Russia today

[blindpig]

RUSSIA’S PETROL SUPPLY – THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING BETWEEN THE REFINERY AND THE GAS PUMP, AND WHY*





By John Helmer, Moscow @bears_with

The propaganda war to make pinprick drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and oil storage terminals appear to be destroying the Russian economy, and Ukrainian forces winning the war, came to its climax last week, on September 23, when an announcement was issued in President Donald Trump’s name.

“When the people living in Moscow,” the tweet said, “and all of the Great Cities, Towns, and Districts all throughout Russia, find out what is really going on with this War, the fact that it’s almost impossible for them to get Gasoline through the long lines that are being formed, and all of the other things that are taking place in their War Economy, where most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which has Great Spirit, and only getting better, Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that! Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”

Trump kept repeating his jingle to everyone he met. He told French President Emmanuel Macron that “it could be that Russia is a paper tiger. I don’t know what they are, but three and a half years of fighting and killing everybody and killing 7,000 people a week for nothing, for nothing.”

Two days later in the White House Trump said: “I’m very dissatisfied with what Russia is doing and what President Putin is doing. I haven’t liked it at all. He’s killing people for no reason whatsoever. And they are doing — they are doing very poorly considering they — they have put it all out on the line. They are — their economy is going to hell. They’re bombing the hell out of everything, and they’re picking up very little territory, if any. In fact, they’re losing some territory. So uh, I think it’s been very bad for the reputation of Russia.”

In their meeting at the UN immediately following after Trump’s tweet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ignored what had been published. Rubio’s communiqué said he had “reiterated President Trump’s call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war.” Lavrov said they had “exchanged views on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis in the development of the understanding reached during the Russian-American summit in Anchorage. Reciprocal interest in finding peaceful solutions has been confirmed.”

The reference to the “understanding” between the presidents at Anchorage was the Russian reminder that Trump appeared not to be remembering what he said he understood five weeks ago.

Later, in his exchange with reporters, Lavrov was asked “given the ever-changing policy of American colleagues, how does Russia plan to work with the United States?” Lavrov confirmed “this can be called an ever-changing, flexible policy”. But he played down the significance of Trump’s “style of doing business in the international arena, as well as at home.” “It will be foolish not to use this circumstance to implement any joint mutually beneficial projects – whether in the energy sector, in space, anywhere. And in those cases (they are the majority), when the interests of Russia and the United States do not coincide, the main thing is to prevent it from escalating into a clash, into confrontation…When some of our European counterparts turn diplomacy either into the ‘court’ of their ‘comrades’ from Washington to keep them ‘playing the war of Biden’ or replacing diplomacy with sanctions – this is a hopeless path. It has no success. But an honest dialogue on any issues – we see the readiness for this by the United States – we are also ready for it. At the same time, diplomatic comments can be very different.”

The Russian state media have followed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in treating Trump’s claims as having been prompted by others. “President Trump’s statements were made after talking with Zelensky,” Peskov told Tass. “It seems, Zelensky’s opinions rubbed off on him. This view is in stark contrast with our understanding of the current state of affairs.” Peskov added: “”President Trump has never hidden his intention to ensure the economic interests of the United States. The simplest thing is to force the entire world to buy American oil at a higher price and American liquefied natural gas at a higher price,”

On one point, however, there is no doubt — there has been a shortage of automobile fuel – gasoline, petrol, essence, бензин – at Russia’s retail pumps, especially in the southwestern regions of the country. There is a correspondingly sharp rise in the trading price of the fuel, both auto petrol and diesel at the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX). The lead images chart the data which confirm the shortage and the price rise.

In wartime, the Russian state media cannot be expected to add fuel, or the shortage of fuel, to the US and Ukrainian fire. According to Alexander Novak, the former energy minister and now deputy prime minister in charge of the energy sector, the fuel shortage is normal for this time of the year when the balance between supply and demand is “difficult. There is a small shortage of petroleum products, which is covered by the reserves.”

The Carnegie Endowment’s Russia Eurasia Centre, a Washington propaganda source now based in Berlin, is more careful. “Right now, the situation looks challenging but manageable”, the think tank reported on August 26. “Most of the refineries that have been hit by Ukrainian drones continue to produce gasoline, albeit in reduced quantities. It has also been possible to redirect gasoline from unaffected regions, and some of the deficit has been eased by tapping state reserves. …There is still a long way to go before the transport, agriculture, and industrial sectors—or, most importantly, the army—experience any significant fuel shortages…It’s important to remember that a lot of Russian vehicles and military equipment run on diesel, not gasoline, and Russia has a diesel surplus. Accordingly, the sort of full-scale fuel crisis that could end up impairing the functioning of the economy—or the army—is still a long way off. On top of this, annual gasoline production in Russia exceeds domestic demand by up to 20 percent, while diesel production is more than double what is needed. Even if the damaged refineries (which account for about 20 percent of primary refining capacity) stopped functioning entirely, the resulting deficit would be small.”

The truth of the fuel position is acknowledged by Russian sources. But it’s more complicated than the propaganda suggests, explains Igor Yushkov, a leading expert on Russian energy policy at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation (FNEB) and the National Energy Security Fund (NWF). This does not mean it is vulnerable to US and Ukrainian escalation, as Trump is implying.

“Russia has enough reserves of petroleum to compensate for the attacks on refineries,” Yushkov said in interview last Friday. “The problem is the logistics. Yes, Ukraine is still actively hitting our fuel bases. They began to actively hit refineries in August, when the Russian-American negotiations began – in order to disrupt them literally, they intensified their strikes. And they’ve been hitting the storages all these years. And in this regard, the border regions have all suffered quite a lot. Previously, you just had to take the train from the refinery to the storage facility by rail, unload the fuel cargo there, and from there you take it by lorry to the gas stations. Now the logistics have lengthened. We need more tanker trucks. The supply line is getting longer. For example, in the current conditions of Crimea, it is rather 2-3 weeks at best, because there is also a delay in delivery. Relatively speaking, if they only bought it now, then the fuel will be shipped from the refinery after a certain period, then they will need to deliver it directly to gas stations in the Crimea. That is taking several weeks.”

“The current situation with the production of petroleum products is ambiguous. Although the total production in the country remains at an acceptable level — 50% of diesel is exported, 50% to the domestic market — there is tension in the gasoline market. An increase in crude oil exports and a reduction in refining at some refineries may have led to a decrease in fuel production in August compared to last year. The ban on gasoline exports introduced in August has two consequences. On the one hand, it helps to lower prices on the stock exchange by creating surpluses on the domestic market. On the other hand, it can stimulate the growth of retail prices, as companies seek to compensate for lost export profits. The long-term maintenance of the ban is problematic, since excess fuel will require either a reduction in processing or the resumption of exports.”

“About the shortage of petroleum on gas stations — first of all, the shortage of petroleum is caused by rising prices on the oil products exchange due to a reduction of almost 50% in payments to oil companies from the state budget. Payments on the so-called damper — a reverse oil excise tax – have been reduced. The damper is a mechanism that compensates oil companies and a portion is paid back from the budget. It compensates for the difference between how much an oil product costs on the foreign market and how much the government wants to see it on the domestic market. That is, once a year, the state sets a certain price for gasoline and diesel, and, accordingly, if the price in foreign markets is higher, then the state pays oil companies. Prices for 95 and 92 gasoline are breaking records on the stock exchange, but oil refineries cannot raise the cost of fuel at gas stations after that – the Federal Antimonopoly Service monitors compliance of price increases. Therefore, the gas stations, in order not to operate at a loss, stop selling gasoline and wait for prices on the stock exchange to stabilize. And fuel problems are mostly arising at the independent gas stations which buy their gasoline only on the stock exchange. The big oil production companies don’t have such problems.”

Here is a sampler of how the Russian media are reporting the problem over the past week:


September 25 — Aksyonov named the delivery dates for scarce AI-92 and AI-95 at gas stations in Crimea
The head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, said that AI-95 gasoline would be supplied to gas stations in the region within two days. Gasoline AI-92 is planned to be supplied to the gas station within two weeks. “All necessary measures are being taken,” Sergey Aksyonov said on Telegram. “I ask Crimeans and guests of the Republic of Crimea to be patient.” According to him, fuel shortages on the peninsula “arose due to a decrease in production volumes” at Russian refineries. He assured that he was “in direct contact with the federal services” on this topic. As Kommersant wrote, the number of petrol stations selling gasoline decreased by 2.6% in two months. The problem of fuel shortage is most acute in the south of the country.


September 25 — Novak announced a small shortage in the retail fuel market
The Russian government is observing a slight shortage of supply in the retail fuel market. This was stated by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. “There is a small shortage of petroleum products, which is covered by accumulated reserves,” he said. The Deputy Prime Minister added that the current situation is typical for the season, while “the balance between September and October is difficult.” Earlier, the head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said that the reason for fuel shortages in the region was a decrease in production at Russian refineries, the Telegram channel Radiotoka NSN reported.


September 26 – Auto Crisis 2025 — Russia has restricted the sale of fuel at gas stations. We asked the experts how serious the shortage is.
More and more regions are facing restrictions on the sale of fuel: if in August the problem concerned mainly the Far East (there were queues at gas stations) and the Crimea, then in September gasoline sales began to be limited in the central part of Russia and the Volga region, the Izvestia newspaper reports. According to the Independent Fuel Union, shortages are observed in at least 10 regions of the Russian Federation, in particular, in the Moscow, Leningrad, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Rostov regions. A number of independent gas stations have introduced limits of 10-20 liters for sale in one hand, and Lukoil has stopped the pouring of fuel into cans at some gas stations. Experts so far deny the existence of a physical shortage of fuel and explain what is happening by the reaction of the market to the increase in stock prices.

The wholesale price of fuel is breaking records: in August, they were exceeded by AI-95 gasoline, and at the end of this month by AI-92 gasoline. Economists have attributed the stock market rally to both the high-demand season and refinery repairs, planned and unplanned. Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund, noted there has been an increase in the number of unmanned attacks on the Russian oil refining infrastructure.

The increase in stock prices has led to an increase in gas station prices. In July–September, the average increase was 25-26 kopecks per litre per week (Rosstat data), and in the last reporting week, AI-95 went up by 37 kopecks, AI-92 — by 42 kopecks. As a result, the 92 exceeded the mark of 60 rubles per litre (the average for Russia), adding 6.6 rubles per year.

Along the way, difficulties began to appear with the purchase of fuel; for example, in Vladivostok there were queues at gas stations at night. Supply disruptions were reported in the Trans-Baikal Territory, and restrictions on fuel sales were recorded in the Crimea and Khabarovsk Territory. By the end of September, the problem began to be felt by regions close to the capital. Our colleagues from MSK1.RU reports restrictions at LUKoil and Teboil gas stations (a subsidiary brand) selling fuel for future use in separate containers, explaining this as due to fire safety requirements. Gas stations have not been filling fuel in plastic bottles for a long time due to the risks of fire from static discharge, but fuel has always been freely released into metal and special cans.

Candidate of Economic Sciences Nikolay Kulbaka believes that the increase in fuel prices is not so significant yet and the main problem lies elsewhere. “We have a serious shortage of gasoline due to drone raids and the fact that the logistics system does have time enough to transport fuel. The regions with refineries suffer less, but the rest face problems,” he says. “Under normal conditions, gasoline would have risen in price, but over the past ten years, its cost has been growing even more slowly than consumer price indices. As long as the government slows down the rise in gasoline prices, we will have a shortage.”

Speaking of price deceleration, the expert is referring to the mechanism introduced in 2018 against the background of a sharp price spike. At that time, the government entered into an unspoken agreement with oil companies, under which they were allowed to raise retail fuel prices only within the limits of inflation. In return, they received a number of compensations, the main one being the so-called damper: a mechanism for budget payments in favor of oil companies during periods when fuel exports are more profitable than sales on the domestic market. Since then, fuel prices have indeed been rising within the limits of inflation, but the downside is fuel supply disruptions during periods of sharp increases in wholesale prices. We have already seen this in the fall of 2023.


September 26 — In 2023, fuel shortages in Chelyabinsk affected even large gas stations.

“It’s not a shortage yet”. Energy security expert Igor Yushkov believes that events are currently developing according to a similar scenario. “It is important to note that, at least for now, we do not have a physical shortage of gasoline: after all, there is gasoline in Russia,” he believes. “Rather, we are seeing a manifestation of the fuel crisis for economic reasons.

Yushkov calls the shutdown of fuel sales at gas stations of the vertically integrated oil companies the criterion for a full-fledged shortage, But that is not happening now. So far, according to him, restrictions are imposed mainly by independent gas stations. “Independent gas stations buy fuel on the stock exchange, and historical price records are being set on the stock exchange,”

the expert continues. “It turns out that you bought expensive and want to raise the prices at the gas station in order to achieve at least a zero loss. But it’s difficult if you’re somewhere in central Russia: there are a lot of gas stations there, the market is saturated, and your customers will simply leave for the bigger oil company gas station. In addition, the FAS [Federal Antimonopoly Service] may come and issue an order for unjustified price increases with the demand to reduce them. As a result, you end up with a loss. In order not to suffer this loss, independent gas stations either stop buying fuel on the stock exchange, or limit the volume of sales at gas stations.”

Pavel Bazhenov, president of the Independent Fuel Union, shares a similar opinion.
“The big oil companies dictate the price level,” he explains. “In addition, our retail value is regulated by inflation. Accordingly, in these conditions, small companies can either close or limit the supply of gasoline — up to 10-20 litres per customer.” In Chita, the price of AI-95 gasoline is approaching 80 rubles per litre, AI-92 – 70 rubles per litre. This is about 10-13 rubles more expensive than the average in Russia. According to Bazhenov, the problem was exacerbated by the seasonal demand for fuel in July and August. “Stocks have been used up, and demand has not yet begun to decline,” Bazhenov continues. “In addition, unscheduled plant shutdowns for repairs are affected. Previously, these data were open, and market participants could somehow prepare, but now they can’t. Other events also have an impact, such as accidents. They don’t knock out the entire infrastructure as a whole, but they create an imbalance locally. This is all reflected in the regional markets.”

To prevent a shortage of gasoline in the domestic market, back in August the government imposed an embargo on their exports, extended until the end of the year. Yushkov believes that other measures may be required. “Of course, if the refineries continue to go for unscheduled repairs as a result of the attacks, there may be a physical shortage,” the expert explains. “But you can also fight it. For example, you can send additional volumes of oil to Belarus, where refineries are under-loaded, and get oil products from there by paying for processing. Also, it is possible to reduce the ecological class of the fuel: Euro-5 fuel is mandatory for us, but it can be temporarily reduced to Euro-3, and additional volumes will appear on the market.”

According to Yushkov, drastic measures may not be necessary, since the demand for fuel is decreasing due to the seasonal factor. However, he is convinced that the crises will repeat themselves if systemic measures are not taken: in particular, Siberia and the Far East are the first to experience such crises due to the small number of refineries in the eastern regions of Russia. “For many years, if not decades, we have been saying that it is necessary to build new refineries in the Far East,” adds Yushkov. “There is enough diesel fuel there, it is even exported, but there is no gasoline, so the problem will only worsen, the shortage will increase, because consumption is growing. On the one hand, the government is stimulating economic growth in the Far East, but on the other hand, there is already a shortage of electricity and fuel.”

As for the Urals and central regions, Igor Yushkov is not inclined to dramatize the situation. “I think we have already passed the bottom of the crisis; another question is if it starts to change its character, and from shortage caused by commercial reasons it will move into a phase when there will not be enough production. And in this regard, we need to ensure the safety of the refinery so that there are no such consequences,” the expert notes.


September 26 — the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation announced work to stabilize fuel prices
The Russian Ministry of Energy has announced that they are monitoring the oil products market and are engaged in stabilizing gasoline prices. It is noted that the ministry keeps the fuel situation under control together with the regional authorities. This is reported by Tass citing a release from the Ministry of Energy. According to the Ministry, Russia has the required level of reserves of petroleum products. “The Ministry of Energy is taking all necessary measures to maintain stability and uninterrupted supply of all types and brands of fuel to the economy and the population of the country,” the statement said.

Izvestia, citing market participants, has reported that in some regions gas stations began to limit the volume of gasoline supply to 20 litres per customer. In Kazan, motorists complained that at some gas stations they were allowed to refuel with diesel up to a maximum of only 150 litres. Then the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan noted that there are no official restrictions, and the need for diesel fuel in the region is several times less than it is produced.

On September 16, the price of AI-92 gasoline on the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange exceeded 73,000 rubles per tonne, topping the historical record. In addition, premium 95 increased in price by 0.87% to 79.4 rubles per tonne. Diesel fuel now costs 67.1 rubles (an increase of 1.13%). The cost of fuel oil increased from 23,092 rubles to 23,556 rubles.
“People walk into gas stations and almost spit in the operators’ faces!” — what caused the fuel crisis in 2025? Earlier it was reported that the Ministry of Energy is discussing new rules for trading diesel fuel on the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange. The limits of price fluctuations with shipment by rail can be reduced from 0.5% to 0.01%. In addition, the purchase volume is planned to be limited to one bidder. Later, Tass citing sources, wrote that Russia is likely to extend the ban on gasoline exports and impose an embargo on the export of diesel fuel from all market participants until the end of this year.


September 26 – Refueled: gasoline and diesel fuel exports will be restricted until the end of the year.
As expected by Kommersant, it has been decided to limit the export of gasoline and diesel fuel from Russia until the end of 2025. The government’s decision was predictably prompted by rising stock prices and fuel shortages in certain regions of Russia. According to experts, such measures may be primarily aimed at stabilizing and calming the market.

In the near future, the government will extend the ban on gasoline exports until the end of the year for all market participants, with the exception of supplies under intergovernmental agreements. This was announced on September 25 by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. In addition, the export of diesel fuel for non-producers will be banned by the end of the year.

For now, restrictions on gasoline exports are in effect until September 30, including for large producers. From October 1, the ban for the latter was planned to be lifted, for the remaining exporters — to be maintained until October 31. The export of diesel fuel was not limited.

The Ministry of Energy has reported that the extension of the ban on gasoline exports and restrictions on the export of diesel fuel will release additional volumes of petroleum products for domestic consumers. The government and the Ministry of Energy continue to work on a daily basis together with oil companies, the Ministry of Transport and Russian Railways to increase production and prompt delivery of fuel to the regions, the ministry added.

Market participants and analysts expected the government to further restrict fuel exports in the face of rising wholesale prices and supply disruptions in the regions. At the auction on September 25, AI-92 on the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange rose on the index of the European part of Russia by 0.22% to 73.84 thousand rubles per tonne. The wholesale cost of AI-95 increased by 0.5%, to 79.78 thousand rubles per tonne. Diesel fuel prices decreased by 0.17%, to 71.94 thousand rubles per tonne.

Pavel Bazhenov, president of the Independent Fuel Union, believes that the introduction of a total ban is more likely to be a “verbal intervention” to reassure market participants. According to him, the peak of tension falls at the end of the summer season, and in October, demand is expected to cool and supplies to normalize. Alexander Frolov, Deputy Director General of the National Energy Institute, also believes that the measure is more likely aimed at stabilizing the expectations of market participants by guaranteeing the supply of fuel to the domestic market.

But Maxim Dyachenko, managing partner of the Proleum trader, predicts that the extension of the ban on gasoline exports and restrictions on the export of diesel fuel by non-producers will not affect wholesale prices: the increase in quotations is now technically limited, and there are no grounds for a noticeable decrease. Since September 8, the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange has introduced limits on the growth of price quotes and limited the number of applications for the purchase of gasoline. On September 23, similar rules were established for trading in diesel fuel.

The OMT-Consult analytical company also does not expect a noticeable impact on the market from the announced measures: there are no problems of saturation of the market with diesel fuel, and the effect on gasoline has already manifested itself. According to their estimates, about 370,000 tonnes of gasoline were exported from January to July 2024, and 430,000 tonnes in the same period of 2025 (before the ban). If we release the export data for August and September, then in the absence of restrictions, the market would have lost about 800,000 tonnes, which would lead to more serious consequences, including problems at gas stations of the vertically integrated companies in some regions, OMT-Consult notes.

Sergei Frolov, Managing Partner of NEFT Research, on the contrary, believes that the extension of restrictions will reduce exchange prices for diesel fuel by redirecting volumes to the domestic market. According to him, the situation with the latter will soon stabilize, while gasoline imports are possible to eliminate local shortages in the south and the Far East. According to Kirill Bakhtin, a senior analyst at BCS, a ban on the export of diesel fuel, including for producers, could have a more noticeable effect than applies to gasoline. The authorities are likely to continue monitoring demand and the schedule of repairs at the refinery and, if necessary, may impose stricter restrictions, the analyst expects. The ban on the export of gasoline, he adds, which has been in effect since the end of July, has already restrained the growth of quotations.

Alexander Novak also said that from September 1, it is planned to increase the range of deviation of exchange prices from indicative ones, at which oil companies can receive payments on the damper, by 10 percentage points, to 20% and 30% for gasoline and diesel fuel, respectively. A Kommersant source in the industry says that, apparently in August, oil companies will not receive payments on the damper for gasoline. In addition, the Kommersant source continues, due to the relatively lenient restrictions on the export of diesel fuel, risks may arise for non-payment of the damper on this product in October. In September, the summer diesel fuel index remains low, so there is no threat of loss of payments, but in October the situation may become more complicated due to high prices for winter diesel fuel, he says.


[*] The sources for the lead images are, reading downwards: top - charted from St Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SIPEX) data; the acronym RON stands for the fuel’s Research Octane Number ; middle -- https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Russ ... ne_prices/; bottom -- https://autotraveler.ru/en/russia/trend ... ussia.html According to Globalpetrolprices.com, which tracks national average prices for fuel in 150 countries and over 250 cities globally, Russian gasoline prices are currently about half the global average. The cost of a 40-litre auto tank represents 2.44% of monthly income measured as the average monthly GDP per capita.

https://johnhelmer.net/russias-petrol-s ... p-and-why/



Are we Sleepwalking into Chaos? Featuring John Helmer and Martin Sieff

Sep 28, 2025
In this episode of Beyond Geopolitics, two veteran journalists (Martin Sieff and John Helmer) share their insights into the trajectory of our world, the firing of Chrystia Freeland, the efforts to sabotage the Russia-China alliance, Donald Trump’s ability (or inability?) to steer the ship, planned chaos within the USA, how will Russia respond to renewed escalations into east Ukraine, why are US generals meeting in Quantico base in Virginia on September 30, the potential confiscation of frozen Russian assets, the potential collapse of the financial system and the most important question: who’s in control?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcMDtK3I34I

*****

Budget at the expense of corrupt officials
September 29, 9:05



Budget at the expense of corrupt officials

Continuing with the topic ( https://t.me/darpaandcia/791 ) raised by Crimson ( https://t.me/crimsondigest ) about the upcoming increase in the tax burden on citizens and businesses, we decided to analyze an alternative source of replenishment of the state treasury - revenues from anti-corruption seizures. Data for 2025 show that this mechanism is working with unprecedented efficiency.

A sharp increase in anti-corruption activity

The first quarter of 2025 demonstrated a clear trend towards intensifying the fight against corruption compared to the same period in 2024:

Increase in detected corruption crimes: +25%

Increase in cases of especially large-scale bribery: +65.7%

Total number of officials held accountable (for the first quarter of 2025): 5,478 people

These figures confirm that the state has taken corruption seriously, and this is producing tangible financial results.

A trillion rubles in just 10 cases

An analysis of the period from March to September 2025 shows that the total amount of claims and seizures in just the 10 largest cases exceeded 1 trillion rubles. For comparison: the government plans to receive from 1.5 to 4 trillion rubles from increasing VAT, lowering the simplified tax system threshold, and increasing the recycling fee.

Here are the top 10 individuals and companies whose assets were required to be transferred to the state:

1. Denis and Nikolai Shtengelov (owners of KDV Group): 500 billion rubles - assets became the subject of a lawsuit on charges of extremism and financing the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
2. Yuri Antipov (former owner of ChEMK): 105 billion rubles - a claim for unjust enrichment.
3. Magomed-Sultan Magomedov (State Secretary of Dagestan): 100 billion rubles - voluntary transfer of assets.
4. Viktor Kruglov (former head of the Irkutsk Legislative Assembly): 92 billion rubles - seizure of assets of Sayanskkhimplast.
5. Igor Pushkarev and his family (former mayor of Vladivostok): 80 billion rubles - seizure of assets of Vostokcement.
6. Yuri Zubarev (former deputy chairman of the Kamchatka government): 30 billion rubles - seizure of assets of the seaport.
7. Alexander Chernov (former chairman of the Krasnodar Regional Court): 13 billion rubles - seizure for illegal enrichment.
8. Aslan Trakhov (former chairman of the Supreme Court of Adygea): 13 billion rubles - confiscation of 214 real estate properties.
9. Alexey Bobrov and Artem Bykov (owners of STS Corporation): 12 billion rubles - lawsuit for illegal acquisition of a state-owned enterprise.
10. Viktor Momotov (Chairman of the Council of Judges): 9 billion rubles – a lawsuit for illegal business activity.

Given the 65.7% increase in the number of such cases, the annual revenue could become a serious alternative to unpopular tax measures. This gives reason to consider: perhaps the state should focus on fighting corruption rather than increasing the tax burden on the population.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10098256.html

The former vice-governor of the Sverdlovsk region has been arrested.
September 29, 1:05 PM


Former Vice Governor Oleg Chemezov was arrested in the Sverdlovsk Region.

On September 25, he was dismissed by the acting governor, and just a few days later, the Main Investigative Directorate hired him. He is implicated in the fraudulent acquisition of the company "Oblkommunenergo" by Chubais's accomplices. Two other former ministers of the Sverdlovsk region, a host of other officials and companies, and a gang of Chubais's accomplices are also implicated in the case

. The state plans to confiscate everything illegally acquired and turn it into state property. Chubais's accomplices had once transferred a significant portion of the proceeds from the illegally acquired company to Austria, where they used the funds to purchase hotels in countries hostile to the Russian Federation. And yet, this is only one of many companies that were effectively handed over to Chubais's gang to feed. Those same "effective managers."

And they say the death penalty is unnecessary...

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10098842.html

Google Translator

[blindpig]

Lavrov's Post-Speech Presser
Karl Sanchez
Sep 28, 2025


SRO pressroom

Lavrov was very keen with his word choice and delivery during his presser’s short opening remarks. What do you read between the lines? Here they are:

I am glad to see everyone here, including my good old acquaintances.

Traditionally, we end the high-level week with a meeting with you. We try to answer your questions as transparently and openly as possible. I will not make any long substantive introductory remarks. I hope you, as journalists, are following what is happening.

Our speech has just been delivered in the General Assembly Hall. It outlines the main directions of Russian foreign policy.

My main conclusion at this juncture of the General Assembly is that the world is undergoing a profound transformation. Within its framework, two main processes collide. One is the objective, historically conditioned process of forming a multipolar world, firmly based on the principle of sovereign equality of states laid down in the UN Charter. And the second is a group of countries, those who still want to preserve the unipolar world, to preserve what we are used to calling the “golden billion”, to preserve not colonial, but neocolonial methods, the essence of which is the same – to live at the expense of others.

There are many examples of this. I have no doubt that you, as journalists, are interested in what is happening and how countries are trying to explain their position, and how these words diverge or do not diverge from deeds.

I suggest moving on to questions and answers.

Question (retranslated from English): The European Union says that it is already in a state of hybrid war with Russia. According to NATO, Russia’s violations of airspace are a violation of international law. What is your response to these accusations?

Sergey Lavrov: Let me give you an example. When the drones crashed on Polish territory, on the same day, as soon as the Poles began to raise the alarm, we proposed that the Russian Defence Ministry hold a meeting in a business-like manner, as befits professionals, without any hysteria: look at the wreckage, talk about what kind of drones they are, what their range is. The drones that were allegedly found on Polish territory, if these are the ones we think about, then their flight range is less than from the border of the Russian Federation to the border with Poland.

I repeat again. When they avoid an honest conversation, they blame me for everything; and when we offer to sit down and sort it out, they say, no, we don’t want to sort it out, you know everything yourself.

It’s good that you started with this question. A year ago, in this same hall, at the same table, I told you how we are trying to get the truth about the provocation staged in April 2022 in the town of Bucha. When, after Russian units left the suburbs of Kiev, including the town called Bucha (and we left there because Western countries urged us to do so in order to “create an atmosphere of trust” for the signing of a peace agreement on the settlement that was planned at the time, which was later disrupted by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson), two days later, by a “coincidental and lucky” coincidence, BBC TV reporters showed the corpses to the whole world, lying neatly along the main street of the village of Bucha. That is, so that no one notices them for two days, and then suddenly they see the light - this does not happen.

I told you how I appealed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for almost three years. Moreover, we even sent an official request to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Initially, no one wanted to organize the investigation we called for. We asked, at a minimum, to publish the names of those whose bodies were shown on the BBC.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (I spoke with him on this issue yesterday) shrugs his shoulders and says that he cannot do this. Then he said that he asked, but he was refused.

As I have already said, we have also appealed to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Officially, in writing a year ago. We received an answer only this summer. It says startling things: the possibility of disclosing the data of victims is being considered jointly with the Office of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat. Then we were informed (albeit orally) that the Secretariat’s lawyers had issued a verdict that it was inexpedient to disclose information about the victims in Bucha in order to ensure the safety of their relatives.

A year ago, when it was all the same as today, in a dead end, I called for your journalistic passion. Aren’t you interested in knowing who the people whose bodies were shown there? What are their names? Who are they? As far as I understand, none of you staged a journalistic investigation later, although such investigations are very common in connection with much less high-profile incidents.

Returning to the first question – we have nothing to hide. We never attack civilian targets. Incidents happen, but we never fire at them. We never send our drones or missiles at member states of the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance located in Europe.

Once again. If the Poles really wanted to look into this, we would immediately offer a meeting. But no one ever wants to discuss the facts.

Examples when we were accused, and then it turned out that it was the Ukrainians who hit the market, the maternity hospital, and many others – they are well known to us. When the noise of the first accusations passes, journalists, including those who raised this fuss, do not want to understand these issues. Maybe they are simply not allowed. But we are always open to an honest conversation.

