4256-4c1d-9d9a-bc803e190c03">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/lukashenko-must-be-held-accountable.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:34:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/lukashenko-must-be-held-accountable.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256240721.jpg" alt="Lukashenko must be held accountable for 'complicity' in Russia's war, Sybiha says"></p>Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Belarus is complicit in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and that Kyiv is preparing sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to hold him accountable for supporting the war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-preparing-sanctions-against-lukashenko-sybiha-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/russia-withdraws-troops-from-hmeimim.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/russia-withdraws-troops-from-hmeimim.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d3e814c872.jpg" alt="RUSSIA WITHDRAWS troops from Hmeimim in Syria #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0Ft-FfL9K-Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/russias-influence-in-the-middle.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/russias-influence-in-the-middle.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a4712140a4.jpg" alt="Russia's influence in the Middle East is crumbling! Putin urgently surrenders key base in Syria"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMuen4yyLRs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/german-defense-minister-condemns-russias.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/german-defense-minister-condemns-russias.html <p>German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called Russia’s strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure “especially cynical” as the first three-way talks involving the United States took place in Abu Dhabi on January 23–24. He made the remarks on Monday, January 26, at a joint press conference in Berlin with Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas.</p> <p>Pistorius said Russia is hitting civilian energy infrastructure “with relentless force and brutality in the harsh winter.” He called the campaign “terror against the Ukrainian population in violation of international law.”</p> <p>Amid the intensified attacks, Pistorius said Ukraine lacks ammunition for its air defense systems. Germany is supplying IRIS-T systems to Ukraine “more or less continuously,” he said, while deliveries of US-made Patriot systems are not possible for now because the Bundeswehr has already provided “more than a third” of its stock and is awaiting new supplies from the United States.</p> <p>Overnight on January 25, Ukraine came under another wave of missile-and-drone strikes from Russia. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russian forces launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 102 attack drones at multiple regions. Ukrainian forces shot down 87 drones, but 15 hit targets across ten different locations.</p> <p>Strikes also took place during the talks on January 23 and 24. Russia, it is claimed, used more than 370 attack drones and 21 missiles of various types. The primary target on January 24 was Kyiv, where critical infrastructure was attacked. As a result, about 6,000 residential buildings in the capital were left without heating. By January 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17760">said</a> more than 1,200 buildings remained without heat.</p> <p>Overall, Zelensky said, over the past week Russian forces launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs and 69 missiles of various types at Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the missiles “hit not only our people but the negotiating table as well.”</p> <p>The two-day US–Ukraine–Russia talks were held behind closed doors in Abu Dhabi on January 23–24. Kyiv’s delegation was led by Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC). Also participating was Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Russia was represented by Defense Ministry officials led by Igor Kostyukov, head of the General Staff’s Main Directorate. President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the talks as “constructive.” He said discussions focused on possible parameters for ending the war and the security guarantees Ukraine would need.</p> <p>Representatives of the three countries held direct consultations on the US peace plan for the first time since the war began. Shortly before the talks, Moscow reaffirmed its demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the entire Donetsk region, including areas not currently controlled by Russia. Ukraine categorically refuses to do so.</p> <p>A new round of three-way talks among the delegations of Ukraine, Russia and the United States will be held in Abu Dhabi on February 1, Zelensky said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed another meeting would take place this week but did not provide the exact date.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-defense-minister-condemns-russia-s-especially-cynical-strikes-on-ukraine-amid-abu-dhabi-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/ukraine-sees-shift-in-russias.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:02:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/ukraine-sees-shift-in-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/db00a8ec5c.jpg" alt="Ukraine sees shift in Russia's peace talks delegation as 'pseudo-historical lectures' end, foreign minister says"></p>"These are different people... the conversations were very focused," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-sees-shift-in-russias-peace-talks-delegation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/abrams-is-burning-the-occupiers.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/abrams-is-burning-the-occupiers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/22fb590727.jpg" alt="ABRAMS IS BURNING THE OCCUPIERS IN POKROVSK! Hell in Krasnodar and COLLAPSE of Russian air defense"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJc24H3X3LQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/zelenskyy-the-more-difficult-it.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:33:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/zelenskyy-the-more-difficult-it.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f544445195.jpg" alt="ZELENSKYY: The more difficult it is for Russia, the closer the world is #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7ylBGISQt8s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/putins-fake-peace-to-save.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:00:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/putins-fake-peace-to-save.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a3570cc0b2.jpg" alt="Putin’s fake peace to save the economy – how war shattered Russia’s global influence"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esSy8uLq2VY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/germany-investigates-logistics-firm-over.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/germany-investigates-logistics-firm-over.html <p>Germany’s Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) is reviewing the activities of a German logistics company that, according to <a href="https://www.bild.de/news/inland/putins-post-geheimnis-mutmasslich-illegales-paket-system-enthuellt-6973a97e029492de1675ab81">a Bild investigation</a>, has been sending sanctioned goods to Russia in parcels via Uzbekistan’s state postal service. “The agency is currently conducting a review,” BNetzA said in comments cited by the newspaper article published Sunday, January 25. The agency warned the firm could face consequences for improper cooperation with UzPost.</p> <p>The report says Bild journalists, using a Berlin shop that sells Russian goods, sent five parcels to Russia containing sanctioned but non-working electronic components. The shipping manifest described the contents as “books, scarves and hats.” Each package contained a GPS tracker that showed the parcels ultimately arrived in Moscow.</p> <p>Bild reports that when preparing the shipments, a store employee affixed labels from UzPost, Uzbekistan’s state postal service, even though it is not authorized to operate in Germany. The German company organizing the deliveries confirmed it works with UzPost, saying the cooperation is legal. UzPost also confirmed it collaborates with private logistics firms. The company denies any sanctions evasion.</p> <p>Reporters traced the route: 40-ton trucks carrying parcels leave Berlin for Poland, then go to Belarus and on to Moscow. The story says the packages crossed the Belarusian border - Belarus is also under sanctions - “almost without hindrance.”</p> <p>Bild says the possible sanctions violations by this company came to light during a Berlin prosecutor’s investigation, ongoing since 2022, into the leadership of RusPost GmbH, the German subsidiary of Russian Post. According to the tabloid, German customs officers found prohibited electronic devices, cash and jewelry in parcels the firm was sending to Moscow. Bild writes that Berlin prosecutors intend to charge one top manager in connection with the case.</p> <p>In addition, Bild reports the unnamed company that shipped sanctioned goods from Germany to Russia is currently led by Dmitry F., a former RusPost executive. Berlin prosecutors also investigated him, the report says but dropped the case in 2024 for lack of evidence.</p> <p>DW has requested comment from the Berlin prosecutor’s office.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-investigates-logistics-firm-over-alleged-use-of-uzbekistan-post-to-send-sanctioned-goods-to-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/hungarians-rebel-against-putins-ally.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/hungarians-rebel-against-putins-ally.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1c25f1623a.jpg" alt="Hungarians rebel against Putin’s ally! Russia burns billions overnight as its own regions decay"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfb6DLpjW2c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/zelensky-sought-chinas-involvement-in.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/zelensky-sought-chinas-involvement-in.html <p>Ukraine is seeking broad international backing to hasten the end of the war, but some countries continue to defend the Kremlin’s interests. Among them, China plays a prominent role, actively supporting Russia and supplying it with economic and technical resources.</p> <p>In comments to <a href="https://telegraf.ua/ukr/politic/2026-01-26/5931524-povirte-zelenskiy-probuvav-v-radi-rozpovili-kogo-shche-khotili-doluchiti-do-peregovoriv-z-rf">the outlet Telegraf</a>, Ukrainian lawmaker from the Servant of the People party and diplomat Bohdan Yaremenko said China is working to prevent Moscow’s defeat — and is not hiding it.</p> <p>Moreover, Beijing’s support for Russia has a clear strategic purpose, he said. China supplies equipment, transport and material resources that Moscow cannot produce at such scale.</p> <p>Yaremenko argued that Beijing views the Russia-Ukraine war as a confrontation between the Kremlin and the West and seeks to prevent a U.S. and European victory.</p> <p>He also emphasized that it is virtually impossible for Ukraine to change China’s position.</p> <p>“China recognized its national interests long ago, and we cannot convince them that their understanding of what is happening in Ukraine is wrong. They understand it the way they do, and we will not impose our vision on them under any circumstances. Believe me, the president tried,” he added.</p> <p>Yaremenko said some experts see Donald Trump’s outreach to Vladimir Putin as an attempt to pull Russia away from China. However, he said, that does not change Ukraine’s situation.</p> <p>He explained that Trump does not view Putin as an enemy and does not seek an escalation with Russia, which is why support for Ukraine - compared with previous U.S. administrations - has significantly decreased.</p> <p>“An attempt to please Martians, or someone else… And what do we get out of it? Trump does not consider Putin an enemy and does not want any escalation in relations with Russia. That’s what matters! I do not know the real reasons for Trump’s love for Putin, but all this results in us not receiving the kind of support we had under the previous administration,” the lawmaker concluded.</p> <p>As a reminder, Ukraine and Russia buy key components for combat drones from the same factories in China. Notably, those companies have reportedly been forced to set up “dual schedules” so clients from the warring countries do not physically cross paths.</p> <p>According to ISW analysts, Russia continues to deliberately drag out the negotiating process over the war in Ukraine and insists on its initial military demands.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-sought-china-s-involvement-in-russia-talks-but-beijing-backs-moscow-diplomat-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/watch-live-jake-broe-on.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:12:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/watch-live-jake-broe-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6f3d02827e.jpg" alt="WATCH LIVE! Jake Broe on Trump and “peace”: why the Kremlin won’t end the war, and Ukraine’s future"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFImib2qdAA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/russia-plans-new-missile-and.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/russia-plans-new-missile-and.html <p>This week, Russia is expected to carry out another act of what he calls missile terror and mass “Shahed” drone raids, military observer Aleksandr Kovalenko warns. The logic, he says, is simple: Moscow wants to bolster its position before negotiations in the UAE and sees no other trump card than terror against civilians.</p> <p>Ahead of the next round of talks in Abu Dhabi, Russia plans at least one combined missile strike -likely on Kyiv - and at least two mass drone raids of more than 200 drones each.</p> <p>Beyond continued attacks on civilian areas in Ukraine’s rear, the enemy will intensify pressure on the Hulyaipole axis to seize the city of the same name, and on the Pokrovsk axis to try to lock in control of the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad agglomeration.</p> <p>Throughout January, the 5th Combined Arms Army operating on the Hulyaipole axis with the 127th Motor Rifle Division and the 57th and 60th Separate Motor Rifle Brigades received support from adjacent armies, including the 38th and 64th Separate Motor Rifle Brigades, as well as the 69th Separate Covering Brigade from the 35th Combined Arms Army. Earlier, the 37th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army and the 5th Separate Tank Brigade were also forced to reinforce the worn-down resources of what used to be the main breakthrough force on the Southern Donbas axis.</p> <p>The command of the Russian occupation forces is now weighing the introduction into the battle for Hulyaipole of full-strength reserve forces—the 34th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 49th Combined Arms Army, which is part of the Dnepr Group of Forces, as well as elements of the 90th Tank Division. These forces were meant to be used only after reaching the right bank of the Haichul River, but they could be committed soon to accelerate the occupation of Hulyaipole.</p> <p>The Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad agglomeration may be approached from the north, through Krasnyi Lyman, Rodynske and along the Hryshynka River, with an advance to the outskirts of Hryshyne itself.</p> <p>In addition to these two main tasks, activity by Russian forces will be catalyzed along the entire front line, with heightened attention to Kupiansk, Vovchansk, Kostiantynivka and Chasiv Yar.</p> <p>Moscow’s aim, he argues, is straightforward: before the next round of talks, significantly harden its ultimatum-style negotiating position by terrorizing Ukraine’s rear areas and seizing new territory to demonstrate it has the means to continue the war.</p> <p>The anticipated missile strike would combine ballistic missiles such as the 9M723 with a subsonic cruise component, most likely the 3M14 Kalibr. The most likely days for a strike are Wednesday or Thursday. Although the readiest launch platforms for such an attack are sea-based, their use could be affected by factors ranging from weather conditions to strikes on Russia’s Black Sea flotilla in Novorossiysk or even at sea.</p> <p>Weather conditions are also complicating tasks on the battlefield, where the enemy has to gnaw through the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ stable defenses in frost and snow.</p> <p>From all of the above, one can conclude that for the Russian negotiating team the first round of talks in Abu Dhabi ended in failure, so they will try to strengthen their position through terror.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-plans-new-missile-and-drone-strikes-to-bolster-leverage-ahead-of-uae-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/how-war-makes-kids-grow.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:03:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/how-war-makes-kids-grow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f03c0c159-b.png" alt="How war makes kids grow up angry"></p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!0ck3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb86b296d-5922-4960-b9db-3d07c64c226b_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb86b296d-5.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b86b296d-5922-4960-b9db-3d07c64c226b_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Featured subscriber comment:</em></p><p><em>“I am supporting your work because, given what it going on here in the US, it is getting more and more difficult to follow the war in Ukraine. We need people there in Ukraine to give us information about the war that our current administration would like to bury.”</em></p><p><em>By Marie Scovell</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>It was long past midnight. The ground was shaking with every explosion, each one growing closer than the last.</p><p>I couldn’t help but shake and cover my head, afraid that my eardrums would burst from the deafening sound of missiles <a href="https://www.wsj.com/video/deadly-russian-strike-destroys-ukrainian-apartment-block/4D4CA752-1A58-4C68-8F48-DC79A3511275">destroying</a> our neighborhood.</p><p>My family was holding on to each other, crowding our tiny corridor, too small for all five of us. By March 2023, we had learned to shelter from danger within my apartment’s thick, blank hallways, but no walls could protect us from fear.</p><p>Vova, one of my two younger brothers, was weeping, scared and exhausted by a sleepless night.</p><p>“Tell me, what do you want for your next birthday,” my mother said, hugging the twins.</p><p>After a few long minutes, he took a breath to shout what shocked us all:</p><p>“I want a tank to shoot and kill all Katsaps!”</p><p>Vova was using a curse word that Ukrainians use for Russians, the best way he could describe an evil that even a sweet and obedient 4-year-old had the urge to kill.</p><p>According to linguists, the word likely <a href="https://exlibris.org.ua/nakonechny/r23.html">came</a> to us from the Arabic word ‘qassab,’ which literally translates to ‘butcher’ but is also used to denote a cruel person.</p><p>Had I shut my mouth, the boys never would have picked up that word.</p><p>Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused anger issues for <a href="https://www.savethechildren.net/news/three-four-children-ukraine-live-fear-attacks-once-again-escalate">one-third</a> of Ukrainian kids, including my brothers…</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>After the paywall:</p><ul><li><p>How Russia exploits kids to reach its goals in Ukraine;</p></li><li><p>How the war slowly changed Sasha’s brothers;</p></li><li><p>What children can do to manage their anger during wartime.</p></li></ul></div> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-war-makes-kids-grow-up-angry"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-war-makes-kids-grow-up-angry">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/odesa-under-fire-russia-launched.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:01:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/odesa-under-fire-russia-launched.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6f1ca4ba13.jpg" alt="ODESA UNDER FIRE: Russia launched 50+ drones, destroying homes and killing and wounding civilians."></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLwOyc7Lk2M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/no-words-to-describe-this.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/no-words-to-describe-this.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257784335.jpg" alt="'No words to describe this' — Russian attack damages Kyiv’s Pechersk Lavra monastery for first time since World War II"></p><p>A Russian attack on Kyiv overnight on Jan. 24 damaged buildings at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a centuries-old monastery complex that holds some of Ukraine's most revered shrines and relics. Site officials said it was the first time since World War II that military action had damaged the Lavra.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/no-words-to-describe-this-russian-attack-damages-kyivs-pechersk-lavra-monastery-for-first-time-since-world-war-ii/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/russias-defense-ministry-seeks-access.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/russias-defense-ministry-seeks-access.html <p>Russia is moving to expand government access to citizens’ financial data, with the Defense Ministry seeking authority to obtain banking information - a step critics say undermines banking secrecy and could be used to pressure indebted Russians into military service.</p> <p>On January 26, it emerged that the ministry plans to grant the deputy defense minister — who heads the Main Military-Political Directorate - the power to request information from the Central Bank, commercial lenders, tax authorities, credit history bureaus and other financial institutions. A draft law was published on <a href="https://regulation.gov.ru/projects/164423/)">the Federal Portal of Legal Acts</a>.</p> <p>The move follows action by the Federal Security Service, which in October 2025 published an order, issued on behalf of Alexander Bortnikov, aimed at gaining access to Russians’ credit histories.</p> <p>In Russia, the Defense Ministry and security services appear to be seeking direct access to information on citizens’ credit arrears to pressure them into signing military contracts, according to local reports. Authorities have struggled to meet recruitment targets, including in Moscow, where the December 2025 goal was reportedly underfilled by 56%.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-defense-ministry-seeks-access-to-citizens-bank-data-sparking-fears-of-debtor-conscription">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:05:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257784377.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russian forces intensify pressure in Pokrovsk direction, military says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates. Updated 4 times today. Russian forces have intensified pressure in the Pokrovsk direction, Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps reported on Jan. 27.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-27/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/ukrainian-mp-no-end-to.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/ukrainian-mp-no-end-to.html <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin does not intend to end the war in Ukraine but will try to buy time for U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian lawmaker and secretary of the Verkhovna Rada’s national security committee Roman Kostenko said. The politician outlined how long a ceasefire might last and whether strikes on energy infrastructure would pause.</p> <p>Moscow will make statements so that Washington does not seize the entire shadow fleet at once, Kostenko said in <a href="https://t.me/uniannet/184616">a clip published by UNIAN</a>. Given that, a 1–2 day or even weeklong ceasefire is possible. An “energy truce” could also happen. In his view, there will be no end to the war in the near term; Russia’s actions will focus on protecting key interests, producing new missiles and resuming hostilities.</p> <p>Kostenko’s comments were published midday January 26, after the latest round of talks in Abu Dhabi. The Ukrainian politician said Putin “will play with negotiations”: short-term understandings with Trump are possible to signal apparent “readiness,” but the Kremlin has no real plans to end the war.</p> <p>“There definitely won’t be an end to the war; I don’t see it. Well, anything can happen, but I don’t see it in the near future. Putin will toy with such negotiations: with energy truces, with one- or two-day or weeklong ceasefires, just to keep Trump’s attention,” Kostenko said.</p> <p>According to the lawmaker, Russia is using the talks so its shadow fleet isn’t seized, to avoid 100% sanctions on Russians or their satellites, and to keep building missiles.</p> <p>“This is part of a game that will lead back to renewed hostilities. It’s simply Putin’s game,” he concluded.</p> <p>The third round of trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi was held January 22–24 with delegations from Ukraine, the United States and Russia. Washington expressed confidence in the talks’ effectiveness; Ukraine put forward proposals for an international military peacekeeping contingent and a demilitarized zone. Russia’s proposal, meanwhile, was Ukraine’s capitulation and ceding part of Donetsk region. A representative of the United Arab Emirates told media there was reportedly “unexpected chemistry” between the delegations. On the morning of January 26, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov <a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/331907">said</a> “constructive negotiations” were underway and stressed the importance of adhering to the “spirit of Anchorage.”</p> <p>During the Abu Dhabi talks, Russia carried out a massive strike on Ukraine, launching nearly 400 drones and Zircon and Kh-22 missiles.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-mp-no-end-to-the-war-as-putin-seeks-brief-truces-to-buy-time">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/us-reportedly-ties-security-guarantees.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:45:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/us-reportedly-ties-security-guarantees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/11af2ca4b9.jpg" alt="US reportedly ties security guarantees to Ukraine ceding Donbas territory to Russia"></p>As an additional incentive, the U.S. has reportedly offered Ukraine more weapons to equip its army in the post-war period.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-reportedly-ties-security-guarantees-to-ukraine-ceding-donbas/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/european-coastal-countries-warn-russias.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:43:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/european-coastal-countries-warn-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0af8c3b0e6.jpg" alt="European coastal countries warn Russia's shadow fleet, step up maritime safety"></p>Fourteen European countries warned on Jan. 26 that ships sailing in the Baltic Sea and North Sea under multiple flags may be treated as stateless vessels.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/european-coastal-countries-warn-russias-shadow-fleet-over-maritime-safety/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/public-safety-warnings-issued-after.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:42:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/public-safety-warnings-issued-after.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1885796973.jpg" alt="Public safety warnings issued after Russian drone strike on Lviv Oblast oil terminal"></p>"People with chronic respiratory and cardiovascular conditions are advised, if possible, to stay indoors," officials said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/public-safety-warnings-issued-after-russian-strike-on-lviv-oblast-oil-terminal/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/ukraine-extends-martial-law-and.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:30:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/ukraine-extends-martial-law-and.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended <a href="https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billinfo/Bills/Card/69479">martial law</a> and <a href="https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billinfo/Bills/Card/69480">nationwide mobilization</a> for another 90 days.</p> <p>The decisions were published Monday, January 26, on the Verkhovna Rada’s website.</p> <p>Since February 2022, martial law and mobilization have now been extended for the 18th time, according to <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/voenniy-stan-i-mobilizatsiyu-ukrayini-prodovzhili-1769454609.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>Zelensky submitted both documents to parliament on January 12, and lawmakers approved them on January 14 before sending them to the president for his signature. Under the bills, mobilization and martial law will run from February 3 to May 4. Until early February, they will remain in force under previous, similar bills approved in late October 2025.</p> <p>Martial law has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. That same day, Zelensky signed a law on general mobilization.</p> <p>In August 2025, the Ukrainian government allowed young people aged 18 to 22 to leave the country.</p> <p>At the end of December 2025, the Ukrainian president said the war with Russia would not end until Ukraine receives security guarantees—and until then, martial law will also remain in place. In late January, Zelensky said a U.S. security guarantees document for Ukraine “is 100 percent ready.” “We expect our partners to confirm the date and place for its signing,” he added.</p> <p>The martial-law regime gives Ukrainian authorities the power to impose a range of restrictions. “While it’s in effect, freedom of movement across the country may be restricted, as can the movement of transport - for both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners,” RBC-Ukraine notes. “In addition, the state may introduce labor duty or mandatory community service for certain categories of the population. The forced expropriation of property for the needs of the army is also permitted.”</p> <p>It also allows for the banning of political parties that threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty, and for restrictions on rallies, demonstrations, and mass events.</p> <p>Because martial law remains in force, regularly scheduled presidential elections planned for 2024 did not take place.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-extends-martial-law-and-mobilization-through-may-4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/second-night-in-a-row.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:29:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/second-night-in-a-row.html <p>Overnight on January 27, Russia came under drone attack: residents of the Slavyansky District in Krasnodar Krai and the city of Kursk reported a series of powerful explosions amid shelling.</p> <p>The same area of Russia’s Krasnodar region was hit by drones for a second straight night; a day earlier, UAVs struck a local oil refinery. Russian Telegram channels <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/91649">reported</a> a renewed attack on the region.</p> <p>An air-raid alert in the region <a href="https://t.me/krasnodarkray1/69544">was declared</a> around midnight.</p> <p>Russian monitoring channels warned that drones were heading toward the area. Rosaviatsiya imposed restrictions on landings and departures at Krasnodar Airport.</p> <p>Later, local public pages began posting about an attack on the region. Witnesses told media that explosions started around 1:40 a.m. and were heard across different parts of the Slavyansky District.</p> <p>“Eyewitnesses claim they heard ‘booming explosions and the buzz of an engine’ coming from the direction of the Sea of Azov,” one post said.</p> <p>In total, witnesses counted about 10 blasts. There was no information on the consequences of the attack at the time of publication.</p> <p>Screenshot | residents of the Slavyansky District of Russia’s Krasnodar region counted about 10 explosions</p> <p>On the night of January 26, drones also attacked Russia’s Krasnodar Krai. Reports online said the city of Slavyansk-na-Kubani came under fire, with an oil refinery hit.</p> <p>Also overnight on January 27, residents of Kursk in Russia reported a drone attack. According to <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/91648">local channels</a>, explosions were heard around 1:00 a.m., and witnesses saw bright flashes in the sky amid shelling.</p> <p>Overall, Kursk residents counted about 5–7 loud explosions in different parts of the city. There was no information on the aftermath at the time of publication, and Russian authorities had not commented.</p> <p>On the night of January 25, after a series of explosions, the Russian city of Belgorod lost power; residents reported a massive HIMARS strike.</p> <p>On the night of January 22, drones struck a seaport in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai: terminals caught fire and there were fatalities.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/second-night-in-a-row-ukrainian-drones-hit-russia-s-krasnodar-region-and-kursk-as-residents-report-multiple-explosions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/mass-russian-drone-strike-on.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:53:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/mass-russian-drone-strike-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/01-27-odesa-strike.jpg" alt="Mass Russian drone strike on Odesa kills 1, injures 27, more may be under rubble"></p>Odesa was the hardest hit among Ukrainian cities overnight.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mass-russian-drone-strike-on-odesa-injures-27-leaves-more-under-rubble/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/us-ubiquiti-network-equipment-enables.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/us-ubiquiti-network-equipment-enables.html <p>A detailed Hunterbrook Media investigation published on January 27, 2026, revealed that Ubiquiti, a $33-34 billion American tech company specializing in networking equipment, is a critical supplier to Russian military communications in Ukraine. Approximately 80% of Russian radio bridge antennae spotted on the battlefield are Ubiquiti devices, essential for drone operations and combat coordination. These devices enable wireless communication over long distances and are vital for Russian drone attacks, which have caused significant civilian casualties and have been labeled war crimes by the U.N. Despite U.S. and EU sanctions since February 24, 2022, Ubiquiti equipment continues to reach Russian forces through a complex supply network, including official distributors shipping to third countries (Turkey, Kazakhstan) for onward transfer, and through sanctioned intermediaries. At least nine Russian military units using Ubiquiti gear have been accused of war crimes. Attempts by Hunterbrook reporters posing as Russian procurement officers confirmed multiple vendors openly selling export-banned Ubiquiti products directly or via parallel imports. Notably, Ubiquiti leadership publicly pledged compliance years ago but appears to have poor control over its distribution network, with little enforcement against Russian vendors infringing its intellectual property and trademark. Shipment values of Ubiquiti products to Russia surged 66% post-invasion despite sanctions, including recent models released after bans. This continuing supply enables Russian command and control over drone operations that inflict devastating casualties on Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Hunterbrook found thank-you letters from Russian military units to vendors supplying Ubiquiti equipment, underscoring its frontline importance. Experts urge Ubiquiti to increase compliance and disrupt these supply chains to reduce Russian drone warfare effectiveness.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Drone swarms &amp; UAV surveillance</p> <p>Country: Ukraine</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://hntrbrk.com/ubiquiti/">hntrbrk.com/ubiquiti/</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c02a5269-25ef-43d2-bf37-83f0f7095f7e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/youtube-video-titled-russian-hybrid.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 03:27:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/youtube-video-titled-russian-hybrid.html <p>YouTube video titled &lsquo;Russian Hybrid Warfare in the Nordics&rsquo; by The Cipher Brief presents a discussion on Russian hybrid warfare tactics in the Nordic region, posted 11 months ago with 3.9K views and 46 comments.</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siFW7Aci9V0">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/57a1c1bc-aa89-4a66-8085-aa39d883df2a">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/collective-defence-in-the-age.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 03:21:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/collective-defence-in-the-age.html <p>The article from the Institute of International Relations Prague provides a comprehensive analysis of collective defence in the context of hybrid warfare. It explains how hybrid threats blur the boundaries between peace and war through a mixture of military and non-military tactics such as disinformation, cyber attacks, political interference, and proxy warfare. The discussion emphasizes the evolving nature of NATO&rsquo;s collective defence posture, highlighting the necessity of integrating civil and military efforts, improving inter-agency cooperation, and enhancing resilience against these complex challenges. It further stresses that traditional military deterrence is insufficient alone; a whole-of-society approach including legal, informational, economic, and infrastructural measures is imperative. The article points out the importance of rapid adaptation, continuous intelligence sharing, and public awareness to address hybrid tactics effectively. It also mentions the geopolitical context, including Russia&rsquo;s increased use of hybrid tactics against Baltic and Nordic countries and the West at large.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: Czechia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.iir.cz/en/collective-defence-in-the-age-of-hybrid-warfare">www.iir.cz/en/collec&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/0f0c4d83-a9b6-41e4-9181-0764a782c43b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/german-foreign-minister-condemns-russias.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:30:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/german-foreign-minister-condemns-russias.html <p>Germany has condemned Russia’s refusal to compromise after a second round of talks in Abu Dhabi between Russian and Ukrainian representatives mediated by the United States.</p> <p>Moscow is “stubbornly insisting” on its position on a “decisive territorial issue,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to Riga on Monday, January 26.</p> <p>“If Russia shows no flexibility, I fear the talks could drag on for a long time,” Wadephul said. “That’s why we in Europe must be prepared to continue supporting Ukraine,” he added.</p> <p>The German foreign minister said the Baltic region is increasingly the target of Russian hybrid attacks — including severed undersea cables, the presence of “shadow fleet” vessels and assaults on offshore wind farms, AFP reported.</p> <p>“There needs to be more effective information sharing among the Baltic states,” Wadephul urged.</p> <p>He said it must now be clarified who is responsible for security in international waters. This is “a major shared task” that “we must get to work on quickly,” Wadephul noted. He added that surveillance capabilities should be strengthened and deterrence measures expanded.</p> <p>Many ships in Russia’s shadow fleet and their owners are already on the EU sanctions list, but “we also want to take action against vessels with unclear flag status,” the foreign minister said.</p> <p>The first meeting of Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. delegations took place in Abu Dhabi on January 23. The talks in the UAE focused on the “decisive factors” that could end the war, chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said on X. They also discussed the “further logic of the negotiation process.”</p> <p>The second round was held on January 24 and lasted nearly three hours behind closed doors. Shortly before it began, Moscow reaffirmed its maximal demand for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from all of Donbas, including areas previously not under Russian control — a move Ukraine categorically refuses.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-foreign-minister-condemns-russia-s-refusal-to-compromise-after-abu-dhabi-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/hybrid-warfare-and-the-gray.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:07:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/hybrid-warfare-and-the-gray.html <p>The article explores hybrid warfare as a strategy that integrates political, economic, military, informational, and cyber tactics, emphasizing Russia&rsquo;s approach to ambiguous and deniable actions that fall below the threshold of traditional warfare. It discusses how hybrid warfare aims to exploit vulnerabilities in European states, using tools such as misinformation, proxy forces, cyberattacks, and economic pressure in the so-called gray zone—a spectrum of conflict between peace and open war. The piece highlights the challenges hybrid tactics pose to response frameworks, stressing the importance of resilience, recognition of such strategies, and multi-domain approaches to counteract them. Analytical models and diagrams illustrate the overlap between gray zone conflict and hybrid operations, underscoring the complexity for policymakers and security actors to identify and address these threats effectively. The article concludes by suggesting coordinated policy and defense adaptations are necessary for enhancing European security against Russia’s hybrid war strategy.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://worldnewworld.com/page/content.php?no=5935">worldnewworld.com/page/cont&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/cd1f546c-d4b1-4bbb-9651-c395045b4ef7">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/is-russia-using-its-shadow.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:01:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/is-russia-using-its-shadow.html <p>A BBC Ukrainecast episode with 21K views released 3 months ago discusses Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky&rsquo;s claim that Russia is using its oil tankers as covert platforms to launch reconnaissance drone operations across Europe. The report references multiple recent drone sightings in Germany, contextualizing these within ongoing NATO airspace security concerns and debates on strengthening NATO measures. The episode examines the evidence surrounding Russia&rsquo;s responsibility for these incursions, highlighting hybrid warfare tactics that blend maritime cover with aerial drone surveillance to challenge European security without overtly escalating conflict. This analysis situates Russia&rsquo;s &lsquo;shadow fleet&rsquo; as a stealthy, unconventional military tool in its hybrid warfare arsenal against NATO allies.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYWXVNkQ9Co">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c8f4e216-ecad-450c-8851-1e43e44efedc">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/putins-hybrid-war-with-nato.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:59:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/putins-hybrid-war-with-nato.html <p>The ITV News video titled &lsquo;Putin&rsquo;s hybrid war with NATO explained&rsquo; provides an overview of hybrid warfare tactics used by Russia against NATO, primarily focusing on drone sightings and border violations. Published roughly three months prior with 8.5K views, it addresses the challenges NATO faces in countering these asymmetric threats. The video has generated viewer discussions reflecting doubts about NATO&rsquo;s readiness and capacity to confront Russia&rsquo;s advanced military assets, including alleged mentions of Russia&rsquo;s fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and nuclear capabilities. Commentary also includes geopolitical opinions on European responses and calls for more robust defensive measures or negotiations with Moscow. The video’s goal is to raise awareness of the covert and overt hostile methods Russia utilizes within its hybrid warfare campaign against NATO.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILy9QKv_81o">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ffb15778-3f48-4d8f-af27-64e343e7f5d1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/ukraines-security-service-detains-air.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:59:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/ukraines-security-service-detains-air.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says it has detained a Russian agent serving in the air defense system of Mykolaiv region - a soldier who allegedly fed information to the Russians while on duty at a combat post.</p> <p>The arrest was carried out with the assistance of Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, the agency said in a statement posted January 26 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SecurSerUkraine/posts/pfbid02wksyz1o61UzWqqPWXX6JeTj1gjnQ1Jj2BJrjBhhjLYFAokNrL1aF9ANKXNHb8yQAl">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>According to the SBU, the agent is a 21-year-old service member recruited by Russian special services after they noticed his anti-Ukrainian posts on Telegram. Investigators say he passed along details about the operation of Ukraine’s air defense, information Russia hoped to use to strike airfields while bypassing air defenses.</p> <p>While on duty, the suspect allegedly sent Russian handlers a photo showing the operation of classified software, relayed aircraft takeoffs during air-raid alerts and their flight directions, and disclosed the locations of air defense positions, the SBU said. Those data could have helped route attacks around air defenses and mobile fire groups, according to the agency. The detention occurred during the first communication session with his handlers, it added.</p> <p>The suspect faces charges under two articles of Ukraine’s Criminal Code: disseminating information on the movement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Part 3, Article 114-2, punishable by up to 12 years in prison) and disseminating information obtained through unauthorized access (Part 1, Article 361-2, punishable by a fine or up to two years in prison). The SBU press office said evidence was found on the soldier’s smartphone but did not release screenshots of the alleged correspondence.</p> <p>On January 21, the SBU reported a separate case involving an alleged Russian agent detained in Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>Investigators say the suspect lured a Ukrainian officer to a date to kill him. When the officer arrived, he was met by an attacker who struck him six times and fled, according to the SBU.</p> <p>Another SBU case concerned alleged crimes by Russian forces during Ukraine’s special operation in Russia’s Kursk region.</p> <p>One prisoner described taking part in the shooting of Ukrainian captives a week before his capture, according to testimony cited by the SBU.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-security-service-detains-air-defense-serviceman-accused-of-spying-for-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/strategic-vulnerabilities-hybrid-warfare-threats.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:51:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/strategic-vulnerabilities-hybrid-warfare-threats.html <p>The article details strategic vulnerabilities in Europe&rsquo;s critical infrastructures due to hybrid warfare tactics from Russia and China. These states leverage cyber operations, information warfare, espionage, and infrastructure sabotage to destabilize European countries. Russia&rsquo;s activities include cyberattacks on energy grids, disinformation campaigns, and covert paramilitary provocations, notably near EU and NATO borders. China also pursues strategic influence operations and espionage targeting technological and economic sectors. Hybrid threats combine conventional and unconventional tools such as malware, propaganda, and legal subversion, demanding coordinated European defense responses. The article emphasizes the complexity and multi-domain nature of these threats, illustrating the urgent need for enhanced resilience in critical infrastructure sectors, including energy, communications, and transport. It also underscores the challenges posed by state actors’ use of proxies and covert tactics to obscure attribution. Overall, the piece highlights the imperative for European states to strengthen multi-layered defense strategies against evolving hybrid warfare threats.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://europe.hss.de/en/news-global/strategic-vulnerabilities-hybrid-warfare-threats-from-russia-and-china-on-europes-critical-infrastructures-news13217/">europe.hss.de/en/news-g&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/833bc528-74ce-4429-b726-7ff7db72b1e6">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/the-scale-of-russian-sabotage.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:37:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/the-scale-of-russian-sabotage.html <p>In this presentation from the Swiss Cyber Storm series, Charlie Edwards explores Russian sabotage campaigns targeting European critical infrastructure. The talk covers the variety and scale of disruptions aimed at undermining energy grids, transportation hubs, and other essential infrastructure components, illustrating a strategic pattern of Russian hybrid warfare. This reflects Russia&rsquo;s ongoing effort to destabilize and coerce European nations through covert and overt measures, aligning with known hostile operational tactics. The video is part of a wider event series featuring cybersecurity and geopolitical topics related to hybrid threats.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Underwater sabotage (pipelines, cables, sensors)</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZApV2FfY6Z8&amp;list=PLpSWQuopCAzKFmHgWvDhUbGFB1nMPF4Dh">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/0d1e6b05-6bcb-4db0-9849-3d604efc3ea9">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/a-terrorist-group-responsible-for.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/a-terrorist-group-responsible-for.html <p>On 27 January 2026, Eurojust announced that a terrorist group suspected of conducting arson attacks across the European Union on behalf of a foreign intelligence service is being taken to court. The group attempted arson targeting commercial, transport, and factory facilities in the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. After joint investigations initiated by Romania and coordinated by Eurojust, trials have already resulted in convictions in Romania and the Czech Republic, with a trial pending in Lithuania for six suspects later in 2026. Notably, suspects targeted a Lithuanian factory producing materials for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and construction depots in Poland with attacks falsely portrayed by Russian-language media as sabotage against NATO infrastructure for disinformation purposes. The investigation revealed coordination among suspects using similar methods to intimidate, fear, and undermine support for Ukraine. The suspect in Poland, a Colombian citizen, committed arson in Warsaw and Radom, and disinformation activities are ongoing. Authorities from Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania collaborated closely with operational and legal support from Eurojust and Europol. Sentences included 6 and 8 years imprisonment and expulsion orders. The case highlights ongoing hybrid threats using terrorism and disinformation to destabilize NATO allies.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Incident Type: Bomb threats, assassination plots, targeted killings</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/terrorist-group-responsible-arson-attacks-across-europe-taken-court">www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/terr&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/96a8a033-43a8-477a-988c-c2fc98cc7833">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/video-claims-spread-of-russian.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:19:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/video-claims-spread-of-russian.html <p>A YouTube video by Professor Tim Wilson discusses the spread of arson attacks across Europe, which the presenter attributes to Russian aggression. The video serves as political commentary about Russian hybrid warfare tactics, particularly arson attacks targeting European locales. The video was published 8 months ago and has 8.8K views. The channel is followed by a modest subscriber base of 217K. Exact details about specific incidents, dates, or locations of these arson attacks are not independently verifiable from the available data.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129BjSM7NNQ">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/8e55c94b-557d-4381-a188-c9dffe714c79">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/russias-eyes-and-ears-and.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:19:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/russias-eyes-and-ears-and.html <p>The article explores Russia’s strategy of recruiting Europeans to act as agents in hybrid warfare operations targeting Western democracies. These recruited actors serve as eyes and ears, gathering intelligence, spreading propaganda, and sometimes actively engaging in sabotage and disruptive activities. The recruitment operates through various channels, including formal and informal networks, often exploiting personal vulnerabilities or ideological sympathies. The article presents cases from different European countries illustrating how Russian intelligence and proxy groups embed operatives within societies to undermine political stability, security institutions, and trust in democratic processes. It highlights the covert, long-term nature of these hybrid tactics and stresses their growing threat in the current geopolitical climate, especially amid the Ukraine conflict.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://united24media.com/world/russias-eyes-and-ears-and-hands-how-the-kremlin-recruits-europeans-for-its-hybrid-warfare-against-the-west-5316">united24media.com/world/rus&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/9532fc9c-4176-4e70-88f8-108c683d389a">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/russiansponsored-arson-attack-in-london.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:15:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/russiansponsored-arson-attack-in-london.html <p>The Metropolitan Police released a video describing a £1 million fire incident in London that was a livestreamed attack orchestrated by the Russian Wagner Group. The attack was framed as a terror plot against British soil. The video, published about 5 months ago, highlights how British drug dealers were lured into the attack through social media. Public reactions in the comments call for strong legal consequences for those involved and praise the police investigation and arrests. The attack underscores Russian hybrid warfare tactics using proxy criminal networks and social media manipulation to destabilize the UK.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Incident Type: Bomb threats, assassination plots, targeted killings</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Q_WChpEUw">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/b44f552a-8c08-4e2f-b8b2-5e003576d893">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/three-men-guilty-of-uk.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:15:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/three-men-guilty-of-uk.html <p>According to Channel 4 News, three individuals have been convicted for carrying out an arson attack in the United Kingdom that was ordered by Russia&rsquo;s Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization linked to Russia. The video, posted 6 months ago, emphasizes Wagner&rsquo;s role as the orchestrator of the attack, highlighting Russia&rsquo;s use of paramilitary proxy forces to conduct hostile operations abroad. This incident evidences Russia&rsquo;s ongoing paramilitary aggression in Europe and targeting of Western countries through covert violent acts.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYjhq3sJcuU">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/73800d39-a330-499d-ba30-f41d9f6dd28f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/27/met-police-says-wagner-group.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:15:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/27/met-police-says-wagner-group.html <p>Sky News published a news segment highlighting the Metropolitan Police head of counter-terrorism&rsquo;s description of a Wagner Group-related arson attack as &lsquo;an unusual case.&rsquo; The video, uploaded 3 months ago, has received over 9,000 views and includes public commentary calling into question arms supply to Ukraine by the UK and expressing skepticism about the legitimacy of the war. The incident reflects ongoing concerns regarding the activities of the Wagner mercenary group and the complexities of arms provision amidst conflict.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Incident Type: Bomb threats, assassination plots, targeted killings</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BopisD4Uc0">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ff0bc7e4-3926-49b0-a3ad-134847037501">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/hungary-slovakia-to-challenge-eu.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 23:27:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/hungary-slovakia-to-challenge-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/127ed6ec6d.jpg" alt="Hungary, Slovakia to challenge EU Russian gas ban in court"></p>Hungary and Slovakia plan to sue the European Union over its REPowerEU plan to phase out imports of Russian oil and gas, officials wrote on Jan. 26.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-slovakia-to-challenge-eu-russian-gas-ban-in-court/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/russian-strikes-on-ukrainian-energy.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 23:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/russian-strikes-on-ukrainian-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bd00b9d0-b5fb-4724-88ab-f73b60605c67-2560x1862.jpg" alt="Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy CI"></p><p>Since mid-2025, Russia has fundamentally reshaped its long-range strike campaign against Ukrainian critical infrastructure. Very large missile salvos have disappeared, replaced by sustained pressure built around mass drone swarms, smaller missile packages, and a growing reliance on ballistic systems.</p><p>This article examines how the shift following <em>Operation Spiderweb</em> has increased strike effectiveness despite fewer missiles, degraded Ukraine’s interception rates, and produced the most destructive phase of the energy campaign to date—targeting power generation, gas production, and high-voltage transmission simultaneously.</p><p>👉 <strong>Read the full analysis <a href="https://rochan-consulting.com/russian-strikes-on-ukrainian-energy-ci-trends-and-outlook/">here</a></strong></p><div data-attrs='{"url":"[rochanconsulting.substack.com/subscribe](https://rochanconsulting.substack.com/subscribe?)","text":"Subscribe","language":"en"}' data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM" data-sanitized-class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor"><div data-sanitized-class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div data-sanitized-class="preamble"><p data-sanitized-class="cta-caption"></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="fake-input-wrapper"><div data-sanitized-class="fake-input"></div><div data-sanitized-class="fake-button"></div></div></div></div><p><a href="https://rochanconsulting.substack.com/p/russian-strikes-on-ukrainian-energy">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/ukraine-russian-troops-are-pulling.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:30:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/ukraine-russian-troops-are-pulling.html <p>On the Kherson axis, Russian forces are regrouping and have been forced to abandon some positions.</p> <p>Russian troops have begun retreating from select positions in Ukraine’s Kherson region under pressure from the country’s Defense Forces, according to Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Defense Forces of the South, in comments to <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4084386-rosijski-vijska-zalisili-pozicii-na-ostrovi-oleksiivskij-volosin.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>Voloshyn said Ukrainian intelligence observed the Russian troops leaving positions on Oleksiivskyi Island. He attributed the move to active operations by Ukrainian units and low morale among Russian troops stationed there. He added that after the withdrawal, Russian forces were unable to reestablish observation posts on the island.</p> <p>“On Oleksiivskyi Island, our intelligence is recording the abandonment of positions. This happened as a result of active actions by Ukraine’s Defense Forces and the low moral and psychological state of the servicemen,” Voloshyn said.</p> <p>Additionally, according to Ukrainian officials, Russia has begun regrouping its forces in the south. Some units from the Kherson axis, including airborne troops, are being redeployed to the Orikhiv sector, where they are expected to sustain the tempo of assault operations.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-russian-troops-are-pulling-back-from-some-positions-in-kherson-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/zelensky-calls-uae-trilateral-talks.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:23:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/zelensky-calls-uae-trilateral-talks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/79d4476c32.jpg" alt="Zelensky calls UAE trilateral talks important step, says preparations underway for new meeting"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 26 that he received a report from Ukraine’s delegation after talks in the United Arab Emirates with U.S. and Russian representatives, noting the discussions were significant and covered a wide range of issues.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-calls-uae-trilateral-talks-a-major-step-says-preparations-underway-for-new-meeting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/germany-outlines-eus-th-sanctions.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/germany-outlines-eus-th-sanctions.html <p>The European Union is working on a 20th package of sanctions against Russia that will target the aggressor’s energy revenues, its shadow fleet and sanctions-evasion networks. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed that such steps are needed to counter hybrid threats and potential ecological risks from accidents involving Russian ships in the Baltic Sea, according to Ukrinform.</p> <p>“Russia tests us every day - at sea, in the air, in cyberspace. Hybrid threats, damage to critical infrastructure, intimidation - all of this is part of a strategy aimed at sowing uncertainty in our societies and undermining our unity. And we are responding together: we are strengthening the protection of our infrastructure and increasing pressure on Russia. We are much stronger and more resilient than Putin wants to believe. That is why we are working flat out on the 20th sanctions package, which will primarily target Russia’s energy revenues, its shadow fleet and sanctions-evasion networks,” the minister said.</p> <p>“These shadow-fleet vessels, designed specifically to circumvent sanctions, are also part of these hybrid threats. By the way, they pose a danger not only by allowing Russia to continue earning revenue. They also endanger all Baltic coastal states because we often see ships here in catastrophic technical condition with poorly trained crews,” the German foreign minister said.</p> <p>He explained that in the event of a tanker accident, Baltic Sea coastlines could be heavily polluted - “there is a risk of an environmental disaster, along with serious economic consequences for the entire tourism sector.”</p> <p>“That is why we need to be much more effective in combating the shadow fleet,” he added.</p> <p>“We are already acting against it. We are adding vessels and their owners to sanctions packages at the EU level and independently. But we, the Baltic Sea partners, must share information very specifically and deepen our cooperation,” the minister emphasized.</p> <p>Wadephul also proposed making more active use of maritime law against ships with unclear flag status and stopping them.</p> <p>“We must now use all the possibilities of maritime law to stop such ships. And we must finally begin discussions on further developing maritime law in this area. Because right now it prevents us from acting against ships and their owners who pay no attention to maritime norms. It cannot be that our hands are constantly tied unilaterally. That is why I strongly propose moving toward a review of maritime law in this area,” the German minister said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-outlines-eu-s-20th-sanctions-package-against-russia-targeting-energy-revenues-and-the-shadow-fleet">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/syrskyi-outlines-difficult-situation-near.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:38:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/syrskyi-outlines-difficult-situation-near.html <p>Russian forces are stepping up pressure and bringing in reserves along the Pokrovsk and Ocheretyne axes of the front, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/34231">said</a> Monday, January 26, on Telegram after visit to the Donetsk region.</p> <p>He said the operational situation in these areas is difficult. About 400 combat clashes took place there over the past week.</p> <p>“The aggressor is not giving up attempts to break through, increasing pressure and pulling in reserves. Our key task is to inflict maximum losses on the enemy, destroy its reserves and steadily reduce its offensive potential,” Syrskyi wrote.</p> <p>While on the ground, the commander-in-chief and unit leaders closely analyzed the course of the fighting.</p> <p>Russian forces continue to use small infantry assault groups to push forward. As Syrskyi noted, their timely detection, containment and destruction require constant battlefield monitoring, tight coordination among units and flexible tactical decisions.</p> <p>He said special attention is being paid to strengthening unmanned systems units — prioritizing strike drones to target the enemy — as well as developing logistics with the use of robotic platforms.</p> <p>“The war is changing — so are our approaches to fighting it. Scaling modern technologies directly affects combat effectiveness and helps save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers,” Syrskyi emphasized.</p> <p>There were 138 engagements on the front line on January 25. In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian forces stopped more than 40 assaults near 10 settlements.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian military, over the past day Russia lost more than 1,000 troops killed and wounded. Since the start of the full-scale war, Russian losses are approaching 1.3 million people.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-outlines-difficult-situation-near-pokrovsk-and-ocheretyne-as-russia-pulls-in-reserves">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/no-missiles-needed-russian-military.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/no-missiles-needed-russian-military.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9893249b63.jpg" alt="No missiles needed! Russian military bases are being destroyed by their own rotten infrastructure"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2vnPYMZsC4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/while-the-uae-seeks-a.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/while-the-uae-seeks-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e90ab333a0.jpg" alt="⚡️While the UAE seeks a compromise, Russia is destroying the power grid. Who will gain time?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgGfDRh3Ta4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/really-putins-last-breath-ampquotzombie.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:01:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/really-putins-last-breath-ampquotzombie.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/77fbf39d65.jpg" alt="REALLY? Putin's Last Breath: &quot;Zombie Missiles&quot; Falling on Ukraine as Russia Runs Out of Options?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qAVkH_ZNpg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/kyivs-buildings-without-heat-as.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/kyivs-buildings-without-heat-as.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a conference call on the country’s energy situation, saying the most difficult conditions remain in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, as well as in the Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia regions.</p> <p>The main focus was the capital, he wrote on <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17760">his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>Zelensky said more than 1,200 buildings in Kyiv are without heating.</p> <p>“We discussed with local leaders and officials how to provide help as quickly as possible. For now, the timelines that have been mentioned cannot be considered satisfactory — we need to act faster,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He singled out the difficult situation in the Darnytskyi district and on the city’s left bank overall.</p> <p>The president said he expects a report on the situation and possible timelines for restoring heat supply by this evening.</p> <p>Zelensky also ordered checks on the readiness of Points of Invincibility and other social infrastructure facilities that can serve residents.</p> <p>He noted that Ukraine should receive alternative sources of electricity in the coming days and weeks - a task set for Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal.</p> <p>In addition, the commander of Ukraine’s Air Force and the defense minister were instructed to strengthen Kharkiv’s defenses against missile and drone attacks.</p> <p>Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko <a href="https://t.me/vitaliy_klitschko/6081">said</a> earlier Monday that the capital received the first batch of generators funded by Polish volunteers.</p> <p>Some 60,000 Poles joined the initiative, raising about 2 million euros in 10 days. The total output of the delivered generators is 2,376 kW.</p> <p>Klitschko added that Warsaw is also expected to transfer another 90 generators to Kyiv.</p> <p>Earlier on January 26, scheduled power outages returned to the Kyiv region — energy company DTEK published schedules for the area.</p> <p>DTEK also published outage schedules for the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions for January 26 — where electricity is off from 14.5 to 16.5 hours a day. In Kyiv, emergency outages continue following Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.</p> <p>YASNO CEO Serhii Kovalenko said on January 23 that a return to scheduled outages in Kyiv would depend on the weather, the pace of restoring the power system, and the scale of future Russian attacks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-s-1-200-buildings-without-heat-as-zelensky-urges-faster-power-restoration">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/the-only-one-responsible-for.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:58:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/the-only-one-responsible-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1e3a879125.jpg" alt="⚡️The only one responsible for this war continuing is Russia, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qSrssl7NLn0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/russia-tightens-passport-rules-for.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:57:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/russia-tightens-passport-rules-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1378270157.jpg" alt="Russia tightens passport rules for children in occupied Ukraine, complicating escape, activists say"></p><p>A new Russian law requires Ukrainian children in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine to obtain Russian international passports to travel abroad; experts say the move complicates efforts to flee the occupation.</p><p>A law that took effect Jan. 20 bars children under 14 from traveling abroad without a <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russian</a> international passport, Russian</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-tightens-passport-rules-for-children-in-occupied-ukraine-complicating-escape-activists-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/ukrainian-intelligence-filipino-mercenary-fighting.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/ukrainian-intelligence-filipino-mercenary-fighting.html <p>In the Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region, Ukrainian forces eliminated a foreign mercenary from the Philippines fighting for Russia, underscoring what Kyiv’s military intelligence calls the Kremlin’s criminal practice of recruiting migrants and foreigners for its war against Ukraine, the agency <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1211121234532628&set=pcb.1211121577865927">said</a>.</p> <p>Among the Russian fighters killed in Donbas, military intelligence identified the body of John Patrick, a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines, who served in the 9th assault company of the 3rd battalion, 283rd regiment, 144th Motorized Rifle Division of Russia’s 20th Combined Arms Army.</p> <p>Like many other foreign mercenaries, he died during a so‑called “meat assault” near the settlement of Novoselivka in Kramatorsk district. On him, Ukrainian servicemen found only a weapon, ammunition and a scrap of paper with his unit number, a phone number and the commander’s name. He did not speak Russian.</p> <p>Data extracted from his electronic devices indicated his basic training lasted just one week, after which he was sent straight to the front. After being wounded, he died slowly in a tree line; evacuation was not planned.</p> <p>Russia is scaling up the practice of drawing foreign nationals and labor migrants into its armed formations through deception or coercion, Ukrainian intelligence said. Foreigners are promised rear-area duties or threatened with police problems and then end up on the front line without training or a chance to survive.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate warns foreign citizens against traveling to Russia or taking any job there - especially illegal work - saying a trip to the Russian Federation can end with assignment to an assault company without training and death.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-intelligence-filipino-mercenary-fighting-for-russia-killed-in-meat-assault-near-novoselivka">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/belgorod-is-not-a-random.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:56:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/belgorod-is-not-a-random.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6ae540c716.jpg" alt="BELGOROD is not a random target – it is from here that Russia launches missiles and drones #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Pbj1dLmBOmQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/russian-shahed-drones-over-kyiv.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:30:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/russian-shahed-drones-over-kyiv.html <p>Kyiv residents reported seeing Russian Shahed drones on January 26, with at least one drone flying over the city center and then the Left Bank. Minutes later, additional UAVs were sighted, with observers noting the aircraft might have been equipped with a video camera and controlled via Starlink. How did a Russian drone reach the Ukrainian capital—flying at least 200 kilometers from the Russian border or about 100 kilometers from Belarus?</p> <p>The drone reached central Kyiv because it flew at an ultra-low altitude, which does not necessarily indicate a failure of air defenses, said Ukrainian Armed Forces veteran and former M2 Bradley company commander Nikolai Melnyk on <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/184136">the Novyny. Live channel</a>. He said the UAV was detected only visually, not by instruments, because it was flying at roughly 100 meters.</p> <p>Melnyk’s comments came around 2 p.m., in response to a question about how a Shahed could move freely over downtown Kyiv and whether “air defenses weren’t working.” “It did not cross the 100-meter mark above ground during the flight along its entire route,” he said.</p> <p>At the same time, he called it a new threat because the UAV was not detected in time. The Shahed evaded radar along its approach to Kyiv and bypassed mobile fire groups. “If it passed that way and no one reported it along the route, then the Russians likely have information about our air-defense posts as well as mobile fire groups. If that happened, it’s very bad news—because it means they knew where our air-defense crews were,” Melnyk said.</p> <p>Around 2 p.m. on January 26, Kyiv residents posted footage of a Russian Shahed flying over the capital. Later, officials clarified there were three UAVs, and the Air Force issued an alert. According to <a href="https://t.me/smolii_ukraine/135416">social media reports</a>, drones were spotted over the city center and then over the Left Bank and other parts of Kyiv and the region, including Darnytsia, Boryspil, Solomianskyi, Vydubychi, Zhulyany, Vyshneve, and Pechersk. Around 3 p.m., a drone was recorded near Kyiv’s CHP-5 power plant, according to <a href="https://t.me/strategicontrol/65104">a monitoring channel</a>.</p> <p>On January 25, serviceman and Defense Ministry adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov said Russia is striking Ukrainian air bases with drones connected to Starlink. He cited Russian-released footage of a strike on a training ground near Kropyvnytskyi that likely hit two helicopters, with the approach and impact streamed live. He argued Starlink use is indicated by the absence of other UAVs nearby that could have formed a mesh network for a long-range control link.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-shahed-drones-over-kyiv-ultra-low-flight-evades-radar-as-veteran-warns-of-new-threat">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/jake-broe-russia-is-entering.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/jake-broe-russia-is-entering.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ae4baa5530.jpg" alt="Jake Broe: Russia is entering a phase of STRATEGIC ISOLATION and military exhaustion #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PFOEye3Wa-Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/factcheck-russias-most-successful-disinformation.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:24:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/factcheck-russias-most-successful-disinformation.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-upd-gettyimages-2248784454.jpg" alt="Fact-check: Russia's 'most successful disinformation campaign' targets free speech in Europe"></p><p>Moscow's propaganda machine has been hard at work depicting Europe as a "digital gulag," hellbent on suppressing free speech online.</p><p>The latest campaign has targeted efforts by the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/united-kingdom/">U.K.</a> and the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/european-union/">EU</a> to regulate X (formerly Twitter), even as the platform remains blocked in Russia,</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/fact-check-russias-most-successful-disinformation-campaign-targets-free-speech-in-europe/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/uk-shipping-company-helped-russia.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:04:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/uk-shipping-company-helped-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a2f91e87ba.jpg" alt="UK shipping company helped Russia raise $3.2 billion in LNG trade revenue in 2025, campaigners say"></p>Seapeak's share of Yamal LNG's trade in 2025 amounted to 37.3%, more than any other company, according to Urgewald's analysis based on Kpler data.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/uk-shipping-company-linked-to-russias-3-2-billion-lng-trade-campaigners-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/russia-begins-to-fall-apart.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:03:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/russia-begins-to-fall-apart.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1c959b0554.jpg" alt="Russia begins to fall apart: massive blackouts hit rear cities"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCkwSzAU5qc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/exclusive-russian-negotiators-soften-hardline.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:50:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/exclusive-russian-negotiators-soften-hardline.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257025667-1.jpg" alt="Exclusive: Russian negotiators soften hardline stance in private, US officials say. Ukrainians urge caution"></p><p>U.S. officials leading the talks are convinced that Russian negotiators have taken a more pragmatic tone behind closed doors than Moscow's public hardline rhetoric suggests, according to two people familiar with the matter.</p><p>The <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Kremlin</a> has consistently used public statements before and after each round of talks</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kremlin-negotiators-drop-hardline-stance-behind-closed-doors-us-official-reveals/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/jake-broe-zelenskyy-will-not.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/jake-broe-zelenskyy-will-not.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ade62e29df.jpg" alt="Jake Broe: Zelenskyy will NOT make concessions to Russia regarding Donbas #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rSJXOK8OR9E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/us-deports-another-group-of.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/us-deports-another-group-of.html <p>US authorities have expelled another group of Russian citizens from the country.</p> <p>Dmitry Valuyev, president of the group Russian America for Democracy in Russia, said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dvaluev/posts/pfbid0xxZH7mrZae79KGhcHQ7gNCMyENDW9Bi6Tg9ZcXWFjpxaDsUnyc9UVarwaftEPXTRl?locale=ru_RU">in a Facebook post</a> that, as in previous cases, the removal is routed through Egypt.</p> <p>It is at least the fifth deportation flight carrying Russians since the start of 2025.</p> <p>The plane departed from Phoenix, Arizona, with citizens of Iran and several Arab countries also on board. “Among the Russians are those who were denied asylum as well as people whose petitions and appeals to higher authorities are still pending,” Valuyev wrote. He said the deportees spent several days before departure in a detention center on airport grounds, where cells were overcrowded and people had to sleep on the floor.</p> <p>Valuyev told The Insider that the exact number of Russians deported on January 25 is unknown but runs into the dozens. “We couldn’t precisely count how many were being deported because they were brought [to the detention center] in groups and kept in different rooms, but there will be several dozen Russians. They are expected to arrive in Russia on Monday evening, January 26.”</p> <p>“Upon arrival, Russia’s FSB interrogates deported Russians. Sometimes they threaten, sometimes they offer cooperation, sometimes they say, ‘you’ll be summoned at your place of residence’,” Valuyev said.</p> <p>A previous group of Russians was expelled from the US in early December.</p> <p>Upon arrival in Moscow, all men on board were handed military draft notices.</p> <p>There are at least two known cases in which Russians deported from the US were arrested upon return to Russia: Perm activist Leonid Melekhin, charged with “justifying terrorism,” and service member Artyom Vovchenko, who faces a criminal case for unauthorized abandonment of his unit.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/u-s-deports-another-group-of-russians-at-least-the-fifth-removal-flight-of-2025">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/eu-approves-ban-on-russian.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:30:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/eu-approves-ban-on-russian.html <p>The European Union will completely phase out imports of Russian gas by November 1, 2027. The Council of the European Union, meeting at the level of energy ministers, confirmed the decision in Brussels on Monday, January 26 - despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.</p> <p>The ban—covering both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia - was adopted because it required only a qualified majority of member states. Budapest and Bratislava, which cite dependence on Russian energy supplies and maintain close ties with Moscow, voted against, Reuters reported. Hungary’s government said it will challenge the decision in the European Union’s Court of Justice in Luxembourg.</p> <p>LNG imports must end by the end of 2026, and pipeline deliveries by September 30, 2027. The deadline can be extended to November 1, 2027, if EU countries face difficulties filling gas storage. The measure also bars new gas contracts with Russia, taking effect six weeks after the new law enters into force.</p> <p>For Germany, the document means a definitive end to any potential use of the Nord Stream pipelines.</p> <p>In 2024, roughly 19% of all gas supplies to the EU came from Russia. Despite a near-total embargo on Russian oil and a significant reduction in gas purchases amid Russia’s war against Ukraine, the EU still paid about €1.5 billion a month into Russia’s budget in 2024, AFP noted.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-approves-ban-on-russian-gas-imports-by-end-of-2027">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/on-january-baltic-and-north.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:20:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/on-january-baltic-and-north.html <p>The coastal states of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, comprising Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, issued a unified correspondence on 26 January 2026 highlighting growing concerns about maritime safety risks. The statement specifically focuses on the disruption of satellite-based navigation and Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals in European waters, notably from Russian interference, which compromises the safety, security, and efficient operation of global maritime transport. It calls upon national authorities and the international maritime community to recognize GNSS and AIS signal interference as threats to maritime safety, ensure vessels maintain proper equipment and qualified crews, and comply with international maritime laws such as SOLAS and MARPOL. The UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation, Keir Mather MP, signed the statement, underscoring UK commitment to addressing these maritime safety challenges. The co-signatories reaffirm the importance of adhering to international conventions and responding appropriately to environmental and security risks posed by such disruptions.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Unknown</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-growing-risks-to-maritime-safety/the-growing-risks-to-maritime-safety">www.gov.uk/governmen&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/f165e8bd-ffed-470b-b53b-86d1187a00a7">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/urgent-occupiers-have-been-driven.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:00:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/urgent-occupiers-have-been-driven.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a239423e1a.jpg" alt="URGENT! Occupiers have been driven out of their positions, and an oil refinery is on fire in Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SoCOpDig5w">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/explosions-rock-slavyansknakubani-as-drones.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:46:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/explosions-rock-slavyansknakubani-as-drones.html <p>Residents of Slavyansk-na-Kubani in Russia’s Krasnodar region reported a series of powerful blasts overnight on January 26, following an air-raid alert over a drone threat.</p> <p>The Slavyansky Oil Refinery may have been targeted, according to <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15941">monitoring channels</a>. “Slavyansk-na-Kubani: the attack on the local oil refinery continues. Krasnodar region,” one post said.</p> <p>Russian media <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/91623">reported</a> the explosions after 1 a.m. local time. Witnesses counted roughly five to seven loud blasts, described bright flashes in the sky, and said Russian air defenses were active. Local channels also relayed reports that “enemy drones” were approaching from the direction of the Azov Sea, accompanied by a loud buzz and gunfire.</p> <p>Ahead of the incident, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) introduced the “Carpet” plan at Krasnodar Airport, a protocol that restricts takeoffs and landings.</p> <p>Local authorities confirmed a drone attack on Slavyansk-na-Kubani and said at least three residential buildings were damaged, with windows blown out and roof damage reported. No casualties were reported. There was no official confirmation that the refinery itself was hit at the time of publication.</p> <p>The incident follows other recent strikes inside Russia. On the night of January 25, the city of Belgorod came under what authorities called the most massive attack since the start of the war, with locals reporting about 50 explosions.</p> <p>On the night of January 23, drones targeted the Russian city of Penza, igniting an oil depot, with reports of a strike on a local combined heat and power plant.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/explosions-rock-slavyansk-na-kubani-as-drones-target-oil-refinery-in-russia-s-krasnodar-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/exclusive-iran-gave-russia-over.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:31:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/exclusive-iran-gave-russia-over.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fath-360.jpg" alt="Exclusive: Iran gave Russia over 350 Fath-360 missiles. Ukraine has yet to see one launched"></p>The reasons could be "possible limitations of a technical or political character," Ukraine's military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/extension.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:19:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/extension.html <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://en.belsat.eu/91251562/nato-to-defend-against-belarus-and-russia-with-a-deterrence-line">en.belsat.eu/91251562/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/57fa6191-b2a5-46be-98a6-44456c2056c0">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/ukraine-war-latest-pokrovsk-faces.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:12:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/ukraine-war-latest-pokrovsk-faces.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2220224234.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Pokrovsk faces renewed winter assaults"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates. Updated (3) times today. Syrsky warns of Russian winter attacks on Pokrovsk, and Russian air attacks kill three Ukrainians over past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-26/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/russia-continues-attempts-at-breakthrough.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/russia-continues-attempts-at-breakthrough.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/618815343-1251757847119698-7706312371825318087-n.jpg" alt="Russia continues attempts at breakthrough near Pokrovsk, brings up reserves, Syrskyi says"></p>Despite the brutal conditions, Russia has still continued to push out north of the city of Pokrovsk, making occasional incremental gains according to open-source mapping projects.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-continues-attempts-at-breakthrough-near-pokrovsk-brings-up-reserves-syrskyi-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/eu-gives-final-approval-to.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:46:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/eu-gives-final-approval-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a0bfc184ac.jpg" alt="EU gives final approval to ban on Russian gas by 2027"></p>A full ban on Russian LNG will take effect in early 2027, followed by pipeline gas imports in the autumn of that year.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-gives-final-approval-to-ban-on-russian-gas-by-2027/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/rvlations-sur-le-dtournement-dinterpol.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:06:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/rvlations-sur-le-dtournement-dinterpol.html <p>Révélations sur le détournement d’Interpol par les pays les plus répressifs au monde</p> <p><a href="https://disclose.ngo/fr/article/revelations-sur-le-detournement-dinterpol-par-les-pays-les-plus-repressifs-au-monde">disclose.ngo/fr/articl&hellip;</a></p> <p>#Russie #Putin #Interpol</p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 04:07:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ca114b15a3.png" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai"></p>Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil refinery in the town of Slovyansk-na-Kuban in Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on Jan. 26, Russian Telegram media channels reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-military-reportedly-strikes-oil-refinery-in-russias-krasnodar-krai/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/zelensky-says-us-security-guarantees.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 03:59:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/zelensky-says-us-security-guarantees.html <p>According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US security guarantees for his country have been fully agreed.</p> <p>“The document is 100 percent ready, and we are waiting for our partners to confirm the date and place of its signing,” he said Sunday, January 25, at a news conference in Vilnius after meeting Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.</p> <p>The security guarantees document will then be sent to the US Congress and Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada for ratification, the Ukrainian president added.</p> <p>Zelensky also said a “20-point plan and outstanding issues” were discussed at three-way talks in Abu Dhabi.</p> <p>He said there were “a lot of such issues,” and that the list “has gotten shorter.”</p> <p>He stressed that Ukraine’s position on the Donbas has not changed.</p> <p>“We are fighting for our own state, our own; we are not fighting on someone else’s territory, so what questions can there be for us?” the Ukrainian president said.</p> <p>He said the administration of US President Donald Trump, which is seeking a peace settlement in Ukraine, is trying to find a compromise between Ukraine’s and Russia’s fundamentally different positions. “We have agreed to engage in a three-way format. These are early steps, perhaps to find that very compromise. But for a compromise, all sides have to be ready to compromise — including the American side,” he added.</p> <p>Lithuania’s president accused Russia of ducking its obligations to secure a lasting, just peace in Ukraine. Russia is also rejecting calls for a ceasefire, Nauseda noted.</p> <p>He also said he is confident Ukraine should join the European Union by 2030. Ukraine’s EU entry is a strategic interest for Lithuania and a step toward stability across the region, he said.</p> <p>First direct Ukraine-Russia talks mediated by the US</p> <p>The first direct talks between representatives of Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States and aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, were held in Abu Dhabi on January 23 and 24.</p> <p>He said the discussion focused on potential parameters to end the war and the security guarantees Ukraine would need to make that possible.</p> <p>The next round is set for February 1.</p> <p>Shortly before the talks began, Moscow reaffirmed its maximal demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from all of Donbas, including areas that were not previously under Russian control.</p> <p>After the first day of talks, Russia carried out another large-scale missile-and-drone attack on Ukraine.</p> <p>Kyiv said the Russian strikes were aimed in part at undermining the peace process.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-us-security-guarantees-for-ukraine-are-100-ready">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/captain-of-russian-shadow-fleet.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:03:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/captain-of-russian-shadow-fleet.html <p>French authorities have placed the captain of the oil tanker GRINCH (IMO: 9288851) — a vessel tied to Russia’s “shadow fleet” and sailing from Murmansk - in custody, <a href="https://www.bfmtv.com/police-justice/petrolier-fantome-le-capitaine-indien-du-grinch-arraisonne-par-la-marine-francaise-a-ete-place-en-garde-a-vue_AN-202601250200.html">BFM TV reported</a>, citing the Marseille prosecutor’s office.</p> <p>According to Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Besson, the ship’s captain, an Indian national, was detained on the evening of January 24 after the tanker reached the anchorage in Fos Bay near the Marseille-Fos oil terminal. The French Navy turned him over to judicial authorities.</p> <p>Prosecutors said a preliminary investigation was opened on January 22 into violations of state flag requirements. The case is being handled by the Toulon maritime gendarmerie’s investigative section together with the Marseille Ship Safety Center. The rest of the crew, also Indian nationals, remains on board.</p> <p>Investigators say GRINCH sailed under a false Comoros flag, and describe the vessel’s legal status as showing a “proven and persistent violation of the law.” The Insider previously found the tanker had changed flags at least five times over the past two years — the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Gabon, Barbados and the Comoros.</p> <p>The French Navy intercepted the tanker in the Mediterranean between Spain and North Africa. The Navy said the ship was en route from Murmansk and was detained during an operation carried out with allied support, including the United Kingdom.</p> <p>GRINCH is under sanctions from the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet.” It appears under that name in U.K. sanctions documents, while EU and U.S. lists identify it by its previous name, Carl. Built in 2004, the vessel has been used to export petroleum products, including to China and India, according to French sources. French authorities earlier said the tanker was brought to the French coast and handed over to the Marseille prosecutor’s office for further investigation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/captain-of-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-grinch-sailing-from-murmansk-taken-into-custody-in-france">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/ukrainian-military-russia-pushes-toward.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/ukrainian-military-russia-pushes-toward.html <p>Russian forces are continuing attempts to breach Ukrainian defenses in the Kharkiv region, with fighting ongoing near Vovchansk and Kupyansk.</p> <p>The Russians are trying to capture more ground to establish a “buffer zone,” Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces, said on a national telethon, according to <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/rf-namagaetsya-prorvati-kordon-harkivshchini-1769334525.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>He said Russian troops have not made gains in the Kupyansk sector and are avoiding the use of armor. Instead, they are advancing in small infantry groups of 15 to 20 soldiers.</p> <p>Russia aims to set up a so-called “buffer zone” in parts of Kharkiv and Sumy regions along the Slobozhansky axis, Tregubov said, but those plans are being disrupted by Ukraine’s Defense Forces. Recently, Ukrainian paratroopers foiled an attempt by Russian troops to establish a bridgehead for a further push toward the settlement of Khotin.</p> <p>Earlier reports said that by tightening control over Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces have deprived the Kremlin of a bargaining chip for potential peace talks and “handed a card” to President Volodymyr Zelensky.</p> <p>Zelensky announced the liberation of Kupyansk on December 12, 2025, recording a video address by the city’s entrance stele.</p> <p>In its January 16 assessment, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that “Kupyansk has become a nerve point” for the Kremlin.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-russia-pushes-toward-kharkiv-to-carve-out-a-buffer-zone">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/russia-uses-interpols-wanted-list.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/russia-uses-interpols-wanted-list.html <p>On 26 January 2026, BBC News published a detailed report revealing that Russia has exploited Interpol&rsquo;s international policing mechanism to persecute critics beyond its borders. Leaked documents show that Russian authorities have filed hundreds of Red Notice requests falsely accusing activists, journalists, and political opponents of crimes, effectively restricting their movement globally. By abusing Interpol&rsquo;s system, Russia aims to intimidate and silence dissenters abroad, complicating their asylum or travel options. The investigation exposes how this practice undermines the neutrality of international law enforcement cooperation and calls for urgent reforms within Interpol to stop politically motivated abuses. Experts warn this tactic is part of a larger Kremlin strategy of suppressing opposition through legal and bureaucratic harassment internationally.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20gg729y1yo">www.bbc.com/news/arti&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/6b25b45a-384e-49de-8dac-26755a2abaea">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/zelensky-accuses-europe-of-complacency.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:47:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/zelensky-accuses-europe-of-complacency.html <p>Russia’s war against Ukraine is the result of indifference by key world powers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.</p> <p>Speaking at a ceremony in Vilnius on Sunday marking the memory of those killed in the 1863–1864 January Uprising, Zelensky <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1449076599974017">said</a> Russia’s war on Ukraine - as well as its conflicts with Moldova, Georgia and Chechnya - stemmed from the world’s failure to confront the truth felt by people in the region, and from the indifference of major powers at the end of the Soviet era, in the 1990s and the early 21st century.</p> <p>“Russia’s war against Ukraine and other Russian wars - against Moldova, against Chechnya, against Georgia - are all consequences of indifference to the truth of our peoples, the truth our people feel, and the indifference shown by key states of the world at the end of Soviet times, in the 1990s and in the early 21st century, when they bet on Russia - on a ‘reset’ with Russia - that ultimately became a burden for all of us,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky added that Ukraine and its partners are working to ensure such mistakes are never repeated, and that joint action is strong enough to protect Ukraine—and by extension, Europe.</p> <p>He urged Europe to act with complete unity so that threats to the continent and to “each of our peoples” no longer exist.</p> <p>“Europe’s politicians should value the fact that they represent free and independent states - that they don’t have to be commanders of uprisings against an empire or against occupiers. It’s too early to relax in Europe while Russia’s war machine hasn’t stalled and dictators near Europe aren’t weakening. They all look at Europe - at us - as prey,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>On January 22, during a speech at the forum in Davos, Zelensky sharply criticized Europe. He accused Ukraine’s partners of passivity.</p> <p>Zelensky also said, “Lukashenko’s spitz has more rights than the people of Belarus.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-accuses-europe-of-complacency-in-the-face-of-russian-aggression">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/26/ukrainian-defense-minister-fedorov-names.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:37:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/26/ukrainian-defense-minister-fedorov-names.html <p>Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has appointed Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov as his adviser on defense technology.</p> <p>Beskrestnov, one of Ukraine’s most prominent military bloggers and a radio technology specialist, has joined the new minister’s team as an adviser on technological solutions.</p> <p>Fedorov announced the decision on January 25 on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mykhailofedorov.com.ua/posts/pfbid02PtiYnGR5DBMLpgieHTdS9VSAMsdGGDooGeYw4JKPNRCE7vN3XiS8nxhpXafp8YhJl?locale=uk_UA">his official Facebook account</a>.</p> <p>The minister emphasized that in today’s war it is critical not only to track innovation, but also to anticipate the Russian actions and build solutions capable of changing the situation on the battlefield. That, he said, is why he brought the well-known professional and enthusiast “Flash” onto his team.</p> <p>“We are strengthening electronic warfare and communications at the front — ‘Flash’ has joined the team of advisers. In modern technological warfare, it is important to understand the directions of innovation, anticipate the Russians’ plans, and create products that can turn the tide on the battlefield,” he said.</p> <p>According to Fedorov, Beskrestnov is among the strongest hands-on specialists in drones, EW systems, and analyzing Russian solutions. He noted that since the start of the full-scale invasion, the expert has consistently worked on the front line and conducted training for troops in the hottest spots.</p> <p>The minister said his adviser’s current focus is on building systemic solutions against Russia’s strike and reconnaissance drones. The key task, he added, is to reduce the effectiveness of Russian attacks and increase protection for Ukrainian forces.</p> <p>“Developing EW is critically important: in war, the side that adapts faster wins,” he said.</p> <p>Fedorov added that Beskrestnov will also be involved in other defense technology areas, including work with captured Russian equipment, analyzing it, and studying logistics and engineering to turn lessons learned into practical advantages for Ukraine. He will also take part in expert evaluations of new military developments, prioritizing not concepts on paper but solutions already proven in combat.</p> <p>“Today’s war is about math, technology, and the speed of decision-making. We must not just react, but build a system that constantly learns and gets stronger,” he said.</p> <p>Earlier, it was reported that one of Ukraine’s most well-known volunteers, Serhiy Sternenko, who for the past four years has supplied drones to Ukraine’s Defense Forces, has also joined the Defense Ministry’s team. Fedorov appointed him as his adviser on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles at the front.</p> <p>Immediately after taking office, Fedorov began a sweeping overhaul of the ministry’s team. In recent days, five advisers to the previous minister were dismissed. The new chief is assembling a team of specialists and enthusiasts focused on accelerating the modernization of the Ukrainian Forces and deploying technological solutions that can give Ukraine an edge on the battlefield.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-defense-minister-fedorov-names-serhiy-flash-beskrestnov-defense-technology-adviser-to-strengthen-ew-and-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/russia-rejects-peace-gets-karma.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 21:15:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/russia-rejects-peace-gets-karma.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/71762db018.jpg" alt="Russia rejects peace – gets KARMA: &quot;friendly fire&quot; missiles &amp; record troop losses"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJJ5aIjt4E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/peace-for-ukrainians-is-not.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 20:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/peace-for-ukrainians-is-not.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/113b43817e.jpg" alt="PEACE for Ukrainians is not a compromise with Russia at the expense of values and human rights"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MNlovycTGtQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/ukraine-war-latest-of-ukraine.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 19:38:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/ukraine-war-latest-of-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257653547.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: 80% of Ukraine faces emergency power cuts, 15% of Kyiv residential buildings remain without heat after Russian attack"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Jan. 24-25:</strong></p><ul><li>80% of Ukraine faces emergency power cuts following Russian aerial attack</li><li>15% of Kyiv residential buildings remain without heat after Russia's attacks, officials say</li><li>At least 1 killed, 9 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day</li><li>Orban accuses Ukraine of threats,</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-jan-24-25-2026/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/russia-attacks-children-in-donbas.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 19:01:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/russia-attacks-children-in-donbas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ee005c21b8.jpg" alt="Russia ATTACKS CHILDREN in DONBAS! Brutal drone-missile strikes on Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjI9npyPJJQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/zelenskyy-america-must-not-ease.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:53:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/zelenskyy-america-must-not-ease.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/034b772e36.jpg" alt="ZELENSKYY: America must not EASE pressure on Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xuItaia1YxA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/putin-is-offended-he-wants.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/putin-is-offended-he-wants.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ba80716efc.jpg" alt="PUTIN is offended – he wants to destroy UKRAINIAN IDENTITY – Broe #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GlUgfBA5sXQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/oneway-ticket-what-hides-behind.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/oneway-ticket-what-hides-behind.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0f5961b848.jpg" alt="ONE-WAY TICKET: What hides behind PUTIN'S &quot;Siberia development&quot; Plan?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN8QEt_VDIM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/putin-secretly-sends-special-tasks.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:00:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/putin-secretly-sends-special-tasks.html <p>Russia sent not a diplomat but a professional Kremlin “fixer” to the Abu Dhabi talks - a figure who for years has operated on some of the grittiest fronts of President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy, according to media reports.</p> <p>The Abu Dhabi meeting revealed a key detail: alongside GRU chief Igor Kostyukov, Moscow dispatched one of the Kremlin’s most secretive and seasoned negotiators, Lt. Gen. Alexander Zorin. His participation was not officially announced, but journalists from the news outlet <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/13655?single">Agentstvo</a> identified him from meeting videos.</p> <p>Within Russia’s system, Zorin is known as a man for “special tasks.” In the West, he is seen as an architect of gray-zone operations and no-rules talks. Over the years, he handled the Syria portfolio, took part in negotiations around Azovstal, and oversaw the recruitment of Syrians for entities linked to the Wagner private military company.</p> <p>Zorin’s presence at the table signals something larger: Moscow no longer appears confident. The Kremlin has concluded that its previous tactics - pressure, delay, and performative dialogue — no longer work, the outlet reports.</p> <p>Sources describe Zorin as a specialist in “hard negotiations,” where the aim is less to agree than to compel the other side to accept terms. Bringing him in suggests Russia views the talks as both critically important and potentially risky for itself.</p> <p>Notably, delegations were seated intermingled rather than in separate blocs - a setup that underscored the tense format and a lack of Moscow’s usual control.</p> <p>The Kremlin understands the U.S. posture has shifted. Donald Trump is signaling a readiness to exert pressure - economically, politically, and with force. For the first time in a long while, Russia finds itself reacting rather than setting the agenda, the outlet writes.</p> <p>That is why Moscow sent GRU operatives rather than Foreign Ministry diplomats - an attempt to retain leverage where traditional diplomacy no longer suffices.</p> <p>Zorin’s own profile is another signal. His biography is directly tied to gray operations, coercion, manipulation, and military negotiations. Experts note figures like him surface not when things go to plan, but when they are slipping out of control.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-secretly-sends-special-tasks-general-to-abu-dhabi-talks-with-ukraine-signaling-a-kremlin-strategy-shift">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/russia-strikes-energy-and-housing.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 17:08:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/russia-strikes-energy-and-housing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/87fe1bdd3e.jpg" alt="Russia strikes ENERGY AND HOUSING: 1,700 DRONES and 69 MISSILES in one week #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bjHFPB2Xwgg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/peak-tension-early-ukraine-strikes.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 17:06:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/peak-tension-early-ukraine-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5d245f3dd2.jpg" alt="🔥PEAK TENSION EARLY 2026🔥 Ukraine strikes deep into Russian rear, Abu Dhabi talks at risk?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYUt7KbdmK8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/french-forces-escort-seized-russian.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 17:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/french-forces-escort-seized-russian.html <p>The oil tanker GRINCH (IMO: 9288851), sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States and linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” has been brought to the southern coast of France and placed at the disposal of the Marseille public prosecutor, <a href="https://www.bfmtv.com/international/le-petrolier-grinch-soupconne-d-appartenir-a-la-flotte-fantome-russe-escorte-jusqu-a-marseille-et-mis-a-la-disposition-de-la-justice-francaise_AV-202601250046.html">BFMTV reported</a>, citing the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture.</p> <p>The vessel is anchored in the Gulf of Fos - roughly 50 kilometers northwest of Marseille - near the oil terminal of the Marseille-Fos port. Maritime and air exclusion zones have been established around the tanker, which French authorities say are necessary to continue the investigation “under appropriate safety conditions.”</p> <p>The tanker was placed at the disposal of the Marseille prosecutor as part of a preliminary probe into violations of flag-state requirements. The checks are being conducted with investigators from the maritime gendarmerie.</p> <p>GRINCH was intercepted on January 22 in international waters of the Alboran Sea — between Spain and North Africa. The operation was carried out by the French Navy with support from allies, including the United Kingdom, and, as President Emmanuel Macron <a href="https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/2014339085284872701">underscored</a>, in strict accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. After being boarded and inspected, the vessel was escorted by warships to the French coast.</p> <p>On January 25, AFP <a href="https://x.com/AFP/status/2015369070175014920">published video</a> provided by the French Armed Forces General Staff. The footage shows a military helicopter hovering above the tanker as armed French personnel fast-rope onto the deck, make contact with the crew and conduct an inspection.</p> <p>The Insider reviewed the AFP video and noted the tanker was riding low in the water — in places the waterline was barely visible due to waves. Such draft typically indicates the ship is carrying a full or near-full load.</p> <p>The GRINCH tanker is officially listed under sanctions by the UK, EU and US as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet.”</p> <p>The United Kingdom added the ship on July 21, 2025, under <a href="https://search-uk-sanctions-list.service.gov.uk/designations/RUS2792/Ship">the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019</a>, citing its role in transporting crude oil or petroleum products of Russian origin from Russia to third countries, thereby supporting the Russian government and undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty.</p> <p>The United States placed the vessel on <a href="https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=51723">OFAC’s SDN List</a> under its former name, Carl, citing its links to transporting Russian oil and exposure to secondary sanctions.</p> <p>The European Union also <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32025D0931&qid=1769344847977">listed</a> the ship as part of schemes to evade restrictions on exporting Russian energy products.</p> <p>All sanctions lists cite the same identifier - IMO: 9288851 - confirming it is the same vessel regardless of name or flag changes.</p> <p>As The Insider previously reported, over the past two years the GRINCH has sailed under at least five flags - the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Gabon, Barbados and the Comoros. In April 2025, the ship changed its name from Carl to GRINCH, and in October of the same year it lost its classification.</p> <p>Shipping data indicate the tanker has regularly called at ports in Russia and Turkey, spent extended periods drifting in open waters and repeatedly switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) - hallmarks of “shadow fleet” operations. The vessel was built in 2004 at a shipyard in South Korea.</p> <p>French authorities say the use of such ships enables sanctions evasion and helps finance the war against Ukraine, and they vow to systematically crack down on these violations at sea.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/french-forces-escort-seized-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-grinch-to-marseille-hand-over-to-prosecutors">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/russia-hammers-ukraines-energy-grid.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 16:46:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/russia-hammers-ukraines-energy-grid.html <p>Over the past week, Russian forces launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs and 69 missiles of various types at Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday, January 25. According to the Ukrainian president, Russia’s primary targets were energy facilities, critical infrastructure and residential buildings.</p> <p>“Each of Russia’s mass strikes can be devastating. That’s why we need air-defense missiles every day, and we continue working with the United States and Europe to strengthen our sky shield,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky added that during his visit to Vilnius he will coordinate positions with regional partners Lithuania and Poland. “We are working with every leader to strengthen Ukraine. Everyone should clearly understand the threat coming from Russia, and our nations understand this best,” he said.</p> <p>In the overnight hours of January 25, Ukraine came under another barrage from Russia. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russian troops launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 102 attack drones across multiple regions. According to the Air Force, 87 drones were shot down, but 15 struck targets in ten different locations.</p> <p>A day earlier, Russian forces carried out a massive strike on Ukraine. The large-scale attack — in which Russia used more than 370 attack drones and 21 missiles of various types — coincided with January 23–24 talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the United States, on a possible end to the war.</p> <p>Kyiv was the main target of the January 24 assault, with Russia again hitting critical infrastructure. As a result, about 6,000 residential buildings in the capital were left without heat. Most of those buildings had already been reconnected or had reconnection attempts after the January 9 and January 20 strikes, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.</p> <p>Following a series of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital, the situation in Kyiv remains difficult. Although most multi-unit buildings have been reconnected to the centralized heating network, 1,676 of them are still without heat, Klitschko said.</p> <p>Russia spent January hammering Ukraine’s energy system amid freezing weather</p> <p>In January alone, Russia launched at least three mass attacks on Ukraine, causing widespread disruptions to heating, electricity and water supplies in residential buildings across cities nationwide.</p> <p>After the first, on January 9, more than half of Kyiv’s apartment buildings - over 6,000 - were without heat. Amid the energy collapse, Klitschko urged residents to leave for places “with alternative sources of power and heat.”</p> <p>Overnight January 20, Russia again targeted energy infrastructure in Kyiv. Klitschko said the city had not yet restored heat to all buildings left without it after the January 9 attack. The impact of the new strike was comparable - 5,635 apartment buildings were left without heat. The situation is compounded by weather conditions: for most of January, Kyiv has faced subzero temperatures, dropping to minus 17 degrees Celsius.</p> <p>During its full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledges striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but claims the goal is to disrupt the country’s military-industrial complex. The Kremlin has also admitted that Russia targets Ukraine’s energy sector in winter: presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said the lack of heat for Ukrainian civilians is a “consequence” of Kyiv’s alleged refusal to enter talks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-hammers-ukraine-s-energy-grid-as-zelensky-calls-for-more-air-defenses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/extreme-wintergripsukraines-front-lines-ukraine.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:58:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/extreme-wintergripsukraines-front-lines-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/utw-25-01-1-.jpg" alt="Extreme winter grips Ukraine's front lines | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent's Anna Belokur reports on how subzero temperatures are shaping the war on Ukraine's front lines, as Russia continues assaults around Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and Lyman in Donetsk Oblast amid severe winter conditions.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/extreme-winter-grips-ukraines-front-lines-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/russia-irrelevant-those-who-oppose.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:02:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/russia-irrelevant-those-who-oppose.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d3ddd55b9b.jpg" alt="Russia irrelevant, those who oppose nations have historically always lost, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yxNSbNiIwrc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/russias-relentless-strikes-thousands-of.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:01:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/russias-relentless-strikes-thousands-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2f97eee6d2.jpg" alt="Russia's relentless strikes – thousands of drones &amp; missiles hit Ukraine's energy"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbUbAzeCPnY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/zelensky-meets-lithuanias-president-as.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 13:08:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/zelensky-meets-lithuanias-president-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257568864.jpg" alt="Zelensky meets Lithuania's president as country pledges nearly 100 generators for Ukraine amid Russian strikes"></p>Zelensky met Lithuania’s president in Vilnius on Jan. 25 to discuss support for Ukraine’s energy system and air defense as Russian strikes continue, with Lithuania pledging nearly 100 generators for Ukrainian communities.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-lithuanian-president-in-vilnius-discusses-ukraines-energy-system-support-amid-russian-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/of-kyiv-residential-buildings-remain.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:44:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/of-kyiv-residential-buildings-remain.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2258010086.jpg" alt="15% of Kyiv residential buildings remain without heat after Russia's attacks, Mayor Klitschko says"></p>Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 1,676 residential buildings - about 15% of the city’s housing stock - remained without heat after Russia’s latest strikes on critical infrastructure.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/around-15-of-kyivs-residential-buildings-remain-without-heating-after-russian-attacks-mayor-klitschko-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 09:40:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-25-10-20-08.jpg" alt="At least 1 killed, 9 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 102 drones and two Iskander ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-6-killed-42-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:30:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257222137.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,234,040 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,020 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-233-020-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/latvia-is-heavily-arming-and.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 06:11:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/latvia-is-heavily-arming-and.html <p>Latvia&rsquo;s President Edgars Rinkevics revealed in a January 2026 interview that Latvia is significantly enhancing its defense posture amid ongoing Russian aggression concerns. The country has erected a 400 km barrier along its frontier with Russia and invested heavily in military border patrols and surveillance. Latvia is improving capabilities against aerial attacks and ballistic missiles, reflecting lessons from the war in Ukraine. Rinkevics asserted no current signs of an imminent Russian attack, but noted Russia&rsquo;s substantial military presence near Latvia and continuous training activities. Latvia acknowledges the threat of Russian forces redirecting their focus to Baltic countries after Ukraine and is strengthening defenses accordingly. Latvia also monitors internal risks linked to its Russian-speaking minority, wary of sabotage or espionage.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.blick.ch/fr/monde/guerre-la-lettonie-sarme-jusquaux-dents-contre-poutine-id21628784.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=share-button&amp;utm_source=native-share">www.blick.ch/fr/monde/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/e3c325df-22e5-4372-93c1-801788004ff1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/extension.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/extension.html <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://europeannewsroom.com/espionage-eu-reporting-requirement-for-russian-diplomats-in-force-2/">europeannewsroom.com/espionage&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/dd698f81-a5a5-4465-9145-a34c49f78f82">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/25/leak-reveals-russias-misuse-of.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/25/leak-reveals-russias-misuse-of.html <p>A leaked database obtained by BBC News exposes Russia&rsquo;s extensive misuse of Interpol&rsquo;s Red Notice system to target political critics, journalists, and dissidents living abroad. The list includes hundreds of individuals accused of crimes such as fraud or extremism, but widely viewed as politically motivated charges intended to silence opposition. Interpol experts and critics highlight this as a deliberate Kremlin strategy to intimidate and harass dissidents under the guise of international law enforcement collaboration. The leak marks the first public evidence of the scale of Russia&rsquo;s abuse of legal mechanisms to stifle dissent beyond its borders. Human rights groups warn this damages Interpol&rsquo;s credibility and threatens the safety of activists worldwide. Russia denies political motivations behind its actions. The revelations come amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine and broader geopolitical tensions, underscoring Russia&rsquo;s use of legal and bureaucratic tools as part of its hybrid warfare against opponents.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Exploiting international law &amp; treaties</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20gg729y1yo?at_link_id=422BFD88-FA4C-11F0-822F-B8CED2F15DD8&amp;at_link_origin=BBCWorld&amp;utm_sf_cserv_ref=742143&amp;at_medium=social&amp;at_link_type=web_link&amp;at_campaign_type=owned&amp;utm_sf_post_ref=659352307&amp;at_bbc_team=editorial&amp;xtor=AL-71-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&amp;at_ptr_name=twitter&amp;at_campaign=Social_Flow&amp;at_format=link">www.bbc.com/news/arti&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/5d89a0c7-10f0-4216-9785-91b9144cbe0e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/belgorod-under-heavy-fire-in.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 23:57:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/belgorod-under-heavy-fire-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2095054279.jpg" alt="Belgorod under heavy fire in 'most massive' attack, Russian governor claims"></p>The Russian city of Belgorod was hit on Jan. 24 by what regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described as “the most massive” strike on the city, allegedly involving HIMARS.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/belgorod-under-heavy-fire-in-most-massive-attack-russian-governor-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/ukraine-says-russia-has-only.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 21:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/ukraine-says-russia-has-only.html <p>Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service says Russia’s new medium-range ballistic missile, the “Oreshnik,” carries more political than military weight.</p> <p>First Deputy Head Oleh Luhovskyi addressed questions about Russia’s advanced weapons. l Commenting on Russia’s use of the Oreshnik during a strike on Ukraine’s Lviv region on the night of January 9, 2026, he <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4083678-oleg-lugovskij-persij-zastupnik-golovi-sluzbi-zovnisnoi-rozvidki-ukraini.htm">said</a> Moscow currently has a very limited number of such missiles.</p> <p>“By our estimates, Russia has no more than three to four of these missiles. We know the Russian Defense Ministry plans to launch the Oreshnik into serial production in 2026 and acquire the capability to produce five or more such missiles a year,” Luhovskyi said.</p> <p>He stressed the weapon’s real combat effectiveness remains doubtful. According to him, the Oreshnik is built on last-century technology, requires constant technical support and frequent fixes, and that significantly limits its practical use.</p> <p>Asked about possible deployment of the missile in Belarus, Luhovskyi said only that Ukrainian and foreign intelligence services are actively cooperating.</p> <p>“It would be inappropriate for me to disclose information provided by partners. But there is active cooperation on this issue. This allows us to maintain an objective overall picture and avoid Russian and Belarusian disinformation.”</p> <p>Russia’s Armed Forces used the Oreshnik in a strike on Dnipro on November 21, 2024, and on Lviv on December 8, 2026, but in both cases employed inert warheads without explosives, which did not cause significant damage.</p> <p>Experts at Defense Express said the real goal of those launches may not have been Ukraine, but rather to test the response of Western missile defense systems—namely three systems in Europe: Aegis Ashore in Poland and Romania, and Israel’s Arrow-3 system recently deployed in Germany.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russia-has-only-four-oreshnik-missiles-plans-serial-production">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/nato-to-deploy-robots-and.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 21:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/nato-to-deploy-robots-and.html <p>Over the next two years, NATO plans to equip its eastern flank with robots and autonomous weapons systems to deter potential military aggression from Russia.</p> <p>General Thomas Lowin, the alliance’s land forces commander, disclosed the plans Saturday, January 24, in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.</p> <p>According to Lowin, NATO will also boost stockpiles of weapons and ammunition along its borders with Russia and Belarus.</p> <p>A zone in the border region will be set up and outfitted with remotely operated robotic systems.</p> <p>In the event of an attack, these systems are intended to impede an enemy advance and minimize potential NATO troop casualties.</p> <p>The surveillance network will draw on assets collecting data on land, in the air, in space and even in cyberspace. The information will be available in real time to representatives of NATO member states.</p> <p>New NATO concept: “Deterrence Line on the Eastern Flank”</p> <p>Lowin emphasized that despite the creation of a largely automated zone by the end of 2027, the core deterrent role will still fall to NATO service members. “Unmanned systems cannot scare off or stop an enemy for long,” he said. “In the end, it always comes down to soldiers facing soldiers.”</p> <p>The official name of the new concept is the “Eastern Flank Deterrence Line.” It also draws heavily on Ukraine’s defensive experience against Russia’s military aggression, the general added.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/nato-to-deploy-robots-and-drones-on-its-eastern-flank-under-the-eastern-flank-deterrence-line">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/as-long-as-putin-remains.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 21:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/as-long-as-putin-remains.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3507a56030.jpg" alt="As long as Putin remains alive, it doesn't end with Ukraine – Jake Broe | Interview"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMFvnfyVQW8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/severomorsk-and-murmansk-blackouts-spark.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/severomorsk-and-murmansk-blackouts-spark.html <p>A total blackout, plus cutoffs of heat and hot water, has become the reality in Severomorsk and Murmansk, where the utilities infrastructure has effectively collapsed.</p> <p>Severomorsk — the main base of Russia’s Northern Fleet — was left completely without electricity. The city fell into darkness in the evening, initially losing power in several districts before the outage swept across the entire municipality. Soon after, similar disruptions hit nearby Safonovo and Roslyakovo, which also host Northern Fleet facilities.</p> <p>Power then began to disappear in stages in Murmansk, the regional capital, according to the Russian project “VChK-OGPU” <a href="https://x.com/rucriminalinfo/status/2014842941643038886">on its X social media page</a>.</p> <p>Almost simultaneously with the power cut, heating in residential buildings went offline. Authorities were forced to urgently drain water from heating systems to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting amid subzero temperatures.</p> <p>According to sources, even critical infrastructure sites lost electricity - a fact also acknowledged by Russia’s Investigative Committee.</p> <p>At first, residents were told the outages were caused by bad weather. As proof, officials shared video of a single damaged power-line pole. But as the outages widened, it became clear this was not a localized accident.</p> <p>The scope points to a systemic failure driven by critically worn infrastructure that, residents say, has been faltering for the past two to three years.</p> <p>Problems in Severomorsk have been building for years. In December alone, 111 residential buildings and nine social facilities were left without hot water and heating. In January, Safonovo saw a similar situation, followed by recurring power disruptions.</p> <p>On January 9, Severomorsk already experienced an overnight power shutdown. Later, the problems spread to the Kola District. For locals, it was obvious the system was on the brink of total collapse.</p> <p>“In the past month, it’s just a disaster,” is how the situation in the city is described.</p> <p>The report says large-scale corruption is to blame. Locals and sources allege that a significant portion of funds allocated for modernizing utilities was stolen, and that real work was either not performed or only done on paper.</p> <p>“Governor of Murmansk region Andrey Chibis has completely destroyed the region’s utilities — all the money has been stolen as a result of gigantic corruption,” the report states.</p> <p>The project also notes the governor has been spending large sums on a campaign to hush up the catastrophic situation in the region in Russia’s federal media.</p> <p>Even so, the scale of the crisis has made it impossible to fully ignore. Some Russian outlets have begun publishing stories on the topic.</p> <p>Chibis, for his part, blamed Rosseti, the national grid operator headed by Andrey Ryumin, son-in-law of former Verkhovna Rada deputy Viktor Medvedchuk. The Investigative Committee has opened a negligence case and said in a news release that Rosseti failed to maintain transmission lines.</p> <p>“No one doubts that Rosseti, headed by Viktor Medvedchuk’s son-in-law Andrey Ryumin, is a corruption cesspool with massive theft. But Chibis is no better,” VChK-OGPU writes.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/severomorsk-and-murmansk-blackouts-spark-crisis-as-rosseti-chief-andrey-ryumin-medvedchuk-s-son-in-law-faces-blame">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russian-warplane-accidentally-drops-bomb.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:00:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russian-warplane-accidentally-drops-bomb.html <p>A Russian military aircraft accidentally dropped an aerial bomb on the city of Belgorod on Wednesday evening, January 21, with the munition landing near residential buildings and carving out a massive crater, the independent outlet ASTRA <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102701">reported</a>, citing city emergency services.</p> <p>Earlier, Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported an “emergency incident” on Gubkina Street and confirmed a “crater from a fallen munition,” without specifying its origin.</p> <p>Sources told ASTRA the weapon was an FAB-500 aerial bomb that a Russian jet allegedly failed to launch at Ukraine. The bomb did not detonate but left a crater roughly 20 meters deep. It fell in close proximity to an apartment building, posing a serious risk to residents.</p> <p>About 1,600 people from three nearby apartment blocks were evacuated, including 272 children. Forty-three evacuees were housed at temporary accommodation centers, while others went to stay with relatives and friends.</p> <p>Sappers arrived on scene, police cordoned off the area, and traffic was halted nearby. On the evening of January 22, the bomb was extracted from the ground and transported to a range near the village of Butovo for disposal.</p> <p>Russian military aircraft have repeatedly dropped missiles and aerial bombs on Russian and occupied territory during strikes on Ukraine, with hundreds of such incidents recorded in recent years. Russian media and authorities often withhold information about these events.</p> <p>In December the Russian military “dropped” a bomb on a kindergarten in Belgorod, prompting an urgent evacuation of residents.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-warplane-accidentally-drops-bomb-near-belgorod-apartment-buildings-prompting-evacuation-of-1-600-residents">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/zelensky-calls-abu-dhabi-talks.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 19:36:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/zelensky-calls-abu-dhabi-talks.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised two days of talks in Abu Dhabi among Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. delegations aimed at a peaceful settlement.</p> <p>“We covered a lot, and it’s important the conversations were constructive,” he wrote on social media on Saturday, January 24, after a briefing from Kyiv’s representatives.</p> <p>Zelensky said discussions focused on possible parameters to end the war and the security guarantees Ukraine would need to make that possible. The delegations plan to coordinate next steps with their national leadership, and set the agenda for the next meeting. “If there’s readiness to move forward — and Ukraine is ready — the next meetings will take place, potentially as soon as next week,” Zelensky added.</p> <p>“Authorized officials in the capitals” will announce the outcome of the three-way talks, TASS reported, citing a source. The meeting featured direct engagement between the sides and unfolded in a positive, constructive atmosphere, a UAE government representative said.</p> <p>The White House was also satisfied with the course of the talks, NBC reported, citing U.S. administration sources. The next round could take place in Abu Dhabi next week. Axios reported that control over territories in eastern Ukraine was among the key topics.</p> <p>The second round of talks between representatives of Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States and aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, took place in Abu Dhabi on January 24. The nearly three-hour discussion was held behind closed doors. The first meeting was held a day earlier.</p> <p>Ukraine’s delegation was led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. Among others, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov also took part. Russia was represented by Defense Ministry officials led by Igor Kostyukov, chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff. The U.S. delegation included Steven Witkoff, special envoy of President Donald Trump, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.</p> <p>Representatives of the three countries held direct consultations on the U.S. peace plan for the first time since the war began. Shortly before the talks began, Moscow reaffirmed its maximal demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from all of Donbas, including areas not previously under Russian control. Ukraine categorically refuses to do so. After the first day of talks, Russia launched another large-scale attack on Ukraine. Kyiv said the missiles also targeted the peace process.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-calls-abu-dhabi-talks-with-russia-and-the-u-s-constructive">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/orban-accuses-ukraine-of-threats.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 19:22:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/orban-accuses-ukraine-of-threats.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/312dcdcc25.jpg" alt="Orban accuses Ukraine of threats and Hungarian election interference; FM Sybiha rejects accusations, calls him Kremlin ally"></p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Jan. 24 accused Ukraine of meddling in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, saying Kyiv had “gone on the offensive” and was now “issuing threats and openly interfering in the Hungarian elections.”<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/orban-accuses-ukraine-of-threats-and-hungarian-election-interference-fm-sybiha-rejects-accusations-calls-him-kremlin-ally/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/ukraine-says-russian-overnight-strikes.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:50:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/ukraine-says-russian-overnight-strikes.html <p>January 23–24, 2026, the United Arab Emirates’ capital is hosting the first-ever trilateral meeting among Ukraine, the United States and Russia, aimed at reaching an agreement to end the war.</p> <p>A massive overnight aerial attack by Russian forces on January 24 could negatively impact the three-way peace talks in Abu Dhabi, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha <a href="https://x.com/andrii_sybiha/status/2014959100359016900">wrote on X</a>.</p> <p>The Minister said Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the strikes at the very moment Ukraine’s delegation was meeting US and Russian representatives in the UAE as part of the peace effort.</p> <p>“Cynically, Putin ordered a brutal massive missile strike against Ukraine right while delegations are meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance the America-led peace process. His missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table.,” Sybiha wrote.</p> <p>Overnight on January 24, Russian forces carried out airstrikes on civilian infrastructure across several Ukrainian regions, leaving dead and wounded, triggering emergency power shutoffs and damaging residential buildings, Ukrainian officials said. The attack involved more than 370 drones of various types and 21 missiles, according to Ukraine.</p> <p>In Kyiv, nearly 6,000 multi-story apartment buildings were once again left without heat, mostly on the city’s left bank. Water supply issues were also reported. In the Chernihiv region, an important energy facility was damaged, leaving almost the entire city of Chernihiv—hundreds of thousands of people—without electricity in a citywide blackout.</p> <p>Trilateral talks to end the war began January 23 in Abu Dhabi with delegations from Ukraine, the US and Russia. These are the first peace consultations in this format. Ukraine’s delegation is led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, the US delegation by Steven Witkoff, and Russia’s by GRU chief Igor Kostyukov.</p> <p>According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, each side in Abu Dhabi will present its vision for the future of Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russian forces. Zelensky has repeatedly said Kyiv will never legally recognize those lands as Russian, as that would violate Ukraine’s constitution.</p> <p>Zelensky said negotiators from Ukraine, the US and Russia held “an important conversation” on January 23 in Abu Dhabi.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russian-overnight-strikes-imperil-abu-dhabi-peace-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/bombs-falling-on-belgorod-how.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:24:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/bombs-falling-on-belgorod-how.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6f001d72f5.jpg" alt="🧨 BOMBS FALLING ON BELGOROD: How Russian aviation DESTROYS ITS OWN cities"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYS8jIxOuLI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russian-ballistics-right-next-to.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 17:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russian-ballistics-right-next-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/663d89c08b.jpg" alt="🤯 Russian ballistics right next to civilian buildings #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LfjylBO2rj0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russias-strikes-on-the-energy.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 16:30:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russias-strikes-on-the-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5e6c645f90.jpg" alt="Russia's strikes on the energy sector – Ukraine requests urgent reinforcement of air defense #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wILyQhbJm3Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russia-ready-for-dialogue-ukraines.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 16:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russia-ready-for-dialogue-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/62cee7f6a8.jpg" alt="Russia ready for dialogue? Ukraine's tactical strikes PARALYZE Russian logistics in the Black Sea"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkN7M0zhnsY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russia-launches-rare-kh-strike.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:52:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russia-launches-rare-kh-strike.html <p>For the first time in a long while, Russia struck Kyiv with Kh-22 missiles—munitions typically designed to target aircraft carrier groups.</p> <p>During the attack on Kyiv, Russian forces employed an unusual tactic, launching twelve heavy Kh-22/Kh-32 anti-ship missiles from Tu-22M3 bombers, Col. Yurii Ihnat, chief of communications for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, told <a href="https://kyiv24.news/news/cze-bezpreczedentnyj-vypadok-rf-vpershe-za-tryvalyj-chas-zastosuvala-po-kyyevu-rakety-h-22-ignat">Kyiv 24</a>.</p> <p>To do so, Russia redeployed missile carriers from the Far East to airfields closer to Ukraine’s borders.</p> <p>The Kh-22 missiles, armed with 950-kilogram warheads, flew on a ballistic trajectory at supersonic speed, making them especially dangerous. Even so, Ukrainian air defenses shot down nine of the twelve—a truly unprecedented result, Ihnat said. Since 2022, Russia has fired more than 400 Kh-22s and upgraded Kh-32s at Ukraine, with air defenses previously destroying only three of these missiles in total.</p> <p>Ihnat said the ability to down nine such targets at once was made possible by Western-supplied air defense systems capable of engaging ballistic trajectories.</p> <p>He stressed that the Kh-22 is among the biggest threats to civilian sites and critical infrastructure because its mass and speed cause extensive destruction on impact.</p> <p>Recently, Russia had used fewer of these missiles against mainland Ukraine, focusing them more on the south, Ihnat noted. Firing so many at Kyiv at once is atypical and could indicate an attempt to saturate the capital’s air-defense “umbrella” with high-yield warheads.</p> <p>Overnight on January 24, Russia used 396 different aerial attack assets against Ukraine, the Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/53516">reported</a>.</p> <p>Among them:</p> <p>- 2 Zircon 3M22 anti-ship missiles,</p> <p>- 12 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles,</p> <p>- 6 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles,</p> <p>- 1 Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missile,</p> <p>- 375 attack UAVs.</p> <p>Shoot-down statistics. Photo: Ukrainian Air Force.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces shot down or suppressed 15 missiles and 357 enemy drones.</p> <p>Russia using missiles manufactured in 2026, Ukrainian official says</p> <p>Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian President’s envoy on sanctions policy, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vladyslav.vlasiuk/posts/pfbid0n9gzwzQ14TajVDbF5rTPG7jYiBs3Cp24YMBi3VTC7CKgWS35qFiMAEDWhCMk3jWml">said</a> Russia has begun using newly produced missiles - manufactured in 2026 - for strikes on Ukraine.</p> <p>For example, Kh-101s are standard cruise missiles but of 2026 manufacture. Kh-32s are also new missiles built on the Kh-22 platform, and RM-48U are S-400-based ballistic missiles derived from training target rockets.</p> <p>Vlasiuk argued that each use of a particular missile type is not random but has explanations—some of them “not from a good life”—pointing to photos of 2026 Kh-101 debris.</p> <p>As a reminder, during the night of January 24, Russia conducted a massive, combined attack on Kyiv with Shahed drones and ballistic missiles.</p> <p>A female employee of the Roshen confectionery factory was killed while working in the shop floor. Three other people were also reported injured.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-launches-rare-kh-22-strike-on-kyiv-ukraine-says-nine-of-twelve-shot-down">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/ukraine-downs-missiles-and-drones.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:20:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/ukraine-downs-missiles-and-drones.html <p>Overnight into Saturday, Russian forces launched 21 missiles and 375 drones of various types at Ukraine. Air defense and electronic warfare (EW) units intercepted or suppressed most of the incoming targets, Ukraine’s Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/53516">said</a> on January 24.</p> <p>In total, radio-technical troops detected 396 aerial threats:</p> <p>- 2 3M22 Zircon anti-ship missiles (launch area: the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea);</p> <p>- 12 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles (from the airspace of Russia’s Bryansk region);</p> <p>- 6 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles (launch areas: Russia’s Bryansk region; the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea);</p> <p>- 1 Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missile (from the airspace of Russia’s Kursk region);</p> <p>- 375 attack UAVs - Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas and other types - launched from Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Shatalovo, Bryansk in Russia, and the temporarily occupied Donetsk; about 250 of them were “Shaheds.”</p> <p>The aerial attack was countered by aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, EW and drone units, and mobile fire groups.</p> <p>As of 9:00 a.m., air defenses had destroyed or suppressed 372 targets — 15 missiles and 357 drones of various types:</p> <p>- 9 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles;</p> <p>- 5 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles;</p> <p>- 1 Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missile;</p> <p>- 357 attack drones of various types.</p> <p>There were confirmed impacts from two missiles and 18 attack drones across 17 locations, with debris falling in 12 additional places. Information on four missiles is still being clarified.</p> <p>The military warned the attack was ongoing, with several enemy drones still in Ukrainian airspace, and urged the public to follow safety guidelines.</p> <p>In Kyiv, one person was killed and four were injured in the Russian strike.</p> <p>Later, the capital reported disruptions to electricity, heating and water supplies. Train service was changed on the Red and Green metro lines.</p> <p>In a massive attack on Kharkiv, 19 people were injured, with damage and fires reported.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-downs-15-missiles-and-357-drones-in-overnight-mass-attack-centered-on-kyiv">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/how-irans-internet-blackouts-work.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:02:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/how-irans-internet-blackouts-work.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f678c0c60-9.jpg" alt="How Iran’s internet blackouts work"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!vAsf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F80e7139c-42d0-46f3-b26d-d8c7612a2f02_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f80e7139c-4.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/80e7139c-42d0-46f3-b26d-d8c7612a2f02_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber note from reader Tai:<br><br>“Praying for you, Myroslava and Nastia, as well as the rest of the team. Folks who are able should keeping feeding the tip jar and find ways to donate to various organizations purchasing batteries for Ukrainians. Slava Ukraini.”</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f678c0c60-9.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/86cd4dbf63.jpg" width="466" height="327.14141414141415" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/678c0c60-9fce-4cb0-87d1-f27ab19a5897_594x417.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":417,"width":594,"resizeWidth":466,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Iranian riot police blocking protesters on a street of Tehran on June 20, 2009. Thousands of Iranians clashed with police as they defied an ultimatum from supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for an end to protests. (Photo by STR/STR/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div><p>Amir Rashidi was arrested in Tehran on New Year’s Day in 2009, swept into a security van with fourteen others.</p><p>Inside, other detainees scrambled to call friends, asking them to scrub their names from any public writing, anything that might be considered criminal to the regime.</p><p>Amir did not make that call. When asked why, he answered without thinking.</p><p>“I’m an internet guy,” he said.</p><p>At the time, he insists, it wasn’t bravery. It was instinct, shaped by years of moving between activist circles and writing code, by an understanding of how information traveled and how quickly it could disappear.</p><p>Today, Amir is the Director of Cybersecurity and Digital Rights at Miaan Group, an Iran-focused human rights organization centered on digital security and activism.</p><p>As protests swept Iran starting in late December and rights groups tallied the death toll, Iranians watched their internet abruptly disappear.</p><p>That plunge into digital darkness, Amir warns, is not just an Iranian issue. It reflects a more global shift in how authoritarian governments are learning to control information quietly.</p><p>It would be a mistake to watch Iran fall offline without asking how it happens – and how we all might be vulnerable to the same blockades.</p><p>Amir was born in Tehran to an educated family — his father was a teacher, which he would later pick up. He studied software engineering and computer science at a private university in Iran, training for a career as a developer at a precarious moment for technology in Iran; it was brand new, but already shaped by restrictions.</p><p>Amir has also always been an activist. As a student, he worked with student rights activists and later became active in the women’s rights movement, including by <a href="https://learningpartnership.org/sites/default/files/resources/pdfs/One-Million-Signatures-Campaign-English_0.pdf">signing</a> the One Million Signatures campaign against discriminatory laws against women. He was a familiar presence at protests, documenting what he saw and sharing information as it unfolded.</p><p>Amir cites November 2019, when more than 1,000 protesters were reportedly <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-alleges-iran-has-killed-more-than-1000-protesters/2019/12/05/e9c11a76-1775-11ea-bf81-ebe89f477d1e_story.html">killed</a> during a wave of unrest regarding fuel prices, as the first real internet shutdown in Iran.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!x-O8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0f7713f8-4446-47fd-8971-81f9cd35c798_1600x786.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0f7713f8-4.png" width="543" height="266.6517857142857" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0f7713f8-4446-47fd-8971-81f9cd35c798_1600x786.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":715,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":543,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Changes in web search activity on Google in Iran from November 10 to November 28, 2019. Screenshot from Google Transparency Report.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>After that, he said, the regime created a very clear chain of command: To shut down connectivity in a town or city, approval must come from the minister of interior. A nationwide shutdown requires authorization from the president.</p><p>So, what really <em>is </em>an “internet blackout?” A severed underground cable? A single red button?</p><p>“There is no kill switch,” Amir said. Instead, control is exercised through infrastructure.</p><p>Iran has only two internet “gateways,” or connection points to internet traffic — far fewer than most countries.</p><p>In practice, nearly all internet traffic entering or leaving the country passes through a state-controlled body, the Telecommunications Infrastructure Company. Much of that control is carried out by two private companies, Yaftar and Douran, said Amir, making it easy to cut most of the country’s access when those two companies shut down clients’ access.</p><p>This control can sometimes feel unbeatable.</p><p>“We are so alone,” said Amir, “and we are fighting against a regime with all the resources.”</p><div data-attrs='{"id":438397}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Iran has shut down or severely restricted internet access at least twelve times, said Amir. In 2019 during nationwide <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/world/middleeast/iran-protests.html">protests</a>, the Iranian government cut off the global internet, erasing it from the rest of the world network by network.</p><p>During the recent 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel, authorities <a href="https://miaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Irans-Stealth-Blackout-Report.pdf">imposed</a> what Amir described as “the most severe internet shutdown we have ever had.” A report from Miaan Group <a href="https://miaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Irans-Stealth-Blackout-Report.pdf">found</a> that while Iran’s 2019 shutdown lasted six days, the blackouts that followed the killing of Mahsa Amini in 2022 and the 2025 conflict stretched on for nearly two weeks.</p><p>The current disruptions are ongoing, and have already surpassed the two week mark.</p><p>What it looks like for Iranians, beyond the technical aspects, is quite simple.</p><p>Messages don’t send. Calls fail. Searches don’t load.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!znty!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3f483fd3-46f6-42bb-b532-7c249e225744_1600x890.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3f483fd3-4.png" width="581" height="323.22115384615387" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3f483fd3-46f6-42bb-b532-7c249e225744_1600x890.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":810,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":581,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">The latest illustration of Iran’s ongoing internet shutdown from <a href="https://mastodon.social/@netblocks/115949528230561503">Netblocks</a>, an internet monitor based in the United Kingdom.</figcaption></figure></div><p>“I think they don’t realize how close this might be to them, because Iran is exporting this technology,” said Amir. He said that Miaan Group has evidence that Douran, one of the two main contractors in Iran, is exporting their technology to Russia and certain African countries.</p><p>Internet access is an emerging tool for authoritarian regimes to remain in power, unchallenged.</p><p>Access Now, a group that follows and advocates for digital rights globally, <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/campaign/2024-elections-and-internet-shutdowns-watch/#Venezuela">tracked</a> internet shutdowns in 2024, when at least 64 countries were expected to hold national elections. After all, political events, like elections, tend to correlate with internal conflict and therefore state-inflicted control. 24 of the countries they were tracking had already imposed shutdowns in the past.</p><p>One of the countries flagged in 2024 was Venezuela, which imposed internet restrictions after Maduro’s 2024 presidential win. In the aftermath of Maduro’s recent <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-trump-on-venezuela-we-are">capture</a>, the state monitored messaging platforms and jailed journalists, just a few ways in which the internet was used as a tool to quell a mass uprising.</p><p>“Imagine that you have all these stories,” Amir said, “and you are alone in your home, in your room. You cannot communicate with anyone.” Not even your own mom, he added.</p><p>China’s internet system is its own galaxy, which it began <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/03/25/asia/china-internet-censorship-kristie-lu-stout">establishing</a> when the internet first hit the ground in the 1980s. Commonly known as ‘The Great Firewall,’ it is so centralized that China accidentally <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/china-cuts-ties-with-the-global-internet-for-60-minutes-world-baffled-heres-what-happened/articleshow/123439249.cms?from=mdr">disconnected</a> from the world for nearly an hour last August.</p><p>As opposed to China, Russia was once home to a very open internet.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!2T56!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9be8f68d-4ddc-4aaa-9814-2f44866b7c5b_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9be8f68d-4.jpg" width="444" height="296" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9be8f68d-4ddc-4aaa-9814-2f44866b7c5b_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":444,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Iranians protest in London against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the cutting of the internet. (Matthew Chattle/Future Publishing via Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Although Vladimir Putin shrunk access to media and information over the course of his reign, limits <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/technology/russia-ukraine-internet-isolation.html">reached</a> new heights during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Everything started to disappear — not only due to government control, but also due to companies like Netflix, TikTok and Apple <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/technology/russia-ukraine-internet-isolation.html">pulling</a> back from operating in Russia.</p><p>In 2025, the Kremlin took an active stance against Western technology by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/world/europe/russia-putin-internet.html">introducing</a> a state-approved super-app called MAX, which would be pre-installed by law on all new smartphones sold in Russia. This came after it started to <a href="https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/13/roskomnadzor-says-its-restricting-whatsapp-telegram-calls-a90198">limit</a> voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram.</p><p>Western countries are often considered immune to the threat of government-imposed internet disruptions, but they should not get too comfortable.</p><p>In the U.S., for example, certain laws <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/could-donald-trump-claim-a-national-security-threat-to-shut-down-the-internet/">give</a> the president sweeping powers over communication networks. Under the Communications Act, the president can order the closure of radio stations and internet networks if he declares a national emergency or deems national security to be under threat. Thus far, though, these powers have not been exercised.</p><p>The reality is that many Western democracies do have some extent of power over internet systems, but have not yet leveraged it as a tool for suppression.</p><p>But as well-established democracies around the world are <a href="https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/democracy-shadow-global-rise-authoritarian-populism">starting</a> to wither, this could become a more global issue.</p><p>A self-contained internet ecosystem, where messaging and media are concentrated in a small number of platforms, makes large-scale disruption possible. In Iran, cutting access through just a few companies can render phones and computers largely unusable within minutes.</p><p>Internet disruption does not always come in the form of a government shutting off access at home. It can also be imposed from afar. Alongside software-based censorship and throttling, states are increasingly <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-authoritarians-can-cut-the-global">targeting</a> the physical infrastructure that keeps the world online, from data centers to the undersea cables that carry the vast majority of global internet traffic.</p><p>Being cut off from the internet can be debilitating.</p><p>“Imagine you are waking up into darkness. Complete darkness,” explains Amir. “The only source of light you have is the light of a candle.”</p><p>That was how he described daily life during Iran’s earlier internet crackdowns, when access was limited but not yet entirely severed. In 2009, he wrote about moving through the city during the day, gathering information, sharing what he could anonymously, trying to document what was happening before night fell.</p><p>Now, he says, it is much worse in Iran.</p><p>“Imagine you are yelling for help and no one responds,” said Amir. “It’s only you.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!TD4i!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00996873-0168-48c5-839c-597f1de61182_594x395.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f00996873-0.jpg" width="494" height="328.5016835016835" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/00996873-0168-48c5-839c-597f1de61182_594x395.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":395,"width":594,"resizeWidth":494,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A woman with her face painted with the colors of the Iranian flag and a gunshot wound to the head during a protest outside the Spanish Parliament while holding a placard against the internet blackout in Iran. (Photo by Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Amir worked as a software developer mainly focused on security, but his focus has always been on how people can use the internet for their own activism. Back then, circulating a petition meant sending around emails and asking for replies to an individual account, consolidating those signatures, and tracking responses.</p><p>Showing his peers the wonders of something as simple as Google Forms altered their capabilities for digital activism.</p><p>In February 2010, right after Iran’s 2009 presidential election, Amir left Iran and arrived in Italy where he was a political refugee. Now, he lives in Brooklyn, New York.</p><p>During that 2019 Iranian internet shutdown, the Access Now team offered Amir the opportunity to go to Berlin and raise awareness about the situation in Iran.</p><p>During a panel on that trip, Amir realized that there were seven Iranians recording his talk about internet shutdowns in Iran. In a presumably safe, democratic country, there he was, under threat once again.</p><p>“Even though I was in Berlin, I was really scared,” said Amir.</p><p>But this fear, this danger, this helplessness, is not just Amir’s story.</p><p>He made that incredibly clear.</p><p>“I appreciate that you like my story,” he told <em>The Counteroffensive. </em>He paused. Swallowed. “This is the story of my people.” </p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured subscriber note from reader Tai:<br><br>“Praying for you, Myroslava and Nastia, as well as the rest of the team. Folks who are able should keeping feeding the tip jar and find ways to donate to various organizations purchasing batteries for Ukrainians. Slava Ukraini.”</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura<br><br>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. <br><br><strong>ZELENSKYY PROPOSES UKRAINE TO PLAY CENTRAL ROLE IN EU ARMY:</strong> Zelenskyy has <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/without-a-million-ukrainians-you-wont-manage-zelensky-wants-ukraine-to-form-core-of-envisioned-european-army/">proposed </a>that Ukraine’s army serve as the “backbone” of a future joint European military force to counter Russia’s growing army. Zelenskyy emphasised that “without the Ukrainian army — without a million Ukrainians — [the European army] won’t manage.”</p><p>Zelenskyy has reiterated calls for a European army of at least three million, as Russia aims for at least 3 million troops by 2030. European leaders have discussed the idea at the Munich Security Conference but have taken no concrete steps in implementing it.<br><br><strong>RUSSIA LAUNCHES LARGEST AIR STRIKE OF 2026: </strong>Russia <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/23/europe/russia-ukraine-attacks-trilateral-talks-intl-hnk">launched </a>its largest aerial attack on Ukraine this year, firing nearly 400 drones and 21 missiles overnight, primarily targeting energy infrastructure and residential buildings.</p><p>This attack, which <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/ukrainian-capital-under-russian-attack-air-defences-operation-2026-01-24/">left </a>over a million people without power in sub-zero temperatures, occurred hours after peace talks in Abu Dhabi. In an unprecedented move, Russia <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/24/8017666/index.amp">deployed </a>Kh-22 missiles, which were originally designed to be used against aircraft carrier groups, their combat payload being 950 kilograms.<br><br><strong>SANCTIONED RUSSIAN TANKER ADRIFT IN MEDITERRANEAN</strong>: A 19-year-old Russian shadow fleet tanker is currently <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-23/another-russian-shadow-fleet-oil-tanker-runs-into-difficulties">adrift </a>off the coast of Algeria after suffering a suspected mechanical failure, according to tracking data analyses by Bloomberg.</p><p>As the majority of Russian shadow fleet tankers, it’s over 15 years old, which increases the risk of malfunctions, collisions, and oil spills, posing a threat to the environment. </p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Oksana’s Mary is kneading a blanket.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!f97d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4eec4b40-ffc1-42d3-9f28-10d0ec6a7884_1280x960.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f4eec4b40-f.png" width="1280" height="960" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4eec4b40-ffc1-42d3-9f28-10d0ec6a7884_1280x960.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there,<br><br>Best, <br>Jacqueline</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-irans-internet-blackouts-work">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2b170046dc.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,233,020 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>Russia has lost 1,233,020 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 24.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-233-020-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russia-attacked-kyiv-with-missiles.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:42:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russia-attacked-kyiv-with-missiles.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2bc1afe79a.jpg" alt="❗️RUSSIA ATTACKED Kyiv with missiles and drones: ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE HIT #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jphOTFpFNgo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/russian-troops-attacked-kharkiv-with.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:15:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/russian-troops-attacked-kharkiv-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9f4a46ed4d.jpg" alt="❗️Russian troops attacked Kharkiv with 25 UAVs overnight #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dr0hHRe68Mw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/how-soviet-urban-planning-is.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/how-soviet-urban-planning-is.html <p>Throughout January 2026, amid plummeting temperatures below -15°C, Russian attacks on Ukraine&rsquo;s heating infrastructure intensified, with the strike on 24 January in Kyiv alone cutting off heating to roughly 6,000 apartment blocks. This is the third such episode in two weeks, also affecting other cities like Zaporizhzhia, where about three-quarters of residents depend on central heating. The attacks exploit the legacy of Soviet urban planning, where large &lsquo;panelki&rsquo; apartment blocks rely heavily on centralized heating plants known as TETs. These plants produce both electricity and heat and are thus critical to civilian life. Disabling them causes cascading failures impacting electricity, water, and heating simultaneously. Ukrainian experts describe this as a deliberate Russian tactic that had not been previously used extensively in earlier winters of the war. The Ukrainian government plans to lessen this vulnerability by shifting to individual heating solutions, but decades of infrastructure make this a long-term challenge. The tactic represents a form of hybrid warfare using energy and infrastructure attacks to inflict civilian suffering and pressure Ukrainian society.</p> <p>Category: Energy &amp; Infrastructure Attacks</p> <p>Subcategory: Critical Infrastructure Sabotage</p> <p>Incident Type: Power grids, pipelines</p> <p>Country: Ukraine</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c338jpk8r1vo">www.bbc.com/news/arti&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/dbd22256-8ddd-4507-9827-70413bead697">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/24/explosions-fires-reported-in-kyiv.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:44:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/24/explosions-fires-reported-in-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257199121.jpg" alt="Explosions, fires reported in Kyiv as Russia launches mass attack following peace talks"></p>Explosions were reported in Kyiv on Jan. 24, as Russia launched another mass attack on the capital.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-heard-in-kyiv-as-russia-launches-mass-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/russian-shadow-fleet-vessel-adrift.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:38:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/russian-shadow-fleet-vessel-adrift.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1d567dbb82.jpg" alt="Russian shadow fleet vessel adrift in Mediterranean Sea, Bloomberg reports"></p>An oil tanker sanctioned for transporting Russian oil appeared to be adrift in the Mediterranean Sea following a possible mechanical failure, Bloomberg reported Jan. 23<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-shadow-fleet-adrift-in-mediterranean-sea-bloomberg-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/if-putin-attacks-lithuania-or.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:30:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/if-putin-attacks-lithuania-or.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c7db05d6f0.jpg" alt="If Putin attacks Lithuania or Poland, who will respond? – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fQe64LzVQoM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/sbu-uavs-attacked-the-taman.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/sbu-uavs-attacked-the-taman.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4579306f9c.jpg" alt="SBU UAVs attacked the Taman Oil Port in the Krasnodar region in Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zq_n0iwcE4k">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/kremlin-says-ukrainian-forces-must.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:10:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/kremlin-says-ukrainian-forces-must.html <p>Russian officials insist that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from Donbas for any resolution of the conflict. At the same time, the Kremlin views the upcoming trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine, Russia and the United States as an attempt to find common ground and compromise solutions.</p> <p>According to Russia’s state news agency <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26232829">TASS</a>, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed during a briefing that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces is a key condition for resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine. He added that there are other issues that remain on the negotiating agenda.</p> <p>“Ukraine’s Armed Forces must leave the territory of Donbas; they should be withdrawn from there. This is a very important condition for a settlement. There are also other nuances that remain on the negotiating agenda,” Peskov said.</p> <p>TASS sources <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/358117">said</a> the Abu Dhabi meeting is seen as a chance to reach compromises and identify shared solutions. He also said the exact time of the talks will be set after delegations arrive, but they are ready to proceed today or tomorrow if needed.</p> <p>“The main thing is to search for common ground and compromises,” the Kremlin spokesperson said.</p> <p>During the briefing, Peskov also noted that the Kremlin views Russian assets frozen in the United States - now totaling about five billion dollars - as a potential source of funds to rebuild war-damaged areas, including Donbas.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.corriere.it/esteri/26_gennaio_23/zelensky-dramma-trattativa-58445b38-b677-42a9-aa58-f82e380e1xlk.shtml">Italy’s Corriere della Sera</a>, the upcoming Abu Dhabi talks are expected to address a potential territorial concession by Ukraine in exchange for large-scale financial aid and security guarantees.</p> <p>In particular, a reconstruction program worth about $800 billion is being proposed to support the economy and infrastructure after the war.</p> <p>Negotiators are preparing several documents that could form the basis of a future peace deal, and one key document envisions the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković told the paper that this issue is very difficult for Kyiv because territorial concessions face strong resistance among Ukrainians. Still, he believes that “the territory should not be transferred de jure,” so Ukraine would retain the option to revisit the arrangements in the future.</p> <p>“By giving up the fortified positions in Donetsk, he will face new Russian offensives across the vast plain to the Dnipro, and from there to Odesa. That would be the end of an independent Ukraine, as the country would lose access to the Black Sea and require Russia’s approval for exports,” the report says.</p> <p>To mitigate these risks, the United States is proposing two main forms of support: large-scale financing and security guarantees, including the possible involvement of European troops on Ukrainian territory. However, these arrangements currently exist only as draft documents; talks have not yet begun and no final decisions have been made.</p> <p>Earlier, Axios reported that the main topic of the Ukraine–US–Russia talks in Abu Dhabi would be control over territory in eastern Ukraine. This was also confirmed by Volodymyr Zelensky.</p> <p>In addition, in comments to reporters, Ukraine’s President said the overarching security guarantees agreement with the United States is ready to be signed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-says-ukrainian-forces-must-leave-donbas-as-key-condition-for-peace">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/first-trilateral-meeting-ukraineusrussia-war.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/first-trilateral-meeting-ukraineusrussia-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4010b75c1a.jpg" alt="First trilateral meeting Ukraine–US–Russia: war close to ending?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRduUHFgn5c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/russian-military-court-acknowledges-moskva.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 20:35:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/russian-military-court-acknowledges-moskva.html <p>The 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow has issued a verdict in the case concerning the sinking of the cruiser “Moskva” and a strike on the frigate “Admiral Essen” in April 2022. Commander of the 406th Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy, Andriy Shubin, was tried in absentia and sentenced to life in prison under the Russian Criminal Code’s article on international terrorism (Part 3, Article 361). The court acknowledged that 20 crew members were killed in the attack on the cruiser, 24 were wounded, and 8 went missing. A press release containing this information was removed from the court’s website almost immediately after publication, <a href="https://zona.media/news/2026/01/22/moskva">Mediazona noted</a>.</p> <p>“Twenty crew members of the cruiser died from explosion, fire and smoke; twenty-four crew members sustained injuries of varying severity, and eight people went missing, including during damage-control efforts that lasted more than six hours,” the deleted press release said. One person was wounded aboard the frigate “Admiral Essen,” according to the court.</p> <p>After the strike, Russia’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://theins.ru/news/250318">said</a> the cruiser sank as a result of a fire that triggered an ammunition detonation. Ukrainian sources, meanwhile, claimed the ship was struck by two Neptune anti-ship missiles. In the fall of the same year, a court in Sevastopol declared 17 sailors who served on the cruiser dead, based on petitions from the unit commander and parents. Some of those killed were conscripts.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-military-court-acknowledges-moskva-cruiser-was-hit-by-ukrainian-missiles-says-20-killed-as-press-release-is-removed">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/a-milliondollar-parking-fee-canadas.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:39:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/a-milliondollar-parking-fee-canadas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2192402262.jpg" alt="A million-dollar parking fee: Canada's high-stakes battle over a stranded Russian plane"></p><p>In a potentially world's most expensive parking ticket, a Russian-registered Antonov An-124 has remained locked in a frozen embrace with the tarmac at Toronto Pearson Airport.</p><p>Stranded for almost four years, the aircraft has racked up over $1.5 million Canadian dollars ($1.1 million) in parking fees.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/a-million-dollar-parking-fee-canadas-high-stakes-battle-over-a-stranded-russian-plane/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/unannounced-mobilization-russia-calls-up.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/unannounced-mobilization-russia-calls-up.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/78fa8ac38f.jpg" alt="Unannounced mobilization? Russia calls up reservists and may be secretly preparing them for war"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KFpDf8ELAw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/mass-attack-that-plunged-kyiv.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:04:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/mass-attack-that-plunged-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3ab59c705d.jpg" alt="Mass attack that plunged Kyiv into darkness cost Russia over $130 million, Ukrainian intelligence says"></p>Kyiv, home to more than 3 million people, is still reeling from the Jan. 20 attack in which Russia launched 33 missiles and 339 drones against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mass-air-attack-that-plunged-kyiv-into-darkness-cost-russia-131-million-ukrainian-intelligence/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/ukraine-holds-trilateral-talks-with.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:31:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/ukraine-holds-trilateral-talks-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257205330.jpg" alt="Ukraine holds trilateral talks with US, Russia as Kremlin ties any deal to Donbas capitulation"></p>"The issue of Donbas is key," President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters hours before the talks began.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-holds-trilateral-talks-with-us-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/inside-trumps-chaotic-ukraine-peace.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:01:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/inside-trumps-chaotic-ukraine-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/adam-entous-2-6-.jpg" alt="Inside Trump’s chaotic Ukraine peace process"></p>The Kyiv Independent's Chris York speaks with Adam Entous, an investigative reporter at The New York Times, about his new investigation into the first year of U.S. President Donald Trump administration's peace efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/inside-trumps-chaotic-ukraine-peace-process/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/negotiations-in-abu-dhabi-russian.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:11:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/negotiations-in-abu-dhabi-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/742462203a.jpg" alt="NEGOTIATIONS IN ABU DHABI. RUSSIAN drones KILLED A CHILD. ENERGY SYSTEM TERROR CONTINUES"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwOneBpRtM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/without-a-million-ukrainians-you.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/without-a-million-ukrainians-you.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8afdacfc0e.jpg" alt="'Without a million Ukrainians, you won't manage" — Zelensky wants Ukraine to form core of envisioned European army"></p>"(Russian) army will number 2.5-3 million. They want to reach all of this by 2030, and, based on their speed, we see that this is possible," Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/without-a-million-ukrainians-you-wont-manage-zelensky-wants-ukraine-to-form-core-of-envisioned-european-army/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:44:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-22-14-04-54.jpg" alt="At least 6 killed, 45 injured in Russian attacks over past day as winter energy crisis racks Ukraine"></p>Russia launched 101 drones, including roughly 60 Shahed-type deep-strike unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), into Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-6-dead-and-21-injured-in-russian-air-attacks-as-winter-energy-crisis-racks-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:26:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/63fdd3cbf7.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,232,090 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,280 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-232-090-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/fire-burns-through-oil-depot.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 05:15:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/fire-burns-through-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8408687631.jpg" alt="Fire burns through oil depot in Russian city of Penza following Ukrainian drone strike"></p>A fire broke out at an oil depot in the Russian city of Penza following a Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Jan. 23.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/fire-burns-through-oil-depot-in-russian-city-of-penza-following-ukrainian-drone-strike/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/zelensky-ready-to-make-a.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:08:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/zelensky-ready-to-make-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257446321.jpg" alt="Zelensky ready to make a peace deal, Trump claims after Davos meeting"></p>"He said he'd like to make a deal. ... He came and he said he wants to make a deal," Trump said. He mentioned the "tough" situation Ukrainians face amid a worsening energy crisis, without bringing up Russia's attacks on critical infrastructure.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-ready-to-make-a-peace-deal-trump-claims-after-davos-meeting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/23/dozens-of-sanctioned-russian-shadow.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/23/dozens-of-sanctioned-russian-shadow.html <p>On January 23, 2026, multiple shadow fleet tankers suspected to be Russian sanctioned vessels navigated through the English Channel and the Danish Straits in significant numbers. There is uncertainty whether these tankers are flagged or flagless, but they pose a challenge to maritime security. One vessel, the false-flagged Putin-tanker &lsquo;AETHER,&rsquo; was confirmed entering the Baltic Sea. The UK has promised tougher enforcement against such vessels, but under international law, navies lack clear legal grounds to stop or inspect these ships. This ongoing activity indicates a pattern of naval intimidation and sanction evasion in key European maritime chokepoints.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Naval intimidation / close approaches</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://skywriter.blue/pages/did:plc:d56aevbrhhknlxhjisuouofm/post/3md33owobx22e">skywriter.blue/pages/did&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/6c625028-3c32-4b18-aed2-0a8bc3fcacc0">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/secure-ukraine-secure-europe-western.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:30:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/secure-ukraine-secure-europe-western.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6457b6a882.jpg" alt="Secure Ukraine – secure Europe! Western leaders ramp up pressure against the Kremlin"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXT-0evcNrg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/putin-tells-us-envoys-no.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:14:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/putin-tells-us-envoys-no.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257025667.jpg" alt="Putin tells US envoys 'no point in hoping' for peace without Ukraine's capitulation on territories"></p>"We are interested in resolving the (war) through political and diplomatic means. But until that happens, Russia will continue to pursue its goals on the battlefield," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-envoys-witkoff-kushner-arrive-in-moscow-to-meet-putin/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/prominent-ukrainian-activist-tapped-to.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:13:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/prominent-ukrainian-activist-tapped-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/sternenko.jpg" alt="Prominent Ukrainian activist tapped to advise defense minister on front-line drone combat"></p>Serhii Sternenko, 31, played a key role in popularizing first-person-view (FPV) drones after Russia's full-scale invasion. He has previously criticized Ukraine's military and political leadership.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/prominent-ukrainian-activist-tapped-to-advise-defense-minister-on-front-line-drone-combat/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/trump-and-zelenskyy-reached-a.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/trump-and-zelenskyy-reached-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/38a1e974a2.jpg" alt="Trump and Zelenskyy REACHED A DEAL? Kremlin drags out PEACE PROCESS again | News Pulse"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw88K4-og1o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/year-of-russias-exhaustion-is.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 20:06:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/year-of-russias-exhaustion-is.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a2da7f08a7.jpg" alt="2026 — year of Russia’s exhaustion: is the war entering its final phase?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyQc6LsYNm8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/we-asked-an-expert-about.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:35:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/we-asked-an-expert-about.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/62d3ba2218.png" alt="We asked an expert about Russia's 'updated' mass missile, drone tactics"></p><p>Russia launched another massive strike on Ukraine on Jan. 20, with President Volodymyr Zelensky noting the use of "updated tactics."</p><p>The recent attack hit multiple regions, with Kyiv and the country's energy infrastructure taking the brunt of the damage. Russian forces also targeted substations supplying<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-kyiv-with-ballistic-missiles-targeting-city-on-freezing-night-amid-energy-crisis/"> nuclear</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-asked-an-expert-about-russias-updated-mass-missile-drone-tactics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/antidrone-jammers-across-russia-are.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/antidrone-jammers-across-russia-are.html <p>In Russia, owners of Porsche and BMW vehicles are facing widespread malfunctions caused by anti-drone electronic warfare (EW) systems. The Moscow Times <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/01/21/iz-za-glushilok-dronov-v-rossii-vihodyat-iz-stroya-bmw-i-porsche-a185064">reported</a>.</p> <p>The jammers disrupt the operation of factory-installed satellite anti-theft systems. As a result, cars lock up, fail to start, or even stall. Porsche Russia confirmed the issue. BMW dealers have not yet commented.</p> <p>The problem has hit owners of 2016–2018 Porsche Macan and Cayenne models the hardest. Also affected are all Porsche models produced from 2013 to 2019: 911, Panamera, Cayenne, Macan, Boxster and Cayman of the 718 series, as well as the elite 918 Spyder.</p> <p>Similar issues are being recorded at BMW — virtually the entire lineup equipped with ConnectedDrive: the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 Series; X1, X3, X4, X5, X6 crossovers; as well as the Z4, i3, i8 and M series. A common feature of all affected vehicles is a factory satellite alarm. Owners complain the cars “die” suddenly and need to be towed.</p> <p>Because of the jammers, the control unit receives a distorted or “foreign” signal. The car thinks it is being stolen and automatically immobilizes the engine. In Porsche vehicles, an eSIM installed within the engine can, when proper connectivity is lost, trigger a protection scenario - up to shutting the engine down.</p> <p>The first wave of such incidents was recorded in early December 2025 and was isolated. Now cases are more frequent: service centers are seeing lines for software reflashing, and dozens of immobilized cars are being reported across Russia.</p> <p>In 2025, the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor restricted access to 1.289 million pieces of online content, 59% more than the year before.</p> <p>Russia ranked first in global ratings for internet censorship and shutdowns.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/anti-drone-jammers-across-russia-are-immobilizing-bmw-and-porsche-vehicles-reports-say">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/watch-live-american-veteran-exposes.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:53:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/watch-live-american-veteran-exposes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bcb898f8ff.jpg" alt="WATCH LIVE! American Veteran exposes the &quot;Pure Evil&quot; of Russians on the front in Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWZotfppYv0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/zelenskyy-maduro-is-on-trial.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:44:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/zelenskyy-maduro-is-on-trial.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fd7ab1c48c.jpg" alt="ZELENSKYY: MADURO IS ON TRIAL in New York, but NOT PUTIN #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jfnOQ3HJbBM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/stubb-the-problem-is-not.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/stubb-the-problem-is-not.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cca9266b06.jpg" alt="Stubb: The problem is not Russia's ability to end the war, but its unwillingness to do so #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BDoDOqdhYnY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/sanctions-and-parts-shortages-push.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/sanctions-and-parts-shortages-push.html <p>December and January have shown that flying in Russia increasingly feels like a lottery, with accidents becoming the new normal. Sanctions, a shortage of spare parts and operating aircraft “to the last bolt” are pushing the sector to the edge.</p> <p>Since late 2025, Russia’s civil aviation has been showing clearer consequences of isolation and sanctions. Planes are increasingly returning to their departure airports, crews are shutting down engines in the air, and passengers are learning about problems only after takeoff — by the smell of burning or noticeable airframe vibrations, Economic Pravda <a href="https://epravda.com.ua/svit/sankciji-dobivayut-rosiysku-aviaciyu-zrostaye-kilkist-aviaincidentiv-u-rf-816857">reports</a>.</p> <p>In just one week in December, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) recorded eight aviation incidents, nearly all tied to engine failures.</p> <p>One of the most telling cases was a Red Wings flight from Moscow to Phuket. Shortly after takeoff, a Boeing’s engine caught fire. The aircraft circled the Moscow region for nearly an hour, dumping fuel, before landing safely.</p> <p>Passengers later reported a strong jet-fuel smell and visible flames near the engine. The airline described it as a “change in operating parameters.”</p> <p>Within days, similar incidents were reported at UTair, then involving a Sukhoi Superjet, followed by a Boeing 757, an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 777 - across routes from Sochi and Samara to Dubai and Yakutsk.</p> <p>Experts say engines have become the weak link in Russian aviation. Without access to original spare parts and certified maintenance, aircraft are being pushed to their limits.</p> <p>In December and January, reports included unexpected engine shutdowns, oil leaks, severe vibration, cabin depressurization, and repeat emergency landings involving the same airframes.</p> <p>In one case, a plane attempted the route twice and returned both times because the fault was never resolved.</p> <p>Russian carriers are increasingly using “deferred defect” procedures — acknowledging a fault but allowing flights to continue.</p> <p>In practice, that means operating “on hope,” without full repairs. The causes: a lack of original parts, certified service and access to manufacturers.</p> <p>Travelers are increasingly complaining about dry cabins without water or food, emergency landings, limited information, hours-long delays and fear of getting back on the same plane.</p> <p>“We flew on a faulty aircraft two times in a row. It was really scary,” said a passenger on a St. Petersburg–Yakutsk flight.</p> <p>Experts broadly agree the situation will continue to deteriorate. Aircraft are aging, resources are being depleted and there are no replacements in sight. Russia’s civil aviation is shifting into survival mode, where every flight is a compromise between safety and the need to keep flying.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sanctions-and-parts-shortages-push-russia-s-civil-aviation-to-the-brink-as-engine-failures-surge">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/risk-of-drones-drifting-into.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/risk-of-drones-drifting-into.html <p>On January 22, 2026, Major General Pekka Turunen, head of Finnish Defence Intelligence, highlighted a rising risk of drones drifting into Finland&rsquo;s airspace due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Finnish military intelligence report emphasizes that Ukraine&rsquo;s strikes near the Gulf of Finland and Russia&rsquo;s GPS jamming to counter these attacks could cause drones to be diverted into Finnish territory accidentally. So far, no such incidents have been reported. Finland shares a 1,340 km border with Russia and joined NATO in April 2023 following the invasion of Ukraine. The Finnish intelligence chief noted that the military threat level has not increased notably over the past year. European NATO members, reacting to unprecedented Russian drone airspace violations since September 2025, have agreed to develop a &lsquo;drone wall&rsquo; to detect, track and intercept drones entering European airspace. NATO has deployed a US anti-drone system to its eastern flank and established the Eastern Sentry programme to deter Russian incursions. The Kremlin denies responsibility for these drone incidents. Finnish officials also noted that political turmoil caused by the US push to seize Greenland may have encouraged Russia to act more freely. The report underscores heightened vigilance in the region amid complex geopolitical tensions.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Drone swarms &amp; UAV surveillance</p> <p>Country: Finland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/22/risk-of-drones-drifting-into-finlands-airspace-growing-intelligence-chief-says">www.euronews.com/2026/01/2&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/41ea7aab-7e1e-4ded-8f11-ff9def3e672b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/trump-says-putin-accepted-board.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:53:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/trump-says-putin-accepted-board.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256889455-612x612.jpg" alt="Trump says Putin accepted Board of Peace invite — while Russia mulls paying for permanent seat with frozen assets"></p>"Given the special relationship with the Palestinian people, Russia could direct $1 billion from Russian assets frozen under the previous U.S. administration to the Board of Peace," Putin said, referring to Trump's indications that a $1 billion payment would secure a permanent seat on the board.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-claims-putin-has-accepted-board-of-peace-invite-as-russia-mulls-paying-for-permanent-seat-with-frozen-us-assets/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/a-report-details-russia-and.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/a-report-details-russia-and.html <p>On January 22, 2026, the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats released a detailed 43-page assessment revealing how Russia and China are building a hybrid warfare capability in the Arctic. This involves converting civilian scientific research, shipping infrastructure, and satellite systems into tools for military reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and influence campaigns. China explicitly integrates military goals within Arctic science under its Military-Civil Fusion strategy, with the PLA conducting reconnaissance and security cooperation missions. Russia controls over half of the Arctic coastline and by partnering with China on the Northern Sea Route, facilitates dual-use naval and commercial operations supported by icebreaker escorts. Both states are expanding satellite constellations with enhanced polar coverage and communication tracking abilities, aiming for &lsquo;information dominance.&rsquo; Documented hybrid activities in the Norwegian High North include hacking, GPS jamming, espionage by fishing vessels and drones, and sabotage of communication cables linked to Russia&rsquo;s GRU. In the Canadian Arctic, China conducts cyber influence and exploitative telecom marketing targeting Indigenous communities. These hybrid threats risk escalation ahead of potential military conflicts, with the Northern Fleet playing a key nuclear deterrent role near NATO borders and Chinese investments bolstering Russia&rsquo;s war economy. The report warns for EU and NATO preparedness against similar future Arctic hybrid attacks.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/22/russia-china-arctic-hybrid-threats-military-civil-fusion/">euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/2&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/67c7e5a8-fae3-4661-bc60-4e787aa9aade">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/estonia-tightens-border-crossing-rules.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/estonia-tightens-border-crossing-rules.html <p>The Estonian government, through a Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiative led by Minister Margus Tsahkna, adopted new legal amendments on January 22, 2026, to regulate border crossings of Russian diplomatic and consular personnel. The amendments align Estonian regulations with the EU&rsquo;s 19th sanctions package against Russia, imposing stricter controls that mandate prior approval for Russian diplomats, consular officials, administrative, technical staff, and their families before entering Estonia&rsquo;s external border. The Russian Embassy in Tallinn must submit permission requests to the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at least five working days in advance, with decisions issued not later than one day prior to intended crossing. Additional provisions require diplomats to notify travel intentions when transiting through other EU member states where they lack accreditation, with a 24-hour advance notice. The measures are set to come into force on January 25, 2026, representing further tightening of Estonia&rsquo;s border security amid heightened tensions with Russia.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Exploiting international law &amp; treaties</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609918607/estonia-tightens-border-crossing-rules-for-russian-diplomats">news.err.ee/160991860&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/d2bad12b-222b-45eb-b161-b7a327193c38">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/exintelligence-officer-accused-of-betraying.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/exintelligence-officer-accused-of-betraying.html <p>Egisto Ott, 63, a former Austrian intelligence official, denies charges of providing secret information to Russian agents, including Jo-Jan Marsalek, former executive at the collapsed Wirecard payments company. Ott is accused of unauthorized collection of personal data, abuse of authority, and espionage against Austria, allegedly supporting Russian secret intelligence activities from 2015 and 2018. Prosecutors claim Ott handed over sensitive information like locations, vehicle registrations, and internal police databases to Moscow. The trial highlights longstanding fears of Russian espionage threatening Austria. Marsalek, an Austrian-German fugitive, is alleged to have provided classified materials to Russian intelligence and fled to Moscow after the Wirecard collapse in 2020. Additional accused includes Thomas Schellenbacher, an Austrian MP, charged with assisting Marsalek&rsquo;s escape and linked to Russian espionage and far-right political activities in Austria. The case exposes complex espionage networks operating in Central Europe linked to Moscow.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Austria</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz0pnjv1zy5o">www.bbc.com/news/arti&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/1f5b1d44-9477-4252-8f2f-099024383d4e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/22/germany-expels-russian-diplomat-over.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/22/germany-expels-russian-diplomat-over.html <p>On January 22, 2026, Germany announced the expulsion of a Russian diplomat and summoned the Russian ambassador in response to a spying case. The German Foreign Office confirmed that the expelled individual was accused of espionage activities related to Russian intelligence operations. The move followed ongoing concerns about Russian espionage in Germany, which Berlin says is part of broader hostile intelligence targeting diplomatic cover. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated that the action was a clear response to unsubstantiated espionage behavior by Russian diplomatic personnel. The espionage case involved allegations of spying linked to Kremlin interests, with the Federal Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office and the Federal Court of Justice involved in handling the matter according to German media. Additionally, there were considerations that these activities might relate to a Russian network operating in other European countries, such as Sweden. The German government emphasized that this expulsion was directly connected to the discovered intelligence threat and was part of ongoing efforts to counter Russian espionage operations within Europe.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-expels-russian-diplomat-summons-ambassador-over-espionage-case/a-75609339">www.dw.com/en/german&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/67613515-7b5e-4eca-a2d3-a00de86d6c7b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/putin-claims-russia-will-use.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:23:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/putin-claims-russia-will-use.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1849867759.jpg" alt="Putin claims Russia will use frozen assets to restore territories 'damaged' in its war"></p>Russia agrees to use its financial assets frozen in the U.S. to restore territories "damaged during military actions," Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Jan. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-claims-russia-will-use-frozen-assets-to-restore-territories-damaged-in-its-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/teaching-journalism-the-russian-way.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:58:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/teaching-journalism-the-russian-way.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-photo-3-rt-academy-in-jakarta-rusfluence-.jpg" alt="Teaching journalism the Russian way: How RT Academy spreads propaganda in Global South"></p><p>Russia is scaling up its educational programs for journalists in Southeast Asia, Africa, China, and India, pushing a pro-Kremlin agenda and propaganda under the guise of an "alternative narrative" and a "fight against fakes."</p><p>In December 2025, Russian state-run media outlet RT (formerly Russia Today) held</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/teaching-journalism-the-russian-way-how-rt-academy-spreads-propaganda-in-global-south/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:10:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/be0db2e145.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil terminal in southern Russia's Krasnodar Krai, killing 2"></p>An oil terminal near the village of Volna in Russia's Krasnodar Krai was struck, sparking a blaze and killing two people, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported late on Jan. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil-terminal-in-southern-russias-krasnodar-krai-killing-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/slovyansk-direction-russia-builds-up.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/slovyansk-direction-russia-builds-up.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/17484aab6b.jpg" alt="Slovyansk direction: Russia builds up its FORCES and prepares for a BREAKTHROUGH #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M3kJYAtjDQQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/germany-arrests-dual-germanukrainian-national.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/germany-arrests-dual-germanukrainian-national.html <p>A woman with dual German and Ukrainian citizenship has been arrested in Berlin on suspicion of spying for Russia, Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office <a href="https://www.generalbundesanwalt.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2026/Pressemitteilung-vom-21-01-2026-2.html?nn=478184">said</a>. The suspect, identified as Ilona W., allegedly gathered and passed information relevant to Russia’s war against Ukraine to Russian intelligence. Searches were conducted at her residence and at two other locations in the states of Brandenburg and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as in Munich.</p> <p>According to investigators, Ilona W. had been in contact with a representative of Russian intelligence at the Russian Embassy in Berlin since at least November 2023 and transmitted information to him on several occasions.</p> <p>Prosecutors say she collected details about participants in key political events, the locations of arms manufacturers, drone tests, and planned drone deliveries to Ukraine. She at times reached out to former German Defense Ministry employees she knew personally, and in some cases helped her embassy contact attend political events in Berlin under false names to establish intelligence-relevant connections.</p> <p>The same day, authorities detained two suspects in Germany on allegations of supporting Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). Deutsche Welle reports that a Russian citizen, Suren A., and a German citizen, Falko H., are suspected of supporting foreign terrorist organizations, a designation Germany’s Federal Prosecutor applies to the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Luhansk People’s Republic.” The arrests were made in the state of Brandenburg.</p> <p>Investigators say that since 2016, Suren A. and Falko H. held leadership roles in the group Friedensbrücke-Kriegsopferhilfe (“Peace Bridge - Aid for War Victims”), which sent humanitarian shipments and medical supplies, as well as drones, to the “DPR” and “LPR.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-arrests-dual-german-ukrainian-national-on-suspicion-of-spying-for-russia-two-others-detained-for-aiding-donetsk-and-luhansk-people-s-republics">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/russia-continues-genocide-against-civilians.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:32:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/russia-continues-genocide-against-civilians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04fae323b7.jpg" alt="Russia continues GENOCIDE against civilians in Ukraine, – a call to the world #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wNkdLFEs39w">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/ukraine-hit-moscow-with-sapsan.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:02:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/ukraine-hit-moscow-with-sapsan.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04a78826f5.jpg" alt="Ukraine hit Moscow with “Sapsan”! Russia’s fleet destroyed, battles and threats at Zaporizhzhia NPP"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7qez_cRp1o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/war-against-reality-how-the.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/war-against-reality-how-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1f2b05930f.jpg" alt="War against reality: how the Kremlin zombifies its own society for aggression!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQmoWDjbC_g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/sbu-foils-fakedate-assassination-attempt.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/sbu-foils-fakedate-assassination-attempt.html <p>Ukrainian authorities say they foiled an assassination attempt on a Ukrainian officer who was undergoing rehabilitation after being wounded at the front, arresting a suspected Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent within hours of the attack in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) <a href="https://t.me/SBUkr/16604">said</a> its military counterintelligence units and the National Police quickly neutralized the threat in the frontline city.</p> <p>According to the investigation, Russian operatives lured the soldier to an industrial zone by arranging a fake date with a woman he had met on a dating site. Instead, a balaclava-clad hitman was waiting. The attacker struck from behind, stabbing the victim six times in the neck, chest, abdomen and right leg, then fled.</p> <p>The officer was hospitalized in intensive care and remains in serious condition, officials said. Within hours, SBU officers tracked down the suspect and arrested him at a relative’s home where he was attempting to hide.</p> <p>Investigators say the alleged perpetrator is a 25-year-old unemployed local who drew the FSB’s attention while looking for “easy money” in Telegram channels. He had previously carried out a series of “test” arsons before receiving the order to kill the Ukrainian officer; a handler in Russia allegedly provided the target’s address, the SBU said.</p> <p>To set up the meeting, the FSB allegedly created a fake profile of a woman on a dating site. During his escape, the attacker tried to dispose of the knife, but law enforcement recovered it and seized a smartphone and tablet he allegedly used to communicate with his handlers.</p> <p>SBU investigators have notified the suspect of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 15 and Part 2 of Article 115 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code - attempted premeditated murder. He is in custody and faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property if convicted.</p> <p>SBU spokesperson Artem Dekhtiarenko said the swift work of military counterintelligence and the National Police not only prevented a killing but also caught the Russian agent “red-handed.”</p> <p>Authorities have previously said the agent recruited “like-minded” acquaintances — including Ukrainians exempt from mobilization due to age - into an FSB network, and that he planned contract killings of prominent Ukrainians as well as bombings at a shopping mall and at a Kyiv metro station.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sbu-foils-fake-date-assassination-attempt-on-recovering-ukrainian-officer-in-zaporizhzhia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/hundreds-of-thousands-without-light.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:07:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/hundreds-of-thousands-without-light.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1bffdacb22.jpg" alt="Hundreds of thousands WITHOUT LIGHT OR HEAT: Russia hits Ukraine's ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE | In Focus"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QDlEvahaHs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/ukraine-to-share-wartime-battlefield.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/ukraine-to-share-wartime-battlefield.html <p>Ukraine will grant allied countries access to combat data gathered over four years of war with Russia to train artificial intelligence, newly appointed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said, according to <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ab121d67-c823-40d4-808f-861f42145404">the Financial Times</a>. Fedorov previously served as first deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation.</p> <p>Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has amassed an unprecedented trove of battlefield information, including vast volumes of drone video. Fedorov has put these data at the center of the country’s military strategy. “We understand the math of war,” he said.</p> <p>The Defense Ministry will partner with tech company Palantir to launch a “data room” built on real wartime information. Ukraine’s allies will be able to use it to train AI that helps intercept enemy drones and defend Ukrainian airspace. The effort will run under the Brave1 platform, which provides organizational and financial support for defense technology projects. A portal to apply for data access is already online.</p> <p>Fedorov said Ukraine is already developing autonomous air-defense solutions that are producing results, but the new program should accelerate progress and draw allies more deeply into the process. The ministry is working closely on R&D with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and RAND in the United States, as well as the Royal United Services Institute in the United Kingdom. In addition, on Tuesday Ukraine and the UK agreed to systematic data-sharing on weapons use following talks with British Defense Secretary John Healey.</p> <p>Fedorov stressed that Ukraine is relying on its own capabilities and is not waiting for others to save it. “If we stop the enemy in the air and on the ground and deliver a crushing blow to its economy, we have every chance to end this war.”</p> <p>In September last year, it emerged that Boeing Defense would use Palantir’s Foundry AI platform in manufacturing and in several classified military programs. The move - announced at a major gathering of U.S. defense industry representatives - is aimed at standardizing data and speeding production amid growing demand for military technology.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-share-wartime-battlefield-data-with-allies-to-train-ai-air-defenses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/trump-meeting-with-zelenskyy-deal.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:55:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/trump-meeting-with-zelenskyy-deal.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b156dd5842.jpg" alt="❗️Trump: meeting with Zelenskyy! Deal with Putin incoming – signing tomorrow?! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zI6GjErlZHs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/nighttime-russian-strike-on-zaporizhzhia.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:27:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/nighttime-russian-strike-on-zaporizhzhia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9e7e9c1187.jpg" alt="Nighttime Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia – 4 dead, 6 wounded #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oxwQznQ3II8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/republican-congressman-slams-trumps-russia.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:17:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/republican-congressman-slams-trumps-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/rep-bacon-1-.jpg" alt="Republican congressman slams Trump's Russia policy, Greenland threats"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R) about U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to ending Russia's war against Ukraine, arguing that appeasing Russia would only invite further aggression and calling on tougher sanctions on Moscow.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/republican-congressman-slams-trumps-russia-policy-greenland-threats/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/budanov-says-ukraine-is-on.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/budanov-says-ukraine-is-on.html <p>Ukraine is “on the path to a fundamental resolution of the war,” but talk of a quick peace is premature, Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Budanov <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HVUMA2ctyI">said</a> during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos.</p> <p>“To be frank, we are moving forward. And ‘cautious optimism’ is the term I would use to clearly describe this situation,” he said.</p> <p>Budanov expressed hope that Ukraine is “on the path to a fundamental resolution of the war.”</p> <p>“We are moving forward. You can’t say peace is guaranteed tomorrow. If someone says that, it’s definitely not true,” he said.</p> <p>At the same time, he stressed that “a lot of effort is being made.”</p> <p>“First and foremost, efforts are being made by us and by the United States. Whether someone likes it or not, there is movement. It truly exists. And we are indeed making progress. Will we be able to succeed in the near term or not? That also depends a lot on the Russian Federation. You understand who we’re dealing with,” Budanov said.</p> <p>The head of the President’s Office emphasized that Ukraine is directly involved in the negotiation process, so it’s incorrect to say that “Ukraine should have a seat at the negotiating table.”</p> <p>Speaking about the key conditions for a future peace, Budanov underscored that Ukraine needs a just peace, security guarantees and a clear plan for recovery.</p> <p>“We are pooling efforts, mobilizing and will see this through. We need a just peace, that’s right. We need security guarantees. We need a plan to rebuild and revive Ukraine. But infighting will not help,” he said.</p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky currently remains in Kyiv, which was hit by a massive Russian attack. A condition for traveling to Davos and meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is the presence of concrete results.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/budanov-says-ukraine-is-on-path-to-end-the-war-but-urges-caution-on-quick-peace">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/trump-seizes-russias-quotshadow-fleetquot.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:16:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/trump-seizes-russias-quotshadow-fleetquot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1086f167de.jpg" alt="Trump SEIZES Russia's &quot;SHADOW FLEET&quot;! China, North Korea, and Iran AGAINST NATO"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6KSpELyKCA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/drone-attacks-across-russia-injure.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:11:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/drone-attacks-across-russia-injure.html <p>Multiple regions across Russia reported drone attacks. On Wednesday, January 21, an apartment building in the settlement of Novaya Adygeya, near Krasnodar, was hit. Thirteen people were injured, with seven adults and two children hospitalized, Adygea leader Murat Kumpilov <a href="https://t.me/muratkumpilov/18306">said on Telegram</a>. Two people are in intensive care.</p> <p>Fifteen cars caught fire in a parking lot. Residents of the building were evacuated to a temporary accommodation center. “The municipal administration is introducing a district-level state of emergency. This will help coordinate the work of all services and agencies more effectively,” Kumpilov added. Local Telegram channels reported a powerful explosion.</p> <p>Krasnodar Krai’s operational headquarters reported a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery. Authorities said it was caused by debris from downed drones. “There are no casualties or infrastructure damage. The fire caused by falling fragments was promptly extinguished,” the statement said. The Afipsky refinery has been targeted by drones multiple times, including on August 7, August 28, September 26, November 29 and December 14, 2025 .</p> <p>Flights were delayed at airports in Krasnodar and Sochi. There were also reports of damaged homes in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, in Krasnodar Krai. From this Azov Sea coastal city, the Russian Armed Forces - waging a full-scale war against Ukraine for nearly four years — regularly launch attacks on the neighboring country.</p> <p>Overnight, drones also targeted energy infrastructure in the Belgorod and Oryol regions, disrupting power supply in parts of Oryol.</p> <p>“As a result of the shelling, enterprises within the region’s energy complex were damaged. We are conducting demining and starting emergency repairs. In Belgorod, facilities and equipment at one enterprise were also damaged,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/18610">wrote</a>.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/60488">said</a> 75 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles targeted Russian regions overnight. The ministry claimed air defenses destroyed 45 over Krasnodar Krai, nine over the Oryol region, and seven over the Black Sea. Drones were also shot down over the Rostov, Astrakhan, Bryansk, Kursk and Voronezh regions, as well as over annexed Crimea and the Azov Sea, it added.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/drone-attacks-across-russia-injure-13-spark-fire-at-afipsky-oil-refinery">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/romania-moves-more-troops-and.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/romania-moves-more-troops-and.html <p>Romania is moving additional troops and military hardware closer to its border with Ukraine as Russian drones increasingly cross into the country’s eastern regions, Defense Minister Radu Miruce said, according to <a href="https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/actualitate/armata-romaniei-creste-numarul-militarilor-la-granita-cu-ucraina-ministrul-apararii-exista-riscul-sa-vedem-drone-in-zonele-locuite-3591941">Digi24</a>.</p> <p>Miruce said the Romanian military is reinforcing its presence in Dobrogea, the country’s eastern region bordering Ukraine, where Russian drones are regularly detected and pose a threat. Incursions across the Romania-Ukraine frontier have increased recently, prompting Bucharest to send more forces to the border area.</p> <p>Romania has already deployed a significant number of troops to Dobrogea and could add more. Air defenses have been strengthened, but some Russian drones are evading army radars and have occasionally crashed near residential areas, Miruce acknowledged.</p> <p>To counter drones attempting to enter Romanian airspace, the military is using German-made Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems - also operated by Ukraine - alongside other air-defense assets.</p> <p>The latest serious incident involving a Russian drone in Romania, a NATO member, occurred in mid-January 2026, when a drone crashed roughly 200 kilometers inside Romanian territory. Military radars did not detect it, and the timing of the crash remains unclear.</p> <p>Before Miruce’s comments, no Romanian Defense Ministry official had openly stated that the country’s air defenses cannot detect and shoot down every drone.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/romania-moves-more-troops-and-air-defenses-to-ukraine-border-amid-russian-drone-incursions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/six-windows-on-ukraine-love.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:11:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/six-windows-on-ukraine-love.html <p><strong>“What this war taught us as a society, as people, is that yes, it doesn't take you a lot to help somebody, to step in, to extend your hand to people whom you do not know. It made us more open to helping strangers, to helping each other.”</strong></p><p>For our fifth season, <a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></a> returns to its beginnings, revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how war, time, and resistance have reshaped their lives. Across six episodes—<strong>fear, belonging, creation, resilience, love, and acceptance</strong>—our guests reflect on the past and write letters to their former selves. This season affirms that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.</p><p>In this Love episode of the new Ukrainian Spaces season, we reconnect with a Ukrainian journalist, media strategist and head of <a href="https://www.ukrainer.net/en/"><u>the Ukraїner</u></a> platform, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yulia_tymosha/"><strong>Julia Tymoshenko</strong></a>. She shares with Val and Maksym why she decided to stay in Ukraine in 2022, choosing journalism as her new career, and how she has taken on even more responsibility in uncertain times.</p><p>Julia opens up about the lasting scars of the russian occupation of her home village, and why any future peace in Ukraine and Europe won’t be possible without justice served for stealing, violating and destroying Ukrainian homes. Julia closes the episode with a letter to her 2022 self, written from a place shaped by loss, endurance, and love.</p><p><a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></a> is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from imperial stereotypes about Ukraine, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its right to exist.</p><p><strong>SUPPORT: </strong><a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></a> is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise more Ukraine conversations - <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/ukrainianspaces/posts"><u>become our Patreon sponsor</u></a> or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) </p><p><strong>GET FEATURED: </strong><a href="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ukrainianspaces/message"><u>send us a voicemail </u></a></p><p>This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/"><strong>Ukrainska Pravda</strong></a> – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/supportus/"><u>make a donation through their website</u></a> or <a href="https://www.patreon.com/pravdaua"><u>join their Patreon community</u></a>. Every contribution keeps the story alive.</p><p><a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ukrainianspaces/episodes/Six-windows-on-Ukraine-Love-e3du9m8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/czech-government-rejects-petr-pavels.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/czech-government-rejects-petr-pavels.html <p>Czech ruling parties have decided not to transfer L-159 fighter jets to Ukraine, despite President Petr Pavel’s plan to supply them quickly.</p> <p>The decision not to deliver L-159 combat aircraft to Ukraine was confirmed by SPD leader and lower-house speaker Tomio Okamura, the outlet Vinegret <a href="https://www.vinegret.cz/714726/praviashchaia-koalitsiia-v-chekhii-dogovorilas-ne-prodavat-samolety-ukraine">reported</a>.</p> <p>On Monday, January 19, the coalition council of the governing parties ANO, SPD and Motoristé sobě met in Prague. After the meeting, they decided against transferring Czech-made L-159 fighter jets to Ukraine.</p> <p>Okamura told reporters: “These aircraft are needed by our army.”</p> <p>He added that the decision applies both to a free handover and any potential sale to Kyiv.</p> <p>The move indicates that supplying L-159s to Ukraine is not a priority for the ruling coalition, regardless of President Pavel’s statements.</p> <p>Earlier, a political dispute has erupted between President Petr Pavel and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka over the possible transfer of L-159 fighter jets to help counter Russian drones.</p> <p>Pavel has also said the Czech Republic is ready to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses by providing several medium fighter jets in the near future.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/czech-government-rejects-petr-pavel-s-plan-to-send-l-159-jets-to-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/kyivs-mismanaged-winter-energy-crisis.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:03:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/kyivs-mismanaged-winter-energy-crisis.