🇮🇷 Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warns US to avoid 'miscalculation' — reports

The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned the United States and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation,” saying his forces are “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” according to Associated Press.

AP reported that the remarks, attributed by Nournews to Guard commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, came as US warships were moving toward the Middle East. President Donald Trump said a “massive fleet” was heading toward Iran “just in case,” while US officials confirmed an aircraft carrier group was operating in the Indian Ocean.

🛩 Rising tensions have also affected air travel, with several European airlines canceling or delaying flights to destinations in the region, AP said.

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🚨 Private jet crashes on takeoff at Bangor airport — reports

A private jet carrying eight people crashed during takeoff from Bangor, Maine, on Sunday evening, CNN reported, citing the FAA.

CNN reported that the aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 650, went down around 7:45 p.m. ET, prompting the airport’s closure. The extent of injuries remains unknown, a source briefed on the incident said.

The FAA said it and the NTSB will investigate the crash, which occurred amid low visibility and winter storm conditions in the region.

Photo from social media

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🇷🇺 Russia seeks only binding & enforceable Ukraine settlement – Scott Ritter

The US and Europe must understand that Russia will agree only to a settlement that removes the root causes of the Ukraine conflict, says former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter.

💬 “Russians aren't looking for a deal. They're not gangsters. Real governments don't make deals. Real governments have agreements that are based in writing… All arrangements with the West must be in writing…binding and enforceable,” says Ritter.

According to him, the “deal” being pushed by the West amounts to nothing more than a temporary fix, designed solely to give the Zelensky regime time to catch its breath and rearm.

Russia, by contrast, is “looking for a final solution to the problem – to make sure that this war does not resurrect its ugly head.”

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📈 Gold & silver hit new all-time highs

Gold and silver prices continue rally on Monday morning, reaching all-time highs of over $5,100 and $109 per ounce, respectively, according to trading data.

👉 As of 04:06 GMT, April gold futures on the New York Comex exchange were trading up 1.82% from the previous close, or $91.30, at $5,109.71 per ounce. Earlier in the trading session, prices reached a record high of $5,128.85 per ounce.

March silver futures, meanwhile, are up 6.49% to $107.92 per ounce, hitting fresh record of $109.32 earlier in the session.

Platinum also hit a fresh all-time high at $2,897 per ounce.

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🔸 Kim Jong-un guides creation of memorial sculptures honoring Kursk liberators — reports

🔸 EU 'identity politics' blocks Turkiye’s membership – Fidan

🔸 New Chinese combat drone displays 100% accuracy during live-fire test – report

🔸 Winter storm leaves over 1 million without power across US — reports

🔸 Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warns US to avoid 'miscalculation' — reports

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⚔️ Russian foreign intel head: Western experts admit impossibility to block Russia's Oreshnik missile system

Western experts have acknowledged that they lack the military-technical means to block the Russian ballistic missile system Oreshnik, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergei Naryshkin said.

💬 "Both experts and military specialists admitted that they lack the technical, military-technical means to block these systems," Naryshkin added.

The SVR chief stressed that the reaction in Western military and political circles to the use of the Oreshnik missile system against a military facility in the Lvov region was overwhelming.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that on the night of January 9, the Russian Armed Forces disabled the Lvov State Aircraft Repair Plant with a strike of an Oreshnik mobile ground-based missile system.

The ministry noted that this plant had serviced F-16 and MiG-29 fighter jets donated to Ukraine by the West, and also manufactured attack drones used in strikes against Russian civilian targets.

👉 Read more about Russia’s newest weapons here

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🚨 Kremlin: New round of trilateral Ukraine talks scheduled for next week - precise date pending

Striking a pragmatic note, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that the atmosphere would be unfriendly during negotiations over Ukraine, but as long as the talks are ongoing, the drive to achieve concrete results is necessary.

Other key comments by Dmitry Peskov:

🔸 A conversation with US President Trump is not yet on the agenda, though a dialogue could be coordinated swiftly if needed.

🔸 The territorial aspects of the so-called "Anchorage formula" are a matter of principle and non-negotiable for Russia.

🔸 Russia is in continuous dialogue with Venezuela through diplomatic channels, with Caracas prioritizing its development of relations with Russia.

🔸 The Kremlin deems reports about a possible blockade of Cuba as deeply concerning.

🔸 Russia warns that any military strike against Iran could spark serious regional destabilization and urges restraint by all sides.

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❌ ‘No alternative left’: Ukraine must agree to peace settlement with Russia - Turkish publicist

Continuing the conflict does not serve the interests of Ukraine, and only deepens its long-term dependence on the West, Turkish publicist Oguzhan Sarigul tells Sputnik.

He argues that Ukraine needs to move toward an agreement and abandon further confrontation.

👉 Zelensky, in his opinion, should focus on finding a compromise political solution—one that would protect the population’s interests and prevent an even more prolonged crisis.

Sarigul also warns that rejecting negotiations could, in his view, lead to long-term negative consequences for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The comment came as a security working group involving representatives from Russia, the United States, and Ukraine wrapped up negotiations in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Russia has reiterated that for a settlement in Ukraine it is important to implement the solution formula that was developed in Anchorage, during the meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump.

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⚔️ Trump must hand panic-stricken Zelensky ‘my way or the highway’ ultimatum - ex-US army officer

🗣 "It's probably not three equal partners at this table. There's probably two senior partners, and then the third one who's going to probably be told: here are the terms, accept them, or you're on your own," says retired US Lt. Col. Daniel Davis.

💬 "I warn that Zelensky is in 'something close to a panic' as the pressure from the US reaches a breaking point," Davis adds.

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

◻️ Black Sea Fleet destroyed a Ukrainian unmanned boat

◻️ Russian forces struck energy infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian Army

◻️ Air defense superiority: two guided aerial bombs and 109 drones shot down

◻️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,300 troops killed or wounded

Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE

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🇷🇺🇺🇸 Maintaining positive US-Russia relations is essential - Ex-Alaskan lieutenant governor

Alaska is a bridge between Russia and the US, not just geographically, but historically as well, former Alaska Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman tells Sputnik, adding that he wants the US to "have good relations with Russia".

💬 "Russia explored Alaska and later sold it to the US. At the time, it was a good deal for the Russian czar and Russia... Simultaneously, it was a tremendous deal for the US. And history will show that the value of Alaska as a strategic location is worth an incredible amount of money," Leman says.

📍 He adds that Russia and China play a very important role in the Arctic.

💬 "Look at Russia and China. We need to have good relations with them when it comes to the Arctic. These are huge countries, and if you look at land that abuts the Arctic, Russia has the most. China is also an economic powerhouse, and we want to have a good relationship with them as well," he claims.

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