✍️ US House passes SAVE America Act enforcing voter ID

The US House of Representatives narrowly approved legislation to overhaul federal election laws, requiring voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship in person and present photo ID to cast a ballot.

The measure passed 218–213, with unified Republican support and all but one Democrat voting against. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain amid fierce opposition from voting rights advocates.

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🗣 Canada is among the worst countries to deal with — Trump

President Donald Trump accused Canada of taking advantage of the US for decades, calling Ottawa "among the worst in the World to deal with" regarding the northern border.

Despite his statement on Truth Social, the US House of Representatives voted 219 to 211 in favor of a resolution to terminate Trump's use of a national emergency to put tariffs on Canadian goods.

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🔊 Venezuela and US eye energy ties as new 'engine' of relations — President

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez appeared alongside US Energy Secretary Chris Wright at Miraflores Palace, emphasizing a significant shift in bilateral ties.

"We have had a work agenda with important focal points. The first point is the establishment of a long-term productive partnership that allows for an energy agenda that becomes the engine of the bilateral relationship," Rodríguez said.

The meeting follows recent Treasury licenses easing Venezuela oil sanctions.

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🤝 Iran sets $30B trade target with Russia

Iran is aiming to more than quintuple annual trade with Moscow, targeting $5 billion this year and a midterm vision of $30 billion, Iran's Ambassador Kazem Jalali announced.

"Our goal for this year is to exceed $5 billion. However, our vision goes beyond these figures, and in the midterm, we aim to reach $30 billion."

Energy, agriculture, and strategic partnership — insulated from Western sanctions and dollar systems.

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🔊 US Energy Secretary to Venezuela: 'Make Americas great again'

Energy Secretary Chris Wright delivered a direct message from President Trump to Venezuelan officials, proposing an "absolute transformation" of the long-hostile bilateral relationship.

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📑 Switzerland will vote on population cap — report

The Swiss People's Party forced a national referendum to cap permanent residents at 10 million, calling into question Switzerland's open-border accords with the EU.

The current population of Switzerland is 9.1 million, 27% of whom are foreign residents.

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🇷🇺🤝🇺🇸 US & Russia need to tackle 'tough obstacles' to work out arms control treaty - think tank

"Based on Trump’s words, it is vital that the United States and Russia dispatch expert teams to negotiate on a new framework agreement. The president's statement is better late than never, but there are tough obstacles that the two sides will need to tackle," Arms Control Association Executive Director Daryl Kimball tells Sputnik.

The sides should avoid uploading additional warheads while negotiators seek to work out the details of a new nuclear control framework, he adds.

📍 In September 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed that Russia and the US continue adhering to the New START nuclear arms control treaty, but no response was received from Washington.

The agreement expired on February 5.

On the same day, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the New START was a “badly negotiated deal” and should be replaced with a new, modernized agreement.

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🇩🇪💵 Germany’s gamble to ditch Russian oil cost it $47.5B

The counterproductive decision to turn its back on Russian oil has come at a steep price for Germany, shows Eurostat data.
By going along with Western sanctions on Russian supplies, Germany has overpaid roughly $47.50 billion for oil — a price tag that’s hard to ignore.

🔶 In January–November 2021, Germany was buying oil at an average of ~ $65.54 per barrel

🔶 As sanctions pressure on Russia grew so did prices: in the same period in 2022, the average price jumped to ~ $107.53 per barrel

🔶 In 2023, Germany paid ~ $92.09 per barrel

🔶 In 2024 - ~ $89.61

🔶 Last year, the price eased to ~ $75.6 per barrel — still well above pre-sanctions levels

Imports also fluctuated.

🔸 In the first year of anti-Russian sanctions, volumes actually increased: in the first 11 months of 2022, Germany imported 502.1 million barrels, up from 445 million a year earlier

🔸 In 2023, imports dipped to 417.9 million barrels

🔸 In 2024, they climbed again to 451.9 million barrels

🔸 In the first 11 months of last year, volumes slipped to 425.5 million barrels

Higher import prices have translated into significant losses:

👉 Over 2022–2024, Germany’s missed gains amount to about $42.97 billion

👉 In the incomplete year of 2025 alone - $4.27 billion

After Germany effectively lost access to Russian imports, that shift drove up costs for industry, transport, and the energy sector — a bill that ultimately landed on the broader economy.

