https://youtube.com/watch?v=kIHca6rCr9k
Awaiting Trump's Speech🎤Russians Prep New Offensive⚔️Pokrovsk On The Edge💥Military Summary 2025.7.14
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=kIHca6rCr9k
Awaiting Trump's Speech🎤Russians Prep New Offensive⚔️Pokrovsk On The Edge💥Military Summary 2025.7.14
Quote:
Trump: We’ll be sending weapons to Ukraine — EU will be paying. The U.S. won’t cover a thing. We’ll build it, they’ll buy it. At our last meeting a month ago, they agreed to 5%—over a trillion a year. These are rich nations. They’re committed. 2/
https://x.com/i/status/1944803807801536964
USA started this mess and keeps it going while making $$$ in the process ...
“No empire can outrun the repercussions of its aggression; the seeds of hostility always yield a harvest of reckoning.” -Pierre Lagrenat
"..a harvest of reckoning.": cracking quote - thanks :thumbsup:Quote:
Posted by Helvetic
Ah, yes, I'd been looking forward to this :)Quote:
Posted by Tintin
Here's Dimi right on cue:
"Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin.
The world shuddered, expecting the consequences.
Belligerent Europe was disappointed.
Russia didn’t care.
7:11 AM · Jul 15, 2025
Rutti Frutti being given a history lesson from Maria Zakharova (via Zlatti71 X account) :heart: :ROFL: Jeez, that man is just the pits :facepalm: :)
Maria Zakharova:
“As it turns out, it’s all simple. Since yesterday, many have wondered why Rutte allowed himself to speak so disparagingly about the historian profession. It turns out that he himself, though he dreamed of becoming a pianist, earned a master’s degree in history. Apparently, any mention of historical excursuses triggers in him convulsions of unfulfilled ambitions.
By the way, Rutte said that his irritation was also caused by the fact that during negotiations in Istanbul, representatives of our country reminded him of “Russia’s history since 1250.” This deserves attention in addition to what has already been said.
The mid-13th century was chosen by the NATO secretary general not by chance: it is obviously phantom pains of lost opportunities that these knight-dogs will never get over. For us, that period is in many ways a turning point.
Today marks exactly 785 years since the Battle of the Neva.
At the Izhora River, where it flows into the Neva, the Russian troops led by the young Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky (canonized in 1547) utterly defeated the Western Swedish invaders who tried to encroach on Rus’ land.
The West’s plan was simple: weakened by feudal fragmentation, Rus’, according to the Scandinavians and Latins, could offer no resistance to the Western strike force — which was assigned to the Swedes. Only “enlightened Europe” miscalculated.
Prince Alexander Yaroslavich acted decisively, soon and without much difficulty destroying the main forces of the Swedes and Livonians on the Neva.
According to “The Tale of the Life and Courage of the Blessed and Great Prince Alexander,” before the battle Alexander Nevsky received a blessing from Archbishop Spiridon of Novgorod. The prince gave a speech to his warriors, phrases from which descendants have been quoting for centuries:
“Brothers! God is not in might, but in truth! Let us recall the psalmist’s words: these fight with weapons, and these on horses, but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God… Let us not fear the multitude of warriors, for God is with us.”
Having won over the Swedes, the Russian troops stopped their advance on Ladoga and Novgorod, thus preventing the danger of coordinated actions by Sweden and the Order. The northwest of Rus’ was saved and liberated. Prince Alexander Nevsky completed his military feat two years later — defeating the Germans at Lake Peipus.
Mark Rutte definitely did not recall the mid-13th century for no reason. But apparently, he did not fully grasp the subject and missed how it ended. Vladimir Rostislavovich has a great lecture on this topic. Let him study it.”