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-gettyimages-2255805501.jpg" alt="Kyiv's mismanaged winter: Energy crisis, icy streets expose city leadership failures"></p><p>Ukraine's capital is currently facing "the most difficult" winter of the war as its energy infrastructure sustained detrimental damage and continues to undergo further Russian attacks.</p><p>Over the past weeks, snowfall and frigid temperatures have created a hazardous situation on the streets. Ice-coated pavements, piles of</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyivs-mismanaged-winter-energy-crisis-icy-streets-expose-city-leadership-failures/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/ukraine-war-latest-live-severe.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:44:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/ukraine-war-latest-live-severe.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253771539.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Severe frosts could enable mechanized Russian assaults in Donetsk Oblast, military says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. Russian forces may find favorable conditions for mechanized assaults in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast due to frost and frozen ground, Roman Pysarenko, head of communications for the 79th Brigade based near Myrnohrad, told Suspilne on Jan. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-21/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/trumps-envoys-witkoff-kushner-to.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:09:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/trumps-envoys-witkoff-kushner-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1322398de9.jpg" alt="Trump's envoys Witkoff, Kushner to meet Putin in Moscow"></p>"The Russians have invited us to come, and that's a significant statement from them," Witkoff said in an interview with Bloomberg TV in Davos on Jan. 21, amid a Washington-led push to broker peace between Kyiv and Moscow.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-envoy-says-he-kushner-will-meet-putin-on-jan-22/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/over-half-a-million-left.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:23:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/over-half-a-million-left.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256691336.jpg" alt="Over half a million left Kyiv in January amid Russia's energy blitz, mayor Klitschko says"></p>Klitschko's press service told the Kyiv Independent that the 600,000 number was calculated from mobile phone billing data.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/klitschko-says-600-000-people-left-kyiv-in-january-amid-russias-energy-blitz/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/reported-injured-in-southern-russia.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:20:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/reported-injured-in-southern-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/adygea-attack.jpg" alt="11 reported injured in southern Russia as separate drone strike hits oil refinery"></p>Eleven people were injured in an overnight attack in Russia's Republic of Adygea, while a separate drone strike sparked a fire at an oil refinery in neighboring Krasnodar Krai, local authorities and media reported Jan. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/11-injured-southern-russia-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/russian-strikes-push-ukraines-power.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/russian-strikes-push-ukraines-power.html <p>Ongoing Russian strikes across Ukraine have pushed the country’s infrastructure and energy supply to the brink of “collapse,” Germany’s Foreign Ministry said.</p> <p>A ministry spokesperson said Germany has allocated an additional 60 million euros in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians suffering from “brutal Russian attacks” on energy facilities amid severe freezing temperatures.</p> <p>The funds will provide residents of frontline areas with cash assistance to purchase essentials such as emergency generators for shelters, heating systems, clothing and blankets. Additional measures are under consideration.</p> <p>Sustained, large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power system, combined with a sharp cold snap, have created a critical situation in several regions.</p> <p>Overnight on January 19, Russian forces struck the Chernihiv region, damaging five key pieces of energy infrastructure. The utility Chernihivoblenergo said tens of thousands of customers were left without power. Repair crews are at work, but the security situation could delay restoration.</p> <p>As of the morning of January 19, consumers in the Sumy, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions were without electricity, First Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said at a briefing.</p> <p>Nekrasov said conditions remain especially challenging in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, with freezing temperatures putting additional strain on the grid.</p> <p>Sixty repair crews are working to restore power in the capital, including 12 brought in from other regions. Distribution system operators continue to impose grid restrictions. Previously announced hourly outage schedules are temporarily suspended.</p> <p>As in recent weeks, grid restrictions also remain in place in the Odesa region, where emergency repair work continues following earlier Russian attacks</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-strikes-push-ukraine-s-power-grid-to-brink-as-germany-pledges-60-million-euros-in-aid">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/russian-airdefense-missile-appears-to.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:48:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/russian-airdefense-missile-appears-to.html <p>By the evening of January 20, a large fire broke out in a residential building in the settlement of Novaya Adygeya in Russia’s Krasnodar region after a series of explosions. Preliminary reports indicate an air-defense missile struck a residential high-rise.</p> <p>Eyewitnesses and videos published by <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15787">the Telegram channel “Exilenova+”</a> corroborate the flight of a missile.</p> <p>“The moment a [expletive] missile hits a building in Krasnodar,” reads the caption to one video, which shows a missile plunging at high speed and triggering a large explosion and fire at the point of impact.</p> <p>The footage clearly shows the projectile’s trajectory; instead of intercepting a target, it struck a residential area.</p> <p>However, local Russian authorities and pro-government media began a campaign to shift blame to Ukraine. <a href="https://t.me/mash/71241">According to their accounts</a>, a Ukrainian drone allegedly hit the apartment building in Novaya Adygeya.</p> <p>“At least twenty-five apartments were damaged after a Ukrainian drone attack on a high-rise in the settlement of Novaya Adygeya,” pro-Kremlin channels <a href="https://t.me/mash/71240">said</a>.</p> <p>At the same time, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102422">the Russian outlet Astra</a> conducted its own open-source analysis and says the building was hit by a Russian air-defense missile.</p> <p>“ASTRA analyzed numerous eyewitness videos from the scene, including the moment of impact, and concluded that a Russian air-defense missile struck the residential building,” the outlet said.</p> <p>Analysts noted that eyewitness footage clearly captures the missile’s overflight and impact; a power substation is located roughly one kilometer from the building.</p> <p>As of publication, Ukrainian officials had not commented on the incident in Novaya Adygeya.</p> <p>Earlier, in the early hours of January 18, partisans damaged a key substation in Russia’s Bryansk region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-air-defense-missile-appears-to-hit-apartment-building-near-krasnodar-as-pro-kremlin-media-blames-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/ukraine-holds-the-line-amid.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:30:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/ukraine-holds-the-line-amid.html <p>The operational situation on the Pokrovsk axis remains extremely tense, but Ukraine’s Armed Forces are holding the line and preventing Russian forces from breaking through toward the western edge of Donetsk region.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1245158744446275&id=100068564836091&rdid=QzP9fNpu3GB8XeZA">a post on Facebook</a>, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said a “grueling standoff” continues around the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad urban area, with about 50 clashes occurring daily.</p> <p>During a field visit to this sector, Syrskyi held on-site meetings with military command authorities and unit commanders. He said the enemy is trying to increase pressure, moving reserves toward Pokrovsk and seeking to breach defenses through both massed assaults and covert advances by small infantry groups.</p> <p>Syrskyi noted that in these conditions, organizing the defense requires “full awareness, flexible decisions and precise calculations.” He emphasized prioritizing the preservation of personnel and maintaining units’ combat effectiveness.</p> <p>Following commanders’ briefings, Syrskyi set priorities that include strengthening defensive resilience, ensuring uninterrupted logistics, boosting the effectiveness of fires, and achieving synchronized coordination at all levels of command. He also ordered increased support for troops, including the use of unmanned systems.</p> <p>Despite the difficult situation, Ukrainian forces continue to hold their positions. “Their professionalism, composure, selflessness and combat hardening are preventing the Russian occupiers from achieving a breakthrough,” Syrskyi wrote.</p> <p>He concluded by thanking commanders and soldiers for their service to Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-holds-the-line-amid-grueling-standoff-on-the-pokrovsk-axis-syrskyi-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/lukashenko-agrees-to-join-trumps.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:22:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/lukashenko-agrees-to-join-trumps.html <p>Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday, January 20, signed a document to join the “Peace Council”, a body created by US President Donald Trump to help broker a settlement in the Gaza Strip and around the world, <a href="https://belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-podpisal-dokument-o-prisoedinenii-belarusi-k-predlozhennomu-trampom-sovetu-mira-760040-2026/">reported</a> Belarusian state news agency BelTA.</p> <p>The Telegram channel “Pul Pervogo,” which is close to Lukashenko’s press service, posted a photo of the document. In it, an address to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio states that Belarus accepts the Peace Council’s charter.</p> <p>Reuters noted the move marks another step in Minsk’s rapprochement with Washington after years of international isolation.</p> <p>In 2025, Trump began easing sanctions on Belarus following the release of several political prisoners. The US president also called Lukashenko a “highly respected president.”</p> <p>A draft charter sent by the US administration to about 60 countries proposes that members contribute $1 billion (€853 million) in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years, Reuters reported.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he had received an invitation from Trump to join and said Ukrainian diplomats are studying the proposal.</p> <p>“For me it’s very hard to imagine how we and Russia will be together in one council or another. And this is not about this Council (of Peace). It’s just that Russia is about a ‘council of war.’ And Belarus along with it,” Ukrainska Pravda quoted Zelensky as saying.</p> <p>Trump initially pitched the Peace Council as a body to address the conflict in the Middle East. In October 2025, it received a corresponding UN mandate.</p> <p>But the US president appears to be seeking to broaden the Council’s remit. The Gaza Strip wasn’t mentioned at all in the founding charter that the White House sent to world leaders on January 16 along with invitations to join. Instead, the first paragraph of the preamble asserts that ensuring sustainable peace requires “abandoning approaches and institutions that too often have failed.”</p> <p>The document doesn’t mention the UN in this context, but Trump has repeatedly criticized the organization, accusing it of inaction.</p> <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accepted an invitation to join the Peace Council, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on January 18. The next day, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also accepted Trump’s invitation “with sincere gratitude,” according to his spokesperson Ruslan Zheldibay, adding Tokayev aims to contribute to durable peace in the Middle East, stronger interstate trust and global stability.</p> <p>Germany received an invitation from Trump to take part in the Peace Council on the Gaza Strip and is ready to discuss with the US and partners how to achieve a long-term settlement, the German government said. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin received a similar invitation on January 19, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Moscow has not yet responded.</p> <p>In all, Trump has invited about 60 countries to the Peace Council, according to media reports. Invitees include leaders of Turkey, Canada, Uzbekistan, several EU countries and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.</p> <p>Also named to the structure are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steven Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, World Bank President Ajay Banga and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Trump will chair the body. Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov has been appointed High Representative for the Gaza Strip.</p> <p>News of the Peace Council’s formation came shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic administration tasked with managing day-to-day life in the Gaza Strip.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lukashenko-agrees-to-join-trump-s-peace-council">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/trump-blames-ukraine-war-negotiations.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:08:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/trump-blames-ukraine-war-negotiations.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2203341067.jpg" alt="Trump blames Ukraine war negotiations deadlock on Moscow, Kyiv failing to align on talks"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump said on Jan. 20 that he has been unable to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, claiming that neither side is consistently willing to agree to a deal at the same time.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-blames-ukraine-war-negotiations-deadlock-on-moscow-and-kyiv-failing-to-align-on-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/moscow-falls-short-in-recruiting.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/moscow-falls-short-in-recruiting.html <p>Officials in the Moscow mayor’s office acknowledged that many Russians who come to Unified conscription centers for military service should be seeing a psychiatrist instead.</p> <p>Moscow posted one of the lowest figures in Russia for recruiting volunteers to serve under contract in the Russian army. In December 2025, just 879 Moscow residents chose to sign a contract with Russia’s armed forces—nearly 56% fewer than in the same period in 2024, when almost 2,000 residents of the capital voluntarily decided to become occupying soldiers, reports <a href="https://verstka.media/kogo-rossiya-nabrala-na-vojnu-v-2025-godu">Verstka</a>, citing data from Moscow City Hall.</p> <p>“All kinds of riffraff are showing up,” a source in Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s administration told the outlet.</p> <p>The source suggested that many of those coming to the Unified selection centers for military service ought to consult a psychiatrist.</p> <p>Another source, who provided documents with statistical indicators, said that “Russians are tired of the war, and everyone who wanted to go has already done so.”</p> <p>“Recruitment plans fell through: instead of a 30–40% increase, the opposite happened,” the source concluded.</p> <p>The total number of volunteers from Moscow who joined the Russian army was 24,469, about a quarter less than in 2024.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/moscow-falls-56-short-in-recruiting-contract-soldiers-as-officials-say-all-kinds-of-riffraff-are-applying">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/russia-tests-zircon-missile-in.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/russia-tests-zircon-missile-in.html <p>On January 20, Russia launched another mass attack on Ukraine, this time using the hypersonic Zircon and training missiles designed to overload Ukrainian air defenses. Military expert Andriy Kramarov said on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmtWZFDoCII">Radio NV</a> that the main strike again targeted the energy infrastructure of Kyiv and the surrounding region.</p> <p>In his view, Russia’s latest attacks don’t amount to a fundamentally new tactic, but they show a clear focus on destroying critical energy infrastructure in the capital. For more than a month, the occupiers have been trying to hit key facilities, including the CHP-5 and CHP-6 thermal power plants, as well as large transformer substations in Kyiv and the region.</p> <p>According to the expert, the strikes are being carried out mainly with missiles—both cruise, such as the Kh-101, and ballistic. Strike drones, particularly Shaheds, play a supporting role, adding pressure on air defenses and affecting civilians, but they are not a serious threat to well-protected sites. What set the latest attack apart was the use of the RM-48U missile.</p> <p>“RM-48U is essentially a training missile created by converting S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missiles. This practice dates back to the Soviet era, starting with the S-200 systems, when special target missiles were used during exercises to test interception against targets with characteristics close to ballistic,” he said.</p> <p>He clarified that these launches use S-300 and S-400 missiles that have reached the end of their service life. Their warheads are removed and they’re refueled, turning them into decoys. Such missiles don’t follow a full ballistic trajectory, but debris from these attacks has already been found on Ukrainian territory.</p> <p>The expert said Russia launches them in parallel with ballistic missiles, primarily Iskander-Ms. This complicates the work of Ukrainian air defenses, forcing them to engage more targets and expend ammunition. It also suggests some S-300 missiles in Russia have exhausted their service life and cannot be fully restored.</p> <p>Kramarov added that Ukraine recently replenished its stock of air defense missiles, which helped repel the latest attack.</p> <p>“Just a few days ago these assets entered service, and we were able to replenish our missile stocks—which were critically needed during this attack. It’s precisely to deplete our ammunition, especially for Patriot systems, that the Russians began using so-called false ballistic targets,” the military expert said.</p> <p>As for the hypersonic Zircon, Kramarov explained it’s a naval missile launched from the same tubes as Kalibrs. During the latest attack, one launch was recorded toward Vinnytsia over a long distance. He said Zircon is still in limited production and has not become a fully fielded weapon in Russia’s arsenal. Overall, such launches effectively serve as combat trials—testing the missile’s accuracy and performance at long ranges that may reach 800–1,000 kilometers.</p> <p>Even so, Kramarov stressed that unlike Kinzhal, Russia does not have mass production of Zircon, limiting its routine use.</p> <p>“Russia is trying to test this missile’s combat capabilities and accuracy at maximum ranges. At the same time, unlike Kinzhal, there is still no full-scale serial production of this missile in Russia, and it has not been fully adopted into service,” the expert said on air.</p> <p>Also today, analysts at Defence Express wrote that for the first time in a long while, Russia used a hypersonic Zircon from Crimea, aiming it at Vinnytsia.</p> <p>In addition, answering a reporter’s question, Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine used €80 million worth of air defense missiles in an effort to shoot down Russian weapons during today’s attack.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-tests-zircon-in-ukraine-amid-mass-strike-targeting-kyiv-s-energy-infrastructure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/a-youtube-video-titled-have.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/a-youtube-video-titled-have.html <p>On or around January 21, 2026, a YouTube video titled &lsquo;Have You Seen These Men?&rsquo; published by The Christo Files (189k subscribers) presented investigative content related to Kremlin propaganda and disinformation efforts impacting European countries. The video accumulated 89K views within 7 days. Viewer comments praise the investigative work exposing Kremlin tactics and express gratitude for awareness on subject matter involving Russia&rsquo;s covert operations in Europe. Some comments reference a suspicious ammunition warehouse explosion in Romania (August 2, 2025) speculated to be a Russian act, and discuss Kremlin influence in Moldova. The channel aims to highlight propaganda narratives and deep investigative reports, suggesting ongoing informational warfare. The video prompted discussion and warnings on Kremlin disinformation and possible sleeper agents. This event illustrates ongoing information operations targeting European societies via online platforms.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkELkRd0qaI">www.youtube.com/watch</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/aa9c0213-faac-445e-a384-1fb1b2f5367e">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/putins-fanatical-spynuns-exposed-following.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/putins-fanatical-spynuns-exposed-following.html <p>Intelligence officials have accused a covert group of pro-Putin Russian Orthodox nuns of conducting espionage activities on behalf of Vladimir Putin. These nuns have been banned from Winchester Cathedral in the UK after suspicions emerged that they carried out spying assignments under the guise of religious missions. The group is suspected of gathering intelligence and possibly collaborating with the Russian government to support its hybrid warfare objectives. This revelation adds a new dimension to Russia&rsquo;s covert influence operations targeting Western countries, using unconventional agents such as religious figures. Officials have linked these espionage activities directly to the Kremlin&rsquo;s wider strategy of undermining Western institutions.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2161042/pro-putin-z-nuns-war-spy-ring-exposed-following-winchester-cathedral-ban">www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/a4e987d3-3519-48a3-93e0-8b279434a370">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/lastminute-patriot-and-nasams-deliveries.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:39:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/lastminute-patriot-and-nasams-deliveries.html <p>Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 342 aerial targets overnight, including 27 ballistic and cruise missiles. Still, there is a serious need for interceptor missiles for air-defense systems.</p> <p>Air-defense missiles arrived in Ukraine a day before the January 20 barrage, which significantly helped repel the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17693">his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>He added that a key task for Ukrainian diplomats is to secure sufficient missiles for the country’s air-defense network.</p> <p>Russia attacked Kyiv and the regions of Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava and Sumy overnight, the president said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Force <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/53142">said</a> Russia used a Zircon anti-ship missile, 18 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles, 15 Kh-101 cruise missiles, and 339 strike UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas and other types - about 250 of them Shaheds.</p> <p>Kyiv region was the main axis of the strike.</p> <p>Preliminary data indicate air defenses downed 342 targets:</p> <p>- 14 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles</p> <p>- 13 Kh-101 cruise missiles</p> <p>- 315 UAVs, including Shahed, Gerbera and other types</p> <p>At the same time, impacts from five missiles and 24 strike UAVs were recorded at 11 locations, and debris from downed drones fell at 12 locations. Information on two missiles is being clarified.</p> <p>Zelensky said the consequences for the power and heating systems will be discussed on a conference call. The most difficult situation is in Kyiv, where many homes were left without heat.</p> <p>On the night of January 20, Russia launched another mass missile-and-drone attack on Ukraine’s energy system.</p> <p>The worst-hit city is Kyiv, where nearly 6,000 homes were left without heating. Water service was also out on the city’s left bank.</p> <p>Some buildings in Dnipro also lost heat. The same day, law enforcement carried out a search involving Mayor Borys Filatov.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/air-defense-missiles-delivered-a-day-before-mass-strike-helped-ukraine-shoot-down-342-targets-zelensky-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-likens.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:28:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-likens.html <p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov compared Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea to the situation involving Greenland and the United States.</p> <p>Speaking Tuesday, January 20, at a year-end 2025 news conference, Lavrov <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFNiFWqKU0w">said</a>: “Put the people of Crimea in the place of the people of Greenland, and a lot will probably become clear to you.”</p> <p>According to Lavrov, in Crimea “people went to a referendum after an unconstitutional coup.”</p> <p>“And in Greenland no one staged any coups. Simply, as President (U.S. Donald) Trump said, that territory is important for the security of the United States. Crimea is no less important for the security of the Russian Federation than Greenland is for the United States,” the foreign minister continued.</p> <p>At the same time, the minister said there is no evidence that this autonomous Danish territory will be “seized by Russia or China.”</p> <p>“We proceed from the fact that… we have nothing to do with this issue. We are observing — it is, without question, a serious geopolitical situation,” Sergei Lavrov added. He said Moscow will draw conclusions “based on how this problem is resolved.”</p> <p>Earlier, the U.S. President said: “If you look now (at the situation) beyond Greenland, you will see there are Russian destroyers everywhere, Chinese destroyers... as well as Russian submarines.” “We will not allow Russia or China to occupy Greenland, and that is exactly what they will do if we do not take action,” <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-look-at-the-strategic-importance-of-greenland-as-trump-escalates-threats">PBS NewsHour</a> quoted Trump as saying.</p> <p>Danish and other European officials have emphasized that Greenland is protected by NATO’s collective defense provisions. In addition, the American military presence on the island is ensured under a 1951 agreement.</p> <p>At the news conference, Sergei Lavrov also addressed the situation surrounding the tanker Marinera (Bella1), detained January 7 in the North Atlantic under a U.S. federal court warrant for violating American sanctions.</p> <p>According to the foreign minister, the United States assured Moscow “that same day or the next morning” that a decision to release two Russian citizens from the ship’s crew “was made at the highest level.” However, “the following days showed that this decision is not being carried out,” he said, expressing hope that “our American colleagues will keep their promise.”</p> <p>The Bella 1 initially sailed under the Panamanian flag and tried to approach Venezuela’s shores despite a U.S. blockade.</p> <p>In December 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard sought to detain it, but the crew - citizens of Russia, Ukraine and India - refused to comply and sharply changed course. The crew painted a Russian flag on the hull. A few days later, the Bella 1 was renamed Marinera and entered into the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.</p> <p>The interdiction operation was carried out with the assistance of the U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Defense after a Coast Guard vessel tracked the ship. A boarding party reportedly took part. The boarding occurred before the arrival of Russian warships and a submarine that had set course toward the Marinera shortly beforehand.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-likens-russia-s-crimea-annexation-to-trump-s-ambitions-in-greenland">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/trump-putin-envoys-call-davos.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:28:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/trump-putin-envoys-call-davos.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/153fad09b9.jpg" alt="Trump, Putin envoys call Davos talks on Ukraine 'very positive,' and 'constructive'"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Davos on Jan. 20 to discuss Washington’s peace plan for Ukraine, with both sides describing the talks as constructive.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-putin-envoys-call-davos-talks-on-ukraine-very-positive-and-constructive/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/21/ukrainian-navy-outlines-problems-with.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:12:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/21/ukrainian-navy-outlines-problems-with.html <p>In the early hours of January 20, Russia, among other weapons, attacked Ukraine with a Zircon anti-ship missile. It was launched from Crimea and flew toward Vinnytsia.</p> <p>Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk said <a href="https://www.unian.net/war/ataka-po-ukraine-20-yanvarya-v-vms-ukazali-na-vazhnye-detali-o-rakete-cirkon-13261350.html">in in interview with UNIAN</a> that the missile is likely difficult to launch from surface carriers due to certain problems.</p> <p>He noted that, in the view of some analysts, the missile is not new but still “raw,” and the Russians had already used it several times at the start of the full-scale invasion.</p> <p>“Back then the Russian military already had problems retraining it from an anti-ship role to strike land targets. During flight, when it saw some structure, for example garages, it would turn and fly there. We had several such cases in Mykolaiv region in 2022,” Pletenchuk said, adding that similar incidents were recorded in Kherson region.</p> <p>Specialists believe the Zircon, in a land-attack configuration, is not fully refined.</p> <p>Pletenchuk stressed that the Oniks and Zircon are similar because both are anti-ship and supersonic. Moreover, neither was designed to hit land targets.</p> <p>The fact that Russia is not launching Zircon from Black Sea platforms—despite having universal launchers on the relevant ships—may indicate problems with the missile.</p> <p>“That means they have some difficulties using them. Theoretically, they could launch them from ships, but they don’t…,” he said.</p> <p>Pletenchuk doubts anything will change soon in how this system is used, arguing that if it were possible, the enemy would already have shown results.</p> <p>“Zircon is interesting for the Russians because it’s a supersonic missile. It’s harder to intercept than Kalibr, of course. It’s a more complex target,” he said.</p> <p>Meanwhile, military expert Andriy Kramarov says Zircon is still in limited production and has not become a full-fledged weapon of Russia’s forces. Launches against Ukraine are effectively serving as combat trials - testing the missile’s accuracy and capabilities at long ranges that may reach 800–1,000 kilometers.</p> <p>Kramarov adds that, unlike the Kinzhal, Russia does not have mass production of Zircon, which limits its systematic use.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-navy-outlines-problems-with-russia-s-3m22-zircon-missile-after-strike-on-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/occupiers-dead-in-one-day.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/occupiers-dead-in-one-day.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/69d3f9a7fc.jpg" alt="❗️220 occupiers dead in one day – record losses for Russia in Kupyansk #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W3QPgBuEe2o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/kupyansk-trap-eliminated-russians-per.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/kupyansk-trap-eliminated-russians-per.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ffecb22d17.jpg" alt="🧨 KUPYANSK TRAP: 27 eliminated Russians per one Ukrainian! Occupier's equipment OBLITERATED"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xfchIvp9TE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/trumps-ampquotpeace-councilampquot-invites-both.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 21:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/trumps-ampquotpeace-councilampquot-invites-both.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1aa77f5cb9.jpg" alt="TRUMP'S &quot;PEACE COUNCIL&quot; – invites BOTH UKRAINE AND RUSSIA?! Europe EXPOSES Kremlin's spy networks"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZUrxAw07k4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/weapons-from-iran-are-no.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 20:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/weapons-from-iran-are-no.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2459465a73.jpg" alt="Weapons from Iran are no longer reaching Russia – a blow to Putin's fleet #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-vm1A8IrG2M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/billion-against-kremlin-eu-prepares.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 20:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/billion-against-kremlin-eu-prepares.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9f560f960e.jpg" alt="800 billion against Kremlin: EU prepares for BIG WAR?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb2RaGeVMNA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/moscow-in-shock-ukraine-uses.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 19:33:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/moscow-in-shock-ukraine-uses.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8f5df1b700.jpg" alt="MOSCOW IN SHOCK! UKRAINE uses OWN ballistic missile AGAINST KREMLIN"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Osso2SYcxI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/chornobyl-plant-restores-external-power.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:02:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/chornobyl-plant-restores-external-power.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2198995749.jpg" alt="Chornobyl plant restores external power after temporary outage caused by Russian attack, according to Energy Ministry"></p>The ministry said that despite overnight missile and drone strikes targeting key energy hubs supplying the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, all facilities at the plant — including the New Safe Confinement and spent nuclear fuel storage sites — are now receiving power from Ukraine's unified energy system and are operating as required.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chornobyl-plant-temporarily-lost-off-site-power-after-latest-mass-russian-attack-iaea-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/after-russian-air-defense-missile.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/after-russian-air-defense-missile.html <p>On the evening of January 20, 2026, the village of Novaya Adygea in Russia was hit by what authorities claim was an enemy UAV attack, damaging 12 apartment buildings and forcing 27 people to evacuate temporarily. However, an investigation and video analysis suggest it was a Russian air defense missile that struck residential homes. The strike caused injuries to 13 people, 9 of whom were hospitalized, and during rubble clearing, fragments of human bodies were found. Special genetic testing was ordered to identify victims and determine casualty numbers. The incident was confirmed and analyzed by experts including Ruslan Leviev of Conflict Intelligence Team. The attack&rsquo;s exact death toll remains unclear.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Cruise / ballistic missiles</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://istories.media/news/2026/01/21/posle-popadaniya-rossiiskoi-raketi-pvo-po-domu-v-adigee-pod-zavalami-nashli-fragmenti-tela/">istories.media/news/2026&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/1737b1e7-837c-41f3-a222-dac52195e7aa">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/we-aim-to-kill-russians.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:32:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/we-aim-to-kill-russians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256401930-1.jpg" alt="'We aim to kill 50,000 Russians a month,' Ukraine's new defense minister says"></p>"Last month, 35,000 were killed; all these losses are verified on video. If we reach 50,000, we will see what happens to the enemy," Fedorov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-aim-to-kill-50-000-russians-a-month-ukraines-new-defense-minister-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/zelensky-reiterates-call-to-create.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:30:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/zelensky-reiterates-call-to-create.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256419941.jpg" alt="Zelensky reiterates call to create joint European army with at least 3 million personnel amid growing Russian threat"></p>"Russia plans to have an army of 2 to 2.5 million personnel by 2030. So a European army, while each country keeps its own sovereign forces, must be able to respond. It should be no smaller than 3 million," Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-reiterates-call-to-create-joint-european-army-with-at-least-3-million-personnel-amid-growing-russian-threat/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/dnipro-poltava-zaporizhzhia-under-attack.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:20:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/dnipro-poltava-zaporizhzhia-under-attack.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/feb58ac193.jpg" alt="Dnipro, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia under attack: Russia strikes with drones #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ahhPpGOGCo8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/new-kyiv-independent-documentary-reveals.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:42:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/new-kyiv-independent-documentary-reveals.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/war-before-the-war-ki-company-news.jpg" alt="New Kyiv Independent documentary reveals how Russia prepared to seize Crimea since the early 1990s"></p>The Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigations Unit has released the first part of a new two-part documentary, "Crimea: The War Before the War."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/new-kyiv-independent-documentary-reveals-how-russia-prepared-to-seize-crimea-since-the-early-1990s/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/wowrussia-under-china-how-kremlin.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:05:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/wowrussia-under-china-how-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4a263b2e25.jpg" alt="WOW!🔥Russia under China: How Kremlin lost sovereignty and put economy on Beijing's leash — WATCH NOW"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrBqJJ1ARz8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/energy-terror-russia-leaves-ukraines.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:01:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/energy-terror-russia-leaves-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/64caccc196.jpg" alt="ENERGY TERROR: Russia leaves Ukraine's capital without LIGHT &amp; HEAT"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giQqukq1usk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/ukraine-now-has-more-air.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:47:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/ukraine-now-has-more-air.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254355411.jpg" alt="Ukraine now has more air defenses, but Russia has even more missiles for future attacks, Zelensky says"></p>"(Ukraine) needs more missiles, more air defense," Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that aside from U.S.-produced Patriot PAC-3 missiles used against Russian ballistic missiles — whose numbers have increased significantly — "nothing else works."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-has-more-air-defenses-now-but-russia-has-even-more-missiles-for-future-attacks-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/i-choose-ukraine-zelensky-cancels.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:12:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/i-choose-ukraine-zelensky-cancels.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256588810-1.jpg" alt="'I choose Ukraine' — Zelensky cancels trip to Davos following another mass Russian attack"></p>"Undoubtedly, I choose Ukraine in this case, rather than the economic forum, but everything can change at any moment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/amid-energy-crisis-zelensky-opts-to-stay-in-ukraine-sends-delegation-to-davos/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/ukraine-war-latest-live-russia.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:33:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/ukraine-war-latest-live-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2257199173.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russia used 'updated tactics' during latest mass missile, drone strike, Zelensky says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. Russia used "updated tactics" during its latest overnight aerial assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Jan. 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, adding Kyiv would be informing allies including the U.S. about the development.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-20/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/i-followed-the-order-kharkiv.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:46:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/i-followed-the-order-kharkiv.html <p><img width="1972" height="1191" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dsc05568-1.jpg" alt="Sergey Tuzhilov during the court hearing" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong> — On Jan. 13, one of Kharkiv courts sentenced to life imprisonment Russian soldier Sergey Tuzhilov, who killed a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW) at an aggregate plant in Vovchansk and was involved in the murder of two other Ukrainian soldiers. Our journalist Daria Levchenko attended this and other court hearings in the case.</p> <p>Vovchansk is a city located in the north of the Kharkiv oblast, 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Russian border. The Vovchansk aggregate plant stands in the city center. When Russia seized the city in 2022, the plant became <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/inside-russian-largest-torture-facility-in-deoccupied-kharkiv-region-vovchansk-aggregate-plant/" data-wpel-link="internal">the largest torture facility in the occupied territories</a> in the Kharkiv region.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces deoccupied Vovchansk during the Kharkiv counteroffensive, but fighting returned there with the Russian second offensive in the north of the region, launched in the spring of 2024. As for now, DeepState OSINT war monitoring group <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/22991" data-wpel-link="external">indicates</a> this territory as controlled by the Russian army.</p> <p>It was in June 2024 that Sergey Tuzhilov, a commander of the grenade launcher squad in the 69th Guards Motor Rifle Division of the Russian army with a call sign Altai, crossed the northern Ukrainian border. He, along with 28 other soldiers, entered Vovchansk. They came under attack and hid within the Vovchansk aggregate plant, where the other Russian soldiers were located.</p> <p>Investigation established that, around Jun. 15-16, a group of Russian soldiers captured a Ukrainian soldier. </p> <p>Tuzhilov said that later, the commander ordered him and another soldier with the call sign Kot (“cat” in translation from Russian — ed.) to execute the prisoner. Tuzhilov accompanied him to the place of execution. Kot killed the man with a shot to the head. </p> <p>​​On Jul. 1-2, two more Ukrainian soldiers were captured. Tuzhilov said that he personally interrogated one of them. </p> <p>The next day, according to the prosecution, Tuzhilov’s commander, with the call sign Krasavchik (“pretty boy/man” in translation from Russian), ordered him to kill the prisoners. The defendant and Kot killed the two and left the bodies in one of the rooms at the aggregate plant.</p> <p>Later, the Ukrainian military captured Tuzhilov. According to him, most of the soldiers involved in the killings of Ukrainian prisoners at the aggregate plant were killed during combat.</p> <p>The Prosecutor’s Office accused Tuzhilov of assisting in the cruel treatment of POWs, combined with murder by prior conspiracy, as well as intentional murder.</p> <p>In June 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine <a href="https://t.me/SBUkr/15188" data-wpel-link="external">reported suspicion</a> of Tuzhilov.</p> <p>The trial was heard in a closed court. As prosecutor Mykyta Daloka <a href="https://mipl.org.ua/rosiyanyna-tuzhylova-zasudyly-do-pozhyttyevogo-za-rozstril-ukrayinskogo-vijskovopolonenogo/" data-wpel-link="external">explained</a> to the Media Initiative for Human Rights, some of the evidence presented in hearings could potentially damage Ukraine’s defense capabilities, like video footage from drones. Testimonies of witnesses, including those of Russian POWs who agreed to testify, also had to be protected. The debates and sentencing were made public because of the high public interest in the case.</p> <p>One of the hearings took place on Nov. 4, during which Tuzhilov <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/u-harkovi-projshov-sud-shhodo-rosijskogo-vijskovogo-yakij-vbivav-ukra%D1%97nskih-vijskovopolonenih/" data-wpel-link="external">confirmed</a> to journalists that he had killed Ukrainian prisoners of war.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“I didn’t give orders. I killed Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered because it was an order. I don't feel anything good about it,” he said.</p> </blockquote> <p>He also claimed that he did not kill civilians “in this war.”</p> <p>On Dec. 25, during the next open hearing, the prosecution <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/vbivstvo-polonenih-na-agregatnomu-zavodi-u-vovchansku-sud-planu%D1%94-vinesti-virok-rosijskomu-vijskovomu/" data-wpel-link="external">demanded</a> life imprisonment for the Russian soldier. His lawyer requested that the judges consider Tuzhilov’s cooperation with the investigation and his guilty plea and reduce the sentence to 15 years' imprisonment.</p> <p>Relatives of the killed Ukrainian soldiers have filed civil lawsuits seeking 51 million hryvnas ($1,2 million) in compensation from Tuzhilov, said Tamila Bespala, a representative of the families.</p> <p>According to Bespala, during one of the court hearings, Tuzhilov asked why compensation would be sought from him and said that Ukrainians were also to blame for what was happening because they were also shooting. </p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“My clients’ relatives didn’t go into the foreign territory. I didn’t sleep at night thinking about those words of his. Some of the killed didn’t even have military experience. Their lives were taken from them, and they were protecting their families, their land. <em>Their</em> land,” Bespala said. </p> </blockquote> <p>In response to that, in his closing statement, Tuzhilov said, “I followed the order. No matter how difficult it was. In a different situation, I probably wouldn’t have carried it out. The victims’ defendant said that people are only defending their land and nothing else. I don’t want to argue, but Ukrainian troops also entered Russian territory. So we are not that different. We entered first, you entered second. Civilians are being killed on both sides. No one wins from this. That’s why I believe that peace is needed.” </p> <p>Prosecutor Daloka said that the defendant is counting on being exchanged in one of the future POW swaps between Russia and Ukraine. Information about him has been forwarded to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.</p> <p>On Jan. 13, Tuzhilov <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/u-harkovi-vpershe-ochno-zasudili-do-dovichnogo-rosiyanina-za-vbivstvo-vijskovopolonenih/" data-wpel-link="external">was found guilty</a> of cruel treatment of prisoners of war, combined with intentional murders committed by a group of people via prior conspiracy. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.</p> <p>During the final hearing, Tuzhilov admitted his guilt once again. The Russian soldier also said that he had participated in combat in Syria and Ossetia (a territory of Georgia that Russia invaded and annexed in 2008). He added that in 2014, he had entered the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, though he claimed he hadn’t participated in combat there.</p> <p>Currently, the court has imposed a preventive measure — detention — until the verdict for Tuzhilov comes into force. Along with his defense team, he may file an appeal within the next 30 days. According to Tuzhilov, he does not plan to do so.</p> <p>The court also partially satisfied the civil claims of the victims and relatives of the killed Ukrainian soldiers. Tuzhilov must pay two million hryvnas ($46,000) to each of the seven people.</p> <p>Tuzhilov refused to comment on the verdict.</p> <p>It is the second case in Ukraine of a Russian soldier being tried in person for the shooting of POWs — and the first such case put to court in Kharkiv. Another verdict was handed down in the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov was sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting Ukrainian prisoner of war Vitalii Hodniuk.</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Russian forces use fiber optic FPV drone <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-forces-use-fiber-optic-fpv-drone-to-kill-kharkiv-volunteer-during-evacuation-in-donetsk-region/" data-wpel-link="internal">to kill</a> Kharkiv volunteer during evacuation in Donetsk region</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hello! My name is Elza, and I am a Gwara Media reporter. Two years ago, we wrote about the Vovchansk aggregate plant and the Russian torture that Ukrainian POWs went through there in 2022. My other colleague, Daria Levchenko, attended every open hearing in the Tuzhilov case, and it was important for me to tell you about this case from 2024, too. Please consider supporting our newsroom with <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>a one-time tip</strong></a> or become a <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>member of our community</strong></a>.</p> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-followed-the-order-kharkiv-court-sentences-russian-soldier-who-killed-ukrainian-pows-in-vovchansk-to-life-imprisonment/" data-wpel-link="internal">“I followed the order.” Kharkiv court sentences Russian soldier who killed Ukrainian POWs in Vovchansk to life imprisonment</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-followed-the-order-kharkiv-court-sentences-russian-soldier-who-killed-ukrainian-pows-in-vovchansk-to-life-imprisonment/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/kyiv-hesitant-as-trump-invites.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:43:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/kyiv-hesitant-as-trump-invites.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253858000.jpg" alt="Kyiv hesitant as Trump invites Ukraine to his Peace Board"></p>Zelensky said Ukrainian diplomats are reviewing the invitation but stressed it would be "difficult to imagine" sitting at the body alongside Russia and Belarus, who were also invited.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-invites-ukraine-to-gaza-peace-board-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/kremlin-aide-dmitriev-arrives-in.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:18:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/kremlin-aide-dmitriev-arrives-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2250168678.jpg" alt="Kremlin aide Dmitriev arrives in Davos ahead of expected talks with US envoys"></p>The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund is reportedly set to meet U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to discuss Washington's peace plan for Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kremlin-aide-dmitriev-says-he-arrived-in-davos-expected-to-meet-us-envoys/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/facing-russia-and-global-shifts.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:03:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/facing-russia-and-global-shifts.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2218905016.jpg" alt="Facing Russia and global shifts, Moldova’s Sandu opens door to reunification with Romania"></p><p>It is not often a president says they would support the dissolution of the state they are leading.</p><p>In a recent<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYQlvaHHvIg"> interview</a>, Moldovan President Maia Sandu did just that, saying she would vote for the country’s reunification with Romania if such a referendum were to take place.</p><p>“</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/facing-russia-and-global-shifts-moldovas-sandu-opens-door-to-reunification-with-romania/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/moldova-moves-to-withdraw-from.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:06:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/moldova-moves-to-withdraw-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/64b19d3b74.jpg" alt="Moldova moves to withdraw from Russian-led CIS, Foreign Minister says"></p>Moldova is in the process of formalizing its exit from the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi told Radio Moldova on Jan. 19.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moldova-moving-to-withdraw-from-russian-led-cis-foreign-minister-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-ballistic.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 01:27:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-ballistic.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2245374549.jpg" alt="Russia attacks Ukraine with ballistic missiles, targeting Kyiv on freezing night amid energy crisis"></p>At least one person in Kyiv has been injured, local authorities reported. Ukraine's Air Force has warned that Russian ballistic missiles are targeting multiple regions, including the capital.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-kyiv-with-ballistic-missiles-targeting-city-on-freezing-night-amid-energy-crisis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/20/ukraines-sbu-captures-russian-soldier.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:50:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/20/ukraines-sbu-captures-russian-soldier.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ze-poklad.jpg" alt="Ukraine's SBU captures Russian soldier suspected of executing 9 Ukrainian POWs in 2024"></p>"We will find every Russian murderer," President Volodymyr Zelensky said after announcing the arrest. The Russian soldier allegedly shot nine Ukrainian POWs in Kursk Oblast in October 2024.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-sbu-captures-russian-soldier-suspected-of-executing-9-ukrainian-pows-in-kursk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/ukraine-hits-drone-warehouse-in.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 23:26:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/ukraine-hits-drone-warehouse-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256075929.jpg" alt="Ukraine hits drone warehouse in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast, military says"></p>Ukrainian forces successfully attacked a drone warehouse belonging to Russia's 144th Motorized Rifle Division in Novokrasnianka, occupied Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-drone-warehouse-in-russian-occupied-luhansk-oblast-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russia-planning-largescale-attack-against.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 22:26:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russia-planning-largescale-attack-against.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2e4507eceb.png" alt="Russia planning large-scale attack against Ukraine, Kyiv warns"></p>"In the coming days we must remain extremely vigilant. Russia has prepared for a strike — a massive strike — and is waiting for the moment to carry it out," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 19.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-planning-large-scale-attack-against-ukraine-kyiv-warns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/sbu-alpha-destroyed-russian-air.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 21:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/sbu-alpha-destroyed-russian-air.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d4b483d60b.jpg" alt="👌SBU Alpha destroyed Russian air defense systems worth $4 billion! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oG5xYl5r0pM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/ukraine-prepares-new-offensive-kremlins.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 21:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/ukraine-prepares-new-offensive-kremlins.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f310a5372b.jpg" alt="UKRAINE PREPARES: new offensive, Kremlin's destroyed $4B air defense and sanctions on &quot;shadow fleet&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfy9o6UvYvs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russia-has-prepared-for-a.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 20:42:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russia-has-prepared-for-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4e087845c1.jpg" alt="❗️ Russia has prepared for a massive strike and is waiting for the moment to launch it, – Zelenskyy"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mqAcozA29CE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/putin-no-longer-uses-war.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 20:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/putin-no-longer-uses-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c6045c0a79.jpg" alt="Putin no longer uses war – he lives it! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/faHRIvnkIxo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/shock-putin-needs-eternal-war.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 20:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/shock-putin-needs-eternal-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dec75ed248.jpg" alt="🔥SHOCK🔥 Putin needs eternal war: why does the world still believe in &quot;peace talks&quot;?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na6VanxF7gU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russias-oil-gas-revenues-to.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:59:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russias-oil-gas-revenues-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c84748a526.jpg" alt="Russia's oil, gas revenues to drop by 46% in January year-on-year, Reuters reports"></p>The development is driven by a stronger ruble and low oil prices, according to the news agency.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-oil-gas-revenues-to-drop-by-46-in-january-year-on-year/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russias-air-defense-cracks-ukraine.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 17:01:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russias-air-defense-cracks-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04a5ff4764.jpg" alt="Russia's air defense cracks! Ukraine breaches the Kremlin's &quot;shield&quot;! Russian cities under strikes"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nreGDs9TT8U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/what-irans-theocracy-doesnt-want.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:49:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/what-irans-theocracy-doesnt-want.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f011baf07-3.jpg" alt="What Iran’s Theocracy Doesn’t Want You To See"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!sTA6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda2bc6c7-ed31-48c8-8a58-d0defed7df68_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fda2bc6c7-e.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/da2bc6c7-ed31-48c8-8a58-d0defed7df68_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured Subscribers Comment:</em></p><p><em>“I’ll support The Counteroffensive as long as you and your colleagues can do the work. It’s valuable and difficult at the same time. I appreciate it and I also hope that you can all do it without the understandable exhaustion.”</em></p><p><em>By Martina Podsklanova</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f011baf07-3.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d3097533c1.jpg" width="476" height="317.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/011baf07-376a-4971-b4db-75315142f6ff_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":476,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>An anti-Iranian regime protester lights a cigarette with a lit paper depicting Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran during a gathering outside the US Consulate in Milan, on January 13, 2026. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Mohsen Abdolreza was once an ordinary child.</p><p>He loved playing the drums, took part in kickboxing championships, helped his parents at their family restaurant, and was in love with a girl named Samira.</p><p>For most people, these are beautiful, nostalgic experiences — memories that, in adulthood, bring a soft smile to the face and warmth to the heart.</p><p>But for Mohsen, they are tied to hatred.</p><p>He had to leave kickboxing competitions and take up coaching, after he lost his eye in protests in the late 1990s.</p><p>Under Iran’s strict theocracy, he could be beaten up for playing instruments.</p><p>And even though his feelings for Samira were mutual, he could never take her out. Premarital relationships – even a couple <a href="https://iranchamber.com/society/articles/iinvasion_private_sphere_iran.php">appearing</a> in public, or holding hands, was a crime punishable by law.</p><p>Later Samira moved and he never saw her again.</p><p>Khamenei’s regime stripped him and millions of other Iranians of the chance to live a normal life. When people like him demanded it be returned to them, the cost was devastating, with thousands killed in the crackdown.</p><p>A new wave of protests swept across Iran on December 28, 2025. They later spread to more than one hundred Iranian cities and are escalating into a full-scale revolution.</p><p>Economic hardship ignited public anger, but protesters quickly started to demand the removal of what might be the crisis’s root cause: Supreme Leader Khamenei. The protests have now been crushed through mass repression. At least 5,000 people have been <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/iranian-official-says-verified-deaths-iran-protests-reaches-least-5000-2026-01-18/">killed</a> – with some estimates <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601186040">rising</a> as high as 16,500.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":435742}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Security forces are <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/06/iranian-authorities-brutally-repressing-protests">using</a> war-class weapons against protesters and <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/06/iranian-authorities-brutally-repressing-protests">storming</a> hospitals to arrest injured people. Iranians inside the country have been cut off from the world for over 10 days as the regime has restricted mobile and internet connection.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!cx1B!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F272cdf35-edb8-44de-a2df-17f34eeae9bd_594x446.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f272cdf35-e.jpg" width="434" height="325.86531986531986" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/272cdf35-edb8-44de-a2df-17f34eeae9bd_594x446.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":446,"width":594,"resizeWidth":434,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9, 2026. (Photo by MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Iranians abroad, however, continue to be the voice of their people. In Hamburg, Germany, around 13,000 people <a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2026/01/18/7229302/">came out</a> to support Iranian protesters, one of the biggest protests outside of Iran itself. Protests <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202601148856">took place</a> in Germany, France, and the UK – all the way to Australia and New Zealand. On January 18, Kyiv’s Iranian diaspora <a href="https://suspilne.media/kyiv/1216970-bila-posolstva-iranu-v-kievi-vidbuvsa-miting-na-pidtrimku-protestiv-v-irani/">gathered</a> near the Iranian embassy.</p><p>The situation in Iran is now a test for the international community of how much a totalitarian regime can kill without facing consequences. The coming months will be decisive for whether Iran’s theocratic regime will topple.</p><p>Mohsen was 20 years old during his first protest in 1999.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!A_hT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9034e5d-cbf6-4d41-8780-25d96023529e_349x500.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd9034e5d-c.png" width="275" height="393.98280802292265" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d9034e5d-cbf6-4d41-8780-25d96023529e_349x500.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":500,"width":349,"resizeWidth":275,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Protests in Iran in 1999. Photo from <a href="http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/tag/18-tir-protests">EAWorldView</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>These were the first mass student protests in Iran after Islamic revolution in 1979. Young people took to the streets to protest restrictions on free speech. In July 1999, the reformist newspaper <em>Salam</em> was <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/iran-a-timeline-of-mass-protests-since-1999/a-75431588">shut down</a> after it criticised the Islamic regime. After the first demonstration, pro-government thugs stormed student dormitories, arresting students.</p><p>“It was a national movement. If I, as an Iranian, had not joined the protests, it would have meant betraying my people,” Mohsen said.</p><p>Mohsen remembers standing in a crowd during those 1999 protests, when regime forces threw something resembling a Molotov cocktail, a simple incendiary weapon, directly at them. A fragment struck Mohsen’s eye.</p><p>“Someone from the crowd took me to the hospital in a taxi, and I stayed there for several days. But due to retinal damage, I lost my sight a few years later,” Mohsen said.</p><p>Iranians have lived under constant threat since Mohsen can remember. From childhood, he remembers harsh laws – and the severe punishments for breaking them. Walking with a girl could lead to arrest and flogging. Women who did not wear a hijab, or wore it ‘incorrectly’, risked being beaten. Drinking alcohol was punishable by fines and flogging, and repeat offenses could carry a death sentence.</p><p>Around 2005, Mohsen realized that he no longer identified with Islam because of how the religion had been distorted in Iran, his home. Without telling anyone, he traveled to Turkey and converted to Christianity. This was a life-threatening move.</p><p>“If you say, ‘I am no longer Muslim, I am Christian,’ you will be arrested, imprisoned, and tortured. And if you do not return to Islam, you will be executed,” Mohsen said.</p><p>He never spoke about it openly in order not to put his family in danger.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!-FyJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3170ae47-5f8e-4f84-9396-e085dc59fcd1_594x817.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3170ae47-5.png" width="288" height="396.1212121212121" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3170ae47-5f8e-4f84-9396-e085dc59fcd1_594x817.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":817,"width":594,"resizeWidth":288,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Mohsen Abdolreza at the rally in Finland, January 2026. Photo provided by him.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In 2022, Mohsen was travelling to Finland for a kickboxing competition as a coach, when he heard from his family that his country was once again drowning in blood. Iranian moral police had beaten a woman named Mahsa Amini to death for wearing a hijab improperly.</p><p>Protests began the day after Mahsa Amini’s death in intensive care on September 16, 2022. The main slogan became ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’, a chant that had not been heard since the early 2000s.</p><p>The government brutally suppressed any dissent in spring 2023 through violence and mass political imprisonments.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!64Ru!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0ba11366-1dca-4cf8-8c99-f047ae01ba61_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0ba11366-1.jpg" width="492" height="328" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0ba11366-1dca-4cf8-8c99-f047ae01ba61_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":492,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>People take part in a protest in Trafalgar Square after marching through London ahead of the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, on September 13, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The 2022 mass demonstrations spread across more than 150 cities and nearly all 31 provinces of the country. Women <a href="https://www.euronews.com/culture/2022/10/06/iran-protests-why-is-cutting-hair-an-act-of-rebellion">burned</a> their hijabs and publicly cut their hair. Security forces <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/05/iran-security-forces-fire-kill-protesters">used</a> heavy weapons to suppress the uprisings.</p><p>Just like today, the regime <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/05/iran-security-forces-fire-kill-protesters">restricted</a> access to mobile networks and the internet, cutting protesters off from the outside world, limiting coordination, and hiding the brutality of the crackdowns. As a result, more than 500 Iranians were <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2023/05/17/protests-in-iran-persist-eight-months-after-death-of-mahsa-amini">killed</a>, and around 21,000 were imprisoned.</p><p>In Finland, Mohsen began raising awareness about the situation back home, helping friends coordinate protests in Iran through social media chats. The Khamenei regime identified him, and he started receiving demands to stop his activities. That’s how he ended up staying in Finland as a refugee.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!db-_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb34e1192-30df-45df-97cf-44cfebde0fcb_924x2000.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb34e1192-3.png" width="208" height="450.2164502164502" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b34e1192-30df-45df-97cf-44cfebde0fcb_924x2000.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":2000,"width":924,"resizeWidth":208,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Mohammad Farzi (left) with his friend at protests in Germany, January 2026. Photo provided by him.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>There’s a second Iranian we want to introduce you to, who had a similar experience to Mohsen. His name is Mohammad Farzi.</p><p>Mohammad was among people who wanted to leave the country before 2022. He was working in the sphere of arts – acting in theatre, filming and creating music.</p><p>He hated censorship of the regime, hiding his art from authorities, and often having to approve with the authorities what music he can or can’t produce.</p><p>But he changed his mind and decided to stay with his people when the police killed Mahsa Amini.</p><p>He remembers standing amongst a crowd of protesters when he noticed that a laser ray was aiming at his eye. A bullet struck Mohammad’s eye, severely damaging his eyesight. To this day, the bullet is still stuck in his head.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Disclaimer: You can view a video of Mohammad <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VM0eE1UamH4aWMAFQHqkXrKj6IiWZsV-/view?usp=sharing">after he was shot here</a>, via a video provided by him. Be warned, the video includes scenes of blood and injury.</em></p></div><p>“It felt like I left my body and everything was in slow motion,” Mohammad recalled.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!IG0O!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7b090e88-899a-4fc5-8a13-45d911d054eb_2000x924.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7b090e88-8.png" width="1456" height="673" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7b090e88-899a-4fc5-8a13-45d911d054eb_2000x924.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":673,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Mohammad Farzi and protesters in Nurnberg, Germany, January 2026. Photo provided by him.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>But as the regime’s ability to block information has developed, others are fighting to get information out of Iran. Mohammad also said that some people inside Iran have figured out ways to connect with friends and family abroad, despite the internet limitations.</p><p>“They used Starlinks to communicate and send messages and news inside Iran to outside,” said Mohammad. “One of [the hacks] is that they recorded videos, and they went to the border lines, for example, from Iraq, using the other internet, not Iran’s internet,” Mohammad said.</p><p>As of this week, three of Mohsen’s friends are dead. He talks to his family about once a week, if and when they briefly get access to the internet and mobile connection.</p><p>“We are fine, but all people around us are being killed,” Mohsen’s family told him during one of those brief moments of contact.</p><p>This year’s protests spread to all the 31 provinces in more than 500 locations and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-02/iran-economic-crisis-sparks-large-protests-against-regime/106192000">taken over</a> rural areas, which hasn’t happened before. What started as economic demands <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/iranians-take-to-the-streets-their-demand-for-change-will-us-russia-intervene/">spread</a> to multiple demands for change, including political ones.</p><p>Iran’s supreme leader has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckglee733wno">acknowledged</a> that thousands of people were killed in the uprisings, and as of Monday the demonstrations seem to have slowed due to the government-backed violence. However, an internet blackout still appears to be in effect: the vast majority of traffic is being blocked <a href="https://x.com/netbocks/status/2013170463984284029?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">according</a> to the monitoring service NetBlocks.</p><p>Similar to Mohsen and Mohammad, many protesters are<a href="https://iranhumanrights.org/2023/02/iran-scores-blinded-as-security-forces-aim-guns-at-protesters-eyes/"> losing</a> their eyes from bullet wounds and pressure-based guns. Forces seem to be aiming at people’s heads and the most vulnerable places of their bodies.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!nqxj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54241ebf-b4c8-4d08-8186-ffc1cff7fd13_664x1180.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f54241ebf-b.png" width="250" height="444.27710843373495" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/54241ebf-b4c8-4d08-8186-ffc1cff7fd13_664x1180.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1180,"width":664,"resizeWidth":250,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The yard of Tehran morgue is overflowed with bodies. Photo from <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/01/12/morgue-near-tehran-overwhelmed-by-bodies-amid-protest-crackdown_6749321_4.html">LeMonde</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many morgues in Iran are currently <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/bodies-piling-up-morgues-full-irans-hospitals-under-pressure-amid-protests-10656553">overflowing</a> with bodies. In many cases, they are stacked on top of each other or placed in other rooms because they do not fit in the refrigerated storage units. A lot of these dead bodies are aged 20-25 years, mostly dying from shots in the head or heart, or in the eyes.</p><p>Mohammed, Mohsen and other protesters have terrible, life-altering eye injuries.</p><p>In some ways it is not a coincidence, but symbolism of the regime’s intentions.</p><p>These injuries served a grisly reminder: the Iranian regime asks you to deny what you see.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured Subscribers Comment:</em></p><p><em>“I’ll support The Counteroffensive as long as you and your colleagues can do the work. It’s valuable and difficult at the same time. I appreciate it and I also hope that you can all do it without the understandable exhaustion.”</em></p><p><em>By Martina Podsklanova</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Tania Novakivska and Yelyzaveta Kolos</p><p>Good morning to readers: Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>DROUGHT FROM KAKHOVKA DAM FALLOUT IS REDUCING HARVEST: </strong>Amidst a drought caused by the Russian attack and destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, Ukrainian farmers in Ukraine’s south are <a href="https://agronews.ua/en/news/scientists-advise-farmers-in-southern-ukraine-to-abandon-sunflower-and-corn/">warned</a> by scientists to avoid planting sunflower and corn.</p><p>In 2025, farmers in the Dnipropetrovk region planted a record number of sunflowers, and only 50% of the plantings could be harvested. Both sunflower and corn are two major crops for the Ukrainian agricultural industry - with sunflower being a national symbol for Ukraine.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA WILL PRODUCE 1,000 SHAHED-TYPE DRONES PER DAY: </strong>As peace talks continue Russia continues to ramp up armament, increasing drone production to 1,000 units per day, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi <a href="https://lb.ua/society/2026/01/18/717446_golovnokomanduvach_zsu_sirskiy.html">stated</a> in an interview with Ukrainian media.</p><p>Syrskyi also noted that over the past year, Ukraine has struck 719 Russian targets in the rear, causing damage of more than $15 billion. These attacks targeted Russia’s energy industry which is the backbone of Russia’s economy.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA IS AUSTRIA’S BIGGEST SPY THREAT:</strong> While some estimate that 20% of diplomats are working with special services, there are 13,000 diplomats working in Austria’s capital Vienna, <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/4081617-najbilsa-spigunska-zagroza-dla-avstrii-pohodit-vid-rosii-direktorka-specsluzbi.html">according</a> to Austria’s intelligence director Sylvia Mayer.</p><p>The full-scale invasion has prompted this intensification of Russian espionage activities, and has increased the risk of cyberattacks and sabotage across Europe.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>This adorable fox-like doggie met Nastia’s sister in Ivano-Frankivsk when she was travelling to the Ukrainian Carpathians. It went up to her group to say hello.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!0Gof!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb2bf570c-1e6c-4ec9-bf49-f6a0d28b0047_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb2bf570c-1.png" width="358" height="477.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b2bf570c-1e6c-4ec9-bf49-f6a0d28b0047_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":358,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Nastia</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/what-irans-theocracy-doesnt-want">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russian-fleet-disappears-from-ukrainian.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:30:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russian-fleet-disappears-from-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/58d0107dc3.jpg" alt="Russian fleet disappears from Ukrainian radar – what is happening in Crimea #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A03tSfeuTlE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russias-b-air-defense-in.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russias-b-air-defense-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/57110007c7.jpg" alt="Russia's $4B air defense in flames! Davos convenes World Economic Forum"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHdWqk5FAL8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/fact-check-french-channel-lci.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:33:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/fact-check-french-channel-lci.html <p>Did a guest in a clip from French TV channel LCI say Ukraine sent false strategic info to US intelligence services which they then observed Russian forces acting upon? No, that's not true: The video clip with guest Vincent Crouzet was about mounting distrust between Ukrainian and American intelligence services and the increased importance of intelligence coming from France and other allies of Ukraine. Crouzet did mention Ukraine deciding to stop sharing intelligence with the US due to concerns about leaks to Moscow but he did not say anything about Ukraine deliberately sharing false information.</p> <p>One example of the claim appeared in <a href="https://x.com/alexandruc4/status/2012827447742312779">a post on X</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260119094650/https://x.com/alexandruc4/status/2012827447742312779">here</a>) published on January 18 that read:</p> <blockquote>BREAKING: Ukrainian intelligence services sent false strategic info to US intel services and observed that the information had been relayed to Russis and was used by Russian forces - French channel LCI</blockquote> <p>The post was accompanied by a screenshot of an <a href="https://x.com/24hPujadas/status/2012237652666229075">X post by @24hPujadas</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260119094759/https://x.com/24hPujadas/status/2012237652666229075">here</a>), which belongs to the current affairs show <a href="https://www.tf1info.fr/emissions/lci/24h-pujadas-11805/">24H Pujadas broadcast by French channel LCI</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260119130154/https://www.tf1info.fr/emissions/lci/24h-pujadas-11805/">here</a>). This is what the post said:</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="twitter-tweet"> <p lang="fr" dir="ltr">📢 : « Les yeux et les oreilles de Kiev », le parti pris <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/international?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#international</a> de Vincent Crouzet <a href="https://twitter.com/VincentCrouzet4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VincentCrouzet4</a> <br><br>"Ce changement acte le divorce entre le renseignement ukrainien et le renseignement américain."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/24hPujadas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#24hPujadas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LCI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LCI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> ⤵️ <a href="https://t.co/we8gLaRF9V">pic.twitter.com/we8gLaRF9V</a></p> -- 24h Pujadas (@24hPujadas) <a href="https://twitter.com/24hPujadas/status/2012237652666229075?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Translated, that says</p> <blockquote> <p>"The eyes and ears of Kiev", the point of view of Vincent Crouzet. #international</p> </blockquote> <p>and</p> <blockquote> <p>This change marks the divorce between the Ukrainian and American intelligence.</p> </blockquote> <p>The video is a segment from a <a href="https://www.tf1info.fr/replay-lci/videos/video-24h-calvi-du-vendredi-16-janvier-2026-2419200.html">January 16, 2026 broadcast</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260119132632/https://www.tf1info.fr/replay-lci/videos/video-24h-calvi-du-vendredi-16-janvier-2026-2419200.html">here</a>) about the increasing role of French intelligence in Ukraine. After a clip in which French President Macron says France is now supplying two-thirds of Ukraine's intelligence, Crouzet can be heard saying:</p> <blockquote> <p>Alors cette déclaration, elle est passée un petit peu inaperçue, pourtant elle est essentielle.</p> <p>Elle est elle est essentielle à double titre, d'abord parce qu'elle acte le divorce entre le renseignement ukrainien et le renseignement américain, parce que si nous fournissons les deux tiers des capacités du renseignement pour l'Ukraine, j'imagine bien que le troisième tiers est fourni par les autres partenaires européens, en l'occurrence les Allemands et le Royaume-Uni. Alors ce divorce il date de quand ?</p> <p>Il date évidemment depuis le 28 février donc 2000 2025 depuis l'année dernière depuis la fameuse séquence du bureau ovale et qui a induit une rupture de confiance entre le renseignement Ukrainien et le renseignement américain à tel point que les deux responsables de l'époque du renseignement ukrainien donc Vasil Maliouk pour le SBU et Kirill Boudanov, pour pour le GUR, le renseignement militaire Ukrainien, ont décidé de ne plus partager le renseignement efficient qu'ils avaient avec leurs partenaires américains de la part de fuites américaines vers Moscou.</p> </blockquote> <p><em>(Transcript made with Google Pinpoint and slightly edited for grammar and spelling)</em></p> <p>Translated by Google Translate and verified by Lead Stories, that says:</p> <blockquote> <p>So this statement went somewhat unnoticed, yet it is crucial.</p> <p>It is crucial for two reasons: first, because it confirms the rift between Ukrainian and American intelligence, because if we are providing two-thirds of the intelligence capabilities for Ukraine, I imagine the remaining third is provided by other European partners, in this case, Germany and the United Kingdom. So when did this rift begin?</p> <p>It obviously dates back to February 28, 2025, since last year, since the infamous Oval Office incident, which led to a breakdown of trust between Ukrainian and American intelligence, to the point that the two heads of <strong>Ukrainian intelligence at the time, Vasyl Maliuk for the SBU and Kyrylo Budanov for the GUR, the Ukrainian military intelligence, decided to stop sharing the effective intelligence they possessed with their American partners due to American leaks to Moscow</strong>.</p> </blockquote> <p><em>(highlight by Lead Stories)</em></p> <p>The segment does not discuss or mention sending false information to US intelligence at all, it only mentions a decision to "stop sharing" because of "leaks".</p> <p>Lead Stories reached out to Vincent Crouzet by email and we will update this story if a reply is received.</p> <p></p><p><a href="https://hoax-alert.leadstories.com/2026/01/fact-check-lci-ukraine-sent-false-strategic-intelligence-to-us-which-was-used-by-russia.html">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russia-attacks-energy-infrastructure-in.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:23:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russia-attacks-energy-infrastructure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/555f440839.jpg" alt="Russia attacks energy infrastructure in 'several regions' overnight, energy ministry says"></p>Russia struck energy infrastructure overnight in “several regions,” cutting power in five oblasts as freezing temperatures add strain to Ukraine’s grid, Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-energy-infrastructure-in-several-regions-overnight-energy-ministry-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/kremlin-putin-invited-to-trumps.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:30:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/kremlin-putin-invited-to-trumps.html <p>Russian president Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to join the Gaza “Peace Council” being set up by US President Donald Trump, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday, January 19.</p> <p>“At the moment, we are reviewing all the details of this proposal and hope to establish contacts with the American side to clarify all nuances,” Peskov said, according to the Interfax news agency.</p> <p>On January 18, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Prime Minister Viktor Orban received an invitation from the US president to join the new international body.</p> <p>“He is flattered by this invitation and will, of course, take part in the Council’s work,” Szijjarto said.</p> <p>A day later, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev “gratefully” accepted a similar invitation from Trump.</p> <p>Tokayev aims to contribute to a lasting Middle East peace, strengthen inter-state trust and global stability, his spokesperson Ruslan Zheldibay said.</p> <p>Bloomberg reported that the US president also invited several other world leaders to join the executive council of the “Peace Council,” including Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney.</p> <p>On January 16, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin is ready to take part in the “Peace Council.”</p> <p>“We expect concrete discussions on this topic soon and perhaps an invitation will follow,” the top diplomat said after meeting his Austrian counterpart, Beate Meinl-Reisinger.</p> <p>“I think the ‘Peace Council’ will be an important institution,” Wadephul emphasized on January 16. He added that Gaza’s future can only be successful if Hamas - designated a terrorist organization by the EU and US - plays no role.</p> <p>The Telegraph previously reported that the “Peace Council” will likely include representatives from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.</p> <p>News of the “Peace Council” came shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic administration tasked with handling day-to-day governance in Gaza.</p> <p>On January 14, US President Trump’s special envoy Witkoff announced the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The phase includes, among other steps, the disarmament of Hamas and the deployment of International Stabilization Forces (ISF) in Gaza to support the Palestinian police.</p> <p>According to a White House press release, Major General Jasper Jeffers, former commander of US Central Command special operations forces (CENTCOM), was named ISF commander.</p> <p>In December, Hamas said it would be ready to lay down its arms under certain conditions, including a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. “The presence of our weapons is explained by occupation and aggression. If the occupation ends, these weapons will be placed under the control of the state,” Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said.</p> <p>Hamas - designated a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States - launched an October 7, 2023 assault on Israel that escalated the Middle East conflict. Militants fired rockets, crossed into Israeli territory and carried out the deadliest mass killing of civilians in modern Israeli history, killing about 1,200 people. They also took around 250 hostages to Gaza. Some hostages were later exchanged or freed; some were killed.</p> <p>Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas. More than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 169,000 wounded during the ground operation and airstrikes in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The methodology behind those figures is unclear, including how many Islamist fighters are among the dead and whether deaths from natural causes among hospitalized Palestinians are included.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-putin-invited-to-trump-s-gaza-peace-council">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/ukraine-war-latest-live-gruelling.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/ukraine-war-latest-live-gruelling.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255409881-1-.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: 'Gruelling confrontation' continues in Pokrovsk direction, Syrskyi says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the operational situation in the Pokrovsk direction remains difficult with "exhausting fighting" in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-19/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/russian-negotiator-dmitriev-to-reportedly.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:15:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/russian-negotiator-dmitriev-to-reportedly.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2229506418.jpg" alt="Russian negotiator Dmitriev to reportedly meet US envoys in Davos"></p>According to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, the Russian official will meet Trump's envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, on Jan. 20 to discuss the Washington-backed peace plan for Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-negotiator-dmitriev-to-meet-u-s-delegates-in-davos-reuters-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/putin-invited-to-join-trumps.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:17:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/putin-invited-to-join-trumps.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2229503980-612x612.jpg" alt="Putin invited to join Trump's new Gaza Peace Board, Kremlin claims"></p>Moscow is currently studying the proposal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to state news agency TASS.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-allegedly-invited-to-join-trumps-new-gaza-peace-board/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/ukraines-sbu-destroyed-or-disabled.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/ukraines-sbu-destroyed-or-disabled.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-19-at-11-41-58.png" alt="Ukraine's SBU 'destroyed or disabled' $4 billion worth of Russian air defense systems over past year, agency claims"></p>Among the Russian air defense systems that endured "destruction" are S-300, S-350, and S-400 air defense systems, as well as Russian anti-aircraft missile systems BUK-M1 and BUK-M2, and Pantsir-S1 and Pantsir-S2 air defense systems, according to the SBU.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-sbu-claims-to-have-destroyed-4-billion-worth-of-russian-air-defense-systems-over-past-year/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/zelensky-picks-a-fight-with.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:16:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/zelensky-picks-a-fight-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2209330609.jpg" alt="Zelensky picks a fight with Kyiv Mayor Klitschko as mismanagement, Russian attacks push city to the brink"></p><p>Ukraine's capital Kyiv, home to over 3 million people, has rarely been prepared for winter.</p><p>Frozen, icy sidewalks, bursting pipes, and year-long infrastructure collapse have been a key feature of the city under Mayor <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-mayor-urges-residents-to-temporarily-leave-city-as-russia-targets-critical-infrastructure/">Vitali Klitschko</a>.</p><p>Now, following Russia’s Jan. 9 attack, Kyiv has been pushed</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-picks-up-a-fight-with-kyiv-mayor-klitschko-as-mismanagement-russian-attacks-push-city-to-the-brink/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/19/trump-vows-to-eliminate-russian.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:47:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/19/trump-vows-to-eliminate-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255989212.jpg" alt="Trump vows to eliminate 'Russian threat' to Greenland as he ramps up pressure on Europe"></p>"NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that 'you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,'" Trump said, accusing Denmark of being unable to counter it.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-vows-to-get-russian-threat-away-from-greenland/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/russia-has-left-kyiv-without.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 21:30:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/russia-has-left-kyiv-without.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8d6b6e2c1c.jpg" alt="❗️Russia has left Kyiv without heating: how Ukrainians are surviving in the cold #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kgZIiCNZuLE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/syrskyi-announces-new-ukrainian-offensive.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 21:00:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/syrskyi-announces-new-ukrainian-offensive.html <p>Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has outlined the armed forces’ goals for 2026, saying Ukrainian troops will continue asymmetric operations against Russian forces — tactics he says are delivering results.</p> <p>Syrskyi said Ukraine is planning new offensive operations because a purely defensive posture cannot deliver victory, he told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ6w1PTndHk">lb.ua</a>.</p> <p>Russia’s strategic plan to occupy Ukraine has not changed, he said, though timelines, available weaponry and manpower have.</p> <p>“Therefore, we will conduct a strategic defensive operation; at the same time, we understand you cannot win by defense alone. Accordingly, we will carry out offensive operations and fight to maintain operational initiative, because that forces the enemy to commit and withdraw significant manpower, weapons and ammunition to contain our active actions,” Syrskyi said.</p> <p>Asked whether a turning point in the war is possible this year, he said it could come under several conditions: achieving a technological edge, winning the economic contest, sustained Western support, and establishing domestic arms production. He believes Ukraine has grounds to meet these conditions.</p> <p>In 2025, Russia occupied 4,336 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory - about 0.72% of the country’s total area.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-announces-new-ukrainian-offensive-operations-in-2026">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/russian-assaults-failed-attacks-stopped.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/russian-assaults-failed-attacks-stopped.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c615947a75.jpg" alt="Russian assaults failed: 45 attacks stopped on the Pokrovsk front #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tZj_M3rH_ik">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/zelenskyy-everything-clearly-indicates-that.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:13:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/zelenskyy-everything-clearly-indicates-that.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0162a4de02.jpg" alt="❗️Zelenskyy: Everything clearly indicates that diplomacy is definitely not a priority for Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zTVgbVANGL8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/investigation-reveals-russias-agent-network.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/investigation-reveals-russias-agent-network.html <p>Russian security services are gathering intelligence in the Baltic states through a network called “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics” and preparing to assist Moscow in the event of an invasion.</p> <p>The independent Russian Dossier Center <a href="https://fsb.dossier.center/useful-patriots/">has published a new investigation</a> into how Russian intelligence operates in the Baltics. It concludes that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has built an extensive agent network in the region focused on monitoring supporters of Ukraine, collecting information on NATO military infrastructure and drafting occupation scenarios.</p> <p>At the heart of the scheme is a Telegram channel called “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics,” which emerged in fall 2022 and initially presented itself as a grassroots initiative by “patriotic activists.”</p> <p>Journalists found that the project was run by Latvia-born Sergei Vasilyev, who made no secret of his desire to establish direct ties with Russian security services. In his posts, he openly declared his willingness to cooperate with Moscow and referred to the Baltic states as “occupied by Anglo-Saxons.” Soon after launching the channel, Vasilyev was assigned a handler: former KGB officer Sergei Kolesnikov, who is linked to the FSB and has previously appeared in other investigations into Russian intelligence activities in Europe.</p> <p>Documents reviewed by the Dossier Center together with Latvian journalists indicate that members of the network engaged in systematic data collection. Informants tracked military equipment movements, photographed NATO bases and training grounds, passed along information on citizens who support Ukraine, and reported on rallies, volunteer initiatives and businesses connected to aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.</p> <p>The investigation details the case of a security guard at a Riga supermarket who, acting on his own initiative, monitored customers with pro-Ukrainian symbols, checked their personal data and sent reports to Vasilyev. Latvian police later detained the man and opened a criminal case against him. Similar incidents were recorded in other countries in the region, including Lithuania and Estonia.</p> <p>Vasilyev portrayed himself as a victim of persecution in Europe and an ardent Kremlin supporter, but the investigation points to his criminal past. In Finland, he was convicted of laundering funds tied to a financial pyramid scheme that caused tens of millions of euros in losses. He successfully fled to Russia, where he received asylum.</p> <p>The investigation also indicates the FSB prioritized building a broad network of loyal operatives ready to act in the event of conflict. Russia used a similar model before its invasion of Ukraine. At the time, Western experts say, a significant portion of agents were demoralized by the war’s scale and brutality. In the Baltic states, analysts believe the Kremlin is trying to learn from that experience and prepare ideologically motivated supporters in advance.</p> <p>Authorities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have repeatedly reported increased activity by Russian intelligence services in recent years and have stepped up counterintelligence measures. Several figures tied to the “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics” case are already on trial, and some have received prison sentences for espionage and aiding a foreign state. European security services say such networks are part of hybrid warfare aimed at undermining regional security and supporting the Kremlin’s aggressive policies.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/investigation-reveals-russia-s-agent-network-in-baltic-states-preparing-for-invasion">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/dead-and-disabled-putin-sets.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/dead-and-disabled-putin-sets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5f16042c00.jpg" alt="1,226,000 DEAD AND DISABLED! 🩸 Putin sets a bloody record: the price of the assaults on Pokrovsk"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6B3N3IRuVQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/ukraine-war-latest-russian-attacks.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 19:13:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/ukraine-war-latest-russian-attacks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-18-01-22-22.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russian attacks kill 5 across Ukraine; Moscow seeks to disconnect Ukraine's nuclear power"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Jan. 17-18:</strong></p><ul><li>Russian attacks kill 5, injure 30 across Ukraine as Moscow again targets energy infrastructure</li><li>Russia seeks to disconnect Ukraine's nuclear power plants, HUR says, risking potential meltdown</li><li>'Warmth from Poland' — Fundraiser raises $330,000 to buy generators for Kyiv as</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-russian-attacks-kill-5-injure-30/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/patriot-system-struck-by-russian.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 19:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/patriot-system-struck-by-russian.html <p>Russian troops were in for a major letdown: the Patriot air defense system they claimed to have hit near Kharkiv turned out to be a very professionally made mock-up.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces once again outfoxed the aggressor. The Patriot surface-to-air missile system that Russians had been boasting about destroying over the past week was in fact a decoy, acknowledged by Russianwar correspondent Mikhail Podolyaka on <a href="https://t.me/c/1074354585/164614">his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>In early January, Russian war channels published video of a drone strike on a “Patriot -specifically, its AN/MPQ-53 radar and launchers - somewhere near Kharkiv. Kremlin propagandists cheered the hit on such a “high-value target.”</p> <p>But the celebration lasted only a week. After closely reviewing the strike footage, Podolyaka concluded Russia’s forces had been duped. He pointed to several extra support struts on the vehicles, a different tow hitch on the radar, missing hatches and grilles on the generator, and other discrepancies.</p> <p>Podolyaka was impressed by the quality of the Ukrainian-made decoy.</p> <p>“It was the high-quality mock-ups that fell victim to ‘Rubicon.’ They are made so well that any differences from a real MIM-104 Patriot had to be searched for literally with a magnifying glass, which makes it almost impossible for an operator to recognize the deception at the moment of the strike or during visual reconnaissance,” Podolyaka wrote.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Forces actively deploy decoys of expensive weapons at the front. Such fakes cost</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/patriot-system-struck-by-russian-forces-near-kharkiv-was-a-sophisticated-decoy-war-bloggers-admit">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/putin-is-losing-control-of.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/putin-is-losing-control-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b1c85327a7.jpg" alt="Putin is losing control of the country! Who REALLY has POWER? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CU3VDBGdjAw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/how-ukraine-organizes-resistance-in.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:04:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/how-ukraine-organizes-resistance-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1960220632.jpg" alt="How Ukraine organizes resistance in Russian-occupied territory"></p><p>Resistance under Russian-occupation is beyond dangerous — even the smallest sign of supporting Ukraine can result in imprisonment, torture, and even death.</p><p>The list of documented war crimes against Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territories is near-endless. Men are <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-exceed-mobilization-goals-in-occupied-ukrainian-territories-last-year-official-says/">forcibly mobilized</a> into Russia's army and forced to face the guns</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-ukraines-special-operations-forces-resistance-movement-is-operating-under-russian-occupation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/ukrainian-partisans-damage-key-substation.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/ukrainian-partisans-damage-key-substation.html <p>Overnight on January 18, Ukrainian partisans carried out a sabotage operation that knocked out a substation in Bryansk, which supplied enterprises working under contracts for Russia’s Ministry of Defense.</p> <p>Fuel storage bases also lost power, the partisan movement “ATESH” <a href="https://t.me/atesh_ua/9127">said</a>.</p> <p>“Critical blow to Russia’s military logistics: ATESH has damaged a key substation in Bryansk!” the statement said.</p> <p>ATESH said its agent conducted the operation in the industrial zone of the Volodarsky district — in the settlement of Bolshoye Polpino — disabling equipment at the electrical substation.</p> <p>“This substation is a vital link for Russia’s war machine,” ATESH emphasized.</p> <p>The group said the substation supplies power to:</p> <p>- Polpinskaya station, through which trains carrying ammunition and equipment pass to the front;</p> <p>- district enterprises (including the Bryansk repair enterprise and others) working for the needs of Russia’s Ministry of Defense;</p> <p>- fuel storage facilities, where the loss of electricity caused problems with pumps and safety systems.</p> <p>“Power loss is causing automation failures and significant delays in deliveries,” ATESH said.</p> <p>The Ukrainian partisans said they target weak points in the enemy’s power system to paralyze its rear, and released video evidence of the sabotage.</p> <p>Earlier, on the night of January 16, the “Morozovskaya” substation in temporarily occupied Berdyansk was hit</p> <p>On January 8, ATESH reported that Russian forces in the Kherson region were experiencing mass failures of their boats.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-partisans-damage-key-substation-in-bryansk-disrupting-russian-military-logistics">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/financial-capitulation-why-the-ruble.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/financial-capitulation-why-the-ruble.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b9eb997caf.jpg" alt="Financial capitulation: Why the ruble collapsed and China controls Russia’s banks"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoOKSEM4R8U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/ukrainian-military-russia-attempts-to.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 17:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/ukrainian-military-russia-attempts-to.html <p>On the South Slobozhansky axis, Russian forces tried to leverage their numerical advantage to break through defenses in Vovchansk and push toward Hrafske, Vovchanski Khutory and Zybynne, the Joint Forces grouping <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1220500460051201/?rdid=hImVbkc6KBvvNu7S">reported</a> on January 18.</p> <p>Russian forces also attacked positions toward Dehtiarne and Kruhle, the statement said.</p> <p>Overall, 21 combat engagements took place in the Joint Forces’ area of responsibility over the past day, according to the grouping.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Armed Forces denied reports that Russian troops seized Minkivka in Donetsk region.</p> <p>Separately, the General Staff said there were 133 combat clashes along the front over the past day, with the heaviest activity on the Pokrovsk axis and heightened activity near Hulyaipole and Kostiantynivka.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-russia-attempts-to-breach-defenses-near-vovchansk-amid-heavy-clashes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/ukraine-military-chief-says-more.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 16:52:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/ukraine-military-chief-says-more.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/996aa12e02.jpg" alt="Ukraine military chief says more arms, sanctions key as 'Coalition of the Willing' holds security guarantees talks"></p>Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told participants that Russia shows no readiness to end the war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-military-chief-says-more-arms-sanctions-key-as-coalition-of-the-willing-holds-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/ukrainian-drones-strike-north-ossetia.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 16:28:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/ukrainian-drones-strike-north-ossetia.html <p>Ukrainian drones attacked North Ossetia overnight into Sunday, January 18, the region’s head, Sergei Menyaylo, said. In Beslan, debris from one of the downed drones fell onto the roof of a five-story residential building. Three people were injured, including two children. They received medical care and their lives are not in danger. Seventy residents were evacuated. The building’s roof and windows were damaged.</p> <p>Airports in Vladikavkaz, as well as Grozny and Magas, temporarily restricted arrivals and departures. The measures took effect around 5:30 a.m. Moscow time, aviation authorities said.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said six drones were shot down over North Ossetia overnight. In total, the ministry said 63 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed over Russian regions during the night. The most - 23 - were downed over the Belgorod region. Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov did not report any consequences.</p> <p>Another 13 drones were destroyed over the Bryansk region; six each over the Rostov and Voronezh regions; and two over the Kursk region. The head of the Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, reported roof damage to a private house in the village of Ryzhevka in the Rylsky district. Other governors said there was no damage or casualties.</p> <p>The Defense Ministry also said four drones were shot down each over the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions, and one each over the Ryazan region and Stavropol Krai. Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov said there were no damages or injuries.</p> <p>Separately, one person was injured in a drone attack on Krasnodar Krai that was not included in the Defense Ministry’s official summary. According to the regional operations headquarters, an administrative building was damaged near an inactive pier outside the Tuapse port area.</p> <p>Ukraine had not commented on the Russian authorities’ claims.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-north-ossetia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/russian-drone-kills-yearold-girl.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:53:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/russian-drone-kills-yearold-girl.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4a175a71be.jpg" alt="❗️Russian drone kills 20-year-old girl in Kharkiv #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PhnZNjcEfjU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/the-kadyrov-succession-battle-begins.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:33:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/the-kadyrov-succession-battle-begins.html <p>Tensions around Chechnya are rapidly escalating amid rumors about Kadyrov’s terminal illness. A recent crash involving the Chechen leader’s youngest son, Adam, may be part of a succession struggle.</p> <p>That’s the view expressed <a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02e8ZSdixtyxnwR6YHuBQXK3Xb6evQzdXALv9ZDJM2a2gmKTEewGYeePayGXhtbLVWl&id=100001589654713&locale=uk_UA">on his blog</a> by Russian opposition figure and sociologist Igor Eidman.</p> <p>Recently, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that Kadyrov’s kidneys had failed and his condition had worsened. Just a couple of days later, Kadyrov’s heir was involved in a serious car accident and, according to rumors, is now in intensive care in Moscow in very grave condition. There is every reason to believe these events are connected.</p> <p>“Kadyrov is still alive, but the clan war for his inheritance has already begun. I said in a recent broadcast that Ramzan’s attempt to make Adam his successor would not sit well with many in the Chechen elite; his chances of taking power — and even simply surviving — in this situation are extremely doubtful. It all happened even faster than I thought. Most likely, the crash that nearly killed Adam was staged by those who want to prevent him from inheriting his father’s ‘throne,’ other contenders for power. War within the Kadyrov inner circle is becoming inevitable,” Eidman wrote.</p> <p>He added that the situation is becoming explosive for the Kremlin. Russia, bogged down in a bloody war against Ukraine, no longer has the security resources to stabilize Chechnya.</p> <p>“An uprising and a second front in Chechnya could spell disaster for Putin’s regime,” Eidman concluded.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/the-kadyrov-succession-battle-begins-as-putin-lacks-the-resources-to-stop-it">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/russia-welcomes-trumps-tariffs-on.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:18:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/russia-welcomes-trumps-tariffs-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-632086770.jpg" alt="Russia welcomes Trump's tariffs on NATO allies over Greenland as 'collapse' of alliance"></p>"The transatlantic alliance is over," Kremlin economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-welcomes-trumps-tariffs-on-nato-allies-over-greenland/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/russias-all-in-attacks-on.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:01:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/russias-all-in-attacks-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-2633.jpg" alt="Russia’s “all in” attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down Russia’s intensified winter assault on Ukraine’s energy grid, as sustained missile and drone strikes push the system to the brink.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-all-in-attacks-on-ukraines-energy-grid-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/warmth-from-poland-fundraiser-raises.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 13:50:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/warmth-from-poland-fundraiser-raises.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/eb2a31ea12.jpg" alt="'Warmth from Poland' — Fundraiser raises $330,000 to buy generators for Kyiv as Russia targets energy"></p>After quickly reaching the initial target, organizers raised the goal to 2 million zloty ($550,000).<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/fundraiser-raises-330-000-to-buy-generators-for-kyiv-as-russia-targets-energy/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/italy-detains-vessel-carrying-metal.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 11:10:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/italy-detains-vessel-carrying-metal.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1250696103.jpg" alt="Italy detains vessel carrying metal for suspected Russia sanctions violations"></p>The Brindisi Court approved the seizure of both the vessel and its cargo, which included 33 tons of ferrous metal.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/italy-detains-vessel-carrying-russian-metal-for-suspected-eu-sanctions-violations/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/russian-attacks-kill-injure-across.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 09:48:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/russian-attacks-kill-injure-across.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/iewjnfifwnfewl-2.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 5, injure 30 across Ukraine as Moscow again targets energy infrastructure"></p>The strikes came as Ukraine faces severe cold and ongoing disruptions to heat and electricity supplies following repeated attacks on the energy sector, which prompted a state of emergency earlier this week.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-kill-5-injure-30-across-ukraine-as-moscow-again-targets-energy-infrastructure/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 08:17:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/86ec8c58b0.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,226,420 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 830 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-226-420-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/063448.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 06:34:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/063448.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-17-17-05-13.jpg" alt="Pro-Ukrainian partisans sabotage electrical substation in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, group claims"></p>The Atesh partisan group sabotaged an electrical substation in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, disrupting power supply to "key" components of Russia's war machine, the group claimed in a Telegram post on Jan. 18.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/pro-ukrainian-partisans-sabotage-electrical-substation-in-russias-bryansk-oblast-group-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/over-russian-soldiers-killed-in.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:10:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/over-russian-soldiers-killed-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2223907092-612x612.jpg" alt="Over 163,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation"></p><p>Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBC Russian service, has confirmed the identities of 163,606 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.</p><p>Since the media outlets' last update in mid-December, the names of 7,445 <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russian-armed-forces/"><strong><strong>Russian soldiers</strong></strong></a> have been <a href="https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/c93lklg89e8o"><strong><strong>added</strong></strong></a> to the list of casualties.</p><p>The</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/media-investigation-identifies-over-163-000-russian-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/proputin-spy-nuns-infiltrating-sweden.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/proputin-spy-nuns-infiltrating-sweden.html <p>Swedish security services recently exposed a clandestine Russian espionage scheme involving individuals posing as Orthodox nuns. These operatives, tied to Russia&rsquo;s GRU military intelligence, sought to blend into Sweden&rsquo;s religious and migrant communities to conduct intelligence gathering and subversive activities. The operation capitalized on Sweden’s liberal asylum policies and its large Eastern Orthodox population to mask their true agendas. This fits within a broader Kremlin hybrid warfare campaign leveraging unconventional methods to destabilize and influence Nordic states amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Authorities have intensified counterintelligence efforts targeting such covert networks. The revelation highlights the growing sophistication of Russian espionage in Europe, extending beyond traditional spycraft into cultural and religious infiltration.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Sweden</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/18/pro-putin-spy-nuns-infiltrating-sweden/">www.telegraph.co.uk/world-new&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/34a6561f-7cde-4f71-869b-e4867a26ba94">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/18/crashed-russian-drone-discovered-in.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 00:38:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/18/crashed-russian-drone-discovered-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-17-18-20-37.jpg" alt="Crashed Russian drone discovered in Moldova, authorities report"></p>The drone was found by a hunter in the village of Nucareni, in the Telenesti District of the country, which is located approximately 54 kilometers (33 miles) from the Moldova-Ukraine border, authorities said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/crashed-russian-drone-discovered-in-moldova-authorities-report/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/fewer-petrodollars-weaker-war-crisis.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 23:30:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/fewer-petrodollars-weaker-war-crisis.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7592074da8.jpg" alt="❗️Fewer petrodollars – weaker war: crisis escalates in Russia! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8-4eIz3l3ao">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/oil-sinks-russias-budget-as.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 21:51:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/oil-sinks-russias-budget-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/708abcccef.jpg" alt="📉 $35 oil sinks Russia’s budget as UK detains shadow fleet and funds go to Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcJgLLBQC_M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/putin-wages-war-and-shows.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 21:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/putin-wages-war-and-shows.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9af17db3f2.jpg" alt="PUTIN wages war and shows no remorse – PEACE NEGOTIATIONS – doomed? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/V6E1I8rbkcg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/masks-off-putin-has-officially.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 21:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/masks-off-putin-has-officially.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/683fdd7ce2.jpg" alt="MASKS OFF: Putin has officially chosen TERROR – the chances for PEACE are minimal!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPHQMWjebyM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukraine-says-russian-claim-of.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 21:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukraine-says-russian-claim-of.html <p>Fake announcements about purported Russian seizures of Ukrainian settlements are a classic tactic of Russian propaganda aimed at demoralizing Ukrainians, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said.</p> <p>Reports that Russian occupiers have taken the village of Zakotne on the Sloviansk axis in Donetsk region are not true and are yet another fabrication by Russian propaganda, the AFU’s East Grouping of Forces said on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18An6NMHv3/">its Facebook account</a>.</p> <p>The East Grouping urged people to verify all information and trust only official sources, saying such fakes are used to influence Ukrainian society.</p> <p>According to the East Grouping, AFU units continue to hold Zakotne despite constant Russian assaults toward the village. Russian forces have also tried to infiltrate Ukrainian positions with small infantry groups but have not succeeded on this part of the front.</p> <p>Ukrainian intelligence is promptly identifying assault actions, concentration areas, drone crew positions and logistics routes, the statement said. Those targets are being struck with multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery and drones.</p> <p>The 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said Russia is trying to seize Zakotne on the Sloviansk axis because nearby commanding heights could be used to shell Sloviansk and Lyman. Russian troops are also advancing on the village of Kryva Luka near Zakotne, which also has commanding heights.</p> <p>Fake claims about Russian control of Ukrainian settlements are a signature tactic of Russian propaganda, Ukrainian officials said. In January 2026, they again announced “full control” of the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv region for roughly the fifth time — a claim debunked by independent sources and the AFU.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russian-claim-of-capturing-zakotne-in-donbas-is-false-calls-it-kremlin-propaganda">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/russia-may-target-nuclear-plant.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:11:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/russia-may-target-nuclear-plant.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) says it has detected Russian preparations for strikes on substations serving Ukrainian nuclear power plants.</p> <p>Russian forces are considering shelling substations at Ukrainian nuclear power plants (NPPs) to disconnect reactor units from the national grid and leave civilians without heat and electricity.</p> <p>The press service of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7702">reported</a> the likely preparations for strikes on NPP substations on January 17.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian intelligence, as of mid-January Russian forces had conducted reconnaissance of 10 critical energy infrastructure facilities across nine regions.</p> <p>“The Kremlin’s intention to attack substations to hybridly destroy generation at Ukraine’s NPPs once again demonstrates the genocidal nature of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” GUR said.</p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky also <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17677">said</a> Russia is preparing attacks on facilities and networks that service nuclear plants, following a meeting with GUR chief Oleh Ivashchenko.</p> <p>GUR warned that if substations are knocked out and NPP units are disconnected from the unified grid, Ukrainians could be “left without power and heat on a massive scale.”</p> <p>Intelligence officials said Moscow’s aim in striking strategic energy targets is to pressure Kyiv into signing an unacceptable, capitulatory peace agreement.</p> <p>They added the Kremlin also seeks to intimidate European and Western countries to erode support for Ukraine and weaken Ukraine’s air defenses against Russian air attacks on critical infrastructure.</p> <p>IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on January 16 that Ukraine and Russia agreed to a localized ceasefire near the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Ukrainian specialists are expected to begin technical work on the last backup power line soon.</p> <p>Among the points of a peace plan developed with the United States and outlined by Zelensky on December 24 was joint operation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP by Ukrainian, American and Russian Zelensky noted that details have not yet been agreed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-may-target-nuclear-plant-substations-to-cut-power-and-force-ukraine-s-capitulation-ukrainian-intelligence-warns">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukraines-st-brigade-fighting-intensifies.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukraines-st-brigade-fighting-intensifies.html <p>Russian forces are trying to slip through Ukrainian lines and cross the Siverskyi Donets River in rubber boats near the village of Dronivka, as clashes escalate in the area, Ukraine’s 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhanskyi Brigade said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16ourf75x3/">in a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>According to the 81st Brigade, Russian commanders are building up reserves near Siversk and in the Serebrianske forestry as they seek to seize Dronivka. Small infantry groups are attempting to infiltrate Ukrainian positions, and troops have tried to ford the Siverskyi Donets in rubber boats near Dronivka and Platonivka to mass forces behind Ukrainian lines and launch attacks.</p> <p>The brigade said Russian units have been ordered not only to capture Dronivka, but also to push toward Zakotne and Kryva Luka—both in the Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region—while Dronivka lies in Bakhmut district. High ground near Zakotne and Kryva Luka is the target, the brigade said, terrain Russian forces aim to use to shell Sloviansk and Lyman.</p> <p>Dronivka sits on the Sloviansk sector of the front. Ukraine’s General Staff said that on January 16 Russian troops attacked twice on this axis, and all assaults were repelled, with fighting recorded near Dronivka.</p> <p>Ukraine’s “East” (Vostok) grouping of forces said heavy fighting is ongoing for Zakotne, a small village in Kramatorsk district that had about 500 residents before the war. Russian troops are attempting to advance on the settlement, but Ukrainian forces are holding their positions, the grouping said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-81st-brigade-fighting-intensifies-near-dronivka-as-russia-attempts-siverskyi-donets-river-crossings">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukrainian-drones-again-hit-russias.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:23:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukrainian-drones-again-hit-russias.html <p>A drone attack has been reported in Russia’s Astrakhan region on Kapustin Yar, one of the country’s main test ranges for missile weapons.</p> <p>Ukrainian UAVs once again reached the Kapustin Yar range in Astrakhan region, from which, among other things, medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) from the Oreshnik system are launched, reports <a href="https://militarnyi.com/uk/news/ukrayinski-drony-atakuvaly-poligon-z-yakogo-zdijsnyuyut-pusky-brsd-oreshnyk/">Militarnyi</a>, citing information from Russian monitoring channels.</p> <p>One Russian channel reported aerial targets detected over the range area, after which air defenses engaged.</p> <p>Beyond Oreshnik launches, the site regularly hosts tests of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles of various classes, surface-to-air systems and air-defense components, military electronics, and navigation equipment for missile programs.</p> <p>The facility is traditionally used to validate new weapons before they enter combat duty.</p> <p>The previous documented UAV attack on Kapustin Yar took place in the summer of 2024. At the time, Russian sources said drones reached the range and damaged several buildings.</p> <p>Videos posted online showed strike drones hitting an assembly-and-test building—one of the key infrastructure facilities where missile hardware is assembled and prepared.</p> <p>Overall, pro-war Russian channels on Saturday reported a drone-threat corridor stretching from Astrakhan region to Kalmykia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-again-hit-russia-s-kapustin-yar-key-site-for-russia-s-oreshnik-missile-launches">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/italy-detains-ship-over-suspected.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:00:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/italy-detains-ship-over-suspected.html <p>Italy’s Guardia di Finanza has detained in the port of Brindisi a vessel flying the flag of one of the islands of Oceania and carrying 33,000 tons of ferrous metals. In November last year, the ship called at the port of Novorossiysk. It is suspected of violating sanctions against Russia, Rai News <a href="https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/01/gdf-sequestra-nave-a-brindisi-violate-sanzioni-a-russia-il-giallo-d2e50a59-8f96-4902-be28-6e9bded7bc1d.html">reports</a>.</p> <p>“EU Regulation 833/2014 and subsequent amendments provide for a ban on commercial activity in certain locations, including some ports of the Russian Federation, as well as on the import of certain categories of goods, and the imposition of sanctions on a number of individuals and legal entities included on the ‘blacklist,’” law enforcement representatives said.</p> <p>The notice also says the shipowner, the importing company and some crew members are under investigation for circumventing sanctions. The ship was detained following a customs check: a review of documents and navigation system data revealed “serious inconsistencies, falsifications and alterations in onboard documentation concerning port calls and loading operations.” It was established that from November 13 to 16 the vessel was in Novorossiysk, while deactivating its AIS, likely in an attempt to conceal the stop.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/italy-detains-ship-over-suspected-breach-of-eu-sanctions-on-russia-after-novorossiysk-call">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/does-russia-or-china-actually.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:28:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/does-russia-or-china-actually.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255778134.jpg" alt="Does Russia or China actually threaten Greenland? Experts say Trump's warnings don't match reality"></p><p>President Donald Trump has been fixated on controlling Greenland, suggesting that U.S. ownership of the island is crucial in blocking Russian and Chinese expansion.</p><p>"If we don't go in, Russia's going to go in, and China's going to go in," Trump</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/does-russia-or-china-actually-threaten-greenland-experts-say-trumps-warnings-dont-match-reality/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukraine-says-it-struck-russian.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukraine-says-it-struck-russian.html <p>Ukrainian forces struck Russian air-defense assets and a drone storage site in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, the General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/33891">said</a> Saturday, January 17.</p> <p>According to the statement, a Nebo-U radar near Yevpatoria in Crimea and a Pantsir-S1 air-defense system near the village of Khutorok in the Saky district were hit. In the Donetsk area, a site used to store and prepare drones for use was also targeted. The extent of the damage is being assessed.</p> <p>On January 16, Ukrainian forces struck a Russian ammunition depot in Prymorsk in the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region. The military also updated its assessment of a strike on the Atlant Aero plant in the city of Taganrog.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military denied Russian claims of captured territory.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-struck-russian-air-defenses-and-a-drone-depot-in-crimea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukrainian-sanctions-target-russian-sports.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:48:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukrainian-sanctions-target-russian-sports.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1249519988.jpg" alt="Ukrainian sanctions target Russian sports ahead of Winter Olympics"></p>"Our country reminds the world before the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics that sport is not outside of politics. After all, the sanctioned individuals openly support aggression, war crimes, and occupation, thus destroying the principles and values ​​of the Olympic movement."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-sanctions-target-russian-sports-ahead-of-winter-olympics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukrainian-sof-sank-russian-forces.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:30:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukrainian-sof-sank-russian-forces.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/06ffb30aea.jpg" alt="🇺🇦 Ukrainian SOF sank Russian forces in the Caspian Sea #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qmWUGvRN9W0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukraine-and-russia-agree-to.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:30:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukraine-and-russia-agree-to.html <p>A temporary ceasefire has taken effect around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with oversight by the IAEA.</p> <p>Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a temporary ceasefire around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The deal, brokered by the IAEA, applies solely to the area around the facility, according to <a href="https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-337-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine">IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi</a>.</p> <p>He said the pause in fighting is necessary to restore the last backup power line, which was damaged on January 2. Without it, the plant’s operation remains at risk and nuclear safety concerns persist.</p> <p>Repair crews from Ukraine’s operator are expected to begin work in the coming days. IAEA representatives are already heading to the area to observe the process firsthand and help ensure its safety.</p> <p>Grossi emphasized this is the fourth localized ceasefire in the Zaporizhzhia NPP area. It does not amount to a broader truce, but it enables critical technical work that directly affects the safety of millions on all sides.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-and-russia-agree-to-iaea-brokered-ceasefire-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/russia-seeks-to-disconnect-ukraines.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:23:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/russia-seeks-to-disconnect-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9daf5fffc1.jpg" alt="Russia seeks to disconnect Ukraine's nuclear power plants, HUR says, risking potential meltdown"></p>Disconnecting Ukraine's nuclear power plants would take the crisis one step further — Ukrainians would be fully cut off from electricity and heating in subzero temperatures.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-faces-potential-meltdown-as-russia-seeks-to-disconnect-nuclear-plants/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/uk-delivers-asraam-airtoair-missiles.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 16:30:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/uk-delivers-asraam-airtoair-missiles.html <p>Britain has provided Ukraine with 350 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles in 2025, part of a record £4.5 billion in total UK assistance to Kyiv this year, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/rik-storichnogo-partnerstva-z-velikoyu-britaniyeyu-4-5-mlrd-dopomogi-ukrayini">said</a>.</p> <p>According to the ministry, the £70 million for the ASRAAM purchase was routed through the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) mechanism. ERA provides loans to Ukraine that are repaid using profits generated by frozen Russian sovereign assets. In 2024–2025, Kyiv received nearly $28 billion in financing from G7 countries and the European Union under ERA.</p> <p>Last year, the UK also delivered two new Gravehawk air-defense systems to Ukraine, with Denmark co-financing the project. Another 16 Gravehawk systems are expected to enter Ukrainian service in 2026.</p> <p>Overall, the UK contributed £2.26 billion to ERA last year. London’s total support for Kyiv in 2025 stands at £4.5 billion, the largest annual package the UK has provided to Ukraine.</p> <p>ASRAAM is a British short-range air-to-air missile that can also be deployed from ground platforms. It uses an imaging infrared seeker with a CCD array that forms an infrared image of the target. The missile entered UK service in 2002, and media reports say it took about 25 years to develop.</p> <p>The missile is 2.9 meters long, 166 mm in diameter, and weighs 88 kg. Its warhead weighs 10 kg. Its range is about 25 km, though some sources put it at around 50 km. When launched from ground platforms, the range is about 10 km.</p> <p>Earlier, the Ukraine–NATO Council approved additional air-defense missiles for Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/uk-delivers-350-asraam-air-to-air-missiles-to-ukraine-as-part-of-record-4-5-billion-aid-package">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/us-fund-sues-russia-for.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 16:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/us-fund-sues-russia-for.html <p>Nord Capital RSD calls itself the lawful owner of Russian Empire bonds worth $25 million with a 5.5% coupon.</p> <p>The investment fund Noble Capital RSD is demanding that Moscow pay $225 billion on debt obligations of the Russian Empire. The corresponding lawsuit against the Russian Federation, Russia’s Finance Ministry, the Central Bank of Russia and the National Wealth Fund was filed in a U.S. federal court in the District of Columbia, reports Russia’s news agency RBC.</p> <p>“The Russian Federation, in violation of the doctrine of continuity of power, refused and continues to refuse to fulfill certain obligations on sovereign debts incurred by its predecessor, the Russian Empire,” the suit says.</p> <p>Nord Capital RSD describes itself as the lawful holder of Russian Empire bonds worth $25 million with a 5.5% interest rate, issued in 1916 and placed through the National City Bank of New York (now Citibank).</p> <p>The plaintiff stresses that Russia, as the legal successor to the USSR, inherited the debts, which together with interest are valued at no less than $225.8 billion (17.5 trillion rubles at the current exchange rate).</p> <p>That sum equals 43% of Russia’s annual budget (40.2 trillion rubles) and exceeds the combined market capitalization of Sberbank, Gazprom and Rosneft (6.5 trillion, 2.9 trillion and 4.2 trillion rubles, respectively).</p> <p>The fund proposes paying the debt with Russian assets frozen in 2022. About $5 billion of the Central Bank’s funds were blocked in the United States, while the rest are in European countries.</p> <p>Russia’s Finance Ministry said the lawsuit in the United States “falls under the competence of the Prosecutor General’s Office.” The defendants will be represented by the law firm Marks & Sokolov.</p> <p>Lawmakers in the State Duma expressed outrage at the unexpected turn of events, with some even arguing that today’s Russia “is not the successor of the Russian Empire.”</p> <p>Lawyers interviewed by Russian media noted that even acknowledgment of the debt previously would not have enabled enforcement of a court decision. However, current sanctions policies have created opportunities for interim measures and asset management.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/us-fund-sues-russia-for-225-billion-over-imperial-era-bonds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukrainian-delegation-arrives-in-us.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 15:40:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukrainian-delegation-arrives-in-us.html <p>A Ukrainian delegation arrived in the United States on Saturday, January 17, for a new round of talks with American mediators on ending the war waged against it by Russia. The delegation includes the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, and Servant of the People parliamentary faction leader Davyd Arakhamia.</p> <p>Talks between the U.S. and Ukraine on potential paths to end the war are set to continue the same day in Miami. According to Kyiv, the focus will be on security guarantees and Ukraine’s long-term economic development.</p> <p>Washington’s mediation efforts have been underway for weeks, but on key issues — including possible NATO membership for Ukraine and Russia’s territorial claims — Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart. Russia is pushing maximalist demands that Kyiv says amount to Ukraine’s capitulation.</p> <p>Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump again accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of dragging out peace talks. Zelensky, for his part, has repeatedly called for increased pressure on Moscow. He also said a bilateral document with the U.S. on security guarantees for Ukraine is largely ready for finalization at the highest level.</p> <p>Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Olha Stefanishyna, said work is planned in Miami on agreements covering security guarantees and the “economic uplift of Ukraine” totaling up to 690 billion euros. If progress is made, the documents could be signed as early as next week at the World Economic Forum in Davos.</p> <p>Russia is not taking part in the Miami talks, but U.S. officials are expected to travel to Moscow soon. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia is expecting a visit by U.S. special representative on Ukraine Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss ways to end the war. Both visited Moscow in early December for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>In his evening address the day before, Zelensky warned of the risk of new massive Russian air attacks. He cited a shortage of air defenses and urged the West to speed up deliveries.</p> <p>Amid bitter cold, with overnight temperatures in some regions dropping to minus 20 Celsius, Ukraine is facing serious power disruptions. Russian missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure have triggered electricity and heating outages across many regions. The situation remains especially difficult in Kyiv, where emergency power cuts have been imposed in recent days.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-delegation-arrives-in-u-s-for-miami-peace-talks-on-security-guarantees-and-economic-aid">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/only-reliable-us-aid-for.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 15:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/only-reliable-us-aid-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7c711cf3-6.jpg" alt="Only reliable U.S. aid for Ukraine: McDonald’s"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!A5HU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb1080b65-155d-4049-aea0-16d8488c28bd_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb1080b65-1.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b1080b65-155d-4049-aea0-16d8488c28bd_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: </em></p><p><em>We first started to do a story about McDonald’s after we realized how much of a reaction there was in Ukrainian society when McDonald’s breakfasts resumed during the war.</em></p><p><em>In recent days, it’s become blisteringly cold – with forecasts this week of lows down to -30° Celsius (-22° F). Help us avoid the temptation to hang out in McDonalds for warmth and Big Macs. Support our team today!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!]","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!]</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p><em>Disclaimer: The Counteroffensive team urges you to eat fast food in moderation. And no, this isn’t a sponsored post! In fact, the corporate offices of McDonald’s Ukraine declined to comment or cooperate at all for this article.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!S9A_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4c90bca6-91b5-4b5e-a554-d5e56299a3db_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f4c90bca6-9.jpg" width="446" height="297.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4c90bca6-91b5-4b5e-a554-d5e56299a3db_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":446,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A firefighter shines a flashlight as he searches the debris of a damaged metro station and Mcdonald’s, following a rocket attack in Kyiv, on January 18, 2025. (Photo by TETIANA DZHAFAROVA/AFP via Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The smell of burgers. A Happy Meal with a cool toy. A McFlurry for dessert. A carefree childhood. No war, power outages, or missiles overhead.</p><p>This is the picture that McDonald’s paints for many Ukrainians. Reopening its Ukrainian storefronts in September 2022 was a massive event — a speckle of joy amidst the war.</p><p>“It’s nostalgia and a kind of return to childhood, to times when you’d come with your parents for a quick bite — those are wonderful memories,” said Vitalii Lazarenko, an employee at one of Kyiv’s McDonald’s locations.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!C5rn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffca11aa2-f12a-4d40-9b27-a21adf176f2e_695x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ffca11aa2-f.png" width="183" height="337.0359712230216" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fca11aa2-f12a-4d40-9b27-a21adf176f2e_695x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":695,"resizeWidth":183,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Vitalii Lazarenko at work. Photo from his Instagram.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>After Russia’s full-scale invasion, McDonald’s completely <a href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/ukraine-reopen.html">suspended</a> its operations in Ukraine due to uncertainty about the future and concerns for employee safety. But by September 2022, it began to seem like Ukraine would sustain its fight, and the chain <a href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/ukraine-reopen.html">gradually began</a> to resume operations.</p><p>In 2025, the McDonald’s network in Ukraine <a href="https://biz.liga.net/en/amp/all/fmcg/novosti/mcdonalds-opened-12-restaurants-in-ukraine-over-the-year-most-of-them-in-lviv">expanded</a> by 12 restaurants, a rate of opening restaurants that surpasses previous year. The chain now counts 120 restaurants, exceeding the pre-war number of 109.</p><p>After the mass Russia’s attack on January 8, when Kyiv lost most of its heat and electricity, McDonald’s has also become an invincibility point, as people can come here to work, use their wifi, or recharge their devices.</p><p>One McDonald’s, near Lukianivska metro station in Kyiv, was hit by shrapnel recently - making it possibly the most war torn McDonald’s in the world. This is also <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-jan-18-attack-damages-ukraines-oldest-mcdonalds-in-kyiv/">the oldest</a> McDonald’s in Ukraine.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!fJoV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F46c774fb-c835-48e1-b24a-e999697b3270_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f46c774fb-c.png" width="253" height="337.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/46c774fb-c835-48e1-b24a-e999697b3270_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":253,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The walls of the McDonald’s near Lukianivska metro station are pockmarked from shrapnel due to numerous shellings. Photo by The Counteroffensive, January 9.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>McDonald’s was one of the first foreign chains in Ukraine when it opened its first store here, symbolizing the final fall of the Iron Curtain and integration into the global economy. For many Ukrainians, it’s a cultural touchpoint, a point of commonality with the United States.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":434797}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>McDonald’s restarted operations on September 20, 2022, after 7 months offline due to the invasion. It may seem silly, but at the time, it was seen as a point of celebration.</p><p>Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs actively <a href="https://forbes.ua/news/mcdonalds-virishiv-poetapno-vidkrivati-restorani-v-ukraini-11082022-7639">worked</a> on talks with McDonald’s and even the U.S. officials to reopen its restaurants in Ukraine. “This is primarily a signal to the international business community that it is possible to operate in Ukraine, even under wartime conditions… Ultimately, this is part of Ukraine’s recovery,” Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of foreign affairs at that time, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A7ed15nyo/">said</a> on his Facebook when McDonald’s announced its gradual reopening.</p><p>Ukrainians, as they always do with both bad and good news, reacted with jokes and memes.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!eCdb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2b010db-5365-4ee4-9447-89f32577e1ca_669x650.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fa2b010db-5.png" width="365" height="354.6337817638266" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a2b010db-5365-4ee4-9447-89f32577e1ca_669x650.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":650,"width":669,"resizeWidth":365,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Post on Twitter on September 19, 2022, taken from <a href="https://zn.ua/ukr/UKRAINE/v-kijevi-vidkrili-mcdonalds-ukrajintsi-vidreahuvali-v-zhartivlivij-formi.html#gallery-7">Dzerkalo Tyzhnia</a>: Glovo [delivery company in Ukraine, that also works with McDonald’s] couriers after Mcdonald’s reopening.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>When the restaurant was gradually renewing its operation, Vitalii got a job there.</p><p>“I just needed some extra income. I thought I’d work for two weeks, buy everything I had planned… There was a huge number of visitors because everyone missed McDonald’s, everyone missed burgers,” Vitalii said.</p><p>Ukrainians initially became familiar with the American fast-food chain in 1997, when the first restaurant was <a href="https://gazeta.ua/articles/history/_vidkrili-pershij-mcdonalds/966368">opened</a> in Kyiv.</p><p>In the days following the opening, lines stretched for dozens of meters. About 30,000 people <a href="https://news.obozrevatel.com/ukr/society/pershij-v-ukraini-mcdonalds-vidkrivsya-23-roki-tomu-yak-viglyadav-ta-skilki-koshtuvav-burger-foto/amp.htm">visited</a> McDonald’s on the first day. It was not just about a new fast-food brand — it symbolized that Ukraine was finally open to the Western world, and the Soviet Union no longer limited its connection.</p><p>All the popular Western things felt glamorous for Ukrainians, who just opened to the outer world. That’s why visiting it felt like a holiday and a special occasion.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!YHuu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3058e187-5369-462f-8e82-ce2fda31072b_960x610.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3058e187-5.png" width="422" height="268.1458333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3058e187-5369-462f-8e82-ce2fda31072b_960x610.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":610,"width":960,"resizeWidth":422,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Lines to the first McDonald’s in Ukraine in 1997 after it was opened. Photo from <a href="https://news.obozrevatel.com/ukr/kiyany/life/u-merezhi-pokazali-yakoyu-bula-cherga-na-vidkritti-pershogo-mcdonalds-u-kievi-v-1997-rotsi-foto.htm">Oboz.ua</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Ukrainians have many fast food chains now, both domestic and foreign. But McDonald’s remains incredibly popular.</p><p>Vitalii’s path to McDonalds was certainly random. He has been obsessed with TV shows, anime and video games since he was about 12. Even when he turned 27, his adoration for cosplay (a hobby in which people dress up as their favorite characters from movies, video games, TV shows) only grew. The turning point in his love for cosplay was when he made his first costume and attended Comic Con in 2021 — the largest comics and cosplay festival in Ukraine, <a href="https://www.unian.ua/tourism/newsphoto/u-kiyevi-proyshov-festival-pop-kulturi-comic-con-ukraine-fotoreportazh-11534953.html">uniting</a> tens of thousands of people with similar interests.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!toIu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5a2b616c-f74b-4b93-b4b5-e8aedbe62e9f_1200x732.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5a2b616c-f.png" width="496" height="302.56" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5a2b616c-f74b-4b93-b4b5-e8aedbe62e9f_1200x732.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":732,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":496,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Comic Con Ukraine. Photo from its <a href="https://comiccon.ua/">website</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“I was inspired that all the people are the same kind of geeks, just like me — talented, dreamers, [with] very interesting personalities. I really loved this celebration of geek culture, this atmosphere where anyone can feel part of a festival of their passions,” Vitalii recalled.</p><p>Vitalii promised himself that he would not stop at Comic Con and would make it a more permanent hobby. The next cosplay costume he created was Spider-Man, which is one of many costumes he shared on his social media.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!iDFu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb98937fc-c4a6-47a3-965e-0ce7e8ffe993_894x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb98937fc-c.png" width="282" height="403.758389261745" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b98937fc-c4a6-47a3-965e-0ce7e8ffe993_894x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":894,"resizeWidth":282,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Vitalii Lazarenko in his Spider-Man costume. Photo from his Instagram.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>This hobby led him to McDonald’s in September 2022. His passion is a costly one – so he needed money at that time. His friend who worked there told Vitalii that the restaurants were just starting to reopen and faced a staffing shortage.</p><p>In September 2022, three restaurants opened in Kyiv, but only for delivery. Then, the doors actually opened and people were able to come and eat. Huge lines of people gathered near reopened spots waiting for hours to have a nostalgic burger that they had last tasted during a time of peace.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!F8zf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F45ef82aa-a09f-4859-a13d-ae2a39067233_1280x960.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f45ef82aa-a.png" width="406" height="304.5" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/45ef82aa-a09f-4859-a13d-ae2a39067233_1280x960.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":406,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Lines to one of the Kyiv McDonald’s after it was reopened in September 2022. Photo from <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/styler/kievi-lyudi-zaymayut-chergu-mcdonald-s-7-1664603960.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Myroslava, Managing Editor of <em>The Counteroffensive</em>, had a birthday at the period of McDonald’s reopening and it was a big birthday present for her.</p><p>“I began joking with my husband that if it opens before my birthday, I want a cake made of burgers or a mountain of burgers — basically, I begged him to bring me those burgers…He told me that he stood in line at McDonald’s for two hours because there were so many people, and he was already cursing those burgers, but as we know — a woman’s wish is law,” Myroslava told.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!YYbH!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb8b85ef-23d6-429f-97ca-ba7d3f68e934_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2feb8b85ef-2.png" width="306" height="408" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eb8b85ef-23d6-429f-97ca-ba7d3f68e934_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":306,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Myroslava’s birthday cake in October 2022 made of cheeseburgers and fries. Photo provided by her.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Recently McDonald’s had a huge attention from visitors again due to collaboration around an American cultural phenomenon. Now, you can order meals and receive a toy related to the U.S. sitcom ‘Friends’ – meaning figures of Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler and Phoebe are available for Ukrainians.</p><p>(The Counteroffensive also <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/why-ukraine-is-obsessed-with-the">has an article</a> about Ukrainians’ obsession with the ‘Friends’ television show).</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!JBt1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe00a16b9-ab88-4095-bef1-fb2d7e36b94c_480x270.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe00a16b9-a.png" width="414" height="232.875" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e00a16b9-ab88-4095-bef1-fb2d7e36b94c_480x270.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":270,"width":480,"resizeWidth":414,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The ‘Friends’ menu from McDonald’s with figurines. Photo from <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/entertainment/druzi-vzhe-u-mcdonald-s-k-viglyadayut-igrashki-1764143631.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Vitalii confessed that the Ukrainians are so obsessed with the show that they asked to buy caps that were part of workers’ uniform and said ‘McDonald’s - Friends’.</p><p>Even though the popularity of the restaurant remains high, war affects how and when you can visit. As soon as an air raid alert goes off, all the visitors are evacuated and the work stops.</p><p>“I’m a pretty stress-resilient person. I felt like I was in my element [from the very first day],” Vitalii said.</p><p>At first, Vitalii handled various tasks. He worked in the kitchen and as an assistant to the cooks.<br><br>“Sometimes I go up and ask people how they’re enjoying the restaurant, and it even lifts their mood. They’ll say things like, ‘Seriously, thank you, you just made my day,’” Vitalii said.</p><p>It was this attention to guests that earned him the role of hospitality specialist. His main responsibility is now to create an environment that enhances the customer experience.</p><p>Vitalii’s favorite memory about McDonald’s is his 8th birthday celebration. Though his recollection is foggy, he still remembers the party hosts. He also recalls a special tram car, which used to serve as a tram on Kyiv roads, but became entertainment for kids’ birthdays at McDonald’s, as it was remade and decorated for special occasions.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!zB6Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcce4af52-52a5-4f45-be42-64d219f4d2b1_767x505.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fcce4af52-5.png" width="450" height="296.28422425032596" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cce4af52-52a5-4f45-be42-64d219f4d2b1_767x505.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":505,"width":767,"resizeWidth":450,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Photo of the tram car at one of Kyiv’s McDonald’s. It says on it: “Birthday at McDonald’s!”. Photo from <a href="https://www.village.com.ua/village/city/city-news/356321-dityachiy-tramvay-bilya-nbsp-laquo-makdonaldzu-raquo-na-nbsp-sevastopolskoyi-ploschi-vivezli-na-nbsp-metalobazu">Village</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Many establishments in Ukraine have already gotten used to air raid alerts as part of everyday protocol, something one has to learn to adjust to. Most establishments do not close and continue working if the attack is not nearby.</p><p>Not McDonald’s. Each time the sirens sound, McDonald’s locations stop their work and evacuate visitors to the nearest shelter.</p><p>This safety policy is one of the reasons that McDonald’s is still closed in Kharkiv, a city in the north east of Ukraine. Kharkiv suffers from strikes on a near-daily basis, sometimes even before the air raid alert sounds.</p><p>Kharkiv citizens share on social media that they are ready to go to another city just to have their favorite combo.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!up_2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fad16bd96-65e9-4eb2-8f6f-aff1ae10253c_1080x996.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fad16bd96-6.png" width="383" height="353.2111111111111" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ad16bd96-65e9-4eb2-8f6f-aff1ae10253c_1080x996.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":996,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":383,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Post on Threads: “McDonald’s in Kharkiv doesn’t work – so what now? Kharkiv citizens started storming Poltava [a city in the neighbouring region two hour drive from Kharkiv] en masse to satisfy their burger cravings. We weren’t an exception. Every trip [to the city] it [McDonald’s] worked at turned into a burger coma with 9 nuggets and a final touch of a McFlurry. Yes, exactly like that. We went for the taste and our favorite combo far outside the city! And we just sat there thinking, well, this can’t really be normal.”</em></figcaption></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!hv7H!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63b50349-44b0-4358-9f1b-b1e7b95cb50c_1080x1081.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f63b50349-4.png" width="369" height="369.34166666666664" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/63b50349-44b0-4358-9f1b-b1e7b95cb50c_1080x1081.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1081,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":369,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Another post on Threads: “My friend brought me McDonald’s from Kyiv to Kharkiv. I’m blown away.”</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>McDonald’s near the Lukianivska metro station in Kyiv, the oldest one in Ukraine, has <a href="https://biz.liga.net/en/all/fmcg/novosti/kyivs-oldest-mcdonalds-damaged-in-russian-airstrike">become</a> one of the restaurants hit most frequently by Russian attacks.</p><p>As of February 2025, the restaurant has already been damaged five times due to Russian strikes.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7c711cf3-6.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7d03225ea4.jpg" width="496" height="330.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7c711cf3-636b-4ab6-b595-943e8fbbf5fd_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":496,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Workers board up and repair a McDonald’s restaurant in the Lukyanivska metro station in Kyiv after a Russian attack. At least three were killed. (Photo by Jen Golbeck/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div><p>On the night of January 8, most of Kyiv citizens were left without heat or electricity during the most brutal winter weather in recent years, when temperature at day can drop to –15°C.</p><p>McDonald’s <a href="https://dev.ua/en/news/yak-pratsiuie-mcdonalds-pid-chas-neprohnozovanykh-vymknen-svitla-1768393892">became</a> one of the places that turned into an invincibility point for people. Vitalii says there are a lot of people coming to his spot to work on their laptops.</p><p>“We fully support people coming in to charge their devices and rest after difficult nights of shelling,” Vitalii said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: </em></p><p><em>We first started to do a story about McDonald’s after we realized how much of a reaction there was in Ukrainian society when McDonald’s breakfasts resumed during the war.</em></p><p><em>In recent days, it’s become blisteringly cold – with forecasts this week of lows down to -30° Celsius (-22° F). Help us avoid the temptation to hang out in McDonalds for warmth and Big Macs. Support our team today!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY: </strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura<br><br>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.<br><br><strong>TRUMP’S TEAM “BOARD OF PEACE” EXPANSION:</strong> The Trump administration is <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/34617296-0816-4e94-b807-7cef5f90e4a1">considering</a> expanding its “Board of Peace” for Gaza to serve in global hotspots like Ukraine and Venezuela. While the board was originally formed to oversee Gaza’s post-war transition, officials are now proposing it as a mechanism to monitor and guarantee a 20-point peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.</p><p>The group has been called a “substitute for the UN” and the original board intended for Gaza has still not been fully realized and many details are yet to be clarified. The board is expected to be formally unveiled at the World Economic forum in Davos.</p><p><strong>CHINA STOPPED BUYING RUSSIAN ELECTRICITY</strong>: As of this January, China has <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/16/8016467/index.amp">stopped</a> importing electricity from Russia because Russian energy prices have risen above China’s domestic rate.</p><p>This mark is part of a continuing decline of Russia-Chinese trade in 5 years which began in 2025.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA FAKES TERRITORIAL GAINS TO SWAY PEACE TALKS</strong>: Russian military officials are falsely <a href="https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia-falsely-claims-control-of-kupyansk-to-influence-u-s-stance-on-peace-talks-isw-50576423.html">claiming</a> control over Kupyansk to influence peace talks and pressure the U.S. into accepting a peace deal on the Kremlin’s terms, according to the Institute for the Study of War.</p><p>While Moscow claims it has seized the city, visual evidence and even pro-Russian military correspondents confirm that Ukrainian forces maintain control over most of the city and surrounding areas.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure have taken out heating for many in Ukraine – including Oksana’s Mary, who, despite her luscious fur, is so cold that she has to sleep in a bathrobe.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!i0Bx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbc04a460-fe56-4ed9-86fc-15df48fef2fa_1600x1200.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fbc04a460-f.jpg" width="1456" height="1092" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bc04a460-fe56-4ed9-86fc-15df48fef2fa_1600x1200.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1092,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Nastia</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/only-reliable-us-aid-for-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/up-to-conscriptionage-men-have.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 14:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/up-to-conscriptionage-men-have.html <p>Nearly four years into the full-scale war, hundreds of thousands of draft-age men have left Ukraine. A smaller wave of emigration was also triggered by the decision allowing men aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad.</p> <p>Journalists at NGL.media <a href="https://ngl.media/2026/01/16/sotni-tysyach-ale-ne-miljony/">compiled statistics</a> on men leaving the country after Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to their calculations, over four years about 470,000 military-age men exited Ukraine through official checkpoints and did not return, and another 70,000 left illegally.</p> <p>After the government permitted men aged 18–22 to travel, roughly 78,000 in that age group left Ukraine between September and November 2025.</p> <p>Reporters noted that Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service does not keep male-specific statistics, so the outlet requested monthly data from the border services of neighboring Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, and Hungary on crossings by Ukrainian men aged 18–60 from February 24, 2022, to November 2025, as well as data on recorded illegal entries.</p> <p>They cautioned that these figures do not reflect the exact number of individuals, since each entry and exit is counted separately and the same person may appear multiple times.</p> <p>Hungary declined to provide statistics.</p> <p>According to the journalists, nearly 188,000 Ukrainian men aged 18–60 entered Poland during the full-scale war and did not return, including 60,000 males under 22.</p> <p>Far fewer men traveled to Moldova and Romania overall, and the gap between entries and exits there is 10.6% and 13.7%, respectively.</p> <p>“The negative balance of Ukrainian migration through these two countries exceeds 342,000 men,” the journalists said.</p> <p>Slovakia shows an atypical pattern: fewer men enter the country than return from it to Ukraine.</p> <p>Regarding young men aged 18–22: over the three months the travel permission was in effect, about 78,000 left Ukraine for good.</p> <p>The authors concluded that, excluding departures to Hungary, around 470,000 men left Ukraine via official checkpoints during the full-scale invasion, and, by conservative estimates, about 70,000 crossed the border illegally.</p> <p>In total, up to 540,000 conscription-age men may have left Ukraine.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers allowed men under 22 to travel abroad on August 27. The next day, the first travelers under the new rules appeared at border checkpoints.</p> <p>On October 2, Alexander Gladun, Doctor of Economics and deputy director for research at the M.V. Ptukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, said that since the start of the full-scale invasion, men have made up nearly 40% of those who left Ukraine because of the war.</p> <p>On January 14, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said it had uncovered schemes in eight regions involving providers of “services” to evade mobilization and illegally move conscription-age men across the border.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/up-to-540-000-conscription-age-men-have-left-ukraine-since-the-full-scale-invasion">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/zelensky-calls-for-immediate-electricity.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:22:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/zelensky-calls-for-immediate-electricity.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/g-3clwlxuaancyg.jpg" alt="Zelensky calls for immediate electricity import boost amid new Russian attacks on energy infrastructure"></p>Russian forces launched overnight attacks on Jan. 16-17 across Ukraine, hitting energy infrastructure, including substations, in Odesa and Kyiv oblasts, triggering emergency power outages, authorities reported<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-calls-for-immediate-electricity-import-boost-amid-new-russian-attacks-on-energy-sites/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/russian-su-violated-swedish-airspace.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/russian-su-violated-swedish-airspace.html <p>On January 17, 2026, around noon, a Russian Su-24 fighter jet briefly entered Swedish airspace near Gothenburg in the Västra Götaland region. Upon detection, the Swedish Armed Forces immediately scrambled fighter jets to intercept and escort the intruder out, which left Swedish airspace shortly after. The Swedish military condemned the violation as a serious breach of sovereignty and noted it heightened regional tensions amid ongoing Russian provocations in the Baltic and Nordic areas. This latest incursion aligns with a series of airspace violations attributed to Russia, raising security concerns among Nordic nations and prompting calls for increased air defense readiness.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Airspace violations</p> <p>Country: Sweden</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/how-russian-sabotage-attacks-europe-funded-cb555zsk0">www.thetimes.com/world/rus&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ec1938c0-703d-4c27-910c-201c2373d872">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/embassies-say-they-are-staying.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 10:47:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/embassies-say-they-are-staying.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1366546777-1-.jpg" alt="Embassies say they are staying in Kyiv despite energy crisis, extreme cold, Russian attacks"></p><p>Foreign embassies based in Kyiv say they are not evacuating staff despite worsening power outages, damage to energy infrastructure, and forecasts of extreme cold, according to responses obtained by the Kyiv Independent.</p><p>The statements come as Ukraine’s energy situation worsens amid repeated Russian mass strikes, with a <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-declares-state-of-emergency-in-kyiv-as-energy-crisis-worsens/">state</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/embassies-say-they-will-stay-in-kyiv-despite-energy-crisis-and-extreme-cold/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:38:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2152572121.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,225,590 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,130 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-225-590-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/poland-charges-ukrainians-russian-in.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/poland-charges-ukrainians-russian-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a233a9c526.jpg" alt="Poland charges 4 Ukrainians, 1 Russian in alleged Russia-backed sabotage plot"></p>Polish authorities have charged five men in an alleged Russia-orchestrated plot to send out parcels with explosives to various Western countries, Poland's National Prosecutor's Office announced on Jan. 16.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/poland-charges-4-ukrainians-1-russian-in-alleged-russia-backed-sabotage-plot/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/germany-turns-away-suspected-russian.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 01:06:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/germany-turns-away-suspected-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2250742432.jpg" alt="Germany turns away suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker from Baltic Sea"></p>Germany turned away a Russian-linked oil tanker from entering its territorial waters in the Baltic Sea this week, marking the first known instance of a European country blocking a vessel in Moscow's shadow fleet, Bloomberg reported Jan. 16.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/germany-turns-away-suspected-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-from-baltic-sea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/ukraine-strikes-russian-ammunition-depot.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 01:01:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/ukraine-strikes-russian-ammunition-depot.html <p>Ukraine’s The General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/33865">said</a> that Ukrainian Forces hit a Russian ammunition depot in Prymorsk, on the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, and released updated details on a strike against the Atlant Aero facility in Taganrog.</p> <p>“Units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck an ammunition depot belonging to a unit of Russia’s 76th Air Assault Division (Prymorsk, temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia region). A direct hit was recorded. The extent of the damage is being assessed,” the statement reads.</p> <p>The General Staff also updated the outcome of the strike on the Atlant Aero enterprise in Taganrog, in Russia’s Rostov region, confirming damage to the final UAV assembly shop, two production workshops, and the plant’s administrative building.</p> <p>The General Staff noted that Ukrainian-made missiles hit the plant on January 13. The site was used for full-cycle production of Molniya drones and parts for Orel UAVs.</p> <p>At the same time, the General Staff released updated information on a recent strike against the Russian defense enterprise “Atlant Aero” in Taganrog. It said damage was confirmed to the final UAV assembly shop, two production shops, and the company’s administrative building. The attack was carried out on January 13 with Ukrainian-made missiles.</p> <p>The General Staff said Atlant Aero handled the full cycle of development, production and testing of “Molniya” strike-reconnaissance drones, as well as components for “Orion” drones used by Russian forces.</p> <p>A day earlier, media published images of the aftermath at Atlant Aero in Taganrog. Several buildings on the plant’s grounds were destroyed, including one constructed in early 2025.</p> <p>On January 11, Ukraine’s Defense Forces said they struck three Lukoil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea. They also targeted a Buk-M3 air defense launcher in Luhansk region and a depot of Russia’s 49th Army in Kherson region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-strikes-russian-ammunition-depot-in-occupied-prymorsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/russian-hybrid-warfare-increasingly-blends.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/russian-hybrid-warfare-increasingly-blends.html <p>Published on January 17, 2026, the article examines the evolution of Russian hybrid warfare into indistinguishable political maneuvers, emphasizing Kremlin efforts to manipulate political movements and democratic institutions in allied countries, notably the United States. It details the Kremlin&rsquo;s use of disinformation campaigns, covert influence operations, and proxy political actors to destabilize democratic societies and erode public trust. Highlighted are the challenges in clearly identifying and countering such hybrid aggression due to its entwinement with legitimate political activities and the strategic ambiguity Russia employs. The article underscores expert analysis on the complexity of confronting these tactics, the importance of understanding the hybrid threat&rsquo;s political dimension, and the necessity for integrated political, legal, and intelligence measures to defend democratic resilience. This form of hybrid warfare blurs traditional conflict lines and demands a novel response framework from affected states.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Creating/manipulating political movements</p> <p>Country: United States of America</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2026/01/russian-hybrid-warfare-has-become-indistinguishable-politics/410867/">www.defenseone.com/threats/2&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c0b35ee3-8dd3-474c-9faf-bcd8f5f9610b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/kadyrovs-son-reportedly-in-serious.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:47:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/kadyrovs-son-reportedly-in-serious.html <p>Adam Kadyrov, the son of Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov, was reportedly involved in a serious car accident in Grozny. Parts of the city were blocked off after the crash, and he is being prepared for transport to Moscow for medical treatment.</p> <p>The opposition Chechen Telegram channel Niyso, citing its own sources, <a href="https://t.me/niysoo/28029">reported</a> that the accident involved high-ranking members of the republic’s leadership and that the person in question is Adam</p> <p>“Grozny is blocked off, the new republican hospital is closed. All for one person who is in serious condition. He is being resuscitated and prepared for transport to Moscow,” the message said.</p> <p>According to the channel, the motorcade was traveling at high speed when it suddenly hit an obstacle. Vehicles collided, causing chaos on the road. Several people were injured, but attention is focused on Adam, who is in serious condition.</p> <p>The channel also reported that MMA fighter Khamzat Chimaev was in the car. Preliminary reports said he suffered serious injuries, and some sources even claimed he had died. However, according to <a href="https://t.me/niysoo/28033">Niyso</a>, that information was not confirmed. The channel added it had learned that among the injured there was allegedly another son of a high-ranking representative of the occupation authorities.</p> <p>The outlet ASTRA <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/102139">notes</a> that the Russian service Yandex.Probki is not currently showing closures or major traffic jams on Grozny’s streets. Ramzan Kadyrov and other official sources have not yet confirmed the reports of the crash.</p> <p>Earlier, it was reported that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov suffered kidney failure and is being treated at his own hospital in Chechnya. Due to his illness, the Kremlin has begun looking for potential candidates to replace him.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kadyrov-s-son-reportedly-in-serious-condition-after-grozny-car-crash">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/17/lithuania-says-russian-military-intelligence.html Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/17/lithuania-says-russian-military-intelligence.html <p>An attempt in 2024 to set fire to a Lithuanian factory that supplies radio-frequency scanners to Ukraine’s military was carried out on orders from Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, said Saulius Briginas, deputy chief of Lithuania’s criminal police, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-was-behind-attempted-2024-arson-attack-lithuania-says-2026-01-16">Reuters</a> reported.</p> <p>Briginas said six foreign nationals, including a Russian and a Belarusian, have been charged in the attempted arson. Investigators believe the group also tried to commit similar crimes in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic.</p> <p>“The crimes were coordinated among themselves. Orders to the perpetrators were given by individuals from Russia linked to Russian military intelligence,” Briginas said.</p> <p>In recent years, authorities in Lithuania, other Baltic states and Eastern Europe have exposed several individuals and groups tied to Russian intelligence services. In May 2024, an IKEA store in Vilnius was bombed, sparking a fire. Lithuanian law enforcement detained Ukrainian citizen Danila Bardadima in connection with the attack.</p> <p>Investigators determined Bardadima acted on instructions from Russian intelligence in exchange for money. In November 2025, the Vilnius District Court sentenced him to three years and four months in prison, though prosecutors had sought a five-year term.</p> <p>Lithuanian investigators also believe underage Ukrainians were responsible for a fire at a covered construction market in Warsaw, Poland, allegedly promised payment by Russian intelligence.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lithuania-says-russian-military-intelligence-ordered-2024-attempted-arson-at-factory-supplying-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/russian-authorities-increase-restrictions-on.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 22:38:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/russian-authorities-increase-restrictions-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2240627561.jpg" alt="Russian authorities increase restrictions on Telegram"></p>Roskomnadzor, the Russian federal agency responsible for monitoring mass media and telecommunications, has imposed new restrictions on the Telegram messaging app, Moscow 24 reported Jan. 16.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-authorities-increase-restrictions-on-telegram/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/lithuania-charges-six-foreign-nationals.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 22:00:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/lithuania-charges-six-foreign-nationals.html <p>Lithuania has sent to court the case of six foreign nationals accused of plotting a terrorist attack against a private defense supplier aiding Ukraine, the Prosecutor General’s Office said Friday, according to <a href="https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2808132/lithuania-charges-six-suspects-with-terrorism-for-setting-fire-to-ukraine-military-aid">LRT</a>.</p> <p>Prosecutors say the alleged attempt targeted UAB TVC Solutions in the city of Šiauliai in September 2024. Artūras Urbelis, chief prosecutor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Department, said the indictment was filed with the Šiauliai District Court on January 14.</p> <p>The six defendants are suspected of participating in a terrorist group, attempting to carry out a terrorist act, and financing terrorist activity. According to Urbelis, they include a Spanish citizen, a dual Spanish-Colombian national, and citizens of Colombia, Cuba, Russia, and Belarus.</p> <p>Prosecutors said the intended targets were the company’s infrastructure and products, including mobile radio-frequency spectrum analysis stations destined for Ukraine’s armed forces.</p> <p>Investigations continue into four additional suspects. One was detained in Colombia on an international warrant and is undergoing extradition proceedings to Lithuania. International arrest warrants have been issued for three others.</p> <p>Authorities said the group’s activities may have been coordinated from Russia by Cuban and Colombian citizens linked to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Based on the pretrial probe, there are grounds to believe the attempted sabotage in Šiauliai was carried out on the GRU’s orders and in its interests.</p> <p>The most serious charge - participation in an organized terrorist group - carries a prison term of five to 15 years.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lithuania-charges-six-foreign-nationals-in-alleged-gru-linked-plot-against-defense-supplier-aiding-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:30:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of.html <p>Russia has made tactical gains, but every meter of Ukrainian land is being taken at the cost of heavy personnel losses, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s General Staff said.</p> <p>Dmytro Lykhovyi told <a href="https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1136873.html">Interfax-Ukraine</a> that Moscow is significantly overstating the amount of territory it has seized in Ukraine, noting that in the first 15 days of 2026 it has lost more than 14,000 troops killed and wounded.</p> <p>“Lacking meaningful success on the battlefield, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov cited a figure for square kilometers captured since the start of January that is twice the real number. He likewise doubled the size of territory occupied by the Russians during 2025,” Lykhovyi said.</p> <p>He added that while Russia has achieved tactical advances, it is paying a steep price for every meter of ground. According to Lykhovyi, Russia has already lost 14,120 troops killed and wounded in the first half of January 2026.</p> <p>Ukrainian units are also conducting counteroffensive actions, he said, adding that in 2025 Ukrainian forces liberated about 300 square kilometers of territory.</p> <p>Lykhovyi said that “no matter how hard it gets, Kyiv and Ukraine will endure.”</p> <p>“Gerasimov can report any numbers to his dictator, trying to influence Ukraine’s Western partners as well. But this is definitely not a case where ‘talk will get you to Kyiv,’” he added.</p> <p>Earlier reporting estimated that over the whole of 2025, Russia occupied 4,336 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory - roughly 0.72% of the country. </p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of-captured-territory-citing-heavy-russian-losses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/russia-loses-thousand-soldiers-every.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/russia-loses-thousand-soldiers-every.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1dd9afae60.jpg" alt="🤯 Russia loses 20-25 thousand soldiers EVERY MONTH, says NATO Secretary General #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/90LslIqeg8I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/russia-is-preparing-new-massive.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:23:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/russia-is-preparing-new-massive.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/454d8f3b55330e695425e60917d65b07-1768587549-extra-large.png" alt="'Russia is preparing new massive attacks,' Zelensky says"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said Jan. 16 that Russia is preparing a new wave of large-scale attacks on Ukraine as the country grapples with a deepening energy crisis.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-is-preparing-new-massive-attacks-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/russian-assaults-intensify-losses-explode.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/russian-assaults-intensify-losses-explode.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4f1e532820.jpg" alt="❗Russian assaults intensify, losses explode – US compares Putin to Hitler"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV0tYJdxIk4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/the-netherlands-in-talks-to.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:31:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/the-netherlands-in-talks-to.html <p>Ukraine’s Armed Forces could receive new weapons for their F-16s from the Netherlands, further boosting the jets’ effectiveness. The topic was discussed at a meeting between Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Kozenko and a delegation from the Dutch Ministry of Defense, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://mod.gov.ua/news/oleksandr-kozenko-obgovoriv-posilennya-bojovih-spromozhnostej-aviacziyi-z-delegacziyeyu-minoboroni-niderlandiv">said</a>.</p> <p>According to the ministry, the talks focused on the current needs of Ukraine’s Air Force and ways to strengthen it, particularly improving the performance of the F-16s operated by the military.</p> <p>Kozenko said Kyiv needs its international partners to supply additional air-launched munitions, expand the range of weapons available to Ukraine’s F-16s, and upgrade protection and countermeasure systems on combat aircraft.</p> <p>The meeting also explored ways to improve maintenance of aviation platforms inside Ukraine and to streamline logistics for repairs and servicing of Ukrainian aircraft in European countries.</p> <p>In 2023, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway pledged to transfer more than 60 F-16s to Ukraine. The first Dutch jets arrived in 2024. The aircraft have significantly strengthened Ukraine’s military aviation and have taken an active role in repelling Russian air attacks.</p> <p>F-16 pilots have effectively shot down Russian cruise missiles. As of November 2025, Ukrainian pilots flying these fighters had downed 1,300 aerial targets, according to the Air Force Command.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/the-netherlands-in-talks-to-supply-new-missiles-and-bombs-for-ukraine-s-f-16s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/china-halts-russian-electricity-imports.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:30:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/china-halts-russian-electricity-imports.html <p>China has suspended purchases of Russian electricity after export prices, starting in January 2026, exceeded domestic rates in China for the first time.</p> <p>Since the start of 2026, China has completely stopped importing electricity from Russia and isn’t buying even the minimum contractual volume - about 12 MW, Russian media <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8342379">reported</a>.</p> <p>Sources say Russian electricity exports to China are unlikely to resume this year because the delivery price since January has been higher than China’s domestic electricity prices, making further purchases uneconomical for Beijing.</p> <p>The supply contract, signed with State Grid Corporation of China in 2012, runs until 2037. It envisioned total deliveries of around 100 billion kWh over the term, or roughly 4 billion kWh a year. The contract’s pricing formula is unknown. It may be tied to the single-rate price (capacity plus energy) set in Russia’s Far East and also factor in the trunk grid tariff to move electricity to the Amurskaya–Heihe cross-border line and the supplier’s margin. Chinese importers then sell the electricity to their customers at retail prices.</p> <p>Electricity prices in China have stayed nearly flat at about 350 yuan per MWh. In Russia’s Far East, the single-rate price in January could be about 4,300 rubles ($<span>55.17)</span> per MWh - 42% higher than at the start of last year.</p> <p>Russia’s Energy Ministry said exports to China could resume if Beijing submits a request and the sides reach mutually beneficial terms.</p> <p>China has installed the world’s first 20 MW offshore wind turbine. The project was carried out by China Three Gorges Co.</p> <p>Russia–China trade has begun to shrink for the first time since the start of the war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/china-halts-russian-electricity-imports-as-prices-exceed-domestic-rates">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/ukraine-repels-russian-border-breach.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:00:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/ukraine-repels-russian-border-breach.html <p>Ukraine says it blocked an attempted breach of the state border. In the defensive fight, 21 Russian soldiers were killed and 11 more were wounded.</p> <p>Ukraine’s defense forces repelled an attack by Russian troops near the village of Degtyarne in the Kharkiv region, killing more than 20 soldiers and wounding 11 others, State Border Guard Service representative Andriy Demchenko said on a national telethon.</p> <p>The attack took place in the direction of the settlement of Degtyarne.</p> <p>"Previously, the enemy appeared in small groups near the border, likely probing the situation. But at the start of this week, for several days, having amassed certain forces, they tried to attack the positions of border units with small infantry groups, but in larger numbers," Demchenko said.</p> <p>He confirmed that, while repelling the assault, Ukrainian defenders killed 21 Russian troops and wounded 11 more.</p> <p>Earlier, border guards from the Hart Brigade foiled an attempt by Russian forces to break through the state border in the Kharkiv region toward the village of Degtyarne.</p> <p>Elsewhere, south of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, drone operators from the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv with Ukraine’s Ground Forces struck a column of Russian troops.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-repels-russian-border-breach-attempt-in-kharkiv-region-killing-21-soldiers">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/lukashenko-orders-surprise-largescale-inspection.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:36:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/lukashenko-orders-surprise-largescale-inspection.html <p>Belarus’ self-proclaimed president Alexander Lukashenko has abruptly ordered a review of the country’s entire armed forces, <a href="https://belta.by/society/view/masshtabnaja-proverka-vs-belarusi-nachata-po-rasporjazheniju-lukashenko-podrobnosti-ozvuchil-volfovich-759283-2026/">reports</a> the Belarusian state agency Belta.</p> <p>According to Belta, this is an unexpected and large-scale inspection Lukashenko is said to be personally involved.</p> <p>During these drills in Belarus, authorities will test the protection of military units, including against various types of UAVs, taking into account lessons from the “SVO” (as Minsk, following Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, calls Russia’s war against Ukraine). But Lukashenko’s top priority is to inspect storage sites for armored vehicles and other military equipment.</p> <p>In September 2025, Russia and Belarus held joint military exercises, “Zapad,” that lasted 10 days. Several thousand Russian troops were transferred to Belarusian territory for the drills. Lukashenko claimed the goal was to test the defense readiness of Minsk and Moscow.</p> <p>As part of “Zapad,” Belarus hosted training with Russia’s new ground-based, medium-range missile system “Oreshnik,” which is capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Minsk says one “Oreshnik” system allegedly entered combat duty in Belarus in December 2025. The Russian occupation army has already used this system’s missiles twice to strike civilian cities in Ukraine: Dnipro in November 2024 and Lviv in January 2026.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lukashenko-orders-surprise-large-scale-inspection-of-belarusian-armed-forces">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/zelensky-says-some-airdefense-systems.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:04:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/zelensky-says-some-airdefense-systems.html <p>Ukraine’s President said he has to fight to secure every package of air-defense missiles from the United States and Europe.</p> <p>“Sometimes I want to speak frankly, but the situation doesn’t allow it. For example, until this morning we had several systems without missiles. Today, I can say this openly, because today I have those missiles,” Volodymyr Zelensky said during a joint briefing with the president of the Czech Republic, who arrived in Ukraine today, according to a journalist from <a href="https://www.unian.ua/politics/raketi-dlya-ppo-zelenskiy-zayaviv-shcho-shche-vchora-kilka-sistem-ppo-stoyali-bez-raket-13257273.html">UNIAN</a> who attended the meeting of the presidents.</p> <p>The head of state was answering a question about expectations for an “energy Ramstein,” which Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko mentioned.</p> <p>“What do we need an energy ‘Ramstein’ for if I have to wrestle every missile package out of European countries and America? We can’t just blame America here, because we’re talking about all the other systems that protect our energy infrastructure. It’s not only about Patriot systems - there will never be enough of those. Ukraine has many different systems brought in during the war. Different systems. They need constant packages of missiles,” Zelensky said, adding that on January 16 Ukraine received “a serious package.”</p> <p>According to the Ukrainian President, obtaining air-defense missiles has been difficult.</p> <p>“It comes at such a cost - blood, people’s lives, and so on. Wrestling out packages! When you understand how much is in the warehouses of a given country… how much of it is there! Just sitting there! But there is domestic legislation, of course, that limits transfers… What laws, honestly, when we’re at war? We badly need this. And in some countries, thank God, there is no war. And you wrestle all these missiles for different air defenses - short-range, medium-range, and so on… you just pry them loose by force,” Zelensky said emotionally.</p> <p>He explained that the Ramstein group is a platform to negotiate extending assistance, because even when winter ends, that does not mean Russia will stop bombing Ukraine. Zelensky said he expects rapid deliveries from the “Ramstein” that will help Ukraine and Ukrainians hold on and repel enemy attacks.</p> <p>Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko spoke about an energy “Ramstein” discussions earlier this week. These meetings will be held to once again explain to partners the needs for necessary equipment. All lists have been provided in advance.</p> <p>Meanwhile, homes in Ukraine with electric heating have been designated critical infrastructure - they will not be subject to scheduled power cuts.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-some-air-defense-systems-lacked-missiles-until-today">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/russian-nuclear-agency-executive-detained.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:00:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/russian-nuclear-agency-executive-detained.html <p>Russian security forces have detained Mikhail Shcherbak, director of capital construction at Atomstroyexport, the management company of Rosatom’s engineering division, the Russian Interfax news agency <a href="https://www.interfax.ru/russia/1067952">reported</a>, citing the state corporation.</p> <p>The Russian Telegram Channel Shot <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/91276">reported</a>, citing an anonymous source, the top executive was allegedly suspected of “financing the Ukrainian army.”</p> <p>Until 2007, Shcherbak served as deputy head of the administration of the closed city of Sarov, overseeing architecture and urban planning. The Russian Federal Nuclear Center, which develops nuclear, thermonuclear and other types of weapons, is located there.</p> <p>He later worked at the Nizhny Novgorod-based company Atomenergoproekt, another Rosatom unit, where he handled the organization of nuclear power plant construction.</p> <p>Both Atomstroyexport and Atomenergoproekt design and build large-scale nuclear power plants.</p> <p>Russia saw an unprecedented surge in criminal cases against senior officials in 2025. Since the start of the year, 155 officials have been detained in Russia, surpassing the total for all of 2024, when 122 officials were detained. The figures mark a significant rise compared with previous periods: 73 officials were detained in 2023, and just 33 in 2022.</p> <p>In St. Petersburg, 70 people who prayed for the Ukrainian Armed Forces were detained, Russian media reported.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-nuclear-agency-executive-detained-on-suspicion-of-financing-ukrainian-armed-forces">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/czech-president-says-ukraine-must.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/czech-president-says-ukraine-must.html <p>At a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Czech President Petr Pavel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW_ONKHc9-o&pp=ygUs0L7RhNGW0YEg0L_RgNC10LfQuNC00LXQvdGC0LAg0YPQutGA0LDRl9C90Lg%3D">said</a> Ukraine will have to make painful concessions to achieve peace. At the same time, he said, Kyiv is ready to take that step.</p> <p>He did not specify what concessions he meant.</p> <p>“I believe Ukraine has done a great deal to make the proposed solution acceptable. I believe there are also a number of painful concessions that Ukraine must make and is ready to make, on the condition that this leads to a resolution. And we must do everything possible to ensure all the work done in preparing these documents is not in vain,” Petr Pavel said.</p> <p>He warned that Russia could reject an agreement - and will continue to do so until it feels unified pressure from Ukraine’s partners on Moscow.</p> <p>He also stressed that the United States must play an important role in resisting Russian aggression, though Europe cannot stand aside.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, the sad fact is that without the United States there will be no solution to the war in Ukraine. And it is painful for Europe that the key role is played by the U.S. But that does not mean Europe, including non-EU countries, should be on the sidelines of these efforts,” he noted.</p> <p>According to him, this is about European security - so Europe itself must take greater responsibility for the region’s security.</p> <p>Zelensky has said that to resolve the disputed issue of territories, the draft peace agreement contains several options, including a demilitarized “free economic zone” in eastern Ukrainian regions.</p> <p>On December 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time revealed the 20 points of the draft peace plan. He emphasized that certain points could change during consultations and noted that there is still no agreement on the territories of Donetsk region and on the operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Sky News has noted a shift in Zelensky’s rhetoric. This may indicate the Ukrainian president’s willingness to make concessions. In particular, Zelensky has begun speaking openly about the possibility of holding a referendum and Ukraine’s presidential elections.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/czech-president-says-ukraine-must-make-painful-concessions-for-peace">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/one-step-closer-to-a.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/one-step-closer-to-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dd284bf497.jpg" alt="One step closer to a major conflict: EU prepares as 20% of Russia’s shadow fleet Is paralyzed!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JApDfTmhycQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/inside-ukraines-resistance-under-russian.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:11:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/inside-ukraines-resistance-under-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/sso-2-7-.jpg" alt="Inside Ukraine’s resistance under Russian occupation"></p>In this exclusive interview, the Kyiv Independent’s Yuliia Taradiuk speaks with a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces' officer who helps organize resistance movements in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/inside-ukraines-resistance-under-russian-occupation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/zelensky-sends-budanov-and-umerov.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:03:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/zelensky-sends-budanov-and-umerov.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Ukrainian delegation led by Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov and National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov is already en route to the United States for talks. A peace plan for Ukraine is expected to be one of the main topics.</p> <p>Zelensky <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDc5OU_Lv6s">announced</a> the planned peace talks with the U.S. during a joint media appearance with Czech President Petr Pavel on January 16. He noted that despite everything, the Ukrainian team continues active work with representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump.</p> <p>“In the coming days, meetings for our Ukrainian representatives in the United States are planned. The Ukrainian delegation is now on its way to the United States. And we hope there will be more clarity both on the documents we have effectively prepared with the American side, and on Russia’s response to all the diplomatic work that has taken place and is ongoing,” the president said.</p> <p>Zelensky added that Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure speak volumes about the Kremlin’s intentions.</p> <p>“They’re not interested in agreements, but in the further destruction of Ukraine. And that is precisely why diplomacy is ‘stalling,’” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky detailed the delegation’s planned meetings in the U.S.</p> <p>On January 8, Zelensky said that following talks in Paris, the Ukrainian side agreed with U.S. and European negotiators on security guarantees and “basic parameters for ending the war.”</p> <p>In an interview published January 15, U.S. President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is “ready to enter into a peace agreement,” while Ukraine is “less ready.”</p> <p>Also on January 15, during a meeting with foreign diplomats, Putin said Russia would “consistently pursue its goals” if the Kremlin’s conditions are not accepted.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-sends-budanov-and-umerov-to-the-u-s-for-peace-talks-on-ukraine-s-peace-plan">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/over-half-of-ukrainians-support.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:52:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/over-half-of-ukrainians-support.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1156978066.jpg" alt="Over half of Ukrainians support holding referendum on peace deal, poll shows"></p>Around 55% of Ukrainians support holding a referendum on a potential peace deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine, while 32% oppose this idea, according to the poll.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/around-55-ukrainians-support-holding-referendum-on-peace-deal-poll-shows/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/all-ukrainian-power-plants-have.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:28:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/all-ukrainian-power-plants-have.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/736860d80f.jpg" alt="⚡ All UKRAINIAN power plants have been damaged by RUSSIA! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SEIAXAOw2TM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/ukrainian-delegation-en-route-to.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:08:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/ukrainian-delegation-en-route-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256588894.jpg" alt="Ukrainian delegation en route to US to meet Trump's team"></p>Ukraine hopes to gain more clarity on "documents that we have actually drafted with the American side, and regarding Russia's response to all this diplomatic work," Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-delegation-en-route-to-us-to-meet-trumps-team/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/china-halts-electricity-imports-from.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:47:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/china-halts-electricity-imports-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/84c7b740cf.jpg" alt="China halts electricity imports from Russia, Russian media reports"></p>China's electricity purchases from Russia were suspended on Jan. 1 due to higher export prices that now exceed domestic Chinese rates, Kommersant reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/china-stops-electricity-imports-from-russia-russian-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukrainians.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:40:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukrainians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1241060152.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Ukrainians reject trading Donbas for Western security guarantees in new survey"></p>Most Ukrainians oppose trading the Donbas to Russia even in exchange for Western security guarantees, a new survey shows.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-15-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/disgraced-saeima-deputy-sentenced-again.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:39:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/disgraced-saeima-deputy-sentenced-again.html <p>The Regional Court upheld and re-sentenced former Saeima deputy Jānis Ādamsons to eight years of imprisonment on January 16, 2026, for spying for Russia, petty fraud, and illegal possession of firearms. Ādamsons was previously sentenced in late 2023 to eight years and six months in prison for espionage, treason, and transmission of state secrets to the Russian KGB/FSB. Evidence revealed that from at least 2015 Ādamsons met with his Russian handler Silonov over 100 times to pass classified and publicly available information, including NATO data, potentially useful to Russian operatives recruiting Latvian officials. Ādamsons was a high-profile figure and former Interior Minister who also held leadership positions within the Saeima for the Harmony party. The court dismissed Ādamsons’ claims denying wrongdoing and contested allegations of his financial compensation for treason.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/crime/16.01.2026-disgraced-saeima-deputy-sentenced-again-to-8-years-for-spying-for-russia.a630272/">eng.lsm.lv/article/s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/59853de2-55da-4f20-b51c-c9a88d0102dd">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/putin-pitches-himself-as-mediator.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:27:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/putin-pitches-himself-as-mediator.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e29cc7ace0.jpg" alt="Putin pitches himself as mediator after calls with Israel, Iran amid regional tensions"></p>Putin said Russia is ready to serve as a mediator in the Middle East, an offer that follows signals that the U.S. might launch strikes against Iran amid a deadly crackdown on protests.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-calls-leaders-of-iran-israel-as-regional-tensions-linger/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/navy-confirms-major-damage-to.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:27:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/navy-confirms-major-damage-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-16-at-11-24-50-pm.png" alt="Navy confirms major damage to Russian drone factory after joint operation with SBU"></p>The announcement confirming the damage to the facility's production capacity was posted by the Navy on Jan. 16, after the SBU first reported the strike three days earlier.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/navy-confirms-major-damage-to-russian-drone-factory-after-joint-operation-with-sbu/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/ukraine-eases-curfew-rules-as.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:59:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/ukraine-eases-curfew-rules-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2256401957-1-.jpg" alt="Ukraine eases curfew rules as energy crisis caused by Russian attacks deepens"></p>Ukraine is loosening curfew restrictions to allow citizens to reach humanitarian aid centers even at nighttime, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-eases-curfew-rules-amid-deepening-energy-crisis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/uk-opposes-french-and-italian.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:55:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/uk-opposes-french-and-italian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2250260668.jpg" alt="UK opposes French and Italian push to restart talks with Kremlin"></p>"I think what we need is evidence that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin actually wants peace, and at the moment, I'm still not seeing that," U.K. Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper told Politico.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/uk-opposses-putin-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/residential-building-in-russias-ryazan.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 07:54:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/residential-building-in-russias-ryazan.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-7897-3.jpg" alt="Residential building in Russia's Ryazan Oblast hit in drone attack, media reports"></p>An unidentified drone crashed into a residential high-rise in the Russian city of Ryazan overnight on Jan. 16, as Russia reported a wave of drone attacks across multiple regions.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/residential-building-in-russias-ryazan-oblast-hit-in-drone-attack-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/extension.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/extension.html <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Underwater sabotage (pipelines, cables, sensors)</p> <p>Country: Denmark</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/16/baltic-cable-cutting-russia-trump-greenland/?utm_content=gifting&amp;tpcc=gifting_article&amp;gifting_article=YmFsdGljLWNhYmxlLWN1dHRpbmctcnVzc2lhLXRydW1wLWdyZWVubGFuZA==&amp;pid=CW941515">foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/1&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/fcbd02aa-ffde-4306-9651-b7fcac98c217">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/lithuania-charges-multinational-gang-of.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/lithuania-charges-multinational-gang-of.html <p>On January 16, 2026, Lithuanian military intelligence announced charges against a multinational gang from Spain, Colombia, Chile, Russia, and Belarus for orchestrating sabotage attacks targeting radio jamming stations in Ukraine and infrastructure in Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The group, allegedly backed by Russia, conducted sabotage over up to 10 years, including targeting construction warehouses and power infrastructure in Romania and Poland. Lithuania issued international arrest warrants and reports suggest that over 5,000 to 10,000 euros were paid per sabotage action. Lithuania also accused Russia of an attempted sabotage attack on an IKEA store in 2025. Polish prosecutors have not charged any suspects, while Moscow denied involvement. This reflects ongoing covert Russian-directed hybrid warfare tactics in the region.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Organized Crime</p> <p>Incident Type: Cross-border black markets</p> <p>Country: Lithuania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/16/lithuania-charges-multinational-gang-of-russian-directed-sabotage-attacks">www.aljazeera.com/news/2026&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/6a17c448-6002-4434-8576-1abec2bf12ec">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/16/suspects-in-russianled-explosive-parcels.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/16/suspects-in-russianled-explosive-parcels.html <p>On January 16, 2026, Polish prosecutors charged five men with involvement in a Russian-directed sabotage operation to send explosive parcels to Britain, the United States, Canada, and additional destinations. The five defendants include four Ukrainian citizens and two Russian nationals and face life imprisonment if convicted. The plot involved preparing parcels with hidden incendiary devices and explosives targeting logistics and aviation infrastructure. One suspect, identified as Vyacheslav C., was responsible for planning sabotage activities including sending two test packages to the U.S. and Canada. Another suspect, Vladyslav O., was accused of receiving and transporting packages through Lithuania. The case builds on prior incidents including similar parcel detonations in Britain, Germany, and Poland in 2024, reportedly orchestrated by Russian intelligence services. The Polish National Prosecutor’s Office stated the suspects acted on behalf of Russian intelligence and accused some Ukrainian citizens of receiving Russian payments in exchange for sabotage operations coordinated through encrypted messaging apps, such as Telegram. The investigation highlights continued Russian covert sabotage efforts targeting Western logistics and security infrastructure amidst ongoing Russia-West tensions.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Incident Type: Bomb threats, assassination plots, targeted killings</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/suspects-russian-led-explosive-parcels-plot-face-life-sentences-poland-says-2026-01-16/">www.reuters.com/world/ame&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/f58c1b3c-047d-405b-b503-2bb62286d647">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/a-factory-filled-with-explosives.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 21:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/a-factory-filled-with-explosives.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2984229d8a.jpg" alt="🏭 A factory filled with EXPLOSIVES was attacked in RUSSIA! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/k5xrz_M1UjM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/ampquotrussian-peaceampquot-putin-wants-to.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 21:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/ampquotrussian-peaceampquot-putin-wants-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/bb5d54dba7.jpg" alt="&quot;Russian Peace&quot;: Putin wants to &quot;end the war,&quot; but there is ONE &quot;but&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffP18EkgjWg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/due-to-russia-there-is.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:42:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/due-to-russia-there-is.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b6b7745ce0.jpg" alt="Due to RUSSIA, there is no electricity in UKRAINE for 20-30 hours, – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Yv0WiT0ffAs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/203005.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/203005.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cbbadb02c8.jpg" alt="Operation &quot;IMPREGNATION&quot; across the front line – NEW METHODS USED BY THE RUSSIANS #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SXYeK1DjH90">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/ukraines-military-intelligence-lists-dozens.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/ukraines-military-intelligence-lists-dozens.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) has published data on 50 pieces of foreign equipment used by Russia’s defense industry to manufacture weapons and military hardware.</p> <p>The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine unveiled new evidence of Russia’s use of foreign technologies in its military-industrial complex. In the “Tools of War” section of the War&Sanctions portal, officials <a href="https://war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua/tools?f%5Bpub_id%5D=227">posted details</a> on roughly 50 foreign machines involved in producing weapons for Russia’s armed forces.</p> <p>GUR at Ukraine’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1201549412156477&set=a.230157749295653">said</a> Russian defense enterprises continue to actively rely on foreign technological equipment despite sanctions.</p> <p>Among the equipment identified:</p> <p>- Waterjet cutting systems from Czech manufacturer PTV, used in the production of shipborne and coastal radar stations, as well as equipment for Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces and security systems at military facilities;</p> <p>- A JVM-360LS CNC milling machine from U.S. company JET Tools, used to make components for Kh-101 cruise missiles;</p> <p>- A TAYU TY-200S injection molding machine from China, operated by Russian enterprises that produce guidance systems, sights, and round-the-clock reconnaissance complexes.</p> <p>Intelligence officials note that Russian defense firms often turn to leasing arrangements instead of direct purchases to obtain foreign equipment. Such practices help conceal end users and circumvent sanctions.</p> <p>GUR is calling on global manufacturers to implement continuous tracking of the movement and use of their equipment to prevent its use in warfare and destabilizing activities.</p> <p>As of today, the “Tools of War” section of the War&Sanctions portal lists 1,454 pieces of foreign equipment used by 181 enterprises in Russia’s defense industry.</p> <p>The work to identify Russia’s tools of war is ongoing.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-military-intelligence-lists-dozens-of-foreign-machine-tools-powering-russia-s-defense-industry-despite-sanctions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/trap-for-the-infantry-uafs.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/trap-for-the-infantry-uafs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/459e0bd207.jpg" alt="TRAP FOR THE INFANTRY! UAFs' UAVs prevented the Russians from entering from the rear near Pokrovsk!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agsv1TeEO0Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/what-friendship-with-putin-is.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:30:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/what-friendship-with-putin-is.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b6888920ac.jpg" alt="🎪What friendship with PUTIN is worth – MADURO knows #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Fteq0cVBcco">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/knife-in-maduros-back-russia.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/knife-in-maduros-back-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/61c6d8ba48.jpg" alt="Knife in Maduro’s back: Russia missed US plans in Venezuela, Putin loses Latin America"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbbnjhDBjyc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/russias-drive-to-formalize-the.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/russias-drive-to-formalize-the.html <p>One of the Russian government’s top goals for 2026 is “bringing the national economy out of the shadows” to ensure a “significant increase in tax collection.” <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/economics/articles/2025/12/09/1161597-putin-obsudil-meri-po-obeleniyu-ekonomiki">The mandate</a> was included in President Vladimir Putin’s follow-up orders after a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects held in early January.</p> <p>Senior officials began talking in fall 2025 about targeting Russia’s shadow sector, and in December the government approved a “formalization” plan. Authorities say the measures should shrink the informal economy by 1.5 percentage points of GDP over three years (they put it at 10–12% of GDP now, while independent estimates reach up to 20%) and deliver up to 1 trillion rubles a year to budgets at all levels starting in 2027.</p> <p>The government initially planned to move aggressively on the plan only at the end of 2026, but Putin urged officials to accelerate: “These are serious decisions; they will affect some sectors of the economy. If we’re going to adopt them, then let’s do it now—openly, directly, honestly. There’s nothing scary about it.”</p> <p>With oil and gas revenues steadily falling and imbalances building in an economy entering its fourth year of war against Ukraine, the Kremlin has few options beyond squeezing more taxes from citizens and companies operating at home. Whether it can do that is far from certain.</p> <p>The shadow, or informal, economy is hard to pin down. Depending on context, it may or may not include outright criminal activity, such as drug trafficking. The World Bank defines as “shadow” any economic activity whose income is hidden from the state - for example, to avoid taxes and social contributions or to circumvent labor laws.</p> <p>At the council meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the government had identified six priority sectors to “bring into the open”: domestic trade and trade within the EAEU, the labor market, cash and cryptocurrency turnover, illegal lending, and tobacco sales.</p> <p>Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov have sketched out concrete steps: cut cash usage and tighten oversight of cryptocurrencies; monitor shipments from EAEU countries (“VAT is underreported in some cases, product descriptions don’t match the documents”) and their subsequent sale (“order must be restored—in both wholesale and retail markets”); and crack down on tax-optimization schemes, including classifying employees as self-employed.</p> <p>Officials explicitly link the initiative to higher taxes. The heavier the tax burden, the more actively businesses and citizens move into the gray zone. That logic is captured by the “Laffer effect”: U.S. economist Arthur Laffer showed that beyond a certain point, raising rates can reduce, not increase, tax collection.</p> <p>“When the tax burden goes up, when a tax is raised, there’s an immediate temptation to avoid paying it,” Putin said during his December “Direct Line,” echoing Laffer. “This has always been an issue, but now it’s even more relevant: we need to eliminate the shadow economy and the shift into the shadows, and the nonpayment of taxes.”</p> <p>Russia began raising taxes in 2025, and the process continued in 2026. In 2025, a five-bracket personal income tax took effect, and the corporate profit tax rose from 20% to 25%. As of 2026, the base VAT rate increased from 20% to 22%. In addition, the revenue threshold for VAT exemption was lowered from 60 million to 20 million rubles. Most small and medium-sized businesses lost reduced social insurance contribution rates.</p> <p>According to a recent survey by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry - a nonprofit representing small, medium and large businesses - 71% of Russian entrepreneurs say high taxes and excessive administrative pressure push businesses into the shadows. A significant rise in the tax burden in 2025 was reported by 51% of respondents; 34% said it was unchanged; just 15% reported a decrease.</p> <p>Another recent study, by the Chamber and the analytical center “Analitika. Biznes. Pravo,” concludes that in several industries Russia’s tax hikes could trigger a Laffer-type effect: thin margins may push entrepreneurs either to evade taxes or to shut down. In retail, up to 30–40% of companies with annual revenue of 10–30 million rubles could go underground. Similar risks loom in real estate activities and private education (25–30%). The risk is lower for construction subcontractors and professional services (20–25%).</p> <p>“If some see the gray zone as a way to earn more profit, others are forced to use ‘shadow’ mechanisms to keep the business afloat,” said Andrei Pokida of RANEPA in an interview with Expert magazine. With Russia’s economy barely growing (about 1% expected for 2025 and less than 1% in 2026), their ranks are likely to swell.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-drive-to-formalize-the-shadow-economy-could-push-more-businesses-underground">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/sahra-wagenknecht-severs-facebook-link.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 18:43:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/sahra-wagenknecht-severs-facebook-link.html <p>Sahra Wagenknecht, a notable German politician, unexpectedly cut ties with a Russian-linked user who was managing her Facebook page according to Meta&rsquo;s data, removing any mention of this Russian connection on January 15, 2026. The removal is perceived as suspicious, given ongoing concerns about Russian influence operations in Germany via social media and political actors. The article discusses the broader context of Russian propaganda, Kremlin-backed activities in German politics, and the significance of transparency on platforms like Facebook. Politicians and analysts debated the implications of this development, reflecting the heightened vigilance against covert foreign influence in Germany. The incident took place amid wider scrutiny of ties between German political figures and Russian or pro-Kremlin networks.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/parteien/id_101082754/sahra-wagenknecht-kappt-facebook-verbindung-mit-russland-hinweis-fehlt.html">www.t-online.de/nachricht&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/7a8c440f-da2e-4804-aa02-478119210fc5">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/russian-war-bloggers-admit-ukrainian.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 18:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/russian-war-bloggers-admit-ukrainian.html <p>Russian pro-war bloggers increasingly admit that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ new tactics have seriously complicated Russia’s offensive operations and driven up losses. In the Z segment, it’s being called an "endless meat grinder" that dampens the will to advance even among motivated units.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/c/1746605280/4405">One such post</a> came from blogger Chadayev. According to him, Ukraine is fighting more effectively "as the second number" - not attempting to attack everywhere, but turning every Russian advance into the costliest and bloodiest possible process. "The core of the tactic is that the Ukrainian Armed Forces prepare "kill zones" in advance, where assaulting Russian units come under fire from multiple weapons at once.</p> <p>Ukrainian artillery, he notes, is positioned deep in the defensive belt, beyond the reach of Russian drones, and pre-registers fire on its own forward edge. As soon as Russian assault groups move into positions that appear to have been abandoned, they are hit with precise strikes. Drones operate in parallel, hitting logistics, supply routes, and any activity near seized strongpoints.</p> <p>This is reinforced by dense minefields, including remotely delivered mines, and ambushes along limited supply routes. Russian attempts to bring up a second echelon or reinforce positions often end in localized Ukrainian counterattacks aimed at preserving that zone of constant losses between the front line and the rear.</p> <p>Chadayev acknowledges that, as a result, Russian commanders at various levels are increasingly reluctant to attack: progress is measured not in kilometers but in people lost. In the end, he says, Russia is more often "shading in maps" purely to report success.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-war-bloggers-admit-ukrainian-kill-zones-are-grinding-down-russian-assaults">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/175128.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:51:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/175128.