Perhaps this is the most likely version of what is actually being discussed behind closed doors. After all, we’re talking about Trump, whose foreign policy has increasingly looked like Russia first, allies last.
The Ksenia Fedorova story is a perfect case study in how Kremlin media assets launder themselves into Western discourse once the official channel gets sanctioned.
🇵🇱 Sikorski: Russia still has far too many diplomats across the EU — more than 2,000. At least 40% perform tasks incompatible with diplomatic status, including servicing networks involved in terrorist acts.
NEW BRIGHT SPOTS: A district heating system in France has run since 1332, still warming 100+ homes from hot springs. The tech is 700 years old. What's changed is what we can plug in: heat from rivers, flooded coal mines, breweries, data centres. janrosenow.substack.com/p/district-h...
District heating: the 14th-century technology that keeps solving 21st-century problems
How heat networks can turn rivers, abandoned mines and data centres into sources of low-carbon heat
janrosenow.substack.com
You know, Ukrainians can "run out of food" in only one circumstance: when a Chekist occupier stands on their land pressing a Nagant revolver to their temple and seizing the grain they honestly grew to fund his deranged imperial schemes, as has happened more than once before.
Trump administration just keeps making America greater
Alina Pereverzieva 🇺🇦@perevaa.bsky.social · 4w agoBloomberg: Kremlin says it won’t abandon its war goals in Ukraine. Putin is ready to stop only on Moscow’s terms, which are hardening as Russia claims a battlefield edge. Ushakov said Russia expects to achieve its stated goals. Well, that trip went great.
"Russians who crave revenge for invented causes and revel in propaganda are complicit in all the killings, violence, and war crimes committed by our worthless, blood-soaked state." A Russian woman explains why Russia’s imperial ambitions are destroying the country from within.
This @washingtonmonthly.bsky.social piece by the ever-insightful Mike Lofgren is prescient. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/08/07/d...
The Disintegration of the U.S. Military Under Trump and Beyond
Russia’s woes in Ukraine reflect its autocracy, corruption, and dismal choices. Sounds like the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth.
washingtonmonthly.com
Not a Russia-Ukraine scholar and haven't read the book, but is interesting a Palgrave monograph by a not-famous scholar has 150,000 downloads (150 would be good typically) and much discussion on X (but only X), promoted by both Musk and Sacks. Very favorable to Russia's case, apparently
Andreas Umland@umland.eurosky.social · last mo.Dear colleague, if you are affiliated to a relevant research center, think-tank, university department, NGO, governmental institution, etc., please, consider co-signing this collective letter by, so far, 621 analysts. The letter will be republished in a relevant scholarly journal.
Meanwhile in Rusamerica 🎯👇 "And the beneficiary is the Russians. All this means is we have had two more months of blue smoke and mirrors, with people wondering if Trump might help the Ukrainians, and in the meantime Russia can bombard an almost defenseless Ukraine."
Phillips OBrien@phillipspobrien.bsky.social · last mo.Free weekend update is out (#199!). The lead story is that this week shows how focussing on Russia's oil system should be the key Ukrainian long range priority. Also, the Trump summer con fully collapses--and gifted Putin more time (thanks USA!). phillipspobrien.substack.com/p/weekend-up...
“Federal law enforcement is protecting one party and prosecuting its opposition…They are confident they can avoid consequences. If they can break the law with impunity, elections are the only consequence they face, [so] they have every incentive to steal them.” open.substack.com/pub/cmarmita...
A Ruling Party That Faces No Consequences for Open Corruption Has No Reason to Accept Elections
We won't survive if we try to play by their rules.
open.substack.com
"Spare me the humiliation theory. russia was not humiliated after the Cold War. It was indulged — and it read every kindness as weakness, every gift as tribute. The grievance was never mistreatment. The grievance was lost dominion."
In the European view, the fact that Donald Trump could be elected president twice and still command over 35% popular support after engaging in depraved, reckless and corrupt conduct is stark evidence of long-term institutional disintegration inside the US. The country is no longer a desirable ally.
