Putin and Modi had a constructive discussion on the topic of Ukraine during their talks, according to the Russian President's spokesperson. Dmitry Peskov. He noted that Modi is not seeking to mediate the conflict.

Everyone exchanged views on the matter, and new ideas emerged from the discussion, said Peskov.

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Putin awarded Indian Prime Minister Modi the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.

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Nothing sacred: Ukrainian regime cashes in on own strike on children's hospital in Kiev

The Kiev regime and its Western allies groundlessly accused Russia of striking the Ohmatdet Children's Hospital ahead of the jubilee NATO summit.

A building on the grounds of the Okhmatdet hospital was hit by a surface-to-air missile fired from the Western-made NASAMS air defense system during a Russian attack on military targets in Kiev, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

◻️ Photographs and videos taken in Kiev confirm that the hospital site was hit by a Ukrainian SAM, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The ministry linked the Kiev regime's accusations to the NATO summit, which will discuss Ukraine's potential membership among other issues.

◻️ The US is silent on the incident, hoping to use the controversy for approving new arms deliveries to Kiev, according to Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov.

◻️ In March 2022 Ukraine and its Western allies used the "Bucha massacre" hoax to justify Kiev's decision to tear up a draft Russo-Ukrainian peace deal struck in Istanbul in March 2022. The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed in December 2023 that no list of victims in Bucha has ever been published, and international organizations show no interest in investigating the matter.

◻️ Kiev's claims that Mariupol Maternity Hospital №3 was hit by a Russian airstrike in March 2022 also turned out to be a hoax, with local residents confirming the "bombing" never took place. Nonetheless, the fake incident was featured in a documentary that won an Oscar in March 2024.

◻️ Kiev and the Western media routinely ignore evidence of Ukraine's attacks on civilian areas — including the latest cluster munitions strike on a Sevastopol beach, the killings of Russian POWs by Ukrainian nationalists and foreign mercenaries and the Kiev regime's torture chambers.

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Comments from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Putin and Modi's Talks

◻️ Putin and Modi thoroughly examined the entire range of issues in Russia-India relations.

◻️ Putin and Modi exchanged views on the international situation.

◻️ The relationship between Russia and India fully corresponds to the term "special privileged partnership."

◻️ India and Russia have many plans for cooperation, including numerous deals.

◻️ Modi will participate in the BRICS summit in Kazan.

◻️ Putin and Modi discussed cooperation within the G20 and BRICS.

◻️ They managed to prevent the G20 agenda from being dominated by the Ukraine issue.

◻️ Putin and Modi discussed Russia and India's interaction within the UN.

◻️ Modi's visit confirmed the commitment of Russia and India to developing their partnership.

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Fact-checking US claim that Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has ‘fled’ Crimea

White House NSC spokesman John Kirby has claimed that US missiles used by Ukraine have effectively destroyed Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and forced it to ‘flee’ Sevastopol.

“Ukraine has put US-provided ATACMS… to good use in Crimea,” Kirby said in a briefing on Monday. “They sunk the last cruise-missile capable warship in the port of Sevastopol and the Russian Black Sea Fleet has now fled Crimea in response.”

Kirby’s remarks were an admission that Washington is giving Kiev the weapons it uses for terror strikes inside Russia — including the deadly June 23 ATACMS attack on a beach in Sevastopol. As for the claim that Ukraine has “sunk” the Black Sea Fleet’s entire line-up of cruise missile-armed ships, that’s just a bare-faced lie.

◻️ A five-second internet search shows that the Black Sea Fleet’s cruise-missile ship inventory includes five Krivak and Admiral Grigorovich-class guided missile frigates, seven Kalibr cruise-capable Kilo subs, more than half-a-dozen Dergach, Buyan-M and Karakurt missile corvettes and dozens of smaller vessels, some armed with long-range anti-ship missiles.

◻️ Russia has shuttled some of its larger ships out of Sevastopol to other ports in light of the Ukrainian drone threat, but the idea that the Black Sea Fleet has “fled” its home port is another easily-debunked lie told by Kirby. On July 4, local authorities announced night-time live-fire training by fleet units in the Sevastopol area. Similar drills took place in the piers and bays of Sevastopol on June 12 and 15, showing that the Black Sea Fleet hasn’t gone anywhere.