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255672709.jpg" alt="'Disgraceful statement' — Ukraine condemns International Red Cross over 'moral equivalence' on energy strikes"></p>Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X that "this statement is a disgrace," adding that "false moral equivalence between an aggressor and a country defending itself is unacceptable."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/disgraceful-statement-ukraine-condemns-red-cross-equaling-russias-and-ukraines-strikes-on-energy-infrastructure/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/russian-forces-hit-ukraine-with.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/russian-forces-hit-ukraine-with.html <p>Russia’s recent strikes on Ukraine have involved the use of magnetic mines to intensify the attacks, experts say. The threat was observed during bombardments along the Kovel–Kyiv rail line.</p> <p>Electronic warfare and communications expert Sergey “Flash” Beskrestnov said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=25513830548258655&set=a.596591147075940">a Facebook post</a> that about half of the Shahed-type drones that targeted the railway in recent days carried magnetic mines, which were dropped into the snow.</p> <p>He added that these mines only self-deactivate after several days, meaning explosive devices dropped on January 12 could still detonate soon. Beskrestnov urged relevant services to factor in this risk during patrols and area inspections.</p> <p>A day earlier, the main directorate of the National Police in Poltava region <a href="https://pl.npu.gov.ua/news/politseiski-vybukhotekhniky-poltavshchyny-zaklykaiut-hromadian-dotrymuvatysia-pravyl-minnoi-bezpeky">reported</a> that amid the war, the Russians are increasingly using unmanned aerial vehicles to remotely seed mines. Specifically, officers cited PTM-3 anti-tank mines that are dropped from drones during attacks.</p> <p>Artem Bondarenko, head of the Poltava police’s explosive ordnance service, said these mines are hard to detect and can detonate even without direct contact. The devices use magnetic fuzes and pose a threat to vehicles and people when the magnetic field changes.</p> <p>Even if a drone crashes without exploding, it may contain additional mines or sensors that trigger when metal objects or vehicles come near, police warned.</p> <p>If you encounter a suspicious item, authorities advise leaving it in place, avoiding any movement or contact, and calling 102 or 101. From a safe distance, mark the location to protect others.</p> <p>“The enemy is cynically using drones to remotely mine civilian areas with PTM-3 anti-tank mines. Such explosive devices are difficult to detect, and they can detonate without direct contact. We urge citizens to be extremely vigilant, avoid approaching suspicious objects, and immediately report any finds by calling 102 or 101. Remember: caution and adherence to mine safety rules save lives,” Bondarenko said.</p> <p>Beskrestnov previously reported that Russian forces had begun dropping PTM-3 mines from Shahed-type UAVs, noting that the mine is released near the drone’s own crash point.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-forces-hit-ukraine-with-shahed-drones-carrying-magnetic-mines-experts-warn-of-heightened-danger">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/the-price-of-russian-oil.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:30:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/the-price-of-russian-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3dd43b7911.jpg" alt="The price of Russian OIL has dropped by another $3.5! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kJ6nGToOI00">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/i-once-craved-the-polar.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:01:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/i-once-craved-the-polar.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0c805631-0.jpg" alt="I once craved the polar cold. Now I fear it at home."></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!mmUU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7f628fa-2556-404c-bc40-e00b6be25c04_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff7f628fa-2.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f7f628fa-2556-404c-bc40-e00b6be25c04_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:<br><br>Our team is struggling to adapt to plunging temperatures without heat or power.</em></p><p><em>Your subscription goes in part to supporting all the reporters at The Counteroffensive, who we’ve provided with batteries, hot water bottles and blankets.</em></p><p><em>Recognize our team’s courage: upgrade to a paid subscription today!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!xpV1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10a5113b-3948-4c20-b09f-47ecd45f71ba_1188x212.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f10a5113b-3.png" width="662" height="118.13468013468014" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/10a5113b-3948-4c20-b09f-47ecd45f71ba_1188x212.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":212,"width":1188,"resizeWidth":662,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The weather in Kyiv over the next week, via Google Weather.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>I don’t know what I hated the most this week.</p><p>The stinging cold on my hands as I retrieved my third blanket from the post office, waking up to biting air inside my own home, or nearly vomiting in a cafe after hours of breathing in gasoline fumes from a generator.</p><p>I offer myself a bitter smile — <em>was this what you wanted all along?</em></p><p>I always found calm in the cold.</p><p>There was something mesmerizing about it, as if nature were reclaiming the authority we had only borrowed.</p><p>I found calm in the cold. Until now.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!fI6g!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F285831fd-d53f-49f9-9f85-0242694f1307_996x702.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f285831fd-d.png" width="494" height="348.1807228915663" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/285831fd-d53f-49f9-9f85-0242694f1307_996x702.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":702,"width":996,"resizeWidth":494,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The weather in Kyiv will feel like -20°C (-4°F) this Friday, <a href="https://www.ventusky.com/kyiv">according to</a> Ventusky. </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>It began last week, when Russia once again struck Kyiv’s entire energy system, plunging the city into its <a href="https://t.me/vitaliy_klitschko/6011">deepest</a> darkness since the start of the war.</p><p>Ukraine plans to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector and review curfew rules so that people have greater access to points of invincibility, places where people can have access to the internet, heat and electricity, Zelenskyy <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17645">announced</a> just yesterday.</p><p>Residential buildings are now left without electricity for more than 20 consecutive hours, broken only by brief nighttime power intervals. Public transport is repeatedly disrupted, and indoor temperatures are reaching between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius. All of this unfolded as an Arctic air mass stalled over Ukraine and much of Eastern Europe, bringing the coldest winter in several years.</p><p>Russia has weaponized the cold as a tool of terror against civilians, reinforcing what this war has shown repeatedly: its primary target is not territory or military positions, but civilian life itself. A large-scale humanitarian crisis is now unfolding in the heart of Europe, met with a muted global response that exposes the inability of international systems to prevent catastrophe.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":433724}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Winters in Ukraine, as I remember them, were always cold until recently. During my school years, that cold felt like a happy time, when we trudged through knee-deep snow to a hill to slide down on plastic sleds…</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Paid subscribers get access to the full reporter’s notebook. After the paywall:</em></p><ul><li><p><em>How Mariana saw icebergs but was not prepared that ski pants would save her in Ukraine;</em></p></li><li><p><em>Why frost makes it difficult to stabilize the energy catastrophe in Kyiv;</em></p></li><li><p><em>How does Mariana survive in the cold.</em></p></li></ul></div> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/i-once-craved-the-polar-cold-now"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/i-once-craved-the-polar-cold-now">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/wow-russian-oil-prices-drop.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:01:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/wow-russian-oil-prices-drop.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/650104de32.jpg" alt="Wow! Russian oil prices drop even further! The EU strikes Putin's wallet again"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr9Hg_KFy_Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/poland-says-russia-tried-to.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/poland-says-russia-tried-to.html <p>Poland’s government says Russia sought, through hybrid attacks, to cause a cascading shutdown of electricity across the country.</p> <p>Poland reported an attempted large-scale cyberattack from Russia that could have led to a nationwide blackout in late December, Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said in an interview with <a href="https://www.rmf24.pl/tylko-w-rmf24/popoludniowa-rozmowa/news-polsce-grozil-blackout-gawkowski-cyfrowe-czolgi-juz-tu-sa,nId,8057521">RMF FM radio</a>, discussing the final days of 2025.</p> <p>He said the attack targeted energy infrastructure and could have cut power to millions during the New Year holiday period. The minister called it the most serious threat on record.</p> <p>“Digital tanks are already here. We were very close to a power shutdown,” he told RMF FM.</p> <p>Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka previously shared similar details, saying the final days of the year saw the largest hacking assault on Poland’s power system in several years. According to the ministry, attackers tried to interfere with operations at one thermal power plant and also targeted numerous renewable energy facilities across different regions.</p> <p>Polish authorities say the aim was to disrupt communications between elements of the power grid, potentially triggering a chain reaction leading to a large-scale blackout. Quick action by specialists and protective systems helped avert the worst-case scenario.</p> <p>Officials in Warsaw say such actions fit into a broader strategy of hybrid pressure from Russia, with hackers used as a tool against critical infrastructure. Poland plans to bolster its cybersecurity and continue working with allies to prevent similar threats.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-says-russia-tried-to-trigger-nationwide-blackout-over-new-year-holidays-in-major-cyberattack">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/russia-dismisses-two-generals-after.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/russia-dismisses-two-generals-after.html <p>Russia’s occupation forces have dismissed Lt. Gen. Sukhrab Akhmedov, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy for coastal and ground forces. He was awarded the title “Hero of Russia” in the summer of 2025. The <a href="https://t.me/azov_media/7868">announcement</a> was made by the Azov 1st Corps of Ukraine’s National Guard, and was also reported by <a href="https://hromadske.ua/viyna/257894-henerala-rf-iakyy-poslav-na-shturm-dobropillia-kolonu-tekhniky-znialy-z-posady-voyenkory-krytykuvaly-yoho-za-vtraty">Hromadske</a>.</p> <p>Akhmedov led a large naval infantry grouping - two divisions, two brigades and a regiment—fighting Ukraine’s Defense Forces on the Dobropillya axis, in the sector held by the Azov 1st Corps.</p> <p>Earlier, Lt. Gen. Sergei Milchakov, commander of Russia’s 51st Combined Arms Army and also a “Hero of Russia,” was relieved of duty. Units under his command likewise took part in attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses in this area.</p> <p>Both generals were removed for “lack of results,” according to the reports. Large-scale infantry and mechanized assaults involving dozens of armored vehicles failed to deliver an operational breakthrough and did not breach Ukrainian positions, resulting instead in significant personnel and equipment losses.</p> <p>Since August of last year, when the Azov 1st Corps took up a designated defensive sector on the Dobropillya axis, the Russians have lost nearly 23,000 troops killed and wounded, the unit said. Heavy armor losses totaled about 100 tanks and 263 armored fighting vehicles, according to the military.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-dismisses-two-generals-after-failed-assaults-on-the-dobropillya-axis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/kyiv-energy-crisis-extremely-serious.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:58:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/kyiv-energy-crisis-extremely-serious.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255671058.jpg" alt="Kyiv energy crisis 'extremely serious,' as SBU presents evidence of Russian 'crimes against humanity'"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 14 declared a state of emergency in the energy sector.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-energy-crisis-extremely-serious-as-sbu-presents-evidence-of-crime-against-humanity/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:14:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-15-at-14-06-51.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: 70 Russian soldiers 'destroyed' during assault near Kharkiv, Khartiia claims in new video"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 3 times today. A large group of Russian soldiers crossing snowy ground north of Kharkiv was obliterated by drones, artillery and infantry, Ukraine's Khartiia Brigade said on Jan. 15, killing around 70 of them.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-15/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/armenia-and-the-us-launch.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/armenia-and-the-us-launch.html <p>Russia will not participate in the TRIPP initiative, which is designed to connect Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenia.</p> <p>The launch of the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) underscores shifting power dynamics in the South Caucasus, where Moscow is losing influence. The logistics-focused project is moving ahead without Russia.</p> <p>At a news conference in Washington, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said Russia’s participation in the new transport corridor was not discussed and that the project’s parameters are already set.</p> <p>Mirzoyan’s remarks came after he and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a joint statement to implement TRIPP. The sides also agreed to create the TRIPP Development Company, which will hold development rights to the route for 49 years.</p> <p>Under the deal, the United States will own 74% of the company and Armenia 26%, with Yerevan’s stake potentially increasing to 49% over time, according to <a href="https://www.mfa.am/hy/press-releases/2026/01/14/TRIPP/13721">a statement</a> published by Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.</p> <p><a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/joint-statement-on-the-publication-of-the-u-s-armenia-implementation-framework-for-the-trump-route-for-international-peace-and-prosperity-tripp/">The joint statement</a> says the project is expected to bring Armenia investment and economic development, while providing the United States with new transport routes and access to additional markets.</p> <p>Armenia will retain full sovereign control over its territory, laws and borders. Yerevan commits to actively facilitate the project by coordinating state bodies, issuing necessary permits, maintaining constant contact with the U.S. side and expanding cooperation with neighboring countries.</p> <p>The top U.S. diplomat said TRIPP will open Armenia to business and help it prosper economically.</p> <p>The TRIPP concept was agreed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in August last year, when a Washington-brokered declaration to cease hostilities laid the groundwork for the infrastructure push.</p> <p>The route is set to link mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic via Armenia’s Syunik region.</p> <p>Plans call for building highways and rail lines, as well as oil and gas infrastructure, along a stretch of roughly 42 kilometers.</p> <p>The project is viewed as a key element of regional economic integration and long-term stabilization in the South Caucasus.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/armenia-and-the-u-s-launch-trump-route-corridor-without-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/kazakhstan-protests-strikes-on-russian.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/kazakhstan-protests-strikes-on-russian.html <p>Kazakhstan has lodged a protest over attacks on oil tankers and Russian oil infrastructure used to export Kazakh crude.</p> <p>Astana reacted after drone strikes on tankers bound for the CPC terminal in the Black Sea, voicing “serious concern” without directly naming any party responsible.</p> <p>What Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said</p> <p>Foreign Ministry spokesman Yerlan Zhetibayev <a href="https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1141256?lang=kk">said</a> Kazakhstan is not a party to the armed conflict and contributes to global and European energy security.</p> <p>He added that the rise in such incidents increases risks to international energy infrastructure. Kazakhstan urged partners to take joint steps to prevent similar situations. The statement did not directly accuse Ukraine.</p> <p>Users on social media noted that Kazakhstan stayed largely silent as Russia destroyed and continues to strike Ukraine’s energy system, and did not invoke international law then. They argue Ukraine is not to blame for Kazakhstan’s reliance on Russian infrastructure to export oil.</p> <p>Ukraine has not officially commented on the strikes. Still, the context is clear, experts say: Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy, gas and oil infrastructure; in response, Ukraine has hit Russian sites and often does not claim responsibility.</p> <p>Kazakhstan has become dependent on Russian ports and pipelines. Russia turned energy into a wartime target and is now facing the consequences.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kazakhstan-protests-strikes-on-russian-oil-infrastructure-used-for-kazakh-crude">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/russia-strikes-lviv-playground-debris.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 06:46:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/russia-strikes-lviv-playground-debris.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-15-at-12-52-56-am.png" alt="Russia strikes Lviv playground, debris falls onto Kyiv residential building as drones attack Ukraine"></p>Russia struck a playground in the city center of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, Governor Maksym Kozytskyi reported on Jan. 15.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-strikes-lviv-playground/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/estonias-russianspeaking-community-silenced-by.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/estonias-russianspeaking-community-silenced-by.html <p>By mid-January 2026, Estonia has carried out visible and intensified expulsions of individuals with pro-Russian sympathies, particularly in the border city of Narva. These actions are driven by national security priorities in response to the ongoing Russian aggression and influence operations. The Internal Security Service (KaPo), along with ministries such as justice and immigration, have been actively involved in identifying and expelling persons suspected of undermining Estonia&rsquo;s security. Consequently, groups within Narva&rsquo;s large Russian-speaking population have become notably silent and subdued. This approach differs from Finland&rsquo;s more cautious policy regarding Russian influence and demonstrates Estonia&rsquo;s firm stance on combating hybrid threats. The expulsions contribute to a significant reduction in Russian-messaging activities and social unrest risks on Estonia&rsquo;s eastern border.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://yle.fi/a/74-20201958">yle.fi/a/74-2020&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/fa8bf2bd-33a9-4fc3-8fdc-556ff25771dc">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/15/trump-claims-putin-ready-to.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 03:29:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/15/trump-claims-putin-ready-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1a138de604.jpg" alt="Trump claims Putin ready to reach peace deal, Zelensky in the way"></p>"I think (Russian President Vladimir Putin is) ready to make a deal. I think Ukraine is less ready to make a ‍deal," U.S. President Donald Trump said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-ready-to-reach-a-peace-deal-zelensky-in-the-way-trump-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/unity-is-incredible-cold-darkness.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:08:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/unity-is-incredible-cold-darkness.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4f31596140.jpg" alt="Unity is INCREDIBLE! Cold, darkness, shelling – RUSSIA will not break UKRAINIANS!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0uqq6FgPJI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/peace-talks-followed-by-shelling.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/peace-talks-followed-by-shelling.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/025dd2d9b8.jpg" alt="❗️Peace talks – followed by shelling: the pattern of Russian &quot;diplomacy&quot; #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EXcwzkoIrgM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/czechias-new-government-faces-early.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:19:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/czechias-new-government-faces-early.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2251455839-1.jpg" alt="Czechia's new government faces early divisions over Ukraine"></p><p>Fears that the new Czech populist government would add another brick to the anti-Ukraine camp appear to be premature — at least, for now.</p><p>Petr Macinka, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/czechia/">Czechia</a>'s new foreign minister, who visited <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine/">Ukraine</a> on Jan. 9 mere hours after a <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-oreshnik-missile-hits-lviv-ukraine/">Russian Oreshnik strike</a>, affirmed that the two countries</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/hope-in-czechias-ukraine-course-but-far-right-voices-loom/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/combat-clashes-immediately-on-three.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/combat-clashes-immediately-on-three.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6ad688c828.jpg" alt="Combat clashes IMMEDIATELY on THREE fronts – UKRAINE is holding back the Russians!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOyyUte7MS8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/without-light-and-heat-in.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:31:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/without-light-and-heat-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ddc5283a41.jpg" alt="Without LIGHT and HEAT in the midst of a HARSH WINTER: Russia’s WAR strategy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oq-YIg2sQD4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/zelensky-declares-state-of-emergency.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:17:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/zelensky-declares-state-of-emergency.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255734506.jpg" alt="Zelensky declares state of emergency in Ukraine’s energy sector as crisis worsens"></p>"The consequences of Russian strikes and worsening weather conditions are severe," Zelensky wrote.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-declares-state-of-emergency-in-kyiv-as-energy-crisis-worsens/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/every-day-we-feel-more.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:07:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/every-day-we-feel-more.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ek-2026-70-1.jpg" alt="'Every day, we feel more hate towards Russia' — Kyiv families struggle to stay warm in near-freezing homes"></p><p>Pechersk is a leafy, affluent neighborhood in central Kyiv. Its prerevolutionary buildings are tucked away from the main roads, surrounded by quiet courtyards and trees. In peacetime, it's where many Ukrainians dreamed of living.</p><p>Now, in the fourth winter of the war, it's 3 degrees celsius</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-families-struggle-to-stay-warm-energy-russia-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russias-winter-terror-is-doomed.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:01:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russias-winter-terror-is-doomed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d3948c457c.jpg" alt="Russia's winter terror is doomed! Ukraine stands stronger than ever!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylH7ugGZs6E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russia-is-preparing-a-separate.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:30:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russia-is-preparing-a-separate.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ec482239a9.jpg" alt="🤯 RUSSIA is preparing a SEPARATE ARMY for war against NATO! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hSd0zmk-Xs8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/how-did-russian-propaganda-convince.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/how-did-russian-propaganda-convince.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4c77274a31.jpg" alt="📺 How did Russian propaganda convince Russians that they are &quot;victims&quot;?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfX1HA3aGhg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/us-suspends-all-visa-processing.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:50:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/us-suspends-all-visa-processing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2209845335.jpg" alt="US suspends all visa processing for 75 countries — Russia reportedly on the list"></p>The suspension is set to take effect on Jan. 21 and will remain in place indefinitely while the State Department conducts a review of visa processing procedures, Fox News reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-suspends-all-visa-processing-for-75-countries/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/belgorod-governor-urges-residents-to.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/belgorod-governor-urges-residents-to.html <p>The head of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, signaled publicly that after Ukrainian strikes on the energy infrastructure, the region cannot provide residents with heat and electricity. In effect, the Belgorod governor <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/18369">is suggesting</a> that after two thermal power plants were knocked out, it may be better for people to leave the region.</p> <p>Authorities are openly discussing moving residents and acknowledge they cannot fully restore power.</p> <p>In statements released publicly, the governor stresses this is not about an immediate rush to flee. But the substance of his remarks is clear: if conditions worsen, authorities will not be able to help people.</p> <p>Regional officials are effectively acknowledging they cannot guarantee basic living conditions. At the same time, they are shifting responsibility to residents, urging them to understand the steps they should take in the event of widespread outages.</p> <p>At an emergency meeting with the full regional government, Gladkov said plainly that even backup generation cannot meet the region’s needs.</p> <p>That means prioritization won’t cover everyone. Officials are already preparing lists and scenarios for who will be “relocated” and where - either within the region or to other parts of Russia.</p> <p>The cost of war comes home</p> <p>The Belgorod region is facing a crisis of this scale for the first time. The situation is a stark outcome of Russia’s policy, experts say. Strikes on Ukraine’s energy system that the Kremlin called “retaliation” and “pressure” have come back like a boomerang. Now Russian authorities are publicly advising citizens to save themselves.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/belgorod-governor-urges-residents-to-prepare-to-evacuate-amid-power-and-heat-crisis">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/video-shows-first-confirmed-use.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/video-shows-first-confirmed-use.html <p>Ukraine’s Armed Forces have begun using Tempest air-defense buggies to help protect the country’s skies, a system designed primarily to destroy Russian attack drones. The Ukrainian Air Force <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/898151626226857">released video</a> purporting to show the platform in action.</p> <p>The clip appears to capture a missile launch from a Tempest during a nighttime Russian strike on Ukraine - what would be the first confirmed use of the new American short-range air-defense buggy in the war. Ukrainian troops are seen engaging what are believed to be Russian attack drones, notably Shahed and Gerbera.</p> <p>In the footage, a Ukrainian service member with the call sign “Korotun” says the Tempest crew has already destroyed at least 21 Russian drones.</p> <p>There is little official information about Tempest so far. US company V2X unveiled the system in October 2025 at the AUSA defense expo in Washington. Neither the United States nor Ukraine has formally announced a delivery of the system to the Ukrainian military.</p> <p>The Tempest platform is manufactured by V2X, a Virginia-based US company that also markets the system to the US military.</p> <p>Its high mobility and ability to rapidly change position are crucial against drones that can fly at more than 160 km/h, leaving air defenses little time to respond</p> <p>Tempest is a short-range air-defense platform whose key advantages are high mobility and a low visual profile, making it harder for adversaries to detect. It’s based on a civilian buggy similar to the Can-Am Maverick X3, allowing rapid movement over difficult terrain and operations near the front line. The system is believed to use AGM-114 Hellfire missiles with an active radar seeker to intercept low-flying aerial targets at short range. It can fire two missiles in a salvo; each Hellfire carries a 9 kg warhead, sufficient to destroy various types of UAVs.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/video-shows-first-confirmed-use-of-tempest-air-defense-buggies-by-ukraine-against-russian-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/spain-slashes-russian-lng-imports.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/spain-slashes-russian-lng-imports.html <p>Spain slashed imports of Russian liquefied natural gas by 41% in 2025 compared with the previous year, while nearly doubling purchases from the United States, according to data from <a href="https://www.enagas.es/en/">Spanish energy operator Enagas</a>.</p> <p>U.S. gas deliveries to Spain jumped 98% to 111,660 GWh (about 10.6 billion cubic meters), accounting for roughly 30% of total supplies. Russian shipments fell to 42,629 GWh (around 4 bcm), or 11.4% of Spain’s total imports, down from 72,360 GWh (nearly 6.9 bcm) a year earlier. That made Russia Spain’s third-largest LNG supplier, behind Algeria and the United States.</p> <p>Algeria remained Spain’s top gas supplier for the third straight year, providing 38.5% of imports. In 2025, Algeria shipped 128,504 GWh (about 12.2 bcm), though volumes were 2% lower than in 2024.</p> <p>Across Europe, LNG imports hit a seasonal record as weaker demand in Asia - particularly in China - helped push prices lower ahead of the storage refill season.</p> <p>France, Spain and Belgium remain the biggest buyers of Russian LNG in Europe, accounting for 85% of the bloc’s imports from Russia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/spain-slashes-russian-lng-imports-41-as-u-s-deliveries-nearly-double">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/from-venezuela-to-iran-trump.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:52:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/from-venezuela-to-iran-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254682170-1.jpg" alt="From Venezuela to Iran, Trump shows 'how weak Russia really is,' ex-US envoy says"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump demonstrates he is "increasingly comfortable with the use of force" on the global stage, Kurt Volker said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-shows-how-weak-russia-really-is-could-ramp-up-pressure-ex-us-envoy-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/ukrainian-anticorruption-agencies-release-alleged.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:39:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/ukrainian-anticorruption-agencies-release-alleged.html <p>Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have released what they say is <a href="https://t.me/nab_ukraine/3651">an audio recording of a wiretapped meeting</a> between Yulia Tymoshenko and an unnamed member of parliament, in which a scheme to buy lawmakers’ votes is discussed.</p> <p>Overnight into January 14, representatives of the anti-corruption bodies searched the Kyiv headquarters of Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party. </p> <p>While the suspect was not named in official statements, SAPO spokesperson Olga Postoliuk told the <a href="https://t.me/suspilnenews/61273">outlet Suspilne</a> that suspicion was served specifically to Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko confirmed that searches took place at her party’s offices and said she “categorically” denies all allegations.</p> <p>NABU also published a photo from the party office search that appears to show a woman with a hairstyle resembling Tymoshenko’s seated at a table with stacks of U.S. dollars.</p> <p>On the recording, a woman identified by investigators as Tymoshenko speaks in Russian with another member of parliament about coordinating votes. According to investigators, the suspect approached individual lawmakers and offered them money in exchange for loyal behavior during votes on legislation.</p> <p>The conversation suggests a regular, not one-off, arrangement. On the tape, the woman says this is “an ongoing arrangement” and that deputies would be paid in advance for two sessions. The published recording is dated January 12:</p> <p>Tymoshenko: But I need to pass along what to vote for.</p> <p>Deputy: Of course.</p> <p>Tymoshenko: Then can I just send it to your phone on Signal? ... I’ll send it on Signal. I’ll likely send you the bill number and, roughly, “for” or “against.” “Against” means you can abstain, not vote — just so there’s no vote. And “for” means “for.” For us, look... of course, it’s preferable there are no glitches.</p> <p>Deputy: Mm-hmm.</p> <p>Tymoshenko: Because everything for us is connected. We want to “wreck” this “majority,” so we shouldn’t give them any slack. So please talk to the guys. There won’t be any penalties, of course, but it’s very important...</p> <p>Deputy: So there’s discipline.</p> <p>Tymoshenko: Discipline, yes. Otherwise none of this makes sense.</p> <p>Separately, the two discuss personnel votes. The female voice says deputies should vote “for” when it comes to dismissals but not vote for appointments across all candidates. A day earlier, the Verkhovna Rada failed to approve new appointments for Denys Shmyhal and Mykhailo Fedorov, who had been slated to become energy minister and defense minister, respectively.</p> <p>The preliminary charge cited by authorities is Part 4 of Article 369 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, covering the offer, promise or provision of an improper benefit to an official.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-anti-corruption-agencies-release-alleged-wiretap-of-yulia-tymoshenko-discussing-vote-buying-with-an-mp">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/foreign-machine-tools-are-still.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/foreign-machine-tools-are-still.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/eaff929137.jpg" alt="50 foreign machine tools are STILL manufacturing WEAPONS for Russia! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GGoxVQqdNV8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/strikes-overnight-russia-exports-chaos.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:03:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/strikes-overnight-russia-exports-chaos.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/31ca57d875.jpg" alt="156 strikes overnight: Russia “exports” chaos to Europe – not just Ukraine suffers"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhuNwRjEqt0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russia-establishes-special-forces-headquarters.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russia-establishes-special-forces-headquarters.html <p>Russian forces have turned Mariupol and nearby areas into a network of military bases and training ranges. The main site is a range on the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions near the settlements of Urzuf and Kulikovske.</p> <p>As Petro Andryushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, said in an interview with <a href="https://24tv.ua/ru/rossijane-obustroili-trenirovochnye-bazy-dlja-voennyh-na-okkupirovannyh-territorijah-gde-ih-gotovjat_n2987869">24 Kanal</a>, the range was previously used by Ukraine’s military - specifically the Azov Regiment trained there.</p> <p>According to him, the range starts at Urzuf and stretches to an airfield near Berdyansk. In peacetime it was part of tourist infrastructure.</p> <p>Andryushchenko said Russia’s army has two additional ranges: one northwest of Mariupol and another northeast.</p> <p>One range is in Yurivka, which also hosted a military base that, according to Andryushchenko, was destroyed several years ago by precise Ukrainian missile strikes. Urzuf, previously mentioned, now serves as a base for Russian army officers.</p> <p>Bases for Russian units are concentrated mainly in the Novoazovsk district, about 45 kilometers from Mariupol. Andryushchenko noted that a GRU special forces headquarters in Berdyanske, Novoazovsk district, was recently destroyed.</p> <p>“There are several more Russian locations - Sopyne, Vynohradne, Bezymenne,” the former official said.</p> <p>Near Bezymenne, he added, an open area has been set up for training Russian intelligence operatives and senior officers.</p> <p>“In addition, in 2024 the occupiers built a large tank training ground north of Novoazovsk, where drills involving armored vehicles are held,” Andryushchenko said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-surrounds-mariupol-with-special-forces-headquarters-and-recon-training-grounds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/ukraine-war-latest-live-minibus.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:05:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/ukraine-war-latest-live-minibus.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-14-at-15-00-49.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Minibus carrying soldiers shot at near Lviv"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. A minibus full of soldiers was shot at in the morning of Jan. 14 in the village of Rudno near Lviv in western Ukraine, by an as-yet unknown individual.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-14/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/sweden-and-finland-push-eu.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/sweden-and-finland-push-eu.html <p>Sweden and Finland have urged the EU to use its next sanctions package to impose a full ban on servicing ships carrying Russian energy.</p> <p>The EU is preparing its 20th package of sanctions against Russia ahead of the anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Stockholm and Helsinki’s proposal could deal a significant blow to the Kremlin’s energy revenues, reports <a href="https://www.euractiv.com/news/rapport-eu-weighs-chinese-tech-squeeze">Euractiv</a>, citing European diplomats.</p> <p>The two Scandinavian countries want to bar vessels carrying Russian oil, gas and coal from all categories of services in the EU, including transport, transshipment, insurance and repairs at European ports.</p> <p>Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the measures should cover the entire chain of maritime operations so traders of Russian energy can no longer use EU infrastructure.</p> <p>She added that the restrictions should be comprehensive and leave no loopholes for circumvention via third countries or gray channels.</p> <p>In addition, the 20th sanctions package may include a sharp reduction in quotas for importing Russian fertilizers, as well as higher tariffs on all goods and services that still enter the EU from Russia. Brussels aims to curb financial flows feeding the aggressor’s economy and its war machine.</p> <p>A separate proposal would fully ban the export of luxury goods to Russia. Malmer Stenergard said that while such items are not decisive for military production, they carry important symbolic weight.</p> <p>“Such shipments should be halted on moral grounds. You cannot allow a country to violate European values and at the same time enjoy exclusive goods from the EU,” the minister said.</p> <p>In Kyiv, officials see these steps as another key lever of pressure on the Kremlin, noting that revenues from oil, gas and coal exports remain among the main sources funding Russian aggression. The harder it is for Moscow to ship its energy, the fewer resources the regime will have to continue the war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sweden-and-finland-push-eu-to-bar-port-services-for-russian-energy-shipments">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/explosions-in-kyiv-as-russias.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:58:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/explosions-in-kyiv-as-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255605572.jpg" alt="Explosions in Kyiv as Russia's relentless assault on energy infrastructure continues amid freezing temperatures"></p>Local authorities reported on Jan. 14 that air defenses were active in the capital due to yet another Russian drone attack.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-in-kyiv-energy-infrastructure-air-defense/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/chart-of-the-week-ukraines.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/chart-of-the-week-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/interceptions-take-1-02-2-.jpg" alt="Chart of the week: Ukraine's missile interception rate slides lower as Russian attacks plunge country into crisis"></p><p>Ukraine's missile interception rate slid lower in the first two weeks of 2026, as Russia continued its months-long bombing campaign against the country's energy infrastructure. </p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/air-force/">Ukraine's Air Force</a> reported downing 26 of the 73 missiles launched by Russia in the first two weeks of</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chart-of-the-week-ukraines-missile-interception-rate-slides-lower-as-russian-attacks-plunge-country-into-crisis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russian-drone-strikes-leave-subscribers.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:53:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russian-drone-strikes-leave-subscribers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255372291-612x612.jpg" alt="Russian drone strikes leave 45,000 subscribers without power in Kryvyi Rih"></p>Russian Shahed drones carried out the attack leaving 700 buildings without heat across the city, Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council, said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-strike-leaves-45-000-subscribers-without-power-in-kryvyi-rih/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/ukraines-anticorruption-bureau-accuses-verkhovna.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:35:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/ukraines-anticorruption-bureau-accuses-verkhovna.html <p>Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) say they have exposed the head of one of the factions in the Verkhovna Rada for allegedly offering illicit benefits to several lawmakers from factions not led by that person in exchange for votes “for” or “against” specific bills, NABU said in a Telegram post on Tuesday evening, January 13.</p> <p>“Preliminary legal qualification: Part 4, Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine,” the bureau added.</p> <p>Sources cited by <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/01/13/8016002">Ukrainska Pravda</a> say the figure in question is former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and that searches are underway at her Batkivshchyna party office on Turovska Street in Kyiv.</p> <p>Member of Parliament Oleksiy Honcharenko <a href="https://t.me/oleksiihoncharenko/52020">confirmed</a> the same information.</p> <p>He wrote on Telegram that she had held talks with several deputies about switching to-or informally joining—the Batkivshchyna faction for money. “One of the deputies recorded it and handed the materials to NABU,” he added, noting that the article cited by the bureau carries a penalty of four to eight years in prison, with or without confiscation of property.</p> <p>On December 27, 2025, NABU and SAPO said they had uncovered a group of sitting members of Ukraine’s parliament who, according to investigators, systematically “received improper benefits” for their votes in the Verkhovna Rada.</p> <p>NABU also said staff from the State Protection Directorate obstructed investigative actions in Rada committees.</p> <p>Honcharenko wrote at the time on Telegram that NABU was conducting investigative actions in the Rada’s transport committee premises. “There are also questions for the chair of the Rada’s transport committee, a friend of Shefir (Serhiy Shefir is the first assistant to the President of Ukraine from 2019 to 2024, co-founder of the Kvartal 95 studio.) and (President of Ukraine Volodymyr) Zelensky - Yuriy Kysil,” his message reads.</p> <p>“Serhiy Shefir figures in a NABU investigation into corruption in the energy sector known as the ‘Mindich tapes.’”</p> <p>“This concerns money-laundering schemes through Energoatom and other state-owned enterprises, where the amounts reached about $100 million,” the Ukrainian online outlet Zerkalo Nedeli wrote.</p> <p>Yulia Tymoshenko, 65, leader of the All-Ukrainian Union Batkivshchyna and a member of parliament, served as Ukraine’s prime minister in 2005 and again from 2007 to 2010.</p> <p>In 2004, she co-organized and led the Orange Revolution alongside Viktor Yushchenko.</p> <p>Under the rule of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych, several criminal cases were opened against Tymoshenko: she was arrested in August 2011 and, in October that year, sentenced to seven years in prison for abuse of power in connection with gas contracts signed with Russia in January 2009.</p> <p>She was released in February 2014 during the Ukrainian Revolution.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-anti-corruption-bureau-accuses-verkhovna-rada-faction-leader-of-bribery-sources-name-yulia-tymoshenko">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/ballistic-missile-reported-as-explosions.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:34:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/ballistic-missile-reported-as-explosions.html <p>Overnight on January 14, Russia’s Rostov-on-Don was shaken by a series of powerful explosions amid a drone attack. A ballistic missile was also observed over the city, according to preliminary reports.</p> <p>A fire broke out at one of the city’s industrial facilities following the attack, Russian outlet Izvestia <a href="https://t.me/izvestia/230754">reported</a>, citing an official statement from local authorities.</p> <p>“The buildings of an industrial enterprise caught fire as a result of falling UAV debris in Rostov-on-Don,” said the city’s head, Alexander Skryabin.</p> <p>Meanwhile, monitoring channels <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15612">reported</a> that a ballistic missile was preliminarily detected over Rostov.</p> <p>Later reports <a href="https://t.me/RBC_ua_news/178544">suggested</a> the local Empils plant may have been hit. The company manufactures decorative paints and coatings as well as zinc oxide. Preliminary information indicated oil storage tanks on the site were burning, but Russian authorities had not confirmed this at the time of publication.</p> <p>Russian authorities later <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/91182">said</a> residential buildings in Rostov were also affected. Debris from a downed UAV reportedly struck a building around the 14th floor, sparking a fire. Neighboring apartments were also damaged.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15621">monitoring channels</a>, the damage to residential buildings resulted from Russian air defenses and electronic warfare systems.</p> <p>Details are still being clarified. There was no official confirmation regarding strikes on the Empils plant’s facilities at the time of publication.</p> <p>A day earlier, on the night of January 13, drones attacked Taganrog, Russia, igniting a fire at a plant that supplies drones to the Russian military.</p> <p>On January 12, drones also struck Russia’s Oryol, where a series of explosions was followed by a fire at the local thermal power plant.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ballistic-missile-reported-as-explosions-rock-russia-s-rostov-on-don-drone-attack-ignites-factory-damages-homes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russias-own-air-defense-missile.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:49:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russias-own-air-defense-missile.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2026-01-13-19-41-13.jpg" alt="Russia's own air defense missile hits apartment building in Rostov-on-Don, fire seen at nearby factory, media reports"></p>The circumstances around the reportedly self-imposed strike were not immediately clear.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-air-defense-missile-hits-apartment-building-in-rostov-on-don-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/ukrainian-court-sentences-russian-soldier.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:05:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/ukrainian-court-sentences-russian-soldier.html <p>A court in Kharkiv has sentenced Russian serviceman Sergey Tuzhilov to life in prison for a war crime - the killing of a Ukrainian prisoner of war at the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant in the summer of 2024. On Tuesday, January 13, a panel of judges handed down the sentence.</p> <p>Before the verdict, Tuzhilov delivered a final statement. “The charges are fair,” he said. “I really did this. I repent. I confessed sincerely. So I ask you not to punish me to the full extent, not with life imprisonment. I want to apologize to the relatives for what I did.”</p> <p>Authorities accuse Tuzhilov, 37, call sign “Altai,” a grenade launcher section commander in a motorized rifle company of the Russian Armed Forces’ 82nd Motorized Rifle Regiment, 69th Motorized Rifle Division, of killing a Ukrainian POW. Ukrainian forces took him prisoner in Vovchansk, Kharkiv region, in September 2024. A year later, investigators notified him of suspicion for cruel treatment of prisoners of war and premeditated murders committed by a group acting in concert.</p> <p>Prosecutors <a href="https://gp.gov.ua/ua/posts/strata-ukrayinskix-zaxisnikiv-rosiiskogo-viiskovopolonenogo-sergiya-tuzilova-zasudzeno-do-dovicnogo-uvyaznennya">say</a> that during Russia’s summer 2024 offensive in Kharkiv region, Tuzhilov and other Russian troops seized the grounds of the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant, where, according to the indictment, they killed three Ukrainian prisoners. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Tuzhilov proposed executing one of the POWs to another serviceman, “instructed him in detail, chose the execution site - the checkpoint on the plant grounds - and maintained control of the situation during the killing.”</p> <p>Two other Ukrainian soldiers captured later were “brought to the plant’s grounds, where, after interrogation, the command of the Russian armed forces gave the order to kill them.” “Tuzhilov then personally took part in the crime, having coordinated the execution plan with another soldier. Each fired one shot to the back of the prisoners’ heads,” the statement added.</p> <p>The bodies have not been found and may still be on the plant’s grounds, to which Ukraine currently has no access, said prosecutor Nikita Daleka.</p> <p>The trial began in the summer of 2025 and was initially closed to the public. Late that year, prosecutors sought a life sentence, while the defense asked for 15 years. Six people - the victims’ wives, children and parents - were recognized as injured parties. The court ordered Tuzhilov to pay 2 million hryvnias ($46,365) to each of them in civil damages.</p> <p>Tuzhilov is the second Russian serviceman convicted for killing a Ukrainian prisoner of war. The first such verdict came in November 2025 from a court in Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>In that case, another Russian soldier, Dmitry Kurashov, was sentenced to life in prison. He was accused of killing a POW during an assault on Ukrainian positions in the Zaporizhzhia region in January 2024.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-court-sentences-russian-soldier-to-life-for-killing-pows">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/leaving-the-post-not-the.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/leaving-the-post-not-the.html <p>Ukraine’s parliament on January 13 voted to dismiss Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Vasyl Maliuk, with 235 lawmakers in favor.</p> <p>In a column for <a href="https://24tv.ua/vasil-malyuk-zayaviv-shho-yde-posadi-golovi-sbu-ne-zi-samoyi_n2988256">Kanal 24</a>, the now-former SBU chief said he will continue serving the state and do everything to ensure Ukraine remains strong and independent, and that Ukrainians finally secure a just peace. He wrote this in a column for <a href="https://24tv.ua/vasil-malyuk-zayaviv-shho-yde-posadi-golovi-sbu-ne-zi-samoyi_n2988256">Kanal 24</a>.</p> <p>Maliuk noted that nearly three years ago, before his appointment, he stood at the parliamentary rostrum and said death was “the only prospect we can offer the occupiers.”</p> <p>“Since then, I have devoted my time to making the ground burn under the enemy’s feet. The SBU continuously struck the aggressor—on land, in the air, at sea and even underwater. Thanks to the Security Service, the beautiful Ukrainian word ‘bavovna’ took on a new meaning. And I emphasize: it burned, it burns and it will keep burning until the Rashists stop the war against Ukraine,” he said.</p> <p>The major general listed what had been accomplished over these years, citing what he called some of the boldest and most effective operations—from attacks on the Crimean Bridge and hits on oil refineries and ammunition depots to the legendary “Web” operation.</p> <p>Maliuk said the SBU’s Sea Baby maritime drones have become a real nightmare for Russia’s navy:</p> <p>“Our maritime drones disabled 11 Russian ships. In the end, Russia’s fleet fled Sevastopol and now has to hide in other ports. Russia lost its dominance in the Black Sea. And recently our latest development—the Sub Sea Baby underwater drone—visited Novorossiysk Bay and successfully struck a Rashist submarine.”</p> <p>He also said the myth of the “second-strongest army in the world” had been shattered. According to Maliuk, SBU personnel destroyed more than 2,200 enemy tanks, 3,979 armored vehicles, 4,276 artillery systems, 310 multiple-launch rocket systems, 649 air-defense assets, 885 electronic warfare/signals intelligence systems, and more.</p> <p>The general referenced the 2023 strike on “Oreshnik,” the fight against “FSB agents in cassocks,” Russian spy networks, internal cleanup efforts within the SBU, and more.</p> <p>“I am grateful to everyone who supported us in this work - my brothers-in-arms, colleagues and the citizens of Ukraine. Today I officially leave the post of Head of the SBU. I leave with my head held high and I know I can look people straight in the eye,” he said.</p> <p>He added he does not plan to rest:</p> <p>“I am leaving the post, but not the SBU. I remain within the Service and will work for the good of the people and the state. I will make every effort to ensure that Ukraine is strong and independent, and that Ukrainians finally achieve a just peace.”</p> <p>Acting leadership of the agency has been assigned to “Alpha” special unit commander, Major General Yevhen Khmara.</p> <p>Maliuk is also keeping a painting of the Cossack Mamai sitting on the skulls of enemies that hung in his office.</p> <p>“That means I can continue to offer all scoundrels the same prospect as before,” he said.</p> <p>As a reminder, on its second attempt the Rada’s defense committee, with votes from Servant of the People, backed Maliuk’s dismissal, which parliament later approved. The general did not attend the parliamentary session.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/leaving-the-post-not-the-sbu-maliuk-vows-to-keep-serving-after-ukrainian-parliament-dismisses-him">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russian-military-intelligence-has-increased.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russian-military-intelligence-has-increased.html <p>A report by the RUSI think tank exposes a significant rise in Russian hybrid warfare sabotage operations across NATO countries since the invasion of Ukraine, with Russia recruiting &lsquo;disposable agents&rsquo; many from Ukraine and other European countries to perform acts ranging from graffiti to murder. These agents are paid between £10 for minor vandalism to £7,000 for murder. Recent attacks include arson at Poland&rsquo;s largest shopping centre, explosions on a critical Poland-Ukraine rail link, sabotage of electrical infrastructure in the UK, booby-trapped parcels in Germany, and the downing of a DHL cargo plane in Lithuania. Recruitment occurs remotely via encrypted platforms such as Telegram and Viber, demonstrating a shift to a &lsquo;gig-economy era&rsquo; of sabotage that is cost-effective and deniable. The campaign aims to disrupt support for Ukraine and test NATO&rsquo;s red lines, with at least 110 incidents linked to Russia since 2022. The UK Ministry of Defence emphasizes increasing defence spending and investment in drone and counter-drone systems to prepare for high-intensity conflicts expected in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/37904025/putins-payments-russian-sabotage-agents-uk-europe-revealed/">www.thesun.co.uk/news/3790&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/dd84bc80-93b1-443f-ac80-a49faf74f8e8">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/14/russian-gru-and-wagnerlinked-operatives.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/14/russian-gru-and-wagnerlinked-operatives.html <p>Russian operatives with backgrounds in GRU special forces and the Wagner Group had previously been on board the tanker Qendil (IMO: 9310525), which came under attack by Ukrainian drones in the Mediterranean in December 2025. That’s according to an investigation by <a href="https://dossier.center/vagner-escort/">the Dossier Center</a> and Norwegian broadcaster NRK, which obtained access to the ship’s documents. Two Russians were listed on the crew as security guards, though experts link their presence to possible reconnaissance activity.</p> <p>One of them, 49-year-old Alexander Malakhov from Russia’s Volgograd region, served in the GRU’s 22nd Separate Guards Special-Purpose Brigade. He returned from Syria—a common destination for Russian mercenaries—in February 2024. No government payments appear in his tax records, indicating possible ties to private military companies.</p> <p>The second “guard,” 59-year-old Viktor Alexandrov from Crimea, is directly linked to the Wagner Group. Since 2017 he had been in Syria as a BMP driver in Wagner’s 6th assault detachment with the call sign “Katso.” He was dismissed in 2019 for drunkenness and going AWOL, but returned to Wagner in 2020. After the full-scale invasion began, Alexandrov repeatedly visited Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.</p> <p>Malakhov and Alexandrov boarded the tanker in September 2025 before it departed Ust-Luga but left the vessel before the December attack. Unlike other crew members, ship documents listed no maritime diplomas or qualifications for them. On previous voyages along the same route via the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden, armed guards had not been required—casting doubt on the notion that they were aboard to protect the ship from pirates.</p> <p>Kari Aga-Miklebost, a professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, told NRK that Moscow uses “shadow fleet” vessels for intelligence-gathering, and that transits through dangerous waters provide convenient cover to deny espionage. Western and Ukrainian intelligence services have previously documented Russian mercenaries aboard other tankers; among other tasks, they may monitor international military sites and launch drones.</p> <p>On December 19, 2025, it emerged that Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) had, for the first time, struck a tanker belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” in international waters of the Mediterranean. The special operation, conducted more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukrainian territory, was described as unprecedented in scale.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-gru-and-wagner-linked-operatives-were-aboard-the-qendil-tanker-later-struck-by-ukrainian-drones-investigation-finds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/russia-is-waging-hybrid-war.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:43:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/russia-is-waging-hybrid-war.html <p>According to a 2026 report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Russian intelligence has shifted from traditional espionage to recruiting so-called &lsquo;disposable agents&rsquo; via Telegram, gaming platforms, and other online channels. Many recruits, including Ukrainians unaware of broader strategic goals, are tasked with remote sabotage such as arson, vandalism, and reconnaissance across Europe and the UK. Payment, often promised in cryptocurrency, incentivizes vulnerable groups like teenagers, migrants, and older ex-Soviet military personnel. In 2024, incidents of Russia-linked sabotage reportedly rose to 34 across Europe, from 12 in 2023 and just 2 in 2022. Poland is cited as a primary target, with arrests of Ukrainian nationals linked to sabotage aiming to provoke political tensions and anti-Ukrainian sentiment. The report warns these acts collectively serve Kremlin goals to demoralize NATO allies, test their red lines, and reduce public support for Ukraine. It urges NATO and the EU to enhance definitions, deterrence, and counterterrorism measures against such hybrid threats.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/how-russia-is-using-disposable-agents-to-sabotage-europe-13494007">news.sky.com/story/how&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c330046f-1569-4881-a4e7-dfdcd9f0abab">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/lt-gen-sukhrab-akhmedov-removed.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:30:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/lt-gen-sukhrab-akhmedov-removed.html <p>Sukhrab Akhmedov, the Russian Navy’s deputy commander-in-chief for coastal and ground forces, has been removed from his post, according to <a href="https://t.me/vrogov/23021">a Telegram post by Vladimir Rogov</a>, co-chair of the Civic Chamber’s Coordination Council for the “integration of the new subjects of the Russian Federation” and a member of the main council of the Russian occupation administration in the Zaporizhzhia region.</p> <p>In late December, Ukraine <a href="https://theins.ru/news/288021">said</a> it repelled a mechanized assault by Russian marines in the area of the former Dobropillia salient using drones, MLRS, artillery and minefields. Reported Russian losses included six tanks, 14 armored fighting vehicles, one armored recovery vehicle and 10 quad bikes. Russian military blogger Vladimir Romanov <a href="https://t.me/romanov_92/50377">blamed Akhmedov</a> for the failed assault, saying he commanded the marines on that axis.</p> <p>In May 2024, Akhmedov was removed as commander of the 20th Army. A year earlier, Russian military bloggers had held him responsible for the deaths of Russian servicemen near Kreminna in a HIMARS strike. The Rybar Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/rybar/48491">said</a> troops had waited outdoors for two hours for Akhmedov’s “motivational speech.” During that time, Ukrainian forces spotted the formation and struck, killing dozens. Akhmedov has repeatedly faced accusations of inept leadership that led to heavy Russian casualties.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the Chechnya-born Akhmedov was promoted to lieutenant general in December 2023, and in July 2025 he was awarded the title Hero of Russia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lt-gen-sukhrab-akhmedov-removed-from-post-after-failed-russian-marines-assault-near-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/primakov-a-wellknown-pmc-opened.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/primakov-a-wellknown-pmc-opened.html <p>Evgeny Primakov, head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs (Rossotrudnichestvo), <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/characters/2026/01/12/1168544-evgenii-primakov-mozhem-tolko-po-lyubvi">has officially confirmed</a> that Russian Houses in several African countries were opened by a “well-known private military company.” In an interview with Vedomosti, he added that some members of that PMC now work at Rossotrudnichestvo.</p> <p>“We’ve signed about 26 partnership agreements for Russian House centers. Fourteen of them are in Africa. We were delighted to sign similar agreements with Russian Houses that one well-known African PMC opened in Mali and the CAR.”</p> <p>“A few very capable guys from that team — real ‘eggheads’ — have come to work with us, incredibly smart. They know the field and can make something out of nothing. With our limited resources, they do amazing things. We’d like to be more helpful to our partner Russian Houses. To do that, we need to change legislation or find other support tools through funds, friendly organizations, NGOs.”</p> <p>In December, TASS <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/25865313">reported</a> that nine Russian Houses are operating in Africa: two in Egypt and one each in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ethiopia and South Africa.</p> <p>Back in 2024, <a href="https://www.dw.com/ru/russkij-dom-v-bangi-rf-maskiruet-prodvizenie-svoih-interesov-v-car-pod-kulturnuu-rabotu/a-70622812">Deutsche Welle</a> called the head of the Russian House in the Central African Republic, Dmitry Sityi, a key figure in the leadership of the Wagner private military company. For his association with the group, Sityi was sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and Canada. In an interview with DW, he said he considers himself first and foremost “a cultural envoy of Russia,” but acknowledged that at times, at the request of CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, he carried out “disarmament missions” involving armed groups in the Central African Republic.</p> <p>Wagner mercenaries worked with authorities in the CAR and Mali, helping them fight militants linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS. After the death of Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian authorities replaced the group’s fighters in Africa with the Defense Ministry’s Africa Corps.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/primakov-a-well-known-pmc-opened-russian-houses-in-the-central-african-republic-and-mali">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/ukraines-commanderinchief-says-russia-planned.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/ukraines-commanderinchief-says-russia-planned.html <p>Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia intended to finish the war in 2025 with a decisive defeat of Ukraine, aiming to cut the country off from the sea - plans that Kyiv says were thwarted.</p> <p>“The past year was a major test for us. The Russian aggressor sought to end the war against Ukraine - planning to end it with a rout, imposing its conditions from a position of strength,” the general <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1239789618316521&set=a.225687773060049">said</a> in a post on Facebook.</p> <p>According to Syrskyi, Russian forces tried to occupy the remaining parts of Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as the right-bank part of Kherson region. Moscow’s objective, he said, was to push to Odesa and completely cut Ukraine off from the sea. But Ukraine’s Defense Forces prevented critical breakthroughs, disrupted the Russian plans and repeatedly forced Russia to delay scheduled operations.</p> <p>“We held on. Because our soldiers worked to the limit, with full dedication, inflicting maximum losses on the occupiers and reducing the enemy army by more than 418,000 killed and wounded over the year,” Syrskyi said.</p> <p>He added that, thanks to the defenders’ results on the battlefield, Russia has been unable to build up its forces for a long time. Each month, more Russian troops are eliminated on the front line than Moscow calls up, he said, while Ukrainian losses declined by 13% over the past year.</p> <p>“This year proved we can systematically exhaust the enemy and significantly reduce its potential. The Defense Forces did not allow the aggressor to realize its plans, preserved strategic positions and laid the groundwork for further actions,” Syrskyi concluded.</p> <p>On January 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia may be preparing a new large-scale combined strike on Ukraine. He urged people not to ignore air-raid alerts and said the enemy wants to exploit the cold.</p> <p>Bloomberg reported that in 2025, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine rose by nearly 30% compared with the previous year. The outlet also analyzed that efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to push negotiations were followed by more extensive attacks against civilians.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-commander-in-chief-says-russia-planned-to-reach-odesa-and-end-the-war-in-2025">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/ukraines-parliament-dismisses-sbu-chief.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:32:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/ukraines-parliament-dismisses-sbu-chief.html <p>Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has voted to dismiss Vasyl Maliuk as head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The decision was backed by 235 lawmakers.</p> <p>Lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak <a href="https://t.me/yzheleznyak/15869">announced the tally</a> on social media on January 13. “This is the last resignation for today. Now a one-hour recess and a conciliatory meeting between the Speaker and faction leaders on appointments,” he wrote.</p> <p>Oleksiy Honcharenko <a href="https://t.me/oleksiihoncharenko/51985">said</a> Servant of the People faction leader Davyd Arakhamia urged colleagues to support the move, noting it followed Maliuk’s own resignation letter. “Vasyl Vasylovych, whom we respect, love and value, wrote a letter. Our duty as lawmakers, out of respect for Vasyl Vasylovych, is to vote and support,” he said.</p> <p>Maliuk confirmed on social media that he is stepping down as SBU chief. He said he will remain within the agency and continue conducting asymmetric, world-class special operations designed to inflict maximum damage on Russia. He thanked his team, comrades-in-arms and the people of Ukraine and honored the fallen.</p> <p>“I am confident that a strong and modern special service is the key to our state’s security. This is the aim of the changes the President of Ukraine is implementing in the defense sphere, and I thank him. I believe in a just peace and the flourishing of Ukraine,” the lieutenant general said.</p> <p>Yevhen Khmara, head of the SBU’s “A” Special Operations Center, will serve as acting chief. The major general has years of service within the agency and direct operational experience; he has led the “Alpha” unit since August 2025.</p> <p>The Rada’s defense committee approved Maliuk’s dismissal only on a second attempt. Lawmaker Iryna Friz said only members of Servant of the People voted in favor, except Fedir Venislavskyi. Zheleznyak later clarified Venislavskyi abstained. Some lawmakers opposed the move.</p> <p>Also on January 13, the Rada voted to dismiss Denys Shmyhal as defense minister.</p> <p>The same day, lawmakers approved the resignation of Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, with 270 votes in favor. He is set to lead the Defense Ministry.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-parliament-dismisses-sbu-chief-vasyl-maliuk-yevhen-khmara-named-acting-head">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/deadliest-year-for-ukrainian-civilians.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:27:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/deadliest-year-for-ukrainian-civilians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2209683015.jpg" alt="2025 deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since first year of Russia's full-scale war, UN says"></p>The total number of Ukrainian civilians killed or injured in 2025 was 31% higher than in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023, according to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/2025-deadliest-year-for-ukrainian-civilians-since-first-year-of-russias-full-scale-war-un-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/ukraines-rd-brigade-captured-russian.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:25:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/ukraines-rd-brigade-captured-russian.html <p>Russian troops taken prisoner in Ukraine often claim they were forced to sign contracts with the Russian military against their will, according to Ukraine’s 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, which says the Kremlin may be deliberately pushing people to desperation.</p> <p>After being captured, Russian troops often complain they were forced to go to war | Photo: Facebook</p> <p>Rostyslav Yatsyshyn, head of communications for the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Third Army Corps, described the prisoners’ complaints in a January 12 interview with <a href="https://24tv.ua/rosiyski-poloneni-shho-naybilshe-zhaliyutsya-okupanti_n2987643">24 Kanal</a>.</p> <p>He said Russian soldiers usually lay down their arms voluntarily only when they realize they have no way out.</p> <p>Yatsyshyn said that when his brigade captured Russian troops who had been hiding in a basement in their area of responsibility, the men said they went to war because they supposedly had no choice.</p> <p>“They were offered life or, alternatively, to have the basement pelted with grenades. The Russians, of course, surrendered. They all say exactly the same thing: ‘I had no choice. I have family circumstances. I was in a detention center, and they told me either you sign the contract or we’ll kill you here,’” Yatsyshyn said.</p> <p>He said the prisoners’ accounts may be true, but that does not absolve them of responsibility. Yatsyshyn added that Russia’s war machine drives its own population to despair in order to force people to sign up.</p> <p>“They mostly don’t receive their payments, because their documents and bank cards are taken away. They aren’t treated as human,” he said of Russian soldiers.</p> <p>He added that Ukraine’s Defense Forces regularly encounter opponents whom Russian commanders have pushed into assaults with little more than weapons and phones with navigation.</p> <p>On January 7, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate described an operation behind Russian lines in Zaporizhzhia in which it said its forces killed and captured Russian troops and obtained important information about enemy forces.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-63rd-brigade-captured-russian-soldiers-say-they-were-coerced-into-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/the-russian-army-is-acting.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:55:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/the-russian-army-is-acting.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/53496b02f3.jpg" alt="The Russian army is acting as if it HAS NO INTENTION of ending the war, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b6bYvjhdbus">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/from-prison-to-pows-three.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:31:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/from-prison-to-pows-three.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/359f7099ae.jpg" alt="From PRISON to POWs: three Russians SURRENDER on CAMERA #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eroRWAIWETc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/oreshnik-for-the-second-time.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:01:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/oreshnik-for-the-second-time.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7af05108c6.jpg" alt="“ORESHNIK” – FOR THE SECOND TIME! Kilzons, convict POWs, and the blockade of RUSSIA in the Atlantic!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGLLL8sKU0g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/syrskyi-calls-for-urgent-airdefense.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/syrskyi-calls-for-urgent-airdefense.html <p>Ukraine’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, says Russia is pressing ahead with offensive operations despite heavy losses, and urged urgent reinforcement of the country’s air defenses during a call with US Army Europe and Africa commander Gen. Christopher Donahue. Syrskyi briefed Donahue on the frontline situation and Russia’s mass strikes on the energy sector, emphasizing the immediate need for additional air-defense systems and munitions.</p> <p>“Despite significant losses in personnel, weapons and military equipment, the Russian aggressor is not abandoning offensive actions,” Syrskyi <a href="https://t.me/osirskiy/1352">said</a>. “At the same time, the enemy is resorting to massive missile and air strikes on our rear - deliberately hitting energy facilities and using freezing temperatures as an additional tool of pressure and terror against Ukraine’s civilian population.”</p> <p>Ukraine recorded six large-scale missile-and-drone barrages across the country in December 2025 and early January 2026. On the night of January 13, Russia targeted energy, other infrastructure and civilian sites with 25 missiles and 293 attack drones, according to Syrskyi.</p> <p>Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has launched more than 13,300 missiles and over 142,300 attack drones, he said.</p> <p>“In this context, our top priority is to strengthen the air shield—obtaining surface-to-air missile systems and munitions, including those that could be provided by the American side,” Syrskyi noted. He also outlined other critical military needs that could be covered under the PURL initiative.</p> <p>Earlier, Poland hosted the first high-level meeting of the NATO–Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Center (JATEC), the first joint NATO–Ukraine institution aimed at boosting the Defense Forces’ capabilities and accelerating Ukraine’s path to the Alliance.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-calls-for-urgent-air-defense-aid-in-call-with-us-commander">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/reports-say-russian-diplomat-who.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/reports-say-russian-diplomat-who.html <p>A staffer at the Russian Embassy in Nicosia died by apparent suicide after the equally mysterious disappearance of former Uralkali CEO Vladislav Baumgertner. Local police were not allowed to conduct an investigation.</p> <p>The diplomat, believed to have died by suicide, was Third Secretary Alexey Panov, according to Cyprus’ diplomatic list. Russian outlet Echo, citing a researcher on Russian influence abroad, <a href="https://echofm.online/news/pogibshij-na-kipre-rossijskij-diplomat-byl-sotrudnikom-gru-ekspert">claims</a> Panov was a GRU officer with the rank of captain.</p> <p>Dmitry Khmelnitsky, author of “Russian Agents of Influence in Germany” and investigations into intelligence activity in Cyprus, said that according to his sources, the 41-year-old Panov previously worked in Moscow at an institute linked to radio engineering, where his wife may also have worked. His duties at the embassy included “servicing spy equipment in the embassy and presumably beyond it.”</p> <p>He noted that while the Russian mission said Panov died on January 8, the embassy disclosed the death only on January 12, refused to admit Cypriot police to the compound and did not hand over a purported suicide note left by Panov.</p> <p>“If the suicide had personal causes, it’s unclear why his death was concealed for so long. That means there was something that put them in a difficult position, and there were four days of negotiations with Moscow. I do not rule out that he may have been preparing to flee, which was uncovered and ‘prevented,’ which is absolutely normal for Soviet and Russian special services,” Khmelnitsky said.</p> <p>He added that Russian embassies worldwide have long also served as intelligence centers, and now, with Russian diplomacy “reduced to an absolute minimum,” espionage is “almost the only thing they do.”</p> <p>Khmelnitsky said Russian spies are still active in Cyprus: “There are eight counselors alone—colonel-level positions - at the Russian embassy in Cyprus, not to mention first, second and third secretaries.”</p> <p>He also said he has no information about the unexplained disappearance in Cyprus of former Uralkali chief Vladislav Baumgertner a day before Panov’s death, or any possible connection between the two events.</p> <p>Russian authorities have not named a cause of death for Panov. In a statement that listed only his initials and no job title, the embassy said his death was “a deeply personal tragedy for his family and friends.” There is no public information about Panov online.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/reports-say-russian-diplomat-who-died-in-cyprus-was-a-gru-officer-preparing-to-flee">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/putins-blitzkrieg-is-crumbling-million.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/putins-blitzkrieg-is-crumbling-million.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8ac9cd2778.jpg" alt="Putin's “blitzkrieg” is crumbling! $400 million from Norway and Zelenskyy's tough plan"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eWYJkfXm4Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/moldova-and-ukraine-impose-joint.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/moldova-and-ukraine-impose-joint.html <p>Ukraine and Moldova have moved in tandem to impose heightened controls around Transnistria, cutting off Russia’s traditional channels of influence and supply.</p> <p>Chisinau and Kyiv appear to have simultaneously closed the corridors that for decades allowed Transnistria to function as a convenient gray zone for Russian influence, <a href="https://www.rfunews.com/articles/russia-controlled-transnistria-is-now-under-total-blockade?referrer=grok.com">reports</a> the news outlet Reporting From Ukraine, citing its own sources.</p> <p>According to the outlet, starting at midnight on January 1, Ukraine began strictly screening all people and cargo entering Transnistria. Moldovan authorities also reinforced checkpoints and deployed mobile units to exercise total control over movements. As a result, the region has shifted from a space with blurry rules to one where any movement is recorded and allowed only with the consent of both countries.</p> <p>The measure is described as aimed not at escalation but at gradually depriving Moscow of leverage over the region. Roughly 1,500 Russian troops stationed there are losing familiar routes for fuel, equipment and everyday supplies. Previously, much of that support moved through informal trade chains and lax customs oversight that skirted Moldovan jurisdiction, but those loopholes are said to be closed.</p> <p>The “blockade” relies on legal tools. Moldova controls the airspace, ruling out air deliveries, while rail and road traffic is allowed only with strict customs clearance. Kyiv and Chisinau have linked their border systems so that cargo or people can pass only with approval from both sides. In effect, the region has been left without land, air or legal trade channels to the outside world.</p> <p>For the Kremlin, the situation appears to be a dead end. The region has no sea access and no functioning air routes, making troop rotations and regular resupply effectively impossible without Chisinau’s and Kyiv’s consent. With each month of isolation, Moscow’s ability to shape events is expected to diminish, while Moldova gains more room to align with the European security system.</p> <p>There have been no official comments from Ukraine or Moldova on the report so far.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/moldova-and-ukraine-impose-joint-controls-on-transnistria-border-cutting-russia-s-supply-routes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/ukraine-says-it-struck-a.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:09:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/ukraine-says-it-struck-a.html <p>Ukraine’s military struck a drone manufacturing facility in Russia’s Rostov region and several targets in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine overnight into Tuesday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/33742">said</a> on January 13.</p> <p>According to the statement, Ukrainian-made missiles hit the Atlant Aero plant in Taganrog, which designs, manufactures and tests “Molniya” strike-reconnaissance UAVs and produces components for the “Oryol” drone.</p> <p>The military said the strike would reduce Russia’s drone production capacity and hinder its ability to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Explosions and a fire were reported in production buildings, it added, with the extent of damage still being assessed.</p> <p>Ukraine also reported strikes on multiple targets in Russian-occupied territories:</p> <p>- In occupied Zaporizhzhia region: a Tor air-defense system near Chereshnevoe; a Tunguska air-defense system near Podsporye; a P-18-2 Prima radar near Lozovatka; and concentrations of Russian personnel near Lyubimovka.</p> <p>- In occupied Donetsk region: an ammunition depot and concentrations of personnel near Makiivka, as well as a Tor air-defense system in Solnechnoye.</p> <p>The strike was corroborated by Ukrainian monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+, as well as Russian outlet Astra, which cited local eyewitnesses.</p> <p>Astra also reported that the Beriev TANTK aircraft repair enterprise was hit.</p> <p>Rostov region Governor Yuri Slyusar said the aerial attack damaged an industrial facility, residential buildings, gas supply lines and passenger cars in Taganrog.</p> <p>On January 11, Ukraine’s defense forces said they hit three Lukoil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea. They also reported strikes on a Buk-M3 launcher in Luhansk region and a depot of Russia’s 49th Army in Kherson region.</p> <p>Last week, Ukrainian forces said they struck the Oskolneftesnab oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod region and a military logistics warehouse in Russian-occupied Donetsk region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-struck-a-taganrog-drone-factory-and-multiple-targets-in-russian-occupied-regions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/how-a-drought-drives-irans.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:53:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/how-a-drought-drives-irans.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb5a7a60e-2.jpg" alt="How a drought drives Iran’s protests"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!vUfF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ddeb9b7-8111-4764-8ecc-ef443546ca54_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f6ddeb9b7-8.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6ddeb9b7-8111-4764-8ecc-ef443546ca54_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>From Ukraine to Iran, The Counteroffensive tells human stories behind global struggles for democracy.</em></p><p><em>Your support helps us keep reporting from the ground.</em></p><p><em>Upgrade for full access.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>“Before, the younger generation was complaining about having no future or no employment… but now [the issue] is much more fundamental: It’s about food,” said Mehdi, an agriculture expert who was born and raised in Iran.</p><p>Mehdi left Iran decades ago, but is now witnessing his country at a boiling point. As someone who has studied the space deeply, he believes water and agriculture are at the center of it all.</p><p>Since late December, massive protests have surged across Iran’s <a href="https://time.com/7345092/iran-protests-death-toll-regime-crackdown/">31 provinces</a>.</p><p>Iranians poured onto the streets after the Iranian rial hit its lowest-ever value against the U.S. dollar. But even before runaway inflation, water was already running short in Iran. Years of mismanagement and drought have driven up food prices and made everyday life harder for Iranians nationwide.</p><p>The rising cost of food in Iran is a multi-faceted problem that includes export policies, sanctions and the depreciating currency — but Iran’s water shortage has only accelerated the crisis. Scarcity has made water significantly more expensive for farmers and has reduced their crop yields, contributing to the rising food inflation which has now <a href="https://water.fanack.com/iran-water-crisis-economic-collapse-protests/">reached</a> about 64 percent, according to Fanack Water.</p><p>Now, the country is in a state of severe unrest as the government suppresses resistance: at least 500 people have been <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/confronting-protests-iran-vows-strike-back-if-us-attacks-2026-01-11/">reported</a> dead according to human rights groups and over 10,000 detained as protests flood through the streets.</p><p>Trump has been <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/11/politics/trump-weighs-potential-military-intervention-in-iran">threatening</a> military action against Iran as protests intensify and death tolls climb. The Iranian government has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/10/irans-internet-shutdown-is-strikingly-sophisticated-and-may-last-some-time">responded</a> by shutting off access to the internet, making it incredibly difficult to get news out of the country.</p><p>Beyond Iran, this serves as an example of how resource shortages, layered onto fragile economies, can accelerate a crisis to the point of potential collapse.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb5a7a60e-2.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/49065984f4.jpg" width="503" height="377.25" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b5a7a60e-27b2-440b-8d06-2f2d8ce43d18_1600x1200.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1092,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":503,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Iranian protesters block a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9, 2026. (Photo by MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)</em>.</figcaption></figure></div><div data-attrs='{"id":432616}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Iran’s water management policies changed course drastically with the Ayatollah-led regime that came to power in 1979.</p><p>Under the Shah modernisation and industrialization were the state’s priority, meaning that agriculture fell by the wayside. However, after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, which had drawn support largely from rural areas, the new regime made agricultural expansion a cornerstone of their political agenda.</p><p>Agricultural expansion required arid areas to be irrigated and led to the construction of wells and dams, and ultimately resulted in the damaging overuse of Iran’s water resources.</p><p>As a child, Mehdi watched his family manage a farm in Iran, but the situation for farmers back then was different. Today, the required distance to drill to obtain water is three times what it was when Mehdi was a child — he doesn’t even remember his relatives having any problem getting water, but today “water is like gold,” Mehdi said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!YlMJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8bbb8fff-484e-4824-88af-c17a3fbc528e_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8bbb8fff-4.jpg" width="486" height="323.7774725274725" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8bbb8fff-484e-4824-88af-c17a3fbc528e_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":486,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The dried-up riverbed of Zayanderud in Isfahan, Iran, on December 1, 2025. (Photo by Hozi / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In 2025, Tehran, a city of roughly 10 million people, was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-rain-historic-drought-water-scarcity-0cb2872c70f9ab50c2fbffd4cde66117">facing</a> its driest fall season in over 50 years. Over the past 20 years, Iran’s renewable water resources have <a href="https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/irans-water-crisis-a-national-security-imperative/">declined</a> by over 30 percent, according to Geopolitical Monitor. This past year, rainfall was so scarce that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made an announcement in November that if rain didn’t come, parts of Tehran could face evacuations.</p><p>The drought, along with the spiraling currency, has exposed the government’s mismanagement, and driven protesters onto the streets.</p><p>“Without water, farming doesn’t mean anything,” Mehdi said.</p><p>Mehdi’s own family in Iran has felt the effects of these water shortages.</p><p>His brother who lives on the fourth floor repeatedly has water cuts and is forced to take showers in the middle of the night, when the apartment’s water consumption is low. His sister, meanwhile, often finds that her fridge is empty due to the rocketing food prices the water shortage has caused.</p><p>Mehdi has tried to convince his brother to leave Iran, but with no success.</p><p>Mehdi believes that it’s not just the overuse of Iran’s water resources but the misallocation of them — overprioritizing water-intensive industries rather than basic needs. Companies <a href="https://globalvoices.org/2025/04/20/the-countdown-to-irans-day-zero-a-crisis-of-water-not-war/">linked</a> to the government began growing water-intensive crops like watermelon around Lake Urmia, a lake which largely dried up due to the agricultural activity surrounding it, the dams and climate change.</p><p>Those who refused to stay silent were immediately punished.</p><p>In 2018, Iranian hydrologist and environmentalist Kaveh Madani left a teaching job in London to become the deputy head of Iran’s environment department. However, four months into his time in Iran things turned sour.</p><p>Madani had publicly criticised the government’s water management policies and was detained amidst a government crackdown on environmentalists in Iran. After a few days he was released and fled the country.</p><p>Protests over similar frustrations of rising food prices <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-us-nuclear-tensions-economy-be92269aa913782c82a3fe5aa93a6adf">erupted</a> in Iran in 2017 and 2018. Over 20 people were killed and hundreds arrested.</p><p>In the last three years alone, Iran’s food prices have tripled and water has only become more scarce. Mehdi has witnessed whole families sorting through the trash for food. <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202508212206">Reports</a> of children fainting at school due to hunger have come out of Iran just last year.</p><p>“I wouldn’t call this food insecurity – I would call it a food crisis,” he added.</p><p>Last week, the Iranian government <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/4407985/iran-rolls-out-7-dollar-payments-to-quell-affordability-protests/">announced</a> a plan to roll out payments worth the equivalent of $7 USD to try to simmer protests.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!E07J!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffb227965-7e16-46b5-b1f6-44105c31fbb1_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ffb227965-7.jpg" width="544" height="362.4175824175824" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fb227965-7e16-46b5-b1f6-44105c31fbb1_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":544,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A market in Iran as people shop amid soaring prices and the worst economic crisis since 1979, in Tehran, Iran on January 7, 2026. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>But it’s not only water mismanagement which is running the country dry – leaky pipes and failing infrastructure reportedly account for <a href="https://www.atalayar.com/en/articulo/reports/water-is-running-out-in-iran/20250808100000217298.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com#infraestructura-colapsada-y-politicas-insuficientes">more than</a> 40 percent of treated water being lost before it can be used.</p><p>“[The sanctions] impact everything…even when I went to go get a new ID card, after the documents were finished they said it would still take two years to just print the ID card,” Mehdi said.</p><p>As the protests in Iran became increasingly violent, the regime cut off Iran’s internet: 90 percent of internet traffic in Iran has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/10/irans-internet-shutdown-is-strikingly-sophisticated-and-may-last-some-time">disappeared</a>, according to The Guardian.</p><p>Mehdi hasn’t been able to talk to his family in multiple days. Their last conversation was about how unlivable life had become in Iran.</p><p>“When I check their Whatsapp, I just see that their ‘last seen’ was a few days ago,” Mehdi said.</p><p>*<em>Mehdi’s name was changed in this story for security purposes.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>From Ukraine to Iran, The Counteroffensive tells human stories behind global struggles for democracy.</em></p><p><em>Your support helps us keep reporting from the ground.</em></p><p><em>Upgrade for full access.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By: Yelyzaveta Kolos</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>TRUMP THREATENS NEW TARIFFS ON COUNTRIES TRADING WITH IRAN:</strong> Trump <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/12/business/tariffs-trump-iran">announced</a> an immediate 25% tariff on any country doing business with Iran, a move that could sharply raise costs for imports into the United States.</p><p>The details on how defined “doing business” were not clarified, neither was the way the tariff would be enforced. But this could hit Iran’s major trade partners such as China, India, and Turkey.</p><p>The move shows Washington’s readiness to use trade pressure against countries tied to its geopolitical rivals. As Russia, Iran and China deepen connections, such measures could affect global markets and indirectly shape the balance of support and resources linked to the war in Ukraine.</p><p><strong>NORTH KOREA DEFENDS RUSSIA AT UN AFTER STRIKE ON UKRAINE:</strong> North Korea <a href="https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/01/13/Kim-Song-North-Korea-statement-condemning-UNSC-meeting-Russia-Ukraine/1131768297845/">criticized</a> a UN Security Council meeting convened to discuss Russia’s recent missile strike on Ukraine, calling it prejudiced and unfair. Pyongyang’s UN ambassador defended Russia’s actions as self-defense and accused Western countries of politicizing the discussion.</p><p>The reaction underlines deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, as North Korea backs Russia diplomatically and militarily. This growing alignment helps Russia offset international isolation and sustain its war effort.</p><p><strong>GERMANY TO FUND DELIVERY OF RHEINMETALL LYNX VEHICLES TO UKRAINE: </strong>Rheinmetall <a href="https://www.rheinmetall.com/en/media/news-watch/news/2026/01/2026-01-12-rheinmetall-supplies-lynx-to-ukraine">will</a> supply Ukraine with its first Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles, with deliveries expected to begin in first half of 2026. The initial batch will include five vehicles, funded by the German government and is estimated to be worth around 50 million euros.</p><p>The Lynx vehicles will be adapted to Ukraine’s military needs and equipped with a two-man Lance turret. Further deliveries are planned, with the possibility of producing additional vehicles inside Ukraine.</p><p>The deal strengthens Ukraine’s ground forces and helps modernize its army and sustain resistance against Russia’s ongoing invasion.</p><p><strong>US VETERANS GROUP MOBILIZES SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE:</strong></p><p>American Veterans for Ukraine <a href="https://americanveteransforukraine.org/">works</a> to unite and empower U.S. veterans in support of Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression. The organization focuses on raising public awareness and using veterans’ voices to build understanding of why Ukraine matters to the United States.</p><p>The group also prioritizes protecting continued U.S. government funding for Ukraine by engaging policymakers and the public. By leveraging veterans’ credibility and leadership, the initiative aims to keep Ukraine firmly on the US political agenda during the war.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Today’s dog of war is this cutie that Liza met when she was working in the cafe during a long power outrage in her district. The puppy was patiently waiting for its owner to finish her work.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!21ll!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F852cb1bd-4909-49cc-a874-f76d7a826e82_963x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f852cb1bd-4.jpg" width="963" height="1600" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/852cb1bd-4909-49cc-a874-f76d7a826e82_963x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":963,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Alessandra and Jacqueline</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-a-drought-drives-irans-protests">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/post-office-and-childrens-sanatorium.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:30:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/post-office-and-childrens-sanatorium.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0c6756a7ab.jpg" alt="📦 Post office and children's sanatorium – targets of RUSSIAN MISSILES tonight #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LmtPtKyzpyo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/massive-attack-on-ukraine-boomerang.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/massive-attack-on-ukraine-boomerang.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/28a066e6c4.jpg" alt="🚀 Massive attack on Ukraine. Boomerang hits RUSSIA: “Atlant AERO” factory on fire"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7vlkXuhi4w">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/ukraine-war-latest-live-belgorod.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:29:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/ukraine-war-latest-live-belgorod.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1258377697.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Belgorod governor warns of possible evacuation as Russian border region reels from power outages"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 3 times today. Belgorod O blast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov urged residents on Jan 13 to be prepared to temporarily relocate amid ongoing problems with electricity and heating, saying authorities were drawing up contingency plans in case the situation worsens.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-13/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/a-series-of-loud-explosions.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:25:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/a-series-of-loud-explosions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-13-at-12-05-44.png" alt="'A series of loud explosions' — Ukraine 'destroys' key Russian drone factory in Taganrog, SBU says"></p>The plant is involved in the production of "Orion" drones, electronic warfare complexes, and digital integration systems.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/a-series-of-loud-explosions-ukraine-destroys-key-russian-drone-factory-in-taganrog-sbu-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/treacherous-russian-strike-consequences-of.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:15:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/treacherous-russian-strike-consequences-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/db7796a45e.jpg" alt="Treacherous Russian STRIKE: consequences of the attack in the Kharkiv region and Odesa #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jHlYym1x2SY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/russian-ballistic-missiles-rock-kyiv.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:44:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/russian-ballistic-missiles-rock-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1230595884.jpg" alt="Russian ballistic missiles rock Kyiv, target energy infrastructure across Ukraine"></p>Russia launched numerous ballistic missiles towards Ukraine overnight on Jan. 13, according to monitoring channels.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-ballistic-missiles-rock-kyiv-target-energy-infrastructure-across-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/drone-factory-in-russias-rostov.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:11:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/drone-factory-in-russias-rostov.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f145ab0ef8.jpg" alt="Drone factory in Russia’s Rostov Oblast struck in overnight attack, fire reported"></p>Unidentified drones struck the Russian city of Taganrog early on Jan. 13, with reports indicating that a drone manufacturing facility was targeted, according to Russian Telegram channels.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/drone-factory-in-russias-rostov-oblast-struck-in-overnight-attack-fire-reported/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/nova-poshta-terminal-and-childrens.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 06:30:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/nova-poshta-terminal-and-childrens.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/nova-poshta.jpg" alt="Nova Poshta terminal and children's medical facility damaged as Russian attack kills 4, injures 6 in Kharkiv outskirts"></p>Russian forces carried out a combined missile and drone attack on a suburb of Kharkiv, killing at least four people and injuring six others, regional authorities reported on Jan. 13.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/nova-poshta-terminal-and-childrens-medical-facility-damaged-as-russian-attack-kills-4-injures-6-in-kharkiv-outskirts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/russia-aims-to-seize-all.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:26:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/russia-aims-to-seize-all.html <p>Moscow has two priorities for 2026 - the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions - according to sources. There are at least four possible paths ahead, ranging from a full halt to the war to continued fighting with little prospect of talks.</p> <p>For 2026, Russia’s top objectives are the full capture of Donetsk region by April 1 and expanding the territory it controls in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian outlet <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/viyna-visnazhennya-i-peregovori-pid-tiskom-1768167717.html">RBK-Ukraine reports</a>, citing sources.</p> <p>Unnamed interlocutors view the Donetsk timeline as unrealistic, a conclusion echoed by various analytical centers, including the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).</p> <p>“Putin is demanding the entire Donetsk region from us. And at the same time he’s starting active fighting in Zaporizhzhia. Their plan is this: while you resist and don’t want to give up Donbas, I’ll advance in Zaporizhzhia, so choose what to defend,” one source said.</p> <p>A sharp change in the nature of the war is not expected. The key variable is negotiations, which could either reach a climax or fizzle. The outlet outlines four scenarios for how events in Ukraine could unfold next.</p> <p>Scenario 1</p> <p>- The United States fails to bring Ukraine and Russia to common ground as Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to abandon maximalist terms unacceptable to Kyiv. The White House organizes fewer talks and applies no coercion.</p> <p>- After a “seasonal” lull, Russia’s offensive intensifies in the spring and slowly expands its temporarily occupied territory. Moscow fails to fully capture either Donetsk or Zaporizhzhia regions by 2027.</p> <p>- “Russian offensive actions on the front run in parallel with the negotiation process. The enemy has clearly defined battlefield objectives, already prepared. And they will keep advancing until Putin himself says ‘stop,’” a senior military source said.</p> <p>Scenario 2</p> <p>- Russia fails to break Ukraine’s Defense Forces at the front - or Ukrainian society through strikes - and raises the stakes. Controlling roughly 75% of Zaporizhzhia region, the Russians expand their claims there.</p> <p>- Those demands are unacceptable to Ukraine, and the war continues.</p> <p>Scenario 3</p> <p>- The United States and Russia force Ukrainian troops to withdraw from Donetsk region. Fighting stops and the sides finalize other parameters to end the war.</p> <p>- The peace is largely formal, leaving long-term risks hanging over Ukraine.</p> <p>Scenario 4</p> <p>- U.S. President Donald Trump manages to freeze fighting along the front line. Using that line as a baseline, the sides begin hashing out a peace deal.</p> <p>- Ukraine has a chance to retain de facto and de jure control over parts of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.</p> <p>“Right now Putin wouldn’t mind stopping, but only on his terms - the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk region. Is that the only prospect? No. He’ll stop either when he gets the terms he wants, or when he’s boxed in — when continuing the war becomes unjustifiable and too costly for him,” one source emphasized.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) has said that in early 2026 Russian forces used a Geran-5 strike drone against Ukraine for the first time. The drone is about 6 meters long with a wingspan of up to 5.5 meters. Intelligence says Russia is considering arming the UAVs with R-73 air-to-air missiles.</p> <p>The agency later released images of a downed Geran-5 drone. The stated strike range is roughly 1,000 kilometers. Military-political analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko said the drone’s use appeared to be a hostile experiment and that Russia’s high command is unlikely to be satisfied with the results.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-aims-to-seize-all-of-donetsk-region-by-april-with-four-scenarios-for-what-comes-next">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/russian-diplomat-dies-by-apparent.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:21:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/russian-diplomat-dies-by-apparent.html <p>A Russian oligarch, Vladislav Baumgertner, went missing in Cyprus on January 7. A day later, a senior staffer at the Russian Embassy in Nicosia died by apparent suicide under unclear circumstances. A note was reportedly found but was not shared with local police.</p> <p>Local media say unusual developments involving Russian nationals have unfolded on the island. Within 24 hours of the disappearance of the former Uralkali CEO, a Russian diplomat was found dead, according to local broadcaster <a href="https://www.ant1live.com/kypros/astynomika/662961_simera-i-nekrotomi-gia-tin-ypothesi-thanatoy-rosoy-ergazomenoy-tis">ANT1</a>.</p> <p>The embassy employee was discovered in his office on January 8. Cypriot authorities and police were informed only several hours later. When a designated police team arrived at the embassy, they were denied entry, and the body was handed over to them in the embassy compound’s courtyard.</p> <p>Police requested to conduct an investigation but were refused and took custody of the body with the sole information that the death was a suicide. ANT1 reported the diplomat also left a letter that was not delivered to Cypriot authorities; the embassy said it would be sent to Moscow.</p> <p>This position is based on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic premises and bars entry by host-country authorities without the head of mission’s consent, even in deaths requiring investigation.</p> <p>An autopsy is scheduled for January 13. Cyprus’s Foreign Ministry has been briefed, and relevant security services are closely monitoring the case. Searches are also continuing for Russian oligarch Vladislav Baumgertner, the former CEO of Uralkali.</p> <p>Russian media <a href="https://t.me/ejdailyru/378517">reported</a> that his disappearance was preceded by a reshuffling of stakes in his Cyprus investment company, SBVD Headoffice Ltd. In September 2025, Baumgertner’s business partner Mikhail Loganov exited the company, transferring his stake—possibly formally—to attorney Anastasia Belyaeva. Baumgertner has spent significant time in the United States, where his presumed spouse and son own businesses and property. Irina Baumgertner is listed as the owner of a condominium in Pembroke Pines, Florida.</p> <p>The 56-year-old Baumgertner has not returned to his home in Limassol since January 7, Cyprus police <a href="https://www.cypruspolicenews.com/archives/51300">said</a>.</p> <p>His disappearance <a href="https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/search-for-missing-russian-businessman-vladislav-baumgertner-suspended-due-to-weather/">was reported</a> by an employee after the businessman failed to respond to multiple phone calls. The last signal from his phone was detected in a coastal area with a steep drop near the village of Pissouri.</p> <p>From 2003 to 2013, Baumgertner was part of Uralkali’s top management, including a stint as CEO, and served as chairman of the supervisory board of the Belarusian Potash Company (BPC). In August 2013, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/russian/international/2013/08/130826_belarus_uralkaliy_arrest">he was arrested in Belarus</a> amid a corporate dispute between Uralkali and BPC.</p> <p>The dispute followed tensions between Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, a major Uralkali shareholder, and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened, after which Baumgertner was released, Kerimov reconciled with Lukashenko and, according to reports, transferred $100 million for Kremlin needs. Kerimov’s Uralkali stake was sold by the end of 2013 to Mikhail Prokhorov and Dmitry Mazepin.</p> <p>Baumgertner <a href="https://tass.ru/ekonomika/2190181">became CEO</a> of Global Ports Investments PLC in August 2015. In 2020, he founded HeadOffice, a family office operator. In 2023, he joined the board of the carmaker group Sollers.</p> <p>These two incidents come at a particularly tense moment for Cyprus–Russia relations. Nicosia recently <a href="https://voicenews.gr/synagermos-stin-kypro-thanatos-sti-rosiki-presveia-kai-exafanisi-rosou-oligarchi/">said</a> it had become the target of an organized hybrid attack and a disinformation campaign, linking it to Cyprus’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union and a recent visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.</p> <p>The coincidence of a death at the Russian Embassy and the disappearance of a figure with deep knowledge of Russia’s financial elite presents a complex, opaque situation. Cypriot authorities are taking a wait-and-see approach, saying official statements will follow the completion of forensic and investigative procedures to determine whether the incidents are isolated or part of a wider political context.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-diplomat-dies-by-apparent-suicide-in-cyprus-a-day-after-oligarch-vladislav-baumgertner-disappears">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/13/germany-charges-two-men-in.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/13/germany-charges-two-men-in.html <p>German prosecutors have charged two individuals in connection with a postal bomb plot which intelligence agencies link to Russia. The plot involved sending explosive devices via mail, targeting unidentified recipients in Germany. The investigation follows wider concerns about covert Russian attempts to conduct attacks and intimidations on German soil amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. Officials stressed the seriousness of the charges, underscoring the threat posed by foreign-sponsored terror activities. The suspects were arrested after surveillance and intelligence gathering, with the case highlighting persistent Russian hybrid warfare tactics in Europe. Details on exact timing, locations, and identities remain classified under investigation protocols.</p> <p>Category: Terrorism &amp; Criminal Proxy Tactics</p> <p>Subcategory: Terrorism</p> <p>Incident Type: Bomb threats, assassination plots, targeted killings</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/008850a0-6943-4cbd-8cab-18006be32e07">www.ft.com/content/0&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/f41ac6ca-138e-4b38-803b-2f4c87e3a15d">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/km-in-four-years-the.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/km-in-four-years-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cc309844b8.jpg" alt="🤯 45 km in FOUR years – THE REAL SPEED of PUTIN'S ARMY'S advance #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N8yQgYobbC8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/days-of-the-shameful-ampquotblizkriegampquot.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/days-of-the-shameful-ampquotblizkriegampquot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3d8cbe7fce.jpg" alt="1,419 days of the SHAMEFUL &quot;BLIZKRIEG.&quot; The Russians are stuck in DONBAS – worse than HITLER"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCdf6jJ7Abw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/will-russia-choose-war-or.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:45:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/will-russia-choose-war-or.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ac114651e7.jpg" alt="⚡️ Will RUSSIA choose WAR or PEACE? This question remains UNANSWERED, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qMfgkLAcbqg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/trump-wants-venezuelas-oil-markets.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:18:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/trump-wants-venezuelas-oil-markets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2252064901.jpg" alt="Trump wants Venezuela's oil — markets may not care"></p><p>U.S. President Donald Trump made no secret of his plan for Venezuela.</p><p>"One of the things the United States gets out of this will be even lower energy prices," Trump said in a Jan. 9 meeting with energy executives.</p><p>“Our giant oil companies will be spending</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-oil/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/the-situation-now-is-the.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:56:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/the-situation-now-is-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255373139.jpg" alt="‘The situation now is the worst’ — Kyiv’s energy crisis deepens after Russia pounds power grid"></p><p>As Kyiv faces prolonged blackouts and subzero temperatures, officials and energy experts warn that the city's infrastructure is nearing its limits. Although the number of buildings without heat has decreased since the Jan. 9 mass missile and drone attack, the broader impact of the crisis on daily life</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/not-the-worst-attack-but-the-worst-impact-kyiv-struggles-to-recover-as-energy-crisis-deepens/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/project-nightfall-everything-we-know.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:18:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/project-nightfall-everything-we-know.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c4b57420b4.png" alt="Project Nightfall — Everything we know about the UK's ballistic missile program for Ukraine"></p><p>In what could be a huge boost for Ukraine's offensive capabilities, the U.K. announced on Jan. 11 it had launched Project Nightfall, a competition to rapidly develop new long-range ballistic missiles for Kyiv.</p><p>Ukraine has <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tomahawk-deliveries-could-force-russia-to-sober-up-and-negotiate-zelensky-says/">repeatedly stressed</a> the need to reinforce its ability to target Russian military</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/everything-we-know-about-project-nightfall-the-uks-ballistic-missile-program-for-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/why-does-putin-need-donbas.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/why-does-putin-need-donbas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7f2f7c6fa7.jpg" alt="❗️Why does PUTIN need DONBAS – THE TRUTH that is no longer being hidden! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N3ET1m0gt0c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/trap-putin-will-ampquotgiveampquot-ukraine.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/trap-putin-will-ampquotgiveampquot-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5348adb1a2.jpg" alt="TRAP! ⚡️ Putin will &quot;give&quot; Ukraine GAS after blowing up all the thermal power plants!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90RI3vnp9L0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/fireworks-from-ammunition-ukrainian-uavs.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:30:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/fireworks-from-ammunition-ukrainian-uavs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/18634bbe56.jpg" alt="FIREWORKS FROM AMMUNITION: Ukrainian UAVs strike Russian MILITARY ARSENALS! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/duVdlS6jf8I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/germanys-arrow-air-defense-system.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/germanys-arrow-air-defense-system.html <p>Germany’s newest missile defense system, Arrow 3 - on which Berlin and its allies had pinned key hopes against ballistic threats - is not prepared to intercept Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile, according to <a href="https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/plus6960f2b6fa56382de1f6483e/oreschnik-vs-arrow-3-russlands-hyperschallrakete-wird-zum-ersten-testfall-fuer-deutschlands-neuen-abwehrschirm.html">Die Welt</a>.</p> <p>Analyzing Russia’s recent strike on targets in western Ukraine, the German outlet, citing NATO sources, described the attack as the first “indirect clash” between a modern Western missile defense system and a new Russian weapon.</p> <p>Although Arrow 3 was developed specifically to counter medium- and long-range missiles, it showed limited capability in a real-world scenario, the report said.</p> <p>Die Welt notes that the Bundeswehr recently declared Arrow 3 operational. In Germany, the system is designated the Arrow Weapon System for Germany (AWS-G) and is viewed as a core pillar of a national and pan-European missile shield. Germany’s defense ministry has emphasized that the primary threat to the country comes from long-range Russian ballistic missiles, including “Oreshnik.”</p> <p>The Arrow 3 interceptor is a two-stage, solid-fuel system designed to destroy targets outside the atmosphere with a hit-to-kill approach. In brief: unlike earlier air defenses such as Patriot, Arrow 3 is intended to intercept missiles long before they reach their targets — in space, at altitudes above 100 kilometers.</p> <p>However, Die Welt reports that Arrow 3 is still in the early phase of deployment. The first battery, based at an airfield in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, likely detected the launch but lacked the ability to affect the missile’s trajectory at speeds exceeding 12,000 km/h.</p> <p>NATO sources told the outlet that the system is not yet fully combat-ready, and that Patriot is not technically designed to counter hypersonic missiles. Berlin is particularly concerned about the “Oreshnik’s” range - up to 5,500 km - which could potentially put almost all of Europe within reach.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said the “Oreshnik” strike was carried out in response to the alleged shelling of President Vladimir Putin’s residence on December 29.</p> <p>In October 2025, the Pentagon protested the film “House of Dynamite,” which depicts a $50 billion U.S. missile defense system failing to intercept an unidentified intercontinental ballistic missile.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-s-arrow-3-air-defense-system-not-yet-ready-to-counter-russia-s-oreshnik-missiles-die-welt-reports">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/russian-oil-rigs-hit-john.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/russian-oil-rigs-hit-john.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/05f1f9eec9.jpg" alt="🔥 Russian oil rigs hit! John Gilli is ready to KIDNAP PUTIN, and Britain is building NEW BALLISTICS"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONtxPmFlGJw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/uk-reportedly-finds-legal-basis.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:17:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/uk-reportedly-finds-legal-basis.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c93aee7fc4.jpg" alt="UK reportedly finds legal basis to board shadow fleet tankers evading oil sanctions"></p>The move comes as London looks for stronger tools to disrupt illicit oil shipments that help fund Russia's war against Ukraine, as well as sanctioned exports linked to Iran and Venezuela.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/uk-reportedly-finds-legal-basis-to-board-shadow-fleet-tankers-evading-oil-sanctions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/canadian-combat-medic-from-th.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:07:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/canadian-combat-medic-from-th.html <p><img width="1421" height="793" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/znimok-ekrana-2026-01-12-113629.png.webp" alt="Canadian volunteer combat medic, callsign Cooper from Ukraine’s 13th Khartiia brigade" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST</strong>, Jan. 12 — Canadian volunteer combat medic, callsign Cooper, serving with Ukraine’s 13th Khartiia brigade, has saved more than 50 soldiers since the beginning of his service in autumn 2025, the brigade’s press service told Gwara Media.</p> <p>A 20-year-old Cooper came to Ukraine and joined the Khartiia brigade in the summer of 2025.</p> <p>At the beginning of autumn, Cooper joined the Kupiansk operation of the search-and-assault group of the Kharkiv brigade.</p> <p>During one of his combat missions, Cooper stepped on a mine.</p> <p>He put a tourniquet on himself, stopped the massive bleeding, and began to crawl out of the danger zone on his own, calling for help. Soldiers from the Khartiia brigade found him, provided first aid, and pulled him to safety.</p> <p>The next day, he was taken to a stabilization point. Later, doctors had to amputate his leg. However, Cooper wants to return to work after rehabilitation.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“I lost my leg. I can't change what happened. I don't regret anything. And I'm not done yet. I'm going to get a prosthetic leg. Lots of people do it, so why can't I? There's no reason not to,” said Cooper,” said Cooper.</p> </blockquote> <p>During the Kupiansk operation from Sep. 22 to Dec. 12, 2025, the Khartiia brigade killed 1,027, injured 291, and captured 13 Russian soldiers.</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Russian forces <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-forces-advance-in-vovchansk-vilcha-north-of-kharkiv-region-war-monitor-says/" data-wpel-link="internal">advance</a> in Vovchansk, Vilcha north of Kharkiv region, war monitor says</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hi! Winter has come, and Russian airstrikes on power infrastructure disrupt our daily lives & work a lot here in Kharkiv. Despite it all, we keep working to bring you reports from the city and the Kharkiv region. Please consider supporting our newsroom with <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>a one-time tip</strong></a> or become a <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>member of our community</strong></a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/canadian-combat-medic-from-13th-khartiia-brigade-saves-over-50-soldiers-on-kupiansk-axis/" data-wpel-link="internal">Canadian combat medic from 13th Khartiia Brigade saves over 50 soldiers on Kupiansk axis</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/canadian-combat-medic-from-13th-khartiia-brigade-saves-over-50-soldiers-on-kupiansk-axis/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/kyiv-mayor-vitali-klitschko-warns.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/kyiv-mayor-vitali-klitschko-warns.html <p>Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko acknowledged that even Ukraine’s capital does not have enough air defense systems to effectively repel Russian airstrikes. He said the shortage directly affects the scale of destruction and the city’s humanitarian situation.</p> <p>Russia is deliberately continuing strikes on civilian infrastructure, seeking to make Ukrainian cities uninhabitable, Klitschko told <a href="https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland-und-internationales/kiew-buergermeister-klitschko-in-bild-putin-will-den-willen-der-ukrainer-brechen-69627b3e4d1d5f581eeb273f">the German outlet Bild</a>.</p> <p>“We see that our air defense does not have the necessary resources to effectively repel attacks even in Kyiv. We urgently need additional air defense systems to protect the population from Russian airstrikes,” the mayor said.</p> <p>He added that Vladimir Putin’s goal is to completely destroy heating and power infrastructure through bombardment.</p> <p>“He wants to break the will and resistance of Ukrainians. But we must not give up!” Klitschko stressed.</p> <p>The mayor noted that energy workers are operating around the clock in difficult conditions, but the situation remains critical. City authorities are urging residents of the capital who lack heating but have the option to stay with relatives or friends to leave the city temporarily.</p> <p>“Regardless of whether these measures are popular or not, we face very difficult challenges that we must overcome,” Klitschko said.</p> <p>On January 9, Vitali Klitschko said that water supply in Kyiv is gradually returning, and officials hope to restore heating to some buildings in the near future.</p> <p>On January 11, the mayor shared details on how recovery work is progressing after strikes by the Russian Armed Forces. He said utility crews are trying to restore heat to homes as quickly as possible and have been forced to thaw equipment that froze due to severe frost.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-mayor-vitali-klitschko-warns-kyiv-lacks-sufficient-air-defenses-amid-russian-strikes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/ballistic-response-from-the-west.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:05:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/ballistic-response-from-the-west.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6dc8288584.jpg" alt="Ballistic response from the West! Britain promises Ukraine weapons that the Kremlin fears"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LMx1kHP1os">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/russias-regions-slide-into-fiscal.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/russias-regions-slide-into-fiscal.html <p>Russia’s regions can no longer count on federal support amid sanctions, an industrial downturn and the war against Ukraine.</p> <p>A combination of sanctions, the loss of external markets and a worsening global environment has exposed the structural weakness of Russia’s regional budgets, which are no longer able to meet even basic obligations, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service <a href="https://szru.gov.ua/news-media/news/rehiony-rosii-okhopyla-finansova-kryza">said</a>.</p> <p>The worst strain is in traditionally depressed areas - Kalmykia, Mari El and Pskov region. Their survival model rested for decades on federal transfers, but those flows are shrinking and access to credit is rapidly narrowing.</p> <p>Industrial regions are adding to the pressure. Coal-mining territories, particularly Kemerovo region, are set to become some of the biggest drags on Russia’s budget this year. Falling global coal prices, sanctions and the loss of the European market are driving a projected 4.1% drop in gross regional product (GRP) and a budget shortfall of about 44 billion rubles. Khakassia faces a similar trap: unprofitable mines combined with dependence on nonferrous metal prices and limited hydropower capacity, where state-owned RusHydro is squeezed between tariff regulation and lobbying by metallurgical companies.</p> <p>Metallurgical regions are also losing their footing. In Irkutsk region, falling aluminum and coal prices point to a projected budget deficit of 40 billion rubles, while the prolonged crisis at Rusal plants leaves local authorities little room for optimism. In Vologda region, tensions between Governor Georgy Filimonov and Severstal owner Alexei Mordashov have further aggravated the situation - to the point that economists have effectively stopped updating GRP forecasts since 2024.</p> <p>Regions with “specific risks” are adding separate pressure to the federal budget. Astrakhan region expects a 2.1% GRP decline, with negative dynamics likely through 2028 due to depleted oil and gas fields and a lack of resources to launch new ones.</p> <p>“Kursk and Belgorod regions, which previously benefited from cross-border trade with Ukraine, have turned into front-line territories fully dependent on subsidies,” the agency added.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service noted that Russia’s regions can no longer rely on the center. The resource-constrained federal budget is focused on the war against Ukraine. Domestic demand is not growing, and households and investors have no more money. For Russia’s regions, that means one thing - survival without support and without prospects.</p> <p>Earlier, reports said the likelihood of recession in Russia’s economy is rising rapidly, according to the pro-Kremlin think tank TsMAKP. A signal of high recession risk appeared in June statistics and has strengthened each month since.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-regions-slide-into-fiscal-crisis-as-federal-aid-dries-up">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/live-russias-trojan-horse-in.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 14:53:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/live-russias-trojan-horse-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/df421be8c0.jpg" alt="LIVE | Russia's Trojan Horse in Europe: FSB, MATRYOSHKA dolls, and SMO, lasting more than 1418 days!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWg9-pNfKBg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/ukraine-may-have-received-the.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 14:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/ukraine-may-have-received-the.html <p>Ukraine could become the first country where the United States’ newest Tempest air-defense system is being tested in a real war.</p> <p>The new “drone killer,” unveiled only a few months ago, may already be in use by Ukraine. The Ukrainian military has likely received the latest U.S.-made Tempest surface-to-air missile system for trials.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://defence-ua.com/news/shozhe_ukrajina_otrimala_na_testi_novij_zrk_jakij_vpershe_pokazali_lishe_u_2025_rotsi-21458.html">Defense Express</a>, a New Year’s greeting video posted by the Air Command “Center” appears to show the system, which journalists and military analysts identified.</p> <p>There has been no official announcement that Tempest has been transferred to Ukraine. But analysts say the system’s external features and configuration suggest it could be the latest U.S. development, one that has not appeared on lists of officially supplied weapons.</p> <p>There is no information yet on how many Tempest systems may have been provided. Given the system’s novelty, it may be limited to one or several units. Ukraine could be testing the system in combat to assess effectiveness and refine it for modern warfare, particularly against mass drone attacks, the outlet notes.</p> <p>The Tempest surface-to-air missile system was first shown publicly in 2025. Its debut came at the AUSA 2025 exhibition in October, just a few months ago.</p> <p>The system was developed by U.S. company V2X. It was designed with lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war in mind and the need for affordable, mobile solutions to counter unmanned threats.</p> <p>Tempest comes in two main configurations. The first is a trailer-based variant intended to protect fixed sites, including infrastructure and military bases. The second is a mobile version built as a “mobile, low-cost drone killer.”</p> <p>The mobile variant is aimed at use by agile firing units and can be mounted on light platforms, including commercial COTS buggies, making it a flexible tool against aerial threats.</p> <p>Still, reporters note that despite the stated focus on relative affordability, operating costs remain a point of debate. The system uses AGM-114L Longbow missiles, which open sources say can cost up to $100,000 per round.</p> <p>For intercepting Shahed-type attack drones, that may not be economical. Even so, amid Russia’s rapid expansion of drone production, Ukraine has had to employ the full range of available air defenses, including options that are not especially cheap.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-may-have-received-the-new-u-s-tempest-air-defense-system-for-combat-trials">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/russian-region-vows-crackdown-on.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:20:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/russian-region-vows-crackdown-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2232588071.jpg" alt="Russian region vows crackdown on 'provocateurs' as claimed Ukrainian strikes cause 'catastrophic' outages, tensions"></p>Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the energy supply situation in the region is "extremely dire," noting that the "energy capacity losses are reaching practically catastrophic scale."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-region-to-crack-down-on-provocateurs-as-claimed-ukrainian-strikes-cause-outages-tensions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/ukraine-war-latest-khartiia-brigade.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:51:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/ukraine-war-latest-khartiia-brigade.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/img-0995.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Khartiia Brigade raises flag over Kupiansk city council building, releases video"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 7 times today. Ukraine's Khartiia Brigade on Jan. 12 said it had recaptured the city council building in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, and flown the country's flag from its roof.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-12/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/ukraine-war-latest-russia-intensifies.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:51:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/ukraine-war-latest-russia-intensifies.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2225937262.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russia intensifies push on Chasiv Yar, Ukrainian military says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated (3) times today. Russian troops are intensifying their offensive on Chasiv Yar, trying to build up forces and deploying all types of available weapons, including multiple launch rocket systems, the Ukrainian military reported on Jan. 12.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/https-kyivindependent-com-ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-12/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/fire-breaks-out-at-power.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:52:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/fire-breaks-out-at-power.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-12-12-34-34.jpg" alt="Fire breaks out at power plant in Russia's Rostov Oblast, Astra reports"></p>Emergency services arrived at the scene to extinguish a fire following an alleged attack, according to local residents.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/power-plant-in-russias-rostov-oblast-attacked-astra-reported/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/russia-attacks-uk-defense-chief.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:07:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/russia-attacks-uk-defense-chief.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/804a42f824.jpg" alt="Russia attacks UK defense chief with crude insult after Putin kidnapping remarks"></p>"The wet dreams of British perverts," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-uk-defense-chief-with-crude-insult/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/russia-strikes-ambulance-in-chernihiv.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:49:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/russia-strikes-ambulance-in-chernihiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-11-14-53-18.jpg" alt="Russia strikes ambulance in Chernihiv Oblast, injuring 2 medics"></p>Russian forces struck an ambulance in the town of Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast on Jan. 11, injuring two medical workers, a local official reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-strikes-ambulance-in-chernihiv-oblast-injuring-2-medics/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/12/explosions-fires-reported-in-kyiv.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:20:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/12/explosions-fires-reported-in-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255214024-612x612.jpg" alt="Explosions, fires reported in Kyiv as thousands remain without heat"></p>Russia launched a wave of drones towards Kyiv overnight on Jan. 12, striking a building within the city, local officials reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-fire-reported-in-kyiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russia-repeated-fascism-zelensky-says.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 21:16:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russia-repeated-fascism-zelensky-says.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e9b99ed0e2.png" alt="Russia 'repeated fascism,' Zelensky says as war in Ukraine outlasts Nazi Germany's war with USSR"></p>The full-scale war in Ukraine entered its 1,418th day on Jan. 11, matching the length of Nazi Germany's fight against the Soviet Union during World War II. Russia has "repeated almost all the worst things that happened in the 20th century," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-repeated-fascism-zelensky-says-as-war-in-ukraine-outlasts-nazi-germanys-war-with-ussr/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/us-seizes-five-tankers-right.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 21:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/us-seizes-five-tankers-right.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/58bdb7d6e7.jpg" alt="🚢 US seizes five tankers right under Putin's nose! Kremlin goes all-in amid Arctic freeze!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gEOh4Zdyp0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/uk-developing-ballistic-missiles-for.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:26:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/uk-developing-ballistic-missiles-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/95b3714c20.jpg" alt="UK developing ballistic missiles for Ukraine capable of striking deep inside Russia"></p>The U.K. has launched Project Nightfall, a competition to rapidly develop new long-range ballistic missiles for Ukraine. The missiles will be able to travel 500 km (310 miles) and come equipped with a 200 kg (440 lb) warhead.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/uk-developing-ballistic-missiles-for-ukraine-capable-of-striking-deep-within-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/putin-outlasts-even-hitler-his.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:12:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/putin-outlasts-even-hitler-his.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/815d2dcb5c.jpg" alt="Putin outlasts even Hitler – his WAR lasts 1418 days already! – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4ol3tv3blXk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/former-nato-secretary-stoltenberg-putin.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/former-nato-secretary-stoltenberg-putin.html <p>Russian president Vladimir Putin has yet to achieve success in his war against Ukraine and still shows no signs of readiness for constructive peace talks.</p> <p>Since 2014, when Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine, Putin has failed to occupy the entirety of the Donbas region, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with <a href="https://www.wiwo.de/politik/ausland/jens-stoltenberg-bis-jetzt-ist-putin-voellig-gescheitert/100189638.html">WirtschaftsWoche</a>.</p> <p>The Kremlin chief hoped Russia’s army would take control of key cities within weeks during the full-scale invasion. That didn’t happen, and Putin lost more than half of the territory Russian forces temporarily seized in 2022.</p> <p>Stoltenberg acknowledged Russia has notched some battlefield gains. Moscow’s troops continue to advance slowly and have captured some areas, but those gains are coming “at great cost.”</p> <p>“The hallmark of regimes like Putin’s is that they only appear very strong - until they suddenly are not,” the former NATO chief emphasized.</p> <p>Earlier this year, analysts at DeepState estimated that as of January 1, Russian forces controlled 116,165 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory - about 19.25% of the country.</p> <p>At the same time, Stoltenberg argued Putin can be compelled into constructive peace talks on Ukraine. With the conflict now a war of attrition, Western partners must continue to support Kyiv and the Ukrainian military. That sustained backing is likely to push the Kremlin leader to show readiness for progress in negotiations to end the war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/former-nato-secretary-stoltenberg-putin-has-completely-failed-in-ukraine-could-be-forced-to-negotiate-with-sustained-western-pressure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:39:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/eb5accba8a.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits Russian drilling platforms in Caspian Sea, military reports"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Jan. 10-11:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine hits Russian drilling platforms in Caspian Sea, military reports</li><li>Ukraine brings US-made Tempest air defense system into combat, footage suggests</li><li>Russia seeks to set stage for new offensive, potentially threatening Sumy, Ukraine warns</li><li>Russia deploys new Geran-5 jet-powered drone against Ukraine, intel says</li><li>Ukraine&</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-hits-russian-drilling-platforms-in-caspian-sea-military-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russia-leader-in-internet-shutdowns.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:30:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russia-leader-in-internet-shutdowns.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1b30573608.jpg" alt="🚫 Russia – LEADER in INTERNET SHUTDOWNS in 2025 #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VZkUnkQIXSY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/record-russia-burns-b-blocking.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/record-russia-burns-b-blocking.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/13091da7b3.jpg" alt="RECORD! 🚫 Russia burns $12B blocking Internet, even surpasses Venezuela"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiiiFj-TjvE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russias-oreshnik-missile-strike-near.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russias-oreshnik-missile-strike-near.html <p>Against the backdrop of Russia’s Oreshnik missile strike, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a clear global response. “First and foremost from the United States, whose position Russia does take into account. Russia must receive signals that it is obliged to focus on diplomacy, and feel consequences every time it again focuses on killing and destroying infrastructure,” the Ukrainian leader said. He also said the Russian Oreshnik ballistic missile is a challenge for Hungary as well.</p> <p>Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces’ Intelligence Center, said Russia’s use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile in western Ukraine is a signal to the West.</p> <p>“This strike matters because this is only the second Oreshnik launch of the war. The previous similar ballistic missile was used on November 21, 2024, when Dnipro was attacked. This time, the strike was much closer to the Polish border, roughly 80–100 kilometers away. So, without a doubt, it was a signal toward Europe or NATO,” the colonel said.</p> <p>He said Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the strike was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian attack on the Russian president’s residence in Valdai - an allegation Ukraine denies. Western intelligence services, as well as Estonia’s, say they cannot corroborate the claim and characterize it as a smear campaign by Russia.</p> <p>EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russia’s use of the Oreshnik missile is an escalation against Ukraine intended to warn Europe and the United States.</p> <p>Kallas said repeated Russian strikes only show Moscow’s unwillingness to end the war.</p> <p>“Putin does not want peace; Russia’s answer to diplomatic efforts is even more missiles and destruction. This deadly pattern of repeated large-scale Russian strikes will continue until we help Ukraine break it,” she wrote.</p> <p>The EU’s top diplomat urged member states to dig into their air-defense stockpiles and deliver systems to Ukraine immediately. Kallas also called for tougher sanctions against Russia.</p> <p>Latvia plans to request an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over Russia’s “barbaric attack” on Ukraine, including the use of a medium-range ballistic missile near the borders of the European Union and NATO.</p> <p>Latvia is serving this year as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.</p> <p>“Latvia will ask for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in response to Russia’s barbaric attack against Ukraine, including the use of a medium-range ballistic missile near the EU and NATO border,” she wrote.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-oreshnik-missile-strike-near-eu-border-seen-as-signal-to-the-west-spurring-un-security-council-push-and-eu-calls-for-air-defenses-and-tougher-sanctions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russian-house-in-your-country.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 18:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russian-house-in-your-country.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/17742f53d9.jpg" alt="Russian House in your country: Kremlin spies are hiding here! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/t-hMhdPgrN8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russian-houses-with-fsb-agents.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 18:01:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russian-houses-with-fsb-agents.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/791fa03257.jpg" alt="RUSSIAN HOUSES with FSB agents inside! 🕵️ Russian &quot;artists&quot; gather INTELLIGENCE in Europe"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh3Rkcb3Z4A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/ukrainian-intelligence-says-kadyrovs-kidneys.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 18:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/ukrainian-intelligence-says-kadyrovs-kidneys.html <p>Ukrainian intelligence says Ramzan Kadyrov is gravely ill, and the Kremlin is fast-tracking the search for a replacement amid fears of instability in Chechnya.</p> <p>Ukrainian news agency UNIAN <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/4079102-u-kadirova-vidmovili-nirki-kreml-sukae-novogo-vatazka-cecni-dzerelo-v-gur.html">reports</a>, citing a source at Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Military Intelligence, Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s kidneys have failed.</p> <p>He is reportedly in his own hospital within Chechnya. Members of his family clan - including relatives from abroad — have rushed to his side. The unusual concentration of relatives indirectly points to an extremely serious condition.</p> <p>Amid Kadyrov’s deteriorating condition, discussions in Moscow about a potential successor have intensified. For the Kremlin, Chechnya is a high-risk region where power relies less on institutions than on personal loyalty and fear.</p> <p>Sources say three main figures are currently seen as the most “convenient” options for the Kremlin:</p> <p>- Magomed Daudov</p> <p>- Apti Alaudinov</p> <p>- Akhmat Kadyrov, Ramzan Kadyrov’s eldest son</p> <p>In effect, this is less a choice than an attempt to maintain control over the region at any cost.</p> <p>The power system Putin built in Chechnya is personally tied to Kadyrov. His potential departure could trigger competition among clans and security forces — a scenario the Kremlin fears nearly as much as open conflict.</p> <p>With Russia bogged down in its war against Ukraine, it lacks bandwidth for another domestic crisis. That’s why the Kremlin is moving quickly, trying to cushion the blow and contain a potential new crisis in the North Caucasus.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-intelligence-says-kadyrov-s-kidneys-have-failed-as-kremlin-scrambles-for-a-successor">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/putins-quotsmoquot-lasts-longer-than.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 17:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/putins-quotsmoquot-lasts-longer-than.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b4853b673b.jpg" alt="Putin’s &quot;SMO&quot; lasts LONGER than the WAR between HITLER and the USSR #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/69coAbJxo58">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/thousands-without-light-and-warm.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 17:11:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/thousands-without-light-and-warm.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255118201.jpg" alt="Thousands 'without light and warm water' — At tournament, Ukrainian tennis player speaks out on Russian energy grid strikes"></p>"I play every day with pain in my heart... My sister sleeps under three blankets because of the cold at home," Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostiuk said after the final match at the Brisbane tournament.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tennis-player-speaks-out-on-russias-power-grid-attacks-after-tournament/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/putin-broke-hitlers-record-the.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 17:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/putin-broke-hitlers-record-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/20f302a221.jpg" alt="⚡️ PUTIN broke HITLER'S record! The loss of 1.2 million soldiers and absurd REASONS for the war"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBmZipjTMh4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/ukrainian-paratroopers-repel-russian-assault.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:00:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/ukrainian-paratroopers-repel-russian-assault.html <p>More than 20 Russian infantry troops tried to use weather conditions to move covertly toward Ukrainian positions north of Pokrovsk, but Ukrainian paratroopers detected them in time and opened fire, according to Ukraine’s 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces, which <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/990">released video</a> of the repelled attack and the final stage of destroying the assault group.</p> <p>The unit said coordinated actions allowed Ukrainian forces to inflict heavy fire on the assault group. The attackers then lost the ability to continue their advance and hid in private homes and basements.</p> <p>During subsequent reconnaissance patrols, elements of the 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade eliminated the Russian troops, the corps said.</p> <p>Earlier, the Ukrainian military reported 173 combat engagements on the front line over the past day.</p> <p>Ukrainian military command also reported Russian losses of 1,130 personnel in that period.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-paratroopers-repel-russian-assault-north-of-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russia-fires-oreshnik-missile-near.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:47:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russia-fires-oreshnik-missile-near.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/utw-11-01-1-3-.jpg" alt="Russia fires Oreshnik missile near NATO border | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur reports on Russia’s latest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, including the use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile near NATO borders.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-fires-oreshnik-missile-near-nato-border-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/ukraine-strikes-lukoil-drilling-platforms.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:37:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/ukraine-strikes-lukoil-drilling-platforms.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck three Lukoil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea, a Buk-M3 air defense launcher in the Luhansk region, and a warehouse used by Russia’s 49th Army in the Kherson region, the General Staff’s press service <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/33665">said</a> Sunday, January 11.</p> <p>As part of efforts to reduce Russia’s warfighting and economic potential, Ukraine’s Defense Forces targeted three Lukoil offshore installations in the Caspian: the V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin and Valery Grayfer platforms.</p> <p>These facilities are used to support Russia’s occupation forces, the statement said. Hits were recorded; the extent of the damage is being assessed.</p> <p>Separately, the Defense Forces conducted a strike on a Buk-M3 medium-range air defense launcher near the settlement of Baranichevo (Russian-occupied Luhansk region). The General Staff said the system is designed to counter aerodynamic targets. Preliminary reports indicated hits and subsequent explosions.</p> <p>To further degrade Russian logistics and combat capabilities, Ukrainian forces also struck a logistics unit warehouse belonging to Russia’s 49th Army near the settlement of Novotroitske (Russian-occupied Kherson region).</p> <p>Earlier, Ukraine’s Forces said they hit storage and service sites for unmanned boats near Myrne in Russian-occupied Crimea.</p> <p>On the night before December 11, drones attacked the Russian city of Veliky Novgorod, striking the Acron chemical plant and igniting a fire on the premises.</p> <p>A fire was also reported at a defense plant in the Russian city of Orsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-strikes-lukoil-drilling-platforms-in-the-caspian-sea-and-russian-military-sites">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/zelenskyy-gave-putin-two-weeks.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/zelenskyy-gave-putin-two-weeks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d0ce9fd69e.jpg" alt="⚡️ Zelenskyy gave Putin TWO WEEKS to agree to a PEACE plan #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DUU40lTbYds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/zaporizhzhia-in-darkness-russia-launched.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:01:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/zaporizhzhia-in-darkness-russia-launched.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a09fb658b1.jpg" alt="ZAPORIZHZHIA IN DARKNESS! 🌑 Russia launched 154 drones: power grid under attack!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNtJ5Oo173U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/inside-venezuelas-oil-refineries.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/inside-venezuelas-oil-refineries.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9d269087-5.jpg" alt="Inside Venezuela’s oil refineries"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!I28j!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9146680d-38d7-4e88-b47d-10ba91c07457_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9146680d-3.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9146680d-38d7-4e88-b47d-10ba91c07457_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>The Counteroffensive brings you human-first reporting from Kyiv to Caracas.<br><br>This isn’t easy – support this initiative: to bring you closer to the places where the fight for democracy is underway.</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!G9nr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe8e1d055-1062-4f9b-9520-f44006f09492_1246x982.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe8e1d055-1.png" width="478" height="376.7223113964687" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e8e1d055-1062-4f9b-9520-f44006f09492_1246x982.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":982,"width":1246,"resizeWidth":478,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The location of Puerto La Cruz in Venezuela, where José Bodas worked.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>CARACAS, Venezuela – José Bodas says you could blindfold him, place him anywhere inside the Puerto La Cruz oil refinery, and he’d know exactly where he was.</p><p>The sensation of the winds, the rhythmic percussion of the machinery, the sounds of valves and compression pumps, and the pungent smells – he can segregate them all and associate them with a specific section.</p><p>He was in 11th grade when he first started working at Puerto La Cruz refinery in Anzoátegui, Venezuela. At that age, José was fascinated by cars and the way gasoline could power almost anything. He earned a technical diploma in petrochemical operations upon graduating high school and began working at Puerto La Cruz in 1987, when he was 18.</p><p><em>“</em>I found it extremely interesting because it was something totally different,” said José. “I was thrilled to acquire a great amount of knowledge, and it was going to give me an opportunity to develop professionally in the main industry of the country.”</p><p>Almost four decades later, José still works at the refinery as a plant operator. He is also the secretary of Venezuela’s Unitary Federation of Petroleum and Gas Workers, the largest labor union in the Venezuelan oil industry.</p><p>Workers like José have kept Venezuela’s oil industry alive, an industry based on what <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/03/business/oil-gas-venezuela-maduro">makes up </a>about a fifth of the world’s crude oil reserves. In return, they are often forced into an uneasy balance, caught between the threat of repression by the regime, the moral obligation to speak up for workers’ rights, and pressure to sustain the oil necessary for the world to run.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9d269087-5.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8b51270580.jpg" width="512" height="341.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9d269087-55f9-4d8d-984a-2bc4dfa8eb71_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":512,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A man emerges from a portable toilet next to a mural depicting former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 8, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela. (Photo by Carlos Becerra/Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The Trump administration’s strike on the capital, and subsequent capture of President Nicolás Maduro, was an escalation of the campaign in the Caribbean.</p><p>Trump framed the offshore strikes and rising tensions as a fight against drug trafficking and criminal networks. But he has since claimed the right to seize oil – and its revenues – from the Venezuelan government.</p><p>Venezuela’s oil sector was once the backbone of its economy, but it has plummeted under decades of authoritarian rule. Since 2013, when Maduro took over for Hugo Chávez, Venezuela’s oil output has <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/07/trump-venezuela-oil-power-play">dropped</a> from 2.8 million barrels per day to 800,000, according to Axios.</p><p>There are major geopolitical implications, including for Ukraine. Russia’s close ties to Venezuela – and its dependence on oil revenues to fund its war effort – means that Russia will suffer from the latest changes.</p><p>The U.S. has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/09/politics/oil-tanker-seizure-caribbean">seized</a> at least five oil tankers from the region, one of which was Russian-flagged, since the beginning of December. Last year, most Venezuelan crude oil <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/01/09/venezuela-oil-china-cuba-trump/">went</a> to China, while Cuba, Iran and Russia all received imports, too.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!a3Mb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F371ec7b1-af79-421a-af89-e469737fb339_1446x1020.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f371ec7b1-a.png" width="475" height="335.0622406639004" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/371ec7b1-af79-421a-af89-e469737fb339_1446x1020.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1020,"width":1446,"resizeWidth":475,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A graphic showing global crude oil reserves by country in 2023, showing Venezuela as the world’s largest holder. (Screenshot from <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/03/business/oil-gas-venezuela-maduro">CNN</a>)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Meanwhile, inside Puerto La Cruz, the work never stopped.</p><p>“We have three work shifts at the refinery: the early shift from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the second one from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., and the night shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., or more if there was no one to replace us or an emergency,” said José.</p><p>They were constantly repairing pumps and compressors, preempting problems before they boiled over.</p><p>“What was our goal? To prevent emergencies and disasters. That is in our DNA: to protect the refineries. Because if you protect the refinery, you protect lives and the environment,” he explained.</p><p>Despite long hours and less-than-ideal working conditions, José loves his job:</p><blockquote><p>“Many say that this privilege belongs to athletes, scientists and artists, who work in a job that pleases them. But it’s essential for every human being to have a job that pleases them. That’s part of freedom.”</p></blockquote><div data-attrs='{"id":431456}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>José had long identified with the political left. He recalls being 18 when he saw armed forces massacre Venezuelan citizens during protests.</p><p>“I didn’t learn that in books,” he said. He lived it. He voted for Chávez hoping for change:</p><blockquote><p>“We wanted to dance salsa, we wanted to change organized life. But we were not experiencing a deep crisis”.</p></blockquote><p>But when Chávez ordered a mass purge of oil workers, José knew that bad times were ahead. The regime was replacing managers not according to merit, but according to allegiance to the ruling movement, known as <em>chavismo</em>.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!YPkh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff0f90458-fadf-4bbf-a9e4-508aa6baf72c_866x585.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff0f90458-f.png" width="461" height="311.4145496535797" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f0f90458-fadf-4bbf-a9e4-508aa6baf72c_866x585.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":585,"width":866,"resizeWidth":461,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Photo of José Bodas, at a protest for fair wages. Photo provided by José to The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Over the course of his early career, José witnessed first-hand the strict refinery rules that led some of his co-workers to utter exhaustion.</p><p>Overtime, if requested of a worker, was absolutely mandatory.</p><p>“One colleague had a son’s birthday,” José recalled. “Their family is waiting for them at home with a cake. But he couldn’t leave the refinery. That kind of exception doesn’t exist.<em>”</em></p><p>It’s a hard job, he said, but it pays well – at least for the region.</p><p>The minimum wage in Venezuela <a href="https://fortune.com/2026/01/09/facing-a-682-inflation-rate-venezuelans-work-three-or-more-jobs-and-still-can-barely-afford-any-food-everything-is-so-expensive/">is</a> 130 bolivars (less than $0.40 American dollars) per month. There are other <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuelas-maduro-says-minimum-income-will-be-130-per-month-2024-05-01/">governmental bonuses</a> that can increase that monthly payment anywhere between $100 and 400 USD.</p><p>During his young-minded observations of injustices in the refineries, he felt compelled to start studying law at Santa María University in his country. By his late 20s, he had joined the union.</p><p>“My ultimate goal is to defend Venezuelans workers’ rights, no matter their ideology, their religion… because we are human beings first and foremost”, he said.</p><p>In <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1918189.stm">2002</a>, management told him to wear red on Fridays in celebration of the Bolivarian Revolution, he remembers. The Bolivarian Revolution is an ongoing movement that was started by President Hugo Chávez and named after Simón Bolívar, a leader of Latin America’s independence movement. It promotes nationalism and a state-led economy, often associated with working-class politics.</p><p>José refused. He wore white. Sometimes, managers denied him entry to the refinery when he wore anything but red.</p><p>Threats to civil rights freedoms have only worsened since then, said José. He witnessed colleagues detained for protesting and watched the military try to dismantle large gatherings of oil workers.</p><p>On February 3, 2014, José and 10 other union leaders were <a href="https://www.business-humanrights.org/es/%C3%BAltimas-noticias/presos-jos%C3%A9-bodas-secretario-general-de-la-futpv-y-otros-trabajadores-por-exigir-aprobaci%C3%B3n-del-contrato-petrolero-venezuela/">arrested</a> in Puerto La Cruz. They were protesting for labor rights and fair wages. Venezuela was going through a state of hyperinflation, and the minimum wage was less than 10 dollars a month.</p><p>José spent three days in prison. For months, he was under probation and had to visit the court periodically to prove to the regime that he and his colleagues hadn’t left the country.</p><p>“To denounce a regime carries a lot of risk, but my responsibility to the people, with the oil workers’ rights, motivates me to continue,” he said. “There is a great responsibility to all Venezuelans.”</p><p>Today, according to José and other oil workers at Amuay and Cardón refineries who will remain anonymous for safety purposes, the Venezuelan military monitors workers’ phones at the start and the end of their shifts to hunt for any criticism of the regime.</p><p>Union leaders are routinely charged with “terrorism,” he said. As of January 2026, José and his colleagues at the union are tracking more than 100 cases <a href="https://correodelcaroni.com/pais-politico/represion-contra-sindicalistas-se-agudiza-en-medio-de-reclamos-salariales/">involving</a> detained energy sector workers in Venezuela.</p><p>Ivan Freites was once a former union leader in Venezuela ‘s oil industry. But he fled to Miami amid political repression – he relates to the hard hours, the intolerance for political dissent, and hopes that Maduro’s capture will be a positive moment for the country.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!WQgY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F897bc034-b361-4e5d-8597-d6b408b58c58_732x536.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f897bc034-b.jpg" width="463" height="339.0273224043716" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/897bc034-b361-4e5d-8597-d6b408b58c58_732x536.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":536,"width":732,"resizeWidth":463,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Ivan Freites at a worker’s assembly at the Amuay refinery. Photo provided by Ivan to The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“One of the most important days for us was seeing Nicolás Maduro being handcuffed,” said Ivan. “Venezuelans tried everything to have a transition, but his regime was relentless… I thought his regime would not end.”</p><p>There is a real drive, said Ivan, to revive the success of the Venezuelan oil industry.</p><p>Friends of his who moved away, some to Saudi Arabia, to work in oil in a place with a better quality of life, say they still want to come back to Venezuela and be part of this revival movement, even if it means living on 130 Bolivar a month.</p><p>José’s attitude continues to be hopeful, too.</p><p>“We, at the Puerto La Cruz refinery, have a motto: Through challenge, the working class will have rights,” said José.</p><p>He hopes that oil workers have a say in the future of Venezuela and, hopefully, in a democratic transition of power. Where every worker can earn a livable wage, speak freely, organize without fear, and choose how Venezuelan oil benefits its own people.</p><p>“I will try to stay on the same path to defend working class rights”, he repeats again and again. “I stand with the liberation of all political prisoners in Venezuela”.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>The Counteroffensive brings you human-first reporting from Kyiv to Caracas.<br><br>This isn’t easy – support this initiative: to bring you closer to the places where the fight for democracy is underway.</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work and get full access to all our writing.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY: </strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura </p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>MI6 CHIEF WARNS ABOUT RUSSIAN SABOTAGE</strong>: The UK’s new MI6 Chief <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/russia-putin-ukraine-war-b2897569.html">warned </a>about Russia’s strategy to destabilize the West in her first public appearance since taking on the position.<br><br>She emphasized that Russia will resort to using non-state actors, including petty criminals recruited online to individuals and shell companies who operate via legitimate-looking businesses. These agents are often paid by Russia via untraceable cryptocurrency to conduct deniable sabotage and economic warfare on behalf of the Russian state.<br><br><strong>U.S. URGES CITIZENS TO LEAVE VENEZUELA: </strong>The State Department has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/us-citizens-venezuela-paramilitaries">urged </a>all Americans to leave Venezuela immediately due to extreme security risks. <br><br>Armed pro-regime militias, known as ‘colectivos’, are reportedly setting up roadblocks to search vehicles for U.S. citizens or supporters.<br><br><strong>POTENTIAL NATO DEPLOYMENT TO GREENLAND: </strong>European allies are <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/10/starmer-could-send-troops-to-greenland-after-trump-threats/">discussing </a>the possibility of sending NATO troops to Greenland to bolster Arctic security amid fears that Trump may illegally seize the territory.</p><p>The plan aims to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the region while persuading Donald Trump to abandon plans to annex Greenland.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:<br></strong></h3><p>Oksana’s Mary loves Christmas trees. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!I3rc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb29b7f01-fd31-435b-a08f-5d46194f8efc_1280x720.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fb29b7f01-f.png" width="1280" height="720" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b29b7f01-fd31-435b-a08f-5d46194f8efc_1280x720.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":720,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best, <br>Jacqueline</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/inside-venezuelas-oil-refineries">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/ukraine-hits-russian-drilling-platforms.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/ukraine-hits-russian-drilling-platforms.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2026-01-11-15-52-58-1.jpg" alt="Ukraine hits Russian drilling platforms in Caspian Sea, military reports"></p>Separately, Ukraine also hit a Russian Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system in the occupied parts of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, according to Ukraine's General Staff.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hits-lukoil-drilling-platforms-and-and-russian-buk-air-defense-system/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russia-seeks-to-set-stage.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:50:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russia-seeks-to-set-stage.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254145612.jpg" alt="Russia seeks to set stage for new offensive, potentially threatening Sumy, Ukraine warns"></p>"All such attempts are promptly detected and thwarted," the 7th Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces said on its Telegram channel.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-setting-stage-for-new-offensive-potentially-threatening-sumy-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/prowar-russian-channels-say-ukraine.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/prowar-russian-channels-say-ukraine.html <p><a href="https://t.me/milinfolive/164216">Pro-war Russian</a> channels are noting that the length of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has now matched the duration of the so-called “Great Patriotic War.” They acknowledge that years could pass before the so-called special military operation (SVO) ends.</p> <p>They say that 1,418 days of fighting raise questions about the consequences Russia will face if the war drags on, according to a post on one popular pro-war channel.</p> <p>“It’s hard to accept, but today was day 1,418 of the ‘SVO’. Thus, the duration of full-scale hostilities on Ukrainian territory has equaled the length of the Great Patriotic War [the war between Nazi Germany and the USSR, 1941–45, within World War II],” the post reads.</p> <p>Russians concede that the war against Ukraine could last for years and lead to dangerous consequences for the Russian Federation. </p> <p>At the same time, pro-war channels say drawing direct parallels between the wars is “foolish.” They also acknowledge that Russian forces have not achieved their desired results, and a prolonged conflict could bring catastrophic consequences for Russia.</p> <p>“It’s foolish to draw parallels, but it does make you think about the results. And about how many more days, months and years this could last, and what consequences it will lead to,” they conclude.</p> <p>Media report that since Russia’s 2022 aggression, at least 19 generals have been killed at the front and in the rear, and the most recently eliminated top officer is Fanil Sarvarov, who was blown up in Moscow at the end of 2025.</p> <p>Economist Vitaliy Shapran argues that Russia’s situation is far from what its propaganda portrays, and that in 2026 the country faces a Great Depression.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/pro-war-russian-channels-say-ukraine-war-has-lasted-1-418-days-matching-the-great-patriotic-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/over-buildings-in-kyiv-still.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:37:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/over-buildings-in-kyiv-still.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2255038319.jpg" alt="Over 1,000 buildings in Kyiv still without heat after Russian strikes amid freezing winter"></p>Kyiv's energy situation remains challenging and is expected to remain so in the coming days, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Jan. 11.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/thousand-buildings-in-kyiv-still-without-heat-as-difficult-conditions-set-to-continue/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:59:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-11-06-51-45.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 5, injure 24 in Ukraine over past day"></p>Ukraine's air defense and electronic warfare systems intercepted 125 out of 154 Russian drones, while another 22 drones hit 18 locations.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-launches-over-100-drones-overnight/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russia-deploys-new-geran-jetpowered.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:30:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russia-deploys-new-geran-jetpowered.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/geran-5.png" alt="Russia deploys new Geran-5 jet-powered drone against Ukraine for the first time, intel says"></p>The UAV, which bears a resemblance to the Iranian-designed Karrar drone, utilizes the Telefly jet engine, though with a greater thrust than the Geran-3 model, according to HUR.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-deploys-new-geran-5-jet-powered-drone/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/russia-intensifies-kupyansk-offensive-as.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 01:29:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/russia-intensifies-kupyansk-offensive-as.html <p>Russian forces are intensifying pressure on the eastern bank of the Oskil River in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region as they try to dislodge the country’s Defense Forces. Those efforts have not produced battlefield gains, Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping, <a href="https://t.me/weukrainetv/130666">said</a> on the “We — Ukraine” TV channel.</p> <p>Trehubov said the Oskil itself plays little role around Kupyansk because Ukrainian troops are positioned on both banks near the city. “If we take the Oskil, it should be noted that in the immediate vicinity of Kupyansk the river plays no role, because Ukrainians are on both banks of the Oskil around the city,” he said.</p> <p>The river is more consequential north of Kupyansk, where Russian troops are actively shifting forces. They are attempting crossings there and sometimes achieve limited success, aided by ice, Trehubov added. “They are trying to cross it now that there is ice. And, unfortunately, they sometimes succeed,” he said.</p> <p>Inside Kupyansk, clearance operations against remaining Russian troops are ongoing, according to Trehubov. He said no more than a few dozen Russian soldiers remain in the city and the operation is “in its final stage.” “Their number is decreasing by about 4–5 people per day,” he said.</p> <p>On January 9, a Ukrainian soldier with the call sign “Alex” wrote on <a href="https://t.me/officer_33/6623">his Telegram channel</a> that Ukrainian Forces’ actions north of Kupyansk have “effectively pushed the enemy back two years” in the context of the battle for the city, saying Ukrainian troops forced Russia’s main forces back to the Synkivka line.</p> <p>Earlier, on January 5, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said they captured a Russian who had coordinated strikes on Kupyansk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-intensifies-kupyansk-offensive-as-ukraine-reports-ice-aided-river-crossings-but-no-major-gains">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/explosions-rock-voronezh-as-russian.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 01:18:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/explosions-rock-voronezh-as-russian.html <p>A series of powerful explosions rocked the Russian city of Voronezh on January 10, with preliminary reports indicating that Russian air defenses were repelling an attack by Ukrainian drones.</p> <p>Russian sources <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/91088">reported</a> sustained air-defense activity, flashes in the sky and a column of smoke in one district. Some accounts said at least 30 explosions were heard over the city in the evening.</p> <p>Witnesses said the barrage in the sky continued for more than two hours. Residents reported the distinctive buzz of drone engines followed by the sounds of air-defense systems and distant blasts within the city limits.</p> <p>“The attack on Voronezh also involved ‘Chaklun-V’ drones with a 20-kilogram warhead and 6-millimeter ball-bearing shrapnel,” the SHOT channel wrote.</p> <p>Videos circulating on social media appear to show a fixed-wing drone slamming at high speed into a residential high-rise. Ukrainian sources claimed the aircraft may have been affected by Russian electronic warfare systems and then lost control.</p> <p>Voronezh region Governor Alexander Gusev <a href="https://t.me/gusev_36">said</a> air-defense units in the city and several districts intercepted and destroyed multiple drones. Preliminary information indicated two people were injured by falling debris.</p> <p>Officials also reported broken windows and facade damage at three residential apartment buildings and one building under construction. A fire broke out in one apartment.</p> <p>Russian military blogger Yuri Kotenok <a href="https://t.me/voenkorKotenok/69999">said</a> Voronezh came under a massive drone strike, calling it one of the most powerful raids since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. He said helicopters may have been used to repel the attack.</p> <p>Earlier, Russia accused Ukraine of using “Chaklun-V” strike drones in an alleged attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai. The head of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, handed U.S. officials electronic components from a Ukrainian drone that took part in the attack.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/explosions-rock-voronezh-as-russian-air-defenses-repel-one-of-the-city-s-largest-drone-attacks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/11/nato-warns-of-russian-espionage.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/11/nato-warns-of-russian-espionage.html <p>On January 11, 2026, NATO issued warnings to its personnel about increased espionage activity by suspected Russian agents targeting a budget hotel near its headquarters in Germany, roughly ten minutes from the key military base. The spies are reportedly using the hotel as a base to monitor NATO efforts supporting Ukraine during the ongoing conflict with Russia. Sources indicate that Russian intelligence operatives are engaging in surveillance and possibly attempting to recruit staff or visitors at the facility. NATO and Western security officials regard this espionage campaign as a major threat to European security. The warning underscores the persistent and evolving Russian intelligence threat close to NATO military installations in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/nato-warns-of-russian-spies-4145755">inews.co.uk/news/nato&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/5f102edc-b5b5-402f-9468-8d9c4ac61499">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russia-is-not-following-the.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 23:30:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russia-is-not-following-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d2cebd7ab3.jpg" alt="Russia is not following the agreements: what next? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XG9nY9IMHfw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/drones-targeting-putins-residence-kremlin.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:30:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/drones-targeting-putins-residence-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cd5cff79ae.jpg" alt="91 drones targeting Putin's residence? Kremlin invents absurd hoax #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fyoRmCmxHQ4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/when-did-russia-really-begin.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:14:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/when-did-russia-really-begin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-476129105.jpg" alt="When did Russia really begin its aggression against Ukraine?"></p><p>That's the question most of you probably answered instinctively: in 2014, when Vladimir Putin, exploiting political instability and the change of power in Ukraine following the Revolution of Dignity, annexed the Crimean Peninsula.</p><p>But what if I told you that Russia began attempting to seize Ukrainian <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/crimea/">Crimea</a> back</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/when-did-russia-really-begin-its-aggression-against-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/ukraines-military-confirms-strike-on.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:07:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/ukraines-military-confirms-strike-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/82fdc97c89.jpg" alt="Ukraine's military confirms strike on oil depot in Russia's Volgograd Oblast"></p>Ukrainian forces launched an overnight attack on an oil depot in Russia's Volgograd Oblast as part of efforts to reduce Moscow's offensive capabilities, Ukraine's General Staff said Jan. 10.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-military-confirms-strike-on-oil-depot-in-russias-volgograd-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/kremlin-in-panic-russians-shocked.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/kremlin-in-panic-russians-shocked.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/26c9277fa4.jpg" alt="KREMLIN IN PANIC! 🔥 Russians shocked by Zelenskyy, Trump cuts off oxygen!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai64HfvYMxI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/ukraine-air-defense-shoots-down.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 19:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/ukraine-air-defense-shoots-down.html <p>During a Russian attack, Ukraine’s air defenses destroyed a ballistic missile headed for Kharkiv, according to monitoring channels. They say this is the first such interception since the start of the full-scale invasion.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/jenya_zub_live_news/56969">A video</a> published online purports to show the ballistic missile being shot down over the city.</p> <p>Intercepting such targets had previously been considered technically impossible because the missiles’ flight time is only 40–90 seconds.</p> <p>Photos of missile debris that damaged a local dining establishment were also posted online.</p> <p>Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov <a href="https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/3355">said</a> an infrastructure facility in the Slobidskyi district was hit. He also <a href="https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/3356">reported</a> missile debris falling near apartment buildings.</p> <p>Oleh Synehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, <a href="https://t.me/synegubov/19462">said</a> there were no reports of casualties.</p> <p>On January 5, Russian forces carried out several missile strikes on Kharkiv’s Slobidskyi district. A reconnaissance drone adjusted the attack, after which an entire block was on fire.</p> <p>On January 2, Russian forces struck central Kharkiv. One of the Iskander missiles used in the attack hit a residential high-rise, almost completely destroying it.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-air-defense-shoots-down-russian-ballistic-missile-over-kharkiv-for-the-first-time">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/france-plans-to-station-troops.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 18:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/france-plans-to-station-troops.html <p>French President Emmanuel Macron has informed parliament of a plan to station 6,000 French troops in Ukraine after a peace agreement is concluded. The briefing followed a closed-door meeting at the Élysée Palace on January 8 that brought together ministers, the country’s military leadership, the heads of both parliamentary chambers, and party and faction leaders, French newspaper Le Monde <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2026/01/09/emmanuel-macron-tente-de-rallier-les-parlementaires-au-projet-de-coalition-des-volontaires-en-ukraine_6661120_823448.html">reported</a>.</p> <p>According to attendees, Macron shared confidential details of France’s contribution to security guarantees for Ukraine and stressed the troops would not operate on the front line.</p> <p>Chief of the General Staff Fabien Mandon said these would not be deterrence or stabilization forces, but “forces to support the Ukrainian army.”</p> <p>Macron added that foreign troops would be based “far from the front” and would focus on accompanying and training Ukrainian units.</p> <p>Mathilde Panot, leader of the France Unbowed group in the National Assembly, said France could send up to 6,000 soldiers but questioned the reliability of U.S. security guarantees.</p> <p>Some opposition figures, particularly on the left, argue that any deployment should occur only with a UN mandate. Representatives of right-wing parties noted that if Kyiv makes an official request, an international mandate may not be necessary.</p> <p>French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu said separate parliamentary debates on the issue will be held within two to three weeks.</p> <p>As previously reported, Macron held closed-door consultations with parliamentary parties at the Élysée about a possible deployment of several thousand French troops to Ukraine after a peace agreement with Russia.</p> <p>On January 6, Paris hosted a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, attended by 35 delegates from participating countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part alongside representatives of 27 states and governments.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/france-plans-to-station-6-000-troops-in-ukraine-after-peace-deal">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/complete-failure-of-the-russians.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 17:30:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/complete-failure-of-the-russians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d2211a1762.jpg" alt="Complete failure of the Russians on the Pokrovsk front! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BKYnf4Vriu8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/ampquotrussia-is-the-source-of.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 17:21:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/ampquotrussia-is-the-source-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0b474abfe0.jpg" alt="⚡️ &quot;Russia is the source of this war and deserves all retaliatory strikes and pressure,&quot; – Zelenskyy"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_Jc5CT1V_xM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/kremlin-collapse-ukraine-intelligence-scams.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 17:01:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/kremlin-collapse-ukraine-intelligence-scams.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/52ce637c70.jpg" alt="2026 KREMLIN COLLAPSE! Ukraine intelligence scams FSB $500K sting as Trump seizes Russian tankers"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG3r4x-wbyw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russias-parallel-imports-slump-by.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 17:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russias-parallel-imports-slump-by.html <p>Parallel imports, launched by Russian authorities as an emergency measure after sanctions were imposed, are steadily shrinking in 2025.</p> <p>The mechanism that had allowed Russia’s economy to receive products from departing Western companies is rapidly winding down.</p> <p>The volume of such shipments fell by nearly half in 2025, <a href="https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/01/09/mer-kieva-prizval-zhitelei-uezzhat-iz-goroda-iz-za-rossiiskih-udarov-po-sisteme-otopleniya-a184191">The Moscow Times reports</a>, citing comments Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov made to Russian media.</p> <p>From January to November 2025, Russia imported $20.9 billion worth of goods without rights holders’ permission—down 45% from the same period in 2024, when parallel imports totaled $37.9 billion.</p> <p>Monthly flows have also weakened. In the early months of the mechanism, volumes reached up to $4 billion a month; by the end of 2025, they had dropped to about $2 billion.</p> <p>As a result, the initial 2025 forecast of $25 billion no longer looks realistic, with a clear trend toward significant declines, the minister said.</p> <p>One factor behind the decrease is the government’s decision to revise the list of goods allowed under parallel import. Last year, cosmetics and perfumes from countries deemed “unfriendly” to the Kremlin were removed.</p> <p>In addition, the Industry and Trade Ministry announced a phased removal of clothing and household appliances, which, according to Russian authorities, can be replaced by supplies from “friendly” countries or by domestic alternatives.</p> <p>Importers faced added hurdles late in the year after Russian President Vladimir Putin called to “legalize” goods flowing through Kazakhstan. Customs authorities gained the right to confiscate shipments lacking full documentation.</p> <p>Tighter controls led to stepped-up inspections at the border and miles-long queues.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-parallel-imports-slump-by-half-amid-tighter-controls-and-kazakhstan-border-delays">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/ukraine-holds-northern-pokrovsk-and.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:30:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/ukraine-holds-northern-pokrovsk-and.html <p>Russian forces have been trying to seize the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region for more than 17 months, but Ukrainian troops are holding their positions.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Forces are holding the northern part of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region and control Myrnohrad, the Armed Forces’ “East” grouping said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122142203438972946&set=a.122105018414972946">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>According to the “East” grouping, Ukrainian defenders are conducting search-and-assault operations in Pokrovsk, and say they are eliminating Russian occupiers on the outskirts of Myrnohrad.</p> <p>Units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces in the “East” grouping’s area of responsibility repelled 65 Russian assaults on January 9, 2026, 43 of them on the Pokrovsk axis. Fighting around Pokrovsk took place near Razino, Shakhove, Nikanorivka, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Filiia and other settlements. On this axis, the Russian army suffered 60 irrecoverable losses, the grouping said.</p> <p>On the Pokrovsk axis, the Russians also lost a tank, a multiple launch rocket system, five vehicles and 68 drones. Ukrainian troops struck six Russian personnel shelters. Overall, in the “East” grouping’s area over the past day, Russian forces lost 250 personnel, a tank, 1,130 drones of various types and 50 other pieces of weaponry and equipment. Ukrainian forces also hit 37 Russian UAV crews, the statement reads.</p> <p>One of the main challenges for Ukraine’s Defense Forces on the Pokrovsk axis is logistics. Russian forces are trying to cut supply and evacuation routes, heavily using drones to do so. Ukrainian troops are establishing new logistics routes into Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.</p> <p>In early December 2025, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported to Vladimir Putin that its forces had fully captured Pokrovsk. That proved to be another false claim by the ministry.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-holds-northern-pokrovsk-and-controls-myrnohrad-east-grouping-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russia-strikes-energy-sector-kryvyi.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:24:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russia-strikes-energy-sector-kryvyi.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/91997b5cb1.jpg" alt="Russia strikes energy sector: Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro under attack by drones #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pzCvHURiHo0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russia-joins-china-iran-for.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:17:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russia-joins-china-iran-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254774345.jpg" alt="Russia joins China, Iran for naval drills in South Africa"></p><p>South Africa held on Jan. 10 the opening ceremony for Chinese-led naval exercises taking place in South African waters until Jan. 16., Bloomberg reported. </p><p>Russia, Iran, China and South Africa are <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-10/iran-and-russia-join-naval-drills-off-south-african-coast">participating in the drills</a>, called "Will for Peace 2026," with Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia joining as</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-joins-china-iran-for-naval-drills-in-south-africa/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russia-has-lost-generals-in.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russia-has-lost-generals-in.html <p>At least 19 Russian generals have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to open-source data and reports from Russian and Ukrainian sources, reports <a href="https://theins.ru/news/288179">the Insider</a>. Not all of the deaths have been officially confirmed by Moscow.</p> <p>Losses among senior command have been recorded both at the front and in the rear — including strikes on headquarters, aviation incidents, sabotage, and explosions inside Russia. Several generals were killed by sniper or artillery fire in the early months of the war.</p> <p>In 2022, the deaths of Generals Andrei Sukhovetsky, Oleg Mityaev, Vladimir Frolov, Andrei Simonov, Kanamat Botashev, and Roman Kutuzov became known. In subsequent years, the list grew to include Sergei Goryachev, Oleg Tsokov, Vladimir Zavadsky, and others.</p> <p>In 2024 and 2025, those killed included Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops; Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate; Mikhail Gudkov, deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy; and Fanil Sarvarov, head of the General Staff’s Operational Training Directorate, who was killed by a car bomb in Moscow.</p> <p>Some of those killed were retired at the time of their deaths or were serving in volunteer and assault formations, including “Storm Z” units and private military companies.</p> <p>Full list, in chronological order</p> <p>- Andrei Sukhovetsky — Major General</p> <p>Deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army. Killed on February 28, 2022, in Chernihiv region — reportedly shot by a sniper. He was the first general whose death was confirmed by the Russian side.</p> <p>- Oleg Mityaev - Major General</p> <p>Commander of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division. Believed to have been killed during the battle for Mariupol in spring 2022. Ukraine’s Azov Battalion claimed responsibility; the information was partly corroborated by pro-war sources in Russia.</p> <p>- Vladimir Frolov - Major General</p> <p>Deputy commander of the 8th Combined Arms Army. Killed on March 10, 2022, in Mariupol, officially said to be by sniper fire.</p> <p>- Andrei Simonov -Major General</p> <p>Head of electronic warfare troops of the Western Military District. Reportedly killed on April 30, 2022, after an artillery strike on a command post near Izium in Kharkiv region.</p> <p>- Kanamat Botashev - Major General (ret.)</p> <p>After leaving service, took part in combat with the Wagner PMC. His Su-25 aircraft was shot down by Ukrainian forces on May 22, 2022; his death was acknowledged by Russian authorities.</p> <p>- Roman Kutuzov - Lieutenant General</p> <p>Chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 8th Combined Arms Army. Killed on June 5, 2022, near Popasna in Luhansk region. His death was officially confirmed.</p> <p>- Dmitry Ulyanov — Major General (ret.)</p> <p>Commanded a regiment formed from mobilized men in Tatarstan. Killed on February 6, 2023.</p> <p>- Sergei Goryachev - Major General</p> <p>Chief of staff of the 35th Combined Arms Army. Killed on June 12, 2023, after a strike on the army headquarters in Prymorsk during Ukraine’s counteroffensive.</p> <p>- Oleg Tsokov - Lieutenant General</p> <p>Deputy commander of the Southern Military District. Killed on July 11, 2023, in a strike on a backup command post of the 58th Army in Berdyansk.</p> <p>- Vladimir Zavadsky - Major General</p> <p>Deputy commander of the 14th Army Corps. Killed on November 28, 2023, near the village of Krynky in Kherson region — either by a mine explosion or shelling, according to differing accounts.</p> <p>- Igor Trifonov - Major General of Police (stripped of rank)</p> <p>Former head of the Yekaterinburg city police, previously convicted of bribery. Killed in combat on December 12, 2023, according to Russian sources.</p> <p>- Andrei Golovatsky - Major General (ret.)</p> <p>Previously served as first deputy chief of staff of the North Caucasus Regional Command of the Interior Troops of the Interior Ministry. Killed on June 30, 2024.</p> <p>- Ildar Saidov - Major General of the Customs Service</p> <p>After mobilization, was assigned to the “Storm Z” assault unit. Killed on September 14, 2024.</p> <p>- Pavel Klimenko - Major General</p> <p>Commander of the 5th Guards Brigade. Killed on November 6, 2024; his death was officially confirmed.</p> <p>- Igor Kirillov - Lieutenant General</p> <p>Chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops. Killed on December 17, 2024, in an explosion on Ryazansky Prospekt in Moscow; his driver also died.</p> <p>- Konstantin Smeshko -Major General</p> <p>Died on December 26, 2024, inside Russia. Circumstances were not officially disclosed; reports mentioned either an airstrike or a HIMARS strike.</p> <p>- Yaroslav Moskalik -Lieutenant General</p> <p>Deputy chief of the General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate. Killed on April 25, 2025, in an explosion on Russian territory.</p> <p>- Mikhail Gudkov - Guards Major General</p> <p>Deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy. Ukrainian media reported he was killed in a missile strike on July 2, 2025; Russia said he died “while carrying out a combat mission” in Kursk region.</p> <p>- Fanil Sarvarov - Lieutenant General</p> <p>Head of the General Staff’s Operational Training Directorate. Killed on December 22, 2025, when a car rigged with explosives detonated in Moscow. His death was officially confirmed.</p> <p>Also in 2022, reports claimed Major General Kolesnikov had been killed; however, in 2023 TV host and propagandist Vladimir Solovyov aired what he said was a fresh report from Syria featuring Kolesnikov, who had taken the post of deputy commander of the Russian grouping there.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-has-lost-19-generals-in-the-war-with-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russian-officers-and-kadyrovs-fighters.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russian-officers-and-kadyrovs-fighters.html <p>Officers from the Russian Armed Forces’ 291st Guards Motor Rifle Regiment, working with the Chechen “Akhmat-Vostok” battalion, set up an arms-smuggling route through annexed Crimea, according to hacked correspondence published by the OSINT community <a href="https://informnapalm.org/53638-vostok-ahmat-291-polk-kontrabanda">InformNapalm</a>.</p> <p>The Ukrainian hacker group “256th Cyber Assault Division” says it breached the messages of several Russian officers, including Maj. Yevgeny Dmitriev. Previously convicted of drug distribution, he signed a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry and became a platoon commander in the “Storm V” penal units.</p> <p>According to the materials, Dmitriev organized the resale of small arms from occupied areas of Ukraine’s Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions via Crimea. The weapons, moved onto the black market in various parts of Russia as well as to countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, were transported in some cases on tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Arms for sale were procured in several ways:</p> <p>- inflating the number of weapons reported lost during assaults;</p> <p>- sending soldiers into attacks without their assigned rifles-troops were told to “take a weapon in battle,” while their rifles were written off on paper.</p> <p>Dmitriev allegedly oversaw a network of checkpoint patrols that let the weapons shipments pass freely. He also began working with Kadyrov’s “Akhmat” fighters to benefit from their privileges—for example, getting advance word of inspections by the FSB.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-officers-and-kadyrov-s-fighters-ran-arms-smuggling-through-crimea-hacked-messages-suggest">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/ukraine-says-it-hit-volgograd.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:54:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/ukraine-says-it-hit-volgograd.html <p>Ukraine’s military struck an oil depot in Russia’s Volgograd region and a series of high-value targets in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine overnight into Saturday, <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/33616">reported</a> the General Staff.</p> <p>“As part of measures to reduce the offensive capabilities of the Russian aggressor… units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the Zhutovskaya oil depot (Oktyabrsky district, Volgograd region, Russia), which is used to supply fuel to occupying forces. The target was hit. The extent of the damage is being clarified,” the statement reads.</p> <p>In addition, on the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Zaporizhzhia region, a drone warehouse belonging to a unit of Russia’s 19th Motorized Rifle Division was hit. A strike also targeted a Russian UAV command post near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff said several other targets were hit on the TOT of Donetsk region:</p> <p>- a concentration of personnel from the 76th Air Assault Division (Kurakhivka);</p> <p>- a command-and-observation post of a tank battalion from the same division (Hirnyk);</p> <p>- a command post of a unit from the 41st Army (Hirnyk).</p> <p>“In all cases, strike UAVs were recorded hitting their targets. Enemy losses are being clarified,” the General Staff added.</p> <p>Earlier Saturday, reports said drones attacked an oil depot in Russia’s Volgograd region, sparking a fire - accounts that appeared both on social media from residents and from the region’s governor, Andrei Bocharov.</p> <p>Overnight on January 6, Ukraine’s forces struck a GRAU arsenal in Russia’s Kostroma region, the Herkon Plus oil depot in the Lipetsk region, and several other key targets, officials said.</p> <p>Russia later reported how many drones attacked during the night.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-hit-volgograd-oil-depot-and-high-value-targets-in-occupied-territories">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russian-cargo-flights-to-tehran.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russian-cargo-flights-to-tehran.html <p>Russian military transport aircraft have begun making regular flights to Tehran amid mass protests in Iran that have continued since late December and pose a threat to the current regime, the specialized outlet Air Cargo Week <a href="https://aircargoweek.com/heavy-airlift-flights-in-operation-between-russia-and-iran/">reports</a>.</p> <p>According to the publication, between December 27, 2025, and January 1, 2026, Il-76TD aircraft operating under civilian cover made repeated trips to Tehran, charting routes that bypass NATO-controlled airspace. Journalists note this does not appear to be a series of ad hoc charter flights but a targeted logistics operation, citing the repeated use of the same aircraft and a clear prioritization of speed over cost efficiency.</p> <p>Reporters suggest Russia may be providing Iran with military-technical support and preparing for a possible scenario involving the evacuation of the country’s top leadership, potentially including the removal of gold. The outlet assesses that Moscow played a similar role during the flight of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.</p> <p>Mass protests in Iran erupted on December 28 after the rial plunged to a record low and amid a deteriorating socio-economic situation.</p> <p>Around the same time, reports emerged that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might be preparing to flee to Russia. UK Member of Parliament Tom Tugendhat said there were indications that significant quantities of gold were being flown out of the country on Russian aircraft.</p> <p>“We are seeing Russian cargo planes arriving in Tehran, likely with weapons and ammunition, and we are also hearing reports of large amounts of gold being taken out of Iran,” he said.</p> <p>Bashar al-Assad also reportedly fled to Moscow with a cargo of gold after Putin failed in late 2024 to protect him from an armed opposition uprising.</p> <p>Protests that began in late 2025 over an economic crisis, inflation of about 50% and the devaluation of the national currency have evolved into political demonstrations demanding the resignation of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. According to available information, demonstrations have spread to 27 of the country’s 31 provinces.</p> <p>According to the Human Rights News Agency, at least 42 people have been killed since the protests began, and around 2,200 demonstrators have been arrested.</p> <p>On January 7, Fox News, citing the National Council of Resistance of Iran, reported that two cities - Abdanan and Malekshahi - had come under the control of protesters.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-cargo-flights-to-tehran-amid-protests-spur-claims-iran-is-moving-gold-to-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/how-putin-began-taking-crimea.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 14:02:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/how-putin-began-taking-crimea.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/war-before-the-war-1-7-1-.jpg" alt="How Putin began taking Crimea long before 2014"></p>Russia’s takeover of Crimea did not begin in 2014. In the first part of a new documentary, The Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigation Unit looks at how Russia began moving to seize the peninsula immediately after Ukraine gained independence in 1991.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-putin-began-taking-crimea-long-before-2014/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/plane-downed-general-walks-free.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 14:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/plane-downed-general-walks-free.html <p>Moscow has quietly closed the criminal case into the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) civilian jet over Chechnya by Russian air defenses - without holding accountable the Russian general who allegedly gave the order to fire.</p> <p>Azerbaijan never received the thorough investigation it sought from Moscow. The probe was shuttered out of public view, and the Russian Armed Forces general who reportedly ordered the strike on the civilian aircraft has faced no consequences, reports the Azerbaijani outlet <a href="https://minval.az/news/124510158">Minval Politika</a>.</p> <p>Minval Politika reports that on September 2, 2025, a formal “special meeting” on the AZAL case was convened under the leadership of the commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Among those present, it says, was Maj. Gen. Alexander Tolopilo, first deputy commander of the 11th Air and Air Defense Army - identified as the official who had allegedly authorized the strike on the civilian jet. The discussions focused not on accountability for the shootdown but on technical steps to improve coordination during “Kover” operations, a codename used for air-defense lockdowns.</p> <p>According to the report, Tolopilo not only kept his position but was allowed to take part in the meeting and even delivered a briefing. He appears to have faced neither criminal nor disciplinary penalties over the downing of the civilian aircraft.</p> <p>Minval Politika says all internal reviews and investigations involving Tolopilo have been halted. The key figure in the tragedy was effectively shielded before Russia’s top leadership publicly pledged to get to the bottom of what happened.</p> <p>Notably, in October of last year in Dushanbe, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that the investigation would be completed and those responsible would be punished. By that point, however, all accusations against Tolopilo had already been dropped, Minval Politika reported.</p> <p>The AZAL disaster occurred on December 25, 2024, killing 38 people. The plane was hit over Chechnya by a Russian air-defense system, then managed to reach Aktau, where it crashed due to extensive damage.</p> <p>Aliyev publicly stated that Russia bears responsibility for the tragedy. It was only in October 2025 that Putin first acknowledged the aircraft had been damaged by Russian air defenses and promised compensation to victims’ families. Those promises have yet to be fulfilled.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/plane-downed-general-walks-free-russia-quietly-closes-azal-shootdown-case">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 09:52:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/attack.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 2, injure 15 in Ukraine over past day"></p>Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting 94 of the 121 drones launched by Russia overnight. Russia also launched one ballistic missile from its Kursk region.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-kill-2-injure-15-in-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/we-can-smuggle-even-nukes.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:38:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/we-can-smuggle-even-nukes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/371a30bad6.jpg" alt="“We can smuggle even nukes”: Russian officers from the 291st Regiment and Vostok-Akhmat establish weapons smuggling channel through Crimea"></p><p><img width="300" height="157" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a8ad1ebab4.jpg" alt=""></p><p>The Ukrainian hacktivist group <a href="https://t.me/CyberAssault"><b>256 Cyber Assault Division,</b></a> in cooperation with <a href="https://linktr.ee/informnapalm"><b>InformNapalm volunteer intelligence community</b></a> conducted another CYBINT operation obtaining important intelligence for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.</p> <p>The public portion of this study focuses on exposing the supply chains of contraband weapons from the war zone to temporarily occupied Crimea. The peninsula, in turn, functions as a logistics hub for the further transfer of weapons to black markets in regions of the Russian Federation, as well as to countries in Europe, Western Asia, and Africa. These transfers reportedly involve Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers.</p> <p>During the operation, accounts belonging to several Russian officers were compromised, including that of Major Yevgeny Dmitriev, a platoon commander in a Storm V assault company of the 291st Motorized Rifle Regiment (MRR), part of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army, currently operating on the Zaporizhzhia axis.</p> <p>The investigation uncovered direct cooperation between Russian army officers and representatives of Kadyrov’s Vostok-Akhmat battalion in the illegal arms trade.</p> <p>Following the account breaches, Ukrainian hacktivists also carried out a successful social engineering operation. Posing as a Russian army major, they manipulated administrators of the pro-war Telegram channel Two Majors, persuading them to transfer funds collected for the 291st Regiment to the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (see video at the end of this report).</p> <p>Read more below.</p> <h2>Background: weapons black market of the so-called “special military operation”</h2> <p>Weapons trafficking is a persistent feature of the Russian state system, which throughout its recent history has repeatedly waged localized wars of aggression. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine significantly expanded both the scale of illicit arms circulation and the number of actors involved.</p> <p>Weapons trafficking is a typical phenomenon for Russia, which throughout its recent history, has constantly waged localized wars of aggression. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine significantly expanded both the scale of illicit arms circulation and the number of actors involved. The Global Organized Crime Index <a href="https://ocindex.net/assets/downloads/2025/english/ocindex_profile_russia_2025.pdf">shows</a> that corrupt officials in Russian law enforcement agencies facilitate the movement of contraband weapons both domestically and to countries in Europe, Western Asia and Africa.</p> <p>Experts note that after nearly four years of full-scale war, occupied Crimea has emerged as the primary and relatively safe transit hub for weapons from the front lines.</p> <p>Following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow on March 22, 2024, even the pro-war Telegram channel Grey Zone, associated with the Wagner PMC, indirectly acknowledged the role of Kadyrov’s Akhmat units in organizing uncontrolled weapons flows from the front (<a href="https://archive.is/uMVwA">archived posting</a>). The channel suggested that although Russia’s FSB military counterintelligence is aware of the situation, it remains unable to intervene due to the political influence and protection afforded to Ramzan Kadyrov.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/004.png"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/004.png" alt="" width="2431" height="1427"></a></p> <p><i>Illustrative photo. Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, Sharip Delimkhanov, commander of the Russian National Guard in Chechnya, and Viktor Zolotov, director of the Russian National Guard.</i></p> <p> </p> <h2>Weapons trafficking routes intelligence findings</h2> <p>Data obtained through CYBINT operations indicate that Russian military personnel have established stable channels for smuggling weapons from frontline positions through the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts into occupied Crimea. The scheme relies on the duty schedules of specific Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) units at checkpoints along the R-280 highway on the Berdyansk–Melitopol–Chongar–Simferopol route. Depending on prior arrangements, Rosgvardia personnel either allow suspicious cargo to pass without inspection (for regular and “trusted” clients) or, for a fee, deliberately ignore discrepancies between transport documents and the actual cargo.</p> <p>Coordination of these schemes is attributed to officers of the 46th Operational Brigade, a formation reportedly composed almost entirely of natives of Chechnya and Dagestan. The main base of these Caucasus-origin units ine the occupied territory is located in Askania-Nova and nearby settlements in Kherson Oblast, while command personnel are also stationed in Ilyinka, Novotroitske, Chaplynka, and Kalanchak.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Why Akhmat destroyed Espanola</h2> <p>As background, it is important to note that Kadyrov-affiliated groups faced competition in the illicit arms market from the Russian formation known as Espanola, composed primarily of football ultras and far-right radicals.</p> <p>In December 2025, the group’s founder and leader, Stanislav Orlov (call sign Spaniard), was shot dead at his dacha near Sevastopol. The killing was most likely linked to conflicts with rival criminal groups and law enforcement actors over control of weapons trafficking routes from the war zone through occupied Crimea.</p> <p>In particular, Espanola exploited the designation of humanitarian and volunteer convoys to avoid thorough inspections at checkpoints.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Major Dmitriev as a source of intelligence</h2> <p>The scheme can be illustrated using the case of Major Yevgeny Nikolaevich Dmitriev, one of many Russian officers actively involved in arms smuggling in cooperation with Kadyrov’s forces. Dmitriev served as a platoon commander in a Storm V assault company of the 291st MRR, which took part in combat operations on the Zaporizhzhia axis.</p> <p>Dmitriev was born on December 26, 1983 in the village of Krasnogvardeyskoye, Stavropol Krai, Russia. The last time he visited his parents was in June 2025 during his leave. His own residence is registered in Stavropol at the address: 77 Dovatortsev Street, Bldg. 1, Apt. 29. His personal military service number is Х-648025. He uses the following phone numbers: 7(962)4347515, 7(961)4957515 and 7(949)9866262. Email: dmitriev_ev83@bk.ru.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/006-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/006-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="960"></a></p> <p><i>Photo: Major Dmitriev (center) after receiving the Assault Cross commemorative badge from the 58th Army command.</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/007-dmitriev-pic-0.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/007-dmitriev-pic-0.jpg" alt="" width="1292" height="672"></a></p> <p><em>Location of Dmitriev’s Stavropol apartment and application to get his military service pay through Promsvyazbank.</em></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/008-dmitriev-pic-0.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/008-dmitriev-pic-0.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="930"></a></p> <p><i>Dmitriev’s passport and driver’s license.</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/009-dmitriev-pic-0.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/009-dmitriev-pic-0.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="1080"></a></p> <p><i>Major Dmitriev during treatment in a hospital.</i></p> <p>Dmitriev got to the war zone after serving part of his term in a maximum security penal colony. He was sentenced in August 2023 by a Vladikavkaz court for large-scale narcotic drugs trafficking.</p> <p>The major not only sold but also took psychostimulants himself. Court-appointed expert assessments diagnosed him with mental and behavioral disorders resulting from substance abuse. According to case materials, he received 1,000 rubles per drug stash placed. This criminal background provides a clear prelude to his later involvement in arms smuggling after signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/010-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/010-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="955"></a> <a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/011-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/011-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="868" height="1011"></a></p> <p><i>Dmitriev’s criminal case materials</i></p> <p>To avoid further imprisonment, Dmitriev volunteered for military service and signed a two-year contract with the Russian army from May 31, 2024 to May 30, 2026, receiving a position as platoon commander in a penal Storm V assault unit.</p> <p>Initial draft office records mistakenly listed his rank as senior lieutenant, but this error was later corrected upon discovery of promotion orders dating back to 2017, confirming his rank of major.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/012-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/012-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1182" height="857"></a></p> <p><i>Information about the first contract and an extract from the promotion order confirming Dmitriev’s military rank of major.</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/013-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/013-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="960"></a> <a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/013-1-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/013-1-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="960"></a></p> <p><i>Dmitriev’s officer ID card.</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/014-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/014-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1409" height="842"></a></p> <p><i>Examples of debt notices and one of Dmitriev’s latest debt collection writs.</i></p> <p>Dmitriev is not officially married but provides financial support for two children. His participation in the war of aggression against Ukraine secured preferential college admission for his son Zakhar (born 2010), as a dependent of a deployed serviceman.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/015-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/015-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="428" height="337"></a></p> <p><i>Information on family status from Dmitriev’s questionnaire, line 7 says “not married, supports 2 children”.</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/016-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/016-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="516" height="346"></a></p> <p><i>Certificate from the Ministry of Defense confirming college enrollment benefits for Zakhar, as son of a war-zone deployed serviceman.</i></p> <p> </p> <h2>291st Regiment realities of war and a video from Major Dmitriev’s phone</h2> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/018-kontrabas-ak-map-.png"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/018-kontrabas-ak-map-.png" alt="" width="1024" height="768"></a></p> <p>CYBINT intercepts indicate that the 291st MRR, including Dmitriev’s assault company, has been operating primarily on the Zaporizhzhia axis near Orikhiv, Tokmak, and Robotyne, as part of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Army, within Russia’s Dnepr group of forces.</p> <p>In 2023–2024, the regiment was among the main Russian units engaged in fighting around Robotyne. Prolonged frontal assaults, with positions repeatedly changing hands, effectively destroyed the regiment’s personnel several times over. As of 2025, the unit continues operations near Orikhiv, mostly limited to holding positions and conducting localized assaults characterized by heavy KIA and WIA losses without meaningful territorial gains.</p> <p>The regiment’s permanent base (military unit 43057) is located in Vladikavkaz, Republic of North Ossetia–Alania. Its temporary deployment base is in the occupied village of Dunayivka, Pryazovske district, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.</p> <p>Intercepted communications contain numerous complaints about the regiment’s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Anton Godin (born 1987), described by subordinates as corrupt and a “cynical butcher” indifferent to personnel losses. Despite chronic manpower shortages, Godin reportedly ordered repeated localized assaults with no tactical justification and predictably high casualties.</p> <p>In correspondence with acquaintances, Dmitriev characterized Godin as a self-serving careerist whose sole concern was pleasing his superiors, shifting blame downward, and producing shiny reports at any cost.</p> <p><a href="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/019-година-291-мсп.jpg"><img src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/019-година-291-мсп.jpg" alt="" width="385" height="560"></a></p> <p><i>Anton Godin</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/019-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/019-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="1304"></a></p> <p><i>Training evaluation report declaring the assault company “NOT combat ready”.</i></p> <p>Following training exercises, Dmitriev’s company received an official assessment deeming it unfit for assault operations. Nevertheless, the regiment’s command disregarded the evaluation and immediately deployed the unit into combat, once again demonstrating that for the Russian command, personnel are treated as expendable.</p> <p>As a platoon commander, Dmitriev himself showed little regard for losses and complied with orders. Even so, in private communications he occasionally expressed shock at the cruelty of his superiors.</p> <p>In a video message sent to an acquaintance from the Akhmat-Vostok battalion, Dmitriev described a situation so dire that one soldier was sent on an assault mission riding a motorcycle while wearing an Ilizarov apparatus — an external fixation device used to treat severe fractures when conventional immobilization is no longer possible.</p> <div><br> <video width="978" height="978" controls="controls" preload="none"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/VID-20241221-end-of-video-s-aparatom-elizarova-na-shturm.mp4?_=1"><a href="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/VID-20241221-end-of-video-s-aparatom-elizarova-na-shturm.mp4">https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/VID-20241221-end-of-video-s-aparatom-elizarova-na-shturm.mp4</a></video></div> <p>In addition to numerous videos recorded by himself, Dmitriev also stored a collection of interrogation recordings of captured Russian servicemen in his cloud storage. Among them is a video featuring Mikhail Nikolaenko, apparently an acquaintance of his. In the recording, the prisoner of war calmly recounts how, during an advance toward a trench, only two out of twelve Russian soldiers survived in a forest belt. The others were killed not by Ukrainian fire, but by their own fellow servicemen—shot in the back to prevent any attempt at retreat.</p> <div><video width="978" height="1204" controls="controls" preload="none"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/otbival-srok-sviditelstvo.mp4?_=2"><a href="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/otbival-srok-sviditelstvo.mp4">https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/otbival-srok-sviditelstvo.mp4</a></video></div> <p>However, let us get back to the weapons smuggling scheme. </p> <p>Primary sourcing begins with Russian officers commanding assault units on the front line. It is common practice for them to deliberately inflate reported losses of small arms during assaults. At the same time, some soldiers are sent into attacks without standard-issue weapons, sometimes being told to “win their weapons in combat.” Firearms left on positions are subsequently written off as lost and diverted into illicit circulation. The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces <a href="https://zn.ua/war/shturmy-bez-oruzhija-tjazhelye-narkotiki-i-nastuplenie-po-telam-svoikh-voennykh-boets-sso-rasskazal-kak-vahnerovtsy-vojujut-v-bakhmute.html">reported</a> such Russian “bare-handed” attacks.</p> <p>Another frequent source involves weapons and ammunition found or seized in no-man’s-land along the line of contact, which are deliberately not reported. Most often, these are weapons taken from the bodies of soldiers from neighboring units. Recent radio intercepts from the Russian 291st MRR further confirm that sending troops into assaults with minimal or no ammunition has long been standard practice there.</p> <p>There is little material documenting Major Dmitriev’s personal combat experience as a platoon commander. Among hundreds of photographs stored on his phone, not a single one was taken from an active combat position. Instead, there are dozens of images from rear areas—in dugouts, shelters, or even in a toilet—where he poses in newly issued body armor.</p> <p>For Dmitriev, the war appears to be a backdrop for selfies rather than a risk shared with subordinates who are thoughtlessly “erased” in assaults. It should be noted, however, that he did sustain a minor wound and was hospitalized.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/020-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/020-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="640"></a></p> <p><i>Major Dmitriev’s selfie session</i></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/021-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/021-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800"></a></p> <p><i>Major Dmitriev’s wound report issued by a military medical commission and a photo of his injury</i></p> <p> </p> <h2>Akhmat-Vostok and the road to Crimea</h2> <p>Intercepted correspondence does not reveal where exactly Dmitriev first established contact with his Kadyrovite accomplices—whether in prison, at unit headquarters, during regular sauna visits with prostitutes, or while undergoing treatment at the 1472nd Naval Hospital in Sevastopol. What is known is that by the summer of 2024, Major Dmitriev had begun active cooperation with fighters from the Akhmat-Vostok battalion.</p> <p>Beyond financial motives, Dmitriev was attracted by the security guarantees such cooperation offered. Through corrupt connections, Kadyrov’s men could provide advance warnings about snap inspections and “shadow shopping” raids conducted by military counterintelligence, the FSB, or the Investigative Committee—agencies that routinely operate in the area searching for illicit arms dealers.</p> <p>Likewise, Kadyrov’s men and their accomplices among Russian military officers do not fear enhanced inspections of military transport at the administrative border between the temporarily occupied Kherson Oblast and Crimea. As a rule, they enjoy prearranged “green corridors.”