From Slovakia’s Robert Fico,
🇸🇰 THE SLOVAK OPPOSITION REJECTED THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION. 🇪🇺
I am presenting to the public the approved letter in which the European Commission responds to our objections regarding the proposal to halt Russian gas supplies after 1, January 2028. The European Commission can enforce its proposal even without Slovakia, as the right of veto does not apply. The European Commission is offering certain guarantees only because we refuse to support the 18th sanctions package against the Russian Federation, which requires UNANIMOUS consent.
The letter from the European Commission offering guarantees to the Slovak Republic was also delivered to the leaders of all relevant political parties. Their response is that the Commission’s guarantees to Slovakia are insufficient—some even described them as NOTHING.
They did not disappoint. Supporting the 18th sanctions package and also backing the cessation of Russian gas supplies from 2028 cannot be described in any other way than saying the opposition is fulfilling its political program—stupidly causing harm at any cost.
The governing coalition rejects the idiotic proposal from the European Commission to stop Russian gas flows from 2028. However, it is prepared to negotiate guarantees that would ensure a certain level of comfort for Slovakia in gas supplies after 2028. Given the circumstances, the European Commission should put its house in order regarding its favorites in the opposition, and the same should be done by the prime ministers of EU member states who openly align with it.
The representative of the Slovak Republic has been instructed to request a postponement of the vote on the 18th sanctions package today, taking into account the position of the Slovak political scene. The best solution to the situation would be to grant Slovakia an exemption allowing it to fulfill its contract with Russian Gazprom until it expires in 2034—something the European Commission currently rejects on principle, arguing that approving such a proposal would undermine the essence of the anti-Russian sanctions.
https://x.com/RobertFicoSVK/status/1945126195579773009
From Moon of Alabama,
New on MoA:
Trump Delivers Next Nothingburger To Ukraine
https://moonofalabama.org/2025/07/tr...o-ukraine.html
https://x.com/MoonofA/status/1945117506806370661
President Donald Trump revealed the details of his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Trump told reporters before he boarded Air Force One for an "America 250" rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, "We had a call, it was a pretty long call, we talked about a lot of things, including Iran. We also talked about the war with Ukraine."Trump wanted to pause the war In Ukraine while Putin sees an advantage for Russian troops in the field and wants to continue the war until its root cause, the NATO march towards Russia, is eliminated.
Trump shook his head and said, "I'm not happy about that," as the president remarked about the ongoing war he hoped to quickly end.
"No, I didn't make any progress with him today," Trump said when asked about a potential deal with Putin to end the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
President Trump said he would help Europe speed more weapons to Ukraine and warned Russia that if it did not agree to a peace deal within 50 days, he would impose a new round of punishing sanctions. Speaking from the Oval Office, where he met with NATO’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, Mr. Trump said the weapons would be “quickly distributed to the battlefield.” He also threatened to impose secondary sanctions, which are penalties imposed on other countries or parties that trade with nations under sanctions.Several additional Patriot air defense missile systems are supposed to be given to Ukraine by NATO countries which would buy new ones when the U.S. is able to deliver them (archived):
“I’m disappointed in President Putin, because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but it doesn’t seem to get there,” Mr. Trump said.
“It’s just the way it is,” he added. “I hope we don’t have to do it.”
Mr. Trump said the United States would sell those arms to European nations, which would ship them to Ukraine or use them to replace weapons they send to the country from their existing stocks. But Pentagon officials said later that many details were still being worked out.It is doubtful that new Patriot batteries will help against Russian swarm attacks each with several hundreds of drones and missiles. There is also a severe lack of munitions for these system with new production of Patriot missiles per year still being lower than the monthly consumption in Ukraine and elsewhere.
What Trump didn’t talk about is that the military assistance might also include authorization for some powerful new offensive weapons. I’m told by a source involved in the decision that this is likely to include permission to use the 18 long-range ATACMS missiles now in Ukraine at their full range of 300 kilometers (about 190 miles). That wouldn’t reach all the way to Moscow or St. Petersburg, but it would strike military bases, airfields and supply depots deep inside Russia that are now out of range. The package might also include more ATACMS.ATACMS are an old story. In the overall balance these 'wonder weapons' had little effect so far.
