After the loud announcement of the Russian counteroffensive in the Kursk region, the news from the Russian side has died down. The Russian Defense Ministry reports "the destruction of 12,000 Ukrainian soldiers," but there is no video, no photos, no statements about regaining
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control over major settlements. Putin gave the order to recapture the Kursk region by October 1, but the counteroffensive is stalling. Ukrainian soldiers write in Telegram that heavy fighting is underway, not without losses, but the counterattack was expected and
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the Russians were expected. Russia has now switched from bombing to frontal attacks, which allows for greater resource losses. Ukraine expected and prepared for this step and to inflict serious damage on the advancing troops. Apparently, Syrskyi plan has begun to work and
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Russia has transferred resources to the Kursk region and will transfer more to fulfill Putin's decree. If this becomes a priority for the Russian army, then we can expect a decrease in the intensity of Russia's offensive in the Donetsk region. The offensive on Pokrovsk has
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already started to stall, but this is compared to August. Russia is still storming there every day and there are very difficult battles. Autumn has come and soon it will be more difficult to conduct military operations. Especially to conduct an offensive. If Russia does
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not recapture the Kursk region before the rains start, it will be more difficult for it to do so. It will be even more difficult to do so if Ukraine starts to strike deep into Russia. Apparently, Great Britain is lifting restrictions on the use of Storm Shadow deep into
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Russian territory and there is talk of the United States making the same decision. Most likely, the missiles supplied will have a range of about 250 kilometers, because this is an export version, but within this radius there are many juicy targets for Ukrainian missiles.
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Logistics, airfields in Rostov-on-Don, Voronezh, Kursk, Belgorod, Bryansk, troop columns - this is only a small list of targets that Ukraine can hit first. If talk of lifting restrictions turns out to be true, it will be another problem added to the huge list of difficulties
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in Russia. The red lines are over, the nuclear scarecrow does not work, the economy is at the limit and is about to collapse, resources are depleted. The equipment is running out, but there are still people. But in 2 years there is no longer a professional army and the army
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consists of cripples, alcoholics, criminals and old men with conscripts. But this army also causes colossal damage. It is precisely because of this composition that it has no morality and leaves behind a trail of war crimes and scorched earth. Although the "professional
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army" in Russia is not much different from this. But the crisis in the Russian army and management is growing. This is a downward spiral that cannot be stopped and sooner or later Russia will fall into a free fall to the bottom.
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Europe once again demonstrates its toothlessness towards Russia. The incident with von der Leyen’s plane is a serious event, where the lives of everyone on board were put at risk. An excellent comment on this matter was written by Former Foreign Minister of Lithuania
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Gabrielius Landsbergis: "Deeply concerned to hear about the deeply concerning GPS interference that diverted @vonderleyen 's flight. Europe stands united in expression of deep concerns and must commit to the deployment of ever-deepening concerns moving forward." Expressing
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deep concern is the main tactic of the EU in times when decisive action is needed. I feel like a parrot repeating the same phrase – a tough response to Russia is needed. It understands only the language of force, and if this force is demonstrated, Russia will retreat. It is
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Russia’s budget deficit has surged to around ₽5 trillion (about $62.5 billion). That’s 130% of what was planned, and there are still four months left in the year. Another round of inflation is expected this autumn. The central bank’s decision to cut the key interest rate
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in June has triggered a new problem—a sharp increase in household debt. Russian consumers typically lack financial literacy, and in hard times they don’t cut back or save; instead, they live day to day, as if it’s their last, without thinking of the future. It’s the classic
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Russian “avos’” mentality. Once the key rate fell from 21% to 18%, people snapped up new loans without much concern about how they’d repay them later. Everyone irrationally hopes that it’s temporary and will somehow resolve itself. This is all before even accounting for the
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Russia has carried out its first successful naval drone attack on the Ukrainian ship Simferopol. The Simferopol is a medium-sized Ukrainian reconnaissance vessel. The Russians struck the ship in the Danube River estuary. One sailor has been confirmed dead, while several 1/6
others are reported missing. A breach opened in the ship’s hull, causing it to capsize. The vessel was built on the hull of a Project 502EM fishing trawler and was launched in 2019. According to military sources, the strike was conducted by a newly formed unit of the Russian 2/6
Ministry of Defense (We should call it Ministry of Offense) — the “Division of Uncrewed Naval Systems of the Rubicon Advanced Drone Technology Center.” This marks the emergence of a new and very serious threat to Ukraine’s fleet and coastal infrastructure. It is yet another 3/6
The fuel crisis in Russia will most likely only get worse. The first Russian region — the Kuril district of the Sakhalin region — has completely stopped selling gasoline to the public. Now, only special transport can access it. Remote regions are suffering first, since 1/7
most of Russia’s refineries and storage facilities, as well as its industrial and economic centers, are concentrated in the western part of the country. With the increasing range of Ukrainian drones, fewer and fewer refineries remain operational. While there is still no 2/7
shortage in the Leningrad and Moscow regions, panic is spreading across the market. On top of this, Russia is facing another headache — disruptions in air traffic, again caused by drone attacks. Ukraine clearly intends to paralyze Russia. The shortage of fuel in the Far East 3/7
Systematic destruction of Russian oil refineries by Ukraine is not only a response to Russia’s aggression, but also a signal to the Trump administration: Ukraine cannot be bent. With Trump’s return to power, the U.S. has been seeking a peace deal with Russia, pressuring
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Ukraine in the process. One of the first steps was a restriction on the use of American weapons against Russian territory, a policy approved by the previous administration. While not a formal ban, every ATACMS strike has to be cleared with the Pentagon, which simply does not
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authorize strikes on Russian soil. Most likely, under threat of cutting aid, Trump also demanded Ukraine halt strikes on refineries earlier, so as not to upset a “peace-seeking” Putin. But Putin made clear he is not ready for peace, sabotaging every negotiation, and Ukraine
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Ukrainian sanctions in the form of drones are working. The fuel crisis in Russia is worsening. The most difficult situation is in Primorye, affected by the influx of tourists. The authorities in Crimea admit the situation is critical. After a series of Ukrainian strikes
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on oil refineries, they have gone into repair. Since the beginning of August alone, at least 7 Russian refineries have been attacked, four of which completely stopped operations – Novokuybyshevsk, Saratov, Volgograd, and Samara. The Ryazan refinery has lost more than half of
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its capacity. Due to sanctions and the lack of spare parts, repairing refineries is difficult. All these refineries are among the largest in the country and are key to their regions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the damage inflicted is
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