</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/022-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/022-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="900"></a> <a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/023-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/023-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="914"></a> <a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/024-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/024-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="1078"></a></p> <p><i>Major Dmitriev and his friends from the North Caucasus</i></p> <p> </p> <h2>Weapons trafficking scheme: “We can smuggle even nukes”</h2> <p>Dmitriev’s correspondence reveals that his primary contact for weapons sales was Nazir Radzhabov, a member of the Vostok-Akhmat battalion.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/025-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/025-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="963"></a></p> <p><i>Radzhabov with Dmitriev; Radzhabov during his service in the Russian National Guard in Grozny prior to the full-scale invasion</i></p> <p>Notably, in 2024, Vostok-Akhmat commander Vakha “Askhab” Khambulatov—formerly Ramzan Kadyrov’s personal bodyguard—was <a href="https://t.me/sotaproject/72752">implicated in an incident</a> at the entrance to temporarily occupied Melitopol. Kadyrov’s men openly assaulted military police officers at a checkpoint and threatened them with weapons. Such deliberately provocative behavior appears designed to intimidate military police and facilitate the unchecked passage of vehicles carrying illegal weapons.</p> <p><a href="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/026-ваха-ахмат-восток.jpeg"><img src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/026-ваха-ахмат-восток.jpeg" alt="" width="620" height="444"></a></p> <p><i>Commander of the Vostok-Akhmat battalion Vakha Khambulatov and Ramzan Kadyrov</i></p> <p>Below is an excerpt from correspondence between Radzhabov and Dmitriev. Dmitriev handed over the weapons either to Radzhabov himself or to his trusted persons, for example, the commander of the Vostok-Akhmat reconnaissance platoon, Ali “Nokhcho” Osmayev.</p> <p>One particularly revealing message from Radzhabov reads: <b>“Bro, we can smuggle even nukes, if we have to”.</b></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/027-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/027-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="983"></a></p> <p><i>Screenshots of messaging between Radzhabov and Dmitriev</i></p> <p>These exchanges continued throughout the year. During this period, Dmitriev’s financial situation visibly improved: he purchased expensive clothing and other high-value items. Throughout the entire “partnership” with Radzhabov, weapons transfers were suspended only a few times—specifically after insider warnings about intensified FSB inspections.</p> <p>Active combat operations greatly facilitated fraudulent write-offs. For example, on June 11, 2024, Dmitriev received ten AK-12 rifles with ammunition for his unit. By June 25, he formally returned only three AK-12s and one captured AK-74, leaving six new assault rifles “written off” and available for illicit sale.</p> <p>He also shared proceeds with accomplices: the acting head of the weapons and ordnance service, D. Timoshin, received $200 per rifle, while the warehouse chief, D. Rovensky, received $50 per weapon.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/028-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/028-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="960"></a></p> <p><i>Internal weapons transfer documentation</i></p> <p>This stage of Major Dmitriev’s “service” ended in May 2025, when he was transferred from the assault company of the 291st MRR (military unit 43057) to military unit 41830 in the village of Terpinnia, Melitopol district, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Shortly thereafter, he was reassigned as head of the 121st Military Investigative Department of the Russian Investigative Committee in temporarily occupied Donetsk—his current duty station.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/029-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/029-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="1457"></a></p> <p><i>Dmitriev’s proof of employment at the Investigative Committee of Russia in occupied Donetsk.</i></p> <p>The scale of the weapons trafficking in the Russian army is significant. Some smugglers even get caught. Thus, following tip-offs to the FSB from “concerned citizens,” a large-scale raid took place on December 12, 2025, when the FSB, police, and the Russian National Guard <a href="https://archive.ph/ZrzZp">detained 169 individuals</a> from 53 regions of Russia involved in illegal arms trafficking. Among the items seized were machine guns, assault rifles, grenade launchers, marksman rifles, mines, approximately 220,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as large quantities of TNT and gunpowder.</p> <p>According to the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, the first half of 2025 saw a record surge in crime, with over 27,000 registered offenses, compared to 23,700 during the same period in 2024. Regions bordering territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russian forces lead this trend.</p> <p>Major Dmitriev and his accomplices from Vostok-Akhmat were not detained during that operation. Their reckoning still lies ahead. Nevertheless, Dmitriev has already completed another task that may seriously complicate his future service.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Epilogue: hijacking a fundraiser</h2> <p>Ukrainian hacktivists from the 256th Cyber Assault Division used Major Dmitriev as an unwitting tool to hijack a fundraiser run by Two Majors, a Russian pro-war Telegram channel with over one million subscribers.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/030-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/030-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="935"></a></p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/031-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/031-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="1234"></a></p> <p><i>Correspondence with Dmitriev before this publication</i></p> <p>Hacktivists took advantage of the <a href="https://archive.is/OpabU">fundraiser request function on Two Majors</a> on behalf of the Russian 291st MRR and contacted the admins posing as Major Dmitriev, who later “helped” to channel the funds to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.</p> <p><a href="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/032-два-майора-сбор.jpg"><img src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/032-два-майора-сбор.jpg" alt="" width="691" height="728"></a> <a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/033-dmitriev-pic.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/033-dmitriev-pic.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="1114"></a> <a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/034-dmitriev-pic-.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/034-dmitriev-pic-.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="1117"></a></p> <p><i>Dmitriev’s correspondence with the administrators of the Two Majors channel</i></p> <p>According to the hacktivists, the funds were used to purchase drones for Ukrainian SOF units, accompanied by a video report from the soldiers. All that remains is to congratulate the Russcists who donated to Two Majors in support of the 291st MRR—their money ultimately strengthened Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <div><video width="978" height="1739" controls="controls" preload="none"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/українські-військові-донат.mp4?_=3"><a href="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/українські-військові-донат.mp4">https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/01/українські-військові-донат.mp4</a></video></div> <h2><b>Read more:</b></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/okbm-leaks-classified-documents/">OKBMLeaks: classified documents from a Russian  components manufacturer for Su-57 fighter and PAK DA Poslannik next-gen bomber</a></li> <li><a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/opshackrussiasday/">Budapest as a hub for the Russian defense industry: Hungary facilitating dodging of international sanctions against Russia</a></li> </ul> <hr> <p><b><img src="https://informnapalm.org/ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2020/10/сс.jpg" width="100" height="48" alt="сс.jpg"></b>Compiled specially for InformNapalm readership. Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0). Subscribe to InformNapalm social media pages.</p> <hr> <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/95cddff54b.png" width="100" height="44" alt="InformNapalm_logo_07.png">InformNapalm does not receive any financial support from any country’s government or large donors. Only community volunteers and our readers help us to maintain the site. You can also become one of the community volunteers or support InformNapalm with your donations.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/we-can-smuggle-even-nukes/">“We can smuggle even nukes”: Russian officers from the 291st Regiment and Vostok-Akhmat establish weapons smuggling channel through Crimea</a> appeared first on <a href="https://informnapalm.org/en">InformNapalm.org (English)</a>.</p><p><a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/we-can-smuggle-even-nukes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=we-can-smuggle-even-nukes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/iraq-to-launch-commission-to.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 07:20:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/iraq-to-launch-commission-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/image-1-1-.jpg" alt="Iraq to launch commission to prevent recruitment into Russian armed forces"></p>Iraq is setting up a special government commission to investigate and prevent the recruitment of Iraqi youth to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine, the "I Want to Live" project reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/iraq-to-launch-commission-to-prevent-recruitment-into-russian-armed-forces/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/10/oil-depot-fire-reported-in.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 06:30:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/10/oil-depot-fire-reported-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e52da1fe35.jpg" alt="Oil depot fire reported in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast following drone attack"></p>Russian authorities in Volgograd Oblast reported a drone attack overnight on Jan. 10, that sparked a fire at an oil facility in the region’s Oktyabrsky district.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/oil-depot-fire-reported-in-russias-volgograd-oblast-following-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/russia-will-take-over-greenland.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 23:33:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/russia-will-take-over-greenland.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254852720.jpg" alt="Russia will take over Greenland if US doesn't get there first, Trump claims"></p>"We are going to do something with Greenland, whether they like it or not," Trump told reporters. "Because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-will-take-over-greenland-if-us-doesnt-trump-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/security-service-of-ukraine-destroyed.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 23:30:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/security-service-of-ukraine-destroyed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/84f790a8a3.jpg" alt="Security Service of Ukraine destroyed $7 billion worth of Russian equipment in hours! 💥 #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Qvhdki2oGQE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/from-defense-to-hunting-how.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 23:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/from-defense-to-hunting-how.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3b0409989a.jpg" alt="From defense to hunting: How in 2025 Ukrainian army cornered Russia strategically"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or8MhI20fLY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/iranians-take-to-the-streets.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:46:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/iranians-take-to-the-streets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2220124150.jpg" alt="Iranians take to the streets to demand change. Will US, Russia intervene?"></p><p>Over the past several years, Iran has witnessed a number of popular uprisings, varying in both scale and demands.</p><p>The ongoing mass protest movement that swept across the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/iran/">country</a> in the closing days of 2025, however, is seen as the one that may actually topple the country’s autocratic</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/iranians-take-to-the-streets-their-demand-for-change-will-us-russia-intervene/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/dozens-of-plants-in-russias.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:36:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/dozens-of-plants-in-russias.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) says more than half of the companies of Russia’s Uralvagonzavod, part of the state-owned conglomerate Rostec, are not under international sanctions.</p> <p>Ukraine’s intelligence service disclosed new details about Uralvagonzavod, saying more than 20 enterprises that supply armored vehicles to Russia’s military have yet to be sanctioned by countries in the international coalition, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1198060469172038&id=100069042885845&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=zy4ml9Di3HauEcBU">GUR’s press service</a>.</p> <p>On its <a href="https://war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua/rostec?kc%5Bh%5D=11765&kc%5Bsearch%5D=">War&Sanctions website</a>, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry published a detailed list of 41 enterprises that are part of or managed by Uralvagonzavod.</p> <p>Uralvagonzavod is the armored-vehicle holding of the state corporation Rostec and plays a key role in supplying Russia’s armed forces. Its plants produce and modernize T-72B3M, T-80BVM, T-90M, and T-90MS “Proryv” tanks; the TOS-1A “Solntsepek” heavy flamethrower system; tank support fighting vehicles (BMPT); and armored recovery vehicles (BREM).</p> <p>The conglomerate also manufactures railcars for transporting personnel and military equipment under contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry.</p> <p>Since 2022, Uralvagonzavod holding have sharply reduced production of civilian railcars, focusing instead on defense orders.</p> <p>Despite the holding’s strategic role in Russia’s war against Ukraine, 23 of its enterprises remain unsanctioned by any country in the coalition. They include a design bureau that developed rail platforms for transporting Russian tanks, manufacturers of training stands and simulators for armored-vehicle crews, and companies supplying resources, equipment, and related services.</p> <p>The War&Sanctions portal’s “Aggressor’s defense industry” section now lists 429 enterprises that are part of or managed by five Rostec holdings. For each, it provides identification data, functions within the holding, organizational links and subordination, and information on applied sanctions.</p> <p>Publishing this data is intended to help businesses vet counterparties and end cooperation with companies that directly support Russia’s military aggression, and to support the synchronization of sanctions policy among Ukraine’s partner countries.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/dozens-of-plants-in-russia-s-armored-vehicle-conglomerate-are-not-under-sanctions-ukraine-s-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/revenge-for-tankers-putin-strikes.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/revenge-for-tankers-putin-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e97ba04575.jpg" alt="REVENGE FOR TANKERS! 🚢 Putin strikes Lviv region with &quot;Oreshnik&quot;: 70 km from NATO border!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbAhd9v7TQY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/id-take-putin-uk-defense.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:42:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/id-take-putin-uk-defense.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254812529.jpg" alt="'I'd take Putin,' UK Defense Sec says when asked which world leader he'd most like to kidnap"></p>"This is a man who must be stopped," John Healey told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/id-take-putin-uk-defense-sec-says-when-asked-which-world-leader-hed-most-like-to-kidnap/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/ukrainian-forces-eliminate-russian-troops.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/ukrainian-forces-eliminate-russian-troops.html <p>Near Myrnohrad, Ukrainian service members discovered Russian troops hiding in a shelter on the grounds of a farm. Soldiers from the 79th Air Assault Brigade located and eliminated the group, the press service of the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/986">said</a>.</p> <p>“The invaders tried to use this location to amass forces, cut our logistics and carry out sabotage behind the lines of the Defense Forces,” the statement said.</p> <p>According to the statement, several groups of Russian troops had, over an extended period and at intervals, used the site’s engineering communications - sewage pits - for concealment. After the hideout inside the farm facility was found, units of the 79th Separate Tavria Air Assault Brigade eliminated the Russians.</p> <p>As for the city itself, Ukrainian forces are holding Myrnohrad, but the situation remains difficult. The Russian military has concentrated more than 10 units in the area.</p> <p>“Russians continue to build up forces on the southern and northeastern outskirts of the city. Since the start of the year, the enemy has reduced open (demonstrative) assault actions and increased efforts to infiltrate the central part of the settlement,” the Brigade added.</p> <p>Search-and-strike operations by Ukraine’s Defense Forces are ongoing in Myrnohrad and on the approaches to the city to prevent further Russian advances.</p> <p>The situation in the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad agglomeration remains the most difficult, with around 50 combat clashes occurring daily.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-eliminate-russian-troops-hiding-in-farm-septic-pits-near-myrnohrad">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/ukraine-receives-swedish-archer-howitzers.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/ukraine-receives-swedish-archer-howitzers.html <p>As of early January 2026, Sweden has delivered 26 Archer 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine as part of its military aid, said Sweden’s embassy in Ukraine <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SwedeninUA/posts/pfbid0PfPKQpockTnPKwAzvbSxhKCqTYDidq85QV9E7ctSaosqBhpZmLErX3Vpu9jbScMvl">on Facebook</a>.</p> <p>According to the embassy, Ukrainian forces are actively deploying the Archers on the front lines against Russian occupying forces, leading to rapid barrel wear. In mid-2025, Stockholm supplied 10 spare barrels to Ukraine to keep the systems in service.</p> <p>The embassy said Ukrainian troops rate the Swedish systems highly. Key advantages include modern digital systems, the ability to rapidly change firing positions, high accuracy and the use of standard international ammunition.</p> <p>Archer systems entered service with Ukraine in 2022 and are fielded by various units, including the 45th Separate Artillery Brigade.</p> <p>Sweden’s army adopted Archer in 2013. The system mounts a 155mm FH77 howitzer on a Volvo A30D 6×6 articulated hauler. It is powered by a 340 hp diesel engine and can reach speeds up to 65 km/h.</p> <p>The wheeled Archer has a firing range of 30 to 50 km, depending on the ammunition. Precision-guided Excalibur rounds can strike targets at up to 50 km.</p> <p>The vehicle features an armored cab, protecting the crew from small-arms fire and shell and mine fragments - standard protection for wheeled systems of this type.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-receives-26-swedish-archer-howitzers-capable-of-firing-up-to-50-km">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/west-prepares-troops-for-ukraine.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/west-prepares-troops-for-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e791309020.jpg" alt="West prepares troops for Ukraine! What happens if peacekeepers fire on Putin's army"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=994Gi82nujg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/video-appears-to-show-russian.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 18:30:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/video-appears-to-show-russian.html <p><a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15489">A video posted online</a> appears to show Russian soldiers abusing an African mercenary. According to the Telegram channel Exilenova+, the man was sent on a combat mission with a TM-62 anti-tank mine tied to his chest.</p> <p>The outlet says the mercenary, identified as Frantsisk, was effectively “reassigned” from infantryman to a suicide bomber. During the filming, Russian servicemen demean him and use a racist slur, calling him “charcoal.”</p> <p>“Frantsisk himself is likely not thrilled with such a ‘promotion,’ though the recruitment center probably didn’t tell him who and what he would be fighting for,” the video’s description reads.</p> <p>Off camera, one Russian soldier says the mercenary “will now run into the woods,” while threatening him with an automatic weapon.</p> <p>Earlier, in March 2025, Donbas News reported that African mercenaries serving with Russian forces were being trained for assault operations in forested areas, including using mopeds and motorcycles.</p> <p>Later, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1243981853748083">videos</a> also surfaced from Ukraine’s 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, which captured an African mercenary in Donetsk region.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2785165135018364">One such case</a> was also recorded in Toretsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/video-appears-to-show-russian-soldiers-sending-african-mercenary-into-battle-with-a-mine-strapped-to-his-chest">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/russia-warns-western-forces-in.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 18:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/russia-warns-western-forces-in.html <p>Moscow has sharply condemned a declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine by a so-called “coalition of the willing,” arguing the document has nothing to do with a peaceful settlement. Any Western military presence on Ukrainian territory would be treated as intervention and a “legitimate target for strikes,” Russian officials said.</p> <p>State news agency <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26107113">TASS</a> quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that the deployment in Ukraine of Western military units, facilities, weapons depots or other infrastructure would be viewed by Moscow as direct interference that threatens the security of not only Russia but other European states.</p> <p>She added that any such European sites would automatically be considered “legitimate military targets” for Russia’s armed forces, noting that Moscow has repeatedly issued similar public warnings.</p> <p>The comments follow a declaration signed in Paris on January 6 under a UK- and France-led “coalition of the willing,” with Ukraine’s participation. Zakharova said the initiative is “aimed not at achieving lasting peace and security, but at continuing militarization, escalation and expanding the conflict.”</p> <p>According to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s assessment, the newly signed document does not create a stable security architecture and instead deepens confrontation.</p> <p>Zakharova singled out provisions on stationing “multinational forces” in Ukraine that, according to the declaration’s authors, would help rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces and provide deterrence against Russia after the active phase of hostilities ends. She also pointed to plans to deepen cooperation between Ukraine’s defense industry and NATO countries, arguing that, taken together, these steps signal the formation of an “axis of war,” not a push for peace. “New militaristic declarations by the so-called coalition of the willing and the Kyiv regime form in them a real ‘axis of war,’” she said.</p> <p>Earlier, The Times reported that France and the United Kingdom could send up to 15,000 troops to Ukraine after a peace agreement, while Germany would be prepared to station its contingent only near Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-warns-western-forces-in-ukraine-would-be-legitimate-targets">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/russia-hit-ukraine-with-an.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:01:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/russia-hit-ukraine-with-an.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/36ac00463a.jpg" alt="❗️Russia hit Ukraine with an Oreshnik ballistic missile: Air Force confirmation #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ncLsv4rJihU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/ukraine-strikes-fuel-train-in.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/ukraine-strikes-fuel-train-in.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck a fuel train used by Russian occupation forces in Crimea, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).</p> <p>The AFU said late on January 8 that it hit a key Russian logistics facility in occupied Crimea. Details were published on the military’s official <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02rRFzj3QhmZ6u4Dp6LZfhba7tcEmJTy8HFpbBTQFQy7GBPURmQEoLgY2fNaKxYPWBl?locale=uk_UA">Facebook account</a>.</p> <p>The strike targeted a fuel train at the loading rack of the Gvardeyskoye oil depot. The aim, the General Staff said, was to degrade logistics for Russia’s “Dnipro” grouping operating in southern Ukraine. The effects of the strike are being assessed.</p> <p>Another target was a Russian repair unit in the settlement of Gorne in occupied Donbas, hit to weaken forces advancing on the Orikhiv axis.</p> <p>“We continue measures to systematically reduce the military-economic potential and offensive capabilities of the Russian occupiers. More to come,” the General Staff said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces released <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1404285904681394?locale=uk_UA">footage of the strikes</a> and added details. They said the attack was carried out on the evening of January 8 using FP-2 strike drones. The Ukrainian Special Operations forces also said a unit of Russia’s 51st Army was hit in Gorne.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-strikes-fuel-train-in-crimea-and-russian-unit-in-donbas-general-staff-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/km-to-nato-nuclear-bluff.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/km-to-nato-nuclear-bluff.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6ad2418699.jpg" alt="🚀 70 km to NATO: nuclear bluff failed! Trump confiscates Russian tankers!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEf8R0yGNHs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/putin-attacks-but-we-will.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:27:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/putin-attacks-but-we-will.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d99abfd058.jpg" alt="“Putin attacks... but we will stand stronger with Ukraine!” British Defense Minister in Kyiv #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cqj50jW2i4E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/ukrainian-strike-leaves-hundreds-of.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:23:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/ukrainian-strike-leaves-hundreds-of.html <p>An overnight air attack on Russia’s Belgorod region knocked out electricity for 556,000 people, with roughly the same number losing heating. Nearly 200,000 residents were left without water and sewage services, local authorities said.</p> <p>Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/18293">said</a> as of 6 a.m. on January 9 that the attack targeted utility infrastructure. He added that heating was cut in 1,920 apartment buildings. Emergency crews were deployed and backup capacity was being brought online.</p> <p>A missile alert was issued for Belgorod city and the wider region at 11:02 p.m. At 11:24 p.m., the governor reported a missile strike on Belgorod and “serious damage” to infrastructure facilities; there were no immediate reports of casualties, he said. The alert was lifted at 11:55 p.m.</p> <p>Residents <a href="https://t.me/belgorod_smi/24556">reported</a> power outages in parts of the city around 11:09 p.m. People in the Rakitnoye and Belgorod districts also reported emergency power cuts, with some saying they were stuck in elevators during the alert.</p> <p>In the neighboring Oryol region, Governor Andrey Klychkov <a href="https://t.me/Klychkov_Andrey/5914">said</a> overnight that infrastructure was damaged following shelling shortly after a missile alert was issued there. “Systems for water and heat supply are being restarted in the city’s Zavodskoy, Severny and Zheleznodorozhny districts. In the Sovetsky district, a drop in heat-carrier levels is expected within a few hours,” he said.</p> <p>Ukraine had not commented on the overnight attack on Russia at the time of publication.</p> <p>Power cuts have hit Belgorod before. On September 28, 2025, a strike on a thermal power plant caused disruptions to electricity and water supplies, local outlets reported.</p> <p>After an October 11 strike on the Luch CHP plant, Governor Gladkov said power was out in Belgorod but did not provide a reason.</p> <p>Explosions were reported in Belgorod and Voronezh on December 10, followed by temporary blackouts.</p> <p>In the early hours of December 15, Gladkov said missiles struck Belgorod and damaged utility infrastructure; social media posts said parts of the city lost power.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-strike-leaves-hundreds-of-thousands-without-power-and-heat-in-russia-s-belgorod-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/russia-strikes-ukraine-with-oreshnik.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:15:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/russia-strikes-ukraine-with-oreshnik.html <p>Russia’s armed forces carried out a “massive strike” on Ukraine that included the use of the road-mobile, medium-range missile system “Oreshnik.” The announcement was made Friday, January 9, on the Russian Defense Ministry’s Telegram channel. The ministry said the strike was in response to what it claimed was a Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Russia’s Novgorod region overnight on December 29, 2025.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Force said that around 11:30 p.m. on January 8 (12:30 a.m. Moscow time on January 9) it issued a nationwide missile alert due to the threat of ballistic missiles launched by Moscow from the Kapustin Yar range in Russia’s Astrakhan region. “Explosions were reported in Lviv region,” the service said.</p> <p>Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi wrote on Telegram that the missile “traveled on a ballistic trajectory at about 13,000 kilometers per hour.” “That is an extremely high speed,” he said.</p> <p>“This is the first time such a strike has been used against Lviv during the full-scale war. The city lies less than 70 kilometers from the European Union’s border. This is a clear signal to our international partners: Russia’s war respects no borders,” Sadovyi added.</p> <p>Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, said on Telegram the strike hit a critical infrastructure site. Local Telegram channels suggested the target may have been the Stryi gas field and a gas storage facility in Lviv region.</p> <p>Sadovyi said that, as a result of the missile strike, an automatic gas safety system was triggered in the town of Rudno within the Lviv urban community - temporarily cutting service to 376 customers. “This is not a network accident - the safety system activated due to the shock wave,” the mayor said.</p> <p>Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X that Kyiv is initiating international action—an urgent UN Security Council meeting, a session of the NATO–Ukraine Council, and responsive steps within the EU, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.</p> <p>“A strike so close to the EU and NATO border poses a serious threat to the security of the European continent and is a test for the transatlantic community. We demand decisive measures in response to Russia’s reckless actions,” Sybiha said.</p> <p>Previously, Russia used the “Oreshnik” overnight November 20–21, 2024, in a strike on the city of Dnipro. At the time, President Vladimir Putin said the strike involved “a ballistic missile with a non-nuclear hypersonic payload.” He claimed the “Oreshnik” has a range of 1,000 to 5,500 kilometers.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-strikes-ukraine-with-oreshnik-missile-first-such-attack-on-lviv">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/unknown-drones-strike-sanctioned-russian.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:57:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/unknown-drones-strike-sanctioned-russian.html <p>The Russian oil tanker Elbus (formerly Euroleader, IMO 9290385), sailing under the flag of Palau from Singapore to the port of Novorossiysk, was damaged in a drone attack while transiting, the Turkish news outlet Ortadogugazetesi <a href="https://www.ortadogugazetesi.com/gundem/kastamonu-aciklarinda-dron-saldirisi-elbus-tankeri-hedef-oldu/347527">reported</a>. The vessel has been sanctioned for carrying Russia’s Urals crude to Greece.</p> <p>The Russian-flagged vessel was sailing near the Kastamonu area on Turkey’s northern coast. The outlet said no crew members were hurt.</p> <p>According to the report, unidentified drones carried out the attack. Elbus sustained damage to its upper structures and was being towed to the port of Inebolu. The strike happened about 20 miles (38 km) north of the Abana district, it added. Turkey’s coast guard responded to a distress call and was set to inspect the ship to assess the damage and any risks. Ortadogugazetesi did not say whether the tanker was loaded or in ballast.</p> <p>“A technical investigation in port will determine the source of the attack and the extent of the damage. Maritime authorities are closely monitoring the nature of the incident and the security situation in the region,” the outlet wrote.</p> <p>All 25 crew members were unharmed, and no fuel leak was reported. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-bound-tanker-hit-by-drone-black-sea-maritime-sources-say-2026-01-08/)">Reuters</a>, citing sources, said no one had claimed responsibility for the attack.</p> <p>Elbus belonged to Sovcomflot until 2014 and has changed owners several times since, most recently in November. According to the Starboard Maritime service, it is now owned by Hong Kong-based QING JU SHIPPING LTD, and Elbus is the company’s only vessel.</p> <p><a href="https://www.vesselfinder.com/ru/vessels/details/9290385">Elbus</a> is a 274-by-50-meter tanker that, as of 2025, sails under the flag of Palau. It previously operated as EUROLEADER (flag: United States), UNITED LEADERSHIP (Marshall Islands) and SCF ALDAN (United States).</p> <p>A tanker with that number appears on <a href="https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ROT_JAN24_YP0202.pdf">European Union sanctions lists</a> for involvement in Russian oil shipments.</p> <p>EU documents state that the tanker PAGOS (IMO 9296406) carried Urals crude from Novorossiysk and conducted a ship-to-ship transfer off Greece to the tanker EUROLEADER (IMO 9290385), which then transported the cargo to India.</p> <p>Open-source analysts traced Elbus on MarineTraffic. The tanker had been hugging Turkey’s coastline en route to Novorossiysk and is now near approximately 41.97101, 34.57699 — about 47 km (as the crow flies) from Sinop and 400 km from Novorossiysk.</p> <p>In December 2025, Ukraine carried out several attacks on ships belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea. Following those strikes, tankers began altering their usual routes and staying closer to neutral waters. In late December 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) released a report on successful operations, formally claiming responsibility for those attacks.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/unknown-drones-strike-sanctioned-russian-tanker-elbus-off-turkey-s-coast">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/trump-stalled-it-for-a.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:23:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/trump-stalled-it-for-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2229506470.jpg" alt="Trump stalled it for a year — now a 'game-changer' bill could hit Russia's oil profits"></p><p>U.S. President Donald Trump may soon hold a game-changing lever over Moscow. </p><p>After months of hesitation, he has finally backed a sanctions bill targeting <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russia</a>, giving him the ability to hit the Kremlin where it hurts most — its oil and gas revenues. </p><p>The bill would impose sweeping secondary</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-game-changer-bill-could-hit-russias-profits-hard/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/targets-in-the-sky-blackout.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:01:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/targets-in-the-sky-blackout.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/208504081b.jpg" alt="278 TARGETS IN THE SKY! 🚀 Blackout in Kyiv and Oreshnik strike on Lviv: how Russia justifies terror?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlCIm94jk9E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/newsflash-kyiv-residents-urged-to.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:37:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/newsflash-kyiv-residents-urged-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f38f29c7f-6.png" alt="NEWSFLASH: Kyiv residents urged to evacuate after Russian attacks"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!72TF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48142492-42ac-4cb0-86c0-7d3d20d65c30_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f48142492-4.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/48142492-42ac-4cb0-86c0-7d3d20d65c30_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Help keep us warm. Subscription revenues go in part to keeping the lights on, buying batteries for our team, and helping our team press through this difficult winter.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f38f29c7f-6.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/13603619d8.png" width="482" height="321.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/38f29c7f-6544-43ec-8aae-8b828c6d4d89_594x396.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":482,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A man takes a photo from his window of the aftermath of the Russian attack on a residential apartment building on January 9, 2026 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Danylo Dubchak/Frontliner/Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Kyiv residents are being <a href="https://nv.ua/ukr/kyiv/ataka-rf-na-kijiv-klichko-zaklikav-kiyan-timchasovo-vijihati-cherez-vidsutnist-opalennya-ta-vodi-50574458.html">urged</a> by the city mayor to leave the city if they have somewhere to go after a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine last night.</p><p>The city’s electricity and heat supply has worsened not only as a result of the Russian attack but also due to a sharp deterioration in weather conditions: snow with rain, ice, and wind amid the coldest winter in recent years.</p><p>Utility workers also <a href="https://glavcom.ua/kyiv/news/komunalniki-kijeva-otrimali-komandu-zlivati-vodu-z-sistem-opalennja-1097223.html">received orders</a> to drain water from the radiators to prevent them from bursting when the heating is cut off and temperatures drop below freezing.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!pU6p!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F59f17234-e77c-4a34-baed-ec52018d0b24_1206x216.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f59f17234-e.png" width="1206" height="216" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/59f17234-e77c-4a34-baed-ec52018d0b24_1206x216.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":216,"width":1206,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Forecasted temperatures in Kyiv over the next week.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><em>The Counteroffensive</em> team personally witnessed and heard explosions throughout the night as Russian strikes took place across the city.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>After paywall:</em></p><ul><li><p><em>The use of a nuclear-capable missile to attack Ukraine – what’s the significance?</em></p></li><li><p><em>What is the greater purpose for Russia leaving Ukraine without heat and power?</em></p></li><li><p><em>How did Ukraine survive through previous winters with Russia conducting similar attacks?</em></p></li><li><p><em>Will this attack influence the negotiation process, and how?</em></p></li></ul></div> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-kyiv-residents-urged-to"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-kyiv-residents-urged-to">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/us-seizes-russianlinked-shadow-fleet.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:34:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/us-seizes-russianlinked-shadow-fleet.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2247821974.jpg" alt="US seizes Russian-linked shadow fleet tanker Olina, military confirms"></p>The Olina, the fifth tanker seized by the U.S. in recent weeks, has previously been sanctioned for transporting Russian oil in violation of earlier restrictions.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-forces-reportedly-board-another-russia-linked-oil-tanker/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/ukraine-war-latest-live-nearly.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:08:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/ukraine-war-latest-live-nearly.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-09-14-03-20.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Nearly 6,000 apartment buildings in Kyiv without heat following massive Russian strike"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. Around 6,000 multi-apartment buildings are currently without heating after a mass Russian missile and drone strike severely damaged the capital's critical infrastructure overnight, local authorities reported on Jan. 9.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-1-9/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/kyiv-mayor-klitschko-urges-residents.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:18:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/kyiv-mayor-klitschko-urges-residents.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2190831720.jpg" alt="Kyiv Mayor Klitschko urges residents to 'temporarily leave city' as Russia targets critical infrastructure"></p>"We are doing everything we can to resolve this as quickly as possible. However, the combined attack on Kyiv last night was the most devastating for the capital's critical infrastructure," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-mayor-urges-residents-to-temporarily-leave-city-as-russia-targets-critical-infrastructure/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/russia-must-feel-consequences-zelensky.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:46:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/russia-must-feel-consequences-zelensky.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-09-13-45-08.jpg" alt="Russia 'must feel consequences' — Zelensky denounces Oreshnik strike near Poland's border"></p>The Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile was said to be used in the attack on Lviv, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Polish border, marking the first ballistic missile attack against the city during the war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moscow-must-feel-consequences-zelensky-denounces-russias-oreshnik-strike/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/us-releasing-russian-crew-members.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:34:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/us-releasing-russian-crew-members.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2220968053.jpg" alt="US releasing 2 Russian crew members of seized oil tanker, Moscow claims"></p>At Moscow's request, Trump agreed to release two Russian crew members of the Marinera oil tanker seized by U.S. authorities earlier this week, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-releasing-2-russian-crew-members-of-seized-oil-tanker-moscow-claims-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/trumps-ukraine-defense-commitment-hinges.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:17:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/trumps-ukraine-defense-commitment-hinges.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254941674.jpg" alt="Trump's Ukraine defense commitment hinges on belief Russia won't invade again"></p>"I feel strongly they (Russia) wouldn't re-invade, or I wouldn't agree to it," Trump told the New York Times when asked about Washington's potential involvement in safeguarding Ukraine against future Russian aggression.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-ukraine-defense-pledge-hinges-on-belief-russia-wont-invade-again/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/breaking-oreshnik-irbm-missile-used.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:03:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/breaking-oreshnik-irbm-missile-used.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/37d1a564e0.jpg" alt="BREAKING: Oreshnik IRBM missile used in strike on Ukraine's Lviv, Russia says"></p>The Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile designed to carry nuclear weapons.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-oreshnik-missile-hits-lviv-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/treacherous-strike-on-the-kyiv.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:56:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/treacherous-strike-on-the-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/022dab5a7a.jpg" alt="Treacherous STRIKE on the Kyiv Region: Consequences of a Massive Russian Attack #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2RP6hH_aNF0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/09/why-russia-did-not-protect.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/09/why-russia-did-not-protect.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4e3fb8c148.jpg" alt="Why Russia did not protect its ally Maduro #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dmj-jgq4fFU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/killed-injured-as-russia-targets.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 23:22:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/killed-injured-as-russia-targets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254724959.jpg" alt="1 killed, 4 injured as Russia targets Kyiv, Lviv in mass attack across Ukraine"></p>Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack across Ukraine overnight on Jan. 8-9, striking Kyiv and Lviv. One person was killed and four people were injured in Kyiv, while critical infrastructure was targeted in Lviv.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/4-injured-russia-mass-attack-kyiv-lviv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/syria-and-venezuela-without-dictators.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 23:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/syria-and-venezuela-without-dictators.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/04a637b95c.jpg" alt="Syria and Venezuela - without dictators, Russia - without friends! How the US knocks out Putin"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYsIyKLXiA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/us-russian-envoys-meet-in.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:26:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/us-russian-envoys-meet-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/949914d52e.jpg" alt="US, Russian envoys meet in Paris as Zelensky seeks meeting with Trump"></p>Witkoff and Kushner met Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Paris to discuss a U.S. peace plan for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelensky is seeking a meeting with Trump to press for U.S.-backed security guarantees.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-kremlin-envoys-meet-in-paris-as-zelensky-seeks-meeting-with-us-president/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/trump-kicks-off-strike-on.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/trump-kicks-off-strike-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f66e22b68a.jpg" alt="Trump kicks off strike on Putin's oil: Russian shadow fleet already under arrest, sanctions incoming"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpxFmiOLuys">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/pokrovsk-russian-assaults-have-been.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/pokrovsk-russian-assaults-have-been.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a743b4c19e.jpg" alt="POKROVSK: Russian assaults have been stopped, defense is stable #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/96t7IxVgvU8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/battles-ampamp-deadline-crash-why.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/battles-ampamp-deadline-crash-why.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/56a94de979.jpg" alt="140 BATTLES &amp; DEADLINE CRASH! ⏳ Why General Malomuzh is certain Russia won't take Pokrovsk soon?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z-vXV7cDek">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/demonstrative-strike-weakness-of-russian.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:30:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/demonstrative-strike-weakness-of-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ab3edd449f.jpg" alt="DEMONSTRATIVE STRIKE: weakness of Russian strategic alliance in Caracas #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EW_rkaDCNP0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/abyss-for-dictatorship-venezuela-free.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/abyss-for-dictatorship-venezuela-free.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fe2fb982cf.jpg" alt="ABYSS FOR DICTATORSHIP! 📉 Venezuela free: why Maduro's fall became Putin's personal catastrophe?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTmn562qSrk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/lithuania-on-the-frontline-how.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:06:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/lithuania-on-the-frontline-how.html <p>Lithuania, a NATO and EU member bordering Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, perceives a rising military threat from Russia over the next 3-5 years, informed by Russia&rsquo;s military buildup and use of force in Ukraine. Lithuanian Vice-minister of National Defence Karolis Aleksa emphasized the Kremlin’s intent to reshape European security by force. Lithuania has seen an intensified NATO presence since 2022, with permanent deployment of a German brigade planned by 2027, alongside ongoing US troop presence and contributions from the Netherlands and Norway across land, air, and maritime domains. Lithuania is rapidly upgrading infrastructure to host these forces and enhance air defense capabilities. Nationally, Lithuania aims to establish a fully operational national division by 2030, investing billions euros in tanks, CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, German and French artillery, and US HIMARS rocket artillery to ensure interoperability with NATO. The Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, a volunteer force similar to a national guard, has nearly doubled in membership to 18,000, illustrating societal commitment to defense. Defence spending is about 5% of GDP in 2026, and public support for NATO forces and military investment remains high. Lithuania also addresses hybrid threats like cyberattacks, disinformation, and sabotage, particularly from Russia and Belarus, investing in cyber defense and societal resilience. The EU supports Lithuania via substantial funding (up to €6.3 billion by 2030) and regulatory reforms to boost defense industry and military mobility. Lithuania continues strong military and production support for Ukraine, considering its resistance the first line of defense for Europe. Lithuanian officials urge persistent deterrence efforts and caution against complacency, emphasizing that preparedness and collective defense are essential to counter revisionist powers.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Country: Lithuania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/01/15/lithuania-on-the-frontline-how-a-small-eu-country-is-preparing-for-a-possible-war">www.euronews.com/my-europe&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c9bed78d-2cec-486f-89a9-107bbf604e19">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/empire-crumbling-putins-allies-quotfallingquot.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:01:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/empire-crumbling-putins-allies-quotfallingquot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/38c99f894a.jpg" alt="Empire crumbling? Putin's allies &quot;falling,&quot; West unites around Ukraine"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWkoBk7X4rY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/ukrainian-military-holds-defensive-lines.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/ukrainian-military-holds-defensive-lines.html <p>Russian forces have sought since 2024 to encircle and seize Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, but Kyiv says its troops are holding their positions.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces are maintaining their lines in the northern part of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian military’s “East” group of forces said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122141731826972946&set=a.122105018414972946">a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>According to the “East” grouping, Ukrainian defenders are conducting clearing and assault operations in Pokrovsk and inflicting losses on Russian units. In nearby Mirnograd, Ukrainian troops are also holding their positions and engaging Russian forces on the outskirts of the city; reserves have been brought into Mirnograd.</p> <p>On January 6, on the Pokrovsk axis, Russian forces launched 44 assaults on Ukrainian positions, all of which were repelled, the Ukrainian side said. Fighting took place near Nikanorivka, Krasny Liman, Rodynske, Mirnograd, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Filiia and other settlements. In this sector, Russia lost more than 80 personnel, including 53 killed, according to the statement. Ukrainian troops also downed 25 enemy drones, destroyed 15 vehicles and seven pieces of specialized equipment, and struck two UAV control points, one artillery system and 12 enemy personnel shelters.</p> <p>Across the “East” group’s area of responsibility on January 6, Russian forces carried out 72 attacks on Ukrainian positions, the grouping said. Ukrainian units continue active operations around Pokrovsk and Mirnograd. Logistics in Mirnograd are difficult, and efforts are underway to establish new supply routes into the city. Overall, in this area on January 6, Russia lost more than 370 personnel, and Ukrainian forces destroyed two Russian tanks, according to the statement.</p> <p>The “East” grouping also reported heightened Russian activity on the Sloviansk axis, saying Moscow’s forces are concentrating manpower and equipment in the Serebryansky forest to push toward Dronivka - full control - and toward Platonivka.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-holds-defensive-lines-around-pokrovsk-as-russia-steps-up-assaults">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/ukraine-denies-russian-capture-of.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:43:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/ukraine-denies-russian-capture-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ff6d2f54d9.jpg" alt="Ukraine denies Russian capture of Andriivka village, Sumy Oblast despite DeepState monitoring report"></p>The DeepState monitoring group reported on the evening of Jan. 7 that Andriivka was back under Russian control.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-denies-capture-of-andriivka-village-in-sumy-oblast-despite-monitoring-report/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/russia-hits-civilians-hospitals-are.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:38:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/russia-hits-civilians-hospitals-are.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fdb2e8aab2.jpg" alt="RUSSIA HITS CIVILIANS: Hospitals are taking in the wounded #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FHvjYc-3sso">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/chonhar-bridge-damaged-after-alleged.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/chonhar-bridge-damaged-after-alleged.html <p>Russian forces, while repelling an attack by two Ukrainian drones, allegedly “disoriented” them using electronic warfare, causing one to damage the road bridge at Chonhar.</p> <p>The claim came from Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed head of the occupied Kherson region, who said specialists from the “Dnepr” grouping and “Russian Dome” had “distinguished themselves.” He posted photos of the aftermath <a href="https://t.me/SALDO_VGA/12694">on Telegram</a>.</p> <p>According to Saldo, the second drone fell into the Sea of Azov.</p> <p>“Experts are now studying the nature of the damage to ensure quick repairs. Traffic on the bridge was neither halted nor restricted,” he said.</p> <p>The bridge sustained damage after the drone allegedly “fell” on a tangent. Railings and part of the roadway were destroyed.</p> <p>The bridge crosses the Sivash lagoon, linking the Russian-occupied mainland part of Ukraine with Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014. Russian media <a href="https://crimea-news.com/other/2026/01/07/1863990.html">say</a> the bridge “is part of the land corridor to Crimea - the federal R-280 ‘Novorossiya’ highway.”</p> <p>Russian occupation forces use the bridge as a key logistics artery to move ammunition and equipment for fighting on Ukraine’s mainland.</p> <p>In June 2023, Ukraine’s armed forces struck the Chonhar bridge with long-range missiles.</p> <p>Commenting at the time, Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR), said it was part of ongoing, methodical work and suggested such events would continue.</p> <p>In August that year, Ukrainian forces again targeted bridges at Chonhar and in Henichesk. Saldo said at the time that Ukrainian troops struck the Chonhar bridge and the settlement of Chonhar with Storm Shadow missiles.</p> <p>In January last year, Ukrainian Forces hit the Chonhar bridge again.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/chonhar-bridge-damaged-after-alleged-downing-of-ukrainian-drone-russian-installed-official-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/urgent-became-turning-point-in.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:53:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/urgent-became-turning-point-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/05da1eb5ff.jpg" alt="URGENT: 2025 became turning point in war – Russia exhausted, Ukraine strikes deep. What Next?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu4pKkuk4Js">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/extension.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:10:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/extension.html <p>Category: Economic &amp; Financial Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Sanctions Evasion &amp; Smuggling</p> <p>Incident Type: Sanctions busting networks</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/crime/08.01.2026-estonian-russian-dual-citizen-to-be-prosecuted-in-latvia-for-ammo-smuggling-attempt.a629157/">eng.lsm.lv/article/s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/d76746d9-9b0d-4a79-939c-3f7258206f56">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/how-deaf-people-live-through.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:01:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/how-deaf-people-live-through.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5520786d-0.jpg" alt="How deaf people live through blackouts"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!xPvo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcea27cbc-6c16-4c40-9a87-29566bde3aa0_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fcea27cbc-6.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cea27cbc-6c16-4c40-9a87-29566bde3aa0_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em><strong>Editor’s note:</strong></em></p><p><em>We work during a difficult and exhausting time, with full-scale war, air-raid alerts, and blackouts. Often without electricity or internet, but with an unwavering sense of responsibility to document key events of the war and public life.</em></p><p><em>We are sincerely grateful to our subscribers for their trust and support. Thanks to your donations, we were able to purchase EcoFlows, which allow our colleagues to work under any conditions.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!nc2d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24ced5e1-117a-4443-aecc-890b1105ac36_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f24ced5e1-1.png" width="288" height="384" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/24ced5e1-117a-4443-aecc-890b1105ac36_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":288,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Independent journalism is impossible without its community. Support us with a subscription and stay with us.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>“We used to sit together until late at night,” recalled Ivanna, “and then we would bring phones, lamps, torches – anything that could illuminate the scene for us to [be able to] talk.”</p><p>Ivanna Mykhailenko navigates the world without sound, relying on her eyes to communicate. For her, losing access to electricity is catastrophic, especially at night.</p><p>Since Russia intensified its attacks, people have had to adjust to a new, completely unpredictable lifestyle. In 2025 alone, Russia <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-minenerho-rosia-ataky-na-enerhetyku/33621494.html">launched</a> more than 4,500 drones and missiles on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, disrupting not only electricity but also water supply and heating.</p><p>On January 7, when energy infrastructure in the Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia regions was attacked, most cities in those regions <a href="https://hromadske.ua/energetyka/257547-dnipropetrovska-i-zaporizka-oblasti-mayze-povnistiu-znestrumleni-cherez-rosiysku-ataku-minenerho?_gl=1*ldzjp4*_up*MQ..*_ga*MzgxNTUwOTgwLjE3Njc4NjI3NjI.*_ga_5QMSRNVKWQ*czE3Njc4NjI3NjEkbzEkZzAkdDE3Njc4NjI3NjEkajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_47KVPEYFJ4*czE3Njc4NjI3NjIkbzEkZzAkdDE3Njc4NjI3NjIkajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_V3WYTMZ64J*czE3Njc4NjI3NjIkbzEkZzAkdDE3Njc4NjI3NjIkajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_QRXBZKG0YN*czE3Njc4NjI3NjIkbzEkZzAkdDE3Njc4NjI3NjIkajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_FFQQ6F8PRK*czE3Njc4NjI3NjIkbzEkZzAkdDE3Njc4NjI3NjIkajYwJGwwJGgw">went</a> completely dark and silent for several hours. They lost access to water, public transport, reliable phone and internet connections, or even air-raid alert signals.</p><p>People with hearing loss are even more vulnerable to such attacks. Not only do long blackouts leave them without a way to charge hearing aids, it also deprives them of ways to communicate and react to air raid alerts.</p><p>In Ukraine and elsewhere, wars reveal the same truth: what is merely an inconvenience for most becomes a matter of survival for people with disabilities.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":430040}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Born deaf in a ‘hearing’ family, Ivanna learned to talk and lip-read during her childhood.</p><p>“We had a rule — Mom and Dad didn’t use gestures at all. They taught me to speak, to pronounce words, and to read, so I understood them. I also spoke only in words. My voice is a little bit unusual, but everyone in the family understands my speech,” Ivanna said.</p><p>Although Ivanna mastered sign language at school, none of her relatives use it themselves. Still, they find ways to make her feel their affection. Ivanna’s heart melted when her aunt secretly learned a few phrases in sign language to wish her a happy 24th birthday.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!6lEV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F84ff2ef2-588d-479a-9ba2-5043027ad014_1067x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f84ff2ef2-5.jpg" width="268" height="401.8744142455483" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/84ff2ef2-588d-479a-9ba2-5043027ad014_1067x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1067,"resizeWidth":268,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Ivanna giving a lecture for the students of the Ukrainian Catholic University.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Unfortunately, the world beyond her immediate family proved itself to be more challenging.</p><p>As a deaf person in Ukraine, she faced roadblocks — from finding a job, despite a degree in law, to receiving medical treatment.</p><p>“Some doctors shout in our ear, and we have to shout back. Others might just send me to the back of the line, so they don’t have to waste so much time on deaf people,” she recalled.</p><p>In the first days of the full-scale invasion, there were <a href="https://gesture.org.ua/ua/new/nechuyuchi-v-zoni-vijni:-yak-ya-yim-dopomagayu">cases</a> where Ukrainians with deafness watched the chaos around them in confusion because they couldn’t hear the sirens — realizing that the war had begun only when they saw explosions.</p><p>In the first 8 months of the war, at least 6,000 people with hearing loss <a href="https://www.ispf.gov.ua/news/mizhnarodnij-tizhden-gluhih-lyudej220923?utm_source=chatgpt.com&fbclid=IwY2xjawOaKlhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBlNEF1SUpCck1xdDAya2Fkc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvBRgksXa-nHVFyvKa7vAqbx1vsP5fjOe05mvG7XjfLofCINJ8XFSSkk8Ka8_aem_WaLfK218PoW5DSK8RLVf0A">left</a> Ukraine for safety, according to the Ukrainian Society of the Deaf. 9,000 more became internally displaced.</p><p>Ivanna was living alone in a flat in Kyiv when she woke up to a vibration. At around 6 o’clock, she thought someone might have called her by mistake, but her phone continued to frantically shake. Ivanna’s mother was trying to reach her to tell her that the war had begun.</p><p>“When I opened the door and saw people running, saw the panic among people on the street, I did not understand,” Ivanna said.</p><p>Now, Ivanna keeps her phone close to her while she sleeps so as not to miss out on potentially lifesaving updates.</p><p>She remembers spending a night in the basement of her building with a woman who suddenly flinched at the sound of an explosion.</p><p>“She said it was very loud, but I didn’t blink an eye,” Ivanna remembered.</p><p>After an attack on energy infrastructure in a certain area, households are divided into several groups, which only have electricity during certain hours. This method is intended to ease the strain on the energy system while it is being repaired. The worse the condition of the energy system state is, the longer the cuts are.</p><p>Ivanna’s first blackout was on her 22nd birthday.</p><p>At the time, she was preparing for her final exams. On long autumn nights, she navigated her apartment and studied for her finals with a small battery-powered flashlight. Despite the dark, reading had become Ivanna’s source of comfort amid the uncertainty.</p><p>Still, her new reality didn’t allow excuses. She bought a power supply for the internet and a charging station to keep her phone and laptop alive.</p><p>When the screen illuminates Ivanna’s face, she can even send a message in sign language on Telegram.</p><p>“To see around and communicate, I use my laptop screen or a flashlight on my phone for lighting,” Ivanna said. “Technology becomes my eyes.”</p><p>Keeping her phone charged might seem trivial, but for some people with hearing loss, it’s their means of relating to the world. Using a smartphone, for example, people can turn written text into speech and vice versa.</p><p>“In fact, there are a lot of such functions built into the phone. Often, people don’t even know what they carry in their pockets. When we conduct training for people who have lost their hearing, we try to tell everyone about these settings. The more people know, the more people can improve their lives immediately,” said Anastasiia Demchuk from the NGO Talk!, which creates software solutions for people with disabilities.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5520786d-0.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ab0d154ee8.jpg" width="471" height="313.87734375" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5520786d-0bde-49a7-b1e4-d456629b16e0_1280x853.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":853,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":471,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Ivanna is hosting a Ukrainian Sign Language class as a part of her project ‘Ukrainization.deaf’</figcaption></figure></div><p>Often, deaf people still depend on light to call emergency services.</p><p>“When it is urgent, I use the sign language translator,” Ivanna said. “It’s convenient to call an ambulance, the police or the fire department. I can add an interpreter to a video call via the app, and they help me voice my needs to a hearing person on the other side.”</p><p>On the hardest days, blackouts in Kyiv last up to 18 hours. Though Ivanna has never needed to use one, about 13,500 ‘Spaces of Resilience’ <a href="https://mindev.gov.ua/news/v-ukraini-prodovzhuiut-robotu-punkty-nezlamnosti#:~:text=%D0%92%20%D0%A3%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%97%D0%BD%D1%96%20%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BE%20%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%BE%2013,%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%96%20%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%BE%20%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%8F%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%20%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B1%D0%B8.">operate</a> across the country where people can charge their phones and connect to the internet for free in case of an emergency.</p><p>Attention to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Ukraine is growing. Blast injuries, which often lead to severe hearing loss, have become one of the most common traumas among military personnel, according to Talk!</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!_sjb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F841bfd3b-1aa9-40d2-bce9-632e54d0d05c_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f841bfd3b-1.jpg" width="295" height="393.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/841bfd3b-1aa9-40d2-bce9-632e54d0d05c_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":295,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Ivanna in the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) to attend a session of the Committee on Social Policy during her second year of studies.</figcaption></figure></div><p>Despite the danger, Ivanna doesn’t always get herself to safety during shelling — not out of bravery, but for reasons she can’t control.</p><p>The air raid alerts that most Ukrainians get on their phones sound a loud ding, inaudible to the deaf. They are forced to use other apps which vibrate and activate a camera flash.</p><p>For Ivanna, deaf people are a close-knit community with their own slang unfamiliar to the hearing, unique sign names, and unusual “superpowers,” as she says. One of Ivanna’s friends can recognize a person just by the way their shadow moves.</p><p>Despite all the hardships Ivanna faces during blackouts, she tries to make light of her situation.</p><p>“Power cuts can stop any quarrel between deaf people,” she jokes. “In the dark, we can’t see what our opponent has to say.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em><strong>Editor’s note:</strong></em></p><p><em>We work during a difficult and exhausting time, with full-scale war, air-raid alerts, and blackouts. Often without electricity or internet, but with an unwavering sense of responsibility to document key events of the war and public life.</em></p><p><em>We are sincerely grateful to our subscribers for their trust and support. Thanks to your donations, we were able to purchase EcoFlows, which allow our colleagues to work under any conditions.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!nc2d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24ced5e1-117a-4443-aecc-890b1105ac36_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f24ced5e1-1.png" width="274" height="365.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/24ced5e1-117a-4443-aecc-890b1105ac36_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":274,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Independent journalism is impossible without its community. Support us with a subscription and stay with us.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Subscribe for Free!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe for Free!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>UKRAINIAN PILOTS HAVE REWORKED F-16 TACTICS FOR WAR WITH RUSSIA: </strong>One of the first Ukrainian F-16 pilots <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-f16-pilot-different-type-war-nato-training-encountered-reality-2026-1">stated</a> that Western training did not correspond to the realities of war with Russia, so pilots had to develop their own combat tactics. According to him, the conditions of full-scale war, saturated air defense, and combat operations near the front line forced Ukrainian F-16 pilots to adapt. This has drawn attention from Ukraine’s Western partners, who are in their own period of rearmament and military preparation.</p><p><strong>TRUMP APPROVES SANCTIONS AGAINST BUYERS OF RUSSIAN OIL:</strong> President Trump <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-trump-putin-zelensky-peace-map-latest-news-b2896550.html">gave</a> the green-light to Republicans in Congress to advance a bill on so-called secondary sanctions against countries that buy Russian oil including China, India, and Brazil, Senator Lindsey Graham said. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy said that he believes it is possible to end Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in the first half of this year, emphasizing that this week’s negotiations in Paris were an important step forward.</p><p><strong>THE EU IS ACCUSED OF FINANCING WAR THROUGH RUSSIAN LNG IMPORTS: </strong>The Kremlin <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/08/eu-accused-of-fuelling-putins-war-by-importing-russian-liquefied-natural-gas">earned</a> over $8.4 billion from the European Union in 2025 via exported Russian liquefied natural gas. This comes despite Brussels’ promise to completely ban Russian LNG by 2027. According to NGO Urgewald, supplies from the Russian Yamal project to EU ports still reach over 15m tonnes, and Europe’s share in the global export of the Yamal gas has even increased in that last year.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>​​Zoriana met this cutie pie on a train platform while returning from Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, to Kyiv. The train was delayed by four hours, and they waited patiently together. Thanks to his fluffy ‘coat,’ he didn’t get too cold — unlike Zoriana.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!M8OY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9f66184e-0fbf-46c4-b45d-4af7c6709209_1042x1179.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9f66184e-0.jpg" width="1042" height="1179" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9f66184e-0fbf-46c4-b45d-4af7c6709209_1042x1179.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1179,"width":1042,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Oleksandra</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-deaf-people-live-through-blackouts">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/us-detains-russian-tankers-and.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/us-detains-russian-tankers-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a4538248e9.jpg" alt="US detains Russian tankers and prepares final blow to Kremlin's economy"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH3Y9YK2xz8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/now-front-on-fire-russia.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:33:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/now-front-on-fire-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8983e21946.jpg" alt="🔴 NOW! Front on fire: Russia throws infantry into &quot;meat assaults&quot; near Pokrovsk and Huliaipole"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1YKyVnRG3o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/ukraine-confirms-strikes-on-belgorod.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/ukraine-confirms-strikes-on-belgorod.html <p>Ukraine’s military says it struck an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod region, where a large fire broke out, as well as a logistics warehouse in Donetsk region.</p> <p>The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to systematically degrade the offensive capabilities of Russia’s military, hitting enemy fuel and supply infrastructure<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua">, the General Staff</a> said.</p> <p>Overnight on January 7, Ukrainian units struck the Oskolneftesnab oil depot near the settlement of Kotel in Russia’s Belgorod region. The strategic facility was used to supply Russian forces with fuel. A large fire erupted after tanks at the site were hit.</p> <p>To disrupt Russian logistics, a logistics and materiel warehouse serving Russia’s 20th Motor Rifle Division was also struck in Russian-occupied territory of Donetsk region. The exact scope of damage is being assessed.</p> <p>Following earlier attacks, two RVS-5000 vertical storage tanks were found damaged at the Temp strategic reserve oil depot in Russia’s Yaroslavl region.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces say they are carrying out systematic actions to weaken the offensive and military‑economic potential of Russian occupying forces in an effort to compel Moscow to end its armed aggression against Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-confirms-strikes-on-belgorod-oil-depot-and-donetsk-logistics-hub">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/ukraineus-security-guarantee-draft-agreement.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:56:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/ukraineus-security-guarantee-draft-agreement.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a2c9262665.jpg" alt="Ukraine-US security guarantee draft agreement ready for Trump's approval, Zelensky says"></p>"We understand that the American side will engage with Russia, and we expect feedback on whether the aggressor is genuinely willing to end the war," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-us-security-guarantee-draft-ready-for-finalization-with-trump-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/ukraines-embattled-hydropower-firm-gets.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:47:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/ukraines-embattled-hydropower-firm-gets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ebb80d9449c3407c953d5ad4c6e3dcc7.jpg" alt="Ukraine's embattled hydropower firm gets 75 million euro boost for repairs"></p>The loan will help state-owned Ukrhydroenergo purchase stockpiles of critical supplies, replacements for equipment damaged by Russian attacks, as well as to refurbish and modernize old equipment.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-embattled-hydropower-firm-gets-75-million-euro-boost-for-repairs/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/ukraine-war-latest-oil-tanker.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:06:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/ukraine-war-latest-oil-tanker.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2250741553.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Oil tanker en route to Russia hit by drone in Black Sea"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 7 times today. An oil tanker en-route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk was struck by a drone on Jan.8, Reuters reported citing a notice by Lloyd's List Intelligence<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-08/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/putin-celebrates-christmas-at-secret.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:00:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/putin-celebrates-christmas-at-secret.html <p>GRU special forces unit. Despite a tradition of naming the site of the Christmas service, the Kremlin withheld specifics this time.</p> <p>The outlet Agentsvo.Novosti <a href="https://x.com/agents_media/status/2008807129243648474?s=20">reported</a> the details on X after analyzing official footage and statements by Russian authorities.</p> <p>Reporters say this is the third consecutive year Putin has celebrated Christmas with the military, but the format was unusual. The Kremlin press service limited information, saying only that Putin visited the Church of St. George the Victorious in Moscow region. Notably, the location of the service was not publicly named - atypical move.</p> <p>In previous years, the Kremlin had no issue disclosing where Putin attended Christmas liturgies. For example, the outlet notes, last year he visited the Church of St. George on Poklonnaya Hill; in 2024, a church at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence; and in 2023, the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.</p> <p>No official explanation was given for the extra secrecy. On the eve of the service, Kremlin pool journalist Alexander Yunashov said Putin would celebrate with service members and that some attendees “could not be shown on camera.”</p> <p>After reviewing available materials, Agents.Media concluded the Christmas service took place at a closed military facility: the Senezh Special Purpose Center in Solnechnogorsk.</p> <p>According to the “Pilgrim’s ABC” project, the idea to build a church there was approved in 2017 by then–Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, with support from Maj. Gen. Alexei Galkin, commander of military unit 92154, and Alexander Matovnikov, then commander of Russia’s Special Operations Forces.</p> <p>Who stood near Putin during the service</p> <p>Closest to Putin during the service was Alexei Galkin, commander of the Senezh unit, who was born in 1970 in Cherkasy, Ukraine. Agents.Media notes Galkin was captured during the First Chechen War; his story later inspired the feature film “Personal Number.” In 2002, he was awarded the title Hero of Russia for service in a GRU reconnaissance group and participation in special operations in the North Caucasus.</p> <p>Agents.Media also reports that Senezh has increasingly appeared in high-profile investigations. Officer Yury Sizov has been named as a handler of a Ukrainian national accused in Poland of plotting sabotage on railway infrastructure. The Wall Street Journal has previously reported that Senezh has been linked to covert operations in Europe. Western intelligence services consider the unit responsible for parcel-bomb attacks at DHL facilities in Europe and for planning an assassination attempt on Rheinmetall’s chief executive, the outlet notes.</p> <p>Beyond Galkin, journalists identified several senior officers on the Christmas footage: Andrei Popov, a colonel and Hero of Russia serving with unit No. 92154; and Konstantin Maslyanko, a GRU colonel and Hero of Russia who previously served with unit No. 45807.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Security Service has said Maslyanko was involved in preparing a 2014 terror attack in central Kyiv and organizing a blast at a Ukrainian checkpoint near Luhansk in 2015. Ukrainian media report he acted in coordination with Russia’s Special Operations Forces leadership, including Valery Flyustikov and former Putin bodyguard Alexei Dyumin.</p> <p>The video also shows a woman in uniform with an uncovered head, but her identity could not be established.</p> <p>After the service, Putin delivered a brief address inside the church for the first time in years, casting the war in religious terms and saying Russian troops are carrying out a “God-pleasing mission.”</p> <p>“After the service, Putin addressed those gathered with a short speech: ‘And very often we call the Lord the Savior, because He came to Earth to save all people. And therefore the warriors of Russia - the warriors of Russia - always, so to speak, by the will of the Lord, fulfill this mission: they defend the Fatherland and its people, they save the Motherland and its people,’” the outlet quoted him as saying.</p> <p>Since the start of the year Putin had not appeared publicly for an extended period and did not comment on the detention of his ally Nicolás Maduro.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-celebrates-christmas-at-secret-senezh-base-alongside-gru-special-forces-command">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/key-russian-terminal-exported-billion.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 06:31:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/key-russian-terminal-exported-billion.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c47814fe7f.jpg" alt="Key Russian terminal exported $8.4 billion of LNG to Europe in 2025, watchdog finds"></p>The report follows an agreement reached in December 2025 by EU countries to ban Russian gas imports beginning Jan. 1, 2028, with LNG imports set to be prohibited at the start of 2027.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/key-russian-lng-port-exported-8-4-billion-to-europe-in-2025-researchers-find/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/us-acted-on-maduro-why.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:46:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/us-acted-on-maduro-why.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2179091564.jpg" alt="'US acted on Maduro, why not Kadyrov?' — Zelensky quips that additional pressure will make Putin 'think twice'"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky urged additional pressure from the United States on Jan. 7 to help achieve a peace deal in Ukraine in the coming months, jokingly evoking calls for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to suffer the same fate as captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/maduro-worked-why-not-kadyrov-zelensky-quips-that-additional-pressure-will-make-putin-think-twice/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/trump-has-greenlit-bipartisan-russia.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:35:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/trump-has-greenlit-bipartisan-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b93a9b064b.jpg" alt="Trump has 'greenlit' bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, clearing way for Senate vote, US Senator Graham says"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump has approved moving forward with a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, opening the door for a potential Senate vote as early as next week, according to Senator Lindsey Graham.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-has-greenlit-bipartisan-russia-sanctions-bill-clearing-way-for-senate-vote-us-senator-graham-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/fact-check-videos-do-not.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:04:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/fact-check-videos-do-not.html <p>Do these viral videos show the U.S. seizing oil tankers linked to Venezuela on January 7, 2026? No, that's not true: Those clips are unrelated to the U.S. pursuit of the tankers "Bella-1" and "Sophia". The clips can be found in posts that predate the capture of the ships.</p> <p>The claim appeared in <a href="https://x.com/visionergeo/status/2008887222787887241">a post</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260107150438/https://x.com/AFpost/status/2008678342908899716">here</a> and <a href="https://archive.is/wndFA">here</a>) on X, where it was published on January 7, 2026. It opened:</p> <blockquote>‼️‼️🇺🇸🇷🇺 #BREAKING Despite Russia deploying a submarine to protect the tanker Bella 1 in the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. airborne forces began helicopter landings on the tanker minutes ago. An operation is currently underway to seize the tanker belonging to Russia's shadow fleet.</blockquote> <p>This is what the attached video looked like on X at the time of writing:</p> <p><a href="https://leadstories.com/4e5e3fc9f01a3cf8347b015e1c3067e241e7c9b9.png"><img alt="Screenshot 2026-01-07 at 4.17.45 PM.png" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4e5e3fc9f01a3cf8347b015e1c3067e241e7c9b9-thumb-900x1589-3176301.png" width="900" height="1589" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></a></p> <p><em>(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at x.com/visionergeo)</em></p> <p>On January 7, 2026, <span>U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that </span>the U.S. seized <a href="https://x.com/Sec_Noem/status/2008907194691915945">two oil tankers linked to Venezuela</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/pyBzn">here</a>): Sophia and the Russian-flagged Marinera, also known as Bella-1.</p> <p><span>The Russian Ministry of Transportation <a href="https://t.me/MFARussia/27961">confirmed</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/528Ie">here</a>) that Marinera </span>"was granted temporary permission" to sail under the Russian flag on Dec. 24, 2025.</p> <p>The clip shared on X, however, predated these events. According to the About this tab on Google, the clip had been posted online at least three months before the date of this writing:</p> <p><a href="https://leadstories.com/edf7d909e3c2458c9ae79f14f5ab39b22bb7bdb8.png"><img alt="Screenshot 2026-01-07 at 1.23.10 PM.png" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/edf7d909e3c2458c9ae79f14f5ab39b22bb7bdb8-thumb-900x1202-3176310.png" width="900" height="1202" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></a></p> <p><em>(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of page at google.com)</em></p> <p>The U.S. seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers attracted another false claim. On the same day the capture was announced, <a href="https://x.com/NSTRIKE1231/status/2008892002897687025">another video, posted to the</a> <a href="https://x.com/NSTRIKE1231" role="link" data-sanitized-class="css-175oi2r r-1wbh5a2 r-dnmrzs r-1ny4l3l r-1loqt21"><span data-sanitized-class="css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3">@NSTRIKE1231</span></a> account on</p> <p><a href="https://x.com/NSTRIKE1231/status/2008892002897687025"> X</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/s4DOV">here</a>) was also offered as footage of the interdiction at sea, but, in reality, it was footage of a 2021 U.S. Marine exercise.</p> <p></p> <p>Here is the thumbnail from the @NSTRIKE1231 clip on X:</p> <p><a href="https://leadstories.com/JfZ-cybGQDyEDt5n.jpg"><img alt="JfZ-cybGQDyEDt5n.jpg" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/jfz-cybgqdyedt5n-thumb-900x1120-3176315.jpg" width="900" height="1120" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></a></p> <p><em>(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at x.com/NSTRIKE1231)</em></p> <p>It matches a <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/800148/15th-meu-marines-sailors-conduct-vbss-training-aboard-uss-lewis-b-puller">clip posted by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service</a>, (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260107230116/https://www.dvidshub.net/video/800148/15th-meu-marines-sailors-conduct-vbss-training-aboard-uss-lewis-b-puller">here</a>) and identified as a March 19, 2021 video of a <span>15th Marine Expeditionary Unit</span> training exercise.</p> <p>That clip has been posted in various versions that predate the Jan. 7, 2026 capture of Venezuelan oil tankers, including a post by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UImrLJj2TnY">@MilitaryExcursions</a> on You Tube on Oct. 20, 2025 (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260107231214/https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UImrLJj2TnY">here</a>) which used the section of troops scrambling up a boarding ladder.</p> <p><a href="https://leadstories.com/d8da173972841f7b3d9fe974736dc432448d042a.png"><img alt="Screenshot 2026-01-07 at 4.35.38 PM.png" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d8da173972841f7b3d9fe974736dc432448d042a-thumb-900xauto-3176317.png" width="900" height="643" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></a></p> <p><em>(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post </em>youtube.com/shorts/UImrLJj2TnY)</p> <p>The video was also found mislabeled in a social media post, as detailed in a <a href="https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/us-seized-oil-tanker-venezuela/">Dec. 15, 2025</a> fact check by Snopes, at the time of a 2025 U.S. military interdiction of a Venezuelan vessel.</p><p><a href="https://hoax-alert.leadstories.com/2026/01/fact-check-videos-do-not-show-us-operation-to-capture-marinera-bella-1-tanker.html">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/russia-and-iran-are-increasingly.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/russia-and-iran-are-increasingly.html <p>A report finds that Russia and Iran are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies, particularly stablecoins, to circumvent imposed economic sanctions. These actors are exploiting the decentralized and often opaque nature of crypto markets to bypass restrictions and continue financial operations despite international sanctions. The increase in crypto usage for sanctions evasion demonstrates the evolving tactics of sanctioned states to sustain economic activities outside traditional banking systems. The report highlights this shift in the context of broader sanctions challenges faced by Russia and Iran.</p> <p>Category: Economic &amp; Financial Pressure</p> <p>Subcategory: Sanctions Evasion &amp; Smuggling</p> <p>Incident Type: Sanctions busting networks</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://fortune.com/2026/01/08/russia-iran-turning-to-crypto-stablecoins-sanctions/">fortune.com/2026/01/0&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/41024f4d-856a-44ea-ab90-3e180d19b10f">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/08/russia-recruits-young-migrant-women.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/08/russia-recruits-young-migrant-women.html <p>Russian military and intelligence operatives have actively recruited vulnerable young migrant women from Latin America under false pretenses, bringing them to Russia to work in the clandestine manufacture of Iranian-designed drones. These drones are produced inside special industrial facilities such as the Alabuga Special Economic Zone and Angarsk industrial area, locations known for secretive and high-tech manufacturing. The recruits face exploitation and trafficking, coerced to contribute to Iran&rsquo;s unmanned aerial vehicle production that is supplied to Russia. This operation reveals a novel dimension of Russia&rsquo;s hybrid warfare strategy through human trafficking combined with the expansion of Iranian drone technology production on Russian soil. It underlines the growing military partnership between Russia and Iran amidst Russia&rsquo;s ongoing conflicts, leveraging migrant exploitation and covert industrial collaboration. This recruitment and production pipeline potentially feeds into Russian drone deployment in conflict zones, implicating broader geopolitical consequences and human rights abuses.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/01/08/russia-recruits-young-migrant-women-from-latin-america-to-build-iranian-drones/">www.fdd.org/analysis/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c3d1e1ae-5de5-4d08-aed2-f0645d8d7ae3">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/zelensky-says-negotiations-reach-new.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 22:51:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/zelensky-says-negotiations-reach-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ed0cd8ccf7.jpg" alt="Zelensky says negotiations reach ‘new milestone,’ suggests war could end in first half of 2026"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 7 that he believes Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine could be brought to an end in the first half of 2026.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-says-negotiations-reach-new-milestone-suggests-war-could-end-in-first-half-of-2026/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/ukraine-says-air-defenses-now.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 21:12:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/ukraine-says-air-defenses-now.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Ministry says deliveries of interceptor drones to the country’s air-defense units have nearly doubled, reaching 1,500 per day. But that pace may still fall short of the volumes needed to counter the largest Russian drone barrages seen on September 7 and December 27.</p> <p>Air-defense forces are receiving 1,500 interceptor drones daily, the ministry said on <a href="https://t.me/ministry_of_defense_ua/14969">its Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>The ministry said the current volumes should be sufficient to neutralize Russian drones over rear regions and along the front line.</p> <p>It added that Ukrainian troops have also received 7,000 tactical-level interceptors via the DOT-Chain Defence platform. The drones are critical for air defense, officials said, because they help conserve scarce and expensive missiles, increase the density of countermeasures and more effectively defend the front. A photo accompanying the ministry’s post showed the Octopus UAV, developed jointly by Ukraine and the UK.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops have said it takes about three interceptor drones to bring down a single Shahed, and sometimes more.</p> <p>The first reports about this tactic against Russian strike UAVs emerged in the spring and summer of 2025. By autumn, the first official claims of kills appeared, with the Air Force starting to mention the systems in its reports on repelling Russian air attacks.</p> <p>From September through December 2025, Russia launched drone swarms at Ukraine almost daily, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1306687448165867&set=pb.100064738717463.-2207520000&type=3&locale=uk_UA">the Air Force’s Facebook page</a>.</p> <p>- December 27: 519 drones, two-thirds of them — 300 — were Shaheds; 474 were shot down in total.</p> <p>- September 7: 810 drones launched; 747 shot down.</p> <p>Given that bringing down each attacking Russian drone can take roughly three interceptors, the current daily supply could neutralize around 500 Russian UAVs.</p> <p>In December, the Defense Ministry <a href="https://t.me/ministry_of_defense_ua/14846">detailed</a> daily deliveries of interceptor drones to air-defense units. As of December 17, the figure stood at 950 UAVs per day (up from 600–800 in November), without specifying the models or their proportions.</p> <p>The post featured an image of the P1-SUN interceptor from Ukrainian company SkyFall. Developers <a href="https://thedefender.media/uk/2025/11/p1-sun-skyfall-interceptor/#:~:text=P1-Sun:%20%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%E2%80%91%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BB%D1%8E%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%87%20%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%20%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%97%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%97%20%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%96%D1%97%20SkyFall.">say</a> the P1-SUN can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h and operate at altitudes up to 5 km.</p> <p>In December 2025, <a href="https://focus.ua/voennye-novosti/735144-drony-vsu-bespilotnik-sting-sbil-dve-geran-3-vs-rf-video">reports</a> surfaced about the Sting, which can run down a “jet-speed” Shahed flying at 400–600 km/h.</p> <p>Octopus drones are quadcopters equipped with target-recognition sensors and can autonomously home in on a target without operator input in the final meters before impact.</p> <p>On January 7, the news outlet Militarnyi reported that the “Salyut” anti-air interceptor drone completed trials with Ukraine’s 47th Brigade, showing a successful shootdown of a Shahed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-air-defenses-now-receive-1-500-interceptor-drones-daily">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russia-deceives-the-world-ukrainian.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 20:30:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russia-deceives-the-world-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9f5e4e94cd.jpg" alt="RUSSIA DECEIVES THE WORLD: Ukrainian army controls the situation on the front line #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Tn_XFVnHmpo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/fearing-a-maduro-repeat-putin.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 20:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/fearing-a-maduro-repeat-putin.html <p>Events in Venezuela have alarmed Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he is preparing purges of his entourage, Russian sources claim.</p> <p>A successful U.S. operation in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro have heightened paranoia in the Kremlin, the sources say. Putin is preparing large-scale purges within his closest circle, <a href="https://t.me/kremlin_secrets/6623">reports</a> the Telegram channel “Kremlin Snuffbox”, citing its sources in Russia’s top leadership.</p> <p>According to the channel, people with direct access to Putin will soon be actively screened for “traitors.” The main goal is to identify all those deemed disloyal so that “there isn’t a repeat of Maduro, who was handed over by traitors.”</p> <p>The outlet also reports that Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) of the Russian Orthodox Church plans to read a special Christmas prayer for the punishment of traitors in the Kremlin leader’s circle.</p> <p>Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov commented on the rumors <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dgudkov/posts/pfbid0KLXbNMctvfTpQGYhgoDM2s1wkjvwe2ZpWN9CDuQ6ivZkSWcYh4gzrrRbckHWEUaJl">on Facebook</a>, saying that “even without insider info,” very serious purges in the Kremlin are clearly coming.</p> <p>“One can debate at length how Trump’s ‘special military operation’ is undermining international law. But that it fuels Putin’s paranoia is beyond doubt. The upcoming series from a Manhattan court, which the bunker-bound TV viewer will find hard to ‘unsee,’ will rival the Gadhafi case. And after that, the inevitable ‘hit your own so that others fear you’ begins, and a dictator obsessed with personal security will inevitably start hunting for potential plotters. All the more so since, judging by the pace of ‘re-privatization’ and the arrests of mayors and deputy governors, the meat grinder is steadily gathering speed, and some within the system are beginning to realize they’re next. At some point, the strategy of ‘betraying in time isn’t betrayal but foresight’ may outweigh fear of the dictator. We can wish Vladimir Vladimirovich luck in this noble endeavor. It certainly won’t be boring,” he wrote.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/fearing-a-maduro-repeat-putin-prepares-sweeping-purge-of-his-inner-circle">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/nearly-clashes-a-day-huliaipole.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 20:00:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/nearly-clashes-a-day-huliaipole.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cd6e0b98a7.jpg" alt="Nearly 100 clashes a day! Huliaipole &amp; Pokrovsk targeted! Kremlin sends troops to kill-zones"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65AfwOahxRE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/ampquotsanctions-on-russia-ukraine-aid.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:56:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/ampquotsanctions-on-russia-ukraine-aid.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b79669f5ad.jpg" alt="&quot;Sanctions on Russia, Ukraine aid, defense boost – all work for peace&quot;, – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/p5E4WTFrVk0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russia-condemns-us-seizure-of.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:36:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russia-condemns-us-seizure-of.html <p>Russia’s Transport Ministry said the seized tanker Marinera (IMO: 9230880), formerly known as Bella 1, was sailing under the Russian flag on the basis of a temporary permit issued in accordance with Russian law and international maritime law. The ministry <a href="https://t.me/Mintrans_Russia/8235">called</a> the U.S. actions illegal.</p> <p>The ministry said the vessel was in international waters and that Russia has since lost contact with it: “Today at about 3 p.m. Moscow time, in the open sea beyond the territorial waters of any state, U.S. naval forces boarded the vessel; contact with the ship was lost.”</p> <p>“In accordance with the norms of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the high seas are governed by freedom of navigation, and no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered under the jurisdiction of other states.”</p> <p>Following the transport ministry’s statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry also weighed in. According to RIA Novosti, the ministry said it is monitoring reports that U.S. forces boarded the Marinera, sailing under the Russian flag, in the North Atlantic: “Given reports that Russian citizens are among the crew, we demand that the American side ensure humane and dignified treatment, strictly observe their rights and interests, and not impede their prompt return to their homeland.”</p> <p>The United States earlier officially confirmed the seizure of the tanker Bella 1 / Marinera in the North Atlantic. According to U.S. officials, the ship was detained on a U.S. federal court warrant for violating sanctions and is linked to illicit shipments of Venezuelan oil. The operation was conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard with military support.</p> <p>U.S. media reported that Russian naval vessels, including a submarine, were also in the area of the operation. Russian officials had previously insisted the vessel was protected by the Russian flag and that pursuit by the United States was unlawful.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-condemns-u-s-seizure-of-its-tanker-in-international-waters">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russian-propaganda-europe-threatened-with.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russian-propaganda-europe-threatened-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ce28d6576e.jpg" alt="RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA: Europe threatened with &quot;radioactive ash&quot; #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Do96nCE4vDo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/drone-attack-russia-destroys-american.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:30:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/drone-attack-russia-destroys-american.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b8f7054726.jpg" alt="DRONE ATTACK: Russia destroys American investments in Ukraine! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/t1VyP3_-OwU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/putin-repeats-hitlers-fate-kremlin.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/putin-repeats-hitlers-fate-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/61d665d6c1.jpg" alt="PUTIN REPEATS HITLER'S FATE! Kremlin destroyed its own army, copying the Nazis"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMkf4iXdom4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russia-expands-internet-blackouts-under.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:43:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russia-expands-internet-blackouts-under.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2252025156.jpg" alt="Russia expands internet blackouts under pretense of drone threats, but real goal appears to be information control"></p>Authorities in Russia's Kamchatka Krai announced on Jan. 7 that they had restricted mobile internet access, citing the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks — despite the region being located over 9,000 kilometers from Ukraine's border.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-expands-internet-blackouts-under-pretense-of-drone-threats-but-real-goal-appears-to-be-information-control/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/how-venezuela-crisis-will-impact.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:10:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/how-venezuela-crisis-will-impact.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ivan-fechko-1-.jpg" alt="How Venezuela crisis will impact Russia’s influence in the world"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Jared Goyette speaks with foreign policy analyst Ivan Fechko about Venezuela’s political crisis following the U.S. attack and kidnapping of dictator Nicolás Maduro — and why it marks a major strategic setback for Russia in Latin America and globally.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-venezuela-crisis-will-impact-russias-influence-in-the-world/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russia-sends-children-from-occupied.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russia-sends-children-from-occupied.html <p>In 2024–2025, Russia transported at least two children from temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine to North Korea’s Songdowon International Children’s Camp under the guise of “cultural exchange” and “health retreats.” The claim was made on December 3, 2025, during a U.S. Senate hearing by human rights advocate Kateryna Rashevska, an expert at the Regional Center for Human Rights.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian public broadcaster <a href="https://suspilne.media/1205500-pidmitati-pamatnik-vozdam-rosia-vidpravila-hlopcika-z-makiivki-v-litnij-tabir-pivnicnoi-korei/">Suspilne</a>, the trips were coordinated by Russian youth organizations, chiefly the Movement of the First.</p> <p>The Songdowon International Children’s Camp sits near the port city of Wonsan on the Sea of Japan and is often described as North Korea’s analogue to the Soviet-era Artek camp.</p> <p>Opened in 1960 and renovated in 2014, the camp drew children from Russia, China, Vietnam, Laos and several African nations before COVID-19. After effectively closing to foreigners during the pandemic, it reopened in 2024 amid warming ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. Russian tour groups returned first, followed by schoolchildren that summer.</p> <p>Tourism sites promoting travel to North Korea say the Socialist Patriotic Youth League covers most costs for foreign children, while parents pay an additional $250–$350 for a two-week stay.</p> <p>In 2024, the Movement of the First launched a contest called “The First go to Songdowon,” promising free trips to North Korea for winners. The initiative was presented as a joint project of the Movement of the First, the sanctioned Artek center, and the directorate of the World Youth Festival.</p> <p>Russian media reported roughly 3,500 applicants aged 14–17 from across Russia, with 50 winners. Entrants had to record a video answering “Why should I win?” and submit an essay on topics including “What role do I see for Russia in the new multipolar world?” and “Why am I interested in visiting the DPRK?”</p> <p>By summer 2025, Russian outlets reported a second student trip to Songdowon during a so-called Korea–Russia friendship session. Official Telegram channels framed the goal as “strengthening the brotherly ties between peoples.”</p> <p>Suspilne identified a 12-year-old boy from Makiivka, in a temporarily occupied area of Ukraine, who attended the first summer session of 2025 (July 21–August 1). He was the only child from occupied Ukrainian territory in that cohort.</p> <p>The investigation says the boy studies at a local lyceum and actively takes part in activities centered on Russian identity. In social media posts and interviews with Russian pro-government outlets, he said he joined joint cultural and sports events at the camp and visited sites linked to the Korean War and North Korean leaders.</p> <p>In one interview, he said children saw five to six monuments dedicated to North Korea’s leaders every day during excursions, noting a “developed cult of personality” and claiming “people don’t complain about anything.”</p> <p>The trip began in Vladivostok, with children flown to Pyongyang. There, a mandatory cultural program included visits to monuments tied to the official North Korean narrative of the Korean War and other ideological sites.</p> <p>In published videos, a Russian chaperone—speaking against a backdrop of armed Russian soldiers-delivers remarks about the “union of Russia and the DPRK” and the need to confront “American imperialism.” The investigation identifies him as a Russian history teacher and a former activist in pro-Kremlin youth movements.</p> <p>During “friendship evenings,” Russian students wrote thank-you letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.</p> <p>Participants said each day began at 6:30 a.m. with cleaning around monuments to North Korean leaders as a sign of respect. Korean children were required to bow to the leaders’ portraits when entering the dining hall.</p> <p>Connection to the outside world was limited or nonexistent: there was no internet and mobile phones were banned. Calls home were made from special rooms with telephones at about $1 per minute. Some participants also described computer games with politicized, violent content, including scenes of blowing up the White House.</p> <p>Rashevska said Russia presents such trips as “children’s diplomacy,” but in practice they are tools for political propaganda and building loyalty to an aggressor state and its allies.</p> <p>She argued the practices mirror Soviet-era methods of ideological indoctrination and are prohibited under international law. “This is not development or cultural exchange,” she said, but the normalization of war, violence and authoritarian ideologies.</p> <p>Even after a child returns home, she warned, the effects of such ideological exposure can be deep and long-lasting, warranting international scrutiny and response.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-sends-children-from-occupied-ukraine-to-north-korean-camp-for-re-education-investigation-finds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/of-civil-society-organizations-in.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:40:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/of-civil-society-organizations-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/upd-advertising.jpg" alt="76% of civil society organizations in Ukraine continue working despite resource shortages, new study finds"></p><p>As Russia’s missile and drone attacks continue to hit Ukrainian cities and towns, the burden of keeping services running and helping communities recover has increasingly fallen on civil society organizations alongside the state and local authorities.</p><p>A <a href="https://eef.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ENG-Doslidzhennya-Riven-stiy-kosti-ta-uchasti-organizatsiy-gromadyanskogo-suspilstva-u-protsesah-vidnovlennya-ta-vidbudovy-terytorialnyh-gromad.pdf">new nationwide study </a>shows that 76% of these groups remain active</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/76-of-civil-society-organizations-in-ukraine-continue-working-despite-resource-shortages-new-study-finds/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/hegseth-mocks-russian-air-defenses.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:33:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/hegseth-mocks-russian-air-defenses.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254061752.jpg" alt="Hegseth mocks Russian air defenses following US military operation in Venezuela"></p>U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Jan. 5 derided Russia-supplied air defenses that failed to stop the American raid and subsequent arrest of Venezuela's longtime dictator Nicolas Maduro.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/hegseth-mocks-russian-air-defenses-following-us-military-operation-in-venezuela/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/polish-man-who-denied-russias.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/polish-man-who-denied-russias.html <p>A pro-Russian Polish citizen, Krzysztof Galos, who did not believe Russia had launched a war against Ukraine, was likely killed by Russian security forces, according to media reports.</p> <p>The Russian human rights group Memorial published an account about an unidentified Polish national who died in a pretrial detention center (SIZO) in Taganrog, Russia. A family from Krakow recognized the man as their relative, saying the story matches details of Galos’ disappearance, reports Poland’s <a href="https://wyborcza.pl/7,75399,32469442,nie-moge-odebrac-kocham-cie-rozmawiamy-z-rodzina-polaka.html">Gazeta Wyborcza</a>.</p> <p>Memorial said it received information about Krzysztof from a Ukrainian who remains in Russian captivity. The witness described a 50- to 55-year-old man who traveled to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion began to see events with his own eyes. During the trip, he likely drove into a Russian military checkpoint by mistake and was detained. He was tortured and died as a result, according to the account.</p> <p>Relatives are convinced the account refers to Krzysztof Galos, who went missing in spring 2023.</p> <p>At an Easter family dinner, he told relatives he planned a two-week vacation but gave no details. On April 19, the family received his final text message: “I can’t answer. Everything is fine.”</p> <p>After he vanished, authorities determined that on April 20 he crossed the border into Ukraine in his car. Cameras last captured the vehicle in May that year near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian forces. No further trace of him was found.</p> <p>The family was stunned: Galos had no ties to Ukraine, knew no one there, and even denied the existence of the war, calling it a fabrication.</p> <p>When journalists shared details from Memorial’s report about a Pole named Krzysztof who was tortured in prison, the relatives immediately recognized him. “That’s him… It fits, everything falls into place,” his son said.</p> <p>The family has asked authorities to open a criminal investigation into the killing of Krzysztof Galos. They requested information from Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War and from organizations assisting Ukrainian military personnel and civilians held in Russian captivity, which are now looking for witnesses among those released. A request was also sent to Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Under consular agreements, Moscow was obliged to notify Poland about the detention and death of a Polish citizen, but no such notice was received. There has been no response so far.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/polish-man-who-denied-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine-was-likely-killed-in-russian-pretrial-detention-reports-say">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/ukraine-war-latest-live-putin.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:17:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/ukraine-war-latest-live-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-07-at-13-55-46.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Putin spent Orthodox Christmas at military base church, independent Russian media says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have marked Orthodox Christmas at a church in a military base, the Russian independent investigative media outlet Agentstvo reported on Jan. 7.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-2026-01-07/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/lithuanian-border-guards-are-picking.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:06:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/lithuanian-border-guards-are-picking.html <p>In 2025, Lithuania&rsquo;s State Border Guard Service (VSAT) detained 1,288 migrants who had initially entered Latvia from Belarus and subsequently attempted to reach Western Europe via Lithuania and Poland, compared to 540 detentions in 2024. Most migrants reportedly flew from their countries of origin to Russia using valid travel documents, then traveled by car to Belarus and crossed the border into Latvia with smugglers' assistance, before being picked up at prearranged locations and transported westwards. Others flew from the United Arab Emirates or Turkey directly to Belarus. The largest migrant groups detained were citizens of Somalia (459) and Afghanistan (162). Of the migrants traveling via Latvia, 64% were detained by Lithuanian border officers and 36% by Polish authorities. Many migrants traveled by car in groups and some attempted to use scheduled bus services with forged or no documents. Lithuanian border guards started 85 pretrial investigations into human smuggling in 2025 and detained 101 suspected transporters, mostly Ukrainian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian citizens. Migrants were often allowed to move freely within Latvia while their asylum applications were under review, enabling some to continue westward through Lithuania and other EU borders. This situation is linked to increased pressure along the EU&rsquo;s eastern border associated with Belarus.</p> <p>Category: Population &amp; Migration Tools</p> <p>Subcategory: Weaponized Migration</p> <p>Incident Type: Pushing asylum-seekers across borders</p> <p>Country: Lithuania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/07.01.2026-lithuanian-border-guards-are-picking-up-migrants-who-have-moved-on-from-latvia.a628926/">eng.lsm.lv/article/s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/d7c7c12d-fbdc-463c-97d2-25238ac1bc82">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/macron-seeks-to-talk-to.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:55:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/macron-seeks-to-talk-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c91a6fd5cc.jpg" alt="Macron seeks to talk to Putin 'in the coming weeks' amid revived Ukraine peace efforts"></p>The French president nevertheless stressed that "in the short term, we must continue to support Ukraine in its defense efforts."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/macron-seeks-to-talk-to-putin-in-the-coming-weeks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/six-windows-on-ukraine-creation.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:40:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/six-windows-on-ukraine-creation.html <p><strong>"These films are not about events. They are about structures that allow violence to happen."</strong></p><p>For our fifth season, <a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></a> returns to where it began:<strong> revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season</strong> to see how hope, resistance, and resilience have shaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, language, love, resistance, and the future—our guests reflect on the past, share intimate stories, and write letters to their former selves. A return and continuation, this season reminds us that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.</p><p>In this episode of the season, <em>Ukrainian Spaces</em> reconnects with a Ukrainian filmmaker and writer, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oleksiy.radynski/"><strong>Oleksiy Radynski</strong></a>. He joins Maksym and Val to reflect on how analytical thinking and creative work became his ways to endure the anxiety and chaos of the full-scale invasion. What started as an effort to stay focused grew into award-winning films and viral texts that document russian war crimes and dismantle russian imperial myths.</p><p>Through his wartime films <a href="https://takflix.com/en/films/chornobyl-22"><em>Chornobyl-22</em></a>, <a href="https://loudandclearreviews.com/special-operation-film-review/"><em>Special Operation</em></a>, and <a href="https://takflix.com/en/films/where_russia_ends"><em>Where Russia Ends</em></a>, Radynski examines how empire operates through space, ecology, and silence, moving beyond conventional war storytelling. He also speaks about silent resistance, memory, and why art and storytelling remain one of Ukraine’s most persistent forms of anti-colonial resistance.</p><p>The episode closes with a message from Oleksiy to his 2022 self: empires will fall, but none can be trusted to undo another.</p><p><a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></a> is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its right to exist.</p><p><strong>SUPPORT: </strong><a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></a> is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise more Ukraine conversations - <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/ukrainianspaces/posts">become our Patreon sponsor</a> or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) </p><p><strong>GET FEATURED: </strong><a href="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ukrainianspaces/message">send us a voicemail </a></p><p>This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/"><strong>Ukrainska Pravda</strong></a> – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/supportus/">make a donation through their website</a> or <a href="https://www.patreon.com/pravdaua">join their Patreon community</a>. Every contribution keeps the story alive.</p><p><a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ukrainianspaces/episodes/Six-windows-on-Ukraine-Creation-e3d7c0h">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russia-reportedly-sends-submarine-to.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:26:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russia-reportedly-sends-submarine-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1bf18ca2f5.jpg" alt="Russia reportedly sends submarine to escort oil tanker pursued by US"></p>The Wall Street Journal reported that Moscow sent a submarine and other vessels to escort the Marinera tanker, previously known as Bella 1.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-reportedly-sends-naval-vessel-to-escort-tanker-pursued-by-us/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/us-to-triple-patriot-interceptor.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:54:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/us-to-triple-patriot-interceptor.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1229063725.jpg" alt="US to triple Patriot interceptor missile output — this is why"></p>The interceptor features advanced hit-to-kill technology, enabling it to destroy high-speed missiles, such as Russia's Kinzhal and Zircon, with precision.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-to-triple-patriot-interceptor-production-under-new-long-term-deal-with-lockheed-martin/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/lithuania-to-review-russian-oppositionists.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:17:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/lithuania-to-review-russian-oppositionists.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/7baf6468b1.jpg" alt="Lithuania to review Russian oppositionist's residency after criticism of Ukrainian officials, anti-Kremlin commander"></p>In a private message sent late December, Leonid Volkov welcomed the news of the apparent death of Denis Kapustin, the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, a right-wing militia made up of ethnic Russians fighting on Ukraine's side. It was later revealed that Kapustin was alive and his death was faked by Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/lithuania-to-review-russian-oppositionists-residency-after-criticism-of-ukrainian-officials-anti-kremlin-commander/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/chart-of-the-week-lending.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 07:52:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/chart-of-the-week-lending.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/lending-boom-take-0-02.jpg" alt="Chart of the week: Lending boom suggests war is new normal for Ukrainians"></p><p>Ukrainians continued a borrowing spree in 2025, suggesting that households and companies are settling into a new normal as the country approaches the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion.</p><p>While new loans plummeted in the first few years of the full-scale invasion, borrowing started to pick up in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chart-of-the-week-lending-boom-suggests-war-is-new-normal-for-ukrainians/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russia-offered-to-swap-venezuela.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:48:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russia-offered-to-swap-venezuela.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1190486820.jpg" alt="Russia offered to 'swap' Venezuela for Ukraine in 2019, Trump adviser testimony claims"></p>Former Trump adviser Fiona Hill's congressional testimony resurfaced after the U.S. attack on Venezuela. Hill claimed Moscow sent signals proposing a "very strange swap arrangement between Venezuela and Ukraine" based on the Monroe Doctrine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-offered-to-swap-venezuela-for-ukraine-in-2019-trump-adviser-testimony-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russian-oil-depot-in-belgorod.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 03:28:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russian-oil-depot-in-belgorod.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/refinery1-1.jpg" alt="Russian oil depot in Belgorod Oblast on fire after Ukrainian drone attack, official claims"></p>A fire broke out at the Stary Oskol oil depot in Russia's Belgorod Oblast after it was hit by Ukrainian drones, Governor Vyacheslov Gladkov said. "As a result of the detonation, several tanks caught fire on the site," he claimed.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-oil-refinery-in-belgorod-oblast-on-fire-after-ukrainian-drone-attack-official-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/hybrid-threat-german-bka-counts.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/hybrid-threat-german-bka-counts.html <p>According to a classified BKA report obtained by NDR, WDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany experienced 321 suspected sabotage incidents in 2025, with North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony hardest hit. Notable incidents include a break-in at a substation in Wuppertal on January 7, attempted break-in into a wind turbine near Starnberg on January 8, theft of Deutsche Bahn radio equipment in Oberhausen, and suspicious metal clamps causing a freight train derailment in Essen transporting chemicals and diverted US military cargo. The BKA categorizes threats across various infrastructures such as military facilities, railways, energy plants, police, and water supply systems. There were also 2,310 reported drone overflights, some suspected of reconnaissance, including sightings near Fehmarn above a Russian tanker. Authorities suspect Russian intelligence operations involving non-professional &lsquo;throwaway agents&rsquo; recruited mainly online to conduct espionage and sabotage. German authorities have arrested suspects linked to these activities, including arrests in Hamburg of individuals accused of attempting sabotage on naval vessels, such as damaging systems and contaminating the engine of Corvette “Emden.” To counter these threats, the Federal Interior Ministry will soon establish an anti-hybrid threat center within the BfV to accelerate detection and response. Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression, the frequency of suspected sabotage has increased significantly. While some investigations remain unresolved or dismissed due to lack of evidence, others have resulted in convictions and ongoing probes. Officials note some alarms may be false or caused by non-malicious factors.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/bka-sabotage-verdacht-100.html">www.tagesschau.de/investiga&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/622ea49b-6ba7-4179-9a84-5e2ad160a891">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/07/russias-military-procurement-is-a.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/07/russias-military-procurement-is-a.html <p>As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, it is increasingly using drones, manned aircraft, and warships to test European defenses. These are not isolated reconnaissance operations but attempts to normalize intrusion. Behind this operational push lies a rapidly expanding Russian military-industrial complex including shipyards producing ice-capable submarines, missile factories operating three shifts to stockpile long-range strike weapons, and explosives plants expanding to strategic scale. Moscow&rsquo;s procurement choices indicate a preparation for sustained Russian military pressure well beyond Ukraine, particularly focusing on naval and missile sectors important in the European theater. Key trends include rapid growth in production facilities, prioritization of strategic weapons platforms, and an investment focus on long-term operational endurance rather than a short wartime surge, showing planning for a protracted conflict with Europe.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: High-Tech Military Tools</p> <p>Incident Type: Cruise / ballistic missiles</p> <p>Country: Russia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/07/russia-ukraine-putin-europe-drones-missiles/">foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/0&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/f5881eae-4845-484d-b8ac-9faa7d974bf6">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/us-to-help-enforce-ukraine.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 23:21:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/us-to-help-enforce-ukraine.html <p>The United States is prepared to play a key role in a security guarantees framework for Ukraine once the active phase of the war ends, according to a draft document from the so-called “coalition of the willing” published by <a href="https://suspilne.media/1206998-ssa-dopomozut-zabezpeciti-pripinenna-vognu-v-ukraini-rozvidkou-ta-logistikou-proekt-zaavi-koalicii-ohocih">Suspilne</a>.</p> <p>The draft says Washington intends to help Ukraine enforce a cease-fire primarily through intelligence and logistical support. It emphasizes that all measures would be implemented only at Kyiv’s official request and only after a durable halt to hostilities.</p> <p>The document places special emphasis on joint military planning. It envisions coordination in the air, at sea and on land, as well as assistance to rebuild and strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces. Europe is expected to take the lead in these efforts, while the US would remain an active participant and partner.</p> <p>The US would also lead monitoring of the cease-fire, the draft states. A permanent observation system and a separate commission would be established to review violations and assign responsibility.</p> <p>If Russia launches a new armed attack on Ukraine, coalition members pledge to support Kyiv. Assistance could include military assets, intelligence, logistics, diplomatic pressure and additional sanctions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/us-to-help-enforce-ukraine-cease-fire-and-lead-monitoring-under-draft-security-guarantees">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/we-are-grateful-to-the.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:50:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/we-are-grateful-to-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/39e9c78a2a.jpg" alt="We are grateful to the US for their support so that Russia cannot attack Ukraine again, – Zelenskyy"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ISiTb6CUUO0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/russia-against-the-us-attacks.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/russia-against-the-us-attacks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8210740e8b.jpg" alt="RUSSIA AGAINST THE US – attacks on American businesses in Ukraine #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KugoE0SWZkQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/we-asked-experts-why-venezuelas.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:36:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/we-asked-experts-why-venezuelas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253839665-1.jpg" alt="We asked 3 experts why Venezuela's Russian-supplied air defenses were so abysmal"></p><p>Of all the images that emerged from the U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, one of the most surreal was the sight of a fleet of American helicopters flying unchallenged over the skies of Caracas.</p><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><blockquote data-sanitized-class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Video from Caracas, Venezuela shows U.S. military</p></blockquote></figure><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-asked-3-experts-why-venezuelas-russian-supplied-air-defenses-were-so-abysmal/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukrainian-drones-strike-ammunition-depot.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:36:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukrainian-drones-strike-ammunition-depot.html <p>Drones struck the 100th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) of Russia’s Defense Ministry overnight in the town of Neya in the Kostroma region, triggering explosions and a partial evacuation in nearby areas, according to Russian Telegram channels.</p> <p>Telegram channels reported that an air-raid alert was declared in the Kostroma region at approximately 02:06 and lifted only at 11:18. Residents of Neya said they heard explosions throughout the night. The channels claimed the drones hit the GRAU arsenal located near the town.</p> <p>Kostroma region governor Sergey Sitnikov said on his Telegram channel that drones targeted military and strategic facilities in the region overnight. He claimed Russian air defenses shot down several Ukrainian drones over the region and said “no destruction was allowed.” Later, he added that “drone debris damaged several facilities.”</p> <p>Sitnikov said the regional emergency commission held an urgent meeting focused on the situation in Neya district. Messaging channels reported that evacuations were ordered in parts of Neya district bordering the arsenal. Sitnikov indirectly confirmed that, noting a temporary accommodation center for 1,200 residents was set up for southern Neya; he added police are patrolling to safeguard property.</p> <p>Overnight, Ukraine’s Armed Forces carried out strikes on military and strategic facilities in several Russian regions. A petrochemical plant known as “SNKhZ” in Bashkortostan was also hit. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 129 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory during the night.</p> <p>Earlier, a drone attack in Russia’s Lipetsk region ignited an oil depot that supplies fuel to the Russian military.</p> <p>Separately, drones reportedly flew 700 kilometers to strike a strategic plant in the Russian city of Penza.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-ammunition-depot-in-russia-s-kostroma-region-prompting-partial-evacuation">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/fire-breaks-out-at-a.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:09:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/fire-breaks-out-at-a.html <p>A fuel depot in the Lipetsk region caught fire overnight on January 6 following a strike by Ukrainian attack drones.</p> <p>According to the outlet Astra and the Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+, the Usman fuel depot in the village of Streletskie Khutora was hit.</p> <p>Lipetsk Governor Igor Artamonov also <a href="https://t.me/igor_artamonov48/5868">reported</a> a fire at an industrial facility in the Usman district, without providing specific details.</p> <p>“According to preliminary information, there are no dead or injured. Emergency services are working at the scene,” he said.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry claims that 129 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed over Russian territory overnight on January 6.</p> <p>The ministry said most of the attacks targeted the Bryansk, Belgorod and Yaroslavl regions.</p> <p>Local authorities in the Bryansk region said two vehicles were struck by a drone in the village of Podlesnye Novoselki, injuring two drivers from the Miratorg company.</p> <p>In the Voronezh region, a drone fell onto railway tracks, causing temporary train delays.</p> <p>In Tver, a fragment of a drone hit a high-rise building, according to acting Tver region governor Vitaly Korolev. He said two injured people were hospitalized.</p> <p>Astra also reported that residents reported explosions in Sterlitamak (where a chemical plant was allegedly hit), Yaroslavl, Penza (where a transport company’s premises were targeted) and the Leningrad region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/fire-breaks-out-at-a-fuel-depot-in-lipetsk-as-mass-drone-attacks-hit-russia-four-injured">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/kremlins-geopolitical-collapse-us-and.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:01:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/kremlins-geopolitical-collapse-us-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/56c33ae204.jpg" alt="Kremlin's geopolitical collapse: US and Europe moving to play without Moscow?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLpbAVan6Lg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/why-trumps-capture-of-venezuelas.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:11:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/why-trumps-capture-of-venezuelas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2213255268.jpg" alt="Why Trump’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro is both a blessing and a curse for Russia"></p><p>The U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, a Kremlin ally, is a blow to Russia's influence in Latin America.</p><p>However, Russia may also derive some benefits from U.S. President <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/donald-trump/">Donald Trump</a>'s unprovoked <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-carries-out-large-scale-strike-on-venezuela-maduro-captured-and-flown-out-the-country-trumps-says/">intervention</a>.</p><p>First, Trump's apparent violation of international law</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/why-trumps-capture-of-venezuelas-maduro-is-both-a-blessing-and-a-curse-for-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukraines-cold-water-warriors.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:03:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukraines-cold-water-warriors.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fbe55b6b5-4.jpg" alt="Ukraine’s cold water warriors"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!0DyL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3316a80f-b3c3-4a78-af27-89ac10ed7aef_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3316a80f-b.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3316a80f-b3c3-4a78-af27-89ac10ed7aef_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:</em></p><p><em>The Counteroffensive would like to thank the readers in this video.</em></p></div><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"bc1c0441-0cfe-4f52-967a-d36815d7188e","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Your support makes this kind of reporting possible and gives meaning to the work we do every day. By being part of this community, you help ensure that critical human stories from Ukraine continue to be told.</em></p><p><em>We’re deeply grateful for your trust and wish you all the best in 2026.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>If Volodymyr Kozyriev added up all the time he spent in the water, sometimes under freezing temperatures, it would exceed seven days per year.</p><p>As the head of an underwater mine clearance group in the State Emergency Service of the Mykolaiv region, Volodymyr routinely dives into lakes and rivers to neutralize Russian explosives.</p><p>Epiphany, a holiday marked on January 6 to mark the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, is not an exception for Volodymyr’s dives. While some ardent Christians in Ukraine dip into the cold water to cleanse their bodies and souls, ward off evil, stay healthy and secure longevity, Volodymyr and his colleagues are just doing their jobs, protecting military personnel and civilians from the looming Russian threat.</p><p>According to the UN, about 13,000 sq. km of Ukrainian waterways, including those in the Dnipro River, the Black Sea and lakes, could be <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/miny-voda-more-richky-vodoskhovyshcha-rozminuvannya/33605367.html">contaminated</a> with Russian explosive devices. To prevent them from going off sporadically, specialists from the State Emergency Service take a great risk. As of June, 2025, more than 500 rescuers were injured, and at least 105 <a href="https://suspilne.media/1050615-vid-pocatku-povnomasstabnoi-vijni-zaginuli-ponad-100-ratuvalnikiv-dsns/">died</a> on duty due to Russian attacks.</p><p>For them, cold plunges are not an optional festive ritual, but an everyday, sometimes life-threatening job. Their silent and unnoticed heroism is what truly allows Ukrainians to mark holidays safely in the chaos of war.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":428871}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Volodymyr began his career at the State Emergency Service unexpectedly.</p><p>His first dive was a training session. After years of watching other divers on his phone or a TV screen, looking around in the murky water himself felt both terrifying and exciting. Now he dives in the cold waters for work, while even some of the bravest Ukrainians would only dare to plunge for the Epiphany holiday.</p><p>“The water temperature can drop to 5, 2 or even 0 degrees [Celsius],” Volodymyr said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fbe55b6b5-4.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/35d9896423.jpg" width="498" height="373.842032967033" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/be55b6b5-449d-4103-a028-052bd08adc83_1600x1201.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1093,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":498,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Volodymyr on a successful mission. Photo provided to The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>To be ready for such extreme temperatures and challenging tasks at any time, Volodymyr has needed to develop his physical endurance and mental resilience. He and his team spend most days training. Divers are constantly analyzing their previous mistakes to improve their teamwork and adjust to new equipment. This is crucial in order to adapt back to severe conditions. The working schedule at the Emergency Service is also intense, as the rescuers need to stay on call over weekends and holidays.</p><p>As stressful as it is, Volodymyr finds comfort in diving. He describes feeling like he is going to a completely different world where everything is much more peaceful.</p><p>“There is no one there, it is quiet. You are completely cut off from the modern world. There is no phone, and no one can call and distract you. When we come to some new places with clear water and a good view, it is like paradise for us.”</p><p>This feeling of serenity parallels what people are trying to find when they jump into the chilling water on Epiphany, which is one of the most important winter holidays in Ukraine.</p><p>Although the cold plunge tradition is not widely observed nowadays, it certainly lives on in Ukraine. The name ‘Epiphany’ was first <a href="https://localhistory.org.ua/texts/statti/chi-kupalisia-ukrayintsi-na-vodokhreshche/">used</a> in a written source in 1148, but the custom itself was kept in all regions of Ukraine up to the beginning of the 20th century, marked by a civil war in Ukraine and establishment of the Soviet Union. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!wIv0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faba70687-427f-4e95-a5a9-dce6f9b75f30_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2faba70687-4.jpg" width="468" height="312" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/aba70687-427f-4e95-a5a9-dce6f9b75f30_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":468,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Ukrainian Orthodox believers bathing in cold water during Epiphany celebrations in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 6, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion (Photo by Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>On January 6, the water is said to become “holy.” If it freezes over, observers form a cross-shaped hole in the ice, which might come from the Ukrainian name of the holiday, ‘Vodokhreshcha’. Derived from <em>voda, </em>which means ‘water’, and<em> khrest,</em> ‘a cross’, it means baptism in the holy water.</p><p>In traditional celebrations, early in the morning, everyone tried to drink water from a nearby river or lake as a remedy for future illness. Girls used to wash their faces in it to get rosy cheeks and preserve their beauty. Swimming in the cold water on Epiphany was reserved for the bravest, and mostly for the young.</p><p>People who participated in theatrical performances on the holiday of Malanka and Vasyl (<a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/ukrainian-goat-carol-nye-traditions">see our story on that</a>) also did cold plunges on Epiphany to wash away evil spirits they might have accidentally summoned during their plays.</p><p>Today, some people still dare to jump. Among them are celebrities, politicians and the mayor of Kyiv, Vitalii Klitschko. Even the former President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, plunged in years past.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!AXRx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6c5ab1ad-d395-47fc-bc37-4304596d0357_1000x666.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f6c5ab1ad-d.png" width="464" height="309.024" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6c5ab1ad-d395-47fc-bc37-4304596d0357_1000x666.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":666,"width":1000,"resizeWidth":464,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The mayor of Kyiv, Vitalii </em>Klitschko<em>, celebrated Epiphany in 2021 with a cold plunge at -19°C. Photo from the official <a href="https://kyivcity.gov.ua/news/vitaliy_klichko_privitav_ukrantsiv_iz_vodokhreschem_ta_pirnuv_u_opolonku/">site</a> of the Kyiv city council.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Volodymyr is wary about the tradition, and only vaguely remembers his father plunging on Epiphany. He warns that diving might be unsafe and cause sudden cramps, especially for people who are not used to it. Even professional divers don’t jump into the cold water unprepared.</p><p>To search for and neutralize mines in winter, Volodymyr wears a thick wetsuit, which ensures that his skin does not touch the water. Still, it confines his movements and cannot protect him entirely from the cold.</p><p>“In winter, we spend less time underwater, but you can get any disease. With some of them, like pneumonia or sinusitis, you cannot work in the water at all,” he said.</p><p>During the war, very few people dive to celebrate Epiphany as mass gatherings are forbidden by martial law. On the flip side, the Emergency Service performs increasingly challenging tasks.</p><p>As Volodymyr explains, an explosion in less than one kilometer next to divers may be deadly, even underwater. He faces further challenges when he has to deal with unfamiliar equipment and invent creative solutions to disarm it.</p><p>“Many explosive devices were not used before, and we were not taught such methods. These are used specifically against divers, against any swimming equipment or armored equipment crossing rivers. When it is in the middle of the river, we can’t get to it by boat because of the big waves. Sometimes we use robotic systems or drones to liquidate it.”</p><p>Each mission is carried out by at least 4 people, including a car driver, two divers, and a person to support and assist them on the ground. The longest missions could last for weeks.</p><p>Unexploded mines or missiles usually take the most time to extract and often require specific equipment and precise scans of the sea floor.</p><p>“Some of it is not even invented yet,” joked Volodymyr.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Zwkw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa8ad893e-e3d9-489e-8575-13e86c5fb9c9_1600x1067.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fa8ad893e-e.jpg" width="528" height="352.1208791208791" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a8ad893e-e3d9-489e-8575-13e86c5fb9c9_1600x1067.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":971,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":528,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A member of the support team assists Volodymyr with his tasks</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Volodymyr said life-saving tasks and searching for bodies are the hardest for him.</p><p>“The most difficult thing is when you come to look for a dead child,” he said. I remember when two boys drowned... Not everyone can take that,” he said.</p><p>Many calls to the Emergency Service are made by locals who spot suspicious objects in the water. For Volodymyr, one trend is disturbing and relieving at the same time: after almost four years of war, false alarms have grown rare. People have learned to recognize different kinds of explosive devices and self-monitor their requests for help.</p><p>Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry, he said, which can lead to some funny cases:</p><p>“There was a time when we came to remove an anti-personnel mine, but it turned out to be a drinking trough for little ducklings. It was just stuck in the ground, slightly trampled, and they thought it was a mine.”</p><p>Volodymyr doesn’t celebrate Epiphany himself, but when he protects Ukrainians from explosives underwater, he helps to preserve this tradition and the Ukrainian way of life in a broader sense.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s note:</em></p><p><em>The Counteroffensive would like to thank the readers in this video.</em></p></div><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"bc1c0441-0cfe-4f52-967a-d36815d7188e","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Your support makes this kind of reporting possible and gives meaning to the work we do every day. By being part of this community, you help ensure that critical human stories from Ukraine continue to be told.</em></p><p><em>We’re deeply grateful for your trust and wish you all the best in 2026.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Anastasiia Kryvoruchenko</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>ZELENSKYY-‘COALITION OF THE WILLING’ TALK ON SECURITY GUARANTEES</strong>: Today, Zelenskyy and Western leaders will meet in Paris to define post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-macron-starmer-witkoff-21195f5b6a67fd2ac445d05803ae5948">reported</a>. U.S. representatives — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — will attend the meeting.</p><p>A key topic of the meeting will be securing U.S. approval for deploying American troops in Ukraine, as well as other forms of assistance within the framework of security guarantees.</p><p><strong>ZELENSKYY APPOINTED CANADIAN POLITICIAN AS ECONOMIC ADVISOR:</strong> President Zelenskyy has appointed Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, as an advisor on post-war reconstruction, NYT <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/world/europe/chrystia-freeland-ukraine-economic-adviser.html">reported</a>. She will provide consultations on rebuilding in the event that negotiations succeed and peace is reached.</p><p>Freeland’s appointment to this role comes amid Trump’s push for U.S. participation in reconstruction.</p><p><strong>U.S. TO SEIZE VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER UNDER RUSSIAN FLAG:</strong> The U.S. plans to seize the tanker ‘Marinera’, which is carrying Venezuelan crude oil under the Russian flag, CBS <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-planning-to-intercept-oil-tanker-flying-russian-flag-linked-to-venezuelan-oil-trade-cbs-news-reports/">reported</a>. The ‘Marinera’ is listed as having departed a port in Sochi on the Black Sea coast.</p><p>The Russian government has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/us/politics/oil-tanker-russia-north-atlantic.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">requested</a> that the U.S. refrain from any attempt to seize the tanker. Sanctions and strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure have dealt a painful blow to the Russian economy which is heavily reliant on the energy sector.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Nastia met this pup while having coffee with a friend and enjoying one of the few sunny days in Kyiv. The dog’s outfit matched the weather perfectly.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!vDsp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd2fb69aa-5b9d-409f-a53e-32a4424b9b14_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd2fb69aa-5.png" width="1200" height="1600" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d2fb69aa-5b9d-409f-a53e-32a4424b9b14_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Oleksandra</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/ukraines-cold-water-warriors">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukraines-drone-strikes-on-moscow.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukraines-drone-strikes-on-moscow.html <p>Ukraine has significantly stepped up drone strikes on Moscow, which by late December had effectively become daily, <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/13397">reports</a> the news outlet Agentstvo.Novosti, citing Russia’s Defense Ministry and statements by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.</p> <p>Since December 30, Russian authorities have issued daily reports on drones shot down while heading toward Moscow and the wider Moscow region.</p> <p>Overnight Monday, Russian air defenses destroyed two drones over the Moscow region, with one reportedly bound for the capital. The day before, officials reported two drones downed in the evening and three more overnight. On Saturday, Sobyanin said seven drones targeted Moscow.</p> <p>The raids have continued for several days in a row. Overnight Friday, five drones were destroyed, according to the Defense Ministry; on January 1, officials reported 30 drones shot down over the course of the night and day; on the evening of December 31, two more; and on December 30, three. Earlier attacks were recorded December 9–16 and 24–27. In total, based on official statements, at least 105 drones were launched at Moscow and the Moscow region over the past month.</p> <p>Drones targeted the capital on 13 separate days in December, the highest monthly frequency of 2025. Previously, such strikes were more sporadic and often timed to symbolic dates. Now, Western analysts note, Ukraine has shifted to steady pressure on the Russian capital.</p> <p>The largest single attack occurred on March 11, 2025, when 74 drones were headed toward Moscow, according to City Hall. The second-largest was recorded on December 11, when Russia’s air defenses reported 46 drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-drone-strikes-on-moscow-become-nearly-daily-as-intensity-rises">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/explosions-rang-out-all-night.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:46:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/explosions-rang-out-all-night.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-06-at-11-26-06-pm.png" alt="'Explosions rang out all night' — SBU conducts fresh strikes on ammunition depot and oil facility deep inside Russia"></p>Long-range drones operated by the agency's Alpha special forces unit struck a large Russian arsenal near the town of Neya in Kostroma Oblast and an oil facility in Lipetsk Oblast.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-conducts-fresh-strikes-on-ammo-depot-and-oil-facility-deep-inside-russia-source-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/venezuelas-russianmade-weapons-may-end.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/venezuelas-russianmade-weapons-may-end.html <p>The fall of Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela could bring Russia not only reputational and geopolitical fallout, but serious defense problems, as the Venezuelan army’s Russian-made weaponry could end up in U.S. hands.</p> <p>The formation of a government in Venezuela aligned with Washington would give U.S. military experts access to one of the largest stockpiles of Russian arms outside Russia — from air defenses to fighter jets and missiles.</p> <p>As Defence Express <a href="https://defence-ua.com/news/do_jakoji_rosijskoji_zbroji_ssha_otrimaje_dostup_pislja_povalennja_rezhimu_u_venesueli_i_vid_jakoji_karakas_bude_zdihuvatis-21383.html">reports</a>, under such a scenario U.S. military specialists would be able to study virtually the entire arsenal of Venezuela’s armed forces, including equipment and systems supplied by Russia over the past two decades.</p> <p>Of particular value to the U.S. are the Russian S-300VM surface-to-air missile systems delivered to Venezuela in 2013. Caracas received two battalions of the system, considered among the most capable export versions of Russia’s air defenses.</p> <p>In addition, in October 2025 Russia transferred to Venezuela an unspecified number of “Pantsir” and “Buk-M2” systems. These systems are also priority targets for U.S. analysis, given their active use by Russia in current conflicts.</p> <p>U.S. interest could also extend to the Venezuelan military’s air component, notably the Russian Su-30MKV fighter jets, deliveries of which began in 2006. Venezuela currently fields 21 of these aircraft.</p> <p>Adding to the value for U.S. military analysts are R-77 air-to-air guided missiles, considered among the most modern in Russia’s arsenal.</p> <p>The 300 mm “Smerch” multiple launch rocket systems could also attract U.S. attention.</p> <p>In addition, Washington may be interested in Iranian- and Chinese-made weapons, namely Iran’s Mohajer-6 reconnaissance-strike drones and China’s VN-16 infantry fighting vehicles.</p> <p>Taken together, Venezuela could become a unique venue for the comprehensive study of weapons from several U.S. adversaries and competitors at once.</p> <p>Analysts say the U.S. would be interested not only in studying Russian systems, but also in reducing the military potential of Venezuela - one of South America’s most powerful armies.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/venezuela-s-russian-made-weapons-may-end-up-in-u-s-hands">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukraine-war-latest-live-russia.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:10:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukraine-war-latest-live-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-06-at-13-04-35.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russia is arming Shahed-type drones with MANPADS heat-seeking missiles"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. A Russian Shahed-type drone reportedly downed in Chernihiv Oblast was armed with a MANPADS heat-seeking missile, media reported on Jan. 5.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-06/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/russian-spies-found-posing-as.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/russian-spies-found-posing-as.html <p>Russian spies posing as fishermen and tourists were detected conducting espionage near the Norway-Russia border in early 2026 amid increased hybrid warfare activities.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Norway</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://tvpworld.com/90907655/russia-reportedly-using-fishing-tourism-as-cover-for-spies">tvpworld.com/90907655/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/4a3a3707-6c57-476b-8806-99d3334b05fa">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-facilities.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:35:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-facilities.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/image0-2-.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones strike oil facilities in several Russian regions and residential building in Tver, officials say"></p>Ukrainian drones carried out overnight attacks on several Russian regions on Jan. 6, with explosions and fires reported in multiple locations, according to Russian Telegram channels.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-strike-oil-facilities-in-several-regions-residential-building-in-russias-tver-officials-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/massive-ukrainian-drone-attack-hits.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 04:24:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/massive-ukrainian-drone-attack-hits.html <p>Overnight on January 6, several regions of Russia issued air-raid alerts over a drone threat. Social media reports said an oil depot and a plant were hit in the Lipetsk and Penza regions.</p> <p>Explosions were also heard in the Republic of Bashkortostan, including the city of Sterlitamak, as well as in Tver, according to Russian media and monitoring channels.</p> <p>Residents of Penza reported the first blasts around 2 a.m. The Telegram channel SHOT <a href="https://t.me/shot_shot/90967">reported</a> about 10 explosions were heard in the city, and witnesses in the eastern part of the city saw bright flashes in the sky. Before that, people reported hearing the sound of drone engines overhead.</p> <p>Later, monitoring channels reported that the Biomintez plant in Penza <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15407">was targeted</a>. There is no official confirmation at the time of publication.</p> <p>Around 2 a.m., residents of the Russian city of Tver also reported explosions. The outlet ASTRA, citing local authorities, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/101326">said</a> debris from a drone fell on a residential high-rise.</p> <p>Russian authorities also said two people were injured in Tver and one person was killed. At the same time, monitoring channels <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15410">reported</a> that electronic warfare systems were operating in the city during the attack.</p> <p>In Russia’s Lipetsk region, drones attacked an oil depot, according to <a href="https://t.me/exilenova_plus/15409">monitoring channels</a>, sparking a large fire.</p> <p>Drones also reached the Republic of Bashkortostan overnight. ASTRA <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/101327">reported</a> that a series of explosions rocked the city of Sterlitamak. The city hosts a major petrochemical plant that has previously been targeted by drones. There was no immediate information on the impact of the attack.</p> <p>On January 4, monitoring channels reported a drone attack on the Russian city of Yelets, after which the Energiya plant caught fire.</p> <p>Also overnight on January 4, Moscow came under a mass drone attack; more than 100 flights were canceled at the capital’s airports amid the strikes.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/massive-ukrainian-drone-attack-hits-russia-with-explosions-reported-in-penza-bashkortostan-and-tver">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukraine-says-it-killed-dozens.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 04:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukraine-says-it-killed-dozens.html <p>Ukrainian forces say they killed dozens of Russian troops who attempted to use the Soyuz gas pipeline to advance in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. The report came from the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces on Monday, January 5.</p> <p>The incident unfolded on the Kupyansk axis, the corps said. Russia committed up to 50 soldiers in an attempted breach north of Novoplatonivka, moving toward Nova Kruhliakivka and Zahryzove.</p> <p>“The enemy tried to use the gas pipeline for a covert approach and subsequent force buildup. The 77th Separate Airmobile Brigade detected the plan in time and, in coordination with neighboring units, halted the assault. The elimination of at least 40 enemy service members has been confirmed,” the statement said.</p> <p>The military added that Russian forces failed to achieve their objectives and that the situation in the brigade’s sector has been stabilized.</p> <p>In December, Ukrainian forces destroyed a pipe the Russians used to infiltrate Kupyansk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-killed-dozens-of-russian-troops-who-tried-to-advance-through-soyuz-gas-pipeline-in-kharkiv-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/ukrainian-forces-foil-russian-attempts.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 03:30:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/ukrainian-forces-foil-russian-attempts.html <p>Russian forces are using small-group tactics to infiltrate the village of Dronivka in the Siversk urban community of Bakhmut district, Donetsk region. They are also trying to bypass Ukrainian positions using the Siversk–Zakytne road, the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhanska Brigade said on its Telegram channel on Monday, December 5.</p> <p>“The enemy is also more active from the direction of Yampil - mostly futile attempts to ferry manpower across the Siverskyi Donets River in motorized rubber boats and hold ground on the riverbank.</p> <p>“In addition, the enemy is trying to bring up artillery and set up pilot staging points near the northeastern outskirts of Dronivka and in the Serebrianske forestry,” the statement said.</p> <p>Russia’s main objective, the brigade added, is to seize the riverbank along the Siverskyi Donets and the villages of Dronivka, Platonivka and Zakytne to concentrate resources, deploy artillery and UAV positions, and control logistics.</p> <p>“Units of the 81st Brigade are managing to detect the enemy in time and deliver instant strikes against both enemy personnel and static targets. Such coordinated actions are stopping Russian advances toward Dronivka and other settlements within our area of responsibility,” the brigade said.</p> <p>The military noted the overall situation in their sector remains tense. Earlier, Ukrainian forces said they are holding the defense of the city of Rodynske in Donetsk region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-foil-russian-attempts-to-cross-the-siverskyi-donets-river-near-dronivka">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/us-plans-interception-of-russianflagged.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 01:52:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/us-plans-interception-of-russianflagged.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a2491404c1.jpg" alt="US plans interception of Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuelan oil trade, CBS News reports"></p>Reports of the planned interception come amid increasingly tense relations between Washington and Moscow, as the U.S. continues to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-planning-to-intercept-oil-tanker-flying-russian-flag-linked-to-venezuelan-oil-trade-cbs-news-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/06/germany-sees-russias-hybrid-attacks.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/06/germany-sees-russias-hybrid-attacks.html <p>Germany&rsquo;s Ministry of Defense, in a report titled &lsquo;Querschnitt Aufgabe Cyberabwehr&rsquo; (QAA BW) cited by Bloomberg and reported by Ukrinform on January 6, 2026, states that Russia is increasing attacks on Germany&rsquo;s key infrastructure as part of hybrid warfare seen as possible preparation for large-scale conflict. The document emphasizes that while Russia avoids direct military conflict with NATO, it is expected to use covert hybrid attacks including on energy and defense infrastructure to weaken NATO. The German military and security services warn that Russia is deliberately identifying and probing weak points inside different levels of the German government using cyber means and hybrid attacks. The report stresses the need for effective security and intelligence services as well as coordination with NATO allies to counter Russian aggression. Additionally, a report from Bloomberg cited a senior member of the German Social Union (CSU) that combating Russian aggression is vital to European security. The report underlines a serious assessment of Russia&rsquo;s growing threat to Germany and Europe. The combination of hybrid warfare tactics is assessed as a precursor and preparation for possible wider military conflict. Key official sources emphasize the ongoing cyber and infrastructure attacks as part of this strategic posture.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Incident Type: Attacks on critical infrastructure (energy, transport, hospitals)</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4077196-germany-sees-russias-hybrid-attacks-as-preparation-for-largescale-conflict-bloomberg.html">www.ukrinform.net/rubric-at&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/a589c10a-b5c8-44b2-9e73-18dcb494612d">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/losses-in-december-russia-pays.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/losses-in-december-russia-pays.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8502194563.jpg" alt="33,000 LOSSES IN DECEMBER! Russia pays a terrible price for the war #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4sX0Th4bNdY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/trump-doesnt-believe-kremlins-fantasies.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/trump-doesnt-believe-kremlins-fantasies.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/55e4be9f25.jpg" alt="Trump doesn't believe Kremlin's fantasies, Putin loses record number of doldiers"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXfFxvcVVnU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/zelensky-says-russia-lost-troops.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:34:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/zelensky-says-russia-lost-troops.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-05-20-07-04.jpg" alt="Zelensky says Russia lost 90,000 troops over 3 months as Fedorov readies Defense Ministry overhaul"></p>The Ukrainian army has eliminated more than 90,000 Russian troops over the past three months, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Jan. 5 after meeting with Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who is expected to lead the Defense Ministry soon.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-reports-heavy-russian-losses-over-past-3-months-as-zelenskys-pick-for-defense-minister-prepares-ministry-transformation-plan/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/russia-prolongs-war-and-maximizes.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:29:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/russia-prolongs-war-and-maximizes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/16393d6256.jpg" alt="❗️Russia prolongs war and maximizes Ukraine damage – strategy unchanged, — Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SCd8O-QbffY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/slavoj-zizek-welcome-to-the.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:06:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/slavoj-zizek-welcome-to-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2252056575.jpg" alt="Slavoj Zizek: Welcome to the age of corridors"></p><p>When criminals are apprehended, their first statement is usually: "But I did nothing wrong, I am an honest man!"</p><p>The latest example of such a procedure — which, of course, stands for ideology at its purest — occurred in mid-December 2025 when <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russia</a> announced that it is "</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/slavoj-zizek-welcome-to-the-age-of-corridors/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/ukrainian-strike-on-tuapse-russia.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:30:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/ukrainian-strike-on-tuapse-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3cf1462985.jpg" alt="Ukrainian strike on Tuapse – Russia is on fire! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o3apIDfRV-Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/year-starts-with-fires-ukrainian.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:04:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/year-starts-with-fires-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8949cae333.jpg" alt="Year starts with FIRES: Ukrainian drones devastate Russia's rear, FSB pays for fake"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFdKAO0ssQ4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/live-us-operation-in-caracas.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:38:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/live-us-operation-in-caracas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/37ba5eba0e.jpg" alt="🔴 LIVE! US operation in Caracas – signal to Putin or end of Kremlin's allies?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-EbqOgj3OM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/attack-foiled-ukrainian-army-destroys.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:24:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/attack-foiled-ukrainian-army-destroys.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3b6f35c810.jpg" alt="ATTACK FOILED: Ukrainian Army destroys Russians near Kupiansk #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jDsbyg8u3lc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/a-systematic-estoniatargeted-information-warfare.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:13:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/a-systematic-estoniatargeted-information-warfare.html <p>On January 5, 2026, systematic pro-Kremlin information warfare against Estonia has been detected on Wikipedia, where historical facts and political articles related to Estonia are being altered to reflect Russian narratives. The campaign targets nearly 600 articles about prominent Estonians, including politicians and cultural figures such as Kaja Kallas, Ott Tänak, and Carmen Kass, as well as foundational aspects of Estonian statehood, parliamentary and election information, and crucial historical events such as the Estonian War of Independence. Users opposing these Russian-influenced edits are quickly blocked and their corrections removed under pretexts accusing them of Estonian-side manipulation. Wikipedia administrators have locked at least the article on Kaja Kallas, leaving the Russian narrative unchallenged. The Estonian War of Independence is being reframed as a &lsquo;Russian-averse offensive,&rsquo; distorting its true historical context. This ongoing disinformation effort is under official scrutiny by Estonian government bodies aiming to assess and counter the Wikipedia-based hostile influence operation.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Information Operations</p> <p>Incident Type: Propaganda &amp; disinformation campaigns</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://digi.geenius.ee/rubriik/uudis/wikipedias-kaib-praegu-sustemaatiline-infosoda-eesti-vastu/">digi.geenius.ee/rubriik/u&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/0f1815c7-85e6-4de0-a706-4d217303efd7">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/direct-hit-on-hospital-russia.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:01:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/direct-hit-on-hospital-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/482e1a1c77.jpg" alt="DIRECT HIT ON HOSPITAL! 🏥 Russia launches 165 drones &amp; ballistics: dead in Kyiv!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDQsAlfRwAQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/india-orders-weekly-reporting-of.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/india-orders-weekly-reporting-of.html <p>Amid sanctions pressure and talks with Washington, India is tightening oversight of Russian oil imports, introducing an unprecedented reporting requirement for refiners. Reuters, citing sources, reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has mandated weekly disclosures of crude buys from Russia and the U.S.</p> <p>One government official said the new reporting system is needed so India can respond quickly to potential requests from Washington.</p> <p>Previously, information on the origin of crude bought by Indian refiners was published monthly in customs statistics and private-sector analytical reports. The move to weekly data marks the first such instance.</p> <p>Sources also told the agency that Indian companies plan to reduce imports of Russian crude, with supplies potentially falling below 1 million barrels per day in the coming months. The step is seen as part of New Delhi’s strategy to secure a trade agreement with the United States.</p> <p>Last summer, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the combined tariff on Indian goods to 50%.</p> <p>The White House chief argued that New Delhi was effectively financing the war in Ukraine, since a significant share of Russia’s energy export revenues goes to its military and war effort.</p> <p>Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, India became one of the largest buyers of Russian crude, taking advantage of steep discounts.</p> <p>Under U.S. pressure, the country gradually pared back purchases but did not halt them entirely. In December, imports of Russian oil fell to 1.1 million barrels per day - a three-year low.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/india-orders-weekly-reporting-of-russian-and-u-s-crude-purchases-amid-sanctions-pressure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/us-may-raise-tariffs-on.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:42:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/us-may-raise-tariffs-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254685994.jpg" alt="US may raise tariffs on India 'very quickly' if it keeps buying Russian oil, Trump says"></p>"(Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy," U.S. President Donald Trump said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-may-raise-tariffs-on-india-very-quickly-if-it-keeps-buying-russian-oil/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/scientists-are-behind-bars-in.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/scientists-are-behind-bars-in.html <p>At least seven Russian scientists lost their freedom in 2025 — either arrested during investigations or taken into custody after sentencing. According to <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/12/hroniki-presledovaniya-uchenyh-28/">T-Invariant</a>, at least 31 scientists are currently in detention in Russia on criminal charges. In 2025, the grounds for arrests included accusations of “spreading fakes about the army,” treason, “confidential cooperation” with a foreign state, as well as economic crimes.</p> <p>In April 2025, Grigory Severin - a PhD in physics and mathematics <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2021/02/grigorij-severin">previously fired</a> from Voronezh State University for protest activity - was once again deprived of liberty. He was detained on April 22 and accused of “discrediting” Russia’s armed forces, allegedly based on conversations with other inmates during a previous term. Severin has faced criminal prosecution repeatedly since 2021 and served time in a penal colony-settlement; the new case is another episode in a long chain of reprisals.</p> <p>In July 2025, Moscow’s Lefortovo Court <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/07/vadim-saltykovskij">arrested</a> Vadim Saltykovsky — a PhD in geography, a professor at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and a former employee of the presidential property management department. He is accused of treason. The substance of the charges has not been disclosed. The maximum penalty under that article is life imprisonment. After his arrest, references to Saltykovsky were removed from the websites of universities where he had worked.</p> <p>By August 2025, Nikolai Zyuzev - a doctor of philosophy, sociologist and researcher of Pitirim Sorokin’s legacy - <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/08/nikolaj-zyuzev">was also in custody</a>. He was detained in Syktyvkar and placed in a pretrial detention center on charges of “confidential cooperation with a foreign state.” Zyuzev holds Canadian citizenship and previously taught at Syktyvkar State University; after the war began, he left Russia but returned to the region.</p> <p>On August 30, 2025, St. Petersburg’s Kuibyshevsky District Court <a href="https://theins.ru/news/284498">ordered the detention</a> of Kirill Yakovlev - a sociologist and HSE University doctoral student, also known by the pen name Glikeriy Ulunov. He is charged with “organizing activities aimed at inciting suicide.” The case stems from a post on the website of the cultural project Flags, which investigators claim “contains a set of linguistic and psychological indicators of incitement to suicide and self-harm.” The charge carries 5 to 15 years in prison.</p> <p>In October 2025, Moscow authorities <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/10/pavel-syutkin">arrested</a> Pavel Syutkin - a PhD in history, independent researcher and author on the history of Russian cuisine. The Investigative Committee opened a case against him over alleged “fakes” about the army. On October 9, a court sent Syutkin to a pretrial detention center. On October 17, Russia’s financial monitoring agency added him to its list of “extremists and terrorists.” Investigators say the case is based on his public statements about the use of Russia’s armed forces.</p> <p>Also in October, reports emerged that Leonid Pshenichnov - a doctor of sciences, a leading Ukrainian Antarctic researcher and Ukraine’s representative to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) - <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/10/leonid-pshenichnov">had been detained</a> in Kerch. Ukraine’s National Antarctic Scientific Center and Ukrainian diplomats reported his loss of freedom; Russian authorities have not publicly commented. According to the Ukrainian side, Pshenichnov is accused of treason and causing economic damage to Russia. Kyiv believes the case is tied to his work on a marine protected area proposal off the Antarctic Peninsula, which Russia viewed as a threat to its industrial fishing interests.</p> <p>On October 30, 2025, Rustam Kaybyshev - a PhD in physics and mathematics, professor and director of the Institute of Materials Science and Innovative Technologies at Belgorod National Research University - <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/10/rustam-kajbyshev">was taken into custody</a>. A regional court upheld his sentence of 2.5 years in a general-regime colony on charges of large-scale fraud. He was found guilty of providing false information to the Education and Science Ministry during government-funded research, with damages set at 14 million rubles. Kaybyshev denied guilt and was remanded in the courtroom. T-Invariant notes that his case resembles the prosecution of Russian Academy of Sciences corresponding member Oleg Kabov and rests on expert opinions whose scientific validity has been criticized by the academic community.</p> <p>T-Invariant also highlights the arrest of <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2025/12/leonid-kats">Leonid Kats</a> - not formally a scientist, but, the project stresses, an exceptionally talented young researcher on the cusp of an academic career. On December 2, 2025, Moscow’s Meshchansky District Court ordered the 22-year-old HSE University graduate into pretrial detention on treason charges. Before that, Kats spent more than two months cycling through back-to-back administrative arrests — detained upon release from a detention center and re-arrested for alleged “disobedience to police” and “profanity.” A graduate of Moscow’s Intellektual school, he was admitted to several master’s programs in Russia and France after defending his undergraduate thesis — including at MIPT, Skoltech, École Normale and Paris-Saclay University.</p> <p>At the same time, according to T-Invariant, at least three people from the academic sphere were released in 2025:</p> <p>- Alexey Soldatov - PhD in physics and mathematics, one of the Runet’s founders; in August 2025 his prison term <a href="https://theins.ru/news/284087">was replaced with a 500,000-ruble fine</a> in a power abuse case.</p> <p>- Timofey Mokhnenko - a staffer at the N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology; <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2024/05/timofej-mohnenko/">released</a> in November 2025 after serving a year and a half.</p> <p>- Vladimir Mironov - a postgraduate at the Alferov University in St. Petersburg; <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2024/07/vladimir-mironov/">freed</a> on July 2, 2025, after completing his sentence for “hooliganism” and “discrediting” the army.</p> <p>Overall, T-Invariant says at least 31 scientists and researchers are currently in custody. Most face treason cases (some are charged under multiple articles). There are 16 such cases; below is a list of defendants.</p> <p>Engineer-researchers:</p> <p>- Andrey Veryanov — 24 years in prison,</p> <p>- Valery Kachin — 14 years in prison.</p> <p>Scientists who have been sentenced (10 people):</p> <p>- Artem Khoroshilov — 21 years,</p> <p>- Alexey Vorobyov — 20 years,</p> <p>- Ruslan Shadiev — 18 years,</p> <p>- Alexander Shiplyuk — 15 years,</p> <p>- Anatoly Maslov — 14 years,</p> <p>- Dmitry Kizhmenev — 13 years,</p> <p>- Valery Golubkin — 12 years,</p> <p>- Anatoly Gubanov — 12 years,</p> <p>- Alexander Lukanin — 7.5 years,</p> <p>- Alexander Kuranov — 7 years.</p> <p>Scientists in pretrial detention on treason charges:</p> <p>- Valery Zvegintsev,</p> <p>- Vladislav Galkin,</p> <p>- Vadim Saltykovsky.</p> <p>Presumed treason charges, with no official confirmation from Russian authorities:</p> <p>- Leonid Pshenichnov.</p> <p>This list covers only treason and related accusations and does not include scientists prosecuted for “fakes,” “discrediting the army,” “confidential cooperation,” or economic offenses - who are counted in the overall total of 31 scientists and researchers in custody.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/31-scientists-are-behind-bars-in-russia-seven-detained-in-2025">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/russian-attempt-to-storm-kupiansk.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:34:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/russian-attempt-to-storm-kupiansk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-05-at-14-31-52.png" alt="Russian attempt to storm Kupiansk using gas pipeline 'thwarted,' 40 soldiers 'eliminated,' Ukraine's 7th Corps says"></p>Russian troops are attempting to close in on Kupiansk from the north and east, aiming to solidify their presence on the western side of the Oskil River.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-7th-corps-says-it-thwarted-russias-attempt-to-storm-kupiansk-using-gas-pipeline/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:13:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/ukraine-war-latest-live-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/499f460951.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russian troops attempting to expand combat zone in Sumy, Kharkiv oblasts, Border Guard Service says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. Russian troops are trying to expand the combat zone near the state border area in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said on Jan. 5 on national television.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2026-01-05/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/breaking-ukraines-security-service-chief.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:36:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/breaking-ukraines-security-service-chief.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/nwhfbwfhbweuief.jpg" alt="BREAKING: Ukraine's Security Service chief resigns under Zelensky pressure, to focus on operations against Russia"></p>"Together, we discussed candidates for the new head of the SBU," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-chief-behind-major-russia-strikes-resigns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/russians-defeated-a-hospital-consequences.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:57:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/russians-defeated-a-hospital-consequences.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/256a765eb8.jpg" alt="Russians “DEFEATED” a hospital! Consequences of the horrific shelling of Kyiv #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SRbXu7hdPWw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/batrbeg-ostaev.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/batrbeg-ostaev.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2002-1cpp.jpg" alt="Batrbeg Ostaev"></p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2002-1cpp.jpg" alt="Batrbeg Ostaev"><p><em>Position Unknown - Major</em></p><p><strong>Unit:</strong> <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/4gmb/">4th Guards Military Base</a>, <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/58gcaa/">58th Guards Combined Arms Army</a>, <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/smd/">Southern Military District</a>, Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD)</p><p><strong>Cargo ID:</strong> #2002</p><p><strong>English Name:</strong> Batrbeg Ilasovich Ostaev</p><p><strong>Russian Name:</strong> Остаева Батрбега Иласовича</p><p><strong>Date of Birth:</strong> Unspecified (age: 46 years)</p><p><strong>Place of Birth:</strong> Unspecified</p><p><strong>Date of Death:</strong> Unspecified (first reported January 5, 2026)</p><p><strong>Place of Death:</strong> Unspecified</p><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2002-sr.png" width="600" height="576" alt="Batrbeg Ostaev"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2002-1c.webp" width="1024" height="1536" alt="Batrbeg Ostaev"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2002-se-1.png" width="613" height="584" alt="Batrbeg Ostaev"></div></div></div></figure><div data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-callout-emoji">ℹ️</div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-callout-text">Note: At the time of this posting we do not have confirmation of his specific rank. His officer portrait clearly shows the double red lines of a senior officer on his epaulettes, but the number of stars are not shown, nor is his rank mentioned in the funeral announcement. Until we can confirm his actual rank, we are listing him as a Major because that is the lowest possible rank indicated by his portrait.</div></div><p><a href="https://topcargo200.com/2002/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/russia-targets-capital-and-kyiv.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 04:50:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/russia-targets-capital-and-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/36cf434ce4.jpg" alt="Russia targets capital and Kyiv Oblast, killing at least 2, damaging medical center"></p>A privately owned medical center in Kyiv’s Obolonskyi district was damaged in the attack, and at least two people were injured, according to Tymur Tkachenko, who heads the Kyiv City Military Administration.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-targets-capital-and-kyiv-oblast-killing-at-least-2-damaging-medical-center/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/we-dont-believe-that-happened.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:10:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/we-dont-believe-that-happened.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2151595940.jpg" alt="'We don't believe that happened' — Trump dismisses Putin’s claim of Ukrainian attack on his residence"></p>Russia had publicly accused Ukraine of launching 91 drones toward a residence used by Putin — a claim Putin personally conveyed to Trump during the phone call.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-dont-believe-that-happened-trump-dismisses-putins-claim-of-ukrainian-attack-on-his-residence/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/truck-carrying-russian-troops-blown.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:08:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/truck-carrying-russian-troops-blown.html <p>An explosion rocked the city of Korenovsk in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai near the base of the 47th Missile Brigade of the 8th Army in the Southern Military District, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) <a href="https://gur.gov.ua/content/hurkit-na-kubani-horiv-kamaz-ta-viiskovosluzhbovtsi-47i-raketnoi-bryhady-rf.html">said</a>.</p> <p>The blast occurred on December 26 at the entrance to the military installation, the agency said. A KAMAZ military truck transporting personnel caught fire after a mine-explosive strike. Russian service members suffered losses, according to the statement.</p> <p>“The soldiers and officers of the 47th Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces are directly involved in missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and war crimes against the civilian population… For every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people there will be just retribution,” the GUR said.</p> <p>Earlier, GUR released footage showing Russian troops being eliminated in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region. At least four occupiers were killed in that blast.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/truck-carrying-russian-troops-blown-up-in-krasnodar-krai-ukraine-s-intelligence-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/german-foreign-minister-johann-wadephul.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/german-foreign-minister-johann-wadephul.html <p>On January 5, 2026, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Europe to develop its own defense capabilities to counter the threat of Russian hybrid attacks. Speaking ahead of his visit to Vilnius, Lithuania, Wadephul emphasized strong European cohesion as critical in countering Russia&rsquo;s threat. Germany and Lithuania agreed that decisive action is needed to dissuade Russia from further escalation. The German government is collaborating with Lithuania, NATO, and the EU to enhance controls in the Baltic Sea, increase vigilance, and invest in infrastructure. Wadephul highlighted shared support for Ukraine and the importance of a strong, defensible Europe to secure lasting peace. He is also scheduled to visit the German Tank Brigade 45 in Lithuania, which was commissioned in April 2025 as part of NATO&rsquo;s eastern flank protection, to underline Germany&rsquo;s seriousness in supporting allies. The Brigade is expected to be fully operational by 2027, with 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian employees.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germany-urges-europe-to-develop-military-capabilities-amid-russian-hybrid-attacks/3790255">www.aa.com.tr/en/europe&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/2e19c66e-12fb-432f-9dd9-db3146741c13">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/05/russia-abandons-its-own-the.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:01:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/05/russia-abandons-its-own-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e871e4386e.jpg" alt="RUSSIA ABANDONS ITS OWN – the Kremlin did not stand up for Maduro’s Venezuela | Wrap-Up Analytics"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzAw42wvjqM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/trump-hinted-to-putin-you.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/trump-hinted-to-putin-you.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ab228d2b2a.jpg" alt="TRUMP hinted to PUTIN – you will be next after MADURO! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AUg97-A7ywc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/after-us-attack-on-venezuela.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 22:20:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/after-us-attack-on-venezuela.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4ac33bd1ba.jpg" alt="After US attack on Venezuela, Trump's Greenland ambitions spark renewed alarm"></p>"We do need Greenland, absolutely," Trump told the Atlantic in an interview on Jan. 4, saying the island is "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/after-us-attack-on-venezuela-trumps-greenland-ambitions-spark-renewed-alarm/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/venezuelan-domino-effect-putins-oil.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 21:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/venezuelan-domino-effect-putins-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/82e3dcc6bc.jpg" alt="🇻🇪 Venezuelan DOMINO EFFECT: Putin's oil empire will fall FIRST #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VWpBEVoGfwo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/a-country-that-has-doomed.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 21:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/a-country-that-has-doomed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1424016ffd.jpg" alt="A country that has DOOMED ITSELF – Putin's war has driven Russia into DECLINE | Explainer"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VyvkleTSnM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/russian-missile-parts-factory-in.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 20:44:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/russian-missile-parts-factory-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/lipetsk2.jpg" alt="Russian missile parts factory in flames after Ukrainian drone attack, media report"></p>The Energia factory in Lipetsk Oblast produces components for Russian missiles and drones, including batteries for the Iskander ballistic missile system and cruise missiles.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-missile-factory-in-flames-after-ukrainian-drone-attack-media-report/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/putin-begs-for-a-ticket.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 20:30:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/putin-begs-for-a-ticket.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a9aa009490.jpg" alt="🤡 PUTIN begs for a ticket to BIG POLITICS – and all in vain! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UinQeCdkh7I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukraine-prepared-to-continue-fighting.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 20:04:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukraine-prepared-to-continue-fighting.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2254593251.jpg" alt="Ukraine prepared to continue fighting if diplomacy with Russia fails, Zelensky says"></p>Kyiv is ready for "both options," Zelensky said: the diplomatic track, or ongoing active defense against Russia. "Ukraine will never surrender," he said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-prepared-to-continue-fighting-if-diplomacy-with-russia-fails-zelensky-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/russian-forces-push-to-kostiantynivkas.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 20:00:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/russian-forces-push-to-kostiantynivkas.html <p>On January 2, Russian troops took control of the village of Oleksandro-Shultyne and advanced toward Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Roughly 12 square kilometers in this sector came under Russian control over the past day.</p> <p>Units of Russia’s army have moved up to the outskirts of Kostiantynivka, according to mapping data from <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23037">the DeepState analytics project</a>.</p> <p>Russian forces advanced from Oleksandro-Shultyne and continue to pressure Ukrainian defensive lines near Pleshchiivka and Predtechyne.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0269BUu8cqxkxWGFG8nARVnDipPwnz2Mm7V4Qu3Kn1RD3q6hyBmjmZZNpYKGk1Aa3wl">Ukraine’s General Staff</a>, on the Kostiantynivka axis the Russians carried out 18 attacks near Oleksandro‑Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Kleban-Byk, Shcherbynivka, Rusyn Yar and Sofiivka, as well as toward Ivanopillia, Berestok and Stepanivka.</p> <p>Overall, through December 2025 and into early 2026, Russian gains on the Kostiantynivka front were limited. However, on January 2 Ukrainian military analyst Konstantyn Mashovets <a href="https://t.me/zvizdecmanhustu/3166">said</a> Russian troops recently broke into the southeastern part of Kostiantynivka and are now trying to consolidate positions in the area between Ostrovskogo Street and the City‑Drive‑2019 service station.</p> <p>He emphasized this was not a mass breakthrough but an incursion by small forward assault groups from Russia’s “South” grouping. According to him, Russia intends to use the same approach seen in Kupiansk and Pokrovsk: intensive penetration and infiltration by numerous small infantry teams into densely populated urban areas with heavy drone support.</p> <p>“Before launching a phase of mass infiltration, the enemy will obviously try, if not to block, then at least to significantly complicate logistics for Ukrainian units defending inside the city,” Mashovets said.</p> <p>In the tactical zone where Russia’s assault units are operating, aircraft - including drones - will likely be used actively to provide reconnaissance and fire support.</p> <p>Separately, on January 2 DeepState analysts reported that Russian forces also advanced near the cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in Donetsk region, as well as near Svitle, with changes recorded along the line of contact in that sector.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-forces-push-to-kostiantynivka-s-outskirts-with-new-gains-reported-near-pokrovsk-and-myrnohrad">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/azov-smashes-russian-lies-and.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:45:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/azov-smashes-russian-lies-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2e0d4a76f1.jpg" alt="AZOV smashes RUSSIAN LIES and fake “VICTORIES”! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/U4_EIkoDdYI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/finland-releases-video-of-special.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:30:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/finland-releases-video-of-special.html <p>On the afternoon of December 31, 2025, Finnish special forces fast-roped from helicopters onto the cargo ship Fitburg, which damaged Elisa’s cables between Estonia and Finland in the Gulf of Finland. The ship was en route from St. Petersburg to the Israeli port of Haifa.</p> <p>The Fitburg, sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was detained after an act of sabotage. The Finnish Border Guard <a href="https://www.err.ee/1609900489/soome-voimud-vahistasid-fitburgi-meeskonnaliikme">released video of the operation</a>.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.err.ee/1609900489/soome-voimud-vahistasid-fitburgi-meeskonnaliikme">ERR</a>, the communications cable link between Finland and Estonia was damaged in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone. At the time of the damage, the cargo ship Fitburg was above the cables and moving toward Finland’s economic zone.</p> <p>At 11:05, Finnish special forces boarded from Navy and Border Guard helicopters. Fourteen crew members were on board, including citizens of Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.</p> <p>Finnish Customs said the Fitburg was carrying <a href="https://tulli.fi/en/-/finnish-customs-the-cargo-of-the-vessel-fitburg-consisted-of-sanctioned-steel-products">Russian-made steel products</a> subject to EU sanctions. The cargo was seized.</p> <p>Two people were arrested, and police barred two other sailors from leaving Finland.</p> <p>Earlier, the tanker Eagle S, part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” was detained by the Finnish Border Guard on December 25, 2024, on suspicion of damaging the Estlink 2 undersea power cable between Finland and Estonia. On December 27, the British shipping outlet Lloyd’s List, citing anonymous sources, reported that spy devices were found on the tanker detained by Finland. After a court hearing last fall, the Helsinki District Court said it lacked jurisdiction in the case.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/finland-releases-video-of-special-forces-boarding-russia-linked-cargo-ship-over-undersea-cable-damage">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-denies.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:15:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-denies.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/c96397b9b3.webp" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukraine denies Russia's claim of capturing town near Pokrovsk, maintains 'control over key positions'"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Jan. 3-4:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukraine denies Russia's claim of capturing town near Pokrovsk, maintains 'control over key positions'</li><li>Ukraine slaps sanctions on companies supplying Russia's military industry</li><li>Ukrainian drones target Moscow, trigger airport closures, Russia says</li><li>Peace deal must include British, French military</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-denies-russias-claim-of-capturing-town-near-pokrovsk-maintains-control-over-key-positions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukraine-denies-russias-claims-of.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukraine-denies-russias-claims-of.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces say they control Rodynske and that Russian troops have not taken Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad or Hulyaipole, with heavy fighting ongoing, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said y <a href="https://t.me/akovalenko1989/10259">on Telegram</a>. </p> <p>“The Defense Forces control Rodynske. I’ll also add that the enemy has not taken Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad or Hulyaipole. Heavy fighting continues,” Kovalenko wrote.</p> <p>The Azov 1st Corps of Ukraine’s National Guard said Ukrainian forces continue to hold Rodynske in the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk region, despite what it called Russian propaganda.</p> <p>Separately, Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces, said Russia is continuing attempts to infiltrate Lyman while trying to bypass Ukrainian positions around the city. Both sides are facing major challenges, he added, citing a wide “gray zone” and extensive drone use.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Air Force, missile forces and artillery struck four areas of Russian personnel concentration and two other key targets, according to the Defense Forces.</p> <p>The General Staff said Ukrainian forces eliminated 750 Russian troops over the past day. It added that Russia has lost 1,210,630 military personnel since the start of the full-scale invasion.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-denies-russia-s-claims-of-capturing-multiple-towns-says-it-holds-rodynske">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukrainian-intelligence-says-gen-oleg.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 18:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukrainian-intelligence-says-gen-oleg.html <p>Amid rising security tensions in Venezuela, Ukrainian journalist and serviceman Andriy Tsaplienko drew attention to the role of Russia’s military presence there and the fate of its commander, Gen. Oleg Makarevich. Kyiv accuses Makarevich of war crimes, and he is now said to be coordinating the activities of more than 100 Russian troops in Latin America.</p> <p>“Very interesting what happened to Gen. Oleg Makarevich, a war criminal who headed a contingent of 120 Russian troops in Venezuela?” Tsaplienko wrote on <a href="https://t.me/Tsaplienko/85808">his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>The presence of Russian forces in Venezuela and the identity of their commander had earlier been addressed by the then-head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence directorate (GUR), Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov. He <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7356">said</a> Russia is not only maintaining its military contingent in the region but was gradually deepening cooperation with the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.</p> <p>According to Budanov, more than 120 Russian service members were in Venezuela in late November, led by Col. Gen. Oleg Makarevich - the commander of the Russian Defense Ministry’s so-called Equator operational group. He said Makarevich is responsible for organizing and conducting training for Venezuela’s security forces.</p> <p>“They act as military advisers and instructors. This includes training for infantry, special units, UAV operators, as well as work with intelligence and communications,” Budanov said.</p> <p>Budanov also noted that rotations of Russian troops in the Latin American country have been ongoing for many years and are not a situational response to any potential increase in the U.S. military presence in the region. He said this reflects the Kremlin’s long-term strategy to preserve influence beyond Europe.</p> <p>Most of the Russian contingent - including Makarevich and roughly 90 personnel - is based in the capital, Caracas. Other units are deployed at military and infrastructure sites in Maracaibo, La Guaira and on Aves Island.</p> <p>The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence also suggested Russian troops would remain in Venezuela even in the event of a U.S. military operation. In his view, Moscow would seek direct talks with Washington and use its military presence as both a political and military lever.</p> <p>“During Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Makarevich commanded the Dnipro grouping of forces. It was Makarevich who in June 2023 organized the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant - a crime that caused significant humanitarian, environmental and economic damage to Ukraine,” Ukraine’s GUR said in its publication.</p> <p>On January 3, Ukrainian outlet Focus reported the United States launched a military operation in Venezuela. That day, explosions were heard in Caracas following strikes on strategic facilities.</p> <p>Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the United States had committed “an act of armed aggression” against Venezuela, expressing deep concern and condemning Washington’s actions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-intelligence-says-gen-oleg-makarevich-leads-russia-s-military-contingent-in-venezuela">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/smashed-shops-no-water-and.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 18:05:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/smashed-shops-no-water-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5de5827b2b.jpg" alt="Smashed shops, no water, and cooking food on open fires: HELLISH life under Russian occupation"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd-_ZbazYjs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/bild-us-operation-in-venezuela.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/bild-us-operation-in-venezuela.html <p>The U.S. military operation in Venezuela has revealed a new reality: Washington no longer feels the need to consult allies and is ready to redraw spheres of influence by force.</p> <p>The operation’s significance extends far beyond Latin America. Washington signaled it is prepared to use the military directly to overthrow a foreign government and protect its own interests.</p> <p>The arrest of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces is not only the end of the Venezuelan regime, but also a message to the world about how Donald Trump’s administration intends to act on the international stage — and a particular signal to Moscow and Beijing, <a href="https://t.me/BILD_Russian/27448">Bild writes</a>.</p> <p>The Venezuela operation clearly showed the U.S. does not intend to scale back its global presence. On the contrary, Trump indicated he is ready to use military force whenever American interests are at stake.</p> <p>Europe can either welcome such actions (as after strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities) or watch with concern and skepticism. But the key point is that Trump no longer sees a need to consult the EU before making such decisions.</p> <p>In the National Security Strategy published in December, the Trump administration stated outright that the decisive voice in South America belongs to the United States. By that logic, neither Russia nor China - nor even countries in the region themselves — are the key arbiters.</p> <p>Another part of the American strategy is also worrying Europe. In the same document, the U.S. says it intends to strengthen “resistance” within the European Union and influence its political landscape.</p> <p>Given events in Venezuela, observers note, it would be naïve to view these formulations as empty rhetoric.</p> <p>The U.S. operation was both a humiliation for Russia and a direct challenge to China. In one night, Trump achieved in Venezuela what the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has been unable to accomplish in Ukraine after more than four years of full-scale war.</p> <p>It is also telling that Maduro’s arrest came just hours after his meeting with Chinese representatives - a signal Beijing is unlikely to have missed.</p> <p>Expert Peter Neumann points to Washington’s rhetoric on Cuba. Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have already indicated that Cuba could be the next target of pressure. In their words, socialist Cuba has remained a “thorn in the side” of the United States for seven decades — a communist state off the coast of Florida.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/bild-u-s-operation-in-venezuela-is-a-humiliation-for-russia-and-a-challenge-to-china">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukraine-denies-russias-claim-of.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 17:16:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukraine-denies-russias-claim-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2201157056.jpg" alt="Ukraine denies Russia's claim of capturing town near Pokrovsk, maintains 'control over key positions'"></p>"Control over key positions is maintained. The enemy is suffering significant losses in manpower and equipment," Ukraine's Air Assault Forces said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-denies-russias-claim-of-capturing-town-near-pokrovsk-maintans-control-over-key-positions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/serbias-russianowned-oil-refinery-to.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:13:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/serbias-russianowned-oil-refinery-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2247827247.jpg" alt="Serbia's Russian-owned oil refinery to resume operations in mid-January, Vucic says"></p>NIS, one of the few remaining Russian energy assets operating in Europe, was sanctioned by Washington last January as part of broader efforts to restrict Russian energy exports.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/serbias-sanctioned-oil-refinery-to-resume-operations-in-mid-january-vucic-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/inside-the-prison-trumps-ice.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 15:35:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/inside-the-prison-trumps-ice.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3d27cffd-5.jpg" alt="Inside the prison Trump’s ICE sent Venezuelans to"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!I-yh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F26cc42f8-1307-4280-9c8f-14f865ecce55_1456x485.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f26cc42f8-1.png" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/26cc42f8-1307-4280-9c8f-14f865ecce55_1456x485.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: <br><br>You may have noticed that 60 Minutes recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/dec/23/60-minutes-cecot-appears-online">held up a report</a> on this El Salvadorian prison, CECOT. <br><br>We decided to double down on our independent journalism and push out this story so you could get a sense of the conditions there. <br><br>Support independent journalism? Upgrade today to get access to all our stories.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"UPGRADE NOW!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>UPGRADE NOW!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"TIP JAR!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>TIP JAR!</span></a></p></div><p><em>Warning: This article contains details that may be disturbing for some readers.</em></p><p>Nestled near the mountains, far from any settlement, stands a prison ostensibly made for the most dangerous terrorists and criminals.</p><p>Some consider the El Salvadorian institution one of the strictest prisons in the world.</p><p>“Welcome to hell,” said the prison director to over 200 newcomers. “You will leave it only dead.”</p><p>Andry Omar Blanco Bonilla, from Valencia, Venezuela, had seen videos about this place on YouTube.</p><p>Now, he asked himself: <em>what has gone wrong in his life for him to end up here?</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3d27cffd-5.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/084b8262f7.jpg" width="358" height="358" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d27cffd-5949-445b-ad45-3610a3b71e82_1080x1080.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1080,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":358,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Venezuelan immigrant Andry Blanco-Bonilla. Photo from his social media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Andry was among 252 Venezuelans who were <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/12/us/el-salvador-torture-of-venezuelan-deportees">sent</a> by Trump’s order to the maximum-security prison in El Salvador, known as the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, or CECOT.</p><p>They were accused of being members of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua, though no one provided any evidence. People with no criminal record, who were fleeing poverty, ended up confined in inhumane conditions alongside 40,000 dangerous criminals.</p><p>At the prison, they <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/12/us/el-salvador-torture-of-venezuelan-deportees">were</a> tortured and abused, including sexually, according to Human Rights Watch. One detainee was allegedly <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/venezuelans-el-salvador-tortured-00646508">forced</a> to have oral sex with one of the prison’s guards, while the others were called homophobic slurs.</p><p>The event formed the basis for hostile ties between the U.S and Venezuela, which culminated Saturday with the American bombing of Caracas.</p><p>It was a sign that Trump’s ambitions are to enforce a ‘might-makes-right’ philosophy in the Western hemisphere – where migration itself is treated as a crime and a military intervention to any country is justified.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":427826}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>For Andry, making ends meet in Venezuela was almost impossible.</p><p>Still, his growing up there had some brightness. His youth was filled with the loud sounds of motorcycle engines. It was a passion that led to him meeting his partner, Susana, at a motorcycle exhibition.</p><p>“We dated for a couple of months, getting to know each other. Over the years, our feelings grew stronger. What caught my attention most about her? Her gaze, her smile, her laugh,” Andry said.</p><p>Just 20 years ago, Venezuela was a promising country because it held the world’s <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/oil/oil-reserves-by-country/">largest</a> proven oil reserves. Today, it is associated with economic crises, <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/venezuela/inflation-cpi">hyperinflation</a>, repression, and a humanitarian catastrophe. The situation worsened after the political crisis in 2019, when Nicolás Maduro usurped power following rigged elections.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!CoOz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe3c1c934-6cc3-46f7-9a97-afee0e7234d4_1200x1600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe3c1c934-6.png" width="311" height="414.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e3c1c934-6cc3-46f7-9a97-afee0e7234d4_1200x1600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":311,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Andry Blanco-Bonilla with his daughter. Photo provided by him to The Counteroffensive. </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>So Andry found himself at the U.S. border at the end of 2023. He did not have a work permit, so he immediately surrendered to border authorities and filed for asylum, hoping to be able to work in the U.S. legally.</p><p>After a month, Andry visited the immigration center to update his address. Fortune was not on his side.</p><p>“Do you have any tattoos on your body that are not visible?” the officer asked while processing his address change.</p><p>“Yes,” Andry replied as his chest, back, and leg were partially covered with ink. He explained the personal meaning of each. The drawing of a clock showed the time of his mother’s birth.</p><p>The officer was unsatisfied.</p><p>“The officer practically wanted to force me to affirm something that was totally a lie, to say I belonged to a gang,” Andry recalled. “He just said, ‘You’re detained.’”</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!oZNK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4f32544c-70c2-43be-9fd3-37401a6d6fbc_1080x1080.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f4f32544c-7.jpg" width="382" height="382" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4f32544c-70c2-43be-9fd3-37401a6d6fbc_1080x1080.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1080,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":382,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Andry’s tattoos. Photo from his social media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Among Venezuelans, tattoos have sometimes been associated with the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua, which is involved in drug, weapons, and human trafficking.</p><p>The supposed fight against this organization became a focus of Trump’s second term. In February, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels">designated</a> Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. From that point on, the United States attacked Venezuelan infrastructure and conducted military operations – culminating in Saturday’s capture of Maduro.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!p-lG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F30139382-d463-48c5-807d-dabf8d194142_1600x898.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f30139382-d.png" width="509" height="285.6133241758242" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/30139382-d463-48c5-807d-dabf8d194142_1600x898.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":817,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":509,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The U.S. attacked one of the Venezuelan boats on December 18, 2025. Screenshot from a video posted by the U.S. Southern Command on Twitter.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>More than one hundred Venezuelans have already been killed in boat strikes, even though the Trump administration has so far failed to provide evidence that these boats belonged to cartels or were carrying drugs.</p><p>A similar thing can be said of Andry: there was no evidence of his involvement in a criminal gang — other than the government’s interpretation of his tattoos.</p><p>The U.S. detained Andry for five months, labeling him as a “danger to society.”</p><p>“I’ve been a person with an impeccable record. I’ve never been detained, never been imprisoned, never had a legal problem in the U.S., not even a traffic ticket the whole time I was there,” he said.</p><p>Venezuela and the United States have severed diplomatic relations. When it became clear that deportation directly to his home country was impossible, the court released him on bail for several months.</p><p>Andry bought himself a plane ticket to return home to Venezuela in April 2025. He did not want to wait for ICE to come and deport him. But in February 2025, they acted first.</p><p>He was told to appear at an ICE office the next day to update his data. It was a ruse. When he showed up, he was detained. They put handcuffs on Andry, “violently, like a criminal,” he recalled.</p><p>When Andry said that he already had a ticket to Venezuela and could exchange it to the nearest date, the officer responded: “You should have left when you could.”</p><p>What followed was a nightmare most of us can barely imagine. After another month of detention with no clarity on his future, he thought he was returning home.</p><p>Andry boarded a military plane and was told not to raise the window shades.</p><p>When the plane landed, instead of being back home in Venezuela, he saw the El Salvador flag. He was pulled off a bus in front of a massive fortress-like building surrounded by electric fences and dozens of watchtowers.</p><p>Trump had sent him, along with other Venezuelans, to El Salvador by <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/26/americas/venezuela-el-salvador-prison-us-court-challenge-latam-intl">invoking</a> an 18th-century military law that allowed the deportation of people without judicial review.</p><p>“They told that we were ‘welcome’ to the CECOT, what they now call the concrete hell,” recalled Andry.</p><p>The only option was to resign himself to a suffocating cell, a bed without a mattress, and white prison clothing. He had no way to contact either his family or a lawyer. There were days that he did not know if there would be a tomorrow, due to severe hypertension and a lack of adequate medical care.</p><p>“I was being beaten, treated verbally and physically very badly. I questioned myself a lot about why I was there,” Andry said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!_5f6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38bf8330-db8e-4a14-87e1-3a3bed57d37c_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f38bf8330-d.jpg" width="496" height="330.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/38bf8330-db8e-4a14-87e1-3a3bed57d37c_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":496,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>More than 250 suspected gang members arrive in El Salvador by plane to the country’s infamous mega-prison at CECOT. (Photo by El Salvador Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Inside the cells, detainees had no access to proper hygiene: each cell had only two sinks and two toilets, without any partitions. The lights in the cell were not turned off at night. The food was always the same and had to be eaten by hand.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/12/us/el-salvador-torture-of-venezuelan-deportees">Human Rights Watch</a>, the guards took the detainees from the cells every day to search them. The deportees were forced to kneel and were beaten with kicks and fists, as well as batons.</p><p>There were ten people in their tiny cell, which was designed for 80. They were already losing their minds, but perversely prison staff told them to be grateful. Other cells like theirs held 150–200 people, they’d say.</p><p>From his first day in El Salvador, Andry felt like he had been kidnapped. Deprived of any human rights, he was trapped in a cell as if he were a dangerous criminal. However, the most difficult for him was not knowing what was happening to his family, if they even were aware he was detained in a prison for terrorists. He tried to support himself day by day by talking to his companions in the cell and recalling warm-hearted moments about his youth and family.</p><p>At CECOT, prisoners are not allowed to do any activities outside of their cells besides half an hour of physical exercise in handcuffs. During the remaining 23 and a half hours, they are left with only two Bibles per cell. That was the only thing that saved Andry, who had felt distant from God until he found himself in hell.</p><p>“All our time there passed in uncertainty, not knowing when we would have the opportunity to see light again. We were detained inside the cell every single day. They never took us out to get sun or fresh air,” Andry recalled.</p><p>His freedom was to come unexpectedly in the early morning hours of July 18, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m.</p><p>Andry was already sleeping because of his curfew, which required him to be in bed by 9 p.m. each night. The prison director entered, together with other officers, who were banging on the cell bars and saying to get up, bathe, and dress.</p><p>“You’re returning to your country, your hell is over,” Andry heard from the CECOT director.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!mZXV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28784c10-233c-457f-8a8f-b6657140ecc7_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f28784c10-2.jpg" width="492" height="328" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/28784c10-233c-457f-8a8f-b6657140ecc7_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":492,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Counter Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>They were <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1946299325803352323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1946299325803352323%7Ctwgr%5Eadc981a704db854fca0c13c45f3484fc48fc59cf%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Famericans-freed-as-el-salvador-sends-back-venezuelan-migrants-deported-from-the-united-states%2Fa-73332138">traded</a> for Venezuelan political prisoners and ten American detainees who were held in the country. Andry reunited with his family in Venezuela, and is now back home in Valencia.</p><p>But his arrival in Venezuela now coincides with the next stage of escalation, when the U.S. has attacked his country directly. <br><br>“There’s a bit of fear about what could happen. There’s no war or intervention where there hasn’t been some loss of human life,” he said.</p><p>At least 40 people <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/03/world/trump-maduro-venezuela-us-strikes">died</a>, including civilians, as a result of yesterday’s American attack on Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Besides striking military infrastructure the U.S. also hit a three-story residential complex in a coastal area of the city.</p><p>Andry is currently safe with his family, but a period of political instability looms. The United States – the country which sent him to a prison hell – is now claiming that they will “run” Venezuela for the foreseeable future. <br><br>Competing claims for power in Venezuela could lead to civil war, prolonged conflict, or an even worse situation than he was trying to escape years ago.</p><p>«[The war is not] what I.. want for my country either. It would destabilize the country much more than it’s already destabilized today,” he said.</p><p><em>Abby Pender contributed to this reporting.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note: <br><br>You may have noticed that 60 Minutes recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/dec/23/60-minutes-cecot-appears-online">held up a report</a> on this El Salvadorian prison, CECOT. <br><br>We decided to double down on our independent journalism and push out this story so you could get a sense of the conditions there. <br><br>Support independent journalism? Upgrade today to get access to all our stories.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"UPGRADE NOW!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>UPGRADE NOW!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"TIP JAR!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>TIP JAR!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura<br><br>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. <br><br><strong>NUMBER OF WOMEN IN ARMY SURGES:</strong> The share of female officers in the Ukrainian army has jumped from 4% to 21% over the past 2 years, Oksana Hryhorieva, the Ukrainian army’s gender adviser, <a href="https://hromadske.radio/news/2026/01/03/kilkist-ofitserok-zrosla-z-4-do-21-za-ostanni-2-roky-radnytsia-z-hendernykh-pytan-henshtabu-zsu">told</a> Hromadske Radio.<br><br>While women in the army have become captains and majors, due to a lack of training no woman in the army has risen to the rank of combat general.<br><br><strong>NO STRIKE RESTRICTIONS, NO NEW WEAPONS: </strong>Following a meeting with foreign security advisers, Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/03/8014533/">said</a> that allies are no longer imposing restrictions on strikes inside Russia, but are instead withholding certain types of weapons from Ukraine to prevent these strikes.<br><br>Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is currently in a phase of “use what we have”, while the equipment that partners don’t want to be used by Ukraine isn’t being delivered.<br><br><strong>U.S. VENEZUELA ATTACK CASUALTY COUNT</strong>: At least 40 people were killed in the U.S. attack on Venezuela, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/us/politics/trump-capture-maduro-venezuela.html">according</a> to New York Times, citing a Venezuela official. There were no U.S. casualties but about six American troops were injured during the operation which captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.</p><p>The NYT’s sources in the U.S. government said that Maduro rejected an American proposal that would have allowed him to flee to Turkey. This was allegedly offered as a counter-proposal after Maduro offered the U.S. access to his country’s oil, in an attempt to prevent an American raid.</p><p><strong>VENZUELA’S DIRTY, EXPENSIVE OIL: </strong>The infrastructure needed for peak oil production in Venezuela would cost $100 billion and take about ten years, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/01/03/venezuela-oil-production-us-companies/">reported</a>. The challenge comes with ensuring sufficient security and stability to make such long term investments worthwhile and profitable.