...
Trump also considered sending Tomahawk cruise missiles, the same weapons fired against Iranian targets last month. If fired from Ukraine, these could hit Moscow and St. Petersburg, and they were included in discussion as late as Friday. But the Tomahawks are off the delivery list for now, I’m told. They could be deployed later if Trump wants even more leverage. Trump’s determination to squeeze Putin was conveyed in a conversation last week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a source told me. Trump asked Zelensky why he didn’t hit Moscow. “We can if you give us the weapons,” Zelensky said. Trump said Ukraine needed to put more pressure on Putin, not just Moscow but St. Petersburg, too.
[E]xperts doubted the credibility of Mr. Trump’s threat to impose 100 percent tariffs on Russia’s trading partners if President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia did not agree to a cease-fire within 50 days. The scale of China’s mutual trade with Russia — nearly $250 billion per year, including huge oil imports — means that delivering on the threat would throw Mr. Trump into a showdown with Beijing. Analysts said it was unlikely that Mr. Trump would risk a renewed confrontation with the world’s second-largest economy over Ukraine, a country whose fate he has long said is not vital to the United States.The neoconservative editors of the Washington Post are not convinced that the policy change (if this even is one) will lead to significant changes.
Mr. Trump is also notorious for setting deadlines that he does not enforce, raising questions about whether he will act if the 50-day timer he has set for Mr. Putin expires.
But what if Putin refuses to make peace and sticks with his maximalist demands for a dismembered Ukraine under Russia’s thumb? Is Trump ready to ramp up the pressure? Will he sustain the arms shipments once the stockpiles run dry? Will he seize billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets? Will he try to crack down on the shadow tanker fleet that moves Russian oil? And will he follow through on his secondary sanctions threat, with its potentially vast implications for trade with countries such as China and India? The war against Ukraine has already persisted for far too long, with horrific casualty tolls on both sides. It will only end when Putin realizes he has nothing more to gain, and much more to lose, the longer it goes on. The arms shipments to Ukraine might bring that realization closer. More pressure can bring that day closer still. Now that Trump has issued his ultimatum, he needs to make clear to Putin he means what he says.In late 2021 Russia issued its demands in form of treaty outlines with the U.S. and NATO. They were disregarded by the U.S.. The war is a consequence of that.
Text:
A civilian was injured by an explosive device left behind by Ukrainian forces at Donetsk airport during construction work, according to the Department for Documenting Ukraine’s War Crimes under the administration of the Head and Government of the DPR.
Other news at this hour:
🟦 A Ukrainian drone struck a civilian vehicle in Horlivka (DPR); preliminarily, no injuries were reported, said city mayor Ivan Prikhodko.
🟦 Ukrainian authorities are forcibly evacuating children from frontline settlements, but it more closely resembles abduction, stated Victoria Kolesnik-Lavinskaya, ombudsman of the Russian administration in Kharkiv region.
🟦 Slovakia has proposed to the European Commission to postpone voting on the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, taking into account its request for an exemption allowing it to receive Russian gas until 2034, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday.
🟦 European officials and experts are skeptical of U.S. President Donald Trump’s apparent shift in stance on Russia, according to American broadcaster NBC.
“While Monday’s apparent reversal was sharp, Ukraine supporters, former officials, and other foreign policy experts are at best cautious, and at worst — deeply skeptical,” the channel reports.
🟦 A U.S. arms deal for Ukraine funded by European allies is still in the early stages, said Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
🟦 Opposition factions in the Armenian parliament are challenging laws in the country’s Constitutional Court that would allow the nationalization of the “Electric Networks of Armenia” company, owned by businessman Samvel Karapetyan, according to MP Artsvik Minasyan.
