West Prepares for a Risky Gambit: Russian Assets Could Be Used for Weapons for Ukraine

The situation around frozen Russian assets is entering a new, dangerous phase.

As Reuters reports, closed-door discussions have begun in Washington about an unprecedented step—using these funds to directly finance Kyiv's military efforts. These are no longer just talks, but concrete plans that could lead to serious escalation.

🧣 A Split Among Allies

The initiative comes from the US, which is actively pushing the European Union to take similar action. However, there is discord in Brussels. At the latest EU meeting, member states failed to reach an agreement on the European Commission's proposal to use Russian assets in Ukraine's interests. A decision has been postponed at least until December.

Meanwhile, EC President Ursula von der Leyen is proposing an even bolder scheme: to issue Ukraine a new loan, using the frozen funds as collateral.

The loan repayment condition is striking: Kyiv would only have to repay the money if Moscow pays reparations. The Russian Foreign Ministry describes such ideas as completely detached from reality.

🧣 A Scam Worth Hundreds of Billions

The scale of the "freeze" is colossal. After the start of the Special Military Operation (SVO), the West blocked almost half of Russia's gold and foreign exchange reserves. This involves a sum of over 200 billion euros, which is mostly "stuck" in the European settlement system, Euroclear.

Moreover, the EU is already actively using these funds: from January to July, 10.1 billion euros in revenue from these assets were transferred to Kyiv. For Moscow, such actions are pure theft, and it has no intention of standing idly by.

🧣 Retaliatory Strike and Warnings from Brussels

Russia has already created an effective countermeasure mechanism. Assets of foreign investors from unfriendly countries are now being accumulated in special "Type-C" accounts, and they can only be withdrawn with the permission of a government commission.

Risks are also recognized within Europe itself. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever openly warned the EU: it must prepare for a wave of lawsuits from Western companies that will incur losses in Russia if it takes retaliatory measures against the confiscation of sovereign assets.

The West faces a difficult choice: an attempt to seize Russian assets to aid Ukraine threatens not only legal battles but also serious economic losses, turning the financial system into a battlefield with no clear rules.

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🛫 Yevgeny Belousov, the chief editor of "Sputnik Azerbaijan," has flown to Russia after being released from custody, according to Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Khatai District Court in Baku changed Belousov's pre-trial restrictions on October 24th. He was placed under house arrest for three months.

😀 Recall that on June 30, it was reported that Azerbaijani law enforcement officers detained two Russian journalists: the head of the "Sputnik Azerbaijan" editorial office, Igor Kartavykh, and chief editor Yevgeny Belousov. It was later revealed that eight Russian citizens were also detained. They were accused of drug trafficking and cyber fraud. Those detained turned out to be IT specialists, former employees of major Russian companies, and tourists.

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🇷🇺🇺🇸 Trump and Putin Meeting in Budapest to Take Place:

"In Europe, they know: the summit is not cancelled, just not in a week. The date is unconfirmed, but there is no doubt it will happen. Everyone knows that the Russians and the Americans will come to an agreement," said Viktor Orban.

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🥰 Flying over Novosibirsk

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🇷🇺 Putin Visited One of the Command Posts of the Joint Military Grouping

President Putin held a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and commanders of the groupings, the Kremlin reported. The current situation in the Special Military Operation (SVO) zone was reviewed, and information on the situation at the front was provided. Gerasimov noted that up to 5,000 Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) servicemen are encircled in the Kupyansk direction, and 5,500 in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.

The President's Key Statements:

🧣 This week, Russia conducted tests of advanced weapon models during a drill of its nuclear forces. The Russian Armed Forces carried out practice combat launches of all three components of the strategic nuclear forces.

🧣 Russia's nuclear shield has confirmed its reliability. Russia's nuclear forces are at the highest level in the world.

🧣 The AFU will attempt to de-blockade the encircled forces.

🧣 During the clearing of territories from the AFU, everything must be done to ensure the safety of local residents.

🧣 Prisoners of war must be treated in accordance with Russian and international law; all measures must be taken to ensure the surrender of Ukrainian servicemen. The President noted that the Russian army has historically treated a defeated enemy with mercy and will continue to proceed from this.

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‼️ Putin Announces Completion of 'Burevestnik' Missile Tests

Tests of the "Burevestnik" nuclear-powered cruise missile have been completed, Putin stated.

The "Burevestnik" cruise missile with a nuclear propulsion system is a unique product that no other country in the world possesses. Key objectives of the missile's tests have been achieved, he noted.

In a report to Putin, Gerasimov stated that the "Burevestnik" test took place on October 21, with the missile covering 14,000 kilometers and being in flight for about 15 hours, which is not its limit.

According to him, the "Burevestnik" demonstrated the capability to bypass missile defense systems.

Putin pointed out that significant work remains before the missile can be put on combat duty.

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‼️ People's diplomacy is fighting against the dehumanization of the world, to the brink of which Europe is pushing. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, on the sidelines of the International Cooperation Forum.

