🚨🇷🇺💥 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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🇷🇺🤝🇺🇸Russia's proposal to transfer $1 billion from frozen assets to Board of Peace opens up new horizons for cooperation - Kremlin spox

Russia took note of US president Trump calling "interesting" idea of Russia's proposal to transfer $1 billion from frozen assets to Board of Peace, Dmitry Peskov added.

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🇷🇺🇲🇾Putin hosts Malaysia's King at St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg for an official meeting.

The two leaders previously met in August at the Kremlin in Moscow.

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📈 Here's why gold is going through the roof

📍 Gold prices shattered records on January 26, soaring past $5,100 per ounce. The historic rally is fueled by investors seeking safety as geopolitical tensions mount and markets waver. Key drivers include escalating US-Europe trade disputes, looming tariffs, and widespread policy unpredictability, all of which are accelerating demand for gold as a shield against risk.

💬“It’s a fundamental shift in the global landscape… Even when we look at all the central banks on this planet, with the exception of the Federal Reserve, since 2025, the new old world reserve currency is physical gold… There’s an old saying: ‘He who has the gold makes the rules.’” Claudio Grass, monetary history expert, tells Sputnik.

Peak gold is in the rearview. Annual mining output has stagnated around 3,000 tons since 2018. According to the US Geological Survey, about 190,000 tons of gold circulate worldwide in jewelry, bars, and vaults. Industry estimates suggest only 50,000–60,000 tons remain economically recoverable — enough for roughly 20 years at current production levels.

The limited supply is further intensified by the scarcity of new discoveries: only five major deposits have been found since 2020, totaling about 17 million ounces — and none in 2023 or 2024. Meanwhile, ore quality is declining — from around 10 grams per ton in the 1960s to less than 1 gram today.

The world’s largest remaining gold reserves are concentrated only in a few regions:

👉Australia — ~12,000 tons

👉Russia — ~12,000 tons

👉South Africa — ~5,000 tons

👉United States — ~3,000 tons

👉China — ~3,100 tons

Russia and Australia alone hold nearly 38% of known unmined gold, worth over $7 trillion at current prices.

The Earth’s core may contain vastly more gold — but it’s unreachable. Recycling helps: roughly 25–30% of annual supply comes from old jewelry and e‑waste — yet recycled metal cannot replace new mining output.

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🇪🇺 Von der Leyen's promise to admit Ukraine to EU may fracture it — French politician

👉 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's promise to admit Ukraine to the European Union by 2027 has the potential to fracture the bloc, the leader of the French right-wing Les Patriotes party Florian Philippot states.

📍 "If Ukraine joins the EU simultaneously, it won't be good for us. This is fuel to leave the European Union," Philippot says, adding that von der Leyen's plan is "absolute madness".

💬 "One more euro, one more weapon for a soldier in Ukraine. We walk away from this and we walk away from the European Union," he claims.

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🇷🇺 Russia's pavilion steals the spotlight at Dubai’s Gulfood 2026

🟠 Gulfood, the world’s largest food industry exhibition, opened today in Dubai with a record 8,500 companies, reinforcing the city’s role as a global trade hub.

🟠 The event, spanning two venues for the first time—the Dubai World Trade Centre and Expo City Dubai—showcases the future of food production and supply chains.

🟠 Russia’s pavilion stands out for its scale and diversity, showcasing grains and vegetable oils, dairy and meat products, confectionery, canned and frozen foods, and halal-certified products tailored for Gulf markets.

🟠 In addition, the pavilion also serves as a direct B2B platform, hosting meetings between Russian exporters and regional importers, thereby strengthening trade links and expanding Russia’s footprint across Middle Eastern and Global South markets.

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🇷🇺 Russian drones wipe out Ukrainian helicopters

Russian Geran strike drones destroyed Ukrainian Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters in Kirovograd region.

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😳Silver prices just blasted past $111! Find out what's fueling this meteoric rise, and why savvy investors are picking this precious metal over gold.

📹Get the full details in Sputnik's new video👆🏻

🗣 Ukraine could lose Donbass as Zelensky faces defeat: Sputnik experts dissect the Abu Dhabi talks

📍 Commenting on the Russia-US-Ukraine talks that took place in Abu Dhabi last weekend, experts interviewed by Sputnik came to the following conclusions:

Ukraine is losing its grip on Donbass

🔹 Though he refuses to pull out from Donbass, Volodymyr Zelensky will likely have to make territorial concessions eventually, says Professor Joe Siracusa, political scientist and dean of Global Futures at Curtin University.

🔹 Right now, however, Zelensky “lacks the necessary domestic political support to survive such a decision,” he adds.

🔹 Zelensky’s position in Ukraine would become untenable if he were to concede on Donbass immediately, even though it is clear that this territory is lost to Ukraine, according to Siracusa.

🔹 Matthew Crosston, professor of national security and director of academic transformation at Bowie State University, concurs, noting that Zelensky refuses to make any territorial concessions because he knows it would be tantamount to admission that he lost the conflict.