</p><p>The oil in the country is also a form of heavy crude which is more difficult to process and refining the oil requires more carbon emissions than other types of oil. There are also concerns about the resilience of Venezuela’s energy grid, as oil production is extremely energy-intensive.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT: </strong></h3><p><strong><br></strong>Oksana’s Mary is very curious about a mouse she spotted.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Hzh6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2403330e-75f5-46dc-9679-3f21cc01189c_1280x960.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2403330e-7.png" width="1280" height="960" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2403330e-75f5-46dc-9679-3f21cc01189c_1280x960.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.<br><br>Best, <br>Mariana</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/inside-the-prison-trumps-ice-sent">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukraine-slaps-sanctions-on-companies.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:17:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukraine-slaps-sanctions-on-companies.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e3ac396fc7.webp" alt="Ukraine slaps sanctions on companies supplying Russia's military industry"></p>The new measures target 95 individuals and 70 entities, including manufacturers of communications, electronic warfare, and microelectronics for Russia's military-industrial complex and security agencies.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-slaps-sanctions-on-companies-supplying-russias-military-industry/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/global-sport-reopens-doors-to.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 12:16:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/global-sport-reopens-doors-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/utw-4-01-1-3-.jpg" alt="Global sport reopens doors to Russia | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the first episode of Ukraine This Week in 2026, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines how international sports federations are gradually rolling back bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes as the Olympic year begins.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/global-sport-reopens-doors-to-russia-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/ukrainian-drones-target-moscow-trigger.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 12:00:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/ukrainian-drones-target-moscow-trigger.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253911491.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones target Moscow, trigger airport closures, Russia says"></p>Russian air defense systems shot down 132 Ukrainian drones overnight on Jan. 3-4, including 11 intercepted over Moscow Oblast, the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-targeted-moscow-prompting-airports-closures-russia-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/russian-agents-using-fishing-vessels.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:40:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/russian-agents-using-fishing-vessels.html <p>According to the commander of the Norwegian Finnmark Brigade, Russia has stepped up espionage activities along its border with Norway, including infiltration attempts using fishing vessels arriving at Norwegian ports. Several Russian spies were discovered operating from fishing vessels traveling from Russia to Kirkenes, with some locals reportedly posing as tourists to aid espionage. Norway plans to strengthen its defense capabilities by forming a new Finnmark Brigade of about 1,300 soldiers by 2025 and enhancing light infantry battalions and ranger units. Additionally, an air defense unit, artillery battalion, and reconnaissance company will bolster the brigade amid increased border tensions. Norway&rsquo;s 195-km border with Russia, actively reinforced since November 2025, is set to have new surveillance systems, radars, and camera installations to monitor movements and secure the area.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Norway</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://militarnyi.com/en/news/russian-agents-using-fishing-vessels-and-tourists-for-espionage-in-norway/">militarnyi.com/en/news/r&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/eaff78e7-beb2-4c97-a203-11955a5e0245">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 09:19:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-04-06-38-02.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 4, injure 5 in Ukraine over past day"></p>Ukrainian forces downed 39 out of the 52 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Thirteen drones struck nine different locations, according to the statement.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-kill-4-injure-5-in-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:13:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2201968498.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,211,530 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 900 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, the General Staff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-211-530-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/erik-selimov.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/erik-selimov.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2001-2c.webp" alt="Erik Selimov"></p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2001-2c.webp" alt="Erik Selimov"><p><em>Brigade Commander - Colonel</em></p><p><strong>Unit:</strong> <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/136sgmrb/">136th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade</a>, <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/58gcaa/">58th Guards Combined Arms Army</a>, <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/smd/">Southern Military District</a>, Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD)</p><p><strong>Cargo ID:</strong> #2001</p><p><strong>English Name:</strong> Erik Anverovich Selimov</p><p><strong>Russian Name:</strong> Селимов Эрик Анверович</p><p><strong>Education:</strong> Combined Arms Academy of the Russian Armed Forces</p><p><strong>Date of Birth:</strong> September 3, 1987 (age: 38 years)</p><p><strong>Place of Birth:</strong> Belidzhi, Republic of Dagestan, Russia</p><p><strong>Date of Death:</strong> January 4, 2026</p><p><strong>Place of Death:</strong> Alchevsk, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine (via traffic accident)</p><ul><ul><li><strong>Participants:</strong><ul><li><strong>Vehicle 1:</strong> Selimov’s command vehicle (likely an armored SUV or UAZ Patriot)</li><li><strong>Vehicle 2:</strong> A UAZ vehicle transporting personnel from the <strong>88th Brigade</strong></li></ul></li><li><strong>Casualties:</strong><ul><li><strong>KIA:</strong> Colonel Selimov</li><li><strong>KIA:</strong> Three (3) personal guards/aides</li><li><strong>WIA:</strong> Two (2) unspecified personnel (critical condition)</li></ul></li></ul></ul><p><strong>Address:</strong> 46 Utevskaya Street, Samara</p><p><strong>Phone:</strong> +79633348225</p><p><strong>Email:</strong> erik0309@valmfc.ru</p><p><strong>Passport:</strong> 8211 041707 issued by: TP UFMS of Russia for the Republic of Dagestan in the village of Belidzhi on 08/05/2011, code. subdivision 050057</p><p><strong>Individual Number:</strong> 051204099263</p><p><strong>SNILS:</strong> 17644727098</p><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2001-1.jpg" width="880" height="1168" alt="Erik Selimov"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2001-3.webp" width="294" height="500" alt="Erik Selimov"></div></div></div></figure><p><a href="https://topcargo200.com/2001/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/former-swedish-military-it-consultant.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/former-swedish-military-it-consultant.html <p>Swedish authorities arrested a 33-year-old former military IT consultant suspected of espionage for Russia, with potential links to Russian intelligence services. The suspect was detained on January 4, 2026, and formally placed in custody by the Stockholm District Court on January 7. Prosecutors allege the individual operated under Russian intelligence influence, though details remain classified. The case is under investigation by the Swedish Security Service (Säpo). The suspect previously worked as a consultant for a Swedish IT company supporting the military between 2018 and 2022, and later founded a cybersecurity consultancy focused on &lsquo;offensive cyber operations.&rsquo; Alleged offenses occurred between January 2025 and January 2026. Swedish authorities have not disclosed if classified information was compromised. This arrest comes amid broader Russian espionage concerns in Sweden, including investigations into Russian Orthodox Church activities in Västerås.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Sweden</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://united24media.com/latest-news/former-swedish-military-it-consultant-arrested-as-alleged-russian-spy-14897">united24media.com/latest-ne&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c3430d04-088f-419f-bf36-1c88545a9bfb">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/putin-killing-too-many-people.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:33:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/putin-killing-too-many-people.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/db741b3edb.jpg" alt="Putin 'killing too many people,' Trump says"></p>"I'm not thrilled with Putin. He's killing too many people," Trump told reporters on Jan. 3 during a news conference announcing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's capture.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-killing-too-many-people-trump-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/04/after-a-generation-of-peace.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:29:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/04/after-a-generation-of-peace.html <p>Following years of relative peace, European security officials and leaders are increasingly warning their populations to prepare for the possibility of war due to escalating tensions with Russia. The escalation comes against the backdrop of Ukraine peace negotiations, with European and NATO officials cautioning that Russia may target other countries in the region. The calls for preparedness mark a significant shift in public messaging within Europe, where a generation has grown up largely without the direct threat of conflict. Key figures in military and security sectors have issued warnings, emphasizing the seriousness of the threat posed by Russia, especially after its actions in Ukraine.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/after-a-generation-of-peace-europe-tells-its-people-to-prepare-for-war-ba2a1a88">www.wsj.com/world/eur&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/38dd050e-cb6b-401f-8511-5db50d9a342b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/john-bolton-putins-strategy.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 23:46:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/john-bolton-putins-strategy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2252026946.jpg" alt="John Bolton: Putin's strategy"></p><p>As 2026 opens, Vladimir Putin projects the image of a calm, confident leader.</p><p>Although political <em>maskirovka</em> comes naturally from his KGB background, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/vladimir-putin/">Putin</a> very likely believes he is in a position of strength.  He has good reason to, unfortunately, having sized up his foreign opponents and found them wanting.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putins-strategy/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/the-horrors-of-russian-occupation.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:33:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/the-horrors-of-russian-occupation.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cc331dd298.jpg" alt="The horrors of Russian occupation: Isolation, economic decline, and repression |"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uBTQnMDqEI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/on-two-points-no-compromise.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 21:33:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/on-two-points-no-compromise.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ebcbe53c27.jpg" alt="On TWO points, no compromise was reached with Russia, – Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QqDuteR3vSI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/looting-legalized-by-russia-ukrainians.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 21:30:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/looting-legalized-by-russia-ukrainians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5cacb80afd.jpg" alt="❗️ Looting legalized by Russia: Ukrainians are being deprived of their homes! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jJOJdZugRZw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/ukraine-says-russia-preparing-january.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 21:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/ukraine-says-russia-preparing-january.html <p>In several sectors, the intensity of fighting has decreased, but troop rotations, infiltration attempts and force build-ups indicate Russians are preparing for further offensive operations.</p> <p>In the Sumy, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, attacks are less intense than just a few weeks ago, yet the enemy’s actions point to likely preparations for an offensive as early as January, Lt. Col. Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for the Joint Forces grouping, said on <a href="https://espreso.tv/viyna-z-rosiyeyu-vorog-zaraz-namagaetsya-vibuduvati-umovi-dlya-podalshogo-nastupu-u-sichni-tregubov">Espreso TV</a>.</p> <p>According to him, along these axes Russian forces are now “closer to an ‘alcohol trip,’” with certain “nuances.” Still, their actions suggest they are likely getting ready to push on.</p> <p>“There are constant regroupings, constant attempts at infiltration; they’re moving up. Most likely the Russian occupiers are preparing,” he said.</p> <p>Tregubov said such activity could mean Russia’s military is trying to set conditions to continue a broader offensive this month.</p> <p>A slowdown in fighting in Sumy, Luhansk and Kharkiv does not mean the enemy has “gone quiet.” Shelling of civilians by Russian forces continues, Tregubov added, recalling the January 2 strike on Kharkiv. A rocket hit a residential high-rise, leaving many injured.</p> <p>“We see that the Russians are by no means sitting quietly. For now, the intensity of combat has slowed somewhat, which clearly relates to preparations for new ‘meetings’ in the new year,” he said.</p> <p>On January 1, Tregubov said on a national telethon that in January the enemy would focus its forces on two directions. As <a href="https://war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/kudi-napravit-sili-vijsko-rf-u-sichni-u-zsu-nazvali-dva-napryamki.htm">Oboz.ua reports</a>, he said Russia’s military plans to bypass Vovchansk in Kharkiv region and push toward Lyman in Donetsk region.</p> <p>Also on January 2, Ukrainian journalist and political commentator Vitaliy Portnykov discussed whether Russia’s forces could seize new territory in Ukraine in 2026.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-russia-preparing-january-offensive-in-sumy-luhansk-and-kharkiv-regions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/ukraine-reacts-to-us-operation.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 19:25:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/ukraine-reacts-to-us-operation.html <p>Ukraine’s first reactions to the U.S. military operation in Venezuela are in, with officials and politicians offering both support for the Venezuelan people and warnings about another blow to international law.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, commenting amid the American military operation in Venezuela, issued <a href="https://x.com/andrii_sybiha/status/2007434265781211442">a statement</a> backing the Venezuelan people and underscoring their right to freedom, security and human dignity.</p> <p>Sybiha said Ukraine consistently defends the right of peoples to live without dictatorship, oppression and systemic human rights violations — principles he argued Nicolás Maduro and his regime have breached.</p> <p>“Democratic countries and human rights organizations around the world highlight widespread crimes, violence, torture, oppression, violations of fundamental freedoms, election fraud and the destruction of democracy and the rule of law by his regime,” Sybiha said.</p> <p>He recalled that after what he called rigged elections and the brutal suppression of protests, Ukraine - like dozens of other countries - refused to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president.</p> <p>“The people of Venezuela must be able to live normal lives, with security, prosperity and human dignity. We will continue to support their right to such normality, respect and freedom,” the minister emphasized.</p> <p>MP Maryana Bezuhla said that, as President Donald Trump has shown, questions of sovereignty and the accountability of dictators are “a game two can play.”</p> <p>“The U.S. attacked Venezuela and seized the head of state, the dictator Maduro. This opens the Overton window for similar actions against any dictator on the planet in the current temporal and contextual period. At the same time, international law has taken another hit. The U.S. can still surprise,” she wrote on <a href="https://t.me/marybezuhla/5724">social media</a>.</p> <p>MP Oleksii Honcharenko expressed hope the U.S. will quickly complete the operation, after which Venezuela will get a new president and the country can return to normal life. He argued Washington’s actions are pivotal for global security, including in the context of Ukraine.</p> <p>“In achieving peace, we can say this is a key event. The U.S. showed strength. It showed who the hegemon is and what it thinks of a multipolar world. Now we wait to see whether Putin understands this and moves toward peace. Because right now we are, in principle, very constructive and ready to sign an agreement. The problem is Russia,” he <a href="https://t.me/oleksiihoncharenko/51811">noted</a>.</p> <p>Ukraine’s online community is actively weighing in. Journalist and blogger Roman Tsymbaliuk drew a parallel between U.S. actions and the Kremlin’s failed plan to capture Kyiv in three days.</p> <p>“Trump pulled off in a single night an operation the whole world is buzzing about… Can you imagine what’s happening in Moscow right now? It looks like the Russian dictator has nothing left but to order urgent bunker-digging and avoid public events,” he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RomanTsymbaliuk/posts/pfbid0rHirAsPp7GdCUoo8AnKE273Yj6ZjgesRnmj1QDGkXW6rhHPpeHv2mMG37wKiqrmxl">wrote</a>.</p> <p>Former MP Boryslav Bereza <a href="https://www.facebook.com/borislav.bereza/posts/pfbid02AF9ebWYf3GbLfQNQRS6NhUQv6cq8vzcYkPGDWszewu1jnDf7BA6x7FgvKnd1UTR8l?locale=uk_UA">called</a> what’s happening “karma” for Maduro, who supported Russia’s war against Ukraine, but warned of risks to global stability.</p> <p>“The law of force will now unavoidably dominate the force of law. Maduro is, of course, a scoundrel and an ally of the Russian Federation, but the fact that Trump started this war without cause, just like Russia did against Ukraine, certainly doesn’t make the world more stable…,” Bereza wrote.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-reacts-to-u-s-operation-in-venezuela-and-maduro-s-capture">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/russia-intensifies-assaults-in-pokrovsk.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 19:00:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/russia-intensifies-assaults-in-pokrovsk.html <p>Russian troops are carrying out continuous infantry attacks, combined assaults with armor, and are constantly using drones for reconnaissance and fire adjustment.</p> <p>Russian forces continue to apply heavy pressure in the Pokrovsk direction, but there is no breakthrough. The line of contact remains unchanged, said Artem Prybylnov, an officer with the communications unit of the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv, on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu50wPIJ4ps">Suspilne</a>.</p> <p>“In the first days of the new year, the situation in the Pokrovsk sector remains tense but largely controlled. The fighting hasn’t stopped for a single day. The enemy continues to push, but there are no drastic changes on the line of contact,” Prybylnov said.</p> <p>He emphasized that Russian forces have not achieved significant gains and have not breached the defenses. The Russians are relying on sustained pressure and constant assaults as its main tactic, trying to compensate for limited maneuverability and lack of results by increasing the intensity of attacks.</p> <p>Despite the absence of a breakthrough, Russian units are continuing nonstop infantry assaults and, in some areas, combined attacks with armor, while constantly employing drones for reconnaissance and to adjust artillery fire.</p> <p>“These are not signs of strength, but rather attempts to wear down our defenses. Their current tactical goals are to pressure the flanks and complicate logistics. This isn’t about a quick capture; it’s the gradual imposition of a war of attrition,” Prybylnov concluded.</p> <p>Earlier, it was reported that Russian forces are trying to advance with the help of aviation near Hulyaipole, as well as near Dobropillya and Zelenyi in the Hulyaipole sector of the front.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-intensifies-assaults-in-pokrovsk-sector-but-there-is-no-breakthrough-ukrainian-officer-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/budanov-knows-servicemen-money-resources.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:31:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/budanov-knows-servicemen-money-resources.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6c2f02b743.jpg" alt="🔥 BUDANOV KNOWS! Servicemen, money, resources: what will Russia lack in 2026?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xOvhaX0coU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/ukraines-national-guard-details-new.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:30:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/ukraines-national-guard-details-new.html <p>In the Pokrovsk sector, fighting isn’t along a fixed front line but within a wide engagement zone where Russian assault groups are making contact with infantry from Ukraine’s Armed Forces.</p> <p>This zone of fire is a belt 5 to 20 kilometers deep on both sides, said Maj. Volodymyr Nazarenko, deputy commander of the 4th “Force of Freedom” Battalion of the 4th “Rubizh” Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard (NGU), according to <a href="https://www.unian.ua/war/u-ngu-rozpovili-pro-situaciyu-na-pokrovskomu-napryamku-13243350.html">UNIAN</a>.</p> <p>Along this belt, the movement of Russian assault groups is hampered by the active use of reconnaissance and strike drones, as well as artillery and mortars.</p> <p>“Dozens of enemy assault groups are making contact with our infantry. It’s the infantry who are holding the front on their shoulders and, in most cases, emerging victorious from these battles, preventing the enemy from advancing,” Nazarenko said.</p> <p>At the same time, Ihor Yaremenko, chief of staff of an artillery reconnaissance battalion in the NGU’s artillery brigade, <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/idut-odnomu-natsgvardiyi-rozkrili-novu-taktiku-1767313648.html">emphasized</a> that the Russians are using a new tactic in Pokrovsk - slipping through one by one. In doing so, the occupiers hope to remain unnoticed or that no one will respond.</p> <p>However, according to Yaremenko, Ukraine’s defense forces are detecting such attempts and destroying Russian units trying to infiltrate Pokrovsk, to ease the burden on troops holding the line inside the city.</p> <p>Yaremenko added that Ukrainian units are also working to expand and maintain logistics routes toward Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad to ensure the infantry has everything needed for the defense.</p> <p>On December 29, Oleksandr Syrskyi explained what is actually happening in Pokrovsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-national-guard-details-new-russian-infiltration-tactics-near-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/russia-redeploys-tums-bombers-closer.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:27:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/russia-redeploys-tums-bombers-closer.html <p>On the morning of January 3, monitoring channels tracked the takeoff of Tu-95MS strategic bombers inside the Russian Federation. Four aircraft were redeployed from the Ukrainka air base in the Amur region to the Olenya long-range aviation airfield in Russia’s Murmansk region.</p> <p>At 10:14, specialized channels reported the transfer of four Russian bombers to <a href="https://t.me/war_monitor/36291">Murmansk region</a>.</p> <p>Overnight, activity by Tu-22M3 bombers <a href="https://t.me/mon1tor_ua/60196">was also observed</a> at the Olenya air base. Preliminary reports had indicated those aircraft were being moved to the Engels air base in Saratov region and to Shaykovka in Kaluga region.</p> <p>The redeployments place Russian bombers at airfields closer to Ukraine’s borders. In response, Ivano-Frankivsk Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv <a href="https://t.me/martsinkiv_ONLINE/12491">warned</a> on social media of a potential threat of airstrikes over the next two days.</p> <p>“Let’s be attentive to nighttime air-raid alerts in the next 48 hours!” he wrote on social media.</p> <p>Following Operation “Web,” conducted on June 1, 2025, the Ukrainka air base - located 5,960 km from Ukraine - became the primary hub for most Tu-95MS aircraft operated by Russia’s Aerospace Forces.</p> <p>Earlier, reports indicated that Russia’s military was moving combat aviation closer to Ukraine’s borders. According to monitoring resources, Russia’s Aerospace Forces were preparing to launch strikes on the night of December 31 to January 1 or January 1 to 2. Observers noted movements of Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers, as well as MiG-31 aircraft.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-redeploys-tu-95ms-bombers-closer-to-ukraine-amid-airstrike-warnings">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/in-russia-there-are-more.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 17:30:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/in-russia-there-are-more.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/ebc2243efc.jpg" alt="In Russia, there are more and more CEASEFIRE SUPPORTERS, explains Budanov #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2NXLRri7dUI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/live-trump-guarantees-and-an.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 14:31:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/live-trump-guarantees-and-an.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5d6c9cf48b.jpg" alt="LIVE | TRUMP, guarantees, and an even more aggressive Russia – CHALLENGES we didn't expect in 2026!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtBF1UAhY40">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 09:31:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-03-09-29-37.jpg" alt="At least 6 killed, 42 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 95 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-6-killed-42-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:17:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f8f81c4107.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,210,630 troops in Ukraine since 2022"></p>The number includes 750 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, the General Staff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-210-630-troops-in-ukraine-since-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/03/newsflash-loud-explosions-overnight-in.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:08:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/03/newsflash-loud-explosions-overnight-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/85cabeda-2d5c-4dfa-a133-c9c120e763dd-874x850.png" alt="NEWSFLASH: Loud explosions overnight in Venezuela"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!wuOK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca77de32-38a6-4e33-a65d-64f721c02770_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fca77de32-3.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ca77de32-38a6-4e33-a65d-64f721c02770_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>At a time when overlapping crises are reshaping the world, we believe no story should be lost in the noise.</em></p><p><em>Wherever events are unfolding, and whenever they matter, our goal is to keep you informed with context, depth, and humanity.</em></p><p><em>This is the work we do for you, every day.</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p><p></p></div><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"ccffa0c0-03df-42df-9d12-dc3ee5eda3ce","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p><em>Video: bombing in Venezuela, obtained by Joshua Freitas</em></p><p>There are reports of explosions in areas of Venezuela. For months, the aggression was kept offshore, sinking boats in the Caribbean. More recently, the U.S. seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Just last week, the U.S. conducted a drone strike on a Venezuelan port.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":427295}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Tensions have been climbing between the United States and Venezuela since August, when the U.S. started to rev up its military presence in the Caribbean.</p><p>In November<strong>, </strong>Trump wrote on Truth Social that Venezuela’s airspace should be closed, warning “airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human traffickers.”</p><p>What began as a series of maritime strikes on suspected smuggling vessels soon widened into a broader pressure campaign: the U.S. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/us/politics/trump-pressure-venezuela.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">carried out</a> at least 20 lethal attacks at sea, killing over 100 people, President Trump authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela, and recently, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1989094923497316430">unveiled</a> “Operation Southern Spear,” framing the mission as an effort to protect “America’s neighborhood,” the Western Hemisphere, from “narco-terrorists.”</p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"aed46e0a-e30c-4064-b739-1a4e3934028e","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p><em>Video: bombing in Venezuela, obtained by Joshua Freitas</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Usually, articles like this are paid content, but the threat of invasion in Venezuela is so significant that we are publishing this news without a paywall.</em></p></div><p>The campaign escalated further on November 11, when the USS Gerald R Ford arrived in the Caribbean as part of a deployment that ultimately put 15,000 U.S. troops in the region.</p><p>Beyond the Gerald R Ford, the United States has moved a wide range of military assets into the region. Warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, fighter jets, helicopters, surveillance aircraft and armed drones have all been positioned near Venezuela, along with additional personnel stationed in Puerto Rico.</p><p>The Trump administration has explicitly framed this increased aggression as a campaign against drug traffickers, but to some, these moves against Maduro look more like an attempt at regime-change than anything else.</p><p>The Venezuelan Ministry of Defense <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-navy-flotilla-nears-caribbean-uss-ford/">said</a> the country launched a major military exercise using about 200,000 troops and involving land air and sea assets.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/31/russia-venezuela-oil-trump/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reporting</a> from The Washington Post, Maduro had reached out to Russia, China and Iran for support.</p><p>In his letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, he requested “expanded military cooperation” to work against U.S. escalation, and asked that China expedite production of radar detection systems.</p><p>In late October, a Russian transport aircraft, the Ilyushin I1-76, <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/2025/10/28/heavy-russian-cargo-plane-lands-in-caracas-amid-us-venezuela-tensions/">landed</a> in Caracas from Russia.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/politics/trump-venezuela-legal-congress-land">CNN reporting</a>, Trump administration officials are saying that the U.S. does not have legal justification to strike land targets in Venezuela. The administration is turning away from lawmakers and toward the Justice Department for a justification for land strikes that would not require congressional approval.</p><p>The administration’s entire legal argument boils down to a<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/us/politics/boat-strikes-doj-memo-trump.html"> secret Department of Justice memo </a>that says drug cartels count as wartime enemies, so Trump can legally strike them as if the U.S. is already at war. Critics say that idea isn’t grounded in any real law — it’s just the government redefining the situation to justify killings that would otherwise be illegal.</p><p>United Nations experts have warned that hitting boats in international waters could violate the U.N. Charter and human rights protections.</p><p>Though the Trump administration insists that this is a campaign against drug trafficking, there is speculation that this is an attempt at regime change in Venezuela. Trump’s public attitude, including a recent comment saying that Maduro’s “days are numbered,” could signal broader goals in the region.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>At a time when overlapping crises are reshaping the world, we believe no story should be lost in the noise.</em></p><p><em>Wherever events are unfolding, and whenever they matter, our goal is to keep you informed with context, depth, and humanity.</em></p><p><em>This is the work we do for you, every day.</em></p><p><em>Upgrade now to support our work.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":"button-wrapper"}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary button-wrapper"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":"button-wrapper"}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary button-wrapper"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Jacqueline</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-loud-explosions-overnight">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/ukraines-top-strikes-against-russia.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 23:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/ukraines-top-strikes-against-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/be5178d9ee.jpg" alt="🔥Ukraine’s TOP STRIKES against Russia in 2025 – overview of the Spiderweb and Deep Strike operation"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S60pID2TStI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/urgent-russia-can-stage-a.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 21:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/urgent-russia-can-stage-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e1e88b9324.jpg" alt="URGENT! Russia can stage a PROVOCATION! Risky guarantees from TRUMP?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ8TJUsO32w">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/most-ukrainians-oppose-territorial-concessions.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:05:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/most-ukrainians-oppose-territorial-concessions.html <p>Nearly one in seven Ukrainians would support a peace plan that freezes the conflict along the current front line, includes security guarantees, and avoids officially recognizing occupied territories as part of Russia.</p> <p>But a plan that would see Ukraine’s military withdraw from government-held areas and face limits on its forces is opposed by three-quarters of Ukrainians, according to <a href="https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=1572&page=1">a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology</a> (KIIS).</p> <p>The poll was conducted November 26–December 29, 2025, among 1,001 respondents across Ukraine, excluding temporarily occupied territories.</p> <p>Are Ukrainians ready for territorial concessions?</p> <p>- 62% say they are prepared to endure the war as long as necessary, unchanged from October.</p> <p>- 53% are categorically against territorial concessions; 33% are open to some territorial losses.</p> <p>Poll on readiness for concessions. Photo: KIIS</p> <p>- A majority (58%) oppose officially recognizing occupied territories as part of Russia. Another 25% would accept recognizing “some territories,” but not all occupied areas.</p> <p>- Compared with October 2025, the share that categorically rejects recognition fell by 9 percentage points.</p> <p>Poll on readiness for territorial concessions. Photo: KIIS</p> <p>- An overwhelming 66% reject handing over areas currently controlled by Ukraine to Russia; 18% would accept it.</p> <p>- 39% are ready to accept freezing the front line without officially recognizing any occupied territory as part of Russia, while 50% categorically reject this option. Previously, 56% rejected it.</p> <p>Reaction to Europe’s and Russia’s plans</p> <p>Respondents were asked to consider two hypothetical international plans—one aligned with Ukraine and Europe, and another aligned with Russia.</p> <p>The Europe/Ukraine plan, as described by KIIS, would:</p> <p>- Provide Ukraine with reliable security guarantees from Europe and the United States, including sustained supplies of weapons and funding in sufficient amounts, as well as shielding Ukraine’s skies from Russian attacks;</p> <p>- Freeze the current front line, with Russia retaining control of occupied territories but without official recognition by Ukraine or the international community;</p> <p>- Keep Ukraine on a path toward joining the EU;</p> <p>- Maintain sanctions on Russia until a durable peace is established and the threat of a renewed Russian attack disappears.</p> <p>- 69% of Ukrainians are ready to approve the Europe/Ukraine plan; only 16% categorically reject it. Willingness to accept it has risen significantly and is evident across all regions.</p> <p>The Russian plan would:</p> <p>- Require the US and Europe to lift all sanctions on Russia;</p> <p>- Grant the Russian language official status;</p> <p>- Force Ukraine to drastically reduce its army and limit armaments;</p> <p>- Oblige Ukraine to renounce NATO membership forever, with the West barred from supplying arms to Ukraine;</p> <p>- Give Russia the right to define Ukraine’s security guarantees and make Russia one of Ukraine’s security guarantors;</p> <p>- Require Ukraine to withdraw its forces from parts of Donetsk region it currently controls, including Kramatorsk, Sloviansk and other cities;</p> <p>- Make Ukraine officially recognize Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk as part of Russia and renounce them permanently;</p> <p>- Allow Russia to retain control over occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.</p> <p>- The Russian plan remains categorically unacceptable to 74% of Ukrainians, while 17% would accept it. In the south, 71% call it unacceptable; in central Ukraine, 78% do.</p> <p>Europe and Russia plans. Photo: KIIS</p> <p>How long are Ukrainians prepared to endure the war, and when do they expect it to end?</p> <p>- 10% believed the war would end by early 2026.</p> <p>- 16% expected it to end in the first half of 2026.</p> <p>- 12% anticipated the second half of 2026.</p> <p>- 29% said 2027 or later.</p> <p>- About one in three could not say when the war would end.</p> <p>- A majority (62%) continue to say they are prepared to endure the war as long as needed. Another 3% say about a year. 14% say they can endure for several months or half a year.</p> <p>KIIS noted that Russian information operations continue to target Ukrainians and have persuaded some that responsibility for outages lies with Ukrainian authorities or Western partners rather than Russia.</p> <p>- 54% say Russian strikes are the main reason, noting it is impossible to fully protect against them.</p> <p>- 31% blame Ukrainian authorities for, in their view, inadequate preparation; in western Ukraine, 43% blame the authorities, compared with 20% in the east.</p> <p>- 7% cite insufficient support from Western partners as the main reason.</p> <p>Whom do Ukrainians blame for the lack of electricity? Photo: KIIS</p> <p>A mid-December poll showed that parties led by Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Petro Poroshenko and Andriy Biletsky top voter preferences for a future parliamentary election if the war ends.</p> <p>More than half of Ukrainians believe President Volodymyr Zelensky should complete just one term and not run again.</p> <p>At the same time, despite differing views, trust in Zelensky still outweighs distrust.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/most-ukrainians-oppose-territorial-concessions-to-russia-kiis-poll-finds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/war-in-cheap-fpv-new.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 19:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/war-in-cheap-fpv-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/a734d1a64f.jpg" alt="War in 2026: CHEAP FPV, new JAMMERS, and still – &quot;MEAT ASSAULTS&quot; by the Russians"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6G9hWNtk_c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/russia-turns-over-drone-data.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 19:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/russia-turns-over-drone-data.html <p>Russia has handed a representative from the office of the U.S. Embassy’s defense attaché decoded routing data and the controller from one of the Ukrainian drones that, according to Moscow, allegedly took part in an attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence at Valdai, said Russia’s Defense Ministry.</p> <p>The ministry also released video of a meeting between Adm. Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s Main Directorate of the General Staff (GRU), and a representative of the U.S. defense attaché. “I invited you on an important matter. We want to inform you: we found debris from unmanned aerial vehicles involved in this attack. In a number of these UAVs, the navigation systems are well preserved; they are technically functional,” Kostyukov said.</p> <p>He said the controller and a description of it prepared by the Russian side are being turned over to the U.S. to “remove all questions” and “help establish the truth.”</p> <p>Russia’s claims about an attempt to attack Putin’s residence</p> <p>On December 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine tried to attack Putin’s residence in Novgorod region — “Dolgye Borody” on Lake Valdai — with 91 drones.</p> <p>Lavrov also said that because of this “Russia’s negotiating position will be revised,” but that Moscow does not intend to pull out of talks with the U.S.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the allegation.</p> <p>Trump himself also said that Putin informed him during a phone call that the “Dolgye Borody” residence had allegedly been attacked.</p> <p>The U.S. President said he “was very angry” when he heard about it, but allowed that there may have been no attack.</p> <p>The CIA and the NSA concluded that Ukraine did not attempt to attack Putin’s residence, according to sources for The Wall Street Journal and CNN.</p> <p>According to CNN, on December 31 CIA Director John Ratcliffe informed U.S. President Donald Trump of the findings.</p> <p>That same day, Trump posted on Truth Social a link to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/30/opinion/putin-attack-bluster-shows-russia-is-one-standing-in-way-of-peace">a New York Post editorial</a> that ties the Russian authorities’ claims about an attack on Putin’s residence to the argument that “it is Russia that is standing in the way of peace.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-turns-over-drone-data-to-u-s-from-alleged-attack-on-putin-s-valdai-residence-as-cia-and-nsa-find-no-confirmation">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/russian-missiles-hit-apartment-buildings.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:45:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/russian-missiles-hit-apartment-buildings.html <p>In broad daylight on January 2, Russian forces attacked central Kharkiv. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said civilians were among the wounded.</p> <p>The strike hit a multi-story residential building in the city’s Kyivskyi district, Terekhov <a href="https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/3327">said</a>. He reported significant destruction and injuries. At least 12 people were wounded, <a href="https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/3328">according to the mayor</a>.</p> <p>Viktor Zabashta, director of the municipal Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine, <a href="https://t.me/suspilne_kharkiv/76777">told Suspilne Kharkiv</a> that among the injured were people in serious and moderate condition. The wounded sustained shrapnel injuries and fractures. He warned the toll could rise as people may still be trapped under rubble.</p> <p>Kostyantyn Nemichev, founder of the KRAKEN unit, <a href="https://t.me/natsionalKharkiv/6764">said</a> a supermarket was also damaged.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17518">reacted</a> to what he called another terrorist act by Russian forces. “Horrific Russian strike on Kharkiv. Preliminary two missiles. Directly at residential buildings. One of the buildings is badly damaged. A rescue operation is underway, and all necessary services are involved. The exact number of victims is unknown,” he wrote. He added that Russia “continues the killings” despite international efforts, “above all the United States,” to advance diplomacy. “Only Russia does not want this war to end and does everything every day to keep the war going. That is why support for Ukraine must continue, and every day we need to strengthen our air defenses, our positions, our protection of people’s lives. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine!”</p> <p>Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, who visited the scene, <a href="https://suspilne.media/kharkiv/1204206-u-seredmisti-harkova-bulo-cuti-vibuhi-terehov-povidomiv-pro-rosijsku-ataku/?utm_source=copylink">told reporters</a> that 13 people had required medical care. Six people were hospitalized, and one was in serious condition. “Two missile strikes, preliminarily ballistic. A direct hit on a five-story building. Search and rescue operations are ongoing,” he said.</p> <p>The building was completely destroyed and a fire broke out. Windows and facades of nearby homes were also damaged.</p> <p>Terekhov later <a href="https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/3330">reported</a> 16 wounded, including one person in critical condition. He said many residential buildings were damaged and a shopping center—closed at the time - was completely destroyed. According to him, there are no facilities in the area that could be considered military targets.</p> <p>A day earlier, Russian forces struck the Feldman Ecopark on Kharkiv’s outskirts with a guided air bomb (KAB), damaging winter enclosures and an aviary and killing valuable birds; lions were wounded and tigers escaped. The park administration later <a href="https://suspilne.media/kharkiv/1203308-zrujnovani-voleri-pavic-na-derevi-akij-viglad-mae-feldman-ekopark-pisla-vlucanna-kab/">posted footage</a> showing the scale of the damage.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-missiles-hit-apartment-buildings-in-kharkiv">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/budanov-to-head-ukraines-presidents.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:25:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/budanov-to-head-ukraines-presidents.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17511">said</a> he has offered the head of GUR the job of chief of the President’s Office. The intelligence chief confirmed he accepted, and officials on Bankova say they are already processing the appointment.</p> <p>On January 2, it emerged that Gen. Kyrylo Budanov is preparing to lead the President’s Office.</p> <p>The president stressed that Ukraine’s top priorities are security, the development of the Defense Forces, and a diplomatic track in negotiations. He said the President’s Office should be focused on that, and that the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate is capable of delivering results in the new role.</p> <p>Zelensky’s communications adviser Dmytro Litvin said formal procedures for the new appointment are continuing.</p> <p>The lieutenant general confirmed he accepted Zelensky’s offer. He called the new role a different line of responsibility to Ukraine and said the focus now must be on critical issues.</p> <p>“Thank you to all my brothers-in-arms and the entire team of Ukraine’s GUR for our work together. We must keep doing our job - striking the enemy, defending Ukraine, and working to achieve a just peace,” he added.</p> <p>According to political scientist Oleg Posternak, the decision has two dimensions — administrative and hidden political. If the war continues and Zelensky’s work shifts to constant coordination with the military, Budanov is stronger than other candidates because he has exceptional authority among defenders, he said. In Posternak’s view, the general will not engage in personnel pressure, political blackmail, or attempts to influence lawmakers, media, and politicians.</p> <p>At the same time, Posternak suggested there are nonpublic political understandings between Budanov and Zelensky. The general could be preparing to become the president’s successor, lead a new political force, the parliament, or the government.</p> <p>Political analyst Viktor Taran said Ukraine has entered a war-of-attrition phase, and a real transition to a wartime economy and stronger military processes at home require a dedicated moderator. He noted the president’s New Year address did not mention the Armed Forces for the first time, which he said suggests a desire to step back from a block of tough decisions.</p> <p>“Recent polls put Budanov in the top three, and in a second round he beats Zelensky - as does Zaluzhny. The logic may be to shift unpopular processes onto him and thus dent his ratings,” Taran said, while questioning whether that strategy would work.</p> <p>The expert added that Budanov has been maximally effective - and inconvenient for Russia — as head of GUR, but the President’s Office would allow him to build resources if he sees his future in politics.</p> <p>“For a combat officer, this is a move from a position of military glory to an extremely toxic and risky political post. It doesn’t guarantee allies and carries serious reputational risks,” Posternak said, arguing that officer’s grit and an internal code of honor were decisive.</p> <p>MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak and journalist Yuliya Zabelina reported that the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Ivashchenko, will replace Budanov as chief of GUR. He has led the Foreign Intelligence Service since March 2024.</p> <p>According to Zheleznyak, former head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak pushed this candidacy to replace the general. But, the MP added with irony, it’s unlikely Yermak imagined the reshuffle would unfold this way.</p> <p>Earlier, in late November, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, was included in the Ukrainian delegation that traveled to negotiations in the United States. However, media reported the general stayed in Kyiv, with his deputy, Vadym Skibitskyi, representing the agency’s interests.</p> <p>NABU detective Ruslan Magamedrasulov said the Energoatom corruption case includes “physical evidence” concerning former head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak. He expressed hope a final decision would ultimately be made in accordance with the law.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/budanov-to-head-ukraine-s-president-s-office">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/how-ukraines-military-intelligence-faked.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:20:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/how-ukraines-military-intelligence-faked.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/screenshot-2026-01-02-at-12-00-02-pm.png" alt="How Ukraine's military intelligence faked the death of Denis Kapustin, a Russian commander fighting for Kyiv"></p>HUR has published video footage of Kapustin's staged "death," which the agency used to collect a $500,000 bounty. The video shows a drone strike on a minibus shortly after Kapustin is seen entering the vehicle.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-ukraines-military-intelligence-faked-the-death-of-denis-kapustin-a-russian-commander-fighting-for-kyiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/ukrainian-intelligence-fakes-kapustins-death.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:56:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/ukrainian-intelligence-fakes-kapustins-death.html <p>Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence at the Defense Ministry (GUR) released two videos meant to convince the Russian Federation that Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) commander Denis Kapustin had been killed. Russia paid half a million dollars for the footage - but Kapustin is alive.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7648">a GUR statement</a>, operatives sent Russia an FPV-drone strike video purportedly flying straight into Kapustin’s vehicle. A second clip — from a reconnaissance drone — captures the supposed “hit.” The multi-stage special operation was carried out by the Timur Group, which prepared fabricated footage to stage the RVC commander’s “death.”</p> <p>The FPV strike sequence shows a snow-covered landscape, a white minivan and a man in dark clothing whose silhouette resembles Denis Kapustin. He stands by the van’s open doors as a drone flies inside. An observer drone records the blast and a fireball engulfing the vehicle after the “impact.”</p> <p>GUR said the fake videos were sent to clients in Russia’s security services, who paid $500,000 for them - money that will be put to use by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <p>Reports of Denis Kapustin’s “death” emerged on December 27, 2025.</p> <p>GUR issued a statement on the death of the RDK commander with the call sign WhiteRex, saying it happened on an unspecified sector of the Zaporizhzhia front. Ukrainian intelligence promised to determine all the circumstances of the commander’s death and expressed condolences over the loss of a comrade-in-arms. The RDK also <a href="https://t.me/rvc_army/1656?single">commented on social media</a>. On December 29, its fighters vowed to keep fighting “Kremlin evil” and recalled WhiteRex’s words that the unit would remain a threat to Russia as long as the Kremlin regime endures.</p> <p>However, on the afternoon of January 1, GUR announced that Kapustin is alive.</p> <p>It turned out Ukraine ran a special operation staging his death — and got paid for the supposed assignment. </p> <p>“To preserve the life of the commander of the ‘Russian Volunteer Corps’ within the ‘Timur special unit of Ukraine’s GUR and to expose the enemy agent network, military intelligence conducted a complex, multi-stage special operation during which his death was staged. To support the legend, they created footage of two strike drones: the first UAV flew into the minibus carrying Kapustin; the second captured the ‘aftermath of the strike’ - a burning vehicle,” GUR said.</p> <p>Russia’s Interior Ministry has re-listed Denis Kapustin, founder of the “Russian Volunteer Corps” (RDK), as wanted after Ukrainian intelligence said reports of his death were staged. The updated note appeared on his wanted card on the Interior Ministry’s website, the Russian news agency RBC <a href="https://amp.rbc.ru/rbcnews/politics/02/01/2026/6956fb5a9a7947166b5b54c2">reported</a>.</p> <p>Denis Kapustin is a 41-year-old Russian citizen who joined Ukraine’s military in the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. On his initiative, the Russian Volunteer Corps was formed within GUR’s structure. The unit included former Russian POWs who agreed to switch sides; they were vetted before being allowed into combat. Among other operations, RVC fighters carried out raids in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions and fought along various stretches of the front in Donetsk and other regions of Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-intelligence-fakes-kapustin-s-death-using-fpv-footage-russia-pays-500-000">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/the-first-resounding-failure-of.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/the-first-resounding-failure-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3c1b29c725.jpg" alt="The first RESOUNDING FAILURE of the Russian special services in 2026 #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NPRLvySLYDE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/putin-has-been-given-an.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:01:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/putin-has-been-given-an.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/30c986ddd8.jpg" alt="PUTIN has been given an ultimatum! DEFEAT of Russian special services and frontline &quot;SURPRISES&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfgrBAY8tos">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/russian-orthodox-priest-banned-from.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:22:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/russian-orthodox-priest-banned-from.html <p>On January 2, 2026, Estonia announced a security-related ban preventing Roman Kolesnikov, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church who began service in Estonia&rsquo;s Orthodox Christian Church in fall 2025, from entering the country. The Ministry of Interior imposed the ban due to fears that Kolesnikov could threaten Estonia’s constitutional security, citing his alleged connections to Russian security services and his support for Russia&rsquo;s aggressive policies. This marks the first time a clergyman has been banned from Estonia on such grounds in 2026. The Estonian Orthodox Christian Church, formerly part of the Moscow Patriarchate, has not made an official comment on the matter. The ministry stressed the use of structures of the Russian Orthodox Church by Russia for intelligence activities to justify the ban.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Lawfare &amp; Legal Pressure</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609899644/russian-orthodox-priest-banned-from-entering-estonia-on-security-grounds">news.err.ee/160989964&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/c28de7b0-c0e0-4db3-a9c0-aa590d9e611d">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/kharkiv-now-two-russian-quotiskanderquot.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:15:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/kharkiv-now-two-russian-quotiskanderquot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/3c1f252a10.jpg" alt="⚡️ KHARKIV NOW! Two Russian &quot;ISKANDER&quot; destroyed HOUSES #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cP_0fpn4zgU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/russian-attack-on-kharkiv-injures.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:51:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/russian-attack-on-kharkiv-injures.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-03-01-30-15.jpg" alt="Russian attack on Kharkiv injures at least 15 people, including a baby, local authorities report"></p>Six of the wounded were hospitalized, including a woman in serious condition, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attack-on-kharkiv-injures-at-least-15-people-including-a-baby-local-authorities-report/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/partisans-go-active-in-russias.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:30:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/partisans-go-active-in-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/f3ed9e8c27.jpg" alt="PARTISANS go active in Russia’s BORDER regions, hitting MILITARY plants #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UAqCILD2_iY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/poll-of-ukrainians-against-peace.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:06:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/poll-of-ukrainians-against-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253732356.jpg" alt="Poll: 74% of Ukrainians against peace plan involving Kyiv's withdrawal from Donbas, army cap"></p>The poll also revealed that 69% of Ukrainians support a peace plan that would freeze the war with security guarantees, as long as Ukraine is not forced to officially recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/poll-74-of-ukrainians-against-peace-plan-involving-kyivs-withdrawal-from-donbas-army-cap/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/night-of-terror-across-ukraine.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:01:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/night-of-terror-across-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/64bbf53c3b.jpg" alt="Night of terror across Ukraine: Russia strikes cities, ambulances, and hospitals"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oryuB8zb4Qc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/a-cult-of-death-former.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:22:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/a-cult-of-death-former.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/6860eb4e-3dfa-414e-b9dc-08d461c2e836.jpg" alt="‘A cult of death’ — Former Soviet dissident on Russia and authoritarianism's global rise"></p><p>In an authoritarian society, it’s free thinkers who are targeted by those in power. A book, a social media post, a private conversation — anything can be used against those who refuse to conform in a country ruled by intimidation, lies, and outright violence. This is why, in</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/a-cult-of-death-former-soviet-dissident-on-russia-and-authoritarianisms-global-rise/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/russia-may-be-preparing-largescale.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:21:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/russia-may-be-preparing-largescale.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2169936812.jpg" alt="Russia may be preparing 'large-scale provocation with human casualties,' Ukraine's intelligence warns"></p>Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service warned on Jan. 2 that Russia may be preparing a provocation as part of its efforts to disrupt the U.S.-mediated peace talks.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-may-be-preparing-large-scale-provocation-with-human-casualties-ukraines-intelligence-warns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/ukraine-denies-targeting-civilians-in.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 11:24:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/ukraine-denies-targeting-civilians-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2183246419.jpg" alt="Ukraine denies targeting civilians in drone strike on occupied part of Kherson Oblast"></p>Earlier on Jan. 1, Volodymyr Saldo, a Ukrainian politician turned top Russian proxy head of Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast, accused Kyiv of launching three drones at a hotel and a cafe on the Black Sea coast. Saldo claimed that the alleged New Year drone strike on the village of Khorly killed 24 people, including a child, and wounded more than 50.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-denies-targeting-civilians-in-drone-strike-on-occupied-part-of-kherson-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:29:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253536028.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,209,880 troops in Ukraine since 2022"></p>The number includes 910 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, the General Staff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-209-880-troops-in-ukraine-since-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/02/expert-warns-what-russia-is.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/02/expert-warns-what-russia-is.html <p>Māris Cepurītis, Director of the Center for East European Policy Studies, forecasts heightened Russian hybrid activities in Europe during 2026. Unlike direct military confrontation, Russia will intensify repression domestically and seek to influence neighboring countries by reducing their military and hybrid threat responses. Russia will persist in election interference across Europe, deploy sabotage attempts, unidentified drone overflights, and military shows of force in the Baltic Sea from air and sea. The Kremlin aims to divert Europe from supporting Ukraine by leveraging hybrid tactics that create pressure and political uncertainty. Cepurītis emphasizes Russia&rsquo;s military capabilities are insufficient against NATO directly but will try to exploit vulnerabilities and information flows controlled by Putin&rsquo;s inner circle. He compares Putin&rsquo;s regime motivations to those of historical Soviet leaders focusing on consolidating power via loyalists and repression. The assessment highlights risks to European security requiring continued vigilance and preparedness.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Snap military exercises &amp; drills</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://bnn-news.com/expert-warns-what-russia-is-preparing-in-2026-will-not-be-a-pleasant-surprise-for-europe-275687">bnn-news.com/expert-wa&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/fc34b6a7-ede1-4617-b8f1-35c969238c40">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/russia-captured-over-square-kilometers.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 23:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/russia-captured-over-square-kilometers.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/4c148cb76f.jpg" alt="Russia captured over 4,300 square kilometers of Ukraine in 2025, DeepState reports"></p>Russian forces occupied 4,336 square kilometers (1,674 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in 2025, accounting for less than 1% of the country, the Ukrainian open-source mapping project DeepState reported in an year-end assessment published on Jan. 1.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-captured-over-4-300-square-kilometers-of-ukraine-in-2025-deepstate-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/shock-for-putin-pokrovsk-returns.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/shock-for-putin-pokrovsk-returns.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/b3d475944a.jpg" alt="🔥 SHOCK for PUTIN – POKROVSK returns to UKRAINIAN control #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oYST8DHTdsg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/fall-of-huliaipole-command-failures.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:10:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/fall-of-huliaipole-command-failures.html <p>In late December 2025, Ukrainian defenders lost control of one of two key towns on the route to Zaporizhzhia Oblast. On December 26, Russian forces seized the command and observation&hellip;</p> <p><a href="https://militaryland.net/article/fall-of-huliaipole-command-failures-and-exhausted-defenders/">Source</a></p><p><a href="https://militaryland.net/article/fall-of-huliaipole-command-failures-and-exhausted-defenders/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/meat-assaults-on-buggies-russia.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:01:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/meat-assaults-on-buggies-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/cd07a0b5cb.jpg" alt="“Meat assaults” on buggies: Russia is trying at all costs to show something on the battlefield"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWFDVjOvIOo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/ampquotblowampquot-to-valdai-cia-finds.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 21:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/ampquotblowampquot-to-valdai-cia-finds.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/418d18c7d8.jpg" alt="&quot;Blow&quot; to VALDAI: CIA finds no EVIDENCE! Across Russia – &quot;fireworks&quot; at oil refineries"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-t9lQqf4OU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/putin-acknowledges-the-decline-of.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/putin-acknowledges-the-decline-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e2ba0a7c24.jpg" alt="PUTIN acknowledges the DECLINE of the Russian economy for the FIRST TIME! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QEqjFeHLoNI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/putin-is-at-war-the.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/putin-is-at-war-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/8e0f795f3f.jpg" alt="PUTIN is at war: the ARMY is the only PRIORITY – the people are in decline under SANCTIONS!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTaXOAN6B-w">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/lions-injured-birds-killed-russian.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:37:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/lions-injured-birds-killed-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/yakiv-16.jpg" alt="Lions injured, birds killed — Russian attack strikes eco-park near Kharkiv"></p>Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, over 100 animals and five people, including employees and volunteers, have been killed by Russian forces on the eco-park's grounds.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/lions-injured-birds-killed-russian-attack-strikes-eco-park-near-kharkiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/how-russia-enters-budanovs-forecast.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:30:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/how-russia-enters-budanovs-forecast.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/9f47949b00.jpg" alt="💬 How RUSSIA enters 2026: BUDANOV'S FORECAST #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_FgeJyh_YVM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/the-diu-tricked-the-russian.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:15:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/the-diu-tricked-the-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/1ace5775e0.jpg" alt="The DIU tricked the Russian special services... and made $500,000 off them #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1dMoQE9yUCs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/russia-enters-exhausted-the-war.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:02:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/russia-enters-exhausted-the-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/d836a4cb9f.jpg" alt="Russia enters 2026 exhausted: the war drags on, the economy is falling apart at the seams"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbYa0LrQz_0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/budanov-outplays-russia-eliminated-rdk.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 18:00:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/budanov-outplays-russia-eliminated-rdk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/23f220da2c.jpg" alt="Budanov outplays Russia! “Eliminated” RDK commander is alive!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g33mT9PUJpQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/dont-underestimate-it-russia-will.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/dont-underestimate-it-russia-will.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/5ad0fbcafd.jpg" alt="⚡️ DON'T UNDERESTIMATE IT – Russia will try to ATTACK Europe! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JsR1LjOz19c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/from-poland-to-the-baltics.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/from-poland-to-the-baltics.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2f933ee6e3.jpg" alt="From Poland to the Baltics: Russian threat to NATO at critical level"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHk6-ihGz8s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/live-without-illusions-russia-enters.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 15:27:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/live-without-illusions-russia-enters.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/0213f8bdf1.jpg" alt="LIVE | 2026 WITHOUT ILLUSIONS: Russia enters it EXHAUSTED and ISOLATED"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIAO8yF5BLE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/welcome-back-to-life-ukraines.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 15:05:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/welcome-back-to-life-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2026-01-01-15-37-52.jpg" alt="'Welcome back to life' — Ukraine's HUR faked death of top anti-Putin Russian commander, claimed Kremlin bounty money"></p>Denis Kapustin, commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), was reported killed in action on Dec. 27.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-hur-faked-death-of-top-anti-putin-russian-commander-claimed-kremlin-bounty-money/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/france-and-the-uk-prepare.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 14:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/france-and-the-uk-prepare.html <p>France and the United Kingdom are ready to join an observer operation by “multinational forces” to help enforce a future peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, the newspaper Die Welt <a href="https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article69539fb74dec1c7d241319ac/bruesseler-sanktionen-die-neuen-plaene-der-eu-gegen-russlands-kriegswirtschaft.html">reported</a> , citing European diplomatic sources.</p> <p>According to the outlet, British and French forces, together with EU representatives, have already drawn up plans to provide security guarantees for Ukraine.</p> <p>Moreover, France and the United Kingdom are prepared to send troops to take part in an observer mission even without a UN or European Union mandate.</p> <p>Die Welt’s sources say the proposed observer mission would allow French and British troops to open fire, if necessary, to uphold a ceasefire. Participation by forces from other unnamed European countries is also under discussion. Diplomats estimate that in the first months of a truce, such “international forces” could number between 10,000 and 15,000 personnel.</p> <p>The “multinational forces” are expected to provide security for Ukraine from the sea and air, including from the territory of neighboring countries. Die Welt does not name them, but suggests Turkey could play a major role - especially in the Black Sea.</p> <p>Die Welt writes that by the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2026, the EU is planning a new, 20th sanctions package.</p> <p>According to the outlet’s sources, Brussels is discussing entry bans and asset freezes targeting specific individuals and organizations, as well as measures in the energy sector. In particular, a ban on importing Russian uranium into the bloc is under consideration - a step currently opposed by France and Belgium.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/france-and-the-uk-prepare-to-join-ukraine-peacekeeping-mission-as-eu-readies-new-russia-sanctions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/putins-new-year-speech-lauds.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 13:10:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/putins-new-year-speech-lauds.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2253589483.jpg" alt="Putin's New Year speech lauds Russia's war, makes no mention of peace in Ukraine"></p>Putin's speech avoided any mention of Ukraine, peace talks, or plans to bring the war to an end in 2026.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-believe-in-our-victory-putins-new-year-speech-shows-no-intention-to-end-the-war-in-2026/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/new-years-eve-with-shelling.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:11:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/new-years-eve-with-shelling.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/e95e78ed8b.jpg" alt="💥 New Year's Eve with shelling! Russia attacked Ukraine with drones #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uek1sJEH1TM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/cia-rejects-putins-claim-of.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:19:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/cia-rejects-putins-claim-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/15008e091e.jpg" alt="CIA rejects Putin's claim of Ukrainian attack on his residence, CNN reports"></p>The report confirms Ukraine's original denial and undercuts claims made by the Kremlin.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/after-putin-claim-to-trump-cia-rejects-allegation-of-ukraine-attack-on-his-residence-cnn-reported/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:54:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-1243747572.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,208,970 troops in Ukraine since 2022"></p><p>Russia has lost around 1,208,970 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Jan. 1.</p><p>The number includes 1,060 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, the General Staff said.</p><p>According to</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-208-970-troops-in-ukraine-since-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:34:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/gettyimages-2251635351.jpg" alt="At least 2 killed, 16 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 205 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-killed-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/russian-shadow-fleet-ship-that.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 08:14:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/russian-shadow-fleet-ship-that.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/dcb06a9c00.jpg" alt="Russian shadow fleet ship that sank in 2024 carried nuclear reactor components to North Korea, may have been torpedoed, La Verdad reports"></p>Undeclared nuclear reactor components bound for North Korea were allegedly aboard the Ursa Major when it sank off Spain in 2024, with damage consistent with a torpedo strike, according to Spain’s La Verdad.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-shadow-fleet-vessel-that-sank-in-2024-carried-nuclear-reactors-to-north-korea-la-verdad-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/tumultuous-new-years-eve-in.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 04:59:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/tumultuous-new-years-eve-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/fbf5693892.jpg" alt="Tumultuous New Year’s Eve in Russia marked by reported drone strikes on oil sites"></p>Several fires were reported at oil facilities in Kaluga Oblast and Krasnodar Krai overnight on Jan. 1, according to Telegram monitoring channels.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tumultuous-new-years-night-in-russia-marked-by-reported-drone-strikes-on-oil-sites/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/russia-launches-new-years-day.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 03:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/russia-launches-new-years-day.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/photo-2025-12-31-20-06-46.jpg" alt="Russia launches New Year’s Day drone attacks across Ukraine"></p>Russia attacked several Ukrainian regions with drones overnight on Jan. 1, striking energy infrastructure in southern Odesa Oblast.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-launches-new-years-day-drone-attacks-across-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/extension.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/extension.html <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: Unknown</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://cdissz.wp.mil.pl/u/documents/Deterrence_and_Defense_in_the_Baltic_Sea_Region_against_the_Russian_Threat_-_print_off.pdf">cdissz.wp.mil.pl/u/documen&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/844ec30f-93a5-41c1-a6ff-48c7d7b49bb1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/z-symbol-graffiti-sprayed-on.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:59:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/z-symbol-graffiti-sprayed-on.html <p>During the night of December 31, 2025, unknown individuals sprayed graffiti of the &lsquo;Z&rsquo; symbol on the wall of Estonia&rsquo;s Defense League headquarters located in Tallinn. The &lsquo;Z&rsquo; symbol is widely recognized as a pro-Russian military sign linked to the invasion of Ukraine. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident as it is perceived as a provocative act. The Defense League condemned the action as an insult to Estonian defense institutions. This incident occurred amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Baltic region, with Estonia maintaining vigilant defense posture.</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609899439/z-symbol-graffiti-sprayed-on-estonia-s-defense-league-hq-on-new-year-s-eve">news.err.ee/160989943&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/22b33889-cea3-4d0c-9d86-7e6f4f917860">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/over-soldiers-killed-in-a.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/over-soldiers-killed-in-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/057f996d1e.jpg" alt="🪖 Over 400,000 soldiers KILLED in a YEAR! 2025 for Putin's army #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HNuHCZx3W6Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2026/01/01/a-kilometer-at-the-cost.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2026/01/01/a-kilometer-at-the-cost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/0825100d77.jpg" alt="A kilometer at the cost of thousands of lives: the true price of the Kremlin's fake victories"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VGUvy9HNT0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/putin-orders-expansion-of-ukraine.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 23:19:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/putin-orders-expansion-of-ukraine.html <p>Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said he received orders from President Vladimir Putin to expand a so‑called buffer zone in two regions of Ukraine. Media noted the remarks followed threats of retaliation.</p> <p>“The troops of the joint grouping are confidently advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses,” Gerasimov said, according to <a href="https://ria.ru/20251231/prodvizhenie-2065807071.html">RIA Novosti</a>.</p> <p>He said Putin tasked the military with continuing to expand the so‑called “buffer” to ensure, as he put it, a peaceful life for residents of Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions. The outlet noted that Putin himself praised Russian forces for creating a buffer zone along the border in Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Sumy regions.</p> <p>“Gerasimov’s comments follow Russia’s promise to retaliate for what it claimed, without evidence, was an attempt to attack Putin’s residence — an accusation Kyiv denied, saying it was aimed at derailing peace talks as the war nears its fourth year,” <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-gerasimov-says-putin-ordered-buffer-zone-expansion-ukraines-sumy-kharkiv-2025-12-31/">Reuters noted</a>.</p> <p>Ukraine has not yet responded to the Russian general’s statement. Putin has repeatedly framed the “buffer” as a way to push Ukrainian troops and weapons farther from the border, citing shelling and drone attacks. Kyiv’s position is different: Ukrainian officials say Russia is simply justifying a deeper incursion.</p> <p>Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War have dissected the Kremlin’s claims about a drone attack on Putin’s residence. Statements from Moscow contradicted one another, and locals said they didn’t even hear air defenses at work. Russia has already said it is preparing a retaliatory strike, and President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a threat to Kyiv.</p> <p>Later, ISW noted that Moscow still has not provided evidence for the attack it alleged. Analysts said Russia is trying to justify insisting on the capitulation of Ukraine and the West.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-orders-expansion-of-ukraine-buffer-zone-as-russia-touts-advances-in-kharkiv-and-sumy">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/ukraines-security-service-claims-responsibility.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 23:18:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/ukraines-security-service-claims-responsibility.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has for the first time <a href="https://t.me/SBUkr/16485">publicly claimed responsibility</a> for attacks on Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet” of tankers. The admission appears in the SBU’s report on key special operations in 2025.</p> <p>The agency used cautious wording: “Long-range strikes on oil refineries deep inside Russia cut oil exports by more than 30% and limited the capabilities of the enemy’s shadow fleet.” It did not specify which attacks it was referring to, which vessels were damaged, or where the incidents took place.</p> <p>It is the first official acknowledgement by the SBU of its role in operations against the “shadow fleet.” Previously, media cited sources in Ukrainian security and intelligence to report Kyiv’s possible involvement in tanker attacks, but officials avoided direct statements.</p> <p>In its list of 2025 special operations, the SBU also cites:</p> <p>- Operation “Pautina,” which it says struck 41 Russian strategic aircraft;</p> <p>- an underwater drone strike on a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk Bay;</p> <p>- a third strike on the Crimean Bridge;</p> <p>- large-scale attacks on oil refineries deep inside Russia;</p> <p>- the destruction of military equipment “worth billions of dollars.”</p> <p>Why Ukraine isn’t naming specific vessels</p> <p>Despite effectively acknowledging strikes on the “shadow fleet,” Kyiv still isn’t publishing detailed statements. Official rhetoric relies on broad formulations about lawful military and logistics targets and says “Russia is facing the consequences of its aggression.”</p> <p>SBU and military intelligence sources have told Western media that Ukraine sees the “shadow fleet” as a legitimate target because it:</p> <p>- finances the war against Ukraine;</p> <p>- is used to circumvent international sanctions;</p> <p>- is involved in military and para-military logistics.</p> <p>Directly claiming strikes on ships sailing under third-country flags and outside active combat zones could create serious international legal risks and fuel accusations of widening the conflict.</p> <p>Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia’s “shadow fleet” in recent months, with the most intense strikes targeting ships in the Black Sea. As The Insider <a href="https://preview.insidertexts.com/news/287893">reported</a>, tankers have begun altering routes amid the attacks, sailing more often along Turkey’s coast and trying to stay closer to neutral waters.</p> <p>On November 28, the tankers Kairos (IMO: 9236004) and Virat (IMO: 9832559), both sailing under a fake Gambian flag, were attacked almost simultaneously. The maritime drones struck several dozen nautical miles off Turkey’s coast. Ukrainian media, citing SBU sources, said the attacks were part of an SBU operation using upgraded sea drones. The next day, November 29, Virat was hit again, then switched to the Russian flag and entered the port of Istanbul. Attempts to tow Kairos toward Bulgaria ended with the ship running aground.</p> <p>On December 2, about 80 nautical miles off Turkey’s coast, the vessel Midvolga 2 (IMO: 9735139) was attacked while sailing from Russia to Georgia with a cargo of sunflower oil. The tanker flies the Russian flag and belongs to the Moscow-based Middle Volga Shipping Company, which is under Ukrainian sanctions.</p> <p>On December 10 in the Black Sea south of Feodosia, Sea Baby maritime drones used by the SBU struck the tanker Dashan, which was sailing under the Comoros flag. The ship was moving with its transponder off at maximum speed through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone toward Novorossiysk. The SBU said the operation was conducted jointly with the 13th Main Directorate of military counterintelligence and the Ukrainian Navy.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-security-service-claims-responsibility-for-strikes-on-russia-s-shadow-fleet-tankers">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/finland-detains-russialinked-ship-suspected.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 22:47:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/finland-detains-russialinked-ship-suspected.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/fitburg.png" alt="Finland detains Russia-linked ship suspected of sabotage"></p>Early in the morning on Dec. 31, the Finnish telecommunications service provider Elisa reported that an undersea cable linking Finland and Estonia had been damaged. The cargo ship Fitburg, sailing from Russia, may have been responsible.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/finland-detains-russia-linked-ship-suspected-of-sabotage/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/the-year-that-shook-russia.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 21:00:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/the-year-that-shook-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/23139893e6.jpg" alt="The year that shook Russia – its oil refineries, army, and wallets! Peace with no peace?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFInZzwkiTM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russia-will-remember-for-a.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 20:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russia-will-remember-for-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1fe63e0766.jpg" alt="RUSSIA will remember 2025 for A LONG TIME Disappointing results for PUTIN #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NR4ZjW9xV0Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russian-soldiers-will-not-be.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 20:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russian-soldiers-will-not-be.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a14cfa5726.jpg" alt="❗️ 150,000 Russian SOLDIERS will not be able to occupy POKROVSK! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J_Hr9pXhP_M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/putin-believes-in-lies-everything.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 20:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/putin-believes-in-lies-everything.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/df24ed39ab.jpg" alt="PUTIN BELIEVES IN LIES! Everything is bad on the front line FOR RUSSIA | Frontline Summary"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXCSqjrczhk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/ukraine-damages-major-russian-oil.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:57:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/ukraine-damages-major-russian-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/sso.png" alt="Ukraine damages major Russian oil assets in New Year's Eve strikes, military reports"></p>Targets included Russia's Tuapse Oil Refinery, the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal, a Rosreserv oil base, a temporary military base for river boats, and ammunition depots in occupied Ukraine, the General Staff said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-damages-major-russian-oil-assets-in-new-years-eve-strikes-military-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/a-catastrophic-for-russia-strikes.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/a-catastrophic-for-russia-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/0afe4c812f.jpg" alt="A CATASTROPHIC 2025 for Russia: Strikes deep in the rear, ruined plans, and a devastated economy!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngYOR-Pqyt8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russian-health-minister-says-a.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russian-health-minister-says-a.html <p>Russia’s health minister has thrown cold water on the Kremlin’s lofty longevity ambitions, a topic that observers say has long become a personal fixation for President Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>Health Minister Mikhail Murashko <a href="https://tass.ru/obschestvo/26053601">said</a> it is currently impossible to develop a universal remedy to extend youth in Russia, effectively undercutting Putin’s musings about living to 150. He made the remarks in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel, according to TASS.</p> <p>Putin, 73, has for years spoken publicly about extending human life and his interest in personal longevity. His elder daughter has overseen several state-funded projects in the field. But even senior officials are now tempering expectations.</p> <p>“Creating a universal anti-aging pill will be quite difficult for now,” Murashko acknowledged, adding that only partial approaches are realistic at this stage, such as regulating the immune system and treating specific diseases.</p> <p>Murashko’s comments stand in contrast to the Kremlin’s rhetoric, where life extension has featured prominently in Putin’s public remarks. He has repeatedly discussed boosting average life expectancy in Russia to 150 years and entertained talk of near-“immortality.”</p> <p>In late November, Sber chief Herman Gref, speaking in Putin’s presence, claimed humanity could approach “eternal life” by 2032 - a prediction the Russian leader greeted enthusiastically.</p> <p>Murashko’s remarks highlight the limits: mainstream science does not support promises of immortality, and no real “elixir” exists or is on the horizon.</p> <p>In 2024, Britain’s The Times reported that Putin was “obsessed with the idea of eternal life” and had urged scientists to accelerate anti-aging research. The Health Ministry, the paper said, sought updates on efforts to combat cellular aging, cognitive decline and osteoporosis.</p> <p>In December, the news agency RBC reported that Russian research centers had begun exploring ways to slow aging and measure the “biological age” of organs. For now, these projects remain experimental and without practical results.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-health-minister-says-a-universal-anti-aging-pill-is-out-of-reach-deflating-putin-s-longevity-ambitions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/ampquotnazi-force-in-europeampquot-and.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:30:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/ampquotnazi-force-in-europeampquot-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/c6c798c73b.jpg" alt="🤡 &quot;Nazi force in Europe&quot; and other NONSENSICAL statements by RUSSIAN media #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/irgsrXxcCKk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/informational-preparation-for-war-against.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:26:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/informational-preparation-for-war-against.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/3e33a7472c.jpg" alt="INFORMATIONAL preparation for WAR against EUROPE – Russia INVENTS AN EXCUSE!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuD9ZfMWXFo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/putin-uses-new-year-address.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/putin-uses-new-year-address.html <p>In his address to Russians upon the arrival of 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on the war against Ukraine, now nearing its fourth year.</p> <p>As is customary, viewers in Russia’s Far East were the first to see the address on Wednesday, December 31.</p> <p>Putin separately saluted the fighters and commanders of Russia’s Armed Forces who, in his words, “have taken on the responsibility to fight for the motherland, for truth and justice.”</p> <p>He called them “heroes” and pledged support for them “in word and deed.” “We believe in you and in our victory!” he said.</p> <p>Otherwise, the address followed a familiar script. The president invoked “Russia’s thousand-year history” and urged national “unity,” the strength of which, he said, “determines the sovereignty and security of the Fatherland, its development, its future.”</p> <p>By mid-December 2025, journalists from BBC Russian service and Mediazona, working with volunteers and open sources, had identified the names of 155,368 Russian service members killed since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.</p> <p>Experts say actual Russian losses in Ukraine are far higher. Estimates run above 200,000–300,000. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, as of December 30, Russia’s total estimated losses since the full-scale invasion exceed 1.2 million killed and wounded.</p> <p>At a late-December meeting with the General Staff leadership, Putin accused Ukraine of starting the war and refusing to “resolve the conflict by peaceful means.” He added that Russia is prepared to achieve all objectives “by military means.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-uses-new-year-address-to-double-down-on-war-in-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russia-shares-dubious-evidence-of.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:59:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russia-shares-dubious-evidence-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2253168901.jpg" alt="Russia shares dubious 'evidence' of Ukrainian drone attack 3 days after claiming Kyiv tried to assassinate Putin"></p>Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, speaking to Reuters, called the footage "laughable."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-shares-dubious-evidence-of-ukrainian-drone-attack-3-days-after-claiming-kyiv-tried-to-assassinate-putin/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/with-russia-it-will-happen.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:53:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/with-russia-it-will-happen.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/81f03bf439.jpg" alt="📢 With RUSSIA, it will happen in 2026! The ECONOMY will be the first to react #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zHUw9r0UzGo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/ukrainian-drones-hit-rosnefts-tuapse.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:20:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/ukrainian-drones-hit-rosnefts-tuapse.html <p>Unmanned aerial vehicles <a href="https://t.me/opershtab23/14714">attacked an oil refinery</a> and the port in Tuapse, the Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters said. Two people were wounded; one of the port’s berths and equipment at the refinery were damaged, along with five residential buildings (four apartment blocks and one private house).</p> <p>The UAV attack sparked fires on the berth and on the refinery grounds. Officials said the blaze at the plant covered about 300 square meters.</p> <p>The Tuapse Oil Refinery forms a single production complex with the company’s marine terminal, RN-Tuapse Marine Terminal LLC, and is part of the oil company Rosneft.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/59937">the Russian Ministry of Defense</a>, overnight on December 31, Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 86 Ukrainian drones, including 56 over the Black Sea, as well as over the Bryansk (9) and Lipetsk (8) regions, Krasnodar Krai (5), and annexed Crimea (8).</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-hit-rosneft-s-tuapse-oil-refinery-and-port-sparking-fires-and-injuring-two">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/will-not-be-any-better.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:02:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/will-not-be-any-better.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/bdf1a5e072.jpg" alt="2026 will not be any better for Russia: high taxes, no money, and the war continues!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQD1RmLsRJI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/germany-drops-sanctions-case-against.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/germany-drops-sanctions-case-against.html <p>Prosecutors in Munich have closed an investigation into suspected sanctions violations involving billionaire Alisher Usmanov, RBC <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/politics/30/12/2025/6953485d9a794782c4a9608b">reported</a>, citing the businessman’s representatives.</p> <p>According to his lawyers, the move was made under Section 153a of Germany’s Code of Criminal Procedure after Usmanov agreed to make a voluntary contribution to charitable causes.</p> <p>“The reopening of the investigation on the same suspicions is ruled out; the presumption of innocence with regard to Alisher Usmanov remains,” the lawyers said.</p> <p>Usmanov had previously been accused of paying for security services for properties in the municipality of Rottach-Egern via foreign companies between April and September 2022, as well as failing to declare assets in Germany. In 2024, the episodes were consolidated into a single case with preliminary-investigation status. Usmanov’s lawyers denied that the businessman had ties to those companies or the assets — and therefore disputed the applicability of EU sanctions provisions. The investigation was ultimately discontinued.</p> <p>Earlier, Frankfurt’s General Prosecutor’s Office dropped a separate probe into Usmanov on suspicion of money laundering. It was closed without charges in November 2024.</p> <p>In 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and several other countries imposed personal sanctions on Usmanov.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-drops-sanctions-case-against-alisher-usmanov-after-charitable-payment-lawyers-say">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/ukrainian-drones-strike-russias-rosrezerv.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:54:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/ukrainian-drones-strike-russias-rosrezerv.html <p>In Russia’s interior, explosions were heard again overnight on December 31 as drones targeted the city of Rybinsk in the Yaroslavl region. Fuel tanks at a Rosrezerv facility caught fire, dealing another blow to the Russian army’s logistics, the news outlet ASTRA <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/100867">reported</a>.</p> <p>According to local residents, explosions rang out in Rybinsk after an air-raid alert, followed by a fire. The Telegram channel Astra said the blaze engulfed fuel tanks at Rosrezerv’s FGKU Kombinat “Temp,” a storage site within Russia’s Federal Agency for State Reserves.</p> <p>The Ukrainian news agency RCB-Ukraine <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/droni-sbu-vrazili-veliku-naftobazu-rosrezervu-1767188832.html">confirmed</a>, citing its sources, that Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck a Russian state oil reserve facility in Russia’s Yaroslavl region on the morning of December 31, sparking a large fire.</p> <p>The target was an oil depot in the city of Rybinsk, which is part of Russia’s state reserve system and is used to store large volumes of fuel, the outlet reported. Rybinsk is a major transit and logistics hub, and the Temp depot is a key node for storing and distributing petroleum products in Russia’s northeast, the report said.</p> <p>“The SBU is surgically cutting Russia’s fuel supply chains both abroad and to the forces attacking Ukraine. This systematic work will continue in 2026,” an SBU source said, according to RBC-Ukraine.</p> <p>Ukraine has for months been systematically striking Russian refineries and fuel depots, describing them as legitimate military targets. Oil, gasoline and diesel are used to supply the Russian army or sold abroad, with the proceeds helping to sustain Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-30/ukrainian-strikes-on-russia-s-energy-assets-hit-a-monthly-record">Bloomberg</a>, December 2025 set a record for the number of attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure. There were at least 24 strikes during the month: 10 oil refineries, 11 maritime infrastructure sites, two tankers and one component of a major pipeline system were hit. The tally surpassed November’s record of 23 attacks.</p> <p>The strikes on Rybinsk are part of a consistent Ukrainian military strategy aimed at depriving Russia of fuel and revenue needed to sustain its occupation forces.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-russia-s-rosrezerv-fuel-depot-in-yaroslavl-region-sparking-major-fire">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/kremlin-aims-to-declare-pokrovsk.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:34:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/kremlin-aims-to-declare-pokrovsk.html <p>A Ukrainian infantry commander says the Kremlin appears eager to declare full control of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region by New Year, but cautioned that Russian propaganda should be treated with skepticism.</p> <p>Vladyslav Pervukhin, commander of an infantry company in the “Svoboda” 3rd Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine’s 4th Operational Brigade “Rubezh,” described the situation on a broadcast of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/-iZaWZBp46A">Novosti.Live</a>.</p> <p>“They’re throwing everything at this - manpower, KABs [guided aerial bombs], aircraft. Most likely they want to announce the full capture of Pokrovsk by New Year. Maybe they’ll say it — who knows how far their propaganda will go. But the fact remains: Pokrovsk isn’t theirs; they haven’t managed to take it,” Pervukhin said.</p> <p>He added that over the past week Russian forces tried to skirt Pokrovsk from the Dobropillia direction, sending roughly 30 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, along with quad bikes, motorcycles and infantry. “All of it was completely destroyed, and for several days after, our drone pilots found and finished off those who scattered into tree lines, sheds and buildings,” he said. He described Ukraine’s defenses as stable and urged that “all Kremlin statements should be divided by two - if not more.”</p> <p>Pervukhin said civilians remain in Pokrovsk on both the Ukrainian-held and Russian-occupied sides. “The enemy is taking out those who decided to wait for Russia. On our side, there was a recent case of a man walking 15 kilometers on foot from Bilytske. Why people stay so long is a philosophical question. Our people believe they must stand on their land to the end, although that doesn’t always align with logic, unfortunately,” he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/-iZaWZBp46A">said</a>.</p> <p>In an interview published Dec. 29, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russian forces control roughly half of Pokrovsk. He said Russia is also attempting to advance toward Grishino and around Myrnohrad but has not achieved success.</p> <p>On Dec. 29, analysts with the DeepState project reported that Russian forces had taken half of Myrnohrad and new positions east of Pokrovsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-aims-to-declare-pokrovsk-captured-by-new-year-ukraine-says-fighting-continues">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/investigation-finds-putins-secret-crimea.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:30:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/investigation-finds-putins-secret-crimea.html <p>The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq6Orw4nbjw">obtained detailed documents</a> on the construction of Putin’s new palace in Crimea, which includes a fully equipped personal hospital for the Russian leader. The site sits on Cape Aya atop a cliff and was originally built as a dacha for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.</p> <p>After Russia’s occupation of Crimea, the buildings were deemed illegal and ordered demolished, but that never happened.</p> <p>Technical documents show a significant portion of the first floor of the two-story building is devoted to a medical suite. It includes a doctor’s office with an ultrasound machine, a dental clinic with equipment worth millions of rubles, a pre-op room and a full operating theater with ventilators, defibrillators, anesthesia machines, and equipment for gastroscopy and colonoscopy.</p> <p>Separate rooms are set aside for sterilization, medical-waste storage, and oxygen concentrators. This is not a first-aid station but a full-scale clinic designed to provide emergency care at any moment.</p> <p>The rest of the floor is a spa area: plunge pools, a Vichy shower, and a cryochamber. The second floor houses bedrooms and a living room; the bedrooms are fitted with medical-grade air recirculators similar to those used in hospitals. The same devices are installed in Putin’s office and his Kremlin apartment.</p> <p>According to the documents, interior design was carried out to meet Federal Protective Service (FSO) requirements. The palace is registered through a chain of companies with undisclosed owners linked to Putin’s inner circle.</p> <p>FBK estimates the palace cost about 10 billion rubles—money that could have built dozens of district hospitals or saved existing ones. Instead, it amounts to a personal intensive-care setup for one person.</p> <p>Meanwhile, regions across Russia are shutting medical facilities, hospitals face staffing shortages, and patients complain about unsafe buildings and a lack of basic necessities, including proper toilets and heating.</p> <p>As the investigative outlet Proekt previously reported, Putin is accompanied on trips by a medical team of up to nine doctors, and an ambulance is almost always in his motorcade. Previous reports have suggested the presence of oncological illnesses.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/investigation-finds-putin-s-secret-crimea-compound-with-private-hospital">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russias-oreshnik-in-belarus-looks.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:15:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russias-oreshnik-in-belarus-looks.html <p>The defense ministries of Russia and Belarus on Tuesday released <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/354972">the first footage</a> of the “Oreshnik” road-mobile missile system, which they say has been deployed on combat duty in Belarus. But the system itself doesn’t appear in the video, according to Oleg Katkov, editor-in-chief of the military outlet Defense Express, who spoke <a href="https://t.me/kyivtv/116191">on Kyiv 24</a>.</p> <p>“The most interesting part is this announcement of the start of combat duty - and it shows three vehicles,” he said. “The first moving vehicle is a security vehicle - a Typhoon-U on a Ural chassis. There’s also a communications vehicle. By the way, they’re clearly identical to those used with the Yars complex, which once again suggests ‘Oreshnik’ is a two-stage version of Yars. And the third vehicle is, in plain language, a ‘canteen’ with bunks for the crew.”</p> <p>Katkov also pointed out that roughly 70 personnel are seen in formation in the footage — not enough to operate an “Oreshnik” battery: “A complex typically includes several launchers, a command post, communications vehicles, support vehicles, power units, security vehicles, transporter-loader vehicles, and engineering support. It’s a lot. In reality…”</p> <p>He argued that if Russia had more vehicles, a launcher, and a larger crew on site, they would have showcased them in a propaganda video — but instead showed only what was available.</p> <p>“This doesn’t mean 100% there’s no ‘Oreshnik’ there. Maybe it is - but it’s unlikely, if only because, according to Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, Russia has just one ‘Oreshnik,’ one missile in total,” he concluded.</p> <p>Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on December 18 that “Oreshnik” had gone on combat duty in Belarus. He also said no more than 10 “Oreshnik” missile systems would be stationed in the country.</p> <p>On December 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv knows where in Belarus the “Oreshnik” will be deployed and has shared the information with partners. He also noted that Russia has already used the “Oreshnik” to attack Ukraine, and that Kyiv knows how to counter the missiles.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-oreshnik-in-belarus-looks-like-a-cut-down-yars-with-no-launcher-in-sight-journalist-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/kelloggs-daughter-on-why-trump.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:03:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/kelloggs-daughter-on-why-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/meaghan-mobbs-1-2-.jpg" alt="Kellogg's daughter on why Trump hasn't ended Russia's war"></p>The Kyiv Independent's Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Meaghan Mobbs, head of the R.T. Weatherman Foundation and the daughter of President Donald Trump's outgoing special envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kelloggs-daughter-on-why-trump-hasnt-ended-russias-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russia-intensifies-attacks-on-new.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 15:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russia-intensifies-attacks-on-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/33c4226222.jpg" alt="Russia intensifies attacks on New Year's Eve! Should Putin expect a backlash?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOLIl0LLEP0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:34:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252933462.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,207,910 troops in Ukraine since 2022"></p>The number includes 1,000 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-207-910-troops-in-ukraine-since-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:51:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2025-12-31-08-20-23.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 6, injure 23 in Ukraine over past day"></p>The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting 101 of the 127 drones launched by Russia overnight.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill-6-injure-23-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/russia-is-targeting-civilians-casualties.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:34:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/russia-is-targeting-civilians-casualties.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-30-19-26-19.jpg" alt="'Russia is targeting civilians' — Casualties, outages reported following Russian drone strikes on residential buildings in Odesa"></p>Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack on the city of Odesa overnight on Dec. 30-31, striking residential buildings and leaving part of the city without heat, electricity, or water, local officials reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-is-targeting-civilians-russian-drones-strike-residential-building-in-odesa-outages-reported/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/from-bomb-threats-to-cryptowallets.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/from-bomb-threats-to-cryptowallets.html <p>In a recent interview, Moldovan President Maia Sandu disclosed extensive hybrid warfare efforts by Russia targeting Moldova’s 2024 presidential and 2025 parliamentary elections. These activities encompass illicit political party funding, voter bribery, and orchestrated fake bomb threat campaigns aimed at intimidating the Moldovan diaspora abroad to hinder voting participation. A major element involves cryptocurrency, with investigators uncovering roughly €107 million in a Russian-linked crypto wallet used to evade traditional banking oversight and fuel destabilization in real time. Sandu warned that Moldova is effectively a testing ground for Kremlin ambitions that ultimately aim to undermine democracy throughout Europe. She highlighted the challenge EU citizens face in identifying covert disinformation actors and emphasized Moldova’s EU integration as critical for democratic survival. The President stressed that the recent elections' decisive message was that Moldovans, not external forces, will determine their future sovereignty amid worsening regional instability driven by Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Creating/manipulating political movements</p> <p>Country: Moldova</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://radiomoldova.md/p/66868/from-bomb-threats-to-crypto-wallets-inside-russia-s-hybrid-war-in-moldova">radiomoldova.md/p/66868/f&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/3fd9a549-5141-4080-b112-82a1dae53a08">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/hamburg-harbour-sabotage-suspects-allegedly.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/hamburg-harbour-sabotage-suspects-allegedly.html <p>Two men, a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek, were arrested by the Hamburg Public Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office on suspicion of attempted sabotage against German Navy corvettes in Hamburg harbour during last year. The suspects allegedly conducted sabotage acts on multiple corvettes docked at the Blohm+Voss shipyard, causing serious damage including over 20 kilograms of strychnine found in a ship&rsquo;s engine room, destruction of fresh water lines, removal of fuel tank valves, and disabling of ship electronics. Investigations also consider if the acts endangered the safety of the Bundeswehr and posed a threat to deployed troops. Police raids were coordinated across Hamburg, Romania, and Greece involving European justice authorities. German military intelligence warned recently of increased Russian espionage and sabotage activities targeting German institutions. The probe focuses on the corvette &lsquo;Emden&rsquo; where sabotage incidents reportedly took place. The Navy Inspector Jan Christian Kaack confirmed previous reports of such sabotage acts against German warships. Police conducted coordinated raids on Tuesday at the Blohm+Voss yards and elsewhere. The affected vessels, including the &lsquo;Köln&rsquo; and &lsquo;Emden&rsquo;, are among five Braunschweig-class corvettes with a combined value of around 2 billion euros. The incidents also included contamination of a ship&rsquo;s potable water system. The investigation remains open regarding the exact motive, extent of damage, and possible involvement of foreign agents.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Unknown</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.mopo.de/hamburg/sabotage-im-hamburger-hafen-verdaechtige-sollen-marineschiffe-lahmgelegt-haben/">www.mopo.de/hamburg/s&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/346f508e-179a-42e7-a930-2675b125febb">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/31/expert-russian-hybrid-attacks-are.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/31/expert-russian-hybrid-attacks-are.html <p>Experts warn that Russia is intensifying hybrid attacks in Europe using new tactics, including criminal recruits, posing greater risks to civilians and critical infrastructure.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609898504/expert-russian-hybrid-attacks-are-becoming-more-dangerous">news.err.ee/160989850&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/bb4725b4-3bec-4f14-8a17-cd677e1f8c31">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/uavs-quotattackedquot-putin-and-his.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/uavs-quotattackedquot-putin-and-his.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9fa543de46.jpg" alt="89 UAVs &quot;attacked&quot; PUTIN and his ESTATE – this one looks RIDICULOUS! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SihZf4rLQas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/212924.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:29:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/212924.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-30-14-51-08.jpg" alt="Ukraine's military reportedly strikes Russian-occupied oil depot in Luhansk Oblast"></p>Ukraine's military reportedly struck an oil depot in the Russian-occupied community of Rovenky in Luhansk Oblast, Russian Telegram media channels reported on Dec. 30.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-military-reportedly-strikes-russian-occupied-oil-depot-in-luhansk-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/russia-staged-an-attack-on.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/russia-staged-an-attack-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b1792f1d8c.jpg" alt="Russia staged an attack on Putin's residence – the Kremlin's operation has been declassified!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ea6X2zEfc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/francis-fukuyama-what-to-expect.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:34:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/francis-fukuyama-what-to-expect.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2253424195.jpg" alt="Francis Fukuyama: What to expect in 2026"></p><p>The single most important development that will unfold during 2026 are the U.S. midterm elections that will take place in November.</p><p>The world has seen a dramatic regression of liberal democracies worldwide over the past decade.  Two large authoritarian powers, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russia</a> and <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/china/">China</a>, have tightened repression at home</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/francis-fukuyama-what-to-expect-in-2026/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/kupiansk-slips-from-russian-control.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/kupiansk-slips-from-russian-control.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/df3371a37f.jpg" alt="Kupiansk slips from Russian control – fighting rages in Pokrovsk"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD3G2OfwYQQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/zelensky-calls-out-india-uae.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:37:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/zelensky-calls-out-india-uae.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/ccb5f822c9.jpg" alt="Zelensky calls out India, UAE over their support of Putin's 'assassination attempt' claim"></p>"Where is their condemnation of the fact that our children are being bombed and people are being killed all this time? I don't hear India, frankly, nor the United Arab Emirates," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 30.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/where-is-their-condemnation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/putin-has-set-his-sights.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/putin-has-set-his-sights.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e1943ea118.jpg" alt="PUTIN has set his sights on more than just UKRAINE: new occupation plans! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/B5_Z5dAWPSw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/zelensky-and-trump-reach-agreement.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:00:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/zelensky-and-trump-reach-agreement.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/35659b380f.jpg" alt="Zelensky and Trump reach agreement – Russia is hysterical and threatening nuclear war!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR_hI1MjFFc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/zelensky-announces-upcoming-highlevel-meetings.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:57:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/zelensky-announces-upcoming-highlevel-meetings.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/20c13fce70.jpg" alt="Zelensky announces upcoming high-level meetings in Ukraine, France"></p>National security advisers from the Coalition of the Willing countries, led by the U.K. and France, have agreed to meet in Ukraine on Jan. 3, according to Zelensky. The meeting will be followed by another meeting among state leaders, planned for Jan. 6 in France.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-announces-series-of-high-level-meetings-as-push-for-peace-continues-into-4th-year-of-russias-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/courage-to-call-things-as.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:52:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/courage-to-call-things-as.html <p><img width="3165" height="2183" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/serhiiprokopenko-e1764846181796.jpg" alt="Serhii Prokopenko, founding editor of Gwara Media" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p>This year, the Gwara Media editorial team received the Free Media Award 2025. This is an A-level European award, and receiving it is real international recognition. We were nominated and informed of our victory after the jury made their decision in the summer.</p> <p>The Free Media Award is organized by two foundations, ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius (Germany) and the Fritt Ord Foundation (Norway), to honor journalists, newsrooms, and media outlets that work independently under significant risks and pressure in Eastern and Central Europe.</p> <p>Democracy is only partially inherited. Even in supposedly progressive countries, democracy is not a given. But this award is among the key European awards supporting independent newsrooms in regions where democracy is significantly threatened and rests on those who fight for it every day. It holds institutional significance for us as a local media, especially this year, when Gwara had its 10th anniversary in August.</p> <p>At different times, the Free Media Award was given to Stanislav Aseiev and the Schemes media investigative project, as well as to Mstyslav Chernov, Evgenii Maloletka, Natalia Humeniuk, Andriy Dubchak, Vladyslav Yesypenko, Sevgil Musaieva, Olena Prytula, and Novoye Vremia newspaper, all of whom were working in Ukraine. </p> <p>In 2025, the award was given to us, and I kept thinking about the list above and asking myself, "Why us?"</p> <p>Sevgil Musaieva and Olena Prytula were nominated during the Euromaidan protests. Later, the prize went to institutional newsrooms. In 2022, only Ukrainian journalists were nominated for the award. This indicated that the award recognised war journalism as an international phenomenon. Chernov, Maloletka, Dubchak, Humeniuk, and others shaped the global perception of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine.</p> <p>Gwara Media became the first Ukrainian local outlet to be recognized for work at the intersection of civilian and military life. </p> <p>Our newsroom was (and is) documenting Russian war crimes against civilians, reporting under relentless airstrikes, and reporting from the frontlines. The appearance of a local newsroom on the Free Media Award list represents a paradigm shift.</p> <p>For me, this is a signal that small local newsrooms in high-risk zones are becoming primary sources of information for the international community, replacing secondary sources like Telegram channels and competing with big national outlets. It further underscores the importance of local reporting, as the concept of this award was previously centered around nationwide journalism. </p> <p>At Gwara Media, we dream to break the image of weak local newsrooms and establish a regional media of international caliber. This Award confirms that it's possible.</p> <p>Awards are usually a celebration. But during a war, an award is a strange thing. You’re not thinking about being recognized. You just try to do good work and survive. Among your decisions: who will go out at night to report on the consequences of a missile strike on the city, in whose car they’ll go to the impact site, and who can and cannot publish a report on the website in the evening.  </p> <p>And then — organizers are telling us that we won the Award. That they want us to come, and they want me to deliver a speech. It was a strange win for my team and me, particularly because, in 2025, the world had become “fatigued” of "war in Ukraine." It was getting harder to keep what Russia does to our home in at least some sort of spotlight. </p> <p>Five minutes of speaking to a focused audience is an opportunity, though. I wanted to use it to reach the hearts of European partners and, to a degree, teleport them to Kharkiv from the Hamburg City Hall, where the Award Ceremony was held. </p> <p>I prepared very carefully. A few times in my life, I have had to write a speech, and it has been difficult. You must say something brief yet fulfilling. Be genuine and true, but not overshare. Dignified but not overly solemn. The speech has to be relevant to the moment and the context. </p> <p>This time, I recalled the recent years and simply wrote from the heart. A speech conveys a state of being in which it is read. I treated it as a point in time where all my experiences came to converge towards one moment.</p> <p>So, here it is.</p> <p>Ladies and Gentlemen,</p> <p>It feels somewhat unusual, even poetic, to stand here, far from the shelling in Kharkiv, far from the frontline, and still feel the war close.</p> <p>Reality is different from illusions. It lives on the ground, and only glimpses of it can be found in social media posts, photos, or analytical reports. The truth about war exists in the mud, in the ruins of cities. It is held by the people who suffer but don’t give up.</p> <p>At Gwara Media, we have learned that to find the truth, you must roll up your sleeves and go where it hurts. To stand among the wreckage and ask not only what happened, but why it happened.</p> <p>All the while hoping that a Russian drone won’t strike your apartment at night — or that an FPV drone won’t target you while you work or go on a field trip. We’ve learned to tell stories that are hard to hear. But they must be told, because silence is dangerous.</p> <p>Now ends the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine. We live in constant crisis: under Moscow’s shelling, amidst blackouts, maintaining a fragile balance between despair and hope.</p> <p>Many Ukrainians today experience an existential crisis of the war’s greyness. Constant horror can become dull, even if the danger never ends. This award gives us a chance to break through that greyness.</p> <p>Standing here today, I feel your support as the light — the light I can take back home to Kharkiv. </p> <p>Every day, our team in Kharkiv faces the war not only with texts and cameras, but with faith. Faith that truth and facts still matter. That facts can help to maintain awareness and be conscious of what’s going on when everything around descends into the endless chaos amidst a long war.</p> <p>I will take your light and bring it back to my team and our readers — to remind everyone why we do this work. I will return home to Kharkiv to keep working, to stand with those who hold the sky and the ground. With people who now fight not only for us, but for everyone who still believes that freedom, dignity, and justice are worth fighting for. We value this award deeply for standing with us, for believing in us.</p> <p>Because journalism is not only about news. It’s about dignity, freedom, and the courage to call things as they are. </p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">If you want to support Gwara Media's local reporting, please, consider tipping us at <strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external">buy me a coffee</a></strong>. </p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/courage-to-call-things-as-they-are-founding-editor-of-gwara-media-speaks-at-free-media-award-ceremony-in-hamburg/" data-wpel-link="internal">“Courage to call things as they are” — Founding editor of Gwara Media speaks at Free Media Award Ceremony in Hamburg </a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/courage-to-call-things-as-they-are-founding-editor-of-gwara-media-speaks-at-free-media-award-ceremony-in-hamburg/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/attack-on-putins-residence-debunking.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:30:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/attack-on-putins-residence-debunking.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/cdc9af621d.jpg" alt="⚡️ Attack on PUTIN'S RESIDENCE – debunking the FAKE NEWS! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VNDG5ZdWUbM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/ukrainian-drones-quotattacked-putinquot-the.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:13:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/ukrainian-drones-quotattacked-putinquot-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2335738240.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones &quot;ATTACKED PUTIN&quot;! The Kremlin is spreading FAKE NEWS"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ4wSsttkkY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/ukrainian-goat-carol-nye-traditions.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:08:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/ukrainian-goat-carol-nye-traditions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff5ee9528-7.jpg" alt="Ukrainian goat carol NYE traditions"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Kcbm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2eebb42c-37ed-4a02-893f-38d583296e57_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2eebb42c-3.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2eebb42c-37ed-4a02-893f-38d583296e57_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>Editor’s note: <strong><br><br></strong>D’oh! In a recent email, we included the wrong URL to upgrade to a paid subscription. <br><br>When we tried to fix it, the whole website crashed, preventing upgrades. <br><br>This is the peril of operating a small independent news organization!<br><br>Are you able to upgrade now? PLEASE consider clicking here.</p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Upgrade now!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Upgrade now!</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!vk_s!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5470ec8-5d58-4e57-aeab-de9942887d90_853x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe5470ec8-5.png" width="287" height="430.6682297772567" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e5470ec8-5d58-4e57-aeab-de9942887d90_853x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":853,"resizeWidth":287,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Laima, starring as a Goat at the Golden Gates metro station in Kyiv. Photo provided by her.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>For the past three years, Laima Daukshas has been a part of theatrical performances on the holidays of Malanka and Vasyl.</p><p>She plays the goat: the life of the party who wards off evil spirits and brings luck and prosperity to the audience.</p><p>The day of Malanka, named after the pagan goddess of spring, marks the end of the year, while the day of her husband Vasyl starts it anew.</p><p>The celebration itself takes place around New Year’s Eve but feels very much like Halloween. People dress up and visit their neighbors to wish them a happy new year, performing short plays along the way. While the tradition may seem playful, it was originally intended to honor deceased ancestors, ask for fertile ground and a successful marriage in the new year.</p><p>Celebrating Malanka and Vasyl is about reclaiming the part of the Ukrainian identity erased by decades under Soviet rule. The custom of ‘walking the goat,’ as the festive performances are also called, is deeply rooted in Ukrainian traditional lifestyle, which has circulated for more than a thousand years. It asserts a unique Ukrainian identity, the preservation of which is especially important during this existential war.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":425606}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>For Laima, the winter holidays were always a time to bond with her family. Her interest in authentic celebrations didn’t come until later in life. Before that, her only experience of Koliada, a tradition of singing carols in exchange for gifts on Christmas, was somewhat disappointing.</p><p>As teenagers, Laima and her friend tried to sing Christmas carols to her neighbors, but only two out of six opened the door, and they were not especially generous.</p><p>“We dreamt of returning with full bags of gifts, but they only gave us a few sweets and a banana,” Laima recalled. “I didn’t want to repeat the experience anymore.”</p><p>But in 2014, after the Revolution of Dignity, when preserving Ukrainian identity came at tremendous risk, she consciously chose to observe traditional Ukrainian holidays.</p><p>Now, as a researcher of Ukrainian Language at the Kyiv National University of Borys Hrinchenko, Laima draws on her background in linguistics to deepen her knowledge of authentic Ukrainian traditions.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff5ee9528-7.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6cd6175649.jpg" width="500" height="347.64309764309763" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f5ee9528-77a6-4eb7-ab4f-791f9137a74e_594x413.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":413,"width":594,"resizeWidth":500,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>People take part in a performance on traditional Ukrainian New Year’s Eve, Malanka, on December 30, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Maksym Polishchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Laima’s interest in literature is what eventually led her to the Kyiv Koliada, a team of actors that stages performances on Malanka and Vasyl.</p><p>At the time, she was leading theatrical excursions to parts of Kyiv where famous writers lived and worked, and hosting festivals for traditional Ukrainian culture. At one of the festivals, Laima’s friend introduced her to Koliada, where she was offered a prized role: the goat.</p><p>“I just looked at it with such big eyes. Three years ago, when they asked me to play the goat, I didn’t expect it. But the men who could do that are on the frontline. They do not sing with us anymore, and that’s how I got here,” she said.</p><p>The character she plays is the central figure of Shchedryi Vechir, Ukrainian New Year’s Eve. During the performance, the goat traditionally dies and comes back to life.</p><p><em>Video: Laima’s goat dies </em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"78f3cf67-e75f-44b3-8f42-41bf2b66bf0b","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>This way, it embodies the meaning of the whole celebration dedicated to Malanka, when the year ends, and Vasyl, which starts it anew.</p><p>While this act of a dying goat may sound violent, it has two deeper meanings. First, it is a pagan symbol of fertility, which brings blessings for a generous harvest in the next year.</p><p>“Not only in Ukraine, but in many other countries, a goat is a totem which has to die, welcoming a year of birth and some kind of well-being,” Laima explained.</p><p>Second, the goat, who is led by Did (“the grandfather” or “an elderly man” in Ukrainian), symbolizes respect for the ancestors. Death of the old, birth of the new.</p><p>The goat’s revival is Laima’s favorite moment of the performance.</p><p>“To revive our goat in Kyiv Koliada, children sing or ring the bells to wake it up. And when the goat “comes alive,” I usually thank the kids for reviving it, shaking their hands and wishing the goat a happy birthday.”</p><p><em>Video: Kids bring Laima’s goat back to life</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"975a2344-642f-422e-99c5-370d9c797855","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>Still, she warns that most goats are not as lovely and kind as hers. Historically, on Shchedryi Vechir, the night when performances happen, the actors were considered messengers between the living and the dead. Symbolic gifts, like sweets or money, which the festive crowd gets for their performance, were offerings for the ancestors so that they protect them from any kind of evil.</p><p>“There are even some records that goat masks were made to look very scary, so children would cry when the goat entered the house,” Laima recalled.</p><p>To confuse the dead, the performers dress up and act in ways that contradict their usual behaviour. For instance, the goat wears her coat inside out, while other characters, Vasyl and Malanka, are represented by people of the opposite genders.</p><p>The goat, which Laima plays for Kyiv Koliada, differs from the others in one more respect. Traditionally, this character is played by a male actor, but her example reflects the broader picture of modern Ukrainian society, where women gradually take on masculine family and professional roles, as more and more men are getting conscripted to the army.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!y3gp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7d06d72c-5c7a-426b-9168-23351801b378_1280x853.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7d06d72c-5.png" width="453" height="301.88203125" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7d06d72c-5c7a-426b-9168-23351801b378_1280x853.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":853,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":453,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Laima, in her Goat costume, is posing with ‘Vasyl’, usually performed by a young woman.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Apart from the goat, there are many other noteworthy characters in these festive plays. For instance, Did, accompanied by Baba (“an elderly woman” in Ukrainian), brings the goat with him and ‘kills’ it at some point in the story.</p><p>Malanka and Vasyl take their names after the saints celebrated on these days after Christianity spread in Ukraine, but the tradition itself originates from paganism. According to legend, Malanka, the goddess of spring, was stolen by an evil giant serpent and later rescued by the strongman Vasyl, who then married her. The story symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and the belief that spring will ultimately prevail over winter. That is why young people traditionally ask for a successful marriage during the celebration, and why many symbols and rituals, like the goat itself, are dedicated to fertility, wealth and renewal.</p><p>Celebrating Shchedryi Vechir in the traditional sense was mainly preserved in remote villages. During Soviet times, it was under threat, as the USSR aimed to build a secular society. That’s why it made the New Year the central winter holiday, leaving traditional celebrations like Malanka and Vasyl out of the picture.</p><p>This Soviet policy affected Laima’s family, too. When Laima’s grandmother was young, she was ashamed of whatever made her look like a villager, an embarrassment she learned from Soviet propaganda. Authentic New Year’s traditions were never preserved in her family.</p><p>“Wearing traditional clothing and following other Christmas traditions was not the norm for her. She did not do it and did not like it,” Laima said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!_rsy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F941b02dd-f1df-4295-9160-7da041f87999_1280x853.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f941b02dd-f.png" width="480" height="319.875" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/941b02dd-f1df-4295-9160-7da041f87999_1280x853.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":853,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":480,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Laima thanks the kids for ‘reviving’ the Goat.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Today, the tradition of Shchedryi Vechir is getting a new life in Ukraine, as people reclaim the lost parts of their national identity in the face of Russia. Even the original date of the celebration, the night of December 31, has been <a href="https://suspilne.media/563183-iz-1-veresna-pcu-perehodit-na-novoulianskij-kalendar/">restored</a> from January 13, which used to create a lot of confusion.</p><p>Modern-day performances change with Ukrainian society itself to reflect familiar problems and the latest trends. The Kyiv Koliada tries to make its plays fun and relatable amid the darkest days in Ukraine.</p><p>“Last year, we showed how a woman <a href="https://life.liga.net/istoriyi/article/tse-buly-pomidory-ligalife-znaishla-kyianku-iaka-zbyla-vorozhyi-dron-bankoiu-konservatsii">hit</a> a drone with a jar of salted tomatoes and made Malanka clean her house with an electric broom…This year, we will show Trump’s 28-point plan for Ukraine and how Malanka will do her makeup with no electricity,” Laima said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!aKi9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5132d125-58ad-4947-8de7-46f97c808232_1280x848.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5132d125-5.png" width="508" height="336.55" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5132d125-58ad-4947-8de7-46f97c808232_1280x848.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":848,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":508,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">The whole team of the Kyiv Koliada with their handmade Christmas stars.</figcaption></figure></div><p>For the last three years, during the war, Koliada has been performing underground at the metro station to stay safe from the constant risk of drone and missile attacks.</p><p>To Laima’s great pleasure, no matter how distant and exhausted the passers-by might look, someone always stops to watch.</p><p>“Children really like to take pictures with us, especially costume characters. Even parents come up to me and ask for a photo. It’s very pleasant,” she explained. “I often catch myself thinking that if I ever have children, I would like to introduce them to all these traditions.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>Editor’s note: <strong><br><br></strong>D’oh! In a recent email, we included the wrong URL to upgrade to a paid subscription. <br><br>When we tried to fix it, the whole website crashed, preventing upgrades. <br><br>This is the peril of operating a small independent news organization!<br><br>Are you able to upgrade now? PLEASE consider clicking here.</p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Upgrade now!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Upgrade now!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Viktoria Kriukova, Oksana Stepura</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>ZELENSKYY REITERATED THAT UKRAINE CANNOT WITHDRAW FROM ITS TERRITORIES: </strong>He made the remarks after his meeting with Donald Trump in Florida, adding that a 20-point draft of the revised peace plan to end the war is now almost complete.</p><p>Zelenskyy <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-cant-just-withdraw-from-our-territories-zelensky-says-following-his-meeting-with-trump/">described</a> the meeting as productive and expressed hope that the war could be over in the next year.</p><p>He also underlined that while Ukraine and Russia hold opposing views on territorial issues, the United States understands the positions of both sides and “tries to find a compromise.”</p><p><strong>BELARUS DEPLOYED RUSSIAN NUCLEAR-CAPABLE MISSILE SYSTEM: </strong>The hypersonic Oreshnik missiles <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/belarus-shows-off-deployment-russian-nuclear-capable-oreshnik-missiles-its-2025-12-30/">could enhance</a> Moscow’s ability to deliver missiles across Europe.</p><p>Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Vladimir Putin’s, announced the deployment of the intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Belarusian territory earlier in December. </p><p>Several Western experts say that this deployment would make it slightly faster for Russian nuclear missiles to reach European targets.</p><p>Two U.S. researchers added that, according to their research of satellite images, Moscow is likely stationing the missiles and their mobile launchers at a former airbase in eastern Belarus.</p><p><strong>SECURITY GUARANTEES INCLUDE U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN UKRAINE:</strong> For the first time since Russia’s<a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytics/4075052-ssa-mozut-rozgornuti-vijska-v-ukraini-ak-element-garantij-bezpeki-tusk.html"> full-scale invasion </a>of Ukraine, the U.S. included the deployment of American troops in Ukraine in security guarantees.</p><p>Zelenskyy said that Trump assured these guarantees would be voted on in U.S. congress.</p><p>This is the first time that the U.S. has explicitly confirmed willingness to send American troops in the event of a peace deal.</p><p><strong>KHARTIIA DRONES BRING CHRISTMAS JOY TO FRONTLINE SOLDIERS: </strong>Even while spending Christmas on the frontlines, soldiers of Ukraine’s Khartiia brigade strive to find small moments of joy. One drone crew came up with a creative way to lift spirits — using Vampire drones to deliver surprise gifts to their fellow soldiers.</p><p>The parcels arrive tightly wrapped in layers of tape, turning the slow unwrapping into a moment of playful banter. Inside, they found simple comforts: bread, tea, candy and even Stollen cakes. The soldiers were particularly delighted by the cakes and eager to share them around.</p><p>The drone crew delivered something far more special than supplies — a genuine Christmas moment for their brothers in arms.</p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"f8035f12-e2e5-4a0f-bf02-402c234452a6","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Viktoriia met this dog near the coffee shop a week ago. This little puppy was waiting for her owner when he was having a coffee. Then she joined him and jumped onto his legs.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!m4ex!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F15dde19c-df91-479f-81e2-dc2a203013ae_1280x960.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f15dde19c-d.jpg" width="1280" height="960" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/15dde19c-df91-479f-81e2-dc2a203013ae_1280x960.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"></button><button data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best, <br>Oleksandra</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/ukrainian-goat-carol-nye-traditions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukraine.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:16:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/64fe5302d2.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Ukraine faces no mobilization restrictions under proposed U.S. peace plan, Syrskyi says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 6 times today. The draft U.S.-backed peace framework aimed at ending Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine does not impose any limitations on Ukraine's right to mobilize troops, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with 24 Chanel, Suspilne reported on Dec. 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-30/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/ukraine-strikes-russian-drone-storage.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:04:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/ukraine-strikes-russian-drone-storage.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1727843a9f.jpg" alt="Ukraine strikes Russian drone storage at occupied Donetsk Airport, commander says"></p>Ukraine struck a Russian drone storage facility at Donetsk Airport in occupied Donetsk Oblast, Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi said on Dec. 30.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-attacks-russian-drone-storage-facility-at-occupied-donetsk-airport-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/us-peace-efforts-make-full.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:57:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/us-peace-efforts-make-full.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2210447238.jpg" alt="US peace efforts make full circle, as Putin tells Trump Ukraine out to kill him"></p><p>Donald Trump’s peace negotiations have seemingly made a full circle.</p><p>After U.S. pressuring Ukraine to accept an <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/28-points-later-why-trumps-latest-peace-plan-for-ukraine-is-different">unfavorable peace</a> settlement, Kyiv spent <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-reveals-20-point-peace-plan-draft-backed-by-ukraine-us">over a month</a> renegotiating the offer and getting close to receiving <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-trump-in-florida-to-discuss-a-peace-proposal-to-end-russias-war">Trump's blessing</a> on a revised proposal.</p><p>Then Vladimir Putin called. Twice.</p><p>A</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-peace-efforts-make-full-circle-as-putin-tells-trump-ukraine-out-to-kill-him/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/kremlin-elite-losing-faith-in.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 02:58:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/kremlin-elite-losing-faith-in.html <p>By the end of the fourth year of the war, Kremlin elites are gripped by confusion and anxiety as the state struggles to guarantee the safety of even its most senior officials and security chiefs.</p> <p>Fear is growing inside Russia’s political establishment. People close to President Vladimir Putin increasingly doubt the government’s ability to protect them, even far from the front lines, according to the independent Russian outlet <a href="https://www.uawire.org/%E2%80%9CMozhem%20Obyasnit%E2%80%9D">“Mozhem Obyasnit”</a>.</p> <p>The latest round of debate was sparked by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s claim that Ukraine’s military had, for the first time, attacked Putin’s Valdai residence with drones. He said 91 drones were destroyed in the Novgorod region. The Kremlin did not align its account with the Defense Ministry, which earlier reported intercepting 89 drones across Russia that same night. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Lavrov’s claim, saying such statements could be laying the groundwork for a strike on government buildings in Kyiv.</p> <p>Media have reported that Putin’s alleged partner, Alina Kabaeva, and their children live at the Valdai residence, and earlier reporting found more than 20 air-defense positions around the site. It is considered one of the most heavily protected locations in Russia.</p> <p>By contrast, other members of Russia’s elite are living in acute fear. Moscow and other major cities have seen an uptick in unexplained deaths of senior military officers and officials. In just over a year, three generals awarded stars by Putin were killed far from the front, and a transport minister he appointed died under unclear circumstances. He joins a long list of top managers and officials who either died or, according to authorities, took their own lives.</p> <p>Against this backdrop, analysts point to a deepening crisis of trust within the system.</p> <p>“By the end of the fourth year of the war, the elite is confused; it had hoped that a Putin–Trump meeting in Alaska would lead to an end to the ‘special military operation.’ From Putin’s recent statements, it’s clear the war will continue indefinitely,” political analyst Alexander Morozov said.</p> <p>He noted that the Kremlin leader has ordered continued offensives on all fronts, including in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, which Moscow still officially recognizes as Ukrainian.</p> <p>Military journalist Sergei Auslender says the threats facing Russia’s upper echelons will only grow.</p> <p>“Ukrainian intelligence has expanded its capabilities and human networks. That isn’t hard; there are many Ukrainians in Russia. Many of them hate the Russian regime and are indistinguishable on the surface,” he said.</p> <p>He added that Russian counterintelligence is weak and systemic security protocols are scarce. In such a climate, experts say, even senior Kremlin officials cannot feel safe.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-elite-losing-faith-in-security-as-deep-strike-threats-and-suspicious-deaths-mount">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/trump-very-angry-about-alleged.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 01:16:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/trump-very-angry-about-alleged.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2253972529.jpg" alt="Trump 'very angry' about alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin residence"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump said Dec. 29 that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him Ukraine had tried to attack Putin’s residence, an allegation Kyiv has denied. "I learned about it from President Putin today. I was very angry about it," Trump said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-very-angry-about-alleged-ukrainian-attack-on-putin-residence/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/30/latvian-state-security-service-vdd.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/30/latvian-state-security-service-vdd.html <p>On 30 December 2025, the Latvian State Security Service (VDD) decided to initiate criminal prosecution against a Latvian citizen for illegal collection and transfer of information regarding military facilities of Latvia on behalf of the Russian military intelligence service (GRU). The suspect was detained earlier on 27 August 2025, with the case initiated on 21 August 2025 under Section 85 of the Criminal Law for illegal intelligence activities and transferring information to foreign intelligence. Investigations revealed the suspect provided the GRU with details on military locations, security measures, and armament depots, as well as information about new military constructions, troop training, and NATO allied troops' presence. The suspect coordinated these espionage activities using the Telegram online messaging application. The individual is currently in custody while the prosecution proceeds. VDD stated that guilt has yet to be legally determined.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: Latvia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://vdd.gov.lv/en/news/press-releases/vdd-seeks-criminal-prosecution-against-an-individual-for-reconnaissance-of-military-facilities-of-latvia">vdd.gov.lv/en/news/p&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/48e23ab1-505d-436a-a2f9-012dcb30205c">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/echoes-of-the-florida-talks.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/echoes-of-the-florida-talks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/25ca17a4e9.jpg" alt="Echoes of the FLORIDA TALKS: Putin REJECTS a CEASEFIRE! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/103BKgOFXE8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/will-ukraine-receive-unprecedented-guarantees.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/will-ukraine-receive-unprecedented-guarantees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d3337475fe.jpg" alt="Will Ukraine receive unprecedented guarantees? Trump reveals details of conversation with Putin"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWKeht6p31E">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/russias-fuel-market-reels-as.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:00:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/russias-fuel-market-reels-as.html <p>Despite tight government control of the market and export bans, fuel prices in Russia have jumped sharply over the past year. Amid Ukrainian strikes and sanctions, the country’s fuel market has slid into a systemic crisis.</p> <p>Russian authorities have failed to stabilize diesel prices. According to <a href="https://t.me/svobodnieslova/8122">an analysis by the outlet Verstka</a> of Rosstat data, the average price of diesel in Russia has been climbing almost every week.</p> <p>While price growth from January through August was minimal, the picture changed sharply in September. Between September 1 and 8, the price rose by 16 kopeks, reaching 71.73 rubles per liter. The steepest jump came in late October and early November, when diesel surged by 51 kopeks.</p> <p>As of December 22, the average diesel price in Russia hit 75.83 rubles per liter. A year earlier, on December 23, 2024, it stood at 69.88 rubles.</p> <p>In the fall, officials blamed seasonal factors—heavy travel and the harvest—for rising prices. But regional data tell a different story. In parts of the country that saw fuel shortages, prices never returned to summer levels even after the season ended.</p> <p>That points to a deeper problem: Russia’s fuel market is out of balance, and administrative measures aren’t delivering the expected results.</p> <p>Against that backdrop, 92- and 95-octane gasoline did edge down slightly from November. Rosstat data show that as of December 22, average prices were 61.4 and 66.72 rubles per liter, respectively. Even so, both remain above early August levels—before widespread reports of shortages at gas stations.</p> <p>With prices still climbing, Russia’s government <a href="https://t.me/moscowtimes_ru/41101">has extended its ban on gasoline exports</a> for a third time. The restriction now runs through February 28, 2026. Similar measures were prolonged for diesel and other petroleum products, with exceptions for producers’ own supplies.</p> <p>Officially, the policy is billed as a move to “maintain stability,” but the reality suggests otherwise. Prices keep rising, and the domestic market increasingly looks like a hostage to war, sanctions and ineffective management.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-fuel-market-reels-as-ukrainian-strikes-and-sanctions-drive-diesel-prices-higher-despite-export-bans">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/dr-strangelove-or-how-the.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:18:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/dr-strangelove-or-how-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2230343866.jpg" alt="Dr. Strangelove or: How the West taught Putin to stop worrying and love his bombs"></p><p>In Netflix's<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32376165/"> <em>House of Dynamite</em></a>, a ballistic missile hurtles toward the United States, the nightmare scenario that keeps defense planners awake at night. Yet the West's Russia policies, over the past decade, have done more to increase the odds of such a catastrophe than prevent it.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/dr-strangelove-or-how-the-west-taught-putin-to-stop-worrying-and-love-his-bombs/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/russia-loses-five-of-six.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:00:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/russia-loses-five-of-six.html <p>Russia’s Armed Forces are no longer receiving signals from five of the six “Tundra” satellites, a space-based early warning system designed to alert Moscow to missile launches from the United States. Russia still operates ground-based early-warning radars, but those raise alarms later than the space segment.</p> <p>Pavel Podvig, a leading expert on Russia’s nuclear forces, said the “Tundra” satellites have gone silent, <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/13345">reports</a> the Russian outlet Agentstvo. Novosti.</p> <p>He pointed to orbital tracking that shows only one of six satellites appears to be operational, while at least four are needed to perform the mission. Even that last satellite raises concerns, he noted, because it failed to conduct a scheduled orbit adjustment.</p> <p>The Russian outlet published tracking data that, in Podvig’s view, indicate malfunctions across Russia’s military satellites. The first image shows signals from the last working satellite, Kosmos 2552. The craft missed an orbit correction that helps prevent its gradual descent toward Earth, though it’s too early to say it has failed, the researcher said.</p> <p>The second and third images show signals from Kosmos 2541 and Kosmos 2563, which failed earlier. Both satellites broke down in 2025, and in each case the failure occurred after an orbit adjustment (in March and July, respectively).</p> <p>“Tundra” (14F142) satellites are part of Russia’s missile attack early-warning network, meant to replace the aging Oko-1 system. Launches began in 2015, with a plan to have 10 satellites in orbit by 2022. Over the past decade, Russia has launched only six, and at least four are required for early warning, the expert said. Four were on orbit in 2020, when Russia announced its Unified Space System “Kupol” had reached the “minimum operational configuration,” capable of tracking potential ballistic and space launches from U.S. territory and other countries’ test ranges. President Vladimir Putin said “Kupol” had alerted Moscow to 190 launches as of 2019.</p> <p>The outlet added that the space deployments were overseen by Aerospace Forces commander Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who had pledged to field 10 satellites by 2024. Russia still has ground-based early-warning stations, so the loss of “Kupol” is not fatal to missile defense, but the satellites provided precious minutes of earlier detection.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-loses-five-of-six-tundra-early-warning-satellites">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/russian-vessel-ursa-major-allegedly.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/russian-vessel-ursa-major-allegedly.html <p>The incident involving the Russian vessel “Bolshaya Medveditsa” (Ursa Major) occurred December 21–22, 2024, about 110 kilometers off the Spanish city of Cartagena, analysts at the outlet La Verdad reported. Investigators say the cargo was illegal because it was a strategic shipment bound for sanctioned North Korea.</p> <p>The Russian ship slowed and told Spanish controllers nothing unusual had happened. Later, it emerged the vessel had suffered a breach from two strikes, according to <a href="https://www.laverdad.es/murcia/cartagena/barco-ruso-hundido-frente-cartagena-ocultaba-dos-20251228071129-nt.html">La Verdad</a>. Spanish investigators determined the civilian ship was part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” transporting military cargo, and that Russian Armed Forces personnel were involved in concealing the incident.</p> <p>Spanish police and La Verdad reporters reconstructed the events in the Strait of Gibraltar in the winter of 2024. On December 21, controllers registered the moment the “Bolshaya Medveditsa” was hit, but the crew did not call for help. On December 22 at 15:10, the ship slowed and headed toward the nearest port, while the captain continued to insist everything was fine. A mayday call finally went out on December 23 at 11:53. The outlet published a photo of the “Bolshaya Medveditsa” after a drone or torpedo strike: the ship was listing to starboard, with no obvious external damage.</p> <p>Authorities questioned Captain Igor Anisimov, who said he did not understand what caused the incident. Fourteen crew members boarded a lifeboat, while two others — the second chief engineer Nikitin and mechanic Yakovlev — disappeared after explosions in the engine room. The ship was reportedly carrying empty containers and a cargo crane, raising questions: why ship by sea what would be cheaper to move by rail? During an inspection, two blue containers were noted on board; the captain did not explain their purpose. Inside was cargo set to travel 15,000 km from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. According to investigators cited by the outlet, the shipment consisted of two VM-4SG nuclear reactors that Russia sent to North Korea.</p> <p>Journalists published an infographic detailing the incident. It marks a likely impact point and shows the ship continuing under way after the strike, gradually slowing while assuring controllers the vessel was fine. Inspectors found holes about 50 centimeters in diameter. The metal edges were bent inward, supporting the theory the strike came from outside. Police report 8059/24-Escora noted such holes could not have been caused by torpedoes, suggesting other weapons were used.</p> <p>On December 23, the Russian Navy landing ship “Ivan Gren” approached the “Bolshaya Medveditsa.” After that, all lights went out on both Russian vessels, while red lights came on, which blinded the infrared channels of reconnaissance satellites. At 21:57:00 and 21:58:30 on December 23, three explosions were heard with a yield equivalent to 20–50 kilograms of TNT. The cargo ship then sank to a depth of 2,500 meters. In January 2025, the Russian research vessel “Yantar” arrived at the site and is suspected of having recovered the secret cargo.</p> <p>“Russian media reported the attack and suggested that Ukrainian special operations forces may be responsible,” the article says.</p> <p>Ukrainian security services have not commented on the incident in the Mediterranean that occurred a year ago, on December 21, 2024, involving Russia’s “Bolshaya Medveditsa.”</p> <p>The “Bolshaya Medveditsa” (Ursa Major) is a cargo ship operated by the Russian company Oboronlogistika that has carried shipments to occupied Crimea, Kaliningrad, the Arctic, Syria and elsewhere. <a href="https://www.vesselfinder.com/ru/vessels/details/9538892">The ship</a> was built in 2009 and has changed names four times. Its final voyage, which ended on the seabed, was from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, near ports in North Korea — a country with which Russia has signed a military cooperation and support agreement. The ship’s cargo could have reached North Korea by sea via the port of Rason or by rail through the Russian border town of “Jasán” (Khasan), the article notes.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-vessel-ursa-major-allegedly-carrying-nuclear-reactors-to-north-korea-sinks-after-mysterious-strike">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/kremlin-aide-ushakov-says-trump.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:52:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/kremlin-aide-ushakov-says-trump.html <p>US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a “positive” phone call about talks to end the war in Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt wrote Monday, December 29, on <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/2005668576771051870">her X account</a>.</p> <p>The conversation between the two leaders <a href="https://tass.ru/politika/26048759">was confirmed</a> by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. According to him, Trump, together with his advisers, informed Putin about the results of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the US president’s private residence at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on December 28.</p> <p>Putin, for his part, according to Ushakov, told Trump about an alleged Ukrainian attempt to attack with drones the state residence of the head of state in the Novgorod region, which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had announced earlier. Putin’s aide said the “attack” came “virtually immediately after” the Mar-a-Lago talks. The Russian leader told Trump it would not go unanswered, and that Russia’s position in talks to end the war in Ukraine would be reassessed against this backdrop, Ushakov added.</p> <p>According to Putin’s aide, Trump told the Russian leader he was shocked and outraged by the report of a drone strike on the Russian president’s state residence. The US president also, in discussing the “attempted attack,” said the White House “thank God did not give Tomahawks to Kyiv.”</p> <p>The White House has not confirmed these statements by Donald Trump.</p> <p>Lavrov said on the evening of December 29 that overnight Ukraine tried to attack the Russian president’s residence in the Novgorod region using 91 drones. He said all the drones were destroyed. He noted that in light of the attack, “Russia’s negotiating position will be reassessed,” but that Moscow “does not intend to withdraw from the negotiating process with the United States.”</p> <p>Zelensky called Lavrov’s claim about the attack a lie and said it was because Russia is preparing to strike Kyiv’s government quarter. He also linked the foreign minister’s comments to his talks a day earlier with US President Donald Trump. “It’s clear that for the Russians, if we don’t have a scandal with America - and we have progress - for them it’s a failure. Because they don’t want to end this war,” Zelensky added.</p> <p>In the Ukrainian president’s view, Moscow is trying to undermine progress achieved in peace talks between Kyiv and Washington. He urged Trump to “respond appropriately to Russian threats.”</p> <p>That same day, a phone call took place between Zelensky and US President’s special representative Stephen Witkoff, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov wrote on <a href="https://x.com/rustem_umerov/status/2005642329286173151">his X account</a>.</p> <p>“The key point is coordinating further contacts and next steps. The work is intensive and substantive: we continue consultations and are working through the document points virtually every day,” he wrote. Umerov also noted “constant contact with European national security advisers” and agreements on “next meetings in the near future.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-aide-ushakov-says-trump-shocked-by-alleged-drone-attack-on-putin-s-residence-as-zelensky-denies-claim">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:39:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of.html <p>On December 28, Russia’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/59852?single">claimed</a> the town of Rodynske in the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk region had been occupied by Russian forces. However, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EastOC">Ukraine’s Operational Command “East”</a> denied the claim. Fighting for the town is ongoing.</p> <p>“In Rodynske, the situation is difficult; fighting for the town continues. The enemy tried to entrench along the railway north of the town, as well as in western neighborhoods. They did not succeed. Reports that the enemy fully controls the town do not correspond to reality,” the statement said.</p> <p>Military analysts from Ukraine’s DeepState project <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/23005">said</a> Russian forces advanced near Rodynske, but hasn’t captured it.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops continue to hold the northern part of Pokrovsk. In the city center, the Defense Forces are blocking Russian advances.</p> <p>“Russian troops remain active in western Pokrovsk. The goal is unchanged — to push toward the Hryshyne area. But our forces are blocking all enemy attacks. Search-and-assault operations are underway, and enemy fighters are being eliminated in urban areas,” the command added.</p> <p>Ukrainian units are also holding defensive lines and targeting Russian forces on the approaches to Myrnohrad. The city’s defenses have been reinforced with additional personnel and equipment, but logistics remain difficult.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-denies-russian-claims-of-capturing-rodynske">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/zelensky-of-ukrainians-want-peace.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:10:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/zelensky-of-ukrainians-want-peace.html <p>President Zelensky <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6387029459112">told</a> Fox News’ Bret Baier that despite war fatigue and a strong public desire for peace in Ukraine (about 87%), an overwhelming majority (85%) is firmly against territorial concessions, particularly withdrawing from Donbas. He said any agreement requiring such concessions would be rejected by the public and that a hypothetical referendum on the issue would not pass. Trump, he added, misinterpreted the desire for peace as readiness to capitulate or make concessions. Zelensky stressed that Ukrainians want a just peace, not peace at any price.</p> <p>Asked whether Ukrainians are ready for a peace deal with Russia given the strain of a long war, Zelensky replied:</p> <p>“People definitely want peace. Today President Trump said: ‘I saw a poll that 85%, maybe 87% — he first said… want peace. So they agree.’ I replied: ‘Yes, you know… this is our life. Eighty-seven percent support peace. At the same time, 85% are against pulling back from the East, from Donbas. That means everyone wants peace, but a just peace.’”</p> <p>Pressed on how to resolve the toughest issue — territory — Zelensky said all sides must recognize that the worst option would be leaving Donbas: “That would pose major risks for Ukraine. It is unacceptable for Ukrainians… it goes against their will. And a referendum would not be positive.”</p> <p>Ukraine’s president explained that statistics about wanting peace are not the same as being ready to give up territory. Outside observers often conflate the two, he said, and President Donald Trump was no exception.</p> <p>Following talks with Trump, Zelensky said a one-on-one meeting with Vladimir Putin is possible only under one condition — when Kremlin statements stop diverging from realities on the battlefield.</p> <p>And in a new report, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War analyzed Kremlin statements linked to the Zelensky–Trump discussions. The rhetoric from Russian authorities, it said, points to an absence of readiness for a real peace.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-87-of-ukrainians-want-peace-but-85-oppose-pulling-out-of-donbas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/kremlin-agrees-with-trump-that.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:43:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/kremlin-agrees-with-trump-that.html <p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the war can end only if Ukraine’s Defense Forces withdraw from Donbas, while agreeing with US President Donald Trump that peace “has come significantly closer.”</p> <p>Peskov’s comments on the conditions for ending the war in Ukraine were reported December 29 by Russia’s state news agency <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/354836">TASS</a>. He said the Kremlin will assess the meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once it receives information from the United States.</p> <p>To halt hostilities, Kyiv must withdraw troops “to the administrative borders” of Donbas, Peskov said, without clarifying whether Russia also expects a pullback from the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.</p> <p>He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not discuss with Trump the possibility of a Christmas truce in Ukraine, and called it inappropriate to comment publicly on creating a free-trade zone in Donbas or on joint management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>Peskov said the Kremlin does not understand what Zelensky meant when he said Moscow needs to prepare a “Plan B” for the war in Ukraine, arguing that Russia “is thinking about ending hostilities in the context of achieving its goals.”</p> <p>The Kremlin spokesperson said another Trump-Putin phone call is expected “in the near future,” and that there are no plans for a Putin-Zelensky dialogue.</p> <p>Trump called Putin ahead of his December 28 meeting with Zelensky.</p> <p>Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Trump discussed the “Ukrainian conflict” by phone. According to Ushakov, both presidents believe a temporary truce proposed by Ukrainians and Europeans “only leads to prolonging” the war.</p> <p>Trump called his talks with Zelensky “wonderful” and said agreements on security guarantees for Ukraine are almost 95% complete. He added that the issue of occupied Ukrainian territories, including Donbas, remains unresolved.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-agrees-with-trump-that-peace-is-closer-demands-ukraine-withdraw-from-donbas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/storm-shadow-strike-on-russia.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:42:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/storm-shadow-strike-on-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e5f95b385d.jpg" alt="💥 STORM SHADOW strike on RUSSIA: New hits on the Map #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AYYrMfHJOWE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/they-are-looking-for-a.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:24:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/they-are-looking-for-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-29-18-13-16.jpg" alt="'They are looking for a pretext' — Zelensky denies drone attack on Putin's residence"></p>Zelensky dismissed Russian claims that Ukrainian drones targeted Putin’s residence as “another lie,” warning Moscow is using the allegation as a pretext for possible strikes on Kyiv and government buildings.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/they-are-preparing-the-ground-for-new-strikes-zelensky-denies-drone-attack-on-putins-residence/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/lavrov-claims-ukraine-tried-to.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:21:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/lavrov-claims-ukraine-tried-to.html <p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine tried to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region using 91 drones.</p> <p>The attack, he said, took place overnight into December 29. All 91 drones were destroyed. There were no reports of casualties or damage, Lavrov added. He said that, in light of the attack, “Russia’s negotiating position will be reconsidered,” but Moscow “does not intend to withdraw from negotiations with the United States.”</p> <p>Putin’s “Dolgiye Borody” residence is located on Lake Valdai in the Novgorod region.</p> <p>There is no confirmation of the attack from other sources. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Lavrov’s claim about an attack on the residence a lie and linked it to what he said is Russia’s intent to strike Kyiv’s government quarter.</p> <p>“The Russians don’t want to end this war. With their statement that some residence was attacked, they’re simply laying the groundwork to strike the capital and government buildings,” Zelensky told reporters via WhatsApp.</p> <p>He tied Lavrov’s statement to talks held the day before with U.S. President Donald Trump. “It’s clear that for the Russians, if we don’t have a scandal with America — and we have progress — that’s a failure for them. Because they don’t want this war to end,” Zelensky added.</p> <p>In the Ukrainian president’s view, statements like this are an attempt by Moscow to undermine progress made in peace talks between Kyiv and Washington.</p> <p>He urged U.S. President Donald Trump to “respond appropriately to Russian threats.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-claims-ukraine-tried-to-attack-putin-s-novgorod-residence-with-91-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/trump-putin-hold-phone-call.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:14:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/trump-putin-hold-phone-call.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8c7d5c75a1.jpg" alt="Trump, Putin hold phone call following Zelensky's visit to Florida"></p>"President Trump has concluded a positive call with President Putin concerning Ukraine," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-putin-hold-phone-call-following-zelenskys-visit-to-florida/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/a-series-of-blows-against.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:03:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/a-series-of-blows-against.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/0f719333a0.jpg" alt="A SERIES OF BLOWS AGAINST RUSSIA! A message from FLORIDA to PUTIN – THE KREMLIN IS SABOTAGING"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgOpaKYU-ms">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/putin-sabotages-one-point-of.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:38:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/putin-sabotages-one-point-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/7222c9ef34.jpg" alt="PUTIN sabotages one point of the PEACE PLAN! Trump is angry! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7-Nr2duEAH8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukraine.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:59:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screen-shot-2025-12-29-at-13-57-10.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Ukraine says it still holds parts of Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad situation 'difficult'"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 4 times today. Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to control the northern part of Pokrovsk, while the situation in Myrnohrad "remains difficult," the 7th Rapid Response Corps said on Dec. 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-29/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/russian-forces-executed-ukrainian-pows.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 12:35:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/russian-forces-executed-ukrainian-pows.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-29-11-55-55.jpg" alt="Russian forces executed 2 Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutors say"></p><p>Russian troops shot dead two unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war on Dec. 27 in the village of Shakhove near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Dec. 29, in what appeared to be at least the third reported case this month of captured</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-executed-2-ukrainian-pows-in-donetsk-oblast-prosecutor-generals-office/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/bringing-art-to-the-cemetery.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/bringing-art-to-the-cemetery.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dsc07297.jpg" alt="Bringing art to the cemetery — How 'The Invisible Gallery' reclaims legacy overshadowed by Russian imperialism"></p><p>In Ukraine's cemeteries, some graves are more than symbols of memory. They hold the truth about the country's enduring place in European culture, testifying to centuries of creative achievement and innovation — and to the lengths Russia has gone to obscure and even try to steal</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-art-masters-how-the-invisible-gallery-reclaims-overshadowed-legacy/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/russian-drone-attacks-houses-in.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:50:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/russian-drone-attacks-houses-in.html <p><img width="1280" height="853" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-29-12.44.55.jpg" alt="The photo of damaged building after Russian attack on Kharkiv oblast" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST</strong>, Dec. 29 — On Dec. 28, Russian forces attacked the Zolochiv settlement in Kharkiv oblast, damaging houses and outbuildings. The attack killed domestic animals, and a 54-year-old woman suffered an intense stress reaction, told journalists Viktor Kovalenko, the head of the Zolochiv settlement military administration.</p> <p>Over the past day, Russian forces attacked four settlements of the region with Lancet, Molnia drones, and two FPV drones, <a href="https://t.me/synegubov/19276" data-wpel-link="external">reported</a> Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv oblast.</p> <p>Russians also attacked the Novoplatonivka village of the Izium district, injuring a 72-year-old man, <a href="https://t.me/police_kh_region/47374" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> the Kharkiv regional police.</p> <p>On Dec. 28, a Russian FVP drone attacked a civilian car in Hroza village of the Kupiansk district, injuring a 73-year-old local.</p> <p>Medics also helped a 70-year-old woman who was injured in a Russian attack on Kupiansk on Dec. 20.</p> <p>On Dec. 26, Russian forces <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russians-attacked-kharkivs-main-road-with-glide-bomb-killing-2-injuring-8-including-child-photo/" data-wpel-link="internal">attacked</a> Kharkiv and its outskirts with three glide bombs, killing two and injuring eight people.</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Ukraine <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/ukraine-returns-mother-with-2-sons-from-russian-occupied-territories/" data-wpel-link="internal">returns</a> mother with 2 sons from Russian-occupied territories</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hi! Winter has come, and Russian airstrikes on power infrastructure disrupt our daily lives & work a lot here in Kharkiv. Despite it all, we keep working to bring you reports from the city and the Kharkiv region. Please consider supporting our newsroom with <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>a one-time tip</strong></a> or become a <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>member of our community</strong></a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-drone-attacks-houses-in-zolochiv-settlement-of-kharkiv-oblast-killing-animals-injuring-1-civilian/" data-wpel-link="internal">Russian drone attacks houses in Zolochiv settlement of Kharkiv oblast, killing animals, injuring 1 civilian</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-drone-attacks-houses-in-zolochiv-settlement-of-kharkiv-oblast-killing-animals-injuring-1-civilian/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/false-melitopol-voluntarily-decided-to.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:07:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/false-melitopol-voluntarily-decided-to.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p>Verification within Meta’s Third-Party Fact-Checking Program</p> </div> <p><span>A video is being </span><a href="https://t.me/anb_028/64686"><span>circulated</span></a><span> online showing Melitopol residents chanting: “</span><i><span>We are the authority here</span></i><span>.” The post claims that Ukraine wanted to remain in power in the Zaporizhzhia region, but the locals decided to join russia.</span></p> <p><b>However, this is false. After the start of the full-scale invasion, Melitopol residents took to rallies against the Russian occupation and stated that they wanted to remain with Ukraine. Later, Russia occupied the city and held illegal pseudo-referendums.</b><span> <img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/melitopol-dobrovilno-vyrishyv.png" alt="" width="501" height="760" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191985"></span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Screenshot of the </span><a href="https://t.me/anb_028/64686"><span>post</span></a><span> </span></p> </div> <p><span>Propagandists took the slogan “We are the authority here” out of context and presented it as supposedly pro-Russian. But in fact, in the first weeks after the Russian invasion, mass pro-Ukrainian rallies took place in Melitopol and other occupied cities. In particular, thousands of Melitopol residents took to the streets to protest, </span><a href="https://youtu.be/8Kne0bk7plM?t=235"><span>chanting</span></a><span> the slogan “We are the authority here.” In this way, they demonstrated that they opposed the Russian occupation and considered the true authority to be the residents of Melitopol.</span></p> <p><span>Residents of the Zaporizhzhia region and other Ukrainian regions did not choose to join Russia. In September 2022, Russia </span><a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-psevdoreferendumy-okupovani-terytorii/32047516.html"><span>held</span></a><span> pseudo-referendums in order to legitimize the occupation of Ukrainian territories. However, they are illegal. Russia violated Article 2 of the UN Charter, which </span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text"><span>prohibits</span></a><span> the use of force against the political independence and territorial integrity of another state. This norm is also enshrined in other international documents, such as the Helsinki Final </span><a href="https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/994_055#Text"><span>Act</span></a><span> of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the </span><a href="http://www.un-documents.net/a25r2625.htm"><span>Declaration</span></a><span> on Principles of International Law.</span></p> <p><span>According to international humanitarian </span><a href="https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/other/law9_final.pdf"><span>law</span></a><span>, the occupying authority must maintain the legal order established in the territory prior to its occupation and must not violate the rights of civilians. Holding so-called “referendums” to annex territory and forcing civilians to participate in these events are gross violations of international norms.</span></p> <p><span>Moreover, Ukrainian legislation </span><a href="https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/254%D0%BA/96-%D0%B2%D1%80/conv/parast73#n4401"><span>prohibits</span></a><span> holding referendums in individual regions. Changes to the territory of Ukraine are possible only through a nationwide referendum, which is held at the </span><a href="https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/254%D0%BA/96-%D0%B2%D1%80/conv#n4398"><span>request</span></a><span> of no fewer than 3 million citizens with the right to vote. Another mandatory condition for a nationwide referendum is to collect signatures in at least two-thirds of the regions and at least 100,000 in each region.</span><span> </span></p> <p><span>In addition, the number of people who allegedly came to participate in the vote often did not match the actual number of residents in the occupied territories. Thus, on September 27, 2022, after the end of the pseudo-referendums, Russian media </span><a href="https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/15887881?utm_source=google.com&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google.com&utm_referrer=google.com"><span>reported</span></a><span> that more than 93% of residents in the Zaporizhzhia region had “voted.” In total, the Russians included more than 541,000 residents of the region on voter lists, of whom allegedly about 430,000 residents “voted in favor.”</span></p> <p><span>However, this information was </span><a href="https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/psevdoreferendum-u-zaporizkiy-oblasti-skilki-lyudey-progolosuvali-realno-novini-ukrajini-50273096.html"><span>refuted</span></a><span> by Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov. According to him, only 0.5% of the region’s residents voted in the pseudo-referendum. People were </span><a href="https://youtu.be/HapEPCkLy-U"><span>threatened</span></a><span> with deportation and forced to have one person vote on behalf of several others at once. In Melitopol itself, according to </span><a href="https://t.me/ukrpravda_news/12791"><span>Fedorov</span></a><span>, as of April 1, 2022, about 70–75 thousand citizens remained — approximately </span><a href="https://population-hub.com/ua/ua/population-of-melitopol-6178.html"><span>half</span></a><span> of the city’s population before the occupation.</span></p> <p><span>The international community condemned the so-called “referendums” in the temporarily occupied territories. The United States </span><a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/23/statement-from-president-biden-on-russias-sham-referenda-in-ukraine/"><span>emphasized</span></a><span> that the “referendums” were a sham to justify the annexation of part of Ukrainian territory. The EU </span><a href="https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/ukraine-statement-high-representative-josep-borrell-illegal-%E2%80%9Creferenda%E2%80%9D-luhansk-kherson-and_en"><span>stated</span></a><span> that the illegal votes cannot be considered a free expression of the will of the residents of these regions.</span></p> <p><span>Earlier, we refuted the </span><a href="https://voxukraine.org/nepravda-zhyteli-zaporizkoyi-ta-hersonskoyi-oblastej-hochut-provesty-referendum-ta-pryyednatys-do-rosiyi/"><span>fake</span></a><span> claim that residents of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions want to hold a referendum and join Russia.</span></p><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/false-melitopol-voluntarily-decided-to-join-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/expert-kaupo-rosin-states-that.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 05:40:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/expert-kaupo-rosin-states-that.html <p>In late 2025, Estonia&rsquo;s security assessment highlights that Russia currently has no intent to launch attacks against Baltic states or NATO. Russian military behavior has changed following NATO&rsquo;s reactions to prior incidents such as underwater cable sabotage and drone airspace incursions. Notably, in September 2025, a significant internal defense exercise took place near the Estonian-Russian border in the Saatse &lsquo;saabas&rsquo; area, where Russian forces increased activities involving a small group of soldiers causing local alarm, prompting rapid Estonian infrastructure responses. Russia appears to carefully manage its military presence to avoid public conflict escalation, respecting NATO airspace and carefully planning troop movements. Intelligence indicates ongoing Russian intelligence, sabotage, and hybrid tactics aimed at destabilizing Ukraine mainly, with some spillover concern for Baltic neighbors. Economic sanctions continue impacting Russian resources and constrain their war industry, reportedly increasing internal pressure. NATO and Estonia continue investing heavily in defense to maintain deterrence. Overall, the security environment remains tense, but no escalation toward direct attack on Baltic states is currently assessed.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.err.ee/1609896778/kaupo-rosin-venemaal-ei-ole-hetkel-kavatsust-runnata-monda-balti-riiki&amp;related=err_ee&amp;hashtags=ERR&amp;text=Kaupo%20Rosin%3A%20Venemaal%20ei%20ole%20hetkel%20kavatsust%20r%C3%BCnnata%20m%C3%B5nda%20Balti%20riiki%0A%0A">twitter.com/intent/tw&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/79523ae4-ca18-4353-916e-fe29009de057">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/explosions-reportedly-rock-russias-khanskaya.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:57:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/explosions-reportedly-rock-russias-khanskaya.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/upd-il-78m-90a-rf-78741.jpg" alt="Explosions reportedly rock Russia's Khanskaya military airfield"></p>Explosions reportedly rocked the Khanskaya military airfield near the southern Russian city of Maykop as air defenses were engaged late on Dec. 29.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reportedly-rock-russias-khanskaya-military-airfield/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/29/russias-sabotage-campaign-is-becoming.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/29/russias-sabotage-campaign-is-becoming.html <p>In recent years, Poland has experienced a range of provocations attributed to Russia, including railway sabotage, arson, and drone incursions. The latest and most serious were cyberattacks on December 29, 2025, targeting 30 Polish energy facilities amid plunging temperatures, nearly causing a large-scale blackout. Evidence suggests involvement of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), indicating a new escalation in Russia&rsquo;s digital sabotage campaign extending beyond Ukraine to neighboring Europe. This operation underscores the intensifying hybrid warfare tactics by Russia against Poland, disrupting critical infrastructure and threatening energy security during a vulnerable period. The attacks mark a concerning escalation of Russia’s covert operations across the region.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Incident Type: Attacks on critical infrastructure (energy, transport, hospitals)</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/02/09/russias-sabotage-campaign-is-becoming-bolder">www.economist.com/europe/20&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/9df52b68-40b5-47bc-b5b0-81149e66f23c">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/italy-has-supplied-ukraine-with.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/italy-has-supplied-ukraine-with.html <p>Italy has delivered more than €3 billion worth of weapons, military equipment and other resources to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Gen. Luciano Portolano, chief of the Italian Defense Staff, said in an interview with <a href="https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/portolano-ad-oggi-l-italia-ha-fornito-all-ucraina-armi-e-mezzi-oltre-tre-miliardi-AIU8HXV">Il Sole 24 Ore</a>.</p> <p>The aid has been provided under 11 interministerial government decrees authorizing the transfer of military materiel, equipment and supplies to Kyiv. Italy is now discussing a 12th decree that would extend military support to Ukraine.</p> <p>Portolano also emphasized that decisions on backing Ukraine after the war will rest with the country’s political leadership, while the military is prepared.</p> <p>Separately, the Italian government has published a decree authorizing a new, twelfth package of military assistance for Ukraine. The document, dated November 14 and published in the official gazette, was coordinated by the Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.</p> <p>Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said additional aid to Ukraine could fuel corruption in Kyiv and, in his view, would not help end the full-scale war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/italy-has-supplied-ukraine-with-over-3-billion-in-arms-as-12th-aid-package-is-authorized">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/210038.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/210038.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/fcb42079ee.jpg" alt="⚡️ Russia sabotaged &quot;Christmas Truce&quot;! Zelenskyy in USA reveals 20 PEACE POINTS!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL5TSqWCKeE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ampquotthe-world-has-never-seen.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ampquotthe-world-has-never-seen.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/517155fe58.jpg" alt="⚡️&quot;The world has never seen such a war!&quot;: US Army veteran from Texas shocked by Russian brutality"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuFpviabvi8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-trump.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:59:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9a755557f0.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Zelensky, Trump hold talks in Florida to discuss an end to Russia's war; Trump holds call with Putin before meeting with Ukrainian delegation"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Dec. 28-29:</strong></p><ul><li>Trump holds call with Putin just before scheduled meeting with Zelensky</li><li>'I have no deadlines' — Zelensky, Trump hold talks in Florida to discuss an end to Russia's war</li><li>'It was horrifying, like an earthquake' – Kyiv recovering from</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-trump-hold-talks-in-florida-to-discuss-an-end-to-russias-war-trump-holds-call-with-putin-just-before-scheduled-meeting-with-ukrainian-delegation-in-florida/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ampquotrussia-is-not-interested-in.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:30:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ampquotrussia-is-not-interested-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/288f521b9a.jpg" alt="&quot;Russia is not interested in ending the war, Ukraine applies constructive pressure,&quot; Podolyak"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/r7QE7dIhKX4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/lavrov-threatens-europe-says-western.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/lavrov-threatens-europe-says-western.html <p>Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a series of statements that heightened alarm across Europe.</p> <p>Lavrov, who has served as Russia’s top diplomat for more than 20 years, delivered a string of warnings to Europe in a new interview with state news agency TASS.</p> <p>He accused Ukraine and Europe of showing “no readiness for constructive talks” on peace, saying they refuse to capitulate. Lavrov also claimed that discussions within a Western “coalition of the willing” about sending military contingents to Ukraine are ongoing.</p> <p>“We have said a hundred times that in that case they would become a legitimate target for our Armed Forces,” the foreign minister said.</p> <p>Lavrov alleged Europeans are preparing an attack on Russia and threatened a “crushing response,” while insisting Moscow has no plans to strike Europe.</p> <p>“For the slow-witted politicians in Europe… there is no need to fear that Russia will attack anyone,” he said.</p> <p>That latest assertion is likely to cause the greatest unease in European capitals, given that Lavrov vehemently denied plans to attack Ukraine just weeks and days before the full-scale invasion.</p> <p>On January 21, 2022, after talks in Geneva with then–U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Lavrov said: “You assert that we are going to attack Ukraine, although we have explained many times that this is not the case.”</p> <p>A week later, he told Russian radio stations that “there will be no war.” Less than a week before the full-scale invasion—when Russian forces were massed at Ukraine’s borders—he told the propaganda outlet RT that media reports of an imminent attack were fake. He accused media warning of Kremlin plans of “information terrorism,” spreading propaganda and fabrications.</p> <p>The episode has become a stark illustration for many observers: the more forcefully Lavrov denies something, the higher the chance it will happen. Meanwhile, Russia’s hybrid aggression against the EU and NATO is already under way, manifesting in sabotage, cyberattacks, drone incursions and more.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lavrov-threatens-europe-says-western-troops-in-ukraine-would-be-legitimate-targets">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/podolyak-on-dismantling-russian-influence.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/podolyak-on-dismantling-russian-influence.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1d4e119bbf.jpg" alt="PODOLYAK on dismantling Russian influence! ⚡️US secret levers, pressure on China, and Macron's trap!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbIYBLte_qM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/russia-provides-turkey-billion-in.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/russia-provides-turkey-billion-in.html <p>Russia has provided Turkey with $9 billion in new financing for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said. Ankara expects the plant to begin generating electricity in 2026. His remarks were reported by Reuters, citing the Turkish Energy Ministry’s press office.</p> <p>The Akkuyu plant is being built in Mersin province on the Mediterranean coast by Russia’s state corporation Rosatom under an intergovernmental agreement signed in 2010. The project’s total cost is estimated at $20 billion. It was initially slated to come online in 2025, but the timeline has been pushed back.</p> <p>Bayraktar said most of the new financing will likely be used in 2026–2027. In 2026, foreign financing will amount to at least $4–5 billion.</p> <p>Russia’s nuclear sector remains a tool of Moscow’s foreign policy influence. Rosatom builds plants abroad on credit terms and signs long-term fuel, service and personnel training contracts, binding customer countries to Russian technology and supplies for decades. Turkey’s Akkuyu plant is the most prominent example of this model: it is being built under a build–own–operate arrangement, in which the Russian side retains a key role at every stage of the project and bears a significant share of the financial burden.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-provides-turkey-9-billion-in-new-financing-for-akkuyu-nuclear-plant">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/odesa-hit-children-without-schools.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/odesa-hit-children-without-schools.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8add2bdd2b.jpg" alt="ODESA HIT: children without schools, families without homes! Did Kremlin lie about Kostiantynivka?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo962WLbpi0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/trump-holds-call-with-putin.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 18:45:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/trump-holds-call-with-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d4cb70cb15.jpg" alt="Trump holds call with Putin just before scheduled meeting with Zelensky"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump said on Dec. 28 that he held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-holds-call-with-putin-just-before-scheduled-meeting-with-zelensky/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/end-of-the-blackmail-era.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 18:00:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/end-of-the-blackmail-era.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b1a067d923.jpg" alt="END OF THE BLACKMAIL ERA! Europe launches &quot;Iron Dome&quot; and isolates the Kremlin for decades!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZE5y_mcfWc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/iaea-brokers-temporary-ceasefire-at.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 17:30:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/iaea-brokers-temporary-ceasefire-at.html <p>Russia and Ukraine, with mediation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have agreed to a temporary ceasefire around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to repair power transmission lines, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said Sunday, December 28.</p> <p>“Critical repair work on power lines near the Ukrainian ZNPP has begun after another localized pause in hostilities brokered by the IAEA,” the agency said. An IAEA team is monitoring the repairs, which are expected to take several days.</p> <p>During this window, crews aim to restore electricity transmission between the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant substations. “Director General Grossi thanks both sides for agreeing to this new temporary ‘period of silence,’” the IAEA said on social media.</p> <p>Zaporizhzhia is Europe’s largest nuclear power station, with six reactors totaling 6,000 MW. It sits near Enerhodar on the southern bank of the shrunken Kakhovka reservoir. Russia seized the plant in March 2022, shortly after the war in Ukraine began, placing it under the management of JSC “Rosenergoatom.”</p> <p>All ZNPP reactors are shut down but require constant cooling. The cooling system is powered by the external grid, with diesel generators providing backup during outages. The site has repeatedly come under fire during the war, with Russia and Ukraine blaming each other.</p> <p>Who controls the plant after the war is a key issue in U.S.-mediated discussions on potential paths to peace in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/iaea-brokers-temporary-ceasefire-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-to-repair-power-lines">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/putin-vows-to-achieve-ukraine.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 17:29:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/putin-vows-to-achieve-ukraine.html <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin again threatened to achieve “all the objectives” of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine through military means, claiming Ukrainian authorities are “in no hurry to resolve this conflict by peaceful means.”</p> <p>The Kremlin press service said Saturday, December 27, that Putin visited the command post of the Joint Group of Forces, held a meeting with the leadership of Russia’s General Staff and heard a report from its chief, Valery Gerasimov. The report, it said, included claims of the capture of the cities of Myrnohrad (which Gerasimov referred to by its former name, Dimitrov) in Donetsk region, and Hulyaipole in Zaporizhzhia region.</p> <p>Addressing the military, Putin again accused the “Kyiv authorities” of having “unleashed large-scale hostilities, started a war” with Russia. He made similar claims a few days earlier during his annual “Direct Line” show.</p> <p>Citing military briefings and the “pace [of the Russian advance] along the line of contact,” Putin said Russia’s interest in the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from “the areas they currently hold is essentially close to zero — for a variety of reasons.” He added that Russia would “achieve all objectives by military means” if Ukraine “does not wish to end this matter peacefully.” The comments came ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s planned visit to the United States on December 28 to discuss a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.</p> <p>Ukrainian military: Russian claims about Hulyaipole and Myrnohrad “not confirmed by facts”</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/33101">called</a> the situation in Hulyaipole “difficult” but said a defensive operation continues in the town. In Myrnohrad, the Ukrainian military said Russian forces “still fail to realize their plans to seize the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad agglomeration, so they resort to disinformation.”</p> <p>The General Staff also called Russian statements about Kostiantynivka, Kupiansk and Pokrovsk “fabrications”: “It is obvious that Russian lies are primarily aimed at foreign partners and have intensified significantly precisely during peace talks.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-vows-to-achieve-ukraine-war-goals-by-military-means">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/russia-strikes-kherson-thermal-plant.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 17:25:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/russia-strikes-kherson-thermal-plant.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252828201.jpg" alt="Russia strikes Kherson thermal plant, cuts residents from heating"></p>Russian troops opened artillery fire against the Kherson Thermal Power Plant (TPP), causing significant damage, head of Ukraine's Naftogaz said on Dec. 28.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-strikes-kherson-heating-plant-crucial-for-tens-of-thousands-of-residents/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ukraine-strikes-syzran-oil-refinery.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 16:51:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ukraine-strikes-syzran-oil-refinery.html <p>Ukraine’s military said it carried out successful overnight strikes on the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region on December 28. A number of other targets in Russia and in occupied Ukrainian territories were also attacked.</p> <p>Drones hit the Syzran refinery, sparking a fire, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0bcXygAETqhHhViRikJAj9K4GWecRRyQQdN8kdYNiUFGtUWAHTKCZvLGH7RyNzncVl">Ukraine’s General Staff</a>.</p> <p>The Syzran refinery is a major fuel facility operated by Rosneft and a key plant for the southern Volga region. It supplies the Samara, Saratov and Penza regions, as well as parts of central Russia.</p> <p>The plant processes between 7 million and 8.9 million tons of crude annually.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff said the refinery is part of Russia’s energy support network and contributes to the aggressor’s military logistics. The extent of the damage is being assessed.</p> <p>The Telegram channel Astra <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/100588">reported</a> temporary power outages in Syzran. Unconfirmed reports suggested one of the refinery’s processing units caught fire.</p> <p>Astra also noted that a flash seen in video footage resembled an impact on high-voltage infrastructure.</p> <p>Local authorities did not confirm the attack. Russia’s Defense Ministry, however, claimed 12 drones were shot down over Samara region.</p> <p>Separately, Ukraine’s Defense Forces said they struck:</p> <p>- A storage and maintenance site for unmanned surface vessels near Chornomorske (Russia-occupied Crimea)</p> <p>- A repair unit of the 1435th Motorized Rifle Regiment near Antratsyt (Russia-occupied Luhansk region)</p> <p>- A pontoon crossing near Nykonorivka</p> <p>- A storage site for Shahed-type drones in Makiivka, Donetsk region</p> <p>The General Staff also confirmed earlier results from a strike on the LUKOIL-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery in Volgograd region, saying a petroleum products pipeline and a lubricants production unit were damaged.</p> <p>Reports of explosions in Syzran, Samara region, emerged overnight. The drone attack targeted a large Rosneft refinery and local substations.</p> <p>Earlier in December, drones had already attacked this refinery, triggering a fire after a series of blasts.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-strikes-syzran-oil-refinery-and-multiple-targets-in-occupied-east-and-crimea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/russia-ukraine-agree-temporary-ceasefire.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 14:58:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/russia-ukraine-agree-temporary-ceasefire.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/26a85dab83.jpg" alt="Russia, Ukraine agree temporary ceasefire near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant for power line repairs, IAEA says"></p>IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi thanked "both sides" for agreeing to a temporary "window of silence," which is "part of ongoing efforts to prevent a nuclear accident during military conflict."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-and-ukraine-agree-to-temporary-ceasefire-near-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-for-power-line-repairs-iaea-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ukraine-this-year-a-year.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 14:02:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ukraine-this-year-a-year.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/img-2543.jpg" alt="Ukraine This Year: a year of stalled peace and escalating war"></p>In this year-end wrap-up of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur looks back at the moments that defined 2025, the fourth year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine — from stalled peace efforts and escalating Russian attacks to mass anti-corruption protests and political upheaval at home.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-this-year-a-year-of-stalled-peace-and-escalating-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ukraine-russia-publish-videos-from.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:05:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ukraine-russia-publish-videos-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dd6161ac08.jpg" alt="Ukraine, Russia publish videos from Myrnohrad, claim control of front-line town"></p>Ukrainian and Russian troops have been publishing conflicting claims and videos about who controls the front-line town of Myrnohrad, located just northeast of the embattled town of Pokrovsk.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-forces-hold-key-positions-in-myrnohrad-in-donetsk-oblast-as-russians-attempt-infiltration-to-claim-propaganda-victory/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/zelensky-set-to-meet-trump.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:15:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/zelensky-set-to-meet-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2246611596.jpg" alt="Zelensky set to meet Trump in Florida to discuss peace proposal to end Russia's war (LIVE)"></p>A member of the Ukrainian delegation told the Kyiv Independent that they don't know how the meeting will unfold and are ready for "all scenarios."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-trump-in-florida-to-discuss-a-peace-proposal-to-end-russias-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/a-massive-cyberattack-has-crippled.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:45:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/a-massive-cyberattack-has-crippled.html <p>​🚨 A massive cyberattack has crippled #Mikord, the key developer behind Russia’s Unified Military Registry, wiping out over 40TB of infrastructure, including source code and backups.</p> <p><a href="https://substack.com/@jaanika/note/c-191876570?r=58tf0w">substack.com/@jaanika/&hellip;</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:40:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252937217.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,204,510 troops in Ukraine since 2022"></p>Russia has lost around 1,204,510 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Dec. 28.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-204-510-troops-in-ukraine-since-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/russias-syzran-oil-refinery-under.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 02:40:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/russias-syzran-oil-refinery-under.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/syzran1.png" alt="Russia's Syzran Oil Refinery under attack by Ukrainian drones, media reports"></p>The refinery was attacked multiple times in the night, residents claimed. An electrical substation in Syzran was also hit, causing blackouts in the city.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-syzran-oil-refinery-under-attack-by-ukrainian-drones-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/28/ukraine-denies-russias-claims-of.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 00:09:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/28/ukraine-denies-russias-claims-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2184052863.jpg" alt="Ukraine denies Russia's claims of capturing key front-line cities ahead of Zelensky-Trump meeting"></p>Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast and Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast are not under Russian control, Ukraine's General Staff said, dismissing the Kremlin's claims as "the weapon of disinformation."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-denies-russias-claims-of-capturing-key-front-line-cities-ahead-of-zelensky-trump-meeting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/russians-against-putin-say-the.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 22:00:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/russians-against-putin-say-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/08872444e0.jpg" alt="Russians against Putin: 64% say the year has been unsuccessful #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0C0SW57SH3g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/russia-aims-to-recruit-over.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:42:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/russia-aims-to-recruit-over.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/38824e4190.jpg" alt="Russia aims to recruit over 400,000 soldiers in 2026, Ukraine's military intelligence chief says"></p>Russia has fulfilled its mobilization goals in 2025 and has set its mobilization target to recruit 409,000 Russian soldiers in 2026, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, told Suspilne in a year-end interview.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-aims-to-recruit-over-400-000-soldiers-in-2026-budanov-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/prices-to-the-moon-life.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:00:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/prices-to-the-moon-life.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9f0d67ff56.jpg" alt="PRICES TO THE MOON, LIFE IN THE DITCH! 🚨 Why Are Russians Panicking About 2025?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez1okzBHPnY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/russia-extends-fuel-export-restrictions.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/russia-extends-fuel-export-restrictions.html <p>Russia’s government has extended its temporary ban on exports of motor gasoline, diesel fuel and several other oil products through February 28, 2026 . The gasoline export ban applies to all exporters, including producers. Restrictions on exports of diesel, marine fuel and gasoil, however, do not apply to the producers themselves. <a href="http://government.ru/docs/57435">The decrees</a> were signed on December 25 and 26 and take effect upon official publication.</p> <p>The Russian government said the measures are aimed at “maintaining stability in the domestic fuel market.” Earlier restrictions were set to expire at the end of December; the government has now prolonged them by two more months.</p> <p>The extension comes amid a widening fuel crunch that authorities publicly acknowledge, while largely attributing it to “maintenance” and “seasonal demand.” As The Insider’s analysis has shown, since the summer of 2025 Ukrainian drones under the DeepStrike strategy have regularly struck Russian refineries 500 km or more from the border, hitting key primary processing units — “deeper, more often, more powerful.” According to Reuters and Bloomberg estimates, the attacks have cut Russia’s refining capacity by 10–17%, with new strikes occurring faster than plants can restore operations.</p> <p>Against this backdrop, regions have periodically reported fuel supply disruptions. In October and November, authorities in Zabaykalsky Krai and other Far Eastern regions reported shortages of AI-92 gasoline, sales limits and lines at filling stations. Industry sources told The Insider the situation stemmed from supply imbalances after refinery damage and the manual redistribution of fuel between regions.</p> <p>At the same time, authorities are rolling out emergency support for the sector. In October, Vladimir Putin barred zeroing out payments under the fuel damper until May 2026, effectively guaranteeing compensation to oil companies even amid high domestic prices. The same decree exempted from excise tax diesel fuel produced by blending components without using refining capacities. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak proposed temporarily allowing the previously banned additive monomethylaniline (MMA) to boost output of high-octane gasoline, explicitly citing risks to domestic fuel supplies.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-extends-fuel-export-restrictions-through-february-2026-amid-refinery-attacks-and-shortages">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/hours-of-hell-in-kyiv.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 19:01:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/hours-of-hell-in-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/fd6c601032.jpg" alt="10 HOURS OF HELL IN KYIV! ⚡️ Russia targets heat and power: 28 injured, children under rubble!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgLK3o_P7UA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/zelensky-reiterates-red-lines-for.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 18:32:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/zelensky-reiterates-red-lines-for.html <p>On the eve of a meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky set out Ukraine’s “red lines” for negotiations to end the war launched by Moscow, speaking to reporters on Saturday, December 27.</p> <p>He said they include the occupied territories and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, on which Ukraine “will not legally recognize any changes under any circumstances.”</p> <p>Zelensky noted that before any decisions are made, there will be public discussion through a referendum or via legislative changes.</p> <p>At the same time, the Ukrainian president said one of the main issues is security guarantees, as “today Russia demonstrated how it responds to talks” between Kyiv and Washington on ending the war.</p> <p>“They launched mass attacks on Ukraine. On the way to peace talks, Russia is showing its answer,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that security guarantees must be such that Ukraine is protected.</p> <p>Zelensky said Ukraine “supported President Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire” and “made many different compromises.” “Ukraine is doing everything it can to stop this war. Our number one priority is to end the war,” he said. At the same time, “Russia is demonstrating a desire to continue the war,” he argued.</p> <p>In Zelensky’s view, if the war is not ended as quickly as possible, it will pose a risk to all countries, because Russia will not stop in Ukraine “despite any agreements, despite any eloquent messages.”</p> <p>US President Donald Trump will host Volodymyr Zelensky on December 28 in the resort city of Palm Beach, Florida.</p> <p>According to Politico, topics on the table include security guarantees for Ukraine, a proposal to establish a demilitarized zone in the east, management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and control over territory in Donbas.</p> <p>In a December 26 interview with Politico, the US president said that Zelensky “has nothing” until Trump himself approves it.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-reiterates-red-lines-for-peace-talks-ahead-of-trump-meeting">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/google-to-pull-some-of.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 18:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/google-to-pull-some-of.html <p>Google has notified Russian internet providers that it plans to remove some of its Russia-based servers, the RBC news agency reported Friday, December 26, citing sources.</p> <p>The company plans to decommission Dell R720 servers used to speed content delivery to users.</p> <p>The hardware is part of the Google Global Cache system. These servers cache and serve YouTube videos, Google Maps, Android and Chrome updates, and images from Google Search.</p> <p>After the war in Ukraine began, the company stopped installing new servers of this type in Russia.</p> <p>According to the notice, decommissioning is set to begin January 26, 2026. Google cited the Dell R720’s end-of-life status and lack of warranty support. The company also said these machines handle a minimal share of traffic. Other Google Global Cache servers in Russia will remain in operation.</p> <p>One provider told RBC that in a follow-up letter, Google asked to power down the specified servers, remove them from racks and provide an address for pickup. Some Dell R720 units have already been taken out, the person said. The dismantling and removal is being handled by European firm MPK Asset Solutions, which specializes in IT asset lifecycle services, including de-installation and disposal, according to the report.</p> <p>Google ended commercial operations and closed its office in Russia after the country’s armed invasion of Ukraine, leaving only free services available.</p> <p>The company’s Russian legal entity, LLC Google, was declared bankrupt in October 2023.</p> <p>After its exit, Google did not upgrade Google Global Cache servers in Russia. Roskomnadzor later seized on that, slowing YouTube’s performance in summer 2024.</p> <p>The regulator claimed the slowdown was due to Google’s failure to refresh server hardware. Google denied that.</p> <p>Later, former State Duma lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein, then head of the information policy committee, said the YouTube throttling had been initiated by Russian authorities. After that, Roskomnadzor accused the platform of “numerous legal violations” and “disrespect” toward the country.</p> <p>In December 2025, Andrei Svintsov, deputy chair of the State Duma’s information policy committee, said YouTube could be fully blocked in Russia within the next six to twelve months.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/google-to-pull-some-of-its-servers-out-of-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/burning-russia-su-and-su.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 17:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/burning-russia-su-and-su.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/70e48b7d5a.jpg" alt="Burning Russia: Su-30 and Su-27 destroyed after successful sabotage #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I-dWXFdB-H8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/russia-preparing-to-proclaim-future.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 17:05:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/russia-preparing-to-proclaim-future.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1243478648-1664140759smggn.jpg" alt="Russia preparing to proclaim future Ukrainian elections rigged, Zelensky says, citing intelligence"></p>Elections have been floated as part of a peace or ceasefire deal that Ukraine has been discussing with the U.S., but voting in the occupied territories complicates the process.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-to-proclaim-elections-rigged/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/belarus-receives-third-shipment-susm.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 17:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/belarus-receives-third-shipment-susm.html <p>Russia has handed over a third batch of Su-30SM2 fighter jets to Belarus, Belarus’s Defense Ministry said on its official Telegram channel.</p> <p>The ministry did not disclose how many aircraft were delivered. Photos circulating online show at least two jets, apparently photographed at a Russian airfield, marked with the numbers “13” and “14.”</p> <p>It’s the third Su-30SM2 delivery to Belarus in 2025. The first pair, numbered “09” and “10,” arrived at the 61st Fighter Air Base in Baranovichi in May, followed by aircraft “11” and “12” in August. The latest shipment continues a planned refresh of the Belarusian Air Force that began in May.</p> <p>Belarus had previously received eight aircraft of the earlier Su-30SM variant, manufactured at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant in Russia.</p> <p>Minsk has also deployed Russia’s Oreshnik missile system on its territory, describing the move as a response to what it calls “Western aggression.”</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia is learning the contours of Ukraine’s air defenses, including interceptor drones, and is trying to circumvent them—at times via Belarusian territory.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/belarus-receives-third-shipment-su-30sm2-fighter-jets-from-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/poland-temporarily-closes-rzeszow-and.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:27:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/poland-temporarily-closes-rzeszow-and.html <p>Poland temporarily shut two airports near the Ukrainian border—Rzeszow and Lublin—overnight Saturday, December 27, amid a massive Russian attack on Ukraine.</p> <p>The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency said the move was made “to ensure freedom of operation for military aviation.”</p> <p>The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said that due to “the activity of long-range Russian air forces striking Ukrainian territory,” Polish military aircraft, supported by NATO allies, were operating in the country’s airspace. It said the measures were preventive and that no violations of Poland’s border were detected.</p> <p>Poland routinely scrambles fighter jets when Russia strikes Ukrainian regions near the Polish border. But Polish airports typically do not halt arrivals and departures during such barrages.</p> <p>Overnight December 27, Russia launched combined strikes on Ukraine, using ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones. The main targets were Kyiv and the Kyiv region.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, were used in the barrage.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-temporarily-closes-rzeszow-and-lublin-airports-amid-russian-strikes-on-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/ukraine-says-it-shot-down.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:18:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/ukraine-says-it-shot-down.html <p>Overnight on December 27, Russia carried out one of its largest combined attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, with the main strike hitting the Kyiv region. Russia’s armed forces launched 559 aerial weapons - various types of missiles and hundreds of attack drones.</p> <p>Ukraine’s air defenses showed high effectiveness: by 13:00, 503 aerial targets had been shot down or suppressed, the Air Force press service <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/50944">said</a> . Aviation, air-defense missile units, electronic warfare teams and mobile fire groups took part in repelling the attack.</p> <p>According to the Air Force, Russia launched 40 missiles and 519 drones. Ukraine’s air defenses destroyed:</p> <p>- 474 attack drones of the Shahed and “Gerbera” types,</p> <p>- 6 ballistic and aeroballistic Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles,</p> <p>- 4 Iskander-K and Kalibr cruise missiles, as well as 19 Kh-101 cruise missiles.</p> <p>Despite the air defenses’ success, 10 missiles and 25 attack drones found their targets. Damage was reported at 30 different locations. Falling debris from downed targets caused additional destruction at 16 more sites.</p> <p>The Air Force added that one missile failed to reach its target on its own, and 15 drones are considered lost from radar. Authorities warned that isolated enemy UAVs may still be in the airspace and urged residents not to ignore air-raid alerts and to follow safety guidance.</p> <p>December 27 strikes: what we know</p> <p>Russian forces on December 27 launched a massive combined strike on Kyiv and the Kyiv region. According to city authorities, 28 people were injured, 13 of them hospitalized.</p> <p>Emergency power outages were introduced on Kyiv’s Left Bank due to the attack. In addition, more than 2,600 residential buildings, 187 kindergartens, 138 schools and 22 social facilities were left without centralized heating.</p> <p>Russia also hit the Bila Tserkva district of Kyiv region. One woman was confirmed killed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-shot-down-503-of-559-aerial-targets-in-massive-russian-air-attack">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/after-the-russian-strike-kyiv.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 15:30:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/after-the-russian-strike-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b485a2128c.jpg" alt="After the Russian strike, Kyiv is partially without heat: schools and residential buildings damaged"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/brKXpBRgzsU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/live-zelenskyy-plans-meeting-with.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 14:52:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/live-zelenskyy-plans-meeting-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d02aabd899.jpg" alt="🔴 LIVE! Zelenskyy plans meeting with Trump – Ukranian forces driving Russians out of Kupyansk"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpEVy6PYeqs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/missiles-and-drones-speak-for.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 11:25:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/missiles-and-drones-speak-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/792b4595-2cb0-4bb0-84f0-296b191c1351.jpg" alt="'Missiles and drones speak for Russia' – Zelensky blasts Moscow for 10-hour air attack ahead of Trump meeting"></p>Russia launched nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles overnight on Dec. 26-27, largely targeting Kyiv’s energy and civilian infrastructure.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/missiles-and-drones-speak-for-russia-zelensky-blasts-moscow-ahead-of-trump-meeting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/top-antiputin-russian-commander-killed.