🇦🇲☦️🤔Pashinyan targets businessman and church: Political vendetta ahead of 2026 elections?

The accusations against Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan are politically motivated, Tigran Kocharyan, chief editor of the Alpha News media project, tells Sputnik.

"They began after Samvel Karapetyan expressed support for the Armenian Apostolic Church, stating that if politicians failed to protect it, he would do so in his own way. This angered Prime Minister [Nikol] Pashinyan," Kocharyan says.

🗣He argues the prosecution is purely political, noting that Karapetyan dared to defend the Armenian Apostolic Church, with which Pashinyan has a strained relationship, and that the PM views Karapetyan as a potential rival in the 2026 elections.

That may be why the Armenian parliament recently passed a law allowing the nationalization of the electrical grid – owned by Karapetyan.

"Pashinyan seeks to take this asset from him, as he believes that by doing so, Karapetyan would lose influence over the employees of the electric grids — several thousand workers — thus cutting off his support base," Kocharyan suggests.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the only institution that truly unites the nation, he says.

👉"Pashinyan's tensions with the Church escalated after the Catholicos attended an event in Switzerland discussing the return of Artsakh residents and prisoners held in Baku," Kocharyan says, referring to the 2023 war with Azerbaijan.

"This triggered a new phase of conflict with the Church. Many say that Pashinyan has crossed all limits of decency and diplomacy in his interactions with the Church's hierarchy, using language that is unacceptable to many," he adds.

👉"Considering Pashinyan and his circle are not the most devout followers of the Church — and his personal statements about not being officially married or being unwed in the Church — many people question his sincerity in his stance against the Church, especially when he criticizes it for alleged moral failings," Kocharyan argues.

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📹INTERNAL CHAOS IN UKRAINE'S ELITE FORCES

🫥Increasing desertions are shaking the ranks of Ukraine's once-elite Da Vinci Wolves battalion, reveals captured soldier Limar Osmanov.

The unit, once celebrated for its prowess, now faces a morale crisis.

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🚨EU prepares countermeasures against US tariffs

As the US goes ahead with a 30% tariff on imports from the European Union from August 1, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signals readiness to retaliate.

The EU aims to protect its key supply chains and mitigate damage to businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic.

US President Donald Trump sent letters to Mexico and the EU announcing that they will be subject to a 30% tariff on exports to the United States.

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📹Saudi Arabia eyes Russia's participation in Future Minerals Forum

Saudi Minister Bandar Alkhorayef tells Sputnik that preparations are underway for a potential Russian role in next year’s flagship mining industry event.

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🚨Slovak prime minister acknowledges Russia’s military dominance in Ukraine

Russia continues to dominate Ukraine militarily and is strengthening economically, despite European sanctions, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has admitted at a press conference.

Fico criticized the 18th sanctions package, stating it had no real impact, calling the ongoing sanctions strategy "tragicomic." He emphasized that Russia's military superiority on the ground in Ukraine remains unchanged and that the European Union's belief in the effectiveness of sanctions is misguided.

🗣"In my view, sanctions against a country like Russia don't work," Fico said, echoing previous statements of his from June.

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🔥RUSSIA SLAMS NATO’S BALTIC SEA FANTASIES

"Regardless of NATO's fantasies, the Baltic Sea remains a shared space for all regional countries," says Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin.

Barbin criticizes NATO’s growing militarization in the Baltic, especially with Denmark advocating for a stronger NATO presence in the region – raising tensions and increasing the risk of conflict.

🗣 "International law guarantees freedom of navigation in the Baltic beyond territorial seas," Barbin stressed, reinforcing Russia’s position on maintaining open access.

👉 With NATO's expansion and increased activities in Northern Europe, Russia voices concerns over the alliance's use of countries like Denmark, Sweden and Finland to solidify its military presence near Russia’s borders.

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🇲🇩🙅🏻‍♂️🇪🇺LUKASHENKO TO MOLDOVA: DON'T RUSH INTO EU!

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has warned Moldova not to rush into the European Union as "no one is waiting for you there."

In a meeting with former Moldovan President Igor Dodon, Lukashenko reminded Moldova of how Europe treated Ukraine, blocking its grain exports.

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📹 'If we admit Ukraine, we admit the war' — Hungarian PM Victor Orban on Ukraine's 'readiness' to join the EU

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📹RUSSIAN D-30 HOWITZER DESTROYS UKRAINIAN DRONE CONTROL POST

During a reconnaissance mission, a Russian Orlan-10 UAV spotted a Ukrainian drone control post in an abandoned building. Using the coordinates, a Russian D-30 howitzer obliterated the position, taking out the enemy troops as well. 💥🪖

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😏Russian drones outsmart Ukraine

Russia is successfully suppressing Ukraine's air defenses using evolving drone systems, a Swiss newspaper reports.