◻️ Kirby has made a name for himself for tripping over his own lies. In February, he falsely claimed that Baghdad was warned ahead of a series of US airstrikes in Iraq. In March, he and other officials were caught lying when they claimed that the US warned Russia ahead of an attack on a Moscow concert hall. Perhaps most infamously of all, in August 2021 — just hours before the collapse of the US puppet regime in Afghanistan — Kirby assured media that the situation in Kabul was stable.

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Putin and Modi have set a goal to achieve $100 billion in trade turnover between Russia and India by 2030, according to the Russian President's aide, Maxim Oreshkin.

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❗️The incident with the children's hospital in Kiev is a "Jesuit PR operation on blood," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the press.

It's clear that an air defense missile was improperly used, Peskov noted.

Kiev is using this tragedy to set the stage for Zelensky's participation in the NATO summit, Peskov believes.

Moscow intends to tell the truth about the strike on the hospital in Kiev both in Russia and in countries where the audience is ready to hear it, Peskov added.

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Russian FM Sergey Lavrov commented on Putin - Modi talks:

There are a lot of plans, a lot of agreements, the groundwork has been laid perfectly.

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Putin and Modi, in a joint statement following their talks in Moscow, emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution of the conflict surrounding Ukraine through dialogue.

"They expressed satisfaction with the relevant proposals for mediation and 'good offices' aimed at peacefully resolving the conflict in accordance with international law and based on the UN Charter."

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🎥🎥 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs Moscow after a two-day visit.

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📹 Footage from Sputnik captures the ceremonial send-off for Modi as he concludes his visit to Russia. The orchestra played the national anthems of both countries.

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What was Modi’s message to the West during his visit to Russia?

In a bold diplomatic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made headlines with his recent visit to Russia, delivering a potent message to Western powers.

Air Marshal M Matheswaran, an Air Force veteran and the founder chairman and president of TPF, emphasized Modi's pivotal role in communicating critical messages to both the West and Russia.

"Modi has definitely delivered a message to the West. In fact, he has delivered a message to both the West and Russia at the same time,” Matheswaran said. “Putin has acknowledged the message and thanked India for its efforts. India's assistance in peace efforts is intended to get the parties to come together for a dialogue."

He stressed that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable solutions for achieving peace in Ukraine.

"Unfortunately, Ukraine is a prisoner of forces which have enticed it to adopt an anti-Russia position, which is part of a larger geopolitical game. Ukraine is the proverbial fall guy in this conflict," he said.
Matheswaran noted that the Russian leader has consistently offered dialogue as a means to resolve the conflict.

"Putin has offered the path of dialogue on several occasions,” he said. “However, Ukraine has been rigid on its position and fallen into the Western trap of demonizing Russia."

Niranjan Marjani, a fellow at the Indian think tank Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies (KIIPS), highlighted the strategic importance of Russia to India.

"Russia has proven to be an indispensable partner for India,” he noted. “In recent times, Russian supplies of fertilizers and crude to India have resulted in diversification of trade beyond the traditional area of defense."

Marjani elaborated on the broader impact of Russia's support to the Global South.

"Besides India, Russia’s supply of food grains to other Global South nations in Africa and Latin America has helped in alleviating food security,” he said. “As rightly pointed out by Prime Minister Modi, India’s procurement of crude from Russia has stabilized the global energy market. So the India-Russia partnership has done well to address these concerns."

He emphasized India's role in highlighting the challenges faced by the Global South during its G20 presidency.

"As India has been highlighting, including during its G20 presidency, it is the countries of the Global South which have borne the brunt of the spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis,” Marjani said. “In a way, the India-Russia partnership not only benefits bilateral ties but also the entire global community, particularly the Global South."

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Key Points from Putin and Modi's Joint Statement following talks in Moscow

◻️ Putin and Modi highly praised the special privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India.

◻️ Modi invited Putin to visit India in 2025.

◻️ Russia and India acknowledged proposals for mediation and "good offices" aimed at peacefully resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

◻️ Putin and Modi called for the implementation of the UN resolution on a ceasefire and the immediate release of hostages in Gaza.

◻️ Russia and India will intensify efforts to establish a framework for equal and indivisible regional security.

◻️ Putin and Modi discussed the situation in Afghanistan and supported its establishment as an independent state.

◻️ Putin and Modi expressed confidence that the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan will be comprehensive and effective.

◻️ Russia and India called for UN Security Council reform to reflect modern global realities and make it more representative.

