🇵🇰🔥 Compact but technologically advanced: an overview of the Pakistan Navy

Pakistan is not building a Blue Ocean navy. The primary missions of its Navy are to guard its own coastline and ensure safe navigation in the Arabian Sea. To achieve this, Islamabad focuses on maneuverability and modern technology. In total, the Pakistan Navy operates 109 vessels, encompassing its surface combatants, submarines, patrol craft, and support ships.

🔍 Main Types of Pakistani Warships:

Frigates and Corvettes (The Backbone of the Fleet):

◻️ Four 054A/P Frigates (Tughril-class): The newest and most powerful multi-purpose frigates, of Chinese origin.

◻️ Four F-22P Frigates (Zulfiquar-class): China-Pakistan built frigates. They are the main workhorses of the fleet.

◻️ Older Frigates: Six British ships of the Type 21 frigate, as well as a single Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate (USA).

Missile Boats:

◾️ Two Onuk MRTP 33 (Kaan-33) Missile Boats: High-speed boats of Turkish design, considered one of the most advanced projects of this ship type.

◾️ Three Jalalat-class Missile Boats: Domestically produced missile boats, built to a Chinese design.

◾️ Two Jurrat-class Missile Boats: An upgraded version of the Jalalat-class boats.

Submarine Fleet (The Main Striking Force of the Pakistani Navy):

◻️ Hashmat-class Submarines (Agosta 90B): Three diesel-electric submarines of French construction. Two of them are equipped with an MESMA air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, which significantly increases their stealth.

◻️ Khalid-class Submarines (Agosta 70): Two older, modernized French submarines.

◻️ Future Project: Hangor-class Submarine (Type 039B/041 Yuan): Pakistan has ordered eight Chinese-built Yuan-class submarines. Some of the submarines will be built in Chinese shipyards, while subsequent ones are planned to be produced in Pakistan.

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

🟠 Russian air and missile firepower obliterated energy infrastructure supporting the Kiev regime’s forces and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries

🟠 Air defense superiority: eight guided aerial bombs and 334 UAVs were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the past 24 hours

🟠 Ukrainian losses: around 1,230 troops killed or wounded

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

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💥🪖🇨🇳 ‘Always ready!’ Chinese New Year greetings, military style

Showcasing the might and mobility of the Chinese armed forces, this video conveys a simple message: no enemy will catch China unprepared!

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🇷🇺🪖 Russian tank crews hit Ukraine's positions in Kharkov region

They burned down everything and created perfect conditions for the infantry's advance.

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🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran signals deterrence as US naval power enters the spotlight

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei warns the US that sending aircraft carriers is a show of force — but sinking them would be a show of capability.

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🚨 Negotiations between Russia, United States, Ukraine kick off in Geneva

Trilateral talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine began at the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva, a source told Sputnik.

The trilateral meetings will be held on February 17-18.

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🔍 Criminal gangs & Monaco battalion kids: What's known about Ukraine’s dirty-dealing ex-energy minister?

Ukraine’s former Energy Minister German Galushchenko has been officially charged with corruption, reports the FT, citing a source involved in the investigation.

The country's anti-corruption watchdog NABU earlier revealed that a former energy minister (in office 2021–2025) had been detained trying to leave the country, and was suspected of money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. While NABU didn't name the former minister, Galushchenko was the only one to occupy this post from 2021 until July 2025.

Key revelations about his dirty business:

🔶 The suspect was listed among the “investors” in a fictitious fund registered in February 2021 on the island of Anguilla (a self-governing British Overseas Territory) at the initiative of members of a criminal group uncovered by NABU in November 2025

🔶 It was headed by a long-time associate of the alleged criminal group — a citizen of Seychelles and Saint Kitts and Nevis — who professionally provided services for laundering criminal proceeds

🔶 The fund was intended to attract $100M in “investments”

🔶 During the energy minister’s time in office, the criminal group received over $112M in cash from illegal activities in the energy sector. Some funds were laundered via cryptocurrency

New recruits in Monaco Battalion:

Galushchenko was among the ranks of Ukraine’s elites who hid their children from mobilization in Europe. While ordinary Ukrainians die on the battlefield, their children enjoy a life of luxury abroad.