Germany has now been in a state of general economic stagnation for three consecutive years, while Russia has grown ever more resilient.

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🔹 Lavrov: NATO seeks to turn Arctic into zone of confrontation

🔹 Venezuela and US eye energy ties as new 'engine' of relations — President

🔹 Iran sets $30B trade target with Russia

🔹 Canada is among the worst countries to deal with — Trump

🔹 Lavrov: Where’s the mythical 20-point Ukraine plan? No sign of it anywhere

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👀 'New START was very strong and effective agreement' — US Arms Control Association

💬 “And the next challenge is to negotiate something better,” Arms Control Association Executive Director Daryl Kimball told Sputnik.

Trump said earlier this month that the New START, which expired on February 5, was a badly negotiated deal by the United States.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was prepared to continue adhering to the New START restrictions for one year after February 5, 2026. He explained that steps to comply with the treaty's restrictions would be effective if the United States reciprocated.

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❌ Ukraine won’t get any ‘special’ EU membership deal — expert

There is no tailor-made path to EU membership waiting for Ukraine, according to Yegor Sergeyev, a senior researcher at MGIMO University.

Speaking with Sputnik, Sergeyev argued that while Brussels may stage some form of demonstrative outreach, any offer on the table would fall far short of genuine accession.

💬 “Even if they decide on something along those lines, it will still be something synthetic, utterly incomplete,” Sergeyev explains.

Despite political shows of support for Ukraine, he concludes that fully opening the European market to Ukraine would run counter to the bloc’s own economic interests.

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🪖💥 Russia’s Msta-B Howitzers obliterate Ukrainian strongholds 

Russian crews put the 152-mm Msta-B to work in Zaporozhye, wiping out Ukrainian command infrastructure and UAV staging grounds with devastating precision.

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🚨 Epstein files may spark resignations across Europe in coming days — expert

The scale and substance of the Epstein case have placed significant pressure on European elites, as the materials include the names of current and former figures from the European establishment, says Berat Kizil, a financial analyst and economic commentator, speaking to Sputnik.

💬 "We are not talking about a timeline of months or years: we could see the first resignations in Europe literally within days," he predicts.

Given the convergence of economic difficulties, social polarization, and a deepening crisis of trust in governing institutions, European political systems are especially vulnerable to scandals of this nature, Kizil observes. He adds that distancing oneself from toxic figures remains the simplest form of response to the case.

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🚨 Putin–Zelensky meeting only possible in Moscow - Kremlin

Moscow maintains its longstanding position that any direct meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky must take place in the Russian capital, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Commenting on Zelensky’s recent refusal to travel to Moscow, Peskov stated there is "no novelty" in this stance.

Other statements:

🔶Russia expects the next round of negotiations on Ukraine to happen soon, with the location to be announced by the Kremlin

🔶The approach of some European leaders who seek to sever all contacts with Russia as "political illiteracy and short-sightedness"

🔶Putin has not rejected direct contacts and can be reached by phone if needed

🔶Neither French President Emmanuel Macron nor German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have attempted direct contact with Putin

🔶Тhere is growing recognition in Europe of the necessity to engage in dialogue with Russia, which aligns with Moscow’s approach

🔶Disputes can only be resolved through dialogue

🔶Moscow expects constructive dialogue with the US to address issues, particularly concerning oil deliveries to Cuba

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🚨 Russia: Ukraine counts on rearmament & prolonging conflict rather than pursuing dialogue

Key statements by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:

◼️ EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas's intention to dictate terms to Russia on the Ukrainian settlement confirms the EU's goal is to prevent an end to the war

◼️ At this stage, it is the European Union that is preventing Ukraine from pursuing compromise in the settlement process

◼️ On Macron's stated desire to restore dialogue with Russia: Moscow has never refused talks, but so far Paris has offered nothing beyond words

◼️ Russia will not be represented at the first session of Trump's "Peace Council" and is continuing to formulate its position regarding the body