"Russia is increasingly successful with large drone swarms," the publication states. Ukrainian forces are struggling to counter Russia’s systems, which continuously integrate new technologies.

Recently, Ukrainian commanders provided inaccurate data on UAV countermeasures, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

Russian drones are equipped with more powerful engines, improved navigation, and more resilient antennas. Additionally, they operate at altitudes of over three kilometers, making them unreachable for basic air defenses like machine guns, the newspaper writes.

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🕊❌Peace in Ukraine is IMPOSSIBLE until Zelensky is removed — Finnish expert

“It is NOT possible to solve this conflict with Zelensky at the helm and the fascist factions, who are truly controlling Ukraine, intact,” Professor Tuomas Malinen wrote on X.

He also called on the US president “to remove the Zelensky administration.”

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🇷🇺✈️ LAVROV LANDS IN CHINA AFTER HIGH-PROFILE VISIT TO NORTH KOREA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting.

The meeting in China is a key step in preparing for the SCO summit scheduled for August 30 – September 1 in Tianjin, Russia's Foreign Ministry noted.

Prior to this, Lavrov was in Wonsan, North Korea, where he met with Kim Jong-un and FM Choe Son-hui. He was seen off with full honors.

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🇷🇺🇰🇵 LAVROV THANKS KIM JONG-UN FOR SUPPORT IN KURSK REGION

During talks in Wonsan, Sergey Lavrov expressed gratitude to Kim Jong-un for North Korea’s military participation in the liberation of Russia’s Kursk region, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Both sides also agreed that the US and its allies are fueling rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

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😑 Drain Russia? Think again – US colonel breaks ranks on Ukraine strategy

Ukraine and its Western partners must realize that Russia cannot be forced to do anything, retired US Army Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis said, speaking on his YouTube channel.

Davis slammed the Western assumption that sanctions or economic pressure will force Moscow to back down in Ukraine.

“If you think you're going to drain Russia, if you think their economy's going to collapse and somehow that's going to make them stop the war – there's no actual evidence of it,” he said.

On the contrary, Davis said all indicators point to “that there's nothing that you can do that's going to stop them either economically, diplomatically or militarily.”

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🪖⚔️GERMANY GOES ALL-IN: Merz ditches diplomacy for full war escalation against Russia

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is going all-in on military escalation, abandoning diplomacy and doubling down on arming Kiev, according to Cypriot journalist Alex Christoforou.

“No more diplomacy with Russia. In other words, Germany is going all-in to continue the conflict with Russia or at least to use Ukraine until there's nothing left to continue to fight Russia,” the co-host of the Duran said.

Christoforou warns that Berlin’s hardline stance is provoking more Ukrainian aggression, feeding illusions of victory while sidelining any hope for peace.

“Germany will continue to send weapons. It will keep pushing Ukraine to fight Russia,” he added.

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❔Forgotten history, failed policy – trust in US diplomacy hits rock bottom

US elites have little understanding of Russian history and pursue an erratic foreign policy, The American Conservative writes.

“Americans who do not know or acknowledge Russia’s history are unable to understand Russian thinking, thus compromising their ability to consummate agreements with Russia,” the article states.

The piece highlights how constant threats to weaken Russia, push for regime change, impose sanctions, and erode trust have destroyed any chance of genuine diplomacy.

“This kind of behavior violates centuries-old diplomatic norms. After witnessing this devious and destructive behavior, who will trust the US to negotiate in good faith? What does an agreement with the US mean?” the outlet notes.

The US has become an unreliable negotiator – and Moscow knows it, the article concludes.

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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIA'S MoD UPDATE: CRUSHING GAINS & MASSIVE UKRAINIAN LOSSES

⚡️KARLO-MARKSOVO (DPR) LIBERATED

⚡️NIKOLAEVKA (DPR) LIBERATED

▫️ Heavy Ukrainian losses: Over 1,220 troops eliminated in the special military operation zone

▫️ Air defense superiority: 215 drones shot down

▫️ The Russian Armed Forces wiped out two launchers and a radar station of a Ukrainian Armed Forces Patriot anti-aircraft missile system

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🎯💥BLIND AND CUT OFF: Russian drones decimate Ukraine’s comms in Kharkov region

Russian drone crews are systematically taking out Ukrainian comms hubs and UAV relays, leaving frontline positions blind and exposed.

Starlink terminals are top targets – without them, Ukrainian units lose coordination and situational awareness.

⚔️The result: Russian forces are steadily advancing through a digitally paralyzed battlefield.

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🇷🇺 PUTIN SNUBBED US DELEGATION FOR DISRESPECT TO RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD

In a newly released interview, Vladimir Putin recalled refusing to speak with a visiting US delegation in St. Petersburg after one member rudely mistreated a Russian border guard.

💬 “He represents the state. Disrespecting him means disrespecting Russia,” Putin told Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin.

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