📹Ukrainian youth pressed into military service

A captured Ukrainian soldier said was assured he would serve in a non-frontline unit, but after signing the contract he was shocked to learn he was being sent on a combat mission instead, the PoW revealed to Sputnik.

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Russian strikes OBLITERATE Ukraine’s top artillery munitions plants: the details

💬 “Our main national munitions production site has been wiped out,” an officer from the Ukrainian Army’s 104th Brigade revealed to Le Monde this week in an exposé on Russian drone and missile operations against strategic targets in Shostka, Sumy region.

The Zvezda and Impulse factories were targeted repeatedly in 2024, including a massive attack by 13 ballistic missiles on December 31, the officer said.

Here’s what we know about these critical factories:

Zvezda

1️⃣Produced charges for 122, 125, 130, and 152 mm artillery rounds, 125 mm tank gun rounds, 23 and 30 mm autocannon munitions, hunting smoke, nitrocellulose (pyroxylin) powder, electrical insulating materials, special varnishes for aviation and electronics, solvents, and adhesives.

2️⃣Also handled repair, disassembly, and disposal of military equipment.

3️⃣Zvezda is the oldest gunpowder and munitions plant in Ukraine, established in 1771.

Impulse

🔸 Manufactured detonator caps, electronic detonators, detonating cords, non-electric detonation devices, components for MLRS missiles, cartridges, electric igniters, and industrial explosives for mining, construction, and metallurgy.

🔸 The only factory of its kind in Ukraine, founded in 1848. According to the local museum of history, just five other countries—Russia, China, the US, France, and the UK—possess similar technological capabilities.

The twin plants’ destruction is bad news for Ukraine’s war effort, which already relies on NATO deliveries for over 80% of its military needs, and faces ever-present threats of a cutoff in US aid as Trump pushes for a peace deal.

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📹Russian paratroopers ANNIHILATE 3 Ukrainian battalions in Sumy region

The Ukrainian 67th Brigade's month-long offensive crumbled when it clashed with Russia's 83rd Guards Airborne Brigade.

Heavy losses for Ukraine: infantry, armored vehicles, tanks, artillery, and UAVs wiped out.

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🤖 Clone Robotics has unveiled new footage of its eerie android Protoclone—a synthetic human with over 200 degrees of freedom and more than 1000 artificial muscles.

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⚡️Trump has raised tariffs on goods from China to 145%, CNBC reports.

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🚫US-China trade war has now hit Hollywood

China, the world's second largest film market, is now reducing “the number of American films imported,” a spokesperson for the National Film Administration said, following new tariffs targeting Washington.

This move follows US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 125% tariff on Chinese goods, effective immediately, after Beijing retaliated with a 50% tariff on US products.

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⛔️Germany saying NO to Ukrainian migrants

Newly arrived Ukrainian refugees will no longer receive high civilian unemployment benefits (Burgergeld), Bavarian Prime Minister and Christian Social Union (CSU) leader Markus Soder told Deutschlandfunk.

In Germany, working-age individuals with low or no income are eligible for Burgergeld, which can be up to 563 euros per month. This payment was previously provided to Ukrainian refugees along with free medical services and accommodation in social housing for the duration of their integration and language courses.

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🔍What is USAID’s SCANDALOUS LEGACY in six nations it's made a comeback to?

USAID operations, reportedly rebooted in Syria, Somalia, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Ecuador, were more a curse than a blessing for these countries.

Here’s why:

🇸🇾Syria
Funding infamous White Helmets - key players in staging chemical attack frame-ups that triggered Western strikes on Syria. $44.6M USAID program implicated in embezzlement and cash diversions to armed groups in Idlib.

🇸🇴Somalia
USAID, responsible for 40% of aid, faced claims of fraud vulnerability and fund diversions, with congressman Scott Perry (R-PA) accusing it of bankrolling terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.

🇱🇧Lebanon
USAID took credit for laying the groundwork for Lebanon’s 2005 Cedar Revolution, boasting years of funding before protests forced Syria’s exit. US aid tripled in the early 2000s - from $15M to $45M.

🇪🇨Eсuador
Then-president Rafael Correa accused the agency of funding opposition to destabilize his government. WikiLeaks-uncovered cables revealed US actions to derail his 2006 run.

US State Dept sent a $20K grant for Ecuadorian drag theater, DOGE found.

🇯🇴Jordan
Funding of infrastructure and services sparked accusations of creating fiscal dependency, with aid used as leverage for policy alignments, including forcing Palestinian refugee repositioning, per The National News.

🇮🇶Iraq
Halliburton, Bechtel accused of reaping windfalls of post-war reconstruction; watchdog groups claimed funds were siphoned off, and used to shape politics to fit US interests.

Cringe alert: Sen. Joni Ernst slammed agency’s $20M for an Iraqi Sesame Street children's show to "promote inclusion".

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Russia and US make diplomatic progress in ongoing talks

The latest round of talks on normalizing the work of Russian and US diplomatic missions was held in Istanbul in a positive atmosphere, according to Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev, who represented Moscow at the meeting.

Key takeaways from the discussions:

▫️ Delegation heads higlighted the need to address ‘irritants’ left by the previous US administration

▫️ Both sides agreed on further steps to ease diplomats' movement in the host country

▫️ Russia stressed the importance of returning US-confiscated diplomatic property and expressed readiness to work on a roadmap

▫️ Diplomatic notes were exchanged to ensure unhindered banking services for the missions

▫️ Dates for the next round of talks between Russia and the US are being finalized

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Democratic Rep. calls voter ID laws a “poll tax” and “voter suppression” — because proof of identity is apparently oppressive

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The United States is rapidly approaching a debt ceiling crisis, said US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson.