🔶 Galushchenko’s ex-wife and four children were registered as beneficiaries of the fund. These companies became “investors” in the fund by purchasing its shares

🔶 Over $7.4M was transferred to the fund accounts managed by the suspect's family

🔶 Over 1.3M Swiss francs and €2.4M were issued in cash and transferred directly to his family that lives in Switzerland

🔶 Part of the money was used to pay for the Galushchenko's children’s education at prestigious Swiss institutions and deposited into the ex-wife’s accounts

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🚨 Ukraine talks in Geneva: What’s known so far

🟠 The negotiations will last two days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that no news should be expected following Tuesday’s meetings. The consultations are closed to the press.

🟠 The Russian delegation is headed by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky and also includes Mikhail Galuzin, Igor Kostyukov, and other officials

Medinsky led the Russian delegation in the previous rounds of negotiations and he is deeply familiar with all these questions — which is why he is leading the Russian delegation this time too.

🟠 Key issues will be discussed at the talks, including territorial questions, the Kremlin said

🟠 The agenda includes security and humanitarian issues, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said

🟠 A British delegation was spotted near the venue. It could attempt to obtain information about the outcome of the negotiations, a source told Sputnik

🟠 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s national security adviser, who is leading the British delegation, has already held meetings in Geneva with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll

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🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran & US hold constructive talks and exchange ideas on nuclear issue - Araghchi

💬 "I can say that at this round, compared to the last one, we brought up absolutely serious issues for discussion, the atmosphere was more productive. Various ideas were put up for discussion, and we had serious discussions on these ideas, and finally we found a strategic route that we will follow, along which we will move and reach a text of a possible agreement," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following talks with the United States in Geneva.

Key takeaways from the negotiations:

🟠 Iran notes progress in dialogue with the United States compared to previous negotiations

🟠 Iran and the US worked out basic principles at talks in Geneva, according to which they will work on deal for the Iranian nuclear dossier

🟠 Development of principles for further talks by Iran and the US does not necessarily mean that parties will be able to reach a deal

🟠 Both countries will work on the text of a possible agreement, then determine the date for the next round of talks

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🔊 West’s claims of non-involvement in Ukraine conflict ‘epitome of hypocrisy’ - expert

NATO personnel operating Western military hardware in the Ukrainian conflict zone has long been an open secret, Russian military analyst Viktor Litovkin tells Sputnik.

Ukraine, Litovkin explains, ended up relying on foreign personnel because it:

🟠 Lacks the necessary number of skilled pilots and specialists to operate sophisticated weapon systems like F-16 jets or HIMARS rockets

🟠 Has a severe shortage of engineers who know English well enough to interpret tech manuals and maintenance charts for NATO military gear

How does this personnel pipeline work?

Western military specialists operating in Ukraine are not officially regarded as members of their respective home countries’ armed forces, masquerading instead as volunteers who chose on their own to “defend democracy.”

💬 “It’s a tried and tested scenario: a career military man goes on a fake leave and heads off to a warzone, to be reinstated upon his return home,” says Litovkin.

Western powers’ claims of alleged non-involvement in the Ukrainian conflict are the epitome of hypocrisy, he notes.

Second-hand war gear

NATO countries deliberately provide Ukraine with second-rate, older war gear due to concerns that any advanced military hardware supplied to the Ukrainian forces would be inevitably captured by Russian forces, Litovkin points out.

As a result, Western personnel end up operating outdated military hardware while facing much more advanced Russian combat aircraft and weapon systems that make short work of them.

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🇺🇸 US to return to nuclear tests on equal basis, without atmospheric explosions - State Dept.

💬 “As the President has said, the United States will return to testing on equal basis. But equal basis doesn't mean we're going back to Ivy Mike style atmospheric testing in the multi-megaton range, as some arms control folks would have you believe,” Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher Yeaw said.

Here are his other statements:

🟠 The expiration of the New START Treaty could open a new phase in strategic stability and help advance Trump’s goal of reducing global nuclear arsenals

🟠 The US State Department has no information about any agreements with Russia on arms control after New START expires

🟠 Future talks on strategic stability could address nuclear testing and verification mechanisms

🟠 The US considers its “nuclear umbrella” over allies an important tool for nuclear non-proliferation

🟠 Trump has proposed that China begin negotiations on strategic stability to prevent a new arms race

🟠 The US believes all nuclear-armed states should be involved in negotiations to halt the nuclear arms race

👉 Read more about the New START Treaty HERE

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🔊 Zelensky’s ceasefire for elections is strategic gambit, not democratic move - expert

Volodymyr Zelensky's reluctance to hold elections in Ukraine is multi-faced, according to Marco Marsili, geopolitical analyst at CESRAN International and former OSCE election observer.