- UARU
https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1945211272594624540
Text:
“The composition of the Ukrainian delegation for negotiations is changing. Umerov is going to the U.S. to join his family as an ambassador. The third round of talks, which we proposed to launch, is not mentioned at all in Ukrainian statements or in the advice from their Western handlers. And now, the negotiator has left,” — Lavrov.
https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1945134027255533691
Text:
🇷🇺 “We’ve been through all of this before,” — Lavrov on Trump’s tariffs and Ukraine talks
▪️Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to Donald Trump’s threats to impose 100% tariffs due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to Lavrov, neither Moscow nor its partners are intimidated by such measures:
➖ “There were 50 days before, 24 hours before, even 100 days — we’ve seen it all. An unprecedented number of sanctions have already been imposed against us — we are coping. And we will cope with this too,” Lavrov said. “Knowing our partners, I don’t see them abandoning their independent policies. They have their own commitments.”
⸻
Other statements by Lavrov at the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Beijing:
•Moscow does not consider the Istanbul negotiation format exhausted;
•Kyiv’s refusal to attend the third round indicates a shift in both approach and delegation composition;
•Russia is trying to understand the meaning behind Trump’s “50 days” — it could be a new attempt to impose terms;
•The West, including NATO and the EU, is pressuring the U.S. not to end its support for the conflict;
•Sanctions have failed to achieve their goals and are harming their initiators more than Russia;
•Draft memoranda from Russia and Ukraine are fundamentally different, but dialogue remains possible;
•Russia’s position within the SCO is met with understanding — Russia is not isolated.
https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1945110900978938342
Text:
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal submitted his resignation following reports of his impending replacement http://v.aa.com.tr/3631461
https://x.com/anadoluagency/status/1945165227076509817
Remember that time a few years back when Ukrainian "witches" (for real) were trying to summon dark forces to put a hex on Vladimir Putin (yes, that was a real thing, and may still be)?
Take a look at this :) :ROFL:
Attachment 55442
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gv6vsQsX...jpg&name=small
This has been an extraordinary conflict and this just about wins the prize for most incredible reveal :)
And it gets better :facepalm: :)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gv-vySRW...jpg&name=small
Russia reacts to Trump’s ultimatum
https://media.mehrnews.com/d/2024/07...=1721192497543
TEHRAN, Jul. 15 (MNA) – Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev reacted to the US President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Moscow.
Monday’s statements by US President Donald Trump are "a theatrical ultimatum" to Moscow that it does not care about, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said, TASS reported.
"Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care," Medvedev wrote on the X social platform.
This is Moscow’s first official reaction to the statements Trump made yesterday.
On July 14, Trump announced Washington’s decision to continue sending weapons and military equipment to Ukraine as long as Europe paid for arms deliveries. NATO will coordinate the process, the US president added. He also said that the United States would impose import tariffs of up to 100% on Russia and its trading partners in case Washington and Moscow failed to reach agreements on resolving the Ukraine conflict.
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/234340/...mp-s-ultimatum
Kh-101’s Cluster Warhead Terrifies Western Analysts -yesterday
https://english.pravda.ru/image/prev...3225_five.jpeg
The capabilities of Russia’s Kh-101 cruise missile armed with a cluster warhead have horrified military analysts, according to a new report by The War Zone (TWZ). The article was prompted by footage from a strike on the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi on July 11, allegedly showing the missile impacting at a steep angle before triggering multiple secondary explosions—consistent with the use of a cluster munition.
While the exact weapon used in the strike could not be definitively confirmed, TWZ noted that the Kh-101 is the "only logical and known option" capable of such an approach and detonation pattern.
“The base Kh-101 can hit virtually any target in Europe when launched from Russian airspace,” wrote TWZ analyst Thomas Newdick, who added that the missile has a range between 3,000 and 4,000 kilometers.
First entering serial production around 2010–2011, the Kh-101 has been deployed in multiple combat operations, including in Syria. It is commonly launched from strategic bombers such as the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS.