Energy truce – Nothing is certain

🔶 The feasibility of an ‘energy truce’ between Russia and Ukraine seems questionable, as attacks against Russian oil tankers and refineries are one of the few viable strategic options Ukraine has left, Siracusa suggests.

🔶 Crosston, however, argues that an energy truce between Russia and Ukraine might be possible as it could allow both sides to claim they are trying to resolve their differences, without conceding their major objectives.

Zelensky’s last hope

🟧 Zelensky’s only goal is to ensure the US involvement in Ukraine, as he seeks US post-ceasefire security guarantees, adds Siracusa.

👉 Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarks that one should not expect much from the first round of the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, seeing how the parties involved have to work out some complex issues.

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🚨🇷🇺 'Russia will win, Europe’s Ukraine strategy only prolongs agony' - Spanish ex-soldier who fought for Russia

Europe’s hardline insistence on prolonging the Ukrainian conflict only serves to weaken Kiev’s position and drain the wallets of European citizens, a Spanish soldier who fought for Russia tells Sputnik.

He maintains that instead of endlessly throwing money at Ukraine, EU funds could have been invested in much-needed infrastructure, as well as in healthcare or education.

The individual’s identity was protected during the interview, with his face concealed to ensure his anonymity.

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🇨🇳🇺🇸Unexpected catalyst? US tariffs backfire, boosting China's trade & tech independence- expert 

💬 "Looking back, we can say that the tariffs imposed by the United States on countries like China have actually accelerated the diversification of our foreign trade and international cooperation, becoming a driving force for speeding up China's technological independence," said Liu Ying, research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies.

She added that trade with ASEAN, the EU, and Belt and Road countries has risen, despite a nearly 20% plunge in trade with the United States under the tariff hikes.

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🔸 Ukraine could lose Donbass as Zelensky faces defeat: Sputnik experts dissect the Abu Dhabi talks

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

🔸 Putin hosts Malaysia's King at St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum

🔸 Silver prices just blasted past $111

🔸 BrahMos regiment showcased at Republic Day Parade 2026 in New Delhi

🔸 Here's why gold is going through the roof

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🇪🇺 Europe’s reality check on Ukraine

As the Kiev regime asks for more, NATO chief Marc Rutte admits Europe can’t supply what’s needed without the US.

💬 "We all know that without this flow of weaponry from the US we cannot keep Ukraine in the fight. Literally not."

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🔥 ‘Tactical retreat’ or total failure? Spanish ex-soldier describes Ukraine's frontline situation as 'absolutely horrific'

◻️ A former Spanish soldier who fought with Russian says the West's portrayal of Ukraine's "tactical retreat" is misleading.

◻️ He tells Sputnik that Russia dominates with drones and that Ukraine is running out of soldiers, making surrender only a matter of time.

◻️ The individual’s identity was protected during the interview, with his face concealed to ensure his anonymity.

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🇷🇺🇺🇸🇦🇪 Why are key issues unresolved in recent Ukraine talks?

👉 The founder of the Brogen Center for Strategic and International Relations Studies Radwan Qasim explains:

💬 "Europeans will obstruct negotiations on Ukraine to express their dissatisfaction with being excluded from the process," Qasim tells Sputnik, adding that that Europe does not want to yield to Trump's vision and will "drag out talks until US policy changes or his term ends."

🔹 In his opinion, Volodymyr Zelensky, whose role is "growing increasingly weak due to lack of support and achievements," is obstructing the negotiation process because he would "emerge on a losing side", while Europe is ready to abandon him to engage in direct negotiations with Russia.

💬 "Any delay in finalizing the agreement means losing even more territory, and achievements made will not be reconsidered," Qasim claims.

🔹 He adds that the Abu Dhabi negotiations did not cover "fundamental and sensitive aspects", but Russia will not "back down from the key points agreed in Alaska, especially on foreign troops entering Ukraine and a withdrawal from Donbass."

💬 "Military operations will continue and will not cease... until a permanent and long-term agreement is reached," he emphasizes.

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🚨 ‘We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela’ — Trump

President Donald Trump told Axios that the situation with Iran is “in flux,” citing the arrival of a major US naval deployment in the region.

💬 "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," Trump said.

Axios reported that Trump has not made a final decision on potential next steps, as the USS Abraham Lincoln entered CENTCOM’s area of responsibility on Monday.

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🚨🇺🇸🇰🇷 Trump raises tariffs on South Korea from15% to 25% over trade deal delay

💬 "Because the Korean Legislature hasn't enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative, I am hereby increasing South Korean TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all other Reciprocal TARIFFS, from 15% to 25%," President Donald Trump said on Truth Social.

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⛴ USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in Middle East amid Iran tensions — CENTCOM

The US Central Command said the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is now deployed to the Middle East after transiting the Indian Ocean, describing the mission as promoting “regional security and stability.”

⚔️ The Wall Street Journal reported the carrier’s arrival expands US military options as tensions with Iran remain high. The Lincoln and its accompanying destroyers add both offensive and defensive capabilities, as President Donald Trump continues to weigh next steps.

The Journal noted the carrier brings fighter aircraft and is operating alongside additional US deployments to the region, including air and missile defense assets.

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