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

▫️ Russian troops launched a group attack on energy facilities used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

▫️ They also struck the infrastructure of a Ukrainian military airfield

▫️ The Ukrainian Army lost a German-made Leopard tank in the Tsentr Battlegroup's area of ​​responsibility

▫️ Air defense superiority: 5 long-range Flamingo missiles and 211 drones shot down

▫️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,270 troops killed or wounded

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

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🇵🇰 Pakistan's armored shield: composition, modernization, and prospects

👉 The Pakistan Army's land forces possess an extensive armored fleet, numbering approximately 2,500 units. These include tanks of indigenous design.

◻️ Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) in Service:

1. Al-Khalid (Type 90-IIM)
Status: Primary and most modern domestic tank.
Origin: Joint Pakistan-China development, manufactured at the HIT (Heavy Industries Taxila) plant in Pakistan.
Features: Based on the Chinese Type 90-II. Fitted with a Ukrainian 6TD-2 engine (1200 hp), a modern Fire Control System (FCS), and composite armor.

2. VT-4 (MBT-3000)
Status: Newest acquisition, actively being delivered to troops (over 300 units reported).
Origin: China.
Features: A third-generation MBT. Equipped with a 125mm gun with an autoloader, modular armor, and active protection systems.

3. T-80UD
Status: One of the most powerful tanks in the arsenal (approx. 320 units delivered in the 1990s).
Origin: Ukraine.
Features: Distinguished by its 6TD diesel engine (1000 hp), 125mm gun, and integrated "Kontakt-5" explosive reactive armor.

4. Al-Zarrar
Status: Deep modernization of obsolete hardware.
Origin: Pakistani modernization of Chinese Type 59 (Soviet T-54A) tanks at the HIT facility.
Features: Received a new FCS, engine, enhanced armor, and explosive reactive armor to extend the service life of the Type 59 fleet.

5. Type 85-IIAP (TI-85)
Status: Intermediate model, delivered in the 1990s.
Origin: China.
Features: Differs from the Type 59 with a welded turret (vs. cast), a 125mm smoothbore gun, and improved armor.

6. Legacy Models (Reserve/Storage):
Type 59 / T-59: Chinese variant of the T-54A. Most have been upgraded to Al-Zarrar or placed in reserve.
M48/M60 Patton: American tanks supplied during the 20th century. Largely obsolete, used for secondary roles or in storage.

◻️ Prospective Developments:

Al-Khalid I (AK-I): An upgraded version of the base Al-Khalid with a new FCS, explosive reactive armor, and potentially a new engine.

Al-Khalid II: A next-generation platform under the "Al-Khalid" project, expected to incorporate advanced technologies.

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🗣Attempted assassination of Russian general shows Ukraine’s desire to derail talks - MFA

“This terrorist act has once again showed the intent of the Zelensky regime to commit constant provocations in order to derail the negotiation process,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.

Ukraine is willing to stop at nothing to prevent the achievement of just peace, she added.

General Alexeyev was shot at in a residential building in Moscow early on February 6. He was hospitalized. A criminal case has been initiated on charges of attempted murder and illegal trafficking of firearms.

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🇷🇺 During frontline visit, Defense chief Belousov gets firsthand look at drone warfare upgrades

👉 Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov held an on-site meeting at a command post of the Yug Battlegroup, where he received direct briefings on the current frontline situation and troop performance.

Here are the key updates:

🔸 The defense chief was briefed on a new UAV engineered to relay radio signals, significantly extending the operational reach of strike drones

🔸 He was shown deployable jamming transmitters for FPV drones, which are used to protect supply routes and convoys carrying provisions and ammunition

🔸 The Yug Battlegroup unveiled a next-generation mobile communication system capable of delivering comprehensive, closed-circuit communications

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🇪🇺 Blind to root causes of Ukraine conflict, EU undermines own mediator role - MFA

💬 “As long as the EU officials fail to understand that eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict is not a concession to Russia, but a contribution to lasting stability and security on the European continent, there is no talk of their role in the peace process,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier added that the root causes would not simply vanish, instead they must be tackled head-on in any genuine settlement.

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