Question: Yesterday, following a vote, the UN Security Council rejected a draft resolution proposed by Russia and China to extend UN Resolution 2231 on Iran’s nuclear programme for six months.

What consequences do you see of the resumption of UN sanctions against Iran? Do you still think it is possible to resolve the issue of the Iranian nuclear programme through diplomatic means? If so, what further steps does Russia plan to take?

Sergey Lavrov: The mechanism for restoring sanctions was laid down in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which approved the Iranian nuclear deal in 2015, following direct talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

This snapback mechanism is not typical for other sanctions regimes. In effect, it allowed any country to put to a vote a resolution to keep the sanctions regime in place. A country with the right of veto, even alone, could block such a resolution. This would mean that there is no extension of the lifting of sanctions.

Two considerations. Firstly, it is not very elegantly worded. This was done with the sole purpose of constantly “holding Iranian colleagues by the throat” and preventing them from taking a step to the left or a step to the right.

Secondly, Iran agreed to this “exotic” mechanism solely because it was sure that it itself would never violate this “deal”. Therefore, they say, for God’s sake, let this mechanism “hang” as something “spare”. But Iran was not going to and is not going to violate this at the moment, so they agreed to it with a light heart, as it seemed to them.

They could not even think that the “deal” would be ruined not by them, but by the United States in 2018. The United States withdrew from this “deal” and stated that it did not recognize this resolution. Instead of demanding a return to its responsibilities, Europe has also begun to move away from its commitment to these agreements. This continuous series of violations is well known.

So from the resolution, which the United States does not recognize, everything that the Europeans need is taken. And they need this “exotic” mechanism for the return of sanctions. What did they do? It is even impossible to explain it in human language. This is a trap. This paradox was created as a trap for Iran. This is another confirmation that Iran was not going to violate the requirements of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and this nuclear deal. Nevertheless, the next Iranian government has fallen into this trap, inherited since 2015.

Together with the People’s Republic of China, we did everything to give diplomacy a chance. Even after this resolution on the renewal of the sanctions regime was adopted, there was a chance to agree to extend the Iranian nuclear “deal” in full for a period of time (we wanted to be three months), without adding anything, without crossing out anything, so that it would continue in all its aspects for a period during which, we hoped, negotiations could continue.

Since the West disrupted it and blackmailed the majority of Security Council members into supporting its destructive position, I do not know now how the Islamic Republic of Iran will react. This is an absolute inability to negotiate in all areas. Not to give two or three months for Iran to be able to obtain conditions for further work with both the IAEA and the United States that suit it during the talks.

Iran was ready and is still ready for dialogue, albeit not direct, but indirect. And Iran regularly communicated with the “European troika”, but the outcome of this communication confirms only one thing. From the very beginning, the “European Three” needed to find some reason to return the sanctions regime. Therefore, all the good faith proposals of our Iranian colleagues on compromises were rejected. When it was announced that there was hope for agreement, new demands immediately appeared in the morning.

This is a deliberate operation aimed at starting the next stage of suffocating the Islamic Republic of Iran economically, financially and so on. What you write from time to time, political analysts mention this, that the threat of new strikes against Iran remains and, as some knowledgeable people say, is even discussed in practical terms, this is also quite indicative. All this is synchronized - both the military threat and measures of economic strangulation. This is sad. This means only one thing: Western countries do not give a damn, as we say, about Security Council resolutions. There are a huge number of examples of Iran, Kosovo, and the Minsk agreements on Ukraine.

Question (retranslated from English): A couple of days ago, after a meeting with President Vladimir Zelensky, US President Donald Trump said that he believes that Ukraine can take back all the territories. You met with US Secretary of State Miguel Rubio. As we have heard, you had constructive talks. Given the constantly changing policy of our American colleagues, how does Russia plan to work with the United States, especially with the Trump administration, on this issue?

Sergey Lavrov: This can be called an everchanging, flexible policy.

You see, each state, and even more so each leader, has his own style of doing business in the international arena, as well as at home.

We really appreciate that the United States understands the most important thing – it is fundamentally wrong when states refuse to even talk to each other, as the Europeans and Joe Biden did during their rule. In times like these, when there are many events of global, epochal significance, it is simply criminal not to talk to each other.

We appreciate that the Trump administration has proposed from the very beginning to resume our dialogue. We have resumed it. Back in February of this year, at a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and in a telephone conversation between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, we immediately noted that we recognise that Russia, the United States and all other countries have national interests. Their promotion is the right of every state. In those cases (we reiterated this philosophy at a meeting with US Secretary of State Michel Rubio on September 25) when interests coincide (and there are not many such cases in relations between the United States and Russia), it would be foolish not to use this circumstance to implement some joint mutually beneficial projects, be it in the energy sector, in space or anywhere else. And in those cases (they are the majority) when the interests of Russia and the United States do not coincide, the main thing is to prevent this from escalating into a clash, into a confrontation, especially into a “hot” one. We have absolutely the same position on this issue.

In diplomacy, as you know, and above all in public diplomacy, many things can be said based on the specifics of the moment. We have a lot of “chances”, and the specifics of each of them change.

We do not see any deviation from the course of conducting an open and honest dialogue with the Russian Federation, as well as with China, as well as with a number of other countries with which the United States has disagreements and contradictions, a different vision of how to continue trading and conducting economic affairs.

This is exactly what diplomacy is, when conflicting interests must be reconciled and streamlined in such a way as to avoid confrontation. When some of our European colleagues turn diplomacy into either courting their “comrades” from Washington so that they continue to “play at Joe Biden’s war” or replace diplomacy with sanctions, this is a futile path. It will not have any success. As for an honest dialogue on any issues–-we see the readiness of the United States for this–-we are also ready for it. At the same time, diplomatic comments can be very different.

Question (retranslated from English): US President Donald Trump has publicly asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop buying oil and gas from Russia. Do you expect Ankara to continue to buy your raw materials?

Turkey once purchased S-400 air defense systems from Russia. You said last year that Turkey is an end user and cannot sell them to a third country. What can you say about this?

Sergey Lavrov: I don’t want to guess at both the first and the second questions. I want to reiterate what I always say about Turkey and any of our other partners. We respect the position of the Republic of Turkey. We have no doubt that the Republic of Turkey respects itself and its people.

Question: Next month, Russia will chair the UN Security Council. Tell us, please, what will your work focus on?

Sergey Lavrov: Every month, issues that are the result of earlier resolutions automatically appear on the agenda of the UN Security Council. And they usually involve a periodic review of how those resolutions are being implemented. The Secretariat circulates in advance a list of topics to be heard, discussed and possibly given additional guidance on the implementation of the relevant decisions in a given month.

In particular, during our chairmanship, the implementation of the Dayton Accords on Bosnia and Herzegovina will be considered. This will be quite timely, because the situation there is critical. A course has been taken to destroy them, to infringe on the rights of the Serbian people. There are gross violations of the Dayton Accords, which proclaimed the equality of the three state-forming peoples – Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks. So it will be an interesting event.

Perhaps the most important thing is that our chairmanship has an anniversary date – October 24. This is the day of the formation of the United Nations. We plan to hold a special meeting on this day. Not to once again express support for the principles laid down by the founding fathers in the UN Charter, but to see how they should be implemented today. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of these principles directly relate to the processes of multipolarity. The sovereign equality of states, non-interference in each other’s affairs, the right of nations to self-determination, the right of peoples to determine their own destiny–-all this has been enshrined in the UN Charter for all these 80 years, but it has not always been implemented. It will be a meeting with an eye to analysis and, preferably, a practical conclusion on how to further develop the UN.

Question (retranslated from English): Your ambassador speaks eloquently at the UN Security Council about the “genocidal” war in the Gaza Strip. He is based on facts and speaks directly, setting out the strong position of the Russian Federation. But could Russia do more than just provide facts and speak eloquently?

Second. On May 20, 2024, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for two Israeli war criminals. To this day, the crimes continue, the genocide continues. There are no charges against other Israeli war criminals, ministers, etc.

Sergey Lavrov: Over the past few days, I have seen a lot of my Arab friends. We talked about Palestine, but not only: about the West Bank of the Jordan River, and about the south of Lebanon, about the south of Syria, Yemen and much more. The situation is extremely explosive. This is a series of “mines” that are not even delayed, but already with broken fuses. Someone may accidentally step on them.

You ask what Russia can do other than state its principled position on Palestine at the UN Security Council meetings. Do you represent the Arab media? [Yes]

Most recently, a summit of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was held. At this summit, there was a discussion about the atrocities in the Gaza Strip. Collective punishment of the Palestinian people continues, no better than the terrorist attacks that we all condemn. Collective punishment is prohibited by international humanitarian law. If our Arab and Muslim friends carry out some work following this summit, and the result of this work will be of practical importance in order to try to stop what is happening, we will definitely join in.

You, the Arabs, have a direct border with Palestine and Israel. First of all, it affects you. Almost all Arab and Muslim countries are our close friends. We want to help you. But it is primarily up to the countries of the region to decide on their actions.

I know that Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are participating in such trust-based talks. The United States is helping in this process. Now there are many rumors that some agreements are emerging. US President Donald Trump said that “the denouement is near.” We are not yet aware of what is meant.

We have all read speculation about the “21-point plan”: something similar to “collective management”. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is referred to as the “Governor-General” in the Gaza Strip. According to rumors appearing in the media space, someone wants to give the “reservations” (or “bantustans”, as it was in South Africa during the apartheid period) a good form.

I am commenting without signing off on anything. I’m just mentioning rumors. Since you asked what Russia can do, the process is underway. If the countries participating in the process, primarily the Arab ones, and the Palestinians themselves see some role and contribution that Russia could make, then we would definitely be told about it.

Question: Given the statements made by various sides, including here at the UN General Assembly, can Vladimir Zelensky expect to return to the 2022 borders? What is the current situation on the ground in the DPR, in particular in the “strategic triangle”?

Sergey Lavrov: As for the 2022 borders. No one counts on them anymore. Because counting on a return to these borders would be “political blindness” and a complete lack of understanding of what is happening.

Russia is defending its legitimate interests–-the legitimate interests of the people who, after seizing power through a coup d’état, were declared terrorists, “non-humans” and “creatures” by the Nazis in Kiev, whose children were threatened to rot in basements by the then President of Ukraine Petr Poroshenko while the children of the Ukrainian elite drive beautiful cars, go to school and eat sweets. We must not forget about this.

All this talk about returning to the borders of some years has been going on for a long time. All of them are related to the fact that the Ukrainian leaders who came to power illegally after February 2014 constantly lied and disrupted all the agreements that had been reached over the years. If in February 2014 the signed agreement between the then president and the opposition, guaranteed by Germany, France and Poland, had been implemented, Ukraine would now be within the borders of 1991.

After the war began. The Kiev regime began to bomb those who did not recognize the illegal government, to burn them in their homes – as was the case in Odessa, where about 50 people were burned alive, planes bombed Lugansk, and artillery shelled the territories. It is strictly forbidden to use the army in an internal conflict. You yourself know that this is also a violation of international humanitarian law.

A year later, there were the Minsk agreements. If they were fulfilled by the top of the Kiev regime, guaranteed by Germany and France and approved by the UN Security Council, then Ukraine would be within the borders of 1991 minus Crimea. Because a referendum was held in Crimea. No one argues with this. To be honest, in 2014, then-US Secretary of State John Kerry told me that Crimea should be forgotten, saying, let’s talk about Donbass. Thwarted. Ukraine has shrunk a little more.

If the agreements proposed by Ukraine in April 2022, which we agreed to, had been implemented, it would have been within the borders of 1991 minus Crimea and a larger part of Donbass. Kiev thwarted this too, refused to fulfill its initiative. We are not talking about any “borders of 2022”. We are talking about the borders enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Question: As for the state of affairs in the DPR, in particular, in the strategic triangle. How would you characterize it?

Sergey Lavrov: I will not comment on the situation on the battlefield. First, we have been here for a few days now. Secondly, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation does this quite regularly. Military correspondents report on the development of the situation. I’ll leave it to them.

Question (translated from English): I will try to make you answer the question in English.

US President Donald Trump called Russia a “paper tiger” and said that European countries should shoot down Russian planes if they violate European airspace. Do you consider this a provocation? What happens if a Russian plane is shot down?

Sergey Lavrov: We are in the UN building. Russian is the official language here, as is English. Therefore, I am grateful to all of you for respecting our right to use this language.

Not all statements can be followed, but I remember that a day after this term “paper tiger” was pronounced, US President Donald Trump was asked whether he still considers Russia a “paper tiger.” He answered in the negative. If we give answers to every nuance in rhetoric...

I have already answered the question about what I think about certain statements by US President Donald Trump. A variety of tools, methods and techniques are used in public diplomacy. The same applies to the allegations that Donald Trump “allowed” the bombing of the Russian Federation, the downing of planes and drones.

A drone, when it flies not over our territory, if it crosses someone’s border, but leaves our airspace, then everyone has the right to do with it what they consider necessary to ensure their safety. If there are attempts to shoot down or hit any flying object over our territory, in our airspace, then these people will seriously regret if they commit such a gross violation of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Question: The German authorities do not hide the fact that they are actively militarising their country. Why do you think this is being done? What are they going to achieve?

Sergey Lavrov: As for the militarisation of Germany. We have repeatedly expressed our deep concern. Not only is there a process of militarization, but there are clear signs of renazification.

Why is this done? With the same goal that Adolf Hitler had–-to “crush” the whole of Europe and try to inflict a “strategic defeat” (in the case of Adolf Hitler-–the Soviet Union, in the case of modern Germany and the “chorus of the main soloists” of the European Union and NATO–-this is already the Russian Federation). They keep saying it.

German Chancellor Merz said again yesterday that we are not yet in a state of war, but we are no longer in a state of peace. Militaristic rhetoric is growing every day. His famous expression, which he has already used more than once, is that he “pushed through” amendments to the Constitution, and now it is possible to spend more money on armaments, the development of military infrastructure and potential.

As Germany’s chancellor, proudly announced, his goal is to make Germany “Europe’s main military machine” “once again.” When a person in a country that has committed the crimes of Nazism, fascism, the Holocaust, genocide, says that Germany needs to become a great military power “again”, then he has an atrophy of historical memory. It’s not safe.

Question: You have repeatedly talked about the privatisation of the entire UN leadership by the West. What can Russia do to change this situation?

Sergey Lavrov: I was honest about this. We do not hide this. Many posts at the level of Under-Secretary-General are scattered across different countries on different continents. But there are several positions on which the functioning of the UN Secretariat and the decisions that it submits for the approval of member states directly depend.

When the UN Secretariat recommends something, then, as a rule, member states have a great temptation to support it.

We have the UN Secretary-General who is a citizen of a NATO member country, the Director of the Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding is a citizen of a NATO member country, the Director of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is a citizen of a NATO member country, the Director of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which deals with operations around the world and is a very influential structure – a citizen of a NATO member country (specifically Britain), the Director of the Department of Security, which is also important for the organization work of the entire UN system, is also a citizen of a NATO member country.

He mentioned that the Briton “by inheritance” heads the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has put forward the UN80 initiative, which contains many radical proposals. They require in-depth study and analysis. There must be an analysis that is transparent and in which all member countries participate.

We have initiated a corresponding resolution. It was approved so that this process would not go “in the dark” again. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed another Under-Secretary-General to lead this process. By a “happy” coincidence, he was also a British citizen. Aren’t key positions areas of work that should be distributed more evenly among member countries? I think this is obvious.

At the last session of the UN General Assembly, I spoke about the need to reform the principles on which the formation of the Secretariat is based. Now the main principle is how much population, what is GDP per capita. Something like this. The bigger you are, the more places you get. Probably, there is logic in this.

But there is also the principle of sovereign equality of states, which has been mentioned many times today and these days. People should be admitted to the UN Secretariat without “looking back” at the factor of nationality, but on the basis of working qualities, always observing the principle of equitable geographical representation. At present, this principle is completely disrespected in the “upper echelon” of the Secretariat.

Question (retranslated from English): India continues to buy Russian oil, despite the fact that the United States insists that these imports be reduced. How do you view relations with India in this context? What does this fact mean for relations between India and Russia?

Sergey Lavrov: I cannot consider such situations that arise between India and the United States, between India and any other country, as a criterion for relations between India and the Russian Federation.

In our country, they have long been called relations of strategic partnership. At some stage, our Indian friends suggested adding to this term. Relations began to be called relations of privileged strategic partnership. A little later, Indian friends offered another clarification. Now these relations are called relations of a special privileged strategic partnership.

We have full respect for India’s national interests and the foreign policy used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote his national interests. We have regular contacts at the highest level. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Russia Vladimir Putin met in Tianjin, China, at the SCO summit.

In December of this year, President Vladimir Putin is preparing a state visit to New Delhi. We have a huge and rich bilateral agenda: trade, economy, finance, military-technical cooperation, humanitarian contacts, healthcare, high technology and artificial intelligence. We have close coordination in the international arena within the framework of the SCO, BRICS and through bilateral channels.

This year, my colleague, External Affairs Minister of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (I spoke with him yesterday) visited Russia. And I will visit India. There are regular exchanges.

I do not even ask our Indian colleagues what will happen to our trade and oil. They decide everything for themselves perfectly.

My friend Sameh Jaishankar publicly said in response to a similar question that if the United States wants to sell us its oil, we are ready to discuss the terms and conditions. But what we buy from other countries, not from the United States, but from Russia, is our business. They are not part of the Indo-American agenda. I believe that this is a worthy response, showing that India, like Turkey, also respects itself.

Question: Recently, there has been more and more talk about the difficulties that delegations that come to the UN General Assembly have to face. The Russian delegation has repeatedly dealt with problems when it comes to obtaining visas. This year, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was unable to personally attend the UN General Assembly.

How do you assess the legitimacy of such actions on the part of the United States, given that the UN headquarters are located in New York? How could you comment on the increasingly frequent calls to move this headquarters to another country?

Sergey Lavrov: This is a serious topic. It is an inconvenience that countries whose delegations face problems suffer. This is a serious violation of the Agreement between the UN Headquarters and the host country. The host country is obliged to issue visas in a timely manner, without discrimination, for all UN events at the request of the country on the eve of the session, whether by the General Assembly or other UN bodies.

We regularly “miss” the members of our delegation, including those from the State Duma. The President of Russia includes parliamentarians in our delegation. Not everyone is issued visas. I mentioned this at a meeting with US Secretary of State Miguel Rubio on September 24 of this year, and the Americans considered another employee of our Ministry at the level of director of the department not worthy of a visa.

This is not the only violation of the Agreement between the UN Headquarters and the host country. One of the most glaring violations is the seizure of our diplomatic property during the Obama administration. He did this a couple of weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration, back in his first term. It is dishonest when you want to “litter” someone who will replace you in the White House in accordance with the law, the Constitution, the will of the people. He left him such a “legacy”. Until now, we have not been able to “clear it up”. The Americans are not ready to return to the honest implementation of the agreements.

But we are engaged in a dialogue about visas, about the functioning of embassies, about this property, about other aspects of the daily functioning of our diplomatic mission. Two rounds have already taken place. We have agreed with Marco Rubio to hold the third round this autumn. We will finalize.

As for “moving”. Many are not averse. Recently, President of Colombia Georgy Petro’s visa was revoked while he was here. He is a simple, straightforward man. Many suggested starting to think about it. It seems to me that these proposals were purely polemical in nature in order to raise the topic more aggressively in the UN Committee on Relations with the Host Country.

There is such a legend. When there were talks between Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, during which the need to create a world organisation was mentioned for the first time, Stalin actively invited the UN headquarters in Sochi. The city of Sochi has proven that it can host major events. If such a decision is suddenly made, then the Olympic infrastructure is ready there. All employees of the UN Secretariat will be comfortable playing sports.

Question (retranslated from English): US President Donald Trump is threatening sanctions against countries that buy Russian oil. Do you have any concrete steps that Russia is proposing to India in order to save the economic partnership that you have with India?

In your conversation with US Secretary of State Rubio, did you discuss India?

Sergey Lavrov: The answer to the second question is no. In principle, we are not in the habit of discussing anyone, especially our friends in contacts with third countries.

As for the question about oil, I have already answered it to your colleague from the Indian media. You formulated your question: “Are there any opportunities to save the economic partnership between Russia and India?” I have no doubt: it is not under threat. No one is trying to kill him. And if anyone takes such steps, the Indian Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister have explained everything. India chooses its own partners. If the U.S. has a proposal on how to increase bilateral trade between the U.S. and India, then it is ready to discuss the terms that the Americans will offer. But New Delhi is ready to discuss trade, investment, economic, military-technical relations between India and third countries only with those in question.

Question: There is information that Kiev is preparing another provocation on the territory of the European Union: to attack NATO countries Romania and Poland under a false flag. And, as a result, blame Russia for everything. What, in your opinion, can be the consequences? Will we work ahead of the curve in terms of information? Will it work?

Sergey Lavrov: This is not the first time. I have no doubt that all these reports have the most reliable grounds. The Kiev regime has special agencies in the media and in the military-technical sphere that are engaged in provocations, as you said, “under a false flag.”

I read that they are now taking drones of our production, which they also have there, and equipping them in such a way that there is no doubt that we launched them. But in the West, in addition to those who are “throwing a tantrum” in Poland, in Estonia, in the Baltic States as a whole and in a number of other countries, in the “serious capitals”, it seems to me, there are serious people who understand everything very well.

Another thing is that in these “serious capitals” the elites are committed to the goal of suppressing Russia. They no longer say “inflict a strategic defeat” but assert it in a different way. But the goal of “strategic defeat” is constantly in their heads. They’ll modify what that “defeat” should look like, but that’s what they’re doing.

I know for sure that the British are helping the Ukrainians in all these “dirty tricks”, as they have done for many centuries in our geopolitical space. We are well aware of this. We have both military intelligence and the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service periodically showing the true face of those who are trying to “concoct” such provocations. What the answer will be is not very promising now, but if they start taking some physical steps, they will seriously regret it.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin has said more than once that we will not allow any violation of our territories and our airspace by those in Europe who are openly preparing a war against us.

Question (retranslated from English): As for Iran and the mechanism of sanctions. You have already talked about this. How difficult and how easy is it to reinstate sanctions on Iran? Is it easy to create a sanctions committee, to elect the chairman of this committee?

As for the UN multilateral system, which is now suffering a severe blow. You yourself have worked in New York for quite a long time and know this system better.

Sergey Lavrov: I have sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General in which I clearly set out our position (a corresponding statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry (will be circulated today) that the decision that was inspired and staged yesterday is legally null and void, illegal and unenforceable.

If the Secretary-General is committed to the UN Charter, including the articles on his duties and powers, but follows the path of recognizing this illegal action in the UN Security Council on September 26 of this year and “serves” this procedure by creating secretariat structures, this will be a huge mistake and will cause even greater damage to the authority of the Secretary-General and his entourage.

Yes, this is a figure of speech – “an attack on the multilateral system”. And so it is. And there is not even much to comment on here. The resolution, which was adopted by consensus and which was grossly violated by the United States, France and Britain, has now been dragged into the light of day and said that it is not they themselves, but Iran that is violating this resolution.

Of course, this is an attack not only on the multilateral system as a whole, but on the UN system, on the prerogatives of its Security Council, on the rules of decency, which include the implementation of UN Security Council decisions, and not changing them for the sake of one’s own selfish plans, including those related to interference in internal affairs and the illegal use of force.

Question (retranslated from English): We see that there is a growing wave of recognition of Palestine’s right to self-determination. Of course, the Palestinians deserve to have their own country.

But the Iraqi Kurds held a referendum. You may remember. Almost no country recognized the results of this referendum. The international community almost unanimously opposed the will of the people. Why then was the will of the people ignored? Is there any double standard here? And my second question is about the oil deal.

Sergey Lavrov: These two issues are closely related. The fact that an agreement on oil between Baghdad and Erbil has been reached again means only one thing: the Kurds and Arabs in Iraq can negotiate. We are very happy about this. I spoke with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq. We also communicate regularly with the leadership of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region.

We are satisfied that the Kurds and the central authorities are getting better. We do not want the Kurdish problem to “explode” because not all Kurdish structures have peace plans and wishes. Given the large number of Kurds living in a number of countries in this region, there are those who want to blow up this Kurdish “problem”. But the Middle East may not be able to withstand another such major “explosion”. Therefore, we are in favor of appeasing everyone. But without dialogue and without developing a national consensus in the countries of the region, including those where there are Kurds, be it Iraq, Syria or Iran, they will simply fall apart.

Probably, someone will say that this is the right of nations to self-determination. You do not have a war, so it is possible to negotiate in these conditions. Both Erbil and Baghdad have proven this. We actively support such a process.

Question: On the eve of the High-Level Week, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would continue to comply with the provisions of the START Treaty next year. Did you touch on this issue during the talks with Marco Rubio? Did you see any reaction to this initiative on the sidelines of the General Assembly?

Sergey Lavrov: This initiative took place just the day before the General Assembly opened. I reiterated it today in my statement to the plenary. We are circulating the full text of President Putin’s statement of September 22 as a document of the UN Security Council and General Assembly. I am sure that when this fuss of the high-level week subsides (when everyone is busy with their delegations from the capitals), then assessments will begin to arrive. We have already seen the reaction. White House Spokesperson Levitt reacted and said that this was an interesting statement and that President Donald Trump would certainly comment on it personally. We proceed from this.

Question: The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump notified Vladimir Zelensky of his readiness to lift restrictions on the use of American-made long-range weapons by Ukraine to strike at Russia. Did US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warn you about this possibility during the talks? Do you admit that this is really so? What steps will Russia take?

Sergey Lavrov: I don’t like to guess. You quoted The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times wrote that Vladimir Zelensky begged for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, but Donald Trump did not give them to him. Therefore, it is not very fertile to react to every line of the newspaper.

We proceed from the premise that all our experience of communicating with our American colleagues, including at the highest level, suggests that they want to help end this conflict by taking into account and eliminating its root causes. There are no other countries in the Western camp that take such a position.

I have no doubt that the President of the United States is sincerely interested in this. Another thing is that they are trying to influence him—Europeans are literally “hanging” on his hands. Vladimir Zelensky has now begun to boast that President Donald Trump now understands him better than he understands President Vladimir Putin. There are many people who want to “sparkle” on the international stage. I would not react to every such line or proposal.

Question (retranslated from English): You said that Ukraine does not want to negotiate with Russia. In this context, what is the way to end this conflict?

How does Russia interpret U.S. military threats against Venezuela in the Caribbean? What risks does this pose to regional security and stability?

Sergey Lavrov: Regarding the second question. This is much more relevant now. We are certainly alarmed by what the Americans have now organized in international waters, but around the territorial waters of Venezuela. Yesterday I spoke with Foreign Minister of Venezuela Ibrahim Gil and many other representatives of the Latin American region and the Caribbean. Both Brazilians and island nations such as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are very worried. Today I met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua.

The situation is really serious. There are already significant naval forces there, including a nuclear submarine. Against this background, there are direct threats of military intervention to destroy drug cartels and wage a war against drug trafficking in general.

At the same time, in the UN Security Council, our American colleagues, together with Panama, are promoting a resolution on the transformation of the international security assistance force in Haiti into an international anti-banditry force. Moreover, a very specific mandate is requested. They want the UN Security Council to approve the creation of such a force, leaving its formation to the discretion of those who will be interested in it. The mandate will be to use unlimited force against these gangs. There are no deadlines for this operation and no system of reporting to the UN Security Council. If we compare these two processes–-in the Security Council and what is now being “planned” around Venezuela-–I do not rule out that some “creative figures” will come up with the idea of obtaining a mandate from the UN Security Council, and then say that “bandits from Haiti are hiding in Venezuela.”

We stand in solidarity with the people and with the government of Venezuela. They have every right to determine their political, economic course and social path. We believe that interference in internal affairs is unacceptable, just like in the internal affairs of any other country. This, again, is a requirement of the UN Charter.

As for negotiations with Ukraine. I asked my staff to prepare material on how Kiev’s position on the negotiations has evolved.

On April 17, 2022, immediately after the Ukrainians thwarted the agreements they had proposed (when the British forbade them to do so), Vladimir Zelensky said: “We can fight Russia for ten years. Our society does not want us to continue negotiations.”

On October 1, 2022, Vladimir Zelensky suddenly announced that Ukraine was ready for talks with Russia, but with a different president, not with Vladimir Putin.

On March 22, 2023, his then Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, when the illegal International Criminal Court ordered the arrest of the President of Russia, said: “We knew long before that it was pointless to talk with Vladimir Putin. Our National Security Council of Ukraine made a decision in which it stated that any negotiations with Putin are impossible.” These are the same people who, a year later, began to say that Vladimir Putin was “running away” from them.

On May 4, 2023, Vladimir Zelensky said: “For us, the result is exclusively specific sentences to all Russian war criminals, including the top leadership of the aggressor country.”

In May 2023, his adviser Mikhail Podolyak noted: “Ukraine hates you, we will persecute you always and everywhere, there is nothing to talk about with you, you do not understand human language, Ukraine will get each of you, and it does not matter how, legally or physically.” These “guys” are now claiming that we do not want to talk to them.

Vladimir Zelensky said in 2024 that “Russia can start talks with us only if they leave our legitimate territories.” This is again returning to the topic of the “1991 borders”.

Then we were “tortured” for a long time - a truce without any conditions. And when Vladimir Zelensky held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron a year ago, he said: “There was a lot of information in the media today that I had come to talk about a ceasefire. No, not like that. Ukraine is not considering the possibility of a ceasefire in exchange for guarantees from Western countries, it is not considering. This is not a topic for discussion, no truces.” Now they are saying that an “immediate truce” and guarantees from Western countries are needed. And then he did not even want to talk about guarantees. Therefore, judge for yourself what the people led by such a character as Vladimir Zelensky are like.

Question: On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, you met with representatives of the member states of the Confederation of Sahel States. How effective and timely do you see this format?