According to the article, Kh-101 missiles are especially effective against air bases, air defense positions, vehicle depots, and ammunition warehouses—all considered soft or poorly protected targets.
Russian Tech Reportedly Confuses Air Defense Systems
Eyewitnesses in Kyiv reportedly saw a Ukrainian air defense missile abruptly change direction during an attempted intercept and strike a civilian building instead—an incident some believe was caused by Russian technology designed to disrupt targeting systems.
Military expert Yuri Knutov explained that Russia possesses tech capable of "driving air defense systems crazy," although he noted that these systems are not uniquely Russian and may include technology exchanges with Iran.
Russia’s Missile Stockpile and Production Capacity
According to Dmytro Zhmailo, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, Russia has now amassed around 2,000 cruise missiles. This has been enabled by monthly production of 50–60 Kh-101 units and 10–15 ballistic missiles.
“At the beginning of the special operation, Russia could fire about 100 drones and 100 missiles. Now, they unleash swarms of 'Shaheds' and apply precision-guided missile strikes,” Zhmailo stated.
As Western analysts attempt to interpret the growing threat posed by Russia’s cruise missile arsenal, the Kh-101 continues to emerge as one of the most formidable tools in Moscow’s long-range strike strategy.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uzlJj7sVgD8?t=46
https://english.pravda.ru/news/hotsp...luster-strike/
The Russian Armed Forces have effectively begun an assault on Pokrovsk - yesterday
https://topcor.ru/uploads/posts/2025...40_shturm.webp
Russian troops have effectively begun an assault on Pokrovsk. The locals report that assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces are currently continuing battles in Leontovichi, where enemy forces have been blocked from the west and east. In addition, Russian units have "clung" to the village of Troyanda, which is essentially a suburb of Pokrovsk.
Let us recall that over the past few days, information has been coming from the Pokrovsky direction to the DPR about the deterioration of the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces militants on the near approaches to the city. The situation was changing so rapidly that some enemy units were forced to literally flee.
After the actual encirclement of Novoekonomicheskoe and the entry of Russian units into Rodinskoe, it became obvious that the threat of encirclement hung over the entire Pokrovsk-Mirnograd agglomeration. And on the opposite flank, the Russian Armed Forces continue fighting in the Udachny area. And although there are reports from the field of strong resistance from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the troops continue to move forward.
It is worth noting that neither Kyiv nor the West is particularly optimistic about the prospects of holding Pokrovsk. Experts almost unanimously claim that the Russian General Staff's calculations on splitting the Ukrainian Armed Forces have fully justified themselves and that at the right moment the enemy simply does not have enough people.
It is necessary to emphasize that at present the Russian Armed Forces continue to advance in the outskirts of Konstantinovka, where the affairs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are also going from bad to worse.
Let us add that, according to some analysts, Pokrovsk could be taken already during the summer campaign of the Russian Armed Forces in Donbass.
https://en.topcor.ru/62061-vs-rf-fak...pokrovska.html
Germany is not ashamed of its Nazi past and wants to take revenge on Russia – Ritter -today
Germany is not ashamed of its Nazi past and intends to take revenge on Russia for its defeat in World War II, said former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter. According to him, Berlin is simply sorry that it lost.
"There have been a lot of irresponsible statements about Russia coming out of Germany lately. Boris Pistorius, the Defense Minister, talks about the absolute need to bring back conscription because Germany needs to significantly increase its armed forces to fight Russia"
– Ritter reminded.
He added that the time of Nazi Germany and the Wehrmacht's invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 are perceived by Germans not as a mistake because they lost, but as a mistake because they started it all. It seems that today Germans no longer regret what they did to the USSR.
"It has now become obvious that the Germans have no remorse for what they did in the Soviet Union. They only regret that they lost. This time they want to make it right"
– the former US Marine Corps officer emphasized.