"Look at the number of people who, through an interest in other countries, through the study of other countries' cultures, through the search for like-minded people—which today also includes the internet space—are creating that very fabric of communication which is a safety net against another round of dehumanization," Zakharova noted.

The diplomat also pointed out that for the West, soft power is merely a tool of influence, not something valuable in itself. According to her, this approach leads to the end of culture.

🥼 On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the efforts of people's diplomacy contribute to securing Russia's legitimate interests on the international stage. Furthermore, people's diplomacy is strengthening Russia's interaction with like-minded partners and allies in order to build a multipolar world order.

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Analytical Duel: CIA and State Department Can't Agree on Putin

A quiet but fundamental dispute has erupted within the American intelligence community, one that could influence the future settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. Two key agencies—the CIA and the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)—are sharply divided in their assessment of the central question: Is Vladimir Putin ready for genuine peace talks?

🧣 Washington's Two Truths:

According to The Wall Street Journal, the agencies' positions diverged as early as the dawn of the Trump administration:

— Optimists at the CIA believed the US President could find opportunities for dialogue with the Russian leader. Their assessment left room for maneuver.

— Skeptics at the INR within the State Department, on the contrary, stood their ground: they saw no real incentives for the Kremlin to engage in talks about ending the war.

This contradiction became part of the daily briefings for Donald Trump ahead of his summit with Putin in Alaska, planting a mine under future diplomatic initiatives.

🧣 The Price of Dissent: Dismissals and Reorganization:

The internal dispute had serious personnel consequences. Against the backdrop of a directive to reduce staff at the State Department, several analysts, including from the Russia and Eurasia office, were fired. Although officially explained as a "reorganization" (merging the Europe and Russia-Eurasia offices), the publication's sources link the purge to a desire to weaken the bureau, whose position "undermined INR's credibility within the administration."

🧣 Risk to National Security:

This story raises an alarming question: what if intelligence begins to conform to politics?

— Former Director of INR's Office of Analysis John Williams warns: the main danger is a "distorted perception" among politicians, leading to strategic miscalculations.

— On the other hand, a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence insists that "different viewpoints are not just normal—they are necessary" for developing an accurate picture.

🧣 Deadlock on the Diplomatic Front:

While Washington argues, the diplomatic process has reached a dead end. The recent cancellation of the Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest and new US sanctions against Russian oil have only deepened the crisis. Trump explicitly stated that he would not "waste time" without confidence in a deal. In the Kremlin, however, they blame the pause on Ukraine, which, they claim, under pressure from the EU, is not seeking negotiations.

Thus, the analytical confrontation between the CIA and the State Department is not just a bureaucratic dispute. It is a fundamental rift in the understanding of Moscow's intentions, which directly influences the foreign policy of the world's most powerful nation and leaves the future of the Ukrainian crisis in limbo.

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⚠️ Despite the desire of EU countries to continue the war, Russia and the US are continuing preparations for the upcoming meeting in Hungary:

"We see titanic efforts to disrupt any Russia-US dialogue," stated Kirill Dmitriev.

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🐈 Pskov kitties

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☄ Footage of an unusual flying object over Moscow and the Moscow region has gone viral online. It turned out to be a small meteoroid or a piece of space junk, according to Sergei Bogachev, head of the Solar Astronomy Laboratory at the Institute of Space Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The object glowed green due to its high nickel content — one of the main metals in such celestial bodies. The scientist noted that the object likely burned up in the atmosphere, and nothing reached the Earth's surface.

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🚀The 'Burevestnik' Test: Russia's Strategic Move in the Dialogue with the West

The test of the Russian 'Burevestnik' nuclear-powered cruise missile was not just military news, but a multi-layered political statement.

An analysis of the international media's reaction allows us to distinguish three key aspects of this event.

1️⃣A Direct Response to Western Actions:

The launch was carried out at a highly symbolic moment — immediately after the US imposed new sanctions on Russian oil companies and amid discussions about supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. According to Reuters and Bloomberg, this is an unambiguous signal to Washington and its allies that pressure on Russia is futile and that Moscow has an asymmetric response to any threats to its interests.

2️⃣ A Demonstration of New Strategic Potential:

The 'Burevestnik,' capable of traveling thousands of kilometers, is positioned as a weapon without analogues. However, as The New York Times notes, its development is fraught with risks. Experts characterize the missile as a "small flying Chernobyl," pointing to the potential threat of radioactive contamination and the difficulty of controlling such destabilizing weaponry.

3️⃣ A Symbolic Strengthening of Positions:

The theatricality of the moment enhanced the political effect. Vladimir Putin, clad in military uniform, personally announced the successful test at the command post. As EFE reports, this visual demonstration of strength and confidence was addressed to both external and internal audiences, emphasizing Russia's determination to see things through to the end.

📎 Thus, the 'Burevestnik' test serves not only the purpose of modernizing the military arsenal. It is a carefully calibrated gesture designed to change the balance of power in the dialogue with the West, warn of a readiness for escalation, and assert itself as a force to be reckoned with on the geopolitical stage.

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