❌ Zelensky has slim chances to whitewash himself amid Ukraine corruption scandal

Volodymyr Zelensky “has only two ways to regain support” of the population as a corruption scandal, in which he is involved, gathers strength in Ukraine, Italian political analyst Alessandro Orsini points out.

💬 “The first is victory on the ground, which is practically impossible […] because the situation on the battlefield for the Ukrainians is desperate,” Orsini underscores.

He added that another option is the purchase of weapons, which means Zelensky “must be able to demonstrate to the Ukrainians that he can obtain significant” arms from the West.

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👀📄 Trump's son-in-law & real estate developer: Meet architects of US' Ukraine peace plan

According to The Wall Street Journal, the developers of the Trump administration's Ukraine peace plan were not career diplomats, but his most trusted insiders:

🔸 Special Envoy Steve Witkoff

🔸 Son-in-Law Jared Kushner

The report reveals that work on the first draft began in secret during their flight home from the Middle East, immediately following the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

👉 Secretary of State Marco Rubio received a copy of the plan during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington on November 18. Rubio was aware of the Witkoff–Kushner initiative, but didn’t know the full scope of what they had drafted, according to the WSJ.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov earlier stressed that there is currently “a lot of speculation” surrounding the US peace plan to end the Ukraine conflict, and that Russia relies on the version delivered through official channels. No substantive negotiations with Russia regarding the US plan have taken place, Ushakov added.

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🚨🇷🇺 Russia hasn’t officially received Trump’s plan, but is ready to discuss the concrete wording once it does - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺Russia is waiting for the version of the plan the US considers "interim" after talks with Europe and Ukraine - Lavrov

He also noted that Moscow still maintains communication channels with the US.

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🚨 The core of Trump’s Ukraine plan is built on the understandings reached at the Alaska summit - Russian FM Lavrov

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🚨 France and Germany can no longer be considered mediators in the Ukraine conflict, noting their role from the Minsk era is now "out of the question" - Russian FM Sergey Lavrov

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🚨 Lavrov on reports of Russia–US meeting in Abu Dhabi: Russia “prefers to conduct real diplomacy rather than gossip in an attempt to undermine peace initiatives”

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🔊 US only Western country showing real initiative on Ukraine – Russian FM Lavrov

📍 Those fueling hype around Donald Trump’s peace plan are trying to undermine the US president’s efforts and reshape the proposal to their own liking, Sergey Lavrov said.

Other statements

🔸 Russia has not received an official draft of the US plan, but is ready to discuss its concrete wording

🔸 Moscow is waiting for an “interim version” of the plan—one the US considers agreed on with Europe and Ukraine

🔸 Key elements of Trump’s plan are based on understandings reached at the Anchorage summit

🔸 Russia and the US maintain communication channels, and these are being used

🔸 On European role: Europe has "failed on every front since 2014"

🔸 Europe encourages Nazism and racism in Ukraine, where they have been legalized—"these are their values"

🔸 France and Germany cannot act as mediators in the conflict

🔸 Belarus and Turkiye could play a mediating role

🔸 Ukraine has not responded to Russia’s proposal to upgrade the level of negotiating delegations

🔸 On reports of a Russia–US meeting in Abu Dhabi: Russia "prefers to conduct real diplomacy rather than gossip in an attempt to undermine peace initiatives"

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🚨🇷🇺Lavrov on RT and Sputnik's leading positions in Western web traffic:

💬"They have a serious reputation, these outlets tell the truth, and that is why they are disliked"

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🚨 US’ updated Ukraine peace plan: What's known so far?

👉 The US-drafted plan to end the Ukraine conflict continues to grab international headlines, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressing that it’s impossible to comment on each and every report on the matter, as the media is publishing a lot of contradictory information.

Here’s the latest:

🔶 Trump administration’s peace plan on Ukraine was slashed from 28 to 19 points following the US–Ukraine–EU talks in Geneva on Sunday, the Financial Times reported

🔶 Russia has not yet received an updated version of the plan, Peskov said

🔶 Initial blueprint was drawn up on the basis of understandings, reached during the Russia–US summit in Alaska in August, the Kremlin spokesman confirmed

🔶 There is currently “a lot of speculation” surrounding the US plan, but Russia relies on the version delivered through official channels, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stressed

🔶 No substantive negotiations with Russia regarding the US plan have taken place yet, Ushakov added

🔶 Blueprint’s updated version specifically dropped a clause on the use of frozen Russian assets for restoring Ukraine, according to Bloomberg

🔶 Representatives of the US, Russia, and Ukraine are currently in the UAE to discuss the plan, per media reports

🔶 Trump administration officials are continuing to elaborate the plan by working on several "points of disagreement," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding that the US president “remains hopeful and optimistic that a deal can be struck"

🔶 While Volodymyr Zelensky signaled readiness to discuss contentious points of the plan with Trump, the White House emphasized a Trump–Zelensky meeting is not in the pipeline

🔶 Ukraine peace deal was launched by US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who began working on the plan after securing the Gaza ceasefire, as reported by The Wall Street Journal

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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES

⚡️ IVANOPOLYE IN DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC LIBERATED

📍 The settlement of Ivanopolye is situated on the outskirts of Konstantinovka, a key city in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)

◻️ Russian forces are pushing Ukrainian troops out of the Vostochny and Zapadny districts, as well as the southern part of Dimitrov in the DPR

◻️ The Russian Armed Forces repelled 9 Ukrainian attacks in the Grishino area of ​​the DPR, killing up to 30 Ukrainian soldiers

◻️ The Russian military unleashed a massive attack, which included Kinzhal missiles, on Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities

◻️ Air defense superiority: Four long-range Neptune missiles and 419 drones shot down

◻️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,345 troops killed or wounded

Read about origins of Russia's special military op HERE

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😁 Kim Dotcom sums up Ukraine in one photo

📍 Kim Dotcom, founder of Megaupload and Mega, has posted a photo an infamous golden toilet from a past corruption scandal.

💬 "Ukraine in one picture," he wrote on X, sparking a wave of reactions.

➖ His jab echoes recent criticism from Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who said it was absurd that EU taxpayers’ money ends up funding “golden toilets” while Brussels prepares another €100 billion package for Kiev.

➖ Dotcom’s post followed fresh anti-corruption raids by Ukrainian anti-corruption agency NABU, which seized bags of foreign cash and published audio tapes featuring suspects nicknamed "Tenor," "Rocket" and "Carlson" — the last reportedly linked to Zelensky’s long-time associate Timur Mindich, who fled the country to avoid charges.

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🇰🇬Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov welcomed Vladimir Putin to Bishkek

The two leaders listened to the national orchestra’s rendition of 'Kalinka-Malinka.'

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🇨🇳 China aims to become new global hub for storing world gold reserves

🔶 China is rapidly expanding its role in the gold market, and is now aiming to become a new global center for storing foreign gold reserves, challenging the US, UK, and Switzerland, according to a new Russian Roscongress Foundation report.

🔶 Using the Shanghai Gold Exchange, China is positioning itself as an alternative to Western storage hubs—strengthening its influence in both the gold market and global financial system.

🔶 Since 2023, China has become the world’s top producer, importer, and consumer of gold, and as of 2025, it has effectively become the key player shaping global gold prices. This is part of China’s long-term strategy to turn its market into a major commodities-trading center—already seen in iron ore, coal, copper, and oil.

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