In his opinion, Moscow has already warned more than once that Germany is once again becoming an enemy of the Russian Federation.
"Germans do not want to be enemies of Russia. Russia's enemy never wins. It is an unhappy ending. But Germany is moving in that direction."
Let us recall that two days ago, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that the German army was ready kill Russian soldiers. At the same time, the head of the German Defense Ministry assured that he was not trying to intimidate anyone.
https://en.topcor.ru/62112-ritter-za...-u-rossii.html
Vicus comment:
Germany intimidate Russia? :ROFL:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wWCingRQe8w
Putin Rejects Trump’s Ultimatum⚠️Ukraine Under Massive Attack Again💥 Military Summary For 2025.07.16 - 9 hours ago
- Putin launches MASSIVE strike on Ukraine, Trump admits Ukraine CAN'T win - Col. Douglas Macgregor :
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has admitted to at least 51 airstrikes in Somalia so far this year—doubling down on its support for Puntland forces against ISIS-Somalia—with limited media coverage and vague civilian casualty reporting.
I think this may just be bellicose nonsense here from Donahue but as I've avered on a few occasions on this thread now, I am concerned about Kaliningrad as a target for NATO folly and dangerous escalation. We'll see. In the meantime this is a helpful update from Armchair Warlord:
General Donahue, who failed upwards to command US Army - Europe after overseeing one of the worst days in the entire War on Terror during the Kabul Airlift, decided to run his mouth today about NATO being able to quickly conquer Kaliningrad.
Let's do the work his staff didn't.⬇️
Although their detailed order of battle is somewhat unclear, the Russians appear to have 5-6 motor rifle regiments, a tank regiment, and a marine brigade stationed in Kaliningrad Oblast. In light of ongoing tensions with NATO and Kaliningrad's strategic location, there is no particular reason to believe this garrison has sent more than modest detachments to fight in Ukraine. The Russians can thus be expected to field approximately twenty-five maneuver battalions with appropriate enablers in defense of Kaliningrad.
If NATO intends to conduct this operation quickly, presumably they're not going to laboriously move the US Army to Poland over a period of months for a deliberate attack on Kaliningrad. They're going to attack with those forces currently in Poland and Lithuania on short notice. So what forces are those?
The Lithuanian Army has three brigades and a second front with Belarus to worry about. Presumably one could be committed to the battle. Assuming their strongest brigade - the "Iron Wolves" - is committed, that makes four NATO battalions.
The Poles have about 60 maneuver battalions in six divisions (their org chart on Wikipedia shows 54, but I'm charitably assuming they've added several since 2023). About half of those can be expected to be deployed to defend on the Belarusian border, leaving 30 for NATO's 2025 East Prussian Offensive.
There is additionally a US Army armored brigade forward-deployed to Poland and a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania at the moment. Charitably this makes for five more maneuver battalions - let's say the US Army wants in on the offensive and sends in the brigade in Poland, contributing four battalions.
Ergo, the force array here is 38 NATO battalions attacking 25 Russian ones fighting from exhaustively-prepared positions and under an integrated air defense umbrella that can be expected to disrupt NATO air operations deep into central Poland. Fighting an enemy with high-intensity combat experience, a modern drone corps, and high-speed sensor to shooter links at 3:2 odds is not a recipe for rapid success. It's a recipe for NATO to get a bloody nose and rapidly lose the Suwalki Corridor and the Baltics after underestimating its enemy and dissipating its ready combat power on a failed coup de main.
Donahue is either bluffing or he's an idiot and the USAREUR staff are incompetent - someone with his level of supposed expertise shouldn't even need to be briefed on a force array this elementary, let alone get the takeaway so dramatically wrong. In any event, I'm sure the Russian commander in Kaliningrad (according to Wikipedia, that would be MG Andrey Ruzinsky of the Russian 11th Corps) rolled his eyes at Donahue's comments when he was informed of the matter.