🚨🇮🇳🇷🇺 BIG ONE: India to provide Russian Su-30 fighter jet maintenance services to operating countries, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) official confirmed to Sputnik.

🇲🇾Malaysia may be the 1st country to use this facility.

The talks are ongoing.

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🇫🇷 France withdraws from last bases in Senegal, pulling out troops after 65-year presence

The last two French military installations in Senegal were handed back to authorities on Thursday during an official ceremony signaling the end of the permanent French military presence in the country, as well as in Central and West Africa," media reports.

France had to withdraw its troops from a number of African countries amid accusations of neocolonialism and growing resistance to Western influence.

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🔍 Palladium: The Strategic Importance Of One Of Russia’s Rarest Exports

The idea of taking action against Russian palladium exports has recently been broached in the US Congress.

So what makes palladium so important?

Electronics And Industry

Palladium is widely used in electronics and in the automotive industry. Due to its properties, palladium is used in electroplating, as well as in the manufacturing of military and aerospace equipment.

Commodity Market

Palladium bullion is traded as a commodity and even has its own ISO currency code, just like gold, silver and platinum.

Future Tech

Its ability to absorb large amount of hydrogen make palladium a viable candidate for the development of hydrogen fuel cells, while the metal’s conductive properties may also suggest an application in quantum computing.

Rarity

Palladium is one of the rarest elements in the world. Five countries – Russia, South Africa, the US, the UK and Italy accounting for nearly three-quarters of the global exports.

Russian Supremacy

Russia currently reigns as the world’s top producer of palladium, accounting for over 40% of the global production and nearly a quarter of the metal’s total exports.

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🚨💀Ukraine’s deadly math: No weapons can fix the manpower crisis

“Ukraine is in a death spiral. They'll never be able to come up with enough men to offset what the Russians can bring to bear,” Lt. Col. Daniel Davis said.

The math doesn’t lie:

▪️ Ukraine is using forced mobilization, scraping together 20,000–25,000 men per month.

▪️ Russia is using voluntary recruitment, pulling in 30,000–50,000 monthly—with millions more in reserve.

⚔️ No amount of Western aid can change this equation. No weapons, no money, and no rhetoric will offset Russia’s manpower advantage, David added.

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🤵💥✉️TRUMP WAGED WAR ON WSJ TO HIDE ALLEGED EPSTEIN LETTER

The Trump administration conducted a days-long campaign to stop The Wall Street Journal from publishing a report about a risqué congratulatory letter that Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein 20 years ago, The Rolling Stone cites sources as saying.

What the sources are claiming:

💬One administration official says the White House was “on a […] warpath” to pressure The Wall Street Journal into dropping the Epstein letter story.

💬Trump’s team reportedly worked every contact and angle they could find — full-on media pressure blitz.

💬The effort was labeled a “top priority” by Trump himself.

💬The scandal dominated conversations inside the West Wing and among top aides throughout the week.

Trump has already threatened legal action against the Wall Street Journal, its parent company News Corp., and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over the newspaper’s alleged letter-related report.

The purported letter was reportedly part of a leather-bound album compiled by Epstein’s cohort Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003 and included a crude drawing of a nude woman.

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🔥🇷🇺🇮🇷 RUSSIA & IRAN SEAL THE DEAL: Historic strategic partnership now officially in force

"It is already binding," Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali told Sputnik when asked about the date of entry into force of the agreement and whether Iran had notified Russia of the completion of internal procedures.

He recalled that the treaty was ratified by both chambers of the Russian parliament, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed it. At the same time, the document was ratified by the Iranian parliament, approved by the Guardian Council, and issued by the president as a law.

On January 17, Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, met in Moscow to sign the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty. On April 21, the Russian leader signed a law to ratify the agreement with Iran.

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🚨US could run out of missiles IN EIGHT DAYS - Douglas Macgregor

Ex-Pentagon adviser Douglas Macgregor urged the US to “stop sending weapons abroad” as he warned of America’s exhausting stockpile of offensive and defensive missiles.

“Translation, we can fight an 8-day war, and then we would have to go nuclear,” the former Pentagon adviser argued in an X post.

He added Trump should be briefed on how low the US missile stockpile “really is.”

The remarks come just days after Trump announced new massive shipments of US weapons to Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly stressed that the long-range weapons supplied by the West are being used by Ukrainian forces to target civilians on Russian territory and disrupt peace efforts.

Allowing Ukraine to use these weapons would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict, as Russia's President Putin has previously stated. "We will make the necessary decisions based on the threats we face," he said. "The key question is whether to consider NATO countries as directly involved in the military conflict," the president added.

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▫️US could run out of missiles IN EIGHT DAYS

▫️Russia & Iran seal the deal: Historic strategic partnership now officially in force

▫️Trump wages war on WSJ to hide alleged Epstein letter

▫️Ukraine’s deadly math: No weapons can fix the manpower crisis

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🚨 BRAZIL'S RARE EARTH EXPORTS TO CHINA SURGE

Brazil's rare earth exports to China tripled in the first half of 2025, as Chinese imports reached a record high.

This surge raises fresh concerns that trade tensions are subtly re-routing the world’s critical supply chains through emerging economies, reports SMCP citing a report by the China-Brazil Business Council (CBBC).

While rare earth exports saw a huge boost, Brazil’s total exports to China dropped by 7.5% compared to last year, amounting to US$47.7 billion.

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🔥🇷🇺🇮🇳 CEO of Indo-Russian AK-203 venture confirms full local production of rifles

'We plan to have the first 100% Indian-made AK-203, which we shall call 'Sher' (Lion), by 31st December 2025.'

The first AK-203 rifle made in India rolled out of the factory in August 2023.