The second question. France has suspended its cooperation with Mali in the fight against terrorism amid a diplomatic crisis. And the French media publish materials sympathetic to terrorists and separatists. In your opinion, what is the reason for this policy of Paris? Is it revenge for Bamako’s sovereign choice or a response to rapprochement with Russia?

Sergey Lavrov: You answered the second question yourself. Of course, this is true. Ukrainian “specialists” who supply drones to various combat groups and train them are also “tied” there. This information is confirmed.

As for the meeting with the ministers of the Confederation of Sahel States (Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger), it took place for the second time. We met in Moscow in April of this year. We will continue this practice, including in the region. We discussed all the plans that we now have following the summit meetings, following the recent visit to these countries by our delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak with the participation of representatives of the ministries of economy, energy and other agencies of the economic bloc. There are good plans for joint projects in the field of natural resources, energy, including nuclear energy, plans for humanitarian cooperation, as well as military and military-technical cooperation. These countries need help.

We also spoke about the need to build bridges between them and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). They are neighbors. They still need to exist together.

Also, in our contacts with the ECOWAS countries and the African Union, we emphasise the need to ensure the full participation of this “troika” in the work of both the African Union and the relevant regional integration structures.

]

This time, Lavrov took a different approach to the Bucha issue, which IMO effectively put the media in its place by suggesting they are either journalists or stenographers. Lavrov didn’t mention Charlie Kirk and the media circus that’s arisen with his murder and all the “investigations” being made by “journalists.” The fact that a crisis exists within the UN Secretariat and the Security Council that deeply affects the status of global governance was well spaced by Lavrov throughout the Q&A. Lavrov immediately made that very relevant. As an aside, it must be noted the Outlaw US Empire has again failed to pay its UN dues, yet Trump was allowed to speak and bar legitimate people from attending the proceedings. So, there are more reasons prompting the discussion of moving UN HQ elsewhere that are known by most. As Lavrov, myself and many others state, there’s nothing amiss with the UN Charter; rather, it’s the continual violation of the Charter by UN members that renders the UN ineffective in doing what it was designed to do, although it has prevented nuclear war so far.

Lavrov’s explanations about the snap-back issue and his recitation of Zelensky’s ever changing negotiation policy were very informative. The “mandate” related to Haiti and Venezuela is the first I’ve heard of and seems very similar to a modified Gulf of Tonkin scheme or Libya no-fly zone to legitimize the extrajudicial killing of people and invasion of sovereign nations using “hot pursuit” or something similar as an excuse. Somewhat related was the revocation of the Colombian president’s visa because he uttered some embarrassing truths in his UNGA speech. Rubio is a Mafia-man when it comes to his relationship with all non-English speaking nations in the Western Hemisphere. I found it curious that Lavrov omitted Turkey when answering the question regarding the Kurds.

Lavrov’s lecture he gave to the Arab media representative was very bold and reflects what many have said in public well before 7 October 2023—Palestinians are Arabs, the issue is in the Arab region with Arab nations being far larger and more populous than Occupied Palestine. Thus, this is primarily an Arab problem, although Russia is ready to help. Here again are the two very important passages from Lavrov’s reply:

If our Arab and Muslim friends carry out some work following this summit, and the result of this work will be of practical importance in order to try to stop what is happening, we will definitely join in….

Almost all Arab and Muslim countries are our close friends. We want to help you. But it is primarily up to the countries of the region to decide on their actions….

If the countries participating in the process, primarily the Arab ones, and the Palestinians themselves see some role and contribution that Russia could make, then we would definitely be told about it.

What does all that say? No entity from the region has asked Rusia for help, which IMO is a huge revelation. Lavrov mentioned the ongoing violations of the Dayton Accords but said nothing about the latest violations of the Camp David Treaty.

IMO, all the issues Lavrov stated and those that were omitted have only one real long-term solution and that’s to do something along the lines of what China’s proposed and what I suggest—the creation of a UN Charter 2.0—for a mechanism of global governance is certainly required and wanted by the vast majority of nations. What needs to be dealt with are the Outlaws—the longtime primary violators of the UN Charter that are almost exclusively western nations. Let them be dealt out of the community of nations, ostracized and isolated. IMO, the citizens of those nations won’t like that whatsoever and will alter the political situation to become members once again. The only holdout I foresee is the Outlaw US Empire and perhaps the UK because they are somewhat tied together umbilically. And what of the Zionist entity? I expect it to vaporize itself rather soon as its leaders and their followers have no place on this planet.

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/lavrovs- ... ch-presser

*****

Korotich died
September 30, 5:05 PM



Korotich died. He wreaked havoc on the country at Yakovlev's instigation during Perestroika. Ogonyok of that period was a symbol of the late Soviet democratic schizophrenia, calling for the collapse of the country, complete disarmament before the West, the dismantling of all "outdated bonds," and so on.

After the murder of the country, in which he acted as a minor accomplice, like many "perestroika foremen," he ended up being of little use to anyone. Today, he would be described as a Maidan agitator. Now even the most obtuse understand the consequences of those sweet words and tales of a "bright democratic future" and "friendship with the West."

So, the bastard's life is in the hands of the glass wool.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10101305.html

The vice-governor of Kuban has been arrested.
September 30, 11:14



Kuban Vice Governor and Ataman of the Kuban Cossack Host, Alexander Vlasov, was arrested for large-scale embezzlement of humanitarian aid intended for the front. According to investigators, Vlasov engaged in fraudulent schemes involving subsidies for participants in the Soviet Military District in Ukraine, resulting in state-allocated funds not reaching the soldiers at the front.

He apparently suspected something and recently announced his intention to go to the front with the Kuban Brigade, even resigning. But this didn't save him from searches and subsequent arrest. He
failed to clear his karma at the front and avoid responsibility for the crimes he's accused of. At least for now. It has been previously noted that a number of individuals involved in various crimes attempted to use the front as a way to evade responsibility, specifically viewing their presence at the front as a way to sit it out somewhere in the rear for money until the storm passed. The stories of Elman Pashayev, Blinovskaya's husband, and a number of former officials are still fresh in people's memories.

Let's await details from the investigation.

P.S. Jokes for 300 about "it's a joy" and "with our ataman, there's no need to worry" are included.

P.S. Also this morning, the head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Ministry of Emergency Situations, Major General Nadezhdin, was arrested for accepting a bribe of 2,000,000 rubles.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10100496.html

Three years ago, four regions became part of Russia.
September 30, 9:32



Three years have already flown by.
On September 30, 2022, the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, the Kherson Oblast, and the Zaporizhia Oblast became part of Russia.

I had the chance to attend this event, which was certainly historic, although its structure was rather mundane. Much work lay ahead.

Three years later:

Luhansk People's Republic - 99.8% control,
Donetsk People's Republic - 79.3% control,
Kherson Oblast - 76%,
Zaporizhia Oblast - 74.2%

control, plus control of some territories in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, and Mykolaiv Oblasts.

These figures are increasing little by little every day.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10100310.html

Where are you taking my empire?
September 29, 11:05 PM



Where are you taking my empire?

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10099980.html

Google Translator

[blindpig]

Russia Continues its People-Centered Development

Postelection conversation with new regional heads reveals policy
Karl Sanchez
Sep 29, 2025



Russia held national elections in 81 regions where more than more than five thousand electoral elections featuring campaigns at different levels were completed on a single voting day, 14 September. Putin already held a meeting with the newly elected heads of parties in the Duma and on 26 September met with some of the newly elected regional heads. In his opening remarks, Putin made it clear that policy continuity was the primary goal of the Russian government, which is the continual uplifting of the wellbeing of all Russians following the already set formula of a strong people make for a strong nation and a strong nation is needed to make the people strong. I found this meeting to be important because it provides evidence of that policy, the depth of its continuity and the dedication of public officials to its implementation. It must also be emphasized that this is Russia’s fundamental policy as all its plans emanate from it, and as we’ve seen those plans are generational in scope. Now for the meeting:

V. Putin: Dear colleagues, good afternoon!

We have come together so that I can congratulate you on your victory in the elections, but also to talk about what we need to do in the near future. It is clear that you received strong support in both the direct vote and the election through regional legislative assemblies.

The election campaigns were held in a competitive environment, and in all regions, with a high turnout, either the incumbent leaders or those who had been in charge won. This means that our citizens and voters evaluate candidates based on their actions and results, which is a sensible and responsible approach that demonstrates the maturity of our electoral culture and civil society as a whole.

It is clear that people are counting on the continuation of the country’s strategic development course, which will bring further improvements to their regions, hometowns, and villages.

Of course, it is very important to justify this trust, to build your work on a daily basis so that it corresponds to the stated plans and expectations of citizens, and to act with full dedication. I am confident that these are the principles you are guided by.

In total, more than five thousand election campaigns of various levels were held on the same day. They took place in 81 regions across the country, and different approaches were used in the constituent entities to make participation in the elections as convenient as possible for citizens. This includes remote formats and the organization of multi-day voting.

I believe that it is advisable to continue using such experience, which takes into account the specific features of the regions.

Dear colleagues, of course, each region has its own specific features and current tasks that differ from those of other regions.

But it is precisely this diversity that is one of the strongest advantages of our country. And here, the coordination and consolidation of the capabilities and efforts of different regions, the formation of regional socio-economic programs in close connection with the interests of achieving our national goals, are of great importance.

Our common key task is to strengthen the sovereignty and security of the state. In this regard, it is of great importance what the regions are doing to ensure the defense industry, to actively support our military personnel on the front lines, veterans of the special military operation, and their families. These are all tasks that remain crucial for us. I hope that this work will continue.

At the same time, I would like to emphasize that we have all the necessary capabilities and resources to address the challenges of strategic development and achieve positive changes in both the economy and the social sphere.

This year, we have started implementing new national projects. Their effectiveness largely depends on how work is organized on the ground. I have no doubt that you are constantly monitoring these issues. I ask you not to slow down the pace of completing your tasks.

In close cooperation between the federal and regional authorities, it is necessary to ensure conditions for long-term economic growth and technological leadership, while also adhering to the principles and requirements of macroeconomic policy, as I have mentioned many times. Ultimately, this is aimed at improving the quality of life and the well-being of our citizens and Russian families. Here, again, the contribution of each region, together with the Government, is crucial.

I would like to emphasize that significant resources are being allocated to the implementation of national projects. And of course, people need to see concrete, tangible results in their own communities.

This includes the further renovation of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and polyclinics, the construction of roads and the development of public transportation, and the improvement of housing conditions. The overall goal is to create a comfortable and favorable environment for living, working, self-realization, and leisure activities, not only in regional capitals but also in smaller towns and rural areas.

All of this also contributes to the development of human potential, the potential of the regions as a whole, and ultimately to the strengthening of the entire country and its sustainable and confident development.

And of course, we need to do everything necessary to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of our regions and their identity. We need to make people feel connected to the past, to share the values that have always been important to our society, and to know how much we can be proud of.

Dear colleagues, the scale of the tasks we face and the challenges our country is currently facing place new, higher demands on the management system and the people working in government agencies. I would like to reiterate that not only professional skills, but also personal qualities and a willingness to work primarily for the benefit of Russia and serve its interests are important.

I hope that you will use this as a basis for your personnel policy and actively involve veterans of the special military operation in your management teams. I have been talking about this all the time, especially graduates of the federal program “Time for Heroes” and its regional counterparts.

Two graduates of this program, Maria Fedorovna Kostyuk and Evgeny Alekseevich Pervyshov, became regional leaders following the recent elections.

I am convinced that the loyalty to the Motherland shown by our military personnel, people who have been battle-hardened, and their strong internal principles should serve as a guide for everyone in the government and decision-making system today.

I would like to emphasize that we should always pay attention to people’s opinions, stay in constant contact with them, meet with them, listen to them, and understand their needs. As we have discussed many times, the assessment of citizens is the main criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of our work.

Dear colleagues, I would like to wish you successful and fruitful work, and to achieve the results that people expect from you. We understand the historical stages that Russia is going through. Of course, the result of the vote is, among other things, the willingness and desire of people to support Russia, to support their country, and to support the people who are responsible for the state of the economy and the state of the social sphere. However, this desire is not aimed at elevating a specific person with their own ambitions, but rather at making the country stronger. The real embodiment of these aspirations depends on you, and I very much hope that with an understanding of this request, you will work for the benefit of Russia as a whole and for the benefit of those people who came and voted for you and expect you to deliver results not only on a global scale, but also in a specific region, city, and village. And I, to be honest, also count on this quality of your work together.

I would like to ask some of my colleagues to speak.

Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Irina Alfredovna Geht, please.

I. Geht: Good evening, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

I thank you for the trust you have placed in me. It is a great responsibility for me to you, to the country, to the people of the region.

Just yesterday, we met with our soldiers, veterans of the special military operation. They are determined to complete all the tasks assigned to them. I assure you that we will do our best to provide them with the necessary assistance and support.

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, I see my task as making people’s lives better step by step, and doing it every day, together with civil society institutions and government institutions.

We are a production-oriented region, and our mission is to build a high-quality relationship between the region and oil and gas companies, both Russian and international, primarily in the interests of the state and the people of the region.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary. You have never visited us, and I invite you to the Okrug on behalf of all its residents. I promise that we have much to show you and much to be proud of. We are looking forward to seeing you in our true Arctic, which is the closest to Moscow and Central Russia.

Thank you again for your support. We will not let you down and will justify your trust.

V. Putin: Thank you, Irina Alfredovna. I wish you genuine success.

Please, Evgeny Alekseevich, Tambov Region.

E. Pervyshov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to you for entrusting me with the leadership of the Tambov Region and for your assistance in its development.

Of course, I would like to express my gratitude to the residents of the Tambov region who supported me in the recent elections and supported United Russia. This is your team, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

At the first meeting that we had, you instructed me to immerse myself in the issues of the Tambov region. I had plenty of time since November last year to get to know the people and the territory, and to create a People’s Program that we have been working on together with the residents for the next few years. I have collected more than 10,000 applications, which we are currently dividing into blocks and areas and implementing together with the residents.

One of the most important tasks that you have just mentioned is, of course, to help and support the participants of the special military operation and their families. We are implementing the Heroes of Tambov program, where I am already selecting people for state and municipal service.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to you, of course, for the Time of Heroes program. Two of my fellow soldiers from Tambov also participated in these elections. Kostya Kuteynikov, who holds two Orders of Courage, became a member of the City Duma, and United Russia is now considering him for the position of Chairman of the Tambov City Duma. Alexey Kondratyev, who holds four Orders of Courage, has been nominated by me as a Senator from the Tambov Region.

The issues of demography, support and increase in the number of large families, and support for all families in general, so that the residents of Tambov and the Tambov Region stay in the area and do not move to more prosperous regions, are, of course, one of the most important tasks, so that we can live and work here.

Of course, the main focus will be on developing our region’s economy. As you know, Vladimir Vladimirovich, our region is primarily agricultural, and that’s why I approached you with the initiative to establish a special economic zone, which you also supported. This initiative aims to promote industrial development and increase the share of industrial production in the gross regional product, while also maintaining support for the agricultural sector. By doing so, we can achieve greater economic benefits, which can be used to support social projects.

Of course, education–-starting from kindergartens, schools, secondary vocational schools, technical schools, and higher education institutions–-should also be accessible and understandable for our young people. This way, they can choose their future profession while still in school or secondary vocational school.

During this time, almost all enterprises in the agro-industrial and industrial sectors have been connected. Everyone is already opening their own classrooms in schools and secondary vocational schools and equipping them. Children are choosing their future place of work and profession.

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, you have already mentioned the trust that I have received from the residents. I will try to justify this trust with my team through daily work.

Thank you very much.

V.Putin: All right, Evgeny Alekseevich. You are an experienced person, and you have not only proven yourself in a combat situation, but your previous experience, including administrative work, is also significant and has yielded good results. Everything was done in your previous life, so to speak. Therefore, I have no doubt that you will be able to handle the increased and more complex tasks and responsibilities. Please, I am always at your disposal.

Maria Fedorovna [Kostyuk], please, the Jewish Autonomous Region.

M. Kostyuk: Good afternoon!

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to express my gratitude to you for the trust you placed in me when you appointed me as the acting governor of the Jewish Autonomous Region, and to my fellow citizens who supported my candidacy in the elections. I would like to say that they see how the attitude towards the Jewish Autonomous Region has changed, and how much support the federal center is providing to our region. That is why they came to support this course in the elections.

Your instructions helped us to give a new impetus to the development of the region and, most importantly, to restore the faith of our fellow countrymen in the Jewish Autonomous Region, the territory in which they live. And most importantly, to feel proud of this land, on which they work today and for which they work today.

As part of the instructions, we have started to see some results. Together with the Magnesit group of companies, which is engaged in graphite mining, and Rosatom, we are beginning to develop the foundations of our graphite cluster. We have already found an investor who will be involved in the construction of a cross-border automobile bridge between Russia and China. Our partner, BAMtonnelsstroy-Bridge, has already prepared a financial model with the support of the Ministry of Eastern Development and the Ministry of Transport, and we understand how this will be implemented.

You know, Vladimir Vladimirovich, thanks to your support, the Jewish Autonomous Region has begun to be heard at the federal level. This is more than important for us. Ministers, representatives of various government agencies, corporations, and residents of other regions have started visiting us. In the vast territory of our huge country, everyone is finding this small Jewish Autonomous Region, which is interesting to them, and they are all here today. This government attention is more than helpful to us.

The next task is to find investors for the airport in order to reduce the logistics chain so that more people can come to the Jewish Autonomous Region. In the first nine months of this year alone, the number of tourists increased by 41 percent, which is more than an important and significant achievement.

My colleagues have been talking about supporting our heroes. Today, we have signed an agreement with Rostec’s division, TsITO, and we are currently designing a high-tech prosthetics center. My colleagues and the Plenipotentiary Representative for the Far Eastern Federal District have supported me in this endeavor, which has helped us address these issues more efficiently.

In August, I told you at a meeting about our regional program “Valor of Khingan” - an analog of our federal program “Time of Heroes”. We are already working on the project “Guardians of Borders” with the Autonomous Non-Profit Organization “Creative Economy”, when our guys return and are ready to continue their service on the broader borders of our Homeland, on the Far Eastern [borders]. We will be ready for this.

I want to thank you for the fact that we received record-breaking support from the federal centre this year. This allowed us to launch a crazy number of projects for the Jewish Autonomous Region.

What you said about major repairs of schools. Today, the issue of building new schools in Obluchye and Birobidzhan has been resolved. The issue with the Ministry of Education has been resolved. The issue of building a children’s polyclinic has been resolved with the Ministry of Health, and many other issues have been resolved, which allows us to believe that the Jewish Autonomous Region is also one of the worthy regions of our great country.

What you have just outlined is the historical and cultural direction. The first thing we are doing is creating two museums, our museums of life, because we understand perfectly well that only through the museum, through memory, and through pride, can we educate our new generation. And all of this is changing the situation and changing the attitude of the residents of the region towards their homeland. We see what is happening, and we will continue to do everything we can to make the Jewish Autonomous Region a worthy place.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, thanks to your support, a new Jewish Autonomous Region is emerging. Today, here in my region, we will do everything so that we can be proud to tell you how it is done.

If you have the opportunity, we would be very happy to see you on our blessed and hospitable land.

Thank you very much for your support.

V. Putin: Thank you.

Maria Fedorovna, this is not a new region for you either. You know the problems of the Far East, and you have worked there before. During our personal meetings, you have told me about your plans to address the issues you consider to be the most important.

I wish you good luck, and I am confident that everything will work out in cooperation with the Government of the Russian Federation.

Rustam Nurgaliyevich [Minnikhanov].

R.Minnikhanov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your constant attention and comprehensive support that you provide to the regions of our country and our republic. This is extremely important for us and serves as a foundation for our confident development.

On the single voting day, September 14, Tatarstan held elections for the head of the republic and deputies of representative local government bodies. 2,230,000 citizens of the republic participated in the elections, which is 75.8% of all voters registered in the republic.

In addition, we have created all the necessary conditions to ensure that our defenders, who are carrying out their military duty in the SVO zone, can vote. To this end, we have established five extraterritorial polling stations in military units.

In all cities and towns of the republic, Tatarstan residents elected their representatives, which included 7,531 deputies. Among them were 113 participants in the special military operation.

We consider the results of the recent elections to be an endorsement of the chosen course, which is being implemented in close cooperation with the federal center under your leadership, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich.

Today, the republic provides comprehensive support measures for our soldiers and their families. This remains a priority for us.

Despite the unprecedented pressure, the republic’s economy continues to develop, ensuring growth in key macroeconomic indicators. The gross regional product is around 102.9% compared to last year, the industrial production index is 11%, and the volume of construction work is around 100%. We have already completed 2.8 million square meters of housing, which is 101.8% of the previous year. Additionally, the rural sector has experienced a growth rate of 107.6% compared to last year.

The republic’s defense industry enterprises continue to work intensively to fulfill the strategic objectives set by the government.

As for agriculture, the harvesting of grain and leguminous crops has now been completed, and more than 4.5 million tons of grain have been harvested, and the harvesting of traditional late crops is underway. This allows for the full provision of agricultural products to the republic’s population and the export of significant volumes.

In addition, we are sincerely grateful for the national projects, which we pay great attention to, as they are real measures to improve the quality of life for our people.

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to assure you that the team of the Republic’s Government and local self-government bodies, which was formed after the elections, is committed to working productively in all areas and is ready to continue meeting the trust placed in them by the country’s leadership and by you personally, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

The report is over.

V. Putin: Rustam Nurgaliyevich, the republic has been demonstrating very good growth rates of the regional gross domestic product and economic development for many years, serving as an example for many federal subjects in the development of the social sphere.

You are an experienced person who is truly respected in the republic. I sincerely wish you success. I am confident that all the tasks set before you will be accomplished. And Moscow, of course, will always be there to support your endeavors, as you know, and we are in constant contact with each other.

Colleagues, who would like to say something more, add something, or comment? Please. No?

In general, it is clear, based on the course of the election campaign, what needs to be done. And what is needed? We need to fulfill the promises that you made to citizens, voters, and our people during the election campaign as goals for regional development and social issues.

I repeat what I said at the beginning. Of course, our people understand the important historical moment that the country is going through, and they support us, but we shouldn’t be guided solely by global issues. People already support us, and they supported you during the election campaign.

But we need to solve the problems that the regions face, in a particular locality, in a particular constituent entity of the Federation. People are waiting for these issues to be resolved. They have supported you and me, but they also expect that the current issues will be resolved in accordance with the promises you made during the election campaign. I am confident that people have listened carefully and hope that under your leadership, the regions and territories of Russia will develop at the pace and quality that you have promised.

For my part, I wish you success, and we will continue to maintain direct contact with you, as we do on a regular basis. We have a well-established system of relationships, including personal contacts, work within the framework of the State Council, work in the relevant ministries and government agencies, and work not only in the regions and directly with the regions, but also within the federal districts.

I sincerely wish you success. It is certain that the success of the whole country depends on your success and the success of your work in the field. All the best to you!

Thank you.

]

Imagine any Western politico saying, “I expect you to fulfill your promises to the electorate.” The West continues to lie and say Russia isn’t democratic. IMO, local “self-government bodies” formulated by citizens are the essence of democratic structures and are things rarely seen in the West. Clearly the main point of emphasis was to fulfill your promises to serve the electorate, not to advance yourself. The regions selected were quite diverse as you’d see by consulting a map. Some like Tambov and Tatarstan have much greater resource bases, but as Nenets Okrug and the Jewish Autonomous Region showed each has riches of their own to capitalize upon. The bridge crossing the Amur will boost the Jewish oblast’s economy as it’s already well connected logistically to the greater region and Russia as a whole despite what many might initially assume.

Although it’s very difficult to do in the Arctic, all Russian political entities are encouraged to grow as much food for themselves as possible, which is why massive greenhouse operations are seen in Arctic regions. Logistical connectivity is another big goal to weave Russia closer together. The recently completed Atomic Week revealed more expansive plans for use of nuclear power in remote regions to facilitate the social support required for the success of extractive industries. The old Soviet conception of the Factory City remains alive as it’s the only realist way to settle and develop the region. In Soviet days, people would be assigned to work there and have little say in the matter. Those days are gone, so the incentives to attract workers need to be substantial and not just be the pay since there’s more to life than earning money.

As a closing note, let’s revisit these two paragraphs:

Of course, education–-starting from kindergartens, schools, secondary vocational schools, technical schools, and higher education institutions–-should also be accessible and understandable for our young people. This way, they can choose their future profession while still in school or secondary vocational school.

During this time, almost all enterprises in the agro-industrial and industrial sectors have been connected. Everyone is already opening their own classrooms in schools and secondary vocational schools and equipping them. Children are choosing their future place of work and profession.

This integration of enterprises with the educational system is extremely important for all three entities—Student, State and Business. The workforce remains well trained and secure career pathways are provided which makes the overall business community operate more efficiently and together promote an even stronger state and society. And that’s what People-Centered Development’s goals are. The Neoliberal model of Financialized Capitalism has proven to be a failure for the vast majority as all gains—rents—are collected by the top 10% of the social hierarchy, a result for which that group believes makes them exceptional while destroying social cohesion and debilitating state power: Look at the inability of the Outlaw US Empire to build ships or to staff high tech businesses. The nations looking at what’s happening within other nations to see if viable examples exist that they might follow see the outcomes very clearly, and no amount of propaganda can overcome what’s so visible. The question then becomes how to transition from a semi-neoliberal situation to promoting People-Centered Development, which clearly combines Socialism with Market Economy or Capitalism if you like. Remember, Marx called Capitalism “Revolutionary.” And when it’s harnessed to a socialist political-economy to become Industrial Socialism, the potential is clearly better than the Collective West’s current model.

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/russia-c ... e-centered

'Revolutionary' is relative compared to what went before. At some point class must be eliminated though dismounting that beast will be more easily said than done. And I suspect that Soviet citizens were not sent North with no choice in the matter.

*****

THE CLOCK TELLS THE TRUTH — RUSSIA ISSUES THREE RESPONSES TO THE GAZA PLAN IN THREE AND A HALF HOURS



By John Helmer, Moscow @bears_with

The clock at the Tass office in Moscow was reading 14:24 on Tuesday afternoon when Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, was reported as saying the following about the Gaza plan of President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ex-prime minister Tony Blair: “Russia always supports and welcomes any steps by Trump that seek to avert the tragedy that is now unfolding. We want this plan to be realized, so that it may help steer events in the Middle East toward a peaceful path”.

Two hours later, the Tass clock was reading 16:13 when Peskov told the Tass reporter to add: “If you asked me if Russia is involved in this plan [of Trump on the settlement in the Gaza Strip], no, it is not. There were no signals from the American side on this.”

Across the city at the Foreign Ministry, the hands on the clock on Maria Zakharova’s wall had moved to 17:24, when having completed all the required sign-offs, the spokesman published the official Ministry response to the Gaza plan: “Donald Trump’s plan provides for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, the release of hostages and all detained persons, as well as the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. It also includes lifting the blockade and ensuring free access of humanitarian aid to all those who need it under the auspices of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.”

“The leading Arab Muslim countries have expressed support for the plan. The Palestinian National Authority has confirmed its readiness for cooperating with all partners to shape a comprehensive peace agreement. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly welcomed the new US plan. Russia has always called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to bloodshed in Gaza. We believe that any measures and initiatives aimed at this deserve to be supported. We hope that a ceasefire will become sustainable and will ultimately lead to lasting stabilisation in the Palestinian enclave. This will create the necessary conditions for launching comprehensive efforts to rebuild the sector’s infrastructure, which has been almost completely destroyed during the hostilities.”

“It is important that a successful and smooth implementation of this plan should pave the way to the resumption of a constructive dialogue between the Israeli and Palestinian sides on a comprehensive political settlement of all disputed issues on the recognised international legal basis, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state that will live in peace and security with Israel.”

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was out of Moscow in Sochi. He was attending the Kremlin-financed platform known as the Valdai Club.

He had been told what Peskov announced earlier as the Kremlin line. He had also agreed to the text of Zakharova’s press release. But then, at 17:59 publication time, he was asked: “What is Moscow’s position on Trump’s plan to resolve the situation in Gaza, which was announced on Monday? How do you assess the proposal to establish interim external management with the international participation and the formation of an international contingent for operational deployment in Gaza? Did Moscow receive any signals about the possibility of participating in this contingent? How do you assess the chances of success of this plan as a whole?”

Lavrov replied that, unlike Peskov and the Ministry in Moscow, he wasn’t ready to answer because he wasn’t sure what the plan details were, who had authored them, what the Arab governments were thinking, and how the Palestinians, including Hamas, would respond. He spoke ironically, which the Ministry signalled by putting some of Lavrov’s phrases in inverted commas and leaving his verbs to be understood to mean their opposite.

“We have not seen this plan. We have only heard comments about its contents. You have now outlined its main provisions. I have heard that this international body, which is intended to ‘temporarily govern Gaza’, is planned to be headed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He himself seems to have already announced this. I reiterate, I am not privy to the details. I do not know what powers he will be granted, nor how the Arab countries view this. I am aware that some of them have already welcomed ‘Donald Trump’s plan’. However, a final assessment can only be made once we know the views of all of Palestine’s neighbours, Israel, the countries of the region, the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and, above all, the Palestinians themselves. I have heard that representatives of the Palestinian National Authority are not being considered for inclusion in this temporary body, even as observers.”

“Regarding the international security forces. No, we have not been invited to participate. I reiterate, we only became aware of this new plan yesterday. However, I have read that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenting on ‘Donald Trump’s plan’ – which was announced following Netanyahu’s visit to Washington – said that the plan is good and should not be altered. He claimed that Hamas and everyone else should agree to it. Among the positive aspects of this plan, he stated that Israel would retain control over security in Gaza. This somewhat contradicts the establishment of international forces, so all the details need to be clarified first.”

