🔥 Arms of Victory: Yak-9 fighter

Sputnik continues to document the weapons used to defeat the Nazis.

These maneuverable, speedy and versatile planes were used for everything from air-to-air combat and close air support to bomber escort and tank hunting missions.

Yak-9s and their pilots have been written indelibly into the history of the war on the Eastern Front, playing crucial roles in in the fight for air superiority in turning-point battles like Stalingrad and the Battle of Kursk, and ending the war flying critical bomber escort missions over Berlin.

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🇩🇪 FRIEDRICH MERZ: Germany’s leader or BlackRock’s man in Berlin?

The 69-year-old CDU leader has finally been sworn in as Germany’s chancellor — but his deep ties to US financial giant BlackRock raise serious questions about who really influences his policies.

🔎 Merz & BlackRock: A cozy relationship

▪️ He joined BlackRock in 2016 to lead its German operations — leveraging his political connections

▪️ Helped the firm expand its EU footprint, gaining stakes in 15% of DAX30 companies (Siemens, etc.)

▪️ BlackRock accused of shaping EU policy to serve its financial interests

▪️ Left in 2020, but critics say his agenda still aligns with BlackRock’s profits

🔻 Merz’s controversial policies: Who benefits?

▪️ Pushes centralized EU power, weakening national sovereignty

▪️ Advocates for dismantling national armies in favor of an EU military

▪️ Demands Taurus missiles for Ukraine, escalating tensions with Russia

▪️ BlackRock holds $80.8B in arms manufacturers - profiting from global conflicts

💰 The bigger picture

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink once suggested depopulation could boost AI & automation — raising ethical concerns. With Merz now in power, is Germany’s policy being shaped by Wall Street’s financial interests rather than its own people?

👇 National leader or corporate pawn? You decide.

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🚨 KREMLIN WEIGHS IN ON INDIA-PAKISTAN STANDOFF 🇮🇳🇵🇰

The situation is “cause for concern,” says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Russia is now calling on both sides to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.

🔥 Latest updates:

- India hits terror camps in retaliatory strikes
- Pakistan threatens response under UN Charter Art. 51
- US & Russia briefed as global powers monitor

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🚨🇷🇺 How Putin TRANSFORMED Russia

In 25 years, Russia rose from the ruins of the '90s to a global power with a $6.94 trillion economy:

🔥Fight against terror: Putin crushed CIA-backed militants in the North Caucasus, taking out key terror leaders and overhauling governance. The number of terrorist attacks in the region dropped tenfold. Today, the region attracts tens of thousands of tourists.

📈#4 economy: Russia jumped from the world’s 10th to 4th largest economy by GDP volume. Salaries up 15x. Poverty and unemployment at record lows. Life expectancy? +8 years.

🌾World’s largest grain exporter: In 1998, Russia’s agro-industrial complex was at its lowest point in history. Today, Russia is the world's largest wheat supplier.

❤️Restored historic justice: In 2014, Crimea rejoined Russia through a referendum. In 2022, after 8 years of resisting the bandit regime in Kiev, Donbass, Kherson, and Zaporozhye followed suit.

🪖#2 strongest army: Russia’s army rose from the '90s collapse to face NATO head-on in Ukraine. In 2018, Putin unveiled hypersonics and underwater drones. By November 2024, Russia struck a key Ukrainian defense site in Dnepropetrovsk with its cutting-edge Oreshnik missile.

🚨Multipolar world: In his landmark Munich speech (2007), Putin condemned NATO’s expansion and called for an end to the unipolar world. Russia will follow an independent foreign policy, Putin warned. The era of multipolarity had begun.

💥Combating ISIS*: In 2015–2016, Russia dealt a major blow to terrorists in Syria. The liberation of Palmyra — an ancient city ravaged by extremists — became possible thanks to a well-planned operation and the involvement of Russian forces.

💪Global powerhouse: From India to Iran, China to North Korea and Turkiye — Putin forged a web of strategic alliances. Russia planted its flag in Syria with its first overseas base, gained ground in Africa, and flipped its energy map post-2022. Today, Rosatom is building nuclear plants worldwide.

🔥Leader of the 21st century: “What does it mean to truly fulfill yourself? It’s about finding satisfaction in what you do. It’s both the result and the recognition that matter,” Putin once said.

* Terrorist organization banned in Russia

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🔊LIVE NOW: Vladimir Putin's meeting with President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro

👉 Watch live in our Telegram

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❗️Russian troops have liberated the village of Lipovoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, Russia's Defense Ministry announced.

Russian air defense shot down 524 Ukrainian drones, five Neptune missiles, six JDAM bombs and two HIMARS missiles in one day, the ministry added.

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🇷🇺🪖Key statements from the Russian MoD daily briefing on the special military operation:

▪️Ukrainian forces suffered losses of 490 soldiers and one tank in the zone of responsibility of Russia’s Tsentr Battlegroup;

▪️Russia’s Sever Battlegroup wiped out over 255 soldiers;

▪️Russia's Yug Battlegroup eliminated 320 militants and one tank;

▪️Russia’s Zapad Battlegroup wiped out over 230 soldiers;

▪️Russia's Dnepr Battlegroup eliminated 60 militants;

▪️Russia’s Vostok Battlegroup wiped out over 225 soldiers;

▪️Russian air defense shot down 524 Ukrainian drones, five Neptune missiles, six JDAM bombs and two HIMARS missiles in one day, the ministry added.