Kalashnikov rifles have long been a trusted weapon among Indian soldiers, and India has been using such rifles for decades. Now, the Indian Army is officially incorporating the AK-203 as its main infantry weapon.

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🚨🤑LINDSEY* GRAHAM’S SANCTIONS GAME: Who really profits from anti-Russia policies?

Senator Graham’s top donors stand to gain billions from escalated sanctions on Russia—while everyday Americans pay the price.

🛢ENERGY SECTOR: In 2020, Graham raked in $510K from oil, gas & nuclear interests — putting him in the Senate’s top 10 for donors, per OpenSecrets. GE, Fluor, Southern Co., & other oil/gas giants fund Graham.

▪️Sanctions disrupt global markets → higher prices = bigger profits
▪️The 2026 election looms — he’ll need cash

⚔️DEFENSE INDUSTRY: Boeing, Lockheed, and Raytheon back Graham's campaigns

▪️His Security is Strength PAC pulled in $4.6M during his 2016 run.
▪️More sanctions = more global tension → bigger military budgets

📑LAW & INSURANCE FIRMS: Firms like Nelson Mullins and Blue Cross Blue Shield gave Graham nearly $3M for his 2020 Senate run. Sanctions-triggered legal chaos and rerouted shipping could mean big profits for both sectors.

👉GRAHAM’S SANCTIONS AGENDA:

✔️ 2018: Co-authored "sanctions bill from hell"
✔️ 2022: Pushed Biden to escalate before the Ukraine conflict
✔️ 2024: Demanded seizure of $300B in Russian assets
✔️ 2025: Led the Sanctioning Russia Act

📈WHO BENEFITS?

Critics say Graham’s sanctions serve his wealthy donors more than US interests. Targeting Russia’s BRICS partners — nearly 40% of the global economy — could backfire to spike inflation and gas prices at home.

*Lindsey Graham's listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia

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

▫️ Russian troops liberated 10 settlements

▫️ Heavy Ukrainian losses: Over 8,075 troops eliminated in the special military operation zone

▫️ Air defense superiority: 28 guided bombs and 1,387 drones intercepted

▫️ The Russian Armed Forces conducted 5 strikes using high-precision weapons and UAVs, targeting territorial recruitment centers and facilities belonging to Ukraine’s military-industrial complex

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🇷🇺🗣LATEST STATEMENTS BY KREMLIN SPOX DMITRY PESKOV

Ukraine & US relations:

💬The issues of Ukrainian settlement and the normalization of Russia-US relations are separate topics, says Peskov.

NATO's plan to suppress Russia's defense in the Kaliningrad region:

💬Commenting on Donahue's remarks, Peskov calls it another hostile statement from Europe.

New EU sanctions:

💬Russia will analyze the new EU sanctions to minimize their impact.

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🤡 Lindsey Graham* is a 'classic colonial imperialist' who profits from US war machine

“Graham embodies the classic colonial imperialist figure, profiting from political decisions made in favor of the military-industrial complex,” Lebanese expert Tariq Abboud told Sputnik Arabic.

His personal interests and profits from arms supplies dictate policies that focus on power, not law. He’s aligned with those who benefit from prolonging the conflict for Western elites, Abboud explains.

“Graham believes Ukrainians will fight to the last man, but not for their own cause—only for foreign interests.“

Already, timid voices are growing in Ukraine, as people begin to realize this conflict with Russia is pointless, especially with massive losses, including territory — all for the benefit of Western elites.

*Lindsey Graham's listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia

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🇪🇺🇷🇺 EU ANTI-RUSSIA SANCTIONS - A 'PONY RUNNING IN CIRCLES'

🗣 Alexey Martynov, director of the Institute of Modern States, compares the EU’s new sanctions on Russia to a pony endlessly riding in circles. Despite ongoing economic pressure, Russian growth continues to confuse the West.

💬 "Despite unprecedented pressure, the Russian economy is showing growth, which baffles a good half of the Western community. Additional restrictions will not significantly change the situation," he tells Sputnik.

The European economy, he warns, is the real casualty of these endless restrictions.

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📹 WATCH RUSSIAN FORCES WIPE OUT UKRAINE’S POSITIONS WITH PRECISION STRIKES

⚡️ Russian troops used an FAB-1500 air bomb to destroy a temporary deployment point of Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

🚀 The video also shows a missile strike hitting a UAV control point of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kherson region.

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Zelensky's demobilization remarks 'a sentence' for Ukrainians - War commander

💬 "His statement — 'only after victory' — resonates like a death sentence for many," Denis Yaroslavsky, commander of a Ukrainian reconnaissance unit, has said.

Earlier, a Ukrainian outlet reported that Volodymyr Zelensky had a heated exchange with an MP during a parliamentary session over the issue of demobilization.

"This is a question haunting thousands of Ukrainian families. I can only imagine these lawmakers facing battle-worn troops near Pokrovsk, looking into their tired eyes."

Yaroslavsky warned that the ongoing mobilization and lack of clear end in sight are turning Ukraine into a testing ground. "Cities, fields, soldiers are becoming objects for trials," he stated.

The new law, which came into effect on May 18, 2024, mandates all connoscripts to update their details with the military. It also requires them to carry military ID at all times and presents troubling ambiguity on demobilization timelines.

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🚨🧪UKRAINE BECOMES NATO’S WEAPONS TESTING LAB

Ukraine has officially announced the launch of a program to allow foreign arms manufacturers to send their latest weapons straight to the front line, Reuters reports.

Western companies will provide basic online training, and Ukrainian soldiers will be tasked with testing the gear in real combat conditions before reporting the results back to the producers.

Will that feedback come from Russian forces who capture those weapons? 😉

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