Ardo Hansson: "Ühiskond, kus kolmveerand inimestest on oma eluga pigem rahul, ligi kaks kolmandikku vaatab optimistlikult Eesti tulevikule ning neli viiendikku näeb EL-i liikmelisuses kasu, ei ole kriisis elav või lootuse kaotanud ühiskond." www.err.ee/1610077927/a...
Ardo Hansson: rohutirtsude lakkamatu sirin ja vaikiv enamus
Isiklikud raskused ja üldine rahulolu võivad igas riigis eksisteerida üheaegselt. Eurobaromeetri tulemused viitavad, et just nii on see praegu ka Eestis, kirjutab
err.ee
Russia is never retaliating. They started this
Joni Askola@joniaskola.bsky.social · 3mo agoCalling Russian attacks on civilians "retaliation" is a grotesque lie. While Ukraine has 2,5 to 3 times fewer total casualties than Russia, it has dozens of times more civilian deaths. Russia is the unprovoked invader. Ukraine is the only one truly retaliating against a genocidal campaign
There is a tendency in Europe to underestimate Russia's air defense. But again, it's important to understand that Ukraine's success is due to their ability to produce massive quantities of missiles and drones consistently. Not just the few lucky ones that get through.
Alina Pereverzieva 🇺🇦@perevaa.bsky.social · 3mo agoFlamingos were flying over Russia last night. But none of them made it to their targets. One of the missiles was reportedly intercepted near Votkinsk – the likely target was the Votkinsk Plant.
russia's deliberate bombardment of civilians in Kyiv last night was a brutal admission of frustration. With no tactical answer to Ukraine’s expanding strike capabilities, their only response is bomb runs against the innocent—a defining sign of a failing strategy and murderous mentality
One year ago UN said it was indeed us who shelled & killed Ukrainian POWs at Olenivka. This was absolutely not cos we had tortured them so badly that releasing them would've shamed even us. You'd think this would be big news.
If Europe fails to decisively defeat Russian imperialism in Ukraine, it will soon face Russia within its own borders. Russia has less to lose now, a fully mobilized war economy, and deep drone warfare expertise. The cheapest way to prevent a war inside the EU is to arm Ukraine more
“Stock trades made in Trump’s name reveal bursts of buying and selling around important announcements by companies and his administration. Trump reported more than 21,000 trades across eight investment accounts in 2025. That is almost 24 times the number of transactions previously disclosed.”
Russian infrastructure cannot withstand another year of such destruction. Putin's days are now numbered. Whether he negotiates or not, Putin is a goner.
Vance and Trump say Iran accepted new nuclear inspections. Iran says no. Vance says an Iran will spend unfrozen money on US products. Iran says otherwise. Trump says no Hormuz tolls. Iran’s setting up tolls. Sadly, the recent record says the Americans are lying and Iranians are telling the truth.
When reality surpasses fiction! Top: fictional forecast for August 2050, broadcast by French TV in 2014 to warn about the consequences of global warming. Bottom: Real French forecast for yesterday, June 22, 2026.
📌NOTE: The United States isn't a grotesque, fascist shit show because of Donald Trump. It is a grotesque, fascist shit show because of the absolutely deplorable people who support him.
As the Kremlin loses hope of conquering Ukraine, they signal they might accept a chunk to sell this domestically as victory. This tells you what the war was always about and what russian society thinks of it-- both the regime and russian society seek imperial conquest, not security.
Meanwhile in Russia… “A Russian man died after falling from an oak tree branch during sex.” Gravity strikes again! www.gazeta.ru/social/news/...
Two days ago a sitting US Senator was pepper sprayed for protesting ICE and it didn’t even become national news.
Evil and unlawful on countless levels, but also just embarrassing that he’s so cheap. Consider for a moment that Trump is bribable for what is meaningless pocket change in the Kremlin.
Judd Legum@juddlegum.bsky.social · 4mo ago1. Trump has repeatedly promoted an online casino, Stake, on social media after its founder and owner, Bijan Tehrani donated $1 million to Trump's Super PAC, MAGA Inc. According to multiple state regulators, Stake is an illegal operation.