🇨🇺 Cuba to prioritize fuel for essential services amid US blockade - minister

The Cuban government will prioritize fuel supplies for essential services, including healthcare, food production, water supply, and key economic activities, amid ongoing energy difficulties linked to the US blockade, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said.

💬 “First, the fuel available in the country is guaranteed, first and foremost, to ensure the protection of essential services to the population and fundamental economic activities,” the minister said.

He said electricity generation will rely mainly on thermal power plants using domestic crude oil, along with associated gas from oil production and renewable energy sources, which he noted have expanded faster than initially planned. Authorities have also prioritized the stable operation of water supply systems.

💬 “We have been suffering from a number of restrictions… the country comes from a complex economic situation where we have energy restrictions, water restrictions, and difficulties with food as a result of the [US] blockade,” Pérez-Oliva Fraga said.

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🇩🇪 Germany's export revenues stall amid EU's anti-Russia sanctions & US trade spat

Germany's export revenues have stagnated for the third consecutive year, according to Sputnik's analysis of Eurostat data.

👉Five years ago, Germany was one of Russia's key European trading partners, with German industry primarily reliant on Russian gas. However, in 2022, the situation changed: Germany joined the EU sanctions, which imposed restrictions on the import of Russian goods.

👉Relations between the EU and the US have worsened recently due to US tariff policies and Greenland dispute.

Key figures

Exports (monthly average):

🟠 Jan-Nov 2021: €114.1B

🟠 Jan-Nov 2022: rose to €133.5B

🟠 2023-2024: declined and stagnated around €130.0B

🟠 Jan-Nov 2025: averaged €131.3B

Imports (monthly average):

🔹 Jan-Nov 2021: €98.7B

🔹 Jan-Nov 2022: increased to €126.5B

🔹 2024: Stood at €110.0B

🔹 Jan-Nov 2025: returned to ~2023 levels, averaging €114.6B

Trade surplus (monthly average):

◻️ 2022-2024 period: averaged €20.7B

◻️ Jan-Nov 2025: dropped to €16.7B

Germany's entire economic prosperity was built on cheap Russian pipeline gas. Now that gas is gone, products have become more expensive, experts say.

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🇺🇸 💰 US pledges long-delayed payment as UN debt crisis deepens

The White House plans to make a significant initial payment to the UN “in a matter of weeks” to begin clearing its massive arrears, US Ambassador Mike Waltz was cited by Reuters as saying.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned the United Nations is at risk of "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid fees, the majority of which are owed by the US.

Key figures:

➖ $2.19B—total arrears to the UN regular budget alone (that's over 95% of all unpaid regular budget dues from all countries combined)

➖ $2.4B—owed for current and past peacekeeping missions

➖ $827M—unpaid for 2025 (zero paid into the regular budget last year)

➖ $767M—already due for 2026

➖ $43.6M—arrears for UN tribunals

When asked if the money Waltz spoke of would go towards last year's dues or those for 2026, or both, he said: "Just in general, towards the arrears, and also in recognition of some of the reforms that we've seen."

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🇷🇺 🔥 Russian latest MLRS Sarma undergoing trials on the battlefield

It'll debut at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Equipped with a modern automated fire control system, it allows to be deployed quickly, integrating with recon and combat systems

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🇸🇪 Swedish defense companies profit from Ukraine conflict

Sweden has provided Ukraine with $9 billion in military aid since the start of Russia’s special military operation and plans to allocate another $8 billion to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons and other assistance, Russian envoy in Stockholm Sergey Belyaev told Sputnik.

🔹 Sweden has already announced plans to give Ukraine an additional $8 billion in 2026-2027 for direct purchases and joint production of weapons and military equipment, international assistance to Ukraine and co-financing of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.

🔹 Sweden's defense sector and lead firm Saab are raking in massive profits amid the Ukraine conflict, with its end unprofitable for business, Belyaev revealed.

"Saab's strong economic performance contributes to the growing influence of the defense sector on the Swedish economy as a whole. As a result, a possible peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict or a sharp policy shift in the government are becoming unprofitable for Swedish firms, who are linked to defense contracts," he said.

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🔶 Trump authorizes up to 25% tariffs on countries trading with Iran

🔶 'Very good talks' on Ukraine, Iran — Trump

🔶 US approves $185 million military support package for Ukraine

🔶 US contractors face penalties over late Ukraine ammo deliveries

🔶 US & India announce interim trade framework

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🚨 Ukrainian soldiers in ‘death zone’ due to Russian drones – Syrsky

Right now, “Ukrainian frontline soldiers are in greater danger than” at the beginning of the conflict, Oleksandr Syrsky told German media.