A long time ago, living in his Italian exile from Moscow, Maxim Gorky wrote a brief essay called “The Clock”. The point of it is at the beginning: “It is eerie to listen, in the stillness and loneliness of the night, to the beautiful and uniform voice of the clock…How shall we live so as to have the consciousness of not having lived in vain? How shall we live so as not to lose faith and willpower? How live that no second shall pass which is not moved by intellect and feeling? Will the clock never give an answer to that? Oh! this motion without an end! What does the clock say to it?”

https://johnhelmer.net/the-clock-tells- ... alf-hours/

As we now know (See Palestine thread) the 'plan' was altered to Bibi's specifications after the Arabs signed on and unbeknown to them. Classic 'bait and switch and to be expected from such shysters. Again we see that whoever has Trump's eat last gets to use his mouth.

You couldn't ask for a better foreign minister than Lavrov.

******

Intellinews: Russia draft 2026 budget cuts military spending for the first time, introduces new taxes
September 30, 2025
By Ben Aris, Intellinews, 9/25/25

Russia’s Ministry of Finance (MinFin) presented the 2026-2028 budget on September 24 that keeps spending flat and introduces a number of new taxes to fund a ballooning budget deficit and cuts military spending for the first time in three and half years of war.

Not all the details were released, but most of the main parameters have been made public and the draft is scheduled to be submitted to the State Duma by September 30.

The MinFin said its draft federal budget for 2026–2028 will remain “balanced and sustainable,” while prioritising defence, security and social support for families of participants in the war in Ukraine, TASS reported on September 24.

“The draft budget preserves conditions for growth in real wages and household incomes,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that allocations for housing and family support would increase alongside defence expenditure.

The budget will be closely scrutinised after US President Donald Trump claimed he has studied the Russian economic situation and discovered it was very “BAD”, calling it a “paper tiger”, as part of an abrupt U-turn on Ukraine during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week.

The main change in the new budget is sharp changes in the GDP growth outlook: 2.5% in 2025 instead of 1%; and 1.3% instead of 2.4% in 2026. This brings the Ministry of Economy’s estimates closer to the Bank of Russia’s current forecast for growth of 1-2% in 2025 and 0.5-1.5% in 2026.

After three and half years of war, the Russian government is under growing pressure to fund its “Special military operation” (SVO) and its economic problems are getting worse. However, as bne IntelliNews reported in a recent deep dive into Ukraine and Russia’s budgets side-by-side, the Kremlin can fund its entire war effort using only internal resources – largely the issue of the Russian Finance Ministry’s OFZ treasury bills tapping the RUB20 trillion of liquidity in the banking sector.

Ukraine is, however, entirely dependent on external funding from its allies: it is short some $8bn-$19bn (depending on if there is a ceasefire) for 2025 and the unfunded gap in next year’s budget was just increased to $65bn by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), all of which will have to come from European partners this year, after the US sent no money to Ukraine since US President Donald Trump took office.

Russia’s MinFin is trying to spread the load with a mix of modest drawdowns from its rainy day National Welfare Fund (NWF), cutting spending, issuing more OFZ bonds and this year increasing VAT rates by 200bp that comes into effect on January 1, and the introduction of progressive income taxes for the first time in Putin’s 25 years of rule that came into effect this year.

Taken together, while this will be a painful year for Russia’s budget, the Kremlin is still well able to fund a continuation of the war for at least two more years based on its domestic funding resources, and probably much longer.

Revenues: Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced two key figures at the government meeting. According to him, federal budget revenues in 2026 will amount to RUB40.283 trillion, while expenditures will amount to RUB44.869 trillion. (chart)

This means that, adjusted for inflation, expenditures will remain virtually unchanged compared to 2025 (RUB41.469 trillion) and will be only 2% higher than last year’s 2026 plans, The Bell reports, which is unsurprising, as inflation was also higher than planned.

“Revenues will decline not only in real but also in nominal terms—both compared to this year’s planned figures and to the government’s 2026 plans adopted a year ago. The decline in revenues is due to deteriorating macroeconomic indicators,” The Bell said in a comment.

Russia’s economy has been slowing sharply thanks to the CBR’s unorthodox plan to artificially cool the economy to bring down inflation. The outlook for this year is for about 1% growth after two years of 4.3%, according to the CBR’s Main Directions of the Single State Monetary Policy mid-term outlook report released on September 3. However, growth will start to pick up again in 2026, according to the regulator’s basic scenario.

First military spending cuts: For the first time since the war started in 2022, Russia’s defence spending in 2026 will be reduced, according to data cited by Reuters, from RUB13.5 trillion to RUB12.6 trillion ($153.7bn, 5.8% of GDP). Moreover, it will be slightly lower than the 2026 plans set when the previous budget was approved a year ago (RUB12.8 trillion).

“Given that inflation has exceeded the plans, the actual reduction in defence spending will be even greater,” says The Bell. “However, expenditures under the adjacent budget line item “National Security and Law Enforcement” will increase from RUB3.56 trillion in 2025 to RUB4.065 trillion in 2026.”

Taken together there is still a slight decline: total defence and security spending will fall in nominal terms by 2.32% and more significantly in real terms by 6.68% from RUB17 trillion to RUB16.7 trillion ($203.3bn, 7.2% of GDP) due to inflation outpacing the security increase.

The rationale for the cut in defence, or at least the halt in its steady increases, is not clear. Some argue that now the Russian economy is fully militarised the need for continued heavy investment is falling away. Others say that steady progress on the battlefield has also taken the pressure off the need for more heavy spending. And at the same time, MinFin itself has been pushing for less military spending, simply to reduce the distortions to an overheating economy that will cause long-term damage that could undermine the campaign.

Deficit: the budget deficit has ballooned sharply on the back of unfettered military spending and falling revenues. The forecast has already been tripled from 0.5% set at the start of the year to 1.7%, or RUB3.8 trillion ($46.2bn), in the summer. (chart)

However, over the first eight months of this year it had already swelled to 1.9% of GDP, or RUB4.2 trillion ($51.1bn) blowing through the new official target….

https://natyliesbaldwin.com/2025/09/int ... new-taxes/

This is not a 'Russia-friendly' post, that they refer to the Bell, a liberal opposition outlet, speaks volumes. Regardless, they could not trash the Russian economy ala Trump. Their inflation is worse but wage growth largely offsets that. And we should have their level of debt...

[blindpig]

Only One Nation has an Infrastructure for Life National Project: Russia
Karl Sanchez
Sep 30, 2025



It’s amazing that most images depicting infrastructure merely show roads, and very few mentioned housing at all, as if shelter isn’t one of the most basic needs.

Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin is charged with the Infrastructure for Life national Project and met with Putin to discuss its progress. But before going further, a commentator stated the following while restacking the previous article about the evidence for Russia’s People-Centered Develpment political-economy:

Regardless, its all Gas and Oil powered. Without Fossil Capital, Russia much like any power is worth trash!

I have no idea why someone having that mindset would bother restacking something it disagreed with so violently. The political-economic goal has nothing to do with the amount of resources a nation has to use; rather, it’s related to who the economy is to benefit most and how the state can share those benefits with its citizens and vice versa. The idea is people establish a government/state so the people’s efforts can be combined to the benefit of all the people, thus making the people stronger along with the state. That in essence is Communalism or Mutualism, both of which are socialistic. The key is the acceptance of such a system by the people who organize it. Small island communities/states are documented to have instituted such systems and lived in harmony for centuries without any use of “Fossil Capital”, and the same is true for larger landed communities. The critical key is no one is allowed to usurp the balance within the nation, which also has nothing to do with “Fossil Capital.” The world was globalized without the use of any fossil fuels. Vessels that sailed around the planet did so without being held together with metal. Great swathes of canvas were woven using only wind and water power. “Fossil Capital” had nothing to do with the rise and destructive power of Empire. Nor did “Fossil Capital” have anything to do with arguably the three most powerful human inventions—Money, Interest and Debt—all of which have been controlling devices predating the use of fossil fuels by several thousand years. How a society is organized and governed depends on those within the society—if the people constructing the society are smart, they will make it strong by ensuring their fellows are also strong, that no weaknesses are allowed to develop. And why is strength required? To solve the issue of competition for scarce resources. Ideally, people from different societies within the same region would see the futility in constantly competing for the available resources and instead cooperate in their equitable distribution. History unfortunately shows that Humanity has yet to completely learn that lesson, but that doesn’t mean that societies should cease trying to develop strong states having a strong polity so they can become an example of what’s possible. I’m reminded that salt for many thousands of years was more important for Humanity than any other element, and the same is true today—Humans can do without fossil fuels but cannot go without salt.

Russia is busy devising a political-economic system that’s superior to all others, People-Centered Development, and to help its construction employs what it calls National Projects that are all aimed at improving some aspect of support necessary for the human condition. The most recent of these is Infrastructure for Life. Here’s a short listing: Water and sewage distribution systems, housing, irrigation and flood control works, roads to facilitate moving food from fields to eaters, and within Russia’s climates energy sources/systems for warmth. Medical facilities and means of communication go beyond the fundamentals listed and more could be added like education facilities and other communal facilities. All of those Russia deems needed for promoting the human condition, although not all are provided by government, such as religious facilities (although even there are some exceptions). So, let’s read what Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin had to report:


Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin

V. Putin: Good afternoon!

That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you to start with. You have a very large work front. First, how is the Infrastructure for Life project going? How does it unfold? And on road construction, of course, I would like to listen.

You are welcome.

M.Khusnullin: Vladimir Vladimirovich, this year, on your instructions, we launched the national project “Infrastructure for Life.” It should be noted that together with the governors, we set up and restructured the previous national projects very quickly.

As of now, we are still meeting all the planned targets. Of course, the key issue in our national project is the construction of housing. The progress we have made in the past few years, which is slightly lower than last year, allows us to confidently say that we will build more than 100 million square meters of housing. This is a good indicator, as it will improve the living conditions of millions of families.

Next question. In fact, we have built all the infrastructure around housing: municipal, social, transport. And today we see that, despite everything, the urban potential of the territories’ development is growing. We have received more urban planning solutions than last year. The volume of housing under construction is still quite stable. And we have a very good result: 17 percent more non-residential real estate was commissioned–-these are factories, hotels, tourist infrastructure. That is, in principle, we also have a good situation here.

We expect that this will lead to a 30% improvement in the quality of life in the 2,160 key settlements where we have signed agreements with each governor, outlining what will be done by 2030 and 2036. These settlements are home to 75% of our country’s population.

We continue to work on improving transport accessibility and carrying out a large amount of work on roads. This year, we are ahead of last year’s progress in terms of road construction and repair by 21%, which guarantees that we will meet all our road construction plans by the end of the year. I would like to emphasize that we are both carrying out ongoing road repairs and continuing our major infrastructure projects.

You know all the key projects, Vladimir Vladimirovich. This year, we opened the Durtuli-Achit section, the last section from St. Petersburg to Yekaterinburg, with 7,000 vehicles per day, which is a very popular route. In the first three months, 6,000 to 7,000 vehicles were consistently traveling, including 2,500 trucks. This has a significant impact on logistics.

We are continuing the Russia highway from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, expanding it step by step where necessary. We are continuing the North-South corridor and the Azov ring. This year, we reached Mariupol and started bypassing it. By the way, we have already achieved very good progress in expanding the sections so that we have a full four-lane road along the Azov ring.

V. Putin: Is there a way around Mariupol from the north?

M. Khusnullin: Yes, we are bypassing Mariupol from the north and heading south. It’s a completely new road. I was there not so long ago, and I saw that the work is progressing at full speed.

We plan to complete the Kaliningrad Ring within the framework of the six-year program.

But in general, Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to say a huge thank you for the six-year programme. When 89 regions have signed memoranda and understand what the federal centre is doing, what the regional centre is doing, and what the municipal centre is doing, we understand the unified network of roads. Therefore, this work is progressing very well. We see that we will finish in Kaliningrad.

V. Putin: You won’t finish in Kaliningrad, of course...

M. Khusnullin: Vladimir Vladimirovich, you have repeatedly given instructions, so we pay attention to this.

V. Putin: What about St. Petersburg?

M. Khusnullin: In St. Petersburg, we have started designing and removing part of the KAD. In other words, we are moving as agreed, and we have already started this work.

We continue [construction] of roads along the Black Sea coast, they are planned. And the bypass of Adler is in full swing, and the third stage of Sochi. The last time you ordered to look at the road along the sea to Novorossiysk, we are also designing this part of the work. This work is underway.

I would like to point out another very important point: despite the fact that the number of cars has increased by 9 percent over the past five years, and traffic has increased by 36 percent, and the mobility of the population has increased by 30 to 100 percent in some areas, the number of accidents and deaths has decreased by 9 percent. This is due to the systematic work that you have been paying attention to, such as the improvement of roads and preventive measures taken by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. We are working on these issues, and we have seen a decrease in deaths and accidents.

V. Putin: Of course, a lot depends on the quality of the roads.

M. Khusnullin: And I would like to note that, of course, we continue to develop new regions. They have fully integrated into our Russian economy. Since 2025, all projects have been implemented according to our standards. Some regions are even at an average level compared to all Russian regions in terms of program implementation, with the Lugansk People’s Republic ranking 29th out of 89 in Russia.

The road construction program has been fully completed this year. We have planned every road for six years, even down to every village, and we have planned which roads will be repaired when, and we are showing this to the public.

We have a good growth in the financial sector. Your decision to allow large banks to enter has given a breakthrough impetus. If we started with a loan portfolio of 10 billion, we now have 175 billion working in the regional economy. 246 enterprises are operating within the free economic zone and more have been added this year. Most importantly, 2.5 million residents receive pensions and social benefits in the territories. This process is fully established. As the line of contact changes, we are actively entering these territories and working. Everything is going according to plan.

I am confident that we have completed all the tasks you set, and we have set up this work in three years...

V. Putin: How does the mortgage behave?

M. Khusnullin: Regarding mortgages, Vladimir Vladimirovich, the key issue is, of course, that the support for preferential mortgages has kept the market stable. We are compensating this interest rate to millions of people. This is not cheap for the budget, but it is the main measure of support that has allowed us to preserve the construction industry so far. People who have invested in apartments will be able to receive them. We meet with each governor on a weekly basis to ensure that the market remains stable. People must preserve their investments.

V. Putin: The decision on preferential mortgages is both social and economic.

M. Khusnullin: Yes, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

V. Putin: The construction sector needs to be supported.

M. Khusnullin: We will continue. We are carrying out this work.

You have given instructions for the secondary market, and the resolution for the Far East is about to be issued. This means that we are continuing this work.

V. Putin: Good. Thank you.

Housing and roads along with continuing recovery of the new territories. How much work by the government is put into redeveloping all the mines will be something to watch. And most have seen what the rural Donbass region looks like road-wise—it’s very poorly developed. Russia’s new roads are seeing high rates of use. But IMO the most impressive result is in housing which goes with smart city urban planning. I’d like to see that sort of development happen where I live. Our county could easily occupy 20,000 apartment units, and businesses here would be ecstatic. Some of us can see that President Putin clearly puts Russia and Russians First. There’s lots of chatter about the Russian economy and the 2026 budget, and getting honest information isn’t easy. With more Russian goods entering the Russian market, inflation is dropping, and business investment will rise because bank rates will be lower. I’ve yet to see any growth expectations for 2026, although they will soon begin to appear. The heating season will soon commence, so I expect the usual government discussion about that and related activities to occur soon.

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/only-one ... astructure

******

On the use of Russian ground forces in the North-Eastern Military District zone
October 1, 11:00



An interview with the new Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev, for Krasnaya Zvezda. Before his promotion, he had achieved numerous victories on the front, including the liberation of Avdiivka, Selidovo, and others.
In my subjective opinion, Mordvichev is the most successful Russian commander of the Central Military District period.
The interview is timed to coincide with the 475th anniversary of the creation of the Russian Ground Forces. It's worth noting that Mordvichev speaks of the Soviet period with great respect.

Andrei Nikolaevich, the Ground Forces certainly have a rich and long history. Today is a good time to recall the key stages in the development of the Ground Forces as a branch of the Armed Forces. How did the troops develop?

The Ground Forces have played a crucial role in ensuring our country's defense capability throughout its history.
The origins of the Russian Ground Forces began on October 1, 1550. On this day, Tsar Ivan the Terrible issued a decree "On the placement of a select thousand servicemen in Moscow and surrounding districts." This decree established streltsy regiments ("firearm infantry") and a permanent guard service, and established the artillery "detachment" as an independent branch of the armed forces. Furthermore, Ivan the Terrible streamlined the system of recruiting local troops, established permanent service in peacetime and wartime, and organized centralized command and supply of the army.

Thus, the first permanent ground forces of the Russian state, possessing the characteristics of a regular army, were created. To commemorate this event in Russian military history, Decree No. 549 of the President of the Russian Federation dated May 31, 2006, established a commemorative date – Russian Ground Forces Day, celebrated annually on October 1.
The next important stage in the development of the Ground Forces came during the reign of Peter the Great. In November 1699, the Tsar issued a decree "On the admission of soldiers from among free people." From then on, the recruitment principle of troop formation came into effect, and after the end of the Northern War, a regular army emerged in Russia. However, the Ministry of Military Ground Forces was not established until a century later – during the reign of Alexander I.

Reform of the Ground Forces was continued by Alexander II, who reorganized their structure, recruitment methods, organization and armament, as well as the system of military personnel training. Furthermore, conscription was replaced by universal military service.

From the second half of the 19th century, Qualitative changes began to occur in the Ground Forces. The technical component assumed great importance. Engineering, aviation, aeronautics, and railway units of the Ground Forces were actively developed. Furthermore, new special forces emerged – chemical and biological defense.
After the Revolution, the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was created from the Tsarist army, which distinguished itself during the Civil War.

Since the mid-1920s, the Red Army Ground Forces began to gain strength. They played a crucial role in the Great Patriotic War in the ground theater of military operations. During the war, their numbers nearly doubled, establishing a flexible and effective structure that met the demands of armed conflict against a technically well-equipped enemy army. The number of guns and mortars, multiple launch rocket systems, tanks and self-propelled artillery of new types, anti-tank weapons, air defense systems, and automatic small arms increased. Overall, the Ground Forces' weaponry was renewed by more than 80%.

After the end of the war, the Ground Forces were officially established as a branch of the USSR Armed Forces. On March 23, 1946, by order of the Chief of the General Staff, a military command body was formed – the Main Command of the Ground Forces. Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces.
In the post-war period, the Ground Forces developed using the latest military technology and advances in military science. Full motorization of the troops was achieved.

Despite the obvious expediency of creating and maintaining a Ground Forces General Command, it was disbanded three times (1950, 1964, 1997), with command and control functions transferred to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff. Each disbandment was justified by the need to eliminate duplication of work, eliminate duplicate command bodies, improve efficiency, and so on.

However , experience itself demonstrated the weakness of these arguments, and each time, after a short period of time, the Ground Forces General Command was restored (1955, 1967, 2001).
Subsequently, thanks to the efforts of the leadership and officers, the General Command was restored, which allowed for increased command and control of the Ground Forces and their combat readiness.
Since 2009, as part of the new vision of the Russian Armed Forces, the Ground Forces have undergone significant structural changes—brigade units of constant readiness have become the primary tactical units of the Ground Forces
. However, as early as 2013, the revival of divisions within the Ground Forces has been actively discussed. The first to be formed were the renowned Taman and Kantemirovskaya divisions. In 2024, the Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts were recreated.

Formations and formations of the Ground Forces are part of all five military districts and form the core of troop groupings in strategic directions.
Today, the Ground Forces are the largest and most diverse branch of the Armed Forces, designed to repel enemy aggression in continental theaters of military operations and protect the territorial integrity and national interests of the Russian Federation.

Ground Forces Day is an opportunity not only to reminisce about history but also to reflect on the present. How do you assess the current state of the Ground Forces? What are the main trends in their development?

To enhance their combat capabilities, the Ground Forces are being modernized: motorized rifle divisions, missile and artillery brigades, and special forces units, including new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) units, are being formed. At the same time, they are being re-equipped with modern weapons systems and supplied with new military equipment.
During the special military operation, Ground Forces officers gained invaluable experience in commanding subordinate units in combat conditions, and personnel gained confident skills in conducting combat operations in various environments.

The experience of the Air Defense Forces also highlighted the need to improve troop command and control systems and increase the efficiency of decision-making. In a rapidly changing environment, the ability of commanders on the ground to independently assess the situation and make decisions "here and now" is critical.

The transition to modern weapons and military equipment, such as new-generation tanks and modern artillery and missile systems, significantly increases the firepower and maneuverability of Ground Forces units. For example, equipping tactical reconnaissance units of combined arms formations and military units with modern technology has significantly increased the effectiveness of firepower against the enemy.

Undoubtedly, the level of modern technological solutions plays a significant role in the development of any branch or service of the Armed Forces. This applies not only to the availability of modern armored vehicles, artillery systems, and other weapons, but also to the integration of these systems into a unified network that ensures situational awareness and rapid data transmission.
The digitalization of the battlefield, the use of unmanned systems and electronic warfare systems, and the introduction of artificial intelligence elements into modern reconnaissance and surveillance systems are factors that are fundamentally changing the nature of modern military operations.
The use of advanced weapons and military equipment, new tactical combat techniques, and the acquisition of unique combat experience allow for rapid adaptation to changing circumstances, which undoubtedly increases the effectiveness and combat capability of the Ground Forces.

The special military operation demonstrated that the Ground Forces have proven their purpose and effectiveness, with personnel capable of performing assigned tasks in any environment.
It's no exaggeration to say that the Ground Forces have always made a significant contribution to our nation's defense capability. Improving the effectiveness of their combat capabilities is a complex and multifaceted task, requiring a constant, integrated approach and consideration of the many factors that arise in modern combat. This includes key indicators such as readiness to perform combat missions, the level of personnel training, the availability of modern weapons and military equipment in accordance with the state armament program for 2027 to 2036, and the ability to interact with other branches of the Armed Forces and combat arms.

What is the primary striking force of the Ground Forces today? What types of weapons and military equipment are available, and how are they used in the Central Military District? How effective are they?

The main striking force of the Ground Forces consists of tank and motorized rifle units, as well as missile troops and artillery, which perform the primary mission of defeating the enemy on the battlefield.
Modern armored vehicles, such as the T-90M tank, BMP-2M infantry fighting vehicles with the Berezhok fighting compartment, BMP-3, and BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, have proven highly effective during special military operations. Various protected vehicles, such as the Typhoon-K, Asteys, and Ural-VPK, have also proven themselves effective . Various types of ATVs and buggies have proven highly effective and in demand
for transporting personnel (UAV crews, ATGM squads, etc.), delivering ammunition and supplies to the front lines on all types of roads and terrain . The use of such vehicles during the Special Military Operations to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield saved numerous lives of soldiers and officers. Thanks to motorcycles and ATVs, mobile fire teams, using the element of surprise, successfully capture and hold enemy strongholds.

The effectiveness of the Iskander missile system is undeniable. Proving its superior performance, the system is effectively used not only to destroy enemy personnel concentrations, important industrial facilities, and infrastructure, but also to engage expensive Western weapons and equipment, including Patriot and Haimars missiles.

At the same time, the proportion of enemy fire engagements using unmanned aerial vehicles has increased significantly during combat operations.
The tactical level of the Ground Forces utilizes reconnaissance systems with UAVs of various ranges and flight endurances.
The Orlan, Superkam, and Zala systems have proven themselves to be highly effective. Today, they successfully perform missions in the face of enemy electronic countermeasures.
Lancet loitering munitions have proven highly effective, being successfully used against enemy armored vehicles and artillery systems.
Particularly noteworthy is the role of copter-type UAVs and FPV drones in reconnaissance and enemy fire.

Copters, initially developed for search and rescue missions, have found widespread use for close-in aerial reconnaissance. Their further development has enabled the dropping of various types of munitions. FPV drones (sport drones) are used as precision-guided munitions. Controlled via fiber optic cable, they have proven themselves to be effective against enemy electronic countermeasures. Ground-based robotic systems for various purposes have also come into widespread use: kamikaze, fire, transport, and minelaying.

The intensive use of UAVs on the battlefield has significantly increased the role of electronic warfare systems. The Silok, Pole-21, and Peroed systems have proven highly effective. Meanwhile, so-called "trench electronic warfare" is becoming increasingly important for providing cover for units along the line of contact.

I'd like to specifically highlight the results of using the new-generation Ratnik combat gear, which is being supplied en masse to the Ground Forces and enables us to achieve our primary priority—preserving the lives and health of personnel.
The Ratnik combat gear is at the highest level of the best foreign equivalents, and significantly surpasses them in terms of the protection of personal body armor.

The results of combat operations during the Second Military Operation are, as they say, evident. How have the methods and techniques of warfare changed in terms of the acquisition and use of combat experience by units and formations?

Certainly, the combat experience gained during the Second Military Operation changes many things, both on the battlefield and in the operation of the Ground Forces as a whole.
Let me reiterate that over the past three years, the Ground Forces command staff has gained invaluable experience in deploying their units, formations, and military units in combat situations.
The procedures for deploying regiments by divisions, and battalions and companies by regiments, have been modified. The width of formation defense zones and military unit defense sectors has been adjusted.
The increased efficiency and accuracy of obtaining enemy target coordinates through the increased number of small UAVs in first-echelon regiment (brigade) units for reconnaissance operations, as well as the ability to provide target designations and adjust fire while visually observing the battlefield, necessitated the inclusion of the task of battlefield isolation in the list of tactical defensive actions.

This task, in turn, necessitated changes to the order of battle of combined arms companies and battalions within regiments (brigades). This involves the use of reconnaissance and fire systems within units, created using individual weapons (mortars, tube artillery, multiple rocket launchers, tanks) and mini-UAVs (including copters).
As a result of these structural changes and the emergence of new tactical techniques and methods of combat operations within Ground Forces units, it became necessary to clarify certain provisions of combat regulations.

Certain elements of the motorized rifle battalion's defense structure—primarily its battle formation and fire system—were successfully tested during the Second Military Operation.
Reconnaissance personnel are gaining extensive experience in the integrated use of various types of reconnaissance (air, electronic, and radio-electronic) in conjunction with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and robotic systems. This allows them to detect enemy activity around the clock, in any weather, and, most importantly, in real time (online).
Positive experiences and identified problematic issues are summarized within troop groups and the General Staff of the Ground Forces, after which they are promptly disseminated to all formations and military units to advance our shared victory.

Ground Forces personnel have also gained unique combat experience, characterized by the large-scale and highly intensive use of UAVs on the modern battlefield.
The primary objectives for unmanned combat units are the massive and comprehensive use of these systems, specifically the engagement of various types of strike unmanned combat systems depending on the objectives and missions, as well as the creation of a working and, most importantly, effective reconnaissance and strike network in the face of enemy electronic countermeasures.
The experience of the Air Defense Forces has demonstrated the critical importance of the rapid adaptation of unmanned combat units and technological superiority over the enemy. This experience has led to revolutionary changes in the training of specialists, the technical equipment of units, and the definition of the place and role of various types of unmanned combat systems in battle formations.
The use of advanced weapons and military equipment, new tactical combat techniques, and the acquired unique combat experience enable rapid adaptation to changing circumstances, which undoubtedly increases the effectiveness and combat readiness of the Ground Forces.

Andrei Nikolaevich, even the most advanced weapon is nothing without trained specialists and unit commanders. Could you please tell us where and how specialists, unit commanders, and military unit commanders are currently trained for the Ground Forces?

The system for training unit and unit commanders in the Ground Forces includes cadets in specialist programs at military schools and students in master's programs at military academies. Cadets are trained in all the key specialties of the Ground Forces: "Use of Motorized Rifle Units," "Use of Tank Units," "Use of Troop Reconnaissance Units," "Use of Artillery Units," and many others. In 2025, the first recruitment for the specialty "Use of Ground Force Units with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" was launched.

Students are trained in the key specialties: "Combined Arms Unit and Formation Command" and "Combined Arms Unit and Formation Command of Missile Troops and Artillery."
Military science is constantly evolving, and the experience of special military operations requires constant study and consolidation. Nearly all permanent staff at the Ground Forces' educational institutions have combat experience, including that gained during the Northern Military District. Faculty at these institutions continually hone their professional skills and participate directly in combat missions.

Combat experience is integrated into the educational activities of Ground Forces' educational institutions according to a unified plan and design. Based on analytical data received from military command authorities and research organizations, the institutions systematically adjust their training programs. All students and cadets undergo a series of additional practical classes and training sessions, enabling them to quickly adapt to missions in special military operations zones. An analysis of feedback from the troops on newly arrived officers after graduating from our military educational institutions confirms the high level of their training. In combat situations, even in the most challenging situations, our graduates demonstrate courage and composure and successfully complete all assigned tasks.

Every graduate of a Ground Forces school or academy is a unique specialist, meeting all the requirements of modern armed conflicts.
Junior specialists in the Ground Forces are trained at 20 training centers across 242 military specialties. By 2025, more than 40,000 junior specialists had been trained.
Military personnel are also trained with their future participation in special military operations in mind. To this end, training schedules are adjusted, curricula are promptly amended, and new educational and methodological programs are developed.
For example,This year, we organized training for drivers of all-terrain vehicles (buggies, ATVs, motorcycles), and expanded the range of unmanned systems studied.
Furthermore, given the rapid influx of high-tech and science-intensive modern weapons and military equipment into service, we have organized their timely delivery to training centers.

– Andrei Nikolaevich, you have the opportunity to congratulate your subordinates, as well as defense industry specialists and the creators of weapons and special military equipment for the largest branch of the Armed Forces, through Krasnaya Zvezda.

Dear servicemen and women of the Ground Forces and employees of the defense industry! Dear veterans!
October 1st marks Ground Forces Day in our country.
For almost half a millennium, the Ground Forces have stood guard over our Fatherland. This year, we celebrate the 475th anniversary of the formation of the largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
This anniversary milestone testifies to the unbreakable bond between generations of defenders of the Fatherland, the continuity of traditions of military valor and glory.
The history of the Ground Forces is inextricably linked with the heroic annals of our nation, filled with striking examples of the courage and valor of many generations of soldiers, demonstrated on the battlefields for the freedom and independence of our Motherland.
I would like to thank the personnel of the Ground Forces for their daily work, bravery, and fortitude. Your dedication and fearlessness in battle continue to be a reliable foundation for the centuries-old traditions of the Russian Army.
I express my deep gratitude to the faculty of military educational institutions and military training centers, who not only impart scientific knowledge to future defenders of the country but also instill in them character, determination, and love for the Fatherland.
I also cannot fail to mention the teams of defense industry enterprises, whose work provides us with modern and effective weaponry, achieved through the highest professionalism, discipline, and responsibility.
On this day, I express special words of gratitude to the veterans of the Ground Forces, whose exploits and dedication to military duty exemplify true patriotism. Your courage and will have become an unshakable support for the younger generation of soldiers.
On behalf of the Military Council of the Ground Forces and on my own behalf, I congratulate you on our shared commemorative date. I wish everyone good health, inexhaustible fortitude, prosperity, and success in service and work.

