For my English-speaking friends:

Maybe just coincidental, but Oleksandr Usyk's heavyweight boxing multi-title victory last night was just filled with symbolism:

1/n 1) Usyk's opponent Tyson Fury was a full 25kg heavier and almost a head taller - seemingly a no contest bout with the winner predetermined. The Ukrainian won anyway.

2/n

I was recently cleaning up my Twitter account and noticed that some U.S. professors who are originally from russia had stopped following me. I couldn’t care less. But it is very telling.

1/n 2/ People in the West still believe in the russian opposition and the “good russians” hypothesis. They think that, somehow, it is all Putin’s fault. In reality, Putin is just a symptom of a much bigger problem, called “russian imperialism” or “great russian culture.”

On this day, 30 years ago, russian troops entered Chechnya.

Much time has passed since, but the words of the President of Ichkeria (Chechnya), Dzhokhar Dudayev, still remain relevant today.

He predicted that russia would eventually attack Ukraine.

1/n 2/ He said that "as long as russism exists, they will never give up their ambitions." But he also predicted that Ukrainians will never tolerate russification and that the russian invasion of Ukraine would not end well for russia.

There are several important lessons here.

Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov has resigned as president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) after holding the position for just four days.

The decision was made to “shield the International Fencing Federation from sanctions.”

1/n 2/ Usmanov is currently under sanctions from the EU, Switzerland, the UK, the US, Ukraine, Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

On this day, 30 years ago, Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum. According to the Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear arsenal (third largest in the world) in exchange for security assurances from the US, the UK, and russia.

1/n 2/ Before the memorandum was signed, a famous political scientist and international relations expert John Mearsheimer published an article in which he argued that Ukraine should be encouraged to keep nuclear weapons.

C.S. Lewis was an atheist for 30 years.

Finally, one conversation with J.R.R. Tolkien changed his mind.

So, what did Tolkien say?

Here’s what they discussed and how it led to the conversion of the 20th century’s greatest theologian…

1/n 2/ Lewis was a member of the “Lost Generation.” He served in and was traumatized by World War I. The horrors of war – along with modernist philosophy – made him an atheist.

It wasn’t a simple-minded atheism either. Lewis was a genius…

Researchers from Yale University have identified and tracked 314 Ukrainian children from the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts who were abducted by russia.

1/n 2/ The deported children were placed in at least 21 regions of russia, where they were subjected to “pro-state and militaristic propaganda.” Around 166 children have already been placed in russian families.

This is why we need to support Ukraine with everything we have.

Assad’s dictatorship regime is Syrian collapsing, while he is hiding in Moscow. Syrian Rebels launched their offensive only 48 hours ago and they are already taking over the historic center of Aleppo.

1/n 2/ The reason for such a success is that (1) Syrian people chose to stand up against dictatorship, (2) Ukraine has depleted russian army, so russia does not have enough resources to keep Assad in power.

“Six Ukrainian ATACMS into Russia caused global panic, while Russia's everyday destruction of Ukraine becomes normal.”

1/n 2/ Russia firing thousands of missile into Ukraine is fine, but apparently six missiles flying into russia is an “escalation.” The reaction from some westerners is simply idiotic.

Ukraine and Poland sign joint declaration on Volhynia Massacre exhumations.

Ukraine and Poland have signed a joint declaration to address exhumation efforts related to the Volhynia massacre. A working group will be established to foster cooperation on these efforts.

1/n 2/ The declaration affirms: “Ukraine confirms there are no obstacles for Polish state institutions or private individuals to conduct search and exhumation work on Ukrainian territory in collaboration with competent Ukrainian authorities.”

Just a reminder of how long it took Ukraine to receive weapons:

First howitzer cannons? In 3 months.
First HIMARS? In 4 months.
First Western tanks? In 1 year.
First Patriot defense system? In 1 year and 2 months.
First ATACMS? In 1.5 years.
First F-16s? In 2.5 years.

1/n 2/ Permission to strike russian territory with Western rockets? Just days ago, after 2 years and 8 months.

If weapons had been provided to Ukraine faster and in the right quantities, russia would already have been defeated.

Russia’s economy is in worse shape than previously reported.

Russian Central Bank has nearly exhausted its resources.

1. No people left. Worsening labor market with a 73% of enterprises facing labor shortages.

1/n 2. Production at its limits. Factory capacity utilization surpasses 80%, a record high. When an economy reaches the limits of its productive capacity while demand continues to be stimulated, stagflation arises.

2/n

How long can russia sustain the war?

Here are some calculations to address this question:

1/n
2/ Artillery

At the current rate of firing, russia requires about 2.5-4k artillery barrels per year. Including direct losses in battle, the total annual need is approximately 4-5k barrels.

Russia has spent over $40 billion on missile attacks against Ukraine.

Despite sanctions, russia has increased its missile production and can now produce around 150 missiles per month. 1/n In recent months, russia has reduced the frequency of its missile use, likely in preparation for winter attacks on Ukraine. /2

Ukraine is the birthplace of many world-changing inventions.

Here are three innovations created by Ukrainians that have gone down in history, changed the world and shaped modern life.

1/n 2/ X-ray.

Ukrainian Ivan Puluj, a physicist and electrical engineer is considered a father of X-ray science.

14 years before the discovery made by German Wilhelm Roentgen, Puluj designed a tube that became the prototype of modern X-ray machines and took the world's first X-ray image of a human skeleton.

As a US citizen, I am outraged by the lack of response from the US administration to Russia’s recent escalation against Ukraine.

This why:

1/n 2/ There has been zero response to North Korean troops fighting against Ukraine. In fact, Ukraine has been prohibited by the US from striking North Korean forces until they set foot on Ukrainian soil. This is simply absurd.

Is Russia a Threat to NATO?

The answer is: Russia is not an immediate threat because Ukraine has chosen to fight them. If Ukraine had welcomed Russia, as Putin expected, and joined forces, EU politicians would be changing their diapers by now.

1/n 2/ Moldova would likely fall quickly, with an active army of less than 10,000 personnel. The Baltic states wouldn’t hold out for long.

Ukrainians Are Being Silenced and Discriminated Against in the U.S.

Recently, several Ukrainians reached out to me privately explaining why they remain silent on social media platforms.

1/n 2/ I was shocked to learn how often Ukrainians are being silenced and discriminated against, especially in workplaces where Russians hold influence.

“Sanctions on russia don’t work.”

Many continue to repeat this myth. Yet, sanctions on russia have forced a complete halt of commercial operations at russian project Arctic LNG 2, with the facility unable to export its accumulated inventory.

1/n 2/ Project's gas field output has plummeted by over 50% in October 2024 - from 12.1 million cubic meters daily in September to approximately 5.3 million cubic meters.

Russia systemically uses sexual torture on male Ukrainian prisoners, including rape, castration, rape and castration threats, electric shocks, genital beatings, repeated forced nudity, and sexualized humiliation.

1/n 2/ Russian forces systematically deploy sexual torture in "almost all" detention centers, with UN documenting 236 cases against men and boys in under three years.

On this day in 2001 Ukraine eliminated its last nuclear delivery vehicle. 

Their reward was being invaded by russia, having cities bombed into dust while the West expresses "serious concerns" and rants about "escalation management."

1/n 2/ Ukraine gave up its Soviet nuclear arsenal, then the 3rd biggest in the world, in exchange for Security Guarantees from the US, UK and russia.

Back then, people applauded the move. Today we can safely say it was a grave mistake.