He added that Congress is also concerned about the current stock market instability.

Data from the US Treasury Department says the national debt stands at $36.2 trillion.

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🚨🇾🇪👊HOUTHI POWER: US forced to redeploy Patriot Missile Battalion from Asia to Middle East

The battalion, made up of 4-6 MIM-104 Patriot Missile Batteries, was moved with the help of 73 C-17 Globemaster III flights, taking it from Asia to the Middle East, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Admiral Samuel J. Paparo told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

This move comes amid reports in numerous Western media outlets that Trump’s air campaign against the Houthis is draining US precision missile stockpiles.

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The US will raise the national debt ceiling, resolving concerns over further increases for the next two years, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced.

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Trump brags about weapons no one else has. But here's a twist: America is not the only one

These weapons are sending CHILLS worldwide:

1️⃣Oreshnik missile

Russia’s new, mobile, ground-based IRBM carries a non-nuclear MIRV payload, and accelerates to speeds up to Mach 10, with its explosive payload getting as hot as the surface of the Sun during flight.
The US has nothing like it.

2️⃣Avangard HGV

This strategic, nuclear-capable, scramjet Russian hypersonic glide vehicle is launched by Sarmat and Voevoda ICBMs, dropping (WHILE MANEUVERING) onto targets at speeds up to Mach 30.
Impervious to ALL missile defense systems.

3️⃣DF-ZF hypersonic glider

China’s DF-ZF has a range up to 3,000 km, and is launched by the DF-17 MRBM. This UNSTOPPABLE HGV flies at speeds up to Mach 10.
The DF-ZF is a perfect response to US attempts to militarize the South China Sea. The DoD has nothing like it.

4️⃣DF-21D carrier killer

This Chinese anti-ship ballistic missile is a world first, and is designed to target large warships.

US carrier groups anywhere in a 1,800 km radius of China’s coast BEST BEWARE, as the DF-21D’s kinetic kill vehicle is impervious to air defenses.

5️⃣Fattah-2 missile

Iran’s Fattah-2 hypersonic missile accelerates to speeds up to Mach 15, and can make trajectory adjustments in flight.

The missile has a 1,400 km range and has seen use in combat, PENETRATING Israel’s powerful missile defenses last October.

6️⃣Next gen Bavar 373

Iran’s new Bavar 373-II air and missile defense system outshines the US Patriot in almost every way.

It has a longer range (300 km vs 200 km), better detection (separate radar on each TELAR vs centralized radar, and far greater mobility and autonomy.

7️⃣Hwasong-19 ICBM

North Korea’s new solid fuel strategic missile has a 15,000 km range, MIRV capability and MASSIVE 11 axle mobile transporter-erector-launcher system.

For comparison, the US’s Minuteman III has a 13,000 km range, and is deployed in underground silos.

8️⃣KN-25

This North Korean heavy artillery system is so powerful US analysts say it “BLURS THE DISTINCTION” between MLRS and SRBMs.

Judge for yourself: With its 380 km range and 300 kg warhead, the system proves the DPRK doesn’t even need nukes to devastate enemies.

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US-Panama pact: What impact will it have on trade and regional geopolitics?

DoD chief Hegseth and Panama’s minister for canal affairs have signed a declaration affirming US recognition of Panamanian sovereignty over the waterway and a joint commitment to a new cost-sharing model to compensate Panama for the passage of US warships.

The pact, characterized as the first step to a broader framework to provide US warships “first and free” passage, and possibly “revive” US bases in Panama, signals Washington’s plans to militarize the region.

Curbing China

🔸 During his Panama visit, Hegseth openly identified China as the main target of US Panama strategy, vowing to “take back” the canal “from China’s influence,” and accusing the Asian nation of trying to “weaponize” it. Fact-check: China has never even sailed a warship through the waterway.

🔸 China’s Embassy in Panama dismissed the “China threat” narrative as a flagrant attempt to disguise Washington’s own geopolitical ambitions.

Prelude to US aggression?

🔸 A successful US encroachment on the canal zone could have dire implications for China, which uses the waterway as its main gateway for exports to Latin America, and to import food, raw materials and energy from the region.

🔸 China recently blocked a $23B Trump-approved BlackRock plan to buy two major Panama Canal ports owned by a Hong Kong holding company. US militarization of Panama would allow Washington to take over port assets by force in a crisis, citing “national security.”

Other objectives

1️⃣Heightened US military presence in Panama will impact other countries, including Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua – long targeted by US economic warfare and regime change attempts.

2️⃣Militarization of the region would give the US opportunities for gunboat diplomacy, surveillance or even military interventions across the region using the combined resources of American naval power in the Atlantic and Pacific.

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🔸 Trump brags about weapons no one else has. But here's a twist: America is not the only one

🔸 How did markets react to Trump’s 90-day tariff flip-flop?

🔸 US-Panama pact: What impact will it have on trade and regional geopolitics?

🔸 What is USAID’s SCANDALOUS LEGACY in six nations it's made a comeback to?

🔸 Russian strikes OBLITERATE Ukraine’s top artillery munitions plants: the details

🔸 How US mega-funds secretly control Europe

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