The victory is ours! Honor and glory to the Ground Forces!
Happy holiday!

http://redstar.ru/vyhodim-na-novye-rubezhi/- zinc

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10102758.html

"Yashkino" and "Kirieshki" nationalized
October 2, 9:13



A Moscow court declared the owners of the Yashkino and Kirieshki brands an extremist organization and seized their assets for the state. Nikolai Shtengelov and his son financed the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The total assets of the seized holding company amount to 497 billion rubles.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, Shtengelov Jr. is an Australian citizen, and his father is a Ukrainian citizen. The supervisory agency's lawsuit alleged that, while earning income in Russia, the businessmen transferred more than 21 billion rubles abroad, and "the funds were used to support the economies of the United States and Australia, which supplied weapons to Ukraine, thereby harming the Russian Federation."

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, Shtengelov Sr. has been providing financial assistance to Ukraine since 2014. He also formed his own paramilitary unit, which later merged with Azov, Aidar, and Dnipro-1 (all three are designated as terrorist in Russia and banned). And his son, according to the Prosecutor General's Office, supplied Ukrainian armed groups with food and other goods.

Well, there you have it. A great way to replenish the budget.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10104516.html

Former Major General Popov was transferred to a penal colony.
October 2, 2:57 PM



Former Major General Popov, convicted and dismissed from the army last year, has arrived at the Kolomna penal colony where he will serve his sentence. He was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 800,000 rubles for the theft of metal structures intended for the construction of fortifications in the Zaporizhzhia region. The total damage in this case (Popov was not the only defendant) is estimated at approximately 100,000,000 rubles. In total, approximately 1,700 tons of metal structures were stolen. According to published reports, Popov himself received a car worth 4 million rubles and 1.4 million rubles in cash for his participation in this scheme.

The court previously rejected the appeal and upheld the previous sentence. Popov is only willing to return to the front if his rank is reinstated, which seems unlikely. He was discharged from the army at the end of 2024.

P.S. And also regarding corruption in the security forces.

The Leninsky District Court sentenced seven employees of the North Ossetia branch of the Russian National Guard to two months' detention.
"The Leninsky District Court of Vladikavkaz received a petition from the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation to select a preventive measure against the head of the department, deputy heads and other employees of the Russian National Guard in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. The court selected the following preventive measures: Golota V.I., Dzgoev Yu.O., Tsgoev Yu.E., Tavasiev A.A. - detention for a period of one month and 30 days until November 28, 2025. Tsabolov S.R., Cherchesov T.V., Kokaev A.R. - house arrest for a period of one month and 30 days until November 28, 2025."
The press service clarified that the arrested employees of the Russian National Guard department in North Ossetia are suspected of committing a crime under Article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (taking a bribe), Article Article 291, paragraph 1 of the Russian Criminal Code (aiding and abetting bribery). On Tuesday evening, it was reported that the court remanded Valery Golota, head of the North Ossetia National Guard Directorate, in custody for one month and 30 days.

Overall, since the start of the North Ossetian Military District, the state's approach to combating corruption among the military and security forces has clearly shifted toward a more stringent approach.

Project "Victory Monuments"
October 2, 5:10 PM



Project "Victory Monuments"

Historical memory works when it is supported in everyday life, not just formally activated once a year on May 9th. The shared Victory of the peoples of the USSR is an element of identity that requires constant nurturing.



For example, on September 30th, a restored monument to the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War was unveiled in the Kyrgyz village of Blagoveshchenka in the Jalal-Abad region ( https://t.me/VictoryMemorials1945/671 ). The restoration was carried out by the "Victory Monuments" project with the support of the local "Slavic Diaspora" association. The event discussed the contribution of the Kyrgyz people to the war, demonstrating that memory is preserved not only in the monument but also in a dialogue between generations.





Importantly, this is part of a broader trend. In the spring, the "Victory Monuments" project launched an interactive map ( https://victorymemorials.com/map ), which already contains 33,000 monuments across the post-Soviet space. The authors receive hundreds of requests to mark or restore objects that have been omitted from official registers.
This approach makes memory more resilient: it ceases to be merely symbolic and becomes a systematic effort to preserve heritage.

https://t.me/rybar/74079 - zinc.

You can add a monument that is not in the catalog using the link below: https://victorymemorials.com/map (click the "Add monument" button).

This is an excellent project and will undoubtedly contribute to the preservation of historical monuments associated with the Great Patriotic War.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10105384.html

Google Translator

[blindpig]

VLADIMIR PUTIN MAKES THE CASTLING MOVE



By John Helmer, Moscow @bears_with

On June 30, 2021, during his Direct Line programme, President Vladimir Putin was asked what games he liked to play during his schooldays. “I am tempted to say chess,” he replied, “but, unfortunately, it was not chess.”

Four years have gone by until his appearance yesterday at the Valdai Club, when the president was asked the same question. He replied: “Well, I loved chess.”

Putin was castling.

In the ancient game of chess the move which is known by this name is a relatively new one. The rules to allow it also took centuries to develop. The purpose of castling is defence when the king is under attack and there is safe space between the king and the castle (rook), so that they can exchange places and the king retreat to the safer margin of the board. The opportunity created thereby is for the rook to move more actively into the counter-attack against the adversary. The castling king is delegating the offensive to his rook.

To understand what Putin’s castling means on the board today, read what he said first about the Board of Peace (BOP) Gaza plan of President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-prime minister Tony Blair. “Russia always supports and welcomes any steps by Trump,” he told his spokesman to say, “that seek to avert the tragedy that is now unfolding. We want this plan to be realized, so that it may help steer events in the Middle East toward a peaceful path”.

As this was being interpreted outside the Kremlin wall as Putin’s unqualified endorsement, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced it was too soon for that. “We have not seen this plan. We have only heard comments about its contents. You have now outlined its main provisions. I have heard that this international body, which is intended to ‘temporarily govern Gaza’, is planned to be headed by former British prime minister Tony Blair. He himself seems to have already announced this. I reiterate, I am not privy to the details. I do not know what powers he will be granted, nor how the Arab countries view this. I am aware that some of them have already welcomed the ‘Donald Trump plan’. However, a final assessment can only be made once we know the views of all of Palestine’s neighbours, Israel, the countries of the region, the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and, above all, the Palestinians themselves. I have heard that representatives of the Palestinian National Authority are not being considered for inclusion in this temporary body, even as observers.”

“Regarding the international security forces,” Lavrov went on. “No, we have not been invited to participate. I reiterate, we only became aware of this new plan yesterday. However, I have read that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenting on the ‘Trump plan’ – which was announced following Netanyahu’s visit to Washington – said that the plan is good and should not be altered. He claimed that Hamas and everyone else should agree to it. Among the positive aspects of this plan, he stated that Israel would retain control over security in Gaza. This somewhat contradicts the establishment of international forces, so all the details need to be clarified first.”

Lavrov said that at the Valdai Club conference in Sochi. Two days later, Putin has followed him on to the same platform; he also followed the foreign minister on the Gaza plan. Asked about this, Putin started by saying that “now that we are getting acquainted with President Trump’s initiatives, I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel that may still appear”. On Tuesday Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov had mistaken the tunnel for the light.

Putin went on to clarify:“The situation in Gaza is a terrible event in history, in modern history. And even someone known as the pro-western Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Guterres, publicly says Gaza has become the largest children’s cemetery in the world. What could be more tragic and sad?”

About Trump’s Gaza plan, “you know, it will probably come as a surprise to you, but on the whole, Russia is ready to support him. If, of course, as we have to look carefully at the proposals made, it will lead to the final goal, which we have always talked about. Russia has always advocated the creation of two states: Israel and a Palestinian state, starting in 1948 and then in 1974, when the relevant UN Security Council resolution was adopted. And this, in my opinion, is the key to a final solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

“Indeed, as far as I know, I have not looked at this proposal so carefully yet, but it proposes to create an international body that will govern Palestine, more precisely the Gaza Strip, for some time, and Mr. Blair should be at its head. He’s not known as a great peacemaker, but I know him personally. Moreover, I visited him, spent the night at his house, we had coffee in our pajamas in the morning, and so on. Yes, yes.”

“Fyodor Lukyanov: Was the coffee good?”

“Yes, quite. But what do I want to say? He is a man with his own views, but he is an experienced politician. And in general, of course, if his activities, his experience, and his knowledge are directed towards a peaceful course, then he can play some positive role. There are, of course, several questions. First: How long will this international administration work? How and to whom will power be transferred later? As far as I understand, this plan outlines the possibility of transferring power to the Palestinian Authority. In my opinion, it would be better, of course, to put everything under the control of President [Mahmoud] Abbas and the current Palestinian administration. It may be difficult for them to resolve the security issues. But so far as I can imagine, my colleagues, with whom I spoke on this topic today, envisage the possibility of transferring control over the Gaza Strip, including to the local militia, to ensure security. Is this bad? In my opinion, this is a good thing.”

“We need to understand, I repeat, how long the international administration will manage there, in what time frame it is supposed to transfer both civil power and security issues, which is very important. And, in my opinion, this should definitely be supported. We are talking about freeing all the hostages held by Hamas, on the one hand, and releasing a significant number of Palestinians from Israeli prisons. Here, too, we need to understand how many Palestinians, whom, and at what time can we release them? And of course, you know, the most important question is: how does Palestine feel about this? That’s exactly what you need to understand. And the countries of the region, the entire Islamic world, and Palestine itself, the Palestinians themselves, including, of course, Hamas. They treat Hamas differently there, and we have our own attitude, but we have contacts with Hamas. It is important for us that Hamas also supports this, and the Palestinian Authority supports it. But these are all issues that require painstaking, careful research.”

“In general, if this happens, it will, of course, be a very serious step forward in resolving the conflict. But, I repeat, in our opinion, fundamentally it can be resolved only with the creation of a Palestinian state. Of course, Israel’s attitude towards this is also important. We don’t know yet either: how did Israel take it? I do not even know of any public statements on this subject, I just did not have time to look at it. But it’s not even public statements that are important, but in fact how the Israeli leadership will treat this, whether it will fulfill everything that the President of the United States has proposed. There are a lot of questions. But in general, if all these positive things that I mentioned happen, then this is, of course, a breakthrough. And a breakthrough can be very positive. I repeat for the third time: the creation of a Palestinian state is a key element of the settlement as a whole.”

Putin was acknowledging that since Peskov’s announcement, he had been briefed by Lavrov and others, and that they had persuaded him to change his mind on what to say. The President concedes now that Russian policy on the Trump plan has not been decided yet; that it will be a collective one with his “colleagues”; and that he is delegating the next moves to them and to their “painstaking, careful research.” This is castling by the king for the rook.

Read more about Putin’s prodigious memory: https://johnhelmer.net/direct-line-from ... me-truths/

https://johnhelmer.net/vladimir-putin-m ... ling-move/

Google Translator

******

Monument to anti-Japanese partisans
October 2, 9:02 PM



A monument to the Koreans who fought against the Japanese occupiers during World War II was unveiled at Patriot Park.
The monument turned out well, and the North Koreans are also pleased.

In the coming year, new monuments are expected to appear in Russia commemorating the comradeship with North Koreans who participated in the liberation of the Kursk region.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that up to 20,000 North Korean workers are currently employed in the Russian military-industrial complex (last year, the figure was 11,000). North Korean army units also continue to be stationed in the Kursk region, conducting engineering work.

Naturally, if the enemy were to invade our territory again, they would again clash with North Korean units. Kim Jong-un previously confirmed that North Korea would fully support Russia's efforts to conduct the Second World War. According to the military cooperation agreement, North Korean troops can legally operate on Russian territory. North Korea interprets the war in Ukraine as Western aggression against Russia, with Ukraine serving as a NATO proxy army. Accordingly, the joint actions of Russia and the DPRK are defensive in nature, falling entirely within the scope of the military cooperation agreement. This agreement also stipulates that if anyone attacks North Korea, Russia will provide similar assistance to Kim Jong-un, including deploying troops on its territory if necessary.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10106036.html

About Russian simpletons
October 3, 10:48



Putin commented on the historical impasse of the "march to the West."
He also counted himself among the simpletons who seriously believed that anyone in the West was waiting for Russia.

(Video at link.)

The price of all these delusions during the decline of the USSR and the "holy 90s" was extremely high for the country and its people. And the realization of the error of this path took a long and painful time to sink in.
Ultimately, the "highway of civilization to the West" led to a dead end, from which Russia had to struggle to extricate itself.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10106539.html

Google Translator

******

[blindpig]

FUHRER FASCISM — HOW DID VZGLYAD KNOW THAT TRUMP’S MEETING WITH THE GENERALS WAS A LOYALTY TEST? BECAUSE RUSSIANS REMEMBER HITLER’S FUHRERREID OF 1935?



By John Helmer, Moscow @bears_with

For the first time, the White House has issued a piece of paper (lead image, top), signed by the President, attempting to install a form of fuhrer fascism to deter, arrest, and if need be shoot to kill any form of expression which amounts to disloyalty to the President and to his MAGA doctrine.

The paper defined that as “targeted intimidation, radicalization, threats, and violence designed to silence opposing speech, limit political activity, change or direct policy outcomes, and prevent the functioning of a democratic society.” This includes public expression of the terms “fascist” and “anti-fascist”.

According to the White House paper, those who speak in such language are hiding under “the umbrella of self-described ‘anti-fascism.’ These movements portray foundational American principles (e.g., support for law enforcement and border control) as ‘fascist’ to justify and encourage acts of violent revolution. This ‘anti-fascist’ lie has become the organizing rallying cry used by domestic terrorists to wage a violent assault against democratic institutions, constitutional rights, and fundamental American liberties…anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, anti-Christianity…and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality.”

The paper, drafted by Stephen Miller, deputy chief of the White House staff, was signed by Trump on September 25. It is titled “NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM/NSPM-7”. Its subject is “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence.” Read the Miller Memorandum in full here.

It was followed by the Pentagon order for all US forces commanders and their staffs to assemble at the Quantico base in Virginia on September 30 to be addressed by Trump and Peter Hegseth, the Defense Secretary.

Since May 6, they have been under the direct threat of purge. Hegseth announced he was commencing to cut by 20% the 3 and 4-star general ranks of the main forces, by 10% in other flag officers of the main forces, and a 20% cut in the general ranks of the National Guard. No time line was announced for the cuts to be decided in two phases.

He was starting, Hegseth also claimed, “the most comprehensive review” of headquarters and operational command structures and areas of responsibility since 1986. When that takes place, there will be “a minimum of an additional ten percent reduction of general and flag officers throughout the DOD, in conjunction with the realignment of the unified command plan.”

The sword of Damocles wasn’t a stab in the back. “This is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high ranking officers, nothing could be further from the truth,” Hegseth claimed in anticipation of resistance from the generals.

None of these proposed cuts or reorganizations of commands were confirmed in the four months before Trump ordered the generals to assemble. None of the mainstream media journalists at the Pentagon nor of the alt-media military podcasters has reported a general source as admitting the link between the purge plan, the Miller Memorandum, and Trump’s summons to Quantico. The President then made this obvious.

In his speech to the assembled flag officers (lead image, bottom), Trump declared: “we are under invasion from within. We’re stopping it very quickly. After spending trillions of dollars defending the borders of foreign countries, with your help, we’re defending the borders of our country from now on. We’re not going to let this happen…San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, they’re very unsafe places and we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too. It’s a war from within. Controlling the physical territory of our border is essential to national security. We can’t let these people live…If it’s OK with you generals and admirals…I say, they spit, we hit. Is that OK? I think so. They spit — it’s a new thing. They spit, we hit…This is going to be a big thing for the people in this room because it’s the enemy from within and we have to handle it before it gets out of control. It won’t get out of control, once you’re involved…With leaders like we have right here in this beautiful room today, we will vanquish every danger and crush every threat to our freedom in every generation to come, because we will fight, fight, fight and we will win, win, win.”

Trump also issued the loyalty warning: “I’ve never walked into a room so silent before. This is very — don’t laugh! Don’t laugh, you’re not allowed to do that! You know what, just have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud. And if want to do anything you want, you can do anything that you want. And if don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. Of course, there goes your rank, there goes you future.”

That was at the beginning of Trump’s hour-long speech. Then at the end, the warning was repeated: “I’ll tell you, Pete and General Caine and all of the people that I’ve met that have been lifted up in rank. And we got many of them out of here. To be honest with you, I didn’t like doing it, but we got many of you out of here because we weren’t satisfied.”

Viewed in Moscow, the Kremlin-supported security analysis platform Vzglyad has reported the political significance of the loyalty oath assembly in Quantico when most US experts have missed it. This is because the Russians remember Adolf Hitler’s loyalty oath (Führereid) and what followed for Russia. Between 1934 and 1935, first for military personnel and then for civilians, Hitler ordered the state loyalty oath to be changed from the secular language, “I swear loyalty to the Reich’s constitution” to: “I swear by God this holy oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to the Leader of the German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler, supreme commander of the armed forces”.

According to Vzglyad’s writer, Gevork Mirzayan, “hundreds of American generals were offered a choice. In the understanding of liberals, the choice is between personal loyalty to Trump and loyalty to the American state. [In] July 1935, the German generals were summoned to an extraordinary meeting in Berlin and informed that their previous oath of allegiance to the Weimar Constitution was invalid and that they must take a personal oath to the Fuhrer. ‘Most of the generals have taken a new oath to retain their positions,’ retired General Ben Hodges commented on the Quantico meeting.”

The Russian interpretation is not placed between the lines. This is a message directed by a leading policy medium at the Kremlin, not a message from the Kremlin to the audience outside the Kremlin wall.

The message is that Trump is running a fuhrer fascist state and this is as dangerous for everybody, Americans and Russians, as Hitler was. The implication of Vzlgyad’s message is the reminder of the Russian precedent. It is likening Josef Stalin’s decision to accept Hitler’s terms in the Molotov-Ribbentrop non-aggression pact of August 1939, which in Stalin’s calculation was necessary to buy time to prepare for the expected German invasion, to President Vladimir Putin’s “understandings” with Trump at the Anchorage summit meeting of August 2025, and then his response to Trump’s subsequent threats to escalate the military and economic war against Russia, inside Russia and on the high seas.


August 23, 1939, at the Kremlin: Joachim von Ribbentrop, Josef Stalin, and Vyacheslav Molotov at the signing of the non-aggression pact.


August 16, 2025, at Anchorage, Alaska: Yury Ushakov, Sergei Lavrov, Putin, Trump, Mario Rubio, Steven Witkoff.

Questioned for his reply to the Tomahawk missile threat, Putin had said last Thursday: “this is a very powerful weapon, even if, truth be said, it is not exactly up to date, but it is still a formidable weapon that does pose a threat. Of course, this will do nothing to change or affect in any way the situation on the battlefield…Will this damage our relations considering that we have finally started seeing light at the end of tunnel? Of course, this would be detrimental to our relations. How can it be otherwise? You cannot use the Tomahawks without the US military personnel’s direct involvement.”

About the military attacks on Russian oil tanker movements, Putin said he was not going to be provoked. “This is akin to piracy. And what do you do with pirates? You eliminate them. How can you deal with pirates in any other way? This does not mean that a war will ravage the entire World Ocean, but this would of course substantially heighten the risk of clashes. Judging by the example of the French Republic, I believe that this is what is happening. I believe that today, this effort to ramp up tension and increase the level of escalation is primarily driven by the attempts to distract people in their own countries from the snowballing challenges the countries doing this have been facing domestically. They want us to retaliate – this is what they are waiting for, as I have been saying all along.”


September 30, 2025: French troops board the Boracay, a Benin-flagged oil tanker carrying Russian oil off St. Nazaire on the French coast. The Chinese captain was arrested and taken to Brest where he was charged with refusing to comply with naval orders and failing to justify the nationality of the ship's flag.

“This would instantly change the political focus by enabling them to cry wolf and claim that they are under attack. Who is after you? – The horrifying Russia! Everyone must close ranks and coalesce around their political leaders.” This is the main objective, and people in these countries must know that this is what they are after – they want to mislead their people, to defraud them and prevent them from taking part in protests rallies, including from taking into the streets, while also suppressing civic engagement while retaining their grip on power.”

Putin said he meant this to apply to the politics of the European states. He did not mean US politics and Trump.Vzglyad is warning Putin to change his mind.


Source: https://vz.ru/world/2025/10/2/1363856.html

In the text which follows, the translation is verbatim without editing. The US opinion poll charts have been added for the English reader.

October 2, 2025
American liberals will be eradicated by the army
By Gevorg Mirzayan, Associate Professor at the Financial University

It seems that a fundamentally new stage is coming in the political confrontation within the United States – the split between Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives. US President Donald Trump is dragging the Armed Forces into this conflict – and wants the army to fight his internal enemies. What are we talking about and what will be the consequences?

In the last days of September, US President Donald Trump and the head of the Military Department, Pete Hegseth, gathered hundreds of generals and admirals at the Marine Corps base in Quantico and forced them to listen to the new vision of the American army. In particular, according to Hegseth, the US Armed Forces are returning to the old normality. To an army that should look exactly like an army.

Hegseth condemned fat soldiers, generals and admirals. He announced his intention to purge the army of LGBT propaganda and everything related to it, including all kinds of “sensitivity days” and “men in dresses” (which were already in the Armed Forces by the time Trump came to power – for example, trans Admiral Rachel Levin, who is actually Richard). Well, he added that there would be no exemptions for soldiers based on their race or gender (for example, the right to wear a beard or less severe tests for women). “Standards should be uniform, gender-neutral and high.… We will not be politically correct when it comes to defending American freedom,” he said.

And Trump went even further. He identified new enemies for the US Armed Forces – the Americans.

“In recent decades, for some reason, politicians have come to believe that our task is to protect the far corners of Kenya and Somalia while America is being invaded from within,” Trump said. According to him, this invasion is no different from a situation with an external enemy, but in many ways it’s even more complicated because these enemies don’t wear uniforms. And by intruders, of course, Trump means liberals, Democrats and other antisocial elements who spread an ultra-liberal agenda and condone the development of banditry on the streets of American cities.

And Trump intends to defend these cities, including with the help of the Armed Forces. Trump has already sent National Guard units to metropolitan Washington, as well as Los Angeles and Portland. According to him, Memphis, Chicago, San Francisco, New York and Baltimore are next in line. Moreover, Trump made it clear that the army cannot stand on ceremony there. “I told Pete that we could use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military,” the US president said. He has already signed a decree on the training of rapid reaction forces that can help quell civil unrest.

All of these are liberal cities run by liberal mayors and located mostly in liberal states (in Washington, less than 10% of residents vote for Trump). Therefore, it is not surprising that the local authorities do not want to be dealt with.

“Our troops and our country deserve better than your behaviour as a petty tyrant,” said Illinois Governor Jay Pritzker. Democrats sharply criticize Trump for dividing America.

“His reckless proposal to use American cities as ‘training grounds’ for American troops is a dangerous attack on our democracy, as it treats our own communities as war zones and our citizens as enemies”, Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois is indignant.

“No American should ever be viewed as an ‘internal enemy’ or as a target for the US military,” echoes House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. And now, most likely, the Democrats will challenge the legality of Trump’s actions in court.

“That’s what dictators do. We must not turn a blind eye to how un-American it is for the President of the United States to order our military to use force against the American civilian population,” says Congressman Gregory Meeks.

However, the judicial prospects are not so clear. Indeed, the Posse Comitatus law, passed back in 1878, prohibits the use of soldiers to enforce law and order. It applies to the army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Air Force, but it applies only to federal military personnel. The National Guard or Coast Guard forces, nominally subordinate to the states, do not fall under it – except when they are subordinated to the president and become “feds.”

However, the President has the right to use the Armed Forces to enforce federal law, suppress an uprising, or protect civil rights in a situation where the state government is unable or unwilling to do so. This, in turn, gives a very wide space for interpretation. In general, there are about two dozen exceptions to the law, which Trump uses in order, in his opinion, to “restore order” in the country.

The problem, however, is that this restoration of order could bring the country to the brink of civil war. If the majority of US residents supported or did not support Trump’s actions, then everything would be fine – however, society turned out to be deeply divided. Based on party and racial principles.

92% of Democrats oppose the practice of sending National Guard forces into cities. At the same time, this figure is 59% among independents, and 11% among Republicans. If we take it by race, 84% of blacks (who have the largest proportion of criminals) and 42% of whites are against entering.

This split is reflected in the interpretations of terms like “restoring order” used by Trump. According to sociologists, about 70% say that the level of crime and violence in American cities is at an unacceptable level. If faced with a choice between a crime-ridden city and the risk of “Trump sending troops to intimidate opponents,” 87% of Democrats and 75% of blacks would prefer the former option. For comparison, the numbers among Republicans and whites in favour of the first option are 13% and 45%.



September 22-26, 2025: NPR, PBS Marist poll

And finally, this concerns everything Trump does in general. Only 36% of Americans believe that the country is moving in the right direction. But the main thing here is not the total figure, but the positions of individual segments of society. For example, only 8% of blacks (and 23% of the non-white electorate as a whole) and 4% of Democrats think so.

Until recently, the army was considered the structure that stands above this split. However, Trump is now actually dragging the Armed Forces into a political conflict.

“In one speech, Trump destroyed decades of restraint in relations between the civilian and military and proclaimed the Armed Forces his favourite weapon against domestic ‘enemies,'” writes Axios. Moreover, the president openly places the military in opposite to the inherently liberal segments of society (journalists, university professors, etc.). “Ivy League professors will never understand us, and that’s okay… the media will misrepresent us, and that’s okay,” says Hegseth. “They didn’t show you any respect… They’re Democrats. They never do that,” Trump echoes him.

In fact, hundreds of American generals have been offered a choice. In the understanding of liberals, the choice is between personal loyalty to Trump and loyalty to the American state.

“July 1935. The German generals were summoned to an extraordinary meeting in Berlin and informed that their previous oath of allegiance to the Weimar Constitution was invalid and that they must take a personal oath to the Fuhrer. Most of the generals have taken a new oath to retain their positions,” retired General Ben Hodges commented on the Quantico meeting.

In Trump’s understanding, the choice is between whether the army – the new Hegseth army, which has rejected ultra–liberal innovations – is ready to restore order in the country or whether it will watch from the sidelines as America decays.


The generals at Quantico did not give their response to Trump. They listened in silence and left in silence. Apparently, they will respond with deeds – when Trump begins to fulfill his promises and sends troops to democratic cities.

https://johnhelmer.net/fuhrer-fascism-h ... more-92473

******

The court confiscated 1 billion rubles from those who stole money during the construction of fortifications.
October 4, 3:10 PM



The court confiscated 1 billion rubles from those who stole money during the construction of fortifications.

The court awarded the state nearly 1 billion rubles in a lawsuit filed by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, jointly and severally with the organizers of fortification construction in the Belgorod Region.

It can be expected that those who stole money during the construction of fortifications in the Kursk Region will also continue to be held liable for damages caused to the state.

It's worth noting that in recent months, the state has confiscated and fined tens of billions of rubles from various unscrupulous individuals. This is a good way to replenish the budget.

P.S. I'm confident that when they begin to dig deeper into the fraudulent construction of fortifications in the Bryansk Region, they will uncover similar findings as those in the Kursk and Belgorod Regions.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10108771.html

Anniversary of Black October
October 4, 8:37 PM



Today marks the anniversary of Black October, which cemented the results of Yeltsin's coup d'état.
As they said back then, "the red-brown rebellion that was dragging the country backwards and impeding its bright path to the West was suppressed."
As most aspiring leaders have recently discovered, the path to the West led to a dead end. And Black October in 1993 cemented the inevitability of this dead end, from which we are still struggling to find our way. As Putin himself recently explained, the Soviet and post-Soviet simpletons of the time believed this. And he himself believed it.
It's worth noting that those who were already saying that Westernism was not a solution for Russia were then mostly on the side of the Supreme Soviet. And in the long run, in matters of civilizational choice, they proved right. And the ideas of Yeltsinism have been a complete historical failure.
It took the Soviet Union's Revolutionary Military Council for many to begin to understand this simple truth. It took a long and painful process.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10109585.html

For Teacher's Day
October 5, 9:06 PM



For Teacher's Day

Russia's school education system is facing a growing, chronic shortage of teachers. According to official statistics, the country's teacher shortage by 2025 is estimated at approximately 19,000. However, analytical estimates and job posting data point to far more alarming figures: the actual shortage could be 10-15 times higher, particularly in certain regions. With a total workforce of 1.3 million in schools and vocational schools, this is an extremely alarming sign.

Formally, the government acknowledges the need to address the issue of teacher workloads. Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov emphasizes the importance of limiting the workload to 1.4 full-time positions, but in practice, such regulations remain declarative. Working two or three full-time positions is becoming a necessary norm; otherwise, even the formal requirements of the May 2012 decrees, which mandated raising teachers' average salaries to the regional average, cannot be met.

This leads to a paradoxical situation: officially, the average teacher salary is 72-74 thousand rubles, but in reality, teachers are overworked. Teachers' actual salaries per position are often significantly lower than the regional average, and salary increases are most often achieved through overtime. In this context, future plans to index salaries starting in 2026 based on the regional average appear largely cosmetic unless the wage scale is revised and base rates are increased. The current system rewards quantitative rather than qualitative work, with teachers having neither the resources nor the time to improve their qualifications or work with students individually.

According to a SuperJob survey, only 2% of Russians consider the teaching profession prestigious. Against this backdrop, it's not surprising that teachers' authority has declined in the eyes of students: they are becoming mere performers, devoid of professional agency. At the same time, demands on schools are increasing: the implementation of new educational standards, digitalization, and testing procedures. All this adds to the workload, which is neither financially nor morally compensated.