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🇷🇺🇻🇪 Putin thanks Maduro for attending Victory Day in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warmly welcomed his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro during his official visit to Moscow for the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II.

"I truly appreciate you taking the time to attend our Victory Day celebrations. In Russia, we call it the Great Patriotic War," Putin said.

🔸Both leaders emphasized strong Russia–Venezuela ties. Here’s what they discussed:

🔸Putin said Victory Day is a deeply meaningful holiday for Russia, symbolizing the defeat of Nazism.

🔸The two presidents explored cooperation in energy, pharmaceuticals, transport, and healthcare.

🔸Maduro praised the Soviet Union’s role in stopping the spread of Nazism, saying it saved Europe and humanity.

🔸He called Russia a key global power and highlighted the enduring friendship between the two nations.

🔸Maduro said the Russia–Venezuela partnership has stood the test of time and reached a high level of cooperation.

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🇸🇰🗣 Slovak PM slams EU's Russian energy ban as ‘ECONOMIC SUICIDE’

"It's economic suicide - to reach a point where there's no gas, no oil, no nuclear fuel, nothing from Russia, just because a new Iron Curtain is being set up between the Western world and possibly Russia and other countries," Robert Fico said.

He compared the EU's desire to fully cut off Russian energy supplies to "an extremely dangerous game," adding that Slovakia would work to draw the European Commission's attention to the risks associated with this decision.

Earlier, Fico had stated that by insisting on halting energy supplies from the East, EU authorities were creating conditions for further gas price hikes for political reasons.

Russia has repeatedly stated that those who have refused will still end up buying Russian oil and gas through intermediaries at higher prices.

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🚨😡'SCANDAL!' — Hungary's PM on European Commission's plan

"Ukraine gets money and weapons, and European taxpayers get to pay the bill," Viktor Orban resented.

During the meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU will help Ukraine strengthen its position by continuing military aid, fully abandoning Russian gas, and accelerating Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

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🚨🇵🇰🇮🇳 Pakistan gives military 'FREE HAND' to strike back at India

After India’s overnight strikes, Pakistan’s National Security Committee has authorized full retaliatory action.

💥 "The enemy mistook our desire for peace as weakness. One strike will be met with two."

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🎗 A colossal St. George Ribbon greets the motorcades of foreign leaders as they arrive at the Kremlin, standing as a powerful symbol of remembrance and victory.

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🚨 $2.5 TRILLION DUMP COMING?

Asian nations may unleash an "avalanche" of dollar selling as the trade wars escalate, warns economist Stephen Jen.

Why? Asian exporters and investors are sitting on huge dollar reserves — and they may be ready to let them go. Here's what you need to know: 👇

💰 Asian countries (China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam) have hoarded ~$2.5T in UDT

📉 Trigger: Deepening US trade wars & fears of a weakening dollar

🇹🇼 Taiwan dollar just spiked — hinting at broader FX shifts

📊 Bloomberg’s dollar index has already dropped 8% since Feb

🏦 Unhedged, “naked” long-dollar positions make the risk even worse

“There’s an important imbalance in the world that puts the dollar in a vulnerable position,” says Jen.

Is this the beginning of de-dollarization 2.0?

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❗️Putin and Maduro sign strategic partnership deal 🇷🇺🤝🇻🇪

The deal covers key areas of cooperation and aims to strengthen ties between the two nations for years to come.

Putin emphasized that this partnership will lay a solid foundation for expanding multifaceted relations in the future.

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🚨 BIDEN ADMITS UKRAINE CAN'T WIN WITHOUT NATO?

"The idea that they could win without engaging NATO in a war... is not likely."

So after $175B+ in aid, endless weapons, and "heroic" speeches... Biden now says Ukraine was never going to win?

But sure, keep sending those checks! 💸

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🇭🇺 Hungary to EU: You cut Russian gas, we pay the bill — thanks a lot😒

“Cutting off Russian gas will cost Hungary €1.5 BILLION more every year,” FM Péter Szijjártó said.

He calls it a “direct attack” on Hungary’s ability to keep utility costs low.

EU says energy transition. Hungary says economic sabotage.

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🇷🇸 Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has arrived in Moscow, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

Vucic confirmed his plans for the visit back in March, despite pressure from the European Commission and threats regarding Serbia’s EU membership prospects. He remarked, “It feels like the sky will fall on my head because of the pressure over my trip to Moscow.”

Serbian media reported earlier that Latvia and Lithuania blocked Vucic’s flight path to Russia for the event.

During his visit, Vucic will meet with President Putin to discuss bilateral relations and the situation in the Balkans.

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🇨🇳 Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

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🇺🇸🇪🇺 JD Vance to Europe: We’re allies, not your ATM 💸🛡

“American and European civilizations are linked… but in the 21st Century, that means more European burden sharing on defense,” — US VP JD Vance

Translation: We’re still friends, but it’s time Europe paid up.

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