👉 The Ukrainian commander-in-chief pointed to “technological advances in drone construction,” which he said means that “the so-called death zone, where Ukrainian soldiers are particularly at risk along the 1,200-km front, now extends to a depth of 20 km.”

📍 Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier said Russian forces had carried out a massive strike and five combined attacks against the Ukrainian military over the past week. Russian forces also liberated the villages of Popovka in the Sumy region, Zelenoye in the Kharkov region, as well as Stepanovka, Toretskoye, and Sukhetskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

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🚨 🇮🇷 Iran will retaliate by attacking US bases in Gulf if America strikes - Foreign Minister

Iran considers its nuclear program non-negotiable, Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi said, adding that the date of the new Iran-US negotiations isn't scheduled yet.

He also rejected possibility of withdrawing enriched uranium from the country.

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😍 🇨🇳 China rings with dazzling 20,000-drone display

Hefei, China, hosts a breathtaking show featuring tens of thousands of synchronized aerial drones.

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

⚡️ CHUGUNOVKA IN THE KHARKOV REGION FREED

By liberating the settlement of Chugunovka in the Kharkov region, the Russian forces have expanded the buffer zone along the border with the Belgorod region.

🟠 In response to Ukrainian terrorist attacks, the Russian Armed Forces conducted a massive strike with long-range attack UAVs and high-precision weapons, including Kinzhal hyperesonic missiles, targeting transport and energy infrastructure supporting the Kiev regime’s forces

🟠 Russian air and missile firepower obliterated temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 158 places

🟠 Air defense superiority: one guided aerial bomb and 168 UAVs were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the past 24 hours

🟠 Ukrainian losses: around 1,305 troops killed or wounded

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

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🪖🇭🇺🇪🇺 'Hungary says NO'

Orban explains why Hungary opposes EU’s idea of sending troops to Ukraine.

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🔥🇷🇺 Sanctions hit hard? Russia found the antidote

Russia has replaced Western components in vehicles with domestic alternatives, neutralizing the impact of sanctions.

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🔥🇷🇺 Russian Sever battlegroup liberates Popovka in Sumy region

Soldiers are strengthening the buffer zone and providing additional protection to civilians from Ukraine's terrorist threats.

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🇷🇺 Russian Pacific Fleet's corvette Gremyashchy returns to base

It took part in the Russian-Myanmar Marumex 2025 joint naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.

The ship also held drills to search and destroy a mock enemy submarine near Kuril Islands.

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🚨 💸 Ukrainian generals caught embezzling millions through faulty command & control software contract

Corruption watchdog NABU has completed its probe into suspected fraud related to the creation of Ukraine’s DZVIN automated command & control battlefield management system.

🔹 The investigation found that a former deputy chief of the general staff, an ex-chief of the Signal Corps, a former head of the General Staff’s automation development department and a businessman contracted to build the software turned the contract into a cash cow to extract funds from the state.

🔹 Ukraine’s military contracted the C&C system’s creation out to a private firm with no experience in 2016, after which the tech specs were altered 13 times over four years, and costs ballooned by about $11M US (using the 2020 exchange rate). Additional prototypes and adjusting documentation added $4.25M to costs. Nearly $6M was embezzled.

🔹 Besides delays and cost increases, the final product failed to meet expectations, remaining incompatible with NATO protocols, and proving impossible to integrate with other systems. Of 200 information and calculations tasks that were set, only 10 were implemented. The system was adopted in late 2022. In 2024, the accused asked for more funding to eliminate shortcomings.

🔹 The suspects face 7-12 years in prison and confiscation of property. It’s not clear whether they are still in Ukraine or not.

NABU is the same agency which exposed a $100M corruption plot in Zelensky’s inner circle in 2025. Some of the suspects in that case fled to Israel before they could be tried.

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🪖🇮🇷 New aggression will trigger ‘absolute and strategic defeat’ of Iran’s enemies: top general

💬 “The enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are well aware that any adventure or attempt to impose war against Islamic Iran will not only lead to their absolute and strategic defeat but will also cause the expansion of war and crisis throughout the region,” Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi warned.

Iran will never be the one to start a war, but will not waiver in defending its itself, he added.

The top commander made the remarks Saturday, as Iran marks Air Force Day.

💬 “In complete coordination with other armed forces, the Air Force is ready to give a decisive, rapid, and regrettable response to any threat, aggression or miscalculation by the enemy,” he said.

Mousavi’s comments follow remarks by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warning that Iran’s retaliation to new US aggression would include targeting American bases in the Gulf region.

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🇸🇰🤝🇷🇺 Fico backs talks with Russia over Ukraine conflict

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has always supported dialogue with Russia, he reiterated in a recent interview.

He has ordered the restoration of bilateral intergovernmental commissions with Russia, and says the Ukraine conflict senselessly claims lives and can only be ended through talks between major powers—not military escalation.

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