The personnel shortage in education is the result not only of demographic and economic factors but also of an ineffective management model within the sector. Dependence on extra-budgetary funding, the perfunctory implementation of presidential decrees, and increasing demands on teachers have led to systemic demotivation. Without structural reform, including an increase in base salaries, standardized workloads, and a reduction in bureaucratic red tape, education will continue to lose staff, and society will face a profound crisis of trust in schools. The profession's prestige cannot be restored by declarations; it requires a genuine redistribution of public policy priorities.

https://t.me/Taynaya_kantselyariya/13193 - zinc

It's worth noting that Academician Kapitsa warned about similar trends in education back in the 2000s. By the end of the 2010s, they had become obvious.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10111741.html

Power in Georgia will change only through elections.
October 5, 7:00 PM



On yesterday's attempt at a non-Maidan in Tbilisi.

1. Georgian authorities have arrested the entire "organizing committee" that led the unrest yesterday, calling for the seizure of administrative buildings, disobedience to the police, and a de facto seizure of power through the streets. In other words, they have done what Yanukovych failed to do.

2. Not only the Georgian "opposition" but also foreign intelligence services and EU diplomats have been accused of organizing the unrest and attempting to seize power. Of course, the Georgian "opposition" is nothing more than puppets living on Western grants. Their current weakness stems both from the mistrust of Georgian society and from the reduction of Western funding, particularly from USAID, which has hit the Georgian grant-eaters hard.

3. The center of the capital suffered extensive material damage, and several dozen police officers were injured. They hope not only to bring criminal charges in this case, but also to recover compensation for the material damage.

4. The previously adopted restrictions on foreign agents and NGOs will be applied to NGOs involved in organizing the coup attempt. Now there's an excellent pretext for this. Simply applying the already adopted law is sufficient.

5. Georgian Dream has declared that power in Georgia can only be changed through elections, and all attempts to seize power by force and bypass democratic procedures will be suppressed. Following its victory in the local elections, Georgian Dream is now feeling quite confident, enjoying overwhelming support from Georgian society, which doesn't want a "Ukraine-like" situation.

Naturally, the West will not abandon the idea of ​​a change of power in Georgia in order to open another front against Russia on its territory.
The current authorities, led by Ivanishvili and Kobakhidze, have already been clearly labeled "hostile" in the West.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10111480.html

Google Translator

[blindpig]

Update on Russia's Environmental Welfare National Project

The meeting also focused on agricultural issues, training for the agricultural sector, and the state program for rural development.
Karl Sanchez
Oct 06, 2025


Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev

It’s fair to say that Mr. Patrushev is a chip off the old block since his father is Nikolai Patrushev. His forte is agriculture, while his Wiki bio provides a more diverse history I’d characterize as a reformer. In 2010 he became chairman of the board and member of the supervisory board of the and from there he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in 2018, then in 2024 was elevated to his Deputy PM position where he oversees agriculture, the agro-industrial complex, and environmental issues. As I’ve noted on several occasions, Russian agriculture has boomed since the imposition of the 2014 sanctions and from 2020 onward has been a net exported of foods. In contrast to most nations, Russia still has arable land that can become part of its agro-industrial complex as it’s called there. Collective farms are history but collective state support for agriculture is stronger than ever, which is one reason for its success. Russian farmers realistically think they can solve the world food problem. The other area Patrushev is responsible for is the environment, its clean-up having been a priority ever since Putin came to power 25 years ago. That becomes the opening topic for discussion during his meeting today with president Putin:

V. Putin: Where should we start? Let’s start with the environment.

D. Patrushev: Okay. Vladimir Vladimirovich, thank you very much. I have prepared a short presentation: the second part deals with environmental issues, and the first part deals with agricultural issues. Let’s start with environmental issues. I believe there is something to say in this area.

The key tasks that we are currently addressing in the field of ecology and environmental protection are included in the national project “Environmental Well-Being.” We have allocated more than 800 billion rubles for its financing until 2030. Six federal projects are used as tools to achieve these goals.

I will tell you about several key areas of work.

We pay special attention to the improvement of water bodies. The national project will cover many major waterways, including the Volga, the Ural, and the Angara. Consequently, we are continuing to build and renovate hydraulic structures and wastewater treatment facilities. I would like to emphasize that we closely monitor the activities related to wastewater treatment facilities at the Government’s platform through a special headquarters, with the participation of relevant federal executive bodies and, most importantly, the participation of interested regions.

Next, I will say a few words about forests. These are our “lungs” and a fifth of the world’s total forest reserves. Therefore, one of our key objectives is to preserve and restore them. Over the past six years, the area of new plantations has reached almost eight million hectares, and for several consecutive years, we have been planting more forests than we are losing.

I would like to make a special emphasis on protecting forests from fires. The beginning of this season was difficult for us, but we managed to stabilize the situation by mid-July, although this usually happens no earlier than the end of summer. Currently, the area and number of fires are lower than in 2024 and, most importantly, lower than the average long-term values.

The next federal project that is worth mentioning is the General Cleanup. As part of this project, we are continuing to eliminate the accumulated environmental damage. The largest projects include the former Krasny Bor landfill in the Leningrad Region, as well as the industrial sites of Usolyehimprom and the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill in the Irkutsk Region.

I have visited all the sites. I would like to note that the work is progressing smoothly and in accordance with the schedule, and we plan to clean up all these sites from the accumulated damage that they currently have.

In addition, this federal project is creating a list of other hazardous facilities that we will eliminate by 2030, and there will be at least 50 of them.

Finally, a few words about the federal project “Circular Economy”. You have set the goal of achieving 100% waste sorting by 2030, reducing landfilling to 50%, and returning a quarter of all waste to the recycling process. We are working to achieve these goals in several areas. First and foremost, we are building the necessary infrastructure. Since the start of the reform, we have already constructed around 300 waste management facilities. We need to build another 400 over the next six years.

There are important details here, and I would like to point out that in 2025, the Government has provided an opportunity for 19 regions, where there are various difficulties with the construction of infrastructure, to speed up the process by having a government agency, our Russian environmental operator, as one of the main participants in the implementation of projects. This mechanism should result in the creation of 37 facilities.

But, of course, the reform of waste management begins with clean container sites in the courtyards. Therefore, together with the subjects, we are organizing work so that photo and video cameras are installed directly on the sites, which allow us to monitor the quality and, most importantly, the timeliness of garbage collection. And to ensure that the waste is guaranteed to be processed, the movement of garbage trucks is now monitored through the GLONASS system.

At the same time, it is obvious that there is still a lot to be done in this area. So far, we have not yet brought order to everything. Therefore, together with the Ministry of Natural Resources, and most importantly, together with the heads of the regions, we are also monitoring the implementation of the reform at the Government site within the framework of the interdepartmental headquarters.

In short, this is all I would like to say about the environmental protection unit. If you allow me, I would like to move on to the agro-industrial complex.

V. Putin: I would like to clarify the issue of forests. You said that we are restoring more forests than what?

D.Patrushev: More than we lose. We lose forests as a result of fires, we lose forests as a result of some industrial production that takes place in forests. But we are currently engaged in reforestation. We have our own seedlings that we use for reforestation, and we are currently planting more forests than we lose for various reasons. Therefore, we have done a lot.

V. Putin: It’s very pleasant to hear that.

Let’s start with the next topic.

D. Patrushev: Vladimir Vladimirovich, now on the situation in the agro-industrial complex. I will start with the production of agro-industrial products. The country is currently actively engaged in harvesting. This year, the grain yield is 10 percent higher than last year. Based on this, we can make a forecast of 135 million tons for grain. We expect to produce around 88 million tons of wheat, which is our main crop.

I would like to point out that grain harvests in Russia have consistently exceeded 120 million tons for about six years now. This has been made possible by the government’s systematic support and the implementation of advanced technologies.

However, in accordance with your decree, we need to significantly increase production by 2030. Therefore, we are currently exploring various solutions and new growth opportunities. This includes harvesting two crops from a single field. We are already implementing such technologies. Additionally, we are prioritizing support for key areas.

What I would like to draw your attention to. We have ways to respond effectively to weather challenges, including through the use of special aircraft to artificially increase precipitation. Such a plane is available, for example, at the Federal Hydrometeorological Service. He worked this year in the Stavropol region, which allowed in principle to show the highest yield. In other regions of the south, where the plane did not work, there was a drought, and in Stavropol everything was quite good. This practice, I think, will be replicated in the regions that are subject to drought phenomena in our country.

I would like to add that we are already actively engaged in winter sowing. According to our plans, the area under winter sowing will be around 20 million hectares. This is comparable to the area we sowed last year. We have the necessary resources and are in control of the situation.

I would like to point out that the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Energy are in constant dialogue and monitor the availability of fuel. We also have agricultural machinery available, and various programs are in place to encourage its purchase, both through the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture.

As for the purchase of plant protection products and mineral fertilizers, we have no issues with them at the moment. I would like to point out that the production of fertilizers is growing, and by the end of the year, the volume of fertilizers produced should exceed 65 million tons, which means that we are fully supplied with these products, and new investment projects are being implemented.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that approximately 70 percent of the volume of fertilizers is currently exported, which means that the Government continues to keep prices for these products in check in its dialogue with fertilizer producers. In fact, the industry’s main profit comes from such large-scale external supplies. This ensures that fertilizers remain affordable for our domestic agricultural producers.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to report separately that we are continuing our work on developing our own breeding. We have a range of measures aimed at stimulating scientific research and promoting the production of these products. We have achieved some results.

For comparison, in 2022, our self-sufficiency in seeds was at 60 percent, in 2024, it exceeded 67 percent, and by the end of 2025, we expect to reach 70 percent of self-sufficiency in seeds. Now, where we previously relied heavily on foreign seeds, our Russian seeds are being introduced. This primarily concerns sunflower, where we had certain gaps, and we didn’t have our own sugar beet seeds at all. Today, about eight percent of our crops are grown using our own seeds. The use of domestic seeds for legumes has also increased significantly.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, if you allow me, I will briefly discuss other areas of our agro-industrial complex.

Animal husbandry. By the end of the year, we should reach 17 million tons in the meat sector, which is slightly higher than the 2024 figure. Milk production is also expected to increase slightly, exceeding 34 million tons.

In principle, what I would like to draw your attention to is the output of finished products. In general, we have maintained it at the level of last year, but in some cases...

V. Putin: Meat semi-finished products have almost doubled, haven’t they?

D.Patrushev: We have grown. We have grown in certain areas. However, overall, there are some areas where we have seen a slight decrease, such as food and processing. This is due to the challenging economic conditions that have...

V. Putin: You’re comparing it to 2014, right?

D. Patrushev: Since 2014, yes.

In 2024, we produced slightly more food and processed products.

In general, Vladimir Vladimirovich, the situation is absolutely stable. I hope that now, with the reduction of the key rate, we will launch a new investment phase in food and processing, and new investment projects will be implemented. And we will level out. I think that we will move to a steady growth.

At the same time, I would like to emphasize that our domestic market is fully supplied with products. We have not observed any significant fluctuations in food prices. Given this, the development of agricultural exports continues. In 2025, export revenue increased in almost all areas, with the exception of grain exports. The situation with grain exports is not very favorable. We have reduced our grain exports, but this is due to the extremely low global prices for this product. However, our grain remains in high demand among foreign buyers. We are well aware that if the price situation changes, the volume of supplies will increase significantly.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, as we conclude our discussion on the development of the agro-industrial complex, I would like to say that starting in 2025, we will be implementing a new national project called “Technological Support for Food Security.” This project encompasses important areas such as breeding and genetics, the production of veterinary drugs and agricultural machinery, as well as the development of biotechnology. Additionally, we have established a separate federal project to focus on developing our human resources and training specialists, including the creation of agro-technology classes. By 2030, we aim to have at least 18,000 such classes. There, students can get their first agricultural profession or specialty.

In addition, starting in 2026, the Agroprofessionalitet program will be implemented to develop sectoral colleges. We have also started a comprehensive modernization of the infrastructure of higher agricultural educational institutions.

Of course, in order to attract workers to the agricultural sector and improve the quality of life for people in general, we have been implementing a state program for the development of rural areas for the past six years. This program is extremely interesting and highly sought after by people. Since 2020, almost 400 billion rubles have been allocated for this program, with 116 billion rubles allocated in 2025.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, thanks to your support, 565 billion rubles have been allocated for the development of the agro-industrial complex this year. This is a significant amount of money that will help to develop our industry. I would like to thank you for this.

V.Putin: The problems that agricultural producers faced in the past are being resolved on a regular basis, I understand, yes?

D.Patrushev: Vladimir Vladimirovich, we are doing this as part of our current work. We pay attention to the problems that arise and try to respond to them promptly.

In principle, the situation in the country is not uniform, but I think you know that we had a drought in the southern regions. You have been approached by the Rostov region to support farmers who have not been able to harvest their crops due to unfavorable weather conditions. I believe that we will work together with the governor to develop mechanisms that will help support the financial situation of agricultural producers in the regions where it is necessary.

In general, we look at the country as a whole, so that we can help our regional authorities solve problems at the federal level.

V. Putin: Good. Thank you.

The annual wildfires in the enormous taiga region will continue to occur as they’re natural phenomena. Russia as a responsible nation understands the importance of its “lungs” for the planet and has taken steps to try and eliminate the extent of the fires once they are spotted. Combating these fires will see the first massive peaceful use of drone aircraft. Reforestation is also important. Omitted from the environmental discussion was the rising problem of seasonal inundations in areas where they were never a problem until the last few years.

Here’s some info on the Usolyehimprom site:

In 2020, more than 20 thousand tons of oil products were spilled from the plant, which caused significant damage to the Ambarnaya and Daldykan rivers, soil, and vegetation. The Norilsk Nickel company paid 145.5 billion rubles for the environmental cleanup.

Clearly, that clean-up hasn’t been completed. I’d compare these efforts to what were once termed Super-Fund sites within the Outlaw US Empire that never got the funding they needed and are mostly long forgotten although the pollution and health risks remain. IMO, it’s clear Russia will pursue a different path, one demanded by its citizens. The Circular Economy project is ambitious and needs more citizen push at the local and regional levels to make it a reality.

Given the very large amount of support for the Ag sector, its increased production shouldn’t be a surprise. IMO, BRICS/SCO needs to establish its own commodities exchange that has non-dollar pricing. It’s well past time for the global commodities market to stop being controlled from Chicago. Higher production however does serve to lower prices, although demand would likely increase if dollar use was eliminated. And of course, lower grain prices help poor nations solve their food problem. I had to laugh at his remark that the situation isn’t “uniform” for it will never become uniform. Russian food price and product stability is a sign its Ag policy is doing what it’s designed to do. The seeds issue shows Russia has some ground to cover before it can claim to be no longer dependent on some food-related imports. And more education even for farmers to encourage people to stay in the rural regions.

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/update-o ... al-welfare

******

Archives have restricted the release of documents on Stalin's repressions.
October 6, 7:59 PM



It is reported that Rosarchive has restricted access to materials on Stalin's repressions.

Russian archives have begun refusing to hand over files of rehabilitated victims of political repression to researchers ( https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8097684?tg). The reason is believed to be Rosarkhiv's March Order No. 38, which establishes the procedure for adding documents to the closed list of "official information of limited distribution."

Rosarkhiv confirmed that data "on archival documents containing information about victims of political repression" has been designated "For Official Use Only." At the same time, the agency reported that the commission responsible for the list "has not yet considered" the issue of victims of political repression.

The presidential administration responded to Moscow-based lawyer Vladimir Redekop, who attempted to understand the situation. Rosarkhiv's information must be protected from the distortion of historical facts, their false interpretation, or use "in the interests of unfriendly states and territories," and that users of archival documents "may include foreign citizens."

Historians say Rosarkhiv's explanation "added nothing to our understanding of the current situation." Scholars consider the practice of blocking access to documents of the repressed "an absolutely negative phenomenon."

https://t.me/kommersant/92521 - zinc

. A strange decision. On the contrary, opening archives and publishing real documents on the repressions, including the files of those repressed, reduces the potential for falsification of this period. The publication of such documents allows us to understand that period in its entirety and refute the vulgar myths that only the guilty or innocent were imprisoned. Experience has shown that the more real documents published, the more robust and adequate society's historical assessment of that period became. On the one hand, one could see documents about real excesses and violations of social legality. On the other, one could see materials about the real crimes of those later called "innocent victims of Stalin's regime." This is precisely the healthy transition from glorification and denigration to understanding.

As before, I maintain that more such documents should be published. This applies to documents from the Gulag, OGPU, NKVD, and the like. I personally enjoy reading such documents on, for example, "Historical Materials" https://istmat.org/ (and such sites should, in principle, receive government grant support, as they perform important historical and educational work). Reading documents on, say, the Kirov assassination immediately makes you look at the whole story with a completely different eye. And for those who don't read, there are plenty of dirty jokes about "cucumbers and tomatoes."

For example, here are the latest publications on "Istmat"...

https://istmat.org/node/69078- Order of the Prosecutor of the USSR No. 45s. On the shortcomings in the work of the prosecutor's office of the Kalinin region in implementing the Resolution of the State Defense Committee of January 22, 1943. July 31, 1943
https://istmat.org/node/69076 - Directive of the People's Commissariat of Justice and the Prosecutor of the USSR No. 18/35s/1/11260s. On a special approach to persons who have committed petty crimes for the first time. July 23, 1943
https://istmat.org/node/69075 - Directive of the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR No. 4/11200s. On strengthening supervision over the consideration of cases of squandering and embezzlement of food and industrial goods. July 23, 1943
https://istmat.org/node/69074 - Directive of the USSR Prosecutor's Office No. 16-6/11132s. On familiarization with the Order of the NKVD of the USSR No. 0267 "On improving investigative work in the police agencies." July 21, 1943
https://istmat.org/node/69073 - Instructions on secret work and secret office work in the USSR Prosecutor's Office with the addition of supplement No. 2/24012s. November 5, 1940.

And so on.

You yourself read documents on interesting aspects of the repressions and the work of our beloved "Bloody KGB", and draw conclusions. You yourself draw conclusions from what you read. You begin to see the problems of repressions from different points of view. After this, you yourself begin to understand that monosyllabic, clichéd assessments of the period of repression seem completely insufficient.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10113231.html

Google Translator

*****

Russia Matters: Putin Insists There’s No Plan to Attack NATO, Warns of Escalation Over Tomahawks for Kyiv
October 5, 2025
Russia Matters, 10/3/25

1.Donald Trump recently signed off on allowing intelligence agencies and the Pentagon to aid Ukraine with long-range missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, and U.S. officials are now asking NATO allies to provide similar support, The Wall Street Journal reports. “It is the first time, officials say, that the Trump administration will aid Ukrainian strikes with long-range missiles against energy targets deep inside Russian territory,”1 according to this newspaper. In addition, the Trump administration is considering Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk cruise missiles, one of the most precise U.S. weapons, which have a range of around 1,500 miles, WSJ reported. JD Vance disclosed that the U.S. was considering Ukraine’s request this past weekend, prompting Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov to ask, “The question remains: Who can launch these missiles, even if they end up on Kyiv regime territory? Can only Ukrainians launch them, or will the American military do so?” Peskov’s boss also warned the U.S. against supplying Tomahawks in his remarks on Oct. 2. Putin said that deliveries of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would mark a “qualitatively new stage of escalation,” triggering a fresh crisis in U.S.-Russian relations.2 In his reaction to these developments, Harvard University Professor Graham Allison warned that the “dangers [may] move up the escalation ladder.” “Now we will see whether the U.S. actually does it. And if so, how Russia responds,” he wrote in a short commentary for RM.

2.NATO must step up its response to Russia’s hybrid war, which is “only the beginning” and is aimed at dividing Europe, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, following recent drone incursions that shut down Denmark’s main airport and which Copenhagen suspects may have been staged on Moscow’s orders. Following the incursions, which Financial Times reported to have also shut down multiple military locations, Denmark announced it would acquire long-range precision-guided weapons to deter Russian aggression and align Danish capabilities with larger NATO allies. Frederiksen claimed this move will represent a “paradigm shift in Danish defense policy.” “I hope that everybody recognizes now that there is a hybrid war… there is only one country… willing to threaten us, and it is Russia, and therefore, we need a very strong answer back,” Frederiksen was quoted by WSJ as saying. In his turn, Russia’s ambassador Vladimir Barbin called Denmark’s reaction “pure madness” and a threat against Russian targets. “No one, anywhere in the world, has ever considered publicly threatening a nuclear power,” Barbin warned. “From now on, we will have to assume that Denmark not only considers the possibility of a direct military confrontation with Russia, but is preparing for such a scenario,” the Russian diplomat said.

3. In his reaction to these developments, Harvard University Professor Graham Allison wondered whether and which NATO members would be prepared to do anything that would increase the risk of Russia striking back. In his reaction, Allison focused on Denmark. “Denmark is clearly waking up. The question is what are they prepared to do? And my bet is that it will mostly be talk,” he wrote in a short commentary for RM.
In his annual address to the Valdai Discussion Club on Oct. 2, Putin dismissed Western warnings of a Russian attack on NATO as either incompetence or dishonesty, urging European leaders to “calm down.” He claimed the Russian armed forces are confidently advancing along multiple axes in Ukraine and dismissed Trump’s descriptions of Russia as a “paper tiger,” asserting that Moscow is managing to fight not just Kyiv in Ukraine, but the whole NATO bloc. As stated above, in his remarks, Putin also warned that deliveries of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would mark a “qualitatively new stage of escalation,” triggering a fresh crisis in the U.S.-Russian relations. Putin also asserted that Russia remains confident in its nuclear deterrent, but has again reiterated Moscow’s recent proposal for Russia and the U.S. to jointly extend the central limits of the New START treaty before it expires in February 2026. He also warned Russia would resume nuclear tests if another nuclear power does so and repeated Russia’s long-standing position that U.S. calls for trilateral U.S.-Russia-China nuclear arms control negotiations will fall flat unless, among other things, the arsenals of Britain and France are factored in.3 That Putin and his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov have both urged the U.S. to consider Russia’s recent proposal to extend New START limits thrice in the past week and a half indicates that the Kremlin is now keen to preserve some semblance of nuclear arms control with Washington even as Russian leaders have not heard from Trump on the issue so far.

4.Russian missiles have increasingly evaded Ukraine’s U.S.-made Patriot air defenses, with officials saying upgrades allow Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles to alter trajectory and perform end-phase maneuvers that “confuse and avoid” interceptors, Financial Times reported.

5.Shipments of Russian nuclear fuel to the U.S in monetary terms amounted to slightly less than $800 million in 2024, and they are expected to reach around $1.2 billion in 2025, according to Putin. Russia remained the top supplier of nuclear reactor fuel to the U.S. last year, data from the U.S. Department of Energy shows. Russia provided 20% of the enriched uranium used in America’s fleet of commercial reactors, down from nearly 27% in 2023, according a Sept. 30 report by the EIA cited by Bloomberg.

https://natyliesbaldwin.com/2025/10/rus ... -for-kyiv/

[blindpig]

A Stark Contrast in Styles: Putin Meets with His Generals

Nothing at all like Trump at Quantico
Karl Sanchez
Oct 08, 2025


Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

President Putin spent his 73rd birthday in his hometown, met with the Security Council via video then shared some time with his generals, “the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, as well as the commanders of the military groups in the special military operation zone.” What sets Putin’s meeting apart from that held by President Trump isn’t just the setting and content but the ceremony Putin and his generals jointly participated in, which is only told via the photos taken at the time—no media report I saw made any mention of what I consider to be a very singular and very Russian event. The short six-minute video address shared by Putin and General Gerasimov and broadcast to all Russians was a terse report on the SMO’s situation that was unsurprising to anyone closely following what’s happening in Ukraine. The venue for the ceremony is pictured at the header, the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. As Putin greets his team, note what they have held in their left hands:



Yes, it’s a taper, the type of ceremonial candle used in Orthodox Church ceremonies. I have no clue as to the nature of the ceremony since I’m not Orthodox. IMO, the next several photos don’t need any explanation, although it should be noted that Putin is the central figure.







In the middle photo, you can see the white boxes with the gold appliques behind the wrought iron fencing. And then we see everyone crossing themselves. These men are more than all together.



In the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the President laid flowers at the coffin of Peter I.

The symbolism is off the charts—Putin and his generals hold a convocation of sorts at the foot of Peter the Great’s tomb. There must be a video, which would likely reveal the close comradery between those present. Some of that clearly spilled over into the meeting as the next photo shows:



Yet, all are attentive as Putin gives his short talk to the nation:



And there wasn’t much to say since Putin gave an excellent recap just a few days prior during his Valdai Club performance:

V. Putin: Dear comrades!

Let me remind you that just recently, on September 30, we celebrated the day of reunification of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions with the Russian Federation. The residents of these regions overwhelmingly voted for their future as part of Russia, confirming that the decisions made in February 2022 were correct and timely.

At the moment, the strategic initiative is entirely in the hands of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This year, we have liberated almost 5,000 square kilometers of territory – 4,900 – and 212 settlements. The decisive role in this is undoubtedly played by our soldiers and officers, who demonstrate the best qualities of the Russian military, such as selfless dedication and love for their homeland, a high sense of duty, camaraderie, and brotherhood in arms. Please convey my sincere gratitude to all the personnel for the courage and heroism they display on a daily basis.

I would also like to highlight the crucial role of the country’s military-industrial complex in ensuring the successful operations of the Russian Armed Forces. The defense industry enterprises fully meet the needs of the Armed Forces for high-precision weapons, missiles, ammunition, armaments, and military equipment. In addition to the planned deliveries, the development of the latest weapons and their supply to the troops are progressing at an accelerated pace.

Despite their attempts at stubborn resistance, the enemy is retreating along the entire line of contact. In this context, the Kiev regime, seeking to demonstrate some success to its Western sponsors, is attempting to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting peaceful civilian facilities. However, this will not help them. Our goal is to ensure the safety of Russian citizens, strategic facilities, and civilian infrastructure, including the energy sector.

At today’s meeting, we will review the current situation in the special military operation zone, listen to reports from the commanders of the military groups on the progress of your tasks, and discuss current issues related to the provision of troops and plans for the near future.

Let’s move on to the reports.

Please, Valery Vasilyevich.

V. Gerasimov: Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief!

The troops of the Joint Group continue to engage in active combat operations, advancing in almost all directions. The enemy has focused its main efforts on stabilizing the situation in the critical sectors of the front in order to slow down our offensive.

The Northern Group of Forces is operating in the border area and continues to carry out tasks related to creating a security zone in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions of Ukraine. Its units are also successfully advancing in the southern part of Volchansk.

The Zapad group is completing the defeat of the enemy in the southern districts of Kupyansk and is successfully advancing in the Krasnolimansk direction. The liberation of the village of Yampol continues, with most of it under the control of our troops.

Troops of the Southern Group, despite the stubborn resistance of the enemy, are advancing with fighting in the cities of Seversk and Konstantinovka. The destruction of the blocked enemy formations in the area south of the Kleban-Byksky reservoir was completed yesterday.

The most active fighting is taking place in the area of responsibility of the Center group of troops, in the Krasnoarmeysk and Dnepropetrovsk directions. In an attempt to stop our advance, the Ukrainian command has transferred the most combat-ready units from other sectors, including those from the strategic reserves, to these areas. Despite this, the units and military formations of the Center group are continuing their offensive, overcoming the enemy’s resistance. Our assault units are advancing in the southern areas of Krasnoarmeysk. The settlement to the north of Krasnoarmeysk, Rodinskoye, is surrounded and is currently being cleared of Ukrainian Armed Forces units.

The Vostok military group continues to advance deep into the enemy’s defenses in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Since September 1, more than 200 square kilometers of territory have come under our control in this area.

The troops of the Dnipro group are advancing towards the city of Zaporozhye. The fighting is currently taking place for the control of the settlements of Primorskoye and Stepnogorsk. In addition, according to the General Staff’s plan, targeted and massive strikes are being carried out against military facilities and those of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. The priority is to destroy enterprises that produce missile systems and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.

Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the formations and military units of the Joint Group of Forces will continue to conduct offensive operations in accordance with the approved plan. The commander of the group of forces will report on the current situation in more detail.

The report is finished.

V. Putin: Dear comrades!

Our common goal remains the same–-we must ensure that all the objectives set for the troops during the special military operation are achieved. Let’s get started and see how we are progressing towards this goal.

The first report is by Colonel General [Evgeny] Nikiforov, Commander of the Northern Military Group. Please.

]

Now, what might be the “approved plan”? Today a Ukie report emerged that admitted to the Line of Contact (LOC) no longer being a continuous line since its developed gaps in many places because of the lack of infantry, which confirmed the main point Putin made at Valdai. The Ukrainian ability to defend its territory is rapidly eroding, which is a signal that the end is growing nearer. At Valdai, Putin urged Zelensky to seriously consider surrendering to save what remains of his Army and Ukraine’s manhood. There are also rumors that an election in Ukraine is being planned. Turning the screws by eliminating Ukraine’s last electrical power generating capacity as Winter approaches was a tactic that was urged last year but stopped short yet appears to be approved to go all the way this time. It should be clear by now that Zelensky doesn’t give a whit about the fate the Ukrainian people as he tries to figure out a way to escape with his stolen loot. maybe the Brits will take him.

Meanwhile, the Outlaw US Empire that started the war in 2014 is becoming an anarchic mess as it continues to try and slow its decline—efforts that only seem to result in hastening the downfall. RT reported Ryabkov’s spin on the issue:

Momentum from Trump-Putin Alaska summit exhausted – deputy FM

The impulse to resolve the Ukraine conflict has been extinguished by European supporters of prolonged war, Sergey Ryabkov has said.

As others note, NATO remains the issue, while NATO in reality is the Outlaw US Empire and the Europeans don’t have much military or military industry to mount anything against Russia or to help Ukraine. The dilemma for Trump is he doesn’t want to declare defeat because that also admits the Empire started the war as is liable for the consequences of that act regardless of what he thinks of International Law. So, like Netanyahu it appears Trump needs to start another war that the Empire might win so the defeat can simply be forgotten.

