US presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO

“All that would do was add more obligations to us, so if you’re adding more obligations, then what are benefits that we’re getting in return?”, DeSantis said.

DeSantis also reiterated that he does not believe the US should give a “blank cheque” to Ukraine, unless it is using leverage to bring the conflict to a conclusion.

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🇻🇪🇺🇸 The US government intends to "militarize" the territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the region of Essequibo by establishing its military base in this oil-rich area, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said

🗣 "We condemn the intention of the US government to militarize the situation [in Essequibo]. The Southern Command is trying to create a military base in the disputed territory in order to create the spearhead of its aggression against Venezuela and seize our energy resources," Gil said at the UN General Assembly.

The minister added that the Venezuelan parliament approved a referendum to protect the sovereign territory from US aggression.

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Kiev lost "a lot of equipment" near the villages of Rabotino and Verbovoe in Zaporozhye direction, a US news outlet reported, quoting an anonymous Ukrainian militant

Among the losses, there are German Marders and American Strykers, the armored vehicles that proved not good enough against "saturation of antitank mines" and Russian forces that were described by anonymous media source as "colossal".

Ukrainian long-announced counteroffensive attempt started in early June and was largely considered unsuccessful even by most hawkish Western politicians due to enormous death rate with no substantial achievements. Several months later, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the Ukrainian counteroffensive attempt had failed. According to the latest information, Kiev lost over 71,000 troops and is reportedly in dire need for new manpower.

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A new modification of Russia’s Lancet kamikaze drone is capable of hitting targets at a considerable distance, posing a threat to Ukraine’s air bases, a US military news outlet has reported

Ukrainian forces must consider the placement of any new fighters [including the due-to-be-delivered fourth-generation F-16 jets] in light of Moscow’s growing UAV capabilities, the news outlet noted.

An informed source earlier told Sputnik that the Russian company ZALA AERO recently unveiled a range of revolutionary upgrades for the Lancet's hardware and software systems. According to the source, new design-related solutions were also used during the development of the Lancet’s upgraded version.

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🤦 What a shame…

The year 2023: in the Canadian parliament, a 98-year-old ex-SS soldier who fought on the side of Hitler during the Second World War is greeted with standing ovation apparently for his Nazi past

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Russian forces repel 5 Ukrainian attacks in Krasny Lyman, the Russian MoD says

▪️In Krasny Lyman, the Center Group of Forces successfully repelled five assaults by Ukrainian armed forces, causing Kiev to suffer losses of up to 20 personnel. Russian air defenses intercepted a Ukrainian drone near Kreminna in the Lugansk People's Republic.

▪️The Russian group's bomber aircraft also carried out four strikes on Ukrainian command and observation posts near Serebryanka in the Donetsk People's Republic.

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🤔 The fact that there is not any news on the combat work of US-supplied Patriot air defense system in Ukraine shows that it was severely damaged by Russian missile and in certainly not present on the battlefield, ex-CIA analyst and expert on national security Larry Johnson said

In May 2023, Russian Ministry of Defense reported that US-made Patriot air defense system was hit by top-tier hypersonic missile.

According to Larry Johnson, after this failure the US has been sending “the second, third level stuff” to Ukraine. He suggested that some Pentagon “bureaucrats” have finally realized that unlimited support of Kiev with best weaponry will only “weaken US military strength” and “anger the Russians”. That’s why, says ex-CIA analyst, Ukraine will receive outdated Abrams tanks and bookers are already starting to take bets how long they will last on the battlefield.

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The ban on imports of Ukraine’s agricultural products slapped by Slovakia, Hungary and Poland could cost Kiev up to $230 million a month, statistical data from these three countries show

Ukraine may suffer the most significant losses - 112 million per month - due to the Polish embargo pertaining to imports of Ukrainian wheat, corn, wheat flour, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, as well as some types of seed cake, according to the statistics.

Last week, the European Commission lifted its ban on Ukrainian grain imports, in a move that prompted Slovakia, Hungary and Poland to unilaterally extend their own embargo, citing farmers’ concerns.

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✊🇮🇱 Over 110,000 protesters participated in at the 38th anti-government rally in Tel Aviv, opposing the judicial reform promoted by the Netanyahu-led government.

On July 24, Israeli lawmakers passed a draft law in parliament that would prevent judges from overturning government decisions based on "reasonableness".

