1/ Claims by pro-Russians that Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian Baltic ports went via Poland and the Baltic states have been met with scepticism by warblogger 'Fighterbomber'. If that's so, why has Russia not protested to those states?, he asks. ⬇️
2/ 'Fighterbomber', who has close links with the Russian Air Force, points out what Conan Doyle might have called the dog that didn't bark: the fact that the Russian government has said nothing about Ukrainian drones supposedly being routed over NATO territory:
3/ "Well, first of all, the airspace bordering Russia has been closed in countries like Poland and the Baltics for a long time.
Accusations from beauty bloggers that drones are being launched from the territory of these countries have been circulating for several years as well.
4/ "No evidence whatsoever, aside from arrows and lines drawn “from verified and unparalleled sources,” has ever been presented.
I don’t recall our Foreign Ministry ever issuing any official protests regarding the use of these countries’ airspace for attacks on Russia.
5/ "It's unlikely that these actions by the Foreign Ministry would necessarily entail a nuclear strike against these countries, or a declaration of war against them.
In other words, I’m hinting that if we had something to hold against them, we could do so.
6/ "We’d eventually bombard them with brown lines or inform them that we’re aware of their involvement in one form or another. Even if they weren’t aware and were used without their knowledge, they’re still responsible for what’s going on in their country.
7/ "Airspace is also part of a country. Whether it’s closed off or slightly open—nobody cares.
But that did not happen.
8/ "This means that the theory regarding the drones’ route through these countries either lacks evidence (though this usually doesn’t stop anyone from voicing protests) or is not considered valid by our side.
9/ "At the same time, I would like to remind you that the Belarusians allowed us to use the territory and airspace of the Republic of Belarus as we saw fit for military purposes against Ukraine, and this did not result in strikes against Belarus from the Ukrainian side.
10/ "But if the territories of these countries are indeed being used to launch strikes against Russia, that raises even more questions.
11/ "Our top brass has been telling us for a long time that we’re at war with all of NATO, not just the Ukrainians. These countries are NATO countries through and through. The very ones from whose territory NATO would attack us 100% of the time, if it came to that.
12/ "The very ones we were preparing to fight in the late ’80s.
And it won’t attack using drones made of shit, sticks, and cardboard. But with missiles, aircraft, shells, and other high-tech weapons that are much harder to take down than those slow-moving drones.
13/ "It’s hard to imagine what would happen in that case. Of course, the inevitable and long-awaited nuclear catfight. But that’s not certain.
But that doesn’t explain why something could fly at us from the territory of those countries without any resistance on our part.
14/ "Especially since the attack lasted three days. And it’s happening again today. It wasn’t a surprise.
And it doesn’t explain how [defending against] such a strike could be screwed up [by us]." /end
1/ The world is facing a 'ticking time bomb' from its supply of oil, according to a briefing note from JP Morgan. Physical scarcity of oil is about to unfold across the globe, spreading sequentially through April from east to west, causing major economic disruption worldwide. ⬇️
2/ The blocking of the Strait of Hormuz has reduced traffic through the strait by 97%, cutting off most of the Persian Gulf oil and gas supply from tanker shipment. The reduction in the supply of oil is twice as large as seen in any previous oil crisis, according to the IEA.
3/ This has not yet resulted in physical shortages of oil – although shortages have already been seen, for instance in Australia, this has been due to excessive demand caused by panic buying rather than an interruption in supply. That is about to change.
1/ US forces carrying out ground operations in Iran are highly likely to encounter Iranian FPV drones of similar kinds to those currently killing and wounding tens of thousands of Russians a month in Ukraine. Iran has already demonstrated FPV capabilities in a 2025 exercise. ⬇️
2/ In February and December 2025, Iran held 'anti-terror' exercises codenamed Sahand-2025. They were conducted in the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
3/ Although the exercise scenario was nominally about combating terrorist groups in border regions, it seems clear that it was intended to demonstrate a capability for use against armoured forces, presumably of an opposing state.
1/ Ukraine's drone strikes on the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga have prompted a familiar refrain from Russian warbloggers: what air defence doing? One warblogger sees a dire future ahead for Russia in the face of its enemies in the Baltic region. ⬇️
2/ On Telegram, the Russian journalist Yuri Kotenok (writing as 'Voenkor Kotenok') comments:
"The strikes on Ust-Luga are an extremely alarming symptom, or rather, a signal, not only because they are aimed at destroying Russia's global infrastructure."
3/ "Yes, these are extremely large losses and have serious consequences. But the traces of the raids will sooner or later be cleared up, repaired, and perhaps even reinforced and secured.
1/ Iran is seeking to establish a pay-to-sail regime in the Strait of Hormuz, under which it could earn over a quarter of a billion dollars a day. A senior member of the Iranian parliament says that vessels seeking to transit the strait will be charged $2 million each time. ⬇️
2/ The Financial Times and Rudaw report that the Iranian government intends to fully monetise the strait by forcing passing ships to pay a fee for each passage. The "new regime" has been announced on state television by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a senior Iranian parliamentarian.
3/ Boroujerdi, a member of the parliament's National Security Committee, said that "For some ships which cross, for whatever reasons, Iran is charging them $2 million for the crossing ... In practice we have established a new regime governing the Strait of Hormuz after 47 years."
1/ With American ground forces building up in the Gulf region, much attention has been paid to Kharg Island in the northern Persian Gulf. But what about the Iranian-held islands in the Strait of Hormuz? Here's why they might be a higher priority for possible landings. ⬇️
2/ Seven Iranian-controlled islands punctuate the narrow strait between Iran and Oman: from west to east, Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunb, Qeshm, Hengam, Larak and Hormuz itself. All are part of Iran's Hormozgan province.
3/ Two more Iranian islands, Bani Forur and Sirri, are located further west, in the Persian Gulf proper. They have strategic value as locations for reconnaissance, surveillance of shipping traffic, and possible interdiction. Both have an Iranian military presence.
1/ The Ukraine war is a "dead end" which "could last for a hundred years", according to a gloomy Russian commentary. The transparency of the battlefield and its domination by drones has made large offensives "downright impossible" and is causing vast numbers of casualties. ⬇️
2/ 'Voenkor Kotenok' has written a long and detailed analysis of the situation at the front lines, following similarly gloomy outlooks by other warbloggers (see the thread below).
3/ "I have repeatedly pointed out that the front in the Ukrainian theatre of military operations is in a stalemate. This situation took shape last year, marked by the Battle of Pokrovsk.