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:19:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/top-antiputin-russian-commander-killed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1257760492.jpg" alt="Top anti-Putin Russian commander killed fighting for Ukraine"></p>Denis Kapustin, also known by his nom de guerre "White Rex," led the right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps until he was killed by an FPV drone on the southern front, according to preliminary reports. More details are expected later.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/top-anti-putin-russian-commander-killed-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/brutal-attack-on-kyiv-russian.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 09:23:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/brutal-attack-on-kyiv-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/46ef09a626.jpg" alt="BRUTAL attack on Kyiv: Russian forces launch a MASSIVE strike #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v02WGfx_c7I">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 08:18:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1494251171-1.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,203,310 troops in Ukraine since 2022"></p>The number includes 1,240 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-203-310-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/trump-says-russiaukraine-peace-has.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 04:03:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/trump-says-russiaukraine-peace-has.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f45470e568.jpg" alt="Trump says Russia-Ukraine peace has 'good shot,' New York Post reports"></p>"I think they want to do it now, and I think that Russia wants to do it. But every time one wants to do it, the other doesn’t," Trump told the New York Post in a Dec. 26 phone call.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-says-russia-ukraine-peace-has-good-shot-new-york-post-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/russias-mass-missile-attack-targets.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:19:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/russias-mass-missile-attack-targets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252432419.jpg" alt="Russia's mass missile attack targets Kyiv ahead of upcoming Trump-Zelensky meeting"></p>Several explosions were heard across the capital, according to Kyiv Independent reporters on the ground, as well as in Kyiv Oblast, where power outages were reported in the town of Brovary and surrounding areas following the strikes.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-mass-missile-attack-targets-kyiv-ahead-of-upcoming-trump-zelensky-meeting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/poland-preparing-bn-antidrone-fortifications.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/poland-preparing-bn-antidrone-fortifications.html <p>On 27 December 2025, Poland announced plans to construct anti-drone fortifications along its eastern border with Belarus, investing €2 billion in new air defense systems aimed to be completed within 24 months, to counter the ongoing Russian threat. The defenses will include sensors, anti-drone weapons, and other technical infrastructure designed to prevent drone incursions and potential future Russian invasions. The build-up is focused on the Podlasie region and other eastern municipalities bordering Belarus. Polish Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk stated the measures are crucial due to ongoing Russian hybrid warfare tactics and drone incursions in the area. This move reflects Poland’s broader effort to strengthen its border security amidst tensions caused by Russia&rsquo;s military activities and influence in the region. The fortifications complement existing border controls and military patrols, including helicopter surveillance.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/27/poland-anti-drone-fortifications-eastern-borders-cezary-tomczyk">www.theguardian.com/world/202&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/bb310205-d6da-4f0a-ba1f-208d05f8c14b">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/27/an-empty-vessel-with-a.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 00:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/27/an-empty-vessel-with-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9f2277b6fa.jpg" alt="An empty vessel with a secret: Ukraine intercepted a signal from a Russian &quot;shadow&quot; tanker #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1Ywpy0B4JiI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/km-strike-security-service-of.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 23:01:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/km-strike-security-service-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/bfe140ccd4.jpg" alt="2000KM STRIKE! Security Service of Ukraine sinks Russia spy network in the Mediterranean!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAtB6Z7UeXw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/russia-says-zelenskys-point-peace.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 22:35:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/russia-says-zelenskys-point-peace.html <p>Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused Kyiv and the EU of trying to derail a peace deal for Ukraine.</p> <p>The Russian government alleges Ukraine intends to “torpedo” negotiations on a US plan to end the war in Ukraine. The revised version of the US plan unveiled by Ukrainian authorities a few days ago is “radically different” from the text Moscow discussed with Washington, Ryabkov said on Russian television on Friday, December 26.</p> <p>“Ukrainian social media carried links to a 20-point plan. We know that this plan - if it can even be called a plan - is radically different from the 27 points we worked through with the American side in recent weeks, starting in early December,” Ryabkov said in an interview on the program “60 Minutes.”</p> <p>According to the diplomat, Ukraine and its “sponsors, particularly in the European Union, who are not aiming for an agreement, have doubled their efforts to torpedo it”. “Without properly resolving the problems that are the root cause of this crisis - without that, there will be no path to a final agreement,” Ryabkov emphasized.</p> <p>He added that any proposals must remain within the parameters set at the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, held in August in Alaska.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, after talks with US representatives, presented a new version of the American plan to end the war. The revised 20-point plan calls for freezing the current front line.</p> <p>The document omits two of Moscow’s key demands: the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas and a legally binding renunciation by Ukraine of NATO membership.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Zelensky told reporters on December 26 that the 20-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine is already 90% prepared. “Our task is to make sure everything is 100% ready,” he said, noting “it’s not easy.”</p> <p>The Ukrainian leader said that at a planned December 28 meeting with US President Donald Trump he intends to discuss a package of documents related to security guarantees for Kyiv, as well as territorial issues and economic development, RBC-Ukraine reported.</p> <p>Zelensky also said he plans to raise the issue that Moscow is not showing a willingness to sign the peace plan. “Russia is constantly looking for reasons not to agree. … If Ukraine shows its position—it is constructive—and Russia, for example, does not agree, that means there isn’t enough pressure,” the Ukrainian president said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-says-zelensky-s-20-point-peace-plan-is-radically-different-from-version-discussed-with-the-u-s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/russia-continues-systematically-recruiting-foreign.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 20:27:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/russia-continues-systematically-recruiting-foreign.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1766739583918.jpg" alt="Russia continues systematically recruiting foreign fighters for war, Ukraine says"></p>Russia is continuing to systematically recruit foreign nationals for its war against Ukraine, said Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, on Dec. 26.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-is-systematically-recruiting-foreign-fighters-for-war-ukraine-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/coal-shortages-leave-six-yakutia.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 20:18:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/coal-shortages-leave-six-yakutia.html <p>Six districts in Yakutia are teetering on the brink of freezing as coal runs out at local boiler plants, a crisis compounded by extreme weather.</p> <p>With temperatures plunging and fuel stocks dwindling, thousands of residents in Russia’s Yakutia are being left without heat, turning the situation into a full-blown emergency.</p> <p>Serious heating troubles have hit six Yakut districts as coal reserves at district heating plants rapidly run dry, <a href="https://t.me/istories_media/11114">reports</a> the news outlet Important Stories.</p> <p>According to the regional Housing and Utilities Ministry, fuel shortages have been recorded in the Ust-Aldansky, Churapchinsky, Tattinsky, Megino-Kangalassky, Amginsky and Gorny districts (uluses). Coal reserves there are near critical minimums, and rapid replenishment has so far proven impossible. The crisis is intensifying as air temperatures drop to -42 degrees.</p> <p>Officials say the core problem is financial: utilities responsible for heat supply have accumulated debts and are unable to pay coal mines and transporters on time, triggering supply disruptions. Local authorities are urging calm and say they expect assistance from Moscow in the form of federal subsidies that would allow utilities to settle arrears and restart coal deliveries.</p> <p>Residents are flooding social media with complaints about freezing homes and a lack of clear answers from utility services. Heating is reportedly down not only in residential buildings but also at social infrastructure sites, with indoor temperatures falling to 0 degrees. “The problem is that it’s -50 degrees outside, and it’s 0 degrees inside the post office because there’s no firewood for heating,” said a resident of the village of Ust-Mil.</p> <p>Locals note the heating troubles began long before the current deep freeze. After the first snow in September, the launch of the heating season was postponed several times.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/coal-shortages-leave-six-yakutia-districts-freezing-as-temperatures-plunge-to-40c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/street-fighting-rages-in-hulyaipole.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 19:30:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/street-fighting-rages-in-hulyaipole.html <p>Russian forces are intensively shelling settlements along the supply route to Hulyaipole, seeking to cut Ukrainian defenders off from logistics.</p> <p>The situation in Hulyaipole, Zaporizhzhia region, remains severe, with dozens of clashes recorded daily as Russian troops try to sever supply lines and take control of the town, Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, said on television, according to <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4073716-u-gulajpoli-trivaut-intensivni-vulicni-boi-sili-oboroni.html">Ukrinform</a>.</p> <p>“The enemy continues assault operations, attempting to push the Defense Forces out of the city. Street fighting is ongoing; every day we record two to three dozen engagements taking place directly in Hulyaipole,” he said.</p> <p>Voloshyn said Russian troops are trying to insert small groups to consolidate positions, but Ukraine’s Defense Forces are blocking their advance and striking them.</p> <p>“The enemy tries to bring in consolidation groups and leave them on certain positions. Ukraine’s Defense Forces are blocking the enemy’s movement and delivering fire strikes on these groups,” Voloshyn said.</p> <p>He added that Russian forces are actively attacking settlements along the logistics route from Pokrovske in Dnipropetrovsk region toward Hulyaipole. Fighting continues in Dobropillia, Pryluky and Varvarivka, he said.</p> <p>The spokesperson also reported Russian airstrikes using guided aerial bombs on Hulyaipole and nearby settlements.</p> <p>He emphasized that the highest number of engagements is on the Hulyaipole axis, though other sectors remain active. “The largest number of combat clashes is on this axis, but the Oleksandrivske direction is also quite active, with intense fighting,” Voloshyn noted.</p> <p>He said Russia’s main objective is to capture Hulyaipole.</p> <p>Earlier, Voloshyn said Russian forces are trying to break into the center of Hulyaipole in Zaporizhzhia region, while moving consolidation groups to the outskirts.</p> <p>The Armed Forces of Ukraine commented on the possible capture of a command post in Hulyaipole.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/street-fighting-rages-in-hulyaipole-as-russian-forces-try-to-cut-ukrainian-supply-lines">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/190052.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 19:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/190052.html <p>Agents from Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) infiltrated a military compound in Ussuriysk and carried out a sabotage operation, media sources said. Russian authorities described the incident as a domestic mishap, but local residents reported a powerful blast heard for kilometers. What happened in the Russian city located roughly 6,000 kilometers from Ukraine?</p> <p>Explosions in Ussuriysk struck military unit No. 19288, home to the 80th Vitebsk Red Banner Command Brigade, according to the outlet <a href="https://t.me/RBC_ua_news/175942">RBC-Ukraine</a>, which cited GUR sources. The brigade took part in combat operations in Ukraine and has been accused of committing war crimes against Ukrainians, those sources said. A large contingent of law enforcement responded to the scene, which appears at odds with official statements blaming a “welding machine explosion.”</p> <p>The incident unfolded on December 24 in broad daylight. Two blasts detonated in a parking area near the base, which GUR says were planted by Ukrainian agents. Police, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and firefighters all responded. Russian media also noted that nearby streets were cordoned off—despite the official explanation citing a “welding machine.” They also pointed out similar “pops” reported in Primorye on December 18.</p> <p>“Documented facts include war crimes, shootings of civilians in temporarily occupied territories, including children,” GUR sources said.</p> <p>Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako did not mention the Ussuriysk explosion. Meanwhile, Google Maps shows the military compound sits on the city’s southwestern outskirts.</p> <p>Russian social media channels carried a series of posts about what happened in Ussuriysk on December 24. Footage from the scene showed roughly a dozen vehicles from security services responding to what was officially described as a “welding machine fire.”</p> <p>Local residents, however, wrote that the blasts were distinctly loud and did not sound like minor “pops.” The incident occurred early in the morning, just as the workday began, raising questions about why a “welding machine” would have been operating so early—and why “half the city” heard the explosions.</p> <p>On December 22 GUR agents infiltrated a military air base in Lipetsk and set fire to two expensive Russian military aircraft; video from the moment of the arson later surfaced.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-military-intelligence-claims-responsibility-for-explosion-at-russian-base-in-ussuriysk-housing-the-80th-brigade">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/professor-tim-wilson-dismantles-kremlin.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 19:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/professor-tim-wilson-dismantles-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/94c93f6e1a.jpg" alt="Professor Tim Wilson dismantles Kremlin myths: &quot;There is no future for peace with Putin&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Rvlflj3gQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/ampquotwe-will-fire-without-discussionsampquot.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:01:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/ampquotwe-will-fire-without-discussionsampquot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e4e8e8b491.jpg" alt="&quot;We will fire without discussions&quot; – Estonian Foreign Ministry addresses Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c9kCtI4IDro">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/putin-says-territorial-concessions-possible.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/putin-says-territorial-concessions-possible.html <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin remains ready to make concessions agreed at the Anchorage summit, he said at a State Council meeting on Thursday, December 25, <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8317445">Kommersant reported</a>.</p> <p>As Ukraine’s <a href="https://strana.today/news/497268-rf-budet-i-dalshe-trebovat-svoeho-kontrolja-nad-donbassom.html">Strana.ua notes</a>, and as earlier reports in other media indicated, this would include dropping the demand that Ukrainian troops withdraw from parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions that the Kremlin declared part of Russia after “referendums” in occupied territories in the fall of 2022.</p> <p>According to Kommersant, at the State Council meeting Putin focused largely on talks with the United States and Ukraine over a plan to halt the war.</p> <p>He said a “partial exchange of territories from the Russian side as well” could not be ruled out.</p> <p>At the same time, Putin stressed that “the status of the Kramatorsk–Kostiantynivka–Sloviansk junction (in Ukraine’s Donetsk region) is not up for discussion.”</p> <p>Putin said Russia and the United States are discussing joint management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.</p> <p>He claimed the U.S. had shown interest in mining at the facility and initiated talks on supplying electricity to Ukraine.</p> <p>Asked whether Ukrainian specialists can work at the plant, he said they are already there, “they just have Russian passports now.”</p> <p>He also said that after talks with European leaders, the U.S. side “backed away” from some of its proposals, calling it a sign of weakness.</p> <p>On the morning of December 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would soon meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.</p> <p>“We’re not wasting a day. We agreed on a meeting at the highest level—with President Trump in the near future. Much could be decided before the New Year,” he wrote on Telegram.</p> <p>According to a source cited by Ukraine’s The Kyiv Post, if all goes according to plan, the meeting could take place as early as December 28.</p> <p>In late November, Trump said he was ready to meet with Zelensky and Putin only if a peace agreement between the countries “is final or in its final stage.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-says-territorial-concessions-possible-in-ukraine-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/russia-appoints-businessman-yuri-yura.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:30:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/russia-appoints-businessman-yuri-yura.html <p>Russia has appointed Yuri Vaganov, a businessman and volunteer from the Moscow region with no formal military education, to command the Armed Forces’ unmanned systems forces, according to reports by Russian bloggers and a source in the country’s drone industry cited by <a href="https://t.me/moscowtimes_ru/41074">The Moscow Times</a>.</p> <p>“The person appointed commander is widely known to many involved in the ‘special military operation’ as ‘Yura Unitaz.’ He not only lacks military education… he used to sell plumbing supplies, which is where the nickname comes from. He later became a monopolist in supplying FPV drones to Russian troops,” one source said.</p> <p>Another source <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/gsc-link/www.bbc.com/f1750dea.html">claims</a> Vaganov works closely with Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko and that their relationship is “purely about commerce,” rather than the development and deployment of unmanned systems in modern warfare.</p> <p>In December 2024, at a Defense Ministry board meeting, Andrei Belousov, acting on President Vladimir Putin’s instructions, ordered the creation of a new branch within the Russian military: the Unmanned Systems Forces. In June 2025, Putin himself confirmed at a meeting on the state armaments program that such forces were being established. On November 12, Komsomolskaya Pravda and other state media reported that the formation of Russia’s unmanned systems troops had been completed.</p> <p>No details were previously released about the new branch or who would command it.</p> <p>During a televised call-in show, Putin said he had sent 700,000 people to fight in Ukraine. Recruitment for the drone forces was even opened as a competitive process.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the Kremlin bristled at President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Christmas greeting, prompting Putin’s press secretary to convene a briefing with reporters.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-appoints-businessman-yuri-yura-unitaz-vaganov-to-lead-drone-forces">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/zelensky-says-belarus-is-helping.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:03:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/zelensky-says-belarus-is-helping.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia is using Belarusian territory to strike western regions of Ukraine. He said the enemy can see the lines of Ukraine’s air defenses.</p> <p>Zelensky made the remarks about Russia using Belarus to attack Kovel in response to a question from <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/180124">Novyny.Live</a>. He said a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff was held on December 26 focused on drones, defensive lines and responses to Russian strikes, particularly with “Shaheds.”</p> <p>“There is a problem: they can see our lines, the lines of interceptors that we’re using quite effectively, and they want to bypass them. They are bypassing them thanks, among other things, to Belarus,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>The president stressed that Russia is not only using Belarusian territory, but also receiving technical assistance from Minsk.</p> <p>“This is a serious issue. I’ve assigned the necessary tasks — there will be an answer at the next meeting,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>Earlier on December 26, the monitoring channel Strategic Control reported a new route for “Shaheds.” Analysts said Russian forces are attacking the Ukrainian city of Kovel using Belarusian airspace and conduct reconnaissance ahead of potential large-scale strikes.</p> <p>Ukrainian radio technology expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov on December 26 warned of risks to rail service between Poland and Ukraine due to intensified Russian attacks on the Kovel–Kyiv rail line. He also maintained that Russian forces are controlling Shahed drones from Belarusian territory.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-belarus-is-helping-russia-bypass-ukraine-s-air-defenses">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/nato-draws-the-line-baltic.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/nato-draws-the-line-baltic.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/16ed68dd6e.jpg" alt="NATO DRAWS THE LINE! Baltic Sea on the brink of explosion: Estonia prepares RESPONSE to Russia!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ4Fxv9UatE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/russian-attacks-on-uman-and.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 16:58:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/russian-attacks-on-uman-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-26-17-40-30.jpg" alt="Russian attacks on Uman and Kharkiv's 'busiest road' kill at least 2, injure 14"></p>Kharkiv Oblast was struck with with three KAB guided bombs, one of which targeted the city of Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-on-uman-and-kharkiv-kills-at-least-2-injures-10-others/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/meeting-with-trump-in-just.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 15:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/meeting-with-trump-in-just.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d121d21f1d.jpg" alt="MEETING WITH TRUMP IN JUST DAYS! Russia in rage strikes Odesa and Mykolaiv: ports in flames!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsIAJUaxzzI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/russia-attacks-sea-port-energy.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 13:42:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/russia-attacks-sea-port-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-26-13-43-25.jpg" alt="Russia attacks sea port, energy, and railway infrastructure across Ukraine"></p>Russia overnight on Dec. 26 launched drone attacks at Ukraine's sea port and energy infrastructure in Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts, as well as railway infrastructure in Volyn Oblast, authorities reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacked-ukraines-sea-port-logistics-and-railway-infrastructure-in-several-oblasts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/ukraine-in-a-year-in.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:20:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/ukraine-in-a-year-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/new-2026-photos.gif" alt="Ukraine in 2025: A year in photos"></p><p>The year 2025 arrived with talk of peace. It ended to the rattle of air-defense systems across Ukraine.</p><p>It was a year shaped by negotiations and expectations, driven by U.S. President <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/donald-trump/">Donald Trump's</a> push for a settlement — even as <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russia</a> continued to strike Ukrainian cities.</p><p>The</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/2025-ukraine-year-in-photos/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 11:27:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-26-12-01-16.jpg" alt="At least 5 killed, 23 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 99 drones and one Iskander ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-4-killed-35-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/a-lot-can-be-decided.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 09:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/a-lot-can-be-decided.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2241658374.jpg" alt="'A lot can be decided before New Year' — Zelensky says he and Trump plan to meet in 'near future'"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and the U.S. had agreed to meet "in the near future," suggesting there could be progress in peace talks to end Russia's war before the New Year.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/a-lot-can-be-decided-before-new-year-zelensky-plans-to-meet-trump/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:43:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2247703528.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,202,070 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 840 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-201-230-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/europe-warned-to-brace-for.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/26/europe-warned-to-brace-for.html <p>European security experts and NATO officials have issued warnings about a looming Russian military threat, particularly against Baltic states and Ukraine. Over the past several years, Russia has increased military activities and destabilizing actions near NATO&rsquo;s eastern borders, triggering alarm among alliance members. High-level statements from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace emphasize the urgent need for European countries to bolster defense spending and prepare for the possibility of conflict. Analysts note that Russia&rsquo;s actions have eroded stability in the region, necessitating stronger cooperation among NATO allies. While tensions continue to rise, some European nations remain cautious yet are increasingly implementing military and political measures to counter the threat. The warnings underscore deteriorating relations with Russia and a tense security environment in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Troop movements near borders</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://evrimagaci.org/gpt/europe-warned-to-brace-for-imminent-russian-threat-521285">evrimagaci.org/gpt/europ&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/49ff54c9-4d8a-407b-b2ab-2724520472f5">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/youth-without-idols-the-tragedy.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 23:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/youth-without-idols-the-tragedy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/00952295fd.jpg" alt="Youth without idols: the tragedy of teenage violence in Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nEtzzgZ-J7s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/kremlin-teaches-to-kill-why.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/kremlin-teaches-to-kill-why.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/cef2a0e701.jpg" alt="Kremlin teaches to kill! Why Russian teens are drawn to knives and violence"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg_WxORGxds">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/putins-secret-conversations-with-bush.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 21:30:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/putins-secret-conversations-with-bush.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/25856a9fa5.jpg" alt="Putin's secret conversations with Bush: Kremlin planned aggression and didn't hide its hatred"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hcEn0SbjafQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/putinbush-transcripts-declassified-kremlin-hated.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 21:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/putinbush-transcripts-declassified-kremlin-hated.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a2061b0bdb.jpg" alt="Putin-Bush transcripts declassified! Kremlin hated Ukraine 20 years ago"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osgt_-YH2jo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/kharkiv-locals-celebrate-christmas-eve.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 20:58:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/kharkiv-locals-celebrate-christmas-eve.html <p><img width="2500" height="1875" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dsc9905.jpg" alt="" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong> — Christmas is valued by many in Ukraine. According to Zagoryi Foundation’s research, over 97% of their 3,200 respondents considered it the most important holiday in general and the most important religious holiday. </p> <p>About 65% of those people sing koliadkas, traditional Christmas songs that are sung to people a singer or singers meet. These songs retell Biblical stories, wish for well-being, health, and good luck. Celebrate beauty, strength, or other qualities of the "recipient." For these performances — if one'd liked the koliadka — it’s a tradition to give money. </p> <p>For the second year in a row, Ukraine has officially celebrated Christmas on Dec. 25 — previously, this holiday was celebrated on Jan. 7.  On Dec. 24, Kharkiv locals gathered to celebrate Christmas Eve with koliadas, walking and singing along the streets of the city, located 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border. Gwara Media joined them. </p> <p>Christmas celebrations took place in Kharkiv over the last weekend as well — and Gwara visited some of them. </p> <p>On Dec. 21, the Ocheret theater held a festive caroling event on Vokzalna Square in Kharkiv.</p> <p>“We wished people all the best for the coming year,” said Anastasia, one of the theater’s representatives.</p> <p>She said that caroling and nativity plays, known as vertep, are old Ukrainian traditions that are unique and distinct from other countries’ Christmas events. She said that these traditions allow Ukrainians to identify themselves in the world.</p> <p>“When we sing our Christmas carols and ‘Shchedryk’ (a famous Ukrainian carol known in English as ‘Carol of Bells’), we can identify ourselves as Ukrainians. We have all known these songs since childhood and pass them on in this way,” explained Anastasia.</p> <p>The actors presented “Ocheretivska Koliada” — a theatrical Christmas performance with traditional characters from the Ukrainian vertep. Those are the Angel and the Chort (a magic spirit or demon in Slavic folk tradition), the Goat and Death, the bag carrier, and the star carrier.  </p> <p>They also had elements of Malanka, a New Year’s ritual with traditional dressing up as animals and folklore characters. Actors performed koliadkas and shchedrivkas (the latter are New Year’s songs or Malanka’s songs). The scenes of the vertep combined classical and modern elements. </p> <p>Anastasia Koshel was the director of the production. The theater planned to invest money collected during the performances in heating for their theater building. </p> <p>Also on December 21, Art Area DK and the Kharkiv Puppet Theater organized the fourth mini-festival Vertep Skhid. It featured the Savielievs’ performance “Rodinny Vertep” (family vertep in translation from Ukrainian), a performance by Folk Stream, and “Makabrichny Vertep” (macabre vertep) by the youth theater. </p> <p>“Well, this year it's a bit of a compact format for us, all in one day,” said Oleksii Myhailov, the art director of the Art Area DK.</p> <p>He shared that the goal of the festival is to focus on verteps in all possible ways, on all types of them. This time, there were more intimate and larger-scale performances, including two performances at the Puppet Theater.</p> <p>“We were very happy that the tradition of the nativity scene now exists in Kharkiv,” said Iryna, one of the visitors.</p> <p>Iryna came to the event with her daughter and shared that they wanted to support Ukrainian traditions more. “We want to learn more about them, because we really know very little,” said the woman. </p> <p>Many in Ukraine see celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 as a step away from Russian traditions. In the early Soviet Union, though, people celebrated this holiday on Dec. 25 and Jan. 7. The latter festivities were supported by the church and the former by the state (as the time ‘moved’ towards Dec. 25 as soon as the Soviets transitioned to the Gregorian calendar), <a href="https://theukrainians.org/daria-antsybor/" data-wpel-link="external">says</a> Daria Antsybor, anthropologist, in an interview with <em>The Ukrainians</em> media. </p> <p>The Soviets banned Christmas in the second half of the 1920s and came up with a New Year holiday as a way to “unite new Soviet people” of all nationalities, Antsybor says. That became the supposedly neutral, secular replacement of both Christmases. Antsybor notes many in Ukraine didn’t know any particular Christmas traditions because of this and the ban. Now, some of them are indeed trying to learn more.  </p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>“I won’t go through occupation again” — <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-wont-go-through-occupation-again-life-in-ukrainian-village-one-mile-from-russia/" data-wpel-link="internal">life in Ukrainian village</a> one mile from Russia</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hi! Winter has come, and Russian airstrikes on power infrastructure disrupt our daily lives & work a lot here in Kharkiv. Despite it all, we keep working to bring you reports from the city and the Kharkiv region. Please consider supporting our newsroom with <strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external">a one-time tip</a></strong> or become a <strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external">member of our community</a></strong>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-celebrates-christmas-eve-30-kilometers-from-border-with-russia-in-photos/" data-wpel-link="internal">Kharkiv locals celebrate Christmas Eve 30 kilometers from border with Russia — in photos</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/kharkiv-celebrates-christmas-eve-30-kilometers-from-border-with-russia-in-photos/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/enclosure-completed-russians-trapped-on.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 20:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/enclosure-completed-russians-trapped-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e1fc0cedba.jpg" alt="ENCLOSURE COMPLETED! Russians trapped on Oskil, and a rocket fuel plant exploded in Tula!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLD7cpi-V6Y">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/kremlin-in-shock-ukraines-robotic.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 19:04:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/kremlin-in-shock-ukraines-robotic.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f7650ece4e.jpg" alt="Kremlin in shock: Ukraine's robotic army changes the rules on the front line!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nzL-s1OCkE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/russias-customs-service-starts-concealing.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 19:00:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/russias-customs-service-starts-concealing.html <p>Russian customs data for 2025 lacks records on shipments across 180 categories of technically complex goods - mostly electronics and industrial equipment — The Insider has found. Since importers appear to have kept operating, it looks like shipments are simply no longer being entered into the customs database. Authorities are trying to obscure “gray” imports and shield suppliers of critical goods, especially for the military-industrial complex, from new sanctions. A side effect could be serious problems for public administration and planning, as Rosstat’s figures will no longer be reliable.</p> <p>Russian authorities have long learned to hide socially important information. EGRUL, the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, restricted access to data on owners of “strategically important” companies. The Russia's official cadastre and cartography agency, Rosreestr, limited access to assets held by corrupt officials; and years ago the Russian State Library began restricting access to certain officials’ dissertations over fears of plagiarism exposure. This appears to be the first time the state is directly deleting data that meaningfully affects the accuracy of official statistics. According to The Insider, in 2025 Russian customs stopped recording a significant number of product categories in its centralized database.</p> <p>By all appearances, this is the largest case of “registry sabotage” in Russia’s history.</p> <p>The Insider previously <a href="https://theins.ru/inv/279277">reported</a> that Iranian Shahed drones were labeled as “boats,” though such cases were more the exception than the rule. Now, items are neither renamed nor reclassified into other categories — they simply become invisible.</p> <p>That’s evident from reports by firms that used to specialize in very narrow product lines, such as microchips. Instead of showing substantial turnover in some other category (for example, registering microchips as “matches” or “nails”), these companies have disappeared from customs radars altogether.</p> <p>At the same time, Federal Tax Service data shows no signs that these companies are shutting down, ceasing operations, or significantly reducing turnover.</p> <p>In 2024, Russia imported $22 billion worth of sanctioned products across sectors such as machinery, electronics and metallurgy.</p> <p>These goods have both civilian and military uses. As The Insider has repeatedly shown, even seemingly civilian items now end up on the battlefield. For instance, “lithium-ion batteries” are a key military commodity, primarily used in drones. Machine centers and lathes, as The Insider’s series of reports <a href="http://theins.ru/investigations/kak-rossiiskaya-armiya-prodolzhaet-zakupki-v-obhod-sanktsii">has shown</a>, are also in high demand among Russian defense enterprises.</p> <p>In 2025, the composition of leading import lines in these sanction-restricted sectors changed drastically. Entire categories vanished from Russia’s import data, including computer hardware blocks, routers, integrated circuits, video cameras, radio components, frequency generators, radar systems, navigation equipment, electric motors, equipment for manufacturing integrated circuits, and many other electronics. Drilling machines, industrial furnaces, and some other machinery also disappeared — roughly 180 positions in total. Reported imports for these categories now show zero. In every instance, these are items restricted for export to Russia by the EU or the United States.</p> <p>In the first three months of 2025 alone, Russia imported more than $5.7 billion in sanctioned goods.</p> <p>A month-by-month analysis of customs reports indicates that these codes stopped appearing in the “mirror” at the end of 2024. The Insider points to three key signs. First, the changes happened all at once. Second, companies — including highly specialized firms that previously imported a single type of product — remain active in the market. Third, transactions in these product categories are recorded as exactly zero in 2025. Taken together, that points to large-scale registry manipulation within customs.</p> <p>Had the Russian importers simply relabeled their goods (with a customs officer’s approval or instruction), overall turnover would have stayed roughly unchanged, given that demand has not collapsed.</p> <p>It appears that when customs documents are filled out for items under these codes, that information is not saved on customs’ central servers. Meanwhile, entries for other product categories continue to appear as usual.</p> <p>This cover-up could make it impossible to credibly analyze and forecast real-economy activity. Indirectly, this “anti-sanctions” policy will hurt the Federal State Statistics Service Rosstat (which will face familiar accusations of falsification), academic institutes focused on the national economy, and government units responsible for planning and analytics.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-customs-service-starts-concealing-import-data-on-sanctioned-goods">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/zelensky-holds-phone-call-with.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 18:20:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/zelensky-holds-phone-call-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/3efbefb924.jpg" alt="Zelensky holds phone call with Trump's envoys as Russia claims talks making 'slow but steady progress'"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with U.S. President Trump’s Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Christmas Day to discuss "several substantive details" of ongoing peace talks, the president said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-holds-phone-call-with-trumps-envoys-as-russia-says-talks-slow-but-steady-progress/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/north-korean-soldiers-captured-in.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 18:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/north-korean-soldiers-captured-in.html <p>Two North Korean soldiers who fought on Russia’s side and were captured by Ukrainian troops say they want to relocate to South Korea.</p> <p>The North Koreans even wrote letters making the request, <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251224008500315?section=nk/nk">Yonhap reported</a>, citing Jang Se-yul, the head of a group of North Korean defectors in South Korea.</p> <p>According to him, two captured DPRK soldiers, about 20 years old, wrote such a letter in October, and it was delivered to the group in early December.</p> <p>“We have decided to go to South Korea, considering those in South Korea our parents and brothers,” the letter reads.</p> <p>The letter was delivered in early December by a South Korean documentary producer who visited a POW camp near Kyiv. In it, the prisoners say they consider South Koreans their brothers.</p> <p>The prisoners also reportedly expressed gratitude to those who told them that the situation they face is “not a tragedy, but the beginning of a new life.”</p> <p>South Korean officials said they have already notified the Ukrainian government of their readiness to accept the North Korean POWs if their intentions are verified.</p> <p>since October 2024 North Korea has sent about 13,000 troops and weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, with roughly 2,000 of them reported killed.</p> <p>Earlier, Kim Jong Un urged North Korean soldiers to blow themselves up if captured in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/north-korean-soldiers-captured-in-ukraine-ask-to-be-sent-to-south-korea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/ukraine-says-it-hit-russias.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 17:30:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/ukraine-says-it-hit-russias.html <p>Ukraine launched Anglo-French Storm Shadow cruise missiles at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, the General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/32999">said</a> Thursday.</p> <p>Explosions rocked the facility and a fire broke out, according to Kyiv, which called it “a successful strike with air-launched Storm Shadow cruise missiles on the Novoshakhtinsk refinery.” “Multiple explosions were recorded, the target was hit,” the General Staff added. Officials in Kyiv said the refinery supplies diesel and aviation fuel for Russia’s military.</p> <p>Rostov region Governor Yuri Slyusar confirmed strikes on Novoshakhtinsk, saying “explosions occurred.” One firefighter was injured while battling the blaze, according to the governor.</p> <p>The full extent of the damage remains unclear. A Ukrainian Telegram channel, Exilenova+, published footage showing columns of black smoke rising over the plant.</p> <p>Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has attacked the Novoshakhtinsk refinery at least six times. The first was in March 2024. This is the first reported strike on the facility using Storm Shadow missiles.</p> <p>The refinery lies roughly 175 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Storm Shadow missiles have a range of more than 250 kilometers.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-hit-russia-s-novoshakhtinsk-oil-refinery-with-storm-shadow-missiles">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/ukraines-military-intelligence-chief-budanov.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 17:21:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/ukraines-military-intelligence-chief-budanov.html <p>Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, visited forward positions on the Zaporizhzhia axis as part of a working trip to the region, meeting fighters from the so-called “Timur” special unit, the agency said Monday.</p> <p>While in the combat zone, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) spoke with officers and soldiers directly involved in locating and destroying Russian forces and their equipment, the agency <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7577">said in a post</a> on its official Telegram channel.</p> <p>The directorate said Budanov personally inspected conditions for intelligence personnel on the ground.</p> <p>It also released video of his arrival at front-line positions, adding that Budanov presented state awards to troops for professionalism, courage and effectiveness in combat tasks. The visit came as a complete surprise to personnel, the agency said, calling it a memorable moment that boosted morale “for new achievements in the armed struggle for Ukraine’s freedom.”</p> <p>Ukrainian forces say the situation on the Zaporizhzhia front remains difficult.</p> <p>“Right now all our actions are focused on stabilizing the front line and blocking the enemy,” Major Oleh Shiriaiev of the 225th Regiment told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/ukrainian-soldiers-battle-stabilize-southern-front-amid-latest/story?id=128618085">ABC News</a>.</p> <p>Former Chief of the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2014–2019) Viktor Muzhenko <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uB36OL-F9U">warned</a> of serious risks to the Zaporizhzhia sector if Huliaipole is lost. He said the fall of the city would create a flanking threat to Ukrainian forces near Orikhiv and could open the way for further Russian advances.</p> <p>Muzhenko also flagged a direct threat to Zaporizhzhia itself, noting the distance from Prymorske -still under Ukrainian control but under pressure from Russia - to Balabyne, a suburb of Zaporizhzhia, is about 11 kilometers. “This situation forms a direct threat to the regional center,” he said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-military-intelligence-chief-budanov-makes-surprise-visit-to-zaporizhzhia-front-line-positions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/russia-talks-about-peace-but.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 17:01:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/russia-talks-about-peace-but.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6701628278.jpg" alt="Russia talks about “peace” but prepares a new war: why not to trust Putin?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6taYC8Kzos">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/ukrainian-forces-clear-kupyansk-as.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 17:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/ukrainian-forces-clear-kupyansk-as.html <p>Ukrainian Forces are continuing to sweep the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region of Russian units that have been cut off from ground supply lines and are unable to hold their positions. Some occupiers are surrendering, including reported cases of foreign mercenaries laying down arms.</p> <p>Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for the Joint Forces grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY8sDvZdWEA">said</a> on the national news broadcast that roughly 50 Russian servicemembers are currently in the city. He said the Russian attempt to entrench in Kupyansk’s northern districts has failed and their defenses are effectively shattered.</p> <p>“They are surrendering; there have even been cases of foreigners surrendering — meaning foreign mercenaries fighting for Russia. The defense of the city by those Russian units that entered and tried to hold the northern areas has failed; it will not be possible to relieve them,” Tregubov said.</p> <p>He emphasized that Russian units can be resupplied only by air, which prevents them from holding positions for long.</p> <p>Tregubov also pointed to posts by some Russian military bloggers who have begun acknowledging the complete loss of Kupyansk by Russian forces, as well as villages to the north of the city.</p> <p>Russian bloggers describe only isolated pockets of resistance by their troops in the city and concede their critical situation. They largely blame the decision to seize settlements “on credit,” which led to heavy losses and depleted potential reserves.</p> <p>Bohdan Tyshchenko, chief of unmanned systems for the 125th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5GECbdKjtQ">commented</a> on the situation. He said Kupyansk remains under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, and Russian claims of a full takeover are not true.</p> <p>At the same time, the Russians are using infiltration tactics - small groups attempting to enter the city from the north under cover of fog.</p> <p>“The enemy is trying to create a picture that it uses along the front line: under fog, it brings in one or two of its soldiers with a flag, tries to hang it and film it as if the city or settlement is under their control. They tried several times to do this in Kupyansk, to reach the city stele, but they failed; the enemy was detected in advance and eliminated,” Tyshchenko said.</p> <p>According to him, some small Russian units are present in the city, but they are unable to build up their numbers. Those who have managed to slip into Kupyansk are unable to retreat and are effectively trapped.</p> <p>Earlier, Viktor Tregubov said Russian troops in Kupyansk, Kharkiv region, were encircled and gradually laying down their arms.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-clear-kupyansk-as-cut-off-russian-troops-surrender">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/ukrainian-longrange-drones-spark-major.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 16:48:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/ukrainian-longrange-drones-spark-major.html <p>Ukraine’s forces carried out a series of overnight strikes on December 25 targeting military and logistical infrastructure in the Russian Federation and in temporarily occupied territories. The targets included the Temryuk seaport in Russia’s Krasnodar region, a military airfield near Maykop, and a repair unit of Russian forces in Donetsk region.</p> <p>As a result of the attack on the port of Temryuk, explosions were recorded and two fuel tanks caught fire, with a large blaze covering about 2,000 sq. km of the port complex, according to <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/32998">Ukraine’s General Staff</a>.</p> <p>The port of Temryuk is located on Temryuk Bay in the Sea of Azov on the Taman Peninsula and is used to handle various cargoes, including liquefied hydrocarbon gas and other petroleum products. According to the General Staff, the port is involved in logistical support for the Russian military.</p> <p>“Ukrainian forces also struck a military airfield near the city of Maykop (Republic of Adygea, Russia). Preliminary data indicate the target was hit and a fire broke out at the site. The results of the strike are being clarified,” the statement said.</p> <p>In addition, Ukrainian strike drone units hit a repair facility of Russia’s 143rd motorized rifle regiment near the settlement of Truzhenka in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region. The extent of the damage is also being clarified.</p> <p>The General Staff added that, based on updated assessments of previous Ukrainian drone strikes on the Belbek airfield in temporarily occupied Crimea, the destruction of a 96K6 radar and an R-419 communications station has been confirmed, along with damage to a 55Zh6T radar.</p> <p>“The Defense Forces continue to take measures to undermine the military-economic potential of the Russian aggressors, disrupt fuel and ammunition supplies to the invading army, and force the Russian Federation to cease its armed aggression against Ukraine,” the General Staff emphasized.</p> <p>The next target was the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant - the country’s largest gas-chemical complex, which processes 37.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The strike ignited a pipeline at the 3U-70 unit, used to remove hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from raw gas. As a result, the plant was forced to halt its technological processes.</p> <p>FIRMS, a service that tracks fires in real time worldwide, confirmed the presence of fires on the plant’s territory.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry also said there was a large overnight drone attack, claiming air defenses shot down more than a hundred drones across several regions, including Moscow.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-long-range-drones-spark-major-fires-at-strategic-sites-in-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/russia-attacks-kherson-market-chernihiv.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 16:42:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/russia-attacks-kherson-market-chernihiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-25-16-24-21.jpg" alt="Russia attacks Kherson market, Chernihiv apartment building on Christmas Day, killing at least 2"></p>Ukraine is marking its fourth Christmas under a full-scale Russian invasion.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-kherson-market-chernihiv-residential-building-causing-numerous-civilian-casualties-on-christmas-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/putin-cancels-annual-address.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 16:36:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/putin-cancels-annual-address.html <p>For the second time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has canceled his address to Russians - a move analysts say underscores weakness and confusion in the Kremlin.</p> <p>In 2025, Putin will not deliver his annual address to the “so-called” Federal Assembly, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the newspaper <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2025/12/25/1166218-poslaniya-prezidenta-v-2025-godu-ne-budet">Vedomosti</a>. He said the decision was made personally by Putin.</p> <p>Officially, the Kremlin insists that “everything will take place in due time.” In practice, Russia is going without the head of state’s key policy speech for the second time since the war began.</p> <p>Experts say Russia’s leadership appears adrift. After four years of war, they argue, Putin has neither a plan nor words he can present publicly. Sanctions are squeezing the Russian economy, battlefield gains are modest, and efforts to force Ukraine’s capitulation have failed.</p> <p>Under Article 84 of the Russian Constitution, the president is required to deliver an annual address to the Federal Assembly outlining the main directions of domestic and foreign policy. In practice, that provision has long become a hollow formality.</p> <p>Putin first skipped the address in 2017. In 2022, the year he ordered the invasion of Ukraine, the speech also did not take place. He said at the time that events were “too dynamic” and that it was “somewhat difficult” to set out plans.</p> <p>The address has traditionally been a carefully choreographed event in which Putin spoke only about what he felt confident in. If the show is canceled, analysts say, that confidence is gone.</p> <p>With the economy under sanctions, a war that has dragged on, no promised “quick victories,” dwindling mobilization reserves, and a foreign policy reduced to threats and ultimatums, any public address risks becoming either a string of empty slogans or an admission of failure. Putin appears ready for neither.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-cancels-2025-annual-address">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/ukraine-strikes-oil-refinery-in.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 15:45:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/ukraine-strikes-oil-refinery-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2163689551.jpg" alt="Ukraine strikes oil refinery in Russia's Rostov Oblast with Storm Shadow missiles, General Staff says"></p>The missiles struck the refinery, triggering multiple explosions, the General Staff said, adding that the extent of the damage was still being clarified.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-forces-strike-oil-refinery-in-russias-rostov-oblast-with-storm-shadow-missiles-general-staff-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/russia-launched-drones-ukraine-fights.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 15:00:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/russia-launched-drones-ukraine-fights.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/bb03d0f954.jpg" alt="Russia launched 131 drones — Ukraine fights back, but there are victims and destruction!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHA2YFE0SnQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/drones-over-ukraine-blackouts-zelenskyys.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:40:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/drones-over-ukraine-blackouts-zelenskyys.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/31ffd642db.jpg" alt="🔴131 drones over Ukraine – blackouts, Zelenskyy's peace plan, and Russia's nuclear blackmail"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmEwrglew90">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/with-germanys-help-ukrainian-communities.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:28:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/with-germanys-help-ukrainian-communities.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/shared-image.jpg" alt="With Germany’s help, Ukrainian communities keep kindergartens and hospitals running through blackouts"></p><p>In the winter of 2023, just after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Natalia Kovalenko, the director of one of the largest kindergartens in Kyiv Oblast, was grappling with challenges that went far beyond lesson plans and playtime. As Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure intensified,</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/with-germanys-help-ukrainian-communities-keep-kindergartens-and-hospitals-running-through-blackouts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/russian-forces-use-fiber-optic.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:57:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/russian-forces-use-fiber-optic.html <p><img width="2499" height="1661" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dsc09900-1-2.jpg.webp" alt="The photo of Viacheslav Ilchenko during the evacuation mission" decoding="async" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KOSTIANTYNIVKA</strong>, Dec. 25 — On Dec. 24, Russian forces attacked a car of an evacuation volunteer team with an FPV drone, killing Viacheslav Ilchenko, a Kharkiv volunteer and founder of "Nezlamna” (“Unbreakable”) charity, said the “Rose on the Hand” evacuation team to Gwara Media.</p> <p>At 7:40 a.m., a Russian FPV drone with fiber optics hit the car of volunteers. The attack also injured two members of the evacuation team, <a href="https://suspilne.media/kharkiv/1198122-na-doneccini-zaginuv-volonter-z-harkova-vaceslav-ilcenko/" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> Yevhen Koliada, the head of the Relief Coordinating Centre to Suspilne Ukraine.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“The charity sector is currently cooperating with all services involved. Viacheslav’s body has already been taken away, and we are moving forward in keeping with all procedural norms,” Kolyada said.</p> </blockquote> <p>Kolyada said that Ilchenko was insured by their organization, and they had already provided the information to the insurance company, and his family would be paid the full amount.</p> <p>Also, Daryna Marynenko, the founder of the volunteer organization “Plus Plus,” said that Viacheslav is survived by his wife and two daughters. Volunteers <a href="https://send.monobank.ua/jar/6hxSqdy9dq" data-wpel-link="external">are raising </a>funds to help the family.</p> <p>Since 2022, Viacheslav Ilchenko has been involved in evacuating people from the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. </p> <p>In October 2024, Gwara Media <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/crossing-to-safety-evacuation-from-left-bank-of-oskil-river-amidst-russias-push-to-take-kupiansk-again/" data-wpel-link="internal">joined</a> volunteers from the “Nezlamna” charity on an evacuation mission to the left bank of the Oskil River and spoke with people deciding whether to leave or stay amidst frequent Russian attacks. We followed his other evacuation missions as well. </p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Russia <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-attacks-kharkivs-critical-infrastructure-disrupting-heating-water-supply/" data-wpel-link="internal">attacks</a> Kharkiv’s critical infrastructure, disrupting heating, water supply</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hi! Winter has come, and Russian airstrikes on power infrastructure disrupt our daily lives & work a lot here in Kharkiv. Despite it all, we keep working to bring you reports from the city and the Kharkiv region. Please consider supporting our newsroom with <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>a one-time tip</strong></a> or become a <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><strong>member of our community</strong></a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-forces-use-fiber-optic-fpv-drone-to-kill-kharkiv-volunteer-during-evacuation-in-donetsk-region/" data-wpel-link="internal">Russian forces use fiber optic FPV drone to kill Kharkiv volunteer during evacuation in Donetsk region</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-forces-use-fiber-optic-fpv-drone-to-kill-kharkiv-volunteer-during-evacuation-in-donetsk-region/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/sbu-drones-hit-krasnodar-krai.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 10:49:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/sbu-drones-hit-krasnodar-krai.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8613bf239b.jpg" alt="SBU drones hit Krasnodar Krai seaport, Orenburg gas plant, source says"></p>Drones from the "Alpha" Special Operations Center of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Temryuk Seaport in Krasnodar Krai and a gas processing plant in Orenburg Oblast overnight on Dec. 25, an agency source confirmed to the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/drone-attack-sparks-fire-at-two-oil-tanks-in-russias-krasnodar-krai-port/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 09:20:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-25-10-03-23.jpg" alt="At least 2 killed, 35 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russia launched 131 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 106 drones. At least 22 drones made it through, striking 15 locations.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-2-killed-34-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:17:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/fb090330f6.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,201,230 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 860 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-201-230-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/alexander-yuskin.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/alexander-yuskin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-ppl.webp" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-ppl.webp" alt="Alexander Yuskin"><p><em>Artillery Officer - Colonel</em></p><p><strong>Unit:</strong> Unknown</p><p><strong>Cargo ID:</strong> #2003</p><p><strong>English Name:</strong> Alexander Valerievich Yuskin</p><p><strong>Russian Name:</strong> Юскин Александр Валерьевич</p><p><strong>Date of Birth:</strong> November 27, 1978 (age: 47 years)</p><p><strong>Place of Birth:</strong> Mozhginsk, Udmurtian Republic, Russia</p><p><strong>Date of Death:</strong> December 25, 2025</p><p><strong>Place of Death:</strong> Unspecified</p><p><strong>Social Media:</strong> <a href="https://vk.com/id388061239">VK.com</a></p><p><strong>Awards:</strong><br>Medal "For Military Valor" 1st Class, <br>Medal "For Military Valor" 2nd Class, <br>Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" 1st Class, <br>Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" 2nd Class, <br>Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" 3rd Class, <br>Badge "Graduation from a Higher Education Institution"</p><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-1.jpg" width="794" height="1191" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-9.jpg" width="549" height="549" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-23.jpg" width="945" height="1680" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-22.jpg" width="768" height="768" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-21.jpg" width="768" height="768" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-20.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-19.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-13.jpg" width="1944" height="1944" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div></figure><hr><h2 data-sanitized-id="wife">Wife</h2><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w1.jpg" width="1154" height="1299" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w2.jpg" width="1440" height="2086" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w3.jpg" width="1440" height="1800" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-2-1.jpg" width="1666" height="1680" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w4.jpg" width="1386" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w5.jpg" width="889" height="1187" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-8-1.jpg" width="1080" height="1080" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f2.jpg" width="1816" height="1816" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f7.jpg" width="1556" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div></figure><p><strong>English Name: </strong>Victoria Yuskina</p><p><strong>Russian Name: </strong>Виктория Юскина</p><p><strong>Date of Birth: </strong>August 28th</p><p><strong>Living In: </strong>Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia</p><p><strong>Social Media:</strong> <a href="https://vk.com/aleserge">VK.com</a> (1), <a href="https://vk.com/id409885307">VK.com</a> (2)</p><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide kg-card-hascaption"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-wsingle.webp" width="1852" height="1694" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div><figcaption><p dir="ltr"><span>It didn't take long for Victoria to change her marital status to "single". Even as the last image on her wall is the memorial candle for her late husband.</span></p></figcaption></figure><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-25.jpg" width="1512" height="1512" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-24.jpg" width="1944" height="1944" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-18.jpg" width="996" height="1080" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-17.jpg" width="1080" height="1080" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-16.jpg" width="923" height="1181" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-15.jpg" width="1512" height="1512" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-14.jpg" width="1512" height="1512" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-7.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-6.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div></figure><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f1-1.jpg" width="2000" height="2000" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-3-1.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-4-1.jpg" width="1153" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f3.jpg" width="1153" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f6.jpg" width="1153" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f5.jpg" width="1153" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-5.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-11-1.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-10-1.jpg" width="1231" height="1231" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div></figure><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-s1.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f7-1.jpg" width="1556" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-f4.jpg" width="2000" height="2000" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w7.jpg" width="1440" height="2560" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-w6.jpg" width="1448" height="1448" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div></figure><hr><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-sr.png" width="596" height="1064" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2003-se.png" width="606" height="1080" alt="Alexander Yuskin"></div></div></div></figure><p><a href="https://topcargo200.com/2003/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/russians-illegally-obtain-romanian-passports.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 01:58:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/russians-illegally-obtain-romanian-passports.html <p>Since 1991, Romanian law permits foreigners to obtain Romanian citizenship without mandatory residence through a process called &lsquo;restoration&rsquo; if they prove a grandparent or great-grandparent was born or lived in the territory of the former Kingdom of Romania (1918-1940). This includes present-day Moldova and parts of Ukraine such as Chernivtsi and Odesa regions. Russians are reportedly exploiting this legal mechanism by illegally obtaining Romanian passports, allegedly using fabricated documents linked to relatives due to many archives being destroyed during World War II. The exploitation involves using data of fallen Ukrainian soldiers, as reported by Le Monde, to illegally acquire Romanian citizenship.</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: Romania</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/12/26/russians-are-evading-sanctions-with-fake-romanian-documents_6748839_4.html">www.lemonde.fr/en/intern&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/7139f132-270a-4582-86bd-3109bb387394">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/25/polish-jets-intercept-russian-spy.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/25/polish-jets-intercept-russian-spy.html <p>Polish air defense forces on Christmas morning scrambled jets after detecting a Russian spy plane near their national airspace. According to the Polish Armed Forces command, the aircraft was visually identified as a Russian military plane operating outside international airspace but close to Poland. Overnight radar detected several objects entering Polish airspace from Belarus, later assessed as weather balloons. Polish air defense command and units stayed on duty throughout the holiday season to monitor and respond as required. The incident underscores increased vigilance amid ongoing tensions in the region.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure</p> <p>Incident Type: Airspace violations</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/polish-jets-intercept-russian-spy-plane/a-75307011">www.dw.com/en/polish&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/623ad64a-8f79-47f8-911d-58daaccfea64">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/french-troops-secretly-arrive-in.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 23:45:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/french-troops-secretly-arrive-in.html <p>French military personnel are already in eastern Ukraine with a specific mission.</p> <p>French service members have been discreetly traveling to Ukrainian-controlled areas of Donbas to train near the front on operating combat drones, <a href="https://www.parismatch.com/actu/international/les-services-francais-viennent-ici-se-former-lukraine-a-la-pointe-de-la-guerre-du-futur-261932">reports Paris Match</a>, revealing previously unknown details of military cooperation between Kyiv and Paris.</p> <p>According to the outlet, Ukraine is employing some of the most advanced drones today — complex UAVs with artificial intelligence elements capable of reconnaissance and striking targets, including in the rear of Russian forces. The French journalists say such technologies are gradually changing the nature of the fighting.</p> <p>The report describes secret Gara-Esse drones that have not appeared in open sources before. The aircraft resemble large multirotor drones and are used for deep strikes on Russian military logistics or for reconnaissance.</p> <p>Exact specifications - range, speed and service ceiling - are classified. AI assists with control, but a human operator makes the final decisions.</p> <p>Near Kramatorsk, journalists spoke with Ukrainian drone operators. One of them, Nikolai, 44, said his experience with video games helps him learn to operate UAVs faster. The authors note the war is increasingly taking on features of “gamification,” where complex combat tasks resemble virtual quests.</p> <p>Another interviewee, Maksim, 23, said he previously trained in France and now works as an instructor. According to him, French service members come directly to Donbas to absorb Ukraine’s frontline drone combat experience at some of the hottest points.</p> <p>Paris Match underscores that Ukraine has become a proving ground for modern military technologies, and its army a source of practical knowledge for Western allies. Paris, it says, is eagerly seizing the chance to learn from that experience.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/french-troops-secretly-arrive-in-donbas-to-train-on-advanced-drones">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/a-breakthrough-is-underway-russian.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 23:44:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/a-breakthrough-is-underway-russian.html <p>Ukrainian Forces continue a successful operation to de-occupy Kupyansk from Russian troops. Russia’s military does not control the city, and those who remain there are taking significant losses.</p> <p>That information sharply contrasts with reports from Russia’s General Staff. Back on November 20, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin that Kupyansk had been captured.</p> <p>At the same time, Russian servicemen complain that this is not true, and the real situation in the city has become “worse than critical” for Russian forces. The Telegram channel “To Be Or” compiled <a href="https://t.me/ToBeOr_Official/19560">a series of statements</a> by Russian war correspondents.</p> <p>One of the largest Russian Telegram channels, allegedly linked to the Defense Ministry, “Rybar,” complains about “systematic” exaggeration of successes and the relay of bad information up the chain. It says false reports led to reserves that should have been used to occupy and sweep Kupyansk being redeployed to other sectors.</p> <p>It describes a situation “worse than critical” for Russians still in the city.</p> <p>“A significant part of the bridgehead on the western bank of the Oskil River — in particular the villages of Kondrashovka, Radkovka and Moskovka, as well as the area near the dairy-canning plant - has been lost.”</p> <p>It also says that in December one Russian unit lost nearly 150 soldiers on the approaches to a village Russia had claimed to seize back in November.</p> <p>Rybar argues that Ukraine’s counteroffensive struck “virtually into a vacuum,” making it impossible to hold.</p> <p>“There were no heavy losses in Kupyansk because there was hardly anyone there to lose,” Rybar emphasized.</p> <p>On its own map, Ryba” shows Kupyansk as under the control of Ukraine’s Forces.</p> <p>Another channel linked to the Russian Defense Ministry, “Military Informant,” recalls Russian propagandists’ claims about Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Kupyansk. Russia tried to pass the Ukrainian president’s trip off as a fake. The channel notes that “anti-crisis” media measures did not help hold the city in reality.</p> <p>“But everyone got their medals. It seems we should expect a third liberation of Kupyansk,” the author writes.</p> <p>The Telegram channel “Two Majors” says the situation in Kupyansk may be even worse than previously thought. According to the author, Ukrainian forces achieved gains in Moskivka, Sobolivka and Radkivka thanks to bringing in reserves and increasing drone activity in the sky.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces are now fighting to cut part of the Russians off from their main forces.</p> <p>The channel also reports that payments to some Russian units for offensive and defensive operations have been suspended.</p> <p>War correspondent Anatoly Radov summed up Russian fortunes on this axis more bluntly, saying “Kupyansk is f***ed,” while adding that attempts to restore positions are allegedly continuing.</p> <p>Earlier, Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for the Ukrainian Joint Forces grouping, said the Russians had found themselves in a tight encirclement and were losing their foothold in the city.</p> <p>“There was an attempt to push toward Kupyansk-Uzlovy, which Putin tried to tout. But to say there is success there - no. Though pressure has been very active this week,” Tregubov said.</p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said about 100 Russian soldiers remain in Kupyansk, “but that’s temporary.”</p> <p>He also said the Russian general who claimed that Kupyansk had been capured disappeared after Ukraine’s successful counterattack in the area. “We saw video where a general reported their capture. Then I went to Kupyansk, and indeed, the situation was difficult and the front line was very close. But our Armed Forces control Kupyansk. Then that general disappeared, no one knows where,” Zelensky <a href="https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/wywiad-z-prezydentem-ukrainy-zelenski-nie-mozemy-sobie-okazywac-zadnej-wrogosci">said</a>.</p> <p>On December 17, Ukrainian Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine’s Defense Forces had brought nearly 90% of Kupyansk under control.</p> <p>And on December 19, Vladimir Putin responded to reports of the de-occupation of Kupyansk by calling Zelensky a “talented actor” and again claiming the city had been captured.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/a-breakthrough-is-underway-russian-war-bloggers-lament-loss-of-kupyansk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/how-russia-could-use-any.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 22:30:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/how-russia-could-use-any.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/951a3f69f0.jpg" alt="How Russia could use any &quot;free zone&quot; against Ukraine #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/G42rfLs7LIU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/russian-officials-claim-drones-headed.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:53:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/russian-officials-claim-drones-headed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250006112.jpg" alt="Russian officials claim 16 drones headed for Moscow were downed on Christmas Eve"></p>Russia's Defense Ministry reported that between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Moscow time on Dec. 24, its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-officials-claim-16-drones-headed-for-moscow-were-downed-on-christmas-eve/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/newsflash-unknown-object-in-ukrainian.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:08:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/newsflash-unknown-object-in-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5a82e9e2-a.png" alt="NEWSFLASH: Unknown object in Ukrainian airspace"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!QxRQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1740f64f-8772-49c9-9c8a-5482eecc8f96_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f1740f64f-8.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1740f64f-8772-49c9-9c8a-5482eecc8f96_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p>Wishing you a peaceful Christmas from all of us at <em>The Counteroffensive</em>. </p><p>Tim and Tania spent Christmas Eve with the Khartiia Brigrade in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine. More on that soon.</p><p>This year, Christmas in Ukraine looks different, quieter in some ways, heavier in others. For our team, it’s a day marked between air raid alerts, frontline updates, and calls home, holding on to small traditions where we can: shared meals, candles, familiar songs, even when the lights go out.</p><p>If you’re able, consider supporting our work this holiday season. Upgrading to a paid subscription helps keep our reporting going through the winter, funding electricity, safety, and the ability to stay on the ground telling Ukraine’s story as it unfolds.</p><p>Your support is the best gift you can give us this Christmas.</p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Hit our Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Hit our Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Our team was traveling to our hometowns today when suddenly, at around 8 p.m., our publication detected an unidentified object in Ukraine’s airspace. </p><p>It was flying at high speed, maneuvering around residential buildings.</p><p>Our reporters assess there was a person inside.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5a82e9e2-a.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/de6e70d145.png" width="444" height="508.03846153846155" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5a82e9e2-a804-4e47-988d-0ee85dfe4407_832x952.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":952,"width":832,"resizeWidth":444,"bytes":1371699,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[www.counteroffensive.news/i/1823102...](https://www.counteroffensive.news/i/182310254?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5a82e9e2-a804-4e47-988d-0ee85dfe4407_832x952.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) screenshot of this unidentified object.</figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Identifying features:</strong> a large belly, a red suit, a white beard, and repeated vocalizations of “Ho, ho, ho.” </p><p>The object was accompanied by around a dozen four-legged associates.</p><p>The object is expected to leave Ukraine’s airspace shortly and continue toward Europe before reaching North America. We will keep a close eye on how events unfold on the ground in Kyiv.</p><p><em>The Counteroffensive </em>reached out to Ukraine’s air defense for comment; however, it received no response at the time of publication. No response was received from NORAD either.</p><p>However, our sources <strong>can</strong> <strong>confirm</strong> that air defense was temporarily paused over the country until the object leaves the airspace.</p><p>If you obtain any information that can help us identify the person in a sleigh, please contact our editor-in-chief, Tim Mak, via his work email: <a href="mailto:tim@counteroffensive.news">tim@counteroffensive.news</a>.</p><p>Stay safe out there and Merry Christmas! </p><p>Thank you for being with us during this difficult year.</p><h3>SECRET SANTA:</h3><p>The Christmas spirit is knocking on the door. </p><p>On this festive Christmas Eve, we invite you behind the scenes of The Counteroffensive for a glimpse of how we celebrated Secret Santa in our newsroom.</p><p>Our team took a brief break from the headlines to exchange warm wishes and thoughtful gifts. Even with a war outside, we found a little magic inside. ❤️🎁</p><p>Check out this video: <br></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"26349ab0-a1dc-4348-b8bb-023d512fa624","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>Best,<br>The Counteroffensive team</p><h4>NEWS OF THE DAY: </h4><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!6B8y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8004cfeb-0c72-487c-a035-f029f751f268_1600x1066.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8004cfeb-0.jpg" width="504" height="335.7692307692308" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8004cfeb-0c72-487c-a035-f029f751f268_1600x1066.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":970,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":504,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on December 22, 2025. (Photo by Danylo Antoniuk/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>NEWSFLASH: Zelenskyy preps referendum on peace deal: </strong>Ukraine may decide to hold presidential elections and include during that process a referendum on a proposed peace deal, Zelenskyy said during a conversation with journalists.</p><p>A referendum can be held simultaneously with the elections if a 60-day ceasefire is implemented, Zelenskyy said, according to <a href="https://hromadske.ua/en/ukraine/256910-zelensky-says-ukraine-can-hold-a-referendum-on-the-peace-plan-under-what-conditions">Hromadske</a>. </p><p>Here’s the current proposal by the US and Ukraine, consisting of a 20 point peace plan<a href="https://suspilne.media/1196954-zelenskij-vperse-rozpoviv-pro-20-punktiv-bazovogo-dokumenta-pro-zakincenna-vijni/">,</a> according to Suspilne: the deal <a href="https://suspilne.media/1196954-zelenskij-vperse-rozpoviv-pro-20-punktiv-bazovogo-dokumenta-pro-zakincenna-vijni/">stipulates</a> that the size of the Ukrainian army will remain at 800,000; the US, NATO, and Europe will provide Ukraine with security guarantees that are similar in nature to Article 5; and Russia will withdraw its troops from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.</p><p>The most contested issue in the proposed peace plan is territorial control, with two options available: </p><p>A) The current line of contact would remain. </p><p>B) A free economic zone would be established in part of eastern Ukraine as a de facto demilitarized area. International forces would be stationed in this zone to ensure its security.</p><p>Russia has not commented on this version of the plan yet, but has already <a href="https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russia-rejects-and-wants-to-rewrite-20-point-1766592818.html">rejected</a> the 20 point plan as merely a “starting point” that needs changes. </p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p>Wishing you a peaceful Christmas from all of us at <em>The Counteroffensive</em>. Tim and Nastia spent Christmas Eve with the Khartiia Brigrade in the Kharkiv region. More on that soon.</p><p>This year, Christmas in Ukraine looks different, quieter in some ways, heavier in others. For our team, it’s a day marked between air raid alerts, frontline updates, and calls home, holding on to small traditions where we can: shared meals, candles, familiar songs, even when the lights go out.</p><p>If you’re able, consider supporting our work this holiday season. Upgrading to a paid subscription helps keep our reporting going through the winter, funding electricity, safety, and the ability to stay on the ground telling Ukraine’s story as it unfolds.</p><p>Your support is the best gift you can give us this Christmas.</p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":"button-wrapper"}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary button-wrapper"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Hit our Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":"button-wrapper"}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary button-wrapper"><span>Hit our Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-unknown-object-in-ukrainian">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/belarus-imprisons-citizen-who-fought.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 20:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/belarus-imprisons-citizen-who-fought.html <p>Belarusian authorities have sent to prison a Belarusian national who fought for Russia against Ukraine, in a move analysts describe as a pointed signal despite Minsk’s alliance with the Kremlin.</p> <p>According to Dissidentby, a Belarusian court sentenced Maksim Zezyulchik to at least 10 years in a penal colony after finding him guilty of mercenarism and state treason. The trial was held behind closed doors, with case materials classified, and Zezyulchik is set to serve his term at Correctional Colony IK-17 in Shklov. <a href="https://t.me/dissidentBY/2858">Dissidentby reported</a> that the ruling went ahead despite Moscow’s appeals to intervene.</p> <p>The decision appears demonstrative, experts say: a man who fought on Russia’s side received a harsh sentence at home in a country the Kremlin calls its closest ally.</p> <p>Following the verdict, the Russian movement “Veterans of Russia” called on President Alexander Lukashenko to pardon Zezyulchik, describing him as a “volunteer” who allegedly served as an instructor and received a medal. The Russian Embassy in Minsk also said it would seek to have the mercenarism charge dropped.</p> <p>Belarusian authorities did not act on those appeals. The sentence sends a clear message that taking part in Russia’s war does not guarantee protection even in allied Belarus.</p> <p>After Russia’s full-scale invasion, Zezyulchik served under contract in the Belarusian army. Investigators say his commander told him about the Redut private military company, which is linked to Russia’s military intelligence. In 2022, Zezyulchik went to Russia, was recruited, and deployed to the front.</p> <p>He was wounded and captured in Donetsk region that autumn. A Ukrainian court sentenced him to 10 years in prison for fighting as a mercenary. In 2024, he was transferred to Russia in a prisoner exchange, returned to Belarus, and was immediately placed under investigation.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has suggested Zezyulchik may have had ties to Belarus’s KGB, with his involvement in Redut serving as cover to collect intelligence on Ukrainian forces and the plans of Russian entities.</p> <p>Redut, investigative outlets “Sistema” and “Schemes” previously reported, is directly overseen by Russia’s Defense Ministry and connected to Russian military intelligence - underscoring the paradox of an ally of the Kremlin jailing someone who fought in the interests of Russia’s army.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/belarus-imprisons-citizen-who-fought-for-russia-in-ukraine-defying-moscow">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/russian-troops-step-up-pressure.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 19:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/russian-troops-step-up-pressure.html <p>Russian army is stepping up pressure on Mirnohrad in the Donetsk region, a key objective for its advance in this sector, the press service of the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/936">said</a>.</p> <p>“To achieve its goal, the enemy has concentrated around ten units near Mirnohrad. To hold them back, the city’s defenses have been reinforced with additional forces and assets,” the statement said.</p> <p>Logistics “corridors” to the western part of Mirnohrad have been strengthened with new units, allowing supply efforts along this axis to continue.</p> <p>Since early December, marines and paratroopers have “eliminated and put out of action” 207 Russian troops in the Mirnohrad area, the military added. Defense Forces also destroyed and damaged 1 tank, 3 armored fighting vehicles, 1 gun, 1 Grad multiple rocket launcher, 6 vehicles and 34 UAVs of various types.</p> <p>Earlier, we reported that in Mirnohrad, Ukraine’s Defense Forces were targeting Russian troops on the approaches to the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-troops-step-up-pressure-on-mirnohrad-as-ukraine-reinforces-defenses-and-supply-corridors">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/poland-builds-quottusk-linequot-putin.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 19:01:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/poland-builds-quottusk-linequot-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/14337b2dac.jpg" alt="POLAND BUILDS &quot;TUSK LINE&quot;! Putin sells GOLD to China for $1 BILLION to survive!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqpMCPDcPMs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/ukrainian-forces-strike-russian-drone.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 19:00:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/ukrainian-forces-strike-russian-drone.html <p>Ukrainian Forces struck positions used by Russian drone operators in Siversk and Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, the Eastern Group of Forces <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EastAFU/posts/pfbid037ksonWKuKP4gV9tch457VT1QsKkmb9LphT8kZ4VaWzfVG98TtLWGoPgnnqKXF9HTl">said</a> on December 24.</p> <p>According to the statement, 1,217 drones of various types and 105 other pieces of weaponry and equipment - including one tank - were destroyed. Ukrainian forces also hit 28 Russian unmanned aviation crews over the past day. Rocket Forces and Artillery units carried out 836 fire missions.</p> <p>The Air Force targeted a building in the Siversk area used by Russian drone operators and struck two buildings in Pokrovsk housing Russian UAV pilots. Army aviation hit a concentration of Russian personnel near Kotlyarivka and Hryhorivka, the Eastern Group added.</p> <p>In the Eastern Group’s area of responsibility, Ukrainian forces are holding back Russian advances and repelled 52 assaults in the past 24 hours. Ukrainian units continue active operations around the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad agglomeration.</p> <p>On the Pokrovsk axis, the Ukrainian Forces stopped 34 Russian assault attempts near Nikonorivka, Rodynske, Krasnyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Novoserhiivka, Orekhove and Dachne.</p> <p>In that sector, Ukrainian troops eliminated 62 Russian soldiers and wounded 24, destroyed 18 drones, three vehicles and two artillery systems, and struck a tank, four additional vehicles, one artillery system and 11 personnel shelters.</p> <p>The defense of Pokrovsk is ongoing, with Ukrainian forces controlling the northern part of the city. Search-and-assault operations and clearance of Russian units in urban areas continue. In Myrnohrad, Ukrainian units are holding defensive lines and targeting Russian forces on the approaches to the city. Additional logistics routes to Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are being organized to ensure uninterrupted supply and timely evacuation.</p> <p>Overall, in the Eastern Group’s area, Russian forces suffered the heaviest daily losses—408 personnel in the past 24 hours.</p> <p>More broadly, Ukraine reported 126 combat engagements along the front in the past day, with the highest number – 34 - on the Pokrovsk axis.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces say they neutralized 1,090 Russian troops over the past day, and claim total Russian personnel losses in the war have surpassed 1.2 million.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-strike-russian-drone-operator-positions-in-donetsk-region-repel-assaults-near-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/russian-propaganda-europe-ampquota-dumping.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:33:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/russian-propaganda-europe-ampquota-dumping.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d5df1674f2.jpg" alt="Russian propaganda 2025: Europe – &quot;a dumping ground for warring countries&quot; #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bFEsZFhr5ZQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/ukraine-says-it-struck-russias.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:09:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/ukraine-says-it-struck-russias.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says it hit a Russian Il-38N maritime patrol aircraft at the Yeysk airfield. It was the only aircraft of its type Russia had in the Black Sea, the SBU <a href="https://ssu.gov.ua/novyny/novi-detali-unikalnoi-spetsoperatsii-sbu-pered-pidryvom-pidvodnoho-chovna-v-novorosiisku-sluzhba-urazyla-morskyi-litakrozvidnyk-il38n-video">said</a>.</p> <p>The SBU released footage from the drone that struck the Il-38N. The date of the operation was not specified. It is not possible to accurately assess the extent of the damage from the video.</p> <p>The SBU says the aircraft has been rendered inoperable. Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented.</p> <p>The Il-38N is a Soviet-era Il-38 fitted with the “Novella” anti-submarine suite.</p> <p>Several such aircraft were delivered to the Russian Navy, but the exact number is unknown.</p> <p>An estimate of eight was cited in 2016.</p> <p>The Russian Defense Ministry has publicly stated only that several Il-38Ns are in service with the Pacific Fleet.</p> <p>The SBU says the aircraft it hit was the only one of its kind in the Black Sea.</p> <p>Its destruction, the agency claims, allowed Ukrainian naval drones to operate freely and strike a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk on December 15.</p> <p>The SBU continues to assert it successfully struck the submarine. Russia’s Defense Ministry has previously denied this and released video showing the submarine moored at a pier without visible damage.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-struck-russia-s-only-il-38n-in-the-black-sea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/is-russia-preparing-europe-for.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:01:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/is-russia-preparing-europe-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e6ecfc07a7.jpg" alt="Is Russia preparing Europe for war? Kremlin propaganda has crossed the line"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHhCOQd_t9A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/may-he-perish-zelensky-voices.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:51:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/may-he-perish-zelensky-voices.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d3c107b3eade57643123ae336640f8b4-1766583415-extra-large.jpg" alt="'May he perish,' — Zelensky voices Ukrainians' wish in his Christmas Eve address"></p>"'May he perish,' each of us may think to ourselves," Zelensky said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater. We ask for peace for Ukraine."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/may-he-perish-zelensky-voices-ukrainians-wish-in-his-christmas-eve-address/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/another-blast-in-moscow-kills.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:50:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/another-blast-in-moscow-kills.html <p>Several blasts were reported at the site where a car belonging to Russian Gen. Fanil Sarvarov was previously blown up in a parking lot. Residents of Moscow’s Orekhovo-Borisovo district said they heard at least two loud “pops” on Yeletskaya Street, according to Russian media. Here’s what is known so far.</p> <p>Two traffic police officers were killed and two others were wounded. Later, Russian media <a href="https://t.me/mash/70534">said</a> a third body had been found and was initially believed to be a passerby. It is now reported to have been the bomber, who detonated an improvised explosive device near police.</p> <p>“Around 1:30 a.m., two traffic police officers noticed a suspicious man near a service vehicle. The officers approached to check — at that moment an explosive device detonated. Both officers and the attacker were killed at the scene,” the statement said.</p> <p>Earlier, Russian media <a href="https://t.me/mash/70528">reported</a> that an unknown individual threw a package into a police car, which later detonated. A gray car was said to have been circling the area, and when it drew the attention of a patrol, an explosive charge was thrown at them.</p> <p>According to the Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/bazabazon/43093">Baza</a>, two police officers were killed and two more were hospitalized in serious condition.</p> <p>Baza also reported that no device was thrown into the police car; instead, the explosive was attached beneath the vehicle and detonated when it began moving.</p> <p>The killed policemen took part in the war against Ukraine and tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war, <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/moskvi-likviduvali-politseyskih-ki-katuvali-1766572722.html">RBC-Ukraine reported</a>, citing sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (GUR). </p> <p>The Russian police officers who were killed had previously taken part in combat against Ukraine as part of the Russian army, the GUR added.</p> <p>There is also evidence of their involvement in the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war, which Russians systematically carry out in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the rules and customs of war.</p> <p>According to Russian media, the explosion occurred around 2 a.m. near a police station, close to the site where two days earlier Russian Gen. Fanil Sarvarov was killed in a car explosion. It is possible the police vehicle was not the intended target, as witnesses reported seeing a suspicious hooded man walking around the neighborhood and peering into parked cars.</p> <p>Sarvarov’s car exploded on Yasenevaya Street in Moscow, in a residential complex where many Russian military personnel live. Initial reports mentioned only a dead servicemember; it was later confirmed to be Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, who headed the General Staff’s Directorate of Operational Training.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/another-blast-in-moscow-kills-two-police-officers-allegedly-involved-in-torturing-ukrainian-pows">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/medieval-raids-fear-uncertainty-in.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:30:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/medieval-raids-fear-uncertainty-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/upd-gettyimages-2226726661.jpg" alt="'Medieval raids' — fear, uncertainty in Ukraine's Sumy Oblast border region"></p><p>As Ukraine’s future is debated in distant conference rooms and Ukrainians prepare to mark another wartime Christmas, dozens of residents of a small border village in Sumy Oblast have vanished across the Russian border — taken by force from their homes, with no idea about what awaits them</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/what-is-happening-to-a-village-in-ukraines-sumy-oblast-after-russia-deported-its-residents/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/zelensky-accuses-china-of-providing.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:26:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/zelensky-accuses-china-of-providing.html <p>Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he received a briefing from the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Ivashchenko, including how Russia is targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure using Chinese satellite images.</p> <p>Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17428">said</a> key topics included Russia’s attempts to evade sanctions through sham schemes and “temporary owners,” as well as international links of Russia’s defense-industrial complex.</p> <p>According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence is seeing increased contacts between Russia and entities in China that could provide space-based reconnaissance data. In several cases, officials observed a clear connection between imaging of Ukrainian territory by Chinese satellites and subsequent Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.</p> <p>“In particular, we are recording increased links between Russia and entities in China that could provide space reconnaissance data. Unfortunately, there were correlations between Chinese satellite imaging of Ukrainian territory and Russian strikes on corresponding energy facilities. We consider such cases activities that enable Russia to prolong the war and make approaches to diplomacy less serious,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>Kyiv views such episodes as activity that helps Russia continue the war and undermines diplomatic efforts.</p> <p>Zelensky said that if a state or affiliated entities are indeed giving Russia intelligence that is then used to plan strikes on energy facilities, that amounts to direct participation in the war and in Russia’s war crimes, with ordinary people paying the price — electricity, heat, hospitals, water supply.</p> <p>Another topic in the briefing was the deployment in Belarus of “Oreshnik” systems and the need for Ukraine’s partners to factor this into their defensive steps.</p> <p>Zelensky said Ukraine will work with partners to ensure sanctions pressure is effective and that Russia cannot profit from the war through manipulation. Kyiv also plans to raise with allies the issue of potential assistance to Russia via Chinese satellite data.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-accuses-china-of-providing-russia-with-satellite-data-to-strike-ukraine-s-energy-infrastructure">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/why-russia-sent-ukrainian-children.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:03:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/why-russia-sent-ukrainian-children.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/kateryna-raschevska-2-5-.jpg" alt="Why Russia sent Ukrainian children to North Korea, explained"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Myroslava Chauin speaks with Kateryna Rashevska, a legal expert at the Regional Center for Human Rights and a children’s rights activist, about evidence that Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories were transferred to a children’s camp in North Korea.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/why-russia-sent-ukrainian-children-to-north-korea-explained/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/poland-builds-ampquottusk-lineampquot-putin.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:00:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/poland-builds-ampquottusk-lineampquot-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/840d2251c8.jpg" alt="POLAND BUILDS &quot;TUSK LINE&quot;! Putin sells GOLD to China for $1 BILLION to survive!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S84FfI0zApw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/odesa-father-who-lost-family.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 15:14:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/odesa-father-who-lost-family.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2056106288.jpg" alt="Odesa father who lost family in drone strike survives second attack: ‘This time feels different’"></p><p>When a Shahed drone struck Serhii Haidarzhy’s home in Odesa on Dec. 13, it was the second time in less than two years that a Russian weapon had shattered his life.</p><p>The first attack, on March 2, 2024, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/5-ukrainian-children-killed-single-russian-attack/">killed 12 people</a>, including his wife, Anna Haidarzhy, and his</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/odesa-father-who-lost-family-in-drone-strike-survives-second-attack-this-time-feels-different/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/moscow-explosion-kills-russian-police.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:27:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/moscow-explosion-kills-russian-police.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dwdqwdqd.jpg" alt="Moscow explosion kills 2 Russian police officers tied to Ukrainian POW abuse, intelligence source says"></p>Ukrainian intelligence sources said the officers had previously taken part in Russia's war against Ukraine and were implicated in the abuse of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/2-russian-police-officers-involved-in-ukrainian-pow-torture-killed-in-moscow-explosion-sources-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/in-features-from-the-kyiv.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:23:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/in-features-from-the-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2222752346.jpg" alt="2025 in 25 features from the Kyiv Independent"></p>As we enter 2026, here are 25 articles that reflected the year, from the rollercoaster of U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy to continued Russian attacks on the front line and hundreds of miles beyond.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/2025-ukraine-in-25-articles/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/territories-and-zaporizhzhia-plant-where.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:26:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/territories-and-zaporizhzhia-plant-where.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2230840759.jpg" alt="Territories and Zaporizhzhia plant — where US, Ukraine still can't find agreement"></p><p>As President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled details of a U.S.-Ukraine draft peace plan on Dec. 24, aimed at ending Russia's full-scale war, two key provisions remain unresolved.</p><p>The disagreements center on provisions 12 and 14 of the 20-point <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-reveals-20-point-peace-plan-draft-backed-by-ukraine-us/">proposal</a>. Both deal with issues Kyiv calls existential: territories</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/where-russia-ukraine-still-cant-find-agreement/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/poll-shows-of-russians-expect.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 09:52:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/poll-shows-of-russians-expect.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/baddc9beed.jpg" alt="Poll shows 55% of Russians expect war to end in 2026 — and want life back to 'normal'"></p>While many respondents expressed hopes for an end to the fighting, they largely expect it to conclude on terms "proclaimed as its goals," reflecting continued alignment with the Kremlin's narrative.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/poll-shows-55-of-russians-expect-war-to-end-in-2026/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/zelensky-reveals-full-point-peace.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/zelensky-reveals-full-point-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f71f3e576b.jpg" alt="Zelensky reveals full 20-point peace plan draft backed by Ukraine, US"></p><p>After weeks of talks, Ukraine and the U.S. have prepared a draft of the revised peace plan to end Russia’s full-scale war.</p><p>The initial <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/a-plan-of-capitulation-us-push-for-controversial-peace-plan-met-with-backlash-in-ukraine/">28-point plan</a>, which effectively pushed Ukraine toward capitulation, has been reworked into a 20-point framework, which President <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/volodymyr-zelensky/">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> presented to journalists.</p><p>In</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-reveals-20-point-peace-plan-draft-backed-by-ukraine-us/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:53:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/cab739ffea.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,200,370 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-200-370-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/russian-rubber-plant-catches-fire.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 06:31:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/russian-rubber-plant-catches-fire.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-23-at-11-27-34-pm.png" alt="Russian rubber plant catches fire after reported attack in Tula oblast, locals say"></p>A synthetic rubber factory in Russia's Tula region was attacked and caught fire overnight on Dec. 24, according to local residents and regional officials.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-rubber-plant-catches-fire-after-reported-attack-in-tula-oblast-locals-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/chornobyl-protective-structure-could-collapse.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:23:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/chornobyl-protective-structure-could-collapse.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6561cb92e5.jpg" alt="Chornobyl protective structure could collapse following Russian strikes, plant director warns"></p>"No one can guarantee that the shelter facility will remain standing after that. That is the main threat," plant director Serhii Tarakanov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chornobyl-protective-structure-could-collapse-following-russian-strikes-plant-director-warns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/russias-hidden-front-clash-between.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:03:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/russias-hidden-front-clash-between.html <p>A fast-moving conflict has erupted in Russia between Chechen “Akhmat” units controlled by Ramzan Kadyrov and the neo-Nazi “Russian Community,” raising the prospect of a broader confrontation.</p> <p>Amid the war against Ukraine, latent internal rifts in Russia are sharpening. A dispute between the Chechen “Akhmat” formation and the ultra-right “Russian Community” is rapidly intensifying.</p> <p>An independent Russian outlet, “On the Zzzzz Western Front Without Change,” which monitors pro-war channels, <a href="https://t.me/ve4niyvoy/5732">drew attention to the clash</a>.</p> <p>The conflict flared between “Akhmat” commander Apti Alaudinov and far-right activist Maksim Divnich, quickly devolving into mutual accusations, threats and calls for violence. The “Russian Community” brought up what it called the “Kadyrovites’” wartime record: widespread looting, fleeing the Kursk region during a Ukrainian advance, avoiding frontline combat and more.</p> <p>In response, members of “Akhmat” issued a video address that effectively threatened the Russian neo-Nazis, labeling them “hidden enemies” and urging law enforcement to step in.</p> <p>“What is this person (Divnich) trying to achieve? To ignite the fire of revolution and an interethnic conflict behind our backs while we are fighting?” the Kadyrov-aligned group said.</p> <p>Alaudinov demanded a public apology from Divnich; Divnich refused.</p> <p>The “Russian Community” sided with Divnich.</p> <p>“The campaign against Divnich benefits only the enemies of Russia and the Russian people. It is clear to everyone who was the aggressor and who defended local residents from boorish behavior,” the group said.</p> <p>Representatives of the community also claimed the episode could be an attempt to suppress Russian Orthodox patriotic groups.</p> <p>The widening dispute highlights deep fissures within Russia, where, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, competition is intensifying among Kremlin-loyal but rival factions. The clash between Kadyrov’s security men and neo-Nazis underscores how the Kremlin’s narrative of internal unity is increasingly fraying, heightening the risk of domestic instability.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-hidden-front-clash-between-kadyrov-s-akhmat-and-russian-neo-nazi-community-escalates">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/24/russia-escalates-openly-abducts-civilians.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/24/russia-escalates-openly-abducts-civilians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f09875d645.jpg" alt="Russia escalates openly: abducts civilians and intensifies terror"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u3UBhGl60o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/recruitment-posters-blanket-crimea-as.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:55:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/recruitment-posters-blanket-crimea-as.html <p>Russian-occupied Crimea has been plastered with recruitment notices for Russia’s security services, a sign of a staffing crisis, according to human rights advocates.</p> <p>Active recruitment of Russian security personnel in Crimea is being carried out through ordinary public notices. Rights advocates say it points to an acute shortage of personnel in the FSB and the military, Krym.Realii <a href="https://ru.krymr.com/a/news-krym-rekruting-silovikov-rf-obychnyye-obyavleniya/33630770.html">reports</a>.</p> <p>A large-scale campaign to hire for Russia’s security structures has been rolled out across the Russian-occupied peninsula. A local human rights advocate says notices for service in military units and FSB border detachments are being posted en masse in parks, at public transport stops, and on apartment block bulletin boards in Simferopol.</p> <p>Before Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, it would have been hard to imagine the FSB hiring this way, the advocate said. Now it’s a reality. Few Crimeans are morally willing to join the border service of what he called an “aggressor state,” he added, saying it shows significant pro‑Ukrainian sentiment remains on the peninsula.</p> <p>After the occupation of Crimea, border guards were transferred there from neighboring Russian regions. But once the full-scale war began, manpower shortages emerged: thousands of Russian border guards were sent to fight in the Kursk region, many did not return, and understaffing in units spiked.</p> <p>According to the advocate, even Russian military units operating on the Ukrainian front are now recruiting through ordinary ads. He said there is a severe shortfall in combat personnel, and statements by Russian authorities about large numbers of volunteers signing contracts with the Defense Ministry look like information manipulation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/recruitment-posters-blanket-crimea-as-russia-s-security-forces-face-shortages">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/the-west-signals-putin-is.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:01:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/the-west-signals-putin-is.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/110852c2c2.jpg" alt="THE WEST signals: Putin is AGAINST peace! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mF7Go9J08VI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukrainian-drone-attack-in-russias.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:54:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukrainian-drone-attack-in-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-23-at-3-15-03-pm.png" alt="Ukrainian drone attack in Russia's Belgorod Oblast kills 1, injures 3, governor claims"></p>A Ukrainian drone attack in Russia's Belgorod Oblast killed one person and injured three others, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed late on Dec. 23.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-attack-in-russias-belgorod-oblast-kills-1-injures-3-governor-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/no-peace-putin-lies-to.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:00:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/no-peace-putin-lies-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/cd4bab2f52.jpg" alt="No peace? Putin lies to the world while preparing new war!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qn1J0roJbU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/attack-on-nato-russians-plan.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 20:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/attack-on-nato-russians-plan.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/09dbc41bd8.jpg" alt="Attack on NATO? Russians plan to use BELARUS! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YPZkqKq1104">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukraine-confirms-withdrawal-from-siversk.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:28:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukraine-confirms-withdrawal-from-siversk.html <p>Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/32915">has officially confirmed</a> the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from Siversk in the Donetsk region.</p> <p>Ukrainian military said the decision was made to preserve personnel and maintain combat capability amid extremely heavy fighting against an enemy with significant advantages in manpower and equipment.</p> <p>The General Staff said the city remains under Ukrainian fire control, and that Russian forces paid a high price for their limited gains - Ukrainian defenders have severely depleted Russia’s assault units. Despite heavy losses, Russian troops continue their advance, applying constant pressure with small assault groups and exploiting difficult weather conditions.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces continue striking Russian logistics, seeking to isolate individual units and prevent further advances deeper into Defense Forces positions.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the situation around Myrnohrad is deteriorating. Roman Kostenko, a lawmaker and secretary of parliament’s national security committee, said Ukrainian troops there are in an “operational encirclement.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSbwLD_2wTQ">On Radio Liberty</a>, he emphasized this is not a classic full encirclement in which an opponent is completely blocked within a territory.</p> <p>Kostenko explained that in an operational encirclement, Ukrainian units can still maneuver within a limited area, regroup and fight. However, logistics for ammunition and supplies, as well as the arrival of reinforcements, become virtually impossible because Russian forces control the supply routes.</p> <p>He also stressed that only Ukraine’s General Staff can provide a definitive assessment of the situation in the area. He said his conclusions are based on monitoring projects and open-source intelligence.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-confirms-withdrawal-from-siversk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukraine-set-to-count-voters.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:16:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukraine-set-to-count-voters.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f457c5079b.jpg" alt="Ukraine set to count voters, preparing for potential elections during war"></p>"Updating the voter register is one of the fundamental conditions for holding any elections," said David Arakhamia, leader of the Servant of the People faction. "The war has had a significant impact on demographic indicators, and this must be reflected in the register."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-resumes-work-of-state-voter-register-for-first-time-since-start-of-russias-all-out-war/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/200925.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:09:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/200925.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2151301447-1-.jpg" alt="Switzerland extradites Ukrainian over Russian-backed sabotage plot"></p>The suspect was arrested in Switzerland in May. Two other participants of the alleged plot were also arrested in Germany the same month.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/switzerland-extradites-ukrainian-over-russian-backed-sabotage-plot/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/aksyonov-mobile-internet-restrictions-in.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/aksyonov-mobile-internet-restrictions-in.html <p>Authorities in Crimea will keep mobile internet restrictions in place until the war in Ukraine ends due to security concerns, Sergei Aksyonov, the head of annexed Crimea, <a href="https://t.me/Aksenov82/8804">said</a>, adding that “there was no other way.”</p> <p>“Until the end of the special military operation, these restrictions will remain in effect. People will just have to accept it and switch to a different mode of work... I consider these measures sufficient to ensure Crimea’s security,” Aksyonov said.</p> <p>In late October, the Crimean mobile operator Volna announced restrictions on the messaging apps Telegram and WhatsApp by order of Roskomnadzor.</p> <p>In November, authorities in Russia’s Ulyanovsk region announced mobile internet limits “until the end of the special military operation.” Media reports said that in affected areas only “whitelisted” sites would be accessible — for example, Gosuslugi, Yandex services, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, online marketplaces, and the Mir payment system.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/aksyonov-mobile-internet-restrictions-in-crimea-to-remain-in-place-until-war-ends">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukrainian-forces-in-mirnohrad-face.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:00:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukrainian-forces-in-mirnohrad-face.html <p>MP Roman Kostenko says Ukrainian units in Mirnohrad, Donetsk region, have been pushed into an operational encirclement. Russian control of the skies and key logistics routes is complicating deliveries of food and ammunition to frontline troops.</p> <p>Kostenko, a member of parliament and secretary of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, discussed the battle for Mirnohrad on the Pokrovsk axis during <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSbwLD_2wTQ">a Radio Svoboda broadcast</a>.</p> <p>He drew a distinction between operational and tactical encirclement, saying that under military regulations, troops in an operational encirclement can still maneuver within the area where the enemy has boxed them in. “I call it ‘operational encirclement’ based on how I see the map. Tactical encirclement is when the enemy is fully closed in and cannot even move within the encircled area because they’re completely under fire. Operational encirclement, simply put, is when you can move within the area where you’re surrounded, conduct certain actions, redeploy units—but getting into that area or delivering provisions or logistics is no longer possible,” Kostenko said.</p> <p>He stressed that “operational encirclement” is his characterization and that only Ukraine’s General Staff can provide a formal assessment. “I’m talking about what I see on DeepState maps. There is no encirclement—neither operational nor tactical—in the old sense of a complete closure; that’s a fact. But in terms of the enemy’s control of the air and logistics, as far as I know, the situation there is very difficult,” he added, noting that Ukraine’s Defense Forces continue to hold positions in the city despite the pressure.</p> <p>According to the DeepState map as of December 22, Mirnohrad is in the “gray zone.”</p> <p>As of 8:00 on December 23, Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/32890">reported</a> that Ukrainian Forces had stopped 58 Russian assault and offensive actions on the Pokrovsk axis, including in the Mirnohrad area.</p> <p>Operational Command “East” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EastAFU/posts/pfbid0nYVnFEdZzD1JxPVNf7WSww95ZvGCBMsfcbvCmbvpJfraKXiwqfRJ3ZJ1KZ2qj2H6l?locale=uk_UA">said</a> as of 10:00 on December 23 that Ukrainian units continue to hold defensive lines in Mirnohrad and are destroying Russian forces on the approaches to the city.</p> <p>“Additional logistics routes to Pokrovsk and Mirnohrad are being organized to ensure uninterrupted supply for our units and timely evacuation,” the command reported.</p> <p>DeepState analysts said on December 20 that Mirnohrad had shifted into a “gray zone,” meaning control of the city required clarification. Operational Command “East,” for its part, maintained that Ukrainian troops were holding defensive lines and eliminating Russian forces on the approaches to the city.</p> <p>On December 15, Operational Command “East” said new logistics routes to Pokrovsk and Mirnohrad had been organized, though the situation remained difficult.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-in-mirnohrad-face-operational-encirclement-amid-severe-logistics-constraints-mp-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/crimea-under-fire-ukraine-strikes.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/crimea-under-fire-ukraine-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2cc4f80a19.jpg" alt="⚡️ CRIMEA UNDER FIRE! UKRAINE STRIKES BELBEK — RUSSIA THREATENS WITH &quot;ORESHNIK&quot; FROM BELARUS"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHCzRldw-oM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/putin-issued-a-decree-now.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:56:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/putin-issued-a-decree-now.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2225523089.jpg" alt="Putin issued a decree. Now, thousands of Ukrainians face losing their homes"></p><p><em>Editor's note: The names of some of those from Russian-occupied Ukraine have been changed for security reasons.</em></p><p>With one decree, Russian President Vladimir Putin this month effectively legalized property theft in Ukraine's occupied territories.</p><p>The new law allows the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russian-occupation/">occupational</a> authorities to seize residential premises that</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-issued-a-decree-now-thousands-of-ukrainians-face-losing-their-homes/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/just-in-russia-has-moved.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:30:09 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/just-in-russia-has-moved.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f0792c304d.jpg" alt="JUST IN! Russia has moved to &quot;zero phase&quot; of preparations for WAR with NATO #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/R8YWQaY_Q2Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/russia-already-at-the-starting.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:05:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/russia-already-at-the-starting.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/0c447cc058.jpg" alt="Russia already at the starting line! Kremlin cuts preparations for war with NATO"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms1gBoETGK0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukraine-to-streamline-artillery-fleet.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukraine-to-streamline-artillery-fleet.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces are currently fielding about 30 different artillery systems against Russian forces, most of them foreign-made.</p> <p>The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) now operate a wide range of domestic and foreign artillery platforms, but over time may ultimately keep only the Ukrainian-made Bohdana howitzer, Col. Andriy Zhuravlev, deputy chief of staff for the Missile Forces and Artillery of the AFU’s Ground Forces Command, said in an interview with <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/k-zminitsya-park-ukrayinskoyi-artileriyi-1766485836.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>As of late 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Forces are using roughly 30 artillery systems against Russian forces, most of them sourced from abroad, Zhuravlev said. Ukrainian-made systems are also in active use, led by the Bohdana self-propelled howitzer.</p> <p>Zhuravlev noted that operating such a diverse mix can create problems, including with maintenance and ammunition supplies. To reduce those issues, the military plans to streamline its artillery fleet gradually.</p> <p>According to Zhuravlev, over the next one to three years the AFU intends to retain only select systems such as the Bohdana, CAESAR, PzH 2000, RCH 155, M777, Archer and others. In the longer term, the AFU could move to an all-domestic lineup centered on the Bohdana, though that would be a more distant prospect.</p> <p>A similar challenge exists in the AFU’s Unmanned Systems Forces. The military currently fields a large and expanding array of domestic and foreign UAVs. While that growth is positive, too much variety brings drawbacks. In April 2025, the Defense Ministry recommended that domestic defense companies standardize UAV production.</p> <p>Deputy Defense Minister Valerii Churkin said standardization would boost output and improve combat effectiveness, lower material costs and reduce maintenance time for drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-streamline-artillery-fleet-potentially-centering-on-bohdana-howitzer">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/about-russian-troops-enter-hrabovske.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/about-russian-troops-enter-hrabovske.html <p>Around 100 Russian soldiers entered the border village of Hrabovske in Ukraine’s Sumy region during a surprise attack, and Ukrainian forces are now trying to push them out, a Ukrainian military spokesman said.</p> <p>Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping, said <a href="https://suspilne.media/sumy/1196092-u-grabovskomu-na-sumsini-trivaut-boi-pisla-raptovoi-ataki-rosijskih-vijsk-tregubov/">on Suspilne</a> that Russian troops moved into the settlement with the aim of seizing it and advancing toward the village of Riasne.</p> <p>“As of now, they are entrenching in the southern part. Ukrainian forces are trying to dislodge them from their positions. Fighting continues in the village,” Trehubov said.</p> <p>He noted Hrabovske sits directly on the Russian border, making it unsafe for residents. According to Trehubov, the only way to relatively secure the settlement from attacks would be for Ukrainian troops to advance at least 5 kilometers into Russian territory to create a control zone.</p> <p>On December 20, media reported that Russian forces stormed the border village in Sumy region and deported 50 local residents.</p> <p>On December 21, the Joint Forces press service said fighting was continuing in Hrabovske, from where 50 people had been deported.</p> <p>On December 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces had taken captive not only 52 civilians in Hrabovske but also 13 Ukrainian service members. He said Ukrainian defenders could have destroyed the Russian troops from a distance using artillery and drones but refrained to avoid harming civilians.</p> <p>Hrabovske is a village in the Krasnopillia settlement community of Sumy region, situated right on the Russian-Ukrainian border on the west bank of the Sanok River. Across the river lies the village of Staroselye in Russia’s Belgorod region. The R45 highway is 11 km away and runs to Sumy (about 40 km to the regional center by road).</p> <p>After reports about the deportation of 52 residents, analysts published <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/22970">drone footage</a> from Hrabovske and showed the situation on that section of the front. They stated that troops tasked with defending the border were instead holding “picnics,” handing weapons to civilians, and ignoring Russian reconnaissance UAVs. They noted the troops behaved irresponsibly, and that periodic inspections of border areas are needed to assess the real situation and security level.</p> <p>Speaking on Radio Svoboda, lawmaker Yuriy Kostenko said an investigation is needed to determine who was responsible, what forces and assets were deployed in that direction, what tasks they had, and what they were supposed to do. He stressed that it’s strategically impossible to seal the entire border 100%, but he has information the border was supposed to be covered. He also addressed the civilians deported by Russian forces: Ukraine should find ways to reach residents who refuse to leave because, when Russian troops arrive, people are not asked—they are simply taken away.</p> <p>“Some people there didn’t want this. Well, this should serve as an example to understand why we urge people to evacuate. When the Russians come, they don’t ask anyone—they just take people and evict them from their homes,” he said.</p> <p>Sumy regional governor Volodymyr Babych said the border segment near Hrabovske falls under the responsibility of the 14th Corps, and the regional military administration is not responsible for soldiers’ conduct and has no authority to inspect or control them. An investigation has been launched to establish all the circumstances.</p> <p>On the afternoon of December 23, Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping, told <a href="https://suspilne.media/sumy/1196092-u-grabovskomu-na-sumsini-trivaut-boi-pisla-raptovoi-ataki-rosijskih-vijsk-tregubov">Suspilne</a> that about 50 Ukrainians were indeed deported from Hrabovske. / He also said 100 Russian soldiers penetrated Ukrainian territory. Russian forces attacked and are trying to entrench themselves in the southern part of the village. Ukrainian troops are attempting to drive them out; fighting is ongoing.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/about-100-russian-troops-enter-hrabovske-in-surprise-assault-as-fighting-rages-in-ukraine-s-sumy-region-military-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/russian-pmc-espanola-leader-stanislav.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:47:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/russian-pmc-espanola-leader-stanislav.html <p>Stanislav Orlov, known by the nom de guerre “Spaniard,” was shot dead by masked security forces on December 4, according to Russian outlet ASTRA. Russian media kept news of his death under wraps for several days, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/100154">ASTRA reported</a>.</p> <p>Orlov, who led the “Espanola” unit — described by critics as a neo-Nazi brigade formed from ultranationalist soccer ultras — is being memorialized in Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The circumstances of his death remain unclear, drawing comparisons to the unresolved death of another Russian PMC leader, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/100154">ASTRA said</a>.</p> <p>Unconfirmed rumors about Orlov’s disappearance began circulating in mid-December. Even “Espanola” has not publicly named a cause of death; the group has been formally dissolved and folded under Russia’s Defense Ministry, according to reports. The PMC had previously been linked to billionaire brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, longtime associates of President Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>ASTRA reports the unit set up a base in the “Flotsky” gardening cooperative in annexed Sevastopol, purchasing multiple plots there. Orlov’s “dacha” stood on one of them. On December 4, 2025, men in camouflage and masks allegedly stormed Orlov’s home and opened fire. Witnesses told ASTRA the former commander did not fire back.</p> <p>Surveillance footage reviewed by ASTRA purportedly shows four vehicles arriving at 12:17 p.m. at House No. 51: a black SUV without plates, a UAZ, a sedan and a minibus with black-background license plates whose numbers are unreadable due to video quality. Men with rifles and masks exit the cars, and neighbors reported hearing several shots.</p> <p>An ambulance arrived only six hours later, at 6:36 p.m., residents said, without sirens or lights. Medics carried out Orlov’s body and left at 6:45 p.m. Security personnel remained to conduct searches. It is still unclear which agency they represented.</p> <p>The reported attempt to detain Orlov was allegedly tied to suspicions of arms trafficking and participation in organized crime.</p> <p>Weeks earlier, Ruslan Kazantsev - a prominent “Espanola” member known by the call sign “Altai” and former commander of the group’s Maritime Detachment - was detained on similar charges and is now under arrest. Russian outlets such as Komsomolskaya Pravda had previously profiled him favorably. His maritime unit, described as Russia’s first “naval PMC,” was involved in coastal defense in occupied Crimea, including guarding gas platforms.</p> <p>After Kazantsev’s arrest, security forces searched the “Avtolyubitel-2” garage cooperative on Astrakhanskaya Street in Sevastopol and found a suspected weapons cache linked to him, according to ASTRA. The weapons were allegedly moved from “Espanola’s” base in Chernomorskoye, a coastal settlement in western occupied Crimea.</p> <p>Following Kazantsev’s arrest and Orlov’s reported killing, other “Espanola” members living in the Flotsky cooperative disappeared; some are believed to be on the run.</p> <p>Orlov’s relatives learned of his death only a week later, ASTRA reported. His son, Igor Orlov, asked police to list his father as missing after last speaking with him on December 2. Orlov had reportedly planned to leave Sevastopol and return to Moscow in mid-December.</p> <p>Orlov was among prominent Russian volunteer ultras who fought in eastern Ukraine on Russia’s side starting in 2014. He previously took part in the Second Chechen War. In 2014 he went to Crimea, where, alongside other soccer ultras, he took part in events that preceded Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula. He later went to Donbas, where he led the Horlivka reconnaissance unit “Skull and Bones” within Alexander Khodakovsky’s Vostok battalion. He was dubbed “Spaniard” for his foreign-language skills, including Spanish.</p> <p>In spring 2022, Orlov formed “Espanola” — also referred to as the 88th reconnaissance and sabotage brigade — recruiting ex-combatants, far-right activists and soccer ultras. The group was reportedly financed by the Rotenberg brothers.</p> <p>The UK sanctioned “Espanola” in November 2024.</p> <p>In April 2025, “Espanola” described Ukrainian civilians as “legitimate targets,” drawing international condemnation.</p> <p>In October 2025, the unit was abruptly ordered disbanded, with only an intelligence center called “Melodiya” left in place.</p> <p>-On December 18, the group announced it no longer existed as a combat unit.</p> <p>Focus has previously reported on “Espanola” and on well-known supporters of Orlov, including animal trainer Edgard Zapashny and former Russia national team footballer Andrei Solomatin.</p> <p>There had also been numerous rumors about the PMC founder’s death, including claims he was killed in a shootout.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-pmc-espanola-leader-stanislav-orlov-reportedly-killed-in-occupied-crimea-during-masked-raid">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/serbia-reaches-deal-to-buy.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:40:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/serbia-reaches-deal-to-buy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e978be0f68.jpg" alt="Serbia reaches deal to buy Russian gas until March"></p>Serbia and Russia have not yet agreed on a long-term gas supply contract. The previous three-year contract expired earlier this year.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/serbia-reaches-deal-to-buy-russian-gas-until-march/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/trump-negotiations-to-end-the.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:30:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/trump-negotiations-to-end-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b94c2e6089.jpg" alt="TRUMP: Negotiations to END the war between Ukraine and Russia are progressing! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZY2q-d-0Ekw">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukraine-repels-massive-russian-drone.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:27:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukraine-repels-massive-russian-drone.html <p>Overnight into December 23, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine. Ukraine’s air defenses shot down or suppressed 621 targets, but there were strikes in multiple locations.</p> <p>Russia carried out a combined attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, using hundreds of attack drones and missiles of various types. Ukraine’s Defense Forces repelled the assault, destroying most of the incoming threats.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/kpszsu/50506">Ukraine’s Armed Forces</a>, from the evening of December 22 into the morning of December 23, Russia mounted a massive air strike on the country.</p> <p>Radio-technical units recorded 673 aerial threats: 38 missiles and 635 UAVs of various types.</p> <p>Among them:</p> <p>- around 400 Shahed attack drones and other UAVs launched from Russia (Kursk, Oryol, Bryansk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk) and Russian-occupied Crimea (Chauda);</p> <p>- three Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aero-ballistic missiles from Russia’s Ryazan region;</p> <p>- 35 Kh-101 and Iskander-K cruise missiles from Vologda and Kursk regions.</p> <p>The attack was countered by Ukrainian aircraft, air-defense missile units, electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups and unmanned systems of the Defense Forces.</p> <p>As of 11:30, Ukrainian forces shot down or suppressed 621 targets:</p> <p>- 587 attack drones;</p> <p>- 34 cruise missiles;</p> <p>- three Kinzhal missiles did not reach their targets; their crash sites are being verified.</p> <p>Confirmed impacts:</p> <p>- missiles and 39 drones struck 21 locations; debris from downed targets fell in eight additional locations.</p> <p>F-16 pilots played a key role in repelling another overnight Russian attack, even as Ukraine faces shortages of missiles for air defenses and fighter jets.</p> <p>Most of the Russian missiles launched during the overnight barrage into December 23 were intercepted by F-16 pilots, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said on the national news broadcast.</p> <p>At the same time, Ihnat noted an insufficient supply of missiles for air-defense systems and Western-provided air-to-air munitions.</p> <p>“The majority were intercepted by tactical aviation pilots. It was F-16 pilots who took part today in repelling this cruise-missile strike. I want to stress that missiles—both air-to-air for aviation and those for our air-defense systems—are in very short supply for us today. Everyone is emphasizing this—pilots in their interviews and the top military leadership... Some systems are sitting idle without them. And so, thanks to the fact that missiles for both aircraft and ground-based systems are arriving—not in the quantities we would like, of course, but they are arriving—we can repel such attacks today,” he said.</p> <p>The spokesperson added that alongside the F-16s, Mirage jets, MiG-29s, Su-27s, interceptor drones and mobile fire groups also took part in countering the assault.</p> <p>Russia launched a combined strike overnight into December 23 targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure with attack drones and air- and ground-launched missiles.</p> <p>In a previous November attack, F-16 and Mirage 2000 pilots shot down at least 10 Russian cruise missiles.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-repels-massive-russian-drone-and-missile-attack">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/russia-incinerates-birthplace-of-famous.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:09:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/russia-incinerates-birthplace-of-famous.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f86cc2bb4-5.jpg" alt="Russia incinerates birthplace of famous Christmas song"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!qA1o!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3252d549-6e66-4f19-a84d-91368496232d_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3252d549-6.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3252d549-6e66-4f19-a84d-91368496232d_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>This Christmas season, support a team conducting journalism in the harshest conditions. Your subscription goes directly to things that keep us safe: body armor, batteries, first aid kits – keeping our reporting going.</em></p><p><em>If you find our work valuable, subscribe. Independent reporting depends on readers like you.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>“[The enemy] is destroying the home where such a great song was created that inspires everyone…Yes, it was born in Pokrovsk,” priest Oleksandr Soldatenko said of one of the world’s most well-known Christmas carols.</p><p>The birthplace of that song, he said, is now “soaked in blood.” You will likely remember this tune:</p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"b2630283-7c17-41a8-8ad5-638bc73c1a38","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p><em>Video: YouTube/Libera Official</em> </p><p>A few years ago, Oleksandr remembered Pokrovsk as a city where ‘Shchedryk’ echoed through the streets — the Ukrainian song the world knows as ‘Carol of the Bells.’</p><p>Today, as the world hums a familiar melody, the city is silent except for the sound of explosions. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!o9tO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcba30db2-3e79-4aa3-82cc-6e486015d07f_954x960.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fcba30db2-3.jpg" width="388" height="390.44025157232704" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cba30db2-3e79-4aa3-82cc-6e486015d07f_954x960.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":960,"width":954,"resizeWidth":388,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Priest Oleksandr Soldatenko. Photo provided by him to The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>For nearly one and a half years, Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub in the Donetsk region and the birthplace of the famous carol, has been in the middle of one of the fiercest battles on the front lines. Russians have surrounded it from three sides, infiltrating the city center and capturing it district by district.</p><p>Life there has become unbearable: the gas supply has been cut off, and houses, if they have not already been destroyed, are left without electricity and water, forcing thousands of citizens like Oleksandr to flee.</p><p>This year, the city of the carol will likely mark its last Christmas under Ukrainian flags before it is completely reduced to ashes. Its fall would carry political weight: it could deepen Donald Trump’s doubts about Ukraine’s ability to hold the Donetsk region, increasing pressure on Kyiv in any future negotiations.</p><p>However, at Christmas time, its significance transcends politics. The destruction of Pokrovsk would be a loss not only for Ukraine but for the whole world, marking the erasure of a global cultural cradle.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":423155}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Oleksandr heard Shchedryk, as Ukrainians call it, for the first time in his grandmother’s house when he was a small child. In Pokrovsk, as in any other region of Ukraine, children dressed up during Christmas celebrations and knocked on neighbors’ doors to sing carols in exchange for small gifts like candy, food, or money.</p><p>“I remember how we had pockets full of candy, a good mood, and relatives even gave me some money. It was very exciting because you could buy something,” Oleksandr said.</p><p>Back then, though, he had no idea that the song he was singing had been born in the same city he was.</p><p>Oleksandr recalls Pokrovsk as a city that embodied peace, harmony, and development. It was a city of miners, railway workers, and ordinary people who enjoyed stability in their lives. Oleksandr was among them, raising two daughters with the love of his life.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f86cc2bb4-5.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a66a2d685b.jpg" width="560" height="312.72727272727275" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/86cc2bb4-50f5-4b7b-a4f8-38152560b015_770x430.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":430,"width":770,"resizeWidth":560,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">The city of Pokrovsk during the Christmas holidays before war started there. Source: <a href="http://ddk.dn.ua/">ddk.dn.ua</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>As was common in the Donetsk region, an area rich with coal, he worked as a miner, pulling night shifts at the mine extracting coal while building a church during the day. And then, 20 years ago, he immersed himself fully in religion, meeting others in the city who were interested in Ukrainian Orthodoxy. That’s how he became the priest in his own Orthodox church of Ukraine, reviving original religious traditions in the city.</p><p>“We always celebrated Christmas at our church in Pokrovsk and decorated the Christmas tree there, singing ‘Shchedryk’ together as a [choir] before the Russian invasion,” Oleksandr recalled.</p><p>The spirit of Christmas would be impossible to imagine without the person who created its main melody, composer Mykola Leontovych.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!XXW-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5dd48fb8-aff6-4fe7-a316-1b67e0f95596_190x265.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5dd48fb8-a.jpg" width="262" height="365.42105263157896" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5dd48fb8-aff6-4fe7-a316-1b67e0f95596_190x265.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":265,"width":190,"resizeWidth":262,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Source: parafia.org.ua</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>‘Shchedryk,’ which later became known as ‘Carol of the Bells,’ <a href="https://v-variant.com.ua/article/shedrik-donbass/">was</a> a pre-Christian ritual song sung before the arrival of spring, when the New Year was celebrated in Ukraine. It was a song about a swallow that was believed to predict a prosperous year ahead. </p><p>At that time, carols differed from traditional Christian ones, as they praised not Christ but the householders, wishing them prosperity. In return, according to tradition, carolers could receive money and food — a custom that has been preserved among Ukrainians and has survived to this day.</p><p>Leontovych heard this simple folk song, which had long existed, and composed a more profound choral melody for it at the beginning of the 20th century, a song that would later become known all over the world. Historians debate the exact place where the song was written, but its years of composition coincide with the period when Leontovych was working in Pokrovsk, then known as Hryshyne. It was there that he founded a music school and eventually organized a choir of railway workers.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!H-ft!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F428f597d-5e57-4ab3-b718-978689dc18f4_650x410.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f428f597d-5.jpg" width="562" height="354.4923076923077" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/428f597d-5e57-4ab3-b718-978689dc18f4_650x410.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":410,"width":650,"resizeWidth":562,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Ukrainian National Chorus, which sang Shchedryk. Source: day.kyiv.ua</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>‘Shchedryk’ became more than just a Christmas song. It turned into a tool of Ukrainian diplomacy and a symbol of separation from Russia as early as a hundred years ago, when Ukraine nearly achieved full independence after the First World War.</p><p>The leadership of the Ukrainian state, already facing a Soviet advance, <a href="https://fw-daily.com/shhedrik-istoriya-stvorennya-vsesvitno-vidomo%D1%97-ukra%D1%97nsko%D1%97-shhedrivki/">sought to</a> break through Russian propaganda and help secure international recognition for Ukraine. This is why a choir toured European capitals in 1918 performing ‘Shchedryk.’</p><p>When the choir left for its tour, Russian troops were already approaching Kyiv – just like they are targeting Pokrovsk again now.</p><p>“Everything that existed in peaceful Pokrovsk is now in the past. Only memories, unspeakable pain and sadness are left,” Oleksandr said.</p><p>Pokrovsk has long been considered one of the most intense flashpoints on the front. It’s where Russians have concentrated their most significant forces, around 150,000 troops, attacking the city with FPV drones and glider bombs. In a single day this week, Russian troops unleashed more than 50 <a href="https://suspilne.media/donbas/1195456-zadum-v-protivnika-moze-i-e-ale-v-ce-tango-tancuut-udvoh-oficer-7-korpusu-dsv-pro-boi-v-pokrovsku-ta-na-okolicah/">assaults</a> on the town, and they are actively raising their flags to claim full capture.</p><p>Ukrainian forces are still fighting to hold the city, focusing on the northwestern outskirts. They have reclaimed captured areas and taken down the tricolor flags planted by Russians.</p><p>But dense fog has been working against the Ukrainian army. Under poor weather conditions, it becomes difficult to use drones to attack Russian columns, making it easier for them to maneuver within the city. As a result, Russian columns have <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx276px3280o">entered</a> the outskirts of the city using civilian motorcycles and cars.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!qmYE!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7032b0f2-e270-4ac8-a727-b547d81a376a_1536x863.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f7032b0f2-e.png" width="566" height="317.9862637362637" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7032b0f2-e270-4ac8-a727-b547d81a376a_1536x863.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":818,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":566,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Russians entering Pokrovsk on motorcycles in November 2025. Source: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx276px3280o">BBC</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“We constantly changed shelters, looking for basements to spend the night in. What I remember most is hearing ‘glider bombs, glider bombs, glider bombs’ on the radio, especially on the last night…They were targeting us,” Sasha, a soldier who was recently injured in Pokrovsk, told<em> The Counteroffensive.</em></p><p>The Russians in Pokrovsk spare no one: neither soldiers nor civilians. Any person who dares to leave their basement in search of food or water risks being hit by a Russian FPV drone or other weapon. At the end of October, for instance, a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/pokrovsk-rosiyska-drh-vbyti-tsyvilni/33564859.html">infiltrated</a> Pokrovsk and hid in the train station. There, they killed several civilians.</p><p>Many people Oleksandr knew personally in Pokrovsk and in the wider Donetsk region suffered similar fates.</p><p>“They didn’t give [my friends] any chance to stay alive,” Oleksandr said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!rfNR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff0f88413-6586-4ebd-abdd-4fc83e9d8e73_770x433.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff0f88413-6.jpg" width="553" height="310.9727272727273" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f0f88413-6586-4ebd-abdd-4fc83e9d8e73_770x433.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":433,"width":770,"resizeWidth":553,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The church that Oleksandr built was also destroyed by the Russians. <a href="https://risu.ua/rosijski-agresori-znishchili-hram-pcu-v-pokrovsku_n159334?fbclid=IwdGRjcAOx7aNjbGNrA7HtnmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHp0O0jOZdU17RCYUG857TWlaYEQ2nSgEMWKRoB7XsGo0cyALsIKUPsWVyv62_aem_j2R6QTkx5UudfYT27LnFYw">Source</a>: risu.ua.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>A year ago, Russians also destroyed the church he had put so much effort into building. All that remains of the church after the bombs fell is piles of rubble. Oleksandr learned of that devastation from a colleague when he was already in Vinnytsia, in the center of Ukraine.</p><p>His family had no choice but to flee when the Russians started to get closer to Pokrovsk in 2024. He still misses his hometown but takes solace in a small piece of Pokrovsk moving to Vinnytsia: The monument to composer Mykola Leontovych was moved there in September.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!qUXu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffa7d37d4-2339-421a-962c-84e1cfe41c03_870x594.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ffa7d37d4-2.jpg" width="398" height="271.73793103448276" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fa7d37d4-2339-421a-962c-84e1cfe41c03_870x594.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":594,"width":870,"resizeWidth":398,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The monument to Mykola Leontovych. Source: <a href="http://naparisi.com/">naparisi.com</a></em>.</figcaption></figure></div><p>The fate of Leontovych was no less tragic than that of the people dying in Pokrovsk today.</p><p>In 1921, Leontovych was killed by a Soviet state security agent who had entered his home disguised as a guest and shot the composer before robbing the family. At that time, any form of cultural self-identification was perceived by the regime as a threat, and Leontovych paid the price for ‘Shchedryk’ and his other works.</p><p>He missed seeing worldwide fame by just one month, as the Christmas song then spread across the world.</p><p>Now, the Russians want to finish what they were unable to do before and wipe out Ukraine’s Christmas spirit by capturing the song’s birthplace.</p><p>On the eve of the Christmas holidays, Oleksandr recalls Pokrovsk with utmost sorrow.</p><p>“No one will celebrate anything in the city… People are sitting in basements, being shot at by Russians, killed every day by drones, missiles, mortars, aerial bombs, and small arms. They are being tortured, cut, and raped there,” he said.</p><p>This year, Oleksandr will keep busy working in a church over the holiday, though he might have a minute to stop and think about his old life together with his family: two daughters and a 10-year-old granddaughter.</p><p>The child might ask her grandfather what happened to the city where she was born and spent a large part of her childhood – and she’ll hear that Pokrovsk is almost gone now.</p><p>There is a tiny hope that the city will survive, but reality suggests otherwise.</p><p>And for now, all we can do is watch the slow death of the city that gave the world the famous ‘Carol of the Bells.’</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>This Christmas season, support a team conducting journalism in the harshest conditions. Your subscription goes directly to things that keep us safe: body armor, batteries, first aid kits – keeping our reporting going.</em></p><p><em>If you find our work valuable, subscribe. Independent reporting depends on readers like you.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura<br><br>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>ONE-OFF LAW FOR WARTIME ELECTIONS</strong>: Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, has formed a working group to draft a specific, one-time law for holding elections during martial law, as <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/66784">reported </a>by the Kyiv Post. The group aims to address complex security and logistical hurdles, such as voting access for soldiers and refugees, to ensure the elections are considered legitimate both in Ukraine and internationally. President Zelenskyy has expressed readiness for this move but noted that parliament still needs to reach a consensus on certain technicalities, including the potential for online voting.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA’S WARTIME ECONOMY NEARS COLLAPSE: </strong>Despite maintaining strength throughout the war, Russia’s economy is nearing a breaking point. Plummeting oil prices and massive debt in the defense sector threaten a systemic banking crisis by 2026, as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/22/russia-war-economy-ukraine/">reported </a>by The Washington Post. While the Kremlin continues utilizing its cash reserves for high military spending, those funds are now exhausted, leaving Russia with soaring inflation and unpaid wages across several industrial regions.</p><p><strong>RUSSIAN WINTER SURGE RISKS LOGISTICAL COLLAPSE: </strong>Russia is launching a massive offensive in Ukraine, but military analysts warn that poor weather and overstretched supply lines could turn the surge into a costly failure, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/vikrammittal/2025/12/23/russia-risks-logistics-crisis-with-winter-troop-surge-in-ukraine/">according</a> to Forbes. While the increased manpower aims to break the current stalemate, Ukraine’s drone campaign is systematically isolating Russian units by destroying resupply vehicles and fuel depots.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR</strong>: </h3><p>Zoriana met this very focused dog near the supermarket close to her home. He was waiting for his owner, keeping an eye on the door, and then greeted him cheerfully with loud barks.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!OoOh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab4e959d-ed5c-4ec2-bfd2-e5674b1b1a4c_922x2048.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fab4e959d-e.jpg" width="922" height="2048" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ab4e959d-ed5c-4ec2-bfd2-e5674b1b1a4c_922x2048.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":2048,"width":922,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Viktoria</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/russia-incinerates-birthplace-of">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/drones-and-missiles-russia-strikes.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:01:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/drones-and-missiles-russia-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/5fe095844d.jpg" alt="⚡️635 DRONES AND 38 MISSILES! Russia strikes WESTERN Ukraine: three regions WITHOUT POWER!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWRAsryuvYk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/fire-breaks-out-at-ship.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:59:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/fire-breaks-out-at-ship.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-23-13-28-50-1.jpg" alt="Fire breaks out at ship repair facility in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod"></p>According to Russian state media, one person was killed as a result of the incident.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/local-residents-reported-explosions-at-ship-repair-enterprise-in-russias-nizhny-novgorod-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukraine-war-latest-live-nearly.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:43:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukraine-war-latest-live-nearly.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250713694.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Nearly 100 Russian troops enter Hrabovske, Sumy Oblast, in 'sudden' attack"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 2 times today. Around 100 Russian soldiers entered the village of Hrabovske in Sumy Oblast and attempted to advance toward the settlement of Riasne, Viktor Tregubov, head of the Joint Forces communications department, told Suspilne on Dec. 23.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-23/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/zelesnyy-hard-to-believe-putin.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:30:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/zelesnyy-hard-to-believe-putin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/82d2f03e87.jpg" alt="ZELESNYY: Hard to believe Putin can live without murders and invasions! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JTLN5BRwcqk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/explosions-heard-in-multiple-cities.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:03:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/explosions-heard-in-multiple-cities.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/01af7f14b0.jpg" alt="Explosions heard in multiple cities as Russian missiles, drones target energy infrastructure in western Ukraine"></p>The attack comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukrainians should brace for mass Russian missile and drone strikes over the Christmas period.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-heard-as-russia-launches-missiles-drones-towards-western-cities-hundreds-of-kilometers-from-front-line/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-russias.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 02:53:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-22-204724.png" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russia's Stavrolen petrochemical plant"></p>Ukraine's General Staff previously said that the plant produces drone components, composite materials, body parts, seals, and insulation for various types of Russian military equipment.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-military-reportedly-strikes-russias-stavrolen-petrochemical-plant-russian-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/23/ukrainerussia-talks-going-along-trump.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:09:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/23/ukrainerussia-talks-going-along-trump.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2253190667.jpg" alt="Ukraine-Russia talks 'going along,' Trump says"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at an event in Palm Beach, Florida on Dec. 22, said talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine are ongoing, but offered few specifics on progress, next steps, or deadlines.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-russia-talks-going-along-trump-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/lukashenko-belarus-will-host-no.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/lukashenko-belarus-will-host-no.html <p>Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus will deploy no more than 10 Russian Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile systems, after previously indicating Moscow could station more of the complexes in the country. His remarks were reported December 22 by the Belarusian state news agency <a href="https://belta.by/president/view/maksimum-desjatok-lukashenko-vnov-zaintrigoval-otvetom-na-vopros-o-planah-po-postavkam-v-belarus-755631-2025/">BelTA</a>.</p> <p>Asked how many systems Belarus has received and whether Minsk got the “ten” he had requested from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko replied: “Ten will be the maximum.”</p> <p>A year ago, Lukashenko said Russia would hand over an initial 10 Oreshnik systems and the number could later increase. “If the Russians want to deploy more of them, we will deploy more,” he said at the time. BelTA recalled that Putin, passing by, raised both hands and said: “No, well, ten is…”</p> <p>A month after that exchange, Lukashenko said he had been “joking” about receiving 10 systems, calling it “crazy money,” and suggested one would be sufficient for Belarus.</p> <p>On December 18, Lukashenko said the experimental road-mobile ground-based missile system Oreshnik had assumed combat duty in Belarus.</p> <p>Deliveries began after the joint Russian-Belarusian four-day drills “Zapad-2025.”</p> <p>On December 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine knows where in Belarus the Oreshnik will be deployed and has shared the information with partners.</p> <p>He also noted that Russia has already used the Oreshnik to strike Ukraine, saying Kyiv knows how to counter the missiles.</p> <p>Pavlo Lakiychuk, head of security programs at the Center for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” and a member of the coordinating council of the Public League “Ukraine–NATO,” said on December 19 that the Oreshnik presence in Belarus increases risks for Ukraine and European countries, but in theory the missile could be intercepted by Patriot and SAMP/T air-defense systems.</p> <p>He added that the U.S. Aegis system could also intercept the Oreshnik.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lukashenko-belarus-will-host-no-more-than-10-russian-oreshnik-missile-systems">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/there-is-nothing-sacred-zelenskyy.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/there-is-nothing-sacred-zelenskyy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/4dac3402af.jpg" alt="There is NOTHING sacred: Zelenskyy warns of possible Russian Christmas STRIKE #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NxIxWvLop0c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/sanctions-tomahawks-pressure-the-new.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/sanctions-tomahawks-pressure-the-new.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f5d3938a65.jpg" alt="Sanctions, Tomahawks, pressure: the new US strategy towards Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OTucdRKLwVg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/kremlin-doesnt-want-peace-its.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/kremlin-doesnt-want-peace-its.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/77db145153.jpg" alt="Kremlin doesn't want peace — it's official! The world prepares to act without Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL5lyw-7Zro">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/nato-to-open-second-ukraine.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:00:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/nato-to-open-second-ukraine.html <p>NATO is not scaling back assistance to Ukraine. Instead, it is building a second, more resilient supply system for the years ahead.</p> <p>A second-largest logistics hub for delivering arms to Ukraine will begin operations In Romania in January 2026, running in parallel with the key center in Rzeszow, Poland. That will make Romania the second strategic supply node for Ukraine as part of NATO’s expanded logistical support.</p> <p>The Alliance’s move underscores the failure of Russia’s attempts to isolate Ukraine and disrupt Western weapons deliveries.</p> <p>Plans for the new logistics center were reported by <a href="https://m.defenseromania.ro/romania-devine-al-doilea-nod-strategic-nato-pentru-aprovizionarea-ucrainei_639341.html">DefenseRomania</a>, citing Maj. Gen. Mike Keller, deputy commander of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine mission.</p> <p>He said the new hub in Romania will launch in January 2026 and become the second key logistics center for providing Ukraine with weapons, ammunition and military equipment.</p> <p>The new center will work alongside the existing hub in Rzeszow, Poland, which has served as the main transshipment point for military aid to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war.</p> <p>Opening the Romanian hub is expected to significantly increase NATO’s logistics capacity on the eastern flank and reduce the strain on Polish infrastructure. For Russia, it means the collapse of any remaining illusions about “shutting off” channels of military assistance to Ukraine.</p> <p>According to NSATU, about 220,000 tons of military assistance - including weapons and ammunition - were delivered to Ukraine through NATO logistics structures in 2025 alone.</p> <p>Those volumes were moved by roughly 9,000 trucks, 1,800 railcars and nearly 500 strategic airlift flights, underscoring the industrial scale of support for Ukraine that Russia has been unable to halt.</p> <p>Priority categories of military aid include air defense systems, artillery, anti-tank mines and electronic warfare equipment - capabilities NATO views as critical for Ukraine’s forces amid the protracted war launched by Russia.</p> <p>The Polish hub in Rzeszow will continue to function as the primary transit point, largely due to its proximity to the Ukrainian border - about 70–100 kilometers. Rzeszow Airport is considered the most protected facility in Europe, defended by U.S. and German Patriot systems, Norwegian NASAMS batteries and fifth-generation F-35 fighters deployed in the region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/nato-to-open-second-ukraine-arms-supply-hub-in-january-2026">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/sanctions-against-chaos-why-russian.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:40:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/sanctions-against-chaos-why-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6e26c0564b.jpg" alt="Sanctions AGAINST chaos: why Russian communications are BREAKING DOWN #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oztPkfj1xK0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/zelensky-says-points-of-usukraine.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:04:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/zelensky-says-points-of-usukraine.html <p>Work on a peace plan to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing, and 20 points have been finalized so far, developed with the participation of the United States and Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this at a meeting with Foreign Ministry staff on the occasion of Diplomatic Service Day.</p> <p>"At night our negotiating team returns from the United States; in the morning I will get a report on the results of the meeting in Miami. Everything possible that could be done for the first drafts is already there. There are 20 points of the plan - probably not everything is perfect there, but the plan exists. There are security guarantees between us, the Europeans and the United States of America, a framework document," Zelensky said.</p> <p>He noted that these are still preliminary materials, but stressed the importance of the document being drawn up jointly with Washington.</p> <p>"It is encouraging that it’s not only from our side. Why? Because when it’s only our work, you know, we want a lot, and then it’s not a fact that all of it will happen. And here it’s important that this is both our work and that of the United States of America. This suggests that we are very close to a real result," the Ukrainian president explained.</p> <p>The Kremlin has not yet commented on the new version of the US peace plan. A day earlier, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said the proposals put forward by Ukraine and European countries "add nothing good."</p> <p>Another round of peace talks took place in the United States on December 20–21 and began with a meeting between the Ukrainian and American delegations. During the same period, Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US leader’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held a meeting in Miami with the representative of the Russian president, Kirill Dmitriev.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Dmitriev would brief Vladimir Putin on the outcome after his return. "[Dmitriev] should arrive in Moscow; he still has to get there, the journey is not short. When he arrives, he will report to the president [on the results of the talks]," Peskov said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-20-points-of-us-ukraine-peace-plan-are-ready-after-miami-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/russia-is-losing-ampquotsub-sea.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/russia-is-losing-ampquotsub-sea.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/15b34cbc48.jpg" alt="RUSSIA IS LOSING! &quot;Sub Sea Baby&quot; killer drones sink submarines, skies locked down!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR56hsnnaAc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/big-fish-russian-generals-car.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:01:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/big-fish-russian-generals-car.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/90f09fe85b.jpg" alt="BIG FISH! Russian GENERAL's car blown up in Moscow, he died #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o4Se8o8dOSE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/azerbaijans-president-aliyev-skips-st.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/azerbaijans-president-aliyev-skips-st.html <p>Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has declined to travel to St. Petersburg for an informal summit of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) due to a “busy work schedule,” the Azerbaijani state news agency <a href="https://azertag.az/ru/xeber/razyasneny_prichiny_neuchastiya_prezidenta_ilhama_alieva_v_zasedanii_vysshego_evraziiskogo_ekonomicheskogo_soveta_i_neformalnom_sammite_glav_gosudarstv_sng-3929295">AZERTAC reported</a>.</p> <p>On December 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry <a href="https://ria.ru/20251220/aliev-2063579065.html">Peskov</a> said Moscow expected Aliyev to arrive on Monday, December 22. “Yes, we are waiting. We are waiting, we are preparing,” Peskov told an RIA Novosti correspondent when asked.</p> <p>After it <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8313867">became clear</a> Aliyev would not come to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin spokesman said: “No, we are absolutely understanding. Heads of state really do have a very tight schedule, especially in December, ahead of the New Year.”  He added that Moscow and Baku “continue to develop their partnership.”</p> <p>Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan cooled after December 2024, when an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet flying from Baku to Grozny, Russia, crashed in Kazakhstan. The aircraft was damaged by Russian missile defense systems and went down during an emergency landing in the Kazakh city of Aktau. There were 67 people on board; 38 died in the crash.</p> <p>The Azerbaijani outlet Minval links Aliyev’s absence from the December summit in St. Petersburg directly to that air disaster. Although Moscow recently acknowledged responsibility, the outlet writes, it has not taken “any of the mandatory actions that in the modern international system are considered the minimal standard of accountability”: it has yet to pay compensation or identify and punish those responsible.</p> <p>Aliyev last visited the Russian Federation in October 2024 before the plane crash.</p> <p>In May this year, the Azerbaijani president did not travel to Moscow for events marking the 80th anniversary of Victory, including the military parade on Red Square. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Aliyev canceled the trip “due to participation in domestic events dedicated to the memory of his father, Heydar Aliyev.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/azerbaijan-s-president-aliyev-skips-st-petersburg-cis-summit-as-ties-with-russia-sour-after-deadly-plane-shootdown">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/strike-on-putins-army-russian.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:01:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/strike-on-putins-army-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/62acb28e9d.jpg" alt="🔥 Strike on Putin's army! Russian General Sarvarov eliminated"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5f7O2y9ot8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/million-blow-ukrainian-intelligence-says.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/million-blow-ukrainian-intelligence-says.html <p>Two Russian fighter jets - a Su-30 and a Su-27 - were put out of action overnight December 20–21 at a military airfield near Lipetsk, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) said. The operation sparked a fire inside a protective aircraft hangar, neutralizing the high-value jets, <a href="https://t.me/DIUkraine/7550">according to the agency</a>.</p> <p>“The estimated combined value of the two struck fighter jets, which Russia used in the genocidal war against Ukraine, may be up to $100 million,” GUR said.</p> <p>GUR said the Su-27 and Su-30, tail numbers “12” and “82,” were set ablaze thanks to “meticulous preparation, composure and professionalism,” adding that planning for the operation took two weeks.</p> <p>GUR says the operation was carried out by a single member of a resistance movement opposed to President Vladimir Putin’s government. According to videos released by the agency, the operative slipped onto the base, got inside the aircraft, and then set them ablaze. The jets carried tail numbers “12” and “82.”</p> <p>Planning for the sabotage at the airfield near Lipetsk took about two weeks, during which patrol routes and guard shift schedules were studied, allowing the operative to infiltrate a secured military site unnoticed. The aircraft targeted were inside a protective hangar.</p> <p>The participant left the airfield without hindrance.</p> <p>“Studied patrol routes and guard shift schedules made it possible to infiltrate the military facility of the aggressor state unnoticed, strike the Russian ‘Sukhois’ right inside a protective hangar, and then leave the airfield without hindrance,” the statement reads.</p> <p>Separately, early on December 22 in Moscow, an explosion destroyed a Kia Sorento, killing Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, the head of operational training at Russia’s General Staff, according to reports. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal case on charges including murder committed in a socially dangerous way and illegal trafficking of explosives. Investigators said the leading theory is a terrorist attack “organized by Ukrainian special services,” though there has been no official confirmation of that claim.</p> <p>Also overnight Monday, December 22, strategically important sites along Russia’s Krasnodar coast came under drone attack, local reports said. A series of explosions in the Temryuk district hit port infrastructure, triggering fires and damaging both shore facilities and vessels in the harbor.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/100-million-blow-ukrainian-intelligence-says-it-carried-out-daring-strike-inside-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/kyiv-independents-community-has-raised.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:48:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/kyiv-independents-community-has-raised.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/header.png" alt="Kyiv Independent’s community has raised over $100,000 for Ukraine in 2025"></p>‌‌‌Earlier this year, the Kyiv Independent launched its “How to Help Ukraine” newsletter — a membership benefit created in direct response to our community’s requests for more ways to help Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion. ‌‌In the first six months since the newsletter’s launch, our community has raised over $105,300, according to the organizations we featured. ‌‌<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-independents-community-has-raised-over-100-000-for-ukraine-in-2025/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/a-dark-christmas-looms-in.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:47:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/a-dark-christmas-looms-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2251737310-1.jpg" alt="A dark Christmas looms in Odesa Oblast as Russia hammers energy facilities, bridges, ports"></p><p>Russian attacks have plunged Odesa Oblast into darkness and cold just days before Christmas, cutting power to more than 120,000 residents after strikes on three energy facilities on Dec. 22.</p><p>Russia has stepped up attacks in <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/odesa-oblast/">Odesa Oblast</a> this December, targeting ports, roads, energy infrastructure, and homes. Frequent strikes</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/over-120-000-people-left-without-power-as-russia-strikes-3-energy-facilities-in-odesa-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/eu-and-us-pressure-the.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:28:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/eu-and-us-pressure-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a7156dad6e.jpg" alt="EU and US pressure the Kremlin: money to Ukraine, sanctions on Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85CDrz4unqM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/russian-general-fanil-sarvarov-killed.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:10:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/russian-general-fanil-sarvarov-killed.html <p>A Kia Sorento exploded in Moscow’s Orekhovo-Borisovo district, killing Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces.</p> <p>The 56-year-old major general died in the hospital from his injuries, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation <a href="https://sledcom.ru/news/item/2046481">said</a>.</p> <p>The Telegram channel “112” <a href="https://t.me/ENews112/24088">reported</a> that the blast occurred when Sarvarov pressed the brake.</p> <p>He suffered severe blast trauma, multiple shrapnel wounds to his lower limbs and fractures.</p> <p>The improvised explosive device that caused the blast was estimated at the equivalent of about 300 grams of TNT.</p> <p>Residents two blocks away reported hearing the explosion. According to the news outlet <a href="https://t.me/agentstvonews/13241">Agentstvo. Novosti</a>, the car detonated about 150 meters from a building where several GRU employees live.</p> <p>Moscow’s Main Investigative Directorate has opened a criminal case under Article 105, Part 2, Paragraph “e,” and Article 222.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (murder committed in a publicly dangerous way; illegal trafficking of explosives).</p> <p>Details of Fanil Sarvarov’s biography were reported by the Russian outlet <a href="https://www.agents.media/v-moskve-ubili-tretego-general-lejtenanta-za-god">Agentstvo</a>. According to the outlet, the late chief of the operational training directorate of the Russian Armed Forces held one of the highest ranks among Russian servicemembers killed in assassination attempts since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p> <p>Fanil Sarvarov was born on March 11, 1969, in Perm region and was 56 at the time of his death. He graduated from the Kazan Higher Tank Command School.</p> <p>Sarvarov served as chief of the operational training directorate at Russia’s Ministry of Defense.</p> <p>From 1992 to 2003, Sarvarov took part in the Ossetian–Ingush conflict and the First and Second Chechen wars, and in 2015–2016 he fought in Syria.</p> <p>Since 2016, he led the Ministry of Defense’s operational training directorate, which plans and organizes exercises for Russian troops and the day-to-day activities of military command bodies and Defense Ministry officials—work that also related to Russia’s war against Ukraine.</p> <p>In 2018, Sarvarov attended a Kremlin event for officers appointed to top command posts. President Vladimir Putin took part in the reception and at that time conferred on Sarvarov the rank of major general.</p> <p>Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov was killed on the morning of December 22 in Moscow’s Orekhovo-Borisovo district. According to Russian investigators, unknown assailants planted an explosive device under his car. Media reported that the detonation of about 300 grams of TNT equivalent occurred when he pressed the brake pedal. Sarvarov suffered severe blast injuries, multiple shrapnel wounds to his lower limbs, fractures and died in the hospital.</p> <p>Investigators are considering, among other possibilities, the involvement of Ukrainian special services. There were no official comments from Ukraine at the time of publication.</p> <p>On April 25 in Balashikha, outside Moscow, Russian Maj. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik—who was involved in planning operations for the Russian Armed Forces at the strategic level - was killed in a car explosion.</p> <p>On December 17, 2024, Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the death of Gen. Igor Kirillov from an explosive device hidden in an electric scooter. He led Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-general-fanil-sarvarov-killed-in-car-explosion-in-moscow">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/ukrainian-colonel-confirms-alleged-nord.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:00:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/ukrainian-colonel-confirms-alleged-nord.html <p>A Ukrainian colonel has confirmed that the man accused of coordinating the Nord Stream sabotage was serving in Ukraine’s military at the time of the blast, according to <a href="https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ukrainischer-ex-kommandeur-bestaetigt-verdaechtiger-war-zur-tatzeit-elitesoldat-a-48a843bc-3945-4d05-9b01-4ede00706335">German outlet Der Spiegel</a>.</p> <p>Journalists obtained a Defense Ministry letter to the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights confirming that Sergey Kuznetsov served as a captain in military unit A0987 from August 10, 2022, to November 28, 2023. That designation corresponds to Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces command. Former Kuznetsov commander Roman Chervinsky corroborated the information. The Nord Stream blast occurred in late September 2022.</p> <p>“At that time, Sergey was under my command; he carried out all the orders of our unit and did not leave the troops without permission,” Chervinsky told reporters, but declined to comment on the specific explosion.</p> <p>German authorities also suspect Chervinsky of directing the pipeline operation. He is currently under investigation in Kyiv in <a href="https://www.spiegel.de/politik/nord-stream-ukrainischer-spezialkraefte-kommandeur-soll-in-nord-stream-sprengung-verwickelt-sein-a-2599a3c3-81aa-4498-9ea5-fdd326a43610">a separate case</a>. In April 2023, he was arrested after a failed operation to lure a Russian pilot to defect; instead of flying across the front line, the pilot allegedly passed planned landing coordinates to Russian forces. Russia then shelled the Kanatove airfield, killing three people and destroying two aircraft. Chervinsky was charged with exceeding his authority; investigators say the mission proceeded without proper consultations and approvals. He later <a href="https://nv.ua/ukraine/events/roman-chervinskiy-novye-obvineniya-i-mera-presecheniya-50565262.html">faced a new charge</a>: allegedly demanding $100,000 from a businessman while posing as a State Tax Service official.</p> <p>Kuznetsov was extradited from Italy to Germany in November. He had been detained over the summer in Italy’s Rimini province while on a family vacation. German prosecutors accuse him of complicity in the explosions and of subversive activity against the constitutional order. He is expected to stand trial in Hamburg.</p> <p>While in an Italian prison, Kuznetsov staged a weeklong hunger strike, his lawyer Nicola Canestrini said, demanding proper food, a healthy environment, dignified detention conditions, and equal treatment with other inmates regarding family visits and access to information. On October 27, the Bologna appeals court ordered his extradition to Germany.</p> <p>On October 17, a court in Warsaw refused Germany’s extradition request for Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, who is also suspected in the Nord Stream blasts, and lifted his pretrial detention. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had earlier said it was “not in the interests of Poles to accuse or hand over” to Germany a suspect in the pipeline attacks.</p> <p>German investigators believe seven Ukrainian citizens took part in the operation: four divers, an explosives specialist, the captain of the yacht Andromeda, and Sergey Kuznetsov, who allegedly commanded the mission.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-colonel-confirms-alleged-nord-stream-coordinator-served-in-special-operations-during-2022-blast">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/from-peace-talks-with-russia.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:12:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/from-peace-talks-with-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/ki-1-1.jpg" alt="From peace talks with Russia to elections in Ukraine, here's what our journalists expect to cover in 2026"></p><p>As 2025 draws to a close, Ukraine once again finds itself at a critical juncture.</p><p>In the last few months alone, Ukrainians have faced pressure from seemingly every side: a renewed push from the U.S. for an unfavorable peace with Russia, a major political corruption scandal, and Moscow’</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/from-russias-war-to-elections-in-ukraine-heres-what-our-journalists-expect-to-cover-in-2026/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/moscow-threatens-to-shut-down.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/moscow-threatens-to-shut-down.html <p>Moscow is threatening to cut off internet access across the Belgorod region if local activists and media don’t stop publicly complaining about the issue.</p> <p>The Kremlin is rapidly pushing Russia into digital isolation, residents of the border region were told, warning that discussing mobile internet problems could lead to even tighter communication restrictions, reports the local channel <a href="https://t.me/belpepel/16495">Pepel Belgorod</a>.</p> <p>The controversy flared after the December 19 “Direct Line” show with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A Belgorod journalist complained about regular internet outages in the border region, saying residents can’t get timely air-raid updates and diabetes patients lose access to blood glucose monitoring services. Putin signaled the restrictions would continue, calling them a “necessary measure.”</p> <p>The following day, Belgorod region’s minister of public communications, Oksana Tarantova, sent an internal message to editors-in-chief of local media, urging them to avoid the topic.</p> <p>“We can’t raise the issue of internet shutdowns in your materials; this risks our difference from other regions being noticed and they’ll cut everything. In other words, spreading the topic of internet restrictions equals the risk of being left without it altogether. So you understand. I could say more - I’ve said enough. Please trust,” Tarantova wrote.</p> <p>Russian authorities have begun restricting internet access, ostensibly to counter Ukrainian drones - a rationale criticized even by Russian war bloggers as unconvincing. More likely, the curbs are a continuation of the Kremlin’s push for total censorship, plunging the country into digital isolation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/moscow-threatens-to-shut-down-internet-in-belgorod-region-following-residents-complaints-to-putin">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/vance-touts-breakthrough-in-talks.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:16:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/vance-touts-breakthrough-in-talks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2236786072.jpg" alt="Vance touts 'breakthrough' in talks, but says Ukraine-Russia peace far from certain"></p>"I think that we've made progress, but sitting here today, I wouldn't say with confidence that we're going to get to a peaceful resolution," U.S. Vice President JD Vance said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/vance-says-ukraine-russia-peace-far-from-certain/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/ukraine-war-latest-live-extremely.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:05:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/ukraine-war-latest-live-extremely.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/img-0623.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: 'Extremely difficult' situation as Russian forces attempt to cross Siverskyi Donets River"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. The situation near Siversk, Donetsk Oblast, is "extremely difficult" as Russian forces continue to attempt crossings of the Siverskyi Donets River, Ukraine's 7th Air Assault Corps said on Dec. 22.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-22/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/azerbaijans-president-cites-busy-schedule.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 11:44:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/azerbaijans-president-cites-busy-schedule.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/43be1ce4d1.jpg" alt="Azerbaijan's president cites 'busy schedule' to skip Russia summit despite Kremlin expecting his attendance"></p>The Kremlin had earlier signaled it was preparing for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's arrival.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/azerbaijans-president-cites-busy-schedule-to-skip-russia-summit/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/ukrainian-partisans-set-ablaze-russian.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:47:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/ukrainian-partisans-set-ablaze-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1234191564.jpg" alt="Ukrainian partisans set ablaze Russian Su-30, Su-27 fighter jets in Lipetsk Oblast, HUR says"></p>The attack targeted an airfield near the city of Lipetsk, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and caused two military aircraft to catch fire.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-russian-su-30-su-27-fighter-jets-in-russias-lipetsk-oblast-intelligence-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/chinas-russian-lng-imports-hit.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:20:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/chinas-russian-lng-imports-hit.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/lng.jpg" alt="China's Russian LNG imports hit record, making Moscow second-largest supplier"></p>Russian LNG deliveries to China more than doubled year-on-year to 1.6 million metric tons last month, Bloomberg reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/chinas-russian-lng-imports-hit-record/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/highranking-russian-general-killed-in.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:54:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/highranking-russian-general-killed-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-22-at-10-16-50.png" alt="High-ranking Russian general killed in Moscow car bombing"></p>An explosive device attached to the underside of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov's car detonated on Yaseneva Street in Moscow on Dec. 22.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/high-ranking-russian-general-killed-after-car-bombing-in-moscow-russia-cites-possible-ukrainian-involvement/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/fanil-sarvarov.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/fanil-sarvarov.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-1pp.jpg" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-1pp.jpg" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"><p><em>Head of the Operational Training Directorate - Lieutenant General</em></p><p><strong>Unit:</strong> Operational Training Directorate, Russian Ministry of Defense</p><p><strong>Cargo ID:</strong> #2020</p><p><strong>English Name:</strong> Fanil Fanisovich Sarvarov</p><p><strong>Russian Name:</strong> Сарваров Фанил Фанисович</p><p><strong>Education:</strong> Kazan Higher Tank Command School (graduated 1990), Malinovsky Military Armored Forces Academy (graduated 1999), Military Academy of the General Staff (graduated 2008)</p><p><strong>Date of Birth:</strong> March 11, 1969 (age: 56 years)</p><p><strong>Place of Birth:</strong> Gremyachinsk, Perm Krai, Russia</p><p><strong>Date of Death:</strong> December 22, 2025 (via <a href="https://topcargo200.com/tag/car-bomb/">Car Bomb</a>)</p><div data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-callout-emoji">ℹ️</div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-callout-text">His death constitutes the third successful elimination of a general-grade officer within the Russian capital in a span of just over twelve months, following the killings of <a href="https://topcargo200.com/1500/">Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov</a> and <a href="https://topcargo200.com/1600/">Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik</a>.</div></div><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-car2.jpg" width="960" height="585" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-car1.webp" width="1300" height="731" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></div></div></div></figure><p><strong>Place of Death:</strong> Parking lot of Garage Cooperative No. 66, near building 12, block 5, Yasenevaya Street (Ulitsa Yasenevaya), Orekhovo-Borisovo Yuzhnoye District, Southern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, Russia</p><div data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-callout-emoji">ℹ️</div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-callout-text">Yasenevaya Street, where the explosion occurred, is just 150 meters from housing blocks known to be inhabited by GRU (military intelligence) employees. This suggests Sarvarov lived in a "siloviki" cluster, implying the assassins had infiltrated a zone theoretically under heightened surveillance.</div></div><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-car4.jpg" width="960" height="1280" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-car3.webp" width="1400" height="934" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></div></div></div></figure><p><strong>Mechanism of Death:</strong> General Sarvarov was departing for the General Staff headquarters in his personal vehicle, a white Kia Sorento SUV. A magnetic Improvised Explosive Device (IED) containing approximately 300 grams of TNT equivalent had been placed under the car below the driver's seat. The explosion occurred after the vehicle had moved "several meters". This suggests a sophisticated triggering mechanism, either:   </p><ul><li>A motion-activated fuze (mercury switch or accelerometer).</li><li>A wheel-rotation counter.</li><li>A remote detonator operated by a nearby spotter who waited to confirm the driver's identity on the roadway.</li></ul><p>The blast breached the unarmored floor of the Kia Sorento, directing the thermal and blast wave upward into the driver. Sarvarov sustained "multiple shrapnel injuries, closed fractures, leg injuries, and a fractured facial bone". Despite the devastation, he was reportedly pulled from the wreckage alive by first responders but succumbed to traumatic shock and blood loss shortly after arrival at the hospital.</p><figure data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-container"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-row"><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-car5.webp" width="1180" height="663" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></div><div data-sanitized-class="kg-gallery-image"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-car5.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="Fanil Sarvarov"></div></div></div></figure><figure data-kg-thumbnail="https://topcargo200.com/content/media/2026/01/2020-scene_thumb.jpg" data-kg-custom-thumbnail data-sanitized-class="kg-card kg-video-card kg-width-wide"> <div data-sanitized-class="kg-video-container"> <video src="https://topcargo200.com/content/media/2026/01/2020-scene.mp4" poster="https://img.spacergif.org/v1/1280x720/0a/spacer.png" width="1280" height="720" playsinline controls="controls" preload="none"></video> <div data-sanitized-class="kg-video-overlay"> <button aria-label="Play video" data-sanitized-class="kg-video-large-play-icon"> <pre><code> &lt;/button&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-player-container&quot;&gt; &lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-player&quot;&gt; &lt;button aria-label=&quot;Play video&quot; data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-play-icon&quot;&gt; &lt;/button&gt; &lt;button aria-label=&quot;Pause video&quot; data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-pause-icon kg-video-hide&quot;&gt; &lt;/button&gt; &lt;span data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-current-time&quot;&gt;0:00&lt;/span&gt; &lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-time&quot;&gt; /&lt;span data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-duration&quot;&gt;0:28&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;button aria-label=&quot;Adjust playback speed&quot; data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-playback-rate&quot;&gt;1×&lt;/button&gt; &lt;button aria-label=&quot;Unmute&quot; data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-unmute-icon&quot;&gt; &lt;/button&gt; &lt;button aria-label=&quot;Mute&quot; data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-video-mute-icon kg-video-hide&quot;&gt; &lt;/button&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Previously Deployed:&lt;/strong&gt; Georgia, Chechnya, Syria, Ukraine (2014)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Awards:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;Order of Merit for the Fatherland 4th Class, &lt;br&gt;Order of Courage, &lt;br&gt;Order &quot;For Military Merit&quot;, &lt;br&gt;Medal of the Order &quot;For Merit to the Fatherland&quot; 1st Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal of the Order &quot;For Merit to the Fatherland&quot; 2nd Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal of Suvorov, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For Military Valor&quot; 1st Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For Military Valor&quot; 2nd Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For Military Valor&quot; 3rd Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For Distinction in Military Service&quot; 1st Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For Distinction in Military Service&quot; 2nd Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For Distinction in Military Service&quot; 3rd Class, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;Participant of the Military Operation in Syria&quot;, &lt;br&gt;Medal &quot;For the Return of Crimea&quot;,&lt;br&gt;Badge &quot;Graduation from a Higher Education Institution&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Social Media:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://instagram.com/feliksbars1969&quot;&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Military Number:&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;Т-790131&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Promotion:&lt;/strong&gt; May 2, 2024 (promoted to Lt. General)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Passport Data:&lt;/strong&gt; 4514 № 564780&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TIN:&lt;/strong&gt; 150205287180&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SNILS:&lt;/strong&gt; 145-589-491 11&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Email:&lt;/strong&gt; feliks.sarvarov@mail.ru&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Phone:&lt;/strong&gt; +7 (919) 761-2857&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-card kg-gallery-card kg-width-wide&quot;&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-row&quot;&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-image&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-1.jpg&quot; width=&quot;899&quot; height=&quot;1200&quot; alt=&quot;Fanil Sarvarov&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-image&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-3.webp&quot; width=&quot;1500&quot; height=&quot;843&quot; alt=&quot;Fanil Sarvarov&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-row&quot;&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-image&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-4.jpg&quot; width=&quot;939&quot; height=&quot;525&quot; alt=&quot;Fanil Sarvarov&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div data-sanitized-class=&quot;kg-gallery-image&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/2020-2.png&quot; width=&quot;994&quot; height=&quot;765&quot; alt=&quot;Fanil Sarvarov&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://topcargo200.com/2020/&quot;&gt;Source&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; </code></pre> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/us-senator-graham-says-tomahawks.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 01:11:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/us-senator-graham-says-tomahawks.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1f3e23e80e.jpg" alt="US Senator Graham says Tomahawks should go to Ukraine if Putin rejects peace deal"></p>"If Putin says no, we need to dramatically change the game, including giving Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine to hit the drone and missile factories that exist in Russia. I would go all in if Putin says no," U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Dec. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-senator-graham-says-tomahawks-should-go-to-ukraine-if-putin-rejects-peace-deal/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/orban-says-ukraines-collapse-would.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 01:00:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/orban-says-ukraines-collapse-would.html <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban insisted he does not want Ukraine to collapse.</p> <p>In a post on <a href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2002442786931355872">X</a>, he said such an outcome would be a catastrophe for Hungary. Orban made the remarks at a so-called anti-war rally in the Hungarian city of Szeged. He posted footage of his speech on X.</p> <p>“Make no mistake: the collapse of Ukraine would be a catastrophe for Hungary. Stability next door matters. Hungary supplies 44% of electricity and 58% of gas to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the war weakens Ukraine day by day. Only peace can strengthen it. Anyone who truly supports Ukraine must want peace, and must want it right now,” he wrote alongside the video.</p> <p>According to Orban, the breakup of Ukraine is extremely disadvantageous for his country, and Hungary must do everything to prevent it.</p> <p>“A farmer and a real estate speculator understand this well. The value of your plot depends not only on the plot itself, but also on your neighbor, their condition, who lives there. These are not trifles. And it’s the same with countries,” he emphasized.</p> <p>He also lamented that some of the assistance Hungary provides to Ukraine is allegedly being stolen.</p> <p>Last week, Orban voiced dissatisfaction with the European Union’s policies.</p> <p>“Bypassing Hungary and violating European law in broad daylight, the Brussels elite is taking steps to seize frozen Russian assets - a declaration of war. Meanwhile, they are demanding another €135 billion from member states to fuel the conflict. Hungary will not play along with this distorted Brussels scheme,” the Hungarian prime minister said.</p> <p>In late November, he visited the Kremlin and offered Hungary’s capital, Budapest, as a venue for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p> <p>After Orban’s trip to Moscow, Polish President Karol Nawrocki declined to meet with him.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/orban-says-ukraine-s-collapse-would-be-a-catastrophe-for-hungary-urges-peace">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/the-kremlins-pressure-on-the.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/the-kremlins-pressure-on-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6523aa6579.jpg" alt="The Kremlin's pressure on the EU: why Belgium is hesitating #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IK4YN-_ZPmc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/kremlin-agrees-to-macrons-proposal.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/kremlin-agrees-to-macrons-proposal.html <p>Vladimir Putin is ready to resume talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told <a href="https://ria.ru/20251221/dialog-2063600180.html">RIA Novosti</a>. Earlier, on December 19, the French President <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/international/live/2025/12/21/en-direct-guerre-en-ukraine-la-russie-a-attaque-l-ukraine-avec-pres-de-100-drones-dans-la-nuit-de-samedi-a-dimanche_6658995_3210.html">said</a> in Brussels that it would be “useful again” for Europeans to speak with Putin, rather than leaving talks with Moscow entirely to the United States.</p> <p>“He [Macron] said he was ready to talk with Putin. It’s very important, probably, to recall what the president said during the Direct Line. He also expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron. So if there is mutual political will, that can only be viewed positively,” Peskov said. He added that dialogue between the French and Russian leaders should be an attempt to understand each other’s positions, not a lecture.</p> <p>The French president’s office welcomed the Kremlin’s statement and said the terms for the talks will be set in the coming days, <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/international/live/2025/12/21/en-direct-guerre-en-ukraine-la-russie-a-attaque-l-ukraine-avec-pres-de-100-drones-dans-la-nuit-de-samedi-a-dimanche_6658995_3210.html">Le Monde reported</a>. At the same time, the Élysée Palace stressed that any talks with Moscow would be conducted with “full transparency”: all information will be available to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders. The goal of the talks is a “durable and long-term peace.”</p> <p>On July 1, Macron and Putin spoke by phone after a three-year break. According to <a href="http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/77337">the Kremlin website</a>, they discussed the situation in the Middle East, namely the Iran-Israel conflict and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. During their discussion of the war in Ukraine, Putin said the conflict was caused by Western policies that created an “anti-Russian bridgehead” in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-agrees-to-macron-s-proposal-to-resume-contacts-paris-to-set-terms-in-coming-days">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/kremlin-aide-ushakov-denies-plans.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 23:37:55 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/kremlin-aide-ushakov-denies-plans.html <p>Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has denied reports that a direct meeting is being prepared between representatives of the United States, Ukraine and Russia. “So far, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and as far as I know it is not being worked on,” he said Sunday, December 21, responding to a question about whether the Kremlin is familiar with the idea of a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Ukraine, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has backed.</p> <p>Zelensky, who had repeatedly refused direct talks with Russia, announced that Kyiv supports a U.S. initiative to hold a trilateral meeting involving representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States. He cautioned he doesn’t expect a breakthrough, but said Kyiv would support such dialogue if it led to prisoner exchanges or helps prepare a leaders’ summit.</p> <p>Consultations aimed at a possible end to the war in Ukraine resumed Friday in the U.S. state of Florida. On Friday, chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Hnatov met with U.S. special envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Representatives of Germany, France and the United Kingdom also took part. On Saturday, Russian presidential adviser Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Florida.</p> <p>Answering questions about Dmitriev’s trip, Ushakov said he is “in Miami meeting with a number of American colleagues” and will later report the results to Russia’s president. Asked when Russia might receive a final version of a peace plan, he said: “He will return to Moscow, report, and we’ll see. By the way, Americans are celebrating Christmas these days. Probably few people will be working these days.”</p> <p>He also said changes proposed by Europe and Ukraine to the U.S. settlement plan “do not improve the document” and, in his words, hinder the prospect of long-term peace. “This is not a forecast. I am convinced that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the chances of reaching a long-term peace,” Ushakov said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-aide-ushakov-denies-plans-for-us-ukraine-russia-meeting-criticizes-european-changes-to-us-peace-plan">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/umerov-asked-fbi-chief-not.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 23:35:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/umerov-asked-fbi-chief-not.html <p>Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and the country’s negotiating delegation, asked FBI Director Kash Patel during a meeting not to provide assistance to investigators at Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in the case of Timur Mindich, which is tied to a corruption scandal involving the state enterprise Energoatom, according to a Saturday, December 20 column by Inna Vedernikova, editor of domestic politics at Ukrainian outlet <a href="https://zn.ua/POLITICS/illjuzija-vlasti-kakuju-fatalnuju-oshibku-mozhet-sovershit-zelenskij.html">Zerkalo Nedeli</a>, who cited unnamed sources.</p> <p>Vedernikova wrote that the conversation between Umerov and Patel, which was also attended by Oleksandr Poklad, deputy head of Ukraine’s Security Service, “had nothing whatsoever to do with the negotiation track between Ukraine, the U.S., Russia and Europe.”</p> <p>“This meeting was arranged through Umerov’s Turkish channels. And it wasn’t about negotiations at all. It was about the FBI’s desirable non-provision of expert, investigative or other professional assistance to NABU in the Mindich case (a longtime associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio, who left the country a few hours before searches at his home),” Vedernikova wrote.</p> <p>According to Vedernikova, the FBI chief “had a rough time” when the White House learned of the meeting’s content. “It’s interesting whether Umerov got the same treatment when this meeting became known in Kyiv?” she added.</p> <p>On December 12, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/12/12/fbi-patel-bongino-ukraine-umerov">reported</a> on closed-door meetings between Umerov and Patel, as well as Patel’s deputy Dan Bongino, citing four anonymous sources. “These meetings alarmed Western officials, who still do not know their intentions and goals,” the paper said.</p> <p>Politicians weighed various theories about why the meetings were held, including obtaining assurances of amnesty in the event of any corruption charges and coordinating pressure on Ukrainian authorities to push Kyiv to accept a U.S.-proposed peace agreement.</p> <p>An FBI spokesperson acknowledged that corruption was discussed during one of the conversations but said it was not the main topic. Overall, the spokesperson said, the meetings focused on the two countries’ shared interests in law enforcement and national security. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, also said national security issues were discussed in the talks between the NSDC chief and the FBI director.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/umerov-asked-fbi-chief-not-to-assist-nabu-in-mindich-case-report-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/22/frozen-russian-assets-could-weaken.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 23:00:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/22/frozen-russian-assets-could-weaken.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/10f0f900ba.jpg" alt="Frozen Russian Assets Could Weaken Putin’s Influence – Andreas Umland | Wrap-Up Weekly"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFCE6mlALEI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/what-weve-learned-covering-natos.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 22:57:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/what-weve-learned-covering-natos.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com2.png" alt="What We’ve Learned Covering NATO’s Eastern Flank for Nine Months"></p><p>Here is a short personal observation on what we have learned over the past nine months of releasing <em>RedHorizon</em>, our weekly research brief covering the military situation in Ukraine, Belarus, and NATO’s Eastern Flank.</p><p>The bottom line up front is that I am cautiously optimistic about the trajectory of NATO’s efforts—by both the United States and European allies—to improve defence capabilities on the Eastern Flank.</p><div data-attrs='{"url":"[rochanconsulting.substack.com/subscribe](https://rochanconsulting.substack.com/subscribe?)","text":"Subscribe","language":"en"}' data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM" data-sanitized-class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor"><div data-sanitized-class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div data-sanitized-class="preamble"><p data-sanitized-class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Ukraine Conflict Monitor! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><div data-sanitized-class="fake-input-wrapper"><div data-sanitized-class="fake-input"></div><div data-sanitized-class="fake-button"></div></div></div></div><p>When we began systematically tracking Eastern Flank developments earlier this year, we had a solid grasp of the formal NATO force posture: troop numbers, rotational frameworks, and headline deployments. What we lacked was a deeper understanding of domestic politics, institutional constraints, defence-industrial realities, and the genuine level of political commitment underpinning force generation, mobilisation, and sustainment. Over time, it became clear that this context matters at least as much as force posture itself. Deterrence is not defined by order-of-battle slides alone, but by whether capabilities can be generated, integrated, and sustained under real crisis conditions.</p><p>On the U.S. side, progress remains visible not only in continued presence, but in credibility and integration (still). Rotational deployments, deeper command-and-control integration, and increasingly realistic exercises indicate a shift away from reassurance-by-symbolism toward readiness-for-contingency. The emphasis is less on static numbers and more on how quickly forces can be reinforced, sustained, and employed in a high-intensity scenario.</p><p>European allies, meanwhile, are moving more unevenly—but in ways that are structurally significant. Defence spending increases are increasingly being translated into actual ground combat power rather than remaining at the level of procurement announcements. Across the Eastern Flank, states are expanding land forces, investing in armour, artillery, air defence, and long-range fires, while also rebuilding training pipelines, reserve systems, and logistics—areas long neglected in peacetime force models. On top of that, Germany will have a fully-deployed brigade (5,000 troops) in Lithuania in 2027-2028.</p><p>One of the most encouraging shifts has been in defence-industrial policy. Ammunition production, repair capacity, and sustainment infrastructure are no longer treated as background issues. Exercises, too, have changed in character: they now increasingly test reinforcement, endurance, and multi-domain coordination rather than scripted reassurance scenarios.</p><p>None of this removes real constraints. Demography, industrial bottlenecks, political cycles, and competing fiscal pressures remain. Progress is uneven, and vulnerabilities persist. But compared to the pre-2022 baseline, there is a clear shift away from declaratory deterrence toward practical, capacity-based deterrence. NATO forces on the Eastern Flank are becoming more capable, the overall trajectory is correct, and the flank already looks markedly different from 2022. It will look very different again three years from now.</p><p>Developments from just last week illustrate this trend clearly.</p><p>In Estonia, authorities entered a deliberate one-year transition phase in force generation. For 2026, conscription intake will be sharply reduced—from around 4,000 to 1,200—in order to rebuild instructor capacity, standardise training methods, and refresh wartime procedures. This contraction is explicitly preparatory. From 2027, Estonia plans to shift to a uniform 12-month conscription model designed to sustain complex capabilities such as rocket artillery and medium-range air defence. In parallel, Tallinn established a Future Capabilities and Innovation Command, a hybrid civilian–military structure focused on UAVs, automation, and rapid implementation of battlefield lessons. Defence-industrial capacity also advanced with the launch of domestic explosives filling at Ämari, strengthening supply-chain resilience.</p><p>Latvia formalised one of the most ambitious defence budgets in NATO, allocating EUR 2.16 bn (4.91 % of GDP) for 2026, with a clear trajectory toward 5 %. More than half of spending is directed toward combat capabilities—particularly IFVs, layered air defence, artillery, munitions, and UAVs—while EUR 55 m is earmarked for counter-mobility infrastructure along the eastern border. Riga also accelerated domestic defence-industrial development, including a 155 mm propellant-charge facility, EDF-backed UAV programmes such as VANTAGE, and expanded innovation funding. Operationally, exercises like Winter Shield 2025 tested winter combat and heavy UAV integration.</p><p>In Lithuania, the week was dominated by hybrid pressure from Belarus, prompting a nationwide state of emergency. Vilnius moved to integrate the Armed Forces more directly into internal security, granting soldiers temporary law-enforcement powers and deploying air-defence units along the Belarusian border. At the same time, Lithuania approved a record 2026 defence budget of EUR 4.79 bn (5.38 % of GDP), with major investments in CV90 Mk IV IFVs, Leopard 2A8 tanks, CAESAR artillery, HIMARS, and layered air defence. Defence-industrial localisation advanced through tank assembly, artillery support facilities, and ammunition-compatibility initiatives. Infrastructure spending expanded training areas in the Suwałki corridor, underscoring Lithuania’s focus on division-level readiness and sustained allied presence.</p><p>Poland continued to consolidate its role as the logistical and operational backbone of NATO’s Eastern Flank. Allied integration deepened through German Eurofighter deployments, Patriot rotations, and forthcoming Bundeswehr engineer support for Tarcza Wschód, Poland’s nationwide border defence programme. Warsaw also advanced major territorial defence reforms, creating a dedicated Border Defence Component within the Territorial Defence Forces to free manoeuvre brigades for high-intensity warfighting. Logistically, Poland joined NATO’s Central Europe Pipeline System, recognising fuel sustainment as decisive for prolonged conflict. Industrially, Poland reached milestones in K2 tank localisation, artillery expansion (now Europe’s largest 155 mm SPH fleet), domestic ammunition production, loitering munitions, naval mine warfare, and soldier modernisation. The overall trajectory points toward large-scale, sustained, high-intensity readiness.</p><p>Finally, Romania focused on airspace security, Black Sea posture, and sustainment capacity. Bucharest clarified its rules for engaging Russian drones, balancing escalation control with population safety, while reinforcing counter-drone measures under NATO’s Eastern Sentry framework. Allied integration continued through rotations of Spanish marines and cooperation with Dutch forces. On the industrial side, Romania moved to assume responsibility for the European F-16 Training Centre—supporting both national and Ukrainian pilot training—while expanding radar coverage through SAFE-financed acquisitions.</p><p>Taken together, these developments illustrate how activity has intensified not only in Ukraine, but across the wider region. Yet developments on the Eastern Flank itself remain largely underreported and receive limited attention in broader public discussions of NATO posture and actions. From a deterrence perspective, however, they are among the most consequential shifts currently underway in Europe.</p><div data-attrs='{"url":"[rochanconsulting.substack.com/subscribe](https://rochanconsulting.substack.com/subscribe?)","text":"Subscribe","language":"en"}' data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM" data-sanitized-class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor"><div data-sanitized-class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div data-sanitized-class="preamble"><p data-sanitized-class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Ukraine Conflict Monitor! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><div data-sanitized-class="fake-input-wrapper"><div data-sanitized-class="fake-input"></div><div data-sanitized-class="fake-button"></div></div></div></div><p><a href="https://rochanconsulting.substack.com/p/what-weve-learned-covering-natos">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/ukrainian-drone-attack-sets-russian.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 22:32:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/ukrainian-drone-attack-sets-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6cba396584.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drone attack sets Russian pipeline ablaze in Krasnodar Krai, officials say"></p>Drone debris hit a pipeline at a terminal in Volna, a village in the region's Temryuk district, the Krasnodar Krai Emergency Headquarters said. A fire broke out as a result of the attack.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-attack-damages-russian-pipeline-in-krasnodar-krai-officials-say/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/how-russia-is-fighting-with.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 22:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/how-russia-is-fighting-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b60353787a.jpg" alt="How Russia is fighting with fakes against Ukraine and the West #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1mvbpDyVcxg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/kremlin-in-shock-bn-for.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 21:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/kremlin-in-shock-bn-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/ca8f743d30.jpg" alt="KREMLIN IN SHOCK: €90bn for Ukraine, strikes on Russia’s shadow fleet, AFU push in Kupiansk"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P47odh0x8M8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/sweden-detains-sanctioned-russian-vessel.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 20:02:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/sweden-detains-sanctioned-russian-vessel.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252354829.jpg" alt="Sweden detains sanctioned Russian vessel linked to weapons transport"></p>The cargo ship Adler has previously been used to transport Russian weapons and its owner, M Leasing LLC, is sanctioned by the U.S. and EU.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sweden-detains-sanctioned-russian-vessel-linked-to-weapons-transport/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/russia-has-no-intention-of.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 19:08:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/russia-has-no-intention-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/81da6a389e.jpg" alt="Russia has no intention of actually ending its aggression, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FUdi2dzYOE8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/how-the-kremlins-spy-system.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 19:00:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/how-the-kremlins-spy-system.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/db3e5146b9.jpg" alt="How the Kremlin's spy system works – from agents to random executors #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J3FOzddFxHI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-drones.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:44:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-drones.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/842440d6c1.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones hit 2 Russian Su-27 jets in Crimea, intelligence agency says"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Dec. 20-21:</strong></p><ul><li>Ukrainian drones hit 2 Russian Su-27 jets in Crimea, intelligence agency says</li><li>France and Russia signal openness to holding separate talks as US-led peace efforts remain inconclusive</li><li>50 civilians in Sumy Oblast abducted and forcibly taken to Russia, ombudsman says</li><li>Ukraine to replace head of</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-drones-hit-2-russian-su-27-jets-in-crimea-intelligence-agency-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/we-are-fking-fascists-pussy.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:27:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/we-are-fking-fascists-pussy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/pussy-riot.jpg" alt="‘We are f–king fascists’ — Pussy Riot memoir looks at everything wrong with Russia"></p><p>Upon being released from prison in December 2013 after serving time for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred,” Russian political activist Maria Alyokhina observes that she and her fellow Pussy Riot punk group members “arrived in a different country.”</p><p>Outwardly, Russia sought to convey to the world</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/we-are-f-king-fascists-pussy-riot-memoir-looks-at-everything-wrong-with-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/ukrainian-us-delegates-hold-another.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:05:30 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/ukrainian-us-delegates-hold-another.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2248651558-1.jpg" alt="Ukrainian, US delegates hold another round of talks as Russian team meets Americans in Miami"></p>The meeting is part of ongoing diplomatic negotiations in Washington's latest push to secure a peace deal. A Russian team is also expected to meet with U.S. delegates again on Dec. 21.