Today, Putin is in Dushanbe for a state visit that began with his paying respects and laying a wreath at the foot of this monument:



Monument to Ismoil Somoni on Dusti (Friendship) Square in Dushanbe.

Another look:



https://karlof1.substack.com/p/a-stark- ... yles-putin

(Well, I find religious claptrap anything but encouraging...if it brings happiness to the participants, fine. But don't you jive me with that cosmic debris, had enough of that in my RC childhood.)

*****

I bought my wife a PhD degree.
October 9, 10:57



I bought my wife a PhD degree.

"I'm not just a rector, I'm a star." Former head of Voronezh University questioned in case of selling academic degrees.
Former rector of Voronezh State University (VSU), Dmitry Endovitsky, who is on trial for bribery in exchange for awarding his wife a doctorate , testified for the first time in open court. His criminal case is being heard behind closed doors due to the alleged online distribution of pornographic materials. Therefore, his first public testimony took place as part of the trial of Natalia Sirotkina, a former employee of Voronezh State Technical University (VSTU), accused of selling academic degrees.

On Tuesday, October 7, the Leninsky District Court of Voronezh held another hearing in the criminal case against Natalia Sirotkina, former head of the VSTU dissertation council, and Elina Lubyanskaya, an employee of one of the departments. The regional office of the Investigative Committee accuses them of accepting bribes for the awarding of academic degrees (Part 5, Article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code). The most prominent defendant in the criminal case, former VSU rector Dmitry Endovitsky, was brought to court under escort to testify . Mr. Endovitsky has been in pretrial detention since June of last year.

According to the prosecution, in 2022, the rector, through his subordinate, department head Yuri Treshchevsky, transferred 600,000 rubles to Natalia Sirotkina for the approval of his wife Elena's dissertation and the awarding of her a doctorate.
During the investigation of VSU employees for bribery and mediation (Part 4, Article 291 and Part 3, Article 291.1 of the Russian Criminal Code), investigators added a charge of distributing over 300 pornographic materials online (Part 3, Article 242 of the Russian Criminal Code). He was also stripped of his position as rector and the right to participate in the regional Duma elections, where he had served as a member of the United Russia party since 2015.

Dmitry Endovitsky's criminal case is being heard behind closed doors, so testifying as a witness in Natalia Sirotkina's case was his first opportunity to speak publicly about the charges. The former rector's testimony lasted nearly two hours. He began by discussing his wife, Elena,'s work on her doctoral dissertation on managing the lifecycle of HR control for the innovative development of corporate economic systems. "The dissertation took 12-13 years to write. I witnessed this scientific feat ," the scientist recalled.

He noted that his wife's work was innovative and exceeded regulatory requirements: for example, Elena Endovitskaya published over 45 scientific articles, while she only needed 15 for her defense. Yuri Treshchevsky served as her scientific advisor.

As Dmitry Endovitsky recalled, his wife's dissertation successfully passed the pre-defense process at the Voronezh State University department. Afterward, the dissertation was submitted to the Voronezh State Technical University Dissertation Council, supervised by Natalya Sirotkina, whom the rector did not know at the time. "The process of processing all the documents proceeded naturally and without my involvement," Mr. Endovitsky emphasized. He added that the dissertation council was obliged to accept the properly completed work. Ultimately, the council unanimously decided to award his wife the degree.
During the hearing, the prosecutor asked Mr. Endovitsky to comment on the results of the investigative work included in the case file, during which a conversation between Yuri Treshchevsky and Natalya Sirotkina was recorded.

Judging by the materials read out, the professor asked the dissertation council chairperson for a certain amount of money, and she, after naming 600,000 rubles, reminded him that the Higher Attestation Commission "Googles names." Mr. Treshchevsky responded by saying, "They won't go broke," after which the two argued over where PhD dissertations are more expensive—at VSU or VSTU. According to Ms. Sirotkina, a PhD dissertation at her university costs 350,000 rubles, and that amount includes "everything."

"The only reasonable explanation for this conversation is internal matters and relationships between employees. If any dissertation expenses were necessary, they could have come not from me or Treshchevsky, but from the VSTU staff themselves. The esteemed Professor Sirotkina already explained in the court hearing in my case that these were her personal funds, used for these purposes," stated Dmitry Endovitsky. He emphasized that he did not give Yuri Treshchevsky "a penny, a penalty, or a halfpenny" for his wife's dissertation, and that the materials contain contradictory evidence that does not mention his name. In response to the prosecutor's request to comment on the nature of his relationship with Mr. Treshchevsky, the former head of VSU unexpectedly said: "I'm not just a rector, I'm a star. Therefore, our relationship was purely business."

After questioning, Dmitry Yendovitsky's lawyer, Andrei Grokhotov, attempted to add a motion to the case to change the client's procedural status. Since all defendants in the case deny guilt in accepting and giving bribes, the defense asked the court to recognize the former rector as a victim if the court does establish that Natalya Sirotkina received money for her dissertation. The judge dismissed the motion.

https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8099380?from=main - zinc

Well, when I was writing dissertations, the prices for them at regional universities were somewhat lower, but since 2022, I haven't closely followed this market.
The recorded conversation seems entirely realistic, as the prices are roughly the same, adjusted for inflation. But here, the rector's wife, if we're to believe him, at least worked on her dissertation, and didn't just buy it. There have been cases where people bought dissertations, showed up for their defenses, and discovered they hadn't read their work, or had only half-read it, resulting in a failed defense. These are typical idiots, for whom neither money nor credentials will save them.

It's worth remembering that a significant portion of the dissertation writing market is made up of university employees themselves. Moreover, beyond just custom dissertation writing, there's also a separate layer of corruption involving bribery of employees involved in the defense, which is often included in the "turnkey" pricing, which includes both payment for the dissertation itself and actual bribes to university employees. Just like in this case. In this case, it looks like the rector is in trouble with this recording, especially since he doesn't deny its authenticity. On the other hand, without red-handed or direct evidence, catching commission members involved in bribery is quite difficult. However, as individual cases demonstrate, it is still possible.

As for custom dissertation writing, this segment of the educational services market is effectively not prohibited. Hundreds of websites legally operate in Russia offering to buy any kind of work, from high school essays to doctoral dissertations. And that's not even counting freelancers. Recently, AI services have also been added to this market, which, after machine-generated material and varying degrees of sloppy rewriting, can already churn out assignments, essays, and dissertations (dissertations are a bit more complicated, but soon enough, machines will be able to mass-produce them too).

In fact, it's assumed that the main filter for fake PhDs and doctoral candidates is the defense, where shoddy dissertations commissioned from outsiders or self-righteous hacks who don't read their own dissertations are guaranteed to fail. But in reality, due to corruption in universities, even this filter is, frankly, not working. If the rector really is buying his wife a doctoral dissertation and the entire defense, then it's quite clear that many people have already brought it through this window before him.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10118247.html

Google Translator

[blindpig]

PUTIN’S LINE ON ORESHNIK AND TRUMP IS THE RUSSIAN CONSENSUS AMERICANS DON’T UNDERSTAND



By John Helmer, Moscow @bears_with

There are two reasons why President Vladimir Putin is serious about making the Oreshnik threat of retaliation in public, and also serious in holding it back. A red light, which is also flashing yellow and green.

One reason is political. Russian public opinion is strongly in favour of a peace settlement negotiated with President Donald Trump if that’s possible, and for as long as the public believes Putin should continue to try. Russians do not support military escalation by the Kremlin to compel a peace agreement in Washington and Kiev. This is because they don’t believe escalation will work that way, and because the price they believe they will pay is too high to suffer. Reflecting this calculation of cost, benefit, risk, and probability of outcome for escalation, public support for Putin’s performance, including his conduct of the war and negotiations with Trump, is stable and high – 87% at the moment, two points short of the 2015 record.

This indicator should not be misinterpreted as unconditional in the personality cult or state propaganda fashion. Rather, it is the calculated consensus that Putin’s combination of goals, political and military, is the right one. Also, because Putin’s method of ambiguity, compromise, and flexibility is the only practical one for the time being.

The second reason is military. A strike by hypersonic multiple-warhead Oreshnik missiles against Ukrainian targets, including decapitation targets in Kiev and Lvov, will not produce the capitulation of the Ukrainian regime and surrender of the Ukrainian armed forces. It also cannot stop or deter the US, Germany, France, the UK, Poland, Finland, and other NATO states from continuing their war against Russia on the Ukrainian battlefield, and simultaneously on the fresh war fronts they are preparing along the full extent of Russia’s borders in the north, the Arctic, the far east, and the south in the Caucasus and Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Iran.

If the Russian public can make this calculation in an approximate fashion, it’s plain the General Staff, intelligence services and Foreign Ministry have calculated it with precision. Moscow sources in a position to know confirm this, and also the details leading to it. Opening the file on the latter in wartime will give aid and comfort to the enemy — not here.

Read instead the latest summary reports – here and then here.

Putin has tied the credibility of the Oreshnik for the Ukrainian battlefield to the strategic battlefield – this means the nuclear war calculation – in the START nuclear arms control treaty talks which he and Trump have opened and agreed to extend for a year until February 2027. About these negotiations, at the Valdai conference last Thursday (October 2) Putin cracked what looked like a joke, a pun on names.

Asked what will happen next if the extended START talks fail, Putin replied: “it is very difficult to say what would happen next because the answer does not depend on us alone. I know what will happen within a year if the US administration accepts our proposal, but it is difficult to say what would happen beyond this limit. It is not a simple dialogue; we are aware of the pitfalls. First, we have created many modern high-tech weapons, like Oreshnik. Not Oreshkin, but Oreshnik.”

Maxim Oreshkin is the deputy chief of the President’s staff, a former minister of economic development, and a principal domestic policy advisor to Putin at present. Misspelling the missile name Oreshnik, literally hazel tree, as Oreshkin is a common mistake in Russian. Putin was joking — and he wasn’t.

“We have recently shown that such systems are not strategic weapons,” Putin went on in his answer. “Yet some experts in the United States claim that they are strategic weapons. This issue must be clarified. I will not go into detail now, but it needs clarification, which will take time, of course.”

The point has been missed by most commentaries from the Russian and American military bloggers on the test firing of the Oreshnik against a Dniepropetrovsk target on November 21, 2024. Read the archive on what happened then and on interpretation of the Oreshnik Moment since then.

Putin tried elaborating. “The second issue concerns tactical nuclear weapons. The treaty covers strategic weapons, but modern tactical weapons are many times more powerful than the bombs which the Americans dropped on Japan, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I believe those were 20-kiloton bombs, but modern weapons – tactical systems – are several times more powerful. There are pitfalls in this sphere too. The only place where we have deployed them outside Russia is Belarus, whereas the Americans have such weapons all over the world – in Europe, Turkiye [Kremlin spelling], and in various other places. But it is true that we have more such weapons. It is an issue that needs attention.”

“Several other aspects still need to be worked out. We know there are voices in the US who say they ‘do not need an extension.’ Well, if they do not need it, then neither do we. Overall, we are doing fine as is; we are confident in our nuclear shield, and we know what we will be doing tomorrow and the day after. So, if they do not need it, neither do we.”

For the time being, that’s the Russian response to Trump’s escalation to the long-range Tomahawk missile and the space weapon system he is calling Golden Dome. Politically, the Moscow sources judge this is enough said. The military discussion of the Ukraine battlefield options, they say, must remain under wraps. Putin has made explicit also that this discussion, and the conclusions reached, are collective ones with his “colleagues”, civilian and military. Enough to speak operationally, not strategically for the time being, the sources say. “The operational strategy is to keep the line hot; keep the Ukrainians, and of course the Americans, in doubt about which direction we will concentrate our ground movements. This is operational dominance, manoeuvre control, control of the surprise factor.”

The Foreign Ministry has followed by indicating the conclusion that the Russian oligarchs have failed to get Trump and his intermediary, Steven Witkoff, to accept the billion-dollar business deals and bribes which have been offered by the Kremlin’s emissary, Kirill Dmitriev, in exchange for sanctions relief. This is the meaning of Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov’s announcement on October 8: “Unfortunately, we have to admit that Anchorage’s powerful momentum in favour of agreements has been largely exhausted by the efforts of opponents and supporters of the war. This is the result of destructive activities, primarily by the Europeans,” Ryabkov explained with the qualifier in the adverb.

By “Europeans”, Ryabkov meant the money lobbies in Europe and the UK, and also in Washington. Since January Putin has agreed to authorize the Dmitriev strategy of neutralizing them by outbidding them with more money. Here is how that started in January with the oligarchs’ picnic. Here is how it was failing in April. The Anchorage summit meeting on August 16 was Dmitriev’s last chance.

Those Moscow officials who believed Dmitriev would fail with Witkoff have been saying, “we told you so”, but Ryabkov practises diplomatic discretion.

Russian public opinion remains powerful. US military bloggers miss its significance. Putin does not.

Translated verbatim, here is the new poll report by the Levada Centre in Moscow, published on October 7. The nationwide survey was conducted from September 23 to October 1, covering a sample of 1,610 “people aged 18 and older in 137 settlements, 50 subjects of the Russian Federation. The study was conducted at home with the respondent by the personal interview method. The distribution of responses is given as a percentage of the total number. The data array has been weighed by gender, age, level of education for each type of settlement (large cities, medium cities, small towns, villages) inside each federal district independently, in accordance with Rosstat data.”

For enlarged view of the tables and chart in Russian, click on the original link.

In September, the events around Ukraine were more or less closely watched by half of the respondents. The level of support for the actions of the Russian military remains stable. The proportion of respondents for the transition to peace talks in the last six months is above 60%. The majority of respondents would support Vladimir Putin’s decision if “right now this week” he decided to end the military conflict with Ukraine. However, if the end of the conflict requires the return of the annexed territories, such a decision of the President would be supported by only a third of the respondents.

In September 2025, the level of attention to the situation around Ukraine decreased slightly (by 8 percentage points compared to May 2025): half of the respondents (50%, answering “very carefully” and “quite carefully”); another third of respondents (35%) followed without much attention; and 14% of respondents did not follow at all.

The events around Ukraine were most closely followed by older respondents (67% among respondents aged 55 and older); less wealthy respondents (58% among those who have barely enough for food); those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (53%); those for whom television is a source of information (62%); those who support the activities of the Russian military in Ukraine (57%); and those who believe that military operations should continue for the time being (68%).

Less attention to the situation around Ukraine is being paid by young people under 25 years old (23%); better-off respondents (49% among those who can afford durable goods); those who believe that things in the country are on the wrong track (41%); the same for those whom social networks and telegram channels are a source of information (45% respectively); those who do not support the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine (30%); and those who believe that they should move to peace negotiations.





The level of support for the actions of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine remains high – 78% (including 48% definitely support, and 30%, rather support). The percentage of the same who do not support the actions of the Armed Forces comes to 15% (6%, definitely do not support, 9%, rather do not support).

The level of support for the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine is higher among the following groups: men (83%); older age respondents (82% among respondents 55 and over); Muscovites (83%); those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (87%); those who approve the overall performance of Putin as president (83%); those who trust television as a source of information (87%); and those who believe that military action should continue (96 percent).

The level of support for the Russian military in Ukraine is lower among the following groups: women (75%); young people under 25 years old (66%); residents of cities with a population of more than 50,000 (76%); those who believe that things in the country are on the wrong track (51%); those who disapprove the overall performance of the President (45%); those who trust social networks and telegram channels as a source of information (76 percent each); and those who believe they should now move to peace.





The share of respondents who believe it is now necessary to move to peace negotiations has not changed significantly over the last six months and is currently at around two-thirds – 62% in September 2025 (including 31%, “definitely start peace negotiations” and 31%, “rather start peace negotiations”). Those who believe it is necessary to continue military actions amount to 29% of the respondents (including 18%, “definitely continue military operations” and 11%, “rather continue military operations”).

The proportional share of supporters of peace talks is higher among women (70%); young people under the age of 25 (82%); those who believe things in the country are going in the wrong direction (77%); those who disapprove of Putin’s performance as president overall (73%); those who trust social networks as a source of information (73%); and those who do not support the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine (89%).

The share of supporters for the continuation of hostilities is higher among men (39%); older respondents (36% at the age of 55 and older); residents of Moscow (45%); those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (34%); those who approve the activities of the incumbent president (31%); those who trust television as a source of information (34%); those who support the actions of the Russian military (36%).







As part of the September poll, a survey experiment — already conducted by Levada several times before — was again repeated. With the help of a random number generator, the survey participants were divided into two equal groups, each of which was asked the question in one of the two formulations. In the first case, respondents were asked to say whether they would or would not support the President’s decision to end the military conflict immediately without any conditions. In the second case, the respondents were asked to answer whether they would support or not support the same decision, but if the condition is that the Novorossiya territories are returned.

The majority of respondents — 80%, this has grown by 18 percentage points since May 2023 — would support the decision of Putin if “this week” he decided to end the military conflict with Ukraine. However, if “this week” Putin decided to end the conflict on the condition that the annexed territories are returned, then his decision would be supported by a significantly smaller number of Russians – a third of the respondents; that is to say 33%, an increase of 5 percentage points since February 2025.

More often than not, the President would be supported in the decision to end the military conflict this week by women (84%); young people under 25 (93%); those who believe that things in the country are on the wrong track (88%); those who approve of Putin’s performance as president (84%); those who trust social networks and telegram channels as sources of information (89% each); those who support the activities of the Russian military in Ukraine (97%); and those who believe that military action should continue now (95%).

Comparatively speaking, the decision of the President to end the military conflict immediately is not supported by men (18%); older respondents (20% aged 55 and older); residents of Moscow (19%); those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (15%); those who approve of the performance of Putin as president (14%); those who trust television as a source of information (17%); those who support the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine (18%); and those who believe that military action should continue (34%).







Relatively more often than others, the hypothetical president’s decision to end the military conflict this week and return the annexed territories is favoured by women (35%); young people under 25 (53%); residents of rural villages (38%); those who believe that things in the country are on the wrong track (43%); those approving Putin’s performance in his job (40%); those who trust social networks as a source of information (42%); those who do not support the operations of the Russian military in Ukraine (51%); and those who believe that the priority now is for peace talks (43%).

Relatively more often than the others, a decision by the President to end the military conflict this week would not be supported by men (62%); old respondents (62% among respondents 40 and over); residents of Moscow (19%); those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (15%); those who approve of Putin’s performance in the presidency (61%); those who trust television and telegram channels as a source of information (61%); those who support the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine (65%); and those who believe that military action should continue as now (81%).

https://johnhelmer.net/putins-line-on-o ... more-92496

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Smart "gas station," Or how Russia became a maritime power.

Investigation by Marat Khairullin
Zinderneuf
Oct 09, 2025

Americans often ask: "Tell me about your struggles that shaped your personality."

The essence is simple: to become someone, you have to learn to overcome difficulties.

Our country's experience in the Special Military Operation is invaluable in this regard. Without this war, Russia would have remained an outsider and a servant of the West in several key industries. I will give just one example. The most impressive, and at the same time, invisible breakthrough to the average person has been achieved in a field that is literally in front of everyone's eyes.

We are talking about the extraction, processing, and trade of oil and petroleum products.

It is in this industry that the most unfair imbalance has formed: our country is the second (and sometimes the first) largest producer of hydrocarbons in the world. It is one of the world leaders in processing and exporting them. But before the war with Ukrainian nationalism began, a huge part of the profits along the entire chain (from production to the sale of the finished product) somehow ended up in the West. And then, in just three years, Russia, with minimal costs, covered a path that even China had to spend two decades and huge amounts of money on, and they radically changed the situation.

Let's start with the current situation. Today, all the media are spinning another scare story named after Zelensky: "Ukraine has destroyed more than 40% of the processing capacity of Russian refineries. The country is about to face a shortage of gasoline and diesel. At the same time, the price of Russian oil in the world will fall (why is not explained, the West just wants it), and Russia's budget will collapse. Ha-ha, Russians! Surrender!"

[Translator Note: A Russian friend of ours sent us this video from their local petrol station in mid September]: (Video at link.)

Let's start debunking this fake with the question: how much oil does Ukraine process itself? The correct answer is about zero. At the same time, the neighboring state received as a gift from the Soviet Union a very powerful petrochemical complex - 6 refineries with a total processing capacity of 50 million tons of oil. Which Ukraine, of course, was supposed to receive with brotherly love from Russia.

By 2022, the last Kremenchuk refinery completely ceased to exist. Attempts are periodically made to restart it, but we strictly monitor to ensure Ukraine does not violate Russian sanctions.

Here, it is impossible to resist comparisons. The neighboring small Belarus received two refineries from the USSR, and they carefully preserved them. Now, the country processes about 22 million tons of brotherly oil and sells half of the processed products to 100 countries around the world - demand is stable and constant. Very good money for the country's budget - this is the value of good neighborliness. In the case of Ukraine - the price of idiocy.

And now, let's think about why Ukraine, having none of their own production, does not experience a particular fuel shortage? Right - it imports it. And, the market has decided so that the country continues to live without its own processing and extraction, and it does not particularly worry about it. This again raises the question of the nation's intelligence level - normal country leaders would be very upset about this.

This is free money - a huge oil-producing country nearby with a brotherly Slavic people (just a dream, not a path from Varangians to Greeks), and they ruined it all and are happy about it.

And now let's remember the initial data: Ukraine:

1) oil production level about zero,

2) processing level zero.

So why, one asks, should Russia, which simply swims in its own oil and gasoline, necessarily go bankrupt or fall into a fuel collapse due to a fuel shortage? Because Zelensky and the West want it?

Now, let's look at the real state of affairs. Russia has about 32 large refineries (large means a processing capacity of more than 5 million tons per year) and about 80 mini-plants. In total, these plants can process up to 370 million tons of oil per year. In 2024, they processed 270 million.

At the same time, more than half of the gasoline and diesel obtained goes for export worldwide. In other words, Russia can, at any moment, using market mechanisms, reduce the export of petroleum products in the interests of its own market.

For this, there is, for example, the "dampener" mechanism (returning part of the taxes to companies), or the mechanism of selling gasoline through the exchange (companies can be required to sell more on the domestic market).

For instance, in 2024, Russia produced 266 thousand tons of diesel per day. Half was exported, and to compensate for a hypothetical 40% deficit in the domestic market, it was enough to redirect 50 thousand tons of diesel per day to the domestic market. This could be done by reducing taxes or some kind of return of mineral extraction tax (MET). There are many mechanisms.

The main point is that this diesel exists — here it is, you just need to turn the tap.

To cause a total fuel shortage in Russia, you need not only to collapse all oil refining (imagine again the giant machine pumping 370 million tons of oil per year), but also to completely stop oil production (600 million tons per year, mind you) because oil refining cannot be stopped if oil continues to be produced. One can recall Chechnya in the 90s, where every village was surrounded by "samovars" — artisanal fuel production facilities (here "samovar" means "homemade, almost made on the fly," A DIY item).

As a famous character said: "You can't sit on two horses with one butt.*" In other words, all these screams about attacks on refineries are nothing but scare stories.

Moreover, the bombing of our refineries has already forced Russia to start developing programs capable of offsetting losses. For example, at the government level, plans are being worked out for the mass construction of new refineries — primarily mini-plants or even mini-workshops. The market will solve everything, as it did in Ukraine. Which destroyed its refineries with its own hands, which are being bombed heavily, yet there is no significant shortage.

And now we smoothly come to those very solutions that have made our oil industry even more profitable and resilient since the start of the Special Military Operation. The main problem of our hydrocarbon exports before the war was the lack of a full cycle (from well to delivery to the final partner). The main export of our oil and fuel (about 70%) is traditionally carried out by sea — by tankers.

This was the main weak point of our oil industry. We talked about this for years at all levels, everyone nodded thoughtfully and did nothing. Why bother when there are excellent Greek tankers, i.e., a ready-made solution at a convenient price.

But then the fried rooster crowed. The tankers disappeared, and we instantly, at a rapid pace, grew our own tanker fleet. At the beginning of the sanctions in 2022, we had 17 tankers. In the second quarter of 2023, the oil fleet grew by 75 tankers. In December 2023, another 10 were added. At the same time, a tanker fleet appeared for exporting gasoline and diesel.

By the end of 2024, Russia’s tanker fleet was estimated at 410 units, mostly of the "Aframax" class (that is, very large). By the second half of 2025, the number of tankers had already exceeded 500.

But that’s not all. Our tankers, called the "Freedom Fleet" (the "Shadow Fleet" by the West), began to carry not only Russian but also Iranian and Venezuelan oil. We closed up to 35% of the maritime exports of these countries. Imagine, the stupid West wanted to block our maritime oil trade, but we not only told them off but also simultaneously unblocked sanctions against Iran and Venezuela, which these countries had suffered from for decades. Well, what a blow to Russia’s economy!


Latest update from Bloomberg: week ending October 5th, 2025




“Unknown Asia” now represents about 1.25 million barrels of oil per day.

Maritime oil trade is generally a very complex business; other nations spend decades learning it. And therefore, our country can be called a genius in this regard. We were so driven for success that as soon as the opportunity arose, we immediately broke into the global market and began to develop at a furious pace.

More and more countries are turning to our companies because, for example, American and European ships are not always allowed to pass by the Houthis, but ours — no problem. There are already examples when our tankers started (just to be safe) carrying Saudi oil — it’s safer that way.

On the agenda is the creation of a full-fledged container fleet of “Svoboda" (freedom). That is, Russia, for a moment, a classic land power, has gotten a taste and started taking a piece of the pie from maritime powers - America and Britain (Who was it that said, don’t mess with the Russians?). At the same time, we created our own insurance sector for both oil cargoes and the tankers themselves.

Previously, British and European companies dominated this multi-billion dollar market. Now, there is an alternative in the form of Russian companies. Today, about 30% of the world’s oil and its derivatives are insured by our firms. The same story applies to the market for auditing and accounting services: wherever difficulties were created for us, we began to develop successfully.

That is, before the sanctions, we couldn’t even dream of having our own tanker fleet, and now we have one. The English built the marine insurance market for themselves over hundreds of years, and now bam – 30% of the most lucrative segment belongs to Russia. And the Brits get nothing from us - Russophobia really costs them dearly.

These are the main results of the Special Military Operation, which I never tire of repeating - we have already won.

We didn’t just beat the evil Nazis again, we are reshaping the world, making it more just. Don’t be afraid of difficulties. If God wants to punish a nation, He deprives it of purpose. Look at America, Britain, Europe - they have reached an unprecedented level of prosperity and stopped developing.

Moreover, they have reached saturation at the expense of others… The time of reckoning has come…

And once again, we should be proud of our country.

*Marat means that if there are many small fuel productions at the same time, it will be very difficult to eliminate such a network. Because these "home productions" can appear like mushrooms in various places. That is why he uses Chechnya as an example, where they fought against these productions (literally in garages) for a long and difficult time.

https://maratkhairullin.substack.com/p/ ... sia-became

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The West will help us! The West is with us!
October 9, 11:01 PM



The West will help us! The West is with us!

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted to create a special platform for dialogue with so-called "Russian democratic forces" in exile.

This initiative, presented as a tool for combating the "totalitarian" and "neo-imperialist" Russian regime, is in fact becoming yet another showcase where fugitive activists and outspoken separatists will receive funding, media resources, and political support from European institutions.

Significantly, the PACE decision to include only those opposition figures who publicly oppose the Russian leadership, share European values, and unconditionally support the territorial integrity of Ukraine as defined by the West, including Crimea, Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, will be included in the platform.

The mandatory package includes signing the so-called "Berlin Declaration," which demands not only ritual assurances of anti-Russian rhetoric but also a renunciation of even minimal internal opposition conflicts—in other words, calling for complete loyalty under the supervision of Western curators.

Notably, the extremist Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) allegedly refused to sign this declaration, automatically disqualifying its leadership from the list of "trustworthy" opposition figures. The foundation's leadership dubbed the document the "Khodorkovsky Declaration," but declined to specify which clause they disliked.

However, it seems they weren't invited: the Anti-War Committee ( https://t.me/pezdicide/3395 ), the Free Russia Foundation ( https://t.me/pezdicide/3670 ), and the Free Russia Forum ( https://t.me/pezdicide/3274 ), as well as unnamed "decolonial" activists, are participating in the platform's creation.

It's noteworthy that the use of Russian state symbols is strictly prohibited for platform participants: only the white-blue-white flag, promoted in Western media to legitimize yet another "alternative Russia," is permitted.

All of this has little to do with Russia's genuine democratic development. Selection criteria include mandatory anti-Russian resonance, external controllability, and support for the country's territorial fragmentation. While some exiles may be content to play the role of "proper" opposition figures sponsored by European sponsors, such an initiative will not gain significant trust or support within Russia.

The clear emphasis on separatism and decolonization underscores the true goals of the Western initiators: not dialogue, but pressure and destabilization, and behind the scenes, the same political exchange: support for the right puppets in exchange for anti-national rhetoric.

https://t.me/pezdicide/3921 - zinc

After the end of USAID funding, a herd of despondent grant-eaters ran to the Brussels trough, where they promise to pay less, but still pay.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10119797.html

Lost influence
October 10, 3:05 PM



Lithuania announced that it had downgraded Tikhanovskaya's security because she was no longer capable of influencing any social processes in Belarus and posed no threat to Minsk.

She had a great deal of influence before, of course. But after her husband was released, her influence doubled.

And remember how in 2020 they tried to mold her into a "leader of the Belarusian people," a "winner of Lukashenko's 3%," and so on. Time has put everything in its place. A dummy then, a dummy now.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10120893.html

Friday the Frolic
October 10, 6:58 PM



Marquis Rudua's friend Vasily Sadonin has been declared a foreign agent. A bit late, but still.

Also added to the list of foreign agents today were "poet" Polina Barskova, journalist Denis Zagorje, activist Timur Tukhvatullin, and businessman Alexey Shevtsov, who advocated for the "revival of Plyos," as well as the "Ostriy Ugol" project.