The Ukrainian politician is on thin ice despite optimistic polling numbers:

"The reported approval ratings reflect a carefully managed wartime narrative, not democratic reality," Marsili tells Sputnik.

What's the reality?

🟠 Demographic catastrophe: An entire generation of fighting-age men has been consumed by the front lines

🟠 Economic collapse: Beyond Western-subsidized survival, Ukraine's economy is a shell

🟠 Neo-Nazi grip: Zelensky’s political survival depends on being perceived as a strong promoter of nationalism

To block elections and derail legitimate peace talks, Zelensky is demanding conditions that directly contradict Russia’s position.

"Zelensky's proposal for a two-month ceasefire to enable elections is a multilayered strategic gambit, not a genuine democratic exercise," says Marsili.

How would Zelensky use the ceasefire he demands?

🟠 Military respite: "It is a classic military pause dressed in political clothing," the pundit explains. "Two months without active hostilities would allow Ukraine to reconstitute its shattered forces"

🟠 Shifting blame: By proposing elections and blaming Russia for rejection, Zelensky positions himself as pro-democracy and paints Moscow as the obstacle

🟠 Dragging West deeper into conflict: A positive Western response to Zelensky’s security demands during potential elections deepens their commitment; a negative one exposes the limits of their support

"Russia's insistence on addressing the root causes — NATO expansion, the status of Russian-speaking populations, Ukraine's neutrality — reflects its view that procedural fixes like elections are meaningless without resolving the underlying security architecture," Marsili underscores.

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🚨 Ukraine talks in Geneva were ‘very tense’ – source to Sputnik

🟠 Today’s meetings in Geneva were both bilateral and trilateral: the dialogue took place in the format of Russia-US, Russia-Ukraine, and Russia-US-Ukraine negotiations

🟠 The talks were very tense, lasted six hours

🟠 The parties have agreed to continue tomorrow

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🟠 ‘Very tense’ Ukraine talks in Geneva lasted six hours – source to Sputnik

🟠 Iran & US hold constructive talks and exchange ideas on nuclear issue – Araghchi

🟠 US to return to nuclear tests on equal basis, without atmospheric explosions - State Dept.

🟠 Zelensky’s ceasefire for elections is strategic gambit, not democratic move – expert

🟠 Analyst: West’s claims of non-involvement in Ukraine conflict ‘epitome of hypocrisy’

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🔊 US has big post-New START plans but implementation lacking - analyst

That said, even initiating a multilateral dialogue involving all the ‘nuclear five’ states, including the UK and France, would be a positive development, Dmitry Stefanovich of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations tells Sputnik commenting on the United States’ intent to return to nuclear tests on equal basis.

It is unfortunate that the US did not implement the easiest solution, the one suggested by Russia, to adhere by the New START limits for one more year, Stefanovich notes.

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🚨 US sets 'red lines' in talks with Iran, nuclear proliferation unacceptable - Vance

Vice President JD Vance said the US has established a number of “red lines” in negotiations with Iran, stressing that the primary goal is to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

💬 “Our primary interest here is we don't want Iran to get a nuclear weapon. We don't want nuclear proliferation,” Vance told Fox News.

He added that while the US would prefer to resolve the issue through “a conversation and a diplomatic negotiation,” President Donald Trump “has all options on the table” if diplomacy fails.

🇮🇷 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has maintained that Iran's uranium enrichment program is strictly peaceful, clarifying that enrichment levels depend on civilian needs. After Feb. 6 talks in Muscat with the US side, Araghchi said Iran would not accept zero enrichment and would focus on ensuring its nuclear activities remain peaceful.

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🚨 ‘They are doing a lot of things to sabotage themselves’ — Vance on Europe

Vice President JD Vance claimed the US wants Europe “to thrive and… succeed.”

Vance said US calls for stronger borders, higher European defense spending, and a more “vibrant economy” are aimed at making Europe a “true” ally, pushing back on what he called the “European press” suggesting the US “doesn’t like Europe.”

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