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-us-delegates-hold-another-round-of-talks-as-russian-team-meets-americans-in-miami/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/the-kremlins-agent-networks-in.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/the-kremlins-agent-networks-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/c3cd6b8740.jpg" alt="The Kremlin's agent networks in Europe – Russia's war against the West has already begun!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEjvxF2YPz4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/russian-attack-stalls-as-ukraine.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/russian-attack-stalls-as-ukraine.html <p>A stretch of the front that had been relatively quiet became a new pressure point for Russia — but the push fell short, according to Ukrainian officials.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces <a href="https://t.me/strix_kh_ua/170">say</a> they foiled an attempted assault on the border village of Sotnytskyi Kozachok in the Kharkiv region, where Russian troops had covertly massed significant infantry. The attack was halted by the Strix unmanned systems unit of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service and the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ 22nd Mechanized Brigade.</p> <p>Russian forces tried to resume assault operations in northern Kharkiv region, pulling infantry into the ruins of Sotnytskyi Kozachok, officials said. A joint operation by border guards and the STAR unmanned systems battalion of the 22nd Mechanized Brigade destroyed the Russian assault group, according to the units involved.</p> <p>Video recorded by FPV drones and published by the unit shows Russian infantry being struck. “Thanks to the steel infantry that stands firmer than concrete. The work goes on; more to come,” the border guards said.</p> <p>On December 19, the Kharkiv regional outlet MediaPort, citing Viktor Kovalenko, head of the Zolochiv settlement military administration, reported that clashes in Sotnytskyi Kozachok had been ongoing for several consecutive days. Russian forces are trying to break through and capture frontline settlements, but Ukrainian troops are holding the defensive line, Kovalenko said.</p> <p>The DeepState project reported that as of December 21, 2025, the situation around Sotnytskyi Kozachok remains tense. Previously, this sector was notably less active than the main axes of Russia’s offensive.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-attack-stalls-as-ukraine-destroys-assault-group-in-kharkiv-border-village">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/ukrainian-military-fighting-continues-in.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 17:16:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/ukrainian-military-fighting-continues-in.html <p>Clashes are ongoing in the village of Hrabovske in the Sumy region, where Ukraine’s defense forces are battling Russian occupiers and trying to push them back across the border into Russia, said the Joint Forces Task Force in <a href="https://t.me/Joint_Forces_Task_Force/19829">a post on Telegram</a>:</p> <p>“At present, fighting continues in the settlement of Hrabovske. Ukrainian defenders are working to push the occupiers back onto Russian territory,” the statement said.</p> <p>The Ukrainian military also denied media reports about the alleged presence of Russian units in the neighboring settlement of Riasne, saying that, according to official information, no occupying forces are there today.</p> <p>Overnight on December 20, the situation in border districts of Sumy region sharply escalated. Russian units entered the village of Hrabovske in the Krasnopillia community, located just 200 meters from Ukraine’s state border, and took about 50 residents into Russian territory.</p> <p>Russian forces exploited the village’s proximity to the border and quickly established control, the outlet <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kordonmedia/posts/pfbid0372cMTu3cqbnA9VFoDrmhEZx5LggvdQwuABVcRjGtMXYQXjijnLPRvpjgjeLEemNvl">Kordon.Media</a> reported on December 20.</p> <p>According to preliminary information, just over 50 residents remained in Hrabovske after previously declining official evacuation. All were forcibly taken into the Russian Federation. The Russian forces said the deportation was part of so-called “filtration measures,” a direct violation of international humanitarian law.</p> <p>The removal of civilians was confirmed by Hrabovske village elder Larysa Kremezna in a comment to <a href="https://suspilne.media/sumy/1194510-pivsotnu-meskanciv-grabovskogo-na-sumsini-vivezli-do-rf-so-vidomo/#:~:text=%D0%9F%D1%96%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8E%20%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D1%96%D0%B2%20%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%20%D0%BD%D0%B0%20%D0%A1%D1%83%D0%BC%D1%89%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%96%2C%20%D1%8F%D0%BA%D0%B5%20%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B7%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%88%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%20200%20%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D1%96%D0%B2,%D0%A2%D0%B0%D0%BC%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%88%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%8F%20%D0%BF%D1%96%D0%B2%20%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%96%20%D0%BB%D1%8E%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B9">Suspilne</a> . “About 50 people remained there. They were taken into Russian territory,” she said, adding that no children were among those deported.</p> <p>Ruslan Mikula, co-founder of the DeepState analytical project, told Suspilne that Russian units have stepped up activity around Hrabovske. He said the situation is still being clarified.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Armed Forces officially confirmed the border breach and the capture of the settlement.</p> <p>In comments to <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2025/12/21/8012833">Ukrainska Pravda</a>, Dmytro Lykhovii, an officer with the Armed Forces’ Main Communications Directorate, said Russian troops did enter Hrabovske, after which Ukraine’s Defense Forces had to withdraw from several positions in the area.</p> <p>He said that after taking the village, Russian forces forcibly transported more than 50 Ukrainian civilians into Russia. Most were elderly men and women; the oldest deportee was 89.</p> <p>Amid the escalation, the military and local authorities are again urging residents in border areas not to refuse evacuation. According to the Armed Forces, the Sumy regional administration has already organized a large-scale evacuation - moving more than 30,000 people from dangerous districts. Nearly 5,700 residents, including 38 children, have still not agreed to leave the frontline zone.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-military-fighting-continues-in-hrabovske-sumy-region">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/kremlin-again-rejects-usled-ukraine.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:40:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/kremlin-again-rejects-usled-ukraine.html <p>A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yuri Ushakov, said Moscow will reject the peace plan the United States is trying to coordinate with Ukraine and European partners.</p> <p>As Washington holds intensive talks to align a peace proposal with stakeholders, Moscow is openly dismissing it. Ushakov again insisted the Kremlin will not accept any alterations to the document.</p> <p>Russian media circulated Ushakov’s remarks on the morning of December 21, amid talks underway in Miami.</p> <p>Ushakov reiterated that Moscow has not yet seen the latest version of the plan, but is already opposed to it.</p> <p>“I am more than sure that the provisions introduced and being pushed by the Europeans together with the Ukrainians clearly violate the documents and the possibility of achieving a long-term peace… We received signals via the press, but I personally have not seen any papers,” Putin’s representative said.</p> <p>He added that a trilateral format is “being worked out,” in which Ukrainian and Russian delegations would meet with Washington as mediator.</p> <p>Speaking about Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev’s participation in the Miami talks, Ushakov quipped: “He only doesn’t know how to play golf; everything else he does the right way.”</p> <p>That appeared to hint Dmitriev has managed to establish contacts with the White House. The golf reference may also be deliberate, given it is a favorite sport of President Donald Trump.</p> <p>Experts note a lack of willingness within Russia’s leadership to end the war and negotiate peace. They say Moscow is simulating talks to buy time to continue its aggression while trying to avoid new sanctions and additional weapons deliveries to Kyiv.</p> <p>A clear signal, analysts say, came during Putin’s “Direct Line” call-in show, where he demanded that Ukraine hand over not only the Donbas but also parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions—territory his army has been unable to capture. This demand runs counter even to the much-discussed 28-point plan that, according to Western media, was drafted in Moscow and is being presented by the United States as its own initiative.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-again-rejects-us-led-ukraine-peace-plan-as-miami-talks-proceed">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/france-and-russia-signal-openness.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:23:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/france-and-russia-signal-openness.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2202896182.jpg" alt="France and Russia signal openness to holding separate talks as US-led peace efforts remain inconclusive"></p>On Dec. 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at Western leaders during an annual meeting with his defense ministry, calling European leaders "piglets" and declaring that the goals of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine would be met "unconditionally."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/france-and-russia-signal-openness-to-dialogue-as-peace-talks-continue/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/not-under-discussion-kremlin-denies.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:45:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/not-under-discussion-kremlin-denies.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2249001619.jpg" alt="'Not under discussion': Kremlin denies preparations for trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia talks"></p>Ukrainian and Russian delegations have rushed to Miami to take part in yet another round of talks with the U.S. representatives in what some see as an American effort to end Russia's war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/not-under-discussion-kremlin-denies-preparations-for-trilateral-us-ukraine-russia-talks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/how-russia-split-my-family.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:01:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/how-russia-split-my-family.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2fcd3c47-0.jpg" alt="How Russia split my family over Christmas"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!iR-5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9daa2f04-8cb2-4d6a-ad92-fc161aa27201_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f9daa2f04-8.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9daa2f04-8cb2-4d6a-ad92-fc161aa27201_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em><strong>LAST CALL! <br></strong>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. We’re printing a limited run only:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!hZJY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F08a717f5-f5f7-4d46-a82d-0c4cae45db43_1280x853.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f08a717f5-f.jpg" width="460" height="306.546875" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/08a717f5-f5f7-4d46-a82d-0c4cae45db43_1280x853.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":853,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":460,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Already a paid subscriber but still want a calendar? <br><br><strong>LAST CHANCE: </strong>Snag one for a suggested donation of $90. (Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><p>For the past four years, I have loved Christmas. My family reunites in our hometown after long weeks of separation, sets the table with clay dishes, and annoys the neighbors with rumbling laughter.</p><p>But the joy is short-lived. My mother’s gaze shifts toward my grandmother, who, instead of a festive dinner, declined to celebrate. Christmas has not yet arrived for her.</p><p>Within seconds, accusations will begin: specifically, that my grandmother is continuing the traditions of “Russian agents.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Q3CS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78d7384c-257b-42fc-83c0-74810b4308c5_960x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f78d7384c-2.jpg" width="265" height="353.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/78d7384c-257b-42fc-83c0-74810b4308c5_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":265,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>In 2023, my family found our gifts under the Christmas tree for the first time on December 25, instead of on New Year’s Day as we had been doing previously.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Most of the world celebrates Christmas on December 25. But Ukraine, until recently, followed Russia’s lead, marking it on January 7. The shared religious calendar was one of the tools used to sustain the myth of Slavic unity, allowing Moscow to maintain its influence long after Ukrainian independence.</p><p>The war has accelerated Ukraine’s separation from Russia, including through religion. Celebrating Christmas on December 25 was another step toward aligning with the West. and a process of decolonization.</p><p>But this shift came with consequences. For thousands of families, including my own, Christmas is not only a time of reunion but also a source of arguments.</p><p>I have personally witnessed how Russian influence can quietly take root, even among those closest to us. It often reveals itself in fierce resistance to returning to our own Ukrainian traditions, even among people who consider themselves patriotic.</p><p>There is tragedy in this for every such family: a holiday that typically unites people has instead become a source of division — and a weapon in Russia’s hands.</p><p> I witnessed this chasm with my own eyes.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em><strong>In the spirit of Christmas, this article will not be paywalled. </strong> Still, it’s our last call: upgrade to an annual plan and get our 2026 calendar!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"UPGRADE TO BYPASS PAYWALLS ALL YEAR","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>UPGRADE TO BYPASS PAYWALLS ALL YEAR</span></a></p></div><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2fcd3c47-0.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/5e82e63e21.jpg" width="440" height="293.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2fcd3c47-029e-4ee4-a27d-7cbe556d40f7_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":440,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Under the dark skies of wartime power outages, the country’s main Christmas tree is illuminated on Sofiyska Square on December 5, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Maksym Kishka/Frontliner/Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>My grandmother was never a supporter of pro-Russian ideas.</p><p>Still, she remains a parishioner of the ‘Ukrainian’ Orthodox Church, which has never fully severed its ties with Russia.</p><p>It’s hard for me to blame her.</p><p>My grandparents began attending a church subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate in the early 2010s, when my grandfather developed serious health problems. At the time, there were few alternatives. My home region, Volyn, had historically been a stronghold of the so-called ‘Ukrainian’ Orthodox Church, which fell under the Moscow Patriarchy.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":422292}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Nine years ago, my grandfather died. My grandmother’s world collapsed like a house of cards. They had lived together for decades, inseparable and deeply loving. Imagining how to piece herself back together felt impossible.</p><p>She found comfort in continuing to attend the church they had once attended together. It was a community of people she still meets for coffee and celebrates holidays with. Older generations often turn to religion for meaning and support — even as churches like hers in Ukraine are now <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-kyiv/3838778-u-kievi-vikrili-merezu-fsb-aka-diala-pid-prikrittam-upc-mp.html">associated</a> with collaborationism and Kremlin mouthpieces.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!GKIa!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F86b5c7a7-8534-42de-8e45-61524fa05ec5_641x641.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f86b5c7a7-8.png" width="367" height="367" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/86b5c7a7-8534-42de-8e45-61524fa05ec5_641x641.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":641,"width":641,"resizeWidth":367,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Russian Orthodox Patriarchate churches in Ukraine as of 2024. Source: <a href="https://opendatabot.ua/analytics/russian-church-2024-4">Opendatabot</a>. According to the data, the Volyn region has 422 churches.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Since the time of the Russian Empire, Ukraine has been under the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church.</p><p>The Russian Orthodox church was more than a religious institution; it was a bridge to cement Russian ideology in my country. Even during the Soviet era, priests were recruited to <a href="https://argumentua.com/stati/russkaya-pravoslavnaya-tserkov-na-sluzhbe-kgbfsb">become</a> secret agents, tasked with surveillance and spreading Soviet propaganda.</p><p>Before Soviet rule, Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on December 25, drawing them closer to Europe and farther from Russia, which refused to adopt the Gregorian calendar. In 1918, the Soviets returned to the Julian calendars for churches and shifted the holiday to January 7, uniting all occupied territories under a single schedule.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!SbC-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d7daa67-b32e-4076-81e9-78b8f8649608_957x575.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f1d7daa67-b.jpg" width="472" height="283.594566353187" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1d7daa67-b32e-4076-81e9-78b8f8649608_957x575.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":575,"width":957,"resizeWidth":472,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate at his residence, where a portrait of Moscow Patriarch Kirill hangs, 2017. <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/upc-mp-moskovsky-patriarkhat-viyna/31124061.html">Source</a>: UNIAN</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The critical role of the Russian Orthodox Church persisted even after Ukraine gained independence in 1991, as the overwhelming majority of clergy had long-standing ties to Moscow.</p><p>Along with the Russian Orthodox Church, Ukraine continued to use the Julian calendar, which reflected its long-standing confrontation with the West, even in matters of faith.</p><p>Failing to break those ties was a serious mistake.</p><p>In 2014, Vladimir Putin exploited this historical connection between churches, using it as a tool of hybrid aggression to justify the war against Ukraine. Back then, the clergy of the so-called “Ukrainian Orthodox Church” supported separatists in Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk, as militants from the pseudo-republics <a href="http://www.ucipr.org.ua/ua/med-a/research-updates/aktualniy-stan-pravoslavnih-cerkov-ukra-ni-v-umovah-v-yni-nad-na-ob-dnannya-utiski-na-donbas-ta-susp-lno-pol-tichna-pozic-ya">created</a> by Putin openly promoted Moscow Orthodoxy. They framed the conflict in Donbas a “crusade,” with the backing of the Russian Orthodox Church.</p><p>Only after three years of war, in 2018, Ukraine finally secured an independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Since then, the country has been engulfed in a confrontation over which church is legitimate.</p><p>People in my region would go as far as to physically beat each other to assert their beliefs. Now, the Russian Orthodoxy tries to fuel the confrontation, especially on the eve of religious holidays.</p><p>In 2024, Ukraine <a href="https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/card/3894-20">introduced</a> a law which banned religious formations associated with Moscow. Yet, the church continues to be under its influence.</p><p><em>Сlashes between parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchy) and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (independent) in my home region in 2024. Source: <a href="https://t.me/IA_VGOLOS/22687">https://t.me/IA_VGOLOS/22687</a></em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"dd0f5fd2-1918-4d10-a7bc-59ce1a89688e","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>No one in my family had seriously confronted my grandmother about her church until recently.</p><p>After February 2022, my grandmother and my mother started arguing more often about religion, as reports mounted of clergy from churches subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate being exposed as collaborators and participating in repression in the occupied territories. As of August 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) was <a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-society/4024990-sbu-rozslidue-ponad-170-sprav-proti-svasennikiv-upc-mp-za-derzzradu-i-rozpaluvanna-vorozneci.html">investigating</a> more than 170 cases involving priests linked to Moscow on potential treason.</p><p>To be precise, it was my mother who argued. My grandmother cried.</p><p>However, even after thousands of quarrels, my grandmother decided to stay in her church, saying it was “different.” She believes her friends, the priests, are pro-Ukrainian, as they support the army with prayers.</p><p>After many tiring conversations, our family decided to make the subject taboo. But the crack kept widening whenever the holidays came around.</p><p>Before the full-scale invasion, this day did not hold much meaning for me. As a child, I always received presents on New Year’s Eve, a tradition since Soviet times.</p><p>Christmas, meanwhile, was treated almost humorously: limping through the twilight along snowy, freezing streets, we could always collect sweets and money from neighbors in exchange for singing carols. It always felt less important, coming only after the New Year.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!eFDh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F01139dfa-33dc-464c-88b6-f509db362679_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f01139dfa-3.jpg" width="472" height="314.6666666666667" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/01139dfa-33dc-464c-88b6-f509db362679_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":472,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A column of carolers moves from Rynok Square towards Yavorskyi Square to participate in the ceremony to install the city of Lviv’s main Christmas didukh in western Ukraine. (Photo credit should read Markiian Lyseiko / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>But the war changed my relationship to Christmas.</p><p>Now, even for someone as secular as myself, Christmas has become the most important family holiday of the year. The moment when I can finally catch my breath and travel back to my hometown to see everyone I love.</p><p>In 2023, we already celebrated Christmas on December 25 for the second time, after this date <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/dva-rizdva-chi-zmozhe-ukrayina-shvidko-pereyti-1699635314.html">became</a> the official one in Ukraine. We also started the tradition of exchanging gifts under the Christmas tree.</p><p>“It feels like we’ve brought real Christmas back,” my mother said as she cleared the festive table that year.</p><p>Everyone felt that way — except for my grandmother.</p><p>That 2023 Christmas, she wanted to celebrate it without us. Her church, which continued to observe Christmas according to the old calendar, considered the new date incorrect.</p><p>We were already eating kutia, singing carols, and drinking wine. My grandmother, meanwhile, was observing a strict fast which usually goes before Christmas. There was no celebration, no drinking, and no meat allowed for her, so she just ate plain vegetable dishes. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!VDBQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5ef7dc37-a0b3-4a32-8245-77755f075934_1000x600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5ef7dc37-a.png" width="502" height="301.2" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5ef7dc37-a0b3-4a32-8245-77755f075934_1000x600.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":600,"width":1000,"resizeWidth":502,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A traditional Ukrainian dish, “kutia,” made of wheat or barley grains boiled in water with honey. Source: <a href="http://klopotenko.com/">klopotenko.com</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Late in the evening, she would eventually return from church, and the conversation would inevitably grow heated. The familiar arguments would begin again, stretching late into the night.</p><p>But two years ago, she finally agreed to join our festive meal after my mom asked her not to “spoil the holiday.”</p><p>By 2024, statistics showed that most Ukrainians had <a href="https://life.pravda.com.ua/society/ponad-50-ukrajinciv-cogorich-svyatkuvali-rizdvo-25-grudnya-opituvannya-i-zmini-300876/">adapted</a> to the reform calendar and begun celebrating Christmas on December 25.</p><p>I finally feel how it became ours. It was already ours before the Soviets and the Russian Orthodox stole it. Our ancestors celebrated it on December 25 as a way to revive our national identity and separate Kyiv from Moscow.</p><p>I tried to explain this to my grandmother.</p><p>We never managed to change her mind completely. She still goes to her church and celebrates Christmas on January 7 with her friends there.</p><p>But something eventually changed. She decided to mark two Christmases in a year and gave up on her fasting meals when everyone around is celebrating.</p><p>She chose, after all, to spend the holiday with us.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em><strong>LAST CALL! <br></strong>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. We’re printing a limited run only:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!hZJY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F08a717f5-f5f7-4d46-a82d-0c4cae45db43_1280x853.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f08a717f5-f.jpg" width="451" height="300.54921875" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/08a717f5-f5f7-4d46-a82d-0c4cae45db43_1280x853.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":853,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":451,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Already a paid subscriber but still want a calendar? <br><br><strong>LAST CHANCE: </strong>Snag one for a suggested donation of $90. (Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><p></p><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Tim Mak</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.<br><br>We built today’s News of the Day section using <strong><a href="http://www.groundnews.com/mak">Ground.News</a></strong>, a media literacy tool that helps cut through the fog in this time of disinformation. The website and app filters through thousands of news stories every day, merging them by topic to help show which topics are being covered by left and right.</p><p>That’s why we’re partnering with <a href="http://www.groundnews.com/mak">Ground.News</a> for this issue. It features bias detection, provides funding transparency about news outlets, and compares headlines so you can see how different outlets are framing the topic.</p><p>It’s bias detection helped surface the differences between how right-leaning and left-leaning outlets are covering the ongoing peace process through its ‘blindspots’ feature: </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!x-EO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe61343f4-1386-42a8-9b4b-fc14d77f5d33_1342x786.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe61343f4-1.png" width="552" height="323.3025335320417" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e61343f4-1386-42a8-9b4b-fc14d77f5d33_1342x786.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":786,"width":1342,"resizeWidth":552,"bytes":626837,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[www.counteroffensive.news/i/1822278...](https://www.counteroffensive.news/i/182227823?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe61343f4-1386-42a8-9b4b-fc14d77f5d33_1342x786.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Interested in improving your news diet like I have? Subscribe to Ground News and get 40% off their Vantage plan!<br></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"http://www.groundnews.com/mak","text":"Subscribe to Ground.News!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="http://www.groundnews.com/mak" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe to Ground.News!</span></a></p><p><strong>RUSSIA MIXED SIGNALS ON PEACE PROCESS:</strong> Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20251221-ongoing-ukraine-peace-talks-miami-constructive-kremlin-envoy-says">hailed</a> peace talks in Florida as “constructive,” as he met with Trump representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. </p><p>At the same time, Putin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov slammed changes to the notorious 28 point plan, which the Europeans and Ukrainians have whittled down to 20 points. Ushakov <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kremlin-says-chances-peace-not-improved-by-european-ukrainian-changes-us-2025-12-21/">claimed</a> that the revisions “definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace.”<br><br>Both stories found on <a href="https://groundnews.com/mak">Ground.News</a>, with high factuality: </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!x0h6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b2a190a-b500-4684-a104-dafcd8d8a048_842x242.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f6b2a190a-b.png" width="424" height="121.86223277909738" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6b2a190a-b500-4684-a104-dafcd8d8a048_842x242.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":242,"width":842,"resizeWidth":424,"bytes":29906,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[www.counteroffensive.news/i/1822278...](https://www.counteroffensive.news/i/182227823?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b2a190a-b500-4684-a104-dafcd8d8a048_842x242.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><br><strong>US INTEL: RUSSIA WANTS ALL UKRAINE:</strong> Intelligence from the United States continues to show that Putin’s objectives continue to be the capture of all Ukraine, as well as parts of Europe that were part of the USSR. These assessments have been consistent since 2022, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-intelligence-indicates-putins-war-aims-ukraine-are-unchanged-2025-12-19/">Reuters reports</a>, citing six sources that have familiarity with the intelligence. </p><p><strong>…BUT GABBARD DEFLECTS</strong>: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard <a href="https://x.com/DNIGabbard/status/2002484806978834862">said</a> that “warmongers” in the government are promoting a “false narrative to block President Trump’s peace effort.” She claimed that Russia wants to avoid a larger war with NATO and also does not have the ability to conquer all of Ukraine. </p><p>The problem with Gabbard’s statement is that she does not contradict the Reuters story.</p><p><strong>ZELENSKY SUPPORTS ONLINE VOTING:</strong> The Ukrainian president said that presidential elections could permit online voting for Ukrainians abroad, as preparations are made for a possible election campaign even during the war. More at <a href="https://ground.news/article/zelensky-supports-online-voting-in-future-presidential-election_d38f32">Ground.News</a>.<br><br><strong>… AS PUTIN CONSIDERS BALLOT SITE CEASEFIRE:</strong> For his part, Putin said he’s considering a ceasefire on election day if Kyiv holds elections that he is pushing for. Russia is “prepared to consider ways to ensure election security in Ukraine, at least by refraining from strikes deep into the country’s territory on election day,” he said. </p><p>But he insisted that Ukrainians living in Russia be allowed to vote, and his promises are notably worthless.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!FlaA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f0edfc6-7834-462c-b9af-adf3f91f1cd0_850x488.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5f0edfc6-7.png" width="422" height="242.27764705882353" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5f0edfc6-7834-462c-b9af-adf3f91f1cd0_850x488.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":488,"width":850,"resizeWidth":422,"bytes":59201,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[www.counteroffensive.news/i/1822278...](https://www.counteroffensive.news/i/182227823?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f0edfc6-7834-462c-b9af-adf3f91f1cd0_850x488.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Sasha saw this cat “on sale” at a convenience store. Sometimes he comes there on cold days and lifts everyone’s spirits!</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!5X62!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67988eee-35c5-4480-8769-b23a2ef37033_720x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f67988eee-3.jpg" width="352" height="625.7777777777778" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/67988eee-35c5-4480-8769-b23a2ef37033_720x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":720,"resizeWidth":352,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Mariana</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-russia-split-my-family-over-christmas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/civilians-in-sumy-oblast-abducted.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 13:49:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/civilians-in-sumy-oblast-abducted.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252120610.jpg" alt="50 civilians in Sumy Oblast abducted and forcibly taken to Russia, ombudsman says"></p>According to preliminary information, on Dec. 18, Russian forces illegally detained about 50 civilians — residents of the village of Hrabovske — holding them without access to communication or adequate conditions. On Dec. 20, they were forcibly taken to Russia.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/50-civilians-in-sumy-oblast-abducted-and-forcibly-taken-to-russia-ombudsman-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/russian-troops-launch-nearly-drones.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 12:03:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/russian-troops-launch-nearly-drones.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2025-12-21-11-34-46.jpg" alt="Russian troops launch nearly 100 drones overnight, killing 4, injuring 19"></p>Russian forces launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile from Russia’s Rostov Oblast, along with 97 drones from Russia’s Millerovo, Kursk, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-overnight-kill-4-injure-19-across-ukraine-nearly-100-drones-deployed/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/21/ukrainian-partisans-sabotage-key-railway.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:09:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/21/ukrainian-partisans-sabotage-key-railway.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/-2025-12-21-09-57-07.png" alt="Ukrainian partisans sabotage key railway hub in Russia's Rostov Oblast, group claims"></p>Atesh operatives set fire at a railway hub in Bataysk, in Russia's Rostov Oblast, which Russian troops use to supply their forces in occupied parts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts, as well as Crimea.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/pro-ukrainian-partisans-sabotage-a-key-railway-hub-in-russias-rostov-oblast-group-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/no-concessions-to-the-kremlin.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:30:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/no-concessions-to-the-kremlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/23cedbee18.jpg" alt="No concessions to the Kremlin: what the updated peace plan looks like #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sf9bt640QAo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukraine-to-replace-head-of.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:04:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukraine-to-replace-head-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/aa0a731c61.jpg" alt="Ukraine to replace head of Southern Air Command following repeated deadly Russian strikes in Odesa Oblast"></p>"No matter how difficult it is for us, we need to protect as many people as possible, protect Odesa and our other regions as much as possible," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the planned replacement.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-to-replace-head-of-southern-air-command-following-repeated-deadly-russian-strikes-in-odesa-oblast/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/eu-blacklist-prompts-armenia-and.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 21:30:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/eu-blacklist-prompts-armenia-and.html <p>A new European Union move is deepening Russia’s financial isolation, reshaping the rules for individuals and businesses.</p> <p>Russia’s new status in the EU’s financial system is triggering a chain reaction: foreign banks are opting to cut ties with clients from Russia rather than risk sanctions.</p> <p>Banks in several countries have sharply tightened payment rules for Russians after the EU added Russia to its list of high-risk jurisdictions for money laundering and terrorist financing, Russian outlet RBC <a href="https://pro.rbc.ru/demo/694566e69a7947b69500364a">reports</a>.</p> <p>In particular, lenders in Armenia and Serbia are refusing to open accounts and process transactions for Russian nationals.</p> <p>In some cases, services are terminated without detailed explanations. Banks cite “internal compliance requirements,” and closures affect both newly opened accounts and those established long ago.</p> <p>Lawyers say the restrictions extend even to Russians with residence permits, registered businesses, or long-term stays in these countries.</p> <p>Banks in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Oman have also begun conducting more rigorous checks. The new requirements cover both individuals and companies with ties to Russia.</p> <p>Clients are increasingly asked to verify the source of funds, the economic purpose of transfers, and their tax status.</p> <p>According to sources, there are cases where even transfers between a customer’s own accounts are being paused. Sometimes funds are frozen indefinitely until reviews are completed.</p> <p>The measures are complicating personal finances and the operations of companies engaged in international business.</p> <p>Legal experts say banks are choosing maximum caution, even where there are no formal bans on serving Russian clients.</p> <p>The EU placed Russia on its blacklist of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing in early December.</p> <p>The decision was actively pushed by Ukraine, the European Parliament, and several European countries, which called for increased pressure on Moscow amid talks on ending the war in Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-blacklist-prompts-armenia-and-serbia-to-cut-off-russian-banking-clients">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/zelensky-says-ukraine-is-organizing.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 21:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/zelensky-says-ukraine-is-organizing.html <p>Holding elections during wartime hinges on security, and a ceasefire is needed inside Ukraine at least for the duration of voting, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.</p> <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot decide when or how elections in Ukraine will take place, Zelensky said in <a href="https://t.me/novynylive/179435">a statement</a>.</p> <p>Zelensky stressed that the Ukrainian state can ensure free and transparent elections, with foreign observers able to verify the legitimacy of the process.</p> <p>At the same time, he acknowledged potential logistical complications because many Ukrainian citizens are currently abroad, including questions around suitable facilities. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has already begun organizing overseas voting, he said, adding that he hopes many Ukrainians will return home to vote when security conditions allow.</p> <p>Zelensky voiced skepticism about holding voting for Ukrainians in Russia and in territories temporarily occupied by Russia, saying he doubts genuine results would match “drawn” figures.</p> <p>He said elections during the war depend on two factors: security and legislation.</p> <p>“Those who are not in Ukraine can come if it’s safe, or vote abroad, as I said. It’s important that our military, who defend the state, can vote. Every citizen has an absolute right to this,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that U.S. partners have raised security issues and understand how to help Kyiv ensure safe elections.</p> <p>“This may primarily be a ceasefire, or the end of the war, or at minimum a ceasefire during the elections,” he said.</p> <p>Earlier, Zelensky instructed lawmakers to draft a bill enabling elections under martial law. Among the changes under consideration are multi-day voting and a 60-day campaign period during wartime, mirroring the timeline for early presidential elections.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-is-organizing-overseas-voting-ties-wartime-elections-to-a-ceasefire">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/veteran-from-texas-in-ukraine.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 20:00:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/veteran-from-texas-in-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/460dd5b84f.jpg" alt="Veteran from TEXAS IN UKRAINE: From farming to fighting Russia"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFXYToTwldM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/russia-to-scrap-military-cooperation.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 19:00:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/russia-to-scrap-military-cooperation.html <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry has received government approval to terminate 10 military cooperation agreements and one related memorandum signed with European countries between 1992 and 2002, according to <a href="http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/0001202512190050?index=1">a decree</a> published Friday, December 19, on the official Russian legal information portal.</p> <p>The list includes agreements on “cooperation in the military sphere” with Germany, Poland, Romania, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Croatia, Belgium and the Czech Republic, as well as a memorandum between the Russian and UK defense ministries.</p> <p>These agreements formed part of the legal framework governing bilateral military cooperation established after the collapse of the Soviet Union, local media noted.</p> <p>Russia previously halted military-technical cooperation with Germany</p> <p>In July 2025, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it was terminating a 1996 accord on military-technical cooperation with Germany. The ministry argued the agreement had “lost its meaning and practical value” and “does not correspond to the current state of Russian-German intergovernmental relations.”</p> <p>In the same statement, the ministry blamed Berlin, accusing the German government of “deliberately indoctrinating” the public in an anti-Russian vein and pursuing “increasingly aggressive militarist ambitions,” adding that the German capital was “bursting with outsized foreign-policy ambitions.”</p> <p>German officials did not comment on Moscow’s claims.</p> <p>From New START to plutonium disposal: Russia keeps pulling out of international accords</p> <p>Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has exited dozens of security-related agreements with Western countries.</p> <p>Among the latest was a US-Russia plutonium disposal agreement that, among other provisions, prohibited use of the material for nuclear weapons. Russia had effectively suspended the deal in 2016, citing a “sharp deterioration” in relations with Washington, and said it would consider resuming it only if sanctions imposed over its aggression against Ukraine were lifted.</p> <p>Moscow has also sought US commitments not to create strategic offensive weapons, issues governed by the 2010 New START treaty.</p> <p>And in April 2025, the Russian cabinet withdrew from a cooperation agreement with Norway, Sweden and Finland covering the Barents Sea and the Euro-Arctic region.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-to-scrap-military-cooperation-agreements-with-11-european-countries">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/between-life-and-death-under.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 18:31:43 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/between-life-and-death-under.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/img-2513.jpg" alt="Between life and death under Russian drones in Kherson"></p>Liberated in 2022, Kherson is still under daily attack from Russian forces across the Dnipro River. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko report from a city living under anti-drone nets and constant surveillance, showing how everyday life, from hospitals and schools to aid deliveries and cultural events, continues under threat, and why residents refuse to leave.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/between-life-and-death-under-russian-drones-in-kherson/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukraine-and-portugal-to-jointly.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 18:00:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukraine-and-portugal-to-jointly.html <p>Ukraine and Portugal have agreed to launch joint production of Ukrainian sea drones, presidential adviser Oleksandr Kamyshin <a href="https://x.com/AKamyshin/status/2002341004784058602">said</a>.</p> <p>Kamyshin described the systems as advanced combat technologies that have already proven their effectiveness in battle. He said Ukraine’s sea drones have shown results against Russia’s fleet, including surface vessels and even submarines.</p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the agreement, saying he signed the relevant documents with Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. Zelensky separately <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17376">thanked</a> Lisbon for participating in the PURL program, through which Ukraine receives weaponry from the United States.</p> <p>Amid the Portugal deal, the United States is also showing interest in Ukraine’s sea drones. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said representatives of the U.S. Navy and the Pentagon have visited the country twice to review the systems firsthand, examining technical specifications across projects and conducting initial official tests. 1 The ministry <a href="https://t.me/ministry_of_defense_ua/1487">said</a> it presented solutions that have proven effective in real combat.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-and-portugal-to-jointly-produce-sea-drones-as-u-s-interest-grows">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/russia-is-afraid-of-the.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:35:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/russia-is-afraid-of-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/36dd30b44e.jpg" alt="Russia is afraid of the truth: acknowledging the war would be a political disaster #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tFCwbJJbBSE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukrainian-forces-mount-successful-counterattacks.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:30:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukrainian-forces-mount-successful-counterattacks.html <p>Ukraine’s Forces are carrying out successful counterattacks in several areas and inflicting significant losses on Russian occupation troops, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine/posts/pfbid02k6Qr1QGDPShT54oLjCTA7523RebNtU74WH9YPHXw2Jk2sBtiCPGh8VjhTQDx2i6Bl">a Facebook post</a>. </p> <p>He said Russian forces are attempting to press Ukrainian positions in certain sectors, but Ukrainian defenders are striking back effectively, causing substantial personnel and equipment losses. Ukraine’s Defense Forces are doing everything possible to disrupt Russia’s autumn-winter campaign.</p> <p>The Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk region remains the “hottest” part of the front. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, on December 19 Russian forces launched 45 attacks there. Fighting took place near Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Molodetske, Kotlyne, Dachne, Filiia and other settlements.</p> <p>Conditions are somewhat less intense on the Kostiantynivka axis, also in Donetsk region. On December 19, Russian forces tried 20 times to break through Ukrainian lines there. Battles were reported near Kleban-Byk, Oleksandro-Shultyno, Rusyn Yar, and toward Pleshchiivka, Novopavlivka and Sofiivka.</p> <p>In early December, Russian propaganda claimed the full capture of Pokrovsk and the encirclement of Myrnohrad. Ukraine’s armed forces denied those claims as false. Numerous videos posted online indicate Ukrainian troops continue to hold positions in those cities.</p> <p>According to the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces, Ukrainian defenders are holding positions in northern Pokrovsk and inflicting heavy personnel losses on Russian troops. There are some logistics challenges due to Russian drones, but the Ukrainian military is establishing new supply and evacuation routes.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-mount-successful-counterattacks-as-pokrovsk-remains-the-hottest-sector-syrskyi-says">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/zelensky-rates-european-guarantees-at.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:28:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/zelensky-rates-european-guarantees-at.html <p>Ukraine and its Western partners have made headway in talks on future security guarantees to deter another Russian invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.</p> <p>In an interview with Poland’s <a href="https://www.pap.pl/ua/ukrainian/news/zelenskiy-v-intervyu-dlya-pap-kredit-es-nadae-ukraini-novi-mozhlivosti">PAP news agency</a>, Zelensky said negotiations on the guarantees have “significantly advanced.” He described the European component as largely satisfactory—though not fully so—and rated its reliability at about 90% .</p> <p>“Not everything suits us here either, but we’re 90% satisfied,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky stressed that the United States remains central to the architecture of these guarantees, calling for concrete commitments that are not just verbal but approved by the US Congress. For Kyiv, he said, it is crucial to understand how partners would act in the event of renewed Russian aggression.</p> <p>European guarantees provide a strong foundation, he added, but do not yet eliminate all risks. Ukraine sees them as an important part of a broader system that includes the US.</p> <p>Addressing parameters of a possible peace plan, Zelensky highlighted the armed forces, saying a working draft envisions a force of about 800,000 service members - the size he says Ukraine needs to defend itself and deter Russia.</p> <p>Zelensky also renewed his thanks to the United States and President Donald Trump for efforts to end the war. At the same time, he said “Russian dictator Vladimir Putin” is not interested in a genuine peace and will not limit his ambitions to Ukraine—circumstances that, he argued, elevate Washington’s role.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-rates-european-guarantees-at-90-as-talks-advance-urges-concrete-us-commitments">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/umerov-ukraine-us-and-european.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:18:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/umerov-ukraine-us-and-european.html <p>On December 19, U.S. officials held talks with a Ukrainian delegation and European partners on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov wrote on <a href="https://t.me/umerov_rustem/250">his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>According to him, the Ukrainian delegation agreed with the Americans on next steps and continued joint work. The parties will resume consultations in the near future. Umerov confirmed European representatives took part but did not specify who.</p> <p>The Ukrainian delegation at the December 19 talks in the U.S. was led by Rustem Umerov. Also present was the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andriy Hnatov.</p> <p>It is not yet clear who took part from the U.S. side. It is assumed the participants were the U.S. president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Witkoff and Kushner also plan to meet December 20–21 in Miami with a Russian delegation that could be led by Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The sides are also set to discuss the new plan to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, developed in November this year by the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump.</p> <p>U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may join the talks with the Russian delegation on Saturday, December 20. He said there has been progress in discussing conditions to end the war in Ukraine, but a peace deal is still far off.</p> <p>As for the European representatives at the December 19 talks in the U.S., their names have not been officially disclosed. Media report they were representatives of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.</p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky, discussing the upcoming new phase of consultations in the U.S., mentioned Trump’s new peace plan, pared down to 20 points, and the security guarantees for Ukraine to be provided after the war.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/umerov-ukraine-u-s-and-european-partners-agree-on-next-steps-in-talks-on-trump-s-ukraine-peace-plan">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/zelensky-says-real-peace-deal.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:18:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/zelensky-says-real-peace-deal.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there is no peace agreement today because any real document Kyiv can sign must include clear security guarantees. He also said the United States has proposed a trilateral meeting with Russia and Ukraine.</p> <p>Zelensky underscored the need for a just peace during <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKnq9WFyTNE">a joint news conference</a> with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro on December 20. He noted that a real agreement cannot be just “on paper,” as with the Budapest Memorandum.</p> <p>“Peace is better than war, but not at any price. We have already paid a high price. For us, a just and durable peace matters—one that cannot be broken by another whim of Putin or another Putin. It is very important to have strong security guarantees to rule out even the thought or physical possibility of aggression returning,” the Ukrainian president said.</p> <p>In his view, an agreement should contain several arrangements with clear security guarantees from the United States and European countries, approved at the political level. The documents should spell out a clear response from partners in the event of renewed Russian aggression, define the stockpiles, strength, and capabilities of Ukraine’s military to deter an attacker, and trigger automatic sanctions against it.</p> <p>Zelensky also said he does not yet know Washington’s reaction after consultations with Russia. He expects to be briefed by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov by the end of December 20.</p> <p>“The United States of America said they would hold a separate meeting with representatives of Russia, and they proposed a format, as I understand it, Ukraine–America–Russia. And since there are representatives of Europe, then likely Europe as well. Why ‘likely’? Because it would be logical if such a joint meeting is held. But it’s logical to do it after we understand the outcome of the meeting that has already taken place between the US and Ukraine, whether there is anything positive,” the president said.</p> <p>On December 16, President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks with the US in Miami would cover specific documents and security guarantees, Ukraine’s economic recovery, and 20 points of a framework agreement.</p> <p>On December 18, French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be necessary to resume dialogue with Putin if current talks do not deliver a durable peace. He believes Ukraine and Europe should look for the right format to negotiate with Russia.</p> <p>Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told the Financial Times that Russia would redeploy troops to NATO’s borders after a peace deal with Ukraine. He said Russian aggression threatens Finland and the Baltic states first and foremost.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-real-peace-deal-must-include-firm-security-guarantees-as-us-proposes-trilateral-talks-with-russia-and-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/fighting-intensifies-around-myrnohrad-as.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:00:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/fighting-intensifies-around-myrnohrad-as.html <p>Analysts at DeepState say the city of Myrnohrad in the Pokrovsk district of Ukraine’s Donetsk region has shifted into a “gray zone,” meaning it is not controlled by either Russian or Ukrainian forces. Operational Command “East,” however, says Ukraine’s Defense Forces are holding their lines and eliminating Russian troops on the approaches to the city.</p> <p>Information about the fighting in Myrnohrad is displayed on <a href="https://deepstatemap.live/#12/48.3003248/37.1890640">the DeepState map</a>, updated on the evening of December 19. A day earlier, on December 18, analysts had marked a significant part of the city as controlled by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.</p> <p>As of December 19, the entire Myrnohrad area on the DeepState map is labeled as a territory that requires data clarification.</p> <p>Also as of December 19, DeepState <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/22963">reported</a> advances by Russian forces near Dronivka and Siversk in the Donetsk region.</p> <p>In addition, analysts say Russian troops have advanced around Vyshneve in the Dnipropetrovsk region.</p> <p>Operational Command (OC) “East” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EastAFU/posts/pfbid02M29j7ujw9bJ5zaJrq4YDe6ue6Bw4rmrkVc2cM36iLjrKNPdv3TPL4aJhgUAcH16Yl?locale=uk_UA">reported</a> as of 10:00 on December 20 that in Myrnohrad, units of the Defense Forces continue to hold defensive lines and eliminate Russian troops on the city’s approaches.</p> <p>“Additional logistical routes to Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are being organized to ensure uninterrupted supply to our units with everything necessary and for timely evacuation,” OC “East” said.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/32780">said</a> as of 8:00 on December 20 that on the Pokrovsk axis, Ukrainian troops stopped 45 Russian assault and offensive actions, including near Myrnohrad and Hryshyne. The General Staff also reported seven Russian attacks on Defense Forces positions on the Sloviansk axis in the areas of Serebrianka, Dronivka and toward Platonivka.</p> <p>A soldier with the call sign “Muchnoy” said <a href="https://t.me/muchnoy_jugend/13064">on his Telegram channel</a> that on the Pokrovsk axis, Russian forces are besieging the village of Hryshyne, rushing in waves with small infantry groups and trying to consolidate deeper inside the settlement.</p> <p>“In most cases they manage to do that - the southern part is already partially under enemy control; they’re dug in there and clinging to every yard,” the soldier said.</p> <p>He added that the “gray zone” is expanding: Russians are “swarming” in Hryshyne, maneuvering and applying pressure from the flanks. Meanwhile, the Russians, according to Muchnoy, are working to envelop the center of Myrnohrad, where only isolated pockets of resistance by the Defense Forces remain.</p> <p>“There’s no continuous line there anymore!” he said.</p> <p>A senior lieutenant in Ukraine’s Defense Forces with the call sign “Alex” wrote on <a href="https://t.me/officer_33/6580">his Telegram channel “Officer”</a> on the evening of December 19 that OSINT analysts’ description of the situation in Myrnohrad is roughly accurate, and personnel from certain units remain in the city and continue fighting.</p> <p>“The zone of influence and presence of the Defense Forces is somewhat larger than depicted and is not limited to the urban area of Myrnohrad, but the big problem is the almost impossible logistics, which complicates supplying the troops and, over time, creates even more problems and worsens the situation,” the service member noted.</p> <p>Earlier, veteran, senior lieutenant and expert Mykola Melnyk <a href="https://focus.ua/voennye-novosti/737561-nastuplenie-rf-v-2026-godu-budet-idti-pod-severskom-i-slavyanskom-detali">explained</a> in an interview published on December 18 why the front near Siversk is “sagging.” He said Russian forces on that section are trying to cut logistics, as in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.</p> <p>On December 15, Operational Command “East” said the situation in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad was “difficult,” but new logistical routes for the Defense Forces had been established along that stretch of the front.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/fighting-intensifies-around-myrnohrad-as-analysts-label-the-city-a-gray-zone">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/moscow-under-drone-attack-russia.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:00:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/moscow-under-drone-attack-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8eb555b561.jpg" alt="MOSCOW UNDER DRONE ATTACK! Russia suffers MAJOR DEFEAT in KUPIANSK"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75wE1spSI2s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukraine-says-it-destroyed-a.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 16:30:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukraine-says-it-destroyed-a.html <p>Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck a Russian warship, the Project 22460 patrol vessel “Okhotnik,” and a drilling platform at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea. A radar landing system, the RSP-6M2, in Crimea was also hit.</p> <p>The strike on the “Okhotnik” and the drilling platform was confirmed on the morning of December 20 by <a href="https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/32783">the press service of Ukraine’s General Staff</a>. The operation took place overnight into December 19.</p> <p>Several Ukrainian strike drones hit the Russian warship “Okhotnik.” The vessel’s hull number and the extent of damage were still being clarified at the time of publication.</p> <p>The ship had been patrolling near the Filanovsky field’s drilling platform, owned by Russia’s Lukoil, which was also struck by Ukraine’s Defense Forces, the General Staff said. Officials noted that Russia uses the platform to extract oil and gas to supply its military. The scale of damage and whether the platform can continue operating remain unclear.</p> <p>In addition to the targets in the Caspian Sea, Ukraine’s forces hit an RSP-6M2 radar landing system near Krasnoselske in Russian-occupied Crimea. The system helps guide enemy aircraft to land with greater precision in poor visibility, according to the General Staff.</p> <p>Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces published a photo of the strike on a Russian warship on the evening of December 19 but did not disclose details. OSINT analysts from the “Kiberboroshno” project suggested the target was a Project 22460 “Okhotnik” patrol ship, specifically the border guard ship “Rasul Gamzatov.”</p> <p>On December 19, volunteer Serhii Sternenko said Security Service of Ukraine drones struck a third Russian platform in the Caspian Sea, at the Graifer field; earlier strikes hit platforms at the Filanovsky field (December 11–12) and the Korchagin field (December 15).</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-destroyed-a-russian-patrol-ship-and-struck-a-lukoil-drilling-platform-in-the-caspian-sea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/sbu-drones-destroy-russian-su.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 16:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/sbu-drones-destroy-russian-su.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SecurSerUkraine/posts/pfbid02TodoN83v4gDqBzUUTAQxJvo3ZpHr5ds87vvzigcQ5j9DFU62sAnUP8dVSLYi4Wvxl">says</a> it used long-range drones to destroy a Russian Su-27 fighter at the Belbek military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea and damaged another.</p> <p>According to the SBU, the operation was conducted by the Special Operations Center “A.” One Russian fighter, fully armed, was on the runway preparing for a combat sortie when Ukrainian drones destroyed it, the SBU said. A second Su-27 was damaged. The extent of the strike is being clarified.</p> <p>Drones also targeted the control tower during the operation. It is not yet clear what damage it sustained. If it was put out of service, Russian forces would face difficulties conducting flights from Belbek airfield.</p> <p>Russian forces actively use the Belbek air base in Crimea to carry out airstrikes on Ukraine and to support their troops in the war against Ukraine. As a result, Ukraine’s military regularly targets the facility. For example, Ukrainian drones struck the base on December 18, completely destroying a MiG-31 interceptor and radar assets of S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S2 air defense systems. The destroyed Russian equipment is valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. The two Su-27 fighters recently hit by SBU drones together are worth about $70 million.</p> <p>In 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky significantly expanded the SBU’s authorities and social protections for its personnel, making the agency more effective against enemies of Ukraine, according to officials. The service’s wartime strength is now set at 41,000 personnel, including 10,000 in the Special Operations Center “A.”</p> <p>Earlier, it was reported that the SBU for the first time struck with drones a tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Mediterranean Sea.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sbu-drones-destroy-russian-su-27-damage-another-at-belbek-air-base-in-occupied-crimea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/watch-eu-launches-b-for.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 15:52:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/watch-eu-launches-b-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/27ad2bc87f.jpg" alt="WATCH! EU launches €90B for Ukraine | War hits Russia | Trump’s sanctions game"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO6KeVBv4_o">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/turkey-investigates-crash-of-alleged.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 15:43:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/turkey-investigates-crash-of-alleged.html <p>Turkish authorities are registering suspicious activity by Russian drones on their territory.</p> <p>Officials in Turkey have been investigating the origin of another drone that crashed in the western province of Balıkesir. The incident occurred on December 10 but only came to light now following reports in Turkish media.</p> <p>As Hürriyet <a href="https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/balikesirde-insansiz-hava-araci-dustu-inceleme-icin-ankaraya-gonderildi-43060797">reports</a>, farmers found the drone on a vacant lot in the rural district of Manyas.</p> <p>They detected a strange signal in a wheat field and discovered a UAV with its parachute deployed. They immediately notified law enforcement.</p> <p>Gendarmerie units, bomb disposal teams and K9 officers arrived at the scene. After an initial inspection, the drone was loaded into a military vehicle and sent to Ankara for detailed analysis.</p> <p>The village headman told reporters the drone carried no identifying marks - flags or inscriptions - prompting questions from authorities.</p> <p>Turkish specialists later identified the device as a Merlin‑VR reconnaissance drone, with an estimated value of about $300,000. Such systems are in service with Russia’s military.</p> <p>It’s the third such incident in recent weeks. On December 19, media reported the discovery of a crashed Russian Orlan‑10 drone on Turkish territory.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/turkey-investigates-crash-of-alleged-russian-reconnaissance-drone-third-such-incident-in-weeks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ministry-says-indian-citizens-recruited.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 14:42:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ministry-says-indian-citizens-recruited.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2232743753.jpg" alt="Ministry says 202 Indian citizens recruited by Russia to fight in war against Ukraine"></p>According. Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Russia had mobilized 18,092 foreigners from 128 countries as of October.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/india-confirms-over-200-citizens-recruited-by-russia-to-fight-in-war-against-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukrainian-drones-hit-russian-su.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 13:28:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukrainian-drones-hit-russian-su.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-20-12-53-37.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones hit 2 Russian Su-27 jets in Crimea, intelligence agency says"></p>The drones are operated by the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" (Alpha), according to the agency.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-says-drones-hit-2-russian-su-27-jets-at-belbek-airfield-in-occupied-crimea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/what-is-known-about-uspromised.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:27:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/what-is-known-about-uspromised.html <p><img width="1280" height="853" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/peace-talks.jpg" alt="Peace talks in Berlin" decoding="async" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p>On Dec. 14, in Berlin, Ukraine and the US discussed a potential peace deal with Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, headed the Ukrainian delegation. On the American side were Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to Kyiv, and Jared Kushner, son-in-law and the adviser of the US President. </p> <p>The WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/u-s-and-ukraine-try-to-break-impasse-over-peace-deal-with-russia-7609a95" data-wpel-link="external">reported</a> that the negotiations were difficult and that the American side once again tried to pressure Ukraine into withdrawing its troops from the parts of Donetsk region Russia didn’t occupy. </p> <p>The US even <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/16/ukraine-war-briefing-us-offers-nato-style-security-guarantees" data-wpel-link="external">resorted</a> to an unexpected proposal. The American delegation offered Ukraine security guarantees from the US similar to Article 5 of NATO, i.e., guarantees that would compel America to give a “military response" if Russia attacked Ukraine again. However, the American side said that such a proposal would not remain on the table indefinitely and that Ukraine had limited time to make a decision. </p> <p>Ukraine <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/world/europe/zelensky-ukraine-peace-talks.html" data-wpel-link="external">confirmed</a> that it’s open to compromise on security guarantees as well. President Zelenskyy has reportedly said that Ukraine's willing to give up its hopes of joining NATO in exchange for security guarantees.</p> <p>“And above all, (the peace plan) must be workable. The plan truly should not be just a piece of paper, but a meaningful step toward ending the war,” said Zelenskyy. </p> <p>The Guardian also  <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/15/what-did-ukraine-peace-talks-in-berlin-achieve-and-what-happens-next" data-wpel-link="external">wrote</a> that European leaders perceived US-Ukraine talks in Berlin as the one that do really defend Ukraine from future Russian aggression. They were particularly optimistic about security guarantees., </p> <p>Following the talks in Berlin, European leaders issued a joint statement presenting such <a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/12/15/leaders-statement-on-ukraine/" data-wpel-link="external">guarantees</a> for Ukraine: </p> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>A European-led “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/15/ukraine-talks-european-leaders-meet-berlin-starmer-macron-zelenskyy-merz-us-witkoff" data-wpel-link="external">multinational force”</a> to support Ukraine’s army and defend its skies and seas.</li> <li>A “legally binding commitment” from the UK and other European nations to “take measures to restore peace and security in the case of a future armed attack”.</li> <li>European support for Ukraine’s accession to the EU.</li> <li>“Sustained and significant support” from Europe to help Ukraine “build its armed forces”, which should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000 troops (Russia has demanded that Ukraine cut the size of its armed forces of 600,000 troops).</li> <li>A US-led “ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism” to “provide early warning of any future attack”.</li> <li>Investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction, which may include Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in Europe.</li> </ul> <p>Still, a lot of questions about how to make the peace deal happen are still up in the air. Ivan Marchenko, Doctor of Economics, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations at Kharkiv National University, notes that Ukraine has effectively rejected the terms proposed by Kushner and Witkoff regarding the surrender of the Donetsk region, and Russia is unlikely to accept the Ukrainian side's amendments, which paves the way for a new round of negotiations. </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Uncertainty of response  </h2> <p>On Dec. 18, President Zelenskyy <a href="https://nv.ua/ukr/world/geopolitics/garantiji-bezpeki-dlya-ukrajini-zelenskiy-zayaviv-shcho-narazi-konkretiki-shchodo-nih-nemaye-50569583.html" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> that he did not fully understand how the security guarantees would work. He added that Ukraine was not yet ready to assess the effectiveness of the guarantees, noting that it was necessary to crystallize the main point — how the US and Europe will act if Russia attacksed again, and what kind of response there would be. </p> <p>Zelenskyy also said that it is important for Ukraine to receive this response in writing, even if it is not made public. </p> <p>Trump has consistently said that he will not send American troops to Ukraine. Instead, American guarantees reportedly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/world/europe/ukraine-security-guarantees-talks.html" data-wpel-link="external">outline</a> how the United States plans to utilize its extensive intelligence systems to monitor the ceasefire and detect any Russian activity aimed at re-entering unoccupied parts of Ukraine, according to officials. Additionally, the US will assist in verifying Russia's compliance with the ceasefire and ensure that “minor skirmishes” between Russia and Ukraine do not escalate into a new war.</p> <p>Markus Reisner, an Austrian military historian and lecturer at the military academy in Wiener Neustadt, <a href="https://www.dw.com/uk/ekspert-vrazae-so-ssa-tak-svidko-pogodilisa-nadati-garantii-bezpeki-ukraini/a-75195848" data-wpel-link="external">notes</a> that such an unexpected and rapid proposal from the Americans regarding security guarantees seems suspicious. In his opinion, Trump's team may not take these guarantees seriously, viewing them as similar to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. The Memorandum provided Ukraine with security guarantees from the US, Russia, France, and Britain in exchange for renouncing nuclear weapons, but it was non-binding legally and then violated by Russia. </p> <p>Ihor Marchenko also thinks that the guarantee mechanism proposed by the US seems to be a real compromise, but its implementation remains questionable. He says there is a big difference between collective security provided by all NATO members and security guarantees provided by America only. Such guarantees may simply not be implemented by the US. </p> <p>He also notes that for Russia, Ukraine's non-accession to NATO is a key condition on a par with the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region. Therefore, there is a possibility that realistic and reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to Article 5 of NATO, will be perceived by Putin as Ukraine's de facto accession to the alliance, which will lead to another rejection of the peace process by Russia</p> <p>Ihor Marchenko also said that EU accessio cannot be a military security guarantor  for Ukraine because is an economic alliance.  </p> <p> “So when they combine them, saying that if you reject NATO, you automatically join the European Union, that’s a kind of substitution, where instead of hot, we get red,” Marchenko says. </p> <p>Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defense, <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-es-ukrayina-harantiyi-bezpeky/33627355.html" data-wpel-link="external">spoke</a> more about European security guarantees during the summit on December 18. He added that Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Poland are still discussing possible formats of security guarantees for Ukraine. One of the conditions he mentioned was the possible redeployment of these countries' troops to NATO territory. </p> <p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz <a href="https://www.zdfheute.de/politik/deutschland/was-nun-friedrich-merz-ukraine-100.html" data-wpel-link="external">spoke</a> about such a prospect as well. He noted that a peace agreement could indeed provide for the deployment of peacekeeping forces, adding that Europeans may have to repel Russian attack if they decide to invade Ukraine again.</p> <p>This scenario seems unlikely, as Russia has repeatedly <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-putin-myrni-perehovory-rosiya-ukrayina/33339467.html" data-wpel-link="external">declared</a> the deployment of any foreign troops on Ukrainian territory unacceptable. </p> <p>However, it will be a major victory if Ukraine can secure ratification of security guarantees in the US Senate that will provide Ukraine with weapons, training for soldiers, and intelligence, <a href="https://t.me/armchairgeneralUA/2753" data-wpel-link="external">says</a> Mykola Bielieskov, an analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies of Ukraine. </p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Issue with joining NATO</h2> <p>Another important aspect of the Berlin negotiations is Ukraine's refusal to join NATO. In 2019, just a few months prior to the presidential election, Ukraine <a href="https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2680-19#Text" data-wpel-link="external">amended</a> its Constitution to formally commit to EU and NATO membership as a strategic goal. This amendment was defined by a law passed by the Verkhovna Rada on February 7, 2019, highlighting Ukraine's desire for integration into Euro-Atlantic structures as an irreversible process.</p> <p>Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General, <a href="https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-ryutte-nato-vstup-ukrayina/33611081.html" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> that the alliance has no consensus on Ukraine's accession, but emphasized the Washington Treaty, which states that any sovereign democratic state can apply for membership in the alliance.</p> <p>“The practical situation is that, as you know, Ukraine's accession to NATO requires the consensus of all allies. And now, as you know, there is no consensus on Ukraine's accession to NATO,” Rutte said in response to a question about Ukraine's future membership in the alliance.</p> <p>Zelenskyy's statements about seeking compromises were met with criticism from the Ukrainian opposition. "If this is true, then it is an abuse of Zelensky's constitutional powers, for which the Ukrainian people did not give him any mandate. Victory for Ukraine means preserving our sovereignty," <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17xgpR72WF/" data-wpel-link="external">says</a> Iryna Gerashchenko, a Ukrainian MP and member of former President Petro Poroshenko's party. </p> <p>In order to amend Ukraine's constitution, a referendum on withdrawal from the NATO course should be held. That is currently impossible due to martial law, but President Zelenskyy <a href="https://suspilne.media/1185154-zelenskij-zaaviv-so-zvernuvsa-do-ssa-ta-evropi-abi-voni-zabezpecili-bezpecne-provedenna-prezidentskih-viboriv/" data-wpel-link="external">ordered</a> Ukrainian parliamentarians to draft a law that would guarantee elections in Ukraine during wartime. </p> <p>Zelenskyy’s decision be more of a performance to show that Ukraine seriously understands the threat to democracy and is considering options for holding these elections not only democratically, but also without or with minimal threats of manipulation from Russia, which will not undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and state order, suggests Kateryna Bousol, a Ukrainian lawyer and associate professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. </p> <p>Busol adds that Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic and European integration course is not just a policy of wishes, but Ukraine's strategy enshrined in the Constitution. Western countries such as Britain and the US often refer to late 19th century norms and emphasize that even after more than a century, they remain relevant to their laws. </p> <p>In her opinion, Ukraine should also defend a similar position for its Constitution: to show that, although the state is open to seeking legislative and legitimate solutions, but to also emphasize that the Ukrainian constitution is not just a “piece of paper,” and it cannot be changed every six months. </p> <p>Busol also talks about possible compromise solutions. She explained that, according to the Constitution of Ukraine and the law on international treaties, an international treaty ratified by the Verkhovna Rada takes precedence over national legislation if its provisions differ from the Constitution or other norms. Busol said that this rule applies only to <em>ratified</em> documents, not to those that have simply been signed. </p> <p>The lawyer said that the potential referendum might involve authorities discussing the need for an interim decision. The authorities could also say that Ukraine has ratified this international treaty (if such a treaty — that includes a US Article 5-like security guarantee — is signed) and that its provisions are therefore binding. </p> <p>Using Colombia as an example, she <a href="https://www.bbva.com/en/timeline-colombian-peace-process/" data-wpel-link="external">said</a> that the first peace agreement reached within the armed conflict took a really long time to agree upon. The Colombian people did not support the agreement between the government and the FARC rebels, even though it was negotiated, as Busol put it, with their blood and sweat. A new round of negotiations then started. </p> <p>“Signing peace agreements, of course, is very important, but the processes that follow can also influence whether the agreement will be implemented at the national level and in what format, and whether there will be a review, as was the case in Colombia, for example.”</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>“I won’t go through occupation again” — <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-wont-go-through-occupation-again-life-in-ukrainian-village-one-mile-from-russia/" data-wpel-link="internal">life </a>in Ukrainian village one mile from Russia</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hello, this is Nazar, the author of the article. I was extremely interested in telling you about the possible security guarantees for Ukraine that are being talked about so much. If you are interested in learning more about such events with the opinions of Ukrainian experts, please <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external">buy us a coffee</a> or consider subscribing to our <a href="https://www.patreon.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external">Patreon</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/security-guarantees-for-ukraine-obstacles-to-their-implementation/" data-wpel-link="internal">What is known about US-promised security guarantees for Ukraine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/security-guarantees-for-ukraine-obstacles-to-their-implementation/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/putin-envoy-heads-to-miami.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:22:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/putin-envoy-heads-to-miami.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2248998264.jpg" alt="Putin envoy heads to Miami for talks on Ukraine peace plan, Reuters reports"></p>The planned Miami meetings follow Witkoff and Kushner’s talks in Berlin earlier this week with Ukrainian and European officials on revisions to a U.S.-backed peace plan.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-envoy-dmitriev-heads-to-miami-for-talks-with-witkoff-kushner-as-u-s-pushes-ukraine-peace-plan-reuters-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:19:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2206495704.jpg" alt="At least 1 killed, 20 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with three Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from occupied Crimea and 51 attack drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-1-killed-20-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukrainian-special-forces-hit-russian.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 09:42:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukrainian-special-forces-hit-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a9430b2ffd.jpg" alt="Ukrainian special forces hit Russian patrol ship and oil platform in Caspian Sea"></p>SSO drones also hit a Russian oil platform located at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea. The platform is owned by Russian oil company Lukoil and is used for oil and gas extraction.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-special-forces-hit-russian-hunter-patrol-ship-with-kamikaze-drone/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 09:31:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1954733914.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,195,610 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p><p>Russia has lost around 1,195,610 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua">Armed Forces</a> reported on Dec. 20.</p><p>The number includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.</p><p>According to</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-195-610-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/ukrainian-drones-are-becoming-increasingly.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/ukrainian-drones-are-becoming-increasingly.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/c0b55047ea.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones are becoming increasingly dangerous for Russia #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E4lHCfmlA8s">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/20/this-isnt-scifi-its-smart.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 23:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/20/this-isnt-scifi-its-smart.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1308e8e3f1.jpg" alt="This isn’t SCI-FI – it’s SMART WEAPONS hunting Russia’s army"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXv_8DbgHE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/russia-attacks-odesa-oblast-with.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 22:23:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/russia-attacks-odesa-oblast-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2251739609.jpg" alt="Russia attacks Odesa Oblast with ballistic missiles, at least 7 killed, 15 injured"></p>Russian ballistic missiles "massively attacked" a port facility in the region, Governor Oleh Kiper said. Seven are dead and 15 injured victims have been hospitalized.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-odesa-oblast-with-ballistic-missiles-at-least-7-killed-15-injured/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukrainian-forces-push-back-russian.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 22:13:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukrainian-forces-push-back-russian.html <p>Ukrainian Forces are close to liberation Novopavlivka, leaving Russian troops without ammunition and food as they gradually lose positions and personnel.</p> <p>Ukraine’s military has made gains on the southwestern flank of Novopavlivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region, pushing Russian forces back on the right bank of the Solenaya River. The advantage is expanding as the gray zone widens to the south; key supply routes into Novopavlivka are under fire control and effectively being cut, according to a serviceman from the 25th Separate Air Assault Brigade with the call sign “Muchnoy,” writing on <a href="https://t.me/muchnoy_jugend/13060">his Telegram channel</a>.</p> <p>Prospects for the Russian side are grim: they risk being cut off from provisions and ammunition. “Without ammo resupply and reinforcements, they don’t last long there,” “Muchnoy” said, urging people to expect good news from that axis.</p> <p>The 25th Separate Air Assault Brigade representative also described Ukrainian gains in Kupiansk. He said Russian forces are suffering setbacks in the Stadionnaya Square neighborhood: there is no continuous defensive line, only fragments. They are unable to halt the Ukrainian advance, and “the area is gradually tipping in our favor,” opening the door to further movement.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops have pushed the Russians out and consolidated positions near a medical center and the local clinic, enabling control of adjacent streets. They have also taken up positions in a high-rise south of School No. 4, engaging Russian forces from above.</p> <p>In the city center, only isolated elements of the Russian line remain, with those groups sheltering in basements and not attempting to control the perimeter.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-push-back-russian-troops-near-novopavlovka">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-russian.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 22:12:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-russian.html <p>Ukrainian media including <a href="https://t.me/channel5UA/145362">Kanal 5</a> and <a href="https://hromadske.ua/ru/voyna/256646-sbu-porazila-uzhe-tretyu-neftedobyvayuschuyu-platformu-rf-v-kaspiyskom-more-istochnik">Hromadske</a> reported, citing a security service source, that a drilling platform at the Rakushechnoye field in the Caspian Sea was hit with drones.</p> <p>According to the source, the operation was conducted with a drone. <a href="https://t.me/theinsru/3172">The moment</a> of the strike was recorded by the UAV’s onboard camera, and a screenshot from the video was provided to media.</p> <p>The strike targeted the area of a gas-turbine unit, described as a critical element of the platform. The extent of the damage is being assessed.</p> <p>The Rakushechnoye oil and gas field, later renamed the Valery Grayfer field, is located in the northern Caspian Sea and is among Russia’s major offshore projects. It is developed within the Caspian oil and gas cluster, which plays a notable role in supporting hydrocarbon exports and contributing to Russia’s budget revenues. The field is equipped with a fixed offshore drilling platform powered by gas-turbine equipment that supplies energy to production and auxiliary systems.</p> <p>This is the third Russian offshore oil platform in the Caspian reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones. Earlier, similar attacks hit the ice-resistant platforms at the Filanovsky and Korchagin fields, forcing a halt to operations at those sites.</p> <p>The operations appear to be systematic and aimed at undermining the economic base that finances the war against Ukraine.</p> <p>“The SBU continues to systematically reduce oil-dollar inflows to Russia’s war budget. All facilities that fund aggression against Ukraine are fully legitimate targets,” the source said.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-russian-drilling-platform-in-the-caspian-sea-third-such-attack-on-offshore-facilities">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/us-not-concerned-about-russia.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:53:08 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/us-not-concerned-about-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252058959.jpg" alt="US 'not concerned' about Russia as it ramps up aggression against Venezuela, Rubio says"></p>"We're not concerned about an escalation with Russia, with regards to Venezuela ... I think they have their hands full in Ukraine," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Dec. 19.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-not-concerned-about-russia-as-it-ramps-up-aggression-against-venezuela-rubio-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/europe-is-changing-the-rules.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/europe-is-changing-the-rules.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e18da6a964.jpg" alt="Europe is changing the rules of the game! Russia is being hit where it is weakest"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip39OCyL_n0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/lukashenko-says-russias-oreshnik-missile.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 20:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/lukashenko-says-russias-oreshnik-missile.html <p>Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko says Russia’s experimental road-mobile ground-based missile system Oreshnik was placed on combat duty in Belarus on December 17.</p> <p>He made the announcement in his Address to the Belarusian People and Parliament, <a href="https://belta.by/president/view/raketnyj-kompleks-oreshnik-zastupaet-na-boevoe-dezhurstvo-v-belarusi-754924-2025/">Belta</a> reported.</p> <p>“The first positions have been prepared for the Oreshnik missile system. We have had it since yesterday, and it is going on combat duty,” he said.</p> <p>Back in early November, at the 3rd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, Lukashenko said Russia stores part of its nuclear weapons in Belarus and has deployed medium-range Oreshnik ballistic missiles there.</p> <p>“The deployment of this weapon in Belarus is merely a response to the escalation,” he said, referring to the war in Ukraine.</p> <p>Lukashenko has insisted that Minsk threatens no one and is focused solely on its own security.</p> <p>Oreshnik is an experimental medium-range ballistic missile system. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that in mass use, strikes by the Oreshnik system would be comparable in power to the use of nuclear weapons.</p> <p>Delivery of Oreshnik missiles to Belarus followed the four-day Zapad-2025 drills held by Russia and Belarus, during which the ballistic system was among the weapons tested.</p> <p>Russia first fired the missile at Ukraine in November 2024, striking Dnipro. Detection by air defenses is complicated by Oreshnik’s speed of several thousand kilometers per hour and its flight in the upper layers of the atmosphere.</p> <p>Russian lawmakers have also floated an idea of sending Oreshnik to Cuba and Venezuela.</p> <p>Lukashenko has also claimed that Ukraine would “disappear from the map” if the Russia-Ukraine war continues.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/lukashenko-says-russia-s-oreshnik-missile-system-is-now-on-combat-duty-in-belarus">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/russias-defense-minister-andrei-belousov.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 20:00:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/russias-defense-minister-andrei-belousov.html <p>Andrei Belousov, who replaced Sergei Shoigu as Russia’s defense minister, is facing mounting criticism and, critics say, could be headed for dismissal - or even legal trouble - as he struggles to paper over gaps in the Russian military.</p> <p>There are three main complaints against Belousov. First, Russia’s regions lack electronic warfare (EW) coverage, leaving critical infrastructure - including oil refineries and key defense-related plants - exposed to Ukrainian drone and missile strikes. Cities and regions across the country, including St. Petersburg, remain without adequate protection. That’s according to Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, who wrote <a href="https://t.me/andriyshTime/48588">on his Telegram</a> channel that Belousov highlighted air-defense “successes” only around Moscow and Valdai. Those two bright spots, he added, suggest a focus on shielding the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence, reportedly ringed by multiple Pantsir air-defense systems.</p> <p>Second, critics point to the absence of a dedicated UAV branch in the Russian military. Belousov himself has acknowledged the failure to stand up the new force, while Russian war  bloggers concede a stark gap between Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and Russian units that use drones - calling Russia’s effort “a zero.” Belousov continues to assure Putin the special drones forces are about to be established , but the target date has slipped to 2026.</p> <p>The third failure involves logistics and support. Russian engineers are still struggling to field the “Svod” communications system, meant to replace mobile phones and Telegram for military use.</p> <p>“In the final analysis for the year, one can single out only the commissioning of the Knyaz Pozharsky ballistic missile submarine with Bulava missiles, as well as the first S-500 regiment going on combat duty,” Andriushchenko said.</p> <p>Belousov’s perceived shortcomings are not entirely surprising to critics: he holds a doctorate in economics, previously served as a presidential aide on economic policy and as economy minister, and is not a career military officer.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-s-defense-minister-andrei-belousov-faces-putin-s-ire-over-air-defense-gaps-and-military-logistics-failures">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/the-ssu-struck-a-russian.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:45:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/the-ssu-struck-a-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a843ea8d6d.jpg" alt="The SSU struck a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OZfOVCPzzTQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/russian-submarines-under-fire-ukraine.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:00:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/russian-submarines-under-fire-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6c00cd299f.jpg" alt="Russian submarines under fire: Ukraine deploys underwater drones"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRySFPrU0u8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/russia-seals-novorossiysk-naval-base.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:00:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/russia-seals-novorossiysk-naval-base.html <p>After a Ukrainian underwater drone attack, Russia has effectively sealed off its naval base in Novorossiysk. The harbor entrance is blocked by barges and boom barriers, limiting the ability of its ships to head out to sea.</p> <p>In Novorossiysk, Russian forces urgently closed access to the berths for warships after an SBU Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian Black Sea Fleet submarine, according to satellite imagery published by the Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/Crimeanwind/91132">Crimean Wind</a> .</p> <p>The images appear to show the harbor entrance blocked by barges and boom defenses. Officially, the move is designed to counter Ukrainian surface and subsurface drones, but it also has a practical downside for Russia: its ships can no longer rapidly enter the Black Sea to carry out combat missions.</p> <p>The measures effectively isolate part of Russia’s fleet. With the entrance sealed, any maneuvering requires time and additional work to remove the barriers, sharply reducing the base’s readiness. Novorossiysk had long been seen as a “relatively safe” rear-area refuge for the Black Sea Fleet after its withdrawal from Crimea. That assumption is now under strain.</p> <p>Norwegian analyst Thord Are Iversen <a href="https://x.com/The_Lookout_N/status/2001333371058950516">notes</a> that Russia has been using barges and underwater barriers in Novorossiysk for years. As an example, he posted a satellite image from September 4, 2024, showing the harbor entrance similarly blocked.</p> <p>What’s different now, he notes, is that these measures come immediately after an actual strike that caused serious damage to a warship—less a preventive step than a reaction to vulnerability.</p> <p>The diesel-electric submarine Kolpino (the sixth Project 636.3 boat) has previously been used by Russia for missile strikes. In 2017, it launched Kalibr missiles at targets in Syria, and since 2022 it has taken part in attacks on Ukraine.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-seals-novorossiysk-naval-base-with-barges-after-ukrainian-drone-strike">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/factcheck-debunking-russian-propaganda-about.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:09:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/factcheck-debunking-russian-propaganda-about.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2230613014.jpg" alt="Fact-check: Debunking Russian propaganda about 'persecution of Christians' in Ukraine"></p><p>The supposed "persecution of Christians" in Ukraine ranks among the most popular tropes of Russian disinformation.</p><p>Kremlin propaganda has sought to cast the state's push to limit the influence of the Kremlin-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) — whose clergymen have aided Russia</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/fact-check-washington-visit-revives-fakes-about-persecution-of-christians-in-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/two-colombians-captured-near-pokrovsk.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:00:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/two-colombians-captured-near-pokrovsk.html <p>Soldiers from Ukraine’s 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” say they captured “unusual” fighters near Pokrovsk - two Colombian citizens who, during questioning, described how they ended up in the Russian military.</p> <p>In the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk region, Ukrainian forces detained two Colombians fighting on Russia’s side, according to the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” of Ukraine’s Forces.</p> <p>The detainees <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSUFywFMI4">said</a> they never intended to go to war and were pushed to the front line after being deceived by Russian recruiters.</p> <p>The Colombians claimed they traveled to Russia for work. They were promised jobs and about $2,500 a month but never received any pay. One expected to work as a welder; the other was told about a security job at a gas-processing facility, and, they said, war was never mentioned.</p> <p>According to their account, the route was Bogotá–Istanbul–Ufa. Once in Ufa, their phones, passports and other documents were taken. After several days, they were put on a bus and driven for nearly a day and a half to an unknown destination without explanation.</p> <p>The regiment said the Colombians were issued weapons and, without proper supplies, sent to assault positions in the Pokrovsk sector. The prisoners said they were given neither food nor water, and rifles were handed to them right before moving out. They added they never fired a shot and that their magazines remained full.</p> <p>One of the detainees said he believed assurances that the job would be safe and even invited an acquaintance, who was ultimately killed. He claimed similar schemes are still bringing other Colombian citizens to Russia under promises of temporary, allegedly safe work.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/two-colombians-captured-near-pokrovsk-say-russian-recruiters-lured-them-with-job-promises">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/zelensky-says-ukraine-and-us.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:29:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/zelensky-says-ukraine-and-us.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv and Washington have yet to align on three key issues: the status of the Donbas, control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and a reparations-backed loan mechanism. He spoke at a briefing.</p> <p>“As for the sensitive issues we discussed with the United States of America — that’s the Donbas, an unresolved issue where we have different views. The [Zaporizhzhia] nuclear plant. The issue is not resolved. And the question of money,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He said he supports providing Ukraine with a reparations loan funded by Russian assets, stressing it’s not only about financial support but also about “other” matters. Zelensky added he does not want the mechanism for financing Ukraine “to fall into Russia’s hands.”</p> <p>The president also warned that without new EU funding, domestic drone production would be significantly reduced. Ukraine is also short of missiles for certain air defense systems, he said. In 2026, the country faces a budget shortfall of €45–50 billion, he added.</p> <p>Moscow considers any attempts to dispose of Russian assets illegal and calls them “theft.” The Kremlin has said both states and specific officials would be held responsible for any confiscations.</p> <p>Zelensky previously told reporters that Kyiv is not prepared to withdraw troops from the Donbas, prompting the US to seek a compromise on the issue.</p> <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that to resolve the situation, Ukrainian forces must leave not only the territories of the “DPR” and “LPR,” but also parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions that were incorporated into Russia after “referendums” in 2022.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-ukraine-and-us-remain-split-on-donbas-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-and-a-reparations-backed-loan-mechanism">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drones-strike-russias-belbek.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:21:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drones-strike-russias-belbek.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says its drones blew up a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet stationed at the Belbek military base in occupied Crimea. The agency released a series of photos showing strikes on the aircraft, radar installations and other key targets.</p> <p>The successful SBU drone operation took place overnight into December 18, the SBU press service <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SecurSerUkraine/posts/pfbid02cDuu1nC583Zv6nJwtXqbJVBK6a2cHh1yVBD1gybKCF5PfAk3gQyePZHR1qfY2NFBl?locale=uk_UA">said</a>.</p> <p>In addition to the MiG-31, the strikes hit a Nebo-SVU complex, a 92N6 radar for the S-400, and a Pantsir-S2 air-defense system. The combined cost of the damaged assets is estimated at around $100 million.</p> <p>The attack on Belbek was carried out by drones from the SBU’s Alfa Special Operations Center. The SBU listed five targets struck, with approximate valuations and roles.</p> <p>According to SBU the following equipment was destroyed in the strike:</p> <p>- Two Nebo-SVU complexes — long-range early-warning radar stations, each costing $60–100 million. They can detect aerial targets at distances up to 380 km (altitudes up to 20 km) and can be deployed and ready within 30 minutes.</p> <p>- One 92N6 radar station — operates with the S-400 Triumf air-defense system and costs $30–60 million. Detection range is up to 600 km; it can track up to 300 targets simultaneously.</p> <p>- One Pantsir-S2 surface-to-air missile system — engages targets up to 15 km in altitude and 20 km in range, and can hit objects moving at up to 1,300 m/s. Estimated price: $12–19 million.</p> <p>- One MiG-31 aircraft — a fighter-interceptor capable of flying at altitudes up to 20 km at speeds up to Mach 2.8 (about 3,000 km/h). It can carry eight air-to-air missiles and one Kinzhal missile. Estimated cost: $30–50 million.</p> <p>The total value of military equipment destroyed at Belbek in the December 18 strike is put at $192–329 million.</p> <p>On the morning of December 18, Russia’s Ministry of Defense <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/59536">said</a> air defenses had intercepted all Ukrainian drones.</p> <p>Russian commanders reported 47 UAVs in the attack between 22:00 on December 17 and 06:00 on December 18 (Kyiv time). In the south, they reported nine drones: five allegedly downed over the Black Sea and four over occupied Crimea. Russia has not commented on the SBU’s account, which included five black-and-white photos of military equipment at Belbek captured just before impact.</p> <p>The Belbek military airfield sits north of Sevastopol on Crimea’s western shore. It is roughly 300 km in a straight line from the runway to Ukraine’s mainland coast.</p> <p>In summer–winter 2025, the SBU and Ukraine’s military intelligence (GUR) reported strikes on other Russian airfields in Crimea. Drones hit the “Kacha” base, destroying or damaging two An-26s, coastal radars, and a MiG-29.</p> <p>The Saky airfield was also struck, including hits on a hangar housing Orion and Forpost drones, a Su-30SM, and three Su-24s.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-russia-s-belbek-air-base-in-crimea-destroying-a-mig-31-and-radars-worth-up-to-300-million">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/fab-bomb-falls-near-kindergarten.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/fab-bomb-falls-near-kindergarten.html <p>Russian warplanes have repeatedly dropped munitions over Belgorod Oblast during the war due to reported malfunctions in glide kits, leading to bombs falling on populated areas.</p> <p>On December 18, officials confirmed that the bomb dropped near Kindergarten No. 55 in Belgorod on December 12 was an FAB-500, a high-explosive aerial bomb designed to destroy buildings, equipment and personnel. The munition was removed from the crater on December 13 and was to be destroyed at a training ground near the village of Butovo.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/99917">the Telegram channel Astra</a>, the bomb dropped by a Russian aircraft was the 135th munition to fall on Russian territory and occupied areas of Ukraine since the start of 2025.</p> <p>Authorities evacuated 216 people from the kindergarten and at least 1,400 residents from nearby homes.</p> <p>Local officials say bombs have been falling in Belgorod and the wider region due to technical faults. What residents describe as a terrifying pattern, Russia’s Defense Ministry has referred to as an “unplanned release of a munition from a Russian fighter-bomber.” The issue has been linked to malfunctions in UMPK glide kits or planning modules: the module’s wings sometimes fail to deploy after release, causing the bomb to drop shortly after separation instead of gliding to its target.</p> <p>This was not the first such incident this month. On December 6, a Russian pilot dropped a bomb that destroyed a substation in Belgorod, leading to a power outage in the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/fab-500-bomb-falls-near-kindergarten-in-belgorod-prompting-mass-evacuation">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-russian-shadow.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:38:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-russian-shadow.html <p>A vessel from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” has been attacked in the Mediterranean, according to journalist Alexander Nevzorov. He <a href="https://t.me/nevzorovtv/30709">said</a> the ship was struck by sea drones, sparking a fire on board. He posted video of the burning vessel and reported dead and wounded. CNN cannot independently verify these claims.</p> <p>Nevzorov said the strike was allegedly carried out by Ukrainian forces. He claims uncrewed boats departed a Greek port, traveled about 500 kilometers underwater, and then launched drones at the target. He <a href="https://t.me/nevzorovtv/30708">identified</a> the vessel as the Qendil, a tanker in Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to evade sanctions.</p> <p>According to Nevzorov, at least two people were killed and seven injured. He also alleged that GRU Major General Andrei Averyanov may have been killed.</p> <p>Nevzorov describes Averyanov as one of the key organizers of Russia’s covert operations overseas and claims he traveled across Europe on “shadow fleet” vessels. He incorrectly identified Averyanov as Russia’s military intelligence chief; in fact, the GRU is currently led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov.</p> <p>Other sources indirectly echoed reports of the incident. The TV channel Pryamyi <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pryamiy/posts/pfbid02aAYf3VuWFkN6KUTbw1c7VXe57JQgDhFcjsridavcTcdECQp34ud9tRWTZdcX1kKNl">published a screenshot</a> from an unknown Russian social media group citing a nighttime strike on a ship and the death of a “high-ranking employee of one of the special services.”</p> <p>Later, volunteer Serhii Sternenko <a href="https://t.me/ssternenko/53189">said</a> a Russian tanker was hit in the Mediterranean. He said the operation was conducted by the “Alpha” unit of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU).</p> <p>Sternenko did not confirm Averyanov’s reported death, but said the vessel sustained critical damage and can no longer be used for its intended purpose. He added that the attack was carried out with drones, but aerial ones dropping munitions—not sea drones, as previously claimed.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-the-mediterranean-sea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/inside-a-ukrainian-power-plant.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:05:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/inside-a-ukrainian-power-plant.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dtek-3-.jpg" alt="Inside a Ukrainian power plant Russia keeps hitting"></p>The Kyiv Independent’s Dominic Culverwell reports from an undisclosed thermal power plant operated by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, to show how energy workers are keeping critical infrastructure running as temperatures drop and attacks continue.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/inside-a-ukrainian-power-plant-russia-keeps-hitting/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/i-wont-go-through-occupation.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:01:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/i-wont-go-through-occupation.html <p><img width="7014" height="4681" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/sig-8348.jpg" alt="Locals at the railway station in Kozacha Lopan" decoding="async" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, SLATYNE</strong> — The car accelerates from Derhachi north of Kharkiv along the highway towards Kozacha Lopan, a village located one mile away from Russia. “Unbuckle your seatbelt,” the driver says, hitting 75 miles/hour. Rules don't apply here and you have to be ready to jump out of the car at once after spotting a drone. Military vehicles speed past the car towards the city.</p> <p>Five civilians have been killed in Russian drone strikes here over autumn, say local officials. FPV drones lurk on the roadside and rooftops, hunting vehicles. Anti-drone nets are being installed, but progress is slow under constant surveillance.</p> <p>Russian forces monitor everyone entering or leaving the border villages. Five hundred residents remain in Kozacha Lopan without electricity, gas, or signal. Unable to reach them, aid workers leave supplies in nearby Slatyne, 13 km (8 miles) from the border<em>, </em>where residents go to pick up humanitarian aid and pensions.</p> <p>Gwara Media met Kozacha Lopan locals there and spoke with them to learn why they keep living so close to Russia.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Living on the edge</strong></h2> <p>Slatyne greets visitors with a deserted railway station—weeds now grow between the railways tracks, and all that remains from the station’s building are crumbling walls bearing inscriptions: “Welcome to Hell” in Ukrainian and “<em>Welkome</em> to Ukraine, <em>bitch</em>” in English. </p> <p>Since July 2025, the station in Slatyne is the last stop on the way north from Kharkiv. Trains no longer run to the border villages of Kozacha Lopan and Nova Kozacha (neighboring village, 4.3 miles from the border) due to the constant threat of Russian shelling.</p> <p>Instead, a dozen residents from the border area come here for humanitarian aid—by cars, motorcycles, or bicycles. They pack the bread into bags for themselves and for people who have stayed in their village. </p> <p>There are no shops, pharmacies, or post offices in Kozacha Lopan. Utility services no longer operate there, and even medics, police, and local authorities have relocated farther from the frontline because Russians increased drone activity and expanded the killzone near the border. </p> <p>“We've been abandoned. They tell us, ‘Evacuate, you're just waiting for the Russians.’ But we're not waiting around for anyone. We were born here,” says Valentyna. She wears a neat cream-colored hat, holding a black bag she used yesterday to carry medicine to elderly neighbors in Kozacha.</p> <p>Mostly elderly people remain in the village. Evacuating them requires “two strong men,” Valentyna says, but they won't go because of the drone threat. Plus, elderly and disabled people cannot care for themselves in the dormitories where authorities typically place evacuees. </p> <p>“People will simply freeze here. Today, a disabled neighbor wanted to go with us to Slatyne. He was shivering with fever. Where will he go? He's 58, deaf, and cannot speak. We provide for him. We understand him. No, he won't go anywhere — and there are others like him who won't leave.”</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Human hunting</strong></h2> <p>In early 2022, approximately 5,000 people lived in Kozacha Lopan, but the population has declined tenfold since, according to local authorities.</p> <p>Valentyna says that around 600 people remain in the village—some male residents avoid registering for humanitarian aid out of fear of military conscription.</p> <p>Russian reconnaissance drones constantly circle above, watching locals. “They already know where everyone lives,” says Nataliia, slightly younger than Valentyna, wearing a bright pink backpack with a yellow and blue ribbon tied on it. </p> <p>“Are the Russians also attacking the road to Slatyne (with drones)?” </p> <p>“The problem is that military vehicles drive by, sometimes civilian ones too. And both get hit.” the local women reply.</p> <p>Suddenly, one of the women who had been silent speaks up. Vira’s voice is quiet and breaks often as she talks about her husband, who was killed last summer by a Russian drone strike while they were driving to another village to pick up hot meals.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“The drone caught up with our car. He died. We buried him in Nova Kozacha. No one wanted to go to Kozacha Lopan,” Vira says, hand reaching to cover her mouth. Her eyes glisten with tears.</p> </blockquote> <p>In two years, about a hundred people have died from Russian attacks, locals recall. Some were buried at home, others in nearby villages. The funeral service, too, no longer comes to Kozacha Lopan.</p> <p>Valentyna says that, despite all of that, they keep delivering meals and humanitarian aid back to Kozacha, refusing to evacuate. Being on the road is scary. Sometimes they drive under the drones, sometimes they turn back home empty-handed. Each of these trips could be their last.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Cellar dwellers</strong></h2> <p>Kozacha Lopan was once bustling with life—it had a border crossing with Russia and a customs office. The Kharkiv-Moscow highway ran through the village, with intense traffic in both directions. </p> <p>Russia occupied the village on the first day of its full-scale invasion, repainting the Ukrainian flag on a mural with the inscription “There is no end to the Cossack kind” in Russian. The Ukrainian military deoccupied it after about six months during the Kharkiv counteroffensive. </p> <p>Life in the basement is what life a mile from the Russian border is imagined to be like, but locals say they don’t stay there that much.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“We sat in cellars during the occupation because that was our only option. We couldn't go anywhere,” Valentyna says.</p> </blockquote> <p>There was no bread at first. Valentyna had only one package of pasta at home—why stock up when there's a shop nearby, she had thought, and then the Russians came. </p> <p>Locals scavenged abandoned farms for harvested wheat that was starting to spoil. They used it to make bread. Then humanitarian aid arrived, from Russia.</p> <p>“It was very difficult. They turned Kozacha Lopan into something like a concentration camp: no one could leave or enter without a pass,” says Oleksandr, a lively man who used to pass information about locations of Russian troops to Ukraine’s military.</p> <p>Locals say phones were checked by Russian soldiers, so they buried them. Valentyna sheltered eight people in her cellar—elderly and disabled. “We slept where I used to store sacks of potatoes.”</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Winter is here</strong></h2> <p>We ask Oleksandr how he plans to spend the winter. He lives with three elderly women—not relatives, but people he cares for. They received financial aid from the state to buy firewood, so he sounds calm compared to neighbors who complain they cannot get any.</p> <p>Valentyna and Nataliia insist gas service can be restored—half the village was untouched by shelling, and locals have repaired all damaged infrastructure themselves, however amateurishly.</p> <p>Kozacha locals gather around when the topic turns painful—they interrupt each other, talking simultaneously until their words blur together. They rush to share every problem in this brief encounter, hoping that it will help to change something.</p> <p>“They cut off our gas before winter without warning—just abandoned us in September with no explanation,” Natalia says, indignant. “Nothing is damaged. There are no gas leaks.”</p> <p>Without gas since early autumn, the village also hasn't received firewood deliveries, because suppliers refuse to travel there even for money. So, locals cut down trees themselves and help those who can't. Going deep into the forest is frightening—God knows what the Russians left there during occupation, they say.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“Who’s going to help us? Should we go to Russia, or what?” Valentyna asks. </p> </blockquote> <p>Liudmyla Vakulenko, the village head of Kozacha Lopan, operating from Slatyne, says the locals are waiting for Russia’s war to end. “They won’t leave. The situation is extremely difficult. Food is being delivered, so people won't starve.” </p> <p>Many animals also remain in Kozacha—there are more dogs than people. Locals can't abandon them. “People say they can't leave behind those who won't abandon them first. Without each other, both will perish,” Vakulenko says.</p> <p>Liudmyla mentions one disconnected section of the gas system and hopes it can be repaired once there are fewer Russian attacks. </p> <p>Gwara contacted the gas service about restoration of gas to Kozacha Lopan. They said that specialists haven't fully inspected pipelines in three years because of the border threat. To protect employees, they suspended gas to Kozacha Lopan and neighboring villages and warned the heads of the communities about that.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Why they stay</strong></h2> <p>Nataliia works as a hospital cleaner in Kharkiv once every three days, earning 5,000 hryvnias ($119). Each shift requires hiring a taxi, and the trip there and back costs 600 hryvnias ($14).</p> <p>This money won't cover rent and food in Kharkiv, Nataliia says. In the village, they have gardens where they grow vegetables to feed themselves year-round. Relying on children also isn’t an option. Natalia's son works as a firefighter in Derhachi with a wife and two kids. The Russians destroyed both his houses—one in Kharkiv, one in Tsupivka, a village near Nova Kozacha. “He needs help himself,” Nataliia says. </p> <p>Oksana doesn’t want to stay with relatives for long, either. “I can stay a few days, maybe a month. After all, I'm just a stranger.”</p> <p>This year, several people left Kozacha Lopan—mainly those whose houses were destroyed. The rest hold on. Sometimes residents return to find their homes emptied by looters.</p> <p>“Police don't come here. All the looters are locals—try confronting them. They'll file a report against you, and you'll end up in jail,” Oksana says, aggrieved.</p> <p>In his free time, Mykola—another elderly man from Kozacha Lopan, US cap on his head—reads newspapers and books, watches pre-downloaded news or movies. He and his wife can't walk around the village anymore because of Russian drones. Starting over somewhere else, he says, is physically and morally impossible.</p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“If I were young, I'd go somewhere, do something… But at 60, where can I go? Who will hire me? I have rheumatism and radiculitis. Today, I work—tomorrow, my back hurts. I don't want to let anyone down,” he says.</p> </blockquote> <p>“It's scary,” Oleksandr repeats, like everyone else. He wants to leave, but can't abandon his grandmas. One of them has two apartments in Kharkiv, yet refuses to leave Kozacha. “Some have nowhere to go. Others could leave, but won't.”</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Transport for dead and living</strong></h2> <p>Valentyna picks up two packages and heads for the car. Nataliia and her neighbor Liudmyla walk toward a red motorcycle with a sidecar. </p> <p>A man leans against it, smoking. His name is Serhii, and he assembled the motorcycle himself after de-occupation to leave the village and buy medicine for his mother Liudmyla, who had a stroke.</p> <p>Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, he worked at the cemetery, but now he transports the dead and living out of Kozacha Lopan—a job no one else would do. </p> <p>“I'm afraid ‘katsaps’ (a swear word used for Russians) will hit me with ‘little planes’  and drones. They've chased me before,” says Serhii.</p> <p>“Why were they chasing you?” </p> <p>“To kill! They're already targeting civilians. They don't care,” his mother Liudmyla answers instead of him.</p> <p>Among the bags they're loading onto the motorcycle, I notice a yellow and blue bag with the words “Independent and Free Ukraine” printed on it.</p> <p>“That's how we ride,” Nataliia laughs. “Let the (Russian) reconnaissance drones watch.”</p> <p>Serhii starts the motorcycle. Liudmyla shouts “Glory to Ukraine,” and their motorcycle pulls onto the road. They wave goodbye, then cross themselves before heading home.</p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Will flowers bloom again?</strong></h2> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“When they leave, I pray every time to see them again, because there's no way to contact them in the village,” says Liudmyla Vakulenko.</p> </blockquote> <p>Standing beside her is Oleksandr Kulik, young head of communications for the Derhachi community. He's skeptical of locals who criticize living conditions but refuse to leave.</p> <p>His boss, Viacheslav Zadorenko, heads the Derhachi community and is a Kozacha Lopan native. In a recent interview, he <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/zhittya-na-kordoni-z-rosi%D1%94yu-vidnovlennya-ta-zamah-na-vbivstvo-interv%CA%BCyu-z-nachalnikom-dergachivsko%D1%97-mva/" data-wpel-link="external">shared</a> that when people choose to stay in a community under constant attacks—where someone is killed or wounded almost weekly—and then complain to him about lacking electricity or gas, he tells them it's their personal decision.</p> <p>Zadorenko says people refuse to evacuate until their homes are destroyed, then demand rescue, forcing authorities to risk their lives under drone and artillery fire.</p> <p>Kozacha Lopan’s center is really ruined, Oleksandr—a local who’s still in Slatyne—sighs. “It's very hard when you remember how everything used to be. There are streets where not a single house remains intact—destroyed, burned down, or critically damaged. Sometimes nostalgia torments me. It's very hard to see my village like this.”</p> <p>“Are you afraid of another occupation?”</p> <p>“I won't go through occupation again—I'm in contact with our guys (Ukrainian soldiers). If it comes to that, I'll evacuate the locals with them,” the man replies.</p> <p>Despite everything, Liudmyla believes the village will be rebuilt, people will return, and flowers will bloom again. </p> <blockquote data-sanitized-class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“We just have to wait for the war to end. We live on the border, so we can't run. Even those who left the country want to come home. We just need to wait a little longer for victory.”</p> </blockquote> <p><em>Cover proto: Locals at the railway station in Kozacha Lopan. September 2022 / Photo: Oleksandr Magula, Gwara Media</em></p> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em>This is Polina, the author of this text. We went to Slatyne together with my colleague Anna Veklych. It's a relatively safe area where border residents come to receive humanitarian aid. Just a few hours after we left, Russian drones with fiber optics attacked the village center. If you found this text valuable, </em><strong><em>please, support our journalism by </em></strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/" data-wpel-link="external"><strong><em>buying us a coffee</em></strong></a><strong><em> or </em></strong><a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><strong><em>subscribing to our Patreon</em></strong></a><strong><em>.</em></strong></p> <h2 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Read more</strong></h2> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>“Whole world must see it.” <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/whole-world-must-see-it-exhibition-in-memory-of-children-russia-killed-opens-in-kharkiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">Exhibition in memory of children Russia killed opens in Kharkiv</a></li> <li>Russian troops bomb kindergartens. <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-even-attacks-kindergartens-how-do-ukrainian-children-go-through-it/" data-wpel-link="internal">Here’s how mother helps her son restore sense of safety in Kharkiv</a></li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-wont-go-through-occupation-again-life-in-ukrainian-village-one-mile-from-russia/" data-wpel-link="internal">“I won’t go through occupation again” — life in Ukrainian village one mile from Russia</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/i-wont-go-through-occupation-again-life-in-ukrainian-village-one-mile-from-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/newsflash-putin-rejects-trumps-peace.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:26:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/newsflash-putin-rejects-trumps-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe89eee0f-0.jpg" alt="NEWSFLASH: Putin rejects Trump’s peace process"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!TZHe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3aa901ff-48f4-4b19-85fd-5c341935222d_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f3aa901ff-4.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3aa901ff-48f4-4b19-85fd-5c341935222d_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured Subscriber’s Comment:</em></p><p><em>“I support your work for the next great democracy of Ukraine. You document the greatest struggle to becoming free and in charge of your destiny. I am proud to contribute. “</em></p><p><em>By: Kara Kane</em></p><p><em>If you’d like to support our work, just like Kara did, consider subscribing and supporting us.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>Russia is only ready to end the war if Ukraine withdraws from Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Putin announced Friday.</p><p>His troops only partially occupy areas of these four Ukrainian territories.</p><p>Using familiar terms about ‘root causes,’ the Russian president staked out a position even more absolute than that of the 28 point plan proposed by the Trump administration earlier this year.</p><p>“We are ready to end this conflict on the basis of the principles I outlined at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs [in the summer of 2024] and by eliminating the root causes of the conflict,” Putin said at his annual press conference.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>After the paywall:</p><ul><li><p>What are Putin’s demands for ending the war?</p></li><li><p>Why is Russia unlikely to agree to peace agreement terms?</p></li><li><p>What is currently happening with the peace talks?</p></li></ul></div> <p> <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-putin-rejects-trumps-peace"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-putin-rejects-trumps-peace">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drones-hit-the-russian.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:19:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drones-hit-the-russian.html <p>In the early hours of December 19, Ukrainian drones hit the Russian cities of Rostov-on-Don, Oryol and Tolyatti, according to the Telegram channel <a href="https://t.me/astrapress/99926.">ASTRA</a>.</p> <p>Rostov region Governor Yuri Slyusar and Rostov Mayor Alexander Skryabin confirmed the attack on the city. Skryabin said parts of the Sovetsky and Oktyabrsky districts lost electricity, heat and water.</p> <p>In Tolyatti, the Tolyattiazot plant was struck and caught fire. The road to the facility has been closed. Tolyattiazot is among the world’s ten largest producers of ammonia.</p> <p>Tolyatti Mayor Ilya Sukhikh confirmed the attack and said the strike hit one of the city’s industrial facilities.</p> <p>In Oryol, a combined heat and power (CHP) plant was targeted. ASTRA said it geolocated eyewitness videos from the city showing a flash at the Oryol CHP.</p> <p>Oryol region Governor Andrey Klychkov confirmed the attack and said a municipal infrastructure facility was damaged. He said the Sovetsky district was partially left without power, heat and hot water.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said overnight that Russian air defenses “shot down 36 drones over Rostov region and six over Samara region.”</p> <p>Earlier, on the night of December 18, Ukrainian forces struck a drone depot and a concentration of Russian troops in occupied Makiivka and Donetsk.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-hit-the-russian-cities-of-rostov-on-don-oryol-and-tolyatti-damaging-power-and-industrial-facilities">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/zelenskyy-warned-about-the-threat.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:01:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/zelenskyy-warned-about-the-threat.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b824093d0e.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy WARNED about the threat of “ORESHNIK”! Russia will continue production without sanctions"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qRFPD5Zgci8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/historic-decision-by-the-eu.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:34:57 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/historic-decision-by-the-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d78dab9363.jpg" alt="Historic decision by the EU! Russia must PAY for the war it started, says ZELENSKYY #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zixEelUcEKc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukraine-war-latest-tens-of.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukraine-war-latest-tens-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-19-14-59-00.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Tens of thousands left without electricity following attacks; Kyiv strikes Russia's shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean Sea"></p>Over 73,000 consumers in Odesa Oblast and over 26,000 in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast remain without power, Ukrenergo wrote on Telegram.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-19/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drones-hit-russias-shadow.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:30:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukrainian-drones-hit-russias-shadow.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-19-at-13-21-18.png" alt="Ukrainian drones hit Russia's shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean Sea for the first time, source says"></p>In "a new unprecedented special operation" in neutral waters more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine, Russia's QENDIL tanker sustained "critical damage" and can no longer be used for its intended purpose, the source claimed.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-russias-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-mediterranean-sea-for-the-first-time-source-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/ukraine-says-bodies-of-fallen.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:18:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/ukraine-says-bodies-of-fallen.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-19-11-20-06-1.jpg" alt="Ukraine says 1,003 bodies of fallen soldiers return home"></p>Ukraine will conduct necessary examinations to identify the bodies, which Russia says belong to Ukrainian soldiers, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-says-1-003-bodies-of-fallen-soldiers-return-home/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/putin-repeats-maximalist-demands-for.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:52:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/putin-repeats-maximalist-demands-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252015647.jpg" alt="Putin repeats maximalist demands for peace talks as he starts annual press conference"></p>"Nevertheless, we see, feel, and know about certain signals, including from (Ukraine), that they are ready to engage in some kind of dialogue," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-opens-annual-presser-with-maximalist-demands/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/19/trump-says-he-hopes-ukraine.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 02:09:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/19/trump-says-he-hopes-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2251926316.jpg" alt="Trump says he hopes Ukraine 'moves quickly' as peace talks continue"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump said Dec. 18 that he hopes Ukraine will move quickly amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-says-he-hopes-ukraine-moves-quickly-as-peace-talks-continue/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/washington-backs-off-the-eu.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:30:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/washington-backs-off-the-eu.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/c750b8c049.jpg" alt="Washington backs off: the EU prepares to use frozen Russian assets #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_JeFq99PEm0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/russias-billion-to-ukraine-will.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 21:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/russias-billion-to-ukraine-will.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/638e82f504.jpg" alt="Russia's €210 billion to Ukraine – will the EU transfer the Kremlin's frozen assets?| News Pulse"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1k1uAOsCL0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/how-does-the-kremlin-force.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/how-does-the-kremlin-force.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/25b17aea61.jpg" alt="How does the Kremlin force people to sign contracts after defeats? #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RA8noKA17XE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/urgently-kupiansk-is-almost-liberated.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:00:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/urgently-kupiansk-is-almost-liberated.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2cda6308c1.jpg" alt="Urgently! Kupiansk is almost liberated: the AFU drove the Russians out of 90% of the city"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZaAHvRwu8M">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/the-kremlin-will-not-go.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 19:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/the-kremlin-will-not-go.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/4af2f31d14.jpg" alt="The Kremlin WILL NOT GO TO PEACE: Why Russia will not agree to any truce | Explainer"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzroo8WCYYY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/russian-drone-hits-civilian-car.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:50:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/russian-drone-hits-civilian-car.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2bba029ac9.jpg" alt="Russian drone hits civilian car in Odesa Oblast, killing mother and injuring 3 children, governor says"></p>A Russian strike drone hit a civilian car traveling across a bridge in Odesa Oblast on Dec. 18, killing a woman and injuring her three children, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-hits-civilian-car-in-odesa-oblast-killing-mother-and-injuring-3-children-governor-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/putin-the-people-or-both.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:13:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/putin-the-people-or-both.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1697747099.jpg" alt="Putin, the people, or both? The unresolved question of responsibility in Russia"></p><p><em>About the author: Archil Jangirashvili is a Georgian lawyer and academic specializing in law, political ethics, and human rights.</em><br><br>The question of whether Russian society bears responsibility for Vladimir Putin’s actions has been raised repeatedly since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p><p>This debate</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/putin-the-people-or-both-the-unresolved-question-of-responsibility-in-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/man-who-couldnt-evacuate-from.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:51:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/man-who-couldnt-evacuate-from.html <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong>, Dec. 18 — A man from Kupiansk who got injured on a mine while running away from Russian drones was transported to Kharkiv and treated there, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122181585896544323&id=61566329709073&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=udCoLpihErPklKHU#" data-wpel-link="external">reported</a> Kharkiv military hospital on Facebook. Before that, he couldn’t evacuate from Kupiansk for a month. </p> <p>Oleksandra Nemensha, an anesthesiologist who has just returned from the rotation on the Kupiansk axis where she was heading a frontline surgery group, said that about a month ago, this man stepped on a petal-mine, which led to traumatic amputation of his foot. </p> <p>“He saw that there was no bleeding and started to treat and dress his wound. He waited for evacuation for a month, and then, along with his mother, decided to leave Kupiansk on foot. They reached the city’s outskirts and were picked up by an evacuation vehicle. They asked the drivers to get them some sort of medical help, and the evacuation team got them to us,” Nemensha says. </p> <p>Medics recall that the man’s wound had looked terrible: it was dirty, suppurating, covered with mold, but there was a clear line of necrosis. The man was lucky, Oleksandra said, because the infection didn’t become systemic, and he was feeling more or less okay. When medics asked him how he managed to walk without crutches, he said, “I drank some vodka, and I went.” </p> <p>Russia intensified its offensive on Kupiansk in the summer of 2025, <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-troops-threaten-to-envelop-kupiansk-while-their-sabotage-groups-enter-the-city/" data-wpel-link="internal">entering Kupiansk with small assault groups</a>. Their primary goal is to occupy the city and seize Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, a village south of Kupinask, which is an important logistics hub on the left bank of the Oskil River. </p> <p>On Dec. 12, war monitors and military commanders reported that Ukraine’s army managed to <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/ukrainian-forces-push-russians-out-of-northwestern-kupiansk-war-monitors-say/" data-wpel-link="internal">push Russians out of the northwestern part of the city</a>. The combat is still ongoing in the center of Kupiansk. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/ukraines-president-zelenskyy-visited-kupiansk/" data-wpel-link="internal">has recently recorded an address near Kupiansk’s entrance sign</a>. </p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Ukrainian forces <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/ukrainian-forces-control-nearly-90-of-kupiansk-commander-in-chief-says/" data-wpel-link="internal">control nearly 90% of Kupiansk</a>, commander-in-chief says</li> <li>Police <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/police-evacuates-family-with-4-children-including-2-month-old-baby-from-velykyi-burluk-northeast-from-kharkiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">evacuates family with 4 children</a>, including 2-month-old baby, from Velykyi Burluk northeast from Kharkiv</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background"><em>Hi! Winter has come, and Russian airstrikes on power infrastructure disrupt our daily lives & work a lot here in Kharkiv. Despite it all, we keep working to bring you reports from the city and the Kharkiv region. </em><strong><em>Please consider supporting our newsroom with </em></strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia" data-wpel-link="external"><strong><em>a one-time tip</em></strong></a><strong><em> or become a </em></strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/gwaramedia/membership" data-wpel-link="external"><strong><em>member of our community</em></strong></a><strong><em>.</em></strong></p> <figure data-sanitized-class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1262" height="388" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/frame-10-1262x388.png" alt="" data-sanitized-class="wp-image-227049 lazy"></figure> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/man-who-couldnt-evacuate-from-kupiansk-for-a-month-after-stepping-on-mine-gets-treatment-in-kharkiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">Man who couldn’t evacuate from Kupiansk for a month after stepping on mine gets treatment in Kharkiv</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/man-who-couldnt-evacuate-from-kupiansk-for-a-month-after-stepping-on-mine-gets-treatment-in-kharkiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/russias-oreshnik-ballistic-missile-deployed.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:27:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/russias-oreshnik-ballistic-missile-deployed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-18-18-12-28.jpg" alt="Russia’s Oreshnik ballistic missile deployed to Belarus, Lukashenko says"></p>A Russian ballistic missile system known as Oreshnik has been deployed to Belarus and is entering active combat duty, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said during a press conference on Dec. 18.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-s-oreshnik-ballistic-missile-deployed-to-belarus-lukashenko-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/putin-claims-russia-has-liberated.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:00:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/putin-claims-russia-has-liberated.html <p>Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that in 2025 his forces captured more than 300 settlements in Ukraine and said the Russian military can “increase the pace” along key fronts.</p> <p>Putin’s comments about the Russian military’s “successes” in the war in Ukraine were carried by the state-run news agency <a href="https://t.me/rian_ru/329314">RIA Novosti</a>.</p> <p>“This year, more than 300 settlements have already been liberated, including major cities that the enemy had turned into fortified hubs saturated with long-term fortifications,” Putin said.</p> <p>The Russian president also <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/353277">asserted</a> that Moscow has the capacity to “increase the pace of the offensive on strategically important directions.”</p> <p>“The positions we have taken, the bridgeheads created over recent months, and the unique tactical and operational experience gained in breaking through the enemy’s deep defenses allow us to increase the pace of the offensive on strategically important directions,” Putin said.</p> <p>He also mentioned the participation of North Korean soldiers in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region and said North Korean troops assisted in “large-scale demining work on Kursk soil.”</p> <p>On December 15, analysts at DeepState published an assessment estimating how long it could take Russian forces to occupy Donbas.</p> <p>They noted that over 44 months of full-scale war, Russian forces occupied 23% of Donetsk region and advanced 47 kilometers from Donetsk to Pokrovsk. By their calculations, Russia would need another three years to seize the rest of Donetsk.</p> <p>On December 17, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia had increased its force grouping to 710,000 troops to conduct a strategic offensive operation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/putin-claims-russia-has-liberated-300-settlements-in-ukraine-says-offensive-could-accelerate">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/mark-rutte-goes-hard-on.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:57:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/mark-rutte-goes-hard-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/74e43feb30.jpg" alt="Mark Rutte goes HARD on Putin! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/a8FeLCrp-GQ">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/ukraine-warns-of-russian-recruitment.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:44:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/ukraine-warns-of-russian-recruitment.html <p>The Kremlin&rsquo;s hybrid war against Ukraine extends beyond the battlefield to internal destabilization efforts. Approximately 200 Ukrainian teenagers await trial at Kyiv’s Lukyanivka remand center on charges of treason tied to aiding Russian military efforts via sabotage and espionage. Ukrainian authorities report a troubling pattern of Kremlin recruiters targeting vulnerable young people online, promising quick financial rewards for tasks that appear harmless but escalate to serious criminal acts. This reflects Russia’s broader hybrid tactics blending cyber operations, propaganda, and recruitment aimed at undermining Ukrainian societal resilience and trust. The situation illustrates the systemic challenge Ukraine faces in protecting its citizens from becoming unwitting tools in the ongoing conflict with no clear end in sight.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: Ukraine</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://tvpworld.com/90618717/russias-hybrid-war-reaches-ukrainian-teenagers">tvpworld.com/90618717/&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/2d48fd13-84b2-4671-96d5-7f94e80fc3f1">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/russian-losses-per-month-us.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:06:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/russian-losses-per-month-us.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/44625a9ea4.jpg" alt="30,000 Russian losses per month – US “platinum” guarantees and a new phase of the war"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pUnQpxRLqY">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/russians-are-allocating-record-budgets.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:49:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/russians-are-allocating-record-budgets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/149f18626f.jpg" alt="❗️Russians are allocating record budgets not for peace, but for war, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S5_ObNyeEVg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukrainian.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:03:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-18-at-4-02-33-pm.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Ukrainian forces say they counterattacked near Lyman — and wiped out a Russian regiment"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated (6) times today.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-live-2025-12-18/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/ukraine-retakes-of-kupyansk-and.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/ukraine-retakes-of-kupyansk-and.html <p>Russia has built up a force of roughly 710,000 troops for a strategic offensive but has yet to achieve meaningful operational gains, Ukraine’s top general said.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops have regained control of nearly 90% of the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region and recaptured territory in Pokrovsk and nearby areas of the Donetsk region, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said <a href="https://t.me/osirskiy/1342">on Telegram</a>.</p> <p>Syrskyi said he took part in the 32nd meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format, held by videoconference.</p> <p>“I cited specific examples of successful actions by Ukraine’s Defense Forces. Thanks to active search-and-strike operations, we pushed the occupiers away from Kupyansk and took control of almost 90% of the city,” he wrote.</p> <p>Syrskyi also pointed to fighting on the Pokrovsk axis in Donetsk, where Russian forces have been unable to seize the city after 17 months of battles.</p> <p>Ukrainian units are holding the line and seizing the initiative, he said. As a result of counteroffensive actions, they regained 16 square kilometers in the northern part of the city, and retook 56 square kilometers around the settlements of Hryshyne, Kotlyne and Udachne, west of Pokrovsk, he added.</p> <p>Syrskyi briefed partners on the overall front-line situation, which he said remains difficult, noting Russia has massed about 710,000 personnel for its strategic offensive. Despite significant losses, the Russian army continues its assaults but has not achieved major operational success, he said.</p> <p>Last week, Russian losses near Pokrovsk increased by 30%, according to Ukrainian officials, who linked the increase to Moscow’s commitment of operational reserves — three regiments of the 76th Air Assault Division.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-retakes-90-of-kupyansk-and-gains-ground-near-pokrovsk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/orban-says-he-wrote-to.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:00:51 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/orban-says-he-wrote-to.html <p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has acknowledged that he personally reached out to Vladimir Putin for clarification, saying he was concerned about Moscow’s reaction to European Union actions.</p> <p>Orban <a href="https://mandiner.hu/kulfold/2025/12/orban-levelet-irt-putyinnak-az-orosz-vagyon-befagyasztasanak-ugyeben-a-kreml-valasza-minden-unios-tagallamnak-szol">said</a> he sent a letter to Putin asking how Russia would respond to the EU’s decision to use frozen Russian assets to provide Ukraine with a so‑called “reparations loan.”</p> <p>According to Orban, he wanted to know whether Moscow would take into account the positions of individual EU countries, particularly Hungary, which opposes the move.</p> <p>Orban said he received a reply from Moscow. He claimed Russia promised its reaction would be “strong,” but that the Kremlin would “take Hungary’s protest into account.” In effect, the Hungarian leader signaled he fears possible consequences from Russia and is seeking to distance himself in advance from a broader EU decision.</p> <p>Commentators note that Russia has few, if any, legal or political tools to respond to the measure. Still, critics mocked Orban’s stance on social media, with some calling it a “cowardly” reaction.</p> <p>On December 12, EU ambassadors agreed to freeze Russian assets held in Europe indefinitely, a step Orban sharply criticized. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, commenting on the Hungarian leader’s position, called Orban “Russia’s most valuable frozen asset in Europe.”</p> <p>EU leaders are expected to discuss at a summit this week how to approve a “reparations loan” for Ukraine using Russian assets. Formally, a qualified majority would suffice, but the process is complicated by resistance from some countries, notably Belgium, which fears legal consequences.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/orban-says-he-wrote-to-putin-fearing-russia-s-response-to-eu-plan-to-use-frozen-assets-for-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/eu-imposes-new-sanctions-on.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:36:59 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/eu-imposes-new-sanctions-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/73a21f9762.jpg" alt="EU imposes new sanctions on Russia's 'shadow fleet'"></p>The new sanctions bring the total of sanctioned "shadow fleet" ships to 600, according to the Council of the EU.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-imposes-new-sanctions-on-russias-shadow-fleet/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/ukrainian-forces-counterattack-near-lyman.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:12:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/ukrainian-forces-counterattack-near-lyman.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-18-11-33-24.jpg" alt="Ukrainian forces counterattack near Lyman, claim Russian regiment destroyed"></p>Ukrainian forces counterattacked near Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, the Third Army Corps said, claiming an entire Russian regiment was destroyed and prisoners were taken.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-forces-carry-out-assault-near-lyman-destroy-russian-regiment-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/swedens-navy-says-armed-guards.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:00:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/swedens-navy-says-armed-guards.html <p>Uniformed service members and armed men - believed to be private security contractors — have been spotted on tankers carrying oil from Russia, Marko Petkovic, the head of operations for the Swedish Navy, said on the Swedish broadcaster <a href="https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/marinen-ryssland-skyddar-skuggflottan-med-militar-operation">SVT Nyheter</a>.</p> <p>As noted by the <a href="https://www.bt.dk/udland/efter-flere-mystiske-observationer-sverige-bekraefter-for-foerste-gang">Danish outlet Berlingske Media</a>, this is the first time an EU country has officially confirmed the presence of armed guards on vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet.”</p> <p>According to Petkovic, Russia has generally stepped up its military footprint in the Baltic Sea.</p> <p>“The Russian naval presence has become more constant and visible across much of the Baltic Sea.”</p> <p>The Russian navy periodically operates in various zones in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland and appears to be supporting this “shadow fleet” in some way, the Swedish Navy representative said.</p> <p>SVT’s sources in the Swedish military confirmed that Russian warships are “fairly constantly present” in several specific areas adjacent to shipping lanes.</p> <p>Danish media have reported on guards aboard the “shadow fleet”</p> <p>Danish outlets had previously written about the emergence of guards on Russian “shadow fleet” ships.</p> <p>On December 6, the investigative outlet <a href="https://danwatch.dk/tidligere-spetsnaz-leder-dukkede-pludselig-op-paa-tankskib-i-oeresund">DanWatch</a> reported that people in camouflage uniforms were on board one of the “shadow fleet” tankers in the Øresund strait, including one former special forces commander from Kaliningrad.</p> <p>The outlet said this is corroborated by data from a leaked Russian government database that Danwatch obtained through sources in Russia.</p> <p>According to crew documents reviewed by the outlet, these individuals had no official duties on the ship.</p> <p>They were listed as “additional crew” without any explanation.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/sweden-s-navy-says-armed-guards-are-appearing-on-russia-s-shadow-fleet-vessels">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/sbu-says-drones-hit-russian.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:49:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/sbu-says-drones-hit-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-18-12-56-56.jpg" alt="SBU says drones hit Russian equipment worth hundreds of millions at Belbek airfield in occupied Crimea"></p>Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has struck a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea, reportedly destroying air defense equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the agency said in a Telegram post on Dec. 18.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-drones-hit-russian-military-equipment-worth-hundreds-of-millions-at-belbek-airfield-in-occupied-crimea-agency-reported/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/zelensky-arrives-in-brussels-to.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:24:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/zelensky-arrives-in-brussels-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1794433462.jpg" alt="Zelensky arrives in Brussels to attend crucial EU summit"></p>European leaders are expected to decide on Dec. 18–19 whether to proceed with a "reparations loan," a plan to lend up to 210 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-arrives-in-brussels-to-attend-crucial-eu-summit/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/russian-border-guards-briefly-crossed.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:06:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/russian-border-guards-briefly-crossed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/estonia.png" alt="Russian border guards briefly crossed into Estonia, Tallinn says"></p>Igor Taro, the interior minister of the Baltic nation, said it remains unclear whether the incident was intentional but emphasized that there is no threat to Estonia's security.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-border-guards-briefly-crossed-into-estonia-tallinn-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:13:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9cbc0a439e.jpg" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil tanker in Russia's Rostov-on-Don, local officials claim"></p>Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil tanker in the Port of Rostov overnight on Dec. 18, local officials in Russia's Rostov Oblast reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil-tanker-in-russias-rostov-on-don-officials-claim/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/fact-check-image-does-not.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:33:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/fact-check-image-does-not.html <p>Does a viral picture of what looks like an Israeli passport confirm that Volodymyr Zelenskyy became an Israeli citizen before he became president of Ukraine? No, that's not true: The image got the spelling of his last name wrong. The machine-readable text on the bottom of the first page didn't fit the internationally standardized form, either.</p> <p>The claim appeared in <a href="https://x.com/JeffreyxEpstein/status/1999137924625912059">a post</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/tvPga">here</a>) published on X on December 11, 2025. It opened:</p> <blockquote>Can someone explain this ?</blockquote> <p>The post showed what looked like an Israeli passport with a photo of Zelenskyy on it. This is what that image looked like on X at the time of writing:</p> <p><a href="https://leadstories.com/IsraelZelenskyPassport%20%281%29.jpg"><img alt="IsraelZelenskyPassport (1).jpg" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/israelzelenskypassport2028129-thumb-900xauto-3175275.jpg" width="900" height="764" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></a></p> <p><em>(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at x.com/JeffreyxEpstein)</em></p> <p>The account on X that wondered about the explanation was marked as a parody account, but it was not the only one sharing the image.</p> <p>On the same day, <a href="https://x.com/white_lenka/status/1999199340506530174?t=1KK9pkSGocsrOJBK7alqWw&s=03">another account on X</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/rqiLT">here</a>) posted the same image linking it to the purported findings during <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c058lp086zvo">an earlier search of the apartment of <span>Andriy Yermak,</span></a> one of Zelenskyy's top advisors (archived <a href="https://archive.is/dpc9R">here</a>).</p> <p>NABU, the Ukrainian anti-corruption agency that executed the search, never released the detailed description of the found items. As of this writing, its <a href="https://t.me/nab_ukraine/3542">only comment</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/zkpJh">here</a>) confirmed the fact there was a search, but nothing more.</p> <p>The first sign of fakery in the image examined in this fact check was an incorrect spelling of the Ukrainian president's last name. On the <a href="https://www.president.gov.ua/en/president/biografiya">English version of the official website of the Ukrainian president</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251218012909/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://www.president.gov.ua/en/president/biografiya">here</a>), Volodymyr Zelenskyy's last name is written with a double "y" at the end, but the "passport" missed one of them.</p> <p><a href="https://leadstories.com/8a92aecb42132b80949b8db3c3816935b1180dd8.png"><img alt="Screenshot 2025-12-17 at 1.22.40 PM.png" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8a92aecb42132b80949b8db3c3816935b1180dd8-thumb-900xauto-3175273.png" width="900" height="244" data-sanitized-class="mt-image-none"></a></p> <p><em>(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of page at president.gov.ua</em><em>)</em></p> <p>The bottom part of the image shows what is called a machine-readable zone that contains information about the passport and its owner in an <a href="https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/publications/DocSeries/9303_p4_cons_en.pdf">internationally recognized standardized form</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251217205030/https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/publications/DocSeries/9303_p4_cons_en.pdf">here</a>). This format is described on pages 17 through 20 of the<span> International Civil Aviation Organization document that describes those requirements. Both lines show the nationality of the passport owner. This indicates the citizenship of the issuing country, not other citizenships if the passport's owner has any. The image circulating on social media, however, reads "4UKR" on the second line. An authentic document would have just repeated "ISR".</span></p> <p>Volodymyr Zelenskyy became president in 2019. Ukraine <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/parliament-passes-law-allow-multiple-citizenship-ukrainians-2025-06-18/">allowed ordinary citizens to have multiple citizenships</a> (archived <a href="https://archive.is/Bd5xK">here</a>) in June 2025. However, <a href="https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2025-06-20/ukraine-allows-multiple-citizenships">neither in 2019 nor in 2025 were judges or public officials</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251217213121/https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2025-06-20/ukraine-allows-multiple-citizenships">here</a>) permitted to have any other passport than a Ukrainian one. Had the media or contenders for a political office learned that a candidate had one or more additional citizenships, that could have cost the candidate a race. Lead Stories did not find credible reports of that being an issue during the 2019 presidential campaign.</p> <p>The claim reviewed in this article fits the pattern of other false statements linked to Russian actors. In 2022, the social media accounts shared a <a href="https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2022/06/fact-check-picture-does-not-show-zelenskyys-russian-passport.html">claim that Zelenskyy was a Russian citizen</a>. In 2023, a similar -- fake -- image was being shared as purported proof that his wife, <a href="https://www.stopfake.org/en/fake-olena-zelenska-received-an-israeli-citizen-passport/">Olena Zelenska, received an Israeli passport</a> (archived <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251217221607/https://www.stopfake.org/en/fake-olena-zelenska-received-an-israeli-citizen-passport/">here</a>).</p> <p><a href="https://hoax-alert.leadstories.com/2025/12/fact-check-image-does-not-prove-zelenskyy-received-israeli-passport.html">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/six-windows-on-ukraine-belonging.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:37:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/six-windows-on-ukraine-belonging.html <p><em><strong>”The key to solving the world’s urgent problems may lie within Ukraine — from disinformation to modern warfare. We’ve lived these crises and learned how to resist them.”</strong></em></p><p>For our fifth season, <a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><u><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></u></a> returns to where it began:<strong> revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season</strong> to see how hope, resistance, and resilience have shaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, language, love, resistance, and the future—our guests reflect on the past, share intimate stories, and write letters to their former selves. A return and continuation, this season reminds us that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.<br>In the second episode of the season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to a conversation that began in 2022 and follows it to its consequences.</p><p>Ukrainian writer and thinker <a href="https://www.sashadovzhyk.com/"><u>Sasha Dovzhyk</u></a> joins Maksym and Val to reflect on belonging, return, and <strong>what happens when resistance ideas conceived during the darkest hours of the 2022 invasion grew into a trailblazing institution advancing justice in wartime Ukraine</strong>. <a href="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ukrainianspaces/episodes/how-russians-made-ukrainians-hate-themselves-e1kr007"><u>When she first appeared on the podcast during the early months of the full-scale invasion</u></a>, Sasha was living in London, speaking from within the Ukrainian diaspora. Since then, she has returned to Ukraine and helped turn those ideas into powerful action.</p><p>Originally from Zaporizhzhia, Sasha is a Ukrainian writer, curator and the founder of <a href="https://www.index-ukraine.org/en"><u>INDEX: Institute for Documentation and Exchange</u></a> in Lviv. In this episode, she speaks about building knowledge as a form of justice, documenting loss and resistance, and <strong>why Ukraine’s experience with anti-imperial resistance matters far beyond its borders</strong>. The conversation reflects on imperial cultural erasure, memory, and the responsibility of storytelling in wartime.</p><p>Dovzhyk’s letter to her 2022 self,  which anchors her story, reads: “Home will find you.”</p><p><a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><u><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></u></a> is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its right to exist.<br><strong>SUPPORT: </strong><a href="http://ukrainianspaces.com/"><u><strong>Ukrainian Spaces</strong></u></a> is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise more Ukraine conversations - <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/ukrainianspaces/posts"><u>become our Patreon sponsor</u></a> or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.)<br><strong>GET FEATURED: </strong><a href="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ukrainianspaces/message"><u>send us a voicemail </u></a></p><p>This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/"><u><strong>Ukrainska Pravda</strong></u></a> – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/supportus/"><u>make a donation through their website</u></a> or <a href="https://www.patreon.com/pravdaua"><u>join their Patreon community</u></a>. Every contribution keeps the story alive.</p><p><a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ukrainianspaces/episodes/Six-windows-on-Ukraine-Belonging-e3cfuk4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/18/us-russia-set-to-hold.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:41:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/18/us-russia-set-to-hold.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2209065649.jpg" alt="US, Russia set to hold talks in Miami this weekend, Politico reports"></p>U.S. and Russian officials are set to meet in Miami this weekend to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, Politico reported on Dec. 17, citing two unnamed sources.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-russia-set-to-hold-talks-in-miami-this-weekend-politico-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/putin-hides-the-truth-killed.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:01:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/putin-hides-the-truth-killed.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d4a480d1a6.jpg" alt="Putin hides the truth: 30,000 killed monthly, no gains in Donbas"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwnTUHge9zA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/no-christmas-truce-putin-has.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/no-christmas-truce-putin-has.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/fc8387f5c2.jpg" alt="No Christmas truce?! Putin has chosen war"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH5yGj9fO2U">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/fake-threats-from-the-north.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:30:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/fake-threats-from-the-north.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/45c8c5c00a.jpg" alt="🚫Fake threats from the North: The Kremlin creates a new conflict #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wbaVf8pKi58">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/losses-per-day-russian-infantry.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/losses-per-day-russian-infantry.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/38c87ad29d.jpg" alt="1,700 losses per day! Russian infantry is being wiped out by drones, especially near Pokrovsk"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n42LKoowgvs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/we-need-real-protection-from.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:30:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/we-need-real-protection-from.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b2fbb25caf.jpg" alt="❗️We need real protection from this Russian madness, says Zelenskyy #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5YT5b-zTeYc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/sbu-detains-ukrainian-soldier-accused.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:23:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/sbu-detains-ukrainian-soldier-accused.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-17-18-54-17.jpg" alt="SBU detains Ukrainian soldier accused of spying for Russia's FSB, helping coordinate strikes"></p>The man is suspected of helping Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) coordinate strikes on Ukrainian Armed Forces' warehouses with ammunition and drones.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-detains-ukrainian-soldier-accused-of-spying-for-russias-fsb-helping-coordinate-strikes/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/slovakias-intelligence-service-under-gapar.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:09:56 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/slovakias-intelligence-service-under-gapar.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/14495a2ad1.jpg" alt="Slovakia’s intelligence service under Gašpar: a veteran warns of politicization, institutional decline, and ignored Russian threats"></p><p><img width="300" height="157" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/32dd69b26f.jpg" alt="Slovakia’s intelligence service under Gašpar: a veteran warns of politicization, institutional decline, and ignored Russian threats"></p><p>This article presents an <strong>expert opinion based on an interview with a veteran officer of Slovakia’s SIS civilian intelligence service</strong>, offering sharp criticism of Prime Minister <strong>Robert Fico</strong> for consolidating excessive power and exerting political control over the country’s intelligence leadership.</p> <p>The <strong>Slovak Information Service (SIS)</strong> is the country’s primary civilian intelligence and counterintelligence agency. By law, it reports directly to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic — currently Robert Fico.</p> <p>According to <strong>Juraj Kulik</strong>, a retired colonel and former director of the <strong>National Security and Analytical Center (NBAC)</strong> within SIS, the agency has been pulled into domestic political battles under its current leadership. Kulik argues that SIS has become entangled in conflicts between the ruling coalition and the opposition, most visibly during the recent controversy surrounding the alleged “preparation of a coup d’état.”</p> <h2>Who is Pavol Gašpar?</h2> <p>The current director of SIS, <strong>Pavol Gašpar</strong>, is the son of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibor_Ga%C5%A1par"><strong>Tibor Gašpar</strong></a>, the former president of Slovakia’s Police Presidium. Tibor Gašpar is currently <strong>under criminal investigation</strong> in connection with allegations of corruption and abuse of power during his tenure in law enforcement.</p> <p>Investigative journalists have reported that Tibor Gašpar effectively transferred operational control of the police to the <strong>Bödör oligarch network</strong>, based primarily in the Nitra region and linked to the private security firm <strong>Bonul</strong>.</p> <p>Under the previous government (now in opposition), Tibor Gašpar left the police force with the rank of general and later joined the <strong>SMER-SD party</strong>. He currently serves as <strong>Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament.</strong></p> <p>Initially, SMER-SD reportedly sought to appoint Tibor Gašpar himself as head of SIS. Legal constraints arising from the ongoing investigation made this impossible. The party then turned to his son, Pavol Gašpar, as an alternative.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/891da4c137.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/891da4c137.jpg" alt="Pavol Gašpar, Tibor Gašpar" width="582" height="434"></a></p> <p>Pavol Gašpar is a controversial figure, known publicly for abrasive behavior and displays of personal wealth. He has drawn attention for prominent tattoos — one depicting his father, another featuring the protagonist of The Godfather. Shortly after assuming leadership of SIS, he appeared in media reports following a <a href="https://spectator.sme.sk/politics-and-society/c/slovakias-spy-chief-crashes-muscle-car">traffic accident</a> involving a Dodge Hellcat, which he was driving while wearing casual beachwear and flip-flops.</p> <h2>“This is a road to hell”: inside SIS under political pressure</h2> <p>In an interview for the Disinforeport podcast produced by infosecurity.sk, Kulik described what he sees as a steady institutional collapse of SIS since the fourth Fico government came to power two years ago.</p> <blockquote><p>“This is a road to hell,” Kulik said. “By its very nature, SIS must remain strictly apolitical. For its director, this is not optional — it is a direct legal obligation.”</p></blockquote> <p>A career intelligence officer with over 22 years of service, Kulik detailed what he characterizes as growing politicization, internal pressure, and the marginalization of professionals unwilling to align with ruling-party interests.</p> <h2>The Russian threat: a strategic blind spot</h2> <p>Kulik stressed that the internal crisis at SIS coincides with a <strong>dangerous failure to confront Russia’s hybrid activities in Slovakia.</strong></p> <p>A substantial body of publicly available evidence indicates that Russia operates not only through disinformation campaigns, but also via systematic influence over political, social, and economic elites. Academic researchers, whistleblowers, military analysts, and international experts broadly agree on the scale of this challenge.</p> <p>“The situation is profoundly serious,” Kulik warned. “As a state, we have effectively abandoned a coherent strategy to counter hybrid threats or build societal resilience — regardless of where those threats originate.”</p> <p>One example is Slovakia’s Security Council Committee on Hybrid Threats, which exists largely on paper and has yet to become operational. Constitutional law experts have repeatedly argued that making this body functional is not merely advisable, but constitutionally necessary.</p> <hr> <p>Read also: <a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/babakovleaks-robert-fico/">#BabakovLeaks: former Slovak Prime Minister Fico and the Russian gas needle</a></p> <hr> <p>Kulik emphasized that Russia has, for several years, conducted both military and non-military operations against the collective West, including Slovakia, within the so-called ‘gray zone’ of hybrid warfare — actions designed to maintain plausible deniability.<br> While diplomatic channels must remain open, he argued, this cannot excuse the state’s failure to strengthen domestic resilience amid Slovakia’s deep political polarization.</p> <h2>“Coup” allegations and legal violations</h2> <p>Kulik also addressed the high-profile case involving allegations of an attempted coup d’état earlier this year. The controversy erupted after <strong>Prime Minister Fico</strong> cited a classified SIS report claiming that Slovakia faced an organized coup allegedly planned by foreign activists connected to opposition groups and protest organizers — including, <a href="https://spectator.sme.sk/politics-and-society/c/gaspars-people-scandal-hit-slovak-spy-boss-kept-in-position-by-powerful-backers">according to SIS</a>, figures linked to the Georgian National Legion and its commander Mamuka Mamulashvili.</p> <p>In his interview, Kulik stated that SIS may have violated the law by publicly admitting that some of the information was obtained through wiretapping — the use of eavesdropping and surveillance tools that legally require court warrant.<br> Slovak law explicitly prohibits SIS from disclosing the use of such methods. Kulik also noted serious legal concerns regarding the handling of personal data derived from such surveillance.</p> <h2>Intelligence in the service of politics</h2> <p>Kulik has publicly accused the current SIS leadership of systematically politicizing the service and targeting employees who refuse to align with SMER-SD–appointed officials. According to him, SIS is increasingly serving partisan political interests rather than fulfilling its mandate to protect national security.</p> <p>The<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DG0gVtIFB3Dm1Q1embPtP"> full interview with Juraj Kulik</a> is available as a podcast.</p> <hr> <p><strong><em>The editorial board of the InformNapalm volunteer intelligence community has published this material in its Opinion section. Notably, the initiative to bring these concerns to international attention originated from Slovak intelligence officers themselves. </em></strong><strong><em>Veterans of SIS, Kulik among them, warn of a growing risk of power usurpation by Prime Minister Robert Fico. His openly conciliatory stance toward Moscow, they argue, undermines not only Slovakia’s national interests but also those of its European partners.</em></strong></p> <p>The post <a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/slovakias-intelligence-service-gaspar-russian-threats/">Slovakia’s intelligence service under Gašpar: a veteran warns of politicization, institutional decline, and ignored Russian threats</a> appeared first on <a href="https://informnapalm.org/en">InformNapalm.org (English)</a>.</p><p><a href="https://informnapalm.org/en/slovakias-intelligence-service-gaspar-russian-threats/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=slovakias-intelligence-service-gaspar-russian-threats">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/russia-is-dehumanizing-europe-dangerous.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:01:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/russia-is-dehumanizing-europe-dangerous.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/375281488e.jpg" alt="Russia is dehumanizing Europe – dangerous narratives of Kremlin propaganda"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwxxFFsjYW4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/putin-calls-european-leaders-piglets.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:56:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/putin-calls-european-leaders-piglets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/d266ab51e2.jpg" alt="Putin calls European leaders 'piglets,' declares war goals will be met 'unconditionally'"></p>If Russia's demands were not met through diplomatic efforts, Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would "liberate" what he claimed were its "historical lands" on the battlefield.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/in-further-disregard-for-peace-putin-calls-european-leaders-little-pigs/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/gallery-estonia-installs-first-bunkers.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:02:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/gallery-estonia-installs-first-bunkers.html <p>On December 17, 2025, Estonia started the installation of the first bunkers on its segment of the Baltic Defense Line, a planned extensive defensive fortification covering the Baltic states. This line is intended to bolster regional security against a potential Russian invasion by establishing fortified positions across strategic border areas. The project envisions hundreds of reinforced bunkers, with early construction involving heavy machinery digging anti-tank ditches and preparing the ground in forested regions. The initiative complements ongoing defense upgrades as Estonia and its Baltic neighbors enhance their military readiness amidst heightened geopolitical tensions in the region.</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609888277/gallery-estonia-installs-first-bunkers-on-baltic-defense-line">news.err.ee/160988827&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/4a39cd8c-90f2-42f9-b39a-dd07f624a0c9">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/every-new-strike-only-unites.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:29:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/every-new-strike-only-unites.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/upd-gettyimages-2251737492.jpg" alt="'Every new strike only unites us' — Odesa endures 5-day blackout after Russian strikes"></p><p><strong>ODESA, Ukraine —</strong> Rolling into Odesa’s downtown, the constant hum of hundreds of generators drowns the ability to converse.</p><p>Just days earlier, the region came under a massive strike involving Shahed-type attack<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/drones/"> drones</a>, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.</p><p>The city, home to one million residents, was plunged into</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/you-survive-this-war-with-people-like-these-how-odesa-endures-russias-blackouts/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/ukrainian-drones-strike-russian-oil.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:53:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/ukrainian-drones-strike-russian-oil.html <p>Ukraine, in the early hours of Wednesday, December 17, hit Russia’s energy infrastructure again.</p> <p>In Russia’s Krasnodar region, a refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban came under a drone attack.</p> <p>A “fire broke out at process equipment and a pipeline over an area of 100 square meters and was quickly extinguished,” the Krasnodar region’s Operational Headquarters said.</p> <p>Officials said two people were injured and hospitalized. They added that drones damaged two power transmission lines in the Slavyansky district.</p> <p>About 12,700 households were left without power. Operations were suspended at 21 kindergartens and three schools due to water, power and heat outages.</p> <p>Ukrainian outlet Exilenova+ posted videos showing the fire at the refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the strike on the Slavyansk refinery, saying the facility supplies fuel to the Russian military.</p> <p>Overall, Ukraine launched 94 drones at Russia overnight into December 17, the Russian Defense Ministry said.</p> <p>Most were downed over Krasnodar region and Rostov region — 31 and 22, respectively.</p> <p>Residents of Saratov reported explosions overnight. The extent of the damage remains unclear. Ten drones were shot down over Voronezh region, Governor Alexander Gusev said.</p> <p>Debris ignited a power line at an infrastructure site, he added, without giving further details.</p> <p>Wounded reported in Zaporizhzhia after Russian strike</p> <p>According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 69 attack drones at Ukrainian territory overnight; at least 37 were shot down or suppressed.</p> <p>At the same time, 29 drones hit 12 locations.</p> <p>The Air Force statement did not mention fatalities.</p> <p>On the morning of December 17, authorities in Zaporizhzhia said drones struck a residential building, wounding several people.</p> <p>In the Odesa region, the strikes caused power outages.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drones-strike-russian-oil-refinery-in-slavyansk-on-kuban">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/debate-is-trump-a-viable.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:27:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/debate-is-trump-a-viable.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f59176d54-5.png" alt="DEBATE: Is Trump a viable mediator for peace?"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!fDk5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d4ef24-c1b9-431a-aa91-adfb73dcf3b2_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd6d4ef24-c.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d6d4ef24-c1b9-431a-aa91-adfb73dcf3b2_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. We’re printing a limited run only:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!JsBl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F57cf3876-fc64-400e-836a-7b5e27f5693f_1280x854.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f57cf3876-f.jpg" width="388" height="258.86875" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/57cf3876-fc64-400e-836a-7b5e27f5693f_1280x854.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":854,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":388,"bytes":null,"alt":"","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" title="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Already a paid subscriber but still want a calendar? <br><br>Snag one for a suggested donation of $90. (Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><p>Steven Moore and I agree on at least one thing: we want Ukraine to win the war.</p><p>Tim is a former U.S. Army medic and longtime journalist who has been in Ukraine since Feb 2022. He’s the founder of The Counteroffensive.</p><p>Steven is a former chief of staff for a GOP member of Congress. He went to Ukraine on the fifth day of the invasion, and has been a leading force in getting Republican lawmakers and officials to support Ukraine.</p><p>The thing we two friends argue about most is the degree to which Ukraine needs Donald Trump. We’ve had so many interesting, illuminating and passionate discussions privately. And then it struck me: why not share it more widely to sharpen our arguments?</p><p>Here’s the issue which we’ll be debating:</p><p><em>Resolved<strong>:</strong> The Trump White House is a viable mediator for a just peace in the Ukraine-Russia War.</em></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f59176d54-5.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2275b06a9e.png" width="488" height="325.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/59176d54-5f0d-4633-9618-747bf8f3b004_594x396.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":488,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on December 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><div><hr></div><p><strong>Tim</strong>: I will be arguing in opposition to the resolution.</p><p>Steven, thanks for doing this. One of the most interesting things about our friendship has been our disagreements over the degree to which Ukraine needs to engage with Trump.</p><p>My position is that we should skip to the inevitable betrayal, dispense with the pretense that the United States is interested in a just peace for Ukraine, and try to do as little damage as possible while recognizing that reality.</p><p>I think the recent days have shown this to be true. The White House put out a National Security Strategy that was outright hostile towards Europe and made outrageous demands of the countries that ought to be our allies.</p><p>The same strategy made no demands of Russia whatsoever other than that they do us the favor of being welcomed back into the fold of civilized nations with no accountability for the looting, killing, raping and murder they’ve committed.</p><p>The U.S. peace process -- which I consider a theater -- is to my mind an ego-driven venture so that Trump can say he established an end to the war, no matter how unjust and no matter how tenuous. It is an unserious process of coercion by unknowledgeable men. They are interested first and foremost in personal financial enrichment and accolades — not justice, and not a lasting peace.</p><p>For these reasons, I think that Ukraine should not consider the Trump White House as a viable mediator for peace.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":420654}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p><strong>Steven: </strong>Tim, I really value our friendship and our ability to discuss tough issues on which we disagree in an amicable manner that allows both of us to emerge more enlightened.</p><p>I have always thought you are a tremendous advocate for what should be. I view myself as someone trying to create strategies to maximize opportunities for what is.</p><p>Only three or four people in the world can get Ukraine the weapons or the security guarantees it needs to keep Russia out of its borders. One is named Trump, the rest live in Europe. We are building support for Ukraine among Trump’s voters. And we have been successful. More of Trump’s voters support aid to Ukraine now than at any time since the fall of 2022.</p><p>Trump will be president until January of 2029 - about 37 months from now. Barring statistically improbable occurrences, that will remain true.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Fupu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20694ab9-b02f-40f3-88b4-dbf1e29dc74b_594x396.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f20694ab9-b.png" width="440" height="293.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/20694ab9-b02f-40f3-88b4-dbf1e29dc74b_594x396.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":440,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart de Wever inside 10 Downing Street on December 12, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Who else would lead the peace process? Bart De Wever, Prime Minister of Belgium? Belgium controls some $200b in frozen Russian assets and has done almost nothing with it, except tax it for their own benefit to the tune of about $4 billion. Every day, Belgium purchases enough LNG from Russia to pay for 71 Shahed drones. Every day. In the last six weeks, suspected Russian drones have shut down Brussels airport three times. Belgium is paying Putin to attack Belgium.</p><p>Europe seems unable to act in its own interest, let alone Kyiv’s.</p><p><strong>Tim: </strong>I think there are a few more than three or four (Starmer, Macron, Merz, Tusk to name a few), but I take your point.</p><p>The problem when I look at Trump is that he is not going to get Ukraine the weapons (indeed, he has stopped the flow of aid), nor is he going to provide reliable security guarantees (his whole strategy is European withdrawal, not new European entrenchment). When I look at his hostility towards the European continent, his interest in getting a deal done at any cost (including Ukraine’s subjugation), and his administration’s coming business deals with Russia, I don’t see him as a reliable or even useful mediator in this conflict.</p><p>I don’t defend Europe’s purchasing of Russian energy. The European Union is in the process of phasing out Russian gas imports, although it will take far too long -- <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/europe-reaches-deal-phasing-out-russian-gas-imports-by-2027-2025-12-03/">until late 2027</a> -- to do so. Still, if we are considering Ukraine’s point of view, a sudden shut off of Russian energy imports would spike energy prices, alienating ordinary voters to Ukraine’s cause, and deeply affect the ability of European politicians to support the Ukrainian war effort. Of those two outcomes, which would you choose?</p><p>Separately, the Trump administration and its allies have already begun working behind the scenes to set up a reintegration of Russian energy companies with the world economy, per the <em><a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russia-u-s-peace-business-ties-4db9b290?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdP4KyKYQdDXHbO_9RHh8N41575wnaPbKkjeq02XNv9ekRt3fEv_XaLJphWMOk%3D&gaa_ts=692c4eaa&gaa_sig=tmQx-UqDXzZldOn51ZHFt1gPA4bmFitnPNSRyfTXIIzYYoM88vrNj02k8g8Sc3IYy3Td66mRL-ziPX7VocC8Fg%3D%3D">Wall Street Journal</a></em>. Your point about European purchases is fair! But we should then trust as a mediator the president who is going to turn around and rejuvenate Russian energy companies all around the world? It doesn’t track for me.</p><p>Let me propose an alternate solution: as delicately as possible, Europe and Ukraine withdraw from the ongoing talks with the United States. Let’s skip the pending U.S. betrayal, the Russian side’s inevitable dismissal of hard-fought diplomatic terms, and work among friends. I think it would lead to a fairer, more stable peace -- even if it does not lead to a deal in the most imminent time frame possible.</p><p><strong>Steven</strong>: I don’t disagree that Trump is currently not doing what is good for Ukraine. But giving up is not a great strategy.</p><p>Again, Trump is one of the few people in the world who can get Ukraine the weapons it needs. The US defense budget is <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1e59Hoq7SWNTJOg69ZQy_5maaE2dpbErqADIuxrHr8_E/edit?usp=sharing">62%</a> more than that of every European NATO country combined, coincidentally 60% of NATO. Ukraine is not in a position to give up on 60% of NATO arms.</p><p>How would Ukraine or Europe could make Trump step back from the peace negotiations even if they were inclined to do so? All they would be doing in the attempt is giving up all influence inside the White House.</p><p>I don’t see the wisdom in giving up on US weapons and influence in the White House because we don’t want to have our feelings hurt with the “pending U.S. betrayal.” Especially since Trump is going to do whatever he wants anyway.</p><p>Winston Churchill was so committed to getting US weapons for Great Britain that he encouraged his 20 year old daughter-in-law Pamela to have affairs with US generals and diplomats while his son was at war to gather intel on how to influence FDR. Pamela’s efforts were integral in bringing the US into the war, but it forever changed Winston’s relationship with his son. Giving up was not in his mindset. It took two years. Ultimately, Pearl Harbor brought US weapons to England. Despite his frustration and hurt feelings, he did not burn any bridges with FDR.</p><p>As I detailed in my Substack, <em><a href="https://stevenmoore.substack.com/p/why-isnt-anything-ukraine-doing-working">Tales from WWIII</a></em>, “There is nothing we can do about Trump and the Republicans” is code for “I don’t know what to do about Trump and the Republicans.”</p><p>Many of us do. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jplindsley/">Joe Lindsley;</a> <a href="https://substack.com/@intrep360withsweettoth?utm_source=global-search">Mark Toth & Jon Sweet;</a> <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/02/ukrainian-christians-plead-donald-trump-aid-support/">Pavlo Unguryan</a>; <a href="https://www.faithundersiege.com/team">Colby Barrett</a>, <a href="https://www.cpac.org/post/sarah-makin-to-join-christian-persecution-summit">Sarah Makin</a> and the team at <em><a href="https://www.faithundersiege.com/">A Faith Under Siege</a></em>;<em><a href="https://x.com/melindaharing?lang=en"> </a></em><a href="https://x.com/melindaharing?lang=en">Melinda Haring</a> at Razom; <a href="https://x.com/mobbs_mentality">Meaghan Mobbs</a>; Jed Sunden at the <a href="https://www.amukr.org/#/1/">American Ukraine Committee</a>; <a href="https://jademcglynn.com/">Jade McGlynn</a>; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-provost-m-p-s-m-div-08603094/">Larry Provost</a> and a host of others in addition to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/annashvetsova/?originalSubdomain=ua">Anna Shvetsova</a> and me.</p><p>Official Ukraine, after years of ignoring Republicans, is finally figuring out how to communicate with Republican voters. Zelensky has been on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrTBsijYILE">Newsmax</a> several times this year, as well as Ben Shapiro and TBN. I was on a MAGA radio show recently. The host went on at length about how smart newly minted <a href="https://usa.mfa.gov.ua/en/governance/ostefanishyna">Ambassador Olha Stefanishyna</a> was when she appeared on his show. <a href="https://youtu.be/puOOGF1HLes?si=ui9D1B4J3F_eNsS-&t=594">(thirty seconds - watch it here)</a></p><p>Due to the work being put in, more Republicans support aid to Ukraine than at any time since fall of 2022. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/zelensky-is-winning-trump-voters-over-72d5f6c1">It is paying off.</a> Now is not the time to give up.</p><p>(For readers interested in learning more about Churchill trying to bring the US into WWII, I recommend “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Splendid-Vile-Churchill-Family-Defiance/dp/0385348711">The Splendid and the Vile:</a> A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz” as well as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kingmaker-Harrimans-Astonishing-Seduction-Intrigue/dp/0593949129">“Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue,”</a> about Churchill’s daughter-in-law.)</p><p><strong>Tim</strong>: I see it differently. “There is nothing we can do about Trump” is a recognition that the president and those around him are firmly hostile towards Ukrainian and European interests.</p><p>A clear-eyed response to this would be to engage less with the Trump White House while formulating another plan with other potential mediators.</p><p>This is not about “feelings hurt,” this about a sober reckoning of the Trump White House’s antagonism towards Ukraine. Pointing out the size of the U.S.’s large military budget makes no difference if new military aid is not even on the table -- and as far as I can tell, it’s not even within contemplation.</p><p>This strategy could involve withdrawing from the U.S.-led peace process, choosing an allied leader to take the lead on negotiations (Alexander Stubb, for example).</p><p>Ironically, this may have the consequence of dragging Trump back towards a more pro-Ukrainian position. The president is obsessed with the idea of having achieved peace: he lives for attention, and is clearly unhappy whenever the spotlight is not on him personally.</p><p>In the meantime, Trump shouldn’t be rewarded for laundering Russia’s demands through American foreign policy.</p><p>I have great admiration for what you and other folks are doing to persuade Republicans, and fight the good fight to change the MAGA movement’s mind on Ukraine. I fear that the decisions on Ukraine will not be made at the grassroots level, however. The hundreds of billions of dollars in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russia-u-s-peace-business-ties-4db9b290?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdP4KyKYQdDXHbO_9RHh8N41575wnaPbKkjeq02XNv9ekRt3fEv_XaLJphWMOk%3D&gaa_ts=692c4eaa&gaa_sig=tmQx-UqDXzZldOn51ZHFt1gPA4bmFitnPNSRyfTXIIzYYoM88vrNj02k8g8Sc3IYy3Td66mRL-ziPX7VocC8Fg%3D%3D">joint U.S.-Russia business deals</a> being floated to MAGA elites are far too enticing for that.</p><p>Back to you for the final word, Steven. Bring us back to the debate’s resolution -- what do you think of the above, and why do you think the Trump White House is a viable mediator for this war?</p><p><strong>Steven: </strong>The Trump White House IS the mediator by virtue of the fact he has the power and exerted the will to do it. Nobody appointed him to the job. There is nobody we can call and have him removed.<br><br>The Europeans also have that power. Everyone involved - including Trump - would be happier if the Europeans exerted their will to use their power to either make peace or fund Ukraine’s military to drive the Russians back to Kursk.</p><p>How can we get the Europeans to do that?</p><p>As you and I agree, we are currently in a global war. Russia is a client state of China. We both hear Iranian-designed Shahed drones overhead at night. North Korea is sending troops to Russia to train for an invasion of South Korea. <a href="https://tass.com/politics/1747341">Putin held a summit of 14 Islamic terror organizations</a> in February of 2024. They weren’t there to exchange hummus recipes.</p><p>The world will need Europe’s firepower. However, last Friday, Europe sent $46,596,508 to Russia for fossil fuels. Enough to manufacture almost 1000 Iranian designed drones. A day.</p><p><a href="https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/07/belgium-imports-more-russian-gas-than-before-ukraine-war/">Belgium’s Russian LNG imports have increased</a> since 2022. <a href="https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/eu-talks-tough-russian-lng-buys-more-ever-2025">France imported 19% more Russian LNG</a> in 2025 than it did in 2024.</p><p>It might be that your partisan passions shade your judgement of what is best for Ukraine.</p><p>Your idea that “Ukraine’s point of view” is being concerned about spiking fuel prices if Europe stops buying Russian fossil fuels is at odds with Ukraine’s destruction of Russia’s refineries, its lobbying for more sanctions on Russian fossil fuels and its attacks on the Russian Ghost fleet of oil tankers. Cutting off Russian revenue is Ukraine’s goal.</p><p>You may be thinking of <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/energy-infrastructure-target-attack-ukraine-russia-war/">Jake Sullivan’s foreign policy of telling Ukraine to stop hitting Russian refineries</a> for fear of driving up gas prices and causing problems for Biden’s re-election campaign.</p><p>You have not described the advantage Ukraine would gain by telling Trump to kiss off, especially since, after four years, we don’t yet have the European leader for whom you search.</p><p>After a couple of decades in Republican politics, I am more optimistic about Trump fulfilling Churchill’s portrait of the Americans. “You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the other possibilities.”</p><p>With Republican public opinion pushing him on one side, and Putin’s continued aggression pushing him on the other, Trump is becoming increasingly boxed in by world events. I don’t see this as a time to give up.</p><p>That being said, my opinion on Europe has changed over the week we have been corresponding. Chancellor Merz’s speech impressed me. Macron and others have made similar speeches for years, but Merz backed this up with a <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1e59Hoq7SWNTJOg69ZQy_5maaE2dpbErqADIuxrHr8_E/edit?usp=sharing">46% increase in the defense</a> budget.</p><p>There may yet be hope for Europe.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. We’re printing a limited run only:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!JsBl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F57cf3876-fc64-400e-836a-7b5e27f5693f_1280x854.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f57cf3876-f.jpg" width="374" height="249.528125" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/57cf3876-fc64-400e-836a-7b5e27f5693f_1280x854.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":854,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":374,"bytes":null,"alt":"","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" title="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Already a paid subscriber but still want a calendar? <br><br>Snag one for a suggested donation of $90. (Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>ORBAN SAYS PUTIN PROMISED TO CONSIDER HUNGARY’S POSITION ON RUSSIAN ASSETS: </strong>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban <a href="https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/17/7227321/">said</a> he asked Russian President Vladimir Putin how Moscow would react if the EU used frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. According to Orban, Putin assured him Russia would take into account the position of individual EU countries, including Hungary, which opposes the move and calls it a new level of escalation. Hungary has repeatedly acted in Russia’s favour which the EU has criticised.</p><p><strong>INDIA’S RUSSIAN OIL IMPORTS SURGE: </strong>India’s Russian oil imports <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/indias-russian-oil-imports-show-resilience-despite-sanctions-sources-say-2025-12-17/">are set</a> to exceed 1 million barrels per day in December, defying expectations of a sharp decline after new US sanctions. Indian imports of Russian oil increased after Russia offered discounted cargoes from non-sanctioned sellers. Despite Western pressure, energy ties between India and Russia remain strong.</p><p><strong>U.S.-EUROPE DRAFT UKRAINE SUPPORT PLANS: </strong>U.S. and European negotiators have drafted two documents outlining support for Ukraine in the event of a potential peace deal, the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/world/europe/ukraine-security-guarantees-talks.html">reports</a>.</p><p>One document sets general principles similar to NATO’s Article 5, with countries committing to assist Ukraine if it is attacked. The second is an operational plan detailing how US and European forces would cooperate with Ukrainian troops to prevent further Russian aggression.</p><p>The drafts also outline steps to maintain Ukraine’s military at 800,000 well-equipped personnel and provide guidance on detecting and countering possible Russian “false-flag” operations. The documents remain confidential, though officials say they include specific measures to reassure Ukraine and deter future invasions.</p><p><strong>UKRAINE’S YOUNG MEN FACE WAR AND HARD CHOICES: </strong>At the age of 25, Ukrainian men <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/12066997/on-the-edge-of-25-ukraines-young-men-confront-war-and-hard-choices">can be drafted</a> into the army. As they approach this age, they face a difficult choice: to go to war, take on new responsibilities, balancing patriotism and fear, or to flee. Their choices reflect the incredible pressure they face living in a country being invaded by Russia. American media outlet KQED has reported on young men who stayed in Ukraine and went to war, those who criticize the government for its decision to mobilize, and those who left the country to save their lives.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>Today’s Cat of Conflict is Myroslava’s Stuhna. She likes sitting near flowers and feels as though she is surrounded by nature.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!pezr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F611c95f0-eb75-4570-819c-b338888484f7_768x1024.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f611c95f0-e.jpg" width="768" height="1024" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/611c95f0-eb75-4570-819c-b338888484f7_768x1024.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1024,"width":768,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Tim</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/debate-is-trump-a-viable-mediator">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/ukraine-promised-article-like-guarantees.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:07:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/ukraine-promised-article-like-guarantees.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250089887.jpg" alt="Ukraine promised 'Article 5–like' guarantees without NATO membership. What does that even mean?"></p><p>As Ukraine abandons hope of joining NATO anytime soon, it seeks the next best alternative: security guarantees based<em> </em>on the alliance's Article 5.</p><p>President <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/volodymyr-zelensky/">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> and other officials have been clear: any peace deal not backed up by real force invites future <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russian</a> aggression — much like</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/the-problem-with-article-5-like-security-guarantees-for-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/russia-struck-zaporizhzhia-with-kabs.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:03:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/russia-struck-zaporizhzhia-with-kabs.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/580eaeccc5.jpg" alt="❗️RUSSIA STRUCK ZAPORIZHZHIA WITH KABS! More than 26 people were injured! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A9Dr7HeoV9c">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/russian-kab-bomb-attack-hits.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:19:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/russian-kab-bomb-attack-hits.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-17-13-23-44.jpg" alt="Russian KAB bomb attack hits apartment buildings in Zaporizhzhia, injuring at least 26"></p>Russia attacked the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia with KAB bombs the morning of Dec. 17, injuring at least 26 people, including a child, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-bombs-hit-residential-building-injure-at-least-26-in-zaporizhzhia-as-russia-rejects-christmas-truce/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/ukraine-warns-of-catastrophe-for.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:00:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/ukraine-warns-of-catastrophe-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2246236854-1.jpg" alt="Ukraine warns of ‘catastrophe for every single European’ if Russian frozen asset plan fails"></p>"The lesson will be that European solidarity ends where fear of action begins, even in self-defense,” Iryna Mudra, Zelensky’s top legal advisor, told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-warns-of-catastrophe-for-every-single-european-if-russian-frozen-asset-plan-fails/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/bloomberg-us-ready-to-impose.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:31:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/bloomberg-us-ready-to-impose.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2252086033.jpg" alt="Bloomberg: US ready to impose additional sanctions against Russia if Putin rejects peace deal"></p>The U.S. is planning new sanctions on Russia’s energy sector to ramp up pressure on Moscow if President Vladimir Putin rejects a peace deal with Ukraine, Bloomberg reported citing sources familiar with the situation.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-us-ready-to-impose-additional-sanctions-against-russia-if-putin-rejects-peace-deal/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/western-peacekeepers-in-ukraine-could.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:47:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/western-peacekeepers-in-ukraine-could.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2251563273.jpg" alt="Western peacekeepers in Ukraine could retaliate against Russian attacks post-ceasefire, Merz says"></p>"We would secure a demilitarized zone between the belligerent parties and, to be specific, we would also move against corresponding Russian violations and attacks," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/western-peacekeepers-in-ukraine-could-retaliate-against-russian-ceasefire-violations-merz-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/russian-border-guards-crossed-into.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/russian-border-guards-crossed-into.html <p>On December 17, 2025, three Russian border guards crossed into Estonia on an unauthorized entry near the Saatse Boot region along the southeastern border. The Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets confirmed the incursion, stating the motives remain unclear but there is currently no threat to national security. Police and border guards have investigated the event and the Ministry of the Interior continues monitoring the border situation closely. The incident is seen as unusual and has drawn official attention but has not triggered any heightened security measures. Authorities maintain vigilance to prevent further unauthorized border crossings.</p> <p>Category: Border</p> <p>Country: Estonia</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://news.err.ee/1609888417/russian-border-guards-crossed-into-estonia-with-unclear-motives-minister-says">news.err.ee/160988841&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/0b49a3bc-edd5-4644-a4f7-a52450a8714d">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/us-senators-introduce-bipartisan-sanctions.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 04:23:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/us-senators-introduce-bipartisan-sanctions.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/stefan.jpg" alt="US senators introduce bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russian oil profits"></p>The bill would impose targeted sanctions on anyone dealing in Russian oil, effectively barring them from the U.S. financial system.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-senators-introduce-bipartisan-sanctions-bill-targeting-russian-oil-profits/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:45:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-16-at-6-10-30-pm.png" alt="Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai"></p>Explosions rocked an oil refinery in the Russian city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban amid a Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Dec. 17, media reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-oil-refinery-in-russias-krasnodar-krai-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/17/the-russian-offensive-is-slowing.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/17/the-russian-offensive-is-slowing.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e3f9f2a92a.jpg" alt="The Russian offensive is slowing down! Fighting continues for Pokrovsk and Huliaipole"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12MX3bSAD9A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-as.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:28:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e43b788235.jpg" alt="Explosions reported in Kyiv as Russian drones attack Ukraine's capital"></p>Explosions were reported in Kyiv late on Dec. 16 during a Russian drone attack on Ukraine's capital.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-as-russian-drones-attack-kyiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russia-stations-troops-in-belarus.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 21:00:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russia-stations-troops-in-belarus.html <p>German politician Roderich Kiesewetter warned of a serious escalation along NATO’s borders as Russia forms a new army of roughly 360,000 troops. He also said the most critical years for Putin’s war could be 2026 and 2027.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.bild.de/politik/politik-talkshows-im-tv-talk-kritik/ukraine-experte-warnt-bei-atalay-jetzt-kommen-die-zwei-kritischsten-jahre-6940912811416590a630c340#fromWall">Bild</a>, Kiesewetter, a CDU member of the Bundestag and a security expert, said on NTV that important internal changes have taken place in Russia over the past two years without being communicated to the public.</p> <p>He said two army corps are now stationed in Belarus, forming a powerful new force capable of striking even NATO countries.</p> <p>“We’re now seeing that Russia has stationed two army corps in Belarus—that is, around 360,000 combat-ready soldiers—a completely new giant army, ready and able to strike even at NATO,” he added.</p> <p>Kiesewetter also noted that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had previously sought to reassure the public but now recognizes the worsening situation. He added that thanks to a war economy, Putin is preparing hundreds of thousands of troops who have not yet been deployed to the war in Ukraine.</p> <p>The lawmaker said Russia’s actions inside Ukraine—destroying infrastructure and conducting sabotage - could trigger a mass exodus of civilians. He cautioned against expecting meetings in Berlin to change the Kremlin’s intentions.</p> <p>“I can only warn that it’s naive to believe that if we meet here in Berlin now, Putin will understand. I fear the next two years will be the most critical,” he said.</p> <p>Earlier, as CNN reported, Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen told a North Atlantic Council meeting in Brussels that Russia will remain a threat to Europe even after the war in Ukraine ends.</p> <p>“Russia is indeed ramping up its military efforts for a second phase of potential aggression... After the war in Ukraine, NATO faces real threats,” Häkkänen said.</p> <p>He added that the modernization of Russia’s armed forces and increased troop presence near Europe’s borders are clear signals of potential danger.</p> <p>According to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, NATO is the Kremlin’s next target.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-stations-360-000-troops-in-belarus-posing-new-threat-to-the-eu-warns-bundestag-mp">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/polands-prime-minister-tusk-us.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 20:30:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/polands-prime-minister-tusk-us.html <p>Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said negotiations made it “for the first time fully clear that Americans, Europeans and Ukraine are on the same side,” and, for the first time, he underscored Washington’s role in ensuring Ukraine’s security.</p> <p>If Russia launches a new attack on Ukraine, the United States will deliver a military response, Tusk said in an interview, according to <a href="https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/swiat/szczyt-w-berlinie-w-sprawie-ukrainy-donald-tusk-zabral-glos/zfkl2wp">Onet</a>.</p> <p>“For the first time I’m hearing this from American negotiators, and Steve Witkoff stated very clearly that America commits to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in such a way that Russians will have no doubt the American response will be military if Russia attacks Ukraine again. So, in a sense, it resembles Article 5, but I wouldn’t refer directly to Article 5 because that could only complicate further talks. Still, the declaration we heard today was truly far-reaching,” Tusk said.</p> <p>He added that, during the talks, “for the first time it became fully evident that Americans, Europeans and Ukraine are on one side.”</p> <p>According to Tusk, the only real chance to convince Russia to start serious talks about ending the war — or at least a ceasefire — is for the entire West to unite. “It’s crucial that together with the Americans and Ukrainians we act as allies so that Russians and Putin see no wedge can be driven between these three sides,” he said. He added that Americans are convinced they can, together with Europeans, build serious security guarantees for Ukraine.</p> <p>European leaders have proposed a six-point plan of security guarantees for Ukraine, including: maintaining the size of Ukraine’s armed forces at up to 800,000 troops in peacetime; Europe-led “multinational forces” formed by a “coalition of the willing” with Washington’s backing; a ceasefire compliance mechanism led by the United States; legally binding security guarantees; investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction; and strong support for Ukraine’s EU membership bid.</p> <p>Tusk said potential territorial concessions remain an open and very difficult question that requires serious consideration by Ukraine. He stressed Poland will not exert any pressure on this and that any decision must result solely from Ukrainians’ own assessment and calculations. “Our task is to support them in these talks so there is no triumph for Russia in this standoff. But it remains a very difficult task,” he said.</p> <p>Asked about international military forces in Ukraine as a security guarantee, Tusk said Poland will have other tasks. “In any case, Poland will be a key hub — not only Jasionka, but also our ports, the entire logistics for Ukraine’s reconstruction,” he said. At the same time, Poland will decide “where to deploy troops and where not,” he added.</p> <p>Tusk said an agreement that would allow the EU to use frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine is “still a very long way off.” “At the moment we have a decision that allows Russian assets to be frozen forever… But from that point to potentially using these funds for Ukraine’s reconstruction — let alone military support — is still light-years away,” he acknowledged.</p> <p>He said Thursday’s Brussels summit will not approve allocating those funds to Ukraine, though an agreement to finance Ukraine for the next two years is expected.</p> <p>Asked whether the U.S. position matches Europe’s on this issue, Tusk said “the difference of opinions is quite obvious.” Washington urges not to raise the topic because it affects negotiations. “The Americans say: leave these Russian assets alone, because it’s hard to sit down with Putin and say, ‘Let’s compromise, but we’ll take your money.’ That’s the American argument for being very cautious and not pushing things to the brink,” Tusk said.</p> <p>At the same time, he added, the Americans would be interested in using the money “differently.” He allowed that the U.S. might also use part of Russia’s assets, but only with prior agreement from the Kremlin. “It sometimes turns out Americans still take a businesslike approach to this issue… It’s hard to speak of a unified European-American position here,” he said.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine does not want to give up Donbas and will not recognize those territories as Russian, either de jure or de facto.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-s-prime-minister-tusk-u-s-will-respond-militarily-if-russia-attacks-ukraine-after-a-peace-agreement-is-signed">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/ukraine-and-germany-to-launch.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 20:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/ukraine-and-germany-to-launch.html <p>Ukrainian-made drones will be produced at industrial scale in Europe under a new “Build with Ukraine” initiative.</p> <p>Germany’s Quantum Systems and Ukraine’s Frontline Robotics are forming a joint venture, Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), to stand up what they say will be Europe’s first fully automated industrial production line for drones destined for Ukraine’s armed forces, the companies <a href="https://quantum-systems.com/news/first-joint-co-production-of-ukrainian-drones-in-europe-launched-by-quantum-systems-and-frontline-robotics/">said</a>.</p> <p>Under the “Build with Ukraine” initiative, QFI will mass-produce battle-tested, multi-purpose drones developed by Frontline Robotics. Quantum Systems will provide industrial infrastructure and manufacturing operations, while Frontline Robotics will supply licensed designs, training and full life-cycle support in line with NATO standards.</p> <p>All systems built in Germany will be delivered to Ukraine’s armed forces in quantities determined by the country’s Defense Ministry, the companies said.</p> <p>“The production line will combine battle-tested Ukrainian technology with German industrial automation, creating a new model of cross-border defense co-production: a ‘German model,’” the statement said, adding that the project will also create jobs for Ukrainians.</p> <p>“Ukrainians have revolutionized drone warfare; now, together, we will revolutionize industrial warfare. For Quantum Systems, this is the logical next step based on our proven track record supporting Ukraine. Together with Frontline Robotics, we will build the first overseas manufacturing capacity of this scale in Europe for Ukraine,” Quantum Systems said.</p> <p>Frontline Robotics called the collaboration a mission-driven effort. “We are confident our example will pave the way for future projects like this. The cooperation will provide Ukraine’s Defense Forces with thousands of drones to counter the Russian aggressor,” said Frontline Robotics CEO Yevhen Tretiak.</p> <p>The QFI launch follows a strategic partnership the two companies signed earlier this year. The location of the German-Ukrainian facility will not be disclosed for security reasons.</p> <p>In August 2024, Quantum Systems began assembling Vector UAVs in Ukraine. The drones are put together from kits shipped from Germany, with some Ukrainian-made parts, including CRPA antennas.</p> <p>Last month, Poland announced plans to produce Seawolf maritime drones as part of a Norwegian company Kongsberg investment aimed at building a new security architecture for the Baltic Sea.</p> <p>Separately, Ukrainian startup Strug is developing unmanned boats that carry strike FPV drones to extend their range.</p> <p>Earlier, Quantum Systems also unveiled the Jäger interceptor drone designed to counter Shahed drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-and-germany-to-launch-europe-s-first-fully-automated-combat-drone-production-line">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/international-claims-commission-for-ukraine.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:13:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/international-claims-commission-for-ukraine.html <p>An international body has been established in The Hague to decide on tens of billions of euros in reparations to Ukraine for damage from Russia’s military aggression.</p> <p>The creation of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine was approved at a conference in The Hague on Tuesday, December 16.</p> <p>Dozens of senior European officials took part, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.</p> <p>Zelensky said creating a reparations mechanism is the first step on “a true path to peace.” “It is not enough to force Russia to strike a deal. It is not enough to make it stop killing. We must make Russia acknowledge that there are rules in this world,” he said.</p> <p>The new body, which will assess and rule on compensation claims of any amount, is the second pillar of a system to compensate damage inflicted on Ukraine. It follows the creation of the Register of Damage for Ukraine, which has already received more than 80,000 applications from individuals and organizations. The third step will be the establishment of a compensation fund.</p> <p>The new international commission is being created under the Council of Europe and will be based in The Hague, Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said. “Without accountability, a conflict cannot be fully resolved. And part of that accountability is the payment of due compensation,” van Weel told reporters. “That’s why I believe we are taking a big step forward today by creating the claims commission and signing the relevant treaty.”</p> <p>Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, speaking in The Hague, urged that accountability, compensation and Ukraine’s reconstruction be included in peace negotiations.</p> <p>In a statement on the Council of Europe’s website, Berset stressed that the organization and its partners have supported Ukraine from the first day of Russia’s full-scale aggression. “Working together, we must be ready to support Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace. The Register of Damage for Ukraine and the International Claims Commission will be the only independent international mechanisms dealing with compensation related to Russia’s war,” <a href="https://www.coe.int/ru/web/portal/international-claims-commission-for-ukraine">he said</a>. </p> <p>Register of Damage for Ukraine has been operating since April 2024</p> <p>The Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) was created under the Council of Europe on May 17, 2023, and began operating in April 2024. Forty-four states and the European Union have joined.</p> <p>The register collects and records compensation claims filed by individuals, organizations and Ukrainian state bodies. It accepts claims across more than 40 categories of harm, including bodily injury, torture and sexual violence, forced deportation and loss of property.</p> <p>The World Bank estimates the cost of rebuilding Ukraine over the next decade at $524 billion (447 billion euros), nearly three times the size of Ukraine’s economy in 2024.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/international-claims-commission-for-ukraine-established-in-the-hague-to-rule-on-war-reparations">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/zelensky-outlines-next-steps-in.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:07:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/zelensky-outlines-next-steps-in.html <p>Another round of talks between Ukraine and the United States was held in Germany on December 14–15, aimed at ending the war launched by Russia.</p> <p>Ukraine will continue discussions with the United States on December 20–21, 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, according to <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zelenskiy-nazvav-nastupni-kroki-peregovorah-1765848508.html">RBC-Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>Zelensky said the U.S. side will, in the coming days, discuss with Russian representatives changes made to the plan to end the war. After that, the Ukrainian delegation will meet on U.S. soil with American officials to keep working on the new peace plan developed by President Donald Trump’s administration. Zelensky did not say who would lead the Ukrainian delegation, adding only that he may meet with Trump later.</p> <p>In November, the United States drafted a new plan to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. It initially included 28 points; after talks with Kyiv, 20 remain. The plan envisions a demilitarized zone along the front line, elections in Ukraine, U.S. security guarantees akin to NATO’s Article 5, and more. The sides have yet to agree on the territorial issue, which Ukraine sees as fundamental. The White House believes Ukraine should withdraw its forces from the Donetsk region, promising security guarantees in return. But that proposal conflicts with Ukraine’s constitution.</p> <p>Zelensky took part in the December 14–15 talks in Germany with the U.S. side, represented by Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and the U.S. president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The parties discussed the territorial question and security guarantees to ensure Ukraine is not attacked in the future.</p> <p>Details of the Germany talks with Zelensky, Witkoff and Kushner were not disclosed. Both sides say some progress was made.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-outlines-next-steps-in-us-ukraine-talks-to-end-the-war">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/ukraines-superstrikes-ballistic-missiles-and.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:01:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/ukraines-superstrikes-ballistic-missiles-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/584d243eb9.jpg" alt="Ukraine's superstrikes! Ballistic missiles and drones inflict significant damage on Putin"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx-WrrCSZb0">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/kremlin-signals-preemptive-rejection-of.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:00:07 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/kremlin-signals-preemptive-rejection-of.html <p>As the United States, Ukraine and the European Union weigh possible compromises in Berlin, the Kremlin has signaled in advance a hard rejection of any peace plan.</p> <p>Against the backdrop of talks among Ukraine, the U.S. and the EU, Moscow began laying the groundwork to refuse proposals even before key consultations started, indicating that no option short of Kyiv’s full capitulation would be acceptable, <a href="https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland-und-internationales/ukraine-gipfel-in-berlin-kreml-bereitet-schon-njet-zum-friedensplan-vor-693fc2c51df3ab3fd627be24">BILD reported</a>.