P.S. Regarding Sadonin, it's worth remembering at least his nonsense about handing over Kuban to Ukraine. It's odd that the authorities only reacted to all this in 2025.
I remember seeing a long analysis of him in "Rebel Jack" a few months ago; the main character is certainly a complete lunatic. "Marxism" is just a name in there.

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/10121348.html

Google Translator

[blindpig]

Putin's Post CIS & Central Asia Summits Presser

Karl Sanchez
Oct 10, 2025



Putin’s trek to Dushanbe, Tajikistan for the second Central Asian Summit and for the Commonwealth of Independent States Council of Heads of State Meeting, which isn’t formally termed as a summit despite the status of those attending. Yes, there was cross-over as some heads-of-state are in both organizations. I won’t be tranlsating either meeting’s transcript as IMO the presser is more important. Those curious will find the CIS meeting Russian transcript here and the Central Asian Summit’s here, which is also in Russian. The presser lasted about forty minutes and follows:

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good evening.

I will forgo any opening remarks or statements. If there are questions, I will gladly endeavour to answer them.

You are welcome to proceed.

Anastasia Savinykh: Mr President, good evening.

Anastasia Savinykh, TASS news agency.

You have been working here, in Dushanbe, for three days now, with approximately half of this time dedicated to the program of your state visit to Tajikistan. You have spent many hours in negotiations with your counterpart, President Rahmon – both in a restricted format and within the delegation framework, the composition of which underscores the mutual commitment of our two countries.

Could you please summarize the outcomes of this state visit and highlight which areas are currently demonstrating the most active and dynamic development, as well as the prospects ahead?

If I may, a brief follow-up question on this topic: we have signed a programme with Tajikistan on developing labour migration. The Ministry of the Interior is opening representative offices both in Russia and Tajikistan. In your view, does this help regulate migration flows? Does it assist in minimising illegal migration and criminal activity, and are there plans to sign similar programmes with other countries in the region?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: I will begin with bilateral relations. Tajikistan is an important partner for us, both in general and specifically within Central Asia. Its significance lies in its position on the frontiers of the CIS–-on the southern flank of the Commonwealth. While our two countries do not share a common border, this remains an issue of utmost importance for the security of the Russian Federation. It is not by chance that our border service personnel continue their work here, in close cooperation with their Tajik colleagues, and that our military base is stationed here.

Naturally, we have devoted considerable attention to reviewing all these matters. Indeed, we observe that the current government in Afghanistan is taking all necessary steps to normalise the situation in the country. Nevertheless, numerous challenges persist, as acknowledged by the Afghan leadership itself. Therefore, the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan must remain entirely secure. That is the first point.

Secondly, we maintain substantial and serious economic cooperation. It suffices to mention our collaboration in the energy sector, including hydropower. Tajikistan, with its mountainous rivers, is one of the most robust hubs for this industry. Our projects, both those already completed and those under development, are well known. There are other areas of cooperation as well, including the extraction of mineral resources.

All this holds significant interest for our economies-–mutual interest, I would clarify, for both Russia and Tajikistan. We observe the establishment of joint enterprises and continued investment from Russian businesses. I would also note Tajikistan’s competitive advantages in areas such as cotton cultivation and others. This is of considerable importance to us.

Of course, humanitarian cooperation is an essential area of our relations. It is extremely important that some time ago the President of Tajikistan proposed opening schools that not only teach Russian but where education is entirely in the Russian language and the curriculum is similar to that in our schools.

Many of our teachers are working here, and we will certainly help improve conditions for the branches of Russian universities that have opened here and will also support the ambitions of young people from Tajikistan to study at Russian universities. One of the largest, if not the largest, quotas in the CIS has been approved for Tajikistan.

It is widely known, yet I would like to repeat that special attention is given in Tajikistan to the study of the Russian language and Russian culture. This includes theatres, but the most important thing is that the status of the Russian language has been enshrined in law. This is extremely important; it is the basis for the further development of our interstate ties.

As for migration, we are aware of the demographic situation in the Central Asian republics, of course. Several years ago, slightly more than five million people lived here [in Tajikistan]. The current figure is above 10 million. The population growth is rapid here, while Russia needs an additional workforce.

At the same time, we are interested in attracting the trades we need. This is the first point. And second, we want these people to live in good conditions, to respect our laws and rules and to be law-abiding citizens, as I always point out. Incidentally, this is primarily connected with knowing the language of the host country.

Nevertheless, there are quite a few problems, which the citizens of the Russian Federation point to. We must above all think about our own citizens. In this context, it is essential for the personnel of the concerned departments, in this case the interior ministries, to work in Tajikistan, I mean Russian police officers, and for their Tajik colleagues to work in Russia. This is extremely important.

Why? The reason is that they, as the legal representatives of the Tajik authorities, will be able to see for themselves what is going on, and second, will take part in adopting relevant administrative decisions together with their Russian colleagues.

In this case, the citizens of Tajikistan who live and work in Russia will see this in a totally different way. It is one thing when the police demand that they comply with some rules and laws, and it is quite another matter when law enforcement personnel from Tajikistan are involved. This will build trust on both sides and enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts.

Kira Latukhina: Good evening, Mr President.

My name is Kira Latukhina, and I am from the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper.

Two major international summits have been held–-the CIS summit and the Russia–Central Asia summit yesterday. How successful are they? And to what extent do we need such a format as the Russia-Central Asia summit? How popular is it and what “added value” does it have?

Vladimir Putin: Some time ago, when the Soviet Union ceased to exist, the establishment of the CIS was announced. I believe that an overwhelming majority of our countries’ citizens did not have a very clear idea of what was going on–-they believed that the CIS had replaced the Soviet Union. They believed that, in essence, very little would change. In reality, everything changed drastically.

Unfortunately, the citizens of our countries were not informed in detail about the changes underway. But we are living in conditions that have evolved historically. Apart from living in these conditions, we should see how we can improve this vast region, how to move forward and what should be done so as not to lose competitive advantages that emerged following the establishment on the territory of the former Soviet Union of common logistics, common industrial cooperation projects, and a common cultural code, despite the cultural diversity of the Soviet Union’s nations. The CIS is called on to preserve all this.

It became obvious at a certain stage that the level of intra-CIS collaboration was not enough for addressing current complicated economic issues. For this reason, on the initiative of Kazakhstan and its President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, another association emerged–-the EAEU—where its members are working within the framework of more profound cooperation between countries that deemed it possible, expedient and advisable to establish this association. But the CIS is not losing its significance; it essentially aims to maintain this common space, including its cultural and humanitarian aspects.

Regardless of the scale of cultural differences between the most diverse nations of the former Soviet Union, Soviet people had their own common and distinctive moral code, which is very significant. The CIS is called on to preserve the heritage of the Soviet Union, and it is accomplishing this objective rather successfully.

People-to-people contacts remain robust. Again, we are committed to preserving a seamless transport space, which is of paramount importance, and we actively support the Russian language as a language of interethnic communication. This is a fundamental element in uniting our efforts and preserving the competitive advantages that I mentioned earlier.

This collaborative spirit extends to addressing security challenges and combating the most dangerous types of crime, such as drug trafficking. If you examine the package of documents we adopted and signed today, you will see that it speaks directly to these priorities.

Ultimately, the preservation and strengthening of our unity is crucial for our shared future.

The situation in the Central Asian countries follows a similar logic, albeit with local specificities. We all recognise the region’s rich ethnic diversity. And further, each nation is developing based on its own foundation–-its own economy, its own cultural code, its own traditions. Russia is developing in the same way. This makes it all the more important that we do not drift too far apart. We must maintain our shared conviction that something unites us–-a great deal actually–-because that is the reality.

Consider the movement of people: is there no surplus workforce in other countries? There certainly is. Yet Russia remains a primary destination for workers from the former Soviet space. Why? Because they feel that fundamental connection. They want to learn Russian–-why? For the same reason. This underscores the need to actively seek out and nurture all the common ground we share and value so deeply.

Our shared history is an important unifying force. Today, we have discussed the common Victory over Nazism – a shared legacy and a source of pride for all our nations. We will talk more about it in our ongoing meetings. That is, while we are connected by the past and the present, we must constantly seek and build upon the things that will unite us in the future.

This format has been designed precisely to give special focus to this track of our foreign policy.

Alexander Yunashev: Good afternoon, Mr President.

Alexander Yunashev, Life.

Yesterday, you met with Ilham Aliyev. During these negotiations, were you able to outline pathways to resolve the current crisis in bilateral relations, or does a certain chill remain?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: You know, I would not even describe it as a crisis in interstate relations. Why? Because if this had been a crisis in interstate relations, we would not have seen growth in trade and economic ties. Yet despite everything we have witnessed and encountered, growth–-significant growth–-has continued. So, what kind of crisis in interstate relations would this be?

I would say it was more likely a crisis of emotions. It is clear why. We were confronted with a very grave incident, a tragic event–-the loss of an aircraft and its passengers. Therefore, we needed to calmly analyse the situation; we required time to properly examine it.

It was necessary to conduct highly complex technical examinations-–that is true. We had to locate the so-called black boxes, decode them, cross-reference all the data obtained by investigators from the Ministry of Defence, verify this information, and compile all the records gathered from air traffic control services-–both ours and those of Kazakhstan. All of this had to be pieced together and analysed. This demands extensive, meticulous, highly responsible, and professional work.

I myself once, while studying at the Law Faculty of Leningrad University, undertook an internship at the transport prosecutor’s office, where I was assigned to an investigator handling such cases. I understand what this entails, you see. It is extremely painstaking, seemingly tedious work where mistakes cannot be permitted.

But in the end, we accomplished this. We agreed with Mr Aliyev that we would do everything to ensure this investigation was conducted objectively, including by the International Aviation Committee (IAC), which carried out its inquiry using all the materials provided to it.

The investigation is now nearing completion, and overall, the situation is clear. There may still be some details or nuances that specialists need to document properly. I discussed this yesterday with the President of Azerbaijan.

I sincerely hope that we have turned this page, that we will move forward, and that we will continue to develop our contacts without complications, implementing the major, truly large-scale plans that both our countries share in logistics, industrial cooperation, and, I would add, in the cultural and humanitarian sphere as well.

Let me remind you that Azerbaijan is largely a Russian-speaking country: Russian is studied practically everywhere there. This also reflects the country’s deep and enduring commitment to developing relations with Russia. I very much hope this will remain so in the future.

Emotions are inevitable, but it is always better to keep them under control so that they do not interfere with our work or hinder progress. I believe all of this is now behind us.

Please.

Yelena Shiryaeva: Thank you.

Yelena Shiryaeva, Mir TV Channel.

Back to the topic of the summit. Today, during the meeting, an agreement was reached to create a new format, CIS+. Is there an understanding which international partners are ready to join the organisation in this format, under what conditions, and, most importantly, what benefits will it bring to the people of our countries?

Vladimir Putin: Thank you for the question.

This is indeed an important decision, as it marks the organisation’s transformation from what was essentially a family gathering into a full-fledged international structure. There are many countries interested in participating in our work, in developing cooperation, finding shared interests, and addressing common challenges.

We have agreed to establish this CIS+ format, and we also decided to invite representatives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as observers. I believe these are very sound and timely decisions. They will undoubtedly strengthen both the CIS’s capacity and standing as an organisation. I have no doubt that we will soon see the benefits of this decision.

Thank you very much.

Please.

Andrei Kolesnikov: Good afternoon, Andrei Kolesnikov, Kommersant daily.

Prior to your visit to Dushanbe, one of the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Russia said that the potential of Anchorage has been exhausted. Do you agree with this assertion? Is that the end of the matter?

One more question, if I may. It has just been announced that Donald Trump did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In your opinion: should he have received it, did he deserve it, was he worthy of it?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Regarding the first part of your question. What exactly would you like to hear?

Andrei Kolesnikov: I can say, yes. I would like to hear that it has not, in fact, been exhausted.

Vladimir Putin: Do you understand the issue? We did not fully disclose what was discussed in Anchorage. We simply stated that, in general, there is an understanding – both on the part of the United States and the Russian Federation – of where we should move and what we should strive for in order to end this conflict, and by peaceful means at that. These are not simple matters.

We agreed with Donald that I, too, would need to consider the matter in Moscow and discuss it with our colleagues, as well as consult our allies. He told me the same.

These are complex issues requiring further elaboration. But we remain grounded in the discussions that took place in Anchorage. We are not changing our position on this and believe that some additional work is needed on both sides. However, overall, we remain within the framework of the Alaska agreements.

Now, regarding Trump. You know, it is not for me to decide who should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. First of all, I doubt anyone here–-among you, your viewers, or your listeners--would object. Let me clarify what I mean.

There have been cases where the committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to individuals who had done nothing for peace. In my view, these decisions inflicted enormous damage on the prize’s prestige. A person comes along- good or bad–-and within a month or two, boom. For what? They had done absolutely nothing. Is that how it should work? It ought to be awarded for actual merits. Consequently, I believe, its prestige has been significantly undermined. But that is neither here nor there–-it is not for me to judge.

Whether or not the incumbent President of the United States deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, I do not know. But he has genuinely done much to resolve complex crises that have persisted for years, if not decades.

I have said this before–-I know for certain: regarding the crisis in Ukraine, he sincerely strives for a resolution. Some things have worked out, others have not. Perhaps much more can still be achieved based on the agreements and discussions in Anchorage. But he is certainly making an effort, certainly working on these issues–-issues of achieving peace and resolving complex international situations.

The most striking example is the situation in the Middle East. If everything Donald has sought to accomplish, everything he has spoken about and attempted to achieve, is brought to fruition–-it would be a historic event, truly a historic event.

If you noticed, I spoke yesterday with the Prime Minister of Iraq [Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani], who currently chairs the Arab League. We agreed with him that we would even postpone our meeting–-between Russia and the Arab League. This was my initiative. I did this precisely because I did not wish to interfere with the process that has now, as we hope, been set in motion–-incidentally, at the initiative and with the direct involvement of Trump-–in the Middle East. Is that not an achievement? It is an achievement.

But I repeat, it is not for me to decide whether he deserves this prize or not, and whether the prize itself is worthy of such accomplishments.

Sargon Hadaya: Could you clarify something about Gaza?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, please.

Sargon Hadaya: Good afternoon, Mr President. Sargon Hadaya, Russia Today.

You have said that you will continue to cooperate with Arab colleagues on the Gaza issue. May I know in what format? And will Russia take part in various working groups, which will be set up on monitoring, on humanitarian issues–-everything related to settlement and recognition of the Palestinian state?

Vladimir Putin: We have a very high level of trust with our Arab friends and with Palestine. I said it from the very beginning when I spoke at the Valdai Club meeting that we support the US, President Trump’s initiatives in this area at this track.

Still, the question of establishing a Palestinian state is one of the key issues. And, of course, this is the question for the future. As far as I understand–-I haven’t yet looked closely at all the proposals–-there is a question related to the transfer of power in the enclave to the Palestinian Authority after some time, its formation, there are questions related to ensuring security and the creation of local police.

You know, given the level of trust existing between Russia and our Arab, including and above all our Palestinian friends, of course, I think that our participation may be required. If our friends think it might help, of course, we will always be ready to take part in this process.

And we participated in it for decades. I think Russia has something to say and propose for resolving the issues, which will certainly arise in implementing the agreements achieved.

Welcome.

Pavel Zarubin: Good evening,

Pavel Zarubin, Rossiya TV Channel. Happy belated birthday to you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Pavel Zarubin: On that day, we were again wondering where you were and what you were doing, because normally nobody ever sees how you celebrate your birthday. In the evening, we saw you with the military at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St Petersburg, in the sepulchre with the tombs of Russian emperors, beginning with Peter the Great. Why there? And why with the military at that?

Vladimir Putin: I think it is clear why I was with the military. Because Russia’s fate is largely, is always exclusively in the hands of the Russian people. And right now, our military are in the foreground, on the frontline–-in the literal and figurative sense of the word. They are resolving the tasks fateful for our country–-both the men at the front, on the line of engagement, and their commanders, of course.

As you have noticed, I met with the commanders of all our groups of forces that are active on the line of engagement. I invited them to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress, namely, to the sepulchre of our sovereigns, our tsars. And indeed, we first laid flowers at the tomb of Peter I.

Why? I think it is also clear. Because it was Peter I who laid the essential foundations of the contemporary Russian state, whatever you call it–-the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union, but the basic essential foundations were laid exactly by Peter I.

Meanwhile, our military in general–-both commanders, soldiers and officers on the ground–-are, in fact, defending what Peter I created and what his successors continued to strengthen.

Russia’s fate has evolved differently throughout history–-it has grown larger or became smaller in size at different times. Under Catherine II–-her tomb is actually next to Peter I’s-–Russia made the greatest acquisitions of territory, as you know. That is, on that day we paid tribute to those persons who had made a unique, fundamental contribution to the establishment of our state.

And then we just had a briefing with the military colleagues. They reported to me on the situation at each section of the front, the sections they were personally responsible for. Following the meeting, we had a luncheon together, while, in fact, continued the same conversation informally.

Pavel Zarubin: Traditionally, people come to someone’s birthday with gifts. Did they give you a birthday present?

Vladimir Putin: They did, indeed. There were different military-themed presents – figurines and books. Yet two of them are of special value. One of the commanders gave me two icons our soldiers had on them, and those icons saved their lives. The icons were indented by bullets, and the soldiers sent them to me as a present. I am very grateful to them. I will make sure to find them and talk to them.

Even now, taking this opportunity, I would like to convey to them, via the media, my most sincere words of gratitude. And may the Lord protect them as he did before.

Pardon, what? About which Tomahawks?

Stanislav Ivashchenko: The American ones.

Vladimir Putin: Go ahead.

Stanislav Ivashchenko: Stanislav Ivashchenko, Zvezda TV channel.

In Kiev, Zelensky threatens to strike Russia with Tomahawks, even targeting the Kremlin itself. There is even talk that this constitutes a form of posturing… blackmail against Russia.

Vladimir Putin: You did not misspeak – posturing as well. There is certainly an element of showing off here.

Stanislav Ivashchenko: In this context, a question. The Americans say that whether they will transfer the Tomahawks or not depends entirely on Russia’s negotiating position regarding Ukraine. If our negotiating position does not suit them, they will proceed with the transfer. Is our response to this ready?

Vladimir Putin: Our response is the strengthening of the Russian Federation’s air defence systems.

Konstantin Kokoveshnikov: May I ask about START?

Vladimir Putin: Go ahead.

Konstantin Kokoveshnikov: Good afternoon.

Konstantin Kokoveshnikov. Thank you for the opportunity to ask a question.

As is already known, you have proposed extending the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires very soon, in February 2026. Judging by initial statements from Washington, Trump appears not to oppose this.

Are there any signals through closed channels, perhaps, that Washington is indeed prepared to hold such consultations? Will four months be sufficient to complete this process? Am I correct in understanding that a new personal meeting between you and your American counterpart will be required?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: We maintain contacts through the Foreign Ministry and the Department of State. Will these few months be enough to reach a decision on extension? I believe it will suffice if there is goodwill to prolong these agreements. Should the American side deem this unnecessary, it is totally not critical for us–-everything in this regard is proceeding according to plan.

I have spoken about this before, and it is no secret: the novelty of our nuclear deterrent systems surpasses that of any other nuclear state, and we are advancing this very actively. What I mentioned in previous years is all being developed. We are refining these systems, and I believe we will soon be able to announce new weapons that were previously unveiled. They are materialising and undergoing successful tests.

Regarding the intercontinental components at sea and in the air, I reiterate: the novelty and modernity of our systems, as military experts say, are at a very high level, which we maintain. We are prepared to negotiate if this proves acceptable and beneficial for the American side.

If not-–then so be it. It would be regrettable, as nothing would then remain in terms of strategic offensive arms control.

Please.

Anna Sedykh: Good afternoon.

My name is Anna Sedykh, Interfax news agency.

My question follows up on the Nobel Peace Prize topic. Zelensky stated that he would support Trump’s candidacy if he supplied Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine: essentially, a peace prize in exchange for weapons. How would you assess this “businesslike approach”?

Vladimir Putin: I do not think the Nobel Committee was interested in the opinion of the current Kiev regime’s leader when making its decision. This is the first point.

Second, linking the Nobel Peace Prize to arms supplies is absurd. It simply speaks volumes about the current Kiev regime’s level.

Thank you very much.

Anything else?

Olga Matveyeva: Olga Matveyeva, Mayak and Vesti FM radio stations.

At the Valdai Club meeting, you mentioned that one country is preparing to test nuclear weapons. Could you please clarify whether that country is the United States? If, as you said, Russia responds in kind and also conducts a nuclear test, wouldn’t that throw our countries and all of humanity back to the 1990s, when the entire world refused to test nuclear weapons? And wouldn’t this provoke a new nuclear arms race between Moscow and Washington?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: I think that, frankly speaking, a certain arms race is underway. Whether it will be a throwback or not is hard to say.

However, I never said the United States is preparing for such tests. I said that some countries are preparing. This is well known to specialists, because there is always a temptation to test the effectiveness of the combat fuel that has been stored in missiles for many, many years.

All of this is currently simulated on computers. Specialists believe this is sufficient, but some of those same experts think that full-scale tests should still be conducted. As far as we know, some countries are considering this and even making preparations. So I said that if they do it, we will do the same.

Is that good or bad? From the standpoint of ensuring security, it is good; from the overall perspective of deterrence and efforts aimed at–-if not reducing, then at least containing–-the arms race, it is probably not bad either.

But our proposal to extend the New START Treaty for at least one year is in the same context. Let everyone think about it.

Goodbye, thank you very much. All the best.

The migration issue is perhaps the only real sore point of major note in Russian public opinion and has been ongoing since the end of Covid. The outlined formula IMO is the best way to deal with the issue, and it’s not just Tajiks. I don’t know, but it’s reasonable to think that such a problem also existed in Soviet times, although intra-Soviet travel was far more restricted than today. Putin noted the old core-periphery economic reality of both Soviet and Russian Empire days which still exists despite the now rapid development taking place in the Stans. The CIS, EAEU, CSTO, and SCO all reflect that continuing dynamic, which makes the new CIS+ a no-brainer by appending the SCO. IMO, Georgia will be enticed by this move, while Moldova will be the clear loser, as will Armenia if it joins EU. At some future point, most of Asian Eurasia will be within one organization when ASEAN merges with CIS+. IMO, this network that’s forming is being done in a far more logical way than how the EU came into being. I also don’t see Azerbaijan leaving either.

Zarubin’s question about the cathedral visit on his birthday Putin had a hard time with, IMO—how to put the symbolism verbally? After talking about the Soviet Union and CIS—what once was—IMO his saying that “Russia’s fate is largely, is always exclusively in the hands of the Russian people," showed that Putin is still quite capable of thinking quickly on his feet when trying to express the inexpressible. Zarubin then bailed him out with the question about presents.

The issues with Trump, Nobel Prize and the Outlaw US Empire went from diplomatic to forceful. I should remind readers that when the Aegis Ashore installations were placed in Poland and Romania it was noted then by Putin that both nuclear and non-nuclear warheads could be fitted to the missiles in those launchers with it being impossible to tell what type from Russia’s POV. It was then stated by Putin that Russia had no choice but to assume the worst—that they were nuke armed—and respond accordingly. Thus, Russian policy was already set to deal with any attack by Tomahawk missiles, whose warheads are also masked and can be nuclear or conventional. Putin’s response added to what was already stated that any transfer from the Empire directly to Zelensky would greatly damage relations, sending them back to the Biden Era. It’s known that the current arrangement between the Empire, Netherlands and Ukraine for Tomahawk delivery to Netherlands wouldn’t happen until 2028. The current deal within NATO is for other nations to purchase weapons from the Empire and then send them on to Zelensky. The only NATO nation that can immediately deliver Tomahawks to Zelensky is the Outlaw US Empire. Putin’s reply that Russia would just strengthen its AD was almost an “I dare you” answer. And of course, that was followed by a surprise statement said in the context of renewing the New Start Treaty: “Unique” weapons “I mentioned in previous years [are] all being developed.”

We are refining these systems, and I believe we will soon be able to announce new weapons that were previously unveiled.

That IMO is supposed to act as an incentive for Team Trump. But then Putin followed that with this: If Team Trump decides not to

then so be it. It would be regrettable, as nothing would then remain in terms of strategic offensive arms control.

“So be it.” We already have an outstanding missile shield and it' continually gets better. The American have none. Let them think hard about their position. IMO, turning off the lights in Ukraine is also a message for Trump.

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/putins-p ... ntral-asia

*****

And NATO Better Pray ...

... that Russia does not demonstrate it in 404, as was the case with Oreshnik, which shook the world.

Russia will soon make an announcement on a new weapon at its disposal, President Vladimir Putin has said, adding that trials have so far gone well. Speaking on Friday at a press conference in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, Putin said: “I think we will have the opportunity in the near future to break some news about a new weapon that we announced a long time ago.” The Russian president added that the novel system “is undergoing tests [which] are proceeding successfully.” When asked about the prospect of extending the New START arms-control treaty, which puts a cap on American and Russian strategic offensive weapons, and is set to expire on February 5, 2026, Putin expressed optimism, saying there is still enough time to prolong the accord, “as long as there is goodwill” on the part of Washington.

In the end, it doesn't matter what it will be because by that time Russia will lead the US by TWO generations of weapon systems, likely hypersonic, and there are all reasons to suspect that the new system will come, as always, in package. The rumors about new iteration of M=13+ and 2,500 kilometer range Zircon are not just rumors and even simplest linear extrapolation allows to predict with some certainty the characteristics of upcoming weapons. Moreover, as I repeat ad nauseam--keep an eye on Russia's Air Defense systems which already revolutionized warfare. New AD complexes with 1,000+ kilometer range against aerodynamic targets and all kinds of hypersonic and intercontinental ballistic missiles are coming with 100% certainty. So, get the bucket of pop-corn.

Update: what is known about one of these systems--highly likely full operational capability for Petrel (Burevestnik) strategic nuclear cruise missile, and that means that Russia completed the breakthrough in nuclear propulsion technology for aerodynamic and, highly likely, space vehicles. Prepare, boys and girls, for nuclear space tugs, nuclear trucks and space ships travelling to Mars and outer planets of Solar System at the significant fraction of the light speed.

http://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2025/10 ... -pray.html

*****

An agreement on Russian military cooperation with Cuba
11:27 10.10.2025 •


Honour guards hold Russian and Cuban flags in Havana, Cuba.
Photo: Reuters

Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) has ratified an intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation with Cuba, TASS informs.

"The military cooperation agreement between the government of the Russian Federation and the government of the Republic of Cuba, signed in Havana on March 13, 2025, and in Moscow on March 19, 2025, is hereby ratified," the upper house said in a document.

The move to ratify the agreement "will provide legal grounds to define the goals, areas and forms of bilateral military cooperation," and will also contribute to strengthening and developing relations between Russia and Cuba in this field.

The ratification by the Russian State Duma of the agreement on military cooperation between Russia and Cuba can be viewed as Moscow’s timely response to Washington’s threats to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles for the benefit of the Kiev regime, Alexander Stepanov, military expert with the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, told TASS.

"This is about a symmetrical response to the potential supply of Tomahawks. The ratified agreement maximally expands our military cooperation and allows, within the framework of bilateral interaction and in coordination with the government of the Republic of Cuba, to deploy virtually any offensive systems on the island’s territory," the expert explained.

He added that to stabilize the balance of power and establish parity, the deployment of modern types of weapons to Cuba, such as the Iskander operational-tactical missile systems and the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile system, would be a justified response to NATO’s actions as a whole. It would create an effective deterrent capable of reaching strategically important targets on US territory, thereby maintaining the balance of power and parity in offensive capabilities.

The document, signed in March 2025, establishes a legal framework for joint operations, training, experience exchange and military equipment supplies, granting Russian military personnel and specialists immunity from Cuban jurisdiction. For Havana, this agreement is a guarantee of sovereignty protection and access to advanced military technologies amid increasing US pressure in the Caribbean region. The resumption of full-scale military partnership with Cuba signals Russia’s return to a region traditionally considered by the US as its zone of influence.

It contains many provisions. For example,

on joint exercises on land, in the air, and at sea,
on joint military training,
on intelligence sharing,
on the provision of military assistance in the form of combat equipment,
on the deployment of military bases.
"The agreement is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Russia and Cuba in the military sphere, as well as strategic cooperation on a long-term basis," said Viktor Bondarev, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security.

It is noted that the agreement is concluded for 5 years with an automatic extension for subsequent 5-year periods.



According to the Russian news agency TASS, the upper house of the Duma ratified an agreement that “will provide legal grounds to define the goals, areas and forms of bilateral military cooperation,” suggesting that such cooperation already existed between the two countries informally, ‘Breitbart’ writes with concern.

The agreement is one step below the commitments of the mutual defense treaty that Russia signed with North Korea in June 2024, which preceded Pyongyang admitting that it had deployed troops to the war theater against Ukraine in Kursk.

Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro also announced on Tuesday that he had solidified a “strategic partnership” with Russia that could allow Moscow greater ability to leverage influence in the Western Hemisphere, challenging the United States.

The matter of military cooperation with Russia is separate from that of the “strategic partnership” with Venezuela, but related, as Cuba and Venezuela are close geopolitical partners. Maduro announced the signing of the decree for cooperation on Tuesday, accompanied by Russian Ambassador to Caracas Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov.

“On October 7, I was invited to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who, in a solemn atmosphere and in the presence of the country’s leading TV channels, signed a decree on the entry into force of the Russia-Venezuela strategic partnership and cooperation agreement,” the ambassador told TASS.

The Venezuelan agreement, according to local media, goes beyond the scope of military cooperation, touching on the “development of mechanisms that facilitate commerce and investment without depending on Western financial systems” – effectively facilitating the bypassing of human rights sanctions on both countries.

The Russian government has for years used Venezuela to intimidate the United States militarily. In 2018, Russian and Venezuelan news agencies reported that the Maduro regime would allow the Russian government to build a military base on the island of La Orchila. Russia also flew nuclear-capable jets in Venezuela, mere hundreds of miles from the United States, that year.

…Venezuela has begun deploying its air defense systems across the country:



https://en.interaffairs.ru/article/an-a ... with-cuba/