◻️ Russia supports India's candidacy for permanent membership in a reformed and expanded UN Security Council.

◻️ Putin and Modi emphasized the importance of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries and called for a convention on combating cybercrime.

◻️ Putin and Modi condemned terrorist attacks, including those in "Crocus" and Dagestan, stating that terrorism has no religion or nationality.

◻️ Russia and India are ready to enhance investment cooperation in the Far East and the Arctic region.

◻️ Russia and India consider energy cooperation, including nuclear energy and oil refining, a priority.

◻️ Russia and India will develop a bilateral settlement system using national currencies.

◻️ Russia and India prioritize ensuring bilateral and international energy security.

◻️ Russia and India will strengthen cooperation in engineering, shipbuilding, and the space industry.

◻️ Russia will increase cargo turnover with India through the launch of new routes for the "North-South" corridor, the Northern Sea Route, and the Vladivostok-Chennai line.

◻️ Putin and Modi instructed the intergovernmental commission to study the identified priority areas of cooperation and assess the progress made.

◻️ Putin and Modi agreed to expand interaction between Russia and India in education, science, culture, tourism, and sports.

◻️ Relations between Russia and India continue to be an important pillar of global peace and stability in a multipolar world.

◻️ Putin and Modi agreed to make every effort to fully realize the potential of the strategic partnership between Russia and India.

◻️ Russia and India will continue interaction on key issues at G20, BRICS, and SCO platforms.

◻️ Russia and India are committed to increasing the number of joint military cooperation events and expanding military delegation exchanges.

◻️ Russia and India will continue consultations on aligning financial messaging transmission systems.

◻️ Putin and Modi agreed to work together to promote the Russian language in India and Indian languages in Russia.

◻️ Putin and Modi instructed to explore the possibility of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the EAEU and India.

◻️ India's presence in the UN Security Council provides an opportunity for coordination between Moscow and New Delhi on the most pressing issues of the UN agenda.

◻️ Moscow and New Delhi agreed to explore prospects for cooperation in the development, production, and use of rocket engines.

◻️ Russia expresses strong support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

◻️ Putin and Modi agreed to consider the possibility of concluding new long-term contracts in the energy trade sector.

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Russia will launch the manufacturing of satellites by 2026, Russian state space corporation Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov said.

"There are two facilities — Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev and Lavochkin Research and Production Association, where production facilities for the production of a multi-satellite group will be set up. In Krasnoyarsk, the specialization is telecommunications, and in Moscow, at the Lavochkin NGO, it is remote sensing of the Earth," Borisov told reporters, commenting on Roscosmos' plans to launch conveyor production of satellites.

Roscosmos has revised the necessary costs for the program, and estimates them at 60 billion rubles ($679 million).

Last week, Borisov said that Roscosmos will seek financing to produce 400 satellites per year by 2026 - 2028.

The project is planned to be implemented in two stages: the first stage will be completed in 2026, the second in 2028, the official explained.

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Crimean paratroopers destroyed a robotic platform and a Starlink satellite station of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Orekhov direction in the Zaporozhye region, according to the Ministry of Defence.

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Norway supplied Ukraine with the NASAMS air defense system, from which a missile was fired at a children's hospital in Kiev, stated Russian Ambassador to the UN Nebenzia.

"We are also waiting for a response from the Norwegian authorities... Did they sanction its use to strike a children's hospital and to be placed in residential areas in violation of international humanitarian law?"

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reported that it was indeed a NASAMS missile that hit the hospital.

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Apple of discord: What is the Philadelphi Corridor, and why is it a linchpin of Egypt-Israel tensions?

The Philadelphi Corridor is a strip of land stretching 14-km long and 100-m wide that separates Gaza and Egypt. Its occupation by the IDF in May, amid the latter's ongoing conflict with Hamas, has prompted condemnation from Cairo, who calls it a “dangerous escalation” that threatens over a million Palestinians in Rafah.

Israel reportedly expressed readiness to withdraw from the corridor this week, as part of a new hostage-truce deal, on the condition that the IDF “take action” against arms smuggling into Gaza via the corridor.