</p> <p>A particularly telling signal came from Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin who has recently become a more prominent figure in the talks. In an interview with Pavel Zarubin, a pro-Kremlin broadcaster, Ushakov said any changes to the peace plan by Kyiv or the EU would trigger a sharp rejection from Moscow.</p> <p>“If appropriate amendments are made to the peace plan, we will have very strong objections. It may include completely unacceptable points for us, including on territorial issues. I don’t know what will end up on paper after the consultations, but it is unlikely to be anything good,” the Kremlin representative said.</p> <p>His comments suggest Moscow is not prepared to accept any compromise.</p> <p>Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that the Kremlin is preemptively rejecting initiatives to resolve the bloody conflict, including a Washington-backed idea for a demilitarized zone in the Donbas.</p> <p>According to the reporting, the initial peace plan comprised 28 points. It envisioned Ukraine’s de facto capitulation, recognizing Crimea as Russian and transferring all of the Donbas to Russia, including areas the Russian military has not captured. For Ukraine, that would mean ceding territory and key defensive positions in the east without meaningful security guarantees.</p> <p>After objections from Kyiv, the U.S. side reportedly tried to soften the language and floated a demilitarized economic zone. But Ushakov’s remarks indicate even that version is unacceptable to Moscow. At the same time, according to Western agencies, the United States continues to press for territorial concessions from Ukraine, raising tensions around the talks.</p> <p>Notably, <a href="https://www.notion.so/TEX-2372eaa22c82807d9e91fe9a23868e79?pvs=21">Ushakov’s interview</a> was recorded several days before consultations among Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. in Berlin, during Putin’s visit to Ashgabat. That timing suggests the Kremlin set out its rejection ahead of any discussion.</p> <p>Ushakov also effectively dismissed the so-called Korean scenario - freezing the front line without legal recognition of occupied territories. Moscow, he indicated, insists on de jure recognition of the occupied areas of the Donbas, a position at odds with international law and Ukraine’s stance.</p> <p>Taken together, the Kremlin’s moves and statements indicate Russia is not seeking a genuine end to the war and is using the negotiation process as leverage while pre-emptively blocking efforts to reach a just and sustainable peace.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-signals-preemptive-rejection-of-trump-s-peace-plan-ahead-of-berlin-talks">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/talks-on-reparations-loan-for.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:33:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/talks-on-reparations-loan-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250833586.jpg" alt="Talks on reparations loan for Ukraine continue as key summit approaches"></p>European leaders will decide on Dec. 18–19 whether to proceed with a "reparations loan," a plan to lend up to 210 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/talks-on-reparations-loan-for-ukraine-continue-as-key-summit-approaches/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russians-failurs-at-the-front.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russians-failurs-at-the-front.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/30781a70c5.jpg" alt="Russians’ FAILURS at the front: Putin IS STUCK in the illusion of «victories» #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0fVxHZ8ot_g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/turkey-shoots-down-out-of.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:28:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/turkey-shoots-down-out-of.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2197207022.jpg" alt="Turkey shoots down 'out of control' drone over Black Sea"></p>The incident comes as Ankara rebukes both Kyiv and Moscow over escalating hostilities in the Black Sea amid Russia's all-out war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/turkey-downs-out-of-control-drone-over-black-sea/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/what-we-know-about-russias.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:25:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/what-we-know-about-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2200017700-1.jpg" alt="What we know about Russia’s offensive in Siversk"></p>Bakhmutka River emerges as Siversk’s last line of defense as Russia presses assault<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/what-we-know-about-russias-offensive-in-siversk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russias-strong-currency-puzzles-economists.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:02:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russias-strong-currency-puzzles-economists.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2232885118.jpg" alt="Russia's strong currency puzzles economists, signals economic woes"></p><p>Since early December, the Russian ruble has continued to strengthen against global currencies: on Dec. 7, it reached a value of only 76 rubles for one U.S. dollar, a figure unseen since May 2023.</p><p>It soon dropped to 79 rubles per U.S. dollar, an exchange rate close to</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/not-a-success-russias-strong-ruble-puzzles-economists-exposes-weak-bases-of-economy/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/putin-quotcapturedquot-kupiansk-and-pokrovsk.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/putin-quotcapturedquot-kupiansk-and-pokrovsk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a628f09740.jpg" alt="Putin &quot;captured&quot; Kupiansk and Pokrovsk... on paper: how the Kremlin paints &quot;victories&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6P_TJbbt20">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/germany-launches-million-ukraineconnect-program.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:00:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/germany-launches-million-ukraineconnect-program.html <p>The German government plans to draw investment from German companies into Ukraine through a new financing tool.</p> <p>The program’s initial size is set at 45 million euros and will be managed by the state development bank KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau), which financed Germany’s post–World War II reconstruction, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche told reporters in Berlin on Monday, December 15.</p> <p>She said the initiative, called UkraineConnect, aims to mobilize significant private-sector funds. Interested companies across industries will be able to access low-interest loans for projects in Ukraine.</p> <p>The new instrument is designed to complement earlier economic support measures, including state guarantees for investment and export credits, as well as aid for the energy sector.</p> <p>In early December, Germany’s Economy Ministry announced it would provide Ukraine an additional 100 million euros—on top of 60 million euros already pledged this year—to help rebuild energy infrastructure damaged in the war launched by Russia.</p> <p>At the German-Ukrainian Economic Forum, which also discussed Ukraine’s reconstruction in the event of a peace deal with Russia, officials highlighted plans to deepen cooperation in the defense sector. </p> <p>Among those attending were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.</p> <p>Founded in 1948, KfW is owned 80% by the Federal Republic of Germany and 20% by the federal states. It is one of the world’s largest development banks. KfW is not profit-driven and does not operate like a commercial bank: it has no retail branches and raises funds mainly by issuing bonds.</p> <p>KfW’s core mission is to support the economy and society. It provides concessional loans and guarantees for small and medium-sized enterprises, housing, education, innovation and green projects, and it finances international development programs. Through KfW, the government advances its economic, social and climate policies.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/germany-launches-45-million-ukraineconnect-program-to-mobilize-private-investment-in-ukraine">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/leaders-sign-treaty-establishing-body.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:34:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/leaders-sign-treaty-establishing-body.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2239720109.jpg" alt="Leaders sign treaty establishing body to decide Ukraine war reparations"></p><p>President Volodymyr Zelensky, together with 35 leaders, signed off Tuesday, Dec. 16 on the creation of an international body that would decide on compensation claims tied to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but left unanswered the question of how the organization will be funded. </p><p>During a meeting in <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/the-hague/">The</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/leaders-sign-treaty-establishing-body-to-decide-ukraine-war-reparations/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/putins-nuclear-roulette-how-russia.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:01:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/putins-nuclear-roulette-how-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/92dad16c4d.jpg" alt="Putin's nuclear roulette: how Russia, under the guise of wanting &quot;peace,&quot; is blackmailing Europe"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCq-v8jEgz4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/poland-to-transfer-squadron-of.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/poland-to-transfer-squadron-of.html <p>Poland’s Defense Ministry is updating its air fleet as the service life of its MiG-29 fighters expires by the end of 2025. As a result, a squadron of the jets could be transferred to Ukraine, with Poland receiving American F-35s and South Korean KAI FA-50s in return.</p> <p>An agreement to provide Ukraine with Polish MiG-29s could be reached on Friday, December 19, during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit, Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk told <a href="https://www.rmf24.pl/polityka/news-wiceszef-mon-o-przekazaniu-mig-ow-ukrainie-podal-szczegoly,nId,8050574">RMF24</a>.</p> <p>He said Ukraine could receive a batch of 6–8 aircraft that would otherwise go to a museum or be scrapped.</p> <p>Tomczyk explained that the old Soviet jets will be retired by the end of December 2025. Until now, Poland had 14 MiG-29s while simultaneously modernizing its fleet, so there will be no impact on security. In his view, it’s better to send the jets to Ukraine to fight the Russians than to consign them to a museum.</p> <p>“They can end up in a museum, be sold or scrapped, or they can end up in Ukraine and help destroy our enemies. In my opinion, the situation is quite clear,” he said.</p> <p>In addition to replenishing Poland’s air force with modern aircraft, Warsaw hopes to obtain from Ukraine technologies for manufacturing and using drones, Tomczyk added.</p> <p>“We should close this issue. Since the MiGs are becoming obsolete, we should still put them to good use,” the official concluded.</p> <p>Swapping jets for military drone technologies became possible thanks to NATO membership: within the alliance, Warsaw is receiving F-35s and FA-50s.</p> <p>The MiG-29 is a Soviet-made light fighter that first flew in 1977.</p> <p>Its main mission is striking air and ground targets. Ukraine’s Air Force and troops have previously highlighted the usefulness of the MiG-29 in downing Shahed kamikaze drones and Russian missiles. In the first year of the Russia-Ukraine war, pilots used R-73 and R-27R air-to-air missiles and a 30 mm cannon.</p> <p>Over time, the jets were upgraded to carry Western weapons. In particular, that included AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, and JDAM precision-guided munitions, which, depending on the modification, can strike targets up to 70 km away.</p> <p>MiG-29s have also launched AASM Hammer munitions, which have struck, among other targets, a Russian headquarters in the occupied part of Kherson region.</p> <p>In September 2025, photos appeared online of a Ukrainian MiG-29 carrying KABs that were reportedly headed for a Russian position on an unspecified sector of the front.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/poland-to-transfer-squadron-of-mig-29s-to-ukraine-amid-fleet-modernization">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russian-oil-prices-lowest-since.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:58:50 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russian-oil-prices-lowest-since.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250742390.jpg" alt="Russian oil prices lowest since full-scale war began, Bloomberg reports"></p>The prices dropped to just over $40 per barrel on average for Russian crude shipped from the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Kozmino port in the Far East, Bloomberg reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-oil-prices-lowest-since-full-scale-war-began-bloomberg-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/putin-has-never-counted-his.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:49:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/putin-has-never-counted-his.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/20cb9aa71c.jpg" alt="Putin has NEVER counted his losses! And now they mean even less to him, – ZELENSKYY #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Pq6gCPYi1S4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/what-ukrainians-actually-think-about.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:06:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/what-ukrainians-actually-think-about.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/voxpops-1-.jpg" alt="What Ukrainians actually think about ceding Donbas to Russia"></p>As the U.S. increases pressure in peace talks, Russia's demand for a Ukrainian withdrawal from Ukraine-controlled parts of Donbas has sparked debate — including over whether such a decision could be made through a referendum during the war.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/what-ukrainians-actually-think-about-ceding-donbas-to-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/kremlin-rejects-christmas-truce-in.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/kremlin-rejects-christmas-truce-in.html <p>The Kremlin has ruled out a Christmas ceasefire in the war with Ukraine and is pushing Kyiv to “reach peace” faster, dismissing any pause as a temporary fix Ukraine seeks for a “breather” that Moscow says it will not allow.</p> <p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/353120">Russian media</a> the truce idea is a “substitute for reaching an agreement” and would be a temporary, not final, solution. He added the Kremlin has not received a draft document on EU-backed security guarantees for Ukraine, so there is no assessment yet.</p> <p>Peskov’s comments came around noon on December 16, as preparations continue for President Vladimir Putin’s “Direct Line” call-in show on December 19. Asked about a possible Christmas truce in the Russia-Ukraine war, he <a href="https://t.me/smotri_media/120868">said</a> Russia’s terms for Ukraine’s pace agreement are “transparent” and have been conveyed to Kyiv and Washington. He said Moscow will not help realize Ukraine’s desire for a temporary ceasefire and will not allow Ukraine a pause to prepare for the “continuation of the war.” Russia, he added, will stop only after it “achieves its goals and secures its interests.”</p> <p>Peskov also addressed whether Putin had recently spoken with Donald Trump, saying the last conversation was the one he had publicly mentioned and that the two have not communicated since - likely a reference to an October 16 call.</p> <p>Earlier on December 16, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov <a href="https://t.me/Ateobreaking/160758">told Russian media</a> that U.S. representatives had promised to bar Ukraine from joining NATO and would also “facilitate the transfer of territories.” He said the discussion concerned lands “where Russians have lived for centuries” that should “return to the Russian state.”</p> <p>On December 15, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, following another round of Ukraine-Russia talks in Berlin, floated the idea of declaring a Christmas truce. He urged Russians to stop terrorizing Ukrainians and to halt strikes on energy infrastructure and civilian targets.</p> <p>Also on December 16, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk outlined prospective U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine. Politico reported the U.S. proposals come with a deadline, pressuring Kyiv to respond under time constraints.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-rejects-christmas-truce-in-ukraine-as-a-temporary-substitute-for-peace">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russia-launches-massive-drone-attack.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:48:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russia-launches-massive-drone-attack.html <p>Russian forces, continuing the war against Ukraine, targeted the neighboring country with 69 drones, including Shahed, “Gerbera,” and other types.</p> <p>The overnight attack into Tuesday, December 16, was launched from Oryol, Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia’s Krasnodar region, Millerovo in the Rostov region, and from Hvardiiske in Russian-annexed Crimea, Ukraine’s Air Force said on Telegram.</p> <p>Roughly 40 of the drones were Shaheds.</p> <p>Preliminary data indicate Ukrainian air defenses shot down or suppressed 57 drones over the south and east of the country.</p> <p>Ten more UAVs struck targets in seven different locations.</p> <p>The Air Force said the attack was ongoing, with several Russian drones still in Ukrainian airspace.</p> <p>In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian drone hit a high-rise building, injuring three people, Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, said on social media.</p> <p>“Rescuers are working at the scene. Residents of the upper floors are being evacuated,” he wrote.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Odesa regional chief Oleh Kiper <a href="https://t.me/odeskaODA/12913">said</a> the region was attacked by several dozen drones.</p> <p>A major fire broke out, destroying a warehouse with household appliances - boilers and heaters.</p> <p>Kiper also said that over the past three days, power was restored to nearly 330,000 families in Odesa region, along with all critical infrastructure.</p> <p>As of the morning of December 16, 288,200 households remained without electricity.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-launches-massive-drone-attack-on-ukraine-57-drones-downed-as-strikes-hit-odesa-and-zaporizhzhia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/no-place-to-rest-ukraines.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:02:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/no-place-to-rest-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2945e479-8.png" alt="No place to rest: Ukraine’s burial crisis"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!ulbN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6775711d-45ff-4a4b-a07d-e0d8fee1121c_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f6775711d-4.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6775711d-45ff-4a4b-a07d-e0d8fee1121c_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. 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(Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><p>“The hardest thing is to imagine that his body was there the whole time, in a refrigerator, alone,” Dmytro said.</p><p>He paused. “That’s what I hate the most.”</p><p>His brother, Yevhen, was killed in 2022 when Russians shot down the medical helicopter that was evacuating him over occupied Mariupol. It took two years to identify the body. By that time, according to Dmytro, there was nothing left to bury. So Dmytro decided to cremate his remains.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2945e479-8.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/61d4b6eea4.png" width="434" height="329.97115384615387" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2945e479-8bc7-46e8-93ae-ca9a7dccc085_1600x1216.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1107,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":434,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Yevhen Ryasnii in military uniform, April 23rd 2020 in Mariupol. Photo provided by his brother.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Yevhen’s family belongs to the growing number of Ukrainians choosing cremation in place of traditional burials. In 2020, only<a href="https://volyn24.com/news/179892-v-ukraini-zakinchuyutsia-cvyntari"> 8 percent</a> of people in Ukraine were cremated. Today, this number is significantly higher: Oleksandr Babin, who works at Relikvia, a funeral home in Kyiv, estimated that around 80 percent of his clients now opt for cremation over a traditional burial.</p><p>As Russia and Ukraine battle over Pokrovsk, one of the last key cities of the Donetsk Region still held by Ukraine, the war threatens a surge of casualties. Before the full-scale invasion, space in Ukraine’s cemeteries was already strained, the war has deeply exacerbated Ukraine’s shortage of burial plots. This crisis is a direct reflection of the vast scale and brutality of this war.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p>Poll: Which option is more common in your area: burial or cremation? Share your thoughts in the comments!</p></div><p>“I was the quieter one, Yevhen wasn’t like that… he was the one always falling off his motorcycle or having some kind of adventure. It was always like that with him,” Dmytro said.</p><p>Although they were different, Dmytro and Yevhen were best friends who spoke on the phone almost every day.</p><p>It was Dmytro that joined the military first in 2015 after Russia occupied his hometown in the Luhansk Region in 2014.</p><p>A year later, Yevhen joined the Azov brigade, fighting without official registration until Dmytro took him into his sniper platoon.</p><p>“I was tougher on him than the other men because I felt responsible for him… and I wanted him to be the best,” Dmytro said. “Eventually, he understood and thanked me for it.”</p><p>Yevhen’s service was not easy. He had several serious concussions, the worst of which happened when the building he was in was destroyed by a Russian tank. After losing consciousness and being dug out of the rubble, Yevhen was back on the battlefield within 3 days. Dmytro tried to persuade his brother that he should rest more, but Yevhen insisted that he had to keep fighting with his men.</p><p>After six years of active combat, when Yevhen was ready to hand in his paperwork and end his time in Azov, his plans were interrupted by the full-scale invasion. Yevhen’s second stint in Azov did not last long.</p><p>In March 2022, Yevhen called Dmytro — he was seriously injured in Mariupol, and had been scheduled for evacuation to a hospital in Dnipro the next day.</p><p>Dmytro never heard his brother’s voice again.</p><p>As Dmytro and Yevhen’s girlfriend rushed to the hospital the next morning, they discussed his future. They knew his leg had now been amputated and talked about getting him a really high quality prosthesis. “We wanted to make him feel whole again,” Dmytro recalled.</p><p>Dmytro’s eyes searched through the wounded, asking if anybody had seen Ryasik (Yevhen’s call-sign). That’s when he learned that one of the evacuation planes was shot down, and he realised that he would not find Yevhen amongst these men.</p><p>Dmytro was not able to say goodbye to his brother until Yevhen’s cremation two years later.</p><p>“Yevhen helped everybody, which is no small feat since he had a lot of friends,” Dmytro said. Despite his premature death, about 100 people came to Yevhen’s cremation.</p><p>“His brothers-in-arms were also there, the ones who remained from his platoon,” Dmytro explained with a heavy voice. Very few were still alive, he said.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!nDJj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd092f186-bfb0-4802-aee8-e7c59b87e1b4_1600x1062.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd092f186-b.png" width="444" height="294.5769230769231" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d092f186-bfb0-4802-aee8-e7c59b87e1b4_1600x1062.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":966,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":444,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Yevhen’s funeral photo provided by his brother Dmytro</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Just last month, local authorities<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3503085143166524&set=a.524448997696835"> reported</a> that Lviv’s famous Lychakiv Military Cemetery only had 20 burial plots left, forcing the cemetery to expand and create new burial plots. In 2023, the same cemetery responded to a shortage of burial plots by exhuming bodies, many of which had come from Ukraine’s previous wars, <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/10/to-bury-its-dead-ukraine-is-having-to-dig-up-victims-of-past-wars">according</a> to The Economist.</p><p>The lack of cemetery space is worsening, and the task of expanding is more challenging for lesser known cemeteries.</p><p>The search for burial space in Kozyatin, a town in central Ukraine’s Vinnytsiya region,<a href="https://koziatyn.info/Podii/zhinka-viyshla-do-miskradi-bo-yiyi-zemlyu-zabrali-pid-tsvintar-yak-vir-11978995.html"> had</a> become so difficult that people were found illegally burying the dead on a local resident’s property since 2021. In other places, like Zaturyne in the Polatava region, there have <a href="https://kolo.news/category/suspilstvo/42333?">been</a> protests<a href="https://kolo.news/category/suspilstvo/42333?"> against the expansion of the local cemetery, which was already overfilling and contaminating the local water supply.</a></p><p>Expanding cemeteries seemed to be creating new problems, so the decision was made to<a href="https://mariupolrada.gov.ua/news/u-mariupoli-pobudujut-krematorij.-vzhe-viznacheno-zamovnika-robit"> build</a> crematoriums to use the land more effectively. Ukrainians would be able to store the ashes of their loved ones in a columbarium, which would take up a fraction of the space needed for a traditional burial.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!47ou!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24a6d72c-2b1d-4d08-9d59-a9e1bd88c3ef_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f24a6d72c-2.jpg" width="482" height="321.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/24a6d72c-2b1d-4d08-9d59-a9e1bd88c3ef_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":482,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Columbarium at Powzki Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland, taken October 25, 2025</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>For some Christians, cremation remains a contentious issue. A traditional earth burial was one of the ways Christianity set itself apart from Paganism and other religions, where historically the remains of the deceased were burned, according to Priest Zaharii Zaliznyi of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Some Christians fear that when Christ returns, those who have been cremated won’t be able to be resurrected, but there is no official ruling in the Bible against or for cremation, Zaharii explained.</p><p>Yevhen, who died at 28, never had the chance to decide what he wanted for his funeral.</p><p>All Yevhen’s family had was an off-hand comment that Yevhen once made: he didn’t want a priest at his funeral. Like a lot of Azov fighters, he was interested in Scandinavian mythology.</p><p>”He believed in multiple Gods, he had all sorts of tattoos of them,” Dmytro explained.</p><p>One of the reasons people opt for cremation is the cost, according to Zaharii. A traditional burial <a href="https://www.platfor.ma/topic/ukrayina-maye-drevni-tradytsiyi-pohovannya-voyiniv-yak-tse-bulo-i-yak-vplyvaye-na-vshanuvannya-poleglyh-sogodni/">can</a> cost up to $3,500, while a cremation costs around $85.</p><p>For some people like Dmytro, the decision to cremate his brother had to do with the decayed state of his remains after being held in a morgue for two years.</p><p>“By the time I came to identify it, it wasn’t really his body, it was more… a pile of nothing… a pile of dirt,” he said.</p><p>The process of identifying the remains of soldiers is often arduous, and requires several teams to return the remains and organise DNA testing.</p><p>For now, Ukraine only has three functioning crematoriums in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa — far less than expected for a country of its size. Neighbouring Poland, for example, <a href="https://www.cremation.org.uk/Poland-2021">has</a> 52 crematoriums, and the United Kingdom <a href="https://finefarewell.co.uk/crematoriums">has</a> 300.</p><p>Before 2022, new crematoriums were planned to be built in Zaporizhzhia, Mariupol, Dnipro and Lviv. Only the project in Lviv took shape after the full-scale invasion, and it is now nearing its final stages. The project has modern furnaces which <a href="https://pragmatika.media/en/news/u-lvovi-rozpochaly-budivnytstvo-krematoriiu/">will</a> be able to carry out 10 cremations a day.</p><p>Without a local crematorium in Lviv, bodies have to be transported 600-900 kilometers to be cremated, said Maksym Putrya, Director of Lviv’s Municipal Ceremonial Service. Despite this, he added, the number of traditional burials in Lviv has actually decreased by ten percent from 2021-2024.</p><p>After Yevhen was cremated in Kyiv, Dmytro decided to keep Yevhen’s ashes in an urn in a Kyiv columbarium. Even though Dmytro’s family has relocated to Dnipro, a city in southeastern Ukraine, they are still haunted by the threat of occupation.</p><p>“Right now the frontline is moving in [our] direction…if there are no negotiations or they don’t bring peace somehow. It is obvious Russia will at some point get to Dnipro, it will be very difficult then to get his body back,” Dmytro said.</p><p>The issue of reburying soldiers from frontline areas was more prominent before Pokrovsk itself became part of the front, when reburial was feasible. Many families from frontline areas have sought to relocate the remains of their loved ones, since cemeteries are often <a href="https://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/04/11/a-pattern-of-desecration">targeted</a> after Russian occupation, with troops often erecting their own monuments and desecrating the graves of Ukrainian soldiers.</p><p>Many frontline communities like Kramatorsk or Pokrovsk will <a href="https://v-variant.com.ua/article/perepokhovannia-viyskovykh-2/">foot</a> the bill for a soldier’s burial, but not the reburial. The process can be expensive and obtaining the right legal documentation can be a lengthy process.</p><p>In November, Zelenskyy <a href="https://unn.ua/en/news/zelenskyy-signed-a-law-on-the-reburial-of-fallen-soldiers-at-state-expense">signed</a> a bill which will provide money for the reburial of about 500 soldiers who defended Ukraine’s independence. These funds will cover the reburial of soldiers buried before they were identified who were later identified.</p><p>According to Dmytro, cremation was particularly widespread among his fallen brothers-in-arms.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!gFIr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5de683d-8054-4284-8a06-7472e4935f69_1050x1562.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd5de683d-8.png" width="272" height="404.63238095238097" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d5de683d-8054-4284-8a06-7472e4935f69_1050x1562.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1562,"width":1050,"resizeWidth":272,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Yevhen’s body being carried to cremation</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“I wouldn’t want my brother’s body to be left again on the frontline or in occupied territory,” said Dmytro, his voice growing heavy. “He’s not at home...when you can be buried on your own territory… where your people are, there is no problem.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. 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(Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><h3>Tim Mak and Steven Beschloss</h3><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"e53a9f25-7578-4f3f-9fd1-864b285b53b4","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Oksana Stepura</p><p>Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.</p><p><strong>EU UNVEILS SECURITY PLANS FOR UKRAINE: </strong>EU leaders issued a joint statement, committing to long-term military, economic and political support for Ukraine, according to <a href="https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/statement-by-chancellor-merz-prime-minister-frederiksen-president-stubb-president-macron-prime-minister-meloni-president-naus%C4%97da-prime-minister-schoof-prime-minister-st%C3%B8re-prime-minister-tusk-prime-minister-s%C3%A1nchez-prime-minister-kristersson-prime-minister-starmer-as-well-as-president-costa-and-president-von-der-leyen-2399598">Berlin</a>. It includes security guarantees, reconstruction funding and backing for EU ascension. This comes as Europe fears being sidelined by the U.S. in peace negotiations over Ukraine. The U.S. has repeatedly criticised Europe for not sufficiently supporting Ukraine and has previously threatened to withdraw U.S. support, leading Europe to step up its defense production and support for Ukraine.<br><br><strong>FINLAND STATES RUSSIA THREATENS NATO BORDERS: </strong>Finland’s Prime Minister has <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/78c90101-ec68-42b9-af8b-b6ce5edd13bf">warned</a> about the possibility of Russia deploying its forces towards NATO countries if a peace deal is struck. He urges Europe to give more money to the defense of countries bordering Russia. The Prime Minister stated that it’s of utmost importance for Europe to be ready to defend itself, even with the U.S. support decreasing.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA REJECTS CHRISTMAS CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL: </strong>Kremlin spokesperson <a href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/16/8012052/">rejected </a>the proposal for a Christmas and New Year ceasefire, stating it would give Ukraine time to regroup in order to continue the war and wouldn’t lead to a peace. Russia has consistently rejected peace deals and obstructed attempts to bring the war to an end.</p><h3><strong>CAT OF CONFLICT:</strong></h3><p>This is Oksana’s cat. This smug old lady has survived 3 tumors while living in wartime Ukraine. She’s very brave.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!G-V1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd38a20ee-36f7-4535-8513-f76fe4724009_840x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fd38a20ee-3.png" width="840" height="1280" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d38a20ee-36f7-4535-8513-f76fe4724009_840x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":840,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Alessandra</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/no-place-to-rest-ukraines-burial">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/zelenskyy-i-went-to-kupiansk.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:00:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/zelenskyy-i-went-to-kupiansk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e7ec2c0424.jpg" alt="Zelenskyy: I went to KUPIANSK in person to show the world – Putin is lying #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6UR3zVIeY0g">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russia-carries-war-and-hate.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:12:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russia-carries-war-and-hate.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/acbf17f0da.jpg" alt="Russia carries WAR and HATE! This is invariable, – ZELENSKYY #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YRsazOQ9nIA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/zelensky-says-russia-continues-to.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:01:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/zelensky-says-russia-continues-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2251563303.jpg" alt="Zelensky says Russia continues to demand all of Donbas, adding that Ukraine will not withdraw"></p><p>President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian negotiations position "has not changed yet," and that "they want our Donbas. And we do not want to give away our Donbas."</p><p>Zelensky's comments to journalists late on Dec. 15 came following yet another round of discussions</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-says-russia-continues-to-demand-all-of-donbas-adding-that-ukraine-will-not-withdraw/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/ukraine-war-latest-live-russia.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:59:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/ukraine-war-latest-live-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f69a4e5261.png" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Russia ramping up pressure on Myrnohrad as fight inside Pokrovsk outskirts continues"></p>The Ukrainian military said on Dec. 16 that Russian troops are launching their fiercest attacks on the western outskirts of Pokrovsk while also ramping up pressure on Myrnohrad, its sister city nearby.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-16/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/ukraine-war-latest-russia-ramping.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:59:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/ukraine-war-latest-russia-ramping.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-16-at-1-04-45-pm.png" alt="Ukraine war latest: Russia ramping up pressure on Myrnohrad as fight inside Pokrovsk outskirts continues"></p>The Ukrainian military said on Dec. 16 that Russian troops are launching their fiercest attacks on the western outskirts of Pokrovsk while also ramping up pressure on Myrnohrad, its sister city nearby.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-russia-ramping-up-pressure-on-myrnohrad-as-fight-inside-pokrovsk-outskirts-continues/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russia-rejects-christmas-truce-as.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:43:31 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russia-rejects-christmas-truce-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/2cd87e467f.jpg" alt="Russia rejects Christmas truce as U.S. ramps up peace push"></p>Russia rejects Christmas truce over concerns that it could give Ukraine a temporary respite in the war, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Dec. 16.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/kremlin-rejects-christmas-truce-peskov-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/ukraine-says-it-struck-russian.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 04:31:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/ukraine-says-it-struck-russian.html <p>Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says it struck a Russian submarine in the port of Novorossiysk that was armed with Kalibr cruise missiles, following a unique special operation using underwater drones.</p> <p>The SBU <a href="https://t.me/SBUkr/16417">says</a> Ukrainian forces conducted another precision strike deep inside Russian territory, detonating a Russian submarine directly in the waters of Novorossiysk port. According to the agency, Sub Sea Baby underwater drones successfully attacked a Russian submarine for the first time in modern warfare.</p> <p>The target was a Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarine of the “Varshavyanka” class, known in NATO classification as Kilo. A powerful blast inflicted critical damage that rendered the vessel unusable, the SBU said.</p> <p>The agency noted the hit submarine carried four launchers for Kalibr cruise missiles—the type Russia regularly uses in strikes across Ukraine, including on cities and civilian infrastructure.</p> <p>The operation was conducted jointly by the SBU’s 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence and the Ukrainian Navy, which the agency says has increased pressure on Russia’s naval posture in the Black Sea region.</p> <p>According to Ukrainian estimates, a Varshavyanka-class submarine costs about $400 million. With sanctions and limited access to technology, building a comparable new vessel for Russia could cost up to $500 million. These submarines are informally dubbed “Black Hole” for their ability to absorb noise and remain difficult to detect by sonar.</p> <p>The SBU added the submarine was in Novorossiysk not by choice. Earlier, a series of successful attacks by Ukrainian Sea Baby surface drones forced Russia’s fleet to move ships and submarines out of Sevastopol Bay in occupied Crimea to seek safer bases.</p> <p>Recently, long-range drones from the SBU’s Alpha special unit struck deep into Russian territory, hitting an oil production platform in the Caspian Sea.</p> <p>Earlier, Sea Baby marine drones hit the Dashan oil tanker, which was transiting Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone toward the Novorossiysk port terminal with its transponder switched off.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-says-it-struck-russian-submarine-armed-with-kalibr-missiles-in-novorossiysk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/russias-central-bank-seeks-billion.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:54:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/russias-central-bank-seeks-billion.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/504b98235f.jpg" alt="Russia's Central Bank seeks $229 billion in damages from Euroclear"></p>Russia's central bank has filed a lawsuit seeking 18.2 trillion rubles ($229 billion) in damages from Euroclear, escalating Moscow's dispute with the Belgium-based securities depository as the EU considers how to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-central-bank-seeks-229-billion-in-damages-from-euroclear/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/16/war-itself-inside-natos-new.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/16/war-itself-inside-natos-new.html <p>NATO&rsquo;s chief military representative, Gen. Siegfried Koehler, announced a fundamental change in NATO’s approach to Russian hybrid warfare on December 16, 2025. The Alliance no longer views Russian cyber attacks, sabotage, or attacks on critical infrastructure as mere threats but as war itself, reflecting Moscow&rsquo;s strategy to use sub-threshold confrontations as strategic weapons. The new posture calls for broader and more effective countermeasures beyond previous limits, redefining boundaries of defense to include hybrid tactics and psychological pressure aimed at weakening public trust and democratic institutions within Europe. NATO identifies three strategic pillars: moving away from classical deterrence based on red lines, transforming legal and normative frameworks into tools of force, and addressing internal societal vulnerabilities exploited by hybrid actors. This approach underscores Europe&rsquo;s need to strengthen resilience, transparency, and capability to deter Russia while maintaining unity and robust response mechanisms in the face of a complex and evolving hybrid threat environment.</p> <p>Category: Military &amp; Paramilitary Operations</p> <p>Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary</p> <p>Incident Type: Use of &lsquo;little green men&rsquo; (unmarked soldiers)</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://worldcrunch.com/in-the-news/nato-s-new-stance-on-russian-hybrid-attacks-not-a-threat-of-war-but-war-itself/">worldcrunch.com/in-the-ne&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/62b0c8dd-79c1-43a7-9a45-85dc222721ca">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/no-need-to-hold-referendums.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:35:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/no-need-to-hold-referendums.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2247052665-2.jpg" alt="‘No need to hold referendums’ — Amid U.S. pressure, Ukrainians reject territorial concessions"></p><p>As U.S. pressure on Kyiv grows, Ukrainians oppose Russian demands. If concessions are put up for a vote, those who spoke with the Kyiv Independent said they would flat out deny the terms.</p><p>Last week, President<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/volodymyr-zelensky/"> Volodymyr Zelensky</a> said that any territorial concessions to end Russia's all-out</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/no-need-to-hold-referendums-amid-u-s-pressure-ukrainians-reject-territorial-concessions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ukrainian-forces-strike-russian-gas.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:36:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ukrainian-forces-strike-russian-gas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/76757dbcb3.jpg" alt="Ukrainian forces strike Russian gas processing plant, military says"></p>Ukrainian forces hit the Astrakhan gas processing plant on Dec. 15, targeting what Kyiv described as a "key enterprise in Russia's oil and gas industry," the General Staff reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-forces-strike-russian-gas-processing-plant-military-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ampquotpeaceampquot-for-putin-who-gains.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 20:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ampquotpeaceampquot-for-putin-who-gains.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/bf31eda869.jpg" alt="&quot;Peace&quot; for Putin! Who gains from the Korean scenario in Ukraine?"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIISAy_MhP8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ukraine-claims-first-sea-baby.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:47:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ukraine-claims-first-sea-baby.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-15-18-12-49.jpg" alt="Ukraine claims first Sea Baby underwater-drone strike on Russian submarine"></p>For the first time, Ukrainian underwater drones have successfully attacked a Russian submarine, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reported on Dec. 15.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-claims-first-underwater-drone-sea-baby-strike-on-russian-submarine-knocking-it-out-of-service/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/the-real-situation-in-pokrovsk.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:40:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/the-real-situation-in-pokrovsk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/15d0a088ee.jpg" alt="The real situation in Pokrovsk and Kupiansk! The Russians are brazenly LYING #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-GUDAoIk1fk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/russia-outlaws-protest-band-pussy.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:25:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/russia-outlaws-protest-band-pussy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2160632798.jpg" alt="Russia outlaws protest band Pussy Riot, labels it 'extremist'"></p>Nadya Tolokonnikova, a co-founder of the group, said the verdict aims "to erase Pussy Riot's very existence from the Russian consciousness."<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-bans-pussy-riot-as-extremist-organization/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/kupiansk-liberated-shadow-fleet-on.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:06:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/kupiansk-liberated-shadow-fleet-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/68f4131e82.jpg" alt="KUPIANSK LIBERATED! Shadow fleet – ON FIRE! Russian Propaganda IN SHOCK | Front Line Focus"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh7_J87UltM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/of-ukrainians-reject-peace-plan.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:30:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/of-ukrainians-reject-peace-plan.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1392536588.jpg" alt="75% of Ukrainians reject peace plan requiring withdrawal from Donbas, poll finds"></p>A KIIS poll found 75% of Ukrainians rejected a Donbas pullback plan without security guarantees, while most supported freezing the front line with strong protections.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/75-of-ukrainians-reject-russian-backed-peace-plan-poll-shows/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/its-a-second-front-line.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:44:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/its-a-second-front-line.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/o-f08857.jpg" alt="'It’s a second front line' — The Ukrainian power plant workers battling to make repairs under Russian attacks"></p><p>"It’s an interesting feeling during an air attack. Danger, danger, and again danger," says Yurii, a Ukrainian energy worker, from the control center of a war-scarred thermal power plant. </p><p>Yurii works for <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/dtek/">DTEK</a>, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, as a shift supervisor of the</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/its-a-second-front-line-the-ukrainian-power-plant-workers-battling-to-make-repairs-under-russian-attacks/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/sbu-drones-hit-russian-caspian.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:43:12 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/sbu-drones-hit-russian-caspian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-111974601.jpg" alt="SBU drones hit Russian Caspian Sea oil platform for third time in a week, source says"></p>Ukraine’s Security Service said its long-range drones struck Russian offshore oil platforms in the Caspian Sea for the third time in a week, halting operations at one site.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-drones-hit-russian-caspian-sea-oil-platform-for-third-time-in-a-week-source-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/russian-fakes-destroyed-zelenskyy-personally.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:37:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/russian-fakes-destroyed-zelenskyy-personally.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/ee8349e4e7.jpg" alt="Russian fakes DESTROYED! Zelenskyy personally went to the FRONT"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obQhkRiRHjI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ukrainians-reject-wartime-elections-despite.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:31:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ukrainians-reject-wartime-elections-despite.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/bd355c5889.jpg" alt="Ukrainians reject wartime elections despite US push, poll shows"></p>Less than one-tenth of Ukrainians support holding immediate elections, even in the absence of a ceasefire with Russia, according to a recent poll.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/most-ukrainians-reject-wartime-elections/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/khartia-brigade-counterattack-near-kupyansk.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:00:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/khartia-brigade-counterattack-near-kupyansk.html <p>A participant in the fighting near Kupyansk, Yuriy Butusov, has laid out how Ukrainian forces mounted a successful counterattack, derailed Russia’s advance and shifted momentum on one of the most difficult sectors of the front.</p> <p>“I’ve been working for two months on the Kupyansk axis as part of the Khartia search-and-strike group and can now describe in detail the operation I’m directly involved in,” wrote Ukrainian journalist and 13th Brigade “Khartia” platoon commander Yuriy Butusov on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/butusov.yuriy/posts/pfbid02zzb4fEN2rrNgy6qz2xomgrAeBuAWPLboKfGKBGFZ5rcumhXw3yiWMbhQG5MTjdxml">his blog</a>.</p> <p>He cautioned that the operation to liberate Kupyansk is not over. “It’s too early to celebrate. The enemy attacks daily, trying to break back into the city from the north and along the left bank. The Russians still hold a significant part of Kupyansk, and fierce fighting continues.”</p> <p>Commanding several UAV teams on the ground north of the city, Butusov credited the counterattack primarily to the soldiers at the front: “Infantry, artillery crews and drone operators, under precise artillery and UAV fire, broke through the enemy’s lines and repel attacks every day in extremely difficult conditions, unfortunately taking losses.”</p> <p>To avoid “spreading inaccurate information,” he addressed who led the operation.</p> <p>On September 21, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi formed a search-and-strike group north of Kupyansk based on the 2nd Army Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine, “Khartia.” The operation commander was the corps commander, Col. Ihor Obolenskyi. The senior officer in the sector at the time was operational-tactical group commander Gen. Dmytro Krasylnikov.</p> <p>On September 24, assault elements of the 475th Regiment “Code 9.2,” led by Hero of Ukraine Oleh Nastenko, liberated Tyshchenkivka.</p> <p>On October 9, assault groups from the 4th Battalion of the 92nd Assault Brigade under Maksym Kakuli, together with the 475th Regiment, liberated Kondrashivka.</p> <p>On October 11, assault units from the 13th Brigade “Khartia,” commanded by Dmytro Nevgasymov, liberated Radkivka. The liberation of Kondrashivka and Radkivka was the turning point in breaking the Russian defenses.</p> <p>On October 17, Mykhailo Drapatyi was appointed the senior officer for the sector.</p> <p>On October 21, a Khartia assault group broke through to the Oskil River, severing Russian assault routes.</p> <p>“From the start and to this day, planning, control and responsibility for our unit’s actions rest with Khartia corps commander Col. Obolenskyi and the grouping staff he appointed, led by Serhii Sydorin,” Butusov wrote. Claims in the blogosphere that Mykhailo Drapatyi allegedly commanded the operation “do not correspond to reality,” he added. “Gen. Drapatyi has ample achievements of his own; there’s no need to attribute others’ work to him. Every commander has a task, and each contribution should be judged honestly.”</p> <p>He then described what unfolded on the ground.</p> <p>By mid-September, the situation in Kupyansk had become critical. Units of Russia’s 68th Motor Rifle Division and 27th Motor Rifle Brigade crossed the Oskil River along a wide front, entrenched and pushed north of Kupyansk. The Russians captured Kondrashivka, Radkivka, Tyshchenkivka and Holubivka. Some positions of Ukraine’s 114th, 144th and 117th brigades were effectively cut off and encircled.</p> <p>Using a gas pipeline and large forest tracts, Russian assault groups carved out a land route straight into Kupyansk and effectively took control of much of the city. A dominant height in northern Kupyansk, with a TV tower and high-rise blocks that control the approaches, also fell. These were not small sabotage teams but full assault elements of Russia’s 121st and 122nd regiments, the 27th brigade and the 1855th battalion.</p> <p>The search-and-strike grouping was tasked with pushing the Russians back, reaching the Oskil, cutting routes into Kupyansk, encircling occupying forces in the city and then liberating it in coordination with the 10th Army Corps and the “Kupyansk” tactical group.</p> <p>Khartia’s composition included elements of the 92nd Assault Brigade, the 475th Assault Regiment “Code 9.2,” the 13th Brigade “Khartia” and the 144th Mechanized Brigade. For specific tasks, a company from the 425th Assault Regiment “Skala” and a group from the Freedom of Russia Legion were attached. Drone support came from National Guard units “Lazar” and “Typhoon” and the Kharkiv region patrol police.</p> <p>The Russians established a full battalion defensive zone around Tyshchenkivka, Kondrashivka and Radkivka and simultaneously created a “kill zone” with extremely dense UAV activity by unmanned forces units, the 7th regiment and the “Judgment Day” and “Rubicon” groups. Avoiding Russian drones there was nearly impossible. During the first reconnaissance, a Russian fiber-optic drone struck their Novator armored vehicle; only the vehicle’s protection kept them alive.</p> <p>Despite resistance and Russian superiority in drones, precise planning allowed the Ukrainians to breach the “kill zone” along two axes. The surprise, Butusov said, reduced losses and avoided drawn-out fights over individual positions.</p> <p>Assault elements of the 475th Regiment “Code 9.2” and the 92nd Assault Brigade smashed Russian positions near Kondrashivka, took control of a key forest and inflicted heavy losses with UAV strikes. In that forest, positions held by 114th Brigade soldiers isolated for more than six months were liberated.</p> <p>Units of the 13th Brigade “Khartia” liberated Radkivka and executed the main task—breaking through to the Oskil and fully restoring the ground defensive line. As a result, the Russian route into Kupyansk was cut, and all exits from the pipeline were reconnoitered and turned into Ukrainian “kill zones.”</p> <p>Troops from the 92nd and 144th brigades secured favorable lines, fought hard and effectively beat back attacks, destroying attempts to break through or infiltrate.</p> <p>By early November, Butusov said, Russian forces in Kupyansk were fully encircled. Commanders of Russia’s 68th Division launched daily counterattacks to prevent the rapid destruction of the surrounded units. Even in one- or two-man teams, Russian assault troops kept trying to slip through Ukrainian lines in fog and rain, sparking skirmishes even in the close rear—where a Ukrainian mortar team recently captured two Russian soldiers.</p> <p>North of Kupyansk, the Russian troops have been unable to break Khartia’s defenses. All infiltrating groups are being methodically eliminated through coordinated reconnaissance, teamwork and fires, he said. Ukrainian losses are significant, but Russian losses are “multiples higher.” Khartia’s grouping alone has confirmed the elimination of more than 1,000 Russian soldiers and the capture of 13, according to Butusov.</p> <p>Khartia has begun advancing into northern districts of Kupyansk and, together with fighters from the “Kupyansk” tactical group, has liberated several key residential areas.</p> <p>Butusov singled out the “Kupyansk” tactical group under Maj. Gen. Volodymyr Solimchuk, and troops of the 127th, 125th and 116th mechanized brigades, the 425th Regiment “Skala,” the 101st Security Brigade, special units of the Military Law Enforcement Service, the SBU, the 151st regiment, SOF and KORD. “They aren’t numerous, but they first stopped the enemy’s advance and are now pushing forward to link up with Khartia, jointly liberating the city.”</p> <p>It was the “Kupyansk” tactical group, he said, that completely freed the Yubileinyi high-rise district, depriving the Russians of the ability to hold the city’s southern part.</p> <p>He also highlighted the 116th and 14th mechanized brigades of the 10th Army Corps, which under extremely difficult conditions have long held the approaches to Kupyansk on the Oskil’s left bank, preventing another Russian push into the city. “Without them, the defense of Kupyansk would have been impossible.”</p> <p>Statements by Vladimir Putin and Valery Gerasimov on November 20 about the purported “full liberation” of Kupyansk were met with irony by Ukrainian troops, Butusov wrote, since by then Russian forces had already been completely cut off from the city.</p> <p>“I can’t reveal all the tactical nuances that allowed limited forces to break through the ‘kill zone’ and reach the Oskil,” he added. “But it’s the commanders’ work that creates battlefield advantages—even against an enemy superior in manpower and drones. In my view, the command’s actions are an example of effective asymmetric solutions in an extremely complex, chaotic environment.”</p> <p>The operation to liberate Kupyansk remains far from complete, he said. Clearing continues “house by house,” complicated by the presence of civilians “whom the Russians use as human shields.” The Russians attack daily on both banks of the Oskil, trying to force a path back into the city. He appealed for support for the frontline units he mentioned.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/khartia-brigade-counterattack-near-kupyansk-disrupts-putin-s-plans">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ukraine-war-latest-of-ukrainians.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:42:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ukraine-war-latest-of-ukrainians.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/upd-gettyimages-2246070205.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: 63% of Ukrainians ready to endure war 'as long as necessary,' poll shows"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 2 times today. A new poll by the Kyiv International Institute for Sociology has shown a Ukrainian population still stubbornly against capitulatory peace terms to end Russia's war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-63-of-ukrainians-ready-to-endure-war-as-long-as-necessary-poll-shows/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ukraine-war-latest-encircled-russian.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:42:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ukraine-war-latest-encircled-russian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2190761700.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: Encircled Russian troops in Kupiansk resupplied with flags, not food, official says"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 6 times today. A new poll by the Kyiv International Institute for Sociology has shown a Ukrainian population still stubbornly against capitulatory peace terms to end Russia's war against Ukraine.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-live-2025-12-15/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/belgorod-power-plant-hit-as.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:56:36 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/belgorod-power-plant-hit-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-15-11-13-45.jpg" alt="Belgorod power plant hit as overnight drone wave hits multiple Russian regions, officials say"></p>A thermal power plant in Belgorod, known as "Luch", was damaged during a wave of drone attacks on Russian territory overnight on Dec. 15, Astra reported, citing local residents.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/belgorod-power-plant-hit-during-massive-overnight-drone-attacks-on-russia-media-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/zelensky-us-envoys-resume-peace.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:54:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/zelensky-us-envoys-resume-peace.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-14-17-22-44.jpg" alt="Zelensky, US envoys resume peace plan discussions in Berlin"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky met U.S. envoys in Berlin on Dec. 15 to continue discussions on a plan for ending the Russia-Ukraine war, a source close to the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-us-envoys-resume-peace-plan-discussions-in-berlin/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/gdp-group-another-fsbcontrolled-company.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:25:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/gdp-group-another-fsbcontrolled-company.html <p>On December 15, 2025, an investigative report published by the Center for Journalistic Investigations details how a group of companies known as the GDP Group, controlled by Russia&rsquo;s FSB and led by General Sergey Komogorov, has stealthily established operations within the European Union, particularly Latvia. Komogorov, a former senior FSB official connected to the Wagner Group, heads this network. The investigation reveals the complex corporate structures and maritime assets (notably the dredgers Astra and Poseidon 1 active near Riga shipyards in November 2025) through which the group exerts influence, engages in espionage, and facilitates hybrid warfare tactics within EU borders. This covert penetration exemplifies a broader Kremlin hybrid threat utilizing economic fronts, legal proxies, and intelligence operatives embedded within EU states, posing persistent security and political challenges. The report gains credibility from official registries, specific vessel images, and detailed profiles, indicating a sophisticated hybrid threat operational in the Baltic region.</p> <p>Category: Uncategorized</p> <p>Country: European Union</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://investigator.org.ua/ua/investigations/280461/">investigator.org.ua/ua/invest&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/be57f22c-1a9f-48e5-ad4f-77f74f764467">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/fide-allows-russian-belarusian-youth.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:06:17 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/fide-allows-russian-belarusian-youth.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-102760357.jpg" alt="FIDE allows Russian, Belarusian youth chess players to compete under national flags"></p>The International Chess Federation's (FIDE) General Assembly on Dec. 14 allowed teams from Russia and Belarus to participate in international tournaments and permitted youth chess players to compete under national symbols.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/international-chess-federation-restores-rights-for-youth-players-from-russia-belarus/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/drone-and-missile-strikes-hit.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 04:43:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/drone-and-missile-strikes-hit.html <p>Overnight on December 15, strike drones targeted the Russian city of Belgorod, and a subsequent missile attack left parts of the city without electricity.</p> <p>Drones hit the Luch gas-turbine thermal power plant, according to the Telegram channel <a href="https://www.uawire.org/Exilenova+">Exilenova+</a>.</p> <p>“After a missile alert was issued in Belgorod, thick smoke was seen rising in the area of the power plant. Likely HIMARS was used,” the post said.</p> <p><a href="https://t.me/supernova_plus/46518">Videos</a> from the attacked city also surfaced online. Explosions and smoke were indeed observed in the vicinity of the Luch power plant.</p> <p>Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov <a href="https://t.me/vvgladkov/17700">confirmed</a> that missiles struck Belgorod.</p> <p>“The enemy carried out a missile strike on Belgorod. Preliminary reports indicate no injuries. As a result of the shelling, there is serious damage to engineering infrastructure. Emergency and rapid-response services are working to eliminate the consequences,” Gladkov wrote.</p> <p>He also noted that windows were damaged in apartments across six multi-story buildings and in one private home.</p> <p>Photos from residential neighborhoods of Belgorod that lost power after the missile attack are also appearing online.</p> <p>Earlier, on the night of December 14, drones struck several regions of Russia and Crimea.</p> <p>On the evening of December 12 and after midnight, Russia’s Saratov region was attacked by drones.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/drone-and-missile-strikes-hit-belgorod-knocking-out-power-in-parts-of-the-city">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/wave-of-ukrainian-drones-targets.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 03:35:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/wave-of-ukrainian-drones-targets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250507183.jpg" alt="Wave of Ukrainian drones targets Moscow in reported overnight strike"></p>Russian air defense units have shot down at least 15 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) en route to Moscow, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/wave-of-ukrainian-drones-targets-moscow-in-reported-overnight-strike/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/britains-new-spy-chief-has.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/britains-new-spy-chief-has.html <p>On December 15, 2025, Blaise Metreweli took office as the first female head of Britain&rsquo;s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Her leadership marks a shift towards a more modern, inclusive, and effective intelligence agency, adapting to an era defined by conflict in Europe, including tensions with Russia. Public messaging by MI6 under Metreweli now portrays a diverse and open organization to attract talent and support. Former agency leaders actively promoted the #ForgetJamesBond campaign to dispel outdated stereotypes. Metreweli&rsquo;s appointment follows a trend of promoting women to senior intelligence roles, with her background including being one of MI6’s top leaders. This leadership change comes as British intelligence faces new geopolitical challenges and aims for increased operational relevance.</p> <p>Category: Intelligence &amp; Espionage</p> <p>Subcategory: Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</p> <p>Incident Type: Recruitment of locals</p> <p>Country: United Kingdom</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/23/mi6-sis-blaise-metreweli-intelligence-espionage-britain-russia/">foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/2&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/6ad5c788-971a-49ef-bc00-3d5edfafe95d">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/the-eu-sanctioned-individuals-including.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/the-eu-sanctioned-individuals-including.html <p>On December 15, 2025, the European Union announced sanctions on 12 individuals and two entities in response to Russia&rsquo;s continued hybrid threats, including malicious cyber activities targeting the EU, its member states, and partners. The sanctioned include former Western European military and police officers allegedly embedded in Kremlin-affiliated institutions and involved in amplifying destabilizing narratives. Additionally, the International Russophile Movement and the 142nd Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion were sanctioned for promoting pro-Russian destabilization. Members of Russian military intelligence GRU&rsquo;s Unit 29155 and the cyber threat group Cadet Blizzard were also targeted for cyber-attacks against Ukrainian and EU/NATO targets aiming to destabilize political situations. The EU Council adopted a restrictive framework in October 2024 to counter Russia’s destabilizing actions. These measures reflect the EU&rsquo;s ongoing response to Russian hybrid warfare tactics in Europe.</p> <p>Category: Political &amp; Legal Subversion</p> <p>Subcategory: Political Manipulation</p> <p>Incident Type: Creating/manipulating political movements</p> <p>Country: Belgium</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/former-european-military-police-officers-among-12-sanctioned-by-eu-over-russia-s-hybrid-activities/3771848">www.aa.com.tr/en/europe&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/44dc8a1a-7bd8-417c-9059-97fca52c4e65">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/15/ukrainian-missile-strike-targets-energy.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:48:32 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/15/ukrainian-missile-strike-targets-energy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/belgorod1.jpg" alt="Ukrainian missile strike targets energy infrastructure in Russia's Belgorod, governor claims"></p>The attack caused "serious damage" to an unspecified facility, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Local Telegram channels reported explosions at a key thermal power plant.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-missile-strike-hits-energy-infrastructure-in-russias-belgorod-governor-claims/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/us-vs-russia-key-differences.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 22:00:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/us-vs-russia-key-differences.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a6e247e61d.jpg" alt="US vs Russia: key differences in the Donbas plan #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SVZa1uMhgNo">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/ukraine-war-latest-us-ukraine.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 21:47:48 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/ukraine-war-latest-us-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-14-10-22-45.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest: US, Ukraine peace talks to continue on Dec. 15 in Berlin as Zelensky calls for 'Article 5-like' security guarantees"></p><p><strong>Key developments on Dec. 13-14:</strong></p><ul><li>US, Ukraine peace talks to continue on Dec. 15 in Berlin as Zelensky calls for 'Article 5-like' security guarantees</li><li>Russia’s December oil and gas revenue set to drop to lowest level since 2020, Reuters reports</li><li>US lifts sanctions on Belarusian potash,</li></ul><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-127/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/zelenskyy-km-from-russia-kupyansk.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 21:00:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/zelenskyy-km-from-russia-kupyansk.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dbcafeb7b7.jpg" alt="⚡️ ZELENSKYY 1KM FROM RUSSIA: KUPYANSK video! DRONES STRIKE PLATFORM IN CASPIAN FOR FIRST TIME!!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iH29kinQxs">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/this-is-the-momentum-for.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 19:56:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/this-is-the-momentum-for.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250782615.jpg" alt="This is the momentum for Europe to act: seize Russian assets"></p><p><em>About the author: Margus Tsahkna is Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. </em></p><p>If Europe truly wants to be a real player in the geopolitical arena and to shape its own security and future, it must match strong words with decisive action. Europe has one powerful lever in its hands</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/this-is-the-momentum-for-europe-to-act-seize-russian-assets/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/uniforms-assemblies-and-isolation-russias.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 19:30:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/uniforms-assemblies-and-isolation-russias.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/02538a41bb.jpg" alt="Uniforms, assemblies, and isolation: Russia’s new scheme for luring people into war #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BUdOpLtKnCA">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/night-of-terror-in-zaporizhzhia.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 17:30:13 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/night-of-terror-in-zaporizhzhia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/87693563ee.jpg" alt="Night of terror in Zaporizhzhia – Russian strikes continue #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VY9OzeZE8_w">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/german-chancellor-warns-putin-wont.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 17:00:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/german-chancellor-warns-putin-wont.html <p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Vladimir Putin’s aggression will not end with Ukraine and poses a direct military threat to all of Europe.</p> <p>Merz issued a stark warning about the Kremlin’s aims, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin - whom he called a dictator - intends to redraw Europe’s borders and will not stop at the war against Ukraine, <a href="https://www.dw.com/uk/merc-putin-pragne-vidnoviti-srsr-i-ne-zupinitsa-na-ukraini/a-75149585">DW reported</a>.</p> <p>Speaking Saturday, December 13, at the Christian Social Union’s party congress in Munich, Merz stressed that the Kremlin leader is pursuing a consistent expansionist strategy. If Ukraine were to fall, he said, the threat would spread to other European countries, with the greatest danger facing nations that were once part of the Soviet Union.</p> <p>“Putin will not stop. If Ukraine falls, he will not stop,” he said.</p> <p>He argued that the Kremlin seeks a fundamental revision of Europe’s borders and the de facto restoration of the USSR within its former lines — a major danger for the entire continent.</p> <p>This is not only about political pressure, he added, but also a direct military risk to countries once under Soviet control. Ignoring the threat, he warned, could lead to severe consequences for Europe as a whole.</p> <p>The German leader called support for Ukraine a core priority of Europe’s foreign and defense policy. He underscored the need for European unity and strategic coordination with the United Kingdom and urged keeping NATO as the backbone of collective security for as long as possible.</p> <p>Drawing historical parallels, Merz said the closest analogy to the current moment is 1938, recalling that the Munich Agreement and a policy of appeasement only emboldened Adolf Hitler, leading to the outbreak of World War II a year later.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/german-chancellor-warns-putin-won-t-stop-at-ukraine-urges-united-european-response">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/zelensky-says-us-has-yet.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 16:00:24 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/zelensky-says-us-has-yet.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has not yet received an official response from the United States to Kyiv’s latest peace plan proposals, though key signals have been relayed through his negotiating team.</p> <p>Answering reporters’ questions, Zelensky noted that dialogue with Washington is ongoing and should intensify soon, <a href="https://unn.ua/ru/news/ssha-poka-ne-otvetili-na-novie-predlozheniya-ukraini-po-mirnomu-planu-zelenskii">UNN</a> reported, but there has been no formal reaction from the US so far.</p> <p>“No, I have not yet received a reaction from the United States of America. I heard several messages through my negotiating team. But I am receiving all the signals and will be ready for a dialogue that begins today. Today we have a Ukraine–US day in Berlin. I will, of course, meet separately with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and will likely meet some other European leaders in the evening,” the president said.</p> <p>Zelensky also addressed a statement by his American counterpart, President Donald Trump, who claimed he was the only one dissatisfied with the US-proposed peace plan. The Ukrainian leader stressed that any final peace plan cannot satisfy all sides and “won’t be one that everyone likes.”</p> <p>“Of course, there are many compromises in one format or another of the plan. We sent the latest comments and changes to the US. The most important thing is that the plan is fair first and foremost to Ukraine, because Russia started the war,” Zelensky said.</p> <p>He added that what matters is not only the document’s content but whether it works in practice.</p> <p>“It’s important that the plan is not just a piece of paper but a real step toward ending the war. And even more important is that after it’s signed, Russia has no opportunity to start a new, third aggression against the Ukrainian people,” he said.</p> <p>Zelensky separately addressed Donbas and potential ceasefire parameters. He <a href="https://t.me/babel/78604">said</a> a fair option today could be a ceasefire along the line of contact, but Russia opposes the idea and demands Ukrainian forces leave the region. Washington, meanwhile, has floated an alternative.</p> <p>“The US proposed a compromise: Ukrainian forces would leave these territories and Russian forces would not enter them, calling it a ‘free Ukrainian zone.’ Ukraine does not accept this idea without a reciprocal withdrawal of troops. There is no answer on this yet,” he emphasized.</p> <p>As The New York Times has reported, the Ukrainian peace plan sent to Washington this week runs counter to President Donald Trump’s proposal that Ukraine cede all of Donbas, including areas not yet occupied by Russia.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-says-u-s-has-yet-to-formally-respond-to-ukraine-s-peace-plan-and-warns-it-won-t-please-everyone">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/ukraine-launches-overnight-drone-strikes.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 14:57:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/ukraine-launches-overnight-drone-strikes.html <p>Ukraine launched dozens of drones overnight into Sunday, December 14, targeting the Russia-annexed Crimean peninsula and several regions across Russia.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said that from 23:00 on December 13 to 7:00 a.m. Moscow time on December 14, Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 141 Ukrainian UAVs.</p> <p>The ministry said the largest number - 35 drones - were downed over Bryansk region, with another 32 destroyed over Crimea.</p> <p>Drone attacks on Russian regions</p> <p>According to the ministry, 22 drones were shot down over Krasnodar region, 15 over Tula, 13 over Kaluga, and 7 over Kursk. Four drones were destroyed over both Ryazan and Rostov regions, three over Belgorod, and two over Leningrad. Air defenses disabled one UAV each over Smolensk, Pskov, Novgorod and Moscow regions.</p> <p>Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz said in a morning Telegram post there were “no casualties or disruptions” from the attack on his region. “Emergency and rapid response services are working at the scene,” he added.</p> <p>The governors of Tula and Smolensk regions—Dmitry Milyaev and Vasily Anokhin—also said on Telegram on the morning of December 14 that there were no casualties from drone strikes.</p> <p>Kaluga Governor Vladislav Shapsha said 14 UAVs were destroyed over the Baryatinsky, Kozelsky, Kirovsky, Maloyaroslavetsky, Meshchovsky and Mosalsky municipal districts, as well as on the outskirts of Obninsk and Kaluga. “Preliminarily, there are no casualties or infrastructure damage,” his post said.</p> <p>Rostov region Governor Yury Slyusar said the drone attack was repelled overnight in Kamensk, Kamensky, Ust-Donetsky and Milyutinsky districts. “No one was injured. Information about ground impacts is being clarified,” he noted.</p> <p>Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said on Telegram only that “UAVs were destroyed over the Leningrad region by air defenses.”</p> <p>By the time of publication, the Russia-appointed “head” of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov, Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein, Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov, Belgorod chief Vyacheslav Gladkov, Pskov chief Mikhail Vedernikov, Novgorod Governor Alexander Dronov and Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov had not commented on the drone attacks on Telegram.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the Volgograd regional administration said <a href="https://t.me/rgn_34/10562">on Telegram</a> overnight on December 14 that falling drone debris sparked “a fire hotspot at an oil depot” in Uryupinsk. There were no casualties, but residents of homes near the depot were evacuated, the post said.</p> <p>Russia’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://t.me/mod_russia/59387">said</a> the drones were launched from Ukrainian territory.  Between 11:00 p.m. on December 13 and 7:00 a.m. Moscow time on December 14, Russian air defenses allegedly intercepted and destroyed 141 Ukrainian UAVs.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff said on Facebook it struck the Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar region. “Explosions and a large fire were recorded in the target area. The extent of damage is being clarified,” the post said. The General Staff also said an oil depot in Uryupinsk in Volgograd region was hit: “Explosions and a fire were recorded at the site.”</p> <p>The “Operational Headquarters – Krasnodar Region” Telegram channel said drone debris in the settlement of Afipsky in Seversky district caused a fire in a private garden and damaged several homes at other addresses.</p> <p>Local outlets <a href="https://t.me/afipsky_pgt/9194">said</a> windows were blown out in four private homes, and drone fragments were found at three locations. </p> <p>The Telegram channel Astra published video it said shows Ukrainian drones striking the Uryupinsk oil depot. The same facility was previously attacked overnight on December 3, the channel noted. Based on its own OSINT analysis, Astra added that Lukoil-Yugnefteprodukt’s Enem oil depot in Adygea was also targeted overnight on December 14.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-launches-overnight-drone-strikes-on-crimea-and-multiple-russian-regions">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/zelensky-faces-election-pressure-as.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 14:04:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/zelensky-faces-election-pressure-as.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/utw-14-12-2-0-.jpg" alt="Zelensky faces election pressure as war drags on | Ukraine This Week"></p>In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur reports on renewed calls for Ukraine to hold wartime elections after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Kyiv used Russia’s war to avoid a vote, echoing a Kremlin narrative.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-faces-election-pressure-as-war-drags-on-ukraine-this-week/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/ukraine-says-it-destroyed-pipeline.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 12:46:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/ukraine-says-it-destroyed-pipeline.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/-2025-12-14-132710.png" alt="Ukraine says it destroyed pipeline Russia used to infiltrate Kupiansk, releases video"></p>Ukraine's "Achilles" drone regiment described the pipeline as a "critically important logistical channel" for Russian forces. The route was discovered during reconnaissance and destroyed in a joint operation with other Ukrainian units.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-drone-regiment-releases-video-of-pipeline-destruction-russia-used-to-infiltrate-kupiansk/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/russia-hits-supermarket-in-zaporizhzhia.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:06:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/russia-hits-supermarket-in-zaporizhzhia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-14-10-43-11.jpg" alt="Russia hits supermarket in Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, injures at least 6, including child"></p>Russian forces attacked a supermarket in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Dec. 14, injuring at least six people, including a child, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-hits-supermarket-in-zaporizhzhia-injures-at-least-4/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:22:46 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-14-09-31-59.jpg" alt="Russian attacks kill 2, injure 11 in Ukraine, hit Turkish cargo ship over past day"></p>Ukrainian forces downed 110 out of the 138 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Russia also launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-kill-injure-in-ukraine-over-past-day-2/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:11:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2247703639.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,188,490 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 710 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-188-490-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/russias-december-oil-and-gas.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:53:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/russias-december-oil-and-gas.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/af94a711a0.jpg" alt="Russia’s December oil and gas revenue set to drop to lowest level since 2020, Reuters reports"></p>Russia’s oil and gas revenue in December is expected to be nearly half compared to the previous year, down to about 410 billion rubles ($5.17 billion), Reuters reported on Dec. 12.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russias-december-oil-and-gas-revenue-set-to-drop-to-lowest-level-since-2020-reuters-reports/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/ukraine-sanctions-nearly-vessels-tied.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 05:01:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/ukraine-sanctions-nearly-vessels-tied.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/3b802ce021.jpg" alt="Ukraine sanctions nearly 700 vessels tied to Russia’s 'shadow fleet'"></p>President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 13 that Ukraine’s sanctions against nearly 700 vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet had entered into force.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-sanctions-nearly-700-vessels-tied-to-russias-shadow-fleet/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/14/explosions-reported-at-oil-depot.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 23:21:33 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/14/explosions-reported-at-oil-depot.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-13-at-5-06-28-pm.png" alt="Explosions reported at oil depot in occupied Crimea, several Russian energy sites amid Ukrainian drone attack"></p>Explosions were reported at an oil depot near Simferopol in occupied Crimea, a chemical plant in the Russian city of Veliky Novgorod, and several energy sites, media reported late on Dec. 13.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-at-oil-depot-in-occupied-crimea-several-russian-energy-sites-amid-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/tunnel-for-smuggling-migrants-from.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 22:52:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/tunnel-for-smuggling-migrants-from.html <p>A smuggling tunnel almost 100 meters long was discovered near the Polish border by Narewka, used to covertly push migrants from Belarus into Poland. Over 180 migrants, mainly Afghan and Pakistani but also Indians and Nepalese, were trafficked through the tunnel. The tunnel was hidden in the forest on the Belarusian side and is believed to have been engineered by security forces loyal to Belarusian leader Lukashenko as part of a state-sponsored operation to weaponize migrants against Poland. Polish Border Guard, police, and tracking dogs intercepted over 130 migrants immediately upon emergence from the tunnel. Two smugglers, a 69-year-old Pole and a 49-year-old Lithuanian, were arrested for attempting to transport migrants deeper into Europe. The incident revealed a failed attempt by Belarus and Russia to destabilize Poland using migrant smuggling as geopolitical leverage.</p> <p>Category: Border</p> <p>Country: Poland</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://x.com/yasminalombaert/status/1999960610931360152">x.com/yasminalo&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/ca59938b-52d5-4780-91c6-0bb16ec64854">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/without-china-putin-would-not.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 22:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/without-china-putin-would-not.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/84e3c39e18.jpg" alt="Without China, Putin would not be able to wage war – secrets of the Alliance #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YpULfmTMuSE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/rutte-sounds-alarm-in-berlin.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 21:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/rutte-sounds-alarm-in-berlin.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/544f883755.jpg" alt="⚡️RUTTE sounds alarm in Berlin! Putin &quot;RECKLESS,&quot; alliance rearmament INSUFFICIENT!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMR70jsuCVg">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/kyiv-russias-advance-on-pokrovsk.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 19:23:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/kyiv-russias-advance-on-pokrovsk.html <p>Ukraine’s Forces say they continue to hold a significant part of Pokrovsk.</p> <p>The pace of Russia’s advance toward Pokrovsk has markedly slowed, according to Ukraine’s military. Ukrainian Forces continue to hold and control the northern part of the city, despite loud claims from Russian outlets of a full capture, <a href="https://t.me/corps7DSHV/898">reported</a> the 7th Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces.</p> <p>Ukrainian troops say Russia has, for the fourth time in the past six weeks, tried to pass off images and videos from select central districts of Pokrovsk as proof of full control. The actual battlefield situation does not match those claims, they said.</p> <p>According to the city’s defenders, the enemy has failed to break Ukrainian lines in the north. That is where Russian units have lost offensive momentum and, instead of tangible gains, shifted to so-called “TV artillery”—information pushes for a domestic audience.</p> <p>The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) emphasize that the situation around Pokrovsk remains under Kyiv’s control. Active fighting continues, and Ukrainian forces are taking measures to restore control over every meter of the city, they said.</p> <p>In particular, soldiers of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skala,” together with other units in the 7th Corps’ area of responsibility, are conducting assault raids south of the railway. Ukrainian forces are methodically destroying enemy manpower, equipment and fortifications, gradually pushing Russian units back.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kyiv-russia-s-advance-on-pokrovsk-has-slowed-as-ukrainian-forces-hold-the-north">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/million-shells-g-creates-quotenergy.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 19:00:52 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/million-shells-g-creates-quotenergy.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/02202c60ce.jpg" alt="⚡️ 1.8 MILLION SHELLS: G7+ creates &quot;ENERGY SHIELD&quot; against Russian strikes!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi5TlPlDHBE">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/indias-shortsighted-embrace-of-russia.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:13:28 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/indias-shortsighted-embrace-of-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2249289916.jpg" alt="India’s short-sighted embrace of Russia will endanger its own national security"></p><p><em>About the author: Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum.</em></p><p>It was all pomp and circumstance when Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India. Putin made his first state visit to India 25 years ago, shortly</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/indias-short-sighted-embrace-of-russia-will-endanger-its-own-national-security/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/urgent-pokrovsk-holds-the-strike.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:01:11 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/urgent-pokrovsk-holds-the-strike.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/138a7ade3b.jpg" alt="⚡️ URGENT! POKROVSK HOLDS THE STRIKE: UKRAINIAN FORCES FOILED RUSSIAN PLAN!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdRyVBDjrVI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/russia-launches-massive-drone-and.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:14:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/russia-launches-massive-drone-and.html <p>Overnight on December 13, Russia’s military launched a mass strike on Odesa with attack drones and missiles, sparking fires at sites of civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.</p> <p>The strikes ignited administrative buildings as well as energy and industrial facilities, and caused power outages in parts of the region, Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said <a href="https://t.me/odeskaODA/12828">on Telegram</a>. He initially reported two people injured.</p> <p>Later, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in Odesa region <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DSNSODE/posts/pfbid02z5WdBVvTqF8ikAjZQg833Sqso8j4zAa2VGzbi1qRHTQKXHUe6cxAgvZmksrT4vuXl">said</a> four people were injured in the overnight assault. The agency reported damage to energy facilities, residential buildings, an administrative building, warehouses, civilian vehicles and a fire engine, and said more than 100 firefighters were deployed to contain the blazes.</p> <p>“Since yesterday, Russia has continued to strike critical and civilian infrastructure in the Odesa region. All night, firefighters worked to extinguish fires caused by the hits. Despite constant air-raid alerts, rescuers put out a large blaze on a civilian vessel,” the SES said.</p> <p>The local outlet Dumskaya, citing witnesses, <a href="https://dumskaya.net/news/kombinirovannaya-ataka-na-odessu-masshtabnyy-poz/ua">reported</a> a major fire at one of the substations. Unverified reports suggested about 10 energy facilities were damaged, leaving parts of the city without water, electricity and heat.</p> <p>Earlier, during the nighttime barrage on Odesa, the port came under fire. Local media reported the vessel that caught fire may have been Turkish.</p> <p>On December 11, Russian forces carried out what Ukrainian authorities called a “terrorist” strike on Sumy region, killing two women.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russia-launches-massive-drone-and-missile-attack-on-odesa">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/syrskyi-visits-front-near-pokrovsk.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:08:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/syrskyi-visits-front-near-pokrovsk.html <p>The situation around Pokrovsk remains difficult as Russia is bringing fresh reserves to the area, but Ukraine is continuing an “active defense” strategy, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine/posts/pfbid0LfHi8568s1h5TLCrRNfo2SwT46kUZA3qkf8y8myFimkpvkMP2XMFZDoL1Hpvofukl">a Facebook post</a>.</p> <p>Syrskyi said he made a working trip to the military command bodies conducting operations in the area and heard briefings from commanders.</p> <p>“The situation remains difficult. The enemy is trying to increase pressure on our defensive positions, redeploying additional reserves here,” the commander-in-chief wrote.</p> <p>After the briefings, he said he refined tasks for commanders of army corps and units holding the lines in the Pokrovsk sector. Specific steps were set to reinforce defenses and boost the effectiveness of the force.</p> <p>“Concrete steps have been defined to strengthen the defense, including keeping key logistics routes operating reliably, increasing the effectiveness of firepower, and improving coordination among units,” Syrskyi said.</p> <p>He added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine remain committed to an active-defense approach.</p> <p>“This is about improving the operational situation, conducting local operations to push the enemy from certain areas, and creating conditions for subsequent maneuvers by our forces,” the commander-in-chief said, thanking defenders for their resilience and effectiveness in destroying Russian forces.</p> <p>According to Syrskyi, Russian troops are trying to intensify pressure on Ukrainian Forces in the Pokrovsk sector, moving additional reserves toward the city.</p> <p>Ukraine’s defense forces there are using an active defense approach that aims to improve the operational situation, conduct local operations to push Russian units from specific areas, and set conditions for further Ukrainian maneuvers.</p> <p>Syrskyi said he visited the front near Pokrovsk this week, clarified tasks for corps and unit commanders, and agreed on concrete steps to strengthen defenses along this part of the front. Discussions also focused on keeping logistics routes functioning, boosting the effectiveness of Ukrainian fires, and ensuring units have necessary supplies.</p> <p>In early December, the Kremlin claimed Russian forces had fully captured Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Ukraine’s military denied the claim, saying fighting continues and that Ukrainian troops are holding positions in the northern part of the city. The rough line of contact runs along the railway.</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff said that on December 12, Russian forces mounted 42 attacks in the Pokrovsk sector, all of which were repelled. Fighting took place near Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Nikanorivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Myrnohrad and other settlements.</p> <p>The 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said about 50% of resupply in the Pokrovsk sector is currently being handled by aerial drones, which are delivering food, fuel, generators and ammunition.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian mechanized assault on Pokrovsk. Columns of Russian troops tried to break through into the northern part of the city.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an unannounced visit to Kupyansk to congratulate troops on gains in the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/syrskyi-visits-front-near-pokrovsk-details-ukraine-s-active-defense-strategy">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/will-ukraine-face-the-hardest.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:00:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/will-ukraine-face-the-hardest.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f82430569-1.jpg" alt="Will Ukraine face the hardest vote in decades?"></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!V349!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94e1a407-58ab-4250-badb-5d9f9e79624c_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f94e1a407-5.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/94e1a407-58ab-4250-badb-5d9f9e79624c_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! 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Photo provided by Kovzhun to The Counteroffensive.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“I try not to say the word [elections] at all. It’s evil,” said political consultant Oleksii Kovzhun. “Still, no one is waiting for them more than me.”</p><p>When people ask him these days what he does for a living, he says he’s “unemployed.”</p><p>For him, elections held during the war have become a taboo subject. Yet, for the past 20 years, he was deeply involved in Ukrainian presidential elections behind the scenes.</p><p>The topic of Ukrainian presidential elections has taken center stage again after Donald Trump <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693">declared</a> that “it’s time” for Kyiv to select a new president, even though Ukraine’s constitution prohibits legislative elections in times of war.</p><p>In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time <a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/bef0ff58-f33f-4224-b484-6394776f6d6d?postPreview=paid&updated=2025-12-09T19%3A47%3A30.692Z&audience=only_paid&free_preview=false&freemail=">stated</a> that he is prepared to hold presidential elections under martial law and instructed members of parliament to draft proposals to that end. He also appealed to the U.S. and other partners to provide security guarantees for the elections. Once these two conditions are met, he said, elections could be held within the next two or three months.</p><p>However, if elections are indeed held under martial law, the vote would demonstrate Washington’s desire to replace the president and pressure Kyiv rather than encouraging Ukrainians to exercise democratic choice. Such pressure on Zelenskyy risks further fueling a crisis.</p><p>It’s weighty issues like these that Oleksii is used to.</p><p>When you imagine a political consultant, the first image that probably comes to mind is a serious-looking man in a suit.</p><p>Forget about that. None of that describes Oleksii, who even at 60 rides a scooter, wears gothic rings and earrings, and constantly reminisces about his wild youth.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!mC3-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2ee3f970-1199-482f-bbd3-fbf03f432c1d_1122x1495.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f2ee3f970-1.jpg" width="452" height="602.2638146167558" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2ee3f970-1199-482f-bbd3-fbf03f432c1d_1122x1495.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1495,"width":1122,"resizeWidth":452,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Oleksii Kovzhun. Photos from his social meda (below) and from <a href="https://vybory.pravda.com/articles/2018/09/21/7149752/">Ukrainsk Pravda</a> (above).</em></figcaption></figure></div><div data-attrs='{"id":418941}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Since his early years, Oleksii had been an anti-USSR rebel. He organized rock festivals and concerts, became a hippie, and smoked marijuana. Due to his long hair and ripped jeans, he spent many days at the police station in the 1980s, as Soviet authorities often would pick him up just because of how he looked.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!t-FU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13968375-69f7-4ba9-81a2-4263d1ac6993_450x603.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f13968375-6.png" width="394" height="527.96" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13968375-69f7-4ba9-81a2-4263d1ac6993_450x603.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":603,"width":450,"resizeWidth":394,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Oleksii Kovzhun in his youth in 1987. Photo from <a href="https://amnesia.in.ua/oleksiy-kovzhun">Amnesia</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“I believed all this crap [the USSR] wouldn’t last forever. It was impossible to live in such a system. I was preparing myself that I might die in prison [for my beliefs],” Oleksii said.</p><p>But his wild streak ultimately outlived the Soviet Union. Then, starting in the 2000s, he slowly shifted from working in a concert organization and ad agency to political consulting.</p><p>He didn’t care if he was crafting ads for beer, airlines, mobile operators, or politicians.</p><p>Eventually, he became a consultant to one of Ukraine’s most divisive and controversial political figures, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, whose career has been marked by recurring corruption scandals. Oleksii is among those credited with shaping her iconic image, including the crown braid that people around the world have come to recognize.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!kcd3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd356e68-eec6-48be-8a60-ef5efad41454_594x396.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fcd356e68-e.jpg" width="594" height="396" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cd356e68-eec6-48be-8a60-ef5efad41454_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Ukrainian politician Yulia Tymoshenko attends the National Prayer Breakfast on August 25, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Russians have tried to influence Ukraine’s politics since its first days of independence. Oleksii realized this as soon as he started working on elections. The Kremlin always sent its top political strategists to ensure Ukrainians would elect presidents loyal to Moscow. Oleksii recalled that he would even joke with a friend about the “need to practice the Moscow accent” to get paid more because Russians got enormous sums to boost pro-Russian candidates.</p><p>During the first clashes between the pro-Ukraine coalition and Kremlin puppet Viktor Yanukovych in the 2004 presidential election, candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned. Russians had no red lines when it came to eliminating opponents.</p><p>“It was both fun and terrifying,” Oleksii recalled.</p><p>Fun because he came up with all sorts of ways to mock the Kremlin candidate, like a satirical political series. But terrifying, because he understood that the Russians could come for him at any moment, so he made sure that no one knew he was the original idea creator.</p><div data-attrs='{"videoId":"3TNp0RMIDjc","startTime":null,"endTime":null}' data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM" data-sanitized-id="youtube2-3TNp0RMIDjc" data-sanitized-class="youtube-wrap"><div data-sanitized-class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3TNp0RMIDjc?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin"></iframe></div></div><p><em>One of the mocking episodes of the ‘Veseli Yaycia’ (‘Funny eggs’) series, 2004.</em></p><p>Yushchenko survived his assassination attempt and wound up winning the election after months of protests against electoral fraud and corruption. The year of 2004 was thus the first time that Moscow’s candidate, Yanukovych, did not win.</p><p>Ukraine is under much more strain from Russia now. It’s not mere political influence that’s dropping in Kyiv, it’s bombs and drones – and Ukraine is now preparing to hold elections under these extreme circumstances. Recent examples from elections in the United States and European countries — where Russian bots flooded the information space and influenced outcomes — show that Ukraine could be next.</p><p>“Everyone waits for the elections, as many people want to leave the parliament. But everyone is fully aware that they cannot happen without the most important thing. That’s what the president meant: security first,” Roman Hryshchuk, an MP from Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party, told<em> The Counteroffensive.</em></p><p>Ukraine was supposed to hold parliamentary elections in 2023 and presidential elections last year, when Zelenskyy’s five-year term ended. But neither took place due to martial law. Ukrainian law <a href="https://suspilne.media/477739-pislavoenni-parlamentski-vibori-ak-do-nih-gotuutsa-vlada-i-gromadskist/">prohibits</a> any elections while martial law is in effect. Similarly, according to the constitution, parliamentarians must continue their mandates until a new Verkhovna Rada is elected once martial law ends.</p><p>While parliamentary elections are constitutionally impossible under the current circumstances, there is still a chance at least to lay the legislative groundwork for a presidential transition.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!gp0_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F69bd82f9-cf1c-4a95-89cf-fa651a171607_620x434.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f69bd82f9-c.png" width="620" height="434" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/69bd82f9-cf1c-4a95-89cf-fa651a171607_620x434.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":434,"width":620,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Lines on the Ukrainian-Polish border in 2022. Photo by eadtnews.pl.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Working groups have already been set up in parliament to draft changes to the law. However, according to MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Zelenskyy has not set any deadlines for presenting proposals, so they are unlikely to be ready before the first quarter of 2026.</p><p>“MPs are in no hurry to actively push for updates to election legislation… society does not accept such initiatives during the hot phase of the war,” said Roman Lozynskyi, an MP from the Holos faction.</p><p>All of <em>The Counteroffensive’s</em> sources in parliament have questioned how security would even be possible if elections were to be held now.</p><p>Almost six million Ukrainians <a href="https://unn.ua/en/news/ukrainians-are-massively-leaving-the-country-the-nbu-named-two-reasons">have left</a> the country due to shelling or the occupation of their homes since the start of the full-scale war. Those citizens would be unable to take part in physical voting, because Ukraine simply doesn’t have the resources to open enough polling stations and consular offices abroad.</p><p>Similarly, nearly four million Ukrainians are <a href="https://unn.ua/en/news/ukraine-has-37-million-registered-internally-displaced-persons">registered</a> as internally displaced and would need to change their voting addresses to cast a vote. The same number applies to those currently living under Russian occupation, disenfranchising them.</p><p>Almost one million Ukrainians are also currently <a href="https://www.unian.ua/war/zelenskiy-rozkriv-skilki-zaraz-viyskovih-u-zsu-12526479.html">serving</a> in the Armed Forces, making it physically impossible for them to campaign, run for office, or cast their vote.</p><p>This strikes Oleksii as especially infuriating, because he has friends on the front lines defending the country who arguably have the strongest moral claim to shaping its political future. At least a few of them had wanted to run in the elections, he said, but they won’t be able to, since no one in the military can be released during active combat.</p><p>“Ukraine is now forced to play a game, not to say ‘no’ to America… They tell us about elections. We say: ‘Okay, but for that we need…’ And then we set conditions that they cannot meet,” Oleksii said.</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f82430569-1.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/3e45ac8be9.jpg" width="594" height="396" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/82430569-1c5a-48e5-8518-71f3caa4d625_594x396.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":396,"width":594,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Pro-Russian demonstrators gather for a rally outside the regional administration building, headquarters of the Donetsk separatist movement, on May 24, 2014 in Donetsk, Ukraine. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images).</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Ukraine held elections during the early months of the war with Russia in 2014, when Russian forces had already seized Crimea and were advancing in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.</p><p>Oleksii had helped organize elections in Donetsk at the time, serving as a communications advisor to the local governor. Back then, Russian security forces were already attempting to disrupt elections throughout the whole region. Twenty two polling stations were initially planned for Donetsk, but only eight <a href="https://oporaua.org/en/vybory/36596-6507-1446981393-vybory-prezydenta-ukrajiny-pidsumky-sposterezhennja-opory-10989?">received</a> votes from Ukrainians. The rest never opened due to a shortage of ballots, interference from security forces, and the abduction of election commission members by Russians. In Donetsk itself, a city of nearly one million people in 2014, it was ultimately impossible to <a href="https://index.minfin.com.ua/ua/reference/people/town/doneck/">hold</a> elections. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!M_cJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F82219d9e-20a0-4a4a-9451-78ce0bc61926_935x615.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f82219d9e-2.png" width="935" height="615" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/82219d9e-20a0-4a4a-9451-78ce0bc61926_935x615.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":615,"width":935,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A billboard in Donetsk in May 2014. At that time, while Ukraine was preparing for presidential elections, Russia was campaigning for Ukrainians to support the creation of a Kremlin puppet state in an illegitimate referendum on May 11, 2014. Photo from <a href="https://commons.com.ua/ru/pochatok-rosijskogo-vtorgnennya-vesnoyu-2014-roku/">Spilne</a>.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“There was a phone on the table, with someone from the election commission nearby, and I heard: ‘Seryoga, some bastards [Russians] have arrived with guns, cancel polling station 39.’ Bad words [followed],” Oleksii recalled.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!GPB8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8efb0ef4-0c1c-4fa1-b11d-b279c86bc274_533x400.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8efb0ef4-0.jpg" width="533" height="400" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8efb0ef4-0c1c-4fa1-b11d-b279c86bc274_533x400.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":400,"width":533,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Serhii and Svitlana Tkachenko. Photo provided by them.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Serhii and Svitlana Tkachenko are two others who were at the center of those chaotic events.</p><p>Together with their colleagues from the Donetsk Committee of Voters of Ukraine, they served as independent election observers.</p><p>“Many members of the committee tried to go to the [Donetsk] airport to collect the ballots that had been delivered by plane, but some got captured right in the airport. Some suffered a concussion, some had their abdomen cut,” Serhii Tkachenko said about the day of the election in 2014 and efforts to hold elections in Donetsk.</p><p>Around 10 p.m., a colleague went outside of the hotel they were staying at for a smoke and inadvertently saved the rest of the team, he recalled. He used a code word they had all jokingly invented the day before in case of danger they hadn’t fully realized yet.</p><p>“Let’s buy roses!” is what Tkachenko’s colleague shouted over the phone. He’d seen armed officers getting out of black vehicles that had pulled up at the hotel, searching for ‘where people vote for Ukraine.’</p><blockquote></blockquote><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!1WAO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc3a5822a-0806-4d13-9001-ed3b5eef970f_1080x725.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc3a5822a-0.png" width="1080" height="725" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c3a5822a-0806-4d13-9001-ed3b5eef970f_1080x725.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":725,"width":1080,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>The armed officers that were searching for independent observers in the hotel that night. Photo from the Facebook page of the Donetsk Committee of Voters of Ukraine.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The situation is even more dire now, as the entire country, not just three regions, is at risk of Russian attacks. The reality for Ukrainians is that a ballistic missile can reach a crowded area within minutes, in any area of the country.</p><p>Among Ukrainians, including members of parliament, no one can really fathom how elections could be organized in the middle of a war. No democratic country in the past decades has faced the conditions in which such a wide array of weapons is being used so intensively. And even if elections do take place, how legitimate can they be if millions of people are unable to cast their votes?</p><p>The ball appears to be in Trump’s court. Many Ukrainians believe he is the one who now needs to find a way to ensure security.</p><p>Meanwhile, Oleksii remains “unemployed,” turning away any politicians who come to him for consultations. Even if peace is reached and elections are held, Russian forces will probably still seek political revenge in Ukraine.</p><p>“A new world will come. What kind? Who knows,” Oleksii said. “It’s like a supernova explosion. And what happens after that, we don’t know. It’s beyond the sequence of events.”</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Editor’s Note:</em></p><p><em>Want a Ukrainian tiger, crocodile or camel to greet you every day of the year?<br><br> We’re announcing our new 2026 Wild Animals of War calendar! If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to an <strong>annual plan today</strong> and get one for free. We’re printing a limited run only:</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!55Dt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73856042-0be9-457a-b723-acedba6c9326_1280x853.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f73856042-0.jpg" width="1280" height="853" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/73856042-0be9-457a-b723-acedba6c9326_1280x853.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":853,"width":1280,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":"","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" title="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>Already a paid subscriber but still want a calendar? <br><br>Snag one for a suggested donation of $90. (Our printing/mailing costs are about $25). Get one here!</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06","text":"Wild Animals Calendar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://buy.stripe.com/4gMcN50yv0eU9qifjefjG06" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Wild Animals Calendar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Tania Novakivska</p><p><strong>THE CZECH REPUBLIC SUPPLIED UKRAINE WITH 1.8 MILLION PIECES OF LARGE-CALIBER AMMUNITION:</strong> The Czech Republic has <a href="https://x.com/P_Fiala/status/1999529815284592942?fbclid=IwY2xjawOp6JtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFadlhhZXRYWEpic1BZTzg3c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHv6b64hhAp7pcHp0kifp5OB_VxwZp-LMWnx-O80c6Rj-0e2rEmGF98C-LA9R_aem_LG7wfC3wgyM7qycD930Hxg">achieved</a> its goal of transferring Ukraine 1.8 million rounds of high-caliber ammunition, former PM Petr Fiala posted on X. The Czech Republic, along with the US and the UK, has become one of the leading suppliers of ammunition to Ukraine.</p><p><strong>RUSSIA DEPLOYES ORESHNIK COMPLEXES IN BELARUS, TARGETING EU</strong>: The construction of military facilities in Belarus for launching an Orshenik missile is underway, Oleg Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service,<a href="https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/4069228-rosia-rozgortae-u-bilorusi-oresnik-z-pricilom-na-evropu-golova-szru.html"> said</a>. The Oreshnik missile is a Russian medium-range ballistic missile that is difficult to intercept, equipped with six warheads, and capable of speeds exceeding 12,300 km/h.</p><p><strong>RUSSIAN OIL EXPORTS DECLINE:</strong> Although Russia continues to increase its crude oil shipments, sanctions and market restrictions are contributing to a downward trend in its maritime exports, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. This comes as prices for Russian oil are falling, which reduces their overall profitability. A large amount of Russia’s cargo goes unloaded, and the US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil have caused the demand from the Global South to decrease. This all comes as inspections at Chinese and Russian refineries are increasing.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Tania met this cute pup last year around Christmas in the de-occupied village in Ukraine’s south. Despite his size and the scars on his face, he was one of the sweetest dogs she had ever known.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!ySGR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2f33778-c4ca-462e-8772-173405b3edb2_1200x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fa2f33778-c.jpg" width="1200" height="1600" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a2f33778-c4ca-462e-8772-173405b3edb2_1200x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Mariana and Nastia</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/will-ukraine-face-the-hardest-vote">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/from-target-to-teacher-ukraines.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:31:34 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/from-target-to-teacher-ukraines.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/cat-6061.jpg" alt="From target to teacher, Ukraine’s energy sector is preparing Europe for drones"></p><p>As Russian drones test Europe's skies, European governments are turning to the one nation that knows this battle best.</p><p>Ukraine’s state power company, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukrenergo/">Ukrenergo</a> — which as the chief transporter of the country's electricity has borne the brunt of <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russias-attacks-on-energy/">Russia’s drone and</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/from-target-to-teacher-ukraines-energy-sector-is-preparing-europe-for-drones/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/live-strikes-on-russia-nato.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:08:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/live-strikes-on-russia-nato.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/048422524e.jpg" alt="LIVE! Strikes on Russia, NATO prepares defense, Ukraine destroys enemy logistics"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAbpHLo7ens">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/one-night-with-a-kyiv.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:00:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/one-night-with-a-kyiv.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/img-2467.jpg" alt="One night with a Kyiv family amid Russia's mass attack"></p>On Nov. 28, a Russian attack lasting more than 10 hours struck Ukrainian cities, with Kyiv as the main target. The Kyiv Independent’s Nick Allard and Tania Myronyshena spent the night with a Kyiv family sheltering in a parking garage with their three children.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/one-night-with-a-kyiv-family-amid-russias-mass-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/russian-forces-deploy-additional-reserves.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:35:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/russian-forces-deploy-additional-reserves.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2235696315.jpg" alt="Russian forces deploy additional reserves near Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast, Syrskyi says"></p>Ukrainian troops continue to employ "active defense tactics," seeking to improve positions and dislodge Russian forces in some areas, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-deploy-additional-reserves-near-pokrovsk-myrnohrad-in-donetsk-oblast-syrskyi-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/horrific-shelling-of-odesa-consequences.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:05:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/horrific-shelling-of-odesa-consequences.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/de6a4f48cf.jpg" alt="HORRIFIC shelling of Odesa: CONSEQUENCES of the Russian attack #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3hIuhoSwPkc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/at-least-killed-injured-in.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:39:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/at-least-killed-injured-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-13-10-09-11.jpg" alt="At least 3 killed, 35 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day"></p>Russian missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Mykolaiv oblasts have disrupted electricity supplies, Ukraine's Energy Ministry said.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-3-killed-35-injured-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-over-past-day/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:19:54 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/general-staff-russia-has-lost.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9f59decef6.jpg" alt="General Staff: Russia has lost 1,187,780 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022"></p>The number includes 1,300 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-1-187-780-troops-in-ukraine-since-feb-24-2022/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/eu-agrees-to-indefinitely-freeze.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 02:00:26 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/eu-agrees-to-indefinitely-freeze.html <p>European Union representatives reached the decision a day after Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever publicly questioned the legality of the European Commission’s proposal to permanently freeze Moscow’s funds under the “state of emergency” clause in Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.</p> <p>EU countries agreed to indefinitely immobilize Russian sovereign assets, removing a major obstacle to providing Ukraine with a €210 billion “reparations loan,” Euractiv <a href="https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-greenlights-indefinite-immobilisation-of-russian-assets">reports</a>.</p> <p>Use of Article 122, formally proposed by the European Commission last week, is seen as crucial to preventing Russia from reclaiming assets if sanctions on the Kremlin are lifted - a scenario that could force Belgium to return hundreds of billions of euros to Moscow if the loan is issued. The overwhelming majority of the assets are held at the Euroclear depository.</p> <p>Currently, sanctions on the assets must be unanimously renewed by EU capitals every six months. Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban has repeatedly threatened to block renewals but has ultimately backed down each time.</p> <p>One European diplomat said an overwhelming majority of EU countries supported the decision adopted on December 11.</p> <p>At the same time, Belgium is demanding “autonomous guarantees” from the European Union in exchange for supporting the “reparations loan” backed by Russia’s frozen assets. Until those guarantees are provided, Belgium will block the decision.</p> <p>EU ambassadors are working to convince Belgium to back the “reparations loan,” as most of Russia’s frozen assets are held by the Belgian depository Euroclear.</p> <p>Belgian officials say they fear “legal action” from Russia. That’s why the government is demanding “independent and autonomous guarantees” from the EU that would remain in force even if the loan is “invalidated.”</p> <p>Belgium also <a href="https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-belgium-demands-autonomous-guarantees-from-eu-for-e210-billion-ukraine-loan">wants EU countries</a> to cover potential legal costs if the Kremlin brings a lawsuit against Belgium or other EU states. In addition, Belgium is calling for a halt to new investment treaties with Russia, termination of existing ones, and measures to shield the country from possible “Kremlin retaliation.”</p> <p>EU ambassadors will discuss the loan on December 12 and 14.</p> <p>An EU leaders’ summit scheduled for December 18 is expected to deliver a final decision on funding for Ukraine in 2026–2027. Debates continue over the format of that support, while the European Commission promotes the reparations loan as the most effective option.</p> <p>Earlier in December, the European Union proposed using $105 billion from Russian assets frozen in the EU to cover Ukraine’s economic and military needs over the next two years. U.S. officials urged several EU countries to block the move. They told EU member states these resources would be more effective in securing a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow rather than prolonging the war.</p> <p>Politico also reported that Donald Trump’s peace plan would include returning the assets to Russia after a peace deal is signed. Back in the summer, U.S. officials told the EU’s sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan their plan is to return the assets to the Russians after any peace agreement is concluded.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/eu-agrees-to-indefinitely-freeze-russian-assets-clearing-path-for-ukraine-reparations-loan">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/ankara-warns-of-black-sea.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:50:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/ankara-warns-of-black-sea.html <p>Turkey broke its silence after a Russian missile strike on the vessel Cenk Roro in the port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine’s Odesa region. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry <a href="https://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_-250_-ukrayna-nin-chornomorsk-limani-na-yonelik-duzenlenen-saldiri-hk.en.mfa">issued a statement</a> confirming its concerns that the war in Ukraine could spread to the Black Sea, posing a threat to maritime security and freedom of navigation.</p> <p>The ministry confirmed that the targeted vessel belongs to a Turkish company and said the crew and truck drivers carried by the ship were evacuated. No Turkish citizens were injured. Turkey’s consulate in Odesa is monitoring the situation and providing necessary assistance to its citizens.</p> <p>The Foreign Ministry called for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia and emphasized the need for an agreement to prevent attacks that undermine maritime security in the Black Sea. Ankara also reiterated its proposal for a moratorium on strikes against energy and port infrastructure.</p> <p>Notably, the ministry’s statement did not specify that the vessel was attacked by Russian occupying forces.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on the strike on the vessel in the port of Chornomorsk, expressed confidence that only international pressure on the aggressor state would force it to stop attacking civilian targets. </p> <p>Preliminary information indicates the strike on the Turkish ship in the Odesa region was carried out with Iskander-M ballistic missiles. A fire broke out on board as a result of the strike.</p> <p>The attack came almost immediately after a meeting in Ashgabat between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, at which the Turkish president proposed a moratorium on strikes against ports and energy infrastructure.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/turkey-warns-of-black-sea-escalation-after-russian-strike-on-turkish-ship-in-odesa">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/explosions-reported-at-russian-oil.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:36:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/explosions-reported-at-russian-oil.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-12-at-6-24-40-pm.png" alt="Explosions reported at Russian oil refinery amid possible drone attack"></p>Explosions were reported in Russia's Saratov Oblast overnight on Dec. 13 as officials warned of a possible drone attack, with unverified local reports indicating the Saratov oil refinery was targeted.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-at-russian-oil-refinery-amid-possible-drone-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/how-ukraine-saved-its-fleet.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:49 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/how-ukraine-saved-its-fleet.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/5c8b8200bc.jpg" alt="How Ukraine saved its fleet from Russia by sinking a ship #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XVoXvJIRzvM">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/historic-kremlin-failure-at-sea.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/historic-kremlin-failure-at-sea.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8a1a915640.jpg" alt="Historic Kremlin failure at sea! How Ukraine destroyed the myth of Russia's Black Sea Fleet"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W--Z6EOE9A">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/13/russian-troops-advance-on-the.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:00:45 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/13/russian-troops-advance-on-the.html <p>Russian troops have inched the front line forward in two sectors of the Pokrovsk direction, analysts say. The situation near Myrnohrad has shifted as the Russians moved closer to the city’s eastern outskirts. In addition, Russian forces regained some positions on the Dobropillya salient and expanded their foothold.</p> <p>The DeepState monitoring project <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/22907">reported</a> gains by Russian forces near five settlements around Myrnohrad and Dobropillya. The update also clarifies the situation near the “Kapitalna” mine.</p> <p>The new battlefield map was posted to the project’s Telegram channel on the morning of December 12. The estimated advance ranges from 400–600 meters to 1–1.4 kilometers.</p> <p>Russian troops have made gains in three areas on the Myrnohrad axis, according to the analysts. The DeepState map shows changes near a mine east of Myrnohrad and around Novoekonomichne, with Russian advances of roughly 700 meters to 1.5 kilometers. Analysts also note progress on city streets and near Mykolaivka: Russian units appear to have crossed the Kazennyi Torets River and moved about 1.4 kilometers.</p> <p>On the Dobropillya salient, Russian forces managed to retake certain positions near the settlements of Volodymyrivka, Pankivka and Sofiivka, the analysts wrote. On December 10, the map showed a red “island” of about 0.29 square kilometers north of Volodymyrivka and Pankivka; by December 11, Russian troops had pushed forward by about a kilometer.</p> <p>No Russian advances were recorded on other parts of the front. Analysts did not change their assessment for Siversk: Russia’s Defense Ministry published footage from the ruins of a city it claims to have occupied, while Ukraine’s military denies those claims.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wUN9QzdSZVco2DfejaXLseQnbsjnrbYmifKetzTaV2o6Xaybxae9oVhsvNwyxiqml">the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces</a> on the morning of December 12, the Pokrovsk direction - which includes Myrnohrad and the Dobropillya salient - saw 49 Russian assault attempts, more than any other sector. The Aleksandrovsk direction ranked second with 26 attacks, the report said.</p> <p>Meanwhile, military observer and former Ukrainian military spokesperson Vladyslav Selezniov outlined the footholds Russian forces would need to seize before launching an offensive on the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration. He pointed to the Lyman–Siversk axis, Chasiv Yar–Toretsk, and the Dobropillya salient.</p> <p>At the same time, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR) and analysts at the Institute for the Study of War flagged developments in Transnistria. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has stepped up activity there - mobilizing local residents, assembling drones, and potentially preparing saboteurs to infiltrate Ukraine’s Odesa or Vinnytsia regions.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/russian-troops-advance-on-the-dobropillya-salient-and-close-in-on-myrnohrad">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/kremlin-suggests-demilitarized-zone-in.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 22:12:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/kremlin-suggests-demilitarized-zone-in.html <p>Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8290100">said</a> a “demilitarized zone” could be set up in Donbas - one without Russian or Ukrainian troops, but with Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardiya) and police, the Russian outlet Kommersant reported.</p> <p>“It is quite possible there will be no troops there directly, neither Russian nor Ukrainian. Yes, but there will be the Rosgvardiya, there will be our police, there will be everything needed to maintain order and organize life,” Ushakov said.</p> <p>According to him, “Donbas is Russia’s territory, which will be under the administration of Russian authorities.”</p> <p>“If not through negotiations, then through military means this territory will come under the full control of the Russian Federation. Everything else will depend on that. A ceasefire can occur only after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops,” he added.</p> <p>On December 2, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is closer than ever to peace.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/kremlin-suggests-demilitarized-zone-in-donbas-to-be-guarded-by-russian-national-guard-and-police">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukraine-strikes-russian-oil-facilities.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:04:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukraine-strikes-russian-oil-facilities.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/1000018991.jpg" alt="Ukraine strikes Russian oil facilities in Caspian Sea again, SBU source says"></p>Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) carried out a second drone strike this week on Russia's Vladimir Filanovsky oil production platform in the Caspian Sea, also hitting the nearby Korchagin platform, an SBU source said Dec. 12.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-russian-oil-facilities-in-caspian-sea-sbu-source-says/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/russia-loses-rear-ukraine-strikes.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:00:14 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/russia-loses-rear-ukraine-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e298dac654.jpg" alt="🔥RUSSIA LOSES REAR: Ukraine strikes reach &quot;safe&quot; zones"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkha4XGXBQ8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukraine-to-receive-billion-in.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:54:42 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukraine-to-receive-billion-in.html <p>As of December 2025, more than 20 countries are buying U.S. weapons for Ukraine under the PURL initiative.</p> <p>By the end of 2025, Ukraine is set to receive roughly $5 billion in U.S.-made weapons and military equipment through PURL, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska told <a href="https://suspilne.media/1187116-nato-ukraina-otrimae-cerez-purl-ozbroenna-na-5-mlrd-osnovnij-akcent-na-ppo/">Suspilne</a> in an interview.</p> <p>She said Ukraine is receiving most of its air defense systems via PURL from U.S. military stockpiles. With Russian forces striking Ukrainian critical infrastructure daily, Kyiv’s top priority is air defense—and PURL is delivering on that need.</p> <p>According to Šekerinska, Ukraine is getting air defenses from the United States in significant quantities. Still, the country needs more systems, especially now as Russian forces intensify attacks on energy facilities.</p> <p>Šekerinska noted that shipments of U.S. weapons for the Ukrainian Armed Forces move through Poland and Romania. Deliveries are continuous - every day, without interruption.</p> <p>After Donald Trump returned to the U.S. presidency in January 2025, he halted free military aid to Ukraine. In response, the PURL mechanism launched in the summer of 2025: NATO countries (excluding the United States) purchase U.S. weapons and then transfer them to Ukraine.</p> <p>More than 20 countries have joined PURL so far. Notably, two non-NATO countries - Australia and New Zealand - joined the program in December.</p> <p>With PURL program Ukraine defines the weapons, military equipment, and gear it needs and submits requests to NATO countries. PURL participants make financial contributions, and once the funds are in, the United States ships the weapons to the buyers. Only then do the buyers transfer the U.S.-made weapons to Kyiv. It’s not a very fast process, but it is steady and ongoing.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-to-receive-5-billion-in-u-s-weapons-via-purl-funding-by-the-end-of-2025">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/explainer-why-russias-nuclear-industry.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:49:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/explainer-why-russias-nuclear-industry.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1825439826.jpg" alt="Explainer: Why Russia’s nuclear industry has escaped major sanctions"></p><p>Since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly threatened the use of atomic weapons, yet its much-prized nuclear industry has faced little in the way of meaningful sanctions.</p><p>Russia's state atomic corporation, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/rosatom/">Rosatom</a>, is a key part of the country's military-industrial complex</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/explainer-why-russias-nuclear-industry-has-escaped-major-sanctions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/russia-lied-about-biological-laboratories.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:30:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/russia-lied-about-biological-laboratories.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/f88c45eee7.jpg" alt="Russia lied about biological laboratories in Ukraine: the truth is shocking! #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9uQsPBFWppU">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/eu-indefinitely-freezes-russian-assets.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:17:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/eu-indefinitely-freezes-russian-assets.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/11d4f9d3ea.jpg" alt="EU indefinitely freezes Russian assets, moving closer to financial lifeline for Ukraine"></p><p>The European Union has agreed to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank reserves, moving the bloc a step closer to securing a financial lifeline to Kyiv as the war heads into its fourth year.</p><p>"I welcome the decision of the council on our proposal to continue the immobilization of Russian</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-indefinitely-freezes-russian-assets-moving-closer-to-financial-lifeline-for-ukraine/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/moscow-files-lawsuit-against-euroclear.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:07:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/moscow-files-lawsuit-against-euroclear.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-1238830383.jpg" alt="Moscow files lawsuit against Euroclear as Russian assets debate continues"></p>The Russian Central Bank said in a press release that it had sued Euroclear, the Belgian financial institution holding the vast majority of Europe's frozen assets, in a Moscow court on Dec. 12.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/moscow-files-lawsuit-against-euroclear-as-russian-assets-debate-continues/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/frying-russian-propaganda-dumb-fakes.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:00:15 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/frying-russian-propaganda-dumb-fakes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/5a5904379e.jpg" alt="FRYING Russian propaganda dumb fakes! Mutant LOCUSTS hit Kremlin! | Weapons with @StarskyUA ​"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4BAc3v12zc">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/zelensky-visits-kupyansk-front-says.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:10:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/zelensky-visits-kupyansk-front-says.html <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, where fighting between Ukraine’s military and Russian forces is ongoing. Zelensky <a href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/17267">announced</a> the visit on his Telegram channel.</p> <p>“Today - the Kupyansk axis, our warriors who are achieving results for Ukraine here. Many Russians have been talking about Kupyansk — we see it. I was here, I congratulated the guys. Thanks to every unit,” Zelensky said, as explosions could be heard in the background.</p> <p>He stressed that it is extremely important to achieve results at the front now so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy.</p> <p>“That’s exactly how it works: all our strong positions inside the country are strong positions in the conversation about ending the war. Thank you to every warrior! I am proud of you! Thank you to all our Ground Forces - today is your day. Thank you, guys,” the President added.</p> <p>Earlier Friday, Ukraine’s army reported gains in the battles for Kupyansk and its outskirts. More than 200 Russian troops have been encircled in the city.</p> <p>In October, Putin claimed Russian forces had taken control of two-thirds of Kupyansk. And in November, Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, reported to Putin that Kupyansk had already been “liberated.”</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/zelensky-visits-kupyansk-front-says-battlefield-gains-will-bolster-diplomacy">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukraine-clears-northwest-kupyansk-as.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:08:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukraine-clears-northwest-kupyansk-as.html <p>Ukrainian Forces have cleared Russian units from the northwestern part of Kupyansk and the city’s northern outskirts, analysts said, adding that a special operation freed 40.21 square kilometers, reported <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/22908">DeepState</a>.</p> <p>According to DeepState, there is still a small enclave in the city center where Russian forces remain. While there are not many public reports, but DeepState said it obtained corroborating footage and decided to publish the information.</p> <p>According to DeepState, the operation began by severing logistics to Russian units, with Ukrainian forces seizing or placing under fire control key lines north of the city. They then pushed Russian troops off Kupyansk’s streets and out of the village of Myrne.</p> <p>“The operation began with establishing a blocking line and cutting the enemy garrison in the city off from its main forces. The Defense Forces moved relatively swiftly to take Radkivka and Kondrashivka, and brought Holubivka under fire control,” the note said.</p> <p>On DeepState’s battle map, a blue zone of 40.21 square kilometers marks terrain cleared of Russian forces. Inside Kupyansk, three red pockets remain—0.21 sq km, 0.03 sq km, and 0.15 sq km—where Russian troops are still present.</p> <p>DeepState listed Ukrainian units it says took part in the operation: the National Guard’s Khartia Corps, with elements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the Defense Intelligence directorate (GUR), Special Operations Forces, the Security Service’s “Alpha” unit, the Interior Ministry’s KORD special unit and military law enforcement, as well as the tactical grouping “Kupyansk.”</p> <p>Ukraine’s General Staff has not yet confirmed DeepState’s account of clearing Kupyansk—as well as Holubivka, Kondrashivka and Radkivka—of Russian forces.</p> <p>Update: Around 12:30 on December 12, the Khartia Corps <a href="https://www.facebook.com/khartiiacorps/posts/pfbid0zVRr3sUAjqzcvFPk9JNPnNjWd5ux5o5gkBnjdhKgdeAvcg6KDvjYkV6vaKHYDY5hl">confirmed</a> a successful operation in Kupyansk on its Facebook page. The unit said that after the situation worsened in September, a search-and-strike group “Khartia” was formed and a plan was drawn up to push back the Russians. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi and National Guard Commander Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Pivnenko took part in planning, it said. Ukrainian fighters broke through to the Oskil River and cut logistics for Russian units on the western bank, according to the post.</p> <p>“From September 22 to December 12, 1,027 Russian servicemen were eliminated. Two hundred are encircled. Fighting in the city center continues, but the operation’s momentum shows Ukrainian soldiers are steadily liberating Kupyansk and destroying the enemy step by step,” the statement reads.</p> <p>In early September, Ukrainian troops reported a Russian attempt to break through into Kupyansk. It later emerged Russian forces used a gas pipeline to move closer to the city. Artillery and drones struck the pipeline, but several Russian units made it into the town and reached central streets.</p> <p>On November 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Russian forces had fully occupied Kupyansk. Ukrainian commanders, analysts and troops denied the claim, while acknowledging the situation was difficult.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-clears-northwest-kupyansk-as-special-operation-frees-40-sq-km">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/bank-of-russia-sues-euroclear.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/bank-of-russia-sues-euroclear.html <p>Russia’s central bank <a href="https://t.me/centralbank_russia/3177">said</a> it has filed a lawsuit against Belgian securities depository Euroclear in the Moscow Arbitration Court, citing EU proposals to use Russian state assets held at the firm.</p> <p>On Friday, December 12, the regulator called “mechanisms officially under consideration by the European Commission for the direct or indirect use of Bank of Russia assets” without its consent unlawful.</p> <p>In a statement posted on Telegram, the Bank of Russia said it has incurred losses due to its inability to manage “funds and securities belonging to the Bank of Russia” and will seek compensation.</p> <p>Russia to contest EU decisions on its frozen assets</p> <p>The same day, the Bank of Russia <a href="https://www.cbr.ru/press/pr/?file=639011259011427239TODAY.htm">warned</a> it would challenge any European Union decisions concerning the use of frozen Russian assets.</p> <p>“If the initiatives under discussion in the EU on this matter advance and are implemented in any form, the Bank of Russia reserves the right, without further notice, to move to the practical implementation of all available legal and other mechanisms to protect its interests,” the central bank’s press service said.</p> <p>Any EU announcement or implementation of measures targeting Russian funds will trigger “unconditional challenges” by the Bank of Russia “before all competent bodies available, including national courts, judicial authorities of foreign states and international organizations, arbitrations and other international judicial instances, followed by the enforcement of judicial acts on the territory of UN member states,” the Russian Central Bank added.</p> <p>The regulator said planned EU steps to use its assets held in EU financial institutions—including at Euroclear - are “illegal, contrary to international law and violative of the principles of sovereign immunity of assets.”</p> <p>A day earlier, Denmark, which currently holds the EU presidency, announced that a majority of member states had agreed to create a legal basis for using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s benefit.</p> <p>As a first step, the EU aims to impose an open-ended ban on returning Russia’s frozen funds.</p> <p>The move is intended to prevent any single EU country from using a veto to unlock Russian assets.</p> <p>Currently, the funds are frozen under EU sanctions that must be renewed unanimously every six months.</p> <p>EU backers of the plan, including Germany, are leaning on Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to make the freeze indefinite.</p> <p>That article allows measures to be adopted by qualified majority in response to serious economic difficulties.</p> <p>A draft EU legal act says Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to pose significant economic challenges, and the transfer of Russian funds should be prevented with maximum urgency to limit harm to the EU economy.</p> <p>The document is expected to be adopted before next week’s EU summit.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/bank-of-russia-sues-euroclear-in-moscow-court-over-frozen-assets">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukraines-landmark-drone-strike-on.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:00:39 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukraines-landmark-drone-strike-on.html <p>Ukraine’s latest strike on Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure was a landmark attack, military analyst Aleksey Kopytko <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aleksey.kopytko/posts/pfbid0jkRUdx1WhDWGCkTJZU6zUQ2LZurBhNkFSxrdPscrc7KnFRrDnouF3xUDDjKHvyvul">says</a>. SBU drones reached the Caspian Sea and hit Russia’s largest field there - a move that also touches Kazakhstan, which may now take a more cautious approach to joint projects with Moscow.</p> <p>Ukraine imposed sanctions against LUKOIL’s production platform at the Vladimir Filanovsky oil and gas condensate field in the Caspian Sea.</p> <p>Established by LUKOIL in 2005, the field lies in the northern part of the Caspian shelf, roughly 200 km from Astrakhan. It is the largest oil field in the Russian sector of the Caspian seabed. Initial estimates put reserves at 220 million tons of oil and 40 billion cubic meters of gas; current initial recoverable reserves are 129 million tons of oil and 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas.</p> <p>The field has been in commercial production since 2016. In 2024 it accounted for about 8% of LUKOIL’s oil output (around 6 million tons).</p> <p>At least four drones struck the site. Production has been disrupted at 20 wells served by the platform.</p> <p>With this, the SBU’s Alpha special operations unit has set another precedent. It is not the first attack in the Caspian region, but it is the first to target oil and gas infrastructure in the Caspian Sea - a highly visible and timely operation.</p> <p>Oil from the Filanovsky field is exported via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). Despite its importance to Kazakhstan, CPC is a Russia-controlled pipeline that also ships Russian crude.</p> <p>Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev said he discussed CPC with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. According to Kosherbayev, both sides reached an understanding that “the situation should remain stable.” That could mean anything.</p> <p>Against the backdrop of knocking out LUKOIL’s platform and preparing legal moves involving Rosneft’s stake, the situation is starting to look like an effort to “cleanse” the infrastructure project of Russian presence.</p> <p>Two days ago, the United States extended the authorization for transactions involving LUKOIL assets until January 17.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukraine-s-landmark-drone-strike-on-russian-caspian-oil-field-raises-stakes-for-kazakhstan-and-regional-energy-security">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukraine-worlds-deadliest-conflict-in.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:45:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukraine-worlds-deadliest-conflict-in.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2241034055-1.jpg" alt="Ukraine world’s deadliest conflict in 2025 despite US-brokered peace talks, analysis finds"></p><p>Russia’s war in Ukraine was the world’s deadliest conflict in 2025, according to a new report that tracks conflicts globally, despite U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the nearly four-year invasion.</p><p>The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) new <a href="https://acleddata.com/series/acled-conflict-index">Conflict</a></p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-worlds-deadliest-conflict-in-2025-as-intensified-fighting-becomes-new-normal-analysis-finds/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/le-monde-ukraine-agrees-to.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:00:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/le-monde-ukraine-agrees-to.html <p>Ukraine is prepared to consider creating a demilitarized zone in Donbas as part of an updated peace plan presented to the United States and European partners. The move is seen as a significant concession by Kyiv that could be key to halting the nearly four-year full-scale war.</p> <p>Le Monde <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2025/12/11/l-ukraine-est-prete-a-accepter-une-zone-demilitarisee-dans-le-donbass_6656943_3210.html">reports</a> that Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak clarified the demilitarized zone would not only involve withdrawing Ukrainian and Russian forces on both sides of the front line, but also include international monitors to enforce compliance. He noted the final parameters of the zone and the scope of weaponry to be pulled back still require legal definition.</p> <p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed on December 11 that Ukraine is “ready” for territorial concessions. According to sources, Kyiv agrees to a key element of talks with the U.S. and Russia - the creation of a demilitarized zone - endorsed by European partners as a step toward ending the nearly four-year war.</p> <p>Ukrainian officials stress that the demilitarized area could be monitored by international forces, including the United States, to prevent new acts of aggression by Russia.</p> <p>“The DMZ should cover both sides of the line of contact, and international observers must ensure strict compliance with the agreements,” Podolyak said.</p> <p>Ukrainian negotiators say the proposed format resembles the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, established in 1953. At the same time, Ukraine’s zone could potentially be significantly wider and deeper than the Korean one.</p> <p>Le Monde also says territorial concessions are a difficult decision for Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Kremlin is demanding the transfer of all non-government-controlled areas of Donbas. The president emphasized that any compromise must be “fair” and validated by the Ukrainian people through elections or a referendum.</p> <p>It is also noted that the document sent to the U.S. contains three key pillars: ending the war, building a European security architecture, and rebuilding Ukraine after the conflict. Special attention is paid to having the aggressor finance reconstruction to avoid a scenario where it benefits from the war without accountability.</p> <p>“This counterproposal aims to bring Donald Trump back to a more favorable position toward Kyiv and European capitals,” the article says.</p> <p>Recall that U.S. President Donald Trump expects the leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom and France to pressure Ukraine and Zelensky to accept a plan with territorial concessions and limits on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/le-monde-ukraine-agrees-to-pull-back-troops-and-create-a-demilitarized-zone-in-donbas">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukrainian-forces-encircle-hundreds-of.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:51:35 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukrainian-forces-encircle-hundreds-of.html <p>Ukrainian troops have carried out a successful operation along the Kupiansk axis and in the city of Kupyansk in Kharkiv region, the National Guard’s Khartiya Corps <a href="https://t.me/khartiia/3065">said</a>.</p> <p>The statement said a grouping of Ukrainian forces broke through to the Oskil River, cutting Russian supply lines. During the fighting, the villages of Kindrashivka and Radkivka and their surroundings, as well as several neighborhoods in northern Kupyansk, were liberated.</p> <p>“Kindrashivka, Radkivka and their surroundings and a number of neighborhoods in northern Kupyansk have been liberated. From September 22 to December 12, a total of 1,027 Russians were killed, 291 wounded, and 13 taken prisoner. More than 200 occupiers are encircled,” the statement said.</p> <p>Separately, the DeepState analytical project <a href="https://t.me/DeepStateUA/22908">reported</a> that the Russian garrison in Kupyansk has been blocked and cut off from its main forces. Ukraine’s Forces are continuing to identify and eliminate Russian positions in the central part of the city, where Russian troops still hold several enclaves.</p> <p>“The Defense Forces relatively swiftly took Radkivka and Kindrashivka, and brought Holubivka under fire control. After that, there was a sweep of Myrne and the northwestern outskirts of Kupyansk,” the message reads.</p> <p>DeepState’s maps show a liberated area of 40.21 square kilometers, covering the villages of Kindrashivka, Radkivka, Myrne and northern districts of Kupyansk. Much of the city and the village of Holubivka remain in the “gray zone.” The map also marks three enemy-held enclaves inside the city totaling 0.39 square kilometers.</p> <p>Earlier this month, reports pointed to a significant improvement in the tactical situation in Kupyansk. Ukrainian forces significantly cleared large parts of the city, halting attempts to isolate the local garrison and to impede the advance of Russian sabotage-reconnaissance groups.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-forces-encircle-hundreds-of-russian-troops-in-kupyansk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/sbu-says-it-detained-suspected.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:36:22 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/sbu-says-it-detained-suspected.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2025-12-12-12-00-03.jpg" alt="SBU says it detained 3 suspected Russian agents over deadly Kyiv bombing that killed National Guard serviceman"></p>Ukraine’s Security Service said Friday that it detained three men suspected of planting two homemade bombs that killed a National Guard serviceman and wounded four other people in Kyiv a day earlier.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-says-it-detained-3-suspected-russian-agents-over-deadly-kyiv-bombing/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-apartment.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:18:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-apartment.html <p>A drone hit a residential building in the western Russian city of Tver overnight on December 12, injuring seven people, including a child, according to <a href="https://meduza.io/news/2025/12/12/v-tveri-v-rezultate-ataki-bespilotnika-povrezhden-zhiloy-dom-postradali-sem-chelovek">Meduza</a>, which cited the region’s acting governor, Vitaly Korolev. Eyewitness video captured the moment of the strike.</p> <p>In Yaroslavl, Ukrainian drones targeted the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery, one of the largest in Russia’s Central Federal District, local authorities said. Footage shot from Kalinina Street appeared to show significant damage. The facility has been attacked before, most recently on October 1.</p> <p>Eyewitnesses also reported a large fire in Orsk near the Mechanical Plant machine-building facility. It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze.</p> <p>Russian officials said air defenses destroyed 90 Ukrainian drones overnight, including over the Moscow region as well as Bryansk and Yaroslavl.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Russia has continued striking residential areas and critical infrastructure across Ukraine with drones and missiles. Reuters reported that more than 650 drones and 51 missiles were launched overnight, most of which Ukraine’s air defenses shot down, though some got through, causing power outages and reducing output at nuclear and thermal power plants.</p> <p>In the Odesa region, drone strikes damaged energy facilities and warehouses, leaving several communities without electricity. Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional administration, said repair crews were working and key sites were running on generators.</p> <p>Earlier, Ukrainian authorities said Russian strikes on Pavlohrad damaged residential buildings and cut water supplies. One person was killed and several others were wounded, including a woman who suffered severe burns and was in serious condition.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-apartment-building-in-tver-injuring-seven-amid-cross-border-strikes">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukrainian-special-operations-forces-strike.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:53:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukrainian-special-operations-forces-strike.html <p>Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) say they struck the vessels “Kompozitor Rakhmaninov” and “Askar-Sarydzha” in the Caspian Sea, after receiving detailed route and cargo information from members of the insurgent movement “Black Spark.”</p> <p>“A Special Operations Forces unit, working with the ‘Black Spark’ insurgent movement, carried out a special operation that hit two Russian vessels near the shores of the Republic of Kalmykia in the Caspian Sea. The ships were transporting weapons and military equipment,” the SSO <a href="https://t.me/ukr_sof/2310">said</a>.</p> <p>The insurgents provided Ukraine’s forces with detailed data on the route and cargo of the vessels “Kompozitor Rakhmaninov” and “Askar-Sarydzha.” The military said Russia uses them for military purposes, including moving military cargo between Iran and Russia. The ships are under U.S. sanctions.</p> <p>“The Special Operations Forces continue to take asymmetric actions to degrade the offensive capabilities of the Russian army,” the SOF added.</p> <p>The “Black Spark” movement’s press service also <a href="https://t.me/chernayaiskra2/84">confirmed</a> the operation in the Caspian Sea.</p> <p>“A unique result - two Russian vessels that the regime uses to deliver military cargo were damaged in the Caspian Sea. Near the coast of the Republic of Kalmykia, the ships ‘Askar-Sarydzha’ and ‘Kompozitor Rakhmaninov,’ carrying weapons and equipment, were attacked,” it said.</p> <p>The insurgents described the consequences of the strike as “very serious.”</p> <p>On December 11, media reported that the SBU’s “Alpha” special operations center struck the Filanovsky oil platform in the Caspian Sea, owned by the Russian company Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft. The drone attack halted oil and gas production from more than 20 wells.</p> <p>Earlier, on December 1, reports said the “Dagdiesel” shipbuilding plant in Kaspiysk was hit. To reach the target, the drones traveled 600 kilometers over Russian territory and flew over urban areas.</p><p><a href="https://www.uawire.org/ukrainian-special-operations-forces-strike-russian-ships-transporting-iranian-weapons-in-the-caspian-sea">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/false-a-satellite-image-of.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:57:21 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/false-a-satellite-image-of.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p>Verification within Meta’s Third-Party Fact-Checking Program</p> </div> <p><span>Russian Telegram channels are </span><a href="https://t.me/NSDVKharkove/44875"><span>spreading</span></a><span> what they claim to be a satellite image of Ukraine during a blackout in 2025, showing the country completely in darkness. The photo was allegedly published by journalists in response to a statement by MP Oleksii Kucherenko: “</span><i><span>There are no blackouts in Ukraine. Claims that the country is in blackouts are speculation</span></i><span>.”</span></p> <p><b>However, this is not true. This photo was taken in 2022, not in 2025. Oleksii Kucherenko did not deny the difficult state of the energy system, but merely explained the difference between blackouts and stabilization outages.</b><span> </span><span> <img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/znimok-ukrayiny-1.jpg" alt="" width="501" height="768" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191465"></span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Screenshot of the </span><a href="https://t.me/NSDVKharkove/44875"><span>post</span></a><span> </span></p> </div> <p><span>On his Facebook page, MP Oleksii Kucherenko indeed </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kucherenko2021/posts/pfbid0BGkxksBqDoPpbpa4Dmq92Vg4yCajRdz1CgWLjgKwKmYh4rBBwqiTwv6fj2MmK684l"><span>commented</span></a><span> on manipulations surrounding Ukraine’s energy system. In his post, he noted that the November 2025 electricity outages were not blackouts but planned or emergency restrictions caused by damage to energy facilities and a shortage of generation capacity. Instead, he gave the following definition of a blackout: “</span><i><span>an emergency, spontaneous, and uncontrolled collapse of the energy system into ‘islands.’</span></i><span>” The MP emphasized that so far, a blackout has occurred only once — on November 23, 2022.</span><span> </span><span> <img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/znimok-ukrayiny-2.png" alt="" width="501" height="236" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191466"></span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Screenshot of the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kucherenko2021/posts/pfbid0BGkxksBqDoPpbpa4Dmq92Vg4yCajRdz1CgWLjgKwKmYh4rBBwqiTwv6fj2MmK684l"><span>post</span></a><span> </span><span> </span></p> </div> <p><span>Using reverse image search on Google, we found that no Ukrainian media outlet published this satellite image in response to Kucherenko’s statement.</span></p> <p><span>This </span><a href="https://www.stern.de/panorama/video-ukraine-ist-dunkel-32949680.html"><span>image</span></a><span> was taken using the </span><a href="https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/?v=9.347625662641917,40.92355244321177,47.054740642219215,57.98504001535124&l=Reference_Labels_15m(hidden),Reference_Features_15m(hidden),Coastlines_15m,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_At_Sensor_Radiance,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_AtSensor_M15(hidden),VIIRS_SNPP_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden)&lg=true&t=2022-11-23-T00%3A00%3A00Z"><span>NASA Worldview</span></a><span> service on the night of November 23–24, 2022, during a blackout caused by a nighttime massive </span><a href="https://suspilne.media/323256-masovi-vidklucenna-svitla-vidsutnist-vodi-naslidki-cergovogo-raketnogo-udaru-rosii-po-ukraini/"><span>shelling</span></a><span> by the Russian Federation. At that time, CHP plants, TPPs, and electrical substations in Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Vinnytsia Oblast, Lviv Oblast, and Zaporizhzhia Oblast were damaged.</span><span> <img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/znimok-ukrayiny-3.webp" alt="" width="699" height="466" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191467"></span></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Satellite </span><a href="https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/?v=9.347625662641917,40.92355244321177,47.054740642219215,57.98504001535124&l=Reference_Labels_15m(hidden),Reference_Features_15m(hidden),Coastlines_15m,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_At_Sensor_Radiance,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_AtSensor_M15(hidden),VIIRS_SNPP_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden)&lg=true&t=2022-11-23-T00%3A00%3A00Z"><span>image</span></a><span> of the blackout in Ukraine on the night of November 23–24, 2022. Source: NASA Worldview</span></p> </div> <div data-sanitized-class="reference"> <p><a href="https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/?v=0.631844708743273,35.34084396738185,58.128578413084014,61.35661865782249&l=Reference_Labels_15m(hidden),Reference_Features_15m(hidden),Coastlines_15m,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_At_Sensor_Radiance,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_AtSensor_M15(hidden),VIIRS_SNPP_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden)&lg=true&tr=black_marble_night_lights&t=2025-11-15-T19%3A52%3A07Z"><span>NASA Worldview</span></a><span> is an online system that allows users to quickly view satellite images of Earth. It allows users to enable various layers — daytime, nighttime, infrared, cloud cover, fires — to track weather, nighttime lighting, and blackout areas in real time and using archival data.</span></p> </div> <p><span>We compared satellite images from the night of</span><a href="https://archive.ph/Jc5Mg"><span> November 23–24, 2022</span></a><span>, and </span><a href="https://archive.ph/2025.12.09-081631/https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/?v=12.062287745879487,34.66719683113729,50.13096906674315,63.21870782178503&l=Reference_Labels_15m(hidden),Reference_Features_15m(hidden),Coastlines_15m,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_At_Sensor_Radiance,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_AtSensor_M15(hidden),VIIRS_SNPP_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden)&lg=true&t=2025-11-15-T00:00:00Z"><span>November 14–15, 2025</span></a><span>. It is noticeable that on the night of November 15, 2025, when hourly outage schedules were in effect, there were more illuminated areas across Ukraine than during the 2022 blackout.</span><span> </span><span> <img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/znimok-ukrayiny-4.png" alt="" width="700" height="342" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191468"></span></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/znimok-ukrayiny-5.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="446" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191469"></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Top — a NASA Worldview </span><a href="https://archive.ph/Jc5Mg"><span>image</span></a><span> from the night of November 23–24, 2022; bottom — a NASA Worldview </span><a href="https://archive.ph/2025.12.09-081631/https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/?v=12.062287745879487,34.66719683113729,50.13096906674315,63.21870782178503&l=Reference_Labels_15m(hidden),Reference_Features_15m(hidden),Coastlines_15m,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_At_Sensor_Radiance,VIIRS_SNPP_DayNightBand_AtSensor_M15(hidden),VIIRS_SNPP_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden)&lg=true&t=2025-11-15-T00:00:00Z"><span>image</span></a><span> from the night of November 14–15, 2025</span></p> </div> <p><span>In addition, these images may not reflect the actual situation with electricity — they may have been taken during curfew hours, when street lighting is significantly </span><a href="https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npas/pitannya-zaprovadzhennya-ta-zdijsnennya-deyakih-zahodiv-pravovogo-rezhimu-voyennogo-stanu-573-080720"><span>restricted</span></a><span>, even without outage schedules. During martial law, light masking is applied to conceal populated areas and infrastructure from observation in the dark hours of the day.</span></p><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/false-a-satellite-image-of-ukraine-during-blackouts-in-2025">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukrainian.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:51:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukraine-war-latest-live-ukrainian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2233267485.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: Ukrainian forces encircle Russian troops in Kupiansk, recapture key areas, DeepState reported"></p>Ukrainian Defense Forces have encircled Russian troops in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, and cleared its northwestern outskirts, the open-source intelligence group DeepState reported on Dec. 12.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-12-12/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/whole-world-must-see-it.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:32:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/whole-world-must-see-it.html <p><img width="2360" height="1437" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dsc08368-2-1.jpg" alt="" decoding="async" data-sanitized-class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image"></p> <p><strong>UKRAINE, KHARKIV</strong> <em>— </em>“When I got mad at him, he was upset at first, but then he came up to me and said, ‘Do you love me?’ I told him, ‘I love and adore you.’ And he asked me, ‘Which is stronger — loving or adoring?’” </p> <p>Tetiana Matiash-Myrna is talking about her son. They had never been upset at each other for too long – always made up quickly after arguments. “We had a special connection,” Tatiana said and started crying.  11-year-old Mark died after the Russian attack on Kharkiv on Oct. 30, 2024.</p> <p>On that day, the Russians <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/rescue-operation-after-russian-bombardment-of-kharkiv-is-over-attack-killed-3-including-2-children-injured-36-photos/" data-wpel-link="internal">hit</a> an apartment building in the Saltivskyi district with a glide bomb. Tetiana’s family lived on the fourth floor. It has completely collapsed. The woman was seriously injured and went through over 10 surgeries. </p> <p>Mark died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.</p> <p>A year passed. Tetiana was recovering from her injuries in Latvia. She <a href="https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/skaties/ieraksts/ltv/367269/engelu-iesaukums-ltv-dokumentala-filma?utm_source=new&utm_medium=front&utm_campaign=replay&brid=up0L2FnkNbdfXmLH7x4LuA" data-wpel-link="external">shared</a> her pain with Latvian journalists and decided that the whole world should know about the tragedies of Ukrainian parents. She initiated the project “Angels of Kharkiv region.”  With the support of the local Prosecutor’s Office and Human Rights Protection Group, the exhibition that shows photos of children who died in Russian attacks on Kharkiv and Kharkiv oblast opened on Dec. 3, 2025. Gwara Media’s journalists attended it. </p> <p>“Russia kills children. The whole world must see it. It is not politics. Not a statistic. These are children who went to school, dreamed, drew, enjoyed their lives, but their lives were taken away,” said Tatiana during her opening speech.</p> <p>The event started with a moment of silence. There were a lot of people. Relatives of killed children, representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Kharkiv police, Ukraine’s ombudsman, and activists. Some visitors brought flowers and toys.</p> <p>One of the organizers read a letter from Tatiana Tarasenko, the mother of Anton, the first child Russia killed in the Kharkiv oblast. He <a href="https://chuguiv-gromada.gov.ua/anton-tarasenko-mrii-obirvani-viynoiu/" data-wpel-link="external">died</a> on Feb. 24, day one of the full-scale invasion, during a Russian missile attack on Chuhuiv, a city southeast of Kharkiv.</p> <p>“Today, I speak not only on my own name, but on behalf of all parents who have lost their children in this terrible war. This is the place where we honor their memory. And they continue to watch over us, but now only from photos,” Tetiana wrote in her letter.</p> <p>According to the local prosecutor’s office, Russia has killed 105 more children in the Kharkiv region since the day Anton died. The youngest was two months old.</p> <p>Amil Omarov, head prosecutor in Kharkiv oblast, showed a photo of one of the oldest children. Russia <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-attacks-5-settlements-in-kharkiv-oblast-killing-child-injuring-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">killed</a> 17-year-old Karyna Bakhur, a master of sports and Ukrainian champion in kickboxing and Cossack fighting, on Nov. 18 during an attack on Berestyn.</p> <p>A total of 36 photographs covered the walls — submitted by 36 parents who agreed to participate in the exhibition and show “what Russia is doing to the Ukrainian people,” said Yevhen Zakharov, director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group.</p> <p>A woman came up to the stand, ran her hand over it, and started crying. The photo showed seven-year-old Oleksii, almost four-year-old Mykhailo, and 10-month-old Pavlo — three brothers who <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russian-drone-attack-caused-massive-fire-in-kharkiv-killing-seven/" data-wpel-link="internal">died</a> along with their parents during Russia’s night attack on Kharkiv on Feb. 9, 2024. “The family was killed in their own home, engulfed in flames,” was written on the stand.</p> <p>The woman’s name is Tetiana Putiatina. That night, she lost her son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.</p> <p>“Here’s the photo. I took it. They were in my room,” Tetiana’s voice trembled as she was pointing at the picture of three boys. She paused; wiped away her tears. She lived with her children and grandchildren in that house that burned down. Her son and his wife had planned to build a separate house for their eldest son.</p> <p>“Oleksii would always come up to me and say, ‘Grandma, I’m not going anywhere without you.’ But he left,” Tatiana started to cry again, “They all left.” </p> <p>Near the exit, there was a small “memorial table” where everyone could write down names that should not be forgotten. All the blank sheets lying there were filled with inscriptions by the end of the event. </p> <p>Tetiana Matiash-Myrna also wrote the name of her son, Mark, “I want the whole world to see our tragedy.”</p> <p>In February, on the anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion, the organizers plan to take the exhibition to Europe. In Kharkiv, the exhibition will be open till Dec. 25.</p> <h3 data-sanitized-class="wp-block-heading">Read more</h3> <ul data-sanitized-class="wp-block-list"> <li>Russian troops bomb kindergartens. Here’s <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/russia-even-attacks-kindergartens-how-do-ukrainian-children-go-through-it/" data-wpel-link="internal">how mother helps</a> her son restore sense of safety in Kharkiv</li> </ul> <p data-sanitized-class="has-background">Hello! This is Elsa, the author of this article. Tetiana Matiash-Myrna, the mother of the killed Mark, told me that her future had been taken away and now the meaning of her life is to shout about her pain to the whole world.</p> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/whole-world-must-see-it-exhibition-in-memory-of-children-russia-killed-opens-in-kharkiv/" data-wpel-link="internal">“Whole world must see it.” Exhibition in memory of children Russia killed opens in Kharkiv</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/" data-wpel-link="internal">Gwara Media</a>.</p><p><a href="https://gwaramedia.com/en/whole-world-must-see-it-exhibition-in-memory-of-children-russia-killed-opens-in-kharkiv/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/peace-plan-drama-ukraine-and.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:57:53 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/peace-plan-drama-ukraine-and.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/6958fd3201.jpg" alt="Peace plan drama — Ukraine and Europe hand US revisions as Trump grows 'sick of meetings'"></p><p>Ukraine and its European partners have handed Washington their revisions to the U.S.-proposed peace framework aimed at ending Russia's war, the Kyiv Independent has learned.</p><p>The move comes amid growing U.S. pressure to advance negotiations and fresh accusations from U.S. President <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/donald-trump/">Donald Trump</a> that</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-and-europe-hand-us-revisions-as-trump-grows-sick-of-meetings/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/russias-air-defenses-have-a.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:35:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/russias-air-defenses-have-a.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/9cf15960eb.jpg" alt="Russia’s air defenses have a Flamingo-sized weak spot, report suggests"></p><p>Ukraine's domestically produced cruise missiles could help deal a devastating blow to Russia's air defense production, enabling increasingly effective long-range drone strikes against other targets inside Russia, a new report published on Dec. 12 says.</p><p>The report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and titled</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/how-ukraines-flamingo-missiles-could-help-cripple-russias-air-defense-production/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/germany-blames-russia-for-cyberattack.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/germany-blames-russia-for-cyberattack.html <p>Germany accused Russia on December 12, 2025, of a cyberattack on air traffic control and election interference ahead of its general election.</p> <p>Category: Cyber &amp; Information Warfare</p> <p>Subcategory: Cyber Attacks</p> <p>Incident Type: Attacks on critical infrastructure (energy, transport, hospitals)</p> <p>Country: Germany</p> <p>Source report: <a href="https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/12/12/germany-blames-russia-for-cyberattack-on-air-safety-election-interference-a91420">www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/12/1&hellip;</a><p><a href="https://hwt.lv/events/14691e41-6e3e-477a-a82e-f6ba415111d7">Source</a></p></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/ukrainians-are-suing-us-tech.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:41:25 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/ukrainians-are-suing-us-tech.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/dsc01919-3.jpg" alt="15 Ukrainians are suing US tech factories over chips in Russia's deadly weapons"></p><p>It was a regular workday when the air raid alarm sounded at Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital at 11 a.m. on a Monday in Kyiv. Dr. Olga Babicheva and her colleagues moved their young patients to a room with no windows to better protect them. Six children were still</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/15-ukrainians-are-suing-us-tech-factories-over-chips-in-russias-deadly-weapons/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/europe-must-prepare-for-war.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:15:37 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/europe-must-prepare-for-war.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250589463.jpg" alt="Europe must prepare for war with Russia, NATO chief warns"></p>"We must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/europe-must-prepare-for-war-with-russia-nato-chief-warns/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/drone-attack-reportedly-hits-one.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:43:44 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/drone-attack-reportedly-hits-one.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-12-at-9-36-35-am.png" alt="Drone attack reportedly hits one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in Yaroslavl, setting it on fire"></p><p><em>Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.</em></p><p>Russia’s Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl, one of the country’s five largest, is reportedly on fire after being struck in an overnight drone attack on Dec. 12, officials and local Telegram channels said.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/yaroslavl-oil-refinery-in-russia-damaged-in-overnight-drone-attack-reportedly-on-fire/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/russian-attack-on-odesa-damages.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 07:14:01 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/russian-attack-on-odesa-damages.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/odesa-dec-12.jpg" alt="Russian attack on Odesa damages critical infrastructure, leaves parts of the city without power and water"></p>A Russian airstrike on Odesa on Dec. 12 damaged infrastructure and left parts of the city without electricity and water, the head of the Odesa Military Administration, Serhiy Lysak, reported.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attack-on-odesa-damages-critical-infrastructure-leaves-parts-of-the-city-without-power-and-water/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/drone-reportedly-hits-apartment-building.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 04:37:41 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/drone-reportedly-hits-apartment-building.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/tver.jpg" alt="Drone reportedly hits apartment building in Russia's Tver, officials say 7 injured"></p>A drone explosion damaged the lower floors of a residential building in the Russian city of Tver on Dec. 12, injuring at least seven people, according to regional officials and local Telegram channels.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/drone-reportedly-hits-apartment-building-in-russias-tver-officials-say-7-injured/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/trump-extremely-frustrated-with-russia.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:13:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/trump-extremely-frustrated-with-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2250706324.jpg" alt="Trump 'extremely frustrated' with Russia, Ukraine amid slow peace progress, White House says"></p>U.S. President Donald Trump is "extremely frustrated" with both Russia and Ukraine amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Dec. 11 press briefing, as the United States weighs whether to join Ukraine and European partners for talks this weekend.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trump-extremely-frustrated-with-russia-ukraine-amid-slow-peace-progress/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/russia-lies-about-the-surrounding.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 23:30:06 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/russia-lies-about-the-surrounding.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/b8c2414518.jpg" alt="Russia lies about the surrounding of Pokrovsk – the truth from the defenders #shorts"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Kr5vePL2xU4">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/12/briton-shaun-pinner-on-the.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 23:00:27 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/12/briton-shaun-pinner-on-the.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/cc4b835df8.jpg" alt="Briton Shaun Pinner on the SIEGE OF MARIUPOL and SURVIVAL in Russian captivity!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu913s6gNqk">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/poland-detains-russian-archaeologist-accused.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:11:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/poland-detains-russian-archaeologist-accused.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-477426881.jpg" alt="Poland detains Russian archaeologist accused of damaging cultural sites in occupied Crimea"></p>Polish authorities have detained Alexander Butyagin, a Russian archaeologist accused of causing extensive damage to historical sites in occupied Crimea, at the request of Ukraine's prosecutor general, Polish media reported Dec. 11.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/poland-detains-russian-archaeologist-accused-of-damaging-crimean-cultural-sites/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/russian-losses-in-a-day.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:00:19 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/russian-losses-in-a-day.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/44a23754c1.jpg" alt="🔥 1,460 Russian losses in a day! Ukrainian army destroys sabotage group in Donetsk forests!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEpUxLT3A8Q">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/mirage-of-energy-sanctions-against.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:16:02 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/mirage-of-energy-sanctions-against.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/7a6a57887b.jpg" alt="Mirage of energy sanctions against Russia"></p><p><em>About the author: Edward C. Chow is a non-resident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.</em></p><p>Economic sanctions, by themselves, have never stopped wars once they started.</p><p>Otherwise, the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/united-states/">United States</a> did not have to use military force in 1991 to evict Saddam</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/mirage-of-energy-sanctions-against-russia/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/europes-dilemma-supporting-trumps-ukraine.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:48:18 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/europes-dilemma-supporting-trumps-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/3515b18aef.jpg" alt="Europe's dilemma: Supporting Trump's Ukraine peace plan while hoping he walks away"></p><p>U.S. policy choices are forcing Europe into a strategic moment it long tried to avoid.</p><p>As Washington sidelines allies,<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-new-security-doctrine-gives-putin-exactly-what-he-wants/"> rewrites</a> its National Security Strategy, and negotiates peace proposals for<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine/"> Ukraine</a>, the foundations of the continent's security are shaking.</p><p>For many in European capitals, the realization is sinking</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/europes-dilemma-supporting-trumps-ukraine-peace-plan-while-hoping-he-walks-away/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/europes-drive-to-bolster-ukraine.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:05:20 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/europes-drive-to-bolster-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2245049731.jpg" alt="Europe's drive to bolster Ukraine faces two obstacles — Trump and Orban"></p><p>As the U.S. ramps up pressure on Ukraine to accept a swift and potentially painful peace deal with Moscow, European allies seek to reassure Kyiv it is not alone.</p><p>For the EU, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine/">Ukraine</a> is not merely a strategic partner standing between the bloc and <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russia/">Russian</a> armies — it is</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/eu-ukraine-us-hungary/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/elections-or-referendum-zelensky-affirms.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:48:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/elections-or-referendum-zelensky-affirms.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2214281088.jpg" alt="'Elections or referendum' — Zelensky affirms Ukrainians will decide territorial concessions"></p>"The Russians want the whole of Donbas — we don't accept that," President Volodymyr Zelensky said. "I believe that the Ukrainian people will answer this question," he added.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/elections-or-referendum-zelensky-affirms-ukrainians-will-decide-territorial-concessions/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/analysis-new-data-suggests-russia.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:06:23 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/analysis-new-data-suggests-russia.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe2fd762a-a.png" alt="Analysis: New Data Suggests Russia Is Sustaining Mi-8 Output Despite Wartime Losses"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fe2fd762a-a.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/8f0243efe9.png" width="1456" height="857" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e2fd762a-a857-45d5-89db-769771d3397f_1914x1127.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":857,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":1228568,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1807630...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/180763077?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe2fd762a-a857-45d5-89db-769771d3397f_1914x1127.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Ongoing debates about Russia’s economic outlook, defense spending, production capacity and security posture often lean on speculation because reliable data is limited. Last month, our team released new information on Russia’s tank <a href="https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/exclusive-inside-russias-20262036">production</a> plans. It helped clarify part of the picture, but only one part. Today we add another, with fresh data on Mi-8 helicopter production for military use, giving a clearer view of Russia’s industrial output and its broader effort to rebuild its forces.<br><br>Since the Mi-8 program began in the Soviet era, over 12,000 Mi-8 helicopters of various modifications, including export variants, have been <a href="https://www.kr-media.ru/news/vertoletostroenie/kazanskiy-vertoletnyy-zavod-vypustil-7500-y-vertolet-semeystva-mi-8-17/">produced</a>. The Mi-8 is built at two Russian facilities: the Kazan Helicopter Plant and the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, both part of the state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec. The number of operational Mi-8s in service with the Russian Air Force is estimated at roughly 300. However, the overall total is higher, as other militarized agencies, including the FSB, the FSB Border Service, the National Guard and several federal ministries, also operate Mi-8 variants.<br></p><h4>Table of Contents</h4><p><em>Introduction</em></p><p>I. Role of the Mi-8</p><p>II. Production Figures</p><p>III. State of the Mi-8 Fleet</p><p>IV. Conclusions</p><p><em>Sources</em><br></p><h3>I. Role of the Mi-8</h3><p>The Mi-8 is a family of multirole helicopter used across both military and civilian sectors. In military service, its roles range from transport and medical evacuation to reconnaissance, attack missions, airborne workshop or hospital, electronic warfare and counter-drone missions.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!4Ixm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1cf57217-d9c3-4f84-a741-1832f4f74a73_1200x917.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f1cf57217-d.png" width="1200" height="917" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1cf57217-d9c3-4f84-a741-1832f4f74a73_1200x917.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":917,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":294996,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1807630...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/180763077?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1cf57217-d9c3-4f84-a741-1832f4f74a73_1200x917.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The specific Mi-8MTV-5-1 at the center of this investigation is a military transport variant of the Mi-8/17 family. It can be configured for cargo missions, troop transport for up to 36 personnel, and direct attack roles. The helicopter is capable of carrying and deploying unguided rockets, providing fire support missions and aerial bombs with 100, 250 or 500 kilogram payloads.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!2Bya!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F190a3c7d-9521-49ac-a14e-cfb06449e2ff_646x652.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f190a3c7d-9.png" width="646" height="652" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/190a3c7d-9521-49ac-a14e-cfb06449e2ff_646x652.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":652,"width":646,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":105419,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1807630...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/180763077?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F190a3c7d-9521-49ac-a14e-cfb06449e2ff_646x652.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Mi-8 firing unguided rockets using indirect fire. Screenshot from the video</figcaption></figure></div><p>When it comes to the use of Mi-8 helicopters in Ukraine, their roles have shifted throughout the war. In the opening phase, they delivered troops in air assault operations, including the battles for Kyiv and Hostomel. After heavy losses in the first weeks, this frontline role was largely dropped, and their use for medical evacuation also decreased. Mi-8s have continued to appear in search and rescue missions, often deployed to retrieve crews after Russian aircraft were downed.</p><p>Eventually, Mi-8s, like other helicopters such as the Ka-52, Mi-24 and Mi-28, began operating in an indirect-fire role. In this mode, the helicopter fires at an upward angle so the rockets follow a parabolic trajectory, similar to MLRS fire, allowing the aircraft to strike from a safer distance.</p><p>Starting in 2024, and even more actively in 2025, Russia has been using Mi-8 helicopters to counter aerial drones and unmanned surface vessels.</p><h3>II. Production Figures</h3><p>Mi-8 helicopters are built at two main factories, one in Kazan and one in Ulan-Ude. Procurement files obtained by our team show that the Russian company <strong>Aviafarm</strong> submitted at least two requests for parts it needed to complete contracts from helicopter plants. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!bQ1C!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc6198f3c-5943-4e35-b9ee-fdd0d9cfe287_737x1074.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc6198f3c-5.png" width="737" height="1074" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c6198f3c-5943-4e35-b9ee-fdd0d9cfe287_737x1074.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1074,"width":737,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":581920,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1807630...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/180763077?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc6198f3c-5943-4e35-b9ee-fdd0d9cfe287_737x1074.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>A leaked document shows Aviafarm asking another company, ZOMZ (Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant), to supply a part under a codename BSH2.820.159TU (БШ2.820.159ТУ). The request states that 20 units are needed to fulfill orders from the Kazan Helicopter Plant and another 20 for the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, for a total of 40 parts.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!wVJF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc63df9a9-bfe5-47d8-bc5b-2a706d4db2cd_1912x1026.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc63df9a9-b.png" width="1912" height="1026" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c63df9a9-bfe5-47d8-bc5b-2a706d4db2cd_1912x1026.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1026,"width":1912,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":2205506,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1807630...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/180763077?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa03d28e2-b744-43e5-83b6-f71709471986_1912x1026.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Left to right: Procurement request, IS-264A-2 product description, IS-264 role in the Mi-8 according to the manual.</figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>BSH2.820.159TU</strong>, according to the contract, is the internal code for the IS-264A resistance thermometer. Based on technical manuals for Mi-8 variants, 2 of these thermometers are installed per helicopter. This suggests that 2 units likely corresponds to one Mi-8 airframe in production.<br><br>Since the request was made in April 2025 with 40 parts due for delivery by the second quarter to meet that year’s order, Russia’s approximate annual Mi-8 output can be estimated at about 20 units, equally split between the Ulan-Ude and Kazan plants.<br><br>Notably, these figures refer only to Mi-8 helicopters built for the Defense Ministry, not those supplied to emergency services or other federal agencies. This suggests overall production capacity is likely higher, unless all available output is allocated exclusively to military orders.<br><br>While we do not have data on MoD contracts for 2024, we do know that according to Rostec, in 2024, State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK) was<a href="https://rostec.ru/en/media/news/rostec-has-supplied-14-new-helicopters-to-russian-airlines/"> supplied</a> with 40 Mi-8MTV-1 utility helicopters. If GTLK received 40 helicopters in 2024 alone, we can conclude that Russian helicopter plants are capable of producing AT Least 40 helicopters annually, with the total number actually likely be higher. <br> </p><h3><strong>III. The State of the Mi-8 Fleet</strong></h3><p>Since the beginning of war, Russia has lost as destroyed or damaged 48 Mi-8 helicopters and 6 Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopters, totaling about 54 Mi-8 helicopters in a course of 45 months. </p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!d62Y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fef9fa925-8808-4ec3-ad46-f0c16517f837_1861x1026.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fef9fa925-8.png" width="1456" height="803" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ef9fa925-8808-4ec3-ad46-f0c16517f837_1861x1026.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":803,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":795495,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":"[frontelligence.substack.com/i/1807630...](https://frontelligence.substack.com/i/180763077?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fef9fa925-8808-4ec3-ad46-f0c16517f837_1861x1026.png)","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption">Screenshot from a video showing a Ukrainian drone strike on Russian Mi-8 helicopters in Crimea, September 2025. Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, “Prymary” unit.</figcaption></figure></div><p>This is not the full picture. Airframe fatigue, undocumented incidents inside Russia and helicopters nearing the end of their service life, which require retirement or major overhauls, also contribute to the overall attrition.</p><p>Even after accounting for those factors, the numbers still suggest that losses have been fully replaced, with a possible net increase. Taking the confirmed 54 losses and, for illustration, adding 20 percent to cover unknown incidents and wear from overuse produces roughly 65 total losses. Over two years, 2024 and 2025, even a conservative output of 20 helicopters a year would cover over half of losses sustained during the war</p><p>This estimate is not definitive, since production figures for 2022 and 2023 are unclear. Still, even if Russia produced Mi-8s for the Defense Ministry only in 2025, that single year would cover for roughly 37% percent of all wartime losses.<br></p><h4>IV. Conclusions:</h4><p><br>While this investigation focuses on Mi-8 production, our team is trying to piece together a broader picture, namely what Russia’s military could look like over the next two to five years. Based on earlier findings, including tank output and the latest Mi-8 data, an early pattern is emerging: Russia’s defense industry is unlikely to ease its pace even if a peace agreement is reached. The main takeaways are:</p><ul><li><p>Russia’s Defense Ministry appears to be targeting high output levels, potentially enough to replace a full year’s wartime helicopter losses in a single production cycle.</p></li><li><p>The armed forces continue to modernize. Older tanks and early Mi-8 variants are being replaced by newer models, and with Soviet-era reserves dwindling, Russia is refilling its inventory with fresh equipment.</p></li><li><p>Mi-8 helicopters have limited battlefield impact due to dense air defenses, yet Moscow still dedicates substantial resources to their production.</p></li></ul><p>Overall, current evidence indicates Russia is unlikely to slow defense manufacturing in 2026, even if diplomatic negotiations advance.<br><br><em><strong>The original files are available at the link provided at the end of this article for our paid subscribers</strong></em></p><h4>Sources</h4><p><br>1. Frontelligence Insight. (2025, October 11). Exclusive: Inside Russia’s 2026–2036 tank fleet modernization and buildup plans. Frontelligence.<br>2. https://www.kr-media.ru/news/vertoletostroenie/kazanskiy-vertoletnyy-zavod-vypustil-7500-y-vertolet-semeystva-mi-8-17/<br>3. Книга 1 Летная эксплуатация. Вертолет Ми-8МТВ-5-1<br>4. Приложение к свидетельству № 46106. (2012). ГЦИ СИ ФБУ ГМЦ Минобороны России.<br>5. Rostec. (2025, January 20). <em>Rostec has supplied 14 new helicopters to Russian airlines</em>. Rostec. <a href="https://rostec.ru/en/media/news/rostec-has-supplied-14-new-helicopters-to-russian-airlines/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">https://rostec.ru/en/media/news/rostec-has-supplied-14-new-helicopters-to-russian-airlines/</a><br>6. Janovsky, J., Naalsio, A., Aloha, D., Dan, Kemal & Black, A. (2022, February 24). <em>Attack on Europe: Documenting Russian equipment losses during the Russian invasion of Ukraine</em>. Oryx. <a href="https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-equipment.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-equipment.html</a><br></p> <p> <a href="https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/analysis-new-data-suggests-russia"> Read more </a> </p><p><a href="https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/analysis-new-data-suggests-russia">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/nato-finally-gathered-courage-to.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:00:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/nato-finally-gathered-courage-to.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/473985f7c1.jpg" alt="NATO finally gathered courage to SEND FIGHTER JETS IN POLAND as Putin plays game called &quot;peace&quot;"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlqcia_Egok">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/false-portugal-is-deporting-ukrainian.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:23:04 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/false-portugal-is-deporting-ukrainian.html <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-lead"> <p>Verification within Meta’s Third-Party Fact-Checking Program</p> </div> <p><span>Users, referring to an article by the Polish outlet Wiadomosci, are </span><a href="https://t.me/dillfrash/48748"><span>spreading</span></a><span> information claiming that Portugal is deporting 60,000 Ukrainians after the repeal of special laws for refugees.</span></p> <p><b>However, this is not true. Portugal will not deport all refugees who arrived in the country after February 24, 2022, but will check whether they have grounds to remain under temporary protection.</b><span> </span><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2026/portugaliya-deportuye.png" alt="" width="501" height="751" data-sanitized-class="aligncenter wp-image-191384"></p> <div data-sanitized-class="single-post-footnote"> <p><span>Screenshot of the </span><a href="https://t.me/dillfrash/48748"><span>post</span></a><span> </span></p> </div> <p><span>On November 11, Wiadomosci </span><a href="https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/ukraincy-traca-czasowa-ochrone-w-portugalii-otrzymuja-wezwania-7220605578509248a"><span>published</span></a><span> a piece titled “</span><i><span>Ukrainians are losing ‘temporary protection’ in Portugal. They are receiving summonses</span></i><span>.” However, it did not state that Portugal was going to deport 60,000 Ukrainian refugees. The outlet reported that Ukrainians and refugees of other nationalities who left Ukraine after the start of the full-scale invasion would need to provide additional information and clarify their residence status in Portugal; otherwise, they could indeed be </span><a href="https://pt.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/11/06/aima-quer-visto-em-vez-de-protecao-temporaria-para-alunos-estrangeiros-deslocados-da-ucran"><span>deported</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p><span>At the Portuguese Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), officials </span><a href="https://pt.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/11/06/aima-quer-visto-em-vez-de-protecao-temporaria-para-alunos-estrangeiros-deslocados-da-ucran"><span>explained</span></a><span> that they are reviewing temporary protection permits granted to everyone who arrived in Portugal from Ukraine after February 2022. This concerns 65,000 people: 60,000 Ukrainians and 5,000 refugees of other nationalities. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, those seeking shelter were granted temporary protection in Portugal without proper document checks. </span><b>Now, the country’s authorities want to verify whether the documents provided by refugees meet the requirements for obtaining protection.</b></p> <p><span>At the same time, students who wish to continue studying in Portugal will be able to </span><a href="https://www.jn.pt/nacional/artigo/governo-admite-atribuir-autorizacao-de-residencia-aos-estudante-estrangeiros-que-fugiram-da-ucrania/18016608"><span>remain</span></a><span> in the country, but under a different status — with a “student visa,” provided they meet the legal requirements. Minister for the Presidency António Leitão Amaro </span><a href="https://www.jn.pt/nacional/artigo/governo-admite-atribuir-autorizacao-de-residencia-aos-estudante-estrangeiros-que-fugiram-da-ucrania/18016608"><span>stated</span></a><span> that each such case would be considered individually.</span></p> <p><span>The minister also </span><a href="https://www.theportugalnews.com/es/noticias/2025-11-10/aima-crea-un-canal-especial-para-casos-de-proteccion-en-ucrania/915195"><span>reported</span></a><span> that the review has already begun, and that for individuals who were able to provide the necessary documents, temporary protection permits have remained valid. </span><b>That is, Portugal will not deport all refugees who arrived in the country after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, but will check whether they have the necessary grounds to remain under temporary protection.</b></p><p><a href="https://voxukraine.org/en/false-portugal-is-deporting-60000-ukrainian-refugees">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/blackout-roulette-in-ukraines-elevators.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:02:47 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/blackout-roulette-in-ukraines-elevators.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8563bf98-7.jpg" alt="Blackout roulette in Ukraine’s elevators"></p><p></p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!Lt1M!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff3ea6c33-04f1-453c-b6b1-7244c469e682_1500x500.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2ff3ea6c33-0.jpg" width="1456" height="485" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f3ea6c33-04f1-453c-b6b1-7244c469e682_1500x500.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":485,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" fetchpriority="high" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured Subscriber’s Comment:</em></p><p><em>“It is absolutely vital to know what the Ukrainian people are experiencing day in and day out. Tim is a treasure.”</em></p><p><em> By: Aaron Hallquist</em></p><p><em>If you find our work valuable, subscribe and consider supporting us. Independent reporting on Ukraine depends on readers like you.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><p>“Sashko… Sashko… Are you okay?” Tim yelled into a closed elevator door in a completely dark hall of our office building. “We haven’t forgotten about you.”</p><p>When we step out for lunch, each second matters.</p><p>Being off by even a minute can mean spending the next few hours locked in a metal box somewhere between floors, as blackouts wait for no one.</p><p>This past month, our colleague Sashko miscalculated — and as he waited in the elevator for the operator to come and free him, he fell asleep.</p><p><em>Tim went to find out which floor Sashko got stuck on.</em></p><div data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs='{"mediaUploadId":"cc1046fe-99c0-42a2-bae9-225141b18ff6","duration":null}' data-sanitized-class="native-video-embed"></div><p>Power outages have become a usual part of life for Ukrainians due to Russian shelling of energy facilities. We adjust our daily routines to the blackout schedules, planning showers, cooking, and leaving the house around the timetable that energy companies publish the night before or that morning.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!fCer!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc51b594b-b073-49c3-91c4-75a3c9258d15_1108x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2fc51b594b-b.jpg" width="274" height="395.6678700361011" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c51b594b-b073-49c3-91c4-75a3c9258d15_1108x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1108,"resizeWidth":274,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Schedule of power outages at my home: I had power for only 8 hours that day. White hours are those when you have power, and dark are those when you don’t.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>As of December 5, six regions <a href="https://epravda.com.ua/energetika/u-yakih-oblastyah-spozhivachi-zalishayutsya-bez-svitla-cherez-obstrili-rf-5-grudnya-815053/">have experienced </a>emergency power outages, and four remain without electricity, indicating that Ukraine’s energy system has once again become unstable from the latest attacks. In large cities, where buildings rarely have alternative power sources and high-rises stretch up to 20 floors, the most vulnerable groups are hit hardest.</p><p>Blackouts, as is the case with many other wartime symptoms, are a test of how prepared Ukrainian society is to care for those who rely on electricity the most.</p><p>Oleksandr Karan has been repairing elevators for more than 20 years. He got this job thanks to his mother, who worked as an elevator dispatcher — she took calls reporting breakdowns and sent mechanics to the addresses. Inspired by her, Oleksandr studied to become a mechanic and began to work in the early 2000s.</p><p>It was never an easy job, as it requires patience, physical strength, and knowledge of the intricacies of elevator mechanisms. Even still, he remembers his early years at work with a touch of nostalgia.</p><p>“It used to be interesting to find something broken and fix it,” he recalled.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Our issue today is sponsored by <a href="http://www.groundnews.com/mak">Ground.News</a>, a media literacy tool that pulls together news to help you discern fact from disinformation. We used it to build our News of the Day section down below! Go down to that section for more about our news partner. <br>-Tim</em></p></div><p>After the power outages began in 2022, his work exploded. People getting stuck in elevators was rare before. Now, Oleksandr runs marathons through Kyiv’s stairwells, releasing those who are trapped between the floors.</p><p>According to the health app on Oleksandr’s phone, he often climbs 150–300 floors per day as part of his job.</p><p>With many of his colleagues being mobilized to the military, the workload is increasing even more. For example, in Pryluky, a city of about 50,000 people, all 50 elevators <a href="https://pryluky.org/2025/11/04/u-prylukah-zupynylysia-lifty-mobilizuvaly-iedynogo-v-misti-elektromontera/">were</a> shut down for a week because the only elevator technician was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As of now, elevator service in Pryluky has resumed after a new technician was hired.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8563bf98-7.jpg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/387c329c9a.jpg" width="316" height="421.3333333333333" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8563bf98-7a2d-49a2-a43d-69ce795cc228_960x1280.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":316,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>Photo of Oleksandr Karan fishing on the weekend, provided by him.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>His work gets more complicated after dusk. Elevator operators like Oleksandr are not allowed to move around the city during the curfew, just like any other ordinary citizen, because they are not considered critical infrastructure workers. So, if someone gets stuck in the elevator right before curfew starts, they could remain there all night or until the power is back.</p><p>“People don’t care [about power outrages]. They go out to walk their dogs and call us. One boy was lucky because he was 14. In that case, the emergency rescue service [which has a curfew pass] came to pick me up and escorted me so we could free the boy,” he said.</p><div data-attrs='{"id":418085}' data-component-name="PollToDOM" data-sanitized-class="poll-embed"></div><p>Blackouts have become a sheer nightmare for more than just elevator specialists. Some people rely heavily on lifts whether that is someone with a health condition or a pregnant woman.</p><p>20 years ago my mother experienced these difficulties herself. In the building where she lived, the elevator was out of service for 6 months due to major repairs just when her child had learned to walk.</p><p>“Every day we woke up early, had breakfast, and went down ten floors on foot. And my little child, who was one year and four to five months old, slowly toddled down by herself. She learned to count quickly. We counted every step,” my mother said.</p><p>Many mothers in the building carried their children in their arms, but my mother couldn’t do that because she was already pregnant with her second child. She told me:</p><p>“Sweetheart, you’re already very grown-up and independent, and I have another little baby living inside me, and carrying two is very hard. Grown-up children walk by themselves.”</p><p>Senior people often need to deal with health problems and joint issues, and also rely on the elevators.</p><p>“Sometimes, there’s a 70-year-old woman, and she can’t climb out through the gap [when the elevator stops between floors] that we open,” Oleksandr explained.<br><br>In such cases, he has to go up to the machine room on the top floor, slightly lift the elevator car, go back down, open the elevator, and help the person out. Many younger people can jump out of elevator when the cabin door is just half open.</p><p>Oleksandr often gets irritated because some people get stuck in elevators for fun, creating unnecessary work.</p><p>“They film TikToks: ‘Let’s see if I go up or not, if I make it or not,’” Oleksandr said.</p><p>The job of an elevator operator is unpopular due to low pay and irregular hours. Few people want to study to become mechanics, so most specialists are middle-aged or close to retirement. It’s a challenging job, where people show little gratitude, and elevator mechanics are not exempt from being recruited to serve.</p><p>Oleksandr himself is exhausted from the constant stress throughout the workday. Relatives or friends of the person stuck may be rude, yell, and even threaten him.</p><p>In the fall of 2022, when the first power outages began and people started getting stuck in elevators, there were still no clear blackout schedules. It happens this year too, especially during or after strikes, when energy infrastructure is damaged and power plants are operating at less than full capacity to prevent more damage or when the temperature changes abruptly and the needs of an already weakened power system are growing.</p><p>In such cases, emergency blackouts are introduced, and Oleksandr’s work depends on the time and day of the week. If it’s rush hour, when people are going to work or, on the contrary, coming back home, his phone is going crazy with calls.</p><p>On the busiest days, Oleksandr can rescue up to 20-25 people. Sometimes, there are so many calls about people stuck in elevators that mechanics are forced to cut short their weekends and go to work.</p><p>Usually, they do not wait until the end of the air alarm. They do their job despite danger.</p><p>“My wife can stand in the doorway and say, ‘I won’t let you go out there,’” Oleksandr said. It doesn’t stop him.</p><p>In some high-rise buildings, residents come up with solutions to avoid dependence on outages. They install generators, inverters, or solar panels so that the elevator can operate even during blackouts.</p><p>For example, the university elevator, where 19-year-old Victoria studies, is powered by a generator during the power cuts. Due to cerebral palsy, she has been using a wheelchair since childhood.</p><p>“I am annoyed by people who use elevators powered by generators when they can easily walk,” she said.</p><p>Because of them, the elevators stop working at some point during long cut-offs, and then Victoria has to ask for help from her friends or professors just to get to her classes.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!iC2Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F097cd998-7a57-4c8e-a32d-455b3a8d95da_1099x1600.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f097cd998-7.jpg" width="304" height="442.58416742493176" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/097cd998-7a57-4c8e-a32d-455b3a8d95da_1099x1600.jpeg)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1099,"resizeWidth":304,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption data-sanitized-class="image-caption"><em>A tweet from fall 2022 shows a chair in an elevator, with snacks and bottled water left inside.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In other buildings, residents started leaving chairs, water, and snacks inside elevators.</p><p>That way, everybody can stay safe and satiated while they wait for Oleksandr.</p><div data-sanitized-class="pullquote"><p><em>Featured Subscriber’s Comment:</em></p><p><em>“It is absolutely vital to know what the Ukrainian people are experiencing day in and day out. Tim is a treasure.”</em></p><p><em> By: Aaron Hallquist</em></p><p><em>If you find our work valuable, follow and consider supporting us. Independent reporting on Ukraine depends on readers like you.</em></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe","text":"Get Full Access!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Get Full Access!</span></a></p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ","text":"Tip Jar!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Tip Jar!</span></a></p></div><h3><strong>NEWS OF THE DAY:</strong></h3><p>By Tim Mak</p><p>We built today’s News of the Day section using <strong><a href="http://www.groundnews.com/mak">Ground.News</a></strong>, a media literacy tool that helps cut through disinformation.</p><p>The website and app filters through thousands of news stories every day, merging them by topic to help show which topics are being covered by left and right.</p><p>That’s why we’re partnering with Ground.News for this issue. It features bias detection, provides funding transparency about news outlets, and compares headlines so you can see how different outlets are framing the topic.</p><p>I don’t pay heed to Kremlin comments typically, but spotted this story showing Putin’s spokesperson praising Trump for being aligned with the Russian view. 27 outlets covered it, with broad coverage from the political center.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!2t07!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5d235376-8844-4924-8d7f-a82406cfbe24_1600x450.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f5d235376-8.png" width="588" height="165.17307692307693" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5d235376-8844-4924-8d7f-a82406cfbe24_1600x450.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":409,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":588,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Interested in improving your news diet like I have? Subscribe to Ground News and get 40% off their Vantage plan!</p><p data-attrs='{"url":"https://ground.news/landingV8/timmak-substack?utm_source=timmak-substack&utm_medium=substack&utm_campaign=timmak-substack","text":"Subscribe to Ground News!","action":null,"class":null}' data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton" data-sanitized-class="button-wrapper"><a href="https://ground.news/landingV8/timmak-substack?utm_source=timmak-substack&utm_medium=substack&utm_campaign=timmak-substack" data-sanitized-class="button primary"><span>Subscribe to Ground News!</span></a></p><p><strong>‘ZOOM’ DIPLOMACY: ZELENSKYY, 30 COUNTRIES TALK PEACE PROCESS</strong>: The Ukrainian president will hold new talks as the Trump administration pressed him to accept onerous terms that would see Ukraine ceding land. Meanwhile Russia claimed to shoot down hundreds of drones across the country, as Ukraine launched a wave of strikes overnight that halted flights at Moscow’s airports. <br><br>See the bias distribution, ownership and sources behind the news at <a href="https://ground.news/article/zelenskyy-will-hold-urgent-talks-with-30-countries-as-trump-pushes-for-swift-peace-deal-with-russia">Ground.News</a>.’</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!nEM_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d352eb2-bd8a-425f-aa30-dab3d48bf5ae_842x1048.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f0d352eb2-b.png" width="294" height="365.9287410926366" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0d352eb2-bd8a-425f-aa30-dab3d48bf5ae_842x1048.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1048,"width":842,"resizeWidth":294,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><strong>POKROVSK FALL IMMINENT</strong>: The eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk looks like it will fall soon to Russian occupation, a development that puts Ukraine under pressure as it negotiates an end to the war. The city had 60K residents before the invasion. Russia controls approximately 19.2 percent of Ukraine, just over 1 percentage point more now than in December 2022, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/pokrovsks-fall-will-not-cause-frontline-collapse-weakens-ukraine-trumps-eyes-2025-12-11/">Reuters reports</a>.</p><p><strong>TRUMP’S PLAN TO REINTEGRATE RUSSIA TO WORLD</strong>: European officials are reacting with alarm to secret appendices to peace proposals now circulating, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/u-s-blueprint-to-rewire-economies-of-russia-ukraine-sets-off-clash-with-europe-72484515?st=iwqVfJ&reflink=article_copyURL_share">the Wall Street Journal reports</a>. The proposals include a plan to use frozen Russian assets to create a massive new data center powered by the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant now occupied by Russian troops. It would also see America playing a role in the resumption of Russian energy sales to Western Europe. European officials largely do not want to resume energy transactions with a country it sees as a security threat.</p><h3><strong>DOG OF WAR:</strong></h3><p>Nastia saw this stylish pup in a cafe while working. He was so friendly and approached every customer. He asked Nastia for pets several times.</p><div data-sanitized-class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_!OYlh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8568f4b2-b53e-4cf1-81cc-81131da94982_960x1280.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" data-sanitized-class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img"><div data-sanitized-class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp"><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/https3a2f2fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com2fpublic2fimages2f8568f4b2-b.png" width="960" height="1280" data-attrs='{"src":"[substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/im...](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8568f4b2-b53e-4cf1-81cc-81131da94982_960x1280.png)","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1280,"width":960,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}' alt="" loading="lazy" data-sanitized-class="sizing-normal"></picture><div data-sanitized-class="image-link-expand"><div data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" data-sanitized-class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Stay safe out there.</p><p>Best,<br>Tania</p><p><a href="https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/blackout-roulette-in-ukraines-elevators">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/russias-labor-market-crisis-until.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:01:16 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/russias-labor-market-crisis-until.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/e7d0c7493a.jpg" alt="⚡ RUSSIA’S LABOR MARKET CRISIS until 2032! Ukrainian DRONES halt OIL PLATFORM in Caspian!"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKwaCMxu2o8">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/ukraine-war-latest-live-us.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:33:03 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/ukraine-war-latest-live-us.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/c418a27bcd.jpg" alt="Ukraine war latest live: US presses Ukraine, not Russia, to pull back troops for proposed Donbas buffer zone, FT reports"></p>Live coverage of Russia’s war against Ukraine with breaking news and frontline updates, updated 5 times today. The U.S. is pressing Ukraine, but not Russia, to pull back troops from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to create a demilitarized zone, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Dec. 11, citing a Ukrainian official familiar with the latest version of the U.S. peace plan.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-live-2025-12-11/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/russian-sttacks-ukrainian-drone-strikes.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:32:10 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/russian-sttacks-ukrainian-drone-strikes.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/fb020e52c4.jpg" alt="Russian sttacks, Ukrainian drone strikes &amp; Western decisions: what's game-changing now"></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoyf7LESQiI">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/europes-plan-to-fund-ukraine.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:00:58 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/europes-plan-to-fund-ukraine.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2147052657.jpg" alt="Europe’s plan to fund Ukraine is being blocked by one company — Euroclear"></p><p><em>About the author: Olena Havrylchyk is a Professor of Economics at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.</em><br> <br>The proposal to use immobilized Russian assets to finance a “reparation loan” for Ukraine will again be discussed at the next European Council meeting on Dec. 18 and 19. </p><p>The</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/europes-plan-to-fund-ukraine-is-being-blocked-by-one-company-euroclear/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/us-sides-with-russia-on.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:31:40 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/us-sides-with-russia-on.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/a82cdcdfca.jpg" alt="US sides with Russia on UN resolution on Chornobyl disaster"></p>Washington's representative said the U.S. voted against the resolution not because it opposed nuclear safety measures, but because it objected to references to the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/us-sides-with-russia-in-un-resolution-on-chornobyl-disaster/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/russian-oil-rig-in-caspian.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:22:05 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/russian-oil-rig-in-caspian.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/screenshot-2025-12-11-at-12-12-31.png" alt="Russian oil rig in Caspian Sea halts production after Ukrainian drone strike, SBU source says"></p>At least four hits were recorded on the offshore platform, according to the SBU source.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-sbu-says-drones-hit-russian-oil-production-infrastructure-in-caspian-sea-for-the-first-time/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/explosions-near-veliky-novgorod-chemical.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 07:18:29 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/explosions-near-veliky-novgorod-chemical.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/gettyimages-2217739700.jpg" alt="Explosions near Veliky Novgorod chemical plant as Russia reports mass drone attack"></p>Novgorod Governor Alexander Dronov reported that 19 drones were shot down over the region, which lies between Moscow and St. Petersburg.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/locals-report-explosions-fires-near-chemical-plant-in-russias-veliky-novgorod/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/russia-pounds-ukraines-kremenchuk-with.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 05:35:38 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/russia-pounds-ukraines-kremenchuk-with.html <p><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/110176/2025/photo-2024-03-04-22-31-00.jpg" alt="Russia pounds Ukraine's Kremenchuk with missiles, drones in energy infrastructure attack"></p>The attack comes less than a week after Russia launched a massive combined strike against Kremenchuk on Dec. 7 that damaged several energy facilities.<p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russia-pounds-ukraines-kremenchuk-with-missiles-drones-in-energy-infrastructure-attack/">Source</a></p> https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/11/germany-summons-russian-ambassador-over.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0100 http://benb.micro.blog/2025/12/11/germany-summons-russian-ambassador-over.html