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🇺🇸 Tropical Storm Ophelia made a landfall on the United States' east coast, causing flooding across several state

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Washington won’t be able to remove China from the critical minerals supply chain

China’s important role in the processing of raw minerals means that Beijing will remain a key US partner, not least because those minerals are crucial components for the batteries that power electric vehicles (EVs), according to US Under Secretary for Economic Growth and Environment Jose Fernandez.

Earlier this year, Beijing banned the export of rare earth metals such as gallium and germanium, which are used in the manufacturing of advanced microchips and solar batteries. The move came in response to Washington’s efforts to cut Beijing out of the high-tech economic race.

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The Russian MoD’s latest statements on the Ukraine crisis:

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces repelled four enemy attacks in the DPR. As a result of the enemy fire defeat, the Russian troops improved the tactical position with decisive counterattacks. The enemy suffered losses of up to 305 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, seven motor vehicles and one M777 artillery system of US production.

▪️ The Russian Army inflicted a fire defeat on Ukrainian manpower and hardware units in the Zaporozhye region. Enemy losses amounted to up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen, one infantry fighting vehicle and three motor vehicles. During the counter-battery combat, the enemy suffered heavy losses, which included the destruction of a US M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, two D-30 guns, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one Msta-B howitzer.

▪️ Two enemy attacks were repulsed near Krasny Liman. Enemy losses amounted to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks and one D-20 howitzer.

▪️ In the direction of the south of Donetsk, the Russian Armed Forces hit enemy personnel and hardware concentration areas. Enemy losses amounted to up to 110 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles and two D-20 howitzers.

▪️ In the direction of Kupyansk the enemy lost over 20 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one Krab self-propelled artillery system of Polish production and one field ammunition depot.

▪️ Enemy losses amounted to up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen and two motor vehicles in the Kherson region.

▪️ Air defense systems shot down one Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the DPR.

▪️ Three HARM anti-radar missiles and eight projectiles of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system were intercepted.

▪️ About 477 aircraft and 250 helicopters, 7,082 unmanned aerial vehicles, 438 air defense missile systems, 12,104 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,155 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,515 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 13,397 pieces of special military equipment were destroyed during the special military operation.

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🇩🇪🇵🇱 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has threatened to tighten controls on the border with Poland due to the latter allegedly allowing thousands of migrants to enter the EU illegally

Speaking at a campaign event in Nuremberg, Scholz announced that he does not want Polish authorities to simply “wave through” migrants.

Scholz’s remarks come in the wake of reports by Polish media alleging that during the past two and a half years, over 250,000 citizens from Asian and African countries managed to enter Poland to work thanks to bribery.

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🙅‍♂️ A rally against Western arms supplies to Ukraine is taking place in Amsterdam

Protestors came with posters saying “Peace with Russia”, “No weapons for peace”, “No to escalation, yes to negotiations!” and “No NATO - no war.”

According to the organizers, hundreds of people are participating in the event.

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🗣️ On the real enemy of the American people:

“The people who are hoarding all our resources. We have this rich group of people in America that are hoarding all of our resources...The people that are our enemies are really this globalist class of finance capital that are sucking out every last bit of breath from the American public in the working class. For anyone who thinks that Russia or China or whoever is our enemy, they're sorely mistaken. Your enemy is Wall Street, World Economic Forum, DC, Beltway region and the city of London,” Jackson Hinkle, host of The Dive, told Sputnik.

🎧 Listen to more of Hinkle’s analysis in our podcast New Rules

👉 Watch the full episode of our show on Rumble

📻 Catch us at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM

📹 Russian Army Aviation in action around Zaporozhye

Russia's Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopter crews strike at Ukrainian troops and hardware concentration areas, foiling enemy attempts to attack its own positions.

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Pakistan Building Cutting-Edge VT-4 Tanks Under Chinese License

🇵🇰 🇨🇳 Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) in Punjab, Pakistan, has a history since 1971. Originally for vehicle maintenance, HIT evolved into a top defence manufacturing facility. Collaboration with China for VT-4 tank production is a significant milestone.

◾Under a licence agreement with NORINCO, HIT produces the VT-4 main battle tank, known as the MBT-3000. Pakistan considered VT-4s in 2014, and the first batch arrives in April 2020.

◾Pakistan, the third recipient after Thailand and Nigeria, now has around 100 VT-4 tanks. Ukrainian T-84 "Oplot M" tanks were tested but VT-4s were chosen.

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