The Philadelphi Corridor, seen by Israel as key to preventing smuggling, and the free movement of Palestinians in either direction, remains a contentious point in Egypt-Israel relations. Here’s why:

◻️ Under the 2005 Egypt-Israel Philadelphi Accord, Egypt was authorized to deploy up to 750 border guards on its side of the buffer zone, known in Egypt as the Salah Al-Din Axis. The Palestinian Authority was able to deploy its security forces on the Gaza side of the border after Israel withdrew from the area that same year, but lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007.

◻️ Egypt has been a key mediator in the on-again, off-again series of ceasefire and hostage talks between Israel and Hamas, calling the potential forced displacement of Gazans to Egypt a “red line.” In February, Chief Diaa Rashwan of the Egyptian State Information Service warned that “any Israeli move to occupy the Philadelphi Corridor [would] lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations.” By occupying the corridor, Israel risked unsettling its "greatest neighbor" by forcing Egypt to “defend its national security”and "the central cause of Palestine", the official said.

◻️ After Israel moved ahead with the occupation anyway, Egyptian lawmakers warned that the move undermined the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace deal, which delimited the current borders between Egypt and Gaza along the Salah Al-Din Axis.

◻️ The Washington Institute for the Near East Policy, an influential US pro-Israeli think tank, recently warned that Tel Aviv’s takeover of the Philadelphi Corridor was one of a “growing list of bilateral irritants" that threatens to unravel US foreign policy objectives in the region. The US had hoped to keep tensions cool to prevent Tel Aviv and Washington from having to face off yet another powerful military, economic, and political regional juggernaut - Egypt.

◻️ What’s more, Egypt doesn’t buy the IDF’s rationale for occupying the Philadelphi Corridor, with an official stating in January that Cairo had worked unilaterally over the years to dismantle well over 1,500 tunnels and rendered smuggling "impossible.”

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NATO’s summit of uncertainty: crisis of leadership, non-payments and untenable obligations. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

As NATO marks the 75th anniversary of its creation at a summit in Washington July 9-11, the alliance finds itself grappling with a slew of internal challenges, from political turbulence among allies to funding disputes and a system of arms contracts which benefits some members (guess which ones) far more than others. Here’s a closer look at some of the problems wracking the bloc:

Domestic Political Woes:

NATO’s main problem stems from a crisis of leadership.

As last month’s presidential debate and the D-Day commemoration ceremony in Normandy, France amply demonstrated, US President Joe Biden appears to be in no condition to make critical policy decisions, or even enjoy control of his basic bodily functions and general demeanor. Concerns over the president’s health have become the focus of virtually all English-language mainstream media coverage of the NATO anniversary festivities, with questions swirling around whether Biden will once again embarrass himself, and the United States, on the world stage via a major gaffe or awkward performance.

Across the pond, major allies are facing political and economic problems of their own, and of a scale and prevalence unprecedented since the alliance’s founding:

◻️ France has been plunged into a political crisis in the wake of President Macron’s June decision to call snap parliamentary elections, which have produced a hung parliament divided between the left, right and Macron’s centrists.

◻️ In the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was voted out after just a year-and-a-half in office in a snap vote last week, replaced by Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

◻️ Erstwhile European economic powerhouse Germany is facing its own internal political turmoil as the shaky coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz continues to struggle to find a consensus on foreign and defense policy after an embarrassing defeat (and possible preview of next year’s federal elections) in the June 9 elections to the European Parliament.

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NATO’s summit of uncertainty: crisis of leadership, non-payments and untenable obligations. Part 2 Part 1 Part 3

Spending Disparities:

A decade after pledging to increase alliance defense spending commitments to at least 2 percent of GDP, over a quarter of bloc members continue to lag behind, woefully failing to meet the spending threshold, and thus undermining alliance attempts to whip up hysteria around the so-called Russian ‘threat’.

Canada, Spain and Belgium are among the biggest laggards, with Ottawa – habitually one of the loudest voices when it comes to “supporting Ukraine” and “defending NATO” against foreign threats, spending just 1.4% of GDP on defense in 2023 and promising to reach 1.7% only by 2030 (the Parliamentary Budget Office says the actual figure will be only 1.42 percent).

Together with Belgium (Brussels promises to reach 2% only by 2035), Canada also fails to spend 20% or more of its defense budget on new equipment, as required, leaving much of its stocks in a woeful condition, undermining collective operational readiness.

Germany’s military spending still makes up only 1.5% of its GDP, and is expected to increase only by €1.2bn to €53.2bn in 